MONSTERS IN PARADISE

Chapter Four

By: Curtis Wildcat

Pokémon and the Touhou Project are the properties of their respective owners and copyright holders. Warning: creative liberties have been taken with one of the characters in this chapter. I've done what research I can on this character (thank goodness for the Touhou Wiki), and I've decided to... fill in the gaps, you could say. You were warned.

Also, another warning: not all Pokémon are benign or friendly with humans, and that means someone's going to be getting the short end of the stick.

I split up Chapter Four. There was a scene that contributed to the plot late in the chapter, but it gives the impression that it's an outtake of some kind and has next to nothing to do with the featured Pokémon; so, I gave it its own little niche in the listing.

Spot the Cromartie High School cameo in Chapter 4.5 and dish up some ice cream. It's not a hard one to find.

/-/-/-/

It had come quickly that evening as the sun was setting. The wind, the rain, the thunder and lightning: all the signs that a storm was striking a substantial section of Gensokyo. Most of the residents sequestered themselves indoors, except for those fairies and youkai that loved being out in this sort of weather. It was entirely unexpected; all the signs had pointed to clear and mild conditions, and any gossip amongst the youkai focused on the possible reasons for the change.

Whatever the cause of it was, it didn't bother Alice; her work went on no matter what the weather was. People knew her as a dollmaker and puppeteer, occupations that went hand-in-hand. For now, she was neither: instead she was a researcher, determining and testing the means for which her creations would be able to increase in size.

"...The ice fairy had been able to surpass the Titania Dolls, to say nothing of the Goliath Doll," Alice murmured to herself as she took notes. "...So not only are they inadequate against small, agile targets, intimidation and strength probably wouldn't be enough against any youkai intelligent enough to craft a Spell Card." She shuddered. "And if I used them against Marisa..."

If I used them against Marisa, the Forest would be littered with debris faster than I could blink. Why did she have to steal that attack from Yuuka?

"...Perhaps it would be best if I reserved them for opponents larger than me," she continued, deciding to wrap things up for now. "And there's still the issue of keeping the Goliath Doll intact for longer than a minute of use... a more stable source of magic is required. I'd rather not be housebound again just because it self-destructed next to me..."

That had been embarrassing. Just as well that no one was around to see it; the fairy flew off as soon as the Goliath Doll exploded. Because of the blazing backlash I was stuck indoors for two days to recover, and my dress was a complete waste... thankfully, I have seven identical outfits in my closet for such a situation. If I learned anything from that fiasco, it's that I need to fireproof anything that needs it.

Alice set her notes aside, got up and looked about her house, checking on her collection. Satisfied that nothing was out of place, she sat down in the front room with the latest copy of the Bunbunmaru newspaper and flicked it open. May as well see what the tengu has been up to, she thought, smiling a little. Mocking the half-truths in her reports is often good for a laugh... She blinked as a headline caught her eye. ...Hm? Wonder what this is...

"New Types of Youkai Sighted! Friends, Foes, or Et Cetera?"

/-/-/

Reimu, Marisa, the shikigami's shikigami, the Scarlet Devil Mansion's gatekeeper, and the moon rabbit have all been sighted in the company of assorted creatures. They are strange, and yet in some cases strangely familiar... the blue turtle brings to mind the old lizard that was ferrying Reimu to Makai when we first met. No one knows where they came from, and the only conjecture anyone has to offer is that they may possibly have come from another world altogether... but there is no true proof of this beyond their unfamiliarity with the Spell Card system. All but the youngest of those seen have their fighting abilities sharply honed, and their attacks bear only a passing resemblance to true danmaku.

Alice shook her head, smiling bitterly. This must be why Marisa hasn't dropped in for some time: the new arrivals have gotten everyone worked up, trying to discover what they can about them. I don't care that she hasn't visited- - -I'd forgotten what it was like to have true peace and quiet- - -but she could've gotten the news to me ahead of the tengu.

The boom of thunder that followed her thoughts reminded her that it was storming outside. It's too late to go anywhere now, and navigating through the storm would be more trouble than it would be worth. Yawning, she pushed the newspaper aside and stretched a little. Time to call it a night.

...

As she went about her preparations for sleep, Alice thought she detected a dark aura brushing against her house's defensive magic. She closed her eyes for a few moments and focused, but the sensation didn't repeat itself. Might have been the darkness youkai. The storm would make the perfect cover for someone like Rumia to catch her prey, whether she's successful or not. ...Of course, typically not.

"Now how did that little tune go again..." Alice 'hmm'ed to herself. "~Shadow, shadow you idiot, watch out for that tree...~" A soft chuckle. "...Or words to that effect... ah, that was a classic act. Maybe I could use it again during my next performance at the village... I was told that it was fairly popular amongst the children..."

Her eyes drifted to Shanghai, sitting peacefully on a shelf near her bed. "And here I go talking to myself again... maybe I ought to get out more. What do you think?"

Shanghai didn't respond, which was to be expected. Alice, however, sweatdropped as if the doll had actually spoken. "What do you mean, 'mad as a hatter'? Is that some sort of joke?"

Again with the silence.

"No, I'm not going to any tea parties anytime soon," Alice answered, her voice heated. "I've been very busy recently. Now if you're finished teasing me, I'd like to go to sleep now..."

Alice had been facing away from the window, so she didn't see the shining blue eyes that had been looking through it at her. Her danger sense suddenly flared, and she whirled around... right as a field of blackness surrounded her.

