One down... Countless of them more to go.
My body slumped down like a girl who lost everything, heh, I still have my limbs, and the cloths on my back, cash in my pocket, and Mightyena by my side... More than most could ask with my situation, I guess. The world is merciless. That is, unless you're lucky.
"Fill it up..." I muttered, scooting my empty glass inches forward. I was the only one in this dark place. It's kind of rare to find a bar; after all, alcohol is expensive as Hell, and it tastes like it too.
But the Gods know I love it. It makes me feel good for a few hours, can't beat that… Until you wake up with one bad headache.
I downed the next one once he got it done, two empty glasses. "One more..." make that three glasses. And like that, three was my lucky number; I was starting to feel good back then.
But, this could go on for hours and how it went was nothing new. I'd be silent for hours, the only voices coming from anywhere was just a tiny TV next to the bar tender so he could pass the time, I'd get completely drunk, and then I'd mutter my forgotten drunken mumbles. Only to be interrupted by me passing out; or when I decide enough was enough, and suddenly leaving after paying the bill.
"... You sure you want another?" I shot a glance up at the voice, right next to me was a man I have never seen before, didn't hear him come in. Dressed in a nice black suit with tie, short brown hair, tall guy, easy and settling green eyes, he looked kinda cute... But I wasn't really looking for a man tonight.
"Positive..." I replied with just a mutter, tapping commandingly on the counter towards the tender, he sat down my next one, which I swallowed down. Not batting an eye's worth more attention to the new man, who remained in place and I think was looking at me as I drank. "So... What's your name, Miss?" "... What's it to ya?" this is when I turned to him. I didn't feel threatened by him, at all, he had a nice calming voice it, but I wasn't really in the mood last night. Maybe he'd get the idea after that…
"Can't a man be curious?" he didn't get the idea… "..." I turned back to my initial position; slumped over the counter, with my chin rubbing against my red plaid scarf. "... I'll buy you a drink... For every few questions you answer?" ... Now, that's something I can work with. Spewing a few facts and false statements was easy enough for me to pull off.
"... Name's Laura... Laura Flare." I answered for one free drink. "Ah... I really like your na-" "Keep it to yourself, sir..." I muttered, the man then tapped the counter a bit himself, and rubbed the back of his head as if he was nervous, "Oh... Do you own any Pokemon?" I simply nodded and moved my jacket a bit, showing my Pokeball hanging on my belt, "She's Regi, my Mightyena…" he just nodded dumbly, "That's cool. I have one myself."
"Whatever..." I sipped my sauce, deciding to take it slower so I won't ruin our little deal so quickly by getting wasted. "You actually… look familiar, have we met here before?" he asked, I guess he was hoping he was right. "... Let's just say I walk a lot, and don't usually come around places more than once." I inquired, dodged a bullet from having to listen to this guy ask where I've been and what I did. The man tapped the counter after I finished my glass, and a new drink slid down to him moments later. "Here's your reward Miss Laura." passing it to me, I took a victory sip, "Mhm..."
"Well... What's your job, if you walk a lot?" "Don't have one..." I sipped, "I'm retired..." the man just looked at me for a few moments, finishing the drink. "Retired from what?" "None of your business is what." I muttered, I started to feel some sort of buzzing noise sting my brain. "But you said..."
I sat there for a moment and sighed, "... Just my old job." I finally muttered, the bullets are flying now, "I asked what." he responded, "And I said it was just a job." "..." he stared at down at me. I was just about done with this game of 20 Questions. I tapped the counter, got one more drink, and dumbly downed it, sending myself into a sick drunken stupor.
I slammed the money down where I sat and got up, "We're done here, you stupid... Creep. Freak... Whatever word." I said to his face, pointing a single digit and wobbling back and forth in place. "So... Feck off." and with that game finally at its end, I stumbled out the door of the bar, not bothering look behind me as my eyes just went forward.
About one block away... My head started hurting horribly, and I fell down flat on my face... My eyes closed for I had passed out.
A few hours later I woke up by a sudden shock. It felt weird and painful... I tasted blood in my mouth, my nose hurt and it smelled weird, and of course, a massive headache from a bad hangover. I woke up in what looked like... a boat, the deck of the boat to be exact. The cool ocean breeze brushed through my hair with the smell of oceanic salts and blood, the sound of waves bumping against the boats and the dark night illuminated by the moon only. Though there was a room right in front of me, the lights were off, and the door was closed, and I was lying on the deck, just the moon up above for light.
