"Humanity. The standing work of Earth. We create, tame, help, lead. What can Humanity do? Take a stand. Join the Protestors. For the greater good. For Humanity."
Yu rolled her eyes, not even bothering to look at the screen. It was the same vague stuff over and over. What were they even advertising, anyway? Some weird religious anti-pokémon bullshit, most likely. People like that were something of a running gag in the trainer community. What Yu felt was a strange mix of amusement and anger. She would try to get Hyde in on the malicious jokes toward him, but she "was too intense." Figures. Hyde could always care less… about everything. She couldn't bring it up to her other pokémon, either. Isis would not listen, maybe even make Yu look like a fool to bring her down. But that was always Isis' goal. Bitch can't ever be bothered to step an inch down from her high ponyta. Harpy, on the other hand. Even a simple religious flaming contest couldn't be held with her. She'd always turn the subject into a huge paranoid spiel, and Yu generally didn't like calming down a loud, paranoid, extremely-strong-for-its-size bird wrestler.
Caught up in her thoughts, Yu didn't notice the creature headed straight toward her and took a faceful of a clumsy purple flying pokémon. She nearly fell on her back, instead doing a weird back-bend, keeping her balance. Blinded by a cloud of anger, she snapped to her feet, and punched whatever attacked her with a decently-powered punch.
The crobat went flying, but quickly regained its composure, flapping its wings to regain altitude right before it hit the tile floor.
"Shi! Geez lady, watch where you're standing! Could've mauled you! Shishishi!"
Oh. A relatively small, Brock-eyed crobat with an obnoxious laugh. Small, easy prey, Yu thought cracking her knuckles.
"Watch where I'm standing? Watch where I'm standing?! Listen you squinty-eyed purple brat, I don't know who you think you are-"
"Eris! I knew it was a bad idea to turn my back on you, you silly mischievous thing."
The bronze, blue-eyed bleach-blonde boy appeared out of the blue (or so Yu thought, she oftentimes gets caught up in things). He had a strange sense of style too, Yu thought, glancing over his wave-design wife beater and white, pocketed khaki pants. Come to think of it, he looked like the very personification of a beach boy.
"So sorry about my crobat," Beach-boy said suavely, doing a flippy thing with his hair. For added bonus, he flashed a smile and winked, doing this weird pretty boy pose with his hands. Is that supposed to have an effect on me? Yu thought. There was something about this guy she didn't really like. He did that flippy hair thing again.
"Well, how about you? What's your name, you?"
Oh Arceus, he knows my name. Get him away. Get away!
Of course, all Yu could do was remain silent and unabashedly still, unable to move.
"Such striking silver hair…" He moved closer and rose a bronze sculpted hand.
Oh Arceus, no, nonono! Get away get awaygetawaygetaway!
Hyde snickered in the background, useless in these situations as ever. Yu mouthed a "help me" to him. He turned the other way. Well, if he won't help me… Yu skimmed her fingers against one of the ultra balls on her belt.
"Well, I would love to stay and chat, Miss Nameless, but I have things to take care of. Ta-ta for now."
He turned to leave. But just when she thought she was out of the hot water, she dropped the ultra ball she pulled from her belt. The button side landed on the hard floor, was pressed, and as luck would have it, a very energized, crazy-eyed hawlucha appeared in a flash of energy, and literally threw herself at the boy.
"CHEEEEEEEEP!" she shrieked, tackling the boy to the ground.
"Harpy, no! Bad! Bad Harpy!"
"CHEEEP!"
Unfortunately, Harpy didn't relent. She stayed put, keeping the boy on the ground. Unable to calm the wrestler bird with words, Yu stepped forward to do so in a more direct fashion, but Beach Boy's crobat Eris beat her to it, wrapping the creature up in its bottom pair of wings and 'gently' throwing her. Harpy landed gracefully on her feet, however, and used the ground to launch into the hair, puffing up her chest, arms back, chin up. She launched her Flying Press at Eris. However, quick as she was, the even quicker crobat simply did an aerial 'sidestep' and snickered as Harpy landed chest first into the tile, leaving a relatively deep hole.
Humiliated, Yu took the fighting and flying-type's pause as an opportunity to return her. She looked back at the young man and his crobat, reflexively. He smiled, shrugging.
"Pretty feisty pokémon. Strong, too. Oh, hey-"
"Let's just… pretend this entire exchange never happened."
