Episode 34: A flower that wilts is still beautiful.
[Previously…]
"I'm sorry—wait no I'm not—but what the…!? Did you just say that 'Anto' has been dead for the past eight months!?" Gold screamed out what everyone else was too shocked to process.
Wes nodded from his side of the screen and looked to something on the side like a different tab or a computer nearby him while everyone suddenly became shocked at the revelation. "I checked the public records, looked up some nearby schools sites, 'Anthony Baker, freshman, age 14 tragically dies in a accident. Honoring the student that made the stage come to life'." Wes read out loud. "There was even a news paper article about him. He was well known throughout his community for his lively school plays."
"Are they really the same person?" Green Oak asked with interest.
"Hey, I was just as curious as you, which is kinda why I did so much research about this Anthony Baker—which is a really mundane name if you think about it. Anywho, I briefly said stage right? Some of his friends posted a video of him in a High School Drama club in Mistralton City playing as some evil emperor for practice. It was the last video of him alive, and I compared them to Anto… he looks exactly the same and his real voice? It sounds a lot like his telepathic voice."
Wes sighed heavily. "Now here comes the even stranger part."
"You've got to be kidding me, there's more?" Blue shockingly asked.
Red sighed and put a palm to his starting-to-ache head. "Of course there's more."
"His body was reported to be stolen after three weeks since his funeral." Everyone looked at Wes as if he just willingly dropped a baby to the ground.
A few seconds past before one of them spoke up again from another strange turn in this case. "OK, now I have to admit: THAT IS WEIRD." Gold spoke out as they quickly descended down the rabbit hole.
"Anthony's dead body was stolen?" Lance repeated again for confirmation.
The Snagger nodded towards the Kanto Champion. "Yeah, there was a huge empty hole where his coffin used to be and police have been stumped on finding either the body or the thieves."
"Who would think to look for the dead among the living?" Silver muttered out loud, as if quoting an old wise saying.
They all looked at the red head strangely.
"That reminded me of something," The blue coated teenager talked towards Tracey. "Head Band, you were the first to meet him right?"
"Yeah?" Tracey blinked at the mention to him.
"Didn't he tell you that he was apparently near death before this all started and someone saved his life?"
"Anto did say something like that, why?"
"What exactly is the chance he was already dead long before we even met him? What if Anto really is Anthony Baker?"
"Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?" Brock asked with a bad feeling rising in his stomach.
"Resurrection: the ability to revive the dead," Wes bluntly spoke out. "Do you remember that Anto told us they called him Subject 5? Does that mean that Dimension Enterprise is literally finding a way to revive the dead?"
"That's… that's insane!" Ash finally spoke out first among the shocked group.
"This got dark really really fast." Misty agreed.
Time Travel and life threatening situations were one thing. But defying the balance of life and death and playing with forces beyond human comprehension? That never bodes well especially since Kalos' legend describes thousands of lives were killed in order to bring back just one life.
"Wait we still don't know if Anto and Anthony are connected! What about confirming a blood test?" Silver looked towards the silver haired boy.
Tracey spoke out for him. "Actually, the police already matched his thumbprint when Anto first got arrested. They couldn't find a match, so they assumed he must have come from a remote town or village. You have to remember not everyone get's their blood sampled since some small villages don't have technology like that." The assistant of professor Oak explained.
He was right, technically speaking, Wes, Blue, and Silver never had proper existing documents until recently. While paper trails did help, not everyone had them.
"And if you want me to look up medical records, I can't go any farther than public records since I have like no jurisdiction… at all." Wes folded his arms.
"I'll try to look that up then. It's not Kanto or Johto, but I might be able to pull some strings to get those files." Lance looked towards Ash. "Ash there's a favor I want to ask. You and Tracey should look up the Kalos Legends Xerneas and Yvetal. They might have something to do with this if resurrection is involved."
The two agreed before starting to sign out though since this was Ash they were talking about most people knew to trust Tracey more with the research since Ash had a one track mind. With them gone, Wes signed off as well, but was told to keep an eye out for Hunter J—but the sharper people of the group noticed an unusual change in the Orre boy's demeanor as soon as that name was said.
"Lance, wait." Red spoke out to the current Champion. "Think you can use your diplomatic immunity for something else?"
[Back in the Present]
Teacher?
