Rare Collector-Chapter 2-On the Road (Edited)
Rare Collector-Chapter 2
On the Road
By-Product59
*Author's Note* Thank you to everyone who rated, commented, faved, and whatever else'd chapter one. That was the best reaction I've received for a story, to date. As such, I have bumped this chapter up in the "Stuff to Write" list. Well, I won't keep you much longer. If this is released around the holidays, than happy whatever you celebrate. If it isn't, than happy whatever anyways!
The day after Jeff made his life changing decision started like any other. Jeff woke up around eight, fed his team, went for a run (this time joined by Commando), and prepped a light lunch for everyone. However, Jeff left immediately after lunch, with Frost, to turn in his resignation at the Pokemart, and meet Mr. Fischer around 1:30.
For the last time, Jeff entered the [employee](%5C) lounge, this time with a hand written letter in a sealed envelope.
"So, you took the offer?" Lou asked, looking up from the Shogi board laid out between him, and his Alakazam, Yuri.
"Yeah, I think it was the story you told me yesterday that really sealed it. I just stopped by to drop off my resignation before going to meet the guy in charge of all this."
"Well," Lou began, standing up and offering his hand, "it's been a pleasure working with you Jeff. I hope you have as much fun on your adventure as Yuri and I had on ours."
Jeff grasped Lou's hand and gave it a hearty shake. Than, with one last nod to Yuri, he turned to leave the Pokemart, but was stopped by Lou.
"One more thing Jeff." He said, holding out a slip of paper with a number on it.
"What is this?" Jeff asked, taking the slip, and observing the numbers.
"That's my number. Don't be afraid to call if you need anything."
"Thanks Lou. I'll call every now and than to keep you updated."
With that said, Jeff exited the lounge, and began to make his way to the café to meet Mr. Fischer.
A little later, Jeff and Frost arrived at the café, ordered a spiced cider (Jeff's personal favorite), and sat down to await Mr. Fischer's arrival.
They did not have to wait long, as bout tem minutes later, Jeff saw Mr. Fischer enter the café, and stood up to greet him.
"Hello sir," Jeff said, offering his hand, "want me to order you anything?"
"Um, just coffee, black, two sugars." Mr. Fischer replied, giving Jeff's hand a hearty shake.
Jeff went up to the counter to place the order, while Mr. Fischer made his way to a corner booth, where he began spreading papers across the surface.
About five minutes later, Jeff was back at the table with the coffee. He gave the drink to Me. Fischer, took a seat, next to frost, and sipped his cider while looking over the papers on the table.
"So Mr. Fischer, let's get this thing underway."
"Sure thing Jeff." he replied, pulling a pen from his coat pocket.
"First, we need to go over the legal stuff. One, you will be insured by us, in case of any accidents during field testing, unless this results from your own cause."
"So your saying, don't be a dumbass or you won't get insurance?"
"In laments terms, yes. Two, you are permitted to discuss the products you are testing with others, unless explicitly told otherwise, and interviews are discouraged, as we have a PR department for such matters."
"That seems fair. Anything else?"
"Yes, you will be paid the sum of two hundred dollars a day, plus twenty dollars for every beneficial report you send us, and a starting bonus for signing. We will directly deposit the money into your bank account is you'll just fill out this paper here." Mr. Fischer said, tapping one of the forms with the tip of the pen, before handing the pen to Jeff, who speedily put down the required information.
"Any other rules, or forms to sign?"
"Oh, are there ever."
The next half hour was filled with rules, papers, and forms of all varieties. Emergency contact numbers, medical information and history, a minor psyche evaluation, and finally, a form labeled, "Obligation to catch Pokemon for the purpose of Product Testing".
"Um, what's with this form?"
"Oh, well, with some products, some testing will need to be done on wild Pokemon."
"Like what? It better not be anything that'll hurt them."
"Oh not at all. It would be tracking devices, for the purpose of tracking certain Pokemon's movement and migration patterns. The two products you will be testing first also fall unto the form."
"How so?"
"Well, the translator needs to be tested on wild Pokemon to see if it is effective with subjects the user has never seen before, and the Pokedex should be obvious."
"Okay," Jeff said, applying his signature to the paper, "Anything else?"
"Just the introduction to the equipment you will be testing." Mr. Fischer responded, hoisting a briefcase onto the table, and removing the two objects Jeff had been introduced to the day before.
