Alright, chapter two. For anyone who doesn't know, the two main characters (Wes and Rui) are the leads in Pokemon Coliseum. Also, this is (obviously) an AU fic, so keep that in mind. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or anything related to it. I also don't own any other anime, manga, or game that I take elements or characters from.
"Blah" = talking
"Blah"= thoughts, writing, sound effects, flashbacks, and voices over a microphone.
"BLAH"= Yelling
(Blah)= scene change
"I gotta say…that was some nice resolve you had there…" The boy exclaimed, flashing another grin at her. "Though trying to take on that guy was insane. You've got spirit; I'll give you th…."
Rui snapped around, interrupting him and locking eyes with the taller boy as best she could. And in the heat of the moment, she spoke softly.
"I want to be a Meister…"
Wes stood perfectly still, before a wide, almost sinister grin crossed his face moments later. She stared, gulping.
Rui Kigai, having finally found her resolve after a run in with an escaped prisoner ignites the fire within her, gives Wes a request: to make her into a Meister.
MEISTER
The greatest strength…is that which lies hidden beneath the surface
Case Two: Fire Starter
(Jubilife City, Jubilife High School)
Rui turned the door handle and walked wearily into her classroom. She quickly scanned the room, noticing the blond haired boy that had saved her only yesterday was currently no where to be found. She breathed out an almost disappointed sigh, before trudging to her seat near the window and dropping her shoulder bag to the ground beside it.
Upon sitting down, she propped her head up on one arm, and taking a look around, noticed the plethora of eyes that were fixed upon her. The stares slightly unnerved her, as well as the fact that she hadn't noticed them upon entry into the room.
"Rui…? Are you okay?" The girl that sat in front of her turned around and asked in a concerned tone. Everyone perked their ears.
"Umm…yeah? Why wouldn't I be?" Rui answered nervously. In truth, she was perfectly alright physically, if a few scratches and bruises from the previous day weren't added into the equation. Though that same day's events had her quite shaken up.
"Are you sure?" She innocently placed a cold hand to the red haired girl's forehead, as if checking on the girl's body temperature. "I mean…yesterday was pretty intense for you and all…"
"What…W-What do you mean, Ayaka?" She stuttered back. She definitely did not like where this was going.
The classroom's television switched on at that moment, directing the class's attention toward its vibrant screen. There, Natsumi sat at her news desk, facing the camera with her usual smile. Though, Rui could tell it wasn't genuine. Hearing about her sisters being attacked by a criminal, one she had inadvertently put in jail, had her quite traumatized. She could see the gloom behind all of her make up.
"A situation at the Miltank Smoothie Shop turned violent as an escaped convict from a local prison damaged property and took captive two…Jubilife High students." Rui took notice of the pause as the video caught by the news choppers began to play. "Luckily, he was quickly brought down by a Meister in the area, and a fatal situation was avoided. Again, the video has been edited to hide the identity of the officer."
"Wow….so heroic." The same blond girl in front of Rui remarked, staring at the depiction of the Meister in wonder. She turned to the girl with a grin on her face. "So how was it?"
"Yeah, how was it Rui?" Other females began to crowd around her desk.
"What? Being attacked by a psychopath?" She responded in slight annoyance.
"You know what we mean." The blond haired girl accused, before turning back around and letting loose a dreamy sigh. "Being so gallantly protected by a knight in shining armor." She pointed back to the continuing news report, where a scene played of the Meister arriving at the location and a breathless Rui staring in wonder at him.
"So…was he handsome?" Ayaka queried. The crimson locked girl's face unintentionally turned three shades redder at the thought of him, and the blond smiled. "Well aren't you the lucky one."
"Alright, settle down." The teacher sounded, silencing the class. As daily routine would have it, everyone retrieved their books and began to study as a teacher wrote something about a pop quiz on the board, much to everyone's chagrin.
Rui's eyes wandered over to the barren desk on her right, thinking about the previous days events.
"Where did he go?"
(Jubilife City, Jubilife Park)
Wes recovered his phone from his uniform pants pocket and effortlessly flipped it open with a flick of his thumb before pressing it to his ear. A cold draft blew over his tie for the umpteenth time since he had reached the park, ruffling the ears of his Pikachu as well, who was silently napping on his left. The device rang only twice, and a female voice greeted him.
"He said he would be there any minute now. Don't be so impatient."
"Impatient? He's the one that's thirty minutes late!" He answered in annoyance, which brought out a giggle from the woman on the phone.
