The only thing predicable about Winterspring weather was its unpredictability. Its two namesake seasons held a wide variety of temperatures and conditions, all liable to change on a dime. Such was the case during the region-wide heat wave. Residents woke up one morning to sixty-degree heat and later watched the sun set under a wind chill factor below zero. The next day, a light snow had fallen onto the ground, a precursor to two or three months straight of potential precipitation. Not even the manmade heat of the city could fully stave off the drifts, but preparations were already being made to ensure that business carried on with little hindrance.
For Kiryu, the approaching winter and holiday season meant the end of the semester, as well as the end of her detention with Takumi. She'd be freed from punishment and rid of her classes, at least for a few weeks, and the date couldn't come soon enough. The past two weeks had been spent on a brutal training schedule for her and her Pokémon, and each session left her sore and exhausted. With one half of the week spent diligently training and the other recuperating, little time was left for much else. Kiryu struggled to think of what she'd do with her newfound free time after classes ended.
On the Friday after the deep freeze, Kiryu was still expected to be present at the usual training grounds. After a couple miserable minutes of practice, the bone-chilling temperatures and obscuring powder from the sky eventually caused Suki to suggest that they take practice inside for the remainder of the day. Takumi surprised his pupil by agreeing immediately, ending their exercise to join Ms. Harmoni for supper. And so, the two got to see the interior of Suki's house for the first time.
The secretary's cottage was very quaint and cozy, consisting of a single room that served as an entrance, living area and dining room. A sturdy antique table was set between the sliding door to the back porch and the sofa in the living room. An open doorway led into a small kitchen. Stairs seemed to lead to a single bedroom on the second floor. Suki let the two make themselves at home before heading into the kitchen to prepare the food.
While Kiryu channel surfed on the CRT television, legs propped up on a coffee table, Takumi had his head buried in a nearby cabinet. Ever since Suki mentioned that she owns a copy of every RéBURST National Tournament from 1971 onwards, Kiryu could tell that the man was just itching for a chance to see them for himself. Turns out that Takumi's reprieve from training wasn't out of the kindness of his heart after all. What a shocker.
"These will make for a suitable substitute to training," he held up a copy of the 1993 Nationals. "You need to work on predicting your opponent. These examples should help."
"Hm?" Kiryu was preoccupied with the action movie on TV, in which a Jolteon was being thrown out of a moving plane by its Drapion opponent. The footage was cut off as Takumi wordlessly put the VCR in the player, prompting an annoyed "Hey!" from his pupil. Takumi sat down without acknowledgement. Kiryu figured that resistance wasn't worth the effort, so the two began watching the championship.
Suki returned briefly to join the others but left once more as a timer went off in the kitchen. By that point, teacher and trainee were both invested in the on-screen action. "Oof, that's gotta hurt," Kiryu winced as a Medicham Burst spun around an opposing Gorebyss's Waterfall before throwing a Thunder Punch into the Warrior's back. She sat on the floor now, absently scratching the stomach of a content Kitsune.
"Pay attention to the prediction game," Takumi motioned toward the screen, "it's not just knowing your opponent's Pokémon moves, but also where and when they strike," his Cinccino was curled up on the male's lap. Curled up in his silky tail, it looked like Takumi had a breathing pillow on his legs.
"Wait, I thought that ability was banned," the Gorebyss Burst's Rain Dance allowed it to rocket across the field thanks to Swift Swim.
"It was legal until the 2011 tournament last year," Takumi clarified, "and only when used in conjunction with Drizzle," By the time Suki announced that the food was ready, Kiryu still hadn't figured out how a complex ban like that worked.
"Come on over," she carried a large pot of steaming curry, and was followed closely behind by Ragune as he lived up to his gentlemanly Pokédex entry. Several teacups and an accompanying teapot orbited around his head like planets before being levitated onto the table, all without spilling a drop. By the time everyone had sat down to eat, the light snowfall had petered out. It left a clear view out the porch door of a grey sky, the crystalline water of Lake Lorde and many large pine trees, lightly dusted with white.
"Hey, thanks for the grub, Suki," Kiryu said to their host, and received a shy nod in acknowledgement. After hearing only silence from her fellow Warrior, Kiryu glanced over to find Takumi buried in his bowl, already having served himself, shoveling its contents into his mouth. "We're both very appreciative," she added with a wry smile.
"…This is really good," the 22-year-old finally said, staring at his mostly empty curry bowl. This actually earned a giggle from the hostess, which, in turn, turned Takumi's face a shade of pink.
"Thanks, it's a family recipe," Suki beamed. "Feel free to have some more."
The three continued to eat, with Kiryu almost matching her professor in pace and messiness. Suki, on the other hand, made sure to use the proper utensils and ate only in small sips, though the decorum of her guests didn't erase the content smile on her mien.
Kiryu went to soak her bread, but her hand only felt the tablecloth that her food once sat on top of. Her eyes shot downward just in time to catch the woosh of a tail-scarf under the wooden table. The teen sighed at the annoying rodent and made to ask for the salt, only to find it floating in her direction before she uttered a single word. This time her head whipped around to the Gallade at the table. Ragune nodded, as if to say, "You're welcome," and returned to his own meal.
"Are you sure Ms. Harmoni is fine with your wild Pokémon running around the house?" Kiryu asked pointedly, making a mental note to make a tinfoil hat later.
"I'm sure that Suki doesn't mind," Takumi patted his mouth with his napkin.
"Oh no, I don't mind," Suki parroted quickly, not wanting to cause a fuss and earning an eyeroll from the sixteen-year-old. It also reminded Kiryu of something else she had been meaning to ask.
"So, Takumi, where are the other two, anyways?" she questioned, "the Roserade and Froslass?"
