…
the book master: Ah, what month-old memories… :P Yes, I'm pretty sure I did.
kirby163: Umm… okay, then. *ding!* OC accepted.
Skroy Horitz: I've always regarded Wigglytuff as one of those "untouchable" characters. I certainly don't plan on letting Jaden become that, though, yes, he's going to be an out-of-the-norm leader. Pace was a human. It's still a key aspect in the story.
CIaD: *ding!* OC accepted.
ShadowDragoon32: Jaden's origins will be explained at some point, as with that of a several other characters. And I refuse to count Shaymin as legendary. In here, they're just really rare.
EkaSwede, Jeanne Reveur, and DelinquentDuo, thanks for your reviews!
Another note about OCs. I need some villains, please. Not everyone in the story can be some good, always-tries-their-best character. We need, if not antagonists, at least some not-so-nice OCs.
I don't own Pokémon.
…What?
Pace turned his head, looking for Luma. The pachirisu was curled up on a stool by his bed, breathing softly. At some point in the night, someone must've covered her with a pink blanket, which she grasped tightly in her paws. He watched her sleep for a few seconds, then looked up at the ceiling, closing his eyes.
…
"Up and at them!" Valas shouted, drawing back the curtain. Pace's mouth became a snarl at the sudden intrusion as a loud thump interrupted the kirlia. He guessed the miltank was behind it.
"How many times do I have to tell you!? Other patients are trying to sleep here!" Yep, the miltank was behind it.
"Like you're one to talk!" Valas shouted back from the ground. "You're louder than I ever was!" Another thump.
"What the hell is wrong with you guys?" Pace grumbled, not bothering to even look at them.
"Honestly," The miltank muttered. "It's time to check your bandages," She told the buizel loudly.
"Well hurry up with it, will you?" He grumbled, sitting up. As she unwound the bandages, Pace glanced down at his torso. Aside from the flattened fur, he noticed that the deep gashes that previously existed had been reduced to thin scars.
"It looks like that's done healing," She noted, running a hoof along one. "Stand up. I want to see how your muscles are faring."
Luma blinked blearily as he complied. She let out a small yawn as she sat up on the stool, blankly noting how tough the dirt was before she remembered she wasn't sleeping on dirt. Glancing around the room, she saw the kirlia from yesterday rubbing his head while Pace did a variety of stretches at the command of the miltank. She sighed softly, looking down. Brother…
"Well, I can't find any fault," The nurse finally sighed after forcing Pace to bend his head and arms to meet the ground. "You're free to go," She finally said.
"Finally," He grumbled.
"Excellent!" Valas said. "Come with me! Our team leader would like to meet you!"
"But!" The miltank told them loudly, "He better not get into any strenuous activity today! I don't want him coming back after…"
"Yeah, yeah," Pace muttered. "Come on, Luma," The pachirisu was tugged out of her thoughts as she looked up to see Valas dragging him out of the small room. "Damn it, I can walk, you know," He growled at the kirlia as Luma hopped off her stool to follow them.
The miltank kept watching the curtain even after the three had passed it. "Honestly, kids these days," she muttered as she bent down to pick up the blanket Luma had unknowingly dropped.
000
Pace glanced around the city, taking in the sights as well as he could while Valas continued to drag him quickly. A world dominated by pokémon, huh? He dully thought. This? Like hell. It didn't look at all that much different from any human city, just on a smaller scale. Rectangular buildings clearly made of sand-colored bricks formed neat lines by the dirt streets that crisscrossed across the city. They weren't completely uniform, though. Pace noticed several wooden structures scattered around as well as buildings made from clay. The streets themselves were covered in a fine layer of compacted dirt.
