NOVEL NEXT Chapter 15 – A sense of Freedom
"Let's go… Hurry up… follow me… especially you, you… must follow… me from behind," Kanraku, with his fragmented English, addressed everyone, pointing specifically at Floyd, who was concealed a few meters away behind the trees.
Floyd nodded to Axew, who, despite his weariness, signaled he could still stand. Atop his head, Horsea had already surrendered to slumber in the aftermath of the chaos.
Dratini, meanwhile, manifested his displeasure at being held, pouting and leaping from Floyd's arms to avert his gaze. Floyd remained unfazed, knowing Dratini's sulking was temporary.
Switching to his native language, Kanraku instructed Suzuki, "Suzuki-san, contact Captain Sakamoto and prepare; we're departing."
The situation was precarious, so they needed to hurry, otherwise, they would face numerous reinforcements. He couldn't afford to fail now, Kanraku's dream was just unfolding; failure was not an option.
"Aye, wakarimashita!" Suzuki acknowledged, then communicated via phone.
The previous incident near the coastline, despite its remote location, had caused significant disturbances due to numerous explosions. So, they must get hurry to escape.
"You… Guys… enter," Kanraku gestured, leading the group aboard. Inside,
Jonathan was found in contemplative repose, with receptionist staff nearby. "Oh, you're all here," he remarked nonchalantly as the group entered.
The ship's preparations were underway, with Suzuki communicating with the captain and the crew.
Soon, a vast array of food was brought in, resembling a buffet, causing confusion among the four. "What is it for? For us? Isn't it too much?" Jonathan queried Suzuki, who responded, "Yes and no, it's also for the other guests."
"Other guests?" The revelation surprised Jonathan and the others; they were unaware of additional company. Soon, the sound of approaching footsteps filled the air.
"They're here," Suzuki announced, a hint of bitterness in his voice.
The first to enter was Eevee, a creature known for its adorable features and expressive eyes.
A Beast
Surprise and alertness flickered in the eyes of the human observers, while Floyd's eyes flickered, feeling a bit alert.
Eevee on the other hand was surprised seeing them, isn't this the guy she saw earlier whose fighting the scary human earlier. Her body shook and stepped back a bit then stepped back a bit. She didn't want to go near human.
Wait a minute.
Floyd gazed at the Eevee and felt a sense of familiarity wash over him. He observed the heart-shaped tail and recognized this young lad as the female Eevee he had encountered the day before.
Why did she appear here?
Then, he happened to spot a Meowth who also appeared.
A coincidence?
No, he shook his head and thought, 'It's not.'
Then, why were they here?
The shocking scene didn't end there, as countless other Pokémon appeared—Machop, Rattata, Butterfree, Oddish, Sandshrew, Weepinbell, Hisuian Growlithe, Pidgey, and various other pokemon.
Amidst the shock, Jonathan sought refuge behind a cover, exclaiming, "What is this?" The young man, equally terrified, questioned Suzuki's sanity. "Are you crazy?"
"Don't worry… they will not hurt... We and them… have agreement… they will not attack," Kanraku's voice, punctuated with his characteristic pauses, reassured the group as he entered, comforting a timid Oddish in his arms.
"Partner, let's do it," he addressed
"Blastoise~ BLASTOISE!" Blastoise nodded then shouted outside and many wartortles appeared outside surrounding the ship, and it started to move. Blastoise himself also goes outside to help.
The motion of the ship became palpable to those on board, and the Pokémon went outside, looking curiously at the unfolding scenery. As the vessel moved farther and farther from the accursed location, a poignant scene unfolded before their tear-filled eyes. It was a place that had left indelible marks of trauma on their souls, a realm where hope seemed like a distant, faded star.
Tears streamed down Eevee's face as she vocalized her sorrow, "Ee-buy, Ee-buy, Ee-buy." Just yesterday, during a screening in the forests by Suzuki-Akiko, she and Meowth had been abandoned by their previous owners. They were left unnoticed, and other Pokémon seized the opportunity to rescue them. Eevee felt a sense of relief for escaping that hellish place. Similar sentiments were shared by Meowth and the other Pokémon as they witnessed the hellish place grow smaller in the distance.
Pidgey and Pidgeotto flew outside, releasing strong cries with tears in their eyes.
The female Oddish, nestled in Kanraku's arm, shed tears as well, thinking of her fallen comrades who have been burnt on the fiery furnace. She clung to Kanraku, seeking solace in her grief. Kanraku felt touched, patting the little Oddish on his bossom gently.
He fulfilled his promise by setting them free and taking them away from this place.
Floyd looked at this scene one by one and looked at Kanraku with respect. This is a great man, he thought.
Floyd observed the scene with growing respect for Kanraku. The Pokémon on board, including Swablu, Horsea, and Dratini, exhibited confused expressions, while Axew suppressed his tears, trying to maintain a strong facade as the elder brother of the group. He looked at these pokemon who were letting out their grievance and knew how hard is it for them to be free like this because he were almost become like this if he had not met Floyd before.
In the more than half a year that he and Floyd had traveled together, Axew had witnessed many scenes like this. He was unwilling to accept it but knew he couldn't do anything. His little sister and little brother might not understand it now, but sooner or later, they would know their feelings and how hard it had been for them.
The Pokémon relished the caress of the approaching breeze, a whispering zephyr that tasted like the sweet breath of freedom.
…
Previously
"Sir Mike, we've lost too much manpower!" Henry declared, phone in hand.
Voice on the phone: "What? You lost? With that much weaponry?"
"It's useless if your opponent is a horde of beasts," Henry retorted, lighting a cigarette.
Voice on the phone: "You fought beasts? Are you an idiot? Who in their right mind fights a multitude of beasts… Are you an IDIOT?"
"We were helpless; a foreigner named Kanraku Hiroshi appeared. By his side, there was an adult beast. Do you know the blue turtle beast called 'Lord Blue'?"
The voice on the phone expressed surprise: "You encountered Lord Blue?"
"Yes, and he was with Kanraku. Had it been only Lord Blue, I wouldn't have been concerned, but surprisingly, Kanraku can command a multitude of beasts."
"There are many. It seems he can command them," Henry added.
Voice on the phone: "Henry, are you kidding me? A man can control beasts; are you making excuses for your failure? Let me tell you, because of this failure, I will have to step back from my position, and you will do the same."
"I don't care about it and I'm not bluffing. You can ask anyone here," Henry insisted, as he narrating the events that happened earlier.
A few minutes later, a gasp came from the phone.
Voice on the phone: "Return and report the details after you come here. If any government personnel inquire, inform them of the incident but strictly refrain from disclosing specific information regarding the task. Simply state that you were contending with numerous beasts and avoid discussing anything else. Additionally, request them to declare the young individual and the man from Nihon as wanted."
"But many members already know about it," Henry responded.
Voice on the phone: "They don't know anything about the significance of the task. Let the government personnel remain perplexed. Focus more on discussing the youngster, the foreigner, and the horde of beasts, and minimize conversation about the task."
"Well, okay, got it, got it!" Henry nodded, then hung up the phone.
Reflecting on the events, the image of the beasts protecting the young man, Lord Blue by Kanraku's side, and the surrounding horde of beasts.
Henry looked towards the sky and wondered, "I really don't understand, but why?"