Join Avenue
(Rei and Pichu look at the sky as Ricka and Shun aim a Poké Ball at each other.)
One swiftly running arrow of power! (Ricka sighs at the amount of paper work.)
One supple arrow of great bravery! (Rei smiles as she feeds trainers' Pokémon.)
One thoughtful arrow of outspoken risk! (Shun rubs his head as he finishes his work.)
That makes up the three of us together! (The three stand in front of Constant Box.)
Cross the green mountains and remove the white clouds from the sky. (Ricka and Yuri look at Fudan City.)
Let's colorfully push through the wilderness, become an amazing arrow! (Rei swings in the forest with Pichu.)
Even if we suddenly turn around and are lost in this labyrinth, (Mawile cries and clings onto Shun's hand.)
There's no way that we'll be separated from each other! (Shun smiles sadly as his body begins to fade away.)
Sometimes I can no longer see the road, and I don't know where to go... (Ricka hold's Shun's vest close.)
But you will always be by my side! (Rei hugs Ricka as an image of Shun reaches out to her.)
Even the bright sun is hidden by the dark clouds sometimes, (Yuri looks at Shiny Mawile in sorrow.)
But meetings will always bring light to the day! (Yuri hugs him, both Deceiver Pokémon blushing.)
One burning arrow of secrets! (Mewtwo fuses with Shun's body.)
Two competitive arrows of strength! (Hotaru and her team face off against Rei and her team.)
Three helpful arrows of friendship! (Articuno, Mew, and Celebi fly by the daycare.)
So the heart will never break! (Etta watches Ricka from a distance, smiling softly)
Aim forward as an amazing arrow! (Rei smiles as her team gathers with her.)
Shine greater than now as a bright arrow! (Ricka smirks as she looks at the sky above.)
Shoot toward your dream! (Shun closes his eyes as his hand fades on his uniform.)
…
"Say... have we met before?"
Other end; a man who was slightly shorter than she was. That's not to say he was short, Ricka was just really tall. She always stood almost a foot over everyone else, but that's besides the point. This man looked up to Ricka, his glasses shining. He had this slightly cute, somewhat wubby face on, it made Ricka chuckle. She didn't expect the man on the other end to be a teenager at best. His age, nineteen, maybe even eighteen. He had dirty brown hair, that was wild and unkempt; he probably didn't take good care of himself. And while her blue eyes moved up, she found a room filled to the brim with science equipment.
He looked up to her, while she looked back. Beside her, clinging to her arm, was her sister. And behind them was her cousin. They were all walking, but this came to a stop when Ricka came to a stop. She was just looking at this fellow who stood before him. So strange, was he. She had never seen him before, and yet he looked so darn familiar. It ate away at the woman.
"I can't say we have," the relatively young man said, "I'm Professor Luis Palmetto. This is my laboratory."
"Luis Palmetto, huh?"
Ricka's eyes moved up to the name of his shop. 'Greco', it was called. What a strange name. Then again, this place in general was a strange place. Join Avenue; it was the large strip mall right before Nimbasa city, and right after Route 4. When Ricka was traveling through Unova all those years ago, this place wasn't even thought of. Just one of the many changes that occurred here after she left.
"Join Avenue," Hydie said to Rei as the trio roamed through the place, "It's a most interesting place. I heard the most recent champion, I can't remember who it is. Either... Rosa White or... fucking... Nate Black... I don't fucking no... anyway, one of those little kids made this place while he, or she, was going through the region to become champion. To be fucking honest though, I hate how all these little kids can become Champion. I'm pretty fucking sure I'd destroy them in battle, dammit."
"Yeah, yeah," Ricka commented as they walked through the sprawling mall, "This place is shiny though. It's so fucking big. Kinda reminds me of Fudan, if anything..."
"So this is a mall," Rei said with eyes that gleamed, as both Pichu and Yuri hug around on her shoulders, "Rei's never been to a mall before! Rei's only heard Hotaru speak about it. It's so large and grand. And the lights!"
"Chu! Chu!" Pichu shouted as she bounced on her shoulder.