Did you misplace your slippers?
Teacher?
Did you forget where you placed your bokken?
Teacher?
The bonsai you were taking care of… why did you neglect it?
Teacher?
Why are you no longer practicing bushido with me?
Teacher?
What do you mean, "When my time comes…"?
Teacher?
Why are you so sad but hopeful as we have this bitter conversation?
Teacher?
I do not like this.
Teacher?
Why are you looking at me like that as if you have never seen me before?
Teacher?
Why is the dojo burning down? Why are you not getting up? Why are you just… sitting there?
Teacher…
Why were those your last words to me?
"Takezo?"
The small Patrat snapped his eyes open before zooming in on Anto. The plain looking boy looked carefully at his friend since he seemed distant for some reason. "Are you alright?"
"I was simply meditating. It helps gather my thoughts." The samurai spoke out calmly as he stood back up from the floor of the Virbank City Gym. "Where are the others?"
"Wow you must have been pretty deep in meditation." The young boy commented before getting off his knee and standing up. "I was just finished talking with the others. Today is just for training while everyone else splits off and does what they want. White is visiting Poké Star Studios to help out the BW company, Wes is probably picking off people for the fun of it, and Jamie said he'll be meeting someone here. Miles is hanging around the air port because of the whole lock down politics and technicalities, so it's just us the whole day. … You really didn't notice?" The boy asked his usually sharp and competent Pokémon member.
"While I do admit that doesn't seem likely, I don't always pay attention to everything." The small samurai explained calmly.
The young boy paused as he took in the words. Something just didn't sit right with him. "Takezo… do you remember our battle with Clay?"
"He was a skilled opponent." Takezo glanced towards the window.
"Takezo, you kind of let your guard down when Clay's Excadrill started shouting about never giving up. I didn't want to ask out of respect, but you've been… recently sluggish. Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"
The small normal type was momentarily silent at the point his trainer made. "I'm fine, I was just distracted." The samurai dismissed while looking at the floor.
"Oh, ok..."
"…" Takezo said nothing more as Anto walked towards the exit and he trailed closely behind him.
Teacher, will I lose someone else?
Anto turned around towards Takezo as he got Ohko's Great Ball out. "So I had this idea—"
"HELLO!"
"AAAA!?" Anto mentally screamed in shock as some boy randomly appeared right in front of him. The boy was obviously special. He had fiery and wild red and orange and a get up that was just a black and white spiked trousers while he was carrying a bag off sticks behind him. Another really noticeable thing about him was the fact he had a necklace of Poké Balls he was wearing that looked somewhat familiar to the amnesiac.
"You've got a great essence to you! I could smell it even from the next town over! Battle me right now!" The kid jumped back, picking a ball from his necklace and jumping some distance back.
"W-Who are you?" Anto spoke out as he starred at the new strange person who was suddenly demanding a battle with him.
The fiery boy blinked for a second before he palmed his head. "Oh right silly me! My name is Benga and I challenge you to a battle! Go Garchomp!" He quickly spoke before throwing his ball out.
"And what glorious battle awaits me, Ferland the Great this day!?" The Shiny Garchomp roared mightily as he appeared in front of Takezo and Anto. "Oh hi!" He took out his claw and gave a friendly wave.
"W-whoa! Benga! Benga right? Shouldn't we fight in a place that isn't heavily crowded?"
The fiery teen looked around were many people were staring at them.
The kid visibly slackened at the realization and smiled as he placed a hand behind his head. "Oh yeah! My bad! Here, come on Ferland, let's bring our new friends to our training zone!"
"And it shall be done, sir Benga! Excelsior!" The Garchomp cried out before running along with the passionate kid in a random direction.
Anto and Takezo shared a uneasy look. "Well… I haven't been challenged to a Pokémon battle in a while?"The amnesiac offered before walking after him.
"I wonder… there was something off about him…" Takezo briefly muttered.
[Elsewhere]
She looked at the picture of the boy with everyone in Nimbasa City, his plain messy black hair, unremarkable brown eyes. Ironically, in a crowd of outstanding and important looking people, he stood out for being the most out of place out of all the trainers and coordinators for being so darn plain looking.
"So you took this picture before everyone split their ways from Nimbasa?" Her voice was cold despite how she looked. It wasn't a patient voice.
