Every second felt like torture sitting in the little jail cell with June, Noibat snuggled against my chest, being cradled in my arms. The officer that had thrown us in was on the phone with someone of higher authority, talking about what to do with us. I couldn't help but think about all of the Pokémon still in that building and what would happen to them if anyone walked in to discover them all running freely about.
He hung up, then, and turned in his chair to look at us. He grumbled with disgust and then swiveled around to face the telly hanging in the corner of the ceiling. The screen flicked on, showing the same familiar setting where the broadcast was before. He flipped through the channels, but they all showed the same three scenes - the broadcast, Christy's camera, and the previously recorded videos.
The phone rang, the man picked up, and somehow we ended up in a car, handcuffed. Everything was going by like pressing fast-forward on a television wrapped in plastic wrap. June was grinding her teeth and tapping her foot, face void of any expression, looking between the window and the front seat. Noibat was lying on my lap, napping. I wanted to lean my aching head back and close my eyes, which stung as if they were being fried, but I felt like it would be giving up. So, I stuck it out.
We were let out in front of an easily recognisable building: the Goldenrod National Broadcasting Company tower. I swallowed past the lump in my throat as we were forced in by two policemen.
"Take them to the newsroom." One man said, and the original officer took both of us by either arm. I was surprised that they hadn't taken Noibat, perched on my shoulder, away yet.
After a short elevator ride, we ended up in what looked like the place that they reported the news in - hence the term "newsroom." The man pushed us into the chairs behind the desk, and soon, more people began to flood in. They worked at the cameras, soundboard, and a control desk by the wall. Lights were flickering on. Screens on the wall showed the broadcasts, beginning to look a bit fuzzy. I assumed that the people who were clicking away at the keyboard were trying to hack into the broadcast.
June kicked my leg to get my attention. "Whatever you do, don't say anything important. If they try to get us to say something, don't. Got it?"
"Alright, girls," One woman with headphones around her neck and a clipboard in hand shouted, "When the cameras roll, we'll have people speaking over you - narrating, if you will. Please, don't interrupt them. You'll get a chance to talk and tell the world how sorry you are about your crimes. Then, maybe we'll shorten your sentence in prison. Remember - you're filthy criminals. You deserve this. You'll regret your decisions, or you'll regret not regretting them. Get ready!"
June shot me a glance as the woman held up fingers, counting down to when the cameras turned on.
"People of Goldenrod, these two young ladies have committed the most inhuman crime: attempting interaction with the vilest creatures on Earth. On the left is seventeen-year-old Olivia Richards, who went missing only twenty-four hours ago. If anyone has any more information on her, please call in now. On the right is eighteen-year-old Juniper Bywaters, granddaughter of Ulysses Bywaters, a teacher at Goldenrod High School."
I turned to her with shock - how could I have not recognised her, being a child of one of my favourite teachers? Not to mention that he was the school's Pokémon lover and had several other children and grandchildren who had been arrested for doing the same thing that June was doing.
"As most of you know, the Bywaters have a terrible reputation for doing these sorts of things. It's no surprise that yet another one turns out to be a criminal. After this incident, the police will have no choice but to take Ulysses into custody as well -"
"No!" June yelped, "You can't arrest my grandfather; he hasn't done anything! Stop talking about us like we're inconvenient little bugs you need to get rid of!"
"Quiet on set," The woman snapped.
"No." June spat, looking more fierce and dangerous than I had ever seen her. "I'm tired of this. You, over there," She pointed to a random guy working behind the cameras. "Have you hunted Pokémon before?"
"Yeah..." He raised his eyebrows, talking reluctantly.
"What was it like?" She asked, "Were they angry? Did they try to attack you? Did anyone get hurt?"
"No, they didn't attack," The boy shook his head, sounding confused. "They looked scared. If anything, we had a hard time chasing them to their dens and -"
"I said, 'be quiet!'" The woman raised her clipboard and smacked it on the boy's back with an awful sound. "You two are done. Do you have any last words before we take you to prison and kill your little friend?"
"Yes," June said, "Pokémon are not the vicious creatures you all believe them to be. Haven't you seen the footage that's been showing nonstop for hours? Have you wondered why the police and the government are so desperate to stop it? They want you to be afraid, because fear leads to loyalty. All of them are too daft to see that if there weren't such strict rules, there wouldn't be such a strong rebellion. If they gave us a little reign, we'd be less angry towards them. If they allowed people and Pokémon to live in harmony, then the rulers could rule in harmony. People and Pokémon are meant to stand side by side, not separated by walls. Together, we're strong, but apart, we're destined to fight forever. We're polar opposites, but the North and South poles of a magnet attract. Haven't you ever seen Planet of the Primeapes? We all know how this ends."
"Enough," The woman sighed, "The other one - do you have anything to say?"
I clawed for words. Eventually, a name rose up to my lips: "Jaune." When I spoke, June snapped her head to look at me, confusion and frustration mixed into her gaze. "Jaune, if you're listening - I know now that all of my actions have consequences. But, even as I face these consequences, I can't say that I regret anything that I've done in the past month." I looked directly at the camera now. "My time with Myth - my Arcanine, the sweetest one in the world - has been amazing. I've never felt happier in my life, even though I have gone through some rough patches with my friends because of it. I realise that my time with my Pokémon is being cut short, but loving and caring for them - committing what you'd call an 'inhuman' crime - was the most human I've ever felt."
"Get these girls out of here," An older man grumbled, jerking his thumb towards the door. "Take them to Cianwood."
We were jostled out of our seats and pushed towards the elevator again. I shuddered with the thought of going to Cianwood, where the biggest prison compound in Johto was. That was where the other Bywaters had gone, and many other much more insane criminals had ended up.
While in the elevator, one of the officer's radios made a high-pitched beeping sound, followed by a rush of voices.
"There are tons of people outside."
"How many are there?"
"Hundreds, Rob; it's terrible. They're all protesters."
"How bad is it?"
"Well, so far it's just shouting and signs, but it won't take long for it to escalate. Just get people out here and - oh, Arceus, there are Pokémon out here! Bring your guns."
I looked at June, who held the same terrified expression that I did. She quickly recovered and mouthed the words, 'Follow my lead.'
June swung her leg around and kicked the back of one officer's knee, bringing him down to the ground.
Since I had never fought in my life before, I panicked and stomped on the other dude's foot. He reached for his Taser, but he never made it, because the Noibat leaped off of my shoulder and swung her uninjured wing down on his arm. She latched onto his jacket and crawled up to headbutt him hard on his temple, successfully knocking him unconscious. June, who had done the same to the other man, unlocked my handcuffs for me. She shook her hands out and reached forward to stop the elevator at the current floor.
The doors opened to a carpeted room filled with empty cubicles. We stepped out and dragged the two men out. My hands shook as I did so, and I jumped when the elevator doors shut behind us.
"We just knocked two policemen unconscious! We're felons, June!" I worried, running fingers through my hair.
"Pay attention, Olivia," June growled. "We're already felons."
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Hang in there, it gets worse
this is a bit random ive been crying a lot recently. not because i hate my life but because i hate the people in my life and the complications of maintaining a relationship with someone who has such a different mindset from you
and normally when im really depressed like this it's because i feel alone but this time i know that i have people who genuinely care about me. it's just the people who don't that are giving me bad vibes and i can't let them go and my stomach hurts
but if you're reading this, i hope you have a wonderful week!
- Toastdurr
