Outsiders (Pokémon/ZnT Reverse Summon)
Season 1, Episode 5, Chapter 5
[~][~]
Despite having lost her in the crowd, it really wasn't that hard for Gengar to track down Elizabeth. After all, she wasn't very subtle when she was in one of those moods. He eventually found her in an alley some distance from the arena where she had participated in that disastrous battle, and her mood had obviously deteriorated since then. Such a suspicion was only confirmed when Gengar made his entrance.
Elizabeth had her back to him, so he kicked one of the overturned and badly dented trashcans that were strewn about the alley. She reacted instantly, grabbing a nearby lid off of an overturned trashcan and hurling it towards the noise. Gengar lunged to the right, the lid bouncing off the wall with a loud clang a second later, followed swiftly by a grunt of exertion and the sound of breaking ceramics. He looked up to see Elizabeth's face mere inches from his own. Her makeup was completely gone, and she had torn the bandage off her face at some point, so the blood dripped down her face unhindered to mingle with the tears pouring from her eyes.
Seeing that, apart from the occasional sobs that wracked her body, she wasn't moving, Gengar hesitantly took a few steps to his right, then quickly sped up when he felt something brush his ear. Once he felt that he was a safe distance away, Gengar turned to see what he had felt, and his eyes widened. Elizabeth was hunched over slightly, and was holding a half-broken pipe in a left-handed grip. While such a strike wouldn't have done anything more than inconvenience Gengar, since he lacked a corporeal body, he could tell that Elizabeth had put enough force behind it to cause serious harm.
"I might not like her," he muttered pensively, "but this whole situation's a powder keg, and I'd rather it not end as badly as that time I thought it'd be fun to mess around with that bust of Xerneas." Lost in thought as he was, Gengar almost missed Elizabeth turning to face him.
"I-I'm n-ot re-ally s-su-re w-whe-th-er I'm-m s-sup-pos-ed t-to be hap-py o-or a-ang-ry th-th-at you c-came b-ack," she choked out between sobs, "B-but I am r-real-ly g-gl-ad that you w-were the f-fir-st one to fi-nd m-me."
Gengar blinked in surprise, he hadn't expected this to happen.
"Y-yo-u're wo-wond-ering why-y?" She continued, "I-if so-meo-ne e-else h-had c-ome a-alo-ng, w-well, I c-can j-jus-t im-imagi-ne t-the he-adli-nes n-now: 'R-rich Poke-mon Coll-ec-tor as-sau-lts b-bystan-der af-ter humiliati-ng defe-at.' I b-et the l-little ro-se an-d her t-ag along wou-ld get a kick out of that."
She laughed bitterly, then collapsed against the wall. "They'd probably feel vindicated, as well. 'Oh, look! Elizabeth Colette is nothing but a spoiled little brat who stoops to theft, threats, and violence the second things don't go her way! Just like I always told you, Saito!' They probably aren't even wrong. And look at me now! Crying in an alleyway after attacking you!"
Elizabeth turned her head towards her feet, away from a very confused Gengar, "You can go. Just leave me here, I'll make my way home by myself, then I'll probably just set my collection free. It's not like I've lost everyone and everything else." Memories immediately came up in Elizabeth's depressed mind, but she quickly repressed them with a shudder.
Gengar was stunned and didn't move at first, but Elizabeth's next words, a scream for him to leave her alone, galvanized him into action: a leisurely walk out of the alley. While he started slow, he gradually sped up as the implications of what he had just been told spurred him onwards. He was free! Free to run! Free to jump! Free to prank whomever he wanted to! Why, he'd never have to listen to—
"Hey! Hey, mister!" Gengar screeched to a halt as a small black and red fox jumped in his path. A quick look told him it was a Zorua, a young female specimen by the size and voice. Before he could move forward again, the Zorua moved back in front of him, trying to prevent him from leaving.
"Yeah, mister! You can't go!" the Zorua yipped.
"Eh? Why?" Gengar grunted back.
"Well, she's talking like a noose-guy. You can't leave her alone!"
Gengar picked up the tricky fox by the scruff of her neck, "And just who is the noose guy?"
"Well, you know the story about this alley. Don't ya, mister?"
"Assume I don't."
"Well,"
Zorua yipped, "A long time ago, a man confessed to his girlfriend here, but even though he poured out his heart and soul, she rejected him out of hand. He had already sacrificed almost everything else for her, so he strung himself up from that fire escape over there, believing that he had nothing else to live for. Ever since then, anyone who comes down here, bawling their eyes out and bearing their heart and soul to the world, well, the next day they tie a rope around their neck and jump off the highest point that they can find. And what do you think Elizabeth is going to do after she sets her collection free?"
