*Insert own fanfare here*!
Hey guys, sorry if I was gone for a while... DGL here, and if I'm back after being gone so damn long it must mean SOMETHING.
Actually, I just graduated from Vocational school out in the countryside, so that's my excuse! A Driver's License, Five Certifications (two and Copper and Fiber-Optic systems) and a promise of AT LEAST $10.00 -$15.00 an hour is nothing to gawk at.
But seriously, I moved out the house to go to school for my trade a year back-and my place of schooling literally had Internet Blocks all over the damn place; and this humble site was caught in the crossfire. Hopefully this explains my absence and whatnot, but I did learn something about the internet through all that crap: PROXIES ARE KING.
Man, it's been a minute since I dabbled in anything pokemon. Did that mess with my usual writing skills? Read on to find out. Now to get to the point... By now you're probably asking yourself,
"Self, what happened to that other fanfic Light made-the one with Dawn? That one HUGE fanfic you promised us way back in 2008?"
Well, um...hehe, I'm pretty sure that story's behind me, so I made it Selfdestruct since it was "too big." I put Sinnoh Faraway together as an unemployed 18-year-old with a rabid desire for ANYTHING Dawn related; and now that I'm established finincially (until I hit college, anyway), I simply don't have the time to devote to it anymore!
So, I decided to chop SF up into separate fics under one AU setting instead; and the result was this story...hopefully one of several others.
Every story I make from now on will tie into Sinnoh Faraway's backbone in some way or form will still obey the mythos put in place by that dead superstory (Pokexys Zodiack, Gods of the Plates). So if ya don't dig AU, stay away from this one. You've been warned in the Intro anyway, so all you purists FLEE!
Okay! Now that confession time's over, lets get to what this one's about: Introducing A Grain of Amethyst, a dumb fic introducing the Mythology of The Arceus Plategods!
Now before we get any closer, since I went and axed Sinnoh Faraway for being too lenghty (no surprises from anyone, I'm sure), now I have to rewrite all its terms and character changes here-I think I'll start on the latter, for right now.
Anways, PLEASE read through the folowing, even if you don't plan on reading this whole damn fic- or you will get confused later on! This story's AU to the point its not funny; and they ALL will obey its own mythos...sort of.
The Plategods of Alpha,
Otherwise known as Children of Arceus.
A pantheon of almost twenty deities dwelling on the spritual side of Mount Coronet; one celebrating each element. They are born of the Plates of Arceus, as thier name alludes, and silently fear and watch over humanity and pokemon alike.
While the Plategods are supposed to be good, according to their leader, the (?)-Type Plategod, a certain Sinnohan girl from Twinleaf, who was born with a fractured soul, began leaking powers untold on her planet- and must be either cleansed of her spiritual cracks, or slain evermore. For this, most Plategods are portrayed as "evil" and give Dawn and Lucas a major headache on thier travels.
The Plategods are typically named for the Berry their Type protects against; such as the Zap Plategoddess Wacana or the Plategod of Dread Colburge. Wacana in particular, a rookie goddess who just earned the title, has a potent role to play in this story.
DAWN HIKARI,
Age 17.
The main character of the series; set i n an AU setting of Pokearth more or less inspired by the Manga. Despite an age boost, she remains the same personality-wise and has the same pokemon. Her annoying pride seems to get in the way of her good heart.
According to Turnback Mythology, Dawn was born one of two incarnations of humanity's subliminal forces-with this bluebell being born to hold back Mankind's true powers. The other, an OC known as Enily Fauste, has been missing for centuries...and what her birth stood for has become lost.
While Dawn was born to barricade Men from ancient glory, her soul was cracked from birth due to her father's meddlings with her from Johanna's womb- leaking ancient powers, kingdoms and figures of Old from a scrapped dimension onto Pokearth on a worldwide scale- awakening the latter as espers known as Nonexistents. Her lover, Lucas, is one of those.
She joined a global reality show sponsored by Pokestar Studios known as The Pokelympicx in search of her sorcerous father Dawson Hikari-whose closest mistress, Cheryl, is out for her head for some reason. She was kicked out of the reality series after a battle for the remaining spot was lost to Kenny, and has been wandering the four corners of Arceus' world with Lucas ever since.
Having a beau in Luke, Dawn is moderately sexually active in the series- though not on as blatant a scale as some other characters. As if she didn't have enough of Amethyst the first time, She won another trip to the exotic battleground isle as a mindless retreat for she and Lucas. She and Green do not have the best of friendships going.
Lucas Kouki,
Age Unknown.
Normally this series' male main character. However, Grains pf Amethyst centers around Kenny, Green and the Plategods-so he and Dawn aren't introduced right away. He is a full-fledged Nonexistent, capable of stunning Aura Combat outside any pokemon battle...and he, Barry and Enily were once friends before a certain disaster separated them- and mutated Enily into the White Miltank he obliviously uses, today.
Lucas and Dawn started as rivals travelling together, but before that Dawn found the egghead KO'd in her backyard from a thousands-year-old blast that sent him and his friends flying into her dimension. The two then walked Sinnoh and some of Unova together, banking on the promise of finding Luke's way back to his own "worlds" someday.
...However, Dawn-who knew the way back the whole time, thanks to The Plategods-kept it a secret from him; and secretly used thier travels together to convince him to stay by her side. Lucas eventually found it out and nearly cursed Dawn for it, but eventually turned around...at least, until the bubbly girl burst through his room waving two tickets to a getaway somewhere snazzy in The Orange Islands years later.
Kenny Kengo,
Age 16.
The main character of Grains of Amethyst. A young boy out to set a name for himself, he kicked Dawn of of the reality series Pokelympicx just to drop out to resettle on Amethyst Island days later. He, Green, Dawn and Lucas saved this island mere weeks ago from sinking from a massive clash with crooked Nonexistents, and today they all coincidentally reunited here for thier own reasons.
While he isn't aware of it, Kenny is only one of two of the main characters born with the "Eyes of The Alpha"-the ability to see and converse with The Plategods...with the other, of course, being Dawn. The two shared a very breif relationship in the past, but neither he or Dawn cherish it.
Grains of Amethyst generally tells the epilogue of this island's oceanic battle between Dawn and a wayward OC known as Caesura's forces, and details how the Island's fared through he and Green's eyes. he secretly dropped out of Pokelympicx in order to elope with Green here forever, but obviously can't bring himself to convince the femme fatale.
Green (AKA RazorLeaf),
Age 19.
The main female character of Grains of Amethyst. Though Green is trying to give up the life of a con artist, old habits die hard-as they say. Once the Champion of Kanto, the moneyed girl doubles as a KDF Agent (Kanto Defence Force) hot on the heels of a fake organization she made up herself.
Having been raised by crooks half her life, Green sometimes has a twisted sense of justice and can't take jokes aimed her way, but for the most part she is a (classy) country girl just out for a good time. While already in a stale relationship with Blue, Green goes on to fall for two more men through the course of this story-with the the first being a "No strings attached!" boy-toy in Kenny.
