Olivine City
A month had passed since the assassin Nichelle had attempted to kill Lucario. In that month absolutely nothing bad had happened, a particularly frightening fact for a number of reasons. Lucario enjoyed the sudden respite from the violence, but at the same time figured that he and his friends were in a calm before the storm situation. He had too many enemies at this point in time to warrant so much downtime. Miyagi had been off the map ever since his attack on the Cherry Grove City police precinct. N and Team Plasma were nowhere to be found. He hadn't heard anything more of Team Rocket since the incident at Goldenrod City when they had faced off against Daylan.
Over the past month he had spent a couple of days recuperating from using so much aura during his fight with Nichelle. He had then started to get used to his old role as a helper at Tsubaki's. He and Lopunny started to help Tsubaki in the kitchen as well they could. It had allowed Lucario and Lopunny a lot of time to hang out with each other. They had made a joint decision not to bond yet. They didn't want to have to raise kids if there were so many people trying to kill them. They trusted each other not to run off with anyone else.
They sat together on the beautiful Olivine City beach in the scorching heat, staring out at the perfectly blue ocean. Wingull and Pelipper's flew about over the waters, swooping down and coming up with fish wriggling in their beaks. The water lapped gently against their feet, never going any further than their ankles. It was a perfect day.
"The beach really is nice." Lopunny said from Lucario's shoulder, her favorite pillow. "I never imagined it would be this beautiful."
"Yeah, that mind vacation we took doesn't do this place justice." Lucario said, resting his head on Lopunny's. Off in the distance he could hear Devon, Tsubaki, Sean, and Amy all playing around. They had put up umbrella's, set down towels, and set up beach chairs. They let Lucario and Lopunny have their privacy. Devon had attempted to intrude once, but Tsubaki stopped him. She understood Lucario better than anyone else. She knew that giving him privacy when he was with Lopunny was one of the few things he asked for. She had no idea what they said to each other, but it must have been nice things because they clung to each other so tightly all the time, it was almost like they were connected. Amy had been taking a lot of pictures of the two the whole trip, setting them as her cellphone background and wiggling around. Tsubaki didn't blame her. They were ridiculously adorable.
She looked over at the two from her beach chair and smiled. It was so nice to see Lucario in a peaceful state of mind, not being made to think about fighting, just enjoying himself. That was why she decided to go on this vacation, both to celebrate his return and to give him and Lopunny some quiet time together away from home.
Lucario stroked Lopunny's ear gently, closing his eyes. "I love you."
She nudged him gently with her head and pushed as close as she could to him, squeezing him in the process. "I love you too Luc."
They kissed passionately. Tsubaki couldn't help but be happy for Lucario's happiness. After everything he had gone through, he deserved this. He deserved to be able to try to attain something he hadn't been able to through all the battles, all the violence.
Happiness.
Tsubaki looked in front of her, watching Sean and Amy splash around like little kids in a swimming pool. Devon chuckled and sat down on the sand beside Tsubaki.
"It's a beautiful thing isn't it? Love?" He held Bellossom in his hands and patted her head. "It's so beautiful it makes me bloody sick." He stuck out his tongue and pretended to gag.
"Well, at least they're not killing each other."
Devon snorted. "Yeah, they're not married yet. That's when the bullets start to fly."
"You sound like you have some knowledge about that." Tsubaki said.
"No, I just watch a lot of telly."
Tsubaki nodded. "So what do you do beside the resistance? Do you have a real job?"
He nodded. "I work at a flower shop. I'm the flower expert." He opened the cooler beside him and pulled out a water bottle. He twisted the cap off and took a swig, then poured a little into the cap, offering it to Bellossom. She guzzled it down and he refilled it.
"Is it in Cherry Grove?" Tsubaki asked.
"No. It's on Route 29 heading to New Bark Town. It's not a huge business because trainers are too daft to understand the intrinsic beauty of flowers, but we get enough money to keep going. "
"What do you like about flowers?"
"They don't smell repulsive. They look good sitting anywhere. There's a flower for any occasion." Devon smirked. "Are you yanking my chain mate? Want to make fun of me?"
"No. I like flowers too. I just think you're a bit strange. You're not like normal guys."
