Nocturnal Nightmares
Welcome to Constant Box, where we not only take care of your Pokémon and their needs, but also you and your needs. And we'll do the best we can. Promise.
HA! HA! HA! {Mew and Celebi fly past a forest.}
HA! HA! HA! {Articuno and Meloetta fly by the daycare.}
Even with the pretty tough opponents, {Ricka smirks and throws a Poké Ball onto the field.}
The battles keep heating up more and more! (really?) {Ace comes out and uses Leaf Blade.}
Staggering, worn out, we're in big trouble! {Yuri dodges a Flame Burst and then uses Play Rough.}
Decide on Iron Tail while smiling! {Buster uses Iron Tail on the ground, causing it to break apart.}
(Everything is Good!) {Rei jumps from the trees in a leaf-made outfit, Spiky-eared Pichu on her shoulder.}
OH! With our Hidden Power, {Rei smiles as she swings through a forest before jumping off a branch.}
(Never Give Up!) {Swinub, Chikortita, and Squirtle dive after her playfully.}
Come on, stand up and let's ride all the tailwinds! {Muk and Snorlax catch them, the team laughing.}
Motivation, Changing, and Enthusiasm! {Shun looks at the sky as his eyes flash red for a brief moment.}
Let's continue together everyday! {He smiles gently as his Pokémon surround him.}
Crossing through forests, rivers, and mountains, {Ricka, Rei, and Shun look at the night sky from a roof.}
This feeling is the greatest! (The greatest!) {Ricka smiles as she sees Ace resting.}
Friendship, love, and sheer power! {Shun watches as his Mawile tries to converse with Yuri, smiling.}
We're evolving everyday! {Rei watches in amazement as light surrounds her Chikorita.}
How nice, how nice, how nice, now let's go! {All three trainers throw a Poké Ball up to the sky.}
We've got a good combination! {Shun's Milotic and Mawile create fireworks from a beautiful attack combo.}
Perfect communication! {Rei happily speaks with the several Pokémon surrounding her.}
Always at high tension! {Ricka and a trainer glare at each other as they're about to battle.}
WOW WO shalala... It's gonna be alright! {Mew and Meloetta play as Celebi and Articuno watch.}
We've got a good vibration! {Ricka uses the Mega Stone as Yuri Mega Evolves into Mega Mawile.}
Towards tomorrow, congratulations! {Tyranitar roars proudly as he wins a battle, Shun complimenting him.}
It's always a revolution! {Spiky-Eared Pichu fights Hotaru's Zorua.}
Let's go on this road, we aim to be a Pokémon Master! {The three trainers stand in front of the daycare.}
…
She tussled on her bed. Moving, left and right. It was cold, though she knew not why. Her blankets covered her, but this added warmth just didn't exist. It was the warmth she was used to, the embracing and loving kind. The warmth of her older sister, it would seem. Maybe the woman was taking her shower already. Maybe the child had merely overslept, which would also explain her lonely bed. Yeah. Overslept.
Just a few more minutes, just a little more time, just some more winks of rest. Yeah, just a little more, that's all she wanted. But damn was it cold. She really wanted her sister here, just for the added warmth. Where was she? The ten-year-old couldn't hear the sound of footsteps rumbling through the home, nor the hum of the shower. Nor could she hear her own sister's lectures to herself. It was as if the house was empty. Had the woman already left to deal with the Pokémon outside?
"Ohhhh... Ricka..." the child grunted.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
"BLAGH!?"
She shot up from her bed, the sound startling her deeply. Her azure blue eyes took some time to adjust, while her hand pounded to where the sound came from. She eventually touched upon a strange device, but didn't really care. Her constant pounding of the machine made the horrid noise stop, freeing her ears of the banshee screech. She rubbed her eyes next, clearing herself of the blur that had taken her. Now she could see again. See that things were different.
This wasn't her room. Where were the hard wood floors and hard wood walls? Where was the drawer with the mirror? Where was the TV Ricka recently put in their room, so they could watch movies far into the night? Why was this room so large and white? The window too, was grand in scale. The child was confused. Wait, she wasn't a child anymore.
She gazed down to her body. So much taller was she; no longer did she owned the body of a ten-year-old. Instead she was tall, lean, athletic even. And she had these two flabby orbs protruding from her chest. Confused by them, she shook her chest a bit, wondering where the hell these things came from. It took her a while to realize these were what Ricka calls 'breasts'. Yeah, breasts. Which was strange, because the child never had breasts before, and her sister never really explained what they were, or what they were used for. The woman always said 'if someone touches you there, tell me so I can kill the fucking pervert'. So was it wrong that she was touching herself there? Seriously, where the hell did these things come from?
The child, err, woman pulled herself up from the bed. She took gentle steps over these cold white panel floors, coming close to the drawer near her bed. Man was this room so wide, it took her forever to walk there. Upon reaching it, she gazed into her reflection. Taller, she was so much taller. 5'8, 5'9 maybe? No where near as tall as her sister, but tall nonetheless. Her hair still that wonderful shade of indigo, though it was noticeably more boyish now instead of that short style Ricka was cutting it down to.
She was older. No longer was this child, well, a child. She was not ten-years-old, like she went to sleep as. She was now twenty-years-old. Twenty-years-old. How, in what world, did this happen? Did she not go to sleep last night as a ten-year-old who owned a daycare with her older – not really – sister? Then how did she get here, wherever here was? And why was she suddenly twenty and not ten?
