- Chapter 8: The Girl With The Burning Eyes -
"Honestly, I know it's a lot to ask but can you cook for me again someday?" was the first thing coming out of Haru's mouth when he left his home with Nessa by his side. His Cinderace named Goji followed the two as Nessa joins his side.
She'd go up and poke his nose a bit before taking one of his hands with the two clasping together. "Of course I wouldn't mind doing it again as long as I'm going to be given a solo performance by you."
"Oh, just you wait. Been practicing again on a few surprises for you that I'll reveal soon." he'd say back, deciding to walk with her to Hulbury.
"Speaking of revealing surprises, I know it came up awhile back but my parents have contacted me and they want to meet you soon. We'd have to all cooperatively arrange a time so you should let me know when's a good time for you." Nessa explained, turning to Haru who nodded. This time he didn't look like a deer in headlights in terms of anxiety.
"I'm starting to look forward to it honestly. Hopefully they don't have any issues with me, as it'll be my first time meeting anyone's parents in this context. From what you've told me, they seem nice. Shame I can't chew the scenery with your dad about fishing but I hope we find some good middle ground. Maybe I can with your mom though since we both are invested in making our own recipes and she does that-" He had caught himself in mid-sentence when in the midst of traveling from his home to Hulbury on the bridge overlooking The Wild Area the two of them would run into someone familiar. A lady wearing a dark purple sun hat and a grey/blue capsule day dress was walking their way and Haru froze a bit.
"Haru!"
"Mom? What are you doing out all the way here?" He exclaimed, catching Nessa by surprise when the word 'Mom' came out. Goji looks at all 3 of them, unsure of where it was going to go next.
- - - - - Hulbury - - - - -
- - - - - Small Marketplace - - - - -
"All these months and only NOW I get to meet the lady that swept up my son off his feet? Come on!" Haru's Mom said, having her arms crossed but was more than willing to finally talk to Nessa in person. Hands were shook and the 3 of them would find a table to sit together. Haru seemed a little anxious with this going on so suddenly, since he had a few ideas of where this was going to go as his mom sat with a leg crossed. To let the 3 of them have some privacy, and because he was there doing laps each time they arrived, Goji would spend the next few minutes doing laps around the whole city.
"With introductions out of the way Nessa is it okay if I get to know you a bit? I know you're probably busy but there's a few questions I've been meaning to get off my chest." she'd say, to which Nessa gestured politely
"Go ahead and ask away, Miss...?" she remembered that Haru never outright told Nessa her name.
"Lana. You can call me Miss Lana." Lana responded happily but narrowed her eyes suddenly to go into the mode Haru wasn't really willing for Nessa to deal with now. "What are your intentions with my son?"
Haru got a bead of sweat on his forehead and looked at the two, but Nessa didn't back down and answered as politely as she could. His mother was an empath and could sense within most people if they hid things from her either by speaking or touching them; not always immediate but it was enough to carry her through her livelihood. With a smile to Haru that reassured him that she'd be fine, Nessa answered "I intend to keep loving him and dating him for the remainder of my days as long as we both can manage it. Nobody else strikes me quite like he does, and last night he proved that when I was at my lowest point in awhile by being a shoulder for me to cry on. All because the media is full of poisonous beings, like a bunch of Ekans."
"Oh, so you two are rather close then? That's good. I got that idea from the way he spoke about you so much, but it's good to hear from the lady herself. Do you love him?" Lana fired back: a genuine question but had the air that she was making sure Nessa was being legitimate.
The Raging Wave herself smiled brightly and sat a little closer in her side of the table towards him. "I do, very much." with full confidence. Haru blushes a bit, finally finding some sort of relaxation at the moment.
Lana put both of her hands on the table and folded both over each other. "I don't want to hear of you pulling head games or doing anything stupid to hurt him, okay? Do you hear me? I hate sharing, and it's taken a lot as a mom to be able to be fully okay with it. He's an adult, sure, but as a mother that's just how I am. Surely you understand the 'mama bear' mentality: don't poke fire and I won't ever feel a reason to come back twice as hot!"
