A snow white eagle sauntered across a wooden bridge. Loose leaves fell from the trees and onto the collar of her cobalt blue boiler suit. Her knee-high boots squeaked with each step as she headed towards one of the houses: a black and white bungalow with blush pink curtains. A purple sign on the door read, "Carlisle Residence".
"Mother!" she called out. "I'm back!"
"Celia! Welcome back!"
A white duck hollered from the kitchen. She pushed her purple hair behind her shoulders before going back to cooking lunch for the day: sauteed Magikarp filet and shiitake mushrooms with a side of udon noodles.
Celia sat on the couch and unrolled her sleeves. "Well I had a day and a half!" she groaned.
"Really?" the duck asked. "What happened, dear?"
"Not much," Celia said as she turned on the television. She flipped through several channels before settling on a game show about figuring out if an item was made of chocolate or not. She chuckled as she watched someone chomp down on a regular doorknob.
"But some kid tried to challenge me with only one Pikachu. I hope my next challenger doesn't try a stunt like that!"
"I see," the duck noted.
The doorbell rang.
"Celia can you please get the door for me?" the duck asked.
"I don't want these mushrooms to burn!"
"Of course!" Celia threw herself off the couch. She strolled to the door and opened it; a rusty brown cow stood in the doorway, pushing a grey ponytail in front of her shoulder. "You look familiar….." she noted to herself. "I didn't know Angus had a sister!"
Amber blinked twice before laughing. This was definitely not what she expected to hear. "Celia, that was me you fool!" she shook her head.
"Oh!' Celia gasped in surprise. This was a surprise; she didn't talk with Amber much, even before the Cottage ransacking. But clearly she looked happier than before; maybe running around Hoenn does a number on a trainer? "My apologies! What brought you back to Fortree City?"
"Well, just stopping to see what's been new in the neighborhood" Amber shrugged her shoulders. "And I just remembered I borrowed a book from Gloria"
"Which book was it?" Celia asked.
Amber set her duffel bag down and pulled out a large novel: the red and gold cover depicted flames and the number four fifty-one in the middle, joined by white kanji on top.
"This one," Amber said as she handed Celia the novel.
Celia flipped through the book; this looks about right. Oh, hey, her mother's purple spider web bookmark was in here! "Thank you so much!"
Fortree City: A treetop city frolicking with nature. This peculiar city was formerly a commune run by Unovan tourists. Thanks to a Dancing Bears concert, more animals came to turn the rural village into a sky-high city.
Countless bungalows lined the treetops. Wooden bridges creaked as they swayed with the gentle winds. Light netting spread under each and every bridge. Loose leaves fell through the sky, landing on anything they pleased. Colonies of Cascoon and Silcoon dangled from the trees, swinging like pendulums under the warm sunshine.
A small cluster of buildings were tucked away under the fortresses of foliage; an orange and brown Pokémon Center, a blue and teal Poké Mart, and a mint green and cherry red building.
Tank's heart grew heavy as he stepped into the city limits. Being in Fortree City again was like seeing an old childhood friend. Who knows what has changed since he moved away?
He led the way up a nearby ladder. Benedict and Kidd trailed behind him, making sure not to fall off the ladder.
Tank stopped on one of the bridges; a single tear rolled down his face as he got closer to one of the houses.
"Aniki…." he muttered.
Cacturne released himself from his Poke Ball, tagging along with his trainer. Benedict and Kidd stopped in the middle of the bridge, watching to see what would happen.
Tank kept walking. Dark determination gleamed in his eyes as he sprinted across the platform.
He stopped near an ordinary house: cherry oak with a green door. A golden lion crest hung on the door, its metallic paint shining brightly. "The Basurtos" was carved under the golden lion.
Tank took a deep breath in. He knocked twice on the door.
The door creaked open. A taupe brown lion stood in the doorway, adorned in a green coat hanging over a grey sweater and black pants. His dull blue eyes and silver mane and mustache made him look much older than the mere age of thirty-six.
"Tank?" was all the lion asked.
Another tear rolled down Tank's face. "...Hi, Lionel," he sighed.
Lionel pushed the door open, letting Tank into the living room. He looked outside at the strangers outside.
"You three are welcome inside as well" he said.
Benedict, Kidd and Cacturne walked inside together.
Tank remembered the living room all too well: yellow kotatsu, gold and purple zabutons surrounding the kotatsu, Sunflora-painted walls, smoky red bamboo floors, even the smell of roses. Everything came back to him: countless hours spent studying, joining the Basurtos for dinner, even just a lazy afternoon playing cards. Only one thing was different about the living room: right on the grey shelf, was a green urn with red and blue roses painted on the sides.
Before Lionel could properly introduce himself, something caught him off guard: high-pitched whistling!
"Kaguya?" he asked.
A green fey Pokémon strolled to the living room, the dark green cape on her body swishing with each step. She held both her hands together, displaying lovely red and blue roses.
"Reido?" she chirped.
"That's a pretty Roserade," Kidd noted. "Is she yours?"
Lionel solemnly nodded "She's mine, yes. However, she was my son's Pokemon"
"Was?" Kidd asked.
Benedict and Kidd looked at each other in dread. Everything added up: the Roserade, the lion's face, some of the decor….This WAS the supposed Aniki's place.
Lionel walked to the kitchen. He lifted up a brown tray and set it down on the kotatsu. The tray's contents rattled in their spot: a white cast-iron teapot with pink flowers on the side, matching yunomi cups and bowls, and a white container filled with green matcha powder.
"Please join me," he asked everyone.
Without any words, the boys joined him at the kotatsu. Cacturne and Kaguya went outside to play together. Lionel poured boiling hot water into a bowl, carefully whisked the matcha, then filled up each yunomi cup before passing them out to the boys.
Tank slowly sipped from his cup. The rich umami taste flooded his entire body. It seems Lionel didn't change his tea style whatsoever."It's perfect"
"I'm glad you think so,"
Lionel explained. "It was Leopold 's favorite after all"
"Leopold?" Benedict asked. "What kinda guy was he like?"
Lionel cracked a small smile. "He was a wonderful son. He took pride in his intelligence, was more than happy to help anyone with their studies, treasured his Pokémon, enjoyed his work as a gym leader, even got himself a little girlfriend."
Tank stayed silent as he listened in, his ears pricking up at the last part. So that's why Deirdre was so vengeful against Cottage, it all made sense!
His paws trembled around the warm teacup. Light steam billowed into his face. "But then those heartless crooks from Team Cottage murdered him, all because he dared to stand up to them" Lionel shuddered; even after several therapy sessions, he could never forget that Tuesday.
