Chapter 11
It was pretty basic as far as world history goes.
Sometime around three hundred years ago or so, the country of Kanto was the first civilization on the planet to learn that pokemon could be both efficiently captured and trained to work with humans. The Kantoans discovered the process by which they could transform pokemon into high-frequency, unstable energy that could be contained in a mechanical orb that would harmonize the energy signature and keep the creatures in stasis. It was all very technical and would require a science class to understand rather than a history lesson. As pokemon were brought from out of the wild and into households, it was found that the energy stasis aided in relaxing them and making them more peaceful and pliable to working with humans.
Well, humans being humans, Kanto barely had time to take a deep breath with their new friends before the Premier of Kanto decided that the best way to use this new technology was on a national defense level. Pokemon may have been living creatures, but they were creatures with tremendous offensive potential, as well as hides that were highly resistant to many of the weapons of the day. Within a few decades, Kanto had a huge militarized pokemon force. There was an Air Force of precision Charizards, flying through the skies with more maneuverability than the most advanced jets of the age and blasting pure flame at their enemies. Then there was a Navy of raging Gyarados, able to withstand and attack from the harshest depths of the ocean and swimming circles around helpless submarines. And this was to say nothing of an infantry of Machamps and Gravelers, shredding tanks into heaps of scrap as artillery bounced off their massively powerful bodies. The Kantoan armed forces became the world’s most dominant power overnight by ignoring mechanical weapons and using instead the ones with which nature had surrounded us.
Johto was quick to accept the offer of annex that Kanto had offered. Being close to Kanto in both proximity and relations, they knew what kind of military force the Kantoans had at their disposal, and they happily agreed to peaceful surrender into what would become Kanto’s burgeoning empire. After that, Kanto turned its eyes to the rest of the northern continents and launched an invasion next on Sinnoh. The history books would tell you that war lasted thirty-eight days and was more than a little one-sided. It was such an overwhelming and popular victory that General Rayner, who oversaw the action, was swept into office as the next Premier of Kanto after Premier Jordan retired.
It was apparently said back in those days that the Kantoan empire spread around the north more quickly than water from a spilled glass across a countertop. So many countries deferred without a struggle, it was debated throughout the history texts as to what even constituted an official war or battle. It was not until Kanto turned its gaze southwards that it encountered its first true resistance.
As tales of the limitless Kantoan military force circulated the globe, the southern continent of Hoenn began work on its own pokemon armed forces. They had struck an alliance with the resources-rich region of Unova, and were able to develop their own pokemon technology in a fraction of the time it had taken Kanto so many years before. When the Northern Empire began moving south, Hoenn was able to strike back at them with a ferocity they’d not yet encountered. Not only was Hoenn suddenly a near-equal military foe, but they had species of pokemon at their disposal that the North had only sparingly seen before.
The Century War was the name given to the hundred-plus years of relatively endless battles between Kanto and its Northern Empire and Hoenn and the United Southern Continents. It was said to have been the most brutal war in the history of the world, no doubt helped by the fact that quite a few unsavory characters came into power during that time. Premier Gardner was a brute who came into power midway through the century and was known to order the torture of southern prisoners in order to extract information. President Stewart of the south had a penchant for sending attacks to areas densely populated with non-military personnel in an attempt to terrorize the north into turning on their leaders out of fear. The casualities, of both human and pokemon, were innumerable.
Fortunately, most of these vicious ploys backfired. As Kanto and Hoenn continued a war in which neither side made much progress in expansion, new philosophies were quickly spreading throughout their citizens. The idea that pokemon were living, feeling creatures that should not be used as tools of war was taking hold in the hearts of the public. When the empire started, people had only known pokemon as wild animals, but when the technology to catch and train them became more widespread, humanity found these creatures to be powerful, yes, but also smart and empathetic. What started as a few sparsely-attended meetings would turn into government petitions and then into large-scale rallies. The populace decided they wanted the pointless war they grew up under to end, and they wanted pokemon free from their shackles as military weapons. On both sides of the equator, politics became inundated with people who shared these new progressive lines of thought, and the world started changing, even if slowly. The war between north and south lessened and finally came to a halt with the signing of the Scott Treaty--named for Premier Scott who proposed it--and Kanto granted independence to the regions under its empire that wanted it. Pokemon were taken off of the battle field and put back into the wild, as well as in households, sanctuaries, and stadiums where they could enjoy playful, sanctioned battles under the watchful eye of medical professionals and rights activists.
Still, even though the military actions had ended, there was still tension between the northern and southern continents. Hate and prejudice doesn’t tend to quite fade away, even after so many decades; it stays simmering, just beneath the surface. The two sides maintained strictly separate cultures and traditions. Tourism was low between the hemispheres due to the harassment foreigners faced in each region. The World Pokemon League only sparingly had special events between northern and southern regions since riots were so frequent. Society on a global scale may have shifted towards a peaceful and progressive attitude, but individuals were still very full of insecurities and distrust; despite the new age of enlightenment, the separate regions sometimes seemed like they were still worlds apart. That was why it was so odd to Sam.