Some how – in some way – Rei had grown up.
"Finally you woke up!" a voice echoed from the door.
It slid open. On the other end, another twenty-year-old woman. Wait, twenty-one-year-old woman. She had long black hair tied up into pigtails, while these icy-blue eyes glared into Rei's azure blue ones. Unlike Rei, she was actually dressed up in clothes suitable for the public, and not these drab nightwear. Just a dirty t-shirt and panties, much like Ricka. The woman before Rei was so disturbed by this, scoffing at the horrid manner Rei presented herself. It was so unbecoming of her.
"Ho... Ho... Hotaru?" Rei said, shocked by the woman before her.
"Oh what's wrong Rei?" the perfect child, err, woman said, as she gazed at the feral girl, "Did all those Pokémon Battles finally wear down on your head? I swear, you're becoming more annoying as time goes on; I don't even know why I agreed to this little living arrangement with you..." she walked up to her, before clinching her nose tightly, "Oh Xerneas you smell bad. Go... go to the bathroom and hurry up you little runt..."
"Hotaru!? What's going on!?" Rei asked, earnestly confused, "Where am I? And how did I get here and..." she noticed she was speaking complete and full English. Weird, "Uh... what's going on? Hotaru? Why are you here? You hate me!"
"Of course I hate you," Hotaru admitted, no shame in her statement, "But that doesn't mean we can't make this partnership fly. C'mon, Constant, we have a lot of things to do today. A lot of people to talk to, a lot of trash to beat down, and titles to uphold. Hurry up!"
"T-titles?" Rei repeated as she walked up behind Hotaru, out into this upscale hall, "What titles are we talking about?"
"Sweet Reshiram, aren't you dense?" Hotaru replied with a snarl, "Our titles; what were you doing last night huh? Drinking like that alcoholic sister of yours?" Rei rose an eyebrow, but remained silent nonetheless, "I suppose it would run in the family, despite how she got toward you in her stupors. Anyway, Rei, you Johto Champion. Me, Kanto Champion. Remember now? Let's get to work; I hate wasting time."
Hotaru walked off alone, eventually vanishing down the hall, while Rei remained silent at the doorway. Those words danced around her head, while she came to terms with her situation. 'Johto Champion'. As in, Pokémon Champion? Of Johto? The entire region of Johto? No, no, no, that's wrong; she's only a ten-year-old girl who lives with Ricka at her daycare. Sure she thinks about being Champion all the time, but she wasn't. Not yet at least.
And what was this talk about her alcoholic older sister? What was Hotaru talking about? What's going on!?
…
"Oh... dammit... the fuck is wrong with my damn back?" the woman cursed, "Seriously? I mean, fuck, I knew the bed was old but... Is a fucking spring loose or some shit like that? Damn it all to hell... ugh... If I didn't know any better... it's like I'm sleeping on the road again... ouch..."
The twenty-year-old woman pulled up, chest rising and lowering as she took her breathes. Tired and exhausted, she felt so incredibly cool. The kind of cool natural air would bring, not indoor air conditioning. Even though her vision was blurry, the woman could see beautiful green blades of grass and forest all around her. She dragged her fingers alongside some of this grass, feeling the morning dew drench her digit. Enthralled by the sight, she smeared the droplet along her thumb as well.
This action seemed to bring the woman to reality. She looked left and right, realizing it wasn't hard wood flooring or walls around her, but forest. Luscious green forest. And this wasn't her bed, but a knapsack she rested in. In fact, a knapsack she used to rest in a long time ago, but only when she was a teenager. Why the fuck was she in it now!?
She escaped her knapsack, gazing down to her body. Instead of her dirty t-shirt and panties, ya'know her usual nightwear, she was actually wearing pajamas. Yeah, these pink pajamas, shirt and panties. Honestly, they felt real warm and nice, she'd need to get her own pair when...
What the fuck!? What in the name of Groudon was going on here!? Where was she, why was she in pajamas, where was her home, where was Rei, what time was it, just what the fuck!? Seriously, what the flying fuck!? The woman was beginning to freak out now, which wasn't good. No one wants a crazed Ricka Constant on their back. It's like having an Ursaring crammed down your throat.
"Ah! Ricka! You finally woke up!" a voice called behind her.
It was a boy's voice; a pervert perhaps? No, no smart thinking pervert would just openly call her name out like that. But who was that? It was a boy's voice, one younger than her. A teenager perhaps? She turned slowly, her eyes on this boy.
He wasn't as tall as she was, but that's an understatement; everyone's shorter than Ricka. He wore a blue vest and black undershirt, along with these green fingerless gloves. Ricka's eyes started to widen, as she steadily realized the worse. Blue jeans, blue shoes, red and white hat on head with that strange green symbol on it. And lastly, but most importantly, the Pikachu on his shoulder.
"No... fucking... way..." Ricka said as she stepped back, "Ash... Ketchum...?"
"C'mon Ricka!" he said chipperly as he pointed toward the forest's edge, "I can see Agate Village right over the hill! We'll be there in no time!"
"Pika pika!" Pikachu enthusiastically said on his shoulder.
All Ricka could do was stare. Stare. Stare. Stare.
"What... the flying... fuck...?"
…
"I must be dreaming..." the indigo-haired woman said in awe.