"It was Sebastian's idea; he thought it was kind of a shame to let it all end on a bad note and so we all agreed for a group picture." She was nervous. No matter how many times she met with them, she would never get used to the sense of wrongness her mind kept screaming at her whenever she looked at them. Her skin felt cold, her goosebumps rose no matter how hot she felt and she always found herself sweating in one of their presence.
She glanced at her with those piercing amethyst eyes that made the other girl quiet down. "Why haven't you been contacting us?"
"I umm… I…"
"Do not be so cold to our new underling, Sierra. I'm sure she's doing her very best." A tender voice spoke out, but not towards the underling, but towards the strict female.
"A me-aat der Dea nul duo a'xe plrix. (Dea, do not coddle me. I am not in the mood for this.)" She spoke out in a strange dialect.
"Bayadula due maey faviotno vu? (I just don't want you unleashing your power unnecessarily, alright?)" Her Pokémon gently soothed.
"… Fine. Can you… please… tell me why you haven't kept contact with me or Joren this past month?"
"O-One of An—the Host's friend's is keeping an eye on me. It's kind of harder to find the right time…"
"Then kill him."
"W-what?!"
"Kill him, make it look like an accident, poison his drink or food, just make sure that the host isn't nearby."
"H-how can you say that so easily?!"
The woman in charge turned back her glare. "Oh right… I forgot how you False Fragments are… does he know who you really are or who you work for?"
"N-No. No one does."
"Then just make sure to bring the host towards the Dragon Spire. It's almost time…"
"Wh-what about my—"
"We will keep our end of the bargain. Good luck!" She turned around before stopping. "Oh wait! How could I forget? I might send some people your way to help make sure he gets to the tower."
"Help?"
"Oh don't worry, Jamie. I think you'll know them…"
[Back with Anto]
"Come on! I can't wait to see your strength!" Benga proclaimed as he and Ferland stood in front of an empty grass field.
Anto looked down towards Takezo. "Ready?"
Takezo nodded before jumping out and unsheathing two wooden blades.
"Your Pokémon has fierce eyes! Ferland, Dragon Rush!" Benga commanded as Ferland the Garchomp bust into a blue flame and charged at Takezo with amazing speed.
"Detect!" The amnesiac called out as his tiny normal type barely ducked away with glowing eyes, but Ferland suddenly jumped as soon as Takezo got out of his ramming path. The Shiny Garchomp spun his body mid air, making him face towards Takezo before landing on one leg—and pushing it right towards him. The Patrat jumped away again from the path, but once more Garchomp jumped and repeated the process to chase after the normal type.
If defense wouldn't work, Anto was going on the offensive. "Charge right for him! Umbra Shred!"
Takezo received more information and understood what he was doing, before charging right for Garchomp.
Benga smiled. "Stop and use Fire Blast!"
Anto reacted instantly as Ferland froze to a stop quickly inhaled all dragon aura into his mouth and impressively started to change the energy of the attack in mere seconds. Takezo sped off faster as Ferland raised his hand and quickly snapped it back towards him.
The small Samurai slid under Garhomp's legs as the dragon and ground type unleashed the destructive fire type move into the area behind him. Takezo stopped his slide right between both of Ferland's knees.
"Strike the back of the knees!"
"Jump into the air!"
Takezo struck quickly in a large arc but Ferland was able to jump off into the air barely missing the strike towards his joints.
The dragon ground type landed some feet away near the flames from his fire blast attack. "Slippery little fellow aren't ya? I can already tell this one's going to be different." He spoke with inquisitiveness while readying himself.
However, while the two Pokémon were staring each other down, Anto seemingly was the only one who noticed something. "Uh Benga?"
"Ferland, Dragon Claw!"
"Benga Wait!"