Green's work as a KDF officer has brought her to Amethyst Island for several reasons, with one of these involving disturbing rumors of her fake orginization becoming active out here. So far, this country-fried celeb's been using the existence of this syndicate as an excuse to travel worldwide, but...
... Who, or what, on Pokearth has the power to make her imaginary terrorrists real...? Someone up above may have a bitter sense of humor. What really happened during The Sea Battle for Amethyst are retold through "Tropical Memory Links" Green discovers throughout the story.
And, that'll do it for now.
...Well, fine. ONE other thing. Pokes in this series are capable of both Game and TCG-based attacks, just to break the monotony of typing "USE HYPUR BEEMZ" over and over. A lot of TCG moves borrowed in this series follow thier own system of use introduced a bit later...special aura, destiny; that junk.
And if you haven't figured it out by the rating, there's going to be lemons. Some more blatant than others; some even involving magic (hinthint, Lucas). Now don't get me wrong, I'm here to tell a decent story-but at the same time I added all the citrus to maybe drop a few jaws in the audience.
Think of Grains of Amethyst as AU Pokemon+ Hotel Erotica, if that helps your mental imagery. It doesn't start off that way, but boy does it get SOUR. Trust me on that one, for those of you that read Sinnoh Faraway before I took it down.
Though...it's Nothing too XXX ( Don't know about you, but I can't sit through my smut with some OTHER guy's junk on screen.) On THAT note, I have a good deal of this one written in advance already, and a certain "threesome" later on is still making me grimace, "GOD- why did I write all that!?"
One last warning, too. Through all my time publishing on this site, I seem to run into the same issue over and over that still hasn't been fixed-where I would upload/save documents and have words missing, symbols shortened and/or other stupid profreeding errors. I DO NOT have the patience to keep proofreading my stories to fix them every time it happens; so if you notice something that just doesn't "read right", there's the reason (that or my grammar's starting to get weak...hehehe).
Day One:
" Introduced."
Amethyst Island.
A mysterious, two-story tropical island located somewhere in the archipelago of Orange Islands. Surrounded by waterfalls, the mythical place was one of many "leaked" events tied to Dawn, an annoying but necessary "Trainer of Heldback Darkness".
Through her, a legendary crystal holding back Humanity's greater powers leaked back through the planet... according the the Plategods of Coronet, Dawn was the "living cracks" of this night-colored, secret-hiding stone that must be delt with.
This stone, The Turnback Crystal, was a Pandora's Box of sorts:
In its recesses were hid every creation of Arceus he never intended Pokearth to posess; that...or creations deemed to powerful for finite mortals to master.
Serving as this Crystal's cracks, its nightly emissions through Dawn would reshape Pokearth with stolen secrets it wasn't supposed to know... one day, one month, and one year at a time:
...One of those secrets, a race of black-aura beings known as "The Eureka".
Formerly at Amethyst's political head was SA'RAH, an Eureka with the uncanny power to become anything she wished— even if they were days out of the week. She and her faultless adult daughter Caesura were defeated in a recent struggle over Dawn's cosmos-deep blackness.
As of today, Amethyst fell into the caring hands of Kanto's KDF Federation-
a fancy, financial term pasted to the rural Region's Gym Leaders, E4 and Champion...
...And our tale takes place mere months after Dawn's affairs with the Eureka Mafia.
"...Is that it?"
"Yeah, that's right. Saw 'em over by The Ruby District a couple times...either he loves shopping, or he's got his eyes set on his next victim."
"...Ergh..."
"..Diiiyoh."
"Like, Chansey-!"
"Yeah, what my Chansey said! It"s probably the latter."
"...What on earth should I do here?! Its bad enough I have to contact the UNRC for aid, and on top of that we're in a state of emergency! I don't have time for this!"
"Whoa, whoa, chill out . Something tells me all I have to do is show up, and he'll go running to some other Region all over again. Seriously, this creep's worse than Roaming Legendarys..."
"...Is it...re-really that easy?"
"Sure is! You have no idea how far back that crook and I go! You ever see that Pokestar show, "FullMetal Cop and The Sneasel Ninja"? We have that sort of hero/villian bond going...except I have no plans on making him a good guy when I nab 'em."
"Can you really handle him yourself? I can't...I don't have the manpower on hand to help you apprehend this maniac."
"Chanseey; totally Chansey..."
"Ditto; diiyoh!"
"See? Even they agree with me. Who this serial killer works for...they're only based around the Kanto Mainland, and some of the Tohjo Border too- not the Orange. Got no damn clue what he's doing way out here, but I doubt he has any accomplices with him. I'll take care of it, really!"
"Th-thank you...I don't know how to repay your kindness."
"Nah, don't worry about it. As you can see, I'm not in dire need of cash anytime soon."
"No, I'm serious. We've lost so many lives already due to Caesura's mutiny...I don't know how our nation can repay the mainland for taking us under thier financial wing. It won't go to waste, I assure you! Just name what you want!"
"...Weeelll...uh, if you insist, there is this one, teeny-weeny reward I'd like..."
"Really? What is it? Like you, I'm in "no dire need of cash anytime soon" myself, so just name your price."
"No, its not money. I was serious about that, you know...um. I feel really shameless for asking for it but..."
"Go on."
"Downstairs; in that Grand Aquarium. I normally don't use evolved Pokes here, but there WAAAAAS that one super-cute Milotic during the show I really-"
"Done!"
"...Whah...R-really!? (Man, am I going to hell for this.)"
"I'll get some of the crew to Ball it later. But be careful with her though-she's a "rescue". She was seized from an abusive trainer several years back near Nuvema's first route. It seems to respond to the name "Marvelia", so I guess that was her nickname before we rescued her."
"Marvelia, eh...I like where this is going...what do you guys think?"
"Like, totally chansii!"
"Diidiiyoh?"
"Anyway, we really need more hands on the Surfaceland. Have some more men from the-"
"Ap-ap-ap! What's the magic word, Ditto? 'Cuz I think he's forgetting it."
"...Diih?"
"Right! Please and T'ank-you, right?"
"Oh. Excuse me...I'm just so relieved. Maybe we shoud assimilate with the Mainland again...being isolated from Kanto is really hurting our economy..."
"..."
"(...What a weirdo. How's THAT even possible? This whole entire island wasn't even here, a few SEASONS ago. Just what the hell is this place?
If anything Dawn was saying was right, then this place shouldn't even belong in this world. Normally i'd laugh junk like that off, but after everything I went through as a kid I'm inclined to believe anything now...whew, now THOSE were the days.
...Then again, this is "Dawn" we're talking about. Barely knew her a few days, but I could tell she knew her way around "Lie Avenue" plenty...
...Maybe this isle's just off the beaten path, and it was always here...this guy sure seems real to me.)"
"Uh, right! So take me to Milotic, already!"
Today, Amethyst was still a very cold place to live.
Its tainted, former rulers may be gone now, but the long road to recovery for the cascades-bearing isle was just beginning.