"Hey, Rei," Ricka said as she suddenly reached into one of her many belt pouches, "I have some cash to spend. Why don't you, Pichu, and Yuri go out and have some fun, hm? Hydie and I are going to be at the food court... sweet... wonderful... food court... oh so great."
"Okay!" Rei said with glee.
She quickly bolted away from the two woman, leaving Ricka stunned. But, hey, that's just her sister. Always intrigued by modern invention, even when its the most basic ideas. Honestly, Ricka wondered if she were wrong in letting him run off like that. But instead of actually chasing her down, she sighed and gazed down to the lane that led to the food court.
Rei looked up and down with Pichu and Yuri on her shoulders. The many shops selling many different things made her so ecstatic. She just couldn't stop looking at them all. They sold so many things that she never heard of before. Such as these Poké Ball seals, which apparently made Poké Balls do something amazing when they were opened up. The video showed some Pokémon Contest where a Trainer with these seals threw out a Poké Ball, and it erupted into flames! How awesome was that!?
But what about this clothing store over here? It sold clothing from all around the world! The best of the best sat within these walls! Clothes from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Kalos, Orre and Fiore even; the child just couldn't believe her eyes. Some of these clothes, well, most of them, were clothing Ricka herself own. Probably because they denoted certain Trainer Classes. Like the Lass or the Ace Trainer, not to mention the classic Cool Trainer. Strange; the Cool Trainer clothing came with a whip. Now why is that?
Rei even went into the malls super market. Amazingly, there was soda there. No, no, not normal soda. This was hot fudge soda. Rei didn't even know such a thing existed! Only 200 Pokédollars!? She could easily do that! Picking up the bottle by the nose she brought it to the main counter and bought it. As soon as she exited the store, she popped the bottle over, put it to her lips, and took multiple gulps.
She wished she hadn't.
"Eeeewww..." the eleven-year-old grumbled in disgust, "This soda doesn't taste as good as Rei thought it would..."
She sat down on one of the avenues many benches, where upon Pichu and Yuri got to the bottle. While the Pichu shared sentiments with her trainer, Yuri couldn't enjoy it anymore. However, instead of drinking it from her main mouth, her back mouth chomped on the bottle, lifted it high, and began drinking it that way. How do Mawile back mouths work? Someone needs to research that.
It was strange, really. While Yuri's back mouth drank the hot fudge soda down quickly, her face looked slightly despondent. She had her arms crossed and was gazing to the pristine floors of Join Avenue, glaring at her own reflection. Yuri cocked her head to one side in a perplexed manner, while her hand stroked her chin. For some reason, the floors reflective sheen helped remind her of a certain cherry-colored Mawile. A Shiny one at that.
"Hey, Yuri," Pichu called as her ears twitched, "Are you okay?"
The Mawile was seemingly snapped out of her trance, as she looked at her friend. Her thoughts suddenly shattered, she accidentally caused some of that hot fudge soda to leak from those iron teeth. The feel of the chocolate and sticky substance on her body made Yuri gasp, further breaking her grasp on her back mouth. Which, of course, made it fly out and spill everywhere.
"Ah!? Yuri!?" Rei shouted in horror.
…
Join Avenue even had a little area where one can clean and groom their Pokémon. How amazing is that?
Yuri's face was annoyed and embarrassed, a red flush on her face. The water-spout was directly above her, sending jets of hot water along her body. She stared down to the little bowl-shaped bath she was placed in, watching as the chocolate soda was washed down the constantly flowing drain. Looking up, she stared to the other end of the bowl to the Pichu who was also being clean. As long as she didn't get hyper-active, and thus jolt the bath, then they'd both be fine. All around them in this shop (if you want to call it that) other Pokémon were being washed in bowls of various sizes. In the far back were the really big baths. Made Yuri wonder.
"Yuri," Rei said from above as she dragged a soapy rag along her face and back mouth, "Why did you act like that earlier? You got chocolate all over yourself and Pichu."
"I was just... thinking..." Yuri muttered as she crossed her arms in defiance.
"Thinking about what?" Rei asked, "What has you so muffled that you spilled that nasty soda everywhere... ew..."
Yuri opened her mouth to speak, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she closed it and thought. Just what was she thinking about? Deep inside, Yuri was wondering about another Mawile. A cherry-colored one, in fact. A male, cherry-colored Mawile. One that she operated with on a daily and regular basis. Now why is that?