“You speak really good Kantoan for someone from Hoenn, Mr. Alonzo.”
“Thank you, Mr. Stark. I’d be poorly equipped for the travels and meetings my position requires of me if I were anything less than fluent in the world’s most relevant languages, but I still appreciate your attention and compliment.”
“Yeah, we’re all--”
This time Sam cut Barry off. Barry’s voice had an edge to it, and Sam knew that this meeting had to be played a little more tactfully that what might have been in his partner’s repertoire, “How can we help you, Mr. Alonzo?” Obviously he was here because Sam and Barry had destroyed so much of the Phoenix Corporation’s property, and for that reason, it seemed best to just play dumb for as long as they could get away with it.
“Please, Mr. Stark. I’m not so uncouth as to walk into a man’s hospital room and expect a him to assist me in the midst of his recuperating . At the moment, I’m afraid I simply want to tell you that I am happy you and your associate are in good health, and I would very much like to meet with you when you are feeling well enough to leave here.”
“Yeah well, it’s your lucky--”
“I’m sure we can arrange that, yes,” Sam again cut Barry’s impetuousness off at the pass. “Hopefully I’ll be able to leave shortly here since I’m doing all right. How would we go about finding you when we do?”
“I’ve a room at Snowpoint Resort. It’s under my name. I’ll tell the front desk to be expecting you so that they can direct you to my suite.” Mr. Alonzo extended his right hand, and Sam took it. Mr. Alonzo’s handshake was sturdy, but not intimidatingly so. “Again, I’m very pleased that you seem to be recovered.”
Sam thanked the President of the Phoenix Corporation for the comment, and Mr. Alonzo turned out of the room. Barry began to speak, but Sam shushed him; it was ridiculous to think of a successful businessman leaning over to listen at doors, but Sam imagined this was the kind of man who would do anything it took to get what he wanted. A minute passed, and then two, before Sam finally broke the thickening silence.
“Well that was odd.”
“I was going to ask if you two wanted to be alone for a second there. What was with all the playing nice-nice?”
“It’s the old ‘honey versus vinegar’ concept.”
Barry stared at Sam and wore a vacant expression. “What?”
“You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. It pays off more to be nice than abrasive.”
“I am not familiar. Why are we catching flies?”
“It’s not... we’re... it’s just a saying--”
“You know what catches the most flies? A fly swatter.”
The fly swatter analogy was actually a pretty good metaphor for Barry, so Sam merely nodded in reply.
“So what’s the play here? Are we actually going to this jerk’s hotel room? Or are we getting the heck out of town?”
Sam looked back to the door through which Henrique Alonzo had just left. He hadn’t really had an answer to that yet.
---
“So, hey, if I invite you guys into this very obvious trap, do you think you could, you know, walk right into it?”
“Why yes, I do believe that is what we’ll do. We'd love to.”
As their banter suggested while they trudged through the streets of Snowpoint City—streets that were buried in over a foot of snow despite the calendar’s clear indication that it was the tail-end of spring--Sam and Barry were convinced that Henrique’s invitation was nothing short of sinister. It made perfect sense: why would he refuse to talk to them inside a crowded hospital and then invite them to a secluded suite? Given Sam and Barry’s short history with Mr. Alonzo’s employees and property, why was he even so gracious and personable to them? Unless, of course, he was guilty of something, Sam determined. And if he was guilty of something, what were the odds he’d continue to be so pleasant?
“So, seriously, why are we actually going to his place when we openly agree it’s a trap? This is a dude who’s catching flies. What’s he using?”
Sam rubbed his chin with his thumb. “Well, he was nice to us, so he’s using honey. According to the saying.”
Barry shook his head. “Are you sure you have that right? Like, shouldn’t it be bees? Bees want honey. Not flies.”
“No, bees make their own honey; they don’t want honey. It’s like...you don’t have to go out and get hair. You make your own.”
“Bees make honey like people make hair?”
“That analogy really got away from me. Look, I didn’t make the saying up. I can’t answer for it.”
“It’s a dumb saying.”
Sam shrugged and backpedaled to Barry’s original question. “The reason we’re going there is that it’s really the only lead we’ve got. We can keep bouncing from lake-to-lake trying to stay ahead of these guys, but that’s hardly ideal. For all we know, they've already been to Lake Valor, anyway. Besides, running makes us look like the bad guys here. We’ve got nothing to hide, so why take off like criminals?”
“Because the real criminals are luring us into a trap?”