If not due to the damage that typhoon-laced war caused the nation weeks ago, Amethyst wasn't too hospitible today due to its residents, who took a liking to disliking foreigners thanks to that tidal battle. The people of this tropical "getaway island" were past thier breaking point, having to rebuilding and being served cold meals from charity houses everyday.
CRAP, BRELOOM! N-NOT LIKE THAT!?
Wow, did you see that?! That thing used its Sky Uppercut to split that boulder in half! Give him a round of applause!
No...That-THAT WASN'T HOW IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN! I NEEDED THAT PIECE THERE!
Breeliili?...
Despite the lovely scenery, even the pokemon of Amethyst were tainted by the storm that ravaged the entire archipelago. Every once in a while, you may catch a wild Sentret using Dark moves; or hook a Whishcash with Ground/Dark attributes or something- all thanks to a certain girl's antics during the final battle.
Normally, this would be seen as a good thing to some trainers; catching and using pokes with unusual moves and Types. But on an Isle where darkness is considered evil regardless of what form it took, that can hamper a certain girl's reputation pretty badly.
Okay, Empoleon! Your turn-and don't screw it up like Breloom did!
...(bitterly) Brriilooe...
And while the fight for this "isle that shouldn't exist" was long done, the xenophobia that lingered in the aftermath seemed much worse. The KDF Federation really had no choice but to remove a lot of ads promising getaways and dream cruises to Amethyst due to its dwellers being too hostile to foreigners, now.
That, or the fact these islanders were still rebuilding everything that Sinnohan and the O'Brian family sacked. Older villages were still flooded; and skyscrapers from newer settlements were still missing huge chunks here and there. And while it was such a bad place to live, the true protagonist of this one decided to elope here anyway. Plenty of rare girls and pokemon, right?
Hahaaaah, now that's what I'm talkin' about! See Breloom!? That's what i wanted! If we were still in Pokelympicx, I would have lost it because of you...but we're not, so don't worry about it!
...Breeelll...!
"AAAH, GOD!"
Clenching his arm hysterically, the poor boy slouched over with a gaze of frigid fear at his pokemon before crashing into the black, sandy ground around them. A Lass trainer with a Numel nearby, likely a fan, snapped a shot of him and took off running without her partner-probably to go post the shot on her BILLBOOK page.
"HEY! No, nonononono! SOMEONE GET HER BACK HERE!"
Walking away from her master, the Toad-like perpetrator clicked its claws femininely and sat outside the contestant's circle, officially "not giving a crap" about the contest anymore. Audible gasps erupted from the audience, though some were laughing too.
"AAAAGGHHH! SOMEONE GET ME A RAG, DAMMIT! I'm bleeding here!"
"Wait...I don't think he's playing. Someone go look at him!"
A strong stream of swears followed, making everyone around finally realize he wasn't kidding. Empoleon just held his face, trying his best not to be embarrassed while some beachgoers gathered around them; with one of them making the ugly assessment:
"Holy CRAP, his arm's broken! Someone call the paramedics!"
Despite the pain, the kid stumbled to his feet and flashed a peace sign with his usable left hand. Apparently, he still wanted to continue here.
"Ugh, w-wait! Don't call anyone here! I just..."
Sucking in a big gasp of air, he grabbed his limp arm and literally-
"GHAAAGH!"
...Popped his arm back in place, with the the snap loud enough to again cause more uproar in the bleachers. He gave Breloom a cutthroat gesture before stepping back into the competition relatively unhurt.
"Oh Alpha One, are you okay man!?"
"Yeah, ehehe. Sorry about that...that arm's kind double-jointed. Born that way, really." he gyrated his arm to show everyone it was okay, as at this point even Breloom was getting worried.
"She...er, my Breloom-she knows that arm's a little durable, so when I piss her off she always does that."
"Dude, that was sick! Plus that girl caught it on camera-you should go after her or something!"
"You're right, but I have to finish this contest first...she left her Numel, so i'll blackmail her later. Just don't tell anybody I said that...ehehe."
He winked at the guy, who hid his sneer before getting back to his own project. The poor Numel just sat there as dull as ever, probably looking for its own forehead. It wasn't going anywhere.
According to him, 16-year-old Kenny Kengo was a known around the bend who made it deep into a certain reality show. He was already a great coordinator, which was something he was as known for as Gyarados going on rampages.
As that wasn't enough, it only got better- Kenny also had a celebrity girlfriend.
Well... sort of.
If anything, he might as well have-they did have that "one moment" alone before...The spiky-headed boy felt he had something special in her anway, even if she were always busy. So the sight of so many scantily-clad bathers on Amethyst's iridescent beaches now hardly got his attention.
So far, the pretty miss he's been after treated him more human than most girls did ever since they joined the fight for Amethyst several months ago. He dropped out of the Pokelympicx to retire here from it all, even his lovely coordinaton, just for a shot at eloping with her too. It was the perfect plan.
With kids and adults enjoying the summer sun, the pale kid in trunks chose to spend his time more constructively. He had been working well on something all that week- in hopes of getting some kind of attention out a certain someone...
Icebreakers that don't end up pissing women off on the beach were more common than ever, these days.
Though lauded by non-Contest trainers, Most in the coordinator's world called our Kenny maturer than much his age. That was pretty much a true statement, given other guys practically begged him to put women down in some form or another- sexually, or otherwise. To a coordinating prince like him, he thought of things like pride or lust as chains he broke back in Sinnoh...back in the childish years.
Kenny had to take a sit-down, his hands crusted thick with sand. He took a moment gaze into the hot air to avoid sand getting kicked in his face by some kids around him-there were so many of them it was ridiculous; and they couldn't use the " LOLZIMATRAINERSODONTJUDGE" tag either because none of them were even ten yet. Empoleon had to swat one back to keep him away from Kenny's own castle creation.
A mellow guy, Kenny didn't swear, and he didn't care much for being the best- he didn't even huff Hyper-Potions like normal guy trainers. He also tended to be a loner- a rigid shell a certain bluebell tried to crack...not that he was asocial or anything-coordinators couldn't afford to go that route.
Sunlight sparkled off the face or the coastline where Kenny and Empoleon sat. Under all that heat and humidity, He was always thinking about something...today, that "something" was how to make onlookers in today's contest gape with amazement (though he probably did that already, thanks to his arm).
"Man, this thing's taking forever. How much time we got left, E?"
Empoleon pointed at a large timer with red digital numbers reading "43:09" flatly, as if saying any idiot could have figured it out himself. The timer was frozen on that mark, meaning it was breaktime for all the contestants there.
Realizing this made him laugh nervously and spit a quick apology. Wiping sweat from his brow didn't help the heat at all, since his entire body was glistening with sweat...it was easily triple-digit degree weather today.
Maybe the heat made him delirious, since he failed to notice someone taller drop a beach ball at her feet behind him. And what looked like a talking wad of gum was at the mystery guest's left -while a rather sassy Egg pokemon was at her right.
"Ghah!?"
Kenny exclaimed and jerked forward, shot big time by some unknown assailant's beachball spike. It was too strong to be an accident, so he looked up ready to fire-off on someone... though, who he saw grinning instead dissolved his irk right away.