The boy raised an eyebrow, bemused. "Noted."
She walked away haphazardly. Complete strangers stared at her. Keep walking, she told herself.
Just… keep walking.
The trainers and a handful of pokémon shuffled into the long, tube-like terminal. Signs were hung on the walls, warning trainers to keep only one pokémon out at a time – if they must. A list of several other restrictions was in place as well, mostly having to do with the kinds of pokémon allowed out.
Yu shuffled down the hallway, Hyde at her side, casually crossing his arms. Finally, she arrived at the border between the terminal tube and the plane. She locked eyes with the security guard checking everyone's passes and poke balls.
"Come on lady, don't just stand there! Keep the line goin'!" the skinny effeminate blue-haired security man said in an obvious accent. Castelian, perhaps?
"Oh, er, yes. Here." She flashed her ticket.
"Let me see your balls, ma'm."
"Excuse me?"
The young man rolled his eyes, loudly sighing.
"Your pokéballs. Please hand them over."
Yu paused, grazing her fingers over the two full balls at her belt. She looked behind her, at the impatient line, to her side at a ticking clock…
"…I'll give them right back. Weren't you paying any attention?" Shrugging, Yu handed them over. The man pulled out what looked like a grocery checking machine from his belt, and flashed a green light at the pokéballs.
"It sets the balls to a special locking mode. It'll be neutralized when you step out of the plane. Don't think too hard about it, sweet pea."
Yu frowned, stepping forward into the plane after taking her pokéballs back. Hyde stoically followed behind her, having nearly ignored the whole exchange.
"Ah-ah. One second, Greninja. Hold still."
At first, Hyde didn't think much of it. At first, he thought he was just going to ask him a question real quick. At first, Hyde didn't expect his arm to be fucking assaulted by a long thick needle. Whatever neutral trance the ninja frog was in, he snapped to his toes, and narrowed his eyes.
"Excuse you, respectable sir, but I don't recall giving you my permission to jam a fucking needle into my arm.
The security guard opened his mouth to respond, but at his first breath, Hyde launched a Water Shuriken.
…Or he would've, anyway. Nothing happened. At all. In fact, Hyde… he really wasn't that angry anymore. Hey, the security guard's hair was a cool color… Hyde gazed into the distance. Oh, look. Birds… He liked birds….
Yu whipped around, facing the scene. "You monster! What have you done to him?!"
"Oh, nothing. Just a quick sedation to protect from terrorist attacks. It prevents pokemon from using their powers. And gives them a nice, long-lasting euphoric disassociation to go with it."
The security man blew the tip of the needle. "Now carry on. You're holding up the line."
Yu opened her mouth to respond, but found nothing came out. Defeated, she just shook her head and continued on into the plane, pulling her intoxicated greninja along.
This was only a prelude to a long string of harrowing events, but Yu knew. She knew.
Airplane seats, at their best, were poor excuses for comfortable armchairs. At their worst, well, you didn't even have arm room. This airplane in particular had four chairs a row, an interesting change from the usual. Well, the airplane was a bit of a fatass.
Yu herself was stuffed between a … rather large nidoking and a girl with large hips, with her sedated greninja, intoxicated, looking out the window on arguably the best seat available. She lazily sighed, pulling the headphones over her head and shutting her eyes tight as the plane took off. Oh, she hated the takeoff and landing. So, so much.
Finally, they were in the air. Yu had gone into a trance, taking to staring at the advertisements preluding the airplane movie, Braviary Eye.
"Humanity. The standing work of Earth. We create, tame, help, lead. What can Humanity do? Take a stand. Join the Protestors. For the greater good. For Humanity."
"This ad again? Who the hell are these people, anyway? Some new criminal syndicate?"
"Yeah, most likely," The girl whose hips were crushing her suddenly said. Raising an eyebrow, Yu glanced to her side to look at the girl. Tan, striking green eyes, white blouse, floral jeans. Yu also noted that she had a neat, wavy brown braid.
"You haven't heard of them? Geez. You must be somewhat sheltered then." Braid Girl had a cheerful smile. Yu couldn't determine if it was one of mockery.
"Or maybe not. You must not watch television or read the news that often. So, oblivious. Not sheltered."
Yu sneered. Oh, another person she didn't like. There were far too many of those around.