Boy did that confuse Yuri. She reached up and scratched the back of her head, before being washed further by Rei. Her back mouth opened to show her ire, though it was an empty threat. Fortunately, Rei walked over to wash Pichu next, who had taken to licking the chocolate soda out of her fur.
With now ample time to think, that's what Yuri did. Think. She found herself wondering about the position she was placed in, and why she had taken to thinking so often. Something felt detached from her. She couldn't put her finger on it, no matter how hard she tried. Why did she feel like something was making her current situation incomplete. And, for some reason, she felt it dealt with a certain Shiny Mawile.
And that made Yuri choke up on her own words. Why did she find herself thinking about Shun's Mawile? He was such a punk. A cute punk, but a punk nonetheless. If anything, he kinda annoyed her. How he constantly followed her footsteps and what not. But, hey, she did find him to be somewhat attractive. The Shininess she could care less for, but it had been a while since she last interacted with a male of her species. Besides, he wasn't that bad. In fact, when he slaved over her like she was some kind of goddess, that made her feel happy.
"Y-Yuri?" Rei called in confusion, snapping the Mawile from her self-imposed trance.
She looked up to the indigo-haired child, who was staring back in confusion just like Pichu was. Now under the spotlight, Yuri's face grew a bright red. Then, taking lessons from her trainer, she got angry.
"H-hey!" she shouted, "What are you two looking at!?"
"At you, duh," Pichu said in a somewhat cocky manner, which angered Yuri further. She had been spending a bit too much time with Vale and Leda.
"Are you okay, Yuri?" Rei asked as she walked back over to her side, "You had this strange face on like..." she thought about it for a second, "You had that same face Ricka has when she's dreaming about Shun... ewww..."
"No I did not!" the Mawile shouted in a defiant manner, "And stop bringing it up! Arceus!"
Yuri looked away in an attempt at blowing things off. Only, upon doing so, her eyes fell upon a Flareon in a bath some feet away. And he was making googly eyes at her. Oh man did that disturb her. To show she wasn't interested, she turned her head, and had her back mouth open up in a daunting manner.
Ugh. Suitors. Yuri could care less about them. The thought of having a mate wasn't a thought she found all to appealing, really. To be tied down to some male for the rest of her life? No, no, she was too young to think about that! To be mated with. She was a fighter, if anything! She absolutely adored to battle! And when she Mega Evolved, it was like she was on a different plain!
To be mated. It's disgusting, really. So why did the thoughts of Shun's Mawile make the idea of 'mating' not half bad?
"Yuri," Rei suddenly grumbled, making the Deceiver Pokémon look at her, "You're making that face again..."
…
"Dark, dark, dark," Ricka said, "With, like nine sugars, and a five fucking creams, understand?"
"What the hell, Ricka," Hydie commented as she took sips from her own coffee, "Trying to give yourself fucking diabetes or some shit like that? Because that's what's going to happen if you keep that shit up..."
The redhead looked back at her cousin who scolded her, before rolling her own eyes. Staring back to the coffee stand they were at, she watched as the teenager behind the counter walked around and prepared the drinks. What looked somewhat like a teenage boy was actually a teenage girl. Like a reverse trap, if anything. Hah!
"Here you go," the coffee maker said as she returned to Ricka, steaming hot cup in hand, "Please, please, please don't spill this on yourself. I don't want to get sued again."
Ricka rose an eyebrow in confusion when she said that, but said nothing of it. Instead, she just took a few sips of her burning hot coffee, wincing upon doing so. Meanwhile, Hydie stared at the teenager long and hard, noticing the name tag she had.
"Creme!?" she shouted before laughing, "Seriously!? That has to be, like, some fucking promotion for this shop! No sane human being would name their daughter 'Creme', and then have her work in a damn café? What next, huh? Seems so wrong, don't it!?"
"Hey, Hydie, calm down," Ricka said as she continued to drink her coffee, "It's people with pun names that get positions as fucking Gym Leaders. Dare I remind you of a certain pair of lesbians?"