"Hey, there. You sure look like you're enjoying yourself!"
Holding a beach ball, the sunny-faced girl smiled, making him sweat for reasons outside the heat. Some beachgoers were tossing this girl confused looks, since the expensive, sable gown, classy gloves and Altaria-fleece scarf she wore seemed really hot in weather like this.
"I should have known you'd be doing this boring crap. I'll tell ya, you Contest guys are really dull..."
Kenny grinned back at her, though grazed his chin with a hand at her statement. This was the first run-in with that girl since they helped securing this super-island with her months ago, and to say he had a "thing" for her was an understatement.
"Hey, this, ALL THIS-" he waved his hands in front of his giant, blacksand creation with pride-"Is NOT boring! Does 10000 PD sound BORING to you, Razor?"
"As a matter of fact, it does. I think I spent 10000PD on a scrunchie once..." The girl sneered at Kenny askance, and her pokemon both sighed. "You short on your rent or something, kiddo?"
"Don't call me that!" He ruffled both hands through his dense hair, making him look cute-as in "Pikachu" cute, not "attractive" cute. "Our ages aren't THAT different..."
"But I'm still an adult. That, and I could totally arrest you right now for talking smack thanks to my new gig."
"Huh?"
"Oh, what's this? You haven't heard the news?" The former-catburglar circled the flustered boy with a finger on her mouth, curiously looking for a good reply. "How do I put it so you can understand?"
Leaf didn't need to, thanks to the big and shiny gold badge sat over her left breast. It stood out from her suffocating black getup, so you'd have to be colorblind not to see it.
Kenny caught sight of it and instantly tugged on Empoleon to see it too-it was too rich for words. Not knowing what was going on, Leaf stared between them suspiciously...why weren't they showering her with praise like everyone else?
"Oh Arceus, you DIDN'T. Don't you have to go and dye your hair blue and get your name changed now?"
"Wha...N-no-NO! No, you idiot! I'm a KDF Agent now- not some damn cookie-cutter meter maid! And these two are my crew!"
Leaf's Ditto yawned its name, sat on her shoulder and buried in her downy scarf. Her Chansey wasn't so quiet; as the thing mimicked her pointing-finger at the boy in front of them with perfect sync. He just blinked stupidly, not recognizing the job reference.
"Wait...The what?"
Leaf slapped a hand over her face- resisting the urge to choke him. "W...wait. You're not from Kanto or anything, are you?"
"What made you think I was? I'm from Sinnoh!" Kenny grinned just as prideful. "I'd NEVER be born in some country-hick Region like this. Tell me Razor, does Oak still think there's only 150 pokemon out there, or did he get in Juniper's pants to find out the real answer?"
Leaf fell instantly silent, and went red with embarrassment, and some folks around them began giggling in his favor. While she was on Leaf' side only seconds ago, Chansey was too busy playing in Kenny's sand creation to hear her command to attack him.
All jokes aside, that older girl had no idea... but Kenny decided to drop out Pokelympicx to stay behind with that older agent. He had plans, huge ones, with her he didn't want Dawn to know about. She was a real big-mouth...
Today, Amethyst Isle was holding one of those monthly "SandRush EX" contests, week-long beach events where contestants form sandcastles using poke-attacks. This month it was centered around sandcastles: First-Place winners got their creations immortalized in a local well-known news magazine as well as $10,000 in PD.
Not that Kenny was interested in winning that much. Registration was free for Pokelympicx contestants, but now that he dropped out that primetime waste of someone's evening he was just serving a useless sentence here.
"Hey Kenny. I know this is old news for you now, but..."
"Huh?"
"Why'd you quit?" The older girl casually slid a lock of her hair out the way. "Not that I was into it, but I remember seein' your face flipping past that Contest channel a while back. You were doing good, if what my pals in high places tell me is right."
"...What? O-oh, you mean Pokelympicx. Yeah, I got bored with it, so I-"
"Don't fool me. You relied on that tournament for revenue, didn't you? Where's the money for a stay in an expensive place like AMETHYST coming from if you quit the-"
"Tch, come on Razor! I AM a master coordinator here, remember?"
"...O-oh. Yeah..whoopsie."
"Besides! Not everyone blows thier money in one night...I'll have you know I come from a family of frugal businessmen!"
"And i'll have you know that my parents are dead," she replied a bit coldly. "No need to be prince charming, Kenny,"
Kenny muttered something ugly-it was supposed to be a bloody joke. The hypocrasy was ridiculous...wasn't she here gloating about her new job to him? How'd she get offended by that?
Off that topic, the only other reason Kenny was still in this contest was because of his competitive spirit- which outlasted his want to be in that star-studded reality show much longer. Still, it wasn't hurting anybody to tune in to see how a certain blue-headed girl was doing in the same contest anyway.
The older girl in his midst was known by an alias- her being there was of political importance by an outside region. Her "name" to him was Razor Leaf, a former champion of Kanto's Indigo Plateau a couple years back. And if you coudn't tell by now, she worshipped herself heavily.
Actually Her real name was Green, a tomboyish, conning country girl not very huge on high heels or pedicures. She had more in common with a guy's hunger than she ever did with tea parties, but the classy way she carried herself on the outside told another story.
"Now its my turn to quiz you, Raze. I Didn't think you were into sandcastles...what brought you out here-no, what even brought you BACK to this island?"
" Oh, Don't you worry-I'm not!" she made sure to tell him that up front. She had a light, country accent that carried a feminine richness totally contrasting how boyish she really was. Kenny kept grinning at her, though maybe it was for...a little too long, since she shied from his sight some.
"And the reason I'm back is classified bid'ness, honey. KDF mumble-jumble...you wouldn't understand it."
"Oh, come on...I'm not you son, you know!" The brunette was too busy counting the pearls around her neck with gloved hands, so she didn't hear a thing. Kenny shook his head and smiled, doing nothing to stop her self-gloating.
"...The heck? One's missing...wait, did y-you just say something?"
"Nope. It sure as hell isn't important now."
Leaf clicked her tongue at him before resuming her "exam" on her pearl necklace. Kenny couldn't help but sit there and watch; it was just too adorable for words.
It was this and the fact that that brunette looked so great that had Kenny...embarrassingly bashful around her. He wasn't sure if she even noticed.
"Chansii..."
"Huh? What?" the Egg poke was tugging on her skirt, trying to get her to see Kenny eyballing her-but he turned away just in time. Aside from its girly accent, Leaf's Chansey also had its trademark Egg missing— apparently swapped for a mysterious, thick lump of crystal sat in her belly pouch instead.
The big, pink nurse's aid also had a big attitude problem. To be fair, SHE was the one who spiked Kenny back there-just in case anyone needed an example. Chansey held its oversized hips and frowned.
"Like, Chansey."
"...The hell? Did that thing just... t-talk!?"
"Haha, Yeah...about that." Leaf ran a hand through her head a little embarrassed. "That's like the only word she knows how to say. I dunno where she got it from!"