Gengar suddenly dropped the Zorua with a yelp and started counting off on his hand. "Leg's see, eat a tub of ice cream, go out and buy a new pair of shoes, watch crappy soap operas on the TV, take that Eevee of hers to the groomers, marinate in the bathtub for a few hours-"
"I'm serious!" Zorua yelled out in frustration. "Cross my heart and hope to– Err, poor choice of words."
Gengar raised an invisible eyebrow and gave an all too wide smile at the now fidgeting fox.
"Hey, kid. Why did you tell me that?"
"Well, living where I do, I hear confessions like hers two or three times a week on average,"
she replied, "And, listening to her, for the very first time, I actually felt like I gave a damn about someone who decided to use my home as a place to vent their frustrations or pour out their woes where they think there's nobody to hear, and, well, she reminds me of myself in some ways." Gengar narrowed his eyes at the Zorua. Something about the way she said it didn't seem right.
"You know, I've lived in this city for a very long time," Gengar began, facing the Zorua, "and I've never even heard of this alleyway being a noose-spot. Would have thought someone would hang a sign up if it happens that often."
"Oh, well...you know. It's really only known around here and it doesn't happen too often…" Zorua looked away, causing Gengar to start chuckling.
"You need to work on your lying, kid, but I give you a solid A for effort on it," he declared, causing the Zorua to look aghast and bring her paw up to her chest.
"Who, me? Why would I lie to you?" Zorua defended herself while Gengar simply crossed his arms.
"Well if I had to guess, you need me to help you in some way, probably to talk to her directly, and since you do not want to reveal why you want to help her, you created a horror story in an attempt to garner sympathy from me so I would help without question. " Gengar nodded as the Zorua started kicking at the dirt. "You're going need to bring your A material if you want to get the leg up on me," Gengar brought his hand up to his chin in thought. "Still, it sounds like a fun way to give her my own send-off... Alright, I'll help!"
"Great!" Zorua happily yipped, causing Gengar to smile. The two made their way back to Elizabeth, who hadn't moved an inch since they'd left, though she seemed to have stopped crying. Hearing the two approach, Elizabeth lifted her head, but dropped it again when she saw who it was.
"I thought I told you to leave me alone," she mumbled through her knees. Gengar looked her, and began to think on how to talk to her. A thought quickly came to mind, and with a snap of his fingers stared at Elizabeth intensely. Before she could yell at him to leave, a swirl of psychic energy came out from his mind and entered into her mind, putting her to a deep sleep. Gengar then turned to look at the expectant Zorua, a third eye now emblazoned on his forehead, and she too fell asleep.
"Time to get to work," Gengar rubbed his hands together before his mind entered the shared dream both of them shared.
"I did that?" Saito numbly asked, sitting on the couch. Once Louise informed him of just what exactly had transpired, his jubilant mood from before evaporated instantly. When Louise solemnly nodded, he could only look down in shame. "I didn't mean too…"
"We know," Sycamore replied, giving Saito a hot cup of hot cocoa, along with another for Louise. "By all accounts, you were justifiably angry at being used like that, but the fact remains Saito that you could have seriously injured her. You're lucky that you didn't, and what's done is done."
"She promised not to press charges if I battled her," Louise pointed out, "and I at least trust her not to do that. Especially after how the battle went." A ghost of a smile entered both of the teenagers faces, only for it to go away as the seriousness of the situation came back in.
"Still, I feel like I should do something. Go find her and apologize at least," Saito pointed out, guilt filling his voice.
"That's all well and good," Sycamore began, "But from what I know of her, Elizabeth is not in an agreeable state of mind right now, and going after her in an attempt to apologize would makes things worse. My suggestion is to let things die down a bit, then go apologize once you return to Lumiose."
"I…okay," Saito relented and sighed. Seeing this, Sycamore rubbed the back of his head and searched for a way to change the subject to a more pleasant one.
"So…," he began, drawing the two teenager's attentions, "what are you two's next steps?"
"Um, what do you mean?" Louise asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I mean, where are you two going next? You are still planning on doing the Gym Challenge, right?" Sycamore clarified.
"Oh, that's what you…," Louise stopped and hummed to herself. "I think… I think I'm going to Cyllage City. Supposedly, it's easier to get there than the other cities."
"And, judging by the map," Saito pointed out with his Pokédex extended, "you can then circle around to the Shalour, Coumarine, and finally the Lumiose Gyms all in one trip."
"Well, that settles it. I'm going to Cyllage City," Louise nodded while Saito remained silent.
"What about you, Saito? Where are you planning on going next?" Sycamore asked, causing the boy to look up at him.
"Well I…," Saito thought for a moment, looking between Sycamore and Louise. After a few moments, Louise rolled her eyes.