"Okay, so how do these work?"
"Well, first is the P-59." Mr. Fischer began, lifting the small, black, wristband to eye level, "We simply put it around your wrist, and register you as the owner."
"And how do we register?" Jeff asked, slipping on the P-59, "I mean do I type my name or tal-OW!" Jeff exclaimed, as something sharp pricked his arm.
"Actually, it's DNA registered, to prevent thieves from stealing it and reselling it. The little prick you just felt was the P-59 taking a small blood sample to register you as it's owner."
"Okay, next time, warn me before one of your inventions is about to stab me."
"Oh stop complaining, and let's continue. The P-59 has a full holo-screen, activated by the pressure and heat sensitive pad next to the lens. Pressing it will bring up the main screen, where we will complete the registration."
Jeff tapped a small, white outlined square next to the lens, and a screen, about nine inches across materialized above the small lens. The screen was currently requesting all of Jeff's info, which he quickly filled in.
"Name: Jeffery Tull
Aliases: Jeff, Aqua
Sex: Male
Height: 6 Feet 0 inches
Weight: 165 lbs
Eye color: Green
Age: 21
Birth date: 10/15/89
Trainer ID: 0FB3A56710
Registered Pokemon and species: Ares-Absol
Commando-Staraptor
Frost-Vulpix"
"All done registering?" Mr. Fischer asked, leaning over to look at the screen.
"I think so." Jeff said, turning his arm so Mr. Fischer could read the screen.
"Excellent! Now on to the translator."
"Um, sir, just wondering, what is the market name going to be for the T-1000?"
"Well, it's not finalized yet, but we were thinking something along the lines of the H.T. P.O.T. or Human to Pokemon Organic Translator. Now than, let's get it applied!"
"And how do we do that? Is it also going to attack me?" Jeff asked, sarcastically.
"Oh not at all, now please, slide over here next to me."
Jeff moved over, and was startled when Mr. Fischer grabbed his head and cranked it so his right ear was facing the ceiling.
"OW! Stop attacking me without warning!"
"Oh hush, right now the T-1000 needs gravity to be applied. It's one of the things we're still working on."
"Fine fine. So, how does this work, do you just set it in, or squeeze it or what?"
"Actually," Mr. Fischer began, picking up the small, bean shaped item with a pair of forceps, "the outer casing is extremely sensitive to heat, and melts away when temperatures reach 98.6, or the normal body temperature of a human."
"That seems like something that needs fixed. Why not just sell it in a small syringe or something?"
"Well," Mr. Fischer said, pausing for a second, "I think you just made your first report! Now back to business!"
Mr. Fischer slowly pressed the translator deep into Jeff's ear, earning him a few odd looks from the other customers in the café.
Jeff felt an odd sensation, as the outer shell began to melt, and the ditto cells inside began to slide down his ear canal, to their final destination on his eardrum.
"Won't the cells die without nutrition or anything?" Jeff asked, dimly remembering long past biology lessons.
"Well, these are ditto cells, so they bond with the ear, and basically become one with your body. It's based on the use of ditto cells to help rebuild important tissues in people who have been in accidents, or suffer from diseases."
"Gotta say sir, it kind of feels like someone hawked a logy in my ear."
"That's most likely the casing, don't worry, it's highly biodegradable, and should wash out with your next shower."
"So," Jeff said, straightening his head, "how long until it starts working?"
"With any luck, the cells will take hold later today, when they do, use the P-59 to log a report, and remember to test it on a Pokemon you have never met, as agreed to in the form you signed earlier. Oh, and here's the manuals for each item."
With that, Mr. Fischer placed two medium sized books on the table, along with a paper of contact numbers, and Jeff's first check, than left the café.
"I really hope these manuals aren't as complicated as they look." Jeff said, hoisting the two books, "What do you say we go cash this check and get some supplies Frost?"
Frost just yipped, and hopped off the booth.
"I wonder what Ares is always saying?" Jeff wondered aloud as he walked out of the café.
Frost gave a sarcastic sounding bark.
"I wonder what that meant."
A little later, Jeff found himself in the Pokemart, but this time, he was a customer.
*A few miles out of town*
An unmarked van slowly traveled down a back road. It was a nondescript vehicle, plane grey, with no windows, with the exception of the front windows.
