Chapter 33

"Randy doesn't want to battle his relatives! Randy won't battle! Randy won't!" Randy's cries echoed around the busy Driftveil streets.

"Please tell him to be quiet!" Amos moaned to Leia, who was trying to hold a squirming Randy.

"I'm... trying!" She spluttered as Randy screamed again.

"Put a sock in his mouth!" Hugh snapped at her.

His sister glared at him, and Leia's newly evolved Lucario barked. "Randy, BE QUIET, FOR ARCEUS' SAKE!" the Sandile almost choked but stopped.

Ringdog had evolved while Leia and Hugh were on Route 6 the day before. Amos had occasionally wondered what White would do if she saw Ringdog, since her own Lucario was dead.

Randy had been screeching his head off for awhile now, and all the other pokemon had suggested to each other about throwing him off the tallest building. Sky Blue was all for that plan, but Leia was very upset when he asked her of he could put that plan into action.

Leia was now heading for her gym battle with the Driftveil gym leader, and would go to the gym with Hugh. Her Audino, Servine, Lucario, and Sandile were trained well, and Mira had even said she had a chance.

"Can you just put him in your PC?" Amos asked, glaring at the growling Randy.

"No! He's part of my team!" answered Leia in a shrill voice.

"Well, your 'team' doesn't act like one with him in it." he heard Hugh mutter under his breath.

They walked past a large building that was a little ways away from the gym. Amos suddenly stopped in front of a sign in front of it.

Ex Team Plasma Base:

If looking for a pokemon stolen from Team Plasma, please check here

"What's this place?" Hugh asked, stopping next to Amos and looking at the building.

"No idea." Amos lied as Leia and Ringdog stopped to.

He remembered the letter that Sky Blue received from the Gardevoir that said a former member of the Seven Sages of Team Plasma wanted to see him. From what Mira said, Sky won't go near the base so he hasn't seen Rood.

Was this the place that Rood lived? Amos wanted to go in and see him, but he didn't want Leia and Hugh with him. He promised White that he wouldn't tell anyone about her secrets.

"I thought we were going to the gym, now come on!" Leia snapped at them. Hugh turned to his sister and said hesitantly "Well, I would like to ask something. Maybe these people know where Harriet's Purrloin is."

"You guys can go ahead!" said Amos at once. "I can ask them about the Purrloin if you'd like!"

He was desperate now. He would do anything to make his cousins go ahead.

"But-" Hugh started, but Leia started pulling him away.

"I don't care who goes, but someone has got to come with me!" snarled Leia, and Ringdog smirked. Randy started squirming again as they walked away. Amos heard Hugh start arguing with Leia as he entered the building.

The building was crowded with people and pokemon. Many were examining pokemon, which they were apparently seeing if this was their pokemon that was stolen from them awhile back. Some children were playing with a small group of pokemon in a corner, while their parents talked to former members of Team Plasma.

"Is there something I can do for you?" a deep voice asked. Amos looked around and saw a elderly man in brown robes watching him.

"I was looking for a man called Rood. Do you know him?" asked Amos.

The man chuckled. "I am Rood. May I help you?" Rood said and nodded slightly. Amos didn't answer right away. He was looking at Rood's awkward appearance.

"I... I wanted to ask you about Whitney and Natural Gropius." He finally said, half wishing he never said anything.

Rood stared at him. He looked shocked and afraid.

"How do you-" the elderly man started, but Amos said hurriedly,

"I found out on accident! White told me not to tell my cousins or anyone else! Her friends, Sky Blue and Mira, don't tell me everything and I rarely see White anymore! I never even met her brother! This was the only place I could come that would know more about White! Plus, Sky Blue is avoiding coming here, so I thought I should come instead!"

Rood continued to stare at Amos for a moment. He had no idea what to say next. He was now worrying that Rood would refuse to tell him anything.

Finally, he nodded and beckoned Amos to follow.

"You must understand," Rood said as they walked into a nearby room. "That I only know so much. I don't know as much about Whitney than I do about Natural. I only know some things because her pokemon have told me. But I will try to answer these questions, um, what is your name again?"

"My name is Amos, Amos Jackson." He replied awkwardly.