“I can’t really refute that.” Sam was going to continue, but he felt a large chunk of snow slide down his boot and wet his socks. It eliminated everything else from the front of his mind. “Seriously? God. What is it with this town? We’re, like, three weeks away from the first day of summer.”
“Higher altitude and further from the equator. Good skiing, though.”
“You ski?”
“No.”
“Oh.” Sam went back to ruing the snow in his shoe. When he was young, around Barry’s age, he’d started keeping track of all the things he’d do if he ever got elected to power. The list was simply for fun, as Sam had never had any political aspirations, and its contents were haphazard. He’d periodically rule on matters like banning certain foods he didn’t like and making television programs he did (but felt were underrated) mandatory viewing. He hadn’t thought about that list in years, but his mind flashed to it here; he decided he would make snow illegal. He could already feel the dampness pooling at the bottom of his sock and wrinkling the flesh on his toes.
When this kind of weather hit Goldenrod City, the city shut down harder than if an army was invading. School was cancelled days in advance, stores would only open a few hours at a time--and even then only to sell necessities--and nobody left their house unless they had just about chopped an entire arm off. Snowpoint, conversely, was apparently oblivious to its conditions. The sidewalks were full of people going about their lives, and every building Sam and Barry passed was open for business. Even the roads had their fair share of traffic, most certainly helped by the plow trucks that came by each block every 25 minutes like clockwork. Sam tried to imagine what the carnage would be like on the streets of Goldenrod during this kind of weather, but his brain couldn’t do it; when it snowed at home, the vehicles vacated immediately.
Snowpoint Resort was a ski lodge in the most classic sense. It spread out over the course of several miles of property, and its claim to fame, besides the immaculate slopes, was the lodges themselves. They were fashioned from wood, but—according to the pamphlet Sam was given at the hospital when he informed the nurse he’d be heading there—contained all the amenities of home, such as a jacuzzi, individual heating controls for each room, king-sized beds, and theater screens. Whose home did they get these amenities from, Sam couldn’t help but wonder. The attendant at the front desk informed Sam that Mr. Alonzo was staying at the Coronet Suite; it was a large cabin on the fringe of the resort boundary. Doubt crept into Sam’s head and told him that perhaps Barry had the right idea of just ignoring Mr. Alonzo’s invitation and moving on with their lives. A private suite with no adjacent rooms or guests, at the edge of a posh resort? In Snowpoint, no one can hear you scream, Sam thought.
As they approached the cabin door, Barry announced that he did not want to be the one who knocked on Alonzo’s door. Whether this was because he wanted to absolve himself from blame if the meeting went sideways or because he thought the door itself might attack him, Sam didn’t care. At this point, it was just a matter of getting it done with. And getting his wet feet out of the snow.
“Mr. Stark and Mr. West!” Henrique Alonzo beamed as he opened the door and waved for them to enter. “Thank you so much for coming. I was looking forward to your visit.”
“Wouldn’t miss it.” There was still a crust to Barry’s voice, but at least his words were pleasant enough.
“I know it seemed so odd that I came to your room at the hospital only to stay so briefly. I was torn, you see, between wanting to meet with you in person rather than sending a proxy and not wanting to disrupt your rest. I just hope I didn’t come across as…well…”
Sam could tell Henrique was searching for the right word and decided to spare him the trouble. “Please, don’t worry about it. We thought no such thing.”
Mr. Alonzo smiled and nodded lightly. He then motioned towards the sofa in his suite and shut the door behind the three of them. Sam took one last look back to see the outside world disappear behind the wooden door.
“May I offer you both something to drink?”
“Vodka on the rocks.”
Sam soured his lips at Barry in disapproval, even though he was mostly sure his partner had been joking. “We’ll both take coffee; that’d be great. It's pretty cold out there.”
Henrique reached down to the intercom on the glass endtable next to the black leather couch. “May I have two coffees in the Coronet Suite? We have cream and sugar here in the room.”
Sam’s muscles relaxed, and he realized he didn’t even feel himself tense up when Mr. Alonzo reached for the phone as if it had been a pokeball or a gun. “Thank you.”
Mr. Alonzo settled into the extravagant-looking couch and crossed one leg over the other. “Gentlemen, I’m sure we could make meandering small talk and not really say anything for quite some time, but I respect you both, so I’m going to get to the heart of the matter. I am aware of the…,” he paused and seemed to yet again mull over a selection of what to say, “incidents you’ve had with my employees.”
In a way, Sam was relieved by Mr. Alonzo’s directness. At least it eliminated the stress of wondering what this meeting was about. “Yes, those incidents have been quite unfortunate…”
“I assure you both, I accept that my men were at least half to blame in those—“
“Yeah, at least,” Barry interjected, emphasizing the last word. Sam shook his head at him, but Mr. Alonzo just chuckled.
