Reviews are back! Excellent! Time to celebrate with something a little interesting, exploring some more details… with Blake's foster father, Richard Harker. This should be good.
As for the Best Girl nominations, still going strong. Anyone else left to add?
Currently Nominated: Sango, Cynthia, Elaina, Kate, Dakota, Ayame, Marion, Kitty, Serefina, Madison
Guest: Well, she is their precious little princess.
KedharS: Yup, sounds about right.
Just a Bad Writer for Fun: Kate's chances aren't as bad as I make them out to be. She'd definitely have a shot, if not for all the more compatible girls. But even then… who can say?
Aakareo Kokokuhikari: Blake and Cynthia's relationship is complicated. They're close friends first and foremost. I have no intention of ruining that dynamic, even if she develops feelings for him. And I wouldn't consider her being "too late" to the race. They're only in their first year, of four years. She had a late start, sure, but it ain't over yet. Even if some girls may be closing in on the finish line.
Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings
Chapter 218
Richard Harker stood on the deck of his yacht, gazing out over the bow at the ocean before him. He took a deep breath, the scent of the sea flooding his nostrils as he took a sip from the glass of fine scotch in his hand.
"It is quite beautiful, is it not? The ocean, that is." The familiar voice of his lifelong friend caught his ear. He turned to see Ryoko standing behind him, her hands clasped behind her back. She looked up at him with her big golden eyes, an inscrutable smile on her face. Richard said nothing as Ryoko walked up beside him, placing her hands on the railing and gazing out over the ocean, the scent of lilac, mint and lavender wafting across the wind towards Richard. He sighed peacefully. The scent of Ryoko reminded him of his childhood.
The wave of nostalgia was such a familiar and warm feeling.
"I suppose so," Richard said, nodding.
"It truly is beautiful," Ryoko continued. "No matter how many times I see it, the ocean is always the same. No matter how the world changes… farms to towns to skyscrapers… the world is constantly progressing, constantly changing, but the ocean… the ocean always remains the same. So beautiful and pensive on the surface… but below, it is teaming with life. Just under the surface, beyond the eyes of us humans, a world of mystery and wonder, unseen by man… beautiful, inside and out, unmarred by the hands of time."
Richard didn't respond.
"You are quite like the ocean as well, my sweet Richard," Ryoko smiled. "You seem so calm and balanced… but underneath, where we cannot see… you are passionate and filled with life and wonder, would you not agree?"
"You overestimate me," Richard sighed, taking another sip of scotch and turning to look out over the water once again.
"You are looking to the west," Ryoko murmured, glancing up at him. "Your gaze is so distant, my Richard."
"It's said that bird pokemon gaze towards their homeland when they land in new regions," Richard replied. "Much in the same way, when I'm in a new place… I find my attention turning to home."
"To Cynthia," Ryoko mused. Richard remained silent, his face remaining an impassive mask to her assessment.
"When was the last time you spoke to me?" Richard asked. "When are you right now?"
"Hmm… I wonder…" Ryoko murmured, retrieving her watch from her breast pocket and checking it. "I do remember speaking to you about this engagement of my lovely Blake, sometime in the past. For both of us, not just for you."
"I see, so you remember what I told you before," Richard said.
"Yes, I am well aware that you seek the happiness of your son," Ryoko agreed. Richard winced.
"You know better than anyone that Blake is not my son."
Ryoko gave him a sad smile, and shook her head
"He may not be your blood, but that does not mean you cannot call him son," Ryoko replied.
"Blake already has a father," Richard said. "And that isn't me."
"And a mother," Ryoko echoed, nodding in agreement. "But even so… is it wrong for you to still think of him as your son, Richard?"
Richard frowned, looking at the dregs of scotch in his glass. He turned it to her, shaking the ice cubes to draw her attention.
"Scotch?"
"Oh my, no, I am much too young," Ryoko chuckled. "Besides, should you not be drinking a fine wine? What sort of Kalosian are you, Richard? Should you not be all snooty and upperclass? Ho ho…"
"That's a stereotype," Richard scowled, draining the rest of the glass and setting it down on the railing. "Besides, I never quite developed the taste for it."
Ryoko smiled.
"After you and I raided your father's wine cellar and you made quite a mess out of yourself, I can see why you would develop a distaste for it," Ryoko giggled. "Though it seems that you can be quite the snob with scotch, as well."