"Summer and Winter?" Takumi's gaze didn't leave his bowl. "Most likely out training, I'd expect."
"Without you or Ragune?" the male shrugged in response.
"Before I was strong enough to maintain a Burst with my father's Pokémon, Summer and Winter followed their own personal training regimen. They much prefer it, actually. Ragune only occasionally accompanies them when they go off on their own," the Psychic/Fighting type merely sipped his tea, eyes closed, betraying no emotion like usual. Suki put down her spoon and leaned in, interested.
"Wow, you can just let them go like that?" her own Pokémon, begging for food under the table, glared indignantly at the receptionist until she'd give in. "I can understand Winter, maybe, but how can your Roserade manage in these conditions?"
"On the contrary," Takumi explained, "the more adverse the environment, the better the training. They're both loyal enough, at least to my father, to return to train with Ragune and me."
"Huh," Kiryu said thoughtfully, admittedly impressed by that kind of resolve. The group ate in silence once more, watching a red sun peek out from behind a mass of grey clouds. After finishing her meal first, Kiryu left the dirty dishes on the table and went back to the living room, towards the cabinet that held Suki's VHS tapes. There was something else bugging her that she wanted to see.
"It seems that the worst outside has passed," Takumi remained seated and called to his pupil from the dining area. "When we're finished here, perhaps we'll begin sparring once more in the yard."
"I hope this weather doesn't send you packing back to Sinnoh," Suki said quietly to Takumi. "All this snow already, and we aren't even close to the worst of-"
THUMP THUMP THUMP
Three heads jerked toward the front door at the sound of intense pounding, Kiryu almost slamming her head into the cabinet shelf. "Expecting someone?" Takumi raised an eyebrow at Suki, who shook her head, visibly frightened. The noise was much louder than a normal knock, as if someone was battering down the door. And it continued.
THUMP THUMPTHUMP THUMP THUMP… THUMP THUMP
Kiryu put a hand to her Burst Heart, as did Takumi whilst motioning for Suki to answer the door. Suki eventually unfroze and crept over to the entrance, where the pounding had suddenly stopped. Takumi and Kiryu stood up slowly, preparing to Burst at a moment's notice. Takumi remained in the dining room, returning his Pokémon to their Burst Hearts. Kitsune stayed crouched under the table, growling softly.
Suki shakily put a hand on the doorknob and looked through the peephole. Silence on the other side. Peering through, the female saw nothing on the front porch, or in the yard around the rocks. Looking back at the other two, she shrugged and cautiously opened the door. Nothing.
"Huh," Suki muttered, crossing her arms in the cold and looking from left to right. There was nobody around at all, and it seemed like the coast was clear. Suki went back inside.
SLAM
The banging noise from the back door, and the accompanying crash in the dining room, caused Suki to yelp and Kiryu to almost hit her head a second time from jumping so high. The two girls raced to the source of the slam to find the porch door open and Takumi on the ground. A sudden weight had landed on his back, causing him to grunt in surprise and pain.
"Hey, Takumi!"
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Takumi violently shoved the mass on his back into the dining table, sending the Ninetales under it into a fit of barks and growls. The downed Burst Warior stood up along with the intruder, who revealed himself to be a young man, about the same age as Takumi. Slightly shorter and more filled out than Mr. Genji, the male had short black hair cut into bangs and a very boyish face. A bit immature, for a burglar.
"Well don't you know?" the new arrival's voice sounded much more loud and enthusiastic when compared to Takumi's monotone drone. "I'm staying here for a week with you!" Takumi looked as if someone had dropped his scarf into a vat of sulfuric acid.
"Oh no," Takumi shook his head vigorously. "Definitely not. You're headed back to Veilstone this instant," the intruder wagged his finger in Takumi's face, and was lucky not to have it bitten off.
"Now now, Takumi, didn't I tell you I might have to come down for a surprise visit?" this time Takumi forcefully grabbed his fellow Sinnoh native by the shoulder and turned him towards the open door.
"Yes, and do you remember what I said would happen if you went through with it?" he growled through gritted teeth. The newcomer paled and backed away, palms up in surrender.
"Woah, hey, Takumi, you wouldn't make a sculpture out of me in front of your guests-" for the first time since their struggle, both men took notice of the other two humans in the house. Suki looked on the verge of collapse after the knocking ordeal, and Kiryu wasn't sure whether to feel triumph, indignation or disgust at seeing her rival treated so immaturely.
"Well hello, what have we here?" The voice of Takumi's acquaintance seemed to drop an octave upon spotting the females, and his expression snapped from boyish excitement to… Something reminiscent of a deer in rut. "Takumi, aren't you going to introduce me to your beautiful guests?" Yep, definitely disgust, Kiryu concluded.
"Very well," Takumi sighed. "This is my pupil and coworker, Kiryu Camilla and Suki Harmoni. Ladies, this pond scum is sometimes referred to as Clover Fields."
"Call me Clove," the male strode over to Suki and Kiryu like a peacock in full plumage and smoothly grabbed both their hands, planting a kiss on each one, "though I'll respond to anything you'd prefer. It's a pleasure to make your… acquaintance."
"Geez," Kiryu hastily pulled her hand away and wiped it on the back of the sofa. Despite Mr. Field's innocent (and admittedly cute) face and expression, Kiryu immediately recognized the intentions behind the façade. She had seen his face on Tula's pawn boyfriends, many a party-goer and one particular homeless nuisance. Kiryu wanted nothing to do with it, and it annoyed her further when Suki, despite still looking a bit traumatized, responded to Clove with a nervous giggle. A knowing grin formed on the boy's face.