Haru's relaxation was short lived. "heh...okay Mom.."
The look in Nessa's eyes stayed focused and calm, not phased by the light questioning and smiled. She squeezed one of Haru's hands. "I assure you, Miss Lana, that nothing of the sort will happen. Honestly I was worried he'd be scared of me since I'm usually so headstrong myself, but he's been nothing short of a gentleman the entire time. The worst that seems to happen is your son gets really protective of me wanting to see certain photos of him way back in the day as a child, or have part of a sandwich."
"Ugh..." He grumbled, making her laugh and his mom raising an eyebrow in confusion.
"Sorry, WHAT was this? NOW I have to know!" with Lana now trying to stifle a laugh at whatever absurd event this was even referring to of the past. Nessa gave her a digest summary of what happened, causing Lana to look at Haru with a bemused grin, then back to Nessa. "Honestly, if you want those photos I can just lend my binder that I have, which contained even more!"
"Mom, first of all, please. Secondly, you still have those?" Haru began to beg, with Lana raising a finger in protest.
"AH-ah. It's up to your girlfriend, not you...and of course I still have them: I have almost everything saved from when you were a little boy. " Lana would say as her right hand made a pinching motion with two fingers, with Haru grumbling in response.
"I absolutely would! That'd be great to see firsthand!" sounding grateful, Nessa shook her hand but then was brought in for a hug. Lana speaks in a low volume.
"Please don't break his heart. You don't want to see me angry okay?"
Still not shaken by what Lana had said up to the point, Nessa confidently raised her chin and proclaimed "Nobody is going to hurt him anymore as long as I'm around. He's taken care of me, so I'll be there to take care of him." as she turned back to Haru who was still sitting. "Right 'Ruby'?"
His face blushed a bit with how confidently she was saying all this in front of his mom, but it was really endearing to be defended so vividly by another. At the point they were talking, Haru saw that his mother's guard went down giving her a full hug. His mother and her may not be close just yet but he saw that Lana was no longer going to grill Nessa for dating him. "That's right, 'Sapphire'."
The 3 of them would disperse, as his mother had to make up for the lost time they took to speak. As the skies clouded up and thunder was heard on the horizon, Haru took a look at Nessa. "Better get you home, sweetie. Miss Chairman is supposed to contact me later today for the you-know-what." winking to her. Getting to her home, Nessa looked at Haru and went in for an embrace. He accidentally loses his footing when getting to her door as a hand slips to her chest getting a handful.
"AH! Shit, sorry about that hon I didn't mean to just up-and-grab it for no reason unannounced!" Her 'Ruby' spoke unsure how to speak on it; flustered from the brief half second he accidentally pressed against one of her breasts with his right palm. Not even missing a beat and doing what she could to level him out, Nessa stepped forward and held him close in an embrace. Its calming effects soothed him at once.
"You have no idea how much you did for me last night. Thank you." she says as they hold the posture for a bit. Her lover gave a squeeze around her and looked back into her eyes with a sensation that he couldn't pin down just yet. He only knew that what she said earlier in the confrontation with his mother and what she did that morning made the mere act of being around her an even more pleasant experience than before.
"You're very welcome." He said before they kissed. Nessa would then pull him in with one hand going around his neck.
"It's fine by the way." she spoke in his ear.
Haru blinks. "What's fine?"
"That you touched it. I don't mind." it was her turn to have a flustered face, as when she spoke that he just went quiet. Somewhere nearby a Pidove is heard crying out while settling atop a lamppost.
"...ah. W-well..I could..in time get used to it. It's only natural to.." He began to say noticing that her eyes were looking at him with the same intensity he was feeling. "Ahhh..Nessa I'll...take a rain check on that! Love you immensely, my Sea Goddess." giving her a kiss on the cheek and then waving, with her doing the same back and watching him leave.
/'It's fine' she said? It only makes sense then. Perhaps I should start being a bit more physical../ He thought to himself while flagging down Goji so the two of them could head back home.
