`TOOKA SHIPPING 3-Yes I invented the name, I know it doesn't make sense now, but it will.
Five years ago, the KRF (Kaginawa Research Facility) Underground research sector (hidden)
I was restless, anxious to see what had been done about the Paleozoic project. Motoyo Kaginawa, my successor, hadn't seemed to keen to share her findings with me before, I assumed it was because she felt as though I wouldn't understand... or that she hadn't reached a point of which she felt able to share with me. Besides, it was never my duty to participate in the actual research, simply to deliver the components that founded it. I had enabled the Kaginawa Research facility HS to look into this project; however I had been completely in the dark about its progress, until now.
It was an achievement in itself that two people, me and Motoyo, had the capacity to work on this project in secret, without the aid of anything but our minds and abilities. I had infiltrated Team Plasma's most heavily monitored security base, recovered the blueprints and brought them back with nothing but cuts and scars, signatures to show my commitment to this research. They are searching, but they cannot ask for aid. Those blueprints, if recovered by the forces, would put a man away for a long time. That is unquestionable, that is why we do not trust in others, they would not see the research as we did.
Genesect would finally be free.
That was the goal, and I intended on seeing it fulfilled.
I walked down the corridor, swiftly and silently, mirroring the woman in front of me, saying nothing for the silence seemed better maintained; to mask the heavy anticipation I was experiencing, to see the research for the first time in the year and a half since the plan was first drafted. Motoyo's lab coat flew in distorted angles from behind her, as she walked briskly around bends to the hidden room, flowing down the labyrinth of passages and tunnels. We came to a dead end. She gestured for me to stand back, and took out a pokéball. Her gaze returned to me, instantly I nodded. No one must know of what was about to be done. This was the only security we had to keep others in the dark. That and cheap bolts and chains.
The pokéball was swiftly thrust into the air, and out emerged Motoyo's Pokémon. A Zoroark. A master of the illusionary field, with the capability to copy any Pokémon form to an exact mirror-image. In normal form, it had a grey foxlike body, however was bipedal, thus stood upon its hind legs like a demon possessed, allowing a crimson mane to fall down its back, tied with a band at the bottom. Eyes like the ocean, and deep red claws that hung level with its hips. I watched it closely in unease. I knew how aggressive it could be if provoked, if threatened. It stared bluntly back at me. Almost mocking me, sensing my discomfort. I still refused to let my guard down. I only trusted in Motoyo, and my family, both the Pokémon and people I loved.
My little Touko, so young.
I hated lying to her like this, pretending I was the good guy when sometime s I couldn't even convince myself. Despite the good intentions, it was still theft. It was still fraud. It was still adultery. I should never have fallen prey to Motoyo on the night of the Darmanitan dance. One night every ten years… they came out to dance. Though they are, granted, not elegant Pokémon they dance in a tribal fashion that acts as a sentiment to their life encased in Zen form, and then breaking out of their shell; they see it as a dance of unity, and not a struggle. Something you practice and perform. It told a story. They travelled in groups, where unity was strong, and I respected their will to die for others in the pack. I'd die for my family, to.
Nevertheless beautiful in and out of context, but it was my biggest regret after coming home, hiding my convictions to my own family. They had awaited my return for weeks, perceiving my absence as something of a professional importance when I was just spending time with Motoyo, celebrating the progress of her research, watching the Darmanitan dance across the desert, a happiness and affection for one another. Something forbidden us to share from a professional viewpoint.
It was a mistake, I thought It was right... but I was just overwhelmed with emotions as to the Darmanitan and the promise of the research I…was blinded. I imagine she has forgotten about it anyway, just as I was trying to.
My thought chain broke as Motoyo cleared her throat. Oh shit, I almost forgot that creepy Zoruark was watching me this whole time. Could it visualize my thoughts? I was behind on my studies for Pokémon like that, they confused me to much.
"Zoroark, break the illusion please." She commanded, her voice silvery, but dominant over the Pokémon. Instinctively it obeyed the order. I was eager to see what was to happen.
She turned her gaze to me.
"Zoroark are capable of creating illusions that are indistinguishable from reality, deluding many people simultaneously. If in human form, it is even capable of speech. Fascinating, really." She exclaimed, stepping aside for the Pokémon as it walked towards what appeared to be a solid barrier.
Carefully the Pokémon brought its claws up to the wall, immediately a pulsing red glow began to emit from its palms, outlining the wall and itself. Once the light had grown brighter, it swept its palms to either side of the wall, as if it were opening a pair of curtains, and the illusion shattered like glass to reveal a heavily bolted door some two feet away.
We stepped inside, and Zoroark's reflect allowed the illusion to reform once again.
"An illusionary Landscape, a powerful tool of confusion." Motoyo explained.
The laboratory was a mess of tables, cabinets and piles upon piles of documents, fastened with elastic bands. A large central desk stood dominant in the room, with blueprints hiding its surface like a blue tablecloth. Dirty plates lay thrown into a sink, stale crusts and crisp packets to, chucked in with nothing more than a second glance. Must be the cost of her passion. I pretended not to notice.