The void descended, with Shanghai as its only witness. Naturally, she was speechless.

/-/-/-/-/

At the back of her mind, Alice knew she had been attacked. Some small part of her- - -possibly a white blood cell- - -tried to keep this thought in mind, to wake her up to the reality that all was not well in the city of Margatroid. Her dreams squashed that outspoken voice, subjecting it to so much strangeness that it finally threw its hands in the air and stated that they were all weirdoes.

The ridiculousness of it all unnerved her. There Alice was in a field, taking part in a game of some kind. But she, along with everyone else on the field and in the audience, was staring in shock as Marisa prepped her Master Spark. Did she not realize that it was not needed for her to win, or did she just not care? Just what in Gensokyo was going on here?

Marisa's mini-hakkero released its power, striking not only its target but also Alice and several hapless kedama, blasting them away. The flash of light had made Alice squeeze her eyes shut, so she didn't see where the target went. But over the Spark's roar, she could hear Rinnousuke shout a single word:

"GOALLLLLL!"

Light became dark.

/-/-/-/-/

It entered the room through a puddle of darkness, desperate for escape. It was unnerved, seeking sustenance and a way to fight back... against what, it knew not. It had been violently transported to a land it did not recognize as its home, where the order of things was so... different.

It did not want any of this. It did not want someone to bring out its strengths, for it was already strong. It wanted to eat, to go home, to live in safety away from humans who would use its power for their own objectives. That was all.

Darkrai hovered over Alice's unconscious form, feasting on the immaterial energy that only a person's nightmares could provide.

It really should have been more aware of its surroundings.

/-/-/-/

A steel titan, painted blue and patterned with flames, raised its foot over the building. Drums were beaten, and guitars were strummed.

"No! No, wait, not my house- - -!"

Ignoring her cry, the titan stomped down on the house. Repeatedly. This was closely followed by repeated pummeling from a pair of metallic fists, and a high-intensity volley of energy beams. Almost unheard over the ruckus, someone cackled with glee.

Rooted to the ground and filled with despair, Alice missed the "DMV" sign- - -"Department of Magical Vehicles"- - -that was blown at her.

/-/-/-/

Shanghai didn't move, didn't visibly react to the threat... all the better to keep herself unknown to the enemy. It was impossible to tell with this doll what her nature was; when she wasn't being controlled by Alice, she never seemed to do anything.

But she had eyes. All the dolls had eyes, and they had ears. They were imbued with a spot of magic that made it easier for them to be manipulated, to be used for any purpose their controller deemed necessary... including surveillance. Because of this, nothing in the house escaped their notice. And what one saw, same with the rest.

Alice loved them, took good care of them all, and sought a way to give them true life. What she didn't know was that in their own way, they already were alive. Not in the sense that they could truly think or feel, but in the sense that their loyalty to their creator knew no limits. That was the seed, and one day it would sprout into something much greater... but for now, this would do.

They knew right away that their master, their mother, was in danger. They saw. They heard.

And they responded.

/-/-/

"Alice? Alice dear? Please wake up."

...Shinki? ...I'm back home...? Dear sweet mother of Makai, I've been gone too long...

"Alice?"

"I'm awake, I'm awake..."

Or so she said, but her eyelids felt really heavy. She strained to open them, grimacing.

"It's been a long time, Alice. My, you've certainly grown, and not just in appearance."

The smudges before her eyes slowly solidified; she recognized Shinki's general shape and appearance, blurry as they were. Alice hung her head, feeling disappointed in herself. "I've never succeeded, mother. In catching up to them..."

"I take it that's why you left in such a hurry?" Shinki sounded amused. "I had wondered where you had gone..."

"The four of them struck like lightning. I remember they hadn't taken your "tourism" idea well..."

"Well, yes. I suppose I should've asked first."

Alice stared down at the floor. "I wanted to get back at them in some way, so I unlocked the grimoire... but by the time I had expended all the energy it was willing to give me, they still stood triumphant." Her vision clouded up again. "I thought you would be angry with me for going so far, and I had difficulty living with myself for my failure... so I fled, keeping myself hidden from Reimu and the others when they returned to Gensokyo. I didn't feel I could face you again without feeling ashamed..."

Shinki sighed. "My little daughter, where did you get such ideas into your head? Why did you think that I would be upset with you for seeking to restore my honor? I might doubt your actions, but never your motivation." She knelt and took Alice into her arms. "No matter what you think, you will always have a place here. That has not changed, and it never will."

Alice never felt so thankful towards her mother figure in her entire life. She was willing to forgive her actions? To take her back into Makai, if she allowed it? She thought about what it would be worth, living under her wings again...

"And aside from that, you look kinda cute when you're cryin'."

Her eyes widened. That wasn't Shinki!

"...What? Did I say something wrong?"

Alice yanked herself free and scooted away, her vision clearing up fully, and for the first time she got a discernible look at the woman's face. The puppeteer was right: she might have been dressed like her, but this person wasn't Shinki. Her face reddened out of mortification and anger. "MARISA! What are you doing here?!"

Marisa grinned and tipped her hat. "Usurping your dream, Alice. What did you think I was doing?"

"ARRRRRGGGHHHHHHHHH!"

/-/-/

They had no auras for Darkrai to sense, no energies that it recognized. For all it knew, they shouldn't have been able to live, never mind flying. And yet they did.