/I could take what he said at face value and think he isn't ready, but the poor guy just doesn't know yet how to fully deal with a woman that's forward like me, huh. It's cute. I think that we're ready for more, but I've got to be careful not to make his brain explode./ Nessa thought to herself once entering her home and setting her things down. Going to her living room and spotting a recent photo of the two of them at a carnival while he had a speck of food still on his face, she smiles. /Actually, no. Maybe I -ought- to actually push those buttons of his./
- - - - - Route 09 - - - - -
It may have been cold, but with proper equipment and Pokemon that could help keep you warm, Syra had little to worry about. Leveling up her teams as she had been continuing towards her goals, a grin flashes across her face when the Ball she threw closed; capturing the creature she had been looking to get for awhile.
"That officially puts me only 100 left until a full Pokedex here in the Galarian region. Haru, I've long since surpassed you, and now I'm almost complete." she monologued to herself in satisfaction. It almost feels like fate itself was moving things into place for her, and for what she dealt with up to this point it was all the more pleasurable.
- - - Several Months Ago - - -
[[SYRA: Hey, I know it's been awhile but I haven't heard back from you in a bit. Gabriel says he misses you. Same for me. You're probably doing something important with some research or something but I also wanted to tell you I've begun as a Pokemon trainer! Not very strong just yet but I'm doing some research at home before I take on the Challenge seriously. Chose Sobble for my starter, and he's a good boy. You'd like him. Anyways, text back when you can, Holly. Miss you, love you.]]
Syra sighed, putting down the phone. The last she heard from her friend was a bit over a year ago when she got paired up to do some service for 'someone very important relating to the history of Galar' but couldn't divulge details yet. Not one to press on the matter, Syra could only just hope that she would be safe and when possible, contact. However, months had gone by with no contact whatsoever.
/She wouldn't forget about me...right? I knew that she went to a great school and everything before getting her job, but those types of people don't just leave you behind...do they?/ the velvet haired newbie trainer thought to herself, patting her newly chosen Partner Pokemon, Sobble. "If she ever contacts me again, I should have you meet her. I think you'd like her. She's very intelligent, but there's not a thing about her job I could tell you since I don't know what she's been doing. It's probably research-related. Maybe she's a scientist or professor by now. Really pretty too."
Her phone ends up buzzing right when she said that, causing Sobble to briefly cry out at the noise. "What the...? A message?!" going to the phone and scrolling to see who it was.
[[HOLLY: I am so sorry this took me so long. Things have been incredibly rough, but it's no excuse for me not having contacted back in awhile. I haven't been in the best mindset; not in a good place. It's so wonderful to hear back from you my gorgeous Syra! I loved the picture of you that you sent: got taller, and bigger definitely!]]
Syra's face turns pink when she reads the word 'bigger' poking her own chest a bit. "I'm not -that- big..." muttering to herself before starting to reply back.
[[SYRA: You're alive! Sorry that's too soon of a comment to say: I just got worried overtime. Even my dad was wondering! Where are you now?]]
[[HOLLY: Yeah about that, I'll fill you in. Can we meet somewhere?]]
[[SYRA: Yes, but where at?]]
[[HOLLY: Your place.]]
[[SYRA: Okay. Just give me some time to prepare and I'll be ready. I assume this can't be said over text then or a phone call?]]
[[HOLLY: That's exactly right. It's a lot to go over and I'd rather not tire out my thumbs doing it, and no need to have a phone record of the conversation. Well...I dunno. I just want to see you. You won't mind right?]]
[[SYRA: Of course not! Please come by...I'll make sure to meet you outside!]]
- - - - - 35 minutes later - - - - -
A slightly taller woman would be entering in front of the yard, with Syra's father outside working on his garden as he would be accompanied with a pair of Bellossoms he hired for a job. She had dark blue hair that didn't go past her neck, thick black rimmed glasses, and a lab coat slung around her shoulder. The man in front of the yard recognized her and spoke up while carrying peppers in one hand. "Holly, it's been a bit. What, letters don't exist where you went off to? You know Syra's been wondering about you for a long time!"
Her father was a tall burly man with a stubble, medium length black hair and eyes that shone hazel.