"Yo, sorry I'm late. " Wes craned his neck to spy a man walking towards him from the surrounding trees around his park bench. He wore a yellow collared shirt with double black wristbands on each arm. Form-fitting, coffee-colored pants stretched down before stopping above a pair of sandals. And on top of his head, a vibrant red afro blew with another cold wind. "It's a nice day out here. What did you need me for?"
The blond boy closed his phone without so much as a goodbye and began typing on a laptop positioned firmly on his upper legs. The afro-sporting man squinted from the side after sitting down next to him, using his hand to block out the beaming sunlight.
On the laptop, a media player application played the events of the previous day from the news choppers viewpoint: Rui and Harumi's struggle, Wes's gallant arrival, and the eventual capture of the criminal.
"Is that the Rui girl you said wanted to become a Meister?" Wes nodded with a straight face. He gave her another once over, scratching the back of his head, before looking back and checking the boy's face.
From what he could tell, Wes seemed to be entranced with a certain clip of footage that he rewound over and over again: the scene right before he arrived when Rui finally gained the courage to retaliate. The boy stared at it unblinking, as if searching for something. That, or realizing something.
"Are you sure she's cut out for this?" The man asked, attempting to be realistic with the sandy blond adolescent. "She seems pretty ordinary to me? What do you see in her?"
Wes simply sat there, unmoving other than to replay the video.
…………………………………….
To say Rui Kigai was uncomfortable at the moment would be an extremely drastic understatement. Of course, with almost the entirety of the lunchroom glancing over at her every chance they got and the numerous pats on the back she received, who wouldn't feel but a little uneasy?
She twirled her spaghetti around a plastic fork while leaning on her free arm and sighing. Things were starting to get out of hand. Not even counting the infinite number of people drilling her with questions, not to mention stares; there were still so many questions of her own that needed to be answered.
Of course, the most prevalent question on her mind would be where is…
At that moment, Rui's cell phone vibrated. She flipped it open and stared at the screen, eying the text message warily, until she noticed the P.S.I. emblem in the top right corner. Getting the idea, she made her way towards the bathroom, pressing the open button. It wasn't until she had reached the empty hallway that she looked down and began scanning its contents.
Rui Kigai,
So you want to be a Meister, huh? Well it not as simple as you might think. You've got to prove yourself to us first. Come to the park outside the Jubilife hospital at sunset alone. We'll be waiting.
-Pokemon Special Investigation
She closed the phone after reading it twice. The bell rang at that moment, signaling the end of lunch as well as the start of her next class. The girl grabbed all her necessary books and headed off, thoughts of the evening dominating her thought process.
(Jubilife City, Kigai Household)
A cool wind blew into the window of Rui Kigai's room, causing her two ponytails to sway in synchronization with the draft. The girl stared into her full body mirror that hung on her far wall, inspecting her person for anything off.
A simple navy blue t-shirt with a pokeball design covered her top half, while a pair of loose shorts took her waist down to her knees. And to complete it, a white jacket. Simple, yes; but functional at the least. She grabbed her set of apartment keys from her desk and made her way out of her room.
"Where are you going?" Natsumi questioned, spying her from down the hallway and catching the teenager off guard. The girl almost tripped as she stopped, but managed to keep her balance.
"Just…" Rui paused as she realized the truth was probably not the best option. "…going to visit Harumi at the hospital."
Natsumi eyed her carefully, unblinking for almost half a minute which greatly unnerved the crimson haired teen. Then, she released a sigh before wrapping her up in an embrace.
"Just be careful, and come back as soon as you're done…"
"I will." Rui returned the hug with full force and a bright smile, before spinning around and heading out of the door. "Sorry, Natsumi."
The woman finished waving her off and retreated back into their living room, gracefully sitting down on the couch next to the youngest of the four sisters. The ten year old girl slept peacefully on the couch, and Natsumi ran a comforting hand over her head as a soothing gesture.
"There might be others out there…"
(Jubilife City, City Park)
An orange glow permeated the partly cloudy sky as the last traces of the waning sun began to dip below the horizon. It was a mild Friday evening, not too hot or cold for a nice stroll through the park with a few friends or that special someone. Green grass shaded by the setting of the sun, flowers positioned along the walkways, and the occasional chirping of starly completed the feel.
What am I doing here?
Rui stared at her watch for fifth time that evening, sulking and sighing simultaneously. She sat in one of the grass plots next to a water fountain and played with some of the leafy blades under her feet while.
Do I really have what it takes?