"Alright, Casanova," Takumi stomped across the room and yanked Clove back by his collar, "what gave you the bright idea of trying to break and enter Miss Harmoni's house?" Mr. Fields seemed genuinely surprised by the accusation.
"Miss Harmoni's?" he repeated. "You mean this isn't your new digs, Takumi?"
"No- wait no, what?!" Takumi did a double take. "Of course not! I know for a fact that I've told you I'm living in an apartment! This house is in the middle of nowhere. How did you even know I was here?"
"Oh, that's easy, I'd just gotten off the boat when I saw you walking out of the city, so I decided to follow you here," Clove said nonchalantly, prompting further confusion from Mr. Genji. In the back of her head, Kiryu felt a bit envious at the ease at which this guy got under Takumi's skin. Envy, and a bit of respect.
"If you followed me here, why did you wait an hour before making yourself known?"
"Because I got lost, duh," Clove shrugged, tapping his own head mockingly. "This place is in the middle of nowhere, you know."
"No, I-"
"Excuse me," Kiryu interrupted the increasingly inane argument, "but how, exactly, do you two know each other?"
"College," the two answered simultaneously. While Takumi facepalmed himself, Clove went into detail. "Best friends in college! Fellow Burst Warriors against the world! We've been watching each other's backs since freshman year at Sunyshore U, number one party school in Sinnoh!" Clove's supposed best friend groaned.
"The tuition was free. And it was my saving his backside most of the time."
Amidst the bickering, Suki managed to get over her mini panic attack. "Well, Mr. Fields, if you're not a burglar, and, uh, you've been out in the cold, do you want something to eat?" Once again, the composure of the Sinnoh native switched on a dime.
"Why of course, gorgeous, I'd be delighted," the chauvinist slid around the table while the two Burst Warriors behind him retched.
As the group sat back down, the newcomer unintentionally ended up sitting in Suki's original seat. Clove was instantly accosted with the snapping jaws of a fiery nine-tailed fox. "Woah!" while Suki frantically called for Kitsune to sit, Clove grabbed a spoon and, with surprising agility, scooped up a piece of meat from the lukewarm curry and tossed it over the head of the dog. Smelling the first table scraps of the night, Kitsune leapt up, caught the food in midair and ate it in one swallow. He then pounced on Clove and assaulted him with licks, all tails wagging in unison. "Hey now, down Simba!" Clove laughed.
Kiryu could tell that Takumi was a bit preoccupied at the moment, what with his face buried in the tablecloth, so she attempted to make some conversation of her own. "So, Mr. Fields, you graduated in the same year as Takumi? What are you doing for work now?" Despite her initial disdain for Takumi's friend, Kiryu had learned in the past month that civility was a virtue.
"I'm working on my masters in Geology, so that's Dr. Fields to you," Clove replied with a laugh. "But yeah, I transferred to Veilstone City and have been working on sediment projects ever since. Exciting work, I know."
"And you're staying here, in my apartment, uninvited, for how long?" Takumi found the strength to lift his head off the table.
"Just for a- here let me help you with that," Clove scooped up the dirty dishes that Suki was holding, shooting her a wink and a smile, "Just for a week, then it's back to Sinnoh. Not that I wanna stay in some crummy apartment!" Clove kept his puppy dog gaze locked on Suki. "I mean, if you've got all this extra room, Miss Harmoni, I could always stay here," the hostess stifled a chuckle, cheeks blushing into a flattered pink. Much to Kiryu's gratitude, Takumi abruptly stood and broke up the lovebirds.
"That's quite enough," he strode across the room and pushed Clove towards the exit once more. "We're leaving. Now."
"Oh," Suki seemed surprised. "Leaving so soon?"
"It's best I rein him in before he breaks into another house," after being personally escorted to the big house by Takumi, Kiryu couldn't help but glare at the hypocritical professor.
"Aw, come on, Takumi, I just got here!" Clove whined like a child. "We haven't even had a Burst battle yet! Listen, I got this new Pokémon, and I think I can actually beat you this time!" Takumi did a poor job of hiding a scoff.
"Yeah, I'm sure. I think you've done enough damage to my reputation. We can battle after we leave."
"Don't be like that, man!" Clove dodged around Takumi and pleaded, "Do it for the kid! She can learn a thing or two from me," the professor rolled his eyes, but an opportunity for fun had arisen for the sixteen-year-old across the table.
"Yeah, Mr. Genji, maybe I can learn a thing or two," Kiryu piped up. "What's wrong, did Clove beat you back at Suny U?" Hey, she thought to herself, if anyone can defeat the vigilante of jackassery, maybe it's the guy who can annoy him the most. While Takumi sighed, Clove gave the teen a thumbs-up.
"…Fine. But you best pay attention, Miss Camilla," Takumi ordered. "Not that you'll learn anything from this hack," Clove pumped a fist in the air in triumph before following the others to the backyard. If nothing else, the teen thought, she wouldn't be the one getting the snot kicked out of her, this time.
Takumi and Clove took the usual spots on the battlefield, the latter filling in where Kiryu normally stood. It was still extremely cold, everyone remained bundled in their jackets, but the clouds had broken enough to let a setting sun shine through. The snowfall had left a thin white sheet over a muddy ground. When Clove nearly slipped and fell into the muck, Kiryu began to wonder if Mr. Field's skills lived up to the hot air he was spewing. "This one's for all the ladies in the audience," the Sinnohan flashed the girls a winning grin, which was only returned by Suki.
"I'm afraid you're not impressing anyone," Takumi called from across the yard, tapping his foot impatiently.
"You sure about that? Not even with these?" Clove pulled back a sleeve and flexed a fair bit of muscle, compared to Takumi's wiry frame. Kiryu thought she saw her mentor's eye visibly twitch.
