PokeContestIkari Story: I Don't Want A Fighter
Chapter 6: Allegedly Average, yet Anomalous Agenda
Sapphire eyes opened to see dull, golden sunshine shine through the two windows in the room she once shared with somebody.
Somebody who she decided she didn't know anymore.
Quietly yawning, she throws her legs over the side of the bed and stretched her arms over her head, the faint cracking sound sending a feeling of relaxation over her body. 'Twould be the only sensation of relaxation she knew she'd feel for a long time to come.
The taste of Lady Grey tea hinted on her taste buds, so she rises to her feet, stretching one last time before heading into the kitchen. Turning the knob on the stovetop to ignite the flames over the steel kettle, she casually opens the top cabinet door to fetch one of those gray splattered mugs, the sugar jar, the honey bottle, a spoon, and one single bag of Lady Grey.
Gently, she dumped three spoonfuls of sugar into the mug, squirted one drop of honey, and placed the teabag into the cup, preparing it for when the teakettle would reach it's boiling point.
Literally.
As she waited for the water to boil, she opens the fridge and pulls out the carton of milk, and takes a whiff of it, hoping to smell a fresh, healthy aroma instead of a chunky, foul funk. To her relief, the milk was potable, but she decided she'd run down to the store and buy another carton, since this one was reaching its end.
She glances back at the teakettle to see a small puff of smoke beginning to rise from the spout, meaning it was heated up, but not boiling. Wanting to pass more time, she heads to the antipode of the kitchen and opens a cabinet door containing small snacks she'd munch on while doing the laundry, filling out taxes, et cetera, et cetera.
To her fortune, she saw there was one chocolate covered biscotti left in the gold and brown box. Picking it up with delicate fingers, she retrieves the perfectly wrapped breakfast delight, and goes back over to the stove.
The teakettle was still in the pre-boiling stage; Hikari became slightly more annoyed.
Just as she was about to go make the bed, the familiar squeal rang through her ears, and with that, she instantly turned back to the stove and switched the burner off. Before pouring the tea, she grabbed an oven mitt and slid it over her hand, and gripped the searing handle of the kettle. Flicking the spout's lid off, she poured the boiling water into the cup until it was about 7/8 full. Setting the kettle back onto the burner for it to cool off, she dips the teabag in and out of the mug until enough of the flavor has resided into the cup to her satisfaction. Squeezing any liquid that could've made its way into the bag, she threw it into the sink to deal with later. Then, she clutches the carton of milk, and pours about an eighth of a cup of the white silky substance into the cup until the mixture in it turns to a cloudy shade of brown.
She smiles as she puts the milk back into the refrigerator.
It was about time that kettle had started to boil.
Grasping the mug's handle, she brought it over to the table in the middle of the kitchen, along with the biscotti and set herself down in a chair.
The sound of a plastic wrapper being opened reverberates throughout the compact space, as well as one single chomp.
It was sweet, but then disappeared amongst the hard surface of the biscotti itself.
In the silence of the house, a young girl is seen sipping her tea once, closing her eyes, smiling…then taking yet another sip.
Then another.
And another.
And another.
It pleased her.
By mid afternoon, the bed has been made, the kitchen has been cleaned from breakfast, and now, Hikari is seen taking the laundry (solitarily her laundry) and bringing it down to the basement where the washer and the dryer was.
"Damn."
She had just discovered that she was out of Era, and, as one would imagine, without Era, there was no point in doing laundry. Dropping the basket down to the floor, she looks up at the ceiling and sighs.
It was time for a trip to the store.
Leaving the basket down there, she runs upstairs to go see if she had any cash on her.
"Four twenty bills. That should do it." She thinks to herself.
Sticking them into her pocket, not caring if they became crumbled or not, she walks out the door into the warm, afternoon air. The sun was now high in the sky, and it brought light down upon the many people in Veilstone City. Despite its usual busy atmosphere, it seemed as though the whole town was empty.
Thinking it would provide her with the peace and quiet she loved, she starts walking down the road.
Her mind ponders on nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Well, except Era and that carton of milk.