The door to Alice's room slammed open, and a blistering barrage of danmaku billowed forth. Caught by surprise, there was no way for Darkrai to dodge them all; while some of the bullets kept it hemmed in, the rest struck home and exploded, smacking it into the wall. Each bullet had been weak individually, but together they distracted the Pokémon enough for it to reflexively dispel the Dark Void.

A dozen dolls in assorted dresses and costumes, armed with weapons ranging from lances to bows and arrows, flew into the room and formed a screen around and above their master. A tiny bit of smoke, which vanished as their hands stopped glowing, proved that they had been responsible for the bullet wave.

The sight of twelve faces locked in a permanent, unyielding stare would've unnerved the average human, but Darkrai wasn't bothered. Floating away from the wall, it darted around and made a variety of sharp turns so fast that it resembled little more than a black blur. The dolls' faces turned left and right, trying to keep track of it. It was to no avail as Darkrai flew in from their blind side, intending to sweep them away with a single Faint Attack...

Three fingers twitched.

A red energy shield, a triangle positioned in the center, manifested directly in Darkrai's path. Committed to its attack as it was, it was unable to change course; it struck the shield at full speed and rebounded off, flipping end over end and smashing into the magically-reinforced wall. The shield disappeared immediately thereafter.

"... ..."

Alice slowly stood, not saying a word as Darkrai freed itself from the wall again. Her body quivered with silent rage as she got her breathing under control. Her eyes, which had been blue before, had turned an eerie yellow. She pivoted a fraction, meeting Darkrai face to face. It was only when a Spell Card materialized in her left hand did she finally speak.

"I do not know who or what you are. Really, I can't bring myself to care. I never bothered you or otherwise antagonized you in any way, shape or form. And yet here you are, not only intruding on my home territory but striking when my guard was down. Normally I would not forgive you for your offenses, especially in light of your unwarranted attack on my subconscious. However, the hour is late and I am tired; I would like little more than to regain my strength without your interference. So I will give you the chance to leave this place. I suggest you take it and go, or else you will learn what it means to anger a youkai."

Darkrai was not intimidated by her words, or by the malevolent aura she was emitting (which, unbeknownst to the Pokémon, had caused every fairy within a one kilometer radius to pass out from an unexplained fear). It knew that it was capable of dealing with far worse than the dolls were churning out, and if pushed could come out on top in a fight. Yet it remained still, trying to determine whether it should stick around to do so or retreat. There was plenty of easier prey that it could find, and it did need to siphon energy somewhere if it was to live.

It didn't want to be here. If only it knew how it had gotten here... then it could've been able to do something about it! But no; here it was, stuck in a strange land where even inanimate objects could fight back. This was not what it bargained for. No, it would not stay here and garner any more of this odd girl's wrath.

There will be... another time.

Coldly furious, Darkrai sunk into the floor and disappeared; several dolls started to drift towards the door to find it, still operating on the instinctive command that made them attack the intruder to start with, but a motion from Alice's fingers made them remain. Less than half a minute later, a flash of lightning illuminated its shady form through the window as it fled deeper into the Forest.

/-/-/

Alice waited a while after her assailant passed beyond the range of her senses before doing anything. She wanted to make sure that it would not be returning, and it allowed her to ensure that her mental faculties were still at full strength.

Had this youkai, or whatever it was, just chosen poorly while out on the hunt? ...No. It was new to her personal territory to be sure, but she could both see the intelligence in its eyes and sense its power. Such a stupid mistake should never have been considered...

Unless it's one of those new breeds that the newspaper was talking about, and it is unfamiliar with Gensokyo's own little rogues gallery. The average resident is not one to be underestimated, and if it was locked into a Spell Card duel without any Cards against someone of Keine's level or higher, victory would not come easy. The moon people especially would have a field day with this one.

Her eyes returned to their normal blue color, and she dispelled her Spell Card. Still, I have the feeling that I'm missing something important... something terribly, terribly important- - -...

"Nghh!"

The muscles in her legs gave way. Alice fell on her knees, struggled back upright but then collapsed back-first against the side of her bed, the rush of adrenalin from her anger dissipating. "...It was draining my energy while I was asleep... of course I'm going to feel fatigued," she grumbled. She looked up at the squad of dolls that were floating nearby, now that she'd managed to get some strings connected to them, and smiled. "I wish I could make it up to you somehow... you might have just saved my life a minute ago."

Her pleased look shifted into confusion as she turned to stare at Shanghai, and from there into a sort-of panic. "What... wait... you said 'Dogpile on the dollmaker'?! What does that- - -AAH!"

The collection of dolls dropped their weapons on the floor and dived at Alice, pressing her into the side of the bed. Her feigned fear gave way to merriment. "So, that's how you want to play?" Struggling a bit, she was able to loosen one of the dolls' grip on her, only to immediately return the embrace she'd just experienced. "The youkai of hugs has invaded! Counterattack, my little legion!" she ordered, sure of the knowledge that this wouldn't be reaching the public's ears.

There was a time for anger and worry in every day, but she had already experienced those; now was a time for joy and amusement. She always regretted her loss to Reimu and the others at Makai, but her hobby, her creations, her way of life were jewels to be treasured. By the time she finally gave in to exhaustion, a dozen lifeless dolls all but smothering her under their weight, the surrealism of her prior nightmares had been forgotten...

And unseen by Alice, Shanghai's expression shifted into something contented for a few seconds before reverting back to its standard neutrality.

