PMD Mix: Teams Presentation

The night was falling on Central Town, but the pokémon that inhabited it hadn't the intention of going to bed anytime soon. But how could they? After all it was the first anniversary of the world salvation from the asteroid that could have obliterated all pokémon-kind, so all the people involved in that case were celebrating (even that thick skull of Rayquaza had passed at some point to make presence and eat a cake or two).

The heart of the party wasn't in the town square, but a bit wester, outside the base of a special exploration squad: they were known as "Bitefire" and their founders were the center of the attention because it was thanks to them that the world was saved.

– Com'on Fang, tell us how your last Dungeon adventure went! – asked eagerly a little Caterpie.

– Well, even if Murky Cave had only 20 floors, the level of those who inhabited it was pretty high, so we had to work as a team… And surprisingly it did work! – a Totodile begun her tale smiling at the crowd of young pokémon in front of her – We, me and my client I mean, had a mission on Mt. Freeze before it, so we were already kinda accustomed to each other. We came across many Poison and Ghost Types and at first it was difficult because they focused their attacks on my client… He was a Ghost himself – she clarified at the confused audience who nodded in understanding – but when they began to fall because of my Crunch and Shadow Claw, they had to think at least twice before approaching us! – Fang's namesakes shined when she grinned happily.

– The "Nibble Master" strikes again! – declared a Lombre joyfully, receiving disbelieving stares for his out-of-character behavior from the crowd and a pout from the storyteller.

– I thought we agreed not to use that nickname again – the Totodile grumbled, crossing her paws and glaring lightly at the Water-Grass Type, still pouting.

– Sorry, sorry, I forgot – he replied mareepishly, scratching the back of his head under the waterlily-leaf-hat.

– Anyway… When we finally cleared that Dungeon, the whole meaning of that exploration, in the top floor we heard a voice claiming to be the Judge of Darkness… Who informed us that they had in custody the body of a cursed pokémon… – she trailed with a mysterious air, knowing that she was telling only half-truths, but at least she was making a good show of it – And only if we answered correctly at their questions they would free their prisoner.

– Why would you free a cursed pokémon? If it was so, there would have been a reason! – protested a Bellsprout, half scandalized and half scared.

– The Judge also told us that it had belonged to a pokémon that sacrificed themselves to save a friend who just did something very stupid and ran away frightened, too proud and superficial on the surface to admit it. That's why we had the duty to save this pokémon. Even the client agreed! – Fang defended.

– Oh, if that's so… – mumbled the Flower pokémon, partially convinced.

– What happened then, Fang? – pushed a Metapod eagerly.

– The Judge just asked me some question which I had to respond sincerely to. So I did, but apparently it wasn't enough for them and they told that the curse wouldn't be lifted… – she stated unemotionally.

– But you did answer sincerely! Why didn't it work? – a young Diglett demanded scandalized.

– That was the same that my client said, other than the curse itself on the pokémon was unfair because it hadn't been their fault to begin with. After the long rant the Judge spoke again and told us… – she trailed again to make the crowd hold its breath – That the curse had been lifted. The pokémon materialized in front of us, unconscious, and the voice of the Judge vanished. We only learned that the ex-cursed one won't have the memories of their past life.

– So they won't have the bad memory of being abandoned by a close friend… How kind was this Judge… – commented quietly an Absol from the back of the crowd.

– But who was the cursed one? – asked curious Grandbull.

– I'm afraid I can't tell you. My client and I decided during the return travel with the still unconscious pokémon to not tell their identity. If so people could ask inopportune questions while the ex-cursed one deserves peace. – the Totodile smiled kindly, trying to avoid and glance at a Gardevoir close to the wall of the base, near the table of refreshments where she was chatting happily with a Kangaskhan and her baby.

– That's right! Then we won't ask! – declared Caterpie and his friend Metapod agreed.

Reluctantly some of the older listener nodded, while others (the younger ones and the Absol) had already accepted in a heartbeat.

– Very well, now let's get back into the party! – proposed Fang standing up. The crowd dispersed itself, but the Absol joined the team leader in her obvious search of her partner.

– I liked how you handled the story – he mentioned casually walking beside her.

– Thanks, Zenchou! I didn't want to let down Caterpie and the guys, so I had to figure something! Did I slip up somewhere? – she smiled at him then continued her search.