Now that she was on that topic, she figured that maybe she should get some fabric softener…just in case. She had absent-mindedly forgotten to check that as well, and since she was out of Era, she most likely was out of fabric softener.
Decisions, decisions.
Being the cautious type, she decides on getting the fabric softener. It made logical sense, didn't it?
To her it did.
Stepping into the store, she sees that the store itself is barely occupied. The monotonous music generally played in supermarkets drew on in the background as the rolling of metal carts and idle chat of the occupants of the city was heard. Picking up a green shopping basket, she heads over to the chilled area of the store first where milk, cheese and cream were held.
Once she reached the milk section, she picked up a carton of Miltank milk that was labeled "MooMoo Milk". After staring at it for a few seconds, she gently puts it back onto its display, and reaches for the store brand of the milk instead, and places it into the basket that hung from her forearm.
Now for the Era.
Turning on her heel, she rushes toward the detergent/cleaning supply aisle, and after seeing no one lingered in it, she walked down to where the laundry detergent was, and luck be a lady tonight, she saw one large container of Era left.
As if her life depended on it, she grabbed it and put it into her basket. With one last look around, she started heading towards the self check-out.
"Oh! The fabric softener!"
Mentally slapping herself she heads back to where the detergent was, and picked up a container of fabric softener that promised with one use, one's clothes would smell like crisp apples.
"That sounds lovely."
Now with the fabric softener in her basket, she goes to the self check-out, and scans the three items over the black bar as if she were professional at it.
"Total: $ 15.64. Cash or check?"
She presses the "cash" button as she reached for one twenty dollar bill.
"Please insert cash into slot below screen."
She follows the machine's requests, and receives four dollars and forty-six cents back.
"Thank you for your purchase."
Responding to an automaton seemed foolish to her, so she takes the blue plastic bag containing her items, and returns the basket to where she had obtained it.
The walk home was nothing but peace and quiet.
The sound of the washing machine tossing and turning her clothes while being soaked in the newly-bought Era and fabric softener was good for her to hear. When she had gotten downstairs, she had discovered that she was also low on fabric softener, so getting it at the store was a smart move.
Now as the thought of cleaning ran through her head, she figured she should wash her bed sheets after this first load.
As she is walking back to the living room, a thought comes into her head:
"I should've gotten a box of biscotti…damn."
Since she had eaten the last one this morning, you know, it'd be nice to have another box for tomorrow morning. Shrugging it off, she figured she could've gotten more when she went over to Kasumi's tonight when they'd go out tonight.
Bing! Bing! Bing!
This ringing signified that the washer has completed its cycle, so she jogs down the basement to put the damp clothing into the dryer, and put the sheets in.
Except, she had forgotten the sheets.
"Wow. I'm not exactly on top of things today."
She goes back upstairs and pulls the light blue sheets and the black quilt off of the king-sized bed and carries them downstairs. She poured the blue liquid over the sheets and quilt after they were carefully placed into the washer. Then, she poured the green liquid into the center where a small hole was, then just a quarter cup of water.
Closing the lid, she sets the setting onto medium fabric, which would go for about a half an hour. After that, she turned the dryer on so her clothes would be dryer and wrinkle free.
After pulling the lever that started it up, she sighs and trudges up the stairs, being overwhelmed with fatigue out of the blue.
She glanced at the clock, and saw that it was already three o' clock.
Just three more hours until prince charming would arrive on the scene.
Pretty soon, six o' clock came sooner then she would have preferred. She made sure she was out of his way when he'd walk through the door and head for the shower to wash off whatever the hell had gotten on him that day.
She felt herself jump as the door slammed a little louder then it had before. Heavy footsteps thudded against the hardwood floor. Turning back to the sink to clean a dish that already was spotless, she felt her heart race at an unhealthy rate as the footsteps had stopped right where the entrance to the kitchen was.
She could feel his gaze stab into her back as she continued to scrub that piece of china. She didn't know if she was going paranoid or not, but she could feel distrust on so many levels staring at her through dark eyes.