"Motoyo, I cannot wait to see how the research has expanded. This is your work on Genesect, correct?" I clarified, making sure she was showing me something I valued.
"Yes Isamu, I feel you have attained the right to work with me into developing my work. So far, I have managed to undertake research about the different drives. After receiving the imagery you obtained, I have managed to develop the hypothesis that the drive inserted in the cannon on Genesect's back can be modified to chance the capacity of its techno blast move." She informed me, collecting documents from upon the central cabinet.
"Astounding! What drive is this? Is it going to relieve the Pokémon of team Plasma's Genetic enhancements?" I asked, excitement bubbling up inside me, but I had always tried my best to shadow emotion. The corners of my lips turned upward, but I stayed calm.
"Well, if you examine the imagery here that you and successfully obtained from team plasma, you will notice that they have made many modifications to its appearance since its prehistoric form, inserting the cannon and drive you see here, upon its back, after keeping it in confinement at the Triad base . We have managed to obtain classified blueprints from Team plasma, after it escaped from the base, and have modified their efforts to create four different drives at the expense of their research that they have now lost." She spoke dryly, a slight smirk playing at the corners of her lips. I overlooked it.
"We believe our four drives can allow Genesect to manipulate fire, water, electricity and ice elements when using its signature move, but we just need to capture the wandering Genesect in order to test the drives, putting it in a stronger confinement after adhering to the mistakes of our...simply blind enemies. They had no idea of the breakthrough they had simply fractured. We have brought this research wide open, and if it were not for you, it would not be us claiming the fruits of another's labor."
She smiled, placing her lips upon mine, just briefly despite my silent protest, before collecting more documents, branded with a 'classified' symbol. I tried to say something, but was cut off... looking down at the synopsis tied to the bound research. Wait...this wasn't the primary goal...
The synopsis sheet read:
'When it is not holding any Drive, the light is orange, and Techno Blast is Normal-type.
When it is holding the Burn Drive, the light turns red, and Techno Blast is Fire-type.
When it is holding the Douse Drive, the light turns blue, and Techno Blast is Water-type.
When it is holding the Shock Drive, the light turns yellow, and Techno Blast is Electric-type.
When it is holding the Chill Drive, the light turns white, and Techno Blast is Ice-type.'
This didn't make any sense. Freeing Genesect was simply reliant on removing the modified limbs and cannon, and not to make it even more powerful, that is a goal of someone power-hungry.
"But...Toyo," I began, using the nickname I had used to call her. Upon the mentioning of the nickname, she firmed up in embarrassment, also reminded of the Darmanitan Dance.
"If you do not mind me saying, wasn't the purpose of myself obtaining plasma's blueprints to allow Genesect to be free from their dissection and further modification? I thought you were using the documents to find away of returning the Pokémon to its former self, and as astounding as this research seems clearly to be, there is a consistent concern, wouldn't this be dangerous, and completely against what we are supposed to be trying to achieve?" I protested, reaching out to her. She stepped backward, and adjusted her glasses, flattening her lab coat gently. I also took a step back, reminded of my place below her. Working for her. But now she was starting to worry me, I prayed I was mistaken.
"I am grateful for your worry and I am sorry I have lied to you, but I assure you, if my hypothesis is proven correct, think of the breakthrough this will achieve! By using team plasma's modification-blueprints, we can find away of making the equipment more discreet, and enable all Pokémon to use moves of different types! There will no longer be a weakness in Pokémon!"
"You lied to me?" I asked, quietly, trying to mask my emotion.
She took another step back. Zoruark leapt up to sit on the lab table, and looked over the blueprints as if it understood. I shook my head, focusing upon Motoyo. I decided it best to refer to her professionally; since she made it clear our relationship gave me no convincing advantage.
"But Mrs. Kaginawa, they are creatures, simple beings like me and yourself! They are not computers for you to tinker and insert drives into! Genesect itself if the exception we are trying to resolve! A world where all Pokémon can use all moves, having no weakness...there would be no diversity! No differentiation between types, they would all be mere machines!"
Her smile faded into malice, as her expression firmed up in distaste. I stood erect, glancing down at the blueprints I had stolen for her. I contributed to this.
My perception was already altered of Motoyo now, in the space of ten minutes. Now, I was afraid of her. I was afraid for her.
"Agent Mizushima. I am shocked you do not share the same ideals as I, how you are blind as to the promise this research holds. Do you not approve of this, do you not support me? As a loyal friend...and lover? WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE THIS WORLD."
I flinched at the reference to the affair, as if it were a knife pressed into my chest. Cupped her head in my hands I stood silent, unsure of what to do, trying to feign anger and distress. I had taken this to far, and after seeing what my work had led to...it suddenly dawned on me. The danger. The cost of the research. To both the public and Motoyo's sanity.
"I will try, but I feel you do not understand it, even yourself. You are blinded by the promise of your work. I...can't do this, we can't be together. I have a wife, and a child, both blissfully unaware of the sins I have committed, in falling prey to you, and responsibility as your agent." I babbled, feeling afraid and a deep regret for my betrayal, all of a sudden. Granted it was unfair to tell her this now. It had been once night, but I knew she thought of this as a partnership in more than one way.