In the front seat, two men sat in silence as they made their way to their destination. Both were dressed in similar attire. Jeans, and a dark blue, long sleeve, shirt with a small D on the right breast.
"So, where are we delivering this thing to, Mike?" Asked the passenger.
"I don't know Craig, the boss just said to make the drop near the statue."
"How long is the tranq suppose to last? And why don't we just use an armored carrier?"
"Because we need to be discrete, and the tranq should last until we get to the drop, geeze is there any other question you wanted to annoy me with?"
Suddenly, the van was rocked by a crash, and a visible bulge formed in the side of the van.
"HOLY SHIT!" Mike yelled.
"I thought it was out!"
"We gotta pull over and put it back under."
They pulled the van to the side of the road, and exited, holding air powered dart pistols. They began sneaking around the back of the van, while the vehicle shook from another hit from the unhappy passenger.
"Okay, you stand near the side and be ready, incase he gets past me. I'll sneak open the door and tag it." Mike whispered.
"Okay, let's do this on three. One...two..-"
Suddenly, the side of the van exploded outward, sending metal shrapnel, and Craig, blasting to the side of the road.
"Shit!" Mike exclaimed, "I think that was last resort! You okay dude? Craig?"
Mike made his way over to the side of the road, where his former partner's eyes stared blankly up at the sky. Suddenly, a black shape streaked by his head, dashing into the forest.
"Damn it! I'll be back dude," he said, still oblivious to his partners death, "We gotta get this thing to the drop, or the boss'll have our heads!"
With that, he went stumbling off into the underbrush after the creature.
A little bit of walking brought Mike to the edge of a small clearing, where a shadowy shape sat in the middle.
He crouched on one side of a log, facing the creatures back, and took aim.
The dart flew straight and true, however, the shape disappeared when the dart hit it.
"Substitute?" Mike thought. "That means...."
He looked to the left, and found himself eye to eye with a grinning face, and glowing rings.
"Clever boy..."
High in the trees, the various bird Pokemon took flight as Mike's scream pierced the early afternoon air.
About the same time the two men were departing for the afterlife, Jeff was stumbling back into his apartment with all the supplies he and Frost had picked out, including a backpack, various camping equipment, and a bike.
"Come on guys! Let's get ready, I want to get on the road tonight and try out the new tent!"
Ares was showing his usual lack of interest, and sleeping on his chair, and Commando was perched on the back of the sofa, watching the local battle reports with mild indifference.
"Oh eff this," Jeff said, striding over to Ares, "Rise and shining sleepyhead!"
With that, Jeff flipped Ares off his chair, causing him to land in an undignified heap on the ground. Where he glared at Jeff with a mix of hatred, and annoyance.
"Oh, don't give me that look. We need to get on the road, and if you had it your way, you would sleep all day."
Ares just continued to glare at Jeff. Almost as if to say, "I would have slept all day, if it weren't for you meddling trainers."
"Okay," Jeff began, now ignoring the look Ares was giving him, "Let's snag some non-perishables from the kitchen, toss out anything that'll go bad, unplug any electronics, shut off lights, and get on the road. Frost, you're on unplugging duty, Ares, you have lights, and Commando, you're on food packing duty with me."
_________________________________________________________________
About half an hour later, Jeff stood outside his apartment. Ares and Commando in their balls, and Frost in his hoody.
"Well buddy, looks like it's time to start earning some money!"
"Pix!" Frost yipped happily.
"I think the translator is starting to take hold to. It kinda sounded like some demonic mix of pokespeak, and human. That may disturb some users." Jeff made a quick note on the P-59, mounted the bike, and began peddling out of the city.
Unknown to Jeff, Frost, or any other member of the group, the path Jeff had chosen was the same path that Mike and Craig had been on.
The first hour of the journey, Jeff mainly took in the scenery, and was freaked out by Frost whenever he said anything.
Another hour of biking later, the sun was starting to sink in the distance, and Jeff was feeling the effects of his first strenuous exercise in some time. Sure, he ran most mornings, but he wasn't carrying camping supplies and going up and down hills the whole time.
"*Huff* *Huff* Goddamn. I am not used to this. Doesn't help that I have a living furnace snuggled next to my body." Jeff shot a look down at Frost.