Hydie opened her mouth to spout more insults, but stopped herself from doing so. Instead, she turned and faced her cousin. Then her eyes grew wide, which perplexed Ricka. She looked at her cousin, before turning around slowly.
"Speak of the fucking Devil..." she grumbled.
Yeah. The fucking Devil happened to be two women at around their age. Two very important woman. Seriously, you should have seen the way people just drooled over their appearance. They were of the same height, though both were shorter than Ricka and Hydie. One was dressed in these light-blue, skin-tight clothes, while her hair was red and with a propeller in it. And then there was the other; a woman with a physique of a super model. Long blonde hair, with some stylistic black in it. They were the two most beautiful Gym Leader in the region of Unova. Skyla, the redhead, and Elesa, the blonde one.
"Oh fucking hell..." Ricka grumbled as she turned around, hoping the duo didn't recognize her.
She tried to walk off, but unfortunately Hydie was there. Her hand reached out and stopped her cousin, electing a few groans of anger from the redhead. Ricka looked at Hydie; Hydie looked back. And together, they faced those two Gym Leaders.
"Ah! Ah!" the redhead said, "Elesa! Look!" she suddenly ran up to Ricka and Hydie with a smile, as she clapped her hands together, "It's Ricka and Hydie!" she then made a saluting gesture with her hand, "Long time no see!"
"Skyla..." Ricka grumbled before she lied, "Nice to see you too..."
"Ricka Constant," Elesa then said as she walked up too, "I never thought I'd ever see you again after you ran away from the school. Tell me; how's life?"
Elesa and Skyla. Ricka, Hydie, and those two were all schoolmates at the old Unovian Pokémon Academy for Excellency. In said school, Elesa and Skyla were well-known children with amazing Pokémon skills. One in Electric-types the other Flying-types. Duh. Many also knew them to be friends. Thing is, they were a bit too friendly with one another. At least, that's what Ricka and Hydie thought. Thus the (crude) nickname of 'Lesbians'.
Not very creative, but hey, cut them some slack. They were ten when they came up with it.
"I assume you've come here after hearing of Ms. Carol's death?" Elesa asked, which made Ricka roll her eyes.
"It's so sad," Skyla added as she took a deep breath in unhappiness, "She was so young too. How could she be taken so easily..." then she covered her mouth, "Whoops. I forget... Ricka doesn't exactly like Ms. Carol that much. Remember those rude things you used to say about her?"
"They weren't rude, they were true!" Ricka shouted as she swiped her hands in Skyla's face, threatening to hit her, "Dammit. Why are you all here? My cousin and I were just enjoying our day, until you two showed up."
"Likewise," Elesa said, "It's only ironic that we run into the old black Mareep of the school. Ricka Constant and Hydie too. What have you all been doing?"
"You know; training," Hydie said, which caused everyone's eyes to shift to Ricka.
She just stared back, face hard and annoyed, before she began growling from rage.
"The fuck do you want from me!?" she replied, "What I've been doing has nothing to do with any of you fuckers!"
"There goes Ricka and her million-dollar voice again!" Skyla laughed, "It's just like old times!" she then pranced up to her fellow redhead, "C'mon, Ricka! Tell us what you've been doing in your time, huh?"
She crossed her arms and looked at them, her face angry. Then a red tint formed, showing she was embarrassed. And in her embarrassment, she closed her eyes and sighed.
"I own a Pokémon daycare..." Ricka murmured.
There was at first silence, before this laughter appeared. Ricka opened one eye and stared at Skyla and Elesa, who were actually laughing at her. Of course, that pissed Ricka off, who quickly stood up. But before she could say anything, the two had their own choice words for her.
"Yes, yes, Ricka Constant is a daycare owner," Elesa claimed, "I thought you would've proven the school wrong and done something amazing with your Pokémon! Like, become a Champion of some region or another! But, of course, you proved us right, and showed you didn't."
"Oh fuck you, you bitches!" Ricka shouted, "I'll show you I'm as good as any fucking Gym Leader who thinks their the shit! Much like you two!"
"Finally!" Hydie shouted as she withdrew her own Poké Ball, "Something good happens! I've wanted to put you two in your place for a long time now!"
"No, no, I swear!" Skyla said innocently as she withdrew one of her own Poké Balls, "I wasn't laughing at Ricka! I just found her occupation to be ironic! I swear!"