"Hey, just stating facts. Nothing to get your hair tangled over. Oh, if you're interested, stay away from these people. They're a weird religious group who believe pokémon are demons. No kidding."
Yu muttered an amused "Wow," under her breath, shaking her head. Some people have obviously not been paying attention to the past two centuries of history. Pokémon were the root of Earth's society, revered and respected by humans as companions and team mates. What else would you have but respect for the former animals who were mutated by the chemical World War III? They were certainly quite respectful for supposed mindless beasts who could have easily taken out humanity with their newfound mutant powers.
"Anyway, they've been opening up weird businesses and conducting weird activities and sketchy experiments that are questionably legal and definitely anti-pokémon. Rumor has it that they're aiming to bring pokémon to extinction, preserving only ones that can be eaten and stuff. That's what the Ranger Union is still figuring out though. They don't have any raw evidence, so they can't be persecuted yet."
Well, Braid Girl was certainly useful for information. She earned a bit of Yu's respect, so the white-haired girl held out a pale hand.
"Yu White. Elite Trainer, and qualified for Champion of Sinnoh, Kalos and Unova regions."
The other girl raised her eyebrows, clearly impressed. "Well. Rhianne Barrestein, elite trainer, and qualified for Champion in Johto, Kanto, Hoenn, AND Unova. Authoress of the best-selling Advanced Battling training manual, and recognized prodigal trainer."
Yu frowned. It didn't happen all that often, but she hated when people one-upped her in accomplishments. Especially when they were pretentious pricks about it. She felt a burning rivalry toward the girl, and fantasized about kicking her ass for her much-deserved title of Unovan Champion.
…It didn't help that Yu was a huge fan of her Advanced Battling manual, either. She made a mental note to take out or at least refine every technique she learned out of the book. Even if Rhianne was basically her role model for the longest time, it was immediately neutralized the second Yu found out she was a cocky know-it-all.
"And this is my trusty partner and starter, Kingsley." She gestured to the overly muscular and large nidoking snoozing beside her. The strongest pokémon were always the least intimidating, it seemed. Yu still fantasized about how Hyde could easily kick its ass.
"What brings you to the Sevii Islands, anyway? Based on your somewhat superior accomplishments, would I be correct in my assumption you're taking the Erito challenge? Every Master Rank Trainer got the letter."
Yu considered lying to the girl just because she was tired of her constant achievements.
"No, just on vacation."
"Eh, figures. I s'pose 'best of the best' sounded a bit intimidating to you." She shrugged, putting her arms behind her head. Yu scowled.
"I'm kidding. I could easily guess by how defensive you are of your pride that you're taking the challenge."
Yep, Yu really, really didn't like this girl. She mentally hit herself for ever picking up her book. And she would be stuck for hours on the plane next to her. Yu wondered if she could get Harpy to be a surrogate parachute but then remembered the special security airplanes had in place. She wouldn't be able to call out her other pokémon until the plane landed…
Still, she needed to get away from this Rhianne. Yu got up, but was immediately knocked back down on her butt. The plane shook violently.
"Huh, that's quite a bit of turbulence," Rhianne said, jumping to her feet and succeeding where Yu did not. "I'mma ask the pilot."
Another violent shake. Rhianne, too, was knocked back down on to her seat.
"Attention, passengers. This is your pilot speaking. Please remain calm and form a straight line for the emergency exits. If you do not have a flying pokemon, there are parachutes under your seat. Those that do have any flying pokemon, please release them and be ready to defend yourselves and-."
The plane was immediately rife with chatter and panicked voices, making it nearly impossible to hear the announcement. Yu felt a pang of fear in the pit of her stomach. The pilot was asking everyone to release pokémon?
"Please be wary on your way out. The pokéball restrictions have been lifted for your protection."
Yu's mind was racing. She's never heard anything like that. If there was a faulty engine and they needed to go to the emergency exits, wouldn't there be parachutes for that? Risking being attacked by terrorists'' pokémon was a big deal. And she was right. Yu would never forget this day, that fear and wonder she felt.
The day she felt her heart stop, and her stomach drop. She finally made out what the pilot was saying:
"There is an aggressive Latios attacking the plane."
Sorry for the late chapter. There's been an internet problem for the longest time and I couldn't upload. Dx I'm sorry!
The next chapter is almost finished and updates should be regular from now on.