It was supposed to be a rather unmemorable day: opening up his tea shop, selling goods to customers all across the Hoenn region, but a sudden call caught him off guard. Why was the mayor calling him this early?!
"Sheldon?" Lionel asked as he set down a teapot. "What's going on?"
A voice on the phone squeaked in panic, "It's the town hall. Team Cottage ransacked the whole thing! All of Louie's Kelceon are missing! Please, come by the town hall, we need you here! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm SORRY!"
"Sorry?" Lionel's heart rate slowed down. "Sheldon, what happened?!"
The phone clicked off. Sheldon?!
Lionel set the phone down. He placed a sign on the door before rushing for town hall. It was comically easy to find, thanks to the large wooden clock on the front. Officers surrounded the building, forcefully denying Lionel entry.
The town hall door slammed open. An orange and yellow squirrel, dressed in a black suit with a green varsity jacket on top, stormed outside. He ran up to Lionel and yanked him by the wrist. "Lionel, get in here!"
"What's- what's going on?!"
Lionel yelped as he was dragged inside. For a short little guy, Sheldon had some serious strength!
They stopped in the office; several paramedics were inside, tending to injured animals. Two paramedics carried a dark blue rhino on a gurney and out of the building; deep lacerations sliced through his left leg, torn flesh exposing muscle and even bone. There was no way poor Rockwell was keeping that leg, Lionel thought to himself.
Sheldon kneeled down next to a white sheet. A long red stripe trailed across the sheet. A pair of black glasses laid next to the sheet, the lens shattered with glass shards across the floor.
Lionel gulped. His face went dark as he clutched his shirt collar. His gut told him to lift up the sheet, look at the carnage yourself, but seeing the glasses was all the confirmation he needed.
"I'm sorry," was all Sheldon said.
"I wanted to just kneel down and cry," Lionel confessed. "But the town hall staff dragged me out." He clicked his claws against the table. "But not without a fight."
A week passed since the Cottage invasion. While the Basurtos had a private affair at a local temple, complete with cremation and the bone-picking that followed, it was time for the public ceremony.
Dozens of animals, from all walks of the Hoenn region, gathered at a brown and green hut below the city of treehouses. Lilies and roses lined the sign outside. Haunting wooden guitars, booming taiko drums and delicate flute solos vibrated through the roots of Fortree City.
Every gym leader, dressed in fine black kimono, handed white envelopes to Lionel. Soon came gym trainers, Elite Four members joined with heavier envelopes, and followed by no other than Champion Apollo.
Lionel treasured each white envelope gifted to his family. It really showed him that Hoenn really cared for one of their own.
Lionel gulped as he finished his tea. "Anyways. Tank, Kidd, Benedict, thank you all for coming to see me. Short notice, but it means a lot to a man like me."
Benedict tilted his head. "...Mr. Basurto, how did y'all know our names?"
"It's easy," Lionel said as he poured himself another cup of green tea. "I've been friends with the Peppers for years, I've followed a few contest threads online, and I've watched my fair share of gym battle videos." He sipped from the glass. "And I'm looking quite forward to watching you challenge Celia."
"Well trust me," Benedict assured him as he pointed to himself. "I'm battlin' Celia real soon!"
"I should be there," Lionel nodded. "It's been months since I watched a live gym battle." He noted to himself, "I should see if Faith wants to see it too."
"How's Faith been?" Tank asked.
"She's doing fine," Lionel explained. "She just got a job with the Secret Base Guild and really loves it."
"The Secret Base Guild…" Tank noted before gasping. "Hey, I actually know the guy who owns that place! Buck Hatfield, he started building a Secret Base over near Mauville City!"
"Ah so that's his name," Lionel finished his cup of tea, then poured another serving for the boys. "I'm more familiar with Daisy Duke myself; she's quite fond of the Maractus petal tea. I think Bud and Melba would get a kick out of that if I sent them a care package with that tea..."
Someone knocked on the door.
That must be the Pokémon, Lionel thought to himself. "Excuse me for a minute," he got up and strolled to the door, unlocking it with a Klefki-shaped key.
An orange and brown koala stood in the doorway, with a big grin on her face. She wore a white sleeveless shirt with yellow overalls, along with a matching yellow flower in her hair.
"Faith!" Lionel shouted. He pulled the koala into a tight hug and spun her in a circle. The two animals laughed before stepping backwards into their house.
Faith kicked the door shut before letting go of Lionel and taking off her shoes. "Phew, work was crazy today!" she ranted. "A bunch of Beautifly and Dustox flew in the windows and tried nestling in the empty boxes!
Lionel frowned and crossed his arms. "I could see why that'd be annoying, hon. Oh, Tank's here by the way."
Faith headed to the kitchen to grab a bottle of iced tea. She looked back at the living room with a calm smile, "Oh, hello Tank! How's everything going?"
"Pretty well," Tank explained. "Saguaro– that's my Cacturne– went outside to play with Kaguya, and I've been having a blast exploring Hoenn!"
"That's nice to hear," Faith nodded along. "Bud and Melba went on a journey too; the two of them went to Alola last month. Last I heard from them, they made it to Heahea City."
"Alola, huh?" Tank asked. "Hey, what brought that on?"
"Well," Faith sat down at the kotatsu. "After what happened to Leopold, the two of them decided they're old enough to go out for a while" She smiled a little. "Melba wanted to go to Paldea instead, but Bud, being the older twin, insisted on Alola. So they went and flew from Lilycove to Hau'oli."
Tank chuckled. He got along fine with Melba, but Bud was quite the character. Whether it was dramatic acting or loudly playing his ukulele, Bud knew how to make anyone roar with laughter. "Sounds like they're having fun. Did they take Sprigatito along?"
"Bud did, yes" Faith noted. "Melba took Sunflora along for herself. I just hope those two are staying out of trouble."
Benedict and Kidd looked at each other. How many Fortree residents was Tank close to?
Lionel assured her with a firm pat on the shoulder, "Honey, I'm sure those two are just having fun."
"Yeah," Faith sighed. "But I do worry about them."
"I know," Lionel assured her with a pat to the back. He looked at the boys. "Hey, Tank? I have a favor to ask. One of Rockwell's packages came here by accident, can you take it to him for me?"
"Sure!" Tank jolted up. "I need to go see him anyways!"
"Good plan," Lionel handed him a heavy blue package with white flowers on the side.
Tank held the package close to his chest, "Yeah. Hey I'm glad I could stop by today!"
"Yeah, it was nice," Lionel noted. "Oh, tell Rockwell I said hello."
"I will!" Tank waved as he headed to the door. Benedict and Kidd tagged along behind him, ready to head out. The boys left the Basurto residence, but stopped at an amusing sight.