"This is going to be interesting," Elesa claimed as she withdrew a Poké Ball, "You two were always so prudish; always itching to prove a point," she smiled, "Let's see what point that is."
They all pulled back from one another, while a visible and large crowd started to grow around them. Ricka merely settled her eyes on Elesa, because that was her main opponent in this mess. She just wanted to put that wretch in place. Oh yeah...
The four women pulled their Poké Balls back. All of them settled their eyes on one another. And...
…
"Do you miss Shun's Mawile? Is that it?" asked the eleven-year-old to the now defiant Mawile.
"Heck no," Yuri said back as she looked at her, "That's like asking if you miss Hotaru!"
"But I do miss Hotaru," Rei answered, to Yuri and Pichu's surprise, "I can't get wait to get back to Hotaru, and have a good fight against her! One that isn't interrupted or ruined! Where we can see how far we've come with our Pokémon!"
The trio were merely sitting in one of the many resting areas in Join Avenue. Ya'know, a place with a lot of chairs and benches, with the nice palm trees hanging out give it a slightly flourished area. Yeah, it's real nice. A lot of other people had their Pokémon out too. Well, the smaller kind and not the larger, 'easy to destroy everything around it' kind. But they didn't care. Rei and Pichu had their attentions sitting solely on the Mawile who had become so defiant so quickly.
"I really do think Yuri likes Shun's Mawile," Pichu said with a smile, making her friend glare daggers at her. Of course, she ignored them, "I mean, look at them! They tend to be together a lot, and they look so cute together! They're also the same species! Yuri's a Mawile, Shun's Mawile is a Mawile! And he's shiny! I wish I could meet a Shiny Pichu one of these days..."
"It's not that cute!" Yuri shouted, "I don't like any one else, especially Shun's Mawile!" she crossed her arms and looked away, "As far as I'm concerned, he's just another Mawile in a long list of Mawiles. The only thing special about him is that fact that he's a cherry-red Mawile... or something like that..."
"I think you're just lying, Yuri," Rei said, making the Mawile gasp as the turned to face her, "You remind me of Ricka when she had a crush on Shun. They just needed a little push, which I did."
"Ricka doesn't love Shun, Rei," the Mawile said.
"Then what is it, Yuri?" Rei asked, "What possible feeling could Ricka have for Shun if it isn't love."
"Liking, and loving, are two completely different things, Rei!" Yuri yelled, unusually angry, "Ricka doesn't love Shun! She only loves her Pokémon and you, Rei. Ricka has no man who she loves the way you're talking about!"
Rei stared at Yuri, while the Mawile looked away. She puffed her chest and sent air through her mouth, before closing her eyes tightly. Then a hand fell on her shoulder. She turned, facing Pichu. She was smiling, while she ran her fingers through her spiked ear. Then she looked up to Rei.
"Why... why don't you like... men, Yuri?" Rei asked, "Is that it?"
"I'm fine with males," the Mawile said, "It's the term 'love' that has me so screwed up inside..."
"Why?"
Yuri looked to Rei, then Pichu, and back again. She then sighed deeply as she looked away. Whatever she was about to say had her slightly mixed up inside. Like she wasn't sure if she was supposed to say it. But she was.
"What I'm about to say... you... you don't ever repeat. Ever," she said, "Rei... don't say it to any of the Pokémon or Ricka. Pichu, I never want to hear this ever leave your mouth again," she looked to her hands, "I met Ricka in Hoenn. She was fourteen at the time. And she worked for Team Rocket."
…
Fourteen-year-old Ricka couldn't hold her excitement. She hopped left and right on her dainty little feet, while the Mawile behind her sat on the vanity mirror's edge. Staring to her trainer, the Mawile couldn't help but to think about things. Just a short while ago, she was caught by this teenager. And now, they were rapidly becoming friends.
"Oh Yuri! I can't wait!" Ricka said as she looked at herself in the mirror, "Can you feel it?"
The Pokémon obviously couldn't. But nonetheless, young Yuri was so ecstatic for her trainer. She was laughing and smiling as she leaped between her feet in time with her trainer's bouncing antics. The young teenage girl was wearing her Team Rocket uniform of course. Why? She always thought she looked stunning in them. Ya'know; irresistible.