SLAP.
She pushed away from his embrace, falling back against the table. Her eyes were wide and manic, flickering like a candle, crazed and desperate. No sleep for six solid days.
A light flickered on, allowing me to see her in full definition. Mousey brown hair flicked up like a mane around her face, but it was greasy and matted, wrestled into a knot. Her skin was pale, her pupils dilated, eyelids flickering like a television screen. Her lips were drained from color and she looked notably thinner in the light. Anger or fright, clearly recognizable on her face.
"I KNEW YOU DIDN'T LOVE ME, YOU THINK THIS IS A BAD THING. THIS IS GOOD, I WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BIGGEST BREAKTHROUGH IN MECHANICAL SCIENCE UNOVA HAS EVER SEEN." She shouted, throwing piles of documents in my direction. The elastic broke and they fluttered like feathers falling to their death upon the steel floor.
"You really want to publicize the felonies of your achievement?" I exclaimed, shocked at her stupidity, brushing the sheets of paper aside with my boot.
"This is borderline class A fraud, yes you added bits yourself, but you have stolen others research, and now are intent on experimenting on a regions most powerful Paleozoic Pokémon. Making enhancements on a living creature, I am intent on keeping my part in this a secret, surely you are to, If I die, that just adds to the crimes you have committed."
I looked back to see her slowly reach across for a double-barreled pistol, then pointing it in my direction.
No emotions visible on her features. Dark and crazed.
I didn't even flinch.
"IF YOU DIE, THE SECRETS DIE WITH YOU. ALL OF THEM, GONE, AND NO ONE WILL KNOW."
"Team Plasma will be trying to find this place. Look at me! Think!" I shouted, acquiring the same crazed stare.
"They will hunt you down, and kill us both for stealing their secret, illegal research that we claimed as our own. I thought we were doing this for a good cause, but you want to modify the Pokémon further!"
Her face softened. The gun lowered slightly.
"But the breakthrough. They can't find us... they won't. We will be fine, and we will continue our research in secret, people walking by just see this place as a laboratory testing berry supplements!" Only you and I know of this secret, we can do this, Isamu. Believe in me!" She begged, walking toward me, the gun still poised by her side.
I looked at her, firmly and in great sadness. She was to far gone, unaware of how ridiculous she sounded.
Genesect deserved to live.
She had lied to him.
She did not, her insanity was enough to confirm that, the safety and diversity of Unova's Pokémon. It was to much of a risk to hope she came to her senses. She would blind to many with the optimism she held for the breakthrough. Others would follow, what would come of it. Team plasma would kill her, and many in the pursuit of what they had lost. By ending it now, he could prevent a technological revolution. It had all come to this. One bullet, one chance. Nevertheless, she had her gun firmly poised within her fist, I had to be careful.
"Okay." I heard my self utter, embracing her warmly.
"I'm sorry, I believe in you. Toyo." I whispered into her hair, trying not to cry for her.
She closed her eyes, shaking in insanity. Her pistol dropped to the floor. I to closed my eyes, and the trigger was released.
BANG.
Genesect would finally be free.
That was the goal, and I intended on seeing it fulfilled.
That in itself pressed the trigger. Her body went limp against mine, and blood seeped into my white shirt.
"I'm sorry, but the thought of that frightens me. The secrets will die with you." I whispered to her as her soul slipped away from my embrace.
I held her for a few moments, before easing her onto the floor. Putting the revolver back down upon the table, I unlocked the door with the keys left poised in the lock, fastening my blazer to mask the blood.
The Zoroark never moved. As if it knew.
Carefully I took the staff key card from her jacket pocket, and gently wound the loose strands of hair around her ears. It was the right thing to do. Team plasma would kill her if she publicized her work. In a much less humane way. I shuddered to think of what they would have done. I draped a fire blanket across the body.
"I have to destroy the laboratory." I whispered to the Pokémon, who nodded silently, dissolving any attitudes of compassion it held towards Motoyo.
"Can you break this illusion?" I asked bluntly. Silently it complied. I went back up to the main room, leaving the Zoroark by the entrance. I found three bags of berry fertilizer in the stock cupboard. Ammonium nitrate. I would have to find fuel. Taking Motoyo's car keys from the staff drawer, I ran to the car to put the fertilizer in the boot. Yet, in an extreme stroke of luck, I found a canister of petrol in the trunk of Motoyo's black sedan. I went back to the hidden chamber, greeted by nothing but Motoyo's lifeless body, encased in orange. The Zoroark had abandoned its post.
I found a large spherical jar in the 'flask cabinet', and used a syringe to extract the ammonium nitrate from the fertilizer. I tested it under a microscope. Crap, the fertilizer contained urea and sulfates.
It meant that the ammonium nitrate had lost its capacity to explode. I looked through the chemical flasks and found a small quantity left upon the top shelf, which I combined with the petrol in the correct ratio. I had learned a lot for playing Motoyo's pet terrorist.