Chansey turned her head aside and huffed, as if the question were ridiculous. It'd seem her Nature were hopelessly lost between Sassy and Naughty here, but only she knew what it really was.
"Funny. I thought you didn't use evolved pokemon? Shouldn't that thing be a Happiny?"
"Ugh, don't remind me...she really started actin' up the moment she evolved. She was so cute before...The moment I saw that Oval Stone in her slacks, I knew it was too late. Now all she wants to carry around is that ugly rock!"
That "ugly rock" was the rare crystal Eviolite, an odd lump of something that Chansey forsook her Eggs for. Exclusive to a faraway region home to Truth and Ideals, getting it in her hands transformed the egg-kangaroo into an incarnation of Great Wall of China.
Such power was everything it sought as a helpless Happiny, so hearing those humans talk ill of her new Item made Chansey shy away from them. It was sad, really.
"...Chaaansii..."
"Anywhoo, you sure you don't want to hang out on that abandoned pier instead of this sandcastle garbage? Wild Crawdaunt are no joke out there! It's good training!"
Leaf was implying something with that last statement, but Kenny didn't seem to pick it up. Seeing his blank stare made her sigh bitterly. He was hopeless.
"What? Uh...er, nah- I'm good," came Kenny's sheepish reply. He really sucked at raw battling, and was too embarrassed to show anyone of Leaf's caliber. Water from the shoreline fled thier feet; making the guy's toes wince a little.
Off that note...whether she was just toying with him or not, Kenny had no idea how he managed to get a girl like Leaf's attention, what with how she was a strict battler who disliked contests. Even getting her invite elsewhere turned down did nothing to diminish that cocky sneer she was bathing Kenny in.
"No? Aww... well, y'know where to find me then, huh Ken?"
Kenny scratched his head. He was red all over, from the sun and from the young lady above. He sure didn't mean to screw his alone time with Leaf up again, but he was pathetic at trainer battles...really.
Damn, she's leaving already? beggars can't be choosers, I guess. Wonder if she's open...ehehe, what am I saying.
She's a national agent or something now, right? How'd I fit in the equation?...
Then again, I'm pretty sure she's stationed out here a while. I'd better find a Life Orb to activate my OWN Guts Ability, when I'm around this girl...next time, that is. I'm pretty sure she'll be back, to gloat some more or otherwise. Yeah!
"...Ah, sure," he said. "I guess. See ya whenever."
Leaf stared him down smugly as if she couldn't believe she was getting turned down, but eventually shrugged it off. Despite these two being fairly famous, all the partiers around were either very naïve of other region's celebrities, or just didn't care about Champions. Plucking his forehead, Leaf giggled it off again, later leaving Kenny.
"Ow! Hey, I got surgery on that spot!"
Anyway, the boy was glad to have the contest's air weighing him and the contestants down finally return. He took his training here pretty seriously, and his sandy rendition of the Battle Frontier in Sinnoh showed it. Onlookers nearby were already starting to snap their snazzy photos of it.
Wiping sweat from his brow, it was taking shape slower than Kenny hoped, though. He had been shaping this masterpiece off nothing but memory for weeks, no blueprints or any inspiration outside his mental prowess. That was just the way he did things, as he seemed to feel he'd rely on nothing but raw talent to get through anything in his contest career.
It sure worked, so far. A certain Sinnohan girl he was pals with since childhood felt the burn of his own genius a couple times before in Pokelympicx- she lost to him and his twice already there. One more loss to grinning Kenny Kengo would have sent her RIGHT back to Twinleaf in loss.
He could see the baffled look on her mom's face now, embracing the bawling girl whose dreams were cut short by him...
" Pl-Please stop it! Get a hold of yourself, Dawn!"
"Oh mom, I thought he was my friend!... How could Kenny do this to me?! i was no match for him, and he still whooped me! I'll tapdance on his grave in like, uh, fifty years!"
"I'm sorry, hon, but that's life! You can't hold him...er, a trainer responsible for another trainer's shortcomings. How do you think I got where I am today? By letting my friends get in the way of my goals? The world doesn't work that way anymore!"
"Arrgh, oh mom...I showed him my legendary legs, though! No boy can resists them...is he gay or something?"
"That's another thing I wanted to talk to you about. Just who are you trying to impress with your innuendo, anyway? I didn't even have to show cleavage at your age, and I still wound up with your father, didn't I?...I think you're going about it the wrong way."
"Oh. Um...I dunno... I just like miniskirts, I guess. The guy writing my lines doesn't seem to like 'em, but I know fuuuuuuuuuuull well he's secretly turned on by me. Heeheehee..."
Kenny soured. That last thought was utterly creepy for him, a guy who thought Dawn was the ugliest girl on the planet- that or at least the most annoying.
Sure they had their romantic times once, but that was way before either of them even hit puberty. Now the thought was pretty strange for him.
Anyway, back to work. N's Castle wasn't built in a day, and neither would this masterpiece be.
Meanwhile...
"..."
I guess it was okay to do this.
I was so bored as a kid...but still...
...I swore not to go back to this ever since Gold and Silver helped me save the planet, a almost seven years back. I just never got around to erasing this last sin outta my life...
…...
...It isn't like I'm conning anybody on a daily basis; like I used to...
...That old duff Pryce got what he deserved. He was the one who made me the wreck I was as a kid.. I don't think our forces ever found his body since his disappearance... I still get queasy around Flying pokemon because of that.
Sigh...
…...
…..Well, Leaf...you managed to keep the secret of the fake orginization for years, and you've even got a bunch of nations believing it all existed for years, now. You're even go as far as to offer your talents in other countries to go hunt for your fake threat, just to travel...
….Urrgh...I seriously need help. Silver doesn't have to resort to this. So why do I?
I'm fried sick of having to trick people to get what I want, ….but...i-it's all I was good for in my childhood...I'm not qualified to be anything else due t' my wrecked record...
Is that all I'm good for? Really?
Delusion...trickery? And conning people...?
No wonder I ended up turned to stone...that wasn't because of my own sin, was it...?
It isn't like I need to do it, anymore...I mean, look at me now! I'm a well- known celeb now, in both Pokathelon and in the E4!
…...
...What am I saying, that I dunno how to turn over a new leaf? This is so frustrating...not even I know where I'm gonna end up at the end of Ampharos' light.
I know I have to change. But I don't know where to start, what with this last sin ruling my life.
Now that I'm an adult, I'll end up locked up if I reveal it now. This's a serious problem...
I'm the main one, the ONLY one, holding my true potential back... a-and it hurts me to feel that I still haven't learned my lesson...
..Ha, listen to me. I sound so weak-willed. Boo-hoo, it's just your fault...
…...
…..Yeah, I guess it is, eh...at least it is. That much I can rest assured it being, huh?
….I'm a smart girl. I'll figure it out...how to break it to everyone in many regions, one day. How a prank of mine grew to become the urban legend it is now has really gotten kinda hilarious, not to mention how it grew a bunch of wannabe criminals in its honor that could land me in deep Wartortle...