"Hey doll, let's not throw the word normal around. I don't think any of us are what you'd consider normal." He tightened his embrace on Bellossom. "Except for you my little flower. Never shall you wilt the love in my heart."
Tsubaki rolled her eyes.
Sean stood in the bathroom, shaving the stubble off his chin. He wore a plain white shirt and boxer shorts. Amy crept toward him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as he threw off the excess shaving cream from his razor. He yawned and turned to kiss her cheek.
"You ready for this big, fancy dinner?" He asked, grabbing a towel and wiping his face off.
"I can't wait to have steak and wine and all that fancy people stuff. I've never actually been to a fancy restaurant." Sean turned to her, noticing quite acutely how naked she was. He gave her a dazed and confused look.
"I'm going to take a shower." She answered his unspoken questions. He nodded. "Don't be so embarrassed. I'm your girlfriend. Does it matter?"
He shook his head. "I've just never shared a bathroom with a naked chick."
She got into the shower. "I can tell." She laughed a little. "It's the first time I've shared a bathroom with a guy. Let alone one in Psyduck underwear."
He looked down at his boxers and back at the shower. "I like them!"
Sean adjusted his tie in the mirror next to the single bed in his room. He looked out the window, down at the attractive people in the moonlit swimming pool of the resort, then further to the quiet beach. He walked to the door that led into the main hall, deciding he wanted some fresh air while Amy took a shower. The moment he opened it he saw a couple of people standing in front of Tsubaki's door. He entered the hall and tapped one of them on the shoulder, looking at what they were doing. One of the men held a pistol against the doorknob.
The men turned to Sean and the one with the pistol lifted it toward his head.
Sean had no idea how he was able to do what he was about to do.
The pistol was barely at his chest when he grabbed it by the barrel with his left hand and karate chopped his right hand against the wielder's wrist. His grip on the weapon weakened and Sean pulled it from his hand, keeping his hand around the barrel as he pistol-whipped the man across the forehead, cracking his skull with a resounding thunk of impact. The gunman crumpled to the floor and Sean turned to his friend who sent his fist against Sean's cheek. Sean backed away, the ring on the man's index finger leaving a deep imprint in his cheek.
The man stuck his foot behind Sean's ankle and pushed his foot upward, throwing Sean onto his back. The pistol fell from his grip and the man went for it.
Sean rolled toward it and, when he was close enough to the assailant, swept his feet out from under him in a kind of eye for an eye gesture. The man somehow turned in midair and landed on his hands as if he were performing a push up. He wrapped his hand around the pistol just as Sean rolled under his push up position. The man's stomach was an inch from Sean's chest as he reached to the man's armpit and started to tickle it.
The assailant couldn't help but laugh and the pistol left his grip.
Sean's hands pushed against his stomach and threw him away. He scampered to the pistol and pointed it at the assailant's right shoulder, taking the shot.
Sean sat against the wall next to his room and watched the writhing man, his shoulder a bloody, gory mess. He threw the pistol away and started to breath heavily. He didn't know how he was able to do something like that. He had never been trained to fight, and yet he had fought like he knew martial arts or something of the like.
The door across the hall from him opened and Tsubaki looked out at the two men and then Sean sitting there with a glazed over expression in his eyes.
"What happened?" She asked, running to him.
"They tried to break into your room. I stopped them. Holy crap, I don't know how I did what I just did."
Tsubaki looked at the two men laying in the hall. "Who are they?"
"I don't know. Didn't have any time to ask." Sean watched Tsubaki grab the pistol he had thrown away and turn the man he had shot in the shoulder over. She knelt on him, one knee on his chest, her other foot on the floor, close to his shoulder. She pressed the pistol against his forehead and gave him a moment to relieve himself in his pants.
"Let's start easy. What's your name?"
He looked to be debating with himself whether to answer her or not but gave in when she pushed the pistol against his forehead hard enough to push the back of his head against the floor.
"My name's Geoff!"
"Good Geoff. I'm Tsubaki. Though I think you know that since you tried to break into my room."
He nodded his head.
"Why were you breaking into my room?"
"It was orders!"
"Orders from who?" The barrel of the pistol was probably going to leave a permanent scar on his forehead if she pressed any harder.