Something else was wrong though... I tried to move my hands; but I couldn't do it. Someone tied my hands up behind my back; I then tried my feet, tied at the ankles. Forcing myself to sit up, I started to pick at my bonds without any luck, this was getting freaking tough to do this...
For at least a half hour I struggled with my ropes, I found out in that time that was stripped of everything but my clothes. Regi was taken from my belt, my cash was gone from its pocket, keys to my hideaways gone, and my special badge too... I dared not holler to tell my captor, whoever he or she is, I'm here. I don't care if it's delaying anything; it'll give me some time at least. Though it wasn't getting me anywhere apparently...
A few minutes passed, and the door creaked open. I shot a glare immediately at the figure, I wasn't too surprised from whom it was, but what he was, "Laura... Laura... Laura..." that less than intimidating voice suddenly took a 180 with that name, that man from the bar, he was the man who did this of course…
He wore blue pants with white half rings on it from the anterior view, black gloves, a black and white striped t-shirt, and a blue bandana with the dreaded "A" symbol.
"Laura Flare." he grinned, smiling down at me. I just glared back at the man, I didn't know who this bastard was, but I'm not handing over anything or at least without a fight. "I finally tracked you down. It's been quite some time." I didn't notice before, but he was holding something... He held it to my face; a red hoodie, black horns sewn on it, along with the black "M" symbol on the chest, mid of it cut from it. "Looks familiar, Miss Flare?" he asked me with a sneer, I didn't say anything to him, not a word. I just glared, "..." "... Of course you do." he held it over his shoulder and started to pace around me, "Team Magma Elitist, annoying one at that. I remember you... a stubborn, quick, and fierce battler. But, even with your help, as well as the others, the battle of the Earthquake machine was lost. Bah, your Mightyena..." he shook his fist, as if in anger, "Well, she's no longer a problem." he stopped, "Both Teams disbanded over a year ago, well..."
He walked over to me and kneeled down, "I don't think anyone appreciates our existence still. We're outcasts," he whispered in my ear, brushing hair away from my face. I just spat in his. He wasn't fazed; he wiped it off and chuckled, and quickly raised the back of his hand. BAM!
I fell back on my cheek and got back up…
He stood up, and walked into the room where he came from, "That said!" he hollered out at me, I could hear some rattling in there as he started, "No one will miss you!" I heard heavier footsteps, he walked out of the room… holding a stack of two cement blocks in his hands, both chained together with shackles on the end of them... I'd lie if I said I didn't start feeling scared when I saw this.
I kicked my feet in a flight reaction, scooting as far away from this man as possible. But I only got as far as the wall with it, and he easily just caught up to me. Dropping the blocks at my feet, "... Not even Regi." I then switched like a cornered animal, and kicked with my feet at him. It didn't do a thing, he caught my feet, "Laura Flare..." I started struggling to get away, but he held me down by my back and feet. He shackled the cement blocks to my feet as I kept squirming; now anchored.
He took the hoodie off of his shoulder,"... Ex-Team Magma member," he fitted it on my shoulders, "Holder of the Team Badge," he zipped it up and took out my emblem, the signature "M" symbol already on it. And now my arms even more stuck, he buttoned the "M" onto me. He lifted me up bridal style, and now, it was now my chance to do it "Let me go you bastard!" WHAM!
I dropped to the floor, wincing and hurting from the fall, but not as much as his face. I could even feel my forehead was a bit warm and wet. One eye only, I looked up at the man; he was stumbling backwards and clutching his face. Even growling like an animal! I smirked, I felt more confident for what was to happen next...
I went back to trying to get free, trying to loosen the ties on my hands so I could fight. I almost felt it coming close. I didn't feel like I was gonna go down, not that night. Not to him! As I squirmed, I kept my eye on him, he was already back up right. He looked at his hands, bloodied from my head-butt, then at me, he face showing nothing but pure rage.
I quickly tried to untie the tight ropes around my wrists while scooting as far back as possible once again. I just hoped he'd still be stunned by rage, even though I knew it'd only grant me a few seconds. "You… BITCH!" thump thump thump, he charged like a wild rhino at me, as I tried to squirm. I tried to kick him once more with my legs. He thought fast though, and instead grabbed me by my chained legs and dragged me to the edge, tossing my feet out over the edge, but not the block.
"Let me go! LET ME GO!" I screamed, he picked up the weights, " You're dying, Laura. Right. Now!" with a wicked grin of victory, he dropped them into the sea and I was dragged with it. Sinking down, I screamed and started thrashing to try to get free.
