Disclaimer: Pokemon does not belong to me. Last I checked, Pokemon belonged to Satoshi Tajiri. The only things I claim ownership to are the own characters in this story.

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DUNNE DAYS

Part 8: Cityscape

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* * * 13:10 - 7 June 2004 * * *

'KNOCK KNOCK'

"Did I mention how much I hate you for this by the way?"

Brown shrugged, "Hey, your toothbrush is important!"

Jordan grimaced, "Yeah… I can't believe I forgot it!"

"You always forget something when packing."

'KNOCK KNOCK' Jordan rapped on the door again.

"I don't think anyone's in."

"Good. I'll get one from the Poke Mart. They're only one Poke Dollar… although I-"

"JODAN!"

"Why did you call me "Jodan"?" Jordan asked Brown, not turning around.

"It wasn't me…" Brown shrugged.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY, BROWN BROWS!" the mysterious girl pushed Brown aside and stepped up the driveway.

"Ah Ruri," Jordan began. "How I missed my darling little si-"

"SHUT UP!" Ruri yelled, punching his nose. "I'M TALKING!"

"Okay, what's the problem?" Jordan knew better than to argue with Ruri.

Ruri seemed calmer all of a sudden. "I need to get to Pallet Town but… dad doesn't like us going across routes with wild Pokémon without supervision."

Jordan scratched the back of his neck, wiping his bleeding nose with the other hand, "Why do you wanna go there?"

"To get a Pokémon!"

"I wanna be… the very best… like no one ever was…"

"Where's that coming from?" Brown asked, looking around.

"It's my Pokégear," Jordan replied, pressing the call accept button.

"Hey Jordan, it's me Karp."

"Oh Karp hey, what's up?"

"You still up for that battle I promised you?"

Jordan took a glance at his sister, who was tapping a foot impatiently. "Uh, I sorta need to help my sister out first…"

"Oh well that's cool," Karp replied. "I'll be waiting on Skobeloff Slope… unless I can help you in anyway?"

"I'm waiting," Ruri said impatiently.

"Actually there is something," Jordan decided. "Would you mind taking my sister to Pallet Town, if it's not too much trouble? I'm not really ready to battle with a Pokémon Master just yet…"

Laughter was heard from the other end, "Sure, sure, I understand. And I'll be happy to help your sister, where are you?"

"Uh, Shamrock Green Road…"

* * * 16:49 - 7 June 2004 * * *

When Karp had arrived, Ruri had tossed Jordan her copy of the house key and had gone off with Karp. He murmured thanks behind her back and the boys spent the day looking for Jordan's toothbrush. Eventually, they had given up, and gone to buy one from a shop, where they would be going for Trainer supplies anyway. At Jordan's insistence, they had avoided all of the local shops, and had chosen an automated shop instead.

"Are you sure you want to buy 10 Poke Balls for 2,000 Poke Dollars?"

"Ugh, I hate these dumb automated shops…"

"Yeah, me too," Brown replied half-heartedly, studying his screen. "You still haven't explained why we couldn't just go to the Poke Mart…"

Jordan avoided Brown's eyes as he clicked "YES" on the screen, "Uh, change of pace, I guess… Quicker, even…"

"I don't really see how this is qui- oh damn…" Brown grew irritated at the touch screen.

"'Sup?"

"Uh, it looks like I just purchased a "The Complete Set of Kanto Gym Clothes"," Brown read. ""Now featuring Janine and Blue.""

"Wow…" Jordan laughed. "Could be worse…"

"How so?" Brown asked.

"Could be Johto…"

They shared a laugh over this, before Jordan exclaimed, "Done. I got everything I need. What about you?"

"Yep, it's just sending the Antidotes…" Brown collected them hurriedly as they came out of the machine.

"Yeah, Antidotes are important where we're headed-"

"Viridian Forest."

"Yeah," Jordan posed dramatically. "VIRIDIAN FOREST!"

* * * 17:23 - 7 June 2004 * * *

"Will you please tell me what is wrong?" a concerned bartender asked.

The woman slammed her empty beer mug onto the bar, "Another."

The response was as speedy as the order, but the woman downed it just as quickly, and requested for one more.

The bartender filled the glass again with more alcohol, but his hands shook as he handed the filled glass to the customer. The reason? He was fearful… for her.

She downed the glass in one gulp of unmistakeable misery, and returned it to the bar for the fifty first time. "Another."

The bartender frowned. "Walidah, don't you think that is enough?"

"Another." Walidah insisted.

The bartender complied, he wasn't one to argue.

Walidah bit back a sob as the alcohol filled the glass once more. "You're right. That's enough."

The bartender nodded, watching her rise as though she had drunk only water. Fifty one pints of Beer-Drill was enough to put anyone out of commission, yet…

She walked to the table in the corner of the bar, and he sidled over to her.

"Walidah, what's wrong?" Barras asked, and then, after a pause, pressed harder. "Is it her?"

Walidah nodded her head once, and wailed.

