The Right Man in the Wrong Place

Thanks, Kyuuketsuki, those mistakes had completely eluded me while I was proofreading. And DD, you're too kind. Thanks anyway.

You have no idea how many times I had to rewrite this one. Everything felt too rushed, and although I don't believe I quite nailed it with this version, I feel that it is the best way to close off the first act. Hence...

So, this is kind of an awkward situation.

I can’t say anything.

The cop doesn’t seem to want to say anything. He sounds more busy with the chewing of his donut.

I can safely say that we’re not going anywhere any time soon.

click

“Drop the gun, officer,” a commanding voice...commands. I turn my head and see a caped man with red hair aiming a Desert Eagle at the officer. “I said drop the gun.”

“But, commander, he’s...” the cop begins to protest.

“Innocent,” the commander sharply cuts off. He looks kind of familiar. That...that Lance guy from earlier, right? “Now drop the gun.”

Reluctantly, the officer returns his gun to the holster.

“Continue with your patrol,” Lance orders. The officer scrambles off. He then turns back to me, an awkward smile on his face. “You were the one on the train with Mr. Ketchum, weren’t you?”

I nervously nod my head.That was partly due to the fact that the gun was now aimed at me.

“Oh, sorry,” he chuckles, pocketing it. “I apologize that the recruits these days are a little trigger happy. Doesn’t help that Red just declares everyone brought to him as guilty.” He looks up at the Silph Co. skyscraper. “Hey, follow me. I need to show you something.”

He takes out a Poke Ball and tosses it into the air. A Dragonite emerges from it, and Lance jumps on to its back. The Dragonite immediately starts flapping its incredibly disproportionate wings, and Lance motions for me to hop on.

I don’t think so. I mean, that thing doesn’t look like it could support itself, let alone me and Lance...

Despite my look of protest, Lance grabs me by the arm and forces me on board. Dragonite then takes off into the air...surprisingly.

My breathing stops.

It’s either due to how beautiful Kanto looks like from around 200 meters in the air

or the fact that we somehow covered a vertical distance of 200 meters in 5 seconds.

“John, there are two things that I want you to see...” Lance says. I look at him, surprised.

I never introduced myself to him.

“First of all, take a closer look at Kanto.”

I nod, and peer at Saffron City down below. I see the odd yellow and purple color scheme that the city has chosen to adopt. I see the Silph Co. skyscraper standing out from the buildings at a staggering 45 storeys like a lance thrust through the Earth’s crust.

I see officers aiming their guns at civilians.

I see oppression. I see abuse of power.

“Do you know why the policemen are so quick to arrest somebody?” Lance asks. I shake my head. “This is the way the police system works: for every guilty person you arrest, you get a payrise. At first, nobody knew, but word spread that the champion does not let any one get away with a not guilty verdict. Within one month, we had 45 arrests and 45 executions.”

Apparently, being part of Team Rocket is tantamount to serial killing.

“And here’s the other thing that I want you to see...” Lance pats Dragonite gently on the side of the head, and the orange beast swoops down towards the Silph Co. skyscraper. “Hang on tight.”

Believe me, I am.

The wind rushes past me as the skyscraper grows closer and closer. It’s exhilarating, and quite frankly, it was near impossible to resist the temptation to let go of Lance’s shoulders and just let the wind rush by.

After a hard-to-believe 4 seconds, Dragonite gently lands itself on the roof of the building. And by gently, I mean relatively gently, because upon the very rough landing, I was thrown off its back and sent rolling across the rough rooftop.

“I believe I told you to hang on,” Lance smiles, jumping off Dragonite and returning it to his Poke Ball. I merely shrug in response while I get on my feet and dust myself. “Follow me.”

Lance opens the door. Inside is a spiralling flight of steps, dimly light by a red light.

Lance enters without hesitation. I enter a little more cautiously, afraid of what could be in the corners. Our footsteps barely make a sound as we descend the spiral stairway, and not a word escapes from Lance’s mouth as he leads the way.

And here I was thinking he was the talkative type.

“Stop,” Lance commands.