"Yes, Ritsu, it has been awhile. Sorry...my job was not as inviting or rewarding as one thought it would be." She began to explain before their faces went to the sounds from inside the house of someone leaping from the stairs.
The front door burst open as Syra came running out to her with the intention to tackle her with a big hug, to which the lady caught easily. "You're baaaa~ack. I've missed you so much. Please tell me you'll stay at least for a bit now that you're here!"
The woman looked upon Syra with a slightly pained expression as the two embraced. Syra looked so happy that one could imagine seeing her with hearts floating above her head. "I need to update you on what's happened...alone."
"Is it..bad?"
- - - - - Upstairs - - - - -
- - - - - Syra's Room - - - - -
Syra sat on her bed with her legs crossed over and Sobble in her lap as her friend had told her what occurred as the glowing vibes she emanated upon meeting Syra again slowly dissipated into despair. She was employed by 'two very important figures' to help them on what she thought to be an important task, and up until now had no time to even tell her this since she has been out of employment for awhile. The job required complete secrecy with a nondisclosure agreement until it either was broken due to a falling out/failure of the task at hand, or the parties that created said agreement were taken in.
"Why don't you just ask my Dad to help you? He...knows people." Syra said, almost hesitantly. She knew that her father was employed by some nefarious group that he didn't want to name and rarely spoke of how he would come home to sums of cash that showed up.
"I...don't know. Syra, it's been rough. Before I was even taken in I was having problems making ends meet. Now? It appears due to my actions in what my involvement was that I've been blacklisted." Holly said, looking at the floor.
"Wait, W H A T?! So what've you been doing this whole time? Don't tell me you've been sucking away what little left you have just to stay afloat?!" Syra shouted, with Sobble making a noise of affirmation that he agreed. Holly just looked dumbfounded, like she was defeated at this point.
The woman sighed before answering. "Yes...I have been. I'm trying everything I can to see who could let me come aboard. Nobody is hiring me: intern, assistant, or not. They don't want someone who was a part of a blight on our history as a region to sabotage them. Even though I apologized to the lady I tricked, it's still not enough. Syra, I was a part of something really bad. My name can't even be pardoned because the ones I was secretly working for are spending who knows how long behind bars."
Syra saw some tears streaming down her cheeks: Holly had been keeping her appearance and smile up the whole time and was finally letting her pain out, and was embraced by Syra within seconds. "I don't know what to do...I don't want to be homeless!" she cried out.
All Syra did was hold onto her and think on options. "All because of what those two people did to you huh?"
"Yes. I think one of them was named Haru...he didn't speak much when I saw him." she replied, to which Syra's eyes widened. Her embrace loosened so she could look at the torn up woman on the floor with her.
"Back up. Haru? What did he look like?" loosening her embrace and meeting the eyes of her friend.
"Uh...is it really important? Bright red hair, thick glasses. Wore a Water Gym sweatjacket and red shoes." sniffling a bit, Holly rubbed her nose.
/...it couldn't be./ Syra's face goes into horror, remembering how she watched on television the Pokemon Gym Challengers and saw his face a few times; noting how he was an 'up and coming' promising contender for a bit before becoming Champion. Her eyes refocus back to Holly and held onto her tightly. "I...I'll figure something out Holly. Even if you have to live with me as a roommate. We won't let you go hungry."
- - - - - 2 Days Later - - - - -
"Da~ad, have you seen Gabe?" Syra called out, walking down the stairs to the living room/kitchen area.
"He went out with his Yamper you caught for him a bit back." the gruffy man said, while on his computer assembling something she couldn't fully get a good look at, with a bunch of parts laying around. They showed no discernible brand or unique appearance to them except for the large "R" on the side of one of the components.
"Traded, Dad." she insisted on correcting him.
"Huh?" he replies, holding up a hand to his right ear.
"SURPRISE TRADED, Dad. I got it by sending out a Pokemon I caught that was an extra, and I got a Yamper back! That's how Gabriel got it, remember?" waving a finger like a teacher using a ruler to point at a chalkboard.
"Ah, right right. Well if you know his usual spots you may find him." poking his head finally past the display and looking at Syra. His expression hardened a bit as he got up and walked to her.