"Indeed," Richard smirked. "My, father's wine cellar… for me that was nearly a lifetime ago… but for you, I suppose it was just yesterday."
"Two weeks ago, in truth," Ryoko corrected him with a lilting laugh, checking her watch again. "But your sentiment is nonetheless enjoyable, ho ho…"
Ryoko brushed her hair out of her face, the wind catching it. It whipped around her in a flurry of lavender, dancing around her sad smile.
"I do enjoy reminiscing with old friends," Ryoko laughed. "Though it is always a difficulty when you have history with me that I have yet to live, and my history with you is the same."
"I suppose you know how this whole mess shakes out," Richard sighed. "What will happen with Blake."
"Indeed," Ryoko confirmed. "People say that history can be changed, but in truth this is not true."
"Oh?" This was something that intrigued him. Richard turned to her, raising his eyebrows in surprise.
"Imagine that time is like a road. And you are at a turn. You can go left, or you can go right. Which direction do you choose, Richard?"
"Right," Richard declared. "The one synonymous with 'correct'."
"That is so like you," Ryoko laughed. "So you go right. And perhaps, you go right at every turn you come across. You are making choices, are you not?"
"Of course," Richard said.
"But you are not changing history. History moves as it always would. You always would choose to go right, because your script has been written. That is where I come in. As one who exists outside of time, I could stop you at the turn in road, and tell you to go left instead of right. Now you go left, and history takes a new course."
Richard nodded. Fairly basic time travel premise.
"Humans that exist within time cannot alter its course. Only those of us who exist outside of time can spur the direction to our choosing. And so to that end… I cannot. History is not mine to play with as I see fit. I know where time is destined to go, for you and for Blake. But should I tell you, Richard, that would alter its course. Not even for the ones I love… I could not, should not do such a thing."
"Of course not," Richard sighed. "I guess I'm just wondering… am I making the right choice? For Blake's future… for his happiness. I thought I was making the decision I needed to make… but seeing him with his friends, how passionate they were to look after him… I know if he stays here, that he will continue on the same self-destructive path that set him out to enroll here in the first place, and when he reaches the end of it… despair awaits him."
"Maybe so," Ryoko agreed. "For someone who insists he is not a father… you seem to be very protective of him, just as a parent should."
Richard didn't respond to that.
"You might not be able to tell me what I should do, but-"
"Oh, do not get me wrong, I have no qualms with telling you what you should do," Ryoko shook her head, smiling. "What should you do, Richard? What you always do. What you think is best. I trust you to make the best decision, the decision only you can make."
"And that would be?"
Ryoko chuckled.
"And what would be the fun in telling you that?" Ryoko asked. Richard rolled his eyes. Of course she wouldn't just sit back and tell him the answer that easily. She was far too capricious for that.
"Perhaps I should rely on a sign of some sort, then," Richard sighed.
Suddenly, the calm surface of the ocean broke open, and a giant wave crashed over the bow of the ship, missing Ryoko entirely but soaking Richard, suit and all, and sending his glass rolling across the deck.
"Haaiiyah!" A wild voice declared. A road the wave on the back of a large Mantine, leaping off of it and landing on the boat. She threw her fist in the air triumphantly. The girl was wearing a sleek two-piece black bathing suit and nothing else, revealing her tanned midriff. Goggles covered her eyes and her mint green hair was matted flat to her head by the water. In her hand she held a long stick with a dive ball affixed to the end of it, more dive balls in a sack slung over her shoulder.
"By, Mana! Thanks for all the help!" The girl called, waving at the Mantine that landed back in the water, swimming off.
"Who are you?" Richard spat, wiping the seawater off of his face.
"Huh?" Marion turned to the man, confused. She removed the goggles from her eyes. "I'm Marion, ya dummy!"
Richard scowled. It was her, alright. The girl he'd seen at the party. The girl from…
"Marion Rivers, I presume?"
"Yup, that's me, I'm a lovely girl who dreams of the sea," Marion sighed.
Marion didn't recognize him in the slightest, but Richard knew exactly who she was. In fact, he had arranged to meet with her today. They had important business to discuss. She said she'd come… He just hadn't expected she'd come here… like this.