…...
...Heeheehee... it's actually kinda exciting...now that I think about it. At least those idiots gave my brilliant lie some credence.
I'm not truly responsible for how others reacted towards my pet project, right?
…...
..Hmmn. Wow, I sound just like some sort of crook in denial...
...Maybe I do need help...This is scaring me.
Several rocks skipped alongside the shoreline, racing Surskit on the wet horizon. It was getting dark now, and golden hour made the sea beyond bleed shades of vivid red and gold as dusk approached.
Schools of Mantyke below ( one shiny) fled the rocks spinning on the surface in reams, some flying over the surface several feet in their escape... Paradise like this wasn't easy to find anywhere else.
Too bad it couldn't be enjoyed.
Leaf sighed, skipping the stones off the bleeding shoreline alone. In the enchanted land called terrorism, Leaf unintentionally committed the same in Hoenn and Johto's regions alike- and found herself actually enjoying it, to some degree...
Old habits die hard, apparently. She didn't mean for it to go this far, but what can you do if an entire region takes a joke seriously— especially since if it coincidentally mimicked true events in more than one country...?
A few hours earlier, The new national head of Amethyst commended Leaf on her "work" in tracking her fantasy orginization's base, and had just invited her and a handful of whomever she chose to stay the week on the Isle in one of his franchise's very exclusive resorts as a reward.
That, and a Milotic as well. Leaf was promised the thing too, but they were still trying to coax the thing out its aquarium-a lovely reserve it grew too attached to.
Leaf's fake threat tricked SA'RAH into asking for her help in fending"him" off, and now it tricked her new boss even more. She was the perfect criminal...and she had to wake up to her every morning.
Leaf's made-up organization's biggest "ambassador" was simply known as "The Florist", a serial killer who only clued the public on future victims on foliage scribbled on with poison ink. Whenever a nation leaf visited starting to think he was fake, she'd pull a trick she used as a kid to fool them back into believers...
...That is, grabbing Ditto, putting him in a mask and transforming into The Florist herself.
No, Leaf never really killed anyone, but when people see a tall figure in evergreen Petal Dancing past skyscrapers and kidnapping (wild) pokemon from thier (staged) trainers, young minds really end up twisting the truth in thier eyewitness accounts.
Leaf has spent years tricking the Tohjoic nations into beliveing in The Florist and his crimes, and swindled millions out thier rural economies hiring herself out to "take care of him" as a KDF Agent. Her title was real, but whenever she had free time Leaf spent it under Ditto's Transforming aura to spread The Florist's "beautiful malice" for extra money.
Tying old urban legends together, Leaf somehow managed to make this being seem like it was around decades before her own birth- ancient nonsense, like the sudden fall of Relic Castle and where Cyrus ended up in Distortion World, were supposedly the work of this country girl under the mask of this "urban legend" criminal.
This last sin in her life...masquerading as a part-time serial killer earned Leaf many times more cash than she made for her usual KDF missions, and the lifestyle The Florist gave her was nothing short of her taste.
Expensive VIP parties; PWT invites, Pokestar acting gigs. It was all there. And whenever leaf felt too guilty for her actions as The Florist, she'd give any excess cash to Charity or to fund Blue's research back home for moral bouyancy. Like stated earlier, it was the perfect plan.
It was perfect...all of it was.
No one was really getting hurt, and Leaf's pockets were well beyond fat. Everyone was maybe a little upset whenever they saw or heard of The Florist and "whoever" he worked for, but for the most part they were still happy, right...?
But, at least it wasn't all her doing, she sighed. Smart and talented, sure, but no way was Leaf able to concoct this scheme herself.
Technically, The Florist began as a dorky financial prank in her days as a Rocket under Pryce's hid agenda; but was abandoned by him and its creators after his vanishing. Leaf just so happened to find its documents hid in a safe in her Villa somewhere, and thought that Transforming into a rosy killer part-time was a great way to make easy money. She couldn't resist!
But, as water licked at the bared toes, this gift wasn't good enough to remove the churning feelings of guilt and pain the brunette had for what she was up to, still. If Arceus were awake, it most certainly would have sent her through Chaotic Judgment for this...but was it truly her fault?
If Leaf told someone to go jump off Goldenrod's Radio Tower and kill himself, would she be held responsible if others did it a whole region away- if promised something great in another life, by someone else?
It was a frustrating puzzle that made her thoughts crash each time she let enter her head. Clenching her knees close to her chest, chilling thoughts of suicide mixed with fear stained Leaf's psyche...
...Had she started a new criminal trend?
What was this foreboding feeling?...
It felt so dark...
Was nineteen-year -old Leaf ...becoming a terrorist?
" Ah, hello?"
"HUH!?"
A small shriek jumped out the girl's mouth at the voice, forcing her out her zone and into combat mode- No one should have known Leaf was out there!
Instinct took charge, making Leaf stand up and swing a 15-mph foot into the intruder's chest- raising a hand at her silk flank as if pokeballs ( or a pistol, perhaps) were readied there. She wasn't liked by a lot of people in many countries, so paranoia drove her into that pose often.
Her "assailant" went tumbilng, kicking up towers of sand several meters high before hitting a lamp post a few feet away. His Breloom did nothing to help him either; and even hid its giggles.
When this familiar face saw Leaf drawing over his way, he started reeling back more and more with his hands held out. "Whoa! Don't kill me?! I said 'hey' like five times!"
"...Huh?"
Wiping the sand off his face, Leaf held her mouth and flushed madly. Staring back at her flatly was Kenny of all people, him and his bruised-up ego...but he was fine, otherwise.
"Oh crap! Don-don't scare me like that-I was about to tear your throat out!"
Leaf finally relaxed, realizing there was no trouble. he poor contest-jerker was only on his way back to his rental, nearby. Again, at his side was that finicky Breloom- who had wads of awards they won at during the first round of SandRush EX a couple hours back.
"Remind me not to let you kiss me on the neck someday," he said, brushing off the sand from his clothes angrily. "For some reason, I really think you WOULD tear my throat out..."
"O...oh," she said, quietly annoyed. Slowly standing straight, she was relieved to see him.
"I'm sorry...really."
The older country pulled her eyes off the sandy floor to see Kenny's face, but averted him just as quickly. He tilted his head in response, making Breloom do the same too. Somehow... while she wasn't exactly into being " beautiful" or anything, Leaf sort of felt it was important to look good in front of that guy.
She wasn't looking for love or anything though, but that could have changed at any time with a loose cannon like her-one that spent many nights alone, stuck in cruddy hotels around Kanto, for her LEGAL KDF work.
" ….Er...Hi, Kenny," came her eventual re-greeting. He gave the same, looking away a bit.
"W-what are you doin' out here anyway? I thought you weren't into battling... This area's home t' tons of dangerous pokemon..."
"I'm not," Kenny grinned," I'm just on my way back home. Pokelympans get room and board free till we get eliminated from the series...I stay at that huge building over there. Well, at least until tomorrow...?"