"Let's just get this over with," Takumi Bursted with Ragune, prompting an indignant cry from the sidelines. Of course Clove gets to fight Ragune. Takumi's adversary took out a dark red Burst Heart and activated it. He gained shiny red armor over his white shirt and grey jogging pants, as well as two crab-like pincers over his hands. "Scizor?" the Gallade Burst scoffed. "I hope you don't expect to match Ragune's blades with that bulky frame."
Takumi was off like a rocket, arms alight with Psycho Cut. His opponent merely held his ground, arms casually crossed and a dorky look of giddiness plastered on his face. As the Gallade Burst closed in, the wings of the Pincer Pokémon suddenly activated and propelled him off the ground, the buzz of vibrating metal ringing out around the house. "Actually," Clove taunted, "I'd prefer to beat you from up here," Takumi frowned and backed up from under the Scizor Burst.
"Very well then, stay up there," Takumi focused on the flying Burst Warrior while smacking his blades against each other with Swords Dance. "You're only giving me the opportunity to set up my assault," his friend gave a hearty laugh.
"No, for it is you who is being set up… On… For my assault!" Kiryu blinked. Could she feel the wind getting stronger? Takumi ignored the taunt and did a Lucky Chant. He motioned for Clove to come at him.
"Any last words before I end this?" asked the Gallade Burst confidently. The Bug type smirked.
"Just one: Razor Wind," with a mighty heave, Clove's wings launched a massive whirlwind down on Takumi, knocking him off his feet and slashing him with high-speed gusts of air.
The Gallade Burst flipped himself over in midair and landed on his feet, protected from massive damage thanks to his earlier setup. "Not bad, I'll admit, yet you failed to account for-"
"Will you two shut up and kiss already?!" Kiryu shouted next to a chortling Suki. The professor shot them a furious scowl while Clove raised his eyebrows suggestively.
"The ladies are right," he jeered. "How're you gonna hit me from down there? Magical Leaf?" the Gallade Burst closed his eyes, regained his composure and put his blades forward.
"A diligent Burst Warrior is constantly training, always striving to learn something new to be prepared for any situation," an orange ball of energy slowly grew between his hands. Before Clove realized what was going on, Takumi launched the orb and let it zigzag through the air towards him. The Focus Blast quickly met its target and created a massive explosion over the battlefield. After fighting a certain Charizard Burst, Kiryu figured, of course Takumi would want a better way to hit flying opponents.
The explosion cleared, leaving a coughing Clove hanging in midair, jerking downwards as his wings faltered. Without another word, Takumi prepared a second Focus Blast, which forced the Steel type into action. Clove regained his flight pattern and zipped close to the ground, bringing his pincers forward with Metal Claw. Takumi was forced to cancel his attack and block with Leaf Blade. His long polearm appendages kept the Scizor Burst at bay, and he was able to push Clove back into the sky without getting clamped by his opponent's claws.
Without missing a beat, Clove smoothly spun around in the air and flew down for another assault, this time with the unmissable Aerial Ace. Takumi turned and prepared for the hit, raising his arms to counterattack. The Super Effective move landed a clean hit into the Blade Pokémon's chest, and Clove laughed as he soared away scot-free. That is, until Takumi's arm came over his shoulder, locking his blade in place between the Scizor's neck and elbow. "What the?!" Clove shouted in surprise and shot upwards, trying to break Takumi's grip. He felt the blade latch onto his body and pull the Fighting type up with him. Kiryu and Suki watched in bewilderment as the battle was taken to the skies.
"Gethimoffgethimoffgethimoff!" Clove panicked and buzzed around the backyard, trying to throw off the Burst Warrior crawling across his body. Takumi expertly swung around Clove like a gymnast, avoiding the buzzsaw of metal wings on his back, and began slashing with Psycho Cut. Clove grimaced in pain and attacked back with Fury Cutter, effectively punching Takumi in the face as he held on for dear life in the air.
Finally, after flying up several feet over the house and flipping in midair, Clove felt his opponent's grip loosen. He grabbed Takumi's arm with a pincer and flung him towards the ground. The Gallade Burst didn't yell or make any noise as he fell. "Phew," Clove relievedly wiped his forehead. He then looked back at the ground, but found no Takumi splattered in the mud. That's when the Blade Pokémon Teleported above him and now came crashing down with Slash. The sudden weight sent both of them spiraling downward, back into the snow. The landing sent both Warriors rolling across the yard.
"Yep, you've definitely gotten stronger," Clove coughed, intially crumpled on the ground, but still managing to get back up on shaky legs. Takumi had only skidded a few feet before finding his footing and landing upright.
"Maybe you've just gotten weaker," the teacher smirked, an error in the space-time continuum in Kiryu's opinion. This time Takumi waited for the Scizor Burst to come at him, which Clove eventually did with Bullet Punch. Takumi felt the lightning fast attack crack across his jaw and hit back with Slash. Clove raised a pincer to grab the incoming right blade but left his own face open for the other sword to uppercut him under the chin. Clove winced and tried to throw a right hook. Takumi ducked and finished his Slash, across the Scizor's thorax. Clove fell back a pace, giving the Psychic type enough room to use Confusion.
The telekinetic wave hit the Bug/Steel type, stiffening his joints and forcing him to halt in place. For a brief second, Clove stood there, trying to regain control of his body. A second later, a quiet creaking could be heard as the metal bug tipped backwards and fell into the slush. Clove's Burst revoked, leaving a limp human lying in the snow.
"Is he… Alive?" Suki asked after a moment, stepping off the porch with Kiryu to meet the other two.