"I'd carry you if I could." Frost replied, sarcastically, the response now sounding more human, and less garbled.
Jeff quickly pulled to the side of the road, and opened up the report function on the P-59.
"It's now been almost eight hours since the original application. Pokemon are now sounding less garbled. However, this may just be due to close bond with Frost. Will try to find wild Pokemon to talk to."
He put the P-59 into sleep mode, and began walking his bike up the road, partly to avoid scaring any wilds, and partially because his legs refused to get back to peddling.
About ten minutes later, Jeff rounded a bend, and encountered the ruins of a van.
"The hell?" He asked himself, making his way over.
Closer inspection of the van revealed a blasted out side, some blood spatter, some drag marks leading off the road, and a lack of anything living.
"Okay, kinda creepy." Jeff said, slowly making his way to the front of the van, and looking into the front seat, where a medium sized binder sat. Jeff picked the binder up, and flipped through the pages, which were filled with an assortment of words and graphs.
Jeff's concentration was snapped by a rustling in the bushes near the side of the road.
"Hello?" Jeff asked, placing the binder in his bag, "Anyone there?"
Jeff began walking toward the bushes, which the drag marks also led to, before he was stopped by a wine from Frost.
"I don't think we should go near there. I have a bad feeling about this."
"Don't worry buddy, if there's any danger, we'll just run away. If it makes you feel better, I'll let Ares and Commando out."
"That would make me feel slightly safer."
Jeff let out Ares and Commando, who stood in front of him, wondering what they were doing in such an odd area.
"Okay guys," Jeff said, placing Frost next to Ares, "I'm going to sneak over to that bush and see what's going on. If there's something hostile, you all rush in all heroic like and save my poor ass. Sound good?"
Commando nodded, and Ares grumbled something about letting Jeff get attacked for interrupting his nap earlier. Satisfied with their answers, Jeff began to slowly walk over to the bush.
Jeff crouched on one side of the bush, and slowly parted the foliage. The following sight made him feel sick.
The bodies of Mike and Craig were behind the bush, or at least what was left of them. In the true fashion of nature, the various scavengers had made quick work of them, and now all that remained was a pile of gristly bones and unidentifiable gore. The pile was crawling in various bug species, and overseeing the whole operation was an Umbreon. He sat there with a blood stained smile, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows from the forest over him. Upon noticing Jeff, the Umbreon let out a low growl, and began lowering himself for a pounce, it's tail wagging in the air, in an almost friendly matter.
"Oh shit," Jeff began, "Look buddy, I don't want any trouble okay? I was just curious about what was happening back here, so I was checking it out and-OH SHIT!"
A slight tensing from the Umbreon was all it took to send Jeff running in the opposite direction.
As he passed his group, Ares asked where he was running.
"Away, follow me if you want to live!" Jeff yelled, not stopping.
Suddenly, a black streak flew from the underbrush in pursuit of Jeff, and quickly caught up to him. Jeff felt a weight hit his back, and he went tumbling across a small clearing, landing on his back, before an Umbreon landed on his chest.
As soon as Commando, Ares, and Frost saw Jeff get tackled, they bolted for him, but stopped short when they saw what was happening.
Jeff was pinned on the ground, and the Umbreon slowly lowered it's head, and gave Jeff a lick on the cheek.
"The hell?" Jeff asked, opening his eyes and slowly uncringing his body.
The Umbreon pulled itself up on his chest and simply sat, looking Jeff right in the eye. He just tilted his head, raised one ear, and gave Jeff an expecting look.
"Um...Hello?" Jeff said, trying to break the tension.
"Hello." The Umbreon responded, smiling a little, which still scared the hell out of Jeff, it didn't help that the Umbreon had a fairly young sounding voice.
"Um, could you please stop sitting on me?
The Umbreon hopped off of Jeff's chest, and sat next to him.
"So, buddy, what are you doing here?" Jeff asked, scratching the Umbreon behind the ear, and trying to avoid making it angry, for fear of being attacked.
"I broke out of a big metal box and ran away, than a mean man chased me, but I got him." The Umbreon replied, grinning a little with the last part, his teeth still somewhat bloodied.
"Okay, and what was up with the bodies?"
"Well," The Umbreon began, seemingly accepting that Jeff could understand him, "I couldn't leave them where they were, because than people might see and come for me again, so I dragged them behind that bush, and than a bunch of Pokemon came and made them go away, and they thanked me."