Just as she let out a deep breath, the footsteps continued toward the bathroom, and in a few minutes, the sound of the shower emanated from that very location. Being quick on her feet, she rushes out the back door after slipping a pair of sneakers on, and shuts the door as quietly as she could.
It's not like he was paying attention though.
So she thought.
"Let's move ladies! Let's move!"
Haruka's voice moved quickly and loudly through Kasumi's compact, two-story home. Hikari had quickly taken out the black dress that dipped too low for her taste and slipped into it as fast as she could.
"Hikari, sweetie, your boob is practically sticking out." Haruka points out, sticking her finger in the direction of Hikari's bust.
As her face turns red, she swivels around and fixes her bra so there was nothing showing. Turning back around to Haruka, the brunette gives her thumbs up, and Hikari curtly nods before running on her tiptoes over to the make up.
"I can't find my other flat, have any of you guys seen it?" Kasumi asks, holding one of her bow flats up.
Hikari hears a THUNK! As a shoe collided into Kasumi's face, via Haruka.
"Jesus Haruka!"
"What? You asked for the shoe, not how you'd like it delivered to you."
Hikari slightly smirked at this as she finished highlighting the black-gray eye shadow by smearing the snow-white powdery substance on her eyebrow ridge.
"So, are you going to flirt it up with that bartender that I simply cannot tolerate?" Kasumi questions.
As Haruka applied her lip gloss and rubbed her lips together, she answered: "I don't care if he is an arrogant jerk…that guy is HOT."
Kasumi laughs as she answers. "You…are so pathetic."
"If it concerns a hot guy, I don't care."
"Pathetic."
"Deprived."
"Hikari you ready yet?"
As she slips on her left heel that nearly broke her ankle last night, she nods.
"Yeah, I'm good to go."
"All right, let's go."
Being smart this time, they took a car, and Hikari decided to take a jacket with her so she could avoid any lewd looks from the men. The drive was just as long as they had remembered it…a bit too soon for our blue-haired beauty.
Isi was there again, and of course, with Hikari as a type of cheat code, they got in with no confrontations. A little scared of this man, Hikari hangs onto Kasumi, being as far away from him as possible.
Still, she received that same promiscuous countenance from him as they entered the muggy, darkened building. This time, the three stayed together, and decided to head over to the bar so they could begin the process of blending in.
To Haruka's fortune, Shuu was the bartender of the night; again.
"Hey sly dog." She greets, winking at him as her two friends sit on either side of her.
"Hey sexy." He responds, winking right back at her. "Can I get a beer for you three lovely ladies?"
Kasumi feels her gorge rise from the vocabulary this man was using, whereas Hikari was simply zoning out.
"Two beers for me and my redhead, a Coke for this young lady." Haruka orders, resting her hand on Hikari's thin shoulder.
Shuu raises a supercilious eyebrow at Hikari, making the girl blush.
"No beer for you tonight, honey?" He asks, leaning down to look her straight in the eye.
"I…uh…no." Hikari answers, backing away a little.
"Aww, why not?"
"I don't drink."
"You mean you're not old enough?"
Her eyes widen. "N-no—"
"Save it gorgeous. Besides, I've seen girls in here even younger then yourself. Just know something…in here…everything is legal."
Hikari takes in his words, but still refuses to order the alcoholic substance.
"Your loss. So two beers and a Coke?"
"Yes sir!" Haruka confirms, still gazing at the man as if he were a god.
"Coming up!"
As he turns their back toward them, the three start to converse with one another.
"When do you think we'll see prince charming, Hikari?" Haruka asks.
She simply shrugs and starts to play with a strand of her hair.
"You shouldn't be so eager. One day, he might actually see one of us." Kasumi points out.
"Nonsense. He won't recognize any of us."
"Just be on your guard, okay?"
"Kasumi…since when am I on my guard?"
"Barely ever."
"Meaning?"
"I'm wasting my breath."
"Pretty much!"
"Don't try to make me feel like you, Haruka."
"What? Awesome?"
"No, moronic."
A deep chuckle attracts their attention, and all three are not amused to see it is the bartender eavesdropping on their conversation.
"Nice one redhead." He comments.