– No, even if I did sense your struggle in order to not glance at the "target"… But that depends on my sixth sense, so the others should be fine – the Disaster pokémon smiled softly, making her grin mareepishly.

– Do you see Lizard from up there? – the Dark Type was almost tall two times her, so the question was justified. If there was a thing that Fang sometimes missed of being human was her height: she didn't exactly remember anything about her human past, but she was certain that she had been much taller than 60 cm, thank you very much.

– Well, he's hard to miss… – Zenchou murmured, guiding her towards the second team founder.

He, of course, was right: the Lizard pokémon (in name and fact) was chatting amicably with the Mankey leader and his tail flame was so bright to be one of the light to light the evening/night party.

– Hey, Lizard! – she called once they were near enough.

– Fang, Zenchou! – he answered waving his paw – I was just talking about it with the Mankey leader: we need a bigger front door now that we recruited Ho-oh and the others.

The Big jaws pokémon hummed, remembering how awkward had been trying to help (read: pull and push) both the Rainbow and Diving pokémon enter the base and ultimately failing… Then deciding to move the party outside, because of this and the number of the guests.

They had collected wood and built bonfires to light the garden, transported the tables with food and drinks outside and hanged again the decorations on poles, all of this after and while reassuring the new Legendary teammates that this wasn't their fault.

– You're right, it should be at least tall enough to let them in without bowing their head… Are we still planning to go and ask Groudon to join? – she wondered and both the Charmander and the Absol nodded.

– Yup, and Kyogre too! It would be unjust to make preferences – Lizard pointed out, then shuddered – But in her presence I should always bring a large leaf to cover my flame…

– Oh, about this, I don't remember how, but I know how to build an umbrella! We could ask Caterpie for the silk then make it water- and fireproof! – Fang proposed eagerly, making the Fire Type blink.

– That… Would actually be nice! – his eyes were shining – Thanks!

– Not to literally rain on your parade, but how do you plan to make Lady Kyogre join your team? – the Mankey leader asked confused.

– It's not really difficult, we… Well, I and someone other, sorry Lizard, too many Water Types, – she added apologetically but the friend shrugged with an unfazed expression – go to Stormy Sea Dungeon, challenge her and hope to impress her enough to convince her to join. Usually with a Friend Ribbon is easier, even if I never figured why. Is it shiner or does it add more awesomeness point to who wears it? – she mused.

– That's not what I meant… How could she join you here in the base? I talk about her being unable to walk on land – the Fighting Type pointed out.

The Bitefire team members froze at that statement and frantically searched an answer in the others' eyes. Finding none the shorter pair began to panic, but, sensing that this would lead to a mini-disaster, the Dark Type intervened.

– No need to panic, we'll find a solution – he affirmed calmly – and if not, we could ask an input from old Whiscash. He's a Water Type unable to walk too, after all.

– Right! Thanks Zenchou! – agreed Lizard, relieved.

– We wouldn't have gone this far without you help – Fang acknowledged, nodding at the taller friend, who, if it had not been for the black fur of his muzzle, would have blushed visibly.

– That was nothing… – he tried to deny, looking away.

– Don't be modest, if it weren't for you, Fang would have become a popsicle during the first climb on Mt. Freeze! – supplied Lizard while the Totodile nodded vigorously.

Clearly embarrassed, the Disaster pokémon cleared his throat. – Anyway this wasn't the reason we were discussing about. We'll ask Whiscash then we'll make a decision about the door too. Fang and I actually came to discuss another matter with Lizard – he casually changed the subject, making the two teammate chuckle.

– Let me know the result and bring the chestnuts! – the Mankey leader waved and returned to the party.

– Okay, what was that about? – the Charmander turned to them after the Pig Monkey pokémon had left.

– The kids asked about my last mission and I told them about Murky Cave… Heavily redacted, of course – Fang explained.

– She was pretty good not to slip up who the client or the cursed one was and the kids enjoyed themselves – continued Zenchou.

– And you're telling me this…? – the Fire Type asked confused.

– To have matching version in case somebody asked – the Absol supplied.

– Oh, okay then. Now, what do we do for Kyogre? – Lizard agreed, then the three of them discussed about the new renovation of their base.

The party went on almost all night until most of the guests decided either to go home or sleep directly there in the garden because they were exhausted and who stayed was part of the Bitefire team anyway.

