Rhapsody
Morning was the same as usual in the small alolan village of Ka'Ori. The market was lively, the children were rowdy, and the Pikipek were chirping. Something, or rather someone, seemed out of place though- a Monferno.
The Pokemon was fairly taller than an average specimen of its species. Standing at about 3 "5" tall, both its height and foreignness to the region were drawing a lot of curious eyes from passing locals. The Monferno payed them no heed. Its gaze was firmly fixed at the two men conversing at one of the market stalls. It crossed it's arms in impatience and adjusted the satchel it wore. This was taking too long.
The shop keep was jolly and hospitable- as were most Alolans- as he gave directions to the distinct individual before him. Clad in a grey hoody-shirt and olive green cargo pants, the man was most likely a tourist. The shop keep assumed hoenner based on the light brown skin.
The Monferno stirred as the hoenner approached. "Mon ferno? (Got anything?)"
"Yep. All set. Looking to be a pretty long trek for this one." The man said.
"Mon? Fer! Monferno mon. (Really? F*©k! Loot better be worth it.)"
"Lighten up grouch. Our guy's paying extra for this. 'Bout 50 stacks, remember?"
"….Mon ferno. Ferno, monfer mon. (…Point taken. Welp, better start hoofing it then.)"
"I swear though, the guy has a hard on for these things. The one we're getting's apparently his 7th piece from the Tapus. I'd be surprised if he makes it to the end of the month curse-free! Oh yeah, you didn't forget…"
Both man and Monferno headed towards the docks, chatting the minutes away.
Both were unaware that they were under surveillance. The lone figure continued to observe them from behind black shades as he contacted his superior.
"It's Collins. I've got your 2 men right here."
"Very well. Consult with them after they finish their current business. Until then, keep their whereabouts in check."
"Got it. Will do."
Collins turned off his earpiece. He slightly pondered what the targets had done to attract the attention of his boss. The boss was a man of power, possessing many means to attain whatever he desired. He easily could've found a much better way, and yet he chose to involve these 2.
Collins set aside his notions. He was here simply to follow orders, not to think. He had never failed in his endeavors, which was even how he was chosen by the boss in the first place. He didn't plan to start now.
"Let's just hope that you make this easy for me…." The man thought.
…
You know, sometimes in life, you just think about what could've been.
Like, for example: "I could've dated Rachel from accounting if only Brad hadn't asked her out!" or "I'd probably be an engineer if I didn't drop out!"
I find myself thinking similarly during recent times. On how different my life would have been if I stayed on the high road. Probably wouldn't be running for my life from an ancient tribe of death worshippers hurling poisoned darts and arrows my way. But hey, there's no changing what's already happened. And I guess that if it weren't for my past choices, I would never have met my partner.
So yeah, no time but the present.
Right. It's dusk. We're in Lush jungle. Running. I'm ru-
"MON! (DUCK!)"
FWOOOSHH!
"SH*T! Phew, that was waaaay too close!"
"Monferno ferno monfer! (That makes 23 times you owe me for saving your ass!)"
"You're still keeping count!?"
"Fer! Monferno! Ferno mon! (Less talk, more run! Won't reach 24 if you bite the dust you know!)"
I glanced back at our pursuers. "I mean come on! IT'S JUST A PIECE OF FUCKING WOOD! CALM THE F*%K DOWN!"
Yelling didn't even faze them. Then again, they probably didn't even understand what I just said. The group chasing us was made up of brown-skinned men wearing various facemasks and loincloths. All of them had a myriad of warm-colored tattoos depicting their status in their tribe. The tats were painted all over their face, arms, stomach and legs.
Honestly, they look pretty fun and festive. It's like visiting one of those famous traditional Alolan festivals. Except everyone is trying to kill you.
The undergrowth slowed us down significantly. The natives though, having lived in this place for generations, were used to the terrain and were gaining on us. We needed something good to happen, and fast, or the 2 of us were prime candidates as these loonies' next offering to their Tapu deities or whatever the hell they worship.
I swear to Arceus, I have the worst luck when it comes to Mondays.