Pace felt himself bump roughly into someone. He kept going as Valas kept dragging, but was able to see the quagsire walking away without a complaint. After all, the streets were fairly crowded. He would often hear the calls of merchants calling out their wares, from fruit to orbs, whatever they were, to odd toys to… Clothes? He blinked. Looking around, he realized how common human clothing was. A granbull with a hooded cloak, a vigoroth wearing a t-shirt, a tyrogue with… um… sunglasses… and… is that hypno seriously wearing trousers? That's just… no. Pace estimated about a half of the roaming pokémon wore some sort of article of clothing, not counting bags. Even Valas, now that he thought about it, was wearing a denim vest under the triangular backpack. How did I not notice that before? He thought as a gap between two buildings let a ray of the morning sun hit his eye. He abruptly pulled away from the kirlia, almost colliding with Luma.
"Hey, what are you…?"
"You have any money on you?" Pace asked, interrupting him.
He grumbled lowly. "Sure, why?"
Without answering, he walked up to one of the closer vending carts. "Hello there! Spot something you like?" The flaaffy donning a headband asked him. A persian eyed him from his resting position next to the stand.
He still gave no response, but simply glanced over the neat rows of hats displayed.
"What, you want a hat?" Valas asked, walking next to him.
He ignored him until he finally saw one that suited him, a navy blue fishing hat with a broad tan band just above the brim and a chinstrap. He pulled it off the rack and placed it on his head experimentally. It fit loosely, even over the tuft of fur on his head. "How much is this one?" He asked.
"Eighty poké to you, sir!" The flaaffy replied brightly. Pace looked at Valas, who, after a while, sighed.
"Fine, but only because it's cheap," He grumbled, reaching into his backpack. He quickly retrieved a small bag with a pull string, and shook out a variety of coins. "Here," He said, handing a few silver ones over.
"Thank you," She said, taking them and handing him a small bronze coin. "And your change. Now…"
"Okay, we're done here," Valas said before grabbing Pace's wrist again and dashing off. Luma, still confused by the exchange, followed. "Was that necessary?" He grumbled.
Pace shrugged. "I feel more comfortable with it on," He said, "though I didn't expect human clothing to be popular here."
"Human clothing? What do you mean by that?" The kirlia blinked.
"…Never mind." They don't even associate it with humans, Pace realized. Valas grunted and focused on running. Soon, the buildings parted to reveal a large, gray fountain.
"I got them!" The kirlia called to a large group, gathered near where the gyarados statue's mouth spat a tall arc of water.
"Ah! We were wondering when you'd get here!" One said as they got closer. Pace blinked at him while Lynn shouted her greeting. Clay nodded his head and grunted in acknowledgement, standing by a pitch-black sableye and a drifloon.
"You're a shaymin?" He asked.
"Of course! Why shouldn't I be?"
"Well, they aren't exactly common," He shrugged, leaning against the fountain.
"Ah, I suppose that's true enough," He laughed, flipping upside down. "I'm Jaden, by the way." Pace glanced at him oddly.
"Don't mind him. He's just weird," The sableye told him. "He's an odd leader. But capable."
"Leader!? Are you shitting me?" Pace gawked.
"Yeah, polite. Just like you described," He dead-panned to Valas, who just nodded silently.
"What, is there a problem with me being leader?" Jaden pouted.
"Yeah, you act like a damn kid," Pace grumbled, deciding to lie down on the edge of the fountain.
"Wah, so mean…"
"Look, did you guys have a reason for dragging us out here or are you just bored?" He growled, his eyes closed.
"Oh, right! We'll skip right to the point then!" Jaden said brightly. "Pace, Luma," The pachirisu's attention snapped to him. "We want you to join our team, Joutei!!"
Luma was silent, only glancing at Pace. Obviously, her decision hinged on the buizel's. "Joutei?" Pace mumbled, opening his eyes. The Watchers looked back at him, awaiting his decision.
"Yeah! It means journey! Come on, it'll be a lot of fun!"
"Why would you want us on your team?" He asked, pulling the hat over his eyes.