I wound a wire around the flask attached to an alarm clock I found next to Motoyo's sleeping bag. I had half an hour. This was going to destroy the entire research facility to a mass of debris. I took the blueprints from the desk, and slipped them into my pocket. I still intended to free Genesect, I would just have to find a different route. My family could never know. I had to save them from the danger I had put myself in. I had already betrayed them. So now I owed them the favor of keeping them safe.
That was the day I fled.
That was the day the dream yard was born.
Chapter 1: The Battle
"Moss, use vine whip on Chilli's pansear!"
"Third Time Lucky yeah sure, I believe you can defy Pokémon logic, and somehow win." Chilli winked, before setting the table for nearby customers. THANKS FOR FOCUSING ON THE BATTLE.
Touko looked across the field, where her eyes met with his smug expression. Okay, she was completely taking the piss now, but all she had left was Frills, that god damn Lilipup that still had to get to a level of two friggin' digits. She didn't bring any antidotes, and it died before she reached the first in-gym trainer. Pokémon abuse? It was a fucking Lilipup. A little toilet brush thing that got poisoned by a FRIGGIN' SEAWADDLE called BERT.
"Time to play with fire!" Chilli cried, high-fiving his pansear.
BERT. Some trainers have no imagination.
It was Cheren's idea to have a catching contest on BLOODY ROUTE ONE, home of the REGIONS BEST POKEMON, of course.
NOOB.
"Seriously, vine whip? Bit awkward don't you think? Oh and my names Chilli, i.e.….fire type?" He imitated being severely pissed off, but she could see the smile playing at the corners of his lips as his arms folded.
Chilli, Ironic for such a hot-head. Why did she choose grass again…? OH RIGHT BECAUSE THE OTHERS WERE TOO BRIGHTLY COLOURED.
Chilli's face twisted into a 'derp' expression as he stuck his tongue out at her. Flipping him off, she focused on the battlefield, in attempt to look as though she totally understood the relationship between grass and fire, and that she was just being…well…Ironic.
"Pansear, use incinerate on the wannabe plant!" Cried Chilli.
"Racist!" Tokou screeched, as the flames encircled servine. Yelling 'dodge it' was pretty pointless now, it was like yelling 'please stop' to a forest fire.
"You mad Tooka? Feel the burn!" Jeered Chilli, fastening his apron more securely around his waist, almost knocking cups and saucers off a nearby tea tray.
"Don't you have tables to clean, waiter boy?" She spat back, pointing to the washer rooms. He pretended to be shocked, holding his hands to his face.
Okay what was todays Pokémon centre appearance excuse? Meh, she'll just blame it on Bianca again. That seems to be a popular excuse, pretty much everyone's excuse in retrospect. Dang it. She removed her palm from her face to find her brave little moss standing, pretty burnt but standing. One for the plants. Why Moss put up with all of this, she did not fully understand.
"Moss don't be offended, but how the hell are you okay?" She exclaimed, a mix of shock and pure JOY, but of course Chilli ruined it, ugh what had changed, well apart from the fact she SURIVED AFTER THE FIRST HIT, wahoo.
"OH MY GOD IT LIVES. I TRAINED IT WELL!" Yelled Chilli, mimicking a fainting Mr Mime, as he looked back to face her, urging her to retaliate. Well he'd just have to wait it out, plus she trained it to be strong, he just helped…lots.
She rummaged round her bag pack. Items, nope, medicine wait… wait… CRAP.
"I don't have potions! WHY DON'T I-wait…"
She remembered an old lady had screamed at her yesterday because she thought she was spraying flipping AEROSOL on a child. It wasn't her fault they looked like cans of FREBREEZE. It wasn't her fault that servine-wait no that old lady must have been really dazed to make that connection.
"PISS OFF Chilli, that's it, I'm gonna go catch more Patrats. Moss, come back, and LEARN TO BE A WATER TYPE, DAMMNIT BIANCA! I thought you were the stupid one!"
Withdrawing Servine, she put it back into her backpack, ignoring Chilli as he ran toward her, trying not to laugh as Pansear was returned to its Pokéball.
"What do you think you're doing? This is breaking the rules, Tooka, I can't keep bending them every time you cock up… Still, I'm so glad I got to battle you, I'm winning SO many bets." Sneered Chilli as he caught her up.
A grin spread itself 'accidentally' across his face, which was them slapped sideways, gently of course; Touko didn't want to make things worse. He played along though.
"OW! Jerk ass. Here give me your Lilipup, I have a really good strategy for you, but don't tell the union." He whispered as she handed him Frills' poke ball.
"Juniper will SLAUGHTER ME if you grass, and we have seen how good GRASS is, get it?"
"Piss off, you are such a racist, get on with it anyway." She snapped. Wait, did she just…trust in Chilli? MISTAKE MISTAKE-
Turning sharply he opened the window and threw the poke ball outside, where it landed in a river amongst the frillish bobbing up and down around the pondweed. It made a little splash and flowed rapidly downhill, approaching a waterfall, past the dream yard. A few curious Ducklett cocked their heads.
"Chilli…" Tokou began, her tone intensifying as Chilli took a step back, as he watched her fists clench.
