The Story of Team Hope (Pokemon Story)

Chapter 19

I leap behind a frozen over bush. What are they doing here? And why are they here? Well, this is where the 7th gym is after all. They probably flew with Dawn's pokemon to get here faster.

"Maybe you should stop complaining," Dawn argues back. I nod to Absol. We'll go now.

"Guys, stop arguing. We have to go look for her," Lucas scolds. Look for me? I told them to not follow me!

I quicken my pace a little. I have to find a place to get lost. Maybe I could get a room at the pokemon center? Sleep a little, then go and steal the papers and destroy the machine?

I don't dare to turn around. Maybe they won't recognize me, since I have glasses on right now, not the contacts, and I'm wearing different clothes?

I'm really glad that no one is on the streets right now. The 3 of them seem to be attracting a lot of attention from the people inside their homes. Lights are turning on and people are walking out the door. I'm just about to turn the corner when I hear someone shout, "Hey!"

Crap! They spotted me! Well, it was pretty easy since Absol is out of his pokeball. Wow, Skylar, way to be an idiot.

Well, instead of facing them, I turn the corner and run into an alley. I hide behind a fowl smelling dumpster and wait for them to pass. But, of course, since Lucas is smart, he looks down the alley I'm hiding in.

"Hey, guys, I found her," Lucas says. I hear Dawn and Barry walk down the alley as well. I poke my head from around the dumpster.

"Way to choose a really obvious hiding spot, Skylar," Barry laughs.

"And, we can see Absol really easily," Dawn comments. I sigh and walk from out behind the dumpster, Absol following behind.

"What do you want?" I ask, my eyes narrowing. Dawn and Lucas look at me with confusion, while Barry cocks his head.

"Since when did you have glasses?" Barry asks.

"Since I was 6," I respond.

"Well, I think they look good on you!" Dawn says. Are they not mad at me?

"But you have some explaining to do," Lucas says. Never mind, then.

"So do you," I say. "Why did you even come here? I left so you could be safe! If I fail my mission, I don't want you to get dragged down with me!"

"Yeah, so?" Barry asks. "We'd do anything for a friend!"

"Well, I guess I can say why I'm part of Team Hope..." I begin.

"Yeah, go ahead!" Dawn says.

"I already said so in the letter, but I didn't really go into full detail. When I was 4 years old, my dad was taken away from me because he wouldn't give up his pokemon. His pokemon of all different types.

"My brother, Mark, created Team Hope because of my dad's dream, as well as mine, and Mark's. The last day I saw him, he told me that we could have any pokemon we wanted, not just the ones of our types, in the past. He told us it was his dream.

"My mom was able to speak to pokemon as well as me, and was taken by the government so they could study her. I never met her. Since I have this power, people want to take me away and study me, possibly killing me in the process."

I heard Dawn gasp.

"Anyway, about a month ago, Mark found out that the government was creating a machine that can control the minds of people and pokemon. The people in government were going to control everyone, making pokemon their slaves and people worship them. And no one would be able to stop it.

"Mark started planning out stuff. He was going to send one person on the mission to destroy the machine, the paper approving it, and the blueprints. When I heard about it, I jumped on the opportunity to go. I never left Hoenn before hand and had only gone on small missions around Lilycove and Fortree City.

"Mark refused at first. But, I eventually convinced him. We had a pokemon battle to see if I could go or not, and I think you can tell who won.

"That's really it, I guess. When I found out Mark died, I was heartbroken. Especially when people were happy about it."

That was the longest thing I ever said. Everyone just looked at me in shock. I was holding back tears. Talking about my life isn't very fun, especially when you just lost family.

"I'm so sorry," Barry said, hugging me. Dawn hugged me next, and so did Lucas. Absol jumped up on us.

"So...you can talk to pokemon?" Lucas asks after our group hug.

"Yes."

"Is it cool?" Barry asks.

"Sometimes it's annoying. Swellow can speak to me even when she's in her pokeball, Weavile makes way to many stupid jokes, Houndour doesn't shut up about evolving, and Absol is just plain weird."

"No, I'm not. I'm just different," Absol argues. I stick my tongue out at him.

"I'm going to guess that Absol just said something," Barry points out.

"Um...another question. When did you catch Swellow?" Lucas asks.

"Several years ago, as a Taillow. Remember the injured Swellow I brought back on the first day we traveled together?"

Everyone nods.

"Well, that's her!"

I let Swellow out of her pokeball. And, of course, she's sleeping.

"Uh..."

"SWELLOW WAKE UP!" Absol shouts. Swellow blinks and wakes up. She looks confused.

"I'll explain later," I say before she can ask. I return Swellow in case someone sees us.

Even with my protests, Dawn, Barry, and Lucas manage to drag me to the pokemon center and rent a room, asking questions a mile a minute.

Everyone wants to know what their pokemon are thinking. I shake my head.

"I have to go. I still have a mission. It's past 9 now, so the building should be closed by now. I have to do what I can by destroying the machine," I sigh. Absol nods. I smile at my friends, the only people in the world who, except people in Team Hope, excepted me as a person, not an evil one. I'd miss them.

"Wait, I have a question," Dawn says.

"What is it?"

"Can I join Team Hope?" she asks.

"Me too," Lucas adds.

"And me 3!" Barry shouts.

At that moment, I realized that these people really do care about me. I feel happy, something I hadn't really felt in a while. Since I'm the only person from Team Hope left, as I found almost everyone was sent to prison (I think I know my next mission now), I make the calls.

"Well," I start, "ok. From this moment forward, all 3 of you are official members of Team Hope!"