-GAP-

It had been two days since Yukari had left the Laydens behind. Two days of hours-long traveling, scenic views, bonding with Midori, and heavy sleeping. Her progress was slow and steady as she headed straight south, and she repeatedly cursed at whoever it was that had created that map of Hoenn. The region was a lot bigger than they had made it out to be; she'd expected to be at Mauville City by now. She would've just flown there, but she didn't want to divulge that ability to anyone who might be watching.

Following their mid-day meal yesterday, Yukari had tested Midori to see exactly where her strengths were. Her experience in battle didn't match her age, sadly, as the former Vulpix had no motivation to train herself at all while the overseer was gone. She doubted that it was due to any lack of effort on Kevin's part; the fox Pokémon just never felt comfortable taking orders from anyone else. She estimated that its level was in the upper 20s, which left plenty of room for improvement.

Since its training was incomplete, it still needed to learn the Energy Ball technique. One thing Yukari had learned during her first stay was that the rock-paper-scissors system was in full force here; if Midori was exposed to large amounts of water or intensive earth-related strikes, she would be in serious danger. She didn't know why a technique that embodied nature could be taught to a fire breather, but if it worked out it would go a long way towards evening the odds.

Most Pokémon had enough brainpower to retain up to four techniques successfully. It was uncommon, although not rare, for a Pokémon to possess five or more; but most of the time, if they were taught an extra technique they risked forgetting one that they already knew. The exact criteria needed to unlock the "extra storage" had stymied researchers and professors for decades. Once Energy Ball was mastered, Yukari would have to choose which of Midori's attacks that she wanted to get rid of.

First, there was the high-intensity Heat Wave technique, roughly equal in strength to Flamethrower, if not stronger. It was Midori's most effective move, and the only one she had that did direct damage. No way was Yukari going to ditch that.

There was Roar. Yukari had heard Vulpix use this 'attack' once before, and it sounded more like a loud squeal (which somehow managed to scare away Pokémon of its size). It was possible that the pitch and tone had improved upon her evolution, but she had yet to judge for herself.

Third was Will O Wisp, the technique that Yukari had bad memories of. Being able to cause instant burns was nice, but the real question would be whether Midori would be willing to use it again in light of how much she regretted that incident.

Fourth and last was Double Team. Personally Yukari thought it was fitting for Midori to have that technique; unlike Ran and Chen, the Ninetales couldn't flummox a foe by flipping around the battlefield, so perhaps illusions would suffice. Time would tell if it could be used to its maximum effectiveness.

So much planning and so little time, Yukari thought as she walked. I've gotten too used to having my powers at my beck and call. Tactics are my forte, and I'll need to rely on them heavily here. This will be good for me on some level, of that much I'm sure.

That being said... Her face scrunched up in annoyance. How much farther until I reach that blasted city? Walking around like this is too much work!

"Hey. You're a trainer, right?"

Yukari paused to regard a rock off to her left. A dark-haired, lightly tanned teenage girl dressed for summer sat there, her clothes mostly purple and black; she had an odd scent that only someone with Yukari's enhanced senses could've detected. What was distinctive about her were the flame-patterned, fingerless gloves she wore and the red-white ribbon positioned in the center of her head.

A very familiar red-white ribbon.

The youkai shook her head and answered the girl. "I'm not registered, nor am I interested in a battle at this time."

The teenager smirked. "Good, because I'm not looking for one."

Yukari's 'Indignance' button wasn't that easy to push. "So... why ask me?"

A smirk no more. "I'm just wondering if you might've seen a Blaziken anywhere around here."

"No, I haven't."

The girl snarled something under her breath that couldn't have been polite. "Blast it... first one, and now another... what is wrong with this world all of a sudden?"

What is wrong with...? "Mind explaining to a tourist what you are talking about?" Yukari inquired, left eyebrow arched.

The girl grimaced, but nodded. "Got a call from a good friend in Rustboro three days ago, telling me that her Delcatty's gone missing. I dismissed it as just cats being cats... they have their habits and all that. Then not one hour after I got the call, my partner Blaziken vanished while my back was turned."

"Vanished?"

"Yeah. We've been training together since I started my journey, and far as I know I've never done anything to offend him." The girl waved her hands about in frustration. "It's like... I dunno, like he disappeared by magic or something."

Yukari remained visibly neutral, but internally she was interested. As if he were spirited away... hmmm... But is boundary manipulation the root cause of this, or is it something else? It can't possibly be this clear-cut. "Now that's highly improbable. Who believes in magic in this day and age?"

"That's what I'm thinking, so I've been wandering this entire route looking for clues." The girl shrugged. "Haven't found anything yet, but I'm going to keep at it until my supplies start running low."

"On that note," Yukari asked, "just how far is it to Mauville City?"

"About six miles as the Murkrow flies," was the trainer's response, her eyes assessing everything there was to see. "Heh... you look like you have a soft and cushy job somewhere. Who are you?"

"Yukari Yakumo. And now you're just being rude."

"Eh ... Call me Zanthia. Or Zappy; everyone else does. Where are you headed?"

"Littleroot, then Rustboro. I heard that they have a good library."

"They do, at that... although the librarian's been looking like a zombie as of late."

"..."

Zanthia shrugged at Yukari's silence, mistaking it for disbelief. "You'll see for yourself when you get there. Anything else?"

Yukari smiled. "Remember, you're the one who started all this, not me. If you hadn't stopped me, I'd still be making good time on my trip."

"Yeah, listen to the parasol lady," an accented voice taunted from behind Zanthia, making her eyes dilate. "You'll be less confused that way... not like that's ever stopped you."