"You're one of Blake's friends, correct?" Richard confirmed. He'd been surprised, seeing her at the party, but he needed to know for sure, what sort of connection she had with Blake.
"Blake?" Marion asked, confused. "I mean, yeah, he's my friend, but a party? Um… I don't know, was it some sort of fishing bonanza? I've been really busy today getting prepared for the fishing contest coming up at the end of the month, so my schedule's been packed."
"I see," Richard said, frowning. He was beginning to think that there was more than just a few things off about this one.
"Those are quite a lot of pokeballs," Ryoko said, walking over to the bag and taking a look. "Dive balls, correct?"
"Yup!" Marion said. "But it's not that hard. I just call out to my little fishy friends, and then they respond to me, and-"
Richard narrowed his eyes and stormed over to the girl. He grabbed Marion by the ear and pulled her back.
"Ow, ow, ow, what's wrong?" Marion pouted.
"Marion Rivers."
"I already said yes!" Marion pouted.
"We have an appointment, right?" Richard asked. "You said you were coming to meet with me on my boat. Are you being intentionally obtuse?"
"Eh? Appointment? What… oh! That's right! This guy Richard Harker set up an appointment to discuss some business! I can't be fishing now! I'm probably super-late."
Richard felt like he was about to burst a blood vessel. This girl was already AT her appointment, and in fact had shown up a little early.
"I'm Richard Harker," he said.
"Ah! Totally coolio!" Marion chirped. "Then that means I'm right on time! Way to go, me!"
"Yes, I'm sure that must be a rarity for you," Richard dryly replied.
"Ehehe… so, what did you want to see me about? I'm assuming you've heard of my plans and want to get in on the ground floor of the investment deal of the century?"
In an instance, Marion's cheerful, airheaded demeanor took on a tone of certainty, like she was speaking with someone important. She still maintained a cool and relaxed air, but in a way that could almost be called serious. Serious for her, at any rate.
"Actually, no," Richard said, shaking his head. "I wanted to talk with you about something more personal."
Marion looked at him with newly gained caution.
"Um, look, sorry to tell you this, but my life, my lover, and my lady is the sea, so-"
"I'm a married man," Richard corrected her misunderstanding.
"Ick, that makes it even more cringe…"
Well, he tried, at any rate.
Ryoko, watching everything on the sidelines, was resisting the urge to bust a gut laughing.
"This isn't some proposition," Richard said, frowning, wiping his wet hair back. We walked back towards the lounge area near the center of the boat, retrieving a towel to wipe down his suit. "I wanted to talk with you about something serious."
"Eh, but serious is so boring, I'd rather fish," Marion pouted. She picked up her sack of dive balls and her dive ball on a stick, and headed back towards the railing.
Richard sighed, running the towel through his hair.
"Anja Karzat."
Marion froze in place, her eyes widening. Her tanned face went deathly pale. She whirled around to take a look at him with fresh eyes, her mouth open in shock.
"Wh-what?" She asked, her voice no louder than a whisper. "N-no, never heard of a person like that."
"Is that a fact?" Richard narrowed his eyes. "So I suppose you don't know about the ability called harmonia, either."
"Er… nope, never heard of it," Marion said, shaking her head even more frantically.
"Wait, please," Richard said, gently taking her by the wrist. "Sorry, listen, it's just... I know."
"You know what?" Marion asked, her voice unusually guarded and caustic.
"Anja Karzat was a friend of my wife," Richard explained. My family had some… interests invested in that facility. And when it fell to ruin… I went to a good deal of time and money tracking down those connected with it."
Marion's mouth opened and closed like she was trying to say something, ironically resembling a fish. But she apparently could not find the words. She took a good look at Richard. He seemed kind of shady, and she wasn't really sure what he was after or what he wanted from her, heck, she didn't even know what Blake had to do with any of this. Marion wasn't good with people. People weren't as easy as fish. But even so, she liked to think of herself as a decent enough judge of character, and she could see at least that his eyes were filled with a determination that wasn't easy to fake. She didn't trust a lot of people with the truth about herself, but it seemed he knew the whole story already. So she stayed cautious, but continued to listen.
"Most of the children connected with that facility have fallen off the map," Richard explained. "But…"
"I got out," Marion said, nodding her head. "I went back to my family. But how did you…? I thought that information on Anja Karzat was destroyed, or in the hands of shady government dudes and pokemon rangers. So how…"
"For someone driven enough with a good deal of resources at their disposal, it isn't that hard to accomplish something along those lines."