"Mon ferno mon! (Ravine 4 O' clock!)"
I looked to where he was pointing. Sure enough, a ravine was situated just a few meters away from the edge of the forest line. Also, a lone large Pamtre tree hung near the edge of the precipice. From the top dangled a single, lengthy vine.
I do not like where this is going.
"Would you rather your heart cut out and limbs dismembered, or get multiple fractures and internal bleeding?"
"Ferno mon ferno. (I prefer not dying.)"
"Alright, alright! F#©k it, let's go!"
We diverted our path and made a beeline to the ravine. Just as we reached the clearing, I looked back to see if we were still being followed. Big mistake.
My momentary surprise at seeing them so close behind was enough for one of them to land a hit on my left shoulder. A surging wave of pain suddenly blossomed from where the arrow struck. I pulled it out and saw the tip excrete a thin purple liquid. My partner stared at me with concern.
"Monferno mon? (Think you can make it?)"
"Urrrghhh…y-yeah. Lucky it's…just….Mareanie extract!"
"Mon mon! Monferno mon…. (Hang in there man! Just a little further….)"
We managed to reach the base of the tree and start climbing. The poison made me feel like my shoulder was on fire, and it was already starting to spread to my left arm. Breathing out, I grit my teeth as I forced myself to keep climbing.
By the time I grabbed hold on the vine, the tribesmen were already at the bottom. Lucky for us, the Pamtre was a lot taller than the other flora in the area, keeping us out of their range. Unlucky for us though, some of them, armed with crudely-made knives, started to ascend the tree themselves.
"Ready?" I asked my partner. He clung to my back, his arms and legs draped around my torso.
"Ferno. Mon, fer-(Yeah. Alright, on 3. 1-)"
I instantly jumped. The vine was surprisingly sturdy.
"MOOONFEERNOO!? FERNO MOON! (WHAAAAT THE HEELL MAAN!? I WASN' T FINISHEED!)"
"Every movie or TV show ever! The character counts-"
"-Mooonn, mon….(-Uhhhh, dude….)"
"-to 3, and everytime as they get to 2-"
"MONFERNO! (LOOOK!)"
I gazed behind me to see what he was so intent on me seeing.
I made some pretty bad screw-ups in the past, but this one will probably be remembered as one of the worst.
So, Lush Jungle. Nobody's ever explored its entirety because cartographers were attacked by the very same tribe that moi was running from. Well, turns out, there's actually a river and, in extension, a waterfall that runs through the place. You learn something new every day. Especially if that something is lying dead ahead, gushes tons of water per second, and is so damn tall that you can't see anything but mist over it's edge.
We missed the ledge we were supposed to jump to! ARRRRGGHHH! Me and my big mouth….would probably not live to ramble nonsense another day.
The poison took its toll on my arm. The burning sensation was so intense that it was causing my arm to numb. Shortly after, only my right arm was clutching on to the vine. And it was slipping.
"…Fern monferno mon. (I knew something like this would happen.)"
I lost my grip.
"FFFFFFUU-"
…
On this particular night, a lot of guests crowded Hano grand hotel's casino, talking amongst themselves and spectating the game of Voltorb flip taking place at the center of the room. Two ace players- Gordon Miles and Jonathan Wainwright- were up against each other in a heated match, enlivened even more by the fact that the 2 had agreed that the winner would not only take the loser's earnings, but an extra 500 grand as well.
It was Gordon's last turn. He had 2 cards to choose from. Which one he chose would decide the fate of not only his and Jonathan's money, but also the money pool from the crowd's bets on who would win.
The murmurs shushed as Gordon extended his hand. He looked to his opponent for any indication of a fault. Jonathan's face remained devoid of emotion. Gordon sighed, chose the card at the bottom-left of his table, and slipped it to the edge. Carefully, he lowered his head and raised the card ever so slightly to catch a glimpse of what was on the other side. He paused. He looked melancholy as he placed the card face down on his palm. Jonathan grinned. The crowd gasped. Had Jonathan 'Win-right' done it again!?
Suddenly, with a wry smile, Gordon turned the card around for everyone to see.