Amos stepped inside the room and Rood shut the door. There were two women and their pokemon on the floor, playing with a small Patrat. He recognized the Gardevoir at once, who was leaning next to a Gothitelle. Now he knew that these were the two women that White was trying so hard to avoid.

"Anthea, Concordia, I'm sorry, but me and this young man need to talk alone." Rood told the two women. The girl with pink hair looked curious. "What about?" she asked.

"I will tell you later." He said, and the two girls stood up. The Patrat leapt onto the Gothitelle's shoulder, and Gardevoir watched her trainer.

"What about Sky Blue? Wasn't he coming?" asked Concordia.

Rood shook his head. Amos explained, "He didn't want to come. He never said why, so I came instead."

The two girls looked disappointed as they left with their pokemon. When they were gone, Amos turned around and asked Rood, "Were they-"

"Anthea and Concordia, White and N's foster sisters, yes." Rood finished, sitting down at a table in the back of the room, "They have lived here since Team Plasma fell. I take care of them now."

"First, I would like to ask you something that my cousin wanted to know." Amos interrupted, sitting in the other chair, "Four years ago, my youngest cousin's Purrloin was stolen by Team Plasma. My other cousin, Hugh, was wondering if you have a Purrloin like that."

Rood didn't answer for a moment. Amos could tell he was trying to remember something.

"We haven't had a Purrloin here." He finally answered. "It is possible that the Purrloin is still with a Plasma member in the new Team Plasma. I'm sorry."

"That's ok. He just thought, maybe..." Amos trailed off. Rood nodded and watched him.

"Could you explain to me how you actually found out about all this? I don't think White is very fond of reliving her past. What happened?" asked Rood, putting his hands in front of him.

"Well," Amos started awkwardly, "I followed White's Arcanine in Castelia City when she was going to meet her brother. They found me when they got far in a bit of a... private conversation. Her brother attacked me and White had ran further into the city. N didn't fight very long and he ran away. I caught up to White on Route 4 and I guess I lost my temper job her."

He looked up at the older man. Rood's face was expressionless. He than nodded and said, "Go on."

"My Dewott injured White, and my pokemon disturbed the sand. She... she choked on it and her Gorebyss was the only thing that stopped her from choking. I guess she was overwhelmed, because she started crying. I asked her who her brother was, and she kept ignoring me. White finally told me, and explained all that she could. Sky Blue and Mira told me other stuff, but I somehow think there's more."

Amos finished, feeling a bit ashamed of his actions on that night. Rood continued to watch him in interest.

"So you also found out about her disease?" Rood finally asked. Amos nodded.

"Does... does N know about that?" he said. "White seemed to have only told a few people."

"He doesn't." Rood answered. "She hasn't told him."

"Why?"

Rood tilted his head. "Let me put it this way- White seems very capable of looking after herself, right?"

"Yes." Amos agreed.

Rood nodded and continued, "You see, White spent ten to eleven years by herself in the wilderness, risking her life to try and survive. Most people see her as a capable, courageous young woman. But she's scared that N will find out about her weakness, and tell White she can't face up to the new Team Plasma anymore. If she ever backed out of a deal, she would think of it as a great, shameful crime."

Amos remembered hearing Sky Blue and Mira discussing something like this. He had heard Mira say that she could never see White backing out of a promise or deal. She had also said that White would go through the challenge of defeating Ghetsis till the very end.

"I'm just curious, but how did N act when he was with Ghetsis? Also, was Ghetsis really White and N's father?" Amos asked next.

Rood was looking a bit uncomfortable right now, but answered, "I do not think Ghetsis was their father. He was N's foster father and adopted him when N decided to live with him rather than with White. If he was White's true father, he might have brought her along as well."

"But why did he only choose N? The others have said that White might not have been mature enough." He said, personally wondering if White really was this Whitney Gropius. White seemed more mature than anyone else.

"I do not know," Rood sighed, "Ghetsis and N kept her quiet. No one knew White existed until she confronted Team Plasma at the old ruin on Route 4. That was the same time Ghetsis discovered White's weakness."

"How do you know about her disease?" Amos asked curiously.