"God, I hope not," Takumi flicked his blades clean of dirt and Unbursted. The three peered over the lifeless body, one concerned, one uncaring and one unsure what to make of the guy. Takumi gave his friend a not-so-gentle tap in the side with his foot, and Clove turned back on like a light switch. He jumped to his feet, barely avoiding a four-way headbutt with the other three around him.
"Dang, I thought I had you there!" he earned another eyeroll from Takumi as he talked a mile a minute. "That was great, though! Isn't my Scizor awesome? Did you learn anything, Kiryu? I bet you got a ton of pointers!"
"Uh yeah, sure," Kiryu feigned an appreciative smile. The guy wasn't a bad Burst Warrior, but what the heck was she supposed to take from that? Not to fight Takumi? Regardless, her words at least seemed to make Clove happy.
"Great, fantastic, now let's go," Takumi put an iron lock grip around his companions arm this time around and immediately began pulling.
"See ya, Kiryu!" Clove waved at the girls as he was dragged away. "Don't worry, I'll loosen up Mr. Pompous Pants for ya next time. Catch ya later, doll face, call me sometime!"
"He never gave me his number, did he?" Suki asked quietly as an aside to Kiryu whilst smiling and waving back.
"Nope," Kiryu snickered, also waving goodbye. The secretary chuckled and turned to go inside once Takumi and Clove rounded the corner. How the two of them became friends was beyond the student. Opposites attract, she supposed. And Clove wasn't too bad a guy, all things considered.
Despite the unexpected turn of events, Kiryu hadn't forgotten her original task before Clove appeared. "Hey Suki," she followed her inside, "do you mind if I have another look at those Nationals tapes?"
"Daaang, Takumi, you work with them every other day?! How do I get in the tutoring business?" Clove lauded his best friend.
"Shut it," Takumi glowered at the pavement as the two re-entered Winterspring City. "Not another word out of your fat mouth," How, Takumi berated himself, did he become friends with this pervert?! Naturally, Clove ignored him.
"Man, have you seen the women here? For such a cold region, they're smoking hot! Do you think that Suki chick liked me? I think she did."
"Oh, definitely!" Takumi put on a faux-enthusiastic tone. "Women love it when you break into their house, tackle their guests and hit 'em with cheesy one-liners afterwards. You're truly a master of your craft."
"Aw, you really think so?"
Takumi sighed. To be fair, some circles would consider today's fiasco mild in comparison to some of Clove's past antics. "What happened to Elizabeth, anyways?" he inquired.
"Who? Oh yeah," the dark-haired male smiled slyly at the memory, "That ended in Floaroma. Too forward for me. Oh, speaking of, I took your advice!" Clove excitedly reached into his bag and shoved a cheap plastic coffee thermos in Takumi's face. "Now we have matching souvenirs! See, this one has a Burmy on it!" the man in the longcoat swatted the picture of the bagworm out of his face and walked away while Clove went to pick up the cup.
Unfortunately, it was hardly another block before Clove caught back up. "Hey, show me that Cinccino you caught!" Takumi reluctantly obliged, taking out Cotton's Burst Heart and releasing the Scarf Pokémon onto the pavement. The Normal type yipped happily at the new face and crawled up the newcomer's leg and onto his shoulder, intensely sniffing his clothes. "Aw, nice!" Clove ruffled Cotton's head, "You've always had a weakness for cute Pokémon," Cotton gave another happy shout while Takumi shook his head hopelessly.
"How's King doing?" he asked about Clove's main partner.
"Eh, he's doing alright for an old timer," Clove said neutrally. "Still hasn't gotten used to Veilstone, new atmosphere and all."
"Well, I can understand that feeling," Takumi muttered, and Clove caught on immediately. The Sinnohan gave his college buddy a pat on the back.
"It can't be all bad here, can it? Suki really does seem nice, and the kid acted way better than you made her out to be."
"You should've seen her before I knocked out her delinquent rival," Miss Camilla could only show a modicum of respect when Takumi had something to impress her with. "She only just started showing progress a couple weeks ago."
Clove didn't seem convinced. "Don't worry, she can't be worse than I was at that age. And progress is progress, right?"
"I suppose."
The two walked through the west end of Winterspring, toward the dockyards, and chatted as they passed several recently constructed buildings. Mostly it was Clove catching Takumi up on events in Sinnoh and the antics of their friends (mostly Clove's friends; Takumi, surprisingly, wasn't quite sociable enough to join the group proper). Takumi halfheartedly listened while he further considered the past few weeks of being a mentor.
Lost in thought, the teacher bumped into Clove's outstretched arm and glanced upwards. They were stopped in front of a large, rectangular building, wedged in between a storefront on either side. Pokéballs and Pokémon League insignias decorated the banner on the roof.
"Check it out," Clove ran over to the large signpost in front, advertising the purpose and hours of the business. "Says here it officially opens next week. Could be fun, right?" Takumi didn't say anything as he studied the structure. It was certainly unique.
"Hey, look at this," Clove pointed at some information at the bottom of the advert.
Sponsored by Infinicorp Enterprises
Takumi's expression adopted a frown. The other Burst Warrior laughed, "You've always hated those big companies, haven't you? Gotta stick it to 'The Man,' right?"
"A bad habit of mine, I guess," the protégé said lightly, quickly averting his eyes from the sign.
"It's the Old Man rubbing off on you, is what it is," Clove turned his friend back around to face the building. "Come on, don't be a moralist. This place would be perfect for teaching that kid, don't you think?"
"You might be right," Takumi admitted, weighing his options. Maybe he'd come back for a visit after all.
While Kiryu shuffled through the various tapes inside the cabinet, Suki finished putting away the dishes and returned to the living room.
"So… How are finals going for you?" the woman asked, trying to make conversation, since it seemed like Kiryu wasn't going to leave very soon. Kiryu continued sorting through the various dates. If only she could remember the exact year…
"Pretty well, I guess," was the response. "I might not even have to write the answers on my arm this semester," the receptionist paled and hastily changed the subject.
