The Forever Trilogy: The Restored Files
~NEVERMORE~
Chapter 8: The First Mission
GOLDY
Tuesday, November 19th, 4998.
A lot of time passed, and our little squad was training hard. It was fun, getting to work with pokémon and with the other cadets. Things were going rather smoothly if you asked me. But there was one issue I was having trouble with.
"I'm so damn horny," I groaned.
Topaz looked up from where she was cleaning her gear. "Too much info."
"Sorrrry," I whined, leaning back in my seat and staring up at the ceiling. "You don't understand how much it sucks when you can't have sex."
"...Why are you telling me this?"
"I dunno. You're just really easy to talk to, I guess."
I looked back down at her. Y'know, for a girl that looked like she belonged in elementary, she was pretty hot. And I don't mean in a creepy way—there were still signs that she was a teenager. Like, the mature-er face, the slight curves to her body, the way she carried herself. I guess I found her so attractive because I was used to hooking up with chicks that left nothing to the imagination, with big boobs and asses hanging right out of their clothes.
Topaz rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. You're just trying to get some. I got your number, Gold."
...Dammit, Sapph, corrupting her mind like that. Okay, maybe that had been my mindset before, but after I found out about my lovely little gift from my last hook-up, I had sworn to not have sex until I got rid of it. Recovery was coming smoothly, but it still drove me crazy just sitting around, waiting.
"Aw, c'mon, T," I groaned. "I'm not, I swear! I pledged not to fuck until my... little issue is all cleaned up."
She just stared at me. "...You're serious, aren't you?"
"Hell yeah I am! That's why I'm complaining 'bout being horny."
She slapped her forehead. "Arceus. You really do have a one track mind."
"I do not! I think 'bout other stuff!"
"...Like what?"
"...Food."
She looked like she wanted to bash her head into the nearest wall. "I hate you."
"That's what they all say at first~!" I teased, giving her a wink.
"S-Shut up!" she snapped, her cheeks flushing cutely.
"...Gold, knock it off."
Suddenly, Am came strolling in. Unlike the two of us, he was all dressed in uniform, like he was about to go out on a mission. We were just in civilian clothing.
"Aw, bro, don't be like that either!" I complained.
Not looking amused at all, Am tossed a bottle of pills at me. "You forgot to take your meds, moron."
I barely was able to catch it. "What?! Are you serious—damn, I think I did."
Topaz sighed, shaking her head as she finished shining her shoes. "You really are hopeless."
...For once, I decided not to deny it.
"Also, you need to pack up and prepare to leave. Your squad has been assigned a mission."
"What?" Topaz gasped, her eyes widening.
He crossed his arms over his chest. "You heard me. You've been assigned a mission. Cadets have to get experience in the field. It shouldn't be too difficult."
I grinned. "Suh-weet! We haven't been on a mission in ages! And T—if y'get a little scared, just come on over to me and I'll protect you."
She gave me a dead stare before rolling her eyes and gathering her things. "Oh brother. I don't need anybody to protect me. My pokémon and I can do just fine." She stood up. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna get ready, which you should be doing too."
We watched her leave, walking into the hallway that led to the girls' rooms. There was a moment of silence between the two of us.
"...You're going to have to try a lot harder to win her over," Am deadpanned.
I groaned. "You don't have t'remind me, dude."
TOPAZ
"This is the stables, where we keep all the pokémon that help us carry gear and stuff," Scarlet told me as we stepped out of the elevator onto a floor I had never been to. "They don't actually belong to any trainers, but we've got this one ponyta that the High Commander says that would be better for battles. He wants you to have him."
I looked up at her in surprise. "Why me?"
She shrugged. "No idea. Maybe 'cause you're so little—no offense."
"None taken," I muttered. "Does that mean I can ride the ponyta?"
Scarlet nodded. "Yep! We ride pokémon all the time here. How else are we going to transport ourselves?"
She led me through the stables, finally stopping in front of a stall. Inside was the ponyta we were talking about. He glanced up at us with his shiny black eyes, looking bored out of his mind. Scarlet pulled out a poké ball from her bag.
"You should probably introduce yourself to him before you return him to his poké ball," she told me, handing me the device.