Ricka posed a bit as she gave an air kiss to the mirror, before she laughed. She didn't seem to care that the man she was about to do this with, was about ten-times her age. And, honestly, she didn't seem to care. Why? Because Ricka was in love. In love with someone who knew how to treat her well and to treat her kindly. That's all she really wanted, right? To be loved?
"I'm going to do all of those things I see on the internet!" Ricka said with a smile as she faced Yuri after freshening herself up in the mirror, "I'll show him another world! Just one night with Ricka!"
Maybe if she had a good father figure, and not all self-serving ones, then she'd be able to realizing how stupid her decision was. But she didn't. She didn't have a man in her life to teach her right from wrong. She just had those teachers of whom she hated, and of course, Giovanni. Who, was like, the greatest guy in the universe. He helped teach her how to help others. That's the key.
"Whoops... can't take this now, can I?" Ricka then said as she removed the belt from around her waist, the one that held all her Poké Balls, "I don't want any of you all getting peeved when you hear what happens, okay?" she then placed her hand on Yuri's head, "But you? I'll let you stay out. Stay in the bathroom, Yuri. And if you hear anything that sounds off? Don't come out, okay?"
"Mawile!" said the young Yuri with a chipper attitude.
"Rriiiiiickaaaaa!" a man's voice echoed from outside.
"Oh! Oh! I'm coming!"
She placed her hand on the door knob and stepped out, but not before turning and smiling at her Pokémon. Shortly after, she closed the door real slow like. This just left Yuri there, who stared at the door intensely. She even pranced around a bit to waste time. But this came to a stop when she heard strange noises echo out. It kinda pried at Yuri's ears. They twitched a bit, as she heard them grow louder and louder. It sounded like Ricka was in pain. But by what?
The Mawile was still young. After all, she was just caught by Ricka recently. She didn't know how things worked yet. She tried to cover her ears to force out the horrible sounds, but they just didn't stop. And that man, he was yelling at something Ricka about something. But for what reason, and why?
But Ricka gave her an order, and an easy to follow one at that. If she heard anything, she wasn't to come out. And that's what Yuri did. She never came out of that room. She sat there on the counter. Her eyes on the door, her ears listening to the sound of those horrible screams. And that man and everything all mixed into one.
Yuri wanted to look! She really wanted to! But she wanted Ricka to trust her! So she did nothing! She just sat there like a good little Pokémon! Like a good little Pokémon.
Some time later, the door opened again. And it was Ricka. Her eyes, wide. Her mouth closed. She was dressed in her usual clothes at the time. Not her Team Rocket uniform; that was in her hands.. Yuri attempted to get her attention, but her trainer said nothing. Instead, Ricka put her uniform in one of her many pouches, and placed her belt around her waist. She then picked Yuri up, and placed her on her shoulder.
Some time later, the young teen left the building and the area.
…
"Everything after is such a blur..." Yuri whispered, while she looked back to Rei and Pichu. They just looked at her in utter disbelief, "Ricka never worked for Team Rocket again. And... I don't remember a lot of other things happening either. We just went around Hoenn. Slept in the forests... and..."
"Is... is that why you don't like 'love'?" Rei asked.
"Yeah..." Yuri answered as she closed her eyes, "To some people... love... love is just a word... it means nothing... Ricka doesn't love Shun. She may trust him, but she doesn't love him. And I don't love his Mawile. I may trust him. But I surely don't love him..."
Rei moved her hand to say something again, but the entire mall suddenly quaked. They looked up, watching as a powerful Nidoking lifted the body of a Zebstrika up high. He roared to the heavens in triumph, before being blast by a burning jet of hot water. Right in the back. It must have come from that Swanna that flew around. Only, a lighting bolt was sent flying its way. Sadly, sad lightning bolt was absorbed by the Zebstrika from before, which seemingly re-energized it. Just what was going on?
Oh. Ricka, Hydie, and some two other women were fighting. Yeah, that sounds about right.
…
"So then," Ricka said as she stuffed her mouth full of pizza, "Ace fucking takes out his Leaf Blade, and just slices through a wall of fucking ice without even trying. Went on to beat the crap out of that Beartic too."