The fiery trainer looked back to the mute but Garchomp set his claw ablaze with Dragonic Energy and madly charged towards Takezo. Since the Normal type was so many times smaller, Ferland huddled low and positioned his right claw to recline back before unleashing it in an uppercut motion from the ground up, leaving a trail and rend of destructive power. Takezo rolled out of the way again, igniting his small wooden blade in dark energy before jumping right for the dragon type. Ferland's smile continued on and he parried the Umbra Shred attack with one of his imbued Dragon Claws. The two opposing energies clashed before Takezo was repelled back due to the overwhelming strength of Ferland. However, while flying mid air, Takezo regained his balance and landed in a slide as he came back to the ground. As he came to a stop, he performed a spin with his blade along with ghostly appearances of swords to signify he was using a Swords Dance. As soon as the blades faded, he ignited his Umbra Shred, showing it to be longer in reach and far more noticeable in power and energy. Ferland felt his blood boil in excitement at the technique of his unique opponent and was eager to rush in to face him once more—
"Benga!" Anto focused his telepathy louder towards the passionate boy with more worry in his tone, forcing both he and his Dragon Pokémon to look towards him.
"What?"
Anto, with a surprised horrified expression that said to him, did you really not notice this!?; pointed to the large wild fire that was starting to spread on the grass due to Garchomp's earlier Fire Blast attack.
"Oh./Oh." Both Trainer and Dragon type realized that as the flames were actually getting bigger.
"Help me put this out!" Anto spoke before reaching for his Premier Ball.
Benga ran up to him with Ferland not too far behind. "Wait no! I got this! I got this! I can't believe I did it again! Grampa is going to be ticked!"
Meanwhile, Takezo let down his blade as he sighed. Ferland was very powerful, and while he might have had the speed to keep up, he lacked the power to really pierce through the defenses of the land shark, which is why Takezo was grateful Anto was there already planning perfect forms of attack for him. However, his hands were shaking form that one clash already because of such power. The back of his mind told him that if not for his trainer that battle would have been far more one sided against him.
Do you know how to be strong, Little One?
The samurai looked at the flames that Anto and Benga were starting to put out. He seemed to tune out what the two boys were arguing and focused back on the wild streaks of orange and red. Despite the two starting to put out the fire, Takezo stared into it deeply…
Who-who are you?
"Takezo."
The normal type blinked with both of his vivid, hypnotic eyes before looking back towards his Trainer.
Anto kneeled towards his friend. "That's the second time you've zoned off today. Are you sure you're alright?"
—The smoke was burning his small lungs, but he couldn't find him near any of the exits. After the most agonizing two minutes of his life, he found him there, staring at the fire and strangely just letting it come closer and closer—It's going to be alright, OK?—
"I'm fine. I just have been deep in thought lately." He sheathed his wooden blade back to Valerie's designed white scabbard he still kept all the way back from Nimbasa City. "I seem to lack any hard hitting abilities. While strength is not my forte, there probably should be something besides Swords Dance to help me out with that."
Anto paused for a second before going along and agreeing with Takezo. "I never really bothered with the power department since your speed and reflexes seem to cover it, but you are probably right, I might need everyone to cover more of their bases if I seriously want to win the league."
"You're taking on the league?" Benga came up with his hands casually behind his head.
"Yeah. I want to win it also for a… friend." The mute worded carefully.
"I wish I could have joined the league, but I promise my Grandfather that I wouldn't until I get my training complete. Unfortunately I've got like three years left? Is it three years Ferland?"
"I could have sworn he said two." Ferland pondered looked down.
"No, I thought he said—"
"Sorry, Sorry. Stop for a second," Anto waved his hand out. "I just noticed. Benga, can you talk with Ferland? And now that I think of it, you don't actually seem that surprised that I've been using telepathy to communicate."
Benga's answer was rather laidback, but the information he gave out wasn't. He surprised Anto by at first scoffing light heartedly and off handedly mentioning that he's seen telepathy before then revealing a very familiar golden necklace he had under his shirt.
"Whoa! Isn't that the Ring around Arceus?" Anto cooed as he looked at the golden gleaming necklace.
The fiery teen blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah. My mom was part of an old group of nomads that worshiped Arceus. According to grampa, you and I have no idea how amazing the stories were for my dad to get her to marry him. One of the deals, in a sense was to have me be a part of their followers as well, but it's actually pretty cool. I am, in a non super religious explanation, blessed with some of Arceus' power."
"Wait, are you telling me you basically get powers from joining your religion?"
"Yep!"
The Cosmos are really not holding back any punches when it comes to bizarre things being attracted towards Anto, does it? A religious cult that promises to give its followers superpowers? And they don't at all sound evil?
"Umm wow. I've never heard of that before."