"Team Rocket!" He exclaimed.
"That's bullshit. You aren't carrying any Pokemon. All members of Team Rocket carry Pokemon at all times." Tsubaki touched her foot lightly against his blown shoulder. The man screamed.
"You're wanted! You and the Lucario!" The man cried.
"By who?" Tsubaki looked up and saw Lucario standing in the doorway to his, her, and Lopunny's room, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed.
"You know what's been happening in Sinnoh, right?" He asked.
"Sillindra's been kicked out of office and put in prison."
"That's what they want you to think. She signed a paper before she left. The Sinnoh-Kanto Compact. It was a government secret for the past month or so, but now we're acting upon it."
"What is this compact?"
"We've aligned ourselves in the war."
"What war?"
"We have proof that Johto's government is working with a terrorist and is expected to attack us at any moment. "
Lucario shifted uneasily. "So Sillindra set up for war?"
"Unova and Johto are working together to engage in a coup against the Kanto and Sinnoh governments. We were sent into Johto to take out high profile targets as well as kidnap a few and take them to Sinnoh. It's going to be war. Kanto is already moving in on Unova with the intention to take their government and Sinnoh is going to take the slow and steady approach. When Johto moves their army to Unova to help fight off Kanto, Sinnoh moves into Johto and takes over."
"Kanto's going to lose." Tsubaki muttered. "Meaning this whole war is based between something going on in Sinnoh and Johto."
"She's trying to save her own ass." Lucario said. "She's going to show that Daylan was working with Johto and Unova's government to get her out of office and planted fake evidence the whole way. She knew this was coming. Daylan had said that he threatened her with letting loose how she got into office illicitly. And the whole time she had planned out how to save her own ass. Turn the world into a warzone. That crazy bitch."
Sean looked up at Lucario. "Then why is she after Tsubaki if she's going for high profile targets right now?"
"Because she knows who I am and knows what Lucario is capable of. She probably wants Lucario dead more so than I." Tsubaki looked the assailant in the eyes. "How'd you find out where we were?"
"Easy. You have the same number and same cell phone you had back when you and Sillindra were working together in Sinnoh. We traced you."
"Shit." Tsubaki got off the man and looked at Lucario. "We've got bigger problems then Team Rocket and Miyagi right now."
"I'd say." Lucario blew out a breath. "We've got a world war to worry about."
Tsubaki shoved the pistol into her waistband at the small of her back. "If there are two, there are a lot more. Right." She shot a look at the man on the floor.
He nodded. "You're fucked."
"We've faced worse odds." Lucario said, baring his teeth menacingly. He turned around, Lopunny standing behind him the whole time, scared. He took her and walked her into the room. She looked genuinely frightened.
"Luc…what's going on? Why are you in the middle of so much?"
He blew out a breath. "I don't know. But if you want to leave, run away, I wouldn't blame you. I've put you through more than a responsible boyfriend should. And things just go from bad to worse." He looked down at his feet.
She punched him lightly in the stomach then on the cheek. "I'm not leaving you. If you were any other Pokemon, I'd be scared. I'd want to run. But you're Luc. I'm scared, of course I am. I don't like the thought of war. But I know everything will be okay." She hugged him. "So quit being a whiny baby and don't worry about me leaving you. Because I won't. Worry more about protecting everyone you care about."
Tsubaki walked into the room and smiled at the two. "You know what I like about you two as a couple?"
They both looked up at her.
"You stick together even through all of this crap. You guys were made for each other." She opened her suitcase and started digging around for clothes. "Things are going to get tough. That's for sure."
Sean walked into the room and shook his head. "Why don't we just kill Sillindra and get it over with? Let's have Cristian and Devon head to Sinnoh and take her out. They're the most qualified."
"Because, that'd give Sinnoh solid proof that Johto are bad guys." Tsubaki grimaced. "It's a delicate situation."
"And they said there were more?" Sean put his face in his hands. "I don't know how I did what I did out there. I don't understand why everyone wants us dead. I mean, that Plasma guy beat me up and I had no idea why! Ever since I met you people my life has become a fucking action movie!"
"Welcome to the jungle." Tsubaki said. "You can try to get untangled from the vines, but then you'll just get trapped in quicksand."