"Excuse me, cabbage head, but the name is Kasumi."
"And my name is Shuu. How about you address people as their regular name instead of regressing into immaturity?"
"Huh. Believe me, sometimes I wonder if it's this one who's making me lose my mind." Rolling her eyes, she sticks her thumb in Haruka's direction.
"I hope you mean Michiko over here." Haruka says, pointing to Hikari.
"If you mean me, you're terribly mistaken."
"I love my job…" Shuu comments to himself.
"Ladies and gentlemen…are you ready to rrrrrrumble?"
A loud cheer rises from the crowd, drawing the attention of the four people at the bar.
"Who's fighting tonight?" Haruka asks.
"Shinji the Slaughterer and a guy named Satoshi Suckerpunch."
"Satoshi?" Kasumi questions, remembering that name from somewhere…
"Yeah. What a stupid ring name, right?"
"Oh, totally." Haruka immediately agrees.
"Then, may I introduce…Satoshi Suckerpunch!"
The man that Kasumi had met stepped into the ring, appearing much more threatening then she remembered him being. He must've been hiding all of that muscle behind his long-sleeved jacket and baggy jeans from before. Now, there were lean muscles that accented his body and a pair of baggy red shorts.
"And his opponent…Shinji the Slaughterer!"
Hikari had to turn away when she saw the brawny man that was her husband step into the ring, wearing the baggy black shorts he always wore when he fought; those, and that formidable countenance that would threaten anybody.
"Man, I'm gonna take you down!" Satoshi tries to threaten.
Shinji does not respond.
"You know why?"
"Enlighten me." He speaks.
The three did not hear what Satoshi's reasoning was, but they presumed it was some dumb, bullshit reason.
It sure stirred Shinji up though. He tackled the guy before the bell even rung, exciting the crowd even more.
"What is he doing, guys?" Hikari quietly asked, still refusing to look at the fight.
"Beating the hell out of that guy." Haruka simply comments.
"Is that it?"
"Well, Satoshi Suckerpunch is sure getting bloody out there."
"Guys…I…"
"You wanna leave?" Kasumi asked.
Hikari nodded and got to her feet, along with Kasumi. As they turn to leave, they realize that they were missing a member of their incognito group.
"Hey…uhh…HANA. GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE." Kasumi yells out, drawing her attention.
"Kasumi…" Hikari comments.
The tall young woman looks down at her friend, and smiles an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry, dear." She says, resting her hand on the shoulder.
"It's okay…"
"You leaving already?" Shuu asks as he takes the glass her beer was in.
"Yeah…" She says, rising to her feet.
"I'll be thinking about you." He winks at her.
"Yeah. I bet you will."
She turns around and struts back to her friends, making sure she caught his eye as she did so.
Oh boy, did she.
They all walk out as quickly as they could, hiding Hikari from anybody's view, just in case Shinji caught sight of them.
They shuffled into the car and Kasumi started the ignition as fast as she could, and soon, they were on the road home.
"Why do we even keep going to these things?" Hikari asks the two from the backseat, as if she were his child.
"Hikari…just…" Kasumi began, but did not finish.
"I can't bear seeing someone I thought I knew act like someone else…or worse…having become someone else."
The rest of the trip was quiet, and Hikari didn't like it.
She wanted an explanation as to why they continued bringing her to those things.
Then again, she was complying with no argumentation whatsoever…
Similar to the car ride, the undressing of their second lives was silent. Even Haruka was not as verbose as she usually was.
Even though it was odd, Hikari enjoyed the peace.
If she could call it that, of course.
"Get home safely." Kasumi says as Hikari walks out the door in her blue denim skinny jeans and dark purple v-neck.
"I will, thanks guys…" She says, not meaning that gratification at all.
Turning on her heel, she walks home at a rather quick pace, assuming that someone was watching her as she did so.
No one was.
That night, as she lay in bed, the final thought that ran through her head was this:
"I never asked Kasumi for another box of biscotti…I guess I'll have to ask her tomorrow."
