Needlessly Sexy Disclaimer:

Oh, you love it when I say I don't own Pokémon, don't you? You naughty, naughty reader. Should I say it again? Would that excite you?

… I don't own Pokémon.

You're welcome.

Chapter 6: An Aftermath

Medici

Boo yah! BOO TO THE YAH!

Who saved the day? Who was it? Oh right, it was me. I'd forgotten since I reminded myself of it five seconds ago. Pardon me.

All right, so I'm a little fuzzy on the details but let's not lose sight of the important thing here. A Dragonite tried to kill everyone in the village. I destroyed said Dragonite… apparently. From what people tell me, I was kind of hard on the thing, but what can I say? I've taken a liking to Amber, I'd hate to see her get hurt.

After the villagers had assessed the damage and had assured each other they were safe, the police were called to pick up the Dragonite, and within an hour five officers (all named Jenny, oddly enough) showed up to haul the thing away to be euthanized.

Which Axel was firmly against, I might add. I don't really get it; I mean, something that evil has no place in the world we live in today, but Axel stood his ground. Even offered to keep the thing, can you believe it? Thankfully, the police ignored his craziness, and boy was Axel mad. Not that he showed it, mind you, but from what I could tell from reading his mind… well, let's just say that Axel can swear like a Sailor if he wants to.

… Ah crap, I just realized. Nobody's going to win the tournament, are they? Guess it's back to sleeping on watermelon crates again.

Qwill

Scary monster! Scary scary scary scary scary! SCAAAAAARRRRYYYY!

But it wasn't as bad as it might have been because Axel seemed like he knew exactly what to do and Medici was super strong because of his problem and nobody died except for Percy Garrison on the inside because now he's in an asylum but they say that's only temperature and oh my God, Mr. Munson said we can leave!

I don't really understand why he said we can leave because we didn't win any money and Axel looked like he didn't understand either because he started reminding Mr. Munson that he still owed him the money but Mr. Munson said it was ok because to keep us here after all that had happened would be selfless! But that doesn't make any sense because that means that he's actually being selfish by letting us go and as far as I can tell Mr. Munson actually likes having us around even though he yells at Axel a lot but it's ok because we finally get to go and hunt for GYM BADGES! WOO! Now when I listen to anything Axel says even though he doesn't have any authority to do so other Pokémon won't look at me like I'm weird and I won't feel so awkward anymore!

So that means we're going to be leaving in a few days because Axel wanted to stay around and help rebuild a little which makes sense because even if it isn't our hometown we've grown attached to it and so I've been lighting fires for people who's heating got broke and sometimes I get to cook meals and that's fun because then people like me for my breath and if people like you just for your breath then they've got to like you for pretty much everything else and that's so awesome! And in even better news, AMBER is going to be coming with us and she even brought back a cell phone for Axel so he can call his family and let them know he isn't dead and so that's pretty awesome too because I think they've been worried but the important thing to take away from it all is that I GET TO PLAY WITH AMBER EVERY DAY NOW! YAY! GREAT SUCCESS!

Inigo

Failure.

I have trained constantly all these years, and the first time it could ever mean something, I fail.

I know the Dragonite was defeated. I know nothing bad happened this time. But Axel relied on me to be strong enough to prevent Medici from… being unleashed, shall we say, and I could not do it. It was all I could do just to break through his Barrier, and I doubt I could have done it unaided.

I mustn't allow this to happen again. I must increase the amount and the ardor of my training. My blades will cut through steel. My scales will become immune to any blow.

If there was anything positive about this day, it is that I finally came to understand the magnitude of the challenge ahead. Rule one of war is to know thine enemy, and for the first time I can truly say that I do.

Amber

So we're leaving today.

It's strange… even though I've only spent a few days in this town, I feel as if it was my own hometown that had been leveled. The people here… they didn't deserve this. What could have possibly provoked this attack? Or was it as random and senseless as it looked like? That Dragonite… how could anyone do that to a Pokémon? And how could a Pokémon let itself fall that low?

That's one of the reasons I'm tagging along, I suppose. I need answers… and for some reason, I feel like going with Axel will help get those answers. That might not make sense to you, but at the very least, you have to agree that it'll be safer than looking for answers on my own.

The other reason is, well, Benji's gone missing. Not that that means as much to me as it does to everyone else in our party but… he was a nice kid. The way he talked about Pokémon and training… it was almost like he was one of those overzealous ten-year-old-trainers from… simpler times. Even if I hadn't met him, I couldn't exactly turn down a request from a crying mother, could I?

This isn't going to be as carefree a journey as it's supposed to be, is it?

Munson

It's quiet with him gone.

No jerky-eating Meditites, no juggling Squirtles… hell, I'll even miss the occasional visits from the waitress at the pizzeria that I'm not supposed to know about. And that I'd certainly never tell anyone about, because that would just be rude.

Sitting here on the sofa, flipping through the channels, I kind of regret letting him go. But it was the right thing to do. If I'd known how much potential I was quashing, I'd have done it a lot sooner.

I flip through a few more channels… nothing's ever on. News about the Trainer of Death's become so commonplace as to be boring. And who on earth thought it would be a good idea to let a Pikachu host a game show? How the hell am I supposed to know the answer to 'Pika Pika Chu, Pikachu CHU'? Oh. The answer's forty-two. Should've seen that coming actually.

The television set cut to static, and I sighed, getting up to adjust the cable set-up again. But just as I was out of the armchair, a face appeared on the screen.

A face that I… that, in fact, no one had seen in almost a year. A face that no one had ever wanted to see ever again.

A man in a black robe and a Duskull mask looked out from the screen, piercing blue eyes staring into my soul. Death had decided to make an announcement.

It's been too long, my friends. He said, each syllable breeding hatred in my very being. How have you been? Good? I'm sure you don't need to ask about my health… I've been quite active, after all. A sick, twisted laugh. Words can't express.

I'm making this announcement in response to rumors that the Pokémon League Tournament may not be held this year. Needless to say, such an action… would upset me.

So why don't I sweeten the pot for this year's competition, hm? I will personally be joining the ranks of the trainers competing this year and if anyone happens to defeat me, I will swear on my life never to target him. Or her, I suppose. I don't like to discriminate… as you all know quite well.

Any trainer I find not actively pursuing badges, or purposefully trying to avoid this year's competition, will DIE. I wish to be entertained, and only the world's finest will be able to accomplish such. Now go. Train your hearts out, Salvout. And remember… I'll be watching. So do be careful, won't you?

The screen cut to black, the Pikachu's profile taking the place of the set's former occupant in disturbingly light-hearted fashion. I shuddered, thought of Axel, and of all the other trainers I'd met in my life, and began to pack.

Now is not the time to be running a grocery store.

Author's Note:

I'M BACK! Kind of. Maybe. I felt like finishing this chapter. Because I like it.