"Lovely analogy." Sean shook his head. "I have all these questions, but the biggest one is who I am. Because it's readily apparent I'm not just a Pokemon doctor. I barely remember anything about my childhood or my teenage years. It's almost like one of those thriller novels. Lost my memory, used to be a government agent, people come after him again." He laughed nervously. "I hope that we can have a lovely dinner without anyone attempting to kill us." He then walked out and went to his room where Amy was putting on a nice dress in preparation for dinner.
Tsubaki looked over at Lucario. Lucario looked back at her. She smirked.
"I'm not telling him anything." Lucario said.
"I don't blame you."
Lopunny looked at them both but Lucario pressed her head tight against him. "Just an inside joke."
Kim and Rick looked at the two people lying in the hallway of the resort. They then turned to look at each other.
"Somebody else wants them dead."
Sean crossed the hallway, stepping over the two bloody, beaten men. He entered a room and closed the door.
"He was in a suit." Rick said.
"Maybe they're going for dinner." Kim replied.
"Then we can follow them. And then we can test our weapon at the restaurant." He nodded to himself. "Good plan."
Kim sighed. "You're talking to yourself again."
The restaurant was quiet, as was to be expected of a place as fancy as it was. There were fountains in the dining room, the walls were covered in gold, the large windows were covered by opulent red draperies. It was like a room in a castle. The group was seated next to a fountain of a naked goddess. Devon looked at her and then looked at the waiter. "Isn't that rather dirty?"
"Sir, it is art. But if you are offended, we can change the table."
Devon shook his head. "I like it."
"Very good sir."
Tsubaki wore a suit like the guys. She wasn't one for dresses. She wore them, but as far as fancy clothing went, she preferred a double breasted suit to a glittery, girly dress. Amy was the opposite, though her dress wasn't really glittery. The red dress accentuated her curves and was quite different from the usual waitress outfit she wore. Sean wore a double breasted suit, as did Devon.
Lucario and Lopunny were the first to order, the waiter apparently not knowing of a Lucario's telepathic ability. He nearly dropped his serving tray when Lucario asked for water for himself and Lopunny. The others asked for champagne.
In the middle of the room, a man was playing away at a grand piano. Everyone at the table felt out of place. None of them were particularly fancy. The only reason they were having such an opulent vacation was because Sean and Tsubaki had worked together to pay for it. Sean used all of his savings that he never remembered getting (Lucario wasn't particularly displeased with his use of the money he'd been saving up before the change) and Tsubaki did the same. They bought suits and decided on blowing it all on an expensive resort and expensive meals.
Lucario understood why Tsubaki was doing this. It was quite simple actually.
She understood that they could die in the situation they were currently in. And she wanted them all to be able to enjoy themselves together in case they did or someone did. Cristian and Lily had decided to stay back and take care of things. The loss of the police precinct was still a huge problem with Cherry Grove and a sort of citizen's police, previously known as the resistance, had taken their place until a new police precinct were put in place. They let Devon go to keep him out of their hair.
The moment Devon got his glass of champagne he downed it and grabbed the neck of the bottle, tipping more into his glass. Lucario liked Devon. He reminded Lucario of when he was eleven.
When food came, Devon wolfed it down with the mannerisms to be expected of him. Lucario and Lopunny, eating their fancy Pokechow, even had more manners then he did.
"This is great!" Tsubaki exclaimed. Lucario nodded in agreement and Devon continued to shovel food into his mouth. Sean and Amy took bites off of each other's plates.
"This is so good!" Amy started to wiggle around in her signature fashion.
"This is disgusting!" Daylan threw down his fork and wiggled around so his seat backed away from the metal table where his dinner sat. It was some sort of mystery meat that a man on the battleship had thrown onto his tray with the finesse to be expected of a chef with no formal training. And the food tasted like it was prepared with the finesse to be expected of a chef with no formal training. It tasted, to put it lightly, like rotten ass. On the other side of the table, Ash cut into what could have been meatloaf, or could have been intestine. Daylan couldn't tell.
"The chef worked hard to make this. Don't be so repulsed." Ash had taken off his mask. He wore it less and less now, realizing how stupid it was to wear it everywhere. Everyone knew the mask. Very few knew the face.