"Well?" he asked, trying to determine the cause of her misery.

"Akins… is having an affair…" she finally choked out, and Barras's eyebrows jumped up in surprise.

"With the leader?"

Walidah shook her head. "That actress," she spat distastefully, "Southern Share."

Barras's eyebrows remained upright, but lowered slightly, "With Southern? But why?"

"Because she did it!" Walidah wailed in distress. "Some… chemical to activate the pheromones…"

Barras waved off her explanation, not academic enough to understand what would likely turn into an in depth tutorial on how the bodily functions attracted mates. "Does Heaton know?"

Walidah shook her head, "Doubtful…"

The bartender paused, trying to think of something to say to console her, but was saved by the buzzing of a Pokégear.

Walidah reached into her pocket, checked the caller ID, and her face instantly blanched. She rose, and dashed towards the bathroom, indicating with her hand to Barras that it was a very private call.

Barras nodded, knowing it was the leader. He waited in silence for a few minutes, before a large explosion rocked the room.

"Walidah!" he yelled, noticing the smoke coming from the bathroom.

* * * 17:30 - 7 June 2004 * * *

"Here we are! Just down this street is the entrance to Viridian Forest!" Jordan smiled.

"Yep, let's go," Brown nodded.

They passed through the dark street, before…

"BOOM!" the two boys span around, seeing a fire in the nearby pub.

They ran inside, noticing a man carrying a woman out of the blazing bathroom.

"You two," he said, "Quick, give me a hand!"

The boys grabbed hold of the woman's body, and the bartender stepped back to grab a fire extinguisher.

"Missus Avidan-Weshcubb…" Brown muttered, recognising the woman.

"You know her?"

"Yeah! Back in Pallet Town, I had two great friends, Cookie and Zentaro. But they left to become Pokémon Trainers, and this is their mum!"

"Why's she here?" Jordan asked.

"She lives here now. She and Mister Avidan-Weshcubb got a job at this high ranking place here. I don't know the specifics but…"

The bartender turned back, having extinguished the fire, "Thanks, boys, I'm sure glad you two showed up when you did."

Jordan nodded back, "Alexus, is there anywhere where Missus… whatever her name is can rest?"

Barras squinted at Jordan, "Ah, Share!" he smiled before remembering what Walidah had said about Jordan's parents.

Brown blinked, "Um?"

"Back when my mum was laid off one of her shows," Jordan muttered to Brown, "She became a heavy drinker, and came here a lot… so me and Alexus kind of know each other."

"Alexus?" Brown asked.

"It's my surname," Barras explained, leading the two outside and across the moonlit street.

"Ah…" Brown nodded, before grunting. "What about Missus Avidan-Weshcubb?"

Jordan grimaced, "That's a mouthful… can't we just call her by her first name?"

"I don't know her first name," Brown shrugged, or tried to with the weight in his arms.

"It's Walidah," Barras said from in front, then unlocked a door and led the boys over to the large sofa in the centre of the room he had just opened. "Put her down here."

The boys complied, and Jordan looked around, "Is this place yours?"

Barras shook his head, "It's hers. She only came to my pub because it's so close by… and she knows me."

"Will she be alright?" Brown asked.

Barras nodded, "She'll be fine… didn't inhale enough smoke for it to be serious…" he smiled grimly, "Except she'll have a horrible hangover when she wakes up."

Jordan laughed, "So, where's that Mister… something or another?"

"Mister Avidan-Weshcubb," Brown chimed in.

"Akins is on a night shift in Cerulean City today," Barras explained, "He probably won't be back until midday tomorrow."

Barras looked out the window, and grimaced, "Anyway, it's late. You two best stay here for now then get back to wherever you were going tomorrow morning. Walidah's kids' rooms will be free. I strongly recommend you stay in those rooms for now… these streets can get really rough when it's dark."

"Is Cookie still obsessed with food?" Brown asked.

Barras laughed and nodded, "I wouldn't say obsessed… but yes, I know what you mean. The last time I visited her room had its own fridge, so it should still be there and fully stocked for you."

He gave them directions to the twins' rooms, and Brown set off to find Zentaro's after thanking the man.

…

Author's Note: Okay. So there we have some new characters introduced. This is an important chapter, partly for that reason. Anyways, both Walidah and Ruri have been mentioned before.

I'm really entertained by the pun of "Beer-Drill", to be honest, because of alcohol being referred to as a poison in lines like "what's your poison?" and Beedrill being a part Poison-type. And then alcohol giving you a "buzz"… Bees? Buzzing? Bugs? Bug Buzz? Get it?

Anyway, rant about Beer-Drill over. The reason Jordan wanted to avoid the Poke Mart and went to that automated shop I made up will be explained later. Much later. So much later that you will probably have forgotten all about it and I'll have to remind you. But you might be able to figure it out already. I hope you can, to be honest.

Anyway, please review! I think every FanFiction author… no, every AUTHOR will tell you that they really appreciate critiques or praise for their work!