Benga laughed. "Yeah, I figure most people might get uncomfortable with the mention of anything with Religious background. But even though you actually believe me despite me telling you I have powers, I'm gonna show ya proof I'm telling the truth anyway." The teen looked over towards the burnt patch of grass and raised his palm towards the burned area. A strange see through wave came out of his palm and washed over the burned ground, restoring the grass back to green.
Anto and Takezo stared with shock.
"Yep it's pretty cool. It's not as well known as Aura Guardians or even as uncommon as Psychic Trainers, but it kinda goes to show there's more in the world than just those guys." Benga showed off. "Another cool power is empathy. It allows me to sense emotions," He looked a little sadder as he looked back at both Anto and Takezo. "You two are amazing, but I sense you both are holding something back from each other."
Takezo blinked. "Both?" He was surprised; Anto was hiding something?
Anto looked panicked towards the normal type and rubbed the back of his head. "I-It's complicated."
"If you two want a chance of even winning, you can't do that without being in synch and fully trusting yourself and your partner." Benga finished before smiling. "You two seem like good enough people, so I'm sure you can just talk it out. In the mean time, I'm here to visit my friend Roxie! She said she was preparing for a Special Pokémon fight and needed my help!"
With that, the energetic boy and his Garchomp ran off back towards Virbank City, leaving the two other in awkward silence.
It took a while, but Anto finally asked if they could start making their way back towards the Pokémon Center.
"Anto, why didn't you tell me something was going on?" The small Samurai asked as they began their walk.
He looked away with a flush. "I-I didn't want you to worry."
Of course I worry for you! What is the matter? Takezo was about to ask until he recalled earlier this morning when the memories of that other person started flowing back up.
At this moment, the wind started blowing. The two of them shielded their eyes to prevent dust from flying in, but as it died down they stared to notice something pale pink and white. To their realization, they started to notice pink and white petals on the ground. They followed it a bit, and noticed a small batch of pink trees along the path that they did not notice on their way towards the battlefield Benga chose for them.
"Whoa! I know what these things are!"
"Cherry Blossoms… how odd I don't recall them blooming around this time of the year, but I have not seen one since…"
That is because… even I don't know! Bwahahaha!
Takezo looked at his blade. "They all seem to be in bloom as well. Did you know? That Cherry Blossoms usually bloom for a couple of days within a span of two weeks? A fairly short period, but it is always so beautiful."
Anto looked down with interest. "How do you know all of that?"
A small flower fell down and floated gently towards Takezo. The small samurai held his hand out as the soft flower landed gently into his small palm. A myriad of happy memoires came up to him, memories he had been trying to suppress.
Little One, this is good bye. Thank you for being with this lonely old man.
Takezo let go of the flower, dropping it and letting it gently be carried by another gust of wind as it flew into the sky. "I learned it from my Teacher. The man who raised me when I was born and the person to teach me sword play. He never revealed to me his true name, and I never bothered asking, but I lived with him for fourteen years of my life in the way of bushido."
"You had a teacher?" Anto looked on with shock.
"I never told you, have I? Then allow me to tell you everything about him…" Takezo started talking about a story of a different time, a time when he was born in the arms of gentle but firm arms of an old man with a lovely smile. He spoke of the days where he would learn to pick up a blade and the seconds that would go by repeating the same motions over and over again. He regaled the times they would spend near the outside of his little garden where a giant cherry blossom loomed. They would spend hours and hours talking. They did not understand each other directly, but they could feel each other, they had grown to care deeply between Student and Teacher. They talked on for hours, sometimes of the most pointless things in the world and sometimes the most wonderful things—at times they were the same exact thing.
They didn't understand each other, but a language barrier did not stop them from smiling, laughing, and lazily sleeping under the tree on summer days.
Anto found himself and Takezo were now under one of these Cherry Blossoms, listening with attentiveness as the samurai spoke of the time while under one of these trees, his master was being lazy and sleeping under it. Several petals fell into his snoring mouth and he woke up almost chocking up on them.
A piece of envy was rising on the Amnesiac. Takezo had so fondly recalled his memory and here he was telling him of the wonderful past he had. Yet he did his best to crush it; he was not going to be cruel as Takezo spilled his life story.