She was walking through the city. Well maybe saying 'was' walking is a bit too much. More like, she was attempting to walk through the city. There were so many people, such large crowds, everyone trying to get a grasp at her. To touch her, to talk to her, to challenge her. The gruff men around her that were her bodyguards had to constantly rebuff their advances, pushing and throwing them off of her. The same was true for Hotaru Katsu, who was marching angrily ahead. She didn't own the same gaze of awe as Rei, for she was instead extremely annoyed by them.
Sure, being Pokémon Champion is an amazing feeling, but boy is it taxing. The media exposure alone is enough to kill someone if they aren't used to it, really.
"Get away! You wanna challenge us, go through the League!" Hotaru shouted as she opened the door to their limo, "Hurry up Rei! I don't feel like this crap anymore!"
She nodded and followed, getting into the vehicle alongside her Kanto-counterpart. And boy are limos interesting things. Sitting into the nice velvety seats, Rei felt such an exhilarating feeling. Was it wrong to say this was the first time she's ever ridden in a vehicle like this. Her first time sitting in a car. Sure, she's ridden on Natsumi many times, but that(or she)'s a moped, not a real car. This is above that; this is a limo!
"I swear, those varmints are beginning to irk my nerves," Hotaru growled as she stared out the window toward her many 'fans', "I swear. Run around the region, get the eight badges, and then challenge me. I swear to Jirachi, these fools make it seem so hard. I mean, Zekrom, we did it, it should be easy for them. I guess I overestimated my own skills; those fools couldn't battle their way out of a paper bag, let alone get a badge..."
"Hotaru," Rei suddenly said, making the perfect woman turn around.
"What is it Rei, and make it quick," she grumbled, as she glanced out toward the window once more, "I swear; taking a car ride to the Indigo Plateau could not be any longer..."
"Hotaru," Rei said again, "Just... just what is going on? I mean... when I went to bed last night, I was resting with Ricka but now... I'm... champion?"
"Yup, you've been drinking," Hotaru said as she crossed her arms in an uppity manner, "Rei, you went to bed last night alone, like you always do. I remember because I was there; we live in the same home, you do know that, right?"
"No, no," the child said, "I live with Ricka. I'm ten, and she's twenty, and we run a daycare..."
"Rei, that was ten years ago," Hotaru said, "Jeeze, just what have you been drinking, Constant? Ten years ago you lived with your sister at a daycare. And then, thank the heavens, child services came and rescued you."
"Ch... chi..." Rei rose an eyebrow, half in confusion, half in fear, "Child services?"
"Yes, Constant, yes!" Hotaru said, obviously annoyed, "Child Protective Services! CPS! They came and took you away from that drunken wrench you call your sister."
"What!? You take that back Hotaru!" Rei shouted as she stood up in the limo, "Ricka is not a drunken wrench; you stop insulting her!"
"What have you been drinking, and where can I get some?" Hotaru asked, "What is it? That Lake Verity's Variety? I swear, you Constants and your expensive beers. It really does run in the family," her eyes slid into a glare, "Ricka Constant is a drunken wrench, or should I use witch. She ran that daycare of her's into the ground after she beat you and CPS finally got the nerves to get you out of it."
"What?" Rei whispered, "There's no way. Ricka only spanked me when I did something bad..."
"Yeah, until she got drunk," Hotaru replied, "And then everything you did was bad. There's no arguing with a drunk woman, Rei. That's what you told me all the time. It was like Ricka became a different person, that's what you said yourself. That Ricka would – you so cutely put it as – evolved into a completely different person when she was drunk. And then well... you know..." she looked back out the window now, watching as they drove on the highway, "I swear, I really feel bad for you. Drunken sister, and now you're drinking to the point that you can't remember anything."
"No, no!" Rei shouted, growing angry, "I... I don't believe you! I don't believe you, Hotaru! Where's Ricka! I want to go to Ricka!"
"Eh, that bat's probably out of jail by now," Hotaru said as she looked at the Johto Champion, "But why do you care? I mean Rei, she did beat you after all. Seems pretty insane of you to want to see her."
"Where... is... Ricka..." Rei asked, now threatening the perfect woman, who didn't seem bothered at all.
"Fine, fine," Hotaru said, "It's not like we have anything to do anyway. Boy, life as a Champion is so freaking boring..." she faced the limo's driver, and open the slot that restricted the two, "Hans, bring us to the airport. We're boarding a flight..."
"Yes Ms. Katsu!" he replied energetically, "To the airport we go!"
…
"What the hell is going on here!?" Ricka grunted as she tried to attach the strap of her pants, "Seriously!? The fuck!?"
Had her breast grown, or was that just her? Seriously, she was trying to attach the straps to her shorts, but it wasn't fucking working? What were these damn clothes anyway? She had never worn them in her life! These overalls with shorts and the short white shirt underneath? It was... it was...
Actually, it wasn't half bad. If only for the straps that seemed to be too short, she could see herself wearing these. After she figures out how to get home, she was going to look into this little outfit. It would be a good change from her usual looks.
"Hey, Ricka," his annoying voice called, "Are you done yet?"
"Shut the fuck up, Ash!" Ricka barked as she finally connected the strap to her shorts, "Dammit! The fuck!? What's going on here!?"
She marched out of the forest in her full attire, pink heart-shaped belt shining in the light. Marching up to Ash, she already had one of her coveted death-glares on. Pikachu him(her?)self was frozen solid by the twenty-year-old's powerful stare. She gripped Ash by his shoulders and squeezed them tightly, while her red face moved slowly toward his. And, steam rising from her nose, she had only one question.
"What the fuck is going on here!?"
