Queen of the Darkness
Disclaimer: Yeah, and I'm the Queen of the Universe too.
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Alisa & Aaron's house
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Alisa made a mistake. She gave Karen, Corin and Lelia fifty bucks each, then directed them to a party store and told them to decorate the living room for a "Welcome Home" party for Aaron. The kids are now in the room putting up the 30 rolls of streamers. Their pokemon are helping too. Murkrow and Corin's Medicham have put up a large "Welcome Home!" banner on the wall behind one of the couches. Sneasel and Corin's Weavile are putting up the window decorations. Corin has to specifically tell them not to cover the entire window with the little flags and balls. Under Corin's father Andrew's supervision Houndoom and Andrew's Magmar are getting the fireplace ready. The fireplace area is completely free of decorations. No one wants the house to burn down of course. Umbreon and Corin's Vaporeon are standing near the front door as lookouts. The last streamers and banners are put up as Corin's mother Alexis and Lelia's mother Erica come in from the kitchen. Gengar and a Marowak follow them. All four are carrying trays of different foods (OK, Alexis is carrying the fruit punch). They all carefully place them on the table and put the covers on the trays and the pitcher. They all know what's coming when Aaron comes in. Crysta and Tom arrive a few moments after they finish the decorating bringing some homemade cookies and cupcakes. Now all they can do is wait.
About a half hour later Alisa and Lelia's father James come in bringing Aaron. A couple of days ago they installed a ramp since Aaron is now in a wheelchair. As they enter the living room Vileplume releases a Petal Dance showering the entire room in a much better version of confetti. Everyone cheers as Aaron splits a wide smile.
"You guys are too much." Aaron says laughing. Alisa just smiles at the three kids.
"I see you three enjoyed yourselves." She says.
"Can we do this again!?" Lelia asks practically jumping up and down. "I like parties!" James catches his daughter out of the air and gives her a hug.
"Let's hope it doesn't take another injury to have a party, hmm?" he says. James puts his daughter down, then he and Andrew help Aaron onto one of the couches. When they lift the covers off the trays on the coffee table Aaron splits a wide smile.
"Finally, some good food." He says.
"Aren't you supposed to be on a diet now?" Alisa asks looking down at all the sweets with a frown. Aaron looks at his wife.
"Diet tomorrow. Real food now." He says grinning. Alisa just sighs and sits on a couch. Everyone laughs as they all dig in.
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About an hour later
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Everyone is still in the living room watching the bubbles Vaporeon sent into the air. Lelia's Eevee is jumping up trying to pop them while everyone just laughs. The television is on in the background. It is showing the arena, but no matches are going on right now. An announcer is just talking, so everyone is pretty much ignoring it.
"Should we stop Eevee before she hurts herself?" Aaron finally asks.
"Eevee!" Lelia runs over and grabs her pokemon. Eevee promptly starts crying. Lelia hugs her and goes back to the chair she was sitting on and holds Eevee in her lap.
"Guess she still wants to play." Corin says. Karen is trying not to laugh. Tom has started paying more attention to the television set, up to the point of turning up the volume.
"Something wrong?" Aaron asks.
"I'm not sure…" Tom responds.
"…and still have no information about her whereabouts." The announcer is saying. "Anyone who has seen Rebecca Storm please call the arena or Indigo Plateau PD." The image shows Will standing next to the podium looking confused. An official is standing with him talking to him. It looks like they are arguing. The official finally shakes his head and presses something on his collar.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN…" His magnified voice booms out. The announcer stops speaking. "WE HAVE EXHAUSTED THE TIME LIMIT FOR LATE TRAINERS. THEREFORE, WE HAVE NO OPTION BUT TO DECLARE A FOREFEIT TO WILLIAM STRATEEN. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE." Will turns and leaves the arena with his head down. The announcer starts talking again, but the gang turns away after Tom puts the volume back down.
"Hope the poor girl is all right." Alisa says. Aaron just nods.
"Probably nothing to worry about." Crysta says. "She might have just gotten cold feet and left. It wouldn't be the first time." Karen doesn't look convinced.
"She still should have told them if she was withdrawing." She says. Crysta just nods.
"I'm sure she'll turn up." Corin says. "Come on, gotta keep positive, right?" Karen manages a small smile.
"Yeah, I guess so." Karen says. Before she can say anything else she hears a scratching sound. Umbreon is right on it and races over to the front door. Alisa follows her and tries to see what is going on. When she opens the door she sees an Absol standing there. It doesn't look too good. Karen walks up to them.
"Wonder where this pokemon came from…" Alisa says. Karen's eyes go wide.
"You were one of the battle pokemon in my last round, weren't you?" she says petting Absol. Absol nods, but winces at the same time. There are numerous bruises and scrapes all over it. Karen and Alisa bring it inside with Umbreon following. Corin is already on the phone with Nurse Joy asking if she can come over. Lelia has grabbed a blanket from the closet and one of the throw pillows from a couch and laid them on the floor. Absol lays on them and gives Lelia a small lick on her hand. Lelia pets the pokemon as Corin hangs up the phone. Karen sits down on the floor next to Absol.
"Well?" Karen asks Corin.
"She's on her way." Corin replies. "She said she shouldn't be more than ten minutes." Karen releases a sigh of relief.
"Mommy…" Lelia looks up at her mother. "Can I keep it?" Erica and James look at each other.
"Tell you what," Erica finally says. "If no one else has claimed it, then you can ask Absol if it wants to stay with you. OK?" Lelia splits a huge grin.
"You belong to someone?" Lelia asks Absol. Absol just looks down. Lelia's face falls. "You do, huh?" Absol gives her another lick on her hand and looks up at her with sad eyes.
"Looks like it wants to be with you." Karen says.
"I wanna keep it." Lelia starts whining. Before a full tantrum can happen the doorbell rings. Corin goes to answer it. A moment later he comes back with Nurse Joy.
"It's over here." Corin tells Joy as he brings her over. Karen gets up and moves out of Nurse Joy's way. Joy puts down the med kit she was carrying and looks over Absol.
"Still wanna keep it." Lelia says. Joy gives a small grin.
"Hello Absol." Nurse Joy gives the dark pokemon a small pat on the head. "It's going to be all right. Just relax now." Absol gives a small whine as Joy pulls out some kind of scanner and runs it over Absol. A few really long minutes go by before she looks up.
"The injuries aren't serious, but there are a lot. She's been through a bit of a beating." Joy looks at the family. "Do you know who she belongs to?"
"We have a suspicion." Crysta says. "Absol looks like the one Karen battled in her last round. What was her name…"
"Lisa Selina." Tom has a battle tournament list out. "She really did a number on it emotionally while it was still on the arena." Karen is gritting her teeth. Joy looks up confused. She has pulled another scanner out of her kit and is examining it.
"Well, it was registered to Miss Selina. But she recently released it… no more than two days ago." She puts the scanner away. Lelia brightens up.
"Does that mean I can keep her!?" She asks looking at her parents.
"Is Eevee going to object?" James says with a smile. Lelia looks over at Eevee. Eevee comes over and lies next to Absol. It gives Absol a little lick.
"Eevee's going to help make Absol all better." Alexis says. Lelia smiles.
"All mine…" she says petting Absol. Her parents grin.
"You make sure you take good care of her. And a nice bath would probably make Absol feel a lot better." Joy says packing up her med kit.
"Thank you." Lelia says. Joy gives her a pat on the head and then leaves. Corin snickers.
"What?" Karen asks.
"By the time she's ten," Corin says, "she'll have a full team at this rate." Karen just shakes her head. Lelia is in her own world with her new pet.