"OH MY GOD THANKYOU, YOU JUST DROWNED THE NETTOS MASCOT."
"I aim to please, Tooka." He smiled contentedly, that same cheeky grin spreading across his features. She grinned back, she was so holding the weight of the EPA union on his shoulders later.
Not that Frills and her were close. Jesus it was practically a land-magikarp. Cheren liked them to. This was just to get him back for being…well BETTER THAN HER. Hah, how DARE HE PREVAIL?
"You just quoted prostitution, and if you wanted to please me you would just give me the badge. It's been five years, you owe me so many favours Chilli."
Chilli opened the box in front of her that contained THE FIRST GOD DAMN GYM BADGE. Yep, she was gonna go far in this business. That much was guaranteed by her amazing battling style of TRY TO RUN, CATCH THE POKEMON, and if all else failed, USE FRICKIGN TACKLE OR DIE.
Why did she get a Pokémon anyway? We were the only three kids in Nuvema. That crap town with FOUR BLOODY HOUSES, and NO MCDONALDS.
She smiled in relief, reaching out to take the badge, before the box was shut sharply before her, followed by Chilli's recognizable, what she had nicknamed, Ass-Cackle. It actually made her smile, but that was probably because she was daydreaming about the EPA union again.
"Okay Chilli I get it. I guessed that was too far-fetched. Look can you help me find some decent Pokémon to beat your ass with?" She smiled, her eyes glinting at the thought of an actual badge in her case, an actual GYM BADGE, her servine was level 30, at the rebel stage AND STILL FAILING AGAINST CHILLI's LEVEL 16 PANSEAR. She was getting a fire type, when she breached the GOD DAMN PATRAT REALM.
"Yeah why not, do you like….Lilipup? Okay I'm joking, um…. how about the Dreamyard? I can't let you go onto the next town without a gym badge, so that's the next best thing, right? Tooka, you know I can't give you the badge, you have to demonstrate your worth, and you just need a new Pokémon, yeah? Dreamyard's a good place to find one."
The Dreamyard, allegedly the home of the dream Pokémon. Maybe she could get one of those, they didn't sound gay at all…cough. Apparently they looked like a pink tree trunks from Adventure Time. She didn't mind Adventure Time.
"Yeah I guess it's that or route 1, and if I ever go back there I will have preform a Lilipup massacre…so Dream yard it is, let's do it." She tried to smile as she withdrew her servine. Spectators on nearby tables made booing noises, few held their glasses out in congratulation to Chili, as they walked down the foyer.
Together she and Chilli made their way to the centre of Striaton City. It was early afternoon, and people had gathered in a circle around the square. A purloin darted between her legs, looked back at Chilli, hissed and followed its trainer toward the commotion. Chilli stepped back, and almost fell into another trainer chasing after a hyperactive Pansage.
"HEY WATCH IT DORKS! Oh hey Chilli, nice girlfriend!"
The figure was Cilan, who sneered at the pair of them. Chilli firmed up, sighed aggressively, before flipping his brother off. Tokou laughed quietly behind him at the rage building up in his expression. Wait…WHAT DID CILAN SAY?!
"Seriously Ci? You are such a noob, anyway don't you have trainers waiting to beat your ass? Why is it that your badge supply is always running out first? Oh wait… you are the grass trainer." He spat, as he threw his waiting towels In his brother's direction.
Tokou elbowed Chilli in his side as he smiled down at her. She looked back, expecting Cilan to retaliate with something witty. Cilan was staring at her, but there was something odd about his expression. Something almost predatory that made her uncomfortable. Chilli didn't notice. Maybe it was her imagination.
"Okay it's not the types fault, you just suck. Better?" he asked her, who just thumped him again, barely considering what he said. Punching him was fun.
Cylan brushed off his brother's comment, winking inappropriately. DAMN, she predicted awkwardness.
"Don't get defensive, jeez did I spoil something?" He broke off into a run, following the little Pansage into the public spectacle surrounding the town square. His eyes met Chilli's, and something briefly deep and unspoken was shared between them, that made Chilli go very quiet, before he looked at her and smiled, scratching the back of his head. Annoyingly, Cilan left his question hanging in the air above them. No one was going to answer that.
They looked at each other, and Touko gently pushed Chilli's head away, rolling her eyes. He always looked at her that way. His eyes would be focused and mischievous, his smile wide, baring teeth as he threw mud at Patrats or fought a trainer, but when his gaze turned to her, his eyes would soften and he would adopt that cute, laid back smirk, and a shrug of his shoulders. She shook off the thought, they were friends, if that.
"Come on Chilli, l think we should go see what's happening, hey maybe they found Frills. Time to get burned by the union." She ran ahead, before Chilli quickly decided to pursue her. God he was such a dork sometimes.
"LIBERATE THE POKEMONS"
"No."
That was pretty much how things went down. Some guy called Ghetis. Wasn't a good public speaker, that's for sure.
"Man I wish I had shower curtains like that." Chilli laughed, as they walked towards the entrance to the dream yard.
