Ma-r-i-o-n-e-t-t-e

Summary: The battle ended in a tie. N told her to become his princess. She gave him the finger and told him to get lost. After going home, she came to a realization: Her every move was being controlled by N. She was his puppet, and he was her master. Who will win? N's desire? Or her heart?

~String 3~

Opening my eyes, I look around blearily and feel a cool rag on my head. I reach up, and remove it before shifting around, and pushing myself onto my elbows. Blinking, I suddenly remember last night's events.

Fuck.

I reach down next to the bed and find my Pokeballs before sending everyone out through the window. "Go relax," I tell them, "you earned it." With several nods, all my Pokemon disperse.

Upon hearing a noise, I glance up, and see Alder walking in through the door, holding a bundle of wood under his hairy arms. "Mornin' sunshine!" he says warmly.

My cracked lips break into a smile, and I nod at him in return, "Morning Alder."

The older man sets down the pile near his fireplace, and wipes his brow. "Have a good sleep?" he asks.

I nod, "Yes...still feeling like shit, but still…" I swing my legs out of bed and yawn, stretching my arms into the air.

"We don't need to be cursing, dear," he says, and I stick my tongue out at him.

"Meh...fine…" I head over to the bathroom to splash my face as Alder traipses back outside.

"Yo Bouffalant," I say, squeezing past it, and turning the water on. Why does Alder let his pokemon sit in the most obnoxious places?

"Booooof," it replies, and doesn't budge; I sigh.

"Touko!" Alder calls.

I stick my head out and around the doorframe, "Yeah?"

"I've got a present for you!" he responds.

Shaking the water off my hands, I take the old towel hanging on a hook and dry them off before climbing over Bouffalant again, and walking outside.

"What is it?" I ask, but double take as soon as Alder turns around. "What the fuck?!"

He grins at me as he holds out some poofy clown pants and a hot pink, sequin tanktop. "I bought you some clothes!" he says.

"What store!?" I yelp, staring at his horrible taste in fashion. I mean...who'd put such articles of clothing together in the first place!? ...Oh wait….Alder would.

He chortles at me, and holds it up, "I think it will look fantastic on you!" he declares and I snatch both pieces away in annoyance.

"You bumbling weirdo…" I huff, and stomp back inside; my clothes are rank from wearing them for so long. Kicking off my socks and shorts, I pull my tanktop up over my head, and look down at the clothes he bought. I haven't had to wear shit like this since I was three!

"Oh, and one more thing," Alder says from the other side of the door, and I hear him hang something on the doorknob. "I don't know how I did with this...but…"

After I listen to his receding footsteps, I unlock the door and stick my arm out to grab the plastic sack. Peering inside, I deadpan.

My new undergarments have hearts and several happy Emolga on them. This is definitely something a three year old would wear...I would know. I let out a long breath, and switch out my old underwear and bra for the new…'Hello Emolga' ones…

Shrugging on the hideous tanktop and clown pants, I step outside, and glower at Alder. "I hate you," I say, but he just points at my hair.

"Change back out of that and take a shower," he instructs. "Bouffalant says you smell."

I give Bouffalant a death glare as it ignores me, and slam the door before turning on the water.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

After half an hour of relaxing, I step out of the bathroom, and wipe my face with one of the old hand towels before flicking my drying hair over my shoulder.

"You took your time," Alder states as he looks up from...some poultice he's cooking up; I won't even ask what it is.

Wrinkling my nose, I nod, "Yeah...I wanted to take a breather for a moment and just relax," I say, as I walk over to him and sit on the floor next to his own Braviary, while absentmindedly stroking its feathers.

Alder nods, "Well, since you're awake and in your clean clothes, why don't you tell me what happened and why you're here?" he suggests.

My hand freezes on Braviary, which earns me a quiet 'coo' from the bird, wondering why I stopped petting it. "Well…"

Alder holds out a cup of tea. "Here."

I shake my head, "No thanks..it seems like everytime I drink tea and talk about my problems, I end up fainting and seeing weird things happen," I state.

Alder tilts his head to the side in thought as he sets the cup down, "Okay, start at the beginning."

I do, and I explain everything that has happened up to this point: N's odd announcement, my friends and family going bonkers, my memory problems followed by my fainting, as well as the shadowy figure last night.

Alder strokes his stubbly chin with his large, left hand. "You've got a serious situation in your hands," he tells me.

I sigh in exasperation, "I know that, Alder," I say, crossing my arms, "but I don't know why."

The former champion sits down across from me on the large carpet, and hums to himself for a while; I wait apprehensively.

"Any day now…" I mutter.

Alder sighs, and puts his hands on his crossed legs. "I need to tell you something," he says, "and it's not very good...mind you."

I nod, "I think I can handle it," I assure him.

Alder looks at me for a moment before nodding, "Well, let me try and explain this little issue here as simply as I can," he says.

My eyes narrow, "You think I can't handle it?"

"No, I want you to understand it."

"So you think I have the fucking brain capacity of a five year old!?" I snap in annoyance.

He shakes his head, "No, no."

I glower, "Just get on with it,..." I mumble, "I don't want my pride hurt any more than it already is."

He nods, "Alright, well, as you know, the group behind Team Plasma is the family known as 'Harmonia'," he says, and I bob my head in agreement. "This family has been around for well over five hundred years, and probably farther back than that."

I lean back against Braviary, and get comfortable; Alder's probably going to talk my ear off.

"Well, the entire Harmonia line, as well as their branches, are the most secretive folks you'll ever meet," he continues, while using his hands to elaborate. "Not until recently have we found information dating back at least two hundred years. Back then, there was a man, and his name was Charles Harmonia. People hated him and loved him. The reason for this, was that he had this...power."

My ears perk up, "As in...superpowers?" I inquire. "But that's ridiculous….nothing like that exists."

Alder shakes his head, "It's not, Touko," he disagrees. "We don't know how, but for as long as history has been recorded, the Harmonia line has held unnatural abilities others would deem impossible."

My blood turns cold, and I lean forward, "Well...what power did this Charles guy have?"

Alder looks at me dead on, "He had the strongest power ever recorded in the Harmonia line," he tells me. "The power to control and body, and the mind entirely."

~Misty/Ms. Ketchum