“My men are not quite as well-versed in your language and culture as I am. Not to mention that most of their interactions here in your country haven’t been ideal. They are threatened a lot. They get screamed at that they are stealing jobs from the people of Sinnoh. When they go shopping for supplies or groceries, store clerks follow them around as if they would steal anything they could fit under their shirt. They’ve gotten used to everyone’s default reaction to them being racism and jingoism.”
“I’m very sorry to hear that,” Sam said, and he was. His trip to Sinnoh hadn’t been marred by any of that, but then again, he didn’t know what it was like to look and speak differently than the citizens there. With Mr. Alonzo presenting these facts to him, Sam remembered he'd always heard others say that people from the Hoenn area were thugs and criminals…did he let that color his actions when he encountered them?
“Well, so am I, because I fear that when you both showed up, it lead to their attacking you because they felt as though you were the aggressors. Either there to attack them or sabotage the machinery.”
Sam’s sympathy turned to skepticism here; the entire crew of construction workers and heavy machinery handlers were intimidated by a high school student and a recent college grad? It seemed unlikely, but Sam said nothing. Mr. Alonzo was being very gracious, and there was no reason to start challenging him yet. Sam was thankful to find that even Barry was holding his tongue.
“Their actions cost me quite a substantial amount in equipment, to say nothing of the lost hours of labor or transportation costs. But sometimes that is just the price of business.” Mr. Alonzo leaned back into the couch. Sam nodded, but could think of nothing else to add. Mr. Alonzo switched gears. “You both have no doubt figured out that I’ve come here for the legends of Sinnoh, right?”
Sam nearly choked on his own tongue; He and Barry had certainly suspected that, but to have Mr. Alonzo so freely admit to it was beyond what he’d imagined. What a brazen thing to say, Sam thought. “We… well… yeah. We kind of figured that, of course, but—“
“You’re aware that poaching legendary pokemon is illegal, right?” Barry spat, “Why would anyone just come out and admit to that?”
"Poaching?" Mr. Alonzo, the pitch of his voice rising. "No, not even close, Mr. West. Let me ask you a question: When a farmer needs assistance raising his crops, is it poaching when he catches a Gloom to encourage their growth? When a demolition crew catches a Rhyhorn to help them tear down a building and remove rubble, is that poaching? Or is it poaching when a hospital uses an Audino to heal an injured person's minor bruises or superficial injuries?"
Barry raised an eyebrow. "That's three questions."
"Pokemon are a huge part of our daily lives. But we don't even know all about them. We have pokemon that transport us to our jobs. We have pokemon that work on construction sites to help us build. We have pokemon that battle in stadiums to entertain us. But these are just rudimentary day-to-day duties. They do these things because they are strong or because they can manipulate plants, sure. But what about the legendary pokemon?"
Sam's mouth was dry suddenly, and he wished the coffee had made its way to the cabin. What was Henrique Alonzo talking about, and why was it making Sam uncomfortable?
"People talk about legendary pokemon, and we're talking about abilities that range from controlling the weather to manipulating time and space and everything in between. Think about how that could benefit humanity, gentlemen. We could stop storms and natural disasters in their tracks before lives and property are lost. We could erase our greatest mistakes from history; no more Century War and the hate it spread between our regions." Mr. Alonzo opened his arms wide in front of him as if to emphasize the scope of his ideas. "We could have perfect knowledge and understanding of the world around us. I've not come here to capture Sinnoh's legends or put them on display. I've come here to find them and get them to use their powers to benefit mankind. All of us. "
"They don't belong to mankind, though; they belong to the world." Barry's words shocked Sam out of his laser focus on Henrique's words. Sam had been engrossed in the thoughts, but Barry had wasted no time in having a rebuttal. "Do you really think it's in anyone's best interest to corral pokemon that can control time? Or human emotion? Yeah, gee, what's the worst that could happen there, right?"
"And those abilities are safer unmonitored in the wild?"
"Considering that, historically, the legends basically just putz around on their own, hide, and not mess with us? Yeah, I'd think so. They don't go around using their powers on a whim, so they're probably a lot smarter than we are."
Sam watched as Barry and Mr. Alonzo went back-and-forth. What was Barry saying? Wasn't he with Sam to help him get the lake guardians so that Sam could heal his brother?
"Your view of what these pokemon could mean to the world is awfully short-sighted, Mr. West."
"And your view of how gracious and well-meaning humanity would be in the face of these possibilities is awfully wrong-sighted."
Mr. Alonzo tilted his head down and smiled. Slowly, he shook his head a few times as if he were pardoning himself from engaging in a verbal battle with Barry. "I see your point of view, Mr. West, don't get me wrong. And I also get that you must feel very confident in expressing it. After all, you and Professor Rowan have had the legendary pokemon of Sinnoh hidden away and protected for quite some time now, haven't you?"