Zanthia somersaulted onto the path and whirled around to face the newcomer, who was standing just a foot away from the rock. Yukari inhaled sharply: the figure had red hair tipped with white, and had traveling clothes similar to her own, but her senses were screaming at her that she knew who this person was. There was no way her beauty could be anything but unearthly.

"You! Don't you dare sneak up on me like that!" Zanthia bit out, fury radiating off of her in waves. She obviously didn't care about how good-looking this person was. "Do you have no concept of personal space?!"

"Look, we know how this is going to end," the older woman said, yawning. "I taunt you, you make accusations, and we work each other up to a Pokémon battle. Let's eliminate the middleman and get down to business, alright, Zappy?"

"Gladly!" Zanthia grabbed a Poké Ball from her belt and triggered it, jettisoning a Hariyama. "You've got a lot to answer for, Serena!"

"Me and everyone else in the world." 'Serena' let out her own Pokémon, this one an obvious water-type but of a species that was unfamiliar to Yukari. "Everything with you is 'grudge grudge grudge grudge'. My ancestors and yours are dead, so just get over it already!"

Yukari noted that both of the Pokémon weren't terribly enthusiastic about battling when they saw who they were up against. She could easily picture them saying 'well, here we go again'. "Far be it from me to meddle in the affairs of strangers." She turned and walked away; knowing they couldn't see it, she grinned broadly. "Thanks for your help, Miss Zanthia."

"Yeah, whatever. Hariyama, Cross Chop!"

"Harrriiii..."

"Empoleon, Drill Peck!"

"Emmmp..."

"-YAMA!"

"-POLEON!"

...

As she left the combat behind, Yukari's mind was at work. Even without her dream a decade and a half prior, she had always been a firm believer in the concept of a multiverse and alternate dimensions. Many people in one world had their counterparts in another; she personally knew of at least one reality where she lost all ability to reason when faced with a defeat, and shunned her other self for it. Around the time Tenshi was acting up, she had a brief encounter with a "mirror image" of herself that possessed a different color scheme but fought the same way.

Zanthia didn't have all of the qualities, to be sure. She was a bit more talkative, took an active interest in what Yukari was up to, and showed elements of... well, being a jerk. But by connecting the dots, the youkai could tell that she had a close association with fire-types. There was her reaction when that other woman appeared, and the violent animosity that would've led to a brawl in any other era. Of course, there was also the ribbon.

And Yukari had finally determined what that strange scent was that had been lingering around Zanthia: the scent of agelessness, of something long-lasting. The same scent, she belatedly realized, that was on the woman she was battling.

Even across dimensions, lives and names, your eternal grudge lives on... Fujiwara no Mokou.

-GAP-

True to Zanthia's word, Mauville City was six miles away. This took Yukari close to three and a half hours to traverse, maintaining a slow pace and stopping to rest halfway there. By the time she reached the city limits, the sun had sunk to just above the horizon.

Upon entering she wandered around a bit, venturing into the brighter areas of the city and taking in the sights before proceeding to track down the Pokémon Center. Give Midori a checkup, then sleep, sleep, sleep. There has to be a faster way to get this done!

"Hey, lady. This part of town is the Violet Vigoroths' territory. Pay the fee, for it ain't free."

Preoccupied with her thoughts, Yukari ignored the leather-dressed carnival rejects and kept walking. I never thought I'd regret the day that I openly mocked the first bicycles. If I knew that they were going to be this widespread, I would've bought one for myself and never used it.

Footsteps pounded the ground behind her. "Lady! Are you listening?! Get back here!" "Linoone, Swalot, after her!"

Depending on the bicycle, I could look rather classy while riding one, but the terrain in Gensokyo would not allow it. Maybe I could buy one as a souvenir, learn the basics, and teach Chen how to ride it. Yukari's hand moved to the back of her head to scratch it; meeting resistance, she applied extra strength in return to deal with that annoying itch. I could ask the kappa to modify it, make it strong enough to run over an oni in the middle of the road...

"Linoone! No! How did she- - -?!" "Forget Linoone; look what she did to Swalot! Ninjask, stop her, now!"

Make the bike's horn sound like a saxophone... Yukari scowled as a housefly buzzed around her head. "For autumn, the bugs are certainly out in force," she complained. "Hold still, you little devil..." Her hand blurred, swatting the fly into a streetlight. Pleased, she resumed walking. There we go... now then, where was I... oh, right; transforming the bike into a one-vehicle orchestra...

"GAHH! Why, that woman...! Vigoroths, go!"

I wonder if I should get one for Ran, too... ...no, she'd probably get her tails caught in the spokes. As entertaining it would be to watch her get them untangled, it's better to err on the side of caution... hmmm? Yukari stooped down, picking something up from the ground. A rush of air tickled the back of her neck. It's getting colder already, huh... so, what is this? She stood up, not feeling whatever it was that touched the back of her head, and frowned. What sort of person just leaves a perfectly usable Super Potion sitting in the middle of the road?

"Vigoroths, Slash Attack, both of you!"

And just when I was thinking no one littered around here, too... Yawning, Yukari stretched her arms and rotated them in a circle. Hearing a pair of impacts, she checked her possessions to make sure she hadn't dropped anything. Hmm... everything seems to be in order... well, no sense dilly-dallying. Midori can't wait any longer. Picking up the pace a little, she hurried on down the street; the Pokémon Center was only a few blocks away.