Saguaro and Kaguya tangoed on one of the bridges. Pink petals flew around the duo as they held hands and spun around in carefree tandem. Saguaro winked as he grabbed Kaguya's wrist and dipped her just inches above the floor.
Tank snickered as he watched the two Pokémon dance. He mentally scolded himself for not doing much with Saguaro, but was glad to see the cactus Pokémon have a fun time. "Hey, Saguaro!"
"Cac?" Saguaro stopped dancing as he looked at his trainer. Kaguya giggled to herself as she held up her roses to her mouth.
"I know you're having fun, but we do need to get going," Tank reminded his Pokémon. "You can hang out with Kaguya tomorrow, alright?"
Saguaro let go of his new dance partner. He sheepishly chuckled as he ran back to his trainer, returning himself to his Poke Ball. Kaguya snuck back to her trainers' house, watching as the boys wandered about the bridge.
"So, is there a reason everything's built like a treehouse?" Kidd asked as he looked around at all the architecture.
"Yep!" Tank explained. "The city was started by a Unovan hippie commune who didn't want to go all the way to Lilycove City to see the Dancing Bears, and they didn't want to rip up the forest, so they built treehouses instead."
Benedict sniffed the air, "Is that why I smell Stunky everywhere?"
Tank's face went flat as he deadpanned, "Yeah, that's why."
Kidd flipped through the book he got from the old Secret Base. "Is there a museum around here for that? I think they'd be pretty happy to get this book back."
"There should be one, yeah!"
Tank stopped walking. "I think it's closed though, so– hey, there it is!"
He pointed at one of the wooden houses. The house in particular had a sunflower yellow door, cerulean blue curtains in the windows, pink camellia flowers in two hanging baskets, and a bell pepper shaped sign on the door.
He sprinted to the door and banged his hoof against it.
The doorknob glowed pink and rattled as the door swung open. A small clay Pokemon stood in the doorway. It wore a red collar around its neck, with a little bell in the middle.
"Toy?" the Pokemon chirped.
"Who's at the door?!"
A massive blue rhinoceros strolled to the door. He wore olive green fatigues, with the left pant leg rolled up to reveal a shiny black prosthetic.
"Dad!" Tank gasped in delight. He took a few steps forward before being swept up in a spine-crushing hug. "Hey!"
"What, can't a guy hug his own son?" Rockwell laughed. He looked at the other two boys, "Ah, you must be the boys Camellia told me about. Benedict and Kidd, right?"
The two boys nodded. Kidd adjusted his coat collar as he waved to him. "Yes, Mr. Pepper."
"Oh please, call me Rockwell," the larger rhino said. "Now come on in!"
Rockwell let go of Tank, then led the boys inside.
"Dad, before I forget!"
Tank handed him the package. "This ended up at Lionel's house!"
"So it did, huh?" Rockwell noted as he gently shook the box, then ripped open the paper. He set it on the counter and pulled out the contents: a Dancing Bears bootleg CD, a faded tapestry with pastel tye-dye and some joint papers.
The living room looked the same as Tank remembered it: a red leaf kotatsu in the middle, green bamboo flooring, pale blue walls, and a pink vase in the middle with several red camellias. Baltoy hovered closer to its trainer, folding its hands together as it used Psychic to close the door shut.
"What's with the Baltoy?" Benedict asked as he looked at its collar.
Rockwell explained, "That's my service Pokémon." He tapped on his prosthetic leg. "After the accident, I got it so I can have a better quality of life. Of course, I don't battle with it. Speaking of which…"
He grabbed an Ultra Ball off the table before stopping in his spot. The door swung open again.
A shorter, azure blue rhino walked in the door. He wore a black blazer, a white button-up shirt, a green plaid tie, black dress pants and shiny grey loafers. The shortest rhino slipped off his shoes, put on a pair of house slippers, then walked in. "Oh, hi dad."
"Hey, Hornsby!" Rockwell waved. "Look what the Meowth dragged in!"
Hornsby frowned as he looked at Tank; really, he was here for once?! "Oh joy," he deadpanned as he set his satchel down and pulled out some homework. "Just who I wanted to see."
"Really?" Tank asked. "Your twin brother comes back and all I get is an oh joy?"
Hornsby rolled his eyes as he got started on his homework for the afternoon: Johtonian history, particularly, Ecruteak City's Bell Tower. "I have a lot of homework to do, so don't bother me."
Tank facepalmed and stomped right towards the kotatsu. "I'm sorry, but is schoolwork really more important than me?!"
Hornsby scoffed. If only he had a flyswatter on him…
"Yeah, it is. I said don't bother me, Tank. Did you go deaf on your stupid journey?!"
Benedict looked at Kidd and asked, "Geez, who pissed him off today?"
"I'm not so sure myself," Kidd shrugged. "Maybe someone picked on him at school?"
Hornsby glared as he stopped doing his homework for a minute. Those two aren't worth his time, he thought to himself as he started working again.
"Don't mind him," Tank tried to assure his partners. "He's always like that. Hey, you guys wanna see my room?"
"Heck yeah I do!" Benedict said. "Might as well check the whole place out, am I right?"
"I'd be fine with that, really," Kidd nodded.
"Then let's go!" Tank yelled. He grabbed them by their wrists and dragged them through the hallway. He stopped at one of the doors; bright green stars lined the doorway.
Tank carelessly swung the door open.
Oh thank Arceus, everything was just how he left it months ago!
Cobalt blue walls and pitch black flooring welcomed him back. Countless framed artwork lined every wall. None of the furniture matched whatsoever: a green and yellow queen bed in one corner, covered with a brightly patterned quilt, a dark brown desk in another corner, a black bookshelf shoved against the wall, a grey chair flipped on its side, several cherry red dressers and a nightstand with a moon-shaped lamp sitting upright.
Tank turned around with a spin,
"Cool room, isn't it?"
Benedict looked around at some of the decor.
"Hey I didn't know y'all were into space!"
"Yeah, isn't it awesome!" Tank's eyes sparkled as he bounced on the tips of his toes. "I watched a lot of meteor showers here in Fortree City, I went on a field trip to see a rocket take off in Mossdeep City, and I won first prize in a local art contest for drawing the Litleonids meteor shower! Plus I wanna know what kind of Pokemon live in space!"
Kidd stopped to look at Tank's bookshelf. There were enough tankobon volumes to fill a whole library! Did Crossing Rider Go have a manga adaptation?
Tank climbed onto his bed and pulled a piece of artwork off the wall; tiny white stars dotted the navy blue canvas. A green serpentine Pokémon lined the top of the drawing, its tail fanned out near one of the corners.
"Oh, that is awesome!"
Benedict yelled. "Now what's that on the edge?"
