Coltar: The Prophecy - (Pokémon)

8. Cruel World

Monday, May 1st, 1989

The litwick's flame flickered, and a loud yawn left its mouth. The sunlight crept through the shutters, enough to make it recoil from the light. James let out a little yawn and reached up with his arms. I guess I fell asleep in the coach. His arm felt warm and tingled slightly. I guess I got bandaged up? Geesh, yesterday was such a long day. I-

"I will kill you!"

"Okta, kill him!"

"H-h-he will k-kill me. I j-just can't."

James screwed up his face and squeezed his eyes shut. Did I really say all those things? Oh, right, Hanson... he was there. He closed his fist tightly and slumped it against the soft dubwool blanket. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a tall man with glasses and a white coat looking in a cabinet.

"Finally awake, I see. Well, it is gone afternoon. You had enough poison in your body to kill you, you know?" He approached the bed and picked up the clipboard he had left on the end of it. He noticed James's slightly opened mouth and raised an eyebrow. "Do you not remember me? Well, that's no surprise. I am Lord Ikur, and I saved your life last night. I got you here anyway. How do you feel?" Lord Ikur pushed his glasses back onto his nose.

James looked up at him. You have a cut on your hand going up towards your shirt? Did he attack you too? He sighed. "I am okay. I didn't even feel sick from the poison, so if you don't mind, I am going home." James pulled back the blanket. "Where the fuck are my clothes?"

Lord Ikur stared at him. You almost died, and that's what you are worried about? He placed the clipboard down. "They were covered in blood, firstly. Secondly, I had to stitch the bite on your arm up, and thirdly, why is your body covered in gengar bites?" He drew his sword and placed it against James's neck. "Lastly, why is a Spitz like you here? I am a doctor, so I will give you a chance to explain yourself. Anyone else would have executed you without a second thought."

James's whole body started shaking, and his stomach churned. "I-I... I live here..." He looked down to his stitched arm. "He let his gengar bite me all my life, and you are going to kill me for something I had nothing to do with?" James placed his hand against the sword.

Ikur looked at James. He is scared. He was frightened last night, too. He puts on a brave face. What a dilemma. If I keep this secret, I risk my own life, but if what he said wasn't a lie... He lowered his sword and pushed his glasses back onto his nose. "Very well, I'll keep your secret. However, you will not cause trouble for us, and if I ever need any information about anything, you will tell me or find out. Understand, boy?"

James nodded, and he stared at his arm. Why? Why are you being nice? He whispered, "What happened to your arm?"

Lord Ikur rolled up his white jacket and his white shirt's sleeve. Along his arm was a deep cut on the top of his arm. The knife which had cut through his skin had left a sloppy mark. A word had been sliced into him. "Since you are illiterate in your language, I doubt you can read mine. It says traitor, and no, Elite Lord Aaron Piscar did not give this to me. The deceased Elite Lord Ellio Piscar did. "Now go back to sleep or get changed, and do whatever you Colran do. You aren't leaving until a parent or guardian comes to pick you up." With his closed fist, Ikur gestured with his thumb to a pile of clothes beside the bed. He turned around and walked over to Kitiku, who was shivering.

Kitiku saw the tall man approaching him and stared down at his blanket. The bruise on his shoulder felt like it was about to burst. However, his leg felt swollen and dislodged.

"And how do you feel?" Lord Ikur asked. He doesn't seem to want to look at me. Is he scared of me? He pushed his glasses back up onto his nose. "Would you like something to eat? Something to drink?" Lord Ikur pulled a chair up beside the bed.

With shaking hands, Kitiku signed, "I want my mum."

"I don't speak sign language. You are going to have to talk. And I have a lot of questions I need to get through. Then I need to take your leg off because that break is not going to heal." Lord Ikur placed his hand on Kitiku's shoulder.

"N-n-no..." Kitiku grabbed his hair and tugged as hard as he could. Tears ran down his face. "N-no. M-m-mum."

Lord Ikur sighed and pushed his glasses back onto his nose again. "While we believe medical care should be free if it is only free if you take our recommendations, that's the law. I am going to be honest. The break is bad. You are missing part of the bone, and even with a replacement in there of wood or even the more expensive metal, without a series of complicated surgeries – which would have to be performed in Ki'ot-Akalt, there is no chance you will walk again. Even with the surgeries, the chances are slim, and it will be harrowing. Far more painful than the pain you are in now."

Kitiku shook his head rapidly, raising his hands and pushed the Lord. He felt his weak arms be pushed back, and the pain in his shoulder echoed throughout his whole body.

James leapt up. "Wait! I... I don't have much money, but... will this do anything?" He reached into the pouch on the side of his bed next to where the clothes Lord Ikur had left for him once were. He tipped it upside down, and coins fell into his hand.

What's this? You barely have enough money for bread... but you are willing to give it all up for your friend? Even still. Lord Ikur glanced at James, pushed his black hair back and softened his voice. "No. Even for a wooden replacement, that's almost one hundred times what you have in your pocket. And as I know your secret, there is nothing you can offer me which I cannot get for free from you. Sorry, kid, that's just how the world works." He turned back to Kitiku, who was crying. It may seem harsh, but secrets like his are dangerous to have. This is a little execution for him, not a real one, but holding him like this to my whim is an important lesson. Is it blackmail? Yes. Is it immoral? It depends on who you ask.

"Anything. I'll do anything, just please – he is scared! I won't let you!" James shouted.

"There is one thing, but I don't need you. I need him." Lord Ikur pressed the latch on his poké ball, and a luxray appeared beside him. "You see, he is blood type O. Do you know what that is?" He saw James shake his head and Kitiku nod. "Around 350 years ago, a disease came to Coltar and wiped out the majority of blood type O humans on the island. Blood type A was also badly affected. A parasite caused it. Regardless, blood type O is scarce as a result. I know a dozen or so people who have it, myself included. It's rather funny there are two of us in the same room. Either way, people with this blood type can only receive blood from the same blood type." He adjusted his blue tie. "We aren't just blood type O. We are both O negative. Therefore, if you become a blood donor for the Elkran army, I will wipe your debt and give you a wooden replacement. I cannot steep to metal – sorry, I can't push it that far."

"O-o-okay." Kitiku grabbed Lord Ikur's jacket with his hand and squeezed. "I-I-I w-was p-pushed in t-to the m-m-machoke by Lioa. T-then thrown o-o-off." He squeezed his eyes shut. "S-scared."

Lord Ikur removed his jacket and wrapped it around Kitiku's shoulders. "Warm up. My luxray uses its X-ray vision to check your bones. There is no need to be scared. Hmm, if you don't like to talk to others, it's okay, but you need to talk to me so I can help you. Alright? There are some other tests I need to do on you before I operate. Bryson, age: thirteen, blood type: O Negative, injury received by pokémon assault. The course of action: amputation if wooden replacement is rejected. Status of medical divergence? Paid."

Kitiku let out a little yawn and flopped back down. He seems nice. I guess I will be able to go home tomorrow. He felt the soft mane of the luxray brush against his hand. He lifted it and felt the warm breath of the luxray course across him. Good pokémon.

Ikur knows James's secret. Can he be trusted? What would happen if he told someone? Kitiku is in a bad situation. Will he ever be able to walk again?

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