"...Dad?" she said, backing up a little as he got closer to inspect. "What is it..?" looking suddenly tense from him getting so close suddenly.
"You going out wearing that?" eyeing the fact she was wearing some new pink leggings she got, one of the graphic shirts he got her as a present from an overseas region, boots, her bag for Pokemon and supplies, and a plaid violet skirt.
"Yes, why?" sweating a little, as her dad planted a hand past her on the wall as Syra looked away.
There was an awkward quietness, before he turned and walked back to his work station. "Don't want any young boys getting the wrong idea about you is all. I know how they think around your age. Ya ain't bringing anyone back outside your brother got it?"
Syra turned back to him angrily. "DAD. Okay, I got it. But please, I'll be fine like usual. I just want to go out and see my brother; hang out with him."
He lets out a gruff exhale. "Sorry, I know how they are, and I have to remind myself sometimes how gobsmacked I get over how you've grown. Had to make sure you'll be fine out there. Then again, I did train you to defend yourself, right?"
Syra nods at him, internally hating the breath of some alcoholic drink on his breath. He'd be seen kneeling down back to his workstation sifting through a box of PokeBalls.
"I'll be headin' out myself later and see if I can't get some extra money for us for the week. Come back at a decent hour, y'hear?" he calls out. Syra doesn't answer immediately. "SYRA!"
"Y-YES! Dad, I heard you. I'll be back at a good hour like a good girl!" she said back, before exiting and muttering under her breath. "Bastard needs to bugger off..."
It took Syra a few minutes but she finally found her brother. What she wasn't counting on, however was the scene that was there on her arrival.
"Gabe..! There you are, I've been looking...what's wrong?" she ran to an eventual stop when it became noticeable that he wasn't in a cheerful mood as usual. Getting closer she saw he was hunched over the Yamper she gave him, who lay still on the grass.
Her brother tearfully looked back up at his sister. "He just...stopped moving. Sis can you help him? Please? He's been like this for almost a minute."
Immediately going into action, Syra dug into the small bag carried around her waist and got out 2 bottles: a Full Restore and a Revive. Unsure of whether the little pup-like Pokemon was knocked out, poisoned, or otherwise, she used the Revive on him first. No response. She used the Full Restore on him. No response.
Her brother got noticeably more panicky. "Syra I don't wanna lose him!"
"We're not going to lose him! Help me pick him up carefully: we're going to the nearby PokeCenter."
The two siblings would bolt to the nearest Pokemon Center that was open without wasting any time. The only thing on her mind was to simply hang out with her brother and try to teach him some of the basics she had learned of being a Pokemon Trainer with him; she would be unaware of whatever cursed their day.
- 1 week later -
Syra is staring out the back window from within her own room, looking over her brother who was outside. Gabriel stood before a small dirt mound that had been dug up with some flowers, a few stones, and a picture buried with the mound, too. How the happiness within their family suddenly came to a crashing halt was something that was plaguing her mind. It turned out that there was a birth defect with the Pokemon her brother had; low IVs that gave way to problems enabling it to breathe as well as others within the same PokeDex entry. No matter what they tried at the PokeCenter, nothing could be done to reverse however it came out. It was merely born to just perish, and unfortunately it fell to Syra to feel the guilt of the whole thing. This would have been fine just by itself, had it been not for the conversation that morning with him.
/"Sis, is this what it's like to raise Pokemon? Is it always going to be like this?"/
/"Gabe, I'm sorry. I-I should have been better to check him before just giving him to you. I haven't even begun the Challenge yet because I'm staying here to study first...but that's no excuse. Even if it wasn't mine, and I got it in a trade, that also doesn't excuse it."/
/"No, it's fine. But...I don't want to be one anymore. I'd rather just become some office worker, or maybe whatever it is Dad does. He was my best friend...and I let him down."/
The conversation broke her heart; all the blissful happiness she saw her brother have with a little companion beside him disappeared swiftly as the thoughts and life of another went with him. He wasn't exactly dreaming of aiming for the Championship title, but she knew he wanted to go in a similar path that she was pursuing.