"It's a Rayquaza!" Tank gushed. "I heard they live in space and only come down in a time of crisis. I spent twelve hours on the whole thing, and that was only just getting Rayquaza right!"
Benedict still looked at the drawing. He knew Tank was a talented artist, but seeing this was mind-blowing. All of this, done with only colored pencils?!
Kidd pulled several tankobon off the shelves and sat down on the bed. He flipped through the first volume: it was about a group of strange pirates looking for treasure left behind by a dead pirate.
Tank placed his award-winning piece back on the wall. "Oh hey, I haven't read that series in a while! Kidd, what do you think?"
"It's certainly interesting," Kidd noted as he flipped to another page. "How many volumes are there? I think I can read the whole thing tonight"
Tank laughed. "I don't think anyone can read….let's see, one-hundred and three volumes in one night. I fell off after the twentieth volume."
Kidd's face went white. What kind of series can go on THAT long?!
"I'll see what I can do."
Tank checked the time on his Rotom Phone. Dinner wouldn't be for a while, what's a good way to kill some time… "You guys wanna watch a movie?" he offered. "I have a few saved on my laptop."
"Which ones?" Kidd's ears pricked up.
Tank shrugged as he grabbed his laptop from the desk. Oh, good, it was still charged. "Just a mix of stuff. I got a comedy one before I moved to Littleroot Town, it's pretty good."
"Well put it on already,"
Benedict stuck his tongue out.
Tank rolled his eyes before laughing. He hopped back on the bed, opened his laptop and put on the movie. The plot was about a boy who wished he was an adult, and ended up waking up as one. The boy-turned-man got thrown out of his house, rented a flophouse and got a job at a toy company.
By the time the boys got to the dancing piano scene, the doors swung wide open.
Hornsby scoffed as he looked at the trio, "Dad said dinner's ready."
Tank glared back, "You could've knocked first!"
Hornsby rolled his eyes, ignoring the boys as he went to the living room. Tank paused the movie and closed his laptop. He led the other two boys into the kitchen.
Rockwell held a ladle to his mouth, carefully sipping the broth. Finally, it was perfect: hot enough to warm himself up, but cool enough to keep his taste buds intact. He set down five ceramic bowls, filling them to the brim with soba noodles.
Baltoy used Telekinesis to carry everyones' dinner, setting them down on the kotatsu.
"Let's eat!" Rockwell declared as he held up his ladle.
Tank's face lit up in sheer joy. It was as if Rockwell expected him to come by; the smell of his favorite soba flooded his face! Thick buckwheat noodles, light broth, nori and bonito flakes, tender Spoink ribs, all making for the perfect combination.
Hornsby stayed quiet as he savored his meal, glaring in contempt. He had way too much homework to do tonight and here he was, actually having a meal instead of just drinking coffee all night. It still didn't feel real; his own brother, in the flesh, with friends by his side. Oh great, his dad was telling another stupid story.
"And then I said to Sheldon," Rockwell swirled his chopsticks around the bowl. "Don't leave the hookah out when the kids come by, or they'll want to know what the 'magic vase' is!"
The boys laughed along, already on…their third bowl?! Hornsby cringed; how could they eat so freaking much?! Maybe it was how they just ran around doing whatever they wanted, like a bunch of maniacs let out of prison.
Dinner finally ended. Rockwell invited some friends over to smoke on the porch, while the boys went back to their rooms to finish watching the movie.
Hornsby sighed in relief; finally, nobody could annoy him, as he put on some headphones and filled out some worksheets. Calming lo-fi beats filled his ears as he focused on nothing but cramming schoolwork. He looked outside for a minute; why was it already dark out?! After pausing the playlist and taking off his headphones, he left his bedroom. Oh, yay, his favorite noise: laughter.
He walked to Tank's bedroom and banged on the door.
"Keep it down in there!" he yelled. "I'm trying to study!"
"Hornsby, all you ever do is study!" Tank hollered back.
"Well that's because I want an education!"
Hornsby snapped. "Sorry I'm not a complete moron like you are!"
He stomped back off to his bedroom and slammed the door.
In the bedroom, Tank sunk down in his spot, groaning in frustration as he threw his face in a pillow.
Benedict looked puzzled.
"What the hell is his problem?"
"Ughhhhh," Tank ranted from his pillow. "Don't get me started on him! He's always been a total smartass, but ever since I got diagnosed last year he's turned into an overcompensating stuck-up prick!"
"Diagnosed?"
Kidd tilted his head. "With what?"
Tank gulped. Fuck, he didn't tell either of them, then again, nobody really asks him about it. "ADD."
Benedict and Kidd looked at each other. Huh, that explains a lot!
"Well, the thing is," Tank explained as he turned around; facing up to look at the stars on his ceiling. "I can focus on stuff, don't get me wrong, but schoolwork isn't one of those things. I can't just sit in one place for hours forced to learn stuff I'll probably forget in three days. I'd rather run around the world with Pokémon!"
"What does that have to do with Hornsby being a jerk?" Benedict asked.
Tank threw his hooves up. "He just wants to act like he's better than me because he's the 'smart' twin and I'm not! That's why he became obsessed with studying and schoolwork, just to make me look stupid for his snobby friends at Fortree City High! But I'm not an idiot!" He took a deep breath in and sighed. "Was that too much, guys?"
"Not really," Kidd assured him as their hooves brushed up against each other. "I mean, I know a thing or two about awful families." He smiled a little. "But I like you for you! You're cultured, know the stuff you like, a total goofball…."
"An' really smart 'bout Pokémon!" Benedict joined in. "An' y'all know how to whoop some ass too!"
Tank beamed in confidence. Who needed his stuck-up mean twin brother when he had the two best partners a guy could ask for!
"You guys are great!" he yelled as he pulled them in for a group hug.
After the group hug, the boys got ready for bed, relaxing under the rainbow-printed quilt. Hours passed in the Pepper household, only heavy laughter echoing from the porch.
Mornings in Fortree City were as predictable as a snowstorm in Alolan deserts. Rockwell hollered as he chased a pair of Volbeat out of the house. Most houses in the Hoenn region had this nifty little thing called glass windows, but in Fortree, only curtains are allowed due to a strange law passed by a city ordinance.
Hornsby walked out of his bedroom, already in uniform and yawning as he drank a large cup of dark roast coffee.
"Dad," he groaned. "I finally got an hour of sleep, so thanks for waking me up."
"You're welcome, kiddo!"
Rockwell laughed. "Bento's in the fridge by the way."
"Sure, thanks" Hornsby shrugged as he threw on his messenger bag. He went to the fridge and pulled out a navy blue box, along with filling a matching thermos with yet more coffee. He put a slice of bread in the toaster and sat down to drink some coffee. "Um, dad?!"