I exhausted myself within moments. The water started feeling hard, my head hurting even worse than before, my eyes heavy and my chest in pain, the deep blue was my grave, and what I saw last was the last air bubbles coming from my mouth before I closed my eyes…
... Ting... Ting... Ting...
"Laura..." ting... "Laura, wake up Laura..." "… Huh... ?"
A red haired woman's eyes slowly opened, fluttering her eye lids before full waking up, "Wh-what... Happened... ?" she took a moment to fully see her area, a dark plain, trees surrounding it and a starry sky. Weakly standing, Laura gazed down at herself; her Team Magma uniform still fitting her form and its hood down. "Did I survive... ? Who saved me?" she asked herself, a bit in disbelief. "Well, Miss Laura..." she quickly spun around to the voice, "... Who's there?! Did you save me?!" Laura hollered out, though no one was there when she did.
"Show yourself! Tell me what's going on here?!" "I guess I should explain..." a small, rather pink and feline-like creature suddenly appeared in front of her, floating in air with a slight pink glow to it, "Hello, Laura!" though this Pokemon did not look threatening in the least it still caused the Red Haired Magma to get startled, "Gah! Wh-what the hell?! Who ar-" it just floated closer as she stepped back.
"I'm Mew! And I have a proposition just for you!" the little Pokemon announced, he floated in place waiting for the response. Laura, the Red Haired woman, looked in disbelief, "... What's going on?!" she yelled, "Just what happened to me! I don't give a rat about your proposition; I just remember drowning, and now I'm here?!" she glared, getting angered from the confusion.
"Well..." Mew sheepishly started, "You... Did drown, and you died. Infact, you've been dead for a few hours." he continued straight forward, "You're here because... I wanna give you another chance!" finishing with a smile at the end, "I-I'm really... Dead?" she muttered, looking away to give a moment to think it over, "Yeah... Dead as a door nail, bottom of the sea, rotting and what not. Not being eaten at least! But, now you're in my little place." Mew informed, nodding to himself with his eyes closed and a nice smile. Laura looked up at the pink God, taking offense to his words, "You talk as if it's no big deal!" she growled, "Was my death really that pitiful?!" Laura yelled and huffed, trying to keep herself calm, "W-wait! Calm down, please! I know you said you don't care about my proposition, but-" "I don't!" Mew shook his tiny forelegs out to her, "I think you missed the part when I said I'll give you a second chance!" he sighed and hunched forward hoping to get back to his own point, "... I hear you now. Just… Don't insult me, or else" Laura said, seeming calmed from hearing it finally.
Mew looked up, and smiled, glowing in anticipation, "Okay, so... I want to give you a second chance at life!" he declared, "I could piece that together, just what do I have to do?" she raised a brow with Mew spinning around her in circles, "Nothing to get an absolutely new life! Just let me worry about it, I'm sure the others won't notice!" Mew said, slowing down to just lazily kicking about, "... Absolutely new? Others?"
"Ah, oh... Well, the others being like you know... Your deities for example! Sleepy Rayquaza, that fierce Kyogre, and your personal favorite I bet, that angry Groudon! But, I mostly mean others like that grumpy ol' Arceus." Mew giggled at the last part, "... Absolutely new life?" Laura asked again, frowning at the sort of childish God Pokemon, "I just wanna know if that's a catch or something." Mew thought for a second after coming to a halt, "Well, you won't be living YOUR old life... But someone you know." he tapped his chin, "Your Pokémon, Regi? She, uh... Kicked the bucket, died, killed by the same person who killed you, like hours before you died." "..." "Yeah... She was just a victim, killed for trying to protect you while you were tied up and knocked out, shame really… She's in a better place at least though!" "Regi..."
"But, that's my deal, it's sorta for both of you! ... Kinda, I wanna sneak you back, from the start. As Regi, rewrite history so you'll live!" "She was killed, and I couldn't do a thing..." Laura sighed, eyes diverted, "Well, she doesn't have to die." Mew float up to Laura's eyes, "I'm giving you a shot, you should listen better." "No, I heard you... Rewrite it so we both live. As Regi herself. I..." Laura started, thinking it over, "... I'll take it…"
Mew smiled, "Great! You'll have to start from the beginning though! Big man won't harm a baby!" "What do you mean baby?" before she knew it, Mew's radiance became blinding and she felt a surge of power course throughout her body.
"AAAAAARGGGGGGGHHHHH!" it all became white...