"Well, why not? I've heard you're a good fighter, and it doesn't seem like you have anything else you can do! So what do you say?"
"…"
"Hey! Hey! Don't fall asleep on us! I asked you a question!" Valas, Clay and Lynn knowingly turned away.
"Fine, I'll join."
"AAUUUGH!!"
"Damn it, just what the hell is with all of you?!" Pace roared as they all started to stand up.
"That's what we want to ask you!" The sableye, as well as those who turned away, shouted back.
"Ha ha hah, that didn't surprise me at all! I knew you were awake the whole time! Ha ha hah…" Jaden laughed.
Pace cut him off with a glancing smack to the back of his head. "Seriously…"
"I'll join too, then," Luma said.
"Okay then! Two new members have joined Team Joutei!" Jaden cheered, as the others celebrated in their own ways.
"Just remember, don't expect this to be a permanent thing. I don't want to spend my life doing community service," Pace grumbled, though he was, for the most part, ignored.
Lynn, unable to contain herself, coiled around both Pace and Luma. "Yay! This is going to be so much fun! I'll make sure you guys don't regret this!"
"I'm starting to regret it already," The buizel muttered blankly, though the comment, again, went unheard. Luma quickly scrambled away from the dratini, growling.
"Oh, sorry! I couldn't help myself, I just got so excited…" She chuckled as she loosened her grip on Pace.
"Calm down, Lynn. You need some restraint," The sableye sighed, only to receive a foot on the back of his head.
"You're one to talk, Hobbes!" Valas shouted at him. "Remember last night?"
"Hobbes?" Pace blinked.
"It's not Hobbes, it's Obsidian!" The sableye corrected him loudly, holding his head.
"Guys, break it up!" Lynn quickly said. "Ah! Valas! Since we have new team members, how about you play them a song?"
"Hear hear to that!" The kirlia said, pulling off his backpack. He quickly pulled an odd device from it, though a few other items spilled to the dirt ground. They were ignored a Valas unfolded the device.
"A guitar?" Pace muttered. It didn't look too fancy as far as electric guitars went. The body was a thin, irregular quadrilateral that was heavier on the left side. It was mostly ruby red and marble white with a grey, apparently foldable neck and a black shoulder strap. The only problem was, there were no strings. "Um…" He started to point out.
"Watch!" Valas suddenly said, dragging his across the length of the guitar. Under his fingers, six glowing pink lines appeared. He brought his hand to the head stock and, in a few deft movements, attached all the strings to the guitar. "Impressive, no?"
Pace ignored him, looking through the objects that he had dropped. Valas fell over. "You draw too?" He asked, picking up a compact sketchbook. He flipped through the pages, which were covered with neat pencil drawings of various subjects, including still life, landscapes, even a rushed one of Obsidian clawing a yanma. "Can't you make up your mind?" He grumbled.
"Ha, but you see, it's not that simple. I ask you," He said dramatically, "what is art to you?"
"Any kind of creative work," Pace shrugged, sitting by the fountain as he leafed through the sketchbook.
"Precisely! And that is why, as an artist, I have decided not to limit myself, but to pursue any and every form of art! Rhythm! Paints! Literature! Lyric! Sculpture! Even a culinary masterpiece! It matters not to me, for I am an artist!" He finished after striking a dramatic pose.
"Now all we need is one of those glittery backdrops," The buizel deadpanned, causing the kirlia to fall over again.
"Just hurry up and play the song," Obsidian said loudly.
"Okay then!" He said brightly, quickly standing up, hopping on the edge of the fountain, and giving the glowing strings a few experimental flicks. "What shall I play…? Ah hah! This is a good one!" He immediately started to plink out a melody, surprisingly loud and clear for a lone electric guitar.
"Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me
I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed
She was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb
In the shape of an 'L' on her forehead
Well the years start coming and they don't stop coming
Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running
Didn't make sense not to live for fun
Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb
So much to do so much to see
So what's wrong with taking the back streets
You'll never know if you don't go
You'll never shine if you don't glow
Hey now you're an All Star, get your game on, go play
Hey now you're a Rock Star, get the show on, get paid
And all that glitters is gold
Only shooting stars break the mold
It's a cool place and they say it gets colder
You're bundled up now but wait 'til you get older
But the meteor men beg to differ
Judging by the hole in the satellite picture
The ice we skate is getting pretty thin
The waters getting warm so you might as well swim
My world's on fire how about yours
That's the way I like it and I never get bored
Hey now, you're an All Star, get your game on, go play
Hey now, you're a Rock Star, get the show on, get paid
And all that glitters is gold
Only shooting stars break the mold
Hey now, you're an All Star, get your game on, go play
Hey now, you're a Rock Star, get the show on, get paid
And all that glitters is gold
Only shooting stars break the mold
Somebody once asked could you spare some change for gas
I need to get myself away from this place
I said yep what a concept, I could use a little fuel myself
And we could all use a little change
Well the years start coming and they don't stop coming
Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running
Didn't make sense not to live for fun
Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb
So much to do so much to see
So what's wrong with taking the back streets
You'll never know if you don't go
You'll never shine if you don't glow
Hey now, you're an All Star, get your game on, go play
Hey now, you're a Rock Star, get the show on, get paid
And all that glitters is gold
Only shooting stars break the mold..."
As the last note faded out, a large cheer erupted from around the group. Looking up, Pace saw that the music had attracted a decent crowd of at least twenty pokémon. Well, I have to admit that was pretty good, He shrugged. Suddenly, Obsidian grabbed his hat. "Hey!"
The sableye immediately started to hold it out to the crowd, most of whom were calling for more. He grinned as coins were quickly tossed in. Greedy bastard, Pace dully thought as Jaden laughed. Meanwhile, Valas, in response to the cheers, had started another song.
"What is that noise?"
Pace glanced down at Luma, who was staring in rapture at the guitar as the kirlia continued to jam it.
"Music," He shrugged. "Don't think about it to much, just listen to the beat."
"Yeah, you got that right!" Jaden grinned as Luma watched the performance. "You didn't know?"
"She's lived in the wild her entire life until yesterday," Pace explained as he glanced at Obsidian, who sat in front of the hat, still filling up with coins.
"What!? You never said that!"
"Did I?"
"Ha ha hah, this is a really interesting group I've got!" He grinned. "Now all we need are some smiles!" The last line was directed to both of them.
"No," Pace answered flatly.
"Smiles?" Luma asked.
"Yeah! Smile! Like this!" The shaymin told her, demonstrating widely. "No matter how dark it gets, you can always brighten up your day with a smile!" (Behind him, Pace gagged at the cheesiness.)
Luma blinked at him, before trying to contort her face to match his. "Like this?" She bared her teeth feebly.
"Sort of. Come on! Get your cheeks up a bit, you know, like…" Jaden muttered, hovering closer to use his paws to tug her face.
"Idiot," Pace deadpanned as the shaymin got zapped by the contact with her cheeks. Luma blinked again as he leapt back up for another try, undiscouraged. Pace watched the two before sighing. "Just think about what your brother used to do," He muttered.
Luma turned to him with surprise. "Brother? You have a brother?" Jaden asked.
"Had," Pace whispered.
"…Oh…"
Luma looked down for a few seconds, then brought her head up. "Like this?"
"…Yeah, just like that!" Jaden told her. "Except…" He touched the corner of her eye with a paw, "don't cry. You should be happy when you smile!"
Luma nodded, wiping at her other eye. "Okay!" She said loudly, her mouth stretched in a bright grin.
"There! That's perfect!" He laughed. "Just keep smiling, and everything will look a little brighter!"
Pace watched the two of them, before sighing, and leaning back against the fountain. Dumbass. What kind of philosophy is that? Valas had finished the song and was starting on a third, an instrumental. His voice must've been wearing out.