The man gave a small smile and said, "Mira has told me quite a bit about White. The Gallade, Mr.Mime, Arcanine, and Rapidash have also found ways of communication. Shane and Junior are Psychic types, so they can communicate in very mysterious ways."

"Then why haven't you told N about this?" Amos couldn't help himself asking. It didn't seem right to hide this piece of information from White's older brother.

The corner of Rood's mouth twitched. "I'm afraid that most people who know White are scared of her. Including myself."

"Why?"

"Because her anger is terrible to behold. White is a very powerful and intelligent trainer. If someone told N about her problem..." Rood cut off, and Amos understood. White apparently had a reputation for being very intimidating.

"Do you know about White and N's relationship was like when they were younger?" Amos finally asked. Rood tilted his head and looked as if he was trying to remember something.

"I believe," the elderly man started, "That they both loved each other very much when they were young. When they were by themselves, they depended on each other. N, as the older sibling, took care of White before the other pokemon accepted them. White was the youngest, and wasn't much of a help. But they cared about each other. Unfortunately, when N grew older, he didn't give his younger sister much attention. He spent more time by himself than with White, so she played with the other pokemon. But on White's fifth birthday, N and three of his pokemon left her and her own pokemon, and went to live with Ghetsis."

Amos didn't say anything. He remembered White telling him this. He didn't blame White for her feelings against her brother. N had left White and possibly when she needed him the most.

"I knew N when he came to our base as a boy," Rood continued, "When he first arrived, he was a little shy, but was very intelligent for a child who lived on the streets. During his first week with us, he was lonely. He spent most of his time in a room with his pokemon, refusing to come out. I think N regretted leaving his sister for that while. But I believe Ghetsis told him that he would be better off without White, and N started to think differently."

"If he felt bad," Amos started angrily. "Why didn't he go back? Does he blame White for hating him?"

Rood didn't look at him or answer. His hands were fidgeting.

"She doesn't hate him." Rood finally said, gravely.

"What?" Amos snapped.

"White never hated N." He repeated, "She might have disliked him for a while, but she never hated him. White is ashamed, hurt, and confused. She can see the lies in the letters that N sends her. N hasn't shown any sign of liking her, so White has now believed that he never loved her. She loves him deep down, but she can't bring herself to admit it. She can't even bring herself to forgive him. N has scarred White for life, and she won't forget it. She doesn't trust or depend on anyone anymore."

Amos didn't want to hear anymore. N was the one who turned White into the person she was. Now he knew why White thought Whitney Gropius was dead. In a way, Whitney was dead. N had killed her, and the small and kind Whitney was replaced by White Copperstone, the lone and harsh young woman.

He stood up so fast that Rood jumped. "You're leaving?" Rood asked, sounding disappointed.

"Yes. I think I need to find my cousins." Amos said quickly. "Thank you very much for your time."

"It's alright." He replied, waving a hand. Then Amos remembered something he wanted to ask him.

"Mister Rood?"

"Yes?"

Amos hesitated for a moment before saying, "If White was going to battle Ghetsis, would she live?"

Rood stared at him, looking shocked. The elderly man was shaking as he stood up from his chair.

"I-I," Rood stammered after a minute, "Well, that's a bit difficult to say."

"But could you give me an estimation at least?" Amos asked urgently.

Rood was sweating slightly now. He wiped his forehead and looked at Amos.

"M-My guess is," Rood started finally, "If she was to battle Ghetsis, and he somehow used smoke, sand, or dust against her, White will probably have only a very slight chance of surviving."

~~~

Ellooooooooooooooooooo.

Idk, I have writer's block. Maybe if I listened to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows for the third time, I'll get one of those inspiration bricks. I spent awhile writing this chapter, so, yeah.

I just want to say that this book will not be edited until it's finished. So if something is spelt or written wrong, I'm going to fix it when the book's done. It will save me some trouble and time. I don't want to worry about all that until I'm done. I have to finish this by November, and I have another writing contest the day after the due date.

Thanks for over 2,750 reads! :D *Throws cookies* It means a lot to me! It really does!

That's all. I'll add a video here when I can. Remember to vote or comment if you want! Good night! :)