It was like they were the best of friends. Eating a this random pizza house that wasn't necessarily in the city, but wasn't out of it either. It was on the city limits, you can say. Who would've thunk that on this random place, two trainers and two Gym Leaders were just eating together. After their Pokémon mercilessly wailed on one another just a few hours earlier.
"Fucking helped my daycare out too," Ricka added next after she took another bite of her pizza.
"Your daycare sounds so great," Skyla said as she ate some pizza as well, "Maybe one day, when I fly near Fudan City – what region is that in by the way – I'll drop off one of my Flying-types there."
"Constant Box, huh?" Elesa said as she ate some pizza too, "I could always give a donation there... do you think eating this much pizza's gonna make me fat? Cuz I have to be lean for a PokéStar Studio movie in a few weeks..."
"I've won a few tournaments myself," Hydie said, "Spent all that money real quick though. Bought a nice house for myself in Kanto. Can't wait to actually enjoy it."
For the longest time, Rei didn't think Ricka had any friends. Honest to Arceus. She thought her sister was just a stoic, cold-faced woman, who hated everyone. But every now and then, she would prove Rei wrong. She'd be kind, nice, and able to hold a conversation with someone. Even if she didn't try.
She sat on another table near the women, watching as they talked about their days. And all of them were interesting. But then, her azure blue eyes moved over to the other end of the table. Pichu ate with Vale and Leda, all of which saying Pikachu stuff, leaving out a certain Deceiver Pokémon. Yuri was staring out the window, while she sipped on her drink. She was distant and unhappy, while she gazed toward the stars up high. The stars.
It reminded her about that time when Ricka and Shun were talking, and Ricka told Shun her middle name. It was when Ricka said she trusted Shun. That's nice. And she remembered how she just laid there with Shun's Mawile all night long, until they needed to go home.
And she remembered how he reached over and grabbed her hand. And squeezed it to tenderly. And she squeezed back.
"Yuri," Rei said as she placed her hand on the Mawile's shoulder sweetly, making her look up to the human, "Rei... Rei understands how Yuri feels about love."
Yuri smiled when she put her hand on Rei's hand.
"No..." she said, "No you don't... not yet at least..." she turned and faced that window again, "Not yet..."
Maverick Talks!
Few. Another chapter. And this one in Join Avenue.
Anyway, this chapter came up as an idea from some buddies on an RP forum I'm on. They were like 'Do something in Join Avenue' and I was like 'Sure why not'. Accurate retelling, by the way. So we have Join Avenue, with some characters from crap you don't know about!
Like Creme! She's from the RP forum I was just talking about. That's Forgotten Wishes, by the way. Next is Professor Luis Palmetto. He's not from the RP forum, but is from an old, defunct story I wrote called Document Ricka. I didn't think I'd ever bring him back.
I actually wanted this chapter to have some more comedy, but Animegirl426 thought we should have something about Yuri coming to terms with a relationship with Shun's Mawile. And I used this time to explain something else about Ricka's past; something mentioned way back in chapter 19. The reason why she left Team Rocket altogether.
Since that flashback was told from Yuri's POV, you don't get all the details if it were told from Ricka's POV. So we still don't know what exactly happened, but its the first time we've had talked about that moment. So yeah.
I also wanted to have Skyla and Elesa be somewhat snotty in this chapter, but I didn't want to anger anyone who like them. Me personally, I could honestly careless about them. After you've played as much Pokemon games as I have, all Gym Leaders just sorta blend together. Like that. But I didn't want to piss of Skyla and Elesa fans, even though I probably did that by calling them lesbians. But that doesn't matter.
They may actually be the only canon characters that showed up in this story. Discounting Ash who was in a dream, and the various Pokemon themselves, ya'know. Feels kinda weird to have them show up, but it must feel good to have a familiar face we all know, right?
Anyway, I'm spent. Next chapter, two things may happen. A, we may see what's going on with Shun at the Box, or B, we finally have Ms. Carol's funeral. Don't know which yet.
Give me something funny to say! What? Huh? No. That's not funny. Crud.
Maverick Kay Prime