"Oh for," she began. "Just come with me."
"What?"
"Just travel with me," Louise repeated herself. Saito looked at her in surprise, while Sycamore merely smiled. "You said it yourself. Going to Cyllage makes a lot of sense, and as I'm already going there and we've been travelling together already. Despite how things started out, things have been…nice." Saito simply stared at Louise's confession, who looked away in embarrassment.
"Oh, um… Thank you. I…appreciate the offer," Saito rubbed the back of his head.
"Well, you should," Louise got out, her eyes closed and head turned to the side. "To travel with a noble such as myself is a huge honor, and I don't just give it out to anyone." Saito laughed and shook his head at Louise's antics.
"Thank you, really," Saito smiled. "I'd be happy to." Louise smiled brightly at Saito's answer, causing Sycamore to smile as well..
"Well, now that you two got a plan, I think it's time for all of us to get some shut eye," Sycamore yawned and stretched his arms. "Saito, I'll show you to your room. This way, please."
"Thank you, Professor," Saito got up and yawned as well, the tiredness coming in full force. As the two men left, Louise got up and went to her room as well. She had a big day ahead of her, after all, but more sleep wouldn't hurt.
"Oogh," Elizabeth groaned as she laid sprawled on the floor. Opening her eyes, she saw herself surrounded by a black and purple void. She bolted to her feet in fright, her hands instinctively tightening around hilts that weren't there. "Where am I!?"
"In your mind," a shadowy voice rang out over the void, startling her. Her arms nearly shot up to shield her face, but she suppressed that instinct, fearing that she'd see them wrapped in those violet tassels once more. "Have to admit, not quite what I was expecting. Thought it be a bit more…flashy, to be honest, although it's about as empty as I thought."
"Who's there!? Show yourself!" Elizabeth demanded as she got back to her feet. A dark laugh soon followed as a shadow began to coalesce into a amorphous form. Soon enough, a Gengar showed itself, a dark smile emblazoned on its face.
"Surprised?" Gengar asked with a confident smirk. Elizabeth started to hyperventilate, initially seeing Gengar as something else. Picking up on that, Gengar stepped back, his hands upraised. "Relax, it's just me." Slowly, Elizabeth forced herself to calm down, and began to take stock of what was occurring.
"…So," Elizabeth looked back at Gengar, now recognizing it for what it was, "you can talk."
"No, not really. I put you under hypnosis so that I can psychically communicate with you. Easier this way, and here I can do whatever I want. Such as impressions."
"You can do impressions?" Elizabeth quickly asked, unable to stop herself in time causing Gengar to sigh and slap his face.
"Look, I would love to play twenty questions with you, but I don't actually want to. Suffice to say that I can," he said in her Butler, Pierre's, voice, before switching back to the one he had been using. "But I came back to tell you this: This pity party of yours? Stop it, its beneath you."
"…You're just saying that," she brushed him off dejectedly. "This could all just be an elaborate prank."
"Eh, mostly, but tell me. What made you choose your team today?"
"What do you mean?" she looked up, confused. "I just picked the strongest ones most likely to crush whatever team Louise managed to put together."
"Yeah. Sharpedo, Machamp, Eevee, Aggron, Florges, and myself. One of these things is not like the other. Well, other than talking a fish to a land battle. Genius move, by the way. Truly inspired choice." Gengar began to slowly clap and gave her a taunting smile.
Elizabeth huffed at the smiling Gengar and bit her tongue. "If you think that there's some deeper meaning behind my choices, then tell me."
"Thought you'd see it my way," Gengar smirked at how the conversation was finally on track. "Anyways, Eevee was the first Pokémon you got, so even if she's acting a little weird, she's the type to run away if she truly hated you, so you've got that going for you. As for Sharpedo, remember, you and Eevee saved him when he was just a Carvanha. And Machamp? He probably would have fought if his opponent wasn't a Fennekin, and even then he respected you enough to lose without making you look incompetent, assuming that you were training him for a PWE match." Gengar listed off confidently, "Need I continue?"
"You don't," Elizabeth sighed, "And yet I have done everything for them and they still won't listen to me."
"And yet she wants to talk with you," with a snap of his fingers, another form coalesced, this time into a red and black fox. Elizabeth recognized this Pokémon immediately.
"A Zorua? What's a Zorua doing here?" She asked as the black and red Pokémon nuzzled at verdette's hand.
"Honestly, I don't really know. She just wouldn't let me leave you there and- What are you doing?" While Gengar was talking, Zorua had walked a distance away from her, and, with a flash of light, transformed into Louise.