"Then Doctor K, do you know where she-!?" The words sprung from Marion's lips before she even realized where they came from.
"Unfortunately not," Richard said, shaking his head. He decided the easiest thing to do in this situation was to give her some lies. He'd been lying about his family's circumstances for years now, he could come up with a few more lies. "This information may not be common knowledge, but my wife… she has harmonia. And currently is stuck in a vegetative state as a result of overtaxing her abilities. At the time, I had hoped that information gained from Anja Karzat would help her condition, but… I've changed my mind."
"Then what do you want from me?" Marion asked. "I can't fix her. I wouldn't even know how."
"It's okay," Richard said. "I've already… given up hope on that matter. What I want… is something that only you can do."
"…Wh-what?" Marion looked at him in confusion.
"I need a favor from you. Since you're Blake's friend."
"What?" Marion repeated.
"Does Blake know that you have any sort of connection with Anje Karzat? The person, or the facility?"
Still confused, Marion shook her head. "Only, um, a really close friend of mine knows."
"Then please don't tell him," Richard requested. "For his sake. Blake… he's something of an obsessive when it comes to harmonia. He's trying to find whatever he can about Anja Karzat for reasons I don't want to get into with you. Private reasons. But if you told him about something like this, then he might try to learn more, and you might set him on a new crusade. So please, just keep it private, if you would. Until Blake leaves, I'd prefer if he had nothing to do with this sort of thing. Digging into Anja Karzat, continuing his pursuit of harmonia, this obsession… it won't be good for him, you understand?"
Marion looked closely at the older man. The determination in his eyes was clear, and he seemed to honestly have Blake's best interests at heart…
If only she had any idea who the guy was. What, was he Blake's stalker or something? She looked at him suspiciously. There was something familiar about his face… she wasn't used to recognizing people of the non-fish variety, but… Wait…
"Oh! You're Blake's dad!" Marion gasped. "I remember now! That's right, Blake's last name is Harker, and so's yours, and…"
Richard rolled his eyes and this time Ryoko did start laughing. Was she really that dense, or was she playing with him?
"I'm not his father," Richard said, shaking his head.
"But I thought-"
"Our family circumstances are complicated," Richard interrupted her. "Complicated and private."
"…I see." Marion's expression was serious. She nodded her head. "So Blake is still trying to find a way to help your wife… his foster mother?"
Ryoko shot Richard a look, her eyes wide. They both knew that wasn't the case. Richard made no change in his expression.
"Something like that," he nodded. "But if he continues like this… then there's nothing awaiting him."
Ryoko's frown deepened. She knew that Richard was a private person when it came to family matters, considering the scrutiny he was under. She should have expected this. But to see him lie so casually about Blake…
I suppose that if I was in his position, I would not want for anyone to know, either, Ryoko begrudgingly admitted.
"So what do you say? Will you keep this secret private from him?" Richard asked.
"So you invited me here just to talk about my past, and ask me not to bring it up, huh?" Marion shrugged, walking past him and slinging herself onto one of the couches on the yacht's lounge area. "Well, I wouldn't say I'm dying to tell Blake the truth… but then again, lying to him just isn't something a friend does."
"And he's a close friend?" Richard asked. "Remember, this is for his own sake."
"Oh, I agree," Marion said, nodding. "I've kept my fair share of secrets from involved parties myself."
She thought of Kitty, the girl who was almost certainly Doctor K's daughter.
"People poking around about Anja Karzat… it's just asking for trouble," Marion sighed. "So yeah, you have a good point. I won't tell Blake what I know." Not that I was planning on it…
A warm smile washed over her face.
"But of course, I'm certain I can count on a contribution to my resort? I am looking for investors, after all, and since you're so nice to trust me with this, I think that goes a long way in confirming our friendship! And I think, one friend to another, it'd be great if we could help each other out on important matters, don't you agree?"
Richard's eye twitched. The little brat was blackmailing him now, and doing it with a shameless grin on her face.
"…I'll go get my checkbook," he muttered.
"That'd be swell!" Marion chirped, waving after him as he headed below deck.
Well, who would have guessed that Marion was such a shrewd negotiator?