However, things took a turn for the worse ad Takezo's tale grew darker. His master was old and lonely. As time went by, his master found it harder to move and do things that he used to. At times he became increasingly forgetful and airheaded. One day, he was called to have… his final talk with his teacher.
Takezo inhaled deeply before telling Anto he was ready to tell him. His Teacher had something called Alzheimer's Disease. Anto knew what that was, Takezo didn't. His teacher told him that he was basically dying and that he lived alone not to bother his family. Yet, it was slower than most cases thanks to the training he had been doing. However, time eventually catches up one way or another. He felt his time coming soon, and with the last of his memory and sanity still placed together, he told Takezo not to be afraid and to continue his training without him.
Takezo was still worried. He truly didn't understand what was going on, and it only got worse after that. His teacher forgot more and more each passing day, until one day, he had accidentally started a fire. Takezo tried to convince him to leave, but his teacher didn't even recognize him, didn't even understand him. Years of speaking to each other, suddenly all gone in a moment.
Anto stared on with empathy towards his Pokémon. To watch someone slowly lose themselves… it must have been painful for the Samurai.
"You once asked me why Clay's Excadrill's words bothered me? It was because in the fire, I tried to get him out, but he couldn't move. The fire and smoke was becoming worse and worse, but he still wouldn't move. I had tried to get him to move, but he wouldn't. As… as the fire got worse… and worse… I got scared and I—… ran away. I-I left him in there when I was just scared. I gave up in trying to save him." He spoke with great trouble in trying to utter the words from his dark memory.
"That is not true! If you stayed there any longer, you would have died also!" Anto mentally screamed out quickly with care.
Takezo paused for a second, gathering the look on Anto's face before he started laughed lightly. "I suppose you are right, still I wonder what would have happened if I never gave up? Perhaps if I tried just a little harder, I could have gotten through to him and saved us both. One can only guess what type of lives we could have had if only we had done something differently."
The Samurai went on explaining that after his Master's death, he was listless, lost. He had no idea what to do until a pack of Patrats took him in when he had collapsed in hunger. The leader of the pack, a Watchog was rather cruel and demanded submission and compensation for helping him. Takezo refused and the two fought. Takezo was losing until he used Cut on a nearby tree, cutting it to a point where he could form another Bokken of his own. With the wooden sword he won, but he disliked how wild Pokémon lived in comparison to with his teacher, so he left to practice his blade and wander around. This explained to Anto why Takezo was so against Lenora's Watchog a long time back.
Eventually, one night, Takezo saw a shooting star… and the rest was history.
"Wow." The mute spoke out finally hearing the story of his normal type.
"It is the story of my life. For so long, I was never truly comfortable with the fact Teacher had died. I tried meditating, but all I could do was suppress all my memories from overflowing me. But then I met you. I wanted to have another relationship with you as I did with my teacher, but a small piece of me was reluctant: what if you died just like my teacher? I couldn't handle losing another friend like that—not trying hard enough."
"Are you kidding me? Takezo, if it wasn't for you, I would have never been here in the first place! I'm sorry about your teacher, he seemed like a wonderful man, and I can't promise that I won't die like that since I have no idea what is in store for the future. But didn't you notice? Your teacher told you goodbye. He cared for you enough to gather what was left of him to say goodbye to you. It would hurt, but he knew you would be better off with some last words than none at all."
Takezo looked up with a smile. "Strange, I can't seem to refute that notion nor do I want to." He sighed deeply in and deeply out. "It just took me a long time I suppose. To let it go and accept my Teacher's death."
Anto saw at the look of peace on Takezo's face. He inhaled, gathering courage from what his Pokémon did and spoke out. "I've been worried about what happened in Mistralton City."
"Your family?"
The mute shook his head. "No, I had a nightmare last night. It wasn't like… it was horrible. I saw my dead body walking among everyone else and they were all dead. I was speaking like a distorted demon saying Subject 5 over and over while devouring all of you guys… it just hit me. What if I really am a dead man? What if I really was this Anthony? I thought that being back in my past would be great, but then I realize what can I really do? Go back to living as if thing never really happened? What if whatever they did to me… just… turns me into a monster? Takezo, I'm scared."
The two stayed silent as they both stared into the ground with flower petals.