"Okay, that seems...reasonable." Jeff replied, trying to form a plan to get this, possibly, crazy Pokemon to a center, for mental evaluations.
"Who are they?" The Umbreon asked, looking at Frost, Ares, and Commando.
"Those are my best friends," Jeff said, introducing each one, "We are on a fun adventure, and exploring the world."
"That sounds fun! I wanna come to!" The Umbreon responded, before hopping over and placing himself at the end of the line of Jeff's Pokemon, and adopting a serious look, like the one Ares was wearing.
"Well," Jeff thought top himself, "He may be crazy, but he doesn't appear to be dangerous, at the moment. Maybe I'll keep him for a while."
Jeff walked over to the group, and had a seat on the ground next to them. Mentally planning their next move.
"Um, I need to talk with these three real quick in private. Do you mind if we go over there real quick?" Jeff asked, pointing a short distance away.
"Okay, just don't be to long." The Umbreon replied happily.
Jeff, Frost, Ares, and Commando huddled in a circle and debated what to do.
"Well?" Jeff asked.
"Well what?" Frost replied.
"Do we take him with us?"
"He seems nice." Frost responded.
"I think he looks like a complete psycho." Ares said.
"Well, does that mean we should take him? Just to get him to a Pokemon center and have him evaluated?"
"He still looks young, maybe he just didn't know what he was doing. I don't think he needs to be evaluated." Frost said
"How about this, we take him with us, keep an eye on him, and see how he acts. If he looks like he's kooky in the head, we get him to a Pokemon center. Sound good?"
Ares and frost both agrees, and Jeff turned to Commando.
"Well? You're a part of this group to."
"..." Commando just nodded his head.
"You don't talk much do you?"
"..." Commando just shook his head.
The group walked back over to the Umbreon, and sat down to plan their next action.
"Well, I think we could all use a little fresh air, so why don't we keep walking down the road for a while, and than we can set up camp and get a good night's rest. Than we can decide were to go in the morning. Sound good?" Jeff asked.
The idea was accepted by all, and once again, the rag tag group was off, now plus one. Jeff had anonymously reported an "abandoned car" to the local officer before leaving, before anyone could arrive and ask questions. As they walked, Jeff tried to think of a good name for Umbreon.
"Let's see," Jeff said out loud, bouncing ideas off the group, and being greeted with nos, for the most part, "Shadow? No. Darkness? No. Umbra? No. Dracula? No? How about, Alucard?"
"You just switched around the last choice you lame brain." Ares commented.
"I like it!" The Umbreon said.
"Than Alucard you shall be!" Jeff responded.
"Where did you even get the idea for a name like that?" Frost asked.
"Well, first time I ever saw him, his teeth were stained with blood, and he kind of looked like a vampire. So, best known vampire, reverse it, and boom, name."
"I still think it's lame." Ares added.
"Well, the only opinion that matter's in this case is Alucard's."
Alucard wagged his tail and smiled [at hearing](%5C) his new name.
Some time later, as the last rays of sunlight were disappearing over the horizon, Jeff and his gang stopped to set up camp. Ares and Commando went off to collect wood, Frost started a small fire, and Jeff began setting up the tent and opening food, all while being investigated by Alucard.
"Say Alucard, mind if I call you Al, to save time?"
"Okay."
"Well Al, I was wondering how old you are?"
"Well," Al began, his eyes wondering off as he thought, "I think I'm about one."
"Wow, you're pretty young."
"Yup. Why do you ask?"
"Oh nothing." Jeff said, however, many questions were circulation in his mind.
A little while later, Most of the group was asleep, Alucard was stretched out on Jeff's sleeping bag, Commando was on a nearby tree branch, Frost was curled up as close to the fire as he could get, and Jeff and Ares were looking over the binder Jeff has taken from the van.
"Says here that this is a experiment by Team Dominatio. Let's see, mass breeding center, forced evolution, elimination of the weak."
"Despicable." Ares spat.