A low growling sound made itself prevalent amongst the chatter of the park-goers, and most turned to its source. Rui watched from afar as a toddler began to waddle over to a clump of wild bushes that were, for some odd reason, shaking violently. Her eyes widened as she spotted a single black paw exit the foliage.
A houndoom howled ferociously as its horned head burst forth from the bush, causing the toddler to fall backwards in fright. Gasps erupted from the park patrons as it eyed the small child, minute flames escaping its close jaw.
"I have to get that child out of here." Rui, as if on pure instinct, charged the black hued canine, picking up a nearby stick in the process. The houndoom eyed her out of its peripheral vision, turning its maw towards the teenage female.
She swung with all her might upon reaching the beast, taking her rather limited knowledge of baseball into account. The stick lodged itself in-between the pokémon's jaws, and she found herself unable to remove it. It brought a clawed paw up and smashed it down on the wooden branch, snapping it in half as splinters flew across the area. In panic, she threw the remainder of her makeshift weapon at the beast, buying just enough time to lift up the screaming toddler and hand him to a woman on the sidewalk.
"Get him as far away as you can from here." The lady complied with a sharp nod and a small thank you, dashing of with all her speed. The houndoom snarled as it clawed some of the splinters from its snout, before directing its attention at the woman. It began to chase after her, when a few smooth stones found their path into the side of its head. It snapped its neck around to see Rui, tossing a stone in her right hand.
The canine made a bee line at Rui, who held her position firmly. She began to remove her jacket and held it up with both hands like a bullfighter, as if coaxing the beast into charging. Her ploy succeeded in all regards, as the dog increased its speed two fold, flames pouring from its mouth like drool. She stared into the beasts eyes with firm determination.
Do I have what it takes to contend with those amazing people? These Meisters? Probably not.
The houndoom, guided by the flapping of the jacket, gripped the fabric right between it teeth as she narrowly avoided the same fate. She brought the arms of the coat around its head and leaped on its back, doing her best to create a makeshift muzzle while pressing her body weight on top of the animal.
I'm not the kind of person that can say I'll protect everyone…
The feral canine's teeth and horns began to pierce the jacket's firm fabric. Rui constricted the dog even tighter, using all her might to keep it off its paws and on the ground. Out of her eye's corner she noticed the toddler-mother duo that she had managed to save, and breathed an inward sigh of relief. A contented smile graced her lips as the dog managed to throw her off and regain its footing as well as control over the situation. She closed her eyes as it raised a claw above its head.
But I'm the kind of woman that will protect everyone I can.
"Down boy."
A sharp whelp of pain caused the red haired teen's eyes to snap open, gathering just enough to see a black boot slamming into the side of her canine adversary. It shot up momentarily as she sat up, turning to the emotionless voice that had rescued her.
"Good job. Here you go." The houndoom's anger was quelled instantly as Wesley Hunter tossed him a bone shaped biscuit treat, which it happily engulfed between its jaws.
Rui sat still, indefinitely stunned, wide eyed, and an eyebrow quirked comically.
"You didn't have to kick him, Wes." Both teens turned to a somewhat thin man, donning a yellow shirt, black wristbands, brown pants, and his most prominent feature, a ruby colored afro. He walked casually towards the two, obviously in high spirits if his wide grin and joyful demeanor were any giveaway.
Sinnoh Elite Four Member and Meister: Flint Perilla
"Come on, boy. Come here."
The previously feral, wild beast trotted daintily over to Flint, panting and wagging its slender tail in a fashion similar to a small puppy. Rui stared in a mix of disbelief and annoyance as he scratched the pokemon behind its curved horns, which for some reason it seemed to enjoy.
"What is going on here?" The crimson haired girl questioned, confusion and slight anger clear in her tone.
(Jubilife City, Jubilife Hospital)
The trio entered the lobby of the hospital casually, Flint leading the way with hand filled pockets and Rui using Wes as a support to walk. Despite some of the pain it caused, she had to say being this close to him pretty much evened things out, if the slight blush across her cheeks was any indication.
"We're here to see Harumi Kigai." Flint declared to the front desk receptionist with a smile. She quirked an eyebrow at him before her eyes widened in realization of his identity.
"Room 604, sir."
The group made their way to the elevator down the hall, as opposed to a flight of stairs on the right of it. Its retractable doors opened, revealing an empty space, and they all entered momentarily.
"So what was this all about?" Rui asked the both of them in an exasperated fashion. Flint was the one that turned to her, flashing her a wide grin.