I freeze. He sounded almost...threatening.

In front, Lance creaks open a door and exits the stairwell.

“Stay here,” he tells me in the same serious tone.

The door shuts, and I am left alone with the dim red light and whatever chooses to lurk in the corners. It’s almost frightening just imagining them creeping out towards me.

I feel a tingle down my right leg and slap it immediately.

Nothing. Dammit.

Hold on, I think I hear something.

Please don’t tell me it’s a...

Wait, no, that’s a voice. It’s coming from the other side of the door. Quickly, I press my ear to cold metal to listen to the conversation.

“...which is why, today, Red, there is only one person I wish to bring forth before you today,” somebody declares. Lance? Probably. “Guards, bring him in.”

I hear doors being thrown open.

Somebody gasps.

“Red...” a voice choked with happiness says.

A familiar voice.

That guy on the train?

“My...god...it’s good to see you...”

Definitely him.

“Mr. Ketchum, please, control yourself,” Lance orders rather forcefully. Dude, the guy just saw his son for the first time; cut him some slack. “Red, Mr. Ketchum has been arrested on suspicion of being a Team Rocket member. We have prepared a list of evidence against and for h...”

“It doesn’t matter!” an unfamiliar voice protests. Red? Well, I understand him wanting to skip the list of evidence to let his father off quick.

After all, he wouldn’t declare his own father guilty, would he?

“He’s guilty! They’re all guilty!”

“I believe it would be best if you had first viewed the list of evidence and arguments,” Lance argues. “It is only fair that Mr. Ketchum has a fair trial, even if the previous suspects didn’t even get a trial before yo...”

“Guilty!”

Silence.

Cold silence.

“...very well,” Lance exhales, as if giving in to a young child. “The execution will be carried out in two weeks. Guards, please take Mr. Ketchum to the Indigo Prison.” I hear somebody being dragged away, but not a sound from Mr. Ketchum.

He might have passed out.

Doors slam shut, and the resounding boom echoes through the cold walls of the Silph Co. building.

“It’s called the Indigo Plateau,” Red spits.

“It might as well be called a prison,” Lance retorts. “Red, that was your own father that you sentenced to death.”

“I don’t care!” Red yells. I hear his paced breathing, and his voice grows desperate. “We can’t let them come back, Lance. We can’t let them oppress the citizens again. Don’t you remember how it was like when Team Rocket was in charge?”

“I do, and I will tell you this much, Red.” Lance pauses to give Red a chance to let the next thought sink in.

“Other than the uniforms and the names, nothing has changed between now and last year.”

I hear footsteps, and back away from the door. The door opens and Lance walks right by me, proceeding to ascend the stairs. I quickly get up and follow him.

“I hope you got all that in,” he rasps. I struggle to keep up with his surprisingly fast pace. “I apologize for forcing you to see that, but it is important that you know the seriousness of this situation.”

Red’s a douche, yeah, I got that.

But there’s something bugging me.

Isn’t there an inconsistency? Something about Red that should not match up with what I know.

Lance opens the exit door, and once again, we are on the roof of Silph Corporation.

Lance calls out Dragonite and jumps on, not once turning around to face me.

Without waiting for him to motion to me, I jump on.

“There is a way to stop this, though,” Lance says as Dragonite takes off and flies away from Saffron City. Yellow and purple is replaced by forest green, and buildings are replaced by trees, but everything is just a blur, like an afterthought. “A way to take the power away from Red. A way to stop this madness”

I nod, anticipating the answer.

“A long time ago, somebody told me that the right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world.”

I feel a light push.

Time seems to slow down.

Lance and Dragonite seem to go further and further away from me.

Wind speed seems to pick up.

I try to breathe.

I can’t.

I’m falling.

I’m falling from a height of 200 meters.

“Don’t disappoint me.”​

I'm too used to writing in an episodic manner, so I will be writing things in acts. Each act would act (no pun intended) as an episode, to better help with my writing and it also helps making the arcs seem a little more obvious.

And yes, I know that I crossed the deadline by 3 days. My clock is set to Valve time.