Kenny froze. He wasn't sure if Leaf noticed it, but her eyes were beyond bloodshot and she seemed pale-faced. He didn't comment on it though out of fear of imposing- he instead turned his eyes aside, hoping she didn't see his stunned reaction.
"Yeah, " he continued. "Like I told you earlier...I quit the 'Lympicx scene a while ago, so until I find decent lodging someplace else, I plan on putting on a lame show about not having anywhere else to go until I can rent my own place."
Leaf followed the advanced coordinator's point west- onto an imposing building at the end of a massive cul-de-sac formerly under SARAH's reign:
"The Chocolate Diamond and Pearl Vanilla Resorts";
Otherwise known as The Crush Claw Suites. This massive wonderland of battles and adult entertainment
is Amethyst Island's greatest tourist and trainer attraction,
especially in the after hours...
Many a Trainer may be wrecking havok in Rotation and Triples downstairs,
while those without Pokes may be wrecking havok to thier futures with pregnancy tests upstairs.
Everything-
from Showgirls, Pokestar Studios World Premieres, to wildlife reserves-
As long as you had the PD, it was yours.
Today, it was owned by Amethyst Island's rather timid new national leader,
who allowed Leaf to enjoy all of Cholocate & Vanilla free of charge while she took care of the Florist...
Wrapped in miles worth of neon drawbridges in neat rows from top to bottom, the CDVR overlooked the entire island-and even had a 500-acre roof bursting with lush forestry reserved as the Island's Safari Zone. It really was a commanding sight.
As if it were any surprise, this super-entertainment center was the very same resort Kenny rented a suite from a few hours ago. And For some reason, thinking of it made Leaf smile.
" But between you and me," Kenny began," That place feels too fancy for my taste. Most of the food there is what snotty guys eat...so I end up eating out, instead. I like seafood, but Gorebyss caviar?! Man!"
Leaf laughed with him a bit. Then, it became silent. Well, outside the surf washing against the shoreline, anyway.
"...!"
Turning away, Leaf bit her lip a little. She finally realized that her eyes revealed how she welled up in agony a few minutes ago. Deep inside, she wished she had a cleaner life.
"...Leaf...are...are you okay?"
She didn't respond vocally, but averted him and shrugged-as if to say he stepped too far. Kenny waved his hands, not even believing he said it aloud.
"Not t-that you don't look it! I mean, its just by now you'd be going on about how "fabulous" you and your Ditto are by now. Something up?
"...Just get to the reason you're here, already."
"..."
"...Can I ask you something?"
"...Huh?"
" I gotta say this. I'm sure you're not gonna be surprised."
"...Okay, sure. I'm game."
Leaf did her best to assume her normal snooty posture, but Kenny could tell something was definitely wrong. She didn't seem too keen on filling him in though; so he tried not to comment on it.
Kenny's Breloom gave her owner a nod in confidence. Believe it or not, it was her idea to make him reveal this to Leaf, whom looked on blankly ashe fought a breeze fluttering his locks in his face.
"Uh...I have no problem with saying this, and I'm so sure you're used to it. But...um... I-I kinda have this..."thing" for you."
"...What?"
"Oh come on, Leaf-!" Kenny looked away embarrassed, but had to continue-or else endure another shot to the arm by Breloom, who smacked her fist in her hands as a warning. "I...uh...Arceus, Breloom, quit it!"
"Dude, get to the point-"
"I'm in love with you, okay!?" The Sinnohan boy ran his hands through his spiky head of hair again and stepped at Breloom to scare it back. "There, you happy now you little Toad-ripoff!? Now get away from me!"
"Hu-huh!?"
The color drained from Leaf's face yet again-and it was after all that hard work to get it back to normal, too. Contrary to what he believed, this was an awesome revelation; and for a moment it didn't even register across her.
She asked again, and she got the same answer— more relaxed than before, this time. To say it raised her borderline-suicidal spirits would be an understatement. Leaf mashed her face between both hands as if to rub out hot blood rushing in her cheeks.
"...W, wow," she finally said with a stammer, looking down as flush claimed her. Again, there was silence...
"...Heh..that's something I haven't heard in a while."
I'm gonna kill Breloom for this, the spiky-headed boy thought. The perp- pokemon held her face with woozy kindness at his reveal. Leaf sort of scratched her head.
"Er...what d'you expect me to say next, Kenny? I'm sorry to say this, but I'm not looking right now."
"I figured that," he grinned. His light take of being shot down puzzled her. " Wait a minute. I hope I'm not intruding on something, but someone as big as you is single?"
"Long story, kid." Leaf looked aside, sneering." I'm a little tired of men right now. I have...hm."
She stopped speaking, "took" her words out her mouth with one hand and tossed them aside to fix her statement. "...I had a good guy, really; but all he wants to do is research. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree when it comes to you boys, does it?"
Contrary to her words, even Leaf scratched her head at them. Why did she...just lie about Blue?
Breloom didn't really understand human speech, but she scowled at Leaf for her reply. This made Kenny finally feel a little sour at telling this to her. "Hmm. Well...a-ahem, suit yourself."
Kenny's reply came jumbled and unrefined-two traits to him that didn't match him, at all. Mingling insults inside his ribs poked for freedom out his lips, but he rejected it. Not really any use now, is it?
But still...
The reality of being rejected was really leaving its mark, now, and he could...
"Just kidding, man! I'm totally open if you're looking."
"What!?"
The air changed poles, immediately. For the second time in her usually assured life, Leaf herself couldn't even believe what she just said... and held her hands over her mouth, in as much awe as he was. It was a spout of her inner emotions, apparently.
At first, the double-lifer was ready to take all back immediately, but the desire to soon left her...for some reason. No, Leaf decided not to, even though it seemed like a joke to Kenny- a trainer not even in adulthood yet. He stood there, almost a bit confused, never mind how the black sand was burning his ( and Breloom's) bared feet.
Well, they were still both teenagers, right?
It only so happened that Leaf was born several years before this bashful kid. And besides, Leaf knew for sure that a younger boyfriend wouldn't cause as big a splash as her huge, international conspiracy would.
That's when an idea hit her. She swore to keep compulsive lying out of her life for a long time now, but Green was so great at it it came to her instantly. She sneered with something of an erotic tint mixed in, making Kenny step back cautiously. Now what was going on?
Hey heeey...Maybe...maybe he can help me?
This dude's bashfulness should dampen my big, bad secret to his ears. If I go along with his puppy love, I might just get off scott- clean over my terrorism/joke...?
If I can get one person to listen to it...I guess I can use his answer as a basis for how everyone else would react towards it. It's worth a try, I guess.
"Yeah, I'm open! You interested?"
"...A...are you serious, Leaf ? I'm-I mean...we're not even in the same trainer class. And y-you're... an-"
"I'm a what, Kenny Kengo. A cop? Please, PLEASE don't say that. Or are you just afraid of how both our lives would turn out... after getting mixed up as result of our relationship? Don't you have genuine feelings for me? Or are you in love with my fame- like my last boyfriend was."
