Disclaimer: Pokemon and co. doesn't belong to me . . . . blah blah blah . .
.


Authors Notes: Here I am again and all ready for season 2 of this fic for
the few of you that'll probably come banging on my door to demand I
finish this already.
In this chapter there's a guest POV.  Little Raptor.
As usual, Feedback would be greatly appreciated!  And so would
suggestions for the final chapter of my fic Forever.  I kinda got writers
block on that one.



Ketchum: The Journey Continues
Season 2

Fight For Raptor! - Part 2
Chapter 6


She smiled.
"He's one of the best.  He really takes good care of his pokemon, he
makes food for all of them including my Raticate.  He feeds them the
same time we eat.  Satoshi's pokemon totally adore him, a few of them
are actually a little overprotective of him."
"Would you care to tell the court about a few of your adventures?  Such
as the Warriors?"
The murmer among the crowd was a little louder now at the mention of
the Warriors.
"Well . . . the first Warrior we met was the old Warrior of Rock in Mt.
Moon, an Onyx.  Inferno had just evolved into Charizard about an hour
before.  When we met up with him he challenged Inferno to a battle . . ."
I listened.  I'd always remember the Warrior of Rock.
"Interesting, so Satoshi gave . . . Inferno is it?  A super potion before
letting him fight.  Which Warriors have you actually met?
"We've met the Warriors of Rock, Ground, Psychic, Lightning, Ice,
Normal, Fire, Air and Water.  Not in that order though."
"Objection your honour!  Irrelevance!"
"Overruled."
"Now, I have here a report from a hospital that the Warrior of Normal
tried to kill him.  Would you tell the court what happened?"  Musashi and
I both shuddered.  "You don't have to if you don't want to."
"I'd prefer not to, that brings back bad memories."
"Alright.  Now, how does Raptor act toward you?  Friendly? 
Belligerent?"
"Raptor tolerates me.  I think it's because I'm not related to Satoshi. 
He's friendlier toward Satoshi's mother and little sister.  But he still
won't let anyone except Satoshi touch him."
"What about his and your pokemon?"
"Well, he really enjoys their company."
"Has Raptor ever hurt you?"
"No, not at all.  I've learned that like Inferno he tolerates anyone who's
friendly to Satoshi."
"No more questions your honour."
"Would you like to cross examine the witness?"
"Yes your honour."  He strode up to Musashi.  "I see that you are the
child of Jessie and James Rocket, formerly of the notorious Team
Rocket."  Damn!  I knew he was going to bring that up!
"Yeah, but mom and dad are straight and working off their debts."
"I have here a report from Cinnabar Pokemon Centre.  Apparently the
Warrior of Fire doesn't like Team Rocket.  Nurse Joy said, and I quote,
'I've seen members of Team Rocket go in but never come out.' unquote. 
As I understand it, you and the defendant encountered him with a talking
Meowth that belongs to your parents.  Yet you survived.  Care to explain
why a Charizard who swore to kill all Rockets made an exception?"
"I don't know . . . Charizard never told us.  He may have told Inferno or
Meowth."
He nodded.
"What did you mean by Raptor and Inferno tolerate anyone who's
friendly to the defendant?"
"Of all his pokemon, Inferno is by far the most protective.  Raptor only
comes a close second.  They don't like it when Satoshi's threatened."
"I see, and what will they do when he is?"
"Raptor usually hisses or growls.  Inferno intimidates them by roaring or
using Fire Claw on a tree to show he doesn't like it."
"And what exactly is Fire Claw?"
"It's an attack Charmeleon taught him."  Then she realized what she just
said.
 I groaned inwardly.
"A Charmeleon?  Really?  Who's Charmeleon?  Neither you or the
defendant has one."  I looked desperately at Ms. Jaega.  She shook her
head, she couldn't do anything.
"It's hard to explain . . ."  Musashi trailed off.  "He and Machop are the
reasons we requested a closed courtroom."
"Try your best to explain it then."
She looked at me, I nodded.  It had to be done.
"Basically, Satoshi has the Spirit of an 1800 year old Charmeleon residing
in him.  And I have the Spirit of a 1500 year old Machop living in me. 
They're the ones that told us what Raptor was when he hatched."
"Need I remind you that you are under oath?"
"That is the truth!  I swear it!"
"Objection, he's pressuring the witness!"
"Overruled."
"Explain how this odd phenomena happened then!"
She sighed.
"We were on our way to Seafoam for a vacation . . ."  We all listened to
her tell the story of our other forms.  "And that's it."
"That sound a little far fetched, would you prove it to the court?"
"I'd really prefer not to.  The thing is when we change our clothes don't
change with us.  So when we change back we're naked."
"No more questions."  
Musashi stepped down, I gave her a reassuring smile.
"Court will be adjourned for a short recess."


~~~~~~Inferno's POV~~~~~~

The policemen finally let me down to Satoshi.  When I got down there I
saw Raptor nuzzling Satoshi reassuringly.
*The feeling's mutual.* I smiled.