"Did he really think we were all going to release them? Just like that?" She asked, as Chilli unlocked the gates.
"Who knows, they just walked off after we rejected them anyway, doubt they pose a threat. We've dealt with team rocket, galactic, if I see people in matching uniforms I immediately walk off. You should try it, loose the inquisition." He sounded oddly insistent.
He looked back across his shoulder at her, and she immediately noticed the change of gradient in his expression.
"You…alright Tooka?"
In all honesty she was just loosing hope. Chilli was always encouraging her, but she was losing faith in herself, as a trainer. She was always getting knocked down by that god damn Pansear. If she couldn't overcome one barrier, what hope did she have left for what lay ahead? What chances did she have? Chilli was her hope now, which, in itself, made her smile, a little.
To the west of Striaton city, you'd probably feel a completely different atmosphere. There were few houses and a small forest trail leading into the Dreamyard. Very few Pokémon graced the streets, let alone children and older residents; people just stopped caring.
The Dreamyard itself was once a huge modern research facility; Chilli's dad used to work there after losing his job at the Driftveil mines. She and Chilli used to play outside of the entrance, waiting for his parents to finish work, before they went back to the family restaurant to make sashimi. She loved to cook with their family, they all worked together so well, each dedicated to their job in the kitchen. She laughed at how out of place she was, always running after Chilli, desperate to help with the prep. They made the best avocado sashimi; she would always take some home in tubberware for her mother after she finished work at the laboratory. She was pretty much Juniper's bitch, doing all the paper work, and Touko hated that. Still, the sashimi made both their days easier at the end of it all.
The Daikokuya family diner was practically worshiped thanks to their unique selling point of three well-dressed waiters and, each so unique with one of three elemental monkeys and colour co-ordination. Cress, Cylan and Chilli, or the sashimi brothers as there are praised. They complimented each other so well, always making the customers smile. Chilli, with his upbeat attitude, piss taking Cylan's little connoisseur speeches. She sometimes came out to help serve the food, it was pretty much a Saturday job since she got Moss, and training had to come first apparently. Plus no one wanted to see her serve them sashimi when oh god the SASHIMI BROTHERS were still around. What did Cress even do that made him so appealing? He just stood there, occasionally serving the more dedicated foodies, sighing dramatically whenever he was asked to wash up. 'I thought he liked water, CRAP WAS I STEREOTYPING HIM?' she thought.
Ah well, business was booming for them, which sucked in some ways, Chilli had to maintain two jobs, and he was only fifteen at the time, so he barely hung out with her until recently, when they decided to battle separately, depending on the starter Pokémon of the trainer challenging them. Tokou liked that battle style, apart from the fact it meant she COULD NEVER WIN.
Then the diner lost out on money when Castelia opened up its little ice-cream stall, and TURNED THE PLACE INTO A GYM, well she guessed they couldn't keep using the town hall as a utility, it didn't really have that appeal or the recognition as a gym; when you think about it, and a poster just wasn't enough. Giving the trainers a bite to eat on the side made things work around here. She preferred the atmosphere anyways. Being so close to all that delicious food…And watching live battles is just the kind of marketing scheme that puts money in the bank. WHY DID PEOPLE CHOSOE OBESITY OVER GOOD FOOD. DAMN IT CASTELIA.
But now people were realising their mistakes and flocking back to an old favourite, with new surprises in store. She smiled up at the reminiscent, before Chilli dragged her back to Earth.
"Tooka…."
CRAP, HOW LONG HAD SHE BEEN DAYDREAMING ABOUT SASHIMI AND ICECREAM?!
"That Name- ugh, I've been more confident. I hope I can find a decent Pokémon here." She murmured, ducking under what once were automatic doors, into the ruins of a forgotten place. It was like a weird de ja vu, she knew she'd been here before, but it was like a different place all together. Ruins of a temple or something. It was oddly beautiful. The sun glinted off the glass panes that were still intact, and plants erupted from the tiled floor.
"You will." Chilli winked, smirking at her. The sun filtered down through the trees, setting his bright red hair alight like fire. She lost sight of everything for a brief second, before focusing hard on the path ahead.
"L-let's do it then." She urged, mirroring his smirk, hiding her moment of lapse. Jeez why did he always make her smile like that, he always made her forget things, little things that made her scared, or breaking her thought chain all together. Still, his presence reassured her, always making her laugh and feel better about herself. DAMN IT FOCUS. HE DOESN'T THINK ABOUT YOU THAT WAY.
Being friends for five years doesn't automatically mean you're both destined to be together. It just means you've managed to deal for that long. Plus he enjoys taking the piss out of you. 'Your fun to mess with, Tooka', he says.
"Hey come on, I can't keep the gates open forever. Why do you keep pausing like that? Do you miss your Frills?"
"Hell no. Some fisherman can take her in, you did me a favour." She reminded him.
He gently grabbed the strap of her satchel, pulling her towards him.
"Oh you can walk, I was uncertain…" He laughed, pulling a Pokéball from the pocket in his apron.