"I prefer my food to be edible." Daylan said.
"It is." Ash forked a piece of the meat into his mouth and chewed on it for about three minutes. When he was done, he set his fork down and cleared his throat. "Somebody else got to Tsubaki and the Lucario before us."
"Who?" Daylan asked.
"That's an excellent question." Ash shook his head. "We don't know. They had nothing on them. The recon did show that they were heading out to eat. So we decided to send your clone after them."
"Excellent. We'll test him out." Daylan looked between the food and Ash. "Do we know where they are having dinner?"
"Well, I got a text a few minutes ago saying they were at the Pierre."
Daylan's eyes got wide. "Lucky bastards! That's the best steak joint in Johto!"
At seven o' clock every night the restaurant brought in a mini orchestra and opened the dance floor up. Sean and Amy were the first people there, Amy dragging him along. She started into a slow dance, putting his left hand on her waist, his right through her left, and her right hand on his shoulder. They rocked back and forth like they were on a ship. Devon stood up and walked over to Tsubaki, offering her his hand.
"C'mon doll. We're the only singles here. I'm not hitting on you if that's what you think. I'm not into your type."
Tsubaki smiled. "Devon, what's with the sudden niceness?"
"I'm always a lovely person." Devon grabbed her hesitating hand. "You can dance, right?"
She shook her head.
"Well we can do that stupid left and right thing that Sean and Amy are doing. Or we can actually tear up the dance floor."
"You can dance?" Tsubaki looked mildly amused.
"I sell flowers for a living. You think I can't dance?" He started toward the dance floor, Tsubaki right behind.
Lucario watched Tsubaki and Devon dance around. Tsubaki eventually put her feet on top of Devon's and they did a slow dance together, him leading her.
Lucario heard the front double door open and noticed men walking inside. Men with big R's on their chests.
The maître d attempted to ask them for their reservations but was silenced by a shot to the head.
The music stopped, the people streamed for the exits, screaming.
Tsubaki held the pistol taken from the man in the resort hallway in her hand. Lucario had shoved Lopunny underneath the table. Devon had Bellossom's Pokeball in his hand and Sean had pushed Amy into the crowd leaving through the back exit, his instincts telling him to fight.
"Hey mates, let me take care of this." Devon said, pushing Sean back and looking at Tsubaki. "Find a car and get it around back. This won't take long."
"Are…you sure?" Tsubaki asked.
He grinned stupidly. "I am doll." He looked at Lucario. "Get Lopunny and bugger off!"
"But I've got something I must discuss with him." Came a familiar voice.
"Eh, Lucario. Discuss what with whom?"
"What?" Lucario asked.
The throng of Team Rocket soldiers parted and Lucario walked out from behind his curtain of men.
"Um, another Lucario?" Devon asked.
"Daylan…" Tsubaki muttered.
Lucario, the original, pulled Lopunny from under the table. Devon hooked a thumb for the back door and Sean and Tsubaki ran for it, Tsubaki grabbing Lopunny on the way.
"You take the Lucario, I'll take the Rocket guys?" Devon asked.
Lucario nodded.
"Let's see what happens." Daylan sat back at his computer console. The nanomachines in the Lucario clone gave the rundown on how he was doing. If he even skipped a heartbeat, Daylan would know. It was the perfect way to monitor the battle between Lucario and Lucario.
Currently, the cloned Lucario's heart rate was going faster.
The fight was starting.
Devon stood on the dance floor, the Team Rocket members surrounding him. He caught a quick glance as the two Lucario's squared off next to the table where only five minutes before Devon had been enjoying filet mignon. He grimaced at the thought of fighting only a couple minutes after eating. The cramps would be tremendous.
There were twelve people, each carrying a machine gun.
Devon had no weapon.
He released Bellossom from her Pokeball and held her tightly in his arms. "Well Bellossy-wossy, it appears I have to fight again." He smirked. "You know what to do. Flower power." He grabbed her tiny left hand and shook it. She piped up happily.
"Bellossom!"
He set her down and ran a hand through his hair.
"Come one and all to Devon's House of Ass Kicking. Admission price is your bollocks on a silver platter."