As Fang had finished to cover with a blanket a blissful asleep Gardevoir curled against the base wall, she scanned the garden and nodded smiling at the sight. The Legendary team members that decided to stay were only the Eon twins and Ho-oh, while the others were Magnemite, Smeargle and of course Zenchou… Who strangely was staring at a particularly misty waning moon, frowning slightly.

– Everything ok? – she asked quietly, nearing him.

– I don't know… I feel a strange sense of premonition… Something I felt only twice in my life… – he seemed deep in thought.

– When were they? – now she was genuinely curious.

– Around the period you and Gengar became pokémon, if my calculation is right. – he lowered his gaze to her.

– So somebody is going to become a pokémon? Another curse? – she asked worried.

– No, the feeling is different from Gengar's one. If anything, it's similar to yours… but better be ready for anything that's coming – he reassured her who nodded.

– I trust you. I'll check the exploration bag right now, just in case – she quietly declared, making him smile.

– And I'll stay here, just in case too – the Absol added, following her inside the base.

– Do you want me to make you a bed of hay? – the Totodile asked, gesturing vaguely towards the back wall near which Lizard was snoring on said type of bed, but keeping his tail on rock in order to not make the base catch fire.

– It's kind of you, but I'm alright like this – he answered lying down near the moon-slice pond while she checked the equipment inside the bag at the opposite side of the base.

The throwing items (Gravelrocks and Silver Spikes) were at full capacity inside their sachets and there were 1 Rawst Berry, 3 Oran Berries, 2 Apples, 4 Reviver Seeds, 1 Heal Seed, 1 Sleep Seed, 2 Dynamic Seeds, 2 Max Elixir and 1 Escape Orb.

Yes, this should be enough for anything that would come Fang thought nodding, then she left the bag near the rock fountain and checking the knot of the Power Bandana around her neck she sat on her own hay bed near Lizard's one on the raised platform near the inside river. The idea of digging an underground tunnel linked to this river to let Lady Kyogre visit the base was utterly genius! Maybe the promise of building him an umbrella made Lizard inventive… she smiled softly at his partner, then she wished goodnight to Zenchou and laid down, falling soon asleep like the Charmander and the Absol.

P~OwO~W

Inside an underground cave Dungeon named World Abyss, an exploration team called "Purplewing" was cautiously progressing in a tunnel with a Torchic on the lead.

– I'm starting to question our quest – mumbled a Piplup right on the heels of the Fire Type.

– Com'on Poccha, don't be such a hatchling! This is gonna be the last of the Seven Treasures! We have all but the Rock Horn! – chirped the Chick pokémon, turning towards her teammate and walking backwards.

– I know this, but we have almost finished the berries and the seeds! In fact we have only one per each! – the Water Type whined, tugging the exploration bag that his partner was carrying.

– Really? – she asked disbelieving and stopped, rummaging in it to see herself. Yup, only an Oran Berry and a Reviver Seed… Along with just 15 Iron Thorns and 20 Geo Pebbles… And an apple and an Escape Orb… Poccha has a point… the current team leader laughed awkwardly, rasping a little the ground with her feet claws. – We could still find something around…

– Rush, we've been here for 17 floors without finding anything but only fighting! I seriously doubt your plan. – he folded his wings with a resolute face.

– You're always so pessimist, maybe the 17th floor will be the turning point of our expedition! – the Torchic smiled, while her companion paled.

– No, don't say it! You're jinxed us! – he tried to shush her frantically, while she gave him a deadpan look.

– You know, I can't technically call the bad luck, only Ghost Types can Curse somebody – she replied sighing.

– Just don't say it and we'll be ok, okay? – the Piplup pleaded.

– Ok, ok, don't ruffle your feathers. – Rush dismissed and turned to continue the exploration – If we'll encounter an ugly situation we still have the Escape Orb, you know.

The Penguin pokémon grumbled in answer, but followed his friend anyway.

The team didn't find anybody or anything on that floor till the stairs room. As if the inhabitants had sensed their arrival and had fled with everything they had found or had.

…And it was more or less what had happened, but not because of them.

As Rush entered into the room, an ominous feeling made her shiver and stop right where she was, making Poccha bump into her and fall back.

– What was that for? – he demanded jumping up. However she couldn't answer because the air in her lungs seemed to be frozen despite her being a Fire Type. She could only click her beak helplessly. – Oy, Rush! – he pushed her further inside the room in order to enter in it himself and face her.