"Which tape are you looking for?"
"This one, I think," the teen triumphantly held up the 1986 Nationals recording. "There's something I'd like to see on here. You mind?" Suki shook her head, so Kiryu went over to the VCR and inserted the box. While Suki sat down in the living room, the younger female pressed the fast-forward button and watched the screen intently. When the face she was looking for appeared, Kiryu grinned and pressed 'Play.'
Through the grainy footage the figure of a woman, only slightly younger than Suki, could be seen on the sidelines of a large arena. She locked arms with the Sawk next to her and gave the Pokémon a brief embrace before returning it to its Burst Heart and stepping onto the field. Suki blinked at the familiar face. Kiryu stepped back and admired from behind the coffee table. "This is the right one. There she is," she said.
"Who's that, now?" Suki squinted at the screen, trying to remember.
"Miko Camilla, winner of the 1986 RéBURST Nationals," the Burst Warrior couldn't help but feel a sense of pride when saying the title.
"Miko Cami- Oh!" the hostess's eyes widened in realization. "Is she closely related?" Kiryu confirmed that Miko was, in fact, her mother. "Kiryu, that's incredible! She must've gone to the Academy too, right? She must be so proud of you following in her footsteps."
Kiryu's giddiness faded a bit, "Yeah, was pretty proud," Suki's bright look also faltered, so Kiryu shrugged and hastily changed the topic once more. No use dredging up old memories. "I'd only seen clips of her battling on the internet, so it's cool to be able to watch her all the way through the tournament."
The secretary looked back and forth between Miko and her daughter. She was surprised that she hadn't noticed the resemblance earlier. Miko seemed shorter than her daughter as she Double Kicked the opposing Toxicroak Burst on the footage, but she and Kiryu shared the same hair, eyes and eastern facial features. "I'm normally familiar with tournament winners, but I guess she slipped my mind at first."
"Makes sense, she only competed the one year," Kiryu replied. She glanced back at the cabinet full of recordings. "Where did you get all of these tapes, anyways?"
"Well, you know, the Harmoni family almost always had at least one Burst Warrior participating every year, and we'd get the footage each time. I ended up inheriting copies of the collection."
"I didn't really think you the type to keep track of tournaments, Suki," Kiryu snickered at her companion's fragile appearance.
"I guess us kids didn't have much of a choice," Suki smiled reminiscently. "Every year we'd go to different regions to be a support team for our Burst Warrior relatives. I enjoyed it, though," huh, Kiryu never would've guessed. Though it did make sense. Suki's relation to the RéBURST Academy founder was well-known on campus, mainly because she was the only Harmoni who actively worked in Sakhaloh.
In the background, behind Miko's battle, Kiryu could make out the pit crew of coaches, trainers, water boys and other Burst Warriors along the sidelines. That was where Suki must've worked. "Man, you had the best seat in the house," the teen would've killed to see her mother in action from there.
"I suppose so," ever so slightly, Suki's expression fell. "It was just… expected for the normal Harmoni kids to be there," normal, as in non-Burst Warrior. Someone not born with the gift of fusing with their Pokémon. It occurred to Kiryu that these tournaments provided no opportunity for people on the sidelines to shine. With such a name to live up to, Suki must've just watched her brothers, sisters, cousins, year after year. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.
"…Was it tough watching your relatives battle so often?" the student asked hesitantly. The question drew a sigh from the older girl.
"Maybe a little. My parents wanted to live up to grandpa's name. We all did. They put in so much effort into the Burst Warriors, there wasn't much time for anything else," Kiryu felt a pang of regret for showboating her mother like she was. Mom never played favorites, not even against Chao, the Suki of her family. Would Kiryu be so keen on seeing Mom battle if she had acted differently?
"Yeah, that does kinda suck," Kiryu offered, somewhat bluntly.
"Well, being the sixth out of eight in the family didn't help," the secretary joked, perking up a bit. "Half the battle was keeping seven and eight out of trouble. They grew up to be Burst Warriors, too, and I was happy to help them on the road," Kiryu nodded reassuringly as Suki continued. "In the end, though, nobody could live up to grandpa's title. None of Sugawara's kids won a National Tournament, and some of my own siblings didn't even get that far.
"After that, they all took grandpa's inheritance and started their own ventures," Suki took on a slightly rueful tone as she spilled her feelings. "Some of them still work with the Academy, some don't. I sorta ended up here," both girls glanced around the cottage. Suki's shoulders slumped.
Geez, Kiryu thought. It certainly explained a lot about Suki's presence at the Academy. After all she did for her family, they dumped her on the back of Sugawara's coattails. Kiryu had never thought about people who couldn't Burst in that way, and she felt bad for Suki. That, along with her own family issues, helped Kiryu understand the rich Harmoni at the front desk a little better.
The camera struggled to keep up with the rapid blows traded between the Sawk and Toxicroak Burst. Double Kick against Low Kick, Poison Sting versus Karate Chop, until Miko was knocked to the side by the frog's powerful left hook. The Toxicroak Burst followed up by charging the dazed fighting type and throwing a Strength punch towards his opponent's face. The Karate Pokémon raised a hand and grabbed the Toxicroak as it attacked, gritting her teeth against the shockwaves of the critical force behind the jab. Miko yanked the Burst Warrior towards her and, with her other hand, returned the damage twofold with Counter. The crowd roared throughout the stadium, clipping the audio of the footage, as Miko's adversary crumpled to the ground and Unbursted.