"In a word…it was a test. An evaluation…if you will."
"Evaluation?" The third floor button lit itself, and a sharp ring sounded to alert the elevator's occupants.
"Yes." He confirmed, before beginning an explanation. "You see, every person that wishes to become a Meister must first undergo an evaluation to see if their skills are up to company standard. These evaluations can either be performed at headquarters or in the field, as long as two or more members of P.S.I. are present to evaluate said person. Of course, the higher level the Meister is that evaluates you, the more likely you are to get the job if you succeed…which is why Wes asked me…" Another grin crossed his face as the elevator reached their destination, the sixth floor.
"…And I have to say I'm impressed. Even without Pokemon, you've got a lot more strength than even some Meisters."
Rui donned a confused look as they stepped out of the elevator and began to walk down the pristine hallway.
"Strength? Did you not see me out there? Your houndoom almost clawed me to death. I don't have any strength."
"When did he ever say anything about physical strength?" It was at this time that Wes spoke to her for the first time that night. She turned to him with a surprised look. "Like I said, being a Meister is about having strength, but there's more than one type of strength." Confusion permeated her features once again.
"What I think he's trying to say is…" Flint said, rubbing the back of his head. "You might not be qualified physically, but you make up for it in mental strength." A small laugh escaped his throat. "Why, if my Houndoom wasn't such a beast, you might have actually been able to pull that idea of yours off."
"He jokes now, but he doesn't realize I could have died." Rui thought in an exasperated fashion.
…………………………………….
Rui traced a hand over the porcelain skin on Harumi's cheeks, a grateful smile plastered across her face. The black haired girl was sleeping peacefully in her bed, the lower half of her body tucked neatly in blankets. Her arms were still badly bruised from the previous day's events.
A ring tone sounded from Wes's pants pocket. He opened it and placed it to his ear for a few moments, before closing it once more.
"I can't stay. There's another robbery in progress." The male lifted up from the chair in the corner and began to walk casually out of the room. On his way out, he nonchalantly tossed her a brown leather hand held case just as she reached the door.
"Wait." Rui called out. He stopped, but didn't face her. Flint watched on from the far side of the room. "How come you didn't come to school today?"
Three seconds passed before the silence and stillness would break. Wes simply waved her off.
"Don't worry about it."
The soft click of a closing door followed him out. Rui performed a small huff, causing Flint to let out a hearty chuckle ass she placed the leather object down onto the bed. She turned to him with a questioning look.
"What's so funny?" He continued laughing for a good time after that, before finally settling down and explaining.
"Despite what you might think, he wasn't avoiding you or anything. In fact, it was quite the opposite." He paused, folding his hands, before continuing. "You see, many of the higher ups at P.S.I. didn't think you should be able become a Meister without any pokemon, and we're against having you even take the evaluation. So…"
He performed a wide grin as Rui listened curiously.
"That kid bet his badge and his career that you'd pass the test with flying colors."
Rui's eyes popped open. That kid? Betting something like that on her?
"Why would he do something like that!?"
(Flashback)
"Are you sure she's cut out for this?" The man asked, attempting to be realistic with the sandy blond adolescent. "She seems pretty ordinary to me? What do you see in her?"
Wes simply sat there, unmoving other than to replay the video. Flint gritted his teeth and grabbed him by the collar, bringing their faces only inches apart.
"And you even bet your badge on someone you barely know. Why? What could you have possibly seen in her?"
And in a still, small voice, Wes responded.
"Fire."
(End Flashback)
"That's what he told me." Flint said. "And now that I think about it, I believe I know why he was so entranced by that video. He's never been the type of kid to do something like this, but I think yesterday he found what he was missing. That burning will to protect what's precious to you…"
He flashed another grin in her direction.
"Some of your fire melted his ice...and I gotta say I think you've stirred a fire in me as well."
Rui stared mystified, not sure how to take his statement, though a warm happy feeling began to build up inside her. Flint stood from his seat and strolled to the door, hands nestled firmly in pockets.
Rui grabbed the leather wallet type object and flipped it open out of curiosity, her mouth agape at its content. A silver badge was embroidered on one side of it, with two words embedded in the middle.
Meister Trainee
Flint gave one last smirk before closing the door behind him.
"See you in the morning, Officer Kigai."
The flame burns bright. The ride of her life starts now!
(Case Two…Closed)
And there's chapter two. That's pretty much it for the introduction chapters. It might be a while until next chapter, as I'm going to be super busy from now on. Hope you enjoyed this one, despite the lack of action.