It was a 3.
The crowd roared. Gordon beamed. Jonathan cursed and cursed and kept on cursing. It was a great night for Gordon.
"Sir?" A concierge asked Gordon. "Forgive me for interrupting, but there's a man looking for you. He was with a Monferno. If you know the-"
"Send them to my room immediately. I'll follow suit." Gordon answered.
"Certainly, sir. It shall be done at once." The concierge replied. He left swiftly, heading back to the lobby where the 2…..unusual acquaintances of Mr. Gordon were waiting.
It was a great night for Gordon.
It was about to get even better.
…
"Good heavens, man! What happened to you?"
The two individuals seated on Gordon's couch looked ragged and weary, like they had just been fighting in a war zone. The man's clothes were tattered and hung limply from his body as if it had just dried up from being drenched. Not only that, but his entire left arm had swollen up a dark shade of purple, obviously poisoned. His left shoulder was covered with a makeshift bandage ripped off from his own shirt.
The Monferno beside him wasn't exactly in good shape either. Countless cuts and bruises were sprawled all over its matted fur. Even its tail fire looked ready to go out at any moment.
To say that Gordon was appalled was an understatement.
"'Tis but a flesh wound', as they say. You get used to it over the years."
"Oh." Gordon answered.
"Hand it over, Rush."
The Monferno, Rush, reached into the soaked satchel he wore and pulled out a zip lock bag. Opening it up, Rush rummaged through layers of bubble wrap to reveal a small wood carving, in as good condition as when they 'acquired' it. Roughly cylindrical in shape and 4 inches long, it depicted 4 creatures nestled within shells resting on top of one another.
Rush handed the carving to Gordon, who felt completely enthralled as he turned it over and over in his hands.
"My stars…the idol of the ancients! Countless stories, myths, legends…all vindicated by this one small object. An ocean's worth of Alolan blood was spilt just to gain the Tapus' blessings-and its mine. All mine! Hahahahaha! My greatest thanks to the both of you!" Gordon exclaimed.
"Yeah, yeah, that's great and all….our pay?"
"Oh! Yes, yes! How rude of me! I'll have it for you in a jiffy!"
Gordon was already stepping into his sleeping quarters as he talked. He moved into a doorway and out of the 2 collectors' sight. He came back a few minutes later hefting a heavy briefcase which he laid onto the table in front of the couch. Gordon briefly lost himself in examining the idol until an annoyed voice snapped him back from his daze.
"Hey bud! What's the combination for this thing?"
"Oh, err, forgive me. It's 1-2-3-5. It's just that I've been pining for-"
The man tuned out Gordon's voice as he inspected the contents of the briefcase. 500 million Pokes. Exactly how much they agreed on. Satisfied, he beckoned for Rush to follow as he strode towards the door.
"-actually influenced by celestial beings! Hmm? You're leaving so soon?" Gordon asked.
"Yeah. It's been nice dealing with you, but me and Rush here have some other things planned."
"But the night is still young! An occasion like this merits a grand celebration! Let's head down to the bar boys, drinks are on me!"
"Pass. Goodbye Mr. Miles."
"But-"
The door slammed shut before more was heard from the eccentric.
…
The soft fabric of the beach towel and the gentle sound of the waves helped lessen the aching. I wasn't exactly hunky dory, but it was a million times better than being in the water.
I brought my tail before my face to see how bad it was. It burned so weak that the flame barely left the tip. Not good. I laid my back on the towel, placed my hands on the back of my head and closed my eyes. Instant bliss. Oh maaaaan! I was probably going to stay like this for a while.
"My arm still stings some. Where's it hurt for you?"
"….Everything." I answered.
A few moments of silence passed, none of us really in the mood to talk. I let my thoughts wander back to today's adventure. I thought that the hiking would be the hard part. Boy was I wrong. The wrathful spectres and murderous tribe made sure of that. Well, at least now we've got a decent month's pay. We probably-
"I know exactly what we need. Vacation. A reeaaally long one. Rest up a bit. I mean, we ARE in Alola after all."