Even with the outcome being a foregone conclusion, decided a quarter century ago, Suki clapped happily, whooping like a true sports fan. Her enthusiasm contagious, Kiryu joined in the cheering, glad to finally see her mom's battling accomplishments. On the television, one of the sideline Burst Warriors raced off the field to meet young Miko in the center. Still in her Sawk Burst, Kiryu's mother lifted the boy up as he jumped into her arms. It looked as if she broke his back with her Pokémon's strength.
"Who's that?" Suki watched as the camera zoomed in on the two young adults. The sixteen-year-old felt an interesting feeling in the pit of her stomach. Like watching two locomotives coming at each other from opposite ends of a track.
"That'd be dear old dad," she answered dryly. Suki immediately took the hint.
"Oh," she commented, a bit quieter. "That's your father?"
"No, my older brother and sister's father," a father in nothing but genes, come a few years down the line, Kiryu remembered.
The information had shocked Suki back into her shell. "I see… I'm sorry…"
"Nah, it's fine," Kiryu waved a hand dismissively. "I'm not exactly on the best terms with either Chao or Lin at the moment, I don't really care who knows," her siblings left her cooped up in their mother's house, just like Suki was left cooped up in Winterspring. On the other hand, at least Lin never made Kiryu carry around a bag of stethoscopes for two years of nursing school beforehand.
In the awkward silence that ensued, Kiryu yawned while the Nationals footage cut to another round of the quarter finals. It was getting late, but who cared? She and Suki seemed to be getting along fine, and she'd rather not leave on a sour note. Believe it or not, the teen felt inclined to ask more about Suki's life with the Harmoni family. She had such a different life from her hostess, and it was interesting to hear about it. "So," she spoke up, getting her Suki's attention again, "were you always away from home while you went to tournaments, or did you have other stuff to fill your time with?"
"Well, I guess I didn't paint an accurate picture, did I?" Suki said sheepishly. "I always had something to do, we weren't exactly limited on a budget. Rapidash riding, record collecting, Pokémon training, I always switched around-"
"Wait, Pokémon training?" Kiryu gave her a disbelieving stare. Suki cheering in a stadium was one thing, but Suki roughing it in the wild was quite another. "I'm learning something new every hour! I can't believe that," Kiryu tried to picture a soft-spoken Suki challenging some Gym or organization to a battle, but it was impossible to imagine.
"It's true!" Suki's smiled. "I travelled all over Almia as a kid. You want to see proof?" Kiryu nodded, keeping on a skeptical face for Suki's amusement, and sent the secretary upstairs to provide evidence. While she was gone, Kiryu stopped the tape, ejected it and left it on the table. She'd watch the finals another time.
A minute later, Suki carefully treaded down the steps, a record player, vinyls, CDs and other items stacked up precariously in her hands. "I still have a lot of this collection stuff, hopefully you'll like it," she set it down on the table in the living room, and Kiryu picked up a picture frame from the top of the pile.
The frame held three photos, each one holding the adorable proof that Suki was, in fact, a Pokémon trainer at one point. The first was of a young Ms. Harmoni, dressed up in brand new hiking gear and gleefully holding up a trainer's license. While the porcelain skin and wide eyes had carried over to adulthood, the girl in the picture couldn't have been more than twelve, and the now-waist-length dark hair was cut into two ponytails that poked out from a novelty safari bucket hat. The street-hardened Alley Cat couldn't help but give into her emotions and "Aww," at the kid in the frame.
The second was the same shot of Suki, but this time with a very fluffy Vulpix in her arms. The poor Pokémon looked like it was in the middle of an intense struggle to break free and was trying to slide through Suki's arms. The effect only squeezed its neck fat up to the Fire type's face, succeeding in making Kitsune seem even less threatening than before.
The final picture was definitely taken some time later. Suki was still smiling, though her hair had grown longer and her clothes looked much more dirty and worn. The angle, this time, was a wide shot that included a few new faces. The escaping Vulpix from earlier was now a golden fire fox whose tails almost reached above Suki's head. The young trainer was also surrounded by three other friends: a Cranidos, Riolu and Glaceon gave their regards to the camera.
"Aww, that's gr- Is that Kitsune?! Adorable!" Kiryu cooed, taken in by the memories.
"Yeah," Suki stared at the frame nostalgically, "It was only for one year, but it was fun. Eventually we had to go back on the road, and it was a hassle to take everybody. Kitsune was my Pokémon long before this, though, so he stayed."
"Still, that's great that you went out there," Kiryu was genuinely happy that Suki got to have her own adventure, at least for a while. She looked up at the academy worker and gave an appreciative nod. "Thanks for showing me all this, Suki. The tapes, these pictures, it's pretty neat."
"Well thank you for being interested," Suki warmly smiled back. "It's always nice to have people over, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."
"Yep," for the first time in what felt like an eternity, Kiryu was having fun. It was the same feeling that she got when joking around with Ivy or pranking the Beatniks with Tula and Ayame. Eh, curfew be damned. "So what kind of music do you got, here?"
As the first few notes of "If Everyone Cared" rang through the lake house, Kiryu leaned back with her friend and let the music carry her away to a better place. Not that the current world was too bad, all things considered.
Three floors up and through a dimly lit hallway, Takumi unlocked his apartment door and stepped inside, followed closely by his temporary roommate.
"Aw man, this is it?" Clove groaned, dropping his bag on the ground in protest. "Now I really wish I'd stayed with Suki!"
"It was for the greater good of everyone that you didn't. And keep your voice down, people are trying to sleep," Clove had insisted on touring the entire dockyards, so it was late into the night by the time they reached the apartment complex. Takumi glanced at the white and green Burst Hearts on his table, making sure that Winter and Summer had returned safely. He then walked over to the miniature closet and searched for a sleeping bag. "Go ahead and take the bed, I don't care."