"Hey Inferno.  I'm surprised you didn't storm down here in the middle of
the court."
*Are you kidding?  That would've just made things worse for you!*
He smiled.
*Besides, that other Lawyer is playing dirty.*
"I know he is.  But he is on Mr. Yamaga's side."
*Granted.* I nodded.
"So when do you think Raptor will learn to speak?"
I looked at the cause of all this.
*At two months he should know by now.*
<*Father?  Can you hear me?*> I jumped and looked at Raptor, so did
Satoshi.
"Was that you?" 
Raptor nodded and chirped happily.
*Wait a minute, father?*
<*He is too my father!*>
"Hey you two, don't argue!"  He said as he put an arm between us.  "No
wonder you only make those chirp sounds, you're telepathic!"
<*I wanted to tell you, but I just learned how to use my mind voice.*>
*Heh, no problem little one.*
<*I'll be bigger than you!*>
*You're not now!* I grinned as I stuck my tongue out at him.  I could
hear Satoshi giggling at the two of us.
"Did I hear right?  Raptor can talk?"  Ms. Jaega asked as she came over.
"Telepathically, yeah."
"Wonderful!"
<*What are you talking about?*>
"Raptor, would you be a witness?"
<*Me?!*> He squeaked.
"Yes, if the court heard what you think of all this Satoshi probably would
win and you would stay with him without fear of being hurt."
<*What about father?  Would he be safe too?*>
"Yes, he would."
<*Umm . . . okay . . .*>
"Excellent!"  She wandered off to the Judge's room.
*Only two months old and already worrying about Satoshi's safety!  Oh
Fire God this is good!* I crowed.
"Don't I get a say in this?"
*No, you're just a human, remember?* I teased.
"Hey!"
"What's going on over here?"  Musashi asked as she came over with a
pitcher of water.
"These two are picking on me!"
"Look at it this way, you can always get back at them by getting
Charmeleon to train them personally."
*Oh noooo . . .* I moaned.
<*Did you have to say that?!*>
"Court will resume in five minutes."
"Good luck Satoshi, Raptor."  Musashi said as she gave him a little kiss.
*Luck!* I echoed as I followed her. *You know one day you're going to
kill me with all that mushy stuff.*
"Pardon?!  You're one to talk tamer of Embrana!"  Ohhhh, that hit a
nerve with the truth in it!
*Whaaaa?!* I had the grace to blush slightly at that, not that she noticed.
We both sat down when the judge did.
"Your honour, I'd like to call one more witness to the stand."
"Proceed."
"I call to the stand Raptor."
"What?!"
"No way!"  Came various voices.  I snorted.
"Your honour, this is ludicrous!"  The lawyer for Mr. Yamaga protested.
"Your honour, this has been done before and Raptor can answer the
questions with his telepathy."
"Hmmm . . ."  The judge eyed Raptor critically.  "Proceed."
Raptor sat in the chair the best he could and was sworn in.
"Raptor, what is your view of all this?"
<*I know I'm the cause of getting father in this much trouble.*> He
admitted with a sad face. <*From the first moment I saw father I knew he
would protect me.  My mother's mind voice always told me that humans
were bad when I was in my shell.  But she was wrong, father is good.
Father's friends are good.  Father's mother and sister are good.  Father's
Charmeleon is really funny.  He knows lots of funny jokes.*>
"Would you ever hurt anybody?  Kill?"
<*No, I would never ever kill unless they threatened father's life or killed
him.  Just like the Warrior of Fire!  I wouldn't hurt anyone unless they
hurt father.*>
"What do you mean by the Warrior of Fire?  Do you know him?"
<*I know what father knows.  I remember what he remembers.  We
bonded.*>
"Raptor, please answer my question."
Raptor tilted his head at Ms. Jaega and gave a questioning chirp before
speaking again.
<*I thought you all knew.  The Warrior of Fire once had a trainer, and
that trainer was father's father.*> I smacked my palm against my head.  I
couldn't believe he was telling!  I heard the crowd murmer again.
<*Father's father was killed by Team Rocket.  They sent a bad Charizard
to kill him.*> I winced and looked at Satoshi, he was dumbstruck. <*The
Warrior of Fire killed the bad Charizard and wants to kill Team Rocket
for killing father's father.*>
All was silent for a moment.  I felt shock from Satoshi's Angels, they
hadn't known that.  Actually, neither had anyone else.
<*Charmeleon know's why the Warrior of Fire didn't hurt big mouth
Meowth or father's friend.*>
Ms. Jaega snapped from her stupor.  So did I, Raptor knew?!  This I had
to hear!
"Go on."
<*Charmeleon told me that the Warrior didn't hurt them because father's
friend's mother and father and Meowth never took the life of an innocent,
their hands not stained with blood.  He can sense that.*>
He looked around the quiet courtroom.
<*Did I say something wrong?*>
"No, no you didn't Raptor.  We're all just a little shocked . . . no more
questions."
"Would you like to cross examine?"
"No your honour."
"Very well, I shall be back in an hour with my decision."  The judge
vanished into his office.  I practically ran down the aisle to Satoshi's side,
he'd need me now.