"Man, Ricka," Ash replied as sweat dropped from his and Pikachu's head, "You must've woken up on the wrong side of the bed today, huh?"
"Get that over-acted anime shit out of here!" she snarled, "Where are we, why are we here, and what the fuck is going on!?"
"Yeah, you woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Ash said in lament, while he and Pikachu sighed in unison, "Don't you remember, Ricka? We're here in the Orre region, trying to get to the Gym in Agate Village. I'm trying to beat the Orre League, ya'know?"
"You dipshit!" Ricka barked as she started to shake him, "There is no fucking Orre League! The region is completely devoid of Gyms dammit!... except the Pre Gym in Phenace city, but that's beside the point. Why are we really here, Ash?"
"To get the Gym Badges," he repeated, now as he and Pikachu turned around, "I mean, I have three of them so far, remember? You were there. Justin at the Phenac City Gym was difficult, and you kept choking people...?"
"Other than the choking part, all of that is pure bullshit," Ricka said as she marched up beside Ash, "Phenac City only has a Pre Gym, and I couldn't even begin to explain what that is. At most, it has a Colosseum, and they only give out money and TM's. So I repeat myself; what the fucking hell is going on!?"
"We're going to Agate Village Ricka, to challenge the Gym," Ash said, "That's what we've been doing for the past few weeks now, I don't know why everything would suddenly be so different."
The woman stood there, eyes wide, completely dumbfounded by the events around her. Why, in the name of God, was she traveling around with this teenage(?) punk? Also, was it slightly blasphemous to constantly use God's name like that. Ricka didn't know, but still, what the fuck? She gripped her head and tried to come to terms with things, whilst walking toward Ash in complete astonishment.
Little did the woman know she was being watched. A pair of binoculars held hard on her position, watching as she tried to make her case known to Ash. This trio was in a pair of bushes some yards away, watching the traveling group. This blue-haired man on his knees beside a red-haired woman, along with a mouse that stood between the two. And all of them gazed upon Ash and Ricka.
"Well, well, well," the red-haired woman said as she gazed at the other redhead, her voice snarling and spiteful, "Look at the little traitor now! She and the brat are heading toward Agate village as we speak!"
"Oh who, who, who!" the blue-haired man said beside her, "Yes, she's right there. Miss Ricka, heading toward Agate Village so soon..."
"Oh shut up you two!" the Meowth between barked, "You're both embarrassing to be around! Our mission is to bring Ricka back to the bossman, all in one piece! After all our past failures, I'm pretty sure bringing back his Legendary Catcher is going to put us on his good list!"
"Then what are we waiting for?" the redhead asked, "Let's get moving!"
They quickly stood, only to duck down again, and quickly stalk through the forest in a crouching manner. The two humans of the group wore matching uniforms, ones that owned this stylized 'R' on it.
…
She stood outside of the limo, blue eyes on the buildings before her. The weather appeared to match her emotions; grey, depressing, filled with turmoil. The sun was blocked out, allowing no sunlight to permeate the atmosphere. It was cold too, especially with the wind blowing in her direction.
Everything was so horrible. And yet, so familiar. Because this place was Constant Box. Or what remained of Constant Box. The buildings were decrepit, and looked as if they hadn't been tended to in years. Graffiti was placed about, the grass dead, windows shattered, everything horrible. The Champion of Johto just couldn't believe it.
"Hurry up, Rei," Hotaru said as she leaned up against the limo, "Let's get this family reunion from hell over with..."
"Wait, Hotaru," Rei said as she looked at her, "I... I want to talk to Ricka alone, okay?"
"Ugh... suit yourself," Miss Perfect said, "I guess I'll wait here and tease Hans a bit..."
Rei turned back to the main building of Constant Box, shaking in her toes. Walking toward her home, she tried to understand this word she was placed in. Her home was just as battered as the other buildings, being only slightly better. Yet this unsettling and disturbing aura seemed to be strangling her; making itself known. And Rei just didn't like it.
She walked to the main building, her footsteps making disturbing creaks on the floor boards. Stopping at the door, her hand met the rusted doorknob presented to her. She turned it, only to find it click to a stop. Locked, it would seem. She slid her hands into her pockets, searching for her keys, only for her hand to turn up empty. Force of habit, it would seem.
Instead, she crouched down to the floorboards, where she lifted up the rug. Sliding it off, she found the key to the door. Only, this was extremely rusted as well. Must have not been used in a while. Nonetheless, Rei pulled up the keys and slid it into the door's keyhole. Twisting it, she heard everything click within.
Rei pushed open the door. The musky scent of whiskey came into her nose. She had to clench her nostrils shut, just to save herself from the horrid smell. This world wasn't her world; Constant Box never smelled this way, and only rarely did Ricka herself. So why was it everywhere?
Rei's eyes moved left and right along the full length of the lobby. From the counter to the PC, which itself was vastly out of use. The indigo-haired woman walked in, being extremely weary of the building around her. It felt so haunted and evil; this was not the place she dared to call home. This was that creepy house down the lane. No, wait, the creepy house down the lane was the manor filled with Poison-types and Lampent. Rei would rather be there than here.
"Hello?" she called as she walked deeper inside, "Hello! Ricka!" she was growing terrified, "Ricka!? It's Rei! Ricka please!? Ri-!?"