"That's not the worse, I think I found the origin of Al. Listen to this. 'Through the use of Drowzee and Hypno's powers can be used to great advantage. For example, by placing a Pokemon under the influence of hypnosis, or any other sleep inducing move, Hypno's are quite talented at manipulating dreams. Ghost types are not as good, due to their tendency to cause nightmares. However, Drowzee and Hypno are much more adept at manipulating dreams of other Pokemon to whatever we wish. This enables us to achieve many different evolutions. As the dreams of the Hypno line are so vivid, they can induce any level of evolution. For example, a Hypno was able to induce such a vivid dream on a Nosepass, that it believed it was at Mount Coronet. Than, with the induction of the power serum, the Nosepass evolved into a Probopass. (See experiment 4a). The powers of the Hypno line can also be used to induce a belief of a held item. Recently, a scyther was made to believe it was holding a metal coat, than traded, while still under the hypnosis. It did evolve into a scizor, however, upon waking, it appeared to almost reject it's new form (See experiment 12a). Indeed, the use of psychics can even induce a sense of happiness. This is prominently seen in the production of Crobats. Upon being awakened, they appear to gain an almost savage nature, and are almost always deemed unfit for service, and terminated. Success in the happiness simulation can be seen in the Eevee line. Perhaps it is their complex DNA structure, that allows it. Younger eevees that are evolved with artificial happiness, tend to remain more stable. However, they can occasionally have violent outbursts in the presence of a disliked trainer. A prime example of this methods can be seen in experiment 36a.'" Jeff flipped to the pages containing the experiments and continued reading,
"'Happiness evolution test 10 (Hypnosis test 36a)
Subject: Eevee # 45
Desired result: Umbreon
Special conditions: Evolving during the day, hypnosis simulated night.
Experiment Result: Success
Conditions: Occasional volatile moments, but overall calm.
Summary: Subject is quiet, and rarely calls out or acts out, still acts as a child (due to age).
Movement: Subject is to be moved from breeding and evolution center, to training and reeducation center.'"
Jeff put down the binder and tried to process all that he had just read. Beside him, Ares silently fumed with anger.
"This." Jeff said, "Is fucked up."
"No doubt. Do we tell Al?" Ares asked.
"I think he understands what happened. No use in reopening old wounds."
Jeff put the binder back into his [back pack](%5C), stood, stretched, picked up Frost, made sure Commando was okay, and followed Ares into the tent.
A short distance away, a young man crouched in the brush, next to an Espeon, plotting something.
"We can do this Adele, we can take him out, and reclaim my bird. We just need to rush the camp, and get the jump on him. Oh man. First I'm going to return all his Pokemon while they're asleep, than, I'm going to destroy him. Maybe I'll make him fight Henry." As he said this, he was slowly moving his hand around a moon ball.
The young man was Jeff's "rival", and class A d-bag, Cyan Azure. What he was plotting was getting back Commando, who he had lost to Jeff in a battle. To put it mildly, Cyan didn't take losing very well.
He was startled by a rustling behind him. The noise was caused by another young man. This one was dressed in a Team Dominatio uniform.
"Who are you?!" Cyan demanded, Adele springing in front of him.
"Calm down," the young man replied, with a suave voice, "I am only here to make you an offer. It appears that you may be planning something that included that camp over there. Well, he also has something of ours, and we would like it back. Perhaps we could help each other out?"
"First of all, who are you, and second, why should I help you?"
"I am Team Dominatio Administrator Jordan, also known as Claw, and this," he said, motioning to a mountain of a man that had just walked up, "Is my associate, Nickolai, also known as Hammer. Why should you help us? Because we can help you achieve your goals. We can also offer you power, money, and fame. Because we can make you, a champion."
"Okay, you got me. Now when do we get him?" Cyan asked, turning back towards Jeff's camp.
"Oh, we don't do anything here. However, my associate, Hammer, has left a trail of scrap metal from a nearby cave, to this camp. The cave is home to a lairon. As you know, they eat various metals. It is safe to assume that it will go for the bike in that man's camp. He will most likely drag it back to the cave. That, is where you shall get your vengeance. Come now, we must set the trap."
With that, the newly formed group went off to lay they're evil plans.
-End Chapter 2-
Ending Author's Note-YAY! Only about a month to write a new chapter! New record for my scattered mind!
Happy holidays to you all. May the new year bring you happiness and some form of wealth.
Yes, this is the edited version of chapter two. I took the advice of a few reviews, and added a little and slashed a little to make the story's flow slow down a little. And I still got it out before Xmas! Woot, deadline still met!