The fight had ended about a half an hour ago. Shinji the Slaughterer was the winner, of course, leaving Satoshi SuckMyDick or whatever his name was a bloody mess.
"You better watch what you say, jackass." Shinji mumbles to his opponent as he goes to the backroom to take another shower.
The black-haired man spit blood out of his mouth, one of his teeth coincidentally following it.
"Damn it all to hell. Anything I do is wrong." He mutters to himself.
Shinji emerges from the backroom in his black baggy pants, black mock military boots, and black/purple coat covering his frame.
He decides to get a beer before he leaves, and thankfully, Shuu the arrogant airhead was still there.
"Get me a beer, man." He orders to the green-haired man.
"On the house, man." He replies, slamming a bottle down on the table.
Without saying thanks, Shinji grips the bottle and chugged half of it down.
This match wore him out a little too much…perhaps he should learn to control his anger…
…Nah.
"Man, you should've seen these three chicks tonight." Shuu begins to converse, slightly drawing the purple-haired man's attention.
"Hmm." He replies.
"The brunette…wow what a body on her. Man, you should've seen her."
"I bet she satisfied your perverted state of mind."
"Definitely. Her redhead friend, I forget her name…she was treating this brunette like her bitch man! Aww…good times man…good times…"
"I bet."
"Then there was her other friend…"
"Man, I don't care. At all." Shinji finally snaps, not looking at him.
"Oh yes you do man. You might be as asexual as a politician, but—"
"Man, don't even go there. I'm a lot more then you think."
"Whatever man…so anyway this friend…"
Shuu leans down against the surface of the bar like he was in ecstasy or something.
"She was…daaaammnnnn…she was as hot as fire man."
"Yup…"
"The blue hair was enough of a turn on, but—"
Shinji felt his eyes widen just a little at the mention of blue hair. However, he kept himself calm, and continued to interrogate this man a little more to see if he was talking about the blue hair he was thinking about.
His blue hair.
"Blue hair, huh?" He continues.
Shuu raises an eyebrow. "Oh, now you wanna talk?"
"I'm simply making conversation. Apparently you adore hearing the sound of your own voice, so please, continue, for your benefit."
"With pleasure my man."
He grabs a beer for himself as that grin continued to show on his face.
Shinji didn't like that. At all.
"So this blue-haired chick…I think her name was Michiko…sometimes names just describe their owners so well, y'know? Anyway, this dress she was wearing certainly accentuated the perfect little body she had."
"Continue."
"Sure, it was low, but it's just the way her jugs looked—"
"Anything else besides her breasts, you pig?"
"If I'm a pig, I'm the show winner, my friend." He says, holding his hands out as if he were preaching to his people.
Shinji most certainly wasn't part of any group that Shuu had, or dreamed of having.
"I asked her if she wanted a beer, and in the cutest little voice she said, 'I don't drink', when, really, she's only like what, eighteen?"
"Seventeen." He thinks to himself.
"Her eyes looked so innocent. It was as if ordering a beer was committing murder to her—"
"Murder, eh?"
"Yeah man. She was so innocent…God I'd love to be the man who'd take her."
He felt the grip he had on his beer tauten at Shuu's comment. He still maintained that pacifying, yet simultaneously threatening presence.
"I bet you've done that a lot." He comments, taking one swig.
"Yeah, but still man. She was a hot little thing. It seemed as if you did so much as rub her back or her tits, she'd break, y'know?"
Shinji quietly grunted at this.
"…What did you say her friends looked like again?" He asks, closing his eyes, trying to imagine the annoying two girls who stepped up to help Hikari move through the life they had decided to live together.
"One was a redhead, and the hot brunette."
His eyes open as wide as they could, and they read only one emotion:
Anger.
Rising to his feet slowly, he closes his eyes, and says, "I just remembered I have something to do."
As he turns around, he feels his teeth bear and as the rage continued to inundate his mind, he threw the bottle to the other side of the room, causing it to break into a million pieces instantly.
"So naïve, that girl." He thinks to himself as he briskly walks down the street.
"That guy needs to get the stick out of his ass." Shuu comments to himself.
"He's one helluva fighter though."