"Shut up. I can run to, faster than you, and you have failed to prove me wrong so far." She snapped back, taking his other hand off the bag strap, regaining the distance between them, going against everything she wanted. FOCUS. DON'T YOU DARE BLUSH DAMNIT.
"I am not challenging you. Don't you worry Tooka." He replied, holding both hands up in protest. She butted her head against his shoulder and waded into the grass. Chilli released Pansear, urging her to allow Moss to get some fresh air. She complied silently, and they began the search.
DAMN IT SEARCHING FOR POKEMON WAS SO BORING. She dreaded reliving the Lilipup experience. SHE DIDN'T EVEN WANT A MUNNA. It wasn't exactly a step up from Moss. Why was it so hard to get a decent Pokémon in a crap route? Oh that was self-explanatory. BLEGH why not steal Cress' Panpour, WHAT THE HELL WHY ARE THEY ALL PAN SOMETHING?
Suddenly, a loud rustle rang through the grass they stood in. A strange fairy like Pokémon leapt out of the rustling grass, facing them but keeping a large distance. Its expression, a mix of curiosity and caution. It had pale blue eyes and soft pink and cream skin, with a little white tuft of fur, a tail or something. GREAT ANALYSIS TOUKO. YOU KNOW WHAT A TAIL LOOKS LIKE.
"Hey, Tooka, that's an Audino." Whispered Chilli, silently flipping his Pokédex closed. He was sat in the grass behind her, she hadn't even noticed. He looked so cute in the grass, laid back and smiling up at her, in that cute smug way. There was grass in his hair, which was adorable. Luckily he spoke up. "I'd bag that now, It's better than any munna, rarer to."
Wait, wasn't that the Pokémon well known for exciting trainers and raising the false hope that it would be a rare Pokémon when it was just ONE OF THEM. Meh could be worse. ATLEAST SHE WAS FOCUSED.
"Moss, use tackle!" She cried, leaping onto a low stone wall that encircled the perimeter of the Dreamyard., it must have been the ground floor of the laboratory-there were large metal bars sticking out of the ground, next to disabled sockets for large machinery. WHY DID KIDS CHOOSE TO PLAY HERE?
The Audino fell back with the weight of the tackle. CRAP SHE FORGOT IT WAS LEVEL THIRTY, AND THAT WAS RAZOR LEAF NOT EVEN TACKLE. Rebellious little turd.
"Get it now!" Cried Chilli from a few metres back. She felt the weight of his gaze upon her. Firming up in embarrassment, she reached into the Pokéball compartment of her satchel. OH BALLS.
"I forgot to buy some on the way over! CRAP CHILLI I NEED TO GO BACK!" She whinged, slapping her hand to her forehead, which was become a common response, due to all of her past DAILY FAILS.
Chilli paused, considered the response and burst out laughing, pointing shaking fingers at her whilst she silently cursed all of existence.
"Oh man Tooka you cocked up yet again."
Running to the poke mart was the last thing she expected to be doing, but they had five minutes until closure. They busted through the double doors, giving the dazed clerk a heart attack, before purchasing a dozen Pokéballs. Two came free.
"Man that was close." Chilli said, as slipped 1000 Pokédollars to the shop assistant.
"Hey you don't need to pay half." Touko murmured, facing him.
"I want you to be happy, so I'm paying half." He insisted, passing half of the money she paid back into her wallet. Their hands brushed as he closed the wallet she was holding.
"Thanks." She smiled, escaping sharply from his touch to put the wallet away. It was dark once they exited the store, and she couldn't help but shiver in response to the cold, typical Striaton weather.
Suddenly she felt a jacket being unzipped and placed across her shoulders. She looked up to see Chilli looking at her AGAIN, a concerned expression, nothing more. He looked away first. He wasn't worried about her shivering, it was something else. Something protective. When was he even wearing a jacket?
"Let's get you home. We can go to the Dreamyard tomorrow."
She didn't say anything, just continued to observe his expression throughout the journey home. He never walked her home usually. Weird, but she wasn't complaining.
Neither said anything, but they stayed close, huddled together. As they approached her house, Chilli pressed a small tubberware box in her hands.
"You forgot this." He smiled shyly, focusing on the little box of Sashimi as she opened the top of the tubberware. Freshly made sashimi neatly packed in the box, she felt asthough she should be paying hundreds for something of this quality.
"Oh, thanks." She laughed. "You know me so well, thanks for remembering."
"Yeah, Tooka." He whispered, before turning back to face the outskirts of Nuvema.
"Bye, then." she called, turning quickly on her heels to get inside, hiding any possible blushing. No reply. She turned back to wave before going inside, and saw Chilli facing two dark figures. They spoke quickly, and one of them saw her, Chilli turned back in shock, and the other two figures just…disappeared. Hiding any convictions, Chilli winked and waved back; awkwardly she returned the gesture, watching him as he departed.
Were those figures really there? Or were they just…
Shadows.
Chapter 2:
She came in to find a bowl of Daikon rice on the coffee table. It had gone cold, and so had the lemon tea. She couldn't be bothered to microwave it. Carefully she placed the tubberware in the fridge, with a postit note on it's lid; telling her mother to take it to work. Hopefully she would notice it. Meh she could always heat it up for herself. Mmm Sashimi. The lights were off upstairs, and all the sockets were removed. Such paranoia.