"Yes?"
Rockwell asked as he pulled some eggs out of the fridge.
Hornsby's eyes twitched. "I overslept. I'm only gonna be thirty minutes early today!"
Rockwell tried his best not to burst out laughing. "Oh come on. It takes you five minutes to get to school. You have plenty of time for breakfast."
"Not if you're part of the honors club!" Hornsby yelled before the toaster dinged. He grabbed the toast and smothered it in butter, then shoved it in his mouth before grabbing his stuff and rushing out the door.
Rockwell facepalmed from the ridiculousness of his son. There was plenty of time to sit down and actually eat, not run around Fortree City with toast in the mouth like an anime character! Well, at least there's someone in the house that'll actually eat.
Another door creaked open. Tank yawned loudly as he threw on an old plaid bathrobe and went to the kitchen.
"Hey dad," he groaned.
"Oh, morning Tank!" Rockwell was as chipper as ever, still swirling some eggs in a pot. "Hey, can you get the natto out of the fridge for me?"
Tank grimaced. Just thinking about natto made him cringe: the pungent stench, sticky slimy coating, strong aftertaste. "Yeah, I will."
Half an hour passed as Rockwell prepared breakfast for four: steamed rice, fresh tamagoyaki, miso soup, thin slices of sauteed Stunfisk, pickled daikon, green tea and of course, the natto.
Once the boys were seated, Rockwell poured several cups of green tea. Minutes passed as the boys savored their breakfast.
In the middle of breakfast, Rockwell stopped eating. "Hey, are you boys okay?"
Tank gulped. "Yeah, I'm fine, dad, but you forgot that I don't like natto."
"Aw come on," Rockwell nudged him with his elbow. "This isn't the half-assed Kanto variant; I got this shipped in from Sinnoh!"
Kidd sniffed the air, then shuddered. "Oh, so that's why it smells like a locker room here."
Rockwell groaned as he shook his head. "Oh my Arceus, it's not that bad!"
"I don't get it myself," Benedict shrugged before he cleared off his entire portion. "It's actually pretty good!"
"Finally, someone with good taste," Rockwell snarked. "I ate plenty of natto when I was stationed in Sinnoh, at least once a day if I remember. Yet for some reason, nobody really eats it in Hoenn!"
Kidd and Tank cringed. Well, yeah, the smell was almost as rancid as durian! They snuck their servings onto Benedict's plate, finishing off the rest of their breakfast.
After clearing off breakfast and washing the dishes, Rockwell headed out to town hall while the boys went outside for the day.
Tank looked down at his wrist with a puzzled look, "Hey guys?" he asked. "Did I leave my Mega Bracelet at my dad's house?"
Kidd tapped his foot against the ground. "Let's see….nope, you didn't."
"Then how come I'm not wearing it?" Tank asked as he showed off his bare wrist. A faint pink mark formed on his hand, most likely the indent from the tight fit. "Clearly it didn't just slip off, I would've heard it fall against the ground!"
Benedict squinted closer, "Maybe a Pokémon took it?"
Tank facepalmed and yelled. "Benedict. What kind of Pokémon do you think would go around stealing Key Stones!"
"A psychic type?" Benedict shrugged. "Well clearly it ain't Makoto or Libra doin' it, they're too smart to take somethin' like that an' they were in their Poké Balls the whole time."
"That's obvious, but alright" Kidd snarked. "BUT if it was a psychic type, we would've seen something glowing around Tank's wrist, non?"
Tank shook his head. "Yeah. I would say my dad's Baltoy, but if my dad wanted a Key Stone he'd go out looking for one himself"
Faint footsteps echoed nearby; the boys turned around. Despite the footsteps, there was nobody else to be seen.
Tank placed a hoof to his chin. "I think we should split up. We can cover more ground that way"
"Good point," Benedict noted. "And 'sides, I wanted to check out the gym for myself!"
Kidd and Tank looked at him with flat expressions. Really?
"What?" Benedict pointed out. "Whoever took it might've run off to the gym. I've got this!" He rummaged through his pockets. "What the…"
"Something wrong?"
Kidd asked as he looked up at one of the buildings: a red zigzagged stripe bobbed in the air, carrying a small green pen.
"Yeah, somethin' went an' took my Rotom Phone!" Benedict pulled out everything from his pockets. "I had it when I left too!"
"That sucks," Tank frowned. "It probably got stolen by whoever took my Mega Bracelet"
Kidd looked down at his messenger bag. "Oh, COME ON!" he hollered. "Something took all the buttons off my bag!"
"I think this'd be a great time to split up," Tank explained. "Benedict, you cover the gym. I'll check out the north half, Kidd, you can take the south. We'll meet….right about here actually!"
"Yeah." Kidd sighed as he walked to one of the bridges nearby. "Good luck!"
Benedict ran to one of the ladders and saluted him.
"I'll kick their ass!"
Tank waved before heading to the northern district. Hopefully someone could find the pesky pickpockets; whoever did it couldn't be too far off….
Benedict scaled down the ladder before leaping off like a Spinarak pouncing for food. He charged through the tall grass, grinning to himself as he got closer to the red and green building. A wooden plaque read,
"Fortree City Gym. Leader: Celia Carlisle, A maiden of the skies and feathers."
He stopped in his tracks; invisible claws flailed and tore through the tapestry, with a red band hovering right before him. There was only one way to deal with this!
"Coffret, go!"
Coffret darted out of his Poké Ball, chirping as he hovered in front of his trainer. He squawked at the doorway before flying down to peck the air like Pecky the Pikipek.
"Kureeeeeeee!"
A Kecleon formed around the red band, screeching as it clawed at Coffret's wings. Coffret blew a raspberry before flying back to his trainer's head. The camouflage Pokemon dropped an item on the ground, turning invisible as it leaped into the fields.
Benedict looked up at his Pokémon. "I think y'all were hurtin' it too much"
"Swab?" Coffret chirped as he turned his head up.
"Save it for the gym battle, alright buddy?" Benedict told him. "Y'all can stay outta the ball though."
"Blu blu blu!" Coffret squealed as he flapped his wings in delight, his antennae bobbing with each flap.
"Huh, what's this?" Benedict noted as he picked up the item off the ground; a red bow with a silver bell attached to the knot.
He tucked it in his pants pocket before heading inside. Trainer and Pokémon shivered from a powerful blast of frigid wind. Wooden walls lined the gym, joined by sandy floors and sharp windmills rotating at their own pace.
"Hey there, welcome to the gym!"
Benedict looked to his right. A pastel blue wolf, dressed in a short ruffled bohemian dress and knee-high cowboy boots, strolled like she was out and about on town.
"Hey, I know you!" she smiled. "Benedict Sussex, right?"