Clove grinned. "You're the best, Takumi," the Burst Warrior ran across the room and leapt onto the bed. The rusty springs underneath the mattress creaked as the weight landed, proving to be only a slight upgrade to the linoleum floor. Clove moaned in pain and disappointment while his host hid a smirk while laying out the bag.
Clove knew that Takumi was always early to rise. He also knew that, should he keep Takumi up late into the night, he was bound to get a wakeup call from one of Takumi's Pokémon. This, combined with no television or entertainment to keep him up, allowed both males to hit the hay at the same time. With the promise of a full day tomorrow (for a guest he hadn't known would be arriving until an hour ago), Takumi turned out the lights and laid down to rest.
For several minutes, Takumi tried to sleep, but was unable to shut down. Something had been nagging him in the back of his mind for a very long while, at this point. Insufferable as Clover Fields could be, he was at least someone present who Takumi could confide in. "Clove?"
"S'up?" came a voice from above him. Takumi waffled on whether to follow through and expose himself by asking such a question.
"…What do you suppose my father would think of all this?" the silhouette on the bed shifted to gaze down at Takumi, no doubt judging him.
"Oh, I get it, this is one of late night heart-to-hearts that kids have during sleepovers, isn't it?" Clove's voice teased. "Here, let me try; how many people do you think are doing it right now?"
"Clove!"
"What?" the boy in the bed barely missed being jabbed between the eyes for his remark. "I didn't know your dad, how should I know what he's thinking up in the clouds?"
"Well you must have some impression based on all that I've told you over the years,"
"You can say that again," Clove exasperatedly added.
"-and you're the person who knows me best, for better or worse," Takumi finished pointing out. "Based on that, what would he think about this life I'm leading?"
"I'm a geologist, not a psychologist," the graduate student searched for something to say, "but, uh, your dad was a really good Burst Warrior. He taught you how to battle growing up, right?"
"He was the best Burst Warrior, and he taught me everything I know today," Takumi confirmed.
"And the only reason you came here was to become even stronger, wasn't it?" Takumi wasn't sure. Searching for powerful Burst Warriors was the main reason he chose the job in Winterspring. Like he had told Clove before, Takumi assumed that the teaching would be an afterthought, an easy thing to do if he just followed his father's methods.
"My father taught me everything he knew, and I became an educator to pass that information onto the next generation," Takumi clarified, more to himself than Clove. "And yet… my father never taught anyone but me, even when he had the opportunity to. He never became a private mentor, or even entered a competition to showcase his strength," it begged the question that gnawed at Takumi. Would his father be disappointed in his son giving away the secrets and methods to their success?
"If he didn't want you to be a teacher, then he would've told you," Clove responded. "Was he the kind of guy to keep a secret from you?"
"Never," Takumi answered firmly. His father was always straightforward with him, to the point of bluntness. Still, that unspoken word, those feelings that were never spoken before he died, would always lie there in the back of his mind. Clove seemed a bit more optimistic.
"Well if that's the case, I don't see why he wouldn't like what you're doing now. You're still the strongest guy I know, you've got a steady job, heck, you're even getting somewhere with your problem students! What isn't to like about all that?"
"…Maybe," Takumi recalled the time his father had told him why he pushed his son so hard. It was after a brutal battling session, one of the first times the boy and his Ralts were almost hospitalized afterwards. "It's for my offspring's own safety," his father had told him, roughly holding his bleeding, quivering boy by the shoulders. He was protecting Takumi by teaching him how to fight. It was for his son's own good that he learn, train and grow into a Burst Warrior like his father. "One day, you'll need all the practice you can get," his father had warned.
Now Takumi was doing the same for others, be it through his own lessons or by stopping delinquents on the streets. The people were protected. And if he became even stronger along the way by defeating these weak Burst Warriors, that was even better, right? He really was following in Dad's footsteps. The more he considered Clove's perspective, the more he wanted to believe.
The thought reaffirmed Takumi's goal to succeed in his educational duties. If he wanted to promote safety, if he wanted to become stronger, and if he wanted to pass on his father's legacy, then he must prosper in Winterspring. "Thank you, Clove. This must be why I keep you around."
"Don't sweat it, man," Clove leaned over and gave his buddy a sympathetic pat on the head, and Takumi's expression softened under the cover of night. With a strengthened resolve in mind, maybe he could sleep a bit more soundly tonight.
"…Takumi?"
"Yes, Clove?"
"Tuck me in?"
"…"
"…Takumi?"
Clover Field's first appearance in the roleplay was on September 28th, 2012. Like I've said before, there was no OC sheet describing this character's appearance, personality or history. Bladewielder05 just kind of added him in, backstory and all. Little did anyone know, Clove would end up becoming one of the most important and memorable characters in the story.
Personally, I've always liked Clove. The comic relief/straight man dynamic with Takumi has always been funny and a joy to write for. Coming from a background of comedy on this website, I guess it isn't a surprise that writing dialogue for Clove feels the most natural for me. I've also done very little to change him. I would say that the Clove you see here is 99% accurate to the original. He has been aged up alongside Takumi and Suki, and the time that he first met Takumi has also been pushed forward to college. Originally, the two grew up together as children, and were both trained by Takumi's mythical father. College just made it easier to write unfunny partying jokes and Animal House references.
Speaking of, there are a ton of references in this chapter, both to popular media and various fanfiction in-jokes. Needless to say, I had a lot of fun writing them in. I thought that, overall, the dialogue was very natural this time around, partly due to Clove, but also in the dynamic between Kiryu and Suki. Now if only it were as easy to write for the two actual main characters... Anyways, thanks for reading, and be sure to SMASH that review button, especially to tell me how bad the story is!