The first guy stepped forward, his finger curled around the trigger.
A couple more stepped forward, prepared to fire.
Lucario ducked under his clone's punches and attempted to sweep his feet out from under him. The clone let loose an aura sphere at Lucario's feet as he attempted the move. His only way out was to drop to the floor and spread his legs so the sphere destroyed the floor, but not any part of him. The clone used this opportunity to stomp on Lucario's stomach. Lucario grabbed his leg as it put pressure on his innards and shoved his hand spike through the clone's thigh. It screamed and let off, allowing Lucario to get up.
Devon stepped up one of the men, grabbing his rifle by the barrel. The man started to shoot and Devon flipped his around in a half-circle, the shots taking one of his buddies in the gut, another in the chest, and another in the arm. Devon smashed his elbow into the gunman's face and took his rifle from his hands, using it as a blunt club and killing him with a powerful blow with the butt of the gun against his head.
Team Rocket started shooting and Devon threaded past the bullets, ducking and twisting to miss them. He got close to a young man with a goatee and grabbed his face, throwing him in front of three bullets. His body twisted slowly. Somebody was screaming in slow motion.
"Can I do it?"
"Go for it love."
"It's strange that I enjoy you calling me that."
"Gotten used to being my little Bellossom eh?"
"it's nice to be loved."
"I agree." Devon dodged a couple of bullets and snapped his fingers quickly. "You have my permission to let loose."
Bellossom jumped in the air and her shape started to change.
Daylan lifted an eyebrow. The Lucario clone's heartbeat was slow. Slow enough he thought the creature could be dead already.
"What is going on?"
Devon stood next to his prized Pokemon as she stood large and proud over the remaining Team Rocket members.
"It's been a long time since you've taken this form." Devon patted her side. "How's it feel?"
"Nice. Though I prefer being able to be hugged as a Bellossom."
The eyes of the Team Rocket members opened slowly, widening comically.
"Go ahead Dialga." Devon sat down. "I just hope Lucario doesn't see you."
"He won't." Dialga replied and proceeded to kill everyone on the dance floor.
Time sped up again and Lucario felt a fist smash against his muzzle. He staggered backward and looked at Devon who held Bellossom in his arms, Team Rocket completely decimated.
"Holy shit!" Lucario said before taking another punch to the face.
He fell down this time and just sat there for a second. He looked up at his double and shook his head.
"I'll see you later buddy."
The Lucario clone looked down and tilted his head.
An ambulance smashed through the wall on the opposite side of the restaurant. Lucario ran for it, as did Devon. Tsubaki honked the horn and smiled. "All aboard!"
The Lucario clone ran for the back of the vehicle, but made the mistake of passing the passenger door. Sean slammed it open, breaking its muzzle.
"How do we know which one is the real one?" Tsubaki asked.
Sean looked out the window at the downed Lucario. "Hey, who's your girlfriend?"
"What are you talking about?" It asked.
"We got the right one!" Sean said happily and Tsubaki started backing out the way she came when Lucario and Devon were safely in the back.
Goldenrod City
Cristian took the offered cigarette from Lily and took a deep pull from it. He blew the smoke out his nostrils and handed it back to her. She stood close to him, staring up at the giant radio tower that dominated the city skyline and was lit up like a Christmas tree on this particular night. They stood outside of a café, Cristian holding a big cup of coffee in one of his hands. He sipped at it in between draws from the cigarette. Across the street was a library, large marble steps leading to a large, ancient looking façade with ionic columns standing tall and carvings of Pokemon dominant. Tiny cars drove by on the cobblestone street. A typical scene.
The door to the library opened and a woman walked out. Her hair was short in the back but long on top. It was a pretty shade of light blue. She wore black skinny jeans with a belt the same color as her hair. A black biker jacket that stopped above her belly button, showing lovely bare midriff, sat over her breasts, once again black lined with blue. On her feet were a pair of shoes with high tops with blue laces.
She was quite a beautiful twenty year old woman.
And Cristian had learned from an informant that she was the daughter of Miyagi.
She took the steps two at a time, a book in the crook of her arm. Cristian could easily guess her car to be the sleek black and blue one that matched the girl completely.
Cristian handed Lily his coffee and started to approach the girl.