Poccha didn't seem to feel anything because, when he was in front of her and saw her frozen and half-panicked state, he switched from annoyed and angry to confused and worried. – Oy, what's the matter?

– Shishishishi, that would be me! – answered a mischievous disembodied young voice that echoed inside the room. Poccha jumped startled, then, seeing his friend still frozen, he bravely covered her with his body and faced the empty room. He lost her once, so, despite his usual cowardice, he wasn't going to repeat that experience.

– And who are you? – the Piplup demanded to the air.

– That's a secret I'm afraid, but one thing is certain: you're gonna fall in white Bunnelby's burrow! How long you will stay and if you will ever return depends only on you and your partner! – the voice was jolly and easygoing, as if it wasn't talking about a possible kidnap or worse.

– This could be a bluff! Why should we believe you?– the Water Type was quite proud that his voice wasn't trembling yet.

– You do not… – the voice conceded bored, then continued with a tone that suggested that it was grinning – but your friend does. That's why she stopped, isn't it? Shishishishi!

Horror painted the face of the Penguin pokémon who turned to gaze at his partner and found that it was right: she was shivering too! If it had been able to convince his pragmatic partner, the threat was real. So he decided to do the most reasonable thing in that situation: get the Spirit World out of there!

Swiftly he grabbed the Escape Orb from the bag and was about to throw it to the ground to activate it when the voice from childish roared in a dark angry tone. – Oh no, you don't! After all my work, I won't let you escape!

– Too late! – he squeaked and threw the Orb to the ground. Little did he know that it disappeared into a fresh hole and an instant later he and his teammate followed the same fate into a bigger hole that appeared out of nowhere under their feet.

All the frozen air that had been blocked inside the lungs of the Chick pokémon decided that it was the right moment to restart to move and as they fell it was released with a scream.

X~OwO~Y

The sky was clear and the air was warm that morning as a group of six people, four human a Dedenne and a Pikachu, had just finished clearing their camp, after having passed the night there. They were packing their things, but they had already changed into their clothes and finished to scarf down the breakfast when a murmur caught the attention of the Mouse pokémon. He had been rolling the sleeping bag together with his human partner, so he stopped in order to locate it better and understand what it was saying. Noticing immediately the movement, his friend, a dark haired boy with a short-sleeved white and light blue jacket, dark blue pants and a red and white cap stopped too, glancing at the pure Electric Type.

– What's the matter Pikachu? – he asked curious.

– Pika-pi, ka-chu pika – he answered absently, still trying to hear again the murmur. The voice had seemed to be familiar… His friend and trainer nodded in response. It still amazed him how after six years together, even if he was a human, he could understand him in a heartbeat.

– Ash? – a blonde girl around the same age of Pikachu's friend called him after hearing their brief exchange.

– Pikachu's heard a murmur… – the teenager stood up and scanned the road and the grass field around, just to point towards a tall rock formation on the other side – Up there!

– If you say "Up there"…

– Our answer will be the world's compassion!* – begun to sing a duo who jumped from behind the rock formation. …However after the first lines the group had already toned down the motto and was glaring or yawning at the "performers".

– Team Rocket, it's too early in the morning to try an attack, what do you want this time? – the raven teen asked annoyed after the show, crouching down and packing the sleeping bag into his backpack.

– The same as always twerp! Your pokémon! – the newly dubbed Team Rocket duo shouted.

– After all these years it should be obvious that it's impossible, you know? – Ash stood up again while the three blonde companions flanked him in a resolute way.

– Not if this time we have THIS! Meowth! – the purple haired woman, Jessie, smirked pointing beyond their camp. There, hidden by their tents, stood said Normal Type, holding a metallic cube almost twice bigger than him with a hole on one of its faces pointed towards them.

With a malicious grin the Scratch Cat pokémon pressed a button and the device shot a Hyper Beam-beam-like at their feet, as a warning. Both boys reacted throwing themselves at the nearest girl, both to shield them and move them out of the ray course, so they separated themselves into two groups, cowering behind the tents.

– Everything's ok, Bonnie? – Ash asked the little girl beside him, who was still holding him by the arm. The two Electric Types were with them with a scowling expression on their muzzle.

– Yes, but what was that? – she answered wet-eyed.

– I don't know, maybe a cannon – he supposed, peeking from the tent at the hole in the ground where they had been. It was enormous! – Meowth, what did you do?! – he shouted.