~~~~~~Musashi's POV~~~~~~

Oh my god . . .
Poor Satoshi . . . all that sudden information . . .
Satoshi!
I bolted down the aisle.  I looked at his face, it hasn't totally sunk in yet.  
"Charmelmel."
"Inferno!  His eyes!"
He peered at them and saw what I saw, they'd shifted slightly.  They were
a darker blue now.
If Charmeleon was in control of Satoshi's human body things were worse
than we thought.
"Charmeleon?  Charmeleon please answer us!"
<(Charmeleon?)>
(Brother please tell us, how is Satoshi?)


~~~~~~The Judge's POV~~~~~~

I watched them from my one way mirror/window and heard their
panicked conversation with the microphone hidden under the table.  I was
sceptical about this whole curse thing.
But they were actually talking to a Charmeleon in a boy's body.
"Flamer, you heard everything.  What do you think?"  I asked my
assistant, a Charizard from my trainer days before I went to Law School.
(They tell the truth about the curses.  I once saw such a thing happen. 
They are truly speaking to the Charmeleon.)
"And Satoshi?  He must be in shock, Charmeleon has taken over.  We
knew Ash, I never thought . . ."
(Jessie and James were idiots, all the pokemon knew that.  They're better
off away from Team Rocket.  I don't think even they knew the whole
truth.)
"Raptor must have pieced it together.  For two months old he's very
intelligent."
(He is also a Psychic.)
I nodded and watched them.  Raptor certainly wasn't a threat to anyone,
not unless they really pushed him.  Even in those circumstances a garden
variety pokemon would take action.
"I'll go deliver my decision, Raptor is in good hands with Satoshi."

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