She stopped. Her azure blue eyes fell on a child. Yes, a young child. She must have been four, maybe five. She had blue eyes, much like someone else Rei knew. Her hair, long and red, much like someone else Rei knew. Her height, quite tall for her age, like someone else Rei knew. And she stood there in her clothing, a Glaceon doll in her arms. She stood there, brushing the doll gently, as she gazed at Rei intensely. And both didn't know what to do.
"Aunt... Rei?" the child asked, confused.
"Aunt... Rei?" Rei repeated, her heart beginning to thump.
There was only one reason in the entire world that this child would call her 'Aunt'. And that's if she was Ricka's daughter.
"Casey!" someone's voice yelled from outside, "Casey! Mommy's home! Open up the door, will ya!?"
"Okay Mommy," the child said as she pushed past Rei and scurried to the door, "Mommy! Mommy! You won't believe who's here!"
"Humor me... Officer Jenny again?" the woman outside growled, "I swear... that woman comes here more times than I fuckin do..."
"No! No!" the child said as she pulled the door open, "It's Aunt-"
"Rei?"
Blue eyes met blue eyes.
…
"I swear to fucking Arceus, Ash," Ricka said as she face palmed herself, "I have seen your Charizard take on motherfucking Legendary Pokémon before..." she looked up, "Why the hell is he getting his ass whooped by a fucking Pikachu!?"
So, yeah, Agate Village does have a Gym. Ricka had no idea where it came from, but it was here. Last time she came to the Orre region, it was a brutish place filled with many terrible cities and terrible people. But damn were the Coliseums amazing! So big, so grand, and filled with people wanting to watch. Mt. Battle too was amazing; Pokémon battles as far as the eye could so. So amazing!
So when the hell did Orre get Gyms, and why did it need them? Seriously!? The region was awesome enough without them! Seriously, it was the only region where the woman felt like she accomplished something. If it has Gyms, it has an Elite Four, and if it has an Elite Four, then Ricka failed.
But that's beside the point. Agate Village's Gym was just as grand and grassy as one may suspect. Yeah, an amazing Coliseum was the battlefield for this place. Large, bowl-shaped, with grass growing on the walls and trees everywhere. Agate was always the place that was most connected to nature, as well as the past.
"Charizard!" Ash yelled, "Flamethrower!"
Seriously though, this was the most painful battle Ricka had ever sat through. Charizard flapped his wings valiantly, making the wind flush. Taking to the air, the great Flame Pokémon glared down to his enemy bellow. The Mouse Pokémon was small, but damn was it strong. Arms crossed, the mighty Pikachu gazed up to his foe, while his trainer gave precise orders. The Gym Leader of Agate Village was an old man, with a long grey beard, mustache and hair, not to mention eyebrows. He was great and age, and that was obvious. The Myth Trainer, Gym Leader of Agate Village, Eagun.
"Pikachu!" he yelled, "Dodge it!"
Charizard's mouth opened, unleashing a stream of fire toward his enemy. The crafty Pikachu was able to dodge the attack however, dodging as the fire slammed against the ground. He landed on his fours, his eyes falling on his foe.
"Pikachu, now's your chance!" Eagun yelled, "Counter with Thunder!"
The Mouse Pokémon leaped high into the sky, eyes settling on Charizard with a glare. Suddenly, from the skies, a powerful lighting bolt struck the Pikachu. It was able to conduct the bolt it summoned however, and direct it toward its winged foe. Pointing at Charizard, Pikachu unleashed its attack. The attack connected, bringing the battle to a 'shocking' conclusion.
Hah.
But seriously, Charizard felt more than 10,000 volts of electricity course through his body. The Flame Pokémon roared out, before growing silent within the air. He fell to the ground with a powerful thud, growing just as silent as the air around him. Meanwhile, Ash felt that familiar sense of defeat take him.
"We... we lost...?"
"Oh don't give me that shit!" Ricka barked from behind, making her glance at him, "Dammit! Can't you see the anime has decided to punish you!? Just so you can learn a lesson in fucking humility for the 800th time! I swear! Eagun's about to come over here, pat you on the back, and then fucking train you for the next episode, or you're gonna do some stupid fucking soul-searching, and then you'll come back and kick his old ass!"
"Oh, so you believe in me, Ricka?" he asked, making the woman spit fumes.
"NOOOOOO! IT'S PLAID!" she instead roared back, "AAAAHHHHHhhhhh... fuck... can't this be one of those fanfics where his friends betray him and he leaves for, like, ten years and becomes a badass? I'd gladly betray his ass..."
The ground shook. Ricka, Ash, and Eagun all gazed down to the ground together, feeling this quake to be unnatural. It wasn't like a Pokémon used Earthquake in battle or something, there were no battles going on right now. Suddenly, in the center of the coliseum, the ground split and cracked. Everyone watched as a massive drill broke through the land, which actually appeared to be a giant mechanical Rhydon.
The massive mechanical Drill Pokémon climbed to land, before standing tall above all. On its shoulder and chest was a large stylized 'R'. It made Ricka cringe from pure hate.
"Prepare for trouble!" a woman's voice yelled.
"And make it double!" a male voice said next.
"Oh... God..." Ricka groaned.
Steam suddenly erupted from the head of the fake Rhydon, as the mechanical Pokémon began to split and open up.
"To protect the world from devastation!" the woman yelled again.
"To unite all peoples within our nation!" his voice added.
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
Old habits die-hard it would seem. Both for them and for Ricka. She found herself reciting the motto as well.
"Jessie!" the woman stated as she appeared within the smoke.
"James!" he said next with a rose in hand, he too standing tall.
"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!" Jessie claimed.