Yet another lie, courtesy of Leaf: her "last boyfriend" was still her current boyfriend, Blue. Still, what he, and Kenny here, didn't know wouldn't hurt them. Besides, it was going nowhere anyway.
"I-It's not that!" said Kenny. "I...don't...hm."
He stopped. Leaf stared him right in his eyes as he leafed through a mental list of responses that wouldn't make him sound pathetic.
To be truthful, Kenny literally didn't feel qualified to be hers here- as if Leaf really cared about contests and ball seals; or had to save up money for anything like he did. She was a pokathlete, with a retired Champ title seasoned on top!
"Tick-tock goes Clefairy's Metronome, Ken. I'm dying of old age here!"
"Leaf...I...I guess you're right," he let out a little defeated. Razor Leaf's expression didn't change at all during his reply. "I don't know anything very much about you as a person."
"...You're not being truthful. I can see it... you think I have stuffy standards or pride, don't you. Haha, is it that hard to believe that you're pretty hot?"
Kenny flushed instantly, making Breloom hit him on the arm playfully ( her strength was enough to knock him back, what with her a Fighting-type). As if he really had anything to worry about anyway— wasn't he one of the most well-known contestants in Pokelympicx? So what social shock was he afraid of?
"Errrh, L-Leaf...you're really going to...you really want to date now? Just like that? Weren't we going at at like five hours ago?"
" You're a lot stupider than you look. You were the one who asked me out...you didn't reveal your crush on me for no reason, right?"
On that note Leaf violated his personal space, running her classy hand past her hair on her strut towards him. he gaped at her as if she were stalking him like prey, and she took his apprehension as in invite to come closer...
"Besides, Ken..."
A feminine hand found its way up the poor boy's chest, outling its every muscle with the whisper of its owner just a nose away: "I may not look like it to you, but i'm a firm believer...in second chances."
Bingo was his name-o, and Kenny crumbled in her hands. Leaf sighed mentally-it was just too damn easy to win him over. "Well...n-no!" he sweatdropped. " I'm just...taken aback, I guess!"
"Listen, guy. I've got time, and so do you. We're even booked at the same spot! It won't kill you to grow the balls to have breakfast with me for a while. I'd actually enjoy it!"
" Listen to this girl..." Kengo muttered. Breloom was nodding off with tiredness, and he was too burned – out to reply in a spiffy manner himself.
"So there! I'm your girlfriend, now. I guess you can stop calling me Leaf, then. My real name's Green!"
"...G...Green?" He almost couldn't believe what he just heard. "What, really?"
It was an outdated, older-gen name, like Hilbert or Hilda or something. It was rude, but he hid a smile as fast as it flashed on his face, praying she didn't see it. "What, like...the color "green", or something?"
"NO, I mean "Green" like the "woman champion". Do you SEE any colors around here? Or are you trying t'be a smartass!?"
"S-sorry, man! Heh..." He shuffled his hand behind his head, sheepishly. Leaf took her name pretty personally; and ripped her hand off his chest as punishment.
"Come on, Ken...I don't like to be teased. Anyway, let's really intro ourselves, all right? I'm ninteen-years old and my dexsigns's Renegade- like Giratina!"
"Wasting no time, are you?"
"Come on! Its your turn, now. Let's hear your fancy Dexsign."
Kenny looked blankly at her. Dexsigns were Pokearth's version of horoscopes, basically- but that's another story all together. Dawn's, actually. "I'm a Wild Duck, like Dawn's mom... At least yours represents a legend. My Dexsign just gets me laughed at!"
On the contrary, Kenny. Leaf actually didn't care for mythical pokemon much, but she guessed it was cool to be cut from the same spiritual cloth as one that badass.
"See? We've got good chemistry, already. I really had a shaky last boyfriend...so...um, I hope you can be my true Mr. Right."
" I'll try, " grinned the contest boy. " But I gotta warn you, I've been a bachelor for a good while!
"...Wait a minute. Razor...I mean Green. You're an... adult, aren't you?"
" Hm? Oh, yeah. Heehee, hope I don't scare you off, but y'all know what they say about older women/younger men couples and their sex lives! Feel like datin' a Cougar girl?"
The shoreline seemed to shy off at her reply, as well as the flabbergasted boy who'd likely partner in those "closed-doors" sessions. Kenny's face heated up- and it wasn't out of anger, either. Was that even legal...?!
" Hahahah! Got you again, didn't I? Nawh, I don't really trust you with that, just yet."
"Yet?! Leaf, you're nineteen here! Guys will look at us funny!"
" True, if we were anywhere else...heehee," the black-gowned girl replied. " But have you checked out the laws around Orange Islands, lately? Apparently you're an adult as early as your age here. I was a year older than my last beau, too... guess its a fetish a' mine."
A hard gulp later left Kengo a little more willing, but still unsure. What then, was their relationship restricted to an archipelago out in the middle of the ocean? Just what sort of "girlfriend" was he looking at here?
By now, it was pretty late out. One by one, lampposts powered by watery bulbs full of swimming Finneon and other light pokemon swept the beach side pale yellow, giving the sidewalks to and from these two (idiots) decent light.
"Leaf...I'm not sure."
"I see. I guess you could use a little convincing..."
"Huh?"
And on that, the country gal approached him again. One of her hands rose this time, and reached between their chests for something tucked under her bodice. She made sure to reach under it right in front of him, and spent a good while "leafing" through her secluded stash before closing his eyes for him.
Kenny winced up with anticipation of a hot kiss that would never come:he did have a girlfriend in Dawn long ago, but he never kissed with her at all...too short a relationship, apparently.
No, instead she stuck something in his hair, since his trunks lacked pockets. It stuck fast to his clingy, chocolate locks like Velcro padding- it was really embarrassing. "Huh...what's this?"
"Read it. That is, if you're ready for our commitment."
Blowing a kiss his way, the beauty in black finally took her leave. Kenny felt like the best, the luckiest guy on Pokearth to have a love friend in her...well, he should of; but now he just felt cheated out a kiss.
Actually, he really felt like he was getting over himself. Really over himself. He watched Leaf's form dissolve into the summer night air from the trees, a few seconds later... This wasn't going to be a very easy girl to please, Kenny feared, and he was sure she knew it.
That girl must have been " around the block" more times than anyone realized... totally ignoring the gal's warning not to read it prematurely, Kenny folded out his mystery gift based off his curiosity. Probably was another stupid sex joke.
Actually, it wasn't. What it really was left Kenny more than stunned. Maybe he did read it too early.
"...Suite #0054-S? ...Her room number in that hotel...?"
His face ran cold. Libido, awe, a load of emotions raced through his his veins. Yes, Kenny's infatuation with Leaf was finally becoming something else...
... Some don't realize it, and most go all their lives confusing the lines...but love and infatuation and lust were totally different shades.
Breloom was fast asleep, snoring loudly on her back with her browning features fading out. He lacked his pokeballs to return his fungus- fighter pokemon, so it was a long dragging session up five blocks to his overpriced room in a stuffy hotel over twenty stories high.
This was going to be a long, sleepless night.