-GAP-

The band of teenagers gaped at the street in shock. Their Linoone? Slapped aside, taking Swalot with it and getting the poisonous Pokémon stuck halfway down a storm drain. Their Ninjask? Viewed as a pest, and dealt with accordingly. The Vigoroths for which they were named? Taken out with blows to the head and chin. Their Pokémon had scarcely even touched her.

"What...?! That lady...!" cried one of the gang members, his orange hair frazzled. "She did all that without even using her Pokémon!"

"That just ain't right," another boy agreed. This kid could be identified by both the Mightyena tattoo on his left arm and his shaved head. "Think we should tell the boss?"

"We can't do that! She's going to have our jackets when she finds out that we let an unarmed woman curbstomp us!" A third child protested, hands vanishing inside his oversized sleeves.

"Well, we have to do something!"

"Now, hold up just a moment." Vigoroth Number Four, their youngest (and smallest), stopped it from escalating into a shouting match. Her unkempt reddish-pink hair hid most of her face from view. "She's uber-strong without her Pokémon, right? If she sicced it on us, wouldn't we have been bullying a Salamence or somethin'?"

"You spend way too much time on the computer, Merril," the first teen complained.

"And you haven't spent enough, man."

"Would you guys stop arguing and help me get Swalot out of the storm drain?!" the fifth and final kid, the 'brute' of the group, complained as he struggled to pull out his Pokémon.

"Just return it to its Poké Ball so we can go home," Merril muttered. "Sheesh."

A sweatdrop. "Oh... right. Forgot about that."

/-/-/-/

We leave our protagonists and their associates behind for the moment to take a look at how the Human Village is faring.

Pokémon- - -the villagers knew them as 'those strange beasts'- - -were becoming increasingly common sights. A small tannish creature armed with a heavy wooden block had assisted a young man with a shed he was building. A flock of small brown birds, their species unrecognizable, roosted quietly in some trees near Keine's school and occasionally pecked at stray bits of food; they remained for only a day before taking wing towards parts unknown. An elderly fishermen told of a sizable red carp that he had caught, useless even for eating. Several fairies were pestering a couple that lived at the outskirts of the village, only to be chased away by a fire-breathing orange puppy. There was much speculation as to who and what they were, why no one had seen them before, and why few of their objectives coincided (speculation that was fueled by Aya's last issue of the Bunbunmaru). On the whole it seemed they didn't mean any serious harm, but one could never be too careful.

Reimu, having just met Blastoise, knew that they were all connected somehow. She'd had meetings with Keine and later Akyuu, telling them what Ran had informed her of and divulging some information on how they chose to fight. After the shrine maiden left, Akyuu had consulted a few people she knew and decided to see these creatures first-hand; a new race of beings meant more material for the Chronicles.

She would need protection, she knew. There were still plenty of youkai and fairies that would try to attack her if she went alone, including a few that she'd written about already. To that end, she handpicked three people to protect her when the time came to start the information hunt. She would've liked to have Reimu or Keine with her, but there was little time to waste and the latter was busy with her lessons anyway.

/-/

The first man was a descendant of an English-German tradesman who had been caught within Gensokyo's borders at the time the Great Hakurei Barrier had first been raised. Said descendant had changed his family name at his marriage, all the better to describe his unhappy mood. Despite running a successful second-hand store, few in the Human Village thought much of him as a person. His actions were unpredictable, his way of life unfathomable; rumor had it that he'd been responsible for getting Gensokyo's dumbest fairy a job at the dreaded Scarlet Devil Mansion. His painted-on mustache, large eyebrows and thick glasses-the latter because he believed his eyesight was going, although in truth Mystia Lorelei's singing had been responsible for it-made him easily recognizable.

Leonard wasn't a respectful man by nature, but after some discussion he finally agreed to Akyuu's request. "Hunting is more treble than its worth, so I might as well catch me some loud-mouthed bass," he'd said. "But if the notes get too high, I'm leaving my signature behind. Now get allegro and get out of my shop. You're blocking my view of the door."

Akyuu had nodded and left promptly, pretending that she'd understood him perfectly.

/-/

The second man was a born Outsider, a con artist who had dropped out of high school. Because he fit all of Yukari's criteria and was considered easily forgettable, she had no qualms with dropping him into Gensokyo. By some miracle he made it to civilization without being discovered by anyone (Rumia would've spotted him, but she was busy crashing into foliage). As the years passed he finally found his calling as a fisherman, although he still occasionally tried to con people to earn some quick yen. He knew the basics of Spell Card battles, what few attack patterns he had being based on fishing as a whole. He was incapable of flight, however, and his special ability lent itself better to piano playing than to combat.

"Ah, the young lady's out to catch one of them beasties, huh?" Martin answered when Akyuu went to recruit him. "Alright, I protect you. If trouble strikes, you'll find me behind a rock."

Akyuu was already beginning to wonder about her choice of protectors.

/-/

The third and final individual, a half-Japanese man with curly red hair, was a former circus performer who had ventured into Gensokyo purely by accident. Showing some talent with throwing weaponry, he was immediately recruited as a watchman; he later learned enough about magic to fly, and even had several Spell Cards revolving around assorted circus tricks. He often seemed more interested in entertainment than fighting, due more to the somewhat improved relationship between humans and youkai than anything else. He always carried a pair of clippers in his pocket and had a varied collection of hair accessories, although no one as yet had made the connection between those traits and Reimu's wariness of him.