"Sure am!" Benedict pointed to himself. "Lemme guess, y'all know 'bout me from the gym match videos"
"Of course! Gym trainers come and go, but not too many have a red Gyarados like you!" the wolf placed a paw on her chest. "I'm Skye Nicks, by the way."
"Great to meetcha Skye! Hey, I gotta ask," Benedict pulled out the red ribbon. "Did y'all lose this outside?"
Skye took the ribbon into her paws, rotating the jingle bell.
"Hmm…" she shook her head. "Oh, I know who lost this. Here, follow me!"
She led the way through the gym; unfazed by the constant wind blasting through her fur. The trainers stopped at the back of the gym. Curtains billowed back and forth, swatting away any wild Pokemon trying to climb inside.
A trio of women sat at a large table, folding paper into intricate origami. Skye put two fingers in her mouth and whistled.
"Oh, hey Skye" the red-crowned crane waved before she set down a pink floral paper crane.
"What's going on?"
Skye held out the ribbon and bell. "Rhonda dropped this and a Kecleon tried to take off with it."
A white rhinoceros stood up, smoothing out her black ruffled dress.
"Oh, I did?" she asked as she looked closer at the item. "Thanks so much!"
Skye bowed. "Well, Benedict was the one who found it"
Rhonda smiled a little. "Oh, did he now?"
"Heck yeah I did!" Benedict yelled. "Well, somethin' was goin' around stealin' stuff, includin' my Rotom Phone, an' I figured I'd check here first!"
"I'm not surprised," Rhonda shook her head. "Everyone's been getting their stuff stolen lately. So, since you gave me back my Soothe Bell"
She grabbed the purple PokeBall from her belt and held it up.
Benedict undid his ponytail and grabbed one of his Poke Balls. "Let's do this!"
The two trainers stood on opposing sides of the gym, facing each other with a determined grin.
Skye joined her friends at the table and whispered, "Gladys, Midge. When it's our turn, we should do our best; he's got some powerful Pokémon."
"How do you know this?" the pink bird hushed back.
Skye explained,
"He's pretty famous online; I've seen his videos. He's got several great Pokémon, including a Gardevoir!"
"Ooooo" Gladys squealed. "I hope I can face off against that one"
Rhonda spread out her arms and twirled, her long sleeves billowing with her as her skirt flared out. Despite the twirl, she held on tightly to her Poke Ball. "Amethyst, do your thing!" she announced.
A Golbat popped out of the Poke Ball, roaring as she fanned out her wide purple wings.
"Asuka!" Benedict shouted as he tossed the Poke Ball. "Seize the day!"
Rhonda stopped to push a button on the wall. The floor whirled as it folded inwards, forming a large pool that automatically filled with translucent water.
Asuka landed into the water, roaring at the top of her lungs. Blue and white sparkles surrounded her entire body. She bared her fangs and glared at her opponent, but the bat Pokemon carelessly shrugged her wings.
Benedict thought to himself,
"Wait, shouldn't Intimidate work on this Pokemon? Oh, wait, she has Inner Focus, of course!"
Rhonda tied the red ribbon to her Pokemon's right wing. Now she was ready to battle.
"Amethyst, use Fly!"
Amethyst closed her gaping jaw and soared into the air, high enough that Asuka had to squint just to even see her.
Hmm, this wasn't going to quite work….
Benedict commanded, "Asuka! Dragon Dance!"
"Gyao!" Asuka barked. Magenta clouds of energy swirled around her body as she whipped her tail in a hurricane. She bobbed and weaved her neck up and down, as if to taunt Amethyst. The magenta clouds faded away into a faint aura, strengthening the water-type's muscles.
The bat Pokemon nosedived through the cool skies.
Orange and white energy trailblazed behind her as she headbutted Asuka's throat.
Benedict pointed ahead and shouted, "Asuka, use Bite!"
Asuka slithered through the air, then clamped down on Amethyst's left wing. The bat Pokémon winced as she kicked her legs and flailed with her free wing.
Rhonda flipped back her hair and commanded, "Free yourself with Leech Life!"
Amethyst clamped her jaws down on Asuka's side, draining enough energy to fly herself free. Asuka bared her pearly fangs as she swayed in her spot.
"Use Haze!" Rhonda pointed ahead.
Amethyst opened her mouth and spewed a large cloud of black and white mist, using her wings to push it through the battlefield. The temperature dropped harder than the bass at an EDM concert.
Asuka ducked below the mist, trying to find a way to dodge it. The Dragon Dance energy faded away from her, leaving her at the same strength she was at earlier.
Benedict snapped his fingers, "Swallow it an' Bite again!"
Asuka whipped her tail around and lunged forward to swallow a mouthful of mist. Her mouth cooled down, forming tiny white crystals at her gums. Pure white mist billowed from her nostrils.
She lunged through the thick haze and chomped down on Amethyst's right wing, stopping her in her spot.
Amethyst shuddered as the cold wind billowed into her air. The tiny crystals pressing against her wing pierced through like daggers. She panted as she wriggled herself free, but fell to the ground with a thud.
Rhonda gasped as she ran up to hold her Pokémon.
"Amethyst! Are you alright?"
The bat Pokémon closed her mouth and weakly nodded. She definitely had enough for the day.
"Hey, you did your best!" Rhonda hugged her Pokémon before returning her to safety. She looked up and burst out laughing; Asuka was carrying Benedict by the back of his hoodie and dangling him like a wet noodle!
"Thanks for the battle!" Benedict held out his wing, still dangling from his Pokémon's grip.
"Yeah, it was fun," Rhonda said as she shook his wing. "Does Asuka always do that?"
Benedict looked up. "Not really, she just thinks it's a fun way to carry me"
Asuka set her trainer on the ground before politely returning herself to her Poké Ball. Rhonda pressed the button again to return the battleground back to normal.
"Hey, I'm next!" Gladys declared as she ran to the battlefield. Rhonda bowed as she walked back to the table, anticipating the next battle.
Benedict walked back to his side, grinning as he tossed another Poké Ball up and down.
Gladys unclipped the Poke Ball from her necklace.
"Swellow, let's fly!"
A large dark blue bird Pokémon flew out, cawing as he spread out his wings. His crest billowed in the wind
"Kenshiro, rock out!" Benedict hollered as he threw his Poké Ball like a baseball pitcher.
Kenshiro threw his head back and roared at the top of his lungs.
Gladys pinched the bridge of her beak. Why couldn't she have gotten to battle his Gardevoir instead? Oh, wait a minute! "Swellow, use Whirlwind!"
The swallow Pokémon cawed as he threw his wings back and formed a large tornado behind his back. He launched the tornado with his tail and threw it in Kenshiro's face, forcefully throwing him back in his Poké Ball.