She eased a plug back into its socket, and the television flickered slightly before coming into focus. A news bulletin was displayed on the screen, and a little man in a suit and tie narrated the words on screen. Something about a new team making frequent appearances across the region, a big symbol with a P etched across it, a few lightening bolts? Meh. Probably football.
Unova sports, always a big let down. All there is...two courts in Nimbassa the size of dining halls, and all the athletes do is challenge spectators to Pokémon battles. No one runs, or to be honest, any sport of any kind. She'd been there once with her mother to watch her cousin play rugby against the Kanto Dragons. Disappointing, just one big Pokémon battle staged on court. You actually have to think about which is a gym and which is a tennis court now.
Bzzt. Bzzt.
Damn it, the xtranciever. Who calls at half eleven? Oh right, probably Cheren about his bloody stoutland again.
She reached into her bag to reveal a flashing metal contraption with a pixelated caller id displayed on the blue screen. Juniper? Seriously? Ugh probably wants mom to do something like brush her mincinno's ass-hair or something. Well she'll just have to explain why people sleep at eleven and why her mother doesn't want to play the role of bitch slave anymore.
"Touko, is that you? God damn it..."
"Yes, its me, what the hell do you want Juniper."
"Nice to speak to you to-"
"Look, cut the crap. I asked you what you wanted, and the 'end call' button suddenly looks really appealing, all bright red and shiny..."
"You press that, I press another red button called 'cancel paycheck to Kosuke Mizushima." She whispered sharply, voice dripping with malice.
Ugh. Well, mutual hatred addressed, she was loosing her patience but had to remember the thin thread her mother hung upon in this conversation.
"Right, what can I do for you...ma'am."
"I need to speak with your mother. Immediately."
"And why is that."
"That is of no concern to you."
"Oh but it is, you tell me, you can speak to her without any more questions."
"You...value your mother's present career, correct? Then loose the cocky inquisition and pass the phone to your mother, if there is even a hope of her profession being maintained along with my research facility."
So many big words...she had been beaten. Not that she wanted her mother to work for the cow, but it was all the income they had, apart from her battle prize money of about a hundred Pokédollars per match with a hyperactive child around Striaton, it wasn't enough.
"Fine, I will."
Her mother was sprawled along the bed upstairs. Carefully Touko brought herself level with her mothers tired face and began to ease her gently awake. She began to stir in protest, before her eyelids slowly lifted, exposing dark, and bloodshot pupils.
"T-Touko, your kidding me. I...work...half six...morning."
"Mom, Phone, It's..."
She shoved the phone speakers against a pillow.
"The 'bitch'."
Her eyes instantly widened in recognition and she bolted upwards, knocking the xtranciever onto the wooden floor. It made a little bzzt sound before it was hastily recovered.
"Y-yes Ma'am, w-what can I do for you?" Her mother said, voice light and honey coated. Hmph, she wasn't worth the kind efforts. Clearly she had made that apparent earlier. She smiled at the small triumph of making that so obvious.
A few sharp murmurs could be heard from the xtranciever, suddenly Kosuke's eyes widened, and immediately she ran into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. All touko caught was a horrified glance sent her direction as the door quickly shut.
All I heard was...
"She came back, to your doorstep?"
Laying down in bed, she awaited her mothers return, her own inquisition burning brighter by every tick of the clock. She turned to one side, thinking about the television. Crap, she left it on. Allowing her breathing to quieten, she managed to make out the sound of the news being read by the same little man. She ran downstairs and turned off the television, almost making out something along the lines of...
TEAM PLASMA.
Weird football name.
Back on the duvet, she thought about what went on that day. Why did Chilli decide to walk her home? Who were those characters he was talking to, or were there people even there at all...So many questions.
She was desperate to know the purpose of that phone call. After what felt like hours of sleepless anxiety, she eventually drifted off, dreaming of Sashimi and shadows.
She dreamt of a man, running through the forest, clutching blue paper. There was a Pokémon. A grey wolf-like body complimented with crimson and black accents. Deep blue eyes. It hid in the trees, watching her. She was stood there, looking across the landscape. Suddenly the Pokémon transformed into a beautiful young woman with flowing brown hair. The man carried on running, in the wake of a figure in a large robe stood poised before her, pointing a gun to her forehead. The trigger was released and the woman jumped in front of her, taking the weight of the bullet. She lay covered in blood. Touko screamed.
She awoke to find her mother cradling her softly, whispering kind words down to her.
"What was the phone call about?" Touko asked.
"Juniper rang me to say her sister came back from a long trek or something, hadn't seen her in oh...seven years?" She went on. Touko cast a shocked glance.
"Oh I know its a long time. I think she wanted some temporary accommodation for me to sort out.
She came and said something about...your father." She said.
This is all I have so far! I hope you guys like it, I added in a prologue that ended up being pretty long and I hope it makes sense! Please leave me some criticisms, oh and nice comments aha! :)