Pie smiled toothily and nodded when Akyuu requested his presence. Pleased that nothing seemed out of the ordinary with his acceptance, Akyuu turned to walk away- - -and discovered that he had managed to slip his leg into her arms while she'd been speaking.

/-/

They didn't have long to wait for the next sighting. The day after Pie was chosen for the team, another watchman reported that a fiery maned horse had been witnessed galloping around outside the village proper. A farmer expressed an interest in taming the horse, which added extra incentive for the unlikely foursome to capture it. The group- - -in various states of eagerness and quiet dread- - -met up at the entrance, as ready as they would ever be.

Leonard came prepared, carrying a sack full of equipment (which he immediately coerced Pie into carrying). "You need everything you can find to catch a horse," he claimed. "Why, in another reality I was a horse doctor. Whenever I caught a horse, my pharmacist would lie about the medicine."

"Oh, you just got a bad one," Martin told him, shouldering a fishing rod and carrying a box of assorted lures. How they'd be useful in catching a horse, Akyuu would never know. "You should've thrown it back."

"Which one, the horse or the pharmacist?"

"Whichever came with the stable. Now what's this about a farmer's sister?"

"Well, assistance made her life a gas. You should try it sometime."

"Maybe later. I could use a beer."

"A drink at this hour?"

"Sure. If I get assistance now, I'd never pay them back. Better if I gave them assistance, for their sake," Martin said, mispronouncing the drink as a one-syllable word.

Leonard looked offended at this. "Assistance from you would be more than they could stomach, you pain in the neck. Now come on. We've got a cold horse to treat."

/-/-/

"Was any of that in Japanese at all?" Akyuu asked as they walked, feeling left out of the loop. "I didn't understand a thing you two were saying."

"You need a grapple to overcome the language barrier, little girl, and I doubt they sell them in your size," Leonard answered bluntly, mentally running over some ways to catch the fire horse. Ingenuity would be the key here, he knew.

Pie reached into his coat, pulled out a large apple, and offered it to Leonard. The shopkeeper pushed it aside. "Not an apple. A grapple. Don't you know what a grapple is?"

Pie smiled in understanding, put the apple away, and pulled out a bunch of grapes instead.

Leonard shook his head. "Remember, Akyuu: never send a clown to do a man's job. And never send a man to do a clown's job. If more men were like clowns and more clowns were like men, life and comedy would be serious businesses."

One by one, the group stopped in the middle of the grassy plains bordering the village. Half a kilometer away were the dirt paths that led through the forest, and they didn't want to pass through there if they could avoid it. "So what you're saying is that the job requires a woman?" Akyuu inquired.

"No. If women were clowns, the population in the village would be lower. The local youkai wouldn't need any help, and that's if they didn't die laughing first. Send the schoolteacher at them, and they'd learn awful quick."

Akyuu recognized most of that statement as an insult. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it when she remembered who she was dealing with. This wasn't the average human male. While no one was quite as rude as he was, she knew who the second-best had gotten it from. I will not take the bait he is offering.

"Hey, now. That'sa no good. Leave Achoo-san alone," Martin protested, not seeing the fiery horse walk up to Pie and eat the grapes out of his hand. "She's not bothering you. Why bother her?"

"Akyuu," the girl corrected.

"Excuse you."

"To have the right stuff, the pen must be mightier than the sword," Leonard declared. "But if you need a sword to write stuff, you've got other problems. I'd say that she looks like my dear wife, but that would be an insult to my wife. It's bad enough that our child left us."

Akyuu frowned. "You're confusing me. Should I take that as a compliment? ...And again, how much of that was in Japanese?"

"About as much as the horse is."

By the time Pie bothered to check his hand, a third of the grapes had been taken; he did a double-take, looking around for the culprit, but whoever it was had disappeared. He whistled, pointing out the grapes.

Martin shook his head. "That's too much of the sour stuff. Where'sa the horse?"

"Good question..." Akyuu pondered. "You'd think something giving off a lot of heat would be easy to find..."

"Maybe it don't like the cold weather?" Martin suggested. "Or maybe..." He smiled. "It's shy? That has to be it. You think it's shy?"

"A shy horse will brain you with its hooves just as easily as a nasty one will, and with you no one could tell the difference," said Leonard, rejecting that notion. "I say that it just plain doesn't like people."

Akyuu's eyes turned towards Pie and the fruit that he was still hanging on to. Unless someone like, say, a fairy or tanuki was joking with them, the food wouldn't disappear on its own. While Leonard occupied himself with rooting through the equipment sack, searching for a chain snare, the writer paid close attention to the trio's silent entertainer.

This time, she noticed the horse calmly and quietly sneaking up to Pie. Amused, she watched as it filched a few more grapes from him. "Pie-san, may I try a few of those?" Akyuu asked. "Those look tasty. What are those?"

Pie beamed pleasantly at her and started to hand them over... and recoiled when the horse poked its head in, not yet finished with its thievery. That got the others' attention awful quick. "There it is. Catch it!" Martin shouted, dropping his fishing supplies and making a dive for the horse.

Said horse would have none of it. Neighing, it took a few steps back and permitted Martin to catch a dirt nap instead. The horse snorted, pleased, then turned and galloped away.

Martin pushed himself up, brushing dirt off his face and clothes, but Leonard spoke up before he could complain. "'Shy', eh? Looks like it took a hankering to Pie's fruit, chief."

The lights in Akyuu's head flickered on. "You three, do you mind if I take a shot at capturing it?" she inquired sweetly.

"How are you gonna do that, Achoo-san?" Martin asked, wondering what she was thinking as he picked up his equipment.