– A demonstration, of cours', nya! – he replied smug.

– That will happen to you all if you don't give us all your pokémon! – the lilac haired male, James, declared, sending out an Inkay while his partner did the same with a Gourgeist.

Immediately Ash stood up again, followed by the pair of blondes on his right, and unconsciously slightly moved Bonnie behind him while grabbing his Poké Balls from his belt.

The Dedenne hopped on the head of his mistress with a challenging cry, but the Pikachu on the other hand halted from doing the same with the raven boy when he caught a subtle hand-movement from him that requested him to do so. Perplexed he silently waited till his friend had launched the two balls (a Frogadier's and a Talonflame's) and put them (empty) again on his belt. The now free hand signaled his plan while the boy ordered his attacks.

– Talonflame Flame Charge Gourgeist and Frogadier Water Pulse on Inkay! Serena, Clem, if you can Meowth is yours! – the pokémon charged at their opponents who tried to dodge, but only the Psychic-Dark Type succeeded, being more small and maneuverable than the Grass-Ghost Type.

As the four pokémon battled, a very irritated Scratch Cat pokémon began to charge another beam towards the group of "twerps", but the two older blondes faced him, one calling a Bunnelby and the other a Braixen.

– Da two of ya won't be able to stop the Mega-charged Hyper Beam, nya! – he mocked, shooting another waring shot, but this time directly on the pokémon opponents. Criminal they might be, but even them wouldn't cross the line of murder. That said because the body of a pokémon was certainly more resistant than a human one (apart from some exceptions like martial artist and ancient warriors), so they were capable of sustaining the Hyper Beam level: Mega Evolution, on the other hand a human…

His thoughts derailed as the beam ended and two very unconscious and battered opponents stayed lying on the ground. Hurriedly their trainers recalled them, only to hesitate and consider what to do.

The Normal Type smirked. – Com'on, call da others too, they'll follo' da same fate! Surrender now and nobody else's gonna hurt, nya! – he tried to guilt trip them as he charged another beam as a threat.

On the other side of the camp a very physical Brave Bird ended the battle, knocking out the Gourgeist, while the Inkay had already been defeated by a combo of Keromusse and Water Pulse.

– Meowth! – Jessie called, disrupting partially the concentration of said cat.

– On it, nya! – that was enough a distraction that Pikachu used to jump from behind the tent and smash the cannon from the Normal Type paws with an Iron Tail. Meowth shouted, both surprised and pained, but he reacted pronto unleashing his claws and swiping them at the Mouse pokémon, who jumped further from him.

Pikachu skidder a halt on the grass and fired a Thunderbolt which stuck both his opponent and the machine still too near him.

As the talking pokémon fell on earth, he coughed a puff of smoke and whined – This is bad, nya… – as a matter of fact the device began to frizzle, overcharged, giving signs of malfunction.

– Meowth, what happened? – the kidnappers duo like a pro pair of gymnasts run and jumped above the tents, landing near their teammate.

– The M.C.H.B. got overcharged thanks to da mouse and now… – the Scratch Cat stood, backing slightly when more sparks danced around the cannon which began to shake, while the raven boy and his pokémon had just circled the tents and stood around Pikachu, watching warily the events.

Suddenly the machine shot a beam randomly in the sky, hitting an innocent cloud that was dispersed, then the tremors made it turn and spin, so the Hyper Beam shots began to tear across the camp at calf level, becoming extremely dangerous for little pokémon and little girls. As it was, Bonnie and Clem dove for cover like Serena and Team Rocket did, however Ash's team hadn't been as lucky. Being at the opposite side of the camp with a crazy powered-up machine between, there were few places to hide. At least for the raven boy and the Electric Type because with ninja reflex the Frog pokémon had jumped on the back of Talonflame who was hovering higher than the shooting range of the cannon.

Convulsing the M.C.H.B. spun around, stopping as it bumped on a rock… And it shot one more time.

As predictable as the Murphy's Laws dictated, the beam flew towards Pikachu, too startled to move out in time…

However, it never came in contact with the Electric Type.

A scream pierced the air as the Hyper Beam, now continuous, scorched the back of who made a shield in front of the Mouse pokémon.

Out of instinct both Talonflame and Frogadier reacted violently and attacked the machine in the form of a Brave Bird and a Cut, but this only planted it deeper into the ground.

– That won't work! It's attack-proof! – the Team Rocket lilac haired member warned from behind the cover, getting progressively more agitated.