Jojo leaped out instead, posing like a martial artist. He turned around and nodded to Benedict, sharing a hot-blooded glare of determination.
Benedict flashed another cocky grin, "Jojo! Use Blaze Kick!"
"BlazIKEN!" Jojo howled. He jumped up on one leg and kicked Swellow in the chest. Vermilion and cinnabar flames exploded behind him, engulfing his opponent.
Gladys snickered as she popped the collar of her brown leather vest. Despite the burn surrounding Swellow's body, he roared like the proud warrior he was. His wing muscles throbbed with each flap.
Benedict facepalmed. Ugh, this was that ability Tank warned him about back in Mauville City! Well, the two of them can keep up the fight!
"Swellow! Uuuuuuuuse Brave Bird!" Gladys jumped in the air and cheered, as her bell-sleeved blouse and bell-bottomed jeans flared out with the air.
Swellow's body glowed golden yellow and cyan blue. He tucked his wings in and darted through the air like a bullet, tackling Jojo and pushing him through the air.
Benedict shouted, "Jojo! Throw him off with another Blaze Kick!"
Jojo, however, latched onto Swellow's chest feathers and dug his feet into the ground, skidding backwards as he resisted the attack. Sweat beaded down his neck feathers as he panted from the attack. His claws sharpened as he dug deeper against thick feathers.
His eyes glowed cherry red as he bellowed from the bottom of his lungs. Monarch orange flames exploded from his wrists. Jojo threw Swellow off him, swung his leg forward and punted Swellow like a soccer ball. The bird Pokemon yelled as he crash landed against the gym's walls, falling on his front like a limp beanbag.
Gladys held a wing up to her beak and blinked twice. Sweet Arceus, was Jojo strong! She stayed silent as she returned Swellow to his Poke Ball.
"That was…." she smiled a little. "Much better than expected!"
Jojo panted as he stood on one knee, recovering from how the blaze overtook his entire body. Benedict ran up and patted him on the shoulder, promising plenty of rest before the next battle. Jojo relaxed before going back to his Poke Ball.
Gladys patted some dust off her shirt, "I'll admit, that wasn't really part of my plan."
Benedict looked at her with a confused look in his eyes. "What was?"
"Well, here's the thing," Gladys explained as she smoothed down the feathers on her head. "I was kinda hoping to battle Gardevoir instead, but I didn't realize Whirlwind forced a random Pokemon on the field."
"An' I didn't expect Swellow to have Guts,"
Benedict assured her. "Then again I haven't really battled one before so yeah."
Gladys clipped the ball back to her necklace. "I think you need a break first. Your Pokémon are great battlers, but if you're worn out they might pick up on your energy and not do their best"
"Good point," Benedict noted. "And 'sides, I gotta see if anyone else has been havin' Kecleon problems"
Gladys smiled and crossed her arms.
"Oh yeah, those guys. Well, you're more than welcome to come back"
Benedict threw his backpack back on. "Oh, I will!" He waved before heading back outside. Just an hour should be good enough of a break, he thought to himself as he climbed back up the ladder. He wandered back to the spot he promised to meet up at. Sure enough, Kidd and Tank were there, and with several drinks! A green pigeon logo was plastered on each drink.
"Howdy guys!"
he yelled.
"Oh, there you are!" Tank waved. "Any luck on finding who took your Rotom Phone?"
"Nope" Benedict shook his head. "BUT I got a good clue on who did it"
"You did?" Tank tilted his head as he handed a large drink to Benedict.
"Yep!" Benedict explained as he sat down on the wooden log, making sure not to spill the drink.
"It's a Kecleon; Coffret an' I saw one hangin' around the gym an' it tried to take a trainer's bell" He sipped from the cardboard cup's lid; no way, it was a caramel cappuccino!
Kidd shrugged his shoulders as he asked, "But why would a wild Pokémon steal trainers' items?"
"Who said it was a wild one?" Benedict pointed out. "There's a good chance it might belong to someone in town….Tank, what Pokémon does your family have?"
Tank frowned a little.
"Well, aside from the Baltoy, my dad has just a Rhyperior, and Hornsby doesn't like Pokémon much, so he doesn't have one."
"An' I know it can't be the girls at the gym," Benedict tapped his foot against the ground. "None of 'em have a Kecleon."
"Maybe," Kidd brought up. "We could go around asking everyone in town! What? It's better than creeping from behind a bush."
"I thought y'all were lookin' for clues," Benedict deadpanned.
Tank laughed back. "We were, but then we went to Brewster's. I asked around, nobody there had a Kecleon. Then again most of the animals there were tourists, so..."
Kidd rolled his eyes. "Yeah, we figured you'd probably battle everyone at the gym."
"Y'all know me too well,"
Benedict snorted. "I mean, the caramel cappuccino? This stuff is awesome. Heck, I haven't even had Brewster's!"
"You haven't?" Tank asked. "I thought Brewster's was big in Unova!"
"Not really," Benedict explained. "Nacrene's is more popular there; I've seen thirty Nacrene places, an' that was just in the times I've been in Nimbasa City!"
"Um, guys?" Kidd waved a hoof in their faces. "Shouldn't we get to, oh I don't know, looking for who took our stuff!"
"Alright, alright" Tank shrugged his shoulders as he stood up.
The boys looked around for a bit; one building in particular stood out from the rest. Like the others, it was connected by a bridge, but unlike the others, it was one way in and one way around.
Tank led the way; this place might have a clue! They went inside, their sense of smell assaulted by strong incense. Imported tapestries and vinyl records hung from the walls. Elephant-print pillows were scattered on the ground, some laying next to a pile of instruments.
Buck waved from the faded leather couch.
"Well howdy there boys! Long time no see!"
"Hey Buck!"
Tank waved. "We're having a problem in town"
"Yeah, some Kecleon are stealin' stuff!" Benedict explained.
"Kecleon, huh?"
Buck tapped his hoof on the wall. "Well shoot, those must be the son of a Granbulls that went off an' took my bong!"
Kidd looked at Tank. "Is everyone in this town constantly stoned?"
Tank whispered, "No, only the adults are."
"What'd the bong look like?"
Benedict asked.
"Let's see," Buck thought for a minute. "It was blue an' had a red stripe on the pipe"
"Got it," Benedict noted. "Hey how come it's empty here?"
Buck shrugged. "I ain't so sure myself. Probably 'cause it's lunchtime an' I think everyone else wen' out for pizza!"
Tank squinted as he pulled out his Rotom Phone to take some notes. "Who's everyone else?"
"Let's see here…." Buck rattled off names. "Louie, Sly, Camofrog. I gotta watch the fort though, so I can't go 'bout there so-"
An ear-piercing scream echoed outside.