"What!" Elizabeth shouted, "How do you know her?" Zorua responded with a few yips, and it certainly was strange to hear such a sound coming from the Little Rose's lips.
"Wait, why can't I understand her?" she turned her head to look at Gengar, who merely shrugged.
"Miracle Eye can only do so much." Elizabeth contemplated Gengars words before nodding in understanding. As 'Louise' yipped again, the girl looked back up at Gengar.
"What did she say?"
"She said that she met Louise when she fell out of a 'bright place' into her alley. She screamed something about a goat, then got freaked out when Zorua jumped out of a can. Wait, what do you mean by a bright hole?" Gengar stared at the Zorua with a questioning gaze, who merely shrugged. The two looked at Elizabeth, who looked just as confused as they were.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Elizabeth answered, causing Gengar to shrug. Zorua then yipped a few more times, catching his attention.
"Wait, really?" He asked in a great deal of shock.
"What did she say?" Elizabeth got to her feet, brushing off some dust.
"She said that she'd be up for traveling with you," Gengar answered after a moment, a great deal of confusion still seeping in.
"What?!" Elizabeth shouted while Gengar cupped the area where his chin would be and hummed.
"Actually," Gengar began to point out, "It's not an awful idea. Louise and her boyfriend are probably going to ship out in a few days, and I'm sure you still want a proper rematch."
"Well, yeah," Elizabeth stated as if it was obvious.
"You're probably not going to get it just hanging around Lumiose. At this point, your best bet is to get some supplies together and set off after them. Some of your Pokémon have to be interested in going on an adventure, even if it only lasts for a week. Who knows, you may even make a new one." At Gengar's words, Elizabeth cupped her chin in thought for a few moments before she started giggling.
"Keehee! That's a great idea!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "I'll go out, beat her, and show the world that no one makes a fool out of me!"
"Well, it's nice to hear you so determined, Princess" Gengar chuckled. As Elizabeth continued to mutter half-baked plans, Gengar's eyes glowed once again, and suddenly Elizabeth and Zorua found themselves alone in the alleyway, Gengar nowhere to be seen.
"He actually left," Elizabeth sounded dejected, causing Zorua to walk up to her and nuzzle her hand for real this time.
"Thanks," Elizabeth replied, "Now, could you grab the roll of bandages in my bag?" Zorua did as she was asked, and Elizabeth applied the bandages with the ease and swiftness of someone who'd done it a thousand times. Picking up her bag from where it lay on the ground, Elizabeth walked towards the street.
"I have to go back to the mansion to get some stuff together and make some plans, but in two weeks we're off on an adventure!" She shouted for all the world to hear. As she began walking, Zorua briefly looked back at the alley, giddy at the prospect of finally leaving this place. They didn't get very far though, as Elizabeth suddenly stopped. Zorua looked and looked up at Elizabeth, only to see her crying. The fox yipped in concern, only for Elizabeth to brush it off.
"I'm fine, don't worry. Just…" Elizabeth went silent for a moment, "happy." The verdette began walking again, a newfound goal to strive for. One of victory over Louise, no matter what it took.
[~][~]
Hello, everyone! Here is the latest chapter of Outsiders! Sorry for not posting yesterday. By the time I got around to it, I was tired. My bad. But, in other news, we are only three chapters away from being caught up to the Spacebattles version!
Elizabeth has now officially become Louise's rival, and Saito and Louise have officially decided to travel together, not this quasi-permanent thing that had been going on.
Now onto Q&A:
Celestia's Paladin: Yep, there is a PWE, Pokémon World Wrestling, organization on Earth, and Machamp and Saito are big fans. Us writing that kayfabe was glorious to us.
PokemonFan93: Its another example of the growth that Louise is going through and how her journey is growing her for the better. Plus it furthers Espirit's role as the voice of reason of the group. The Team Mom, if you will. Us making Saito more sympathetic was also something that we wanted to do. We hated the harem elements of ZnT canon, felt it took away from the enjoyment of the story. So by removing it, and changing Saito somewhat to where he is recognizable yet more sympathetic, we felt it would enhance the story. I'm glad to see our efforts pay off. And yes, Machamp was the best, wasn't he?
Avro 683 Lancaster: Again, Louise is bias due to her personal experiences. It doesn't mean she is 100% right, which is something that Saito picked up on when he said that the collector she lambasted did not deserve what she said to him. And your analysis of Elizabeth as of right now is spot on. She doesn't know much about her Pokémon. In fact, all of her Pokémon were, as she indicated, not even trained by her. No wonder they don't respect her. And no, we are not accepting OC's.
Well that's it for this chapter. Stay tuned for the next chapter of Outsiders! Once we are caught up in a few days, we will be transferring to a weekly update schedule, so be ready for that.