/"Dad what are you talking about, 'not enough'? You're paid by your job right? What are you saying it's too much or you're waiting on something else?/
/"I'm sayin' that earlier when I went out some little snot kid cleaned me out! We had an extensive battle, but he managed to win. So of course I owed him. Not everything mind you, but enough to warrant being prize money. Still, it doesn't mean we're poor, it's just...Syra, I can't. Even though I want to give Gabe's friend a proper sendoff..."/
/"Okay, but can I ask you something? Did you get a name?"/
/"Now don't go getting any ideas young lady. He beat me fair and square, and that's how it goes. We who work for my Boss aren't supposed to take it to heart if we go down. That's how it is, you know."/
/"Dad, a name, please. Something, anything. Maybe I can take this person on and make it right somehow."/
/"...fine. So I didn't catch his name, but he's some kid with curled bright red hair, thick black glasses-"/
/"-and was he wearing a Water Gym Sweatjacket?"/
/"Yes, how did you know...?"/
Syra thought back to the other conversation and her fists clenched. Was fate itself toying with her? What did she deserve to have two events happen back to back involving him of all people in her life? They never even met a single time, nor did she ever have any ill will towards the guy. He wouldn't even be aware of this either, most likely blissfully ignorant as his journey to Champion still continued. It wasn't fair. Something had to be done. She felt like her sanity was going to snap any second, and that it would only take one more push to have it realized.
Then a thought occurred to her, and Syra ran downstairs to check on something. Going to her brother's room she would search for the leftover PokeBall that at one point contained her brother's furry friend, opened it, and checked the number inside it. "Good, the ID number is still inscribed on it. I can check this at the PokeCenter."
- - - PokeCenter - - -
Syra put the PokeBall inside the machine that printed League Cards, helped trainers manage their boxes of Pokemon, and other tasks; choosing to look up the number of the original trainer that she traded. The thought didn't occur to her initially to attempt looking up the numbers at home, wanting to confirm her hunch from an official source. It was traded twice over, meaning that the ID of the original person she got it from had it traded to them. Searching up the numbers given brought up only one result onscreen.
[[ ORIGINAL TRAINER: Haru ]]
Her eyes widened in horror, then searched up that same trainer ID on her Rotom Phone for records just to double-check. She had thought that perhaps another database within the region could help her make sure she wasn't going crazy by punching in both the name and ID at the same time. Alas it wasn't the case. Syra almost dropped her phone upon the search results. She saw multiple news posts and live data of the now former Gym Challenger Haru; bright eyed after defeating one of the Gym Leaders as it was a report on his career's beginnings, and grit her teeth.
The very same person who was now Champion was the very same person responsible for three different acts that caused pain to her. Pure venom ran through her veins upon confirming the suspicion she held, and her body reacted. Her eyes shut while her hands went to wipe her eyes as she was holding back tears that came back: now filled with a rage. The tears didn't stop, as the crying she wasn't doing for those few days started to stream down her cheeks. Each time one eye closed to wipe them, Syra got a flash back of seeing the events that led her here. Three times he distinctly was responsible. This was one hell of a very bad day. There was no words to describe the feeling. Part of her wanted to laugh. The other to yell. Another part wanted to shout obscenities. She merely settled for a mixture of all of them before pushing past several people to exit the building.
As Syra ran out of the PokeCenter, multiple images flashed before her eyes. Her friend Holly; blacklisted from working and nearly in poverty. Her brother; losing his best friend after becoming so close and happy as it came to her in a trade by him only to lose his ambitions after falling into a deep depression. Her father; having to pay Haru money after losing a Pokemon battle and being unable to afford a proper sendoff to her brother's friend. Adrenaline fueled Syra's legs as the girl blazed past everyone sprinting at full speed without taking rest for a single second. New thoughts invaded her mind. Anger was beginning to grow into what felt like hatred, and the mere idea of just letting sleeping dogs lie was not in the books for her that moment.
The girl found her way home, and burst into her room quickly gathering some change of clothes, a suitcase, and withdrew all the money she saved from the small Pokemon battles she got as well as money she earned from small jobs. Leaving a note on the kitchen table, she bolts out the front door without saying a word to anyone.