– Than turn it off! – the older blond girl snapped at them.

– We'll try twerp, now back off! – Jessie demanded, running near the machine along with her companions. At first they tried to move the entire thing so to change the trajectory but it was so deep-planted that they had to change tactic and initiate the emergency shut down… That requested several minutes. Time they didn't have… or so they thought.

Ash had moved on reflex, without thinking (as always anyway) and had launched himself on the path between his first pokémon and the Hyper Beam. The instant when he clutched the Electric type onto his chest was the very same of the impact of the ray on his back.

In that moment many things happened at the same time. The raw Mega energy immediately burned the cloth it came in contact with and began to scorch his skin, but this triggered an unconscious instinctual reaction. A cloak of light blue energy shimmered to life, pushing the beam half-inch from the burned back and countering the pressure and the insufferable heat. The pain subsided and the initial cry died with it, leaving Ash silently curled around his best friend, unable to move because of there was still too much pressure. The only thing he could do was to resist and wait for the beam to stop.

– Pika-pi! – Pikachu shouted alarmed, scared and worried inside the cocoon of his arms, pushing his paws against his chest.

– D-don't worry, I'm handling this. – Ash said through clenched teeth, then he started shacking, trying and enduring a new pain that was starting to spread to his whole body. It's like… that time with Lucario… only… backwards…! There's… too much… – Pi…kachu… go and help… the others… I can't… – he couldn't finish as an electric discharge suddenly run across his body, forcing him to bite back a scream.

– Pika-pi, pii chu-pika – terrified beyond reason, the Mouse pokémon stubbornly refused and instead tried to absorb the discharges with his red cheeks, but strangely he couldn't, as if they weren't made of electricity. Meanwhile, while the cloak had become brighter, the sparks increased in number and intensity and began to dance across the boy's body, like it was an electrical conductor or it was the center of lighting storm. The pain was so strong that it was astounding that he was still conscious, but Ash couldn't help it: he had to protect his friend no matter what.

It was as tears streamed down the teenager face that he knew he had reached the no-return point… And screamed to the heavens.

As the infernal cannon finally shut down, a bloodcurdling scream was suddenly heard and rang loud and deafening in the new absolute silence of the camp and the sea of grass. The source stood on his knees, stiff, with his head pointing the sky and light blue lightning still cursing through him. It lasted a few instant (just enough to give the spectators future nightmares in their sleep), then the raven boy went silent, falling unconscious, then crumbling onto himself and the Mouse pokémon.

Behind Ash there was a burnt groove in the ground from the cannon to him, pointing directly towards his exposed scorched back and hatless head, as his cap had been blown away from the beam air blast. While he was falling forward, mercifully unconscious, the frozen and stunned audience roused from their state and bolted forwards trying to catch him (Team Rocket included), but the dancing lighting storm around him intensified to the fullest level, encasing the boy and the Electric Type into a bluish-white orb which exploded in a blinding rainbow blast that threw them back on the grass.

When both pokémon and humans looked up from where they laid, where once stood Ash and Pikachu, only burned clothes and Poké Ball (both empty and full) remained.

(* I decided to stick to the literal traslation of the Japanese motto, I like it better! ...Same for Meowth "nya" at the end of his sentences =^ w ^=)

Aand that's it! In order to celebrate the American releasing of Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon I decided to publish this fic that I had in mind since exactly a year ago (I was astonished when I read the date on my first notes O_O).

I can't wait to play it when it's gonna be released in Europe (why are we the unlucky ones when it comes to release-dates? ç_ç )! Moreover I want to reassure you all that NEITHER this is a spoiler of it NOR it is a plagiarism. It's possible that some themes would be similar (from the bits I heard of the plot), but I haven't read any other spoilers and I planned this fic before the game announce, so I warn in advance.

Hope to have picked your interest and type ya soon!

[EDIT: thanks to the first review I corrected the typos. Short "warnings": sometime I'm gonna mix Japanese terms with English ones, because they had kinda stuck in my mind, so they sound better in certain ways than others to me. Oh, by the way Clem was just the short for Clemont, like a nickname of some sort ;)]

[A.N. For R&T followers/readers, I apologize for the chapter delay (read: geological eons time laps), but I'm a bit stuck because of a combo of real life, author block and trying not to make a certain character OoC… He's so difficult to write! *sigh*]