Hello everyone! Surprise!
Ok maybe not surprise but this is a good addition. Welcome to the new story , The Masked Children: Shorts and Shots!
This as said in the title, shorts and shots from the Maskes Children story I've worked on for over a year now. It will have small scenes and little scenarios that I was never able to place on the main story and is to late to do so. Examples being like how did some of their parents react to their child being taken or some how the Masked Children help on another out in their hidout (prison). Things such as those.
Another ththing I want to add is that I will also add in drafts or scaped ideas that I was going to put in the story but though other wise. Like how I was originally going to have sweet Dia taken or having X come willingly instead of being taken. Or au scenarios of my au to put it in words.
If you want to see a certain part of scene that you never gotten you can commnet on here or the main story so I can write it, that unless it is going to be future written. If you want an Au scenatios I'll be happy to write!
Anyways I've keep you all long enough so please read the first shot!
~{*}~
How Platinum gotten her first Pokemon and first Sister since taken.
~{*}~
"What are you doing?"
She did not jump, no gasp in surprise or sharp turn to see who spoke. She was honestly to trained to no longer be frightened or surprised when someone sneaks up on her anymore, credit to Will and Sham.
Suspicious and sticking-her-nose in everything Sham... she can't wait to do another training battle with her, she needs to vent out her frustrations somehow.
Yet her heart bounced in her chest to see exactly who it was that spoke.
The Masked Man - Master, Pryce, Fath- was standing with his usual attire. Black coat that covers and drapes over his body with icy colored hair flowing in waves. She always found it ironic how tall his counterpart was compared to the short old man she first meet.
And of course, his mask was firmly on his face as well. It reminded her that her own mask was on. A symbol of partnership. Not family.
'But you to be.'
Going back to the question asked she planned out her answer carefully. "I was checking on the Pokemon."
Technically not a lie, but it won't satisfy him from the way he stepped forward. "I heard you requested the rest of the day off." He looked behind her. "'I have a mission for the week,' was it? I don't remember asigning such a thing."
'Ah damn it.' She cursed in her mind. How thoughtless of her to forget about the one person that will surely be the one sore spot on her side in this agenda.
Other than Sham of course, but no one can compare.
She knew that she couldn't get out of this, no excuse will stop Pryce from going through her business and finding out what she will do.
So she told the truth.
"I want to give Platinum a Pokemon of her own." A pause. "The new recruit."
She did and she will. When Will and Ruby managed to sneak out and came back with a Febass, she was overjoyed when she heard the pride and awe in Ruby's small little voice when he told her of his capture. Even Will showed some excitement over their team effort on his first self catch. It was heartwarming seeing them act like family, brothers.
It was such a long time since she felt such affection for someone other than Will.
But then she saw Platinums lonely form in the corner and then the same feeling she had from her kidnapping came back.
Guilt.
Guilty that all she ever done with her was study and train.
Guilty for never acting like the sister that she secretly promised to herself she will become.
Guilty that she ignored her and praised Ruby over her.
Guilty for taking her away from her family, her true family.
She was disgusted by herself.
Since then she tried to see what she cold do to sneak her out, get a Pokemon of her own, to make a connection with one of the trained ones in the hideout. But nothing seemed to work, someone always unknowingly got in the way or it was never the right time. So she went for the next best thing.
"I wanted to have one to take to the Pokemon Daycare for a couple of days. A week at best."
If she can't be there to help catch her first Pokemon, than she can at least be there to see the surprise in her normal empty eyes when she gives her a new friend. Someone that can protect her.
Someone better than her.
The Masked Man stayed silent for a second, then two, then ten. A long minute of silence between them stretched and Karen feared the worst.
'I knew it,' she thought bitterly to herself. I can't help her, I can't protect her, I can't even make her happy. Redeeming myself… for what! I took her! I stole her away from a life full of happiness in exchange for cold rooms and closed doors! It;s all my fault. I'll never help her. I can't love her. I can't even-'
"Alright."
...what?
"Sir?"
The Masked Man - Pryce - turned away.
"Take as much as you need. As you said, I'll give you an extent of two weeks to come back with whomever you may choose. I expect you back by then. Good day Karen."
Karen gasped, emotions swirling around her mind as she watched him walk away. Surprise, honor, delight, pride… but most of all….
Aware.
Inside her own mask she couldn't stop the tears from falling down across her checks along side a rare gentle smile on her lips.
'Thank you.'
~{*}~
"Her you go miss! Your little one is right here!"
"I-thank you."
"Don't thank us miss, it only our job."
"I know, and I thank you for this."
"Well if you say so… have a great day!"
"...And to you as well."
~{*}~
Silently, Platinum passed by some of the grunts hearing them laughing and snickering about something in there conversation. They hardly look down to see her or move from their place in the middle of the hallway to make space for her to cross by. Without so much as a word she moved and squesked herself to the side and conuited on.
Neither of the grunts looked behind them.
