Chapter 64: Chapter 64: The Promise of Revenge
Lavender Town, a small town nestled in the northeastern part of the Kanto region, is famous for being a Pokémon graveyard. All burial and mourning activities take place at the Pokémon Tower in town. Folk legends say the ghosts in the tower are the souls of Pokémon who have passed on.
After obtaining the Marsh Badge from the Saffron Gym, Red left the city and headed toward Lavender Town.
Even in the forest not far from the town, Red could feel a desolate aura. The surrounding area was shrouded in a perpetual white mist, a unique geographical feature that caused many fearful travelers to turn back.
After half an hour of walking, a quiet and solemn town appeared before his eyes. Since Lavender Town primarily handles burial and mourning activities, few people commit crimes here, so there is no permanent Officer Jenny post. However, a Pokémon Center specifically for traveling trainers has been established.
"Welcome! I didn't expect a trainer to pass through here!" Nurse Joy at the front desk exclaimed in surprise, registering a room for Red. The Pokémon Center in Lavender Town seemed unusually empty, with most visitors being local townspeople.
"Why did my Pokémon have to die…?" a townsman cried out in sorrow, never imagining that the Pokémon who had accompanied him for years would simply pass away.
"Every creature reaches the end of its life eventually…" Red murmured, his own emotions affected by the desolation of Lavender Town.
"If you want to visit the Pokémon Tower, I suggest you first visit the Pokémon House in town," Nurse Joy suggested. "It's one of Lavender Town's famous attractions, providing shelter specifically for abandoned or orphaned Pokémon. It's a home that truly cares."
After checking in, Red went to the Pokémon House alone. From time to time, he would hear the cries of people grieving for their deceased partners. Lavender Town was a place where trainers could vent their emotions, and most did so without restraint.
Compared to other buildings, the Pokémon House stood out, exuding a warm, welcoming atmosphere. As soon as Red stepped inside, a young girl came out to greet him.
"Hello, welcome to the Pokémon House. Are you a trainer just passing by?" the girl asked.
"Yes, I'm Red from Pallet Town. I came specifically to visit the Pokémon House," Red stated his purpose clearly, hoping to put the cautious girl at ease.
"I see. My name is Reina, and I'm a volunteer here," she introduced herself, beginning to explain the origin of the Pokémon House. "Mr. Fuji, who founded this place, said that there are too many people in the world who treat Pokémon as tools or accessories. This was originally his home, but he transformed it for the sake of the Pokémon."
Reina led Red through rooms where young Pokémon were being cared for. Most had been abandoned by trainers due to their weak strength.
"This Mr. Fuji is a very gentle person," Red said.
"Yes, that's why people from the town come here to volunteer and help him," Reina smiled.
"Every Pokémon here looks very happy," Red observed, but then his eyes were drawn to a small Pokémon huddled in the shadows, its eyes burning with hatred.
"This Cubone is still just a baby, isn't it?" Red whispered. A typical Cubone stood at 0.4 meters tall, but this one, by his judgment, was only about 0.3 meters.
"That's right, this little one is still a child. It only wants to be close to Mr. Fuji and is very wary of everyone else," Reina explained.
Red had already guessed the story, but he still looked at Reina with a questioning gaze.
"Because of Team Rocket," she whispered. "That day, Cubone was playing near the town and was targeted by Team Rocket grunts who happened to pass by. To protect her child, its mother, a Marowak, faced their siege alone, and as a result…" As she spoke, Reina couldn't help but shed tears, saddened by the Marowak's fate.
(So it was killed… Cubone's mother…)
Red lowered his head, pressing his hat down, and remained silent.
"Mr. Fuji found Cubone by chance. Since then, this little one won't approach anyone but him," Reina explained.
(A look of revenge? Even a tiny baby wants to avenge its mother!)
Red ignored Reina's attempt to hold him back and walked in front of the small Pokémon. Since it had never seen Red before, and because of its hatred for humans, the terrified Cubone attacked him with the bone club in its hand.
"Red, be careful!" Reina said worriedly.
"Don't worry. Compared to the pain in Cubone's heart, what is this scratch?" Red endured the blow, telling Reina not to approach. He then released his Viridian Power, a gentle green energy that flowed out to soothe the small Pokémon's turbulent emotions.
"You want to avenge your mother, don't you? I can give you the power to get revenge on Team Rocket," Red whispered into Cubone's ear.
"Kora!"
Cubone's previously dim eyes suddenly brightened, but then fell back into darkness. Although it had been healed by the Viridian Power, in its heart, Cubone believed that the red-hatted youth in front of it didn't have the strength to help it get revenge. Mr. Fuji had also advised it to let go of its hatred and strive to grow.
"Want to see my strength?" Red smiled, and under Reina's puzzled gaze, he threw a Poké Ball. As the white light dispersed, a powerful Scyther with an intimidating green glow appeared before them.
The sudden appearance of the azure warrior made the other volunteers uneasy, and the small Pokémon trembled with fear at the aura Scyther emanated.
"Red?!" Reina looked at him with a hint of fear, not understanding what he was going to do next.
"Don't worry, Reina. I just want Cubone to see my strength. I want to understand its heart, and I want to get revenge for it," Red explained.
The small Cubone stared at Scyther's tall, imposing figure, completely captivated. It was now lost in a fantasy: if this red-hatted youth could truly get revenge for it, then what should it do?
"Red, this is too dangerous!" Reina stepped forward to stop him. "Team Rocket's strength is not something you can stand against. They are an evil organization that even the League has a headache over. It's impossible for ordinary people like us to stop them!"
(Yes… whether revenge is even possible is a question…)
The heartbroken Cubone once again fell into confusion. It had witnessed its mother's tragic death with its own eyes, and its heart was filled with hatred for Team Rocket, but a deep-seated fear of them had also taken root.
"What if I'm a psychic?" Red said calmly. His eyes glowed blue, and everything around them floated into mid-air. The scene shocked the volunteers present; they had never seen such a sight and were momentarily terrified by Red's power.
"Kora!"
Cubone desperately hugged Red's leg. It saw hope in him. Whether it was Scyther's powerful presence or Red's special abilities, these were the lights that gave Cubone hope for revenge. It wanted to grasp this light, even if it meant sacrificing its own life.
"Cubone… I didn't expect you've kept this desire for revenge in your heart all this time…" Reina said with heartache. She saw the flame of vengeance in Cubone's eyes, and once that flame ignited, it would never stop burning.
Reina had seen the determination in Cubone's eyes. Knowing she couldn't stop what was about to happen, she could only pray in her heart for Red and Cubone, wishing them a safe return.
***
(End of Chapter)
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