I nodded, returning my gaze to the ponyta. "Uh, hey there. I'm Topaz and I'm gonna be your trainer now."
He gave me an indifferent look. "...Hmph."
I tried not to grimace. Great, a pokémon that didn't seem to really care. "All right... I'm gonna call you... Apollo."
And with that, I returned him to his premier ball, and put it away in my own bag. Scarlet turned to go.
"All right, we need to get moving," she said. "Come on, Topaz."
I nodded and followed her out of the stables.
GOLDY
Something wasn't right here...
Our entire squad had gathered in the Town, right in front of the gateway to leave Mount Silver. Everyone was with their little cliques, chattering away like nothing was wrong. But I had a feeling deep in my gut that there was more to this mission than the High Commander was letting on.
He never told us the full story. Neither did his son.
"Oi, what the hell are you scowlin' for?" Sapph snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Still upset you can't get laid?"
That just made me scowl harder. "Oh, for the love of Arceus, Sapphira," I snapped. "I'm not that fucking perverted."
She just glared at me something fierce. "Don't fuckin' call me that, you moron. And you haven't proved me wrong yet, with that convo you had with Topaz earlier!"
"What? You heard about that?"
"Am told me!"
...Of course he did. Ugh, he was such an asshole sometimes. I really did not see what Safaia saw in him to be friends with benefits or whatever the hell was going on between them. I frankly didn't give a shit, but when he started telling people about my personal business we were going to have some problems.
"Hey now, you two! Don't fight." Chase suddenly appeared, chiding us. "We have to stick together to complete this mission."
I sighed. "D'you even know what the mission is about?"
He winced. "Actually... no. Am usually tells me, but not this time. I dunno why. I guess Tibbs really wants to keep it a secret."
"I knew he was hidin' something," I grumbled.
"Ugh, you're just bein' paranoid," Sapph snorted, rolling her eyes. "I swear you think the whole world's out to get you."
"Uh, Sapph, hate to break it to you," Chase said, "but the world kinda is out to get us all."
"Who's side are you on?!" she demanded angrily.
Chase winced, and raised his hands. "Nobody's—I'm just stating the facts. No need to get all pissed at me."
Sapph just scowled some more. "Ugh, I really wish I wasn't partnered up with this dumbass."
And I really wished she wouldn't act like it was the end of the world.
TOPAZ
"Oh my gosh, this is so exciting! I'm so glad we got paired up, Pink!" Jade was shrieking, jumping up and down in front of the girl who had quickly become her BFF over the past week or so.
Pink smiled and laughed. "Me too, darling! We'll be unstoppable."
After our rather rude introduction, Pink turned out to be not so bad. She was still kinda haughty but she was no where near as bad as Diamonda. She had even apologized for her rude comment when we first met, though I was pretty sure it was only because Jade asked her to. But whatever, I didn't really give a shit.
"Ooooh, I know!" Jade gushed, before looking over at me. "Topaz, who are your partnered up with?"
"Meeeeee!"
We all turned to see Vera bounding up to us, her green eyes lit up with excitement and a big grin on her face. She skidded to a halt, obviously bubbling with enthusiasm herself.
"Oh, hey Vera," I greeted her. "Cool. You have an ivysaur, right? Maybe you can give me some advice on how to train my bulbasaur."
"Of course!" she exclaimed with a nod. "I'd love to! Though I'm sure you're doing a marvelous job already."
"Heh, thanks."
"Attention cadets!" It was Ross, our squad leader. "It's time to head out! Do not stray from your partner!"
"I wish my partner was him," Vera sighed dreamily.
"...What?" I asked.
"O-Oh, nothing!" she stammered, her cheeks tinting pink. "Let's go, Topaz! We're gonna kick soooo much booty!"
Along the way, we met up with Plato and Rubin, who had been partnered up. We decided to stick together as long as possible for this mission. None of us knew exactly what this mission was about. It didn't even seem like Ross had a firm grip on it.
We were taken aboard one of the few hovervehicles they had, which then flew off to take us to wherever the hell we were going. I sat with my friends, and we made small talk as we flew through the air. Everything seemed perfectly normal. I was with my friends and I was happy.
Little did I know they were sending us right into a trap... just like that bastard wanted.