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!" James stated.
"Meowth! That's right!"
"Wobba! Wobba!"
"Ah! Team Rocket!" Ash yelled, shocked.
"Are you really that dumb?" Ricka replied as she marched up to the Rhydon machine, "Dammit! Jessie! James! Why the fuck are you still trying!? I swear, I think I was still apart of Team Rocket when you dolts were trying this same shit!"
"Oh, well, if it isn't the traitor," James said as he tossed his rose to her.
Ricka caught said rose before growling and glaring back up.
"Tell me, Legendary Catcher," Jessie ordered, "What is it you and your boyfriend are doing here?"
"No! No!" Ricka said, "Don't say that! Ash's retarded fanbase is going to ship me with him!"
"Too late for that..." Meowth said, making Ricka choke on air.
"What!? No," the woman quickly withdrew her PokéNav, "This better be some shit! Bulbapedia!"
"Team Rocket, what are you doing here?" Ash yelled as he ran up to them.
"Well isn't it obvious you brat?" Jessie asked.
"We're here to steal your Pokémon! Rhydon machine! Vine Whip!"
Slots of the mighty Drill Pokémon suddenly opened up producing long and thick metal wires. These wires wrapped around Charizard's weakened body, as well as the tired body of Eagun's Pikachu, where it slowly brought them toward the fake Rhydon. Both Pokémon were too battered by their battle to continue fighting, so the Rhydon machine's Vine Whip easily tied them up. And, yes; Vine Whip.
"Hey! Stop that!" Ash barked as he withdrew a Poké Ball.
"Man... feels like those darn Cipher fools like from a few years ago... hm..." Eagun said as he gently brushed his beard.
"No... NO!" Ricka shouted, making everyone look at her, "What the fuck is this!? ConstantShipping!? The name for the romantic relationship between Ricka Constant and Ash fucking Ketchum!? That's fucking disgusting! I'll be arrested! And... shit! What is this!? What is this!? I think I'mma puke... I... ugh... oh man..."
But instead of puking, Ricka did what Ricka does best. She got mad. Like, really mad. Like 'I just had my period and now I'm on an emotional roller coaster' mad. Oh man. Ricka on her period. A terrifying thought indeed.
"Okay, that's it," the woman said as she withdrew a Poké Ball, "I've had enough. I just figured I'd have to destroy you all. That's the only way I'll make myself feel better," her eyes settled on Team Rocket, "Tell Giovanni I send in my resignation letter," she tossed out her Poké Ball, "Go! Yuri!"
"Mawile!" the Deceiver Pokémon shouted.
…
"So... what brings you around your sister's place again?"
She wasn't the same woman. The woman she knew was energetic, filled with life, and in her own special way, happy. But this thirty-year-old woman who handed her the tainted cup of coffee just wasn't the same woman. Sure, she looked the same, bear in mind the changes an entire decade had passed, but she wasn't the same.
Ricka Constant. Eyes, exhausted, body, so tired, a withered soul in this place we call life. She was tired, well, just depressed. Unhappy, sad, hurt for reasons Rei didn't understand. Why was her sister looking like this? What happened to make things this way? Why was she in this world? Just what happened between last night and now to make things this way?
"So Johto Champion?" Ricka said as she popped the cork to the bottle in her hand, "Living life up in Goldenrod? Or do you live in Saffron? Huh, with Hotaru?"
Rei watched as she drank her vile substance, making her cringe. Alcohol was just something she never understood; as a child and as an adult. While Ricka drank the bottle down with great ease. Rei watched as the dark brown substance vanished faster and faster, before Ricka brought her lips away for a gasp of breath.
"I... I live in Saffron with Hotaru," Rei said, before she gazed up to her older sister, "Ricka... what happened? Everything's so confusing, I... I don't remember things happening this way?"
"What are you talking about?" Ricka asked as she put her bottle down, "Hey? Have you been hittin' the liquor? I thought I told you not to do that? Regardless of what I do..."
"I haven't been drinking," Rei said, "But you have... Ricka, I... I..." she looked away, seeing that child, Casey, again, "Who is she, Ricka?"
"You must have been drinking," Ricka chuckled, "There's no way you'd forget your neice. Well... even though she really isn't your niece..." the woman turned to face the child, "Hey, Casey, come here. Aunt Rei wants to see you..."
The child did as she was told, walking up to Ricka with that Glaceon doll in her arms. She climbed into Ricka's lap and sat down, where she slowly began nuzzling herself closer to the woman.
"Casey is my daughter, Rei," Ricka said as she rested her chin on the child's red head, "Yup. My five-year-old daughter..."
"Daughter..." Rei repeated in shock, "Uh... whose the... father...?"
Ricka shrugged her shoulders, before settling her eyes on Rei again.
"The hell I should know," she admitted.
"But... could it possibly be Shun?"
Ricka chuckled, which made Rei flinch.
"Shun? No, no, no," the woman said, before taking a deep breath that lead to an unhappy face, "No... no... Shun left far before I got pregnant with Casey..." another deep breath, "So... long... before..."
"Where is Shun?" Rei asked, as she sipped her coffee.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Ricka stated, before she rubbed Casey's head with her chin, "Don't really care though. Can't miss a guy who I haven't seen in a long time, now can I?"
"What about... Ace?" Rei asked, making Ricka look up, "I didn't see him outside or-"
"DON'T TALK ABOUT ACE!" Ricka shouted as she slammed her bottle on the desk, jolting everyone, "Get moving Casey, I have to talk too your aunt..."