"I do not know what could have happened if I did something differently from the past, nor can I say I know what lies tomorrow. However, I do know what I can do now: Anto, it is alright to be scared, but do not let it grip your heart. I… and all the other will do our best to protect you. We owe you our friendship and you have not let us down because of it. I know that we will make it out alright in the end."
"How?"
He expected a life changing reason, a deep hidden meaning to come from the mysterious and noble little normal type since he said such iron and convincing words.
The Patrat looked back at Anto with an unreadable face and spoke out.
"No idea. I'm just saying things in hopes that you would feel better. My teacher was very proficient in the art of making things sound like wise sayings when they were not." Takezo then gave an honest smile and pure smile.
…
…
Ha…
"BWAAHAHAHAAA!"
Anto and Takezo broke out in boisterous laughter. What could they do exactly? They really did have no idea what they were doing, and what kind of situation they were in.
They really didn't know a single thing. They probably had forces and mysteries barreling down hard on them from all sides of the world. Yet here they were, laughing at the sheer honest confusion of it all.
Unfortunately, Anto accidentally swallowed a cherry blossom petal with his laughing and started choking. Takezo laughed even louder with tears coming out of his eyes until the same thing happened to him, prompting Anto to laugh hard and point to his Pokémon and accidentally almost swallow another petal and somewhat repeating the cycle a few more times.
Those silly dorky little idiots…
"W-We've got to stop that!" Anto calmed down as both he and Takezo walked out of the tree to prevent themselves from potentially dying by laughing under a tree—the silliest way to die ever.
The small normal type dusted off some petals. "You know this reminds me of something; one of my teacher's sayings: under the Cherry Blossom, a young boy is more likely to meet a beautiful girl like in those shows we watch."
Anto rolled his eyes and fought the urge to face palm. "And I thought it would be something profound! Wait a sec! He's the reason why you make those comments!?" The mute cried out.
"You have no proof of validation for that accusation."
"I call B—…S…?" Anto trailed off as something caught his attention.
Takezo raised his brow before turning towards what his trainer was looking at. Then the Patrat smirked.
Standing in front of them was a beautiful girl around Anto's age with long, straight black hair reaching her below her shoulders with light amethyst eyes and tanned skin. She was wearing a white beret on the top of her head with a long sleeve white shirt with red accents and checkered red skirt with black thins stripes across while wearing black stockings and white rubber shoes with pink accents.
As if on cue from some producer up on high, the wind blew, making flowers and petals trial along with the scenery and making her ebony black hair sway in the wind. She looked something straight from one of those movies.
"Um hi? Sorry to bother you, but could you point me towards the Pokémon Center?" She said with a blush that made her look cute as she looked down towards her feet in shyness. "I umm kinda lost and I well to be back before my sister gets worried."
Anto stared at her a bit before slowly and inattentively moving his hand and pointing towards where the Pokémon Center was.
"Thanks! S-Sorry for bothering you!" She spoke out before walking away quickly. The schoked mute was still staring at her.
Takezo noticed something from the girl. She seemed flustered as Anto was whenever meeting new someone of the opposite gender. The normal type looked over to Anto, who still looked stunned and scoffed. "You should consider her a mate."
"Sh-Shut up! We are not going back to that again!"
"Anto face the facts, you crush on other girls too easily. You're surprisingly pure for a young man are you not?"
The red on his face betrayed the attempt on anger in his telepathic voice. "I'm not hearing this! Let's go back to the Pokémon Center!"
"And meet with her again? How very bold of you."
"Dang it Takezo!" The boy with a flushed face started to storm towards the Pokémon Center.
Then he walked away from the direction of the Pokémon Center and wondered if he could find Poké Star Studios. Takezo trailed behind, smiling and laughing purely the entire way from the young dreaming romantic.
The Cherry Blossoms around them continued to bloom as they made their way back to Virbank City.
Strange if one thought about it though: why did a field of Cherry Blossoms bloom when a certain young boy started walking nearby?
[Meanwhile]
In the Virbank City Gym, Benga had met up with Roxie, the Poison type Gym leader.
"So what's this important battle you have?" The red haired boy asked the white haired rocker.
"Mr. Clay said that I should have a battle with a trainer named Anto and to give my best at it! I heard he was super tough, so I might need your help for some crash course training!"
Benga's eyes lit up. "Anto!? You're in luck! I met him and he sure is something! Man you're so lucky! I had to cut my battle with him short!"