The boys ran outside, leaving Buck to relax on the couch. They looked around as they ran across the bridge. But where would that scream come from?!
A trio of Kecleon ran out of the closest building, snickering as they stuck out their tongues at the curtains. One of them carried jewelry, while the other two held several wallets and even a cup of soda.
Benedict pointed at the thieves. "Coffret, now!"
"Swa-BLU!" Coffret flew off his trainer's shoulder and pecked each Kecleon on the head. Several things dropped on the ground as the Kecleon tried to attack Coffret. The bird Pokémon effortlessly dodged each tongue whip and flailing claw, then slapped the leader across the face with his wing.
Several animals poked their heads out of the curtains; so that's who's been stealing everything, huh!
Coffret flew back to his trainer's head, perching atop like a nice hat. The Kecleons scurried down the ladder, leaving behind all the stolen goods.
A brown gorilla in a green hoodie rummaged through everything; so that's what happened to his wallet! He grabbed the leather wallet and headed back inside. "Hey! Camofrog, Sly!" he hollered. "We can finally get that pizza!"
The boys looked at each other and shrugged. Pizza sounded really good right now! They went inside; yep, this is a standard Unovan pizza place, with red checkered tablecloths, black and white tiled floors, maroon brick walls, jars of parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes on the tables, and chefs swearing at everyone. Benedict licked his beak from the smell of charcoal and baking dough.
"Heh, sorry about that" the gorilla said as he paid for his pizza. "Those Kecleon are pretty bad this time of year, am I right?"
"Yeah, whatever, Louie" the cashier, a green mouse with short brown hair, shrugged. "If those things got in the kitchen, I think the boss would have a heart attack or twenty."
Louie tucked his wallet into his hoodie pocket. "I just don't know what's gotten into them. I mean, we got them back from Team Cottage at least!"
The mouse rolled her eyes as she tapped her fingers against the counter. "Okay then. Can I help whoever's next?"
Tank whipped out his wallet as he walked towards the counter. "We'll take two extra-large thin-crust margherita pizzas, please."
"An' two cannoli if y'all got some," Benedict pointed up at the menu.
Kidd clasped his hooves together. "An order of garlic knots as well."
The mouse scowled as she rung up the prices, quiet as Tank paid her for the food. She turned around to the kitchen and yelled, "Hey! Dumbasses! We got an order for garlic knots, two extra-large margherita pizzas and two orders of cannoli for a bunch of dumb fucks I don't know!"
The boys looked at each other as they grabbed a seat. Benedict looked around at the simple yet flashy decore; grinning celebrities next to what looked to be the owner. He reached out to grab one of the photographs and flipped it over; no way, Apollo signed it?!
"Is she always that rude?" Kidd leaned in to whisper.
Tank shrugged his shoulders as he pulled out a notepad. "Nope, I haven't seen her in Fortree before."
Minutes passed before a loud bell dinged from the counter. Tank jumped up before heading to the counter and picking up the boxes and setting them on the table. Kidd took one of the styrofoam boxes while Benedict grabbed the other one.
Tank's mouth watered as he opened the first pizza box; there it was, forty-six centimeters of pure doughy goodness. Thick slices of mozzarella cheese were baked into the light tomato sauce, joined by fresh slices of tender green basil.
Kidd took one of the garlic knots for himself, his face flushing in delight as he finished the first knot. The garlic cloves and thick melted butter were light on his tongue yet heavy in flavor. He opened the box and set it in the middle for everyone else to share.
Benedict grabbed the largest slice of pizza, folding it in before taking several huge bites. He dipped his crust in a small cup of marinara before reaching out for another slice. He looked up from the pizza; Tank chuckled a little as his hoof brushed up against his wing.
"I've got a great idea," Tank suggested. He tore the crust off, setting it aside to chomp down on one end.
Benedict blushed hard as he lifted up the other end, his heart pacing as he slowly bit the gooey cheese and crispy dough. He closed his eyes as he leaned in, still eating the pizza before stopping in the middle.
Tank tilted his head to the left and grabbed Benedict by the chin, pulling him in for a quick kiss. He pulled away with a piece of cheese dangling from his mouth, "So, was that great or what?"
"Yeah," Benedict blushed hard as he pushed some of his hair back, chuckling a little. "I didn't expect y'all to do that!"
"Well, I saw it in this shoujo manga I really like," Tank awkwardly laughed, dipping the remaining crust in the last of the marinara.
Kidd took his time savoring his slice of pizza, snickering as he watched the two of them. He looked back down at the spread of food; aw man, did everyone else grab more garlic knots before he could eat his fourth one?! "You two are so ridiculous."
Benedict and Tank turned around, with confused looks across their faces.
"Ridiculously cute, that's what," Kidd smiled as he pointed one of the cannoli at them. He took a small bite of cannoli, savoring the sweet cheese filling and crisp shell. "Mon dieu, these are delicious!"
"Aren't they great?" Benedict grabbed one for himself, then handed another one to Tank. "I get these a lot back in Castelia, of course 'fore the Pidove steal them offa me. All the fries in the world an' they want somethin' sweet I guess."
After finishing off the last of their lunch, the boys left the pizza place and wandered about the maze of bridges. Benedict stopped and looked at the netting below. Was it possible to jump onto it? Let's try it out!
"Yeehaw!" Benedict yelled as he ran across the bridge and leaped off the side. He laughed as he flipped in the air and fell on his back. The white netting bounced in sync.
"Benedict!" Tank yelled as he turned around and ran to the railing. "What are you doing?!"
"Havin' some fun?" Benedict shrugged before crossing his arms behind his head. "What? Clearly they got the nettin' for a reason!"
"Um, YEAH?!"
Tank reminded him. "So nobody dies from falling, you goofball!"
"Hey, don't know it 'till y'all try it!" Benedict yelled as he jumped up and down on the net. This was almost as fun as Nimbasa's trampoline park!
Tank looked at Kidd. "Please, Kidd, do something!"
"I don't know…" Kidd looked back down at the net. "Looks like a lot of fun!"
"Kidd!" Tank yelled.
"What?" Kidd scoffed. "I'm going for it" He threw himself off the bridge and cannonballed onto the net.
Benedict jumped up again. "Thinkin' what I'm thinkin?"
"Tank should do a flip?" Kidd suggested. "Exactly!"
Tank looked behind the bridge, making sure nobody else was in sight. He climbed on the edge and backflipped, laughing as he landed against the soft silk. However, his laughter was cut short when he looked up from the silk. A disgusted glare, distant scoffing, and disinterested eye rolling, all from the bridge.
Whose got issues today, as Fortree City mishaps continue!