The child merely nodded, ushering herself off of her mother's lap. Meanwhile, Ricka's blue eyes glared deeply into Rei's blue eyes. That bottle of alcohol was now half gone, and it showed. Ricka looked belligerent, angry even, eyes gaining these red strains. Rei felt her heartbeat increase as well as her breathing, though she dared not show it.
"Don't... talk... about... Ace..." Ricka said slowly, just so Rei could get it in her head, "I thought we went through this the last time..." she began growling suddenly, "Oh, no, what we went over last time was when you yelled at me, calling me an unfit mother and older, God damn sister..." she took some more of her alcohol, "I swear to Arceus, Rei. The moment you became Johto Champion, you let all that fucking shit get to your head..." another drink, she started shaking more, "Dammit... if you hate me so much, why did you fucking come here?"
Was this the 'Ricka' Hotaru spoke of? This belligerent, drunken, terrifying woman that sat before her? She definitely looked like it. Rei stared deep into her sister's eyes, terrified out of her wits by what this woman might do. This was not the Ricka Rei know, that's for sure. This was just...
Just...
Just...
Rei blinked. Her eyes opened. Behind Ricka was this monster. It lacked legs, instead floating in the air. Its entire body was pitch black, save for its red collar, and what looked to be flowing white hair. And it had only one piercing blue eye. This creature had a hand rose, and inside said hand was a sphere of absolute chaos.
"Uah!?" Rei gasped as she fell out of her chair.
She stood up quickly, only to see the black creature was gone. Just what was that?
"Ah!?"
Rei moved to her right, just in time to dodge a flying bottle. It shattered on the wall, sprinkling glass and beer onto the floor. Rei stared at it, before looking over to Ricka. She seemed to reclusive now, as she sat down in her chair. Both of her eyes, falling to look at her younger sister.
"Go, Rei..." Ricka whispered, before saying louder, "Go!"
Rei said nothing, as she instead walked backward. Exiting the kitchen, she returned to the building's lobby. The Johto Champion was confused by the events that just transpired. The woman back there was not Ricka. But, more importantly, what the hell was that monster she saw for just a split second? And what was going on around here?
"They're all dead, ya'know..." a familiar voice spoke out.
Rei looked over her shoulder to the lobby's counter. Sitting there was a small Pokémon, one that was light brown and owned a second black mouth stretching from the back of her head. She looked up to Rei, legs kicking over the edge, her demeanor not as great as it should have been. She looked just as depressed as the place around her.
"I'm talking about Ace. And Quest. And Cecilia..." Yuri said as she started to fiddle with the Mawilite around her neck, "The list goes on, Rei... They're all dead..."
"How?" Rei inquired.
"What?" Yuri said, stunned, "Rei... you... you can understand me?"
"Of course I can," she said, "I can understand all Pokémon."
"You used to be able to understand all Pokémon," the Mawile claimed, "But then you grew out of it. Thought it was something 'childish', threw it away like it was pig-latin..." Yuri's eyes slid into a squint, "Something isn't right here... you... you're not..." she stood up, "Where's Pichu?"
"Pichu should be in her Poké Ball," Rei claimed, "That's where Rei put her last..."
"That's where I put her last," Yuri corrected, making Rei realize she was speaking in third-person again, "And you evolved Pichu, remember? She's a Raichu now. You couldn't keep a weak Pichu on your team, so you evolved her. At least, that's what you told me."
"Rei would never evolve Pichu unless she wanted to," she claimed, "Why would Rei... hey is everything getting smaller?"
Now. She was just getting younger. Younger and younger, from twenty slowly down to ten, the ages were just being shaved off like hair.
Until she blinked. Rei's eyes reopened, where she saw nothing but darkness all around.
"Ricka!" Rei shouted, "Ricka! Yuri! Hotaru! Shun! Casey!" silence, "Ricka!" she ran forward a few feet, feeling her heart beat increase, "Ricka! Ricka! Ricka!" silence. Silence, "A... anyone...?"
A dark and depressing air descended upon her. Rei turned quickly, seeing that beast again. The pitch black one with the white hair and blue eye. Since it was dark all around, she could only see its red collar, blue eye, and white hair. But this time, the beast never left.
"Who are you," the ten-year-old asked, "And what are you doing to Rei?"
It rose its hand, where behind it, a door shot up through the darkness. Said door opened, and light poured through. Rei blinked, where the beast vanished. Staring toward the door, the ten-year-old scrambled for it. The light grew brighter and warmer the closer she got. It sounded like glass when she broke through on the other end.
…
"Well, we tried our best I guess we can say that much, right?" James claimed as wind rushed all around him.
"Oh shut it you! And curse that blasted Mega Mawile!" Jessie snarled, as she too felt wind roar around her.
"You num-nuts! I hope you remembered to put the landing pad up before this happened!"
"Well..." James said sheepishly.
"IT LOOKS LIKE TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!" they all yelled in unison.
"WOOOOOOBBBUUUUFFFFFEEEEEEET!"
The Mega Deceiver Pokémon stood on top of the fake Rhydon, her fists on her hips. The mechanical Drill Pokémon was nothing but wires and pieces now, broken apart by the Mega Mawile's massive two jaws. Huge Power works wonders, don't it.
"Good job Yuri..." Ricka said as the Mega Mawile faced her, "At least you make sense in this world..."