But Platinum was used to it, no use in trying to fight it. She may be one of the Masked but she was still a little kid, a nobody.
But if they ask, she would change positions in a second. Maybe then she could get out of here.
Maybe.
Not bothering those thoughts anymore, she made her way down further into the hall.
Finally she found it.
As polite as she was raised (supposed to be raised), she knocked a few times on the door.
"Come in."
On command she allowed herself to open the door and walked in.
In front of her was Karen, sitting in her desk of her room. She was already looking at ways when she entered, so the first thing she saw was a black and white mask. Something that she shivered at sightly. No matter how long she may be here, she will never get used to the sight of a blank canvas face.
If Karen noticed how uncomfortable she was she said nothing, instead she shared a greeting. "Hello Platinum, how have you been? Did anyone give you any trouble on your way here?"
Karen was not like the others, she noticed. She did scoff at her or glared at her very presence. She never ignored her like she was part of the scenery or yelled at her at every turn. Instead she invited her to read a book once in awhile, train her, or sometimes just tell her to follow her and they both end up taking a walk through out the hideout before she is called out.
Truly Karen was strange compared to the rest of them but it was a welcomed sort of difference.
"I'm sorry."
Maybe it had to do with what she said from before, why she was so different from the rest of them.
Not that it matters, it's been a year and nothing has changed. Nothing.
No hope. No hope.
Platinum was about to shake her head 'no' before decided that she should tell her verbally. "No. I had no trouble getting here."
She heard the older girl sigh. "That's a relief."
Platinum gave no statement to that.
Silence lingered.
Karen moved to stand up after no one spoke. It seemed as if she couldn't take the awkward air around them. Moving toward the end of the room she went over to a cabin. It wasn't till she noticed the cloth covering a … thing of sorts on top of the cabin that Karen picked it up and walked back to her desk.
Platinum stayed there, confused but intrigued on what she was doing that aren turned back to her.
Karen only waved at her to come over.
Not wanting to disobey but also to see what would happen, she walked over.
She was only standing three feet away but Karen only shook her head at her. "Come on, closer."
She was now a foot away.
That's when Karen spoke again.
"I'm sorry I couldn't see you the last few weeks. There was a mission of great importance that came up. It was hard to ignore."
Platinum knew, if she hasn't heard it from the whispers of the Grunt's it was from the Mask Man who came to her during her training to tell her that she wouldn't be training with Karen that week as she was "Going after a hidden agenda".
She didn't ask questions but she did grew curious.
She nodded.
Karen perked up from her affirmative. "Well to tell the truth I also wanted to apologize as well."
She spoke without meaning. "Apologize?"
Platinum froze, silently gasp as she realised what she has done. She was about to bow down and tell her that she was the one sorry but she heard something far more shocking.
Karen laughed.
This place was not all sneers and whispers. There would be shouts or cruel laughter. Something even some groaning in pain. Yet the closest thing she could compare to a feeling of joy was whenever Ruby was near her, gave her relief that someone was watching her back.
She… it was strange yet….
She wanted to hear more…
This laugh of hers…
"Yes apologise," she repeated, laughter still in her voice (she wanted this to last). "You see it was my fault for not noticing how lonely you are. That and with Ruby having his own Pokemon before you I just…" She trailed off before gesturing towards the cloth. "This is for you. I hope you like it."
Platinum didn't want to look under the cloth (what if was a trap!), but she also had no say in if on the Mask told her to do so. So with no choice (and a little bit of willingness) she removed the cloth.
Her tiny heart stopped.
In the safety of the glass container, gently warmed by the built in heater and cushioned, was a Pokemon egg.
She didn't understand.
"Why?"
~{*}~
"Why?"
Now that was a good question.
Why is she doing this? To redeem? Possibly. To right what's wrong? Maybe. To protect? Yes but…
That's not the right answer.
"Your asking why I'm giving you this?"
The little girl, still dressed in her long sleeve dress only nod.
She thought for a while, ideas and answers going through her mind as she did so.
But she was waiting for an answer and she i has to give one.
So she did the first thing to come to mind.
"Because your my little sister."
~{*}~
Sister?
She didn't… she's not… couldn't….
Why?
"Your," Karen paused, trying to find the right words. "Your family."
Family?
No… she doesn't have a family any more. She doesn't have anyone any more. She doesn't-
"One day, we will leave this place. Just the two of us."
"See here… just like that…"
"Sinnoh? That's where all the Pokemon contest are at right new recruit!"
"Here. You can have this."
"Your the only one I trust Plat."
"Don't forget us."
"I'm sorry if I never act like it," Karen went on. "In this place I have to be careful what I do here but if you what… you can request me and we can stay here. Just the two of us."
"Just the two of us."
"What do you say?"
~{*}~
Karen waited, patient from the way she was taking this all in.
And from her point of view she was in denial at first, maybe she still is but not as much as before.
She expected another question, maybe even a deny of her gift but she was pleasantly surprised when she was wrong.
"Yes."
She has a new sister.