Chapter 39: Mr. Roboto

Emma

If I thought I had been worried before when it came to getting home, it was nothing compared to this. My thoughts were full of only one emotion- fear. But I also refused to give into fear as I continued to follow Zuko. We'd find Daniel. He'd be ok. We'd all go home together. Everything would be fine.

Because if it came down to it, I couldn't leave Daniel behind. I'd rather them all go home without me than considering that option.

Zuko veered suddenly to the left. We'd been jogging for a while without seeing anything. Reg, my Manectric, stayed on my right side, keeping up for once. Anthony was on my left. He'd returned Snout for Rapier, who slithered silently beside him. If I'd been less distracted I would have realized he was almost as worried as I was.

Almost.

Zuko stopped, ears perked. Rapier crouched lower, hissing. Before I could ask, something human shaped shot like a Draco Meteor out of a tree. Rapier sent a Leaf Storm, Zuko a Flamethrower. Both of the attacks disappeared in seconds, absorbed by a tiny tennis ball shaped orb, which the figure caught as he landed.

And then my mind pieced together what I was seeing. A man in a suit. But not just any suit. He looked like a robot. A slim, super advanced suit that looked like all the super hero movies. Black and red, a mask that covered his face.

Even with Pokemon on our side, he looked like he could take all of us.

"Who are you?" Anthony asked firmly.

"Why does everyone expect me to answer?" He looked directly at me, cocking his head. I frowned, wondering what that was all about. And what was with the Darth Vader voice changer? He threw the orb into the air, catching it again. "You have no right to be here."

"As if. It seems like you need to go back to the Grid where you belong," I said.

"That takes place in the past," Anthony murmured, the know it all of all sci-fi.

"You know what I mean," I whispered at him before turning to Tron. "Where's Daniel?"

"Safe."

"Why is it that I don't trust you?" I growled. Zuko followed suit, definitely more intimidating than I was.

"What have you done to Celebi?" Ash yelled, coming forward.

"Nothing," he said simply.

"What's with burning the forest? And his shrine?"

"Distractions."

"Can't you explain in full sentences?" I asked, irritated.

"No."

I don't know why I expected anything different.

"I'm tired of people from the future not telling us what's going on," Ash said. "We gave him his chance. Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu jumped from his shoulder, sending the Electric attack at the man. A red Protect shield formed around him as he held his arm at chest height, coming from his outer forearm.

"Leaf Storm," Anthony commanded.

Rapier jumped, sending the tornado at the shield. The man let the shield evaporate and dive rolled quickly, jumping back up into a branch fifteen feet off the ground.

Freaking impossible. Ok super villain.

"Zuko, get that creep," I said.

"We need to find Daniel," Anthony whispered to me. "Why is this guy playing with us? He's not even attacking."

"Think again." The voice was louder than possible because of his helmet. I looked up in time to watch the orb drop and hit the ground, shattering.

A blooming eruption of fire, slowed down by the adrenaline, made its way towards us. The earth shook from the force. I saw the blur of Rapier as he used Protect around Anthony. Zuko was already out of harm's way, thank God. But I was right there, staring as the explosion got closer and closer.

What did getting home now matter? Maybe I wasn't meant to make it back. That made the most sense right now. I'd rather not get burned to death. I'd been playing with fire this whole time. Metaphorically, sure, but it felt ironically right to be burned.

I accepted that as the fire made its last pluming growth to embrace me.

At the last second, a figure appeared in front of me, knocking me backwards from the force. My eyes were forced shut. I saw blue despite the darkness. I felt my skin hit the ground, searing from hitting rough twigs. I heard the muffled rushing of smoke and fire.

But I didn't feel the burn.

Almost too scared to look, I opened my eyes to see metallic blue legs. They flicked upwards to find a matching blue suit. Surrounded by a blue force field. A blue safe haven.

"I sure saved your butt, didn't I?" I heard through a voice changer.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Oh. Right, voice changer. Thing. I sound cool."

I stared at him. Or her. Or whatever. Maybe they weren't human.

"Wow. Earth to Emma. Maybe I should wear this suit all the time. You actually stare at me when I wear it."

And then the answer dawned on me. "Daniel?"

I was still crouched on the ground of the Ilex Forest, bruised and battered, in front of Daniel who I thought had been captured and possible tortured for information to find that he was instead in a blue robotic suit like he was from a different world, saving me from pretty much imminent death.

Yeah. I was probably dead.

"So you're ok?" I said warily, going with it.

"Well, I could go for a snack right now. Nachos. Donuts. In that order."

Or maybe it was actually him. I jumped up and hugged him as hard as I could. "You're ok!"

He stumbled a step back. Hugging him in this suit was not fun. It wasn't comfortable.

"Of course you hug me now," he muttered. "Can I get a rain check for when I'm not in this thing?"

"No." I smiled, pulling away.

"Guys, we're kind of in the middle of something," I heard Anthony say. Amanda rushed over, breathing heavily. But she didn't seem hurt. She had been farther back. I released a breath of worry I didn't know I'd been holding.

"Oh, right," Daniel said, flicking his arm. The shield fell away. "Sorry, Ant."

Anthony's mouth twitched. "Why is it that you always get to do the cool things?"

"Next time you can get captured. It's your turn in line anyway," Daniel said.

"Who is this guy?" I asked hurriedly, wondering where he'd gone.

"Someone from Silph. I don't know who. But I stole some goodies." Daniel pressed a gun into my hand, which I immediately held away from my body and people. "Em, it's just a gun."

"Just a gun!"

"Well, I don't know what it does, so let's say it's just a gun till then."

"Just a gun," I repeated.

"I'll hold it." Anthony waved at me to hand it over.

I carefully gave it to him. He seemed a bit too happy as he inspected it.

Amanda's brow creased. "Guys, if you didn't notice, that guy ran off and Ash, Misty, and Brock went off after him without us. We need to go."

"Plan of action?" I asked.

"Capture him," Daniel said simply. "We'll end up taking him to the future with us. He can probably get there by himself if he doesn't need Celebi. I want answers."

"Same," Anthony agreed.

"Anthony, you're in charge of the gun. Try to figure out what it does."

"The orbs absorb Pokemon attacks, convert them into energy, which at the moment can be used at least as bombs," Anthony stated.

"Yeah, I realized," Daniel said wryly. "Stay with Pokemon that know Protect. I'll handle him, you handle the Pokemon. Crikey is in charge of all of your Pokemon if you get separated from them."

"Crikey?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Do you have a problem with that?" a rough, gravelly voice came from behind me. I looked up to see Crikey standing there, as big and toothy as ever, an armband on one of his forearms. He winked, his mouth unmoving. "Hi there."

"Was that him?" Amanda whispered.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Daniel said, stepping in front of Crikey. "We both got upgrades today."

"I'd have to say mine is a much bigger improvement than his fake scales." Crikey seemed to say with distaste. I realized the voice came from the armband and stared at it.

"Why is it that you always get to do the cool things?" Anthony repeated in sad exasperation.

"Guys! Super villain person!" Amanda reminded us.

"Right. Perspective," Anthony said.

My heart stopped as I looked around. "Where's Zuko!?"

Gasp. So much stuff happening. Yeah guys, this is way better than my original plan for how this story went, which is a good thing. It's much better now. Believe me.

Tell me what you think in the comments!

Pokemon Question of the Day: What would you do in the suit?

God bless you peoples.

-Flips