"Wow Ricka," Ash said in awe from behind, making the woman gaze in his direction spitefully, "Where'd you get Mega Evolution anyway?"
"You know, Mega Evolution kinda looses its luster when you use in every damn episode..." Ricka stated, as she turned and faced him, "I know, I've been watching XY. Your Serena ark is about to make Mega Evolution look like a cheep tool instead of something cool and... you're not even fucking listening..." she sighed, "You do know I'm an ex of Team Rocket, right? What's stopping me from doing a complete 180 and stealing Pikachu right off of your shoulder?"
"Oh, I know you wouldn't do that!" he said.
And, soon after, Ash just started laughing. Eagun began laughing as well, and soon, everyone in the coliseum were laughing. Seriously! Ricka didn't even know there were this many people in the coliseum to laugh; where the hell did they come from. She crossed her arms and growled, before a surprising laughter came. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Yuri was laughing too. But that laughter died out when the woman shot her a glare as well.
"Ugh... fuck... Yuri return..." she said as she zapped her back into her Poké Ball, "I'm done here; this place is a fucking madhouse..."
"Yeah Ricka!" Ash said, "We have to get to Mt. Battle next!"
"No! I'm not going anywhere with-"
"RIIIIIIICCCKKAAAAAAA!"
The woman looked left and right in confusion, and so did Ash. Nonetheless, she knew that call.
"Rei?" she whispered.
Staring past the fake Rhydon, Ricka watched as a ten-year-old ran her way. She seemed to ecstatic, so elated to see the woman. Tears were actually flowing from her eyes. Now care for anything around her, the child ran for the woman and leaped into her arms. Ricka caught her, where the ten-year-old immediately dove her face into her bosom for support.
"Rei?" Ricka repeated, "Rei where have you been?"
"Ricka! Ricka!" the child cried harder, "Rei doesn't want Ricka to be a drunk! She doesn't want Ricka's Pokémon to die! She doesn't want Ricka to Rei to separate!"
"Hey, I'm not a drunk!" Ricka stated, "My Pokémon will die over my dead body, and I don't want to separate either!" she pulled Rei away, "Where have you been? Fuck! Where are we anyway? Just what the hell is going on here!?"
"Just... just don't..." Rei whispered, "Please don't..."
She didn't want to be pulled apart. Darkness. That's what Ricka saw. Darkness. She stared all around herself and Rei, only to see darkness. Eagun gone, the Agate Village coliseum was gone, Ash was gone (thank God), everything was gone. It was just the two of them.
"Rei thinks it's a nightmare..." the child claimed.
"You're telling me..." the woman stated, "Rei..." she moved the child's face so they could look at each other. A door opened up behind the two, a door that spread nothing but light, "Let's go home, Rei!"
The child smiled and nodded.
"Let's go home, Ricka!"
…
The sun was starting to rise now. And with those blades of light, the Constant Sisters rose. Ricka gave a smile, happy to see her nice small room, the one she shared with her sister. Looking over her shoulder, she stared down to Rei, who woke up as well. The two were both unsure if the dreams they had were their own dreams, or the others dream. But they didn't care; they were just happy to be free of those nightmares.
"Time to rise in shine," Ricka said as she stood up with a powerful yawn, "And get nice and freshened up today, Rei. We're going shopping later."
"O... okay..." Rei said as she hid face.
Ricka didn't notice, she just wanted to get in that warm shower. She stepped out of the room, making way for the bathroom. But Rei remained behind. Closing her eyes, she could see those vivid nightmares again. The older Ricka, the decrepit Constant Box, everything so wrong. Sure, she was Pokémon Champion of Johto, but things just weren't right. None of it was right.
None of it.
The ten-year-old wanted to be Pokémon Champion one day, of any region. But she didn't want to be Pokémon Champion if she lost her way to do so. If she turned her back on Ricka, leaving the woman alone in a home, with a child by a man she did not know, could Rei live with herself?
She looked over to Pichu, who rested on the floor with Yuri. Could Rei one day make Pichu evolve, because she was too weak? Could Rei, some day, forget how to talk to Pokémon, because its childish? No, no, that's not true, none of it is true. Those were just nightmares. Horrible, horrible nightmares.
Her eyes traveled to the door. She saw a redheaded child, with blue eyes, and a Glaceon doll in her arms. Rei blinked; the child vanished.
Yeah. Just nightmares.
From outside, a being that resembled nothing more than a dark cloak floated. In its hand, an orb of darkness.
Darkrai turned soon after, and began floating away.
Maverick Talks!
Shite! Look at this long stuff! Quick! Don't wanna make it to 9k!
Okay, okay this chapter was somewhat last minute. I was either gonna do a songfic or this, so I did this. Songfic idea comes later.
I actually like this chapter though. It's half serious, half funny. The funny parts come from Ricka's interactions with Ash, while the serious is Rei's alternate future. Makes you wonder, don't it? But I do like the Ricka and Ash parts, cause I like how Ricka just perfectly offsets him. Seriously.
And, yeah, Darkrai was the one giving them nightmares. Why? Because he can. Seriously, he's Darkrai; he just loves giving people nightmares sometimes. Is he evil or not? You decide!
Lastly, the title of the chapter, Nocturnal Nightmares, is something I hold to my heart. A title I've used before three times, for two other fanfics, and something personal. I like it, really. Feels so inviting.
And, yeah, next chapter, Username Requested's character. And yeah, give us your OCs. Want them. Forever.
How much is that? Shoot!
Maverick Kay Prime!