"Did you accidentally burn something again?"
"Why is that your automatic assumption?!" Benga cried with a hint of hurt in his tone while Roxie just gave her friend a deadpan look and crossed her arms. Benga sighed and slouched. "Alright I might have gotten carried away with Fire Blast, but it's one of my favorite moves dang it!"
"I hear ya, I can get really into it when I'm fighting as well. What do you recommend?"
"Use all your best and reserves against him! Hold nothing back!" Benga cried out.
On his return to Virbank City, Anto felt this overwhelming and unknowing urge to punch something red.
Roxie smiled excitedly. "Whoa! In that case I've got just the Pokémon ready for him! This is gonna be an exciting battle!"
[Elsewhere.]
The girl Anto had met earlier flushed as she walked in to the Pokémon Center. "Oh I can't believe I messed up! He looked so bothered by me, and he was kinda cute too..."
"I'm sorry what did you say and point me to him so I can kill him." There was an older girl, around 17 to 18 years of age that looked very similar to the young girl except with brown colored eyes instead of amethyst and her hair was longer and styled as a pony tail. She was wearing a stylish jacket, designer hat, and some slim jeans and she had an amazing figure.
"Sis! Don't overreact! I just got lost." The younger girl cried out.
"Tiana, I told you to stay here! You could have at least told Victor you were leaving!" The older sister spoke out.
"I wasn't going out long and I can fend for myself!" Tiana complained to her over bearing sister. "I have Pokémon too! Quit coddling me!"
"Tiana I'm just worried for you!"
"You always say that! Ever since I woke up from my coma, you've been breathing down my neck without any of my say!" Tiana whined. "Heck! I didn't even get a say when we first left Kalos! You just strong armed and bribed me into coming!"
"We didn't have anyone to take care of you if you stayed there!" Her sister screamed back.
"There was your friend's mother, Trinity! I mean sure I wanted to leave, but I felt forced when I had to! You're running my life!"
"I'm protecting you as your older sister!" Trinity yelled back.
Tiana stomped her foot. "Well I can prove to you that I can handle things myself! I don't need you!" She yelled out angrily before storming out.
Trinity wanted to go after her but she was being such a brat and she really wanted to cool off.
The older sister was too distracted to notice Jamie looking confused at the screaming between the two.
"Wait… haven't I seen that girl before?" Jamie wondered as she looked towards Trinity walking up to her room.
{Author Notes}
No gym today, but I thought some character building would be needed since I looked back at this story, there isn't that much character building about one of the mainc characters even though he is an OC. To be honest, I've always had this aversion but like to OC stories. I love it when OCs change a story or act to how they live in a different world, but I kind of dis like it where they start to become the focal point, or that whatever they do heavily decides the outcome of things. (Basically I dislike Mary Sue Characters.) Because of that, I've always written this story with the back of my mind thinking that no one actually likes OCs and it's kind of why that Anto hasn't really grown much in character, because I've been a bit afraid to really write him or else people wouldn't like him. But someone (Death To Original Naming) told me that my sense of prioritizing and choose to characterize others instead of my main character was draining the story.
So this time, I'm gonna be a little more balanced. Anto's going to have his own doubts and worries that will come and go, but he's going to hopefully grow into a fine young man by the end of his journey.
Next up! Benga, The grandson of Alder! I don't know much about this guy, but the fact he has a flipping Latios and Latias depending on which version of the second game you get is very interesting. I was re watching Hoopa and the Clash of ages, and I noticed something peculiar about one of the characters there who claimed to have some powers of Arceus. That kinda got me to thinking that maybe I could incorporate it and add more into some of these characters. There's also the fact that since in the second game, Alder lives in that coastal peak in the seconds series, it was more than likely that Benga lived there too for some time.
I imagined him being good friends with Roxie and the two of them banging their heads along the heavy and up beat metal/rock music very amusing. And for some reason it fits since Benga himself seems like somewhat of a wild child.
Edit: Oh and one more thing. I asked MangoLimePie, you guys know him, I work with him he works with me, and I thought about a fun little crossover. Tiana and Trinity (and another certain character) are owned by him and I'm using them in the upcoming story. It's time Anto got experience fighting Trainers from other Fics!
That's all for now.
Thanks for reading.