"What!? You're sure about this?" I asked.
"With our suitcase full of cash, yeah. I've had enough near-death experiences for now. Also, that time that my genitals almost got cut off? Made me think, that one."
I instantly perked up. The more I thought about it, the wider my grin got. Finally! Just me and my bro-two guys living it up it the tropics. The best part? A break from all those annoying legendaries, murderous pursuers, and injuries that took off a huge chunk of our pay. My head was running wild with ideas.
"Let's check in that hotel later! The one we just came from! Get the priciest room they've got!" I said.
"Yeah."
"Then tomorrow! There's this huge golf course I spotted right next to the lobby! Let's go for a few shots!"
"Yeah."
"After that, we could go see a battle royale match! Get us some of those 'Malasadas' the locals won't shut up about."
"Yeah"
"Oh! Oh! And then-"
"Mr. Matteus? A moment of your time please."
I opened my eyes to see this guy wearing a black suit and shades standing over us. I immediately bared my teeth and growled in frustration. I didn't trust him. For several reasons.
Reason #1: Rude sh*t barged in our conversation.
Reason #2: Who wears a suit to a beach? Better yet, who the f# k wears shades AT NIGHT!? For an bad guy, he really wasn't trying hard to disguise himself.
Reason #3: Call it a sixth sense if you will, but I've always had a knack for telling whether good or bad things were coming our way, and I'm getting some serious bad vibes from this guy.
In short, I wanted him to f*%k off.
Looks like my friend felt the same thing.
"You know, it would be a lot more helpful for your cult, organization, or whoever you work for if you didn't give yourself away like that."
"You're John Matteus and Rush, aren't you? Professional treasure hunters?"
"Depends on who's asking." John answered.
"Collins. Call me collins"
"Collins. Look, if you've got a job for us, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to decline. As you can see, our last business venture left us a bit more damaged than usual. You can leave your number with us if you'd like. We'll be more than happy to take you up on that offer in a few weeks."
"I'm afraid that the man I represent hates to be kept waiting, Mr. Matteus. He wants your services. He's heard how good you are. And he's willing to pay."
"Dude. No. Just no."
"A Trillion Pokes."
"Money doesn't work on me, pal. You should see how many zeros I've got in my bank account."
"And….this."
He reached into one of his suit pockets and pulled out...no way. There's no way! How did he-
"You drive a hard bargain, Collins. We'll think about it." John said.
John stood up and dragged me away from Mr. Black suit. He hid it well, but I could still see a faint trace of shock in his eyes.
"Dude. You saw it too, right?" I whispered.
"Probably a fake. They've done their research, though. They know us more than I thought."
"So now what? That Hano deluxe suite isn't going to book itself."
"We see if it's legit. If it is, we take it. If not, we don't. Simple as that."
"I'm astounded by your masterful expertise of empirical science."
My sarcasm earned me a jab to the shoulder. I flinched with pain- forgot the fact that I WAS in pain after John mentioned the word 'Vacation'. I decided to stay put while he went back to black suit. After a few moments, I saw him release a Houndoom from a pokeball. He handed the object to John, who attached it to his ear. I strained my ears and heard the Houndoom bark.
Judging from the way John reeled backwards, the thing was for real.
They talked for a few more minutes. The Houndoom was giving me this weird look, like he was judging me. Hey, judge away pal. You're looking at a professional adventurer here- nothing but greatness! I flexed my muscles a few times in an over exaggerated way before I closed my eyes as the pain throbbed. He looked unimpressed.
Everybody's a critic.
They shook hands before black suit called back his Houndoom and left. John looked pretty deep in thought.
"Guy's boss must be powerful to get his mitts on the other one, huh?" I said.
"Yeah…sorry man, looks like that vacation's gonna have to wait."
"I'll make an exception for this one. So? Details, details."
"Hehe…sorry 'bout this, but we're not spending the night at Hano."
"…Client could've at least given me 1 fricking night of r & r. Egocentric ass."
"Our 'egocentric ass' has a jet waiting to board us at the airport next island over."
"Here we go again."
"Looks like we're headed to Unova."