"Akyuu."

"Excuse you."

Leonard shook his head. "That joke wasn't funny the first time, and it sure wasn't funny the second. Let the girl explain."

Akyuu sighed. "Thank you. Now, then... Pie, how much fruit do you have with you?"

Pie searched his coat pockets, producing a bag of cherries. Further searching was rewarded with some strawberries, more cherries, five or so peaches... and when a watermelon- - -neatly divided into four sections- - -were brought out, Akyuu boggled at the sight of it all. "That's... that's more than enough," she murmured, awed. "...You really are a clown." And the favored fruit of the Celestials to boot?

"Nah, it's nothing. His coat just has really big pockets," said Martin, laughing softly.

"Yes... but an entire watermelon?"

"Charting Pie leads to headaches," Leonard warned. "Trust me. So what's the plan, Hieda?"

"Gather around." Akyuu gestured at them to do so. "It's like this..."

/-/-/-/

Rapidash found the four humans to be entertaining overall. As it watched and listened from afar they would bicker and joke with each other, laughing and doing odd things. There was a certain sense of fellowship amongst them that it could sense; perhaps they or someone like them would be willing to accept the Pokémon. They didn't look like the type of humans who would do it harm (they really needed to learn the proper way to catch it, though).

Finally the strangely-dressed man pulled out a collection of fruit, and Rapidash's mouth watered a little. After some discussion three of the humans backed off, leaving the girl holding part of what resembled an all-green Watmel Berry. The human nibbled at the fruit, making happy little noises as she ate and taking care not to eat any of the seeds.

Thinking that the girl was harmless Rapidash walked across the plains towards her, snorting and muttering as it went. It stopped a meter away, judging the girl's reaction; she was sweating a little, perhaps from being in the presence of the Pokémon's majesty, but to her credit she didn't try to run away.

The human looked up to meet Rapidash's stare, her smile brave but meek. "Excuse me," she asked it, holding out the sort-of Watmel Berry, "but would you like something to eat? You seem hungry."

Rapidash had a good idea of what the girl was planning. No Pokémon of her own? I see... she's trying to lull me into a false sense of security by offering me food. Clever tactic... it's just like what visitors would do back home to try and catch my kind.

I've had my fun, and she's not being too deceptive. I'll play her game for now. If any of them double-cross me, or if I tire of them, I can always run away.

/-/-/

Akyuu's smile widened when the horse came closer to her and took a few bites from the offered watermelon slice. She reached up with her free hand and tentatively patted the creature's muzzle. "There we go," she intoned. "That should hit the spot."

Now that the horse was right in front of her, Akyuu noticed something out of the ordinary. The beast's mane and tail flickered and burned, and she should have felt uncomfortable merely by standing near it; but there was no extreme sensation of heat or incineration. I have to wonder... it was able to sneak up on us without any of noticing... so is it able to reduce the temperature of its flames somehow? Can it alter its properties in some way to make the fires... burn less? Make them harmless to touch?

I don't understand, but protesting will not get me anywhere. I'll have to decide where to go from here, and quickly. I only have so much time to work with.

Most of the watermelon slice was gone. Still smiling and acting jovial on the whole, Akyuu began her walk back to the village gates while continuing to offer the horse food. The beast followed alongside, taking occasional bites of fruit, and before too long they had reached Gensokyo's center of civilization.

/-/-/

"How do you like that," Leonard groused as the trio followed from a safe distance. "I go to all the trouble of packing traps and survival equipment, and this happens. I should have packed me a pretty girl instead."

"Which reminds me. Where's your daughter?" Martin asked bluntly. "I haven't seen her here in a long time."

"I said a pretty girl," was Leonard's rebuttal. "I told her that if she ends her life with warts and green skin, it's on her head. And the rest of her, too. She's not marrying anyone looking like that, even if I decided to carry magic trinkets at the store. That was a load off my back."

Pie made a face, disgusted, and Martin had to agree. "That ugly, huh?"

"Like the inside of a pig's nostril, but more contagious."

"That's ridiculous. You've seen the inside of a pig's nose?"

"Yes, but I had to quit if I wanted to save my bacon. Everyone thought I was chewing the scenery, when I was never hamming things up at all."

"You were accused of hogging the spotlight?"

"You catch on quick, Martin."

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Darkrai's moveset: Dream Eater, Dark Void, Faint Attack, Nightmare

Approximate level: 85

Alice's Notes: To humans, youkai are nightmarish creatures. Even I, one who associates with humans of my own free will, can be frightening if sufficiently angered. But as the expression goes, there's always a bigger fish... I confess, seeing my assailant for the first time scared me on some level. Which makes me wonder: as the dark monster fled, I could feel its fear and anger... not at me for ordering it out, but at something else. Eirin Yagokoro suggested that maybe it attacked my subconscious out of self-defense, but what could've scared such a force enough to do so? And do I dare to seek the answer to that question?

/-/-/-/

Rapidash's moveset: Agility, Flame Wheel, Fury Attack, Bounce

Approximate level: 45

Akyuu's Notes: Thanks to Marisa's ghost familiar, we now have a name for the horse. We also know that "Rapidash" has been looking for a worthy human to lead it for some time now, which its new owner undoubtedly fits; but we are still in the dark as to how to develop its abilities... but speaking of, the farmer delivered a bagful of unknown items to me while I was meeting with someone. Could they be clues, perhaps? A request for Kourindou's owner to come here might be in order.