"That's ten members."
Pace's head jerked up, looking at the drifloon. He had forgotten he was there.
"Just one more and we'll be a guild."
"Hey! You're right!" Jaden said, floating up by him.
"Wait, ten?" Pace asked. "Right now, that's… eight. Where's the other two?"
"Ah, they're on an extended mission," Jaden grinned, flipping upside down again. "They left a few days ago, but we'll meet them around the next town. One more member, and we'll be a guild! Ha ha hah! I can't wait!"
Pace sighed, closing his eyes. Keep moving forward, eh? Forward it is then. I'm pretty curious as to how my life will play out from here. His perpetual frown lightened slightly as his mind wandered off.
000
"Jaden."
"Yeah, Clay?"
"Are you sure about this? I've warned you..."
"Come on, Clay, you don't seriously think they are they same, do you?"
"It matches the wanted poster! The scar, the fur color..."
"You're forgetting the most important part, the face. That is the face of a Wild. Pace looks nothing like that."
"It's still is too convenient, his amnesia, isn't it? That, and the Wild behaviour, very well may've been an act. Tainted have been known to-"
"Clay. Pace is a teammate now. I won't let you slander him like this."
"...Fine. Leader."
000
End Part One: A New World
000
A mawile grunted as a spray of sand flew straight into her eyes. "Kuso!" she growled, rubbing at them. The jaws on the back of her head, marked with an hourglass-like shape, snapped about angrily.
"Kaoru!" A monferno behind her shouted. "Don't let them- No!" He raised a bronze tube to his mouth and blew. A small explosion lit up the clearing, before darkness filled it up again. By the time the dirt cleared, the mawile had recovered from the sand-attack. She approached the scorched earth, but the moonlight revealed nothing. It was only the two of them in a set of evergreen trees.
"They escaped," she said.
"Then what are we waiting for!?" the monferno shouted, pulling the green goggles off his eyes.
"Dalton."
"We have to get out and search for them! They can't have gotten that far!"
"Dalton," Kaoru said again, more loudly. "That's enough."
"What do you mean 'enough'? We can't give up now! We're too close!"
"We have to. Those two are too fast for us alone."
"No they're not!" he shouted hotly. "We're wearing them down! If we-"
"Urusai!"
Dalton stopped at her outburst and slowly looked at her. Her mouth was set in a hard line and her fist were at her side, shaking. "...Sorry," he eventually said. "It's just, we've been chasing those two for over a week. I just want to hurry up and finish the mission."
"...We'll camp here tonight," Kaoru said after a while. "Go get our supplies. I trust you remember where they are."
He nodded. "Yeah," he muttered, walking into the undergrowth around the clearing. He paused, and turned around. "...Kaoru. It's okay. We'll definitely catch those thieves."
She didn't respond, so he turned back and walked through the undergrowth, holding his flaming tail aloft to light the way. The clearing was silent for a while, until the fire disappeared from sight. Suddenly, the mawile let out a cry of rage, throwing a punch at the closest tree. Her fist went straight through the trunk, shattering the wood more easily than a block of styrofoam. Splinters flew everywhere, bouncing of her steel-like skin. Eventually, the entire tree groaned and began to fall. The mawile only pulled out her fist and stepped aside, breathing deeply.
Dalton didn't comment when he returned with their packs to find Kaoru lifting the tree out of the clearing.
Lyrics for the song, All Star, by Smash Mouth, found at www. elyrics. net
Long chapter. And so, the next arc begins. Yes, now the mawile speaks Japanese instead of Jaden. It fits better with her background. I bet you didn't expect a song here! And before you ask, no, Valas's fighting style will not at all involve his guitar :P Good night.
Review!
Edited 11-8-09
No one stays at the inn anymore. They now apparently have trustworthy security. I also changed the last few scenes around.