'Dad, I'll be back soon. At times like this I am thankful for what you taught me, but for what happened to us recently I cannot sit idly by and do nothing. I'm going to make it right for you, for Gabe, and Holly. Please don't tell Mom. I know you two don't talk to each other but still. Don't phone for me either. It won't be long.
- Syra'
She took the train to an airport station and upon entering it, would get a two-way ticket to one location she knew she had to get to no matter what was about to come her way.
- - - - - Kanto - - - - -
- - - - - Saffron City - - - - -
It was a very, very strange place compared to her homeland. Syra had only gotten to the new place mere hours before arriving here, but thanks to some snooping around her Dad's desk and looking into logs on his computer when he was unaware, she traced where his real job was at and decided to take things to a new level. Upon entering the Game Corner, lots of people were seen playing what seemed to be gambling machine games with noise so loud it could make a normal person deaf. Even hours later after landing in the region, Syra was high off of her discovery. Waltzing to the lone man standing near a poster on the wall, he's seen twitching a little in surprise towards her marching up to him.
"Hey, what is it? Did you want something?" he asked, tipping his hat up to see the girl who was a little taller than him. Syra said nothing and pointed to the poster behind him. "I'm sorry but I can't let you in."
"Suit yourself: I'll let myself in, then." she replied.
"Wait, what..?!" he shouts as the last image he saw was a foot rising to his face.
- - - - - Kanto - - - - -
- - - - - Team Rocket HQ - - - - -
[[WARNING INTRUDER REPORTED AT THE TOP FLOORS! BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A LONE GIRL: LONG BlACK HAIR, CARRYING ONlY ONE POKEMON ON HER WAIST]]
The warning blared in the underground lair that was hidden beneath the Game Corner, as several Grunts filed together and would run upstairs to meet their intruder head on. She wasn't having any of this: not now, not ever. Leapfrogging over some of the grunts, it was shown she currently had no patience to do a Pokemon battle and brought one simply to have as extra security. Pummeling them all down with her fists and feet before they so much as threw out their PokeBalls at her to challenge her to a fight, Syra bloodied multiple grunts that got in her way utilizing her knowledge of self defense; being an unruly child did have its perks. Grabbing a female grunt by the collar after pinning her to the wall, Syra points to the floor tiling next to them. "YOU! Tell me how to navigate this archaic, stupid maze of yours so I can meet your boss!"
The female grunt coughed up a little spittle in Syra's direction, causing Syra to change her expression from anger to arousal. "oooh~ I love it when other girls play hard to get who look cute like you. Sorry, but I guess I'll just figure it out !" headbutting the grunt to knock her out, then turning to the grid and rubbing her wrists. Syra spits a bit of blood to the side. "Man, without your Pokemon you guys are pretty weak. Then again, you ARE from Kanto."
A large double door would be kicked open, causing one of the doors to fall a little off its hinges as Giovanni stood up; surprised as his Persian hissed at her ready to attack. Syra just eyed the Pokemon with a stare strong enough to paralyze most people, and took out the PokeBall that she carried with her up until that point. Tossing it to the side, a tall multi-armed Pokemon came out: a perfectly bred Machamp that had its strength maxed out.
"What the-?! What's the meaning of this, who are you?" Giovanni shouted, looking as the Machamp had leaned forward menacingly.
"Just as an aside: I can't tell this Machamp what to do since I don't own any badges. However I assure you that I can suggest you follow what I'm going to say otherwise he'll do more damage to you than I did to your pitiful grunts upstairs." she spoke in a soothing but evil tone of voice. She flicked some of her hair past her shoulder since it had gotten some dirt in it from the fighting that finished mere minutes ago. "Name's Syra. From Galar."
"I see...from what can be gathered in the short time you took to get here, you're what, a daughter of someone that works for me? A disgruntled ex-employee?" the man spoke back; annoyed, but not shaken.
"You employ my father, Ritsu, of Galar. I traveled all the way here to speak with you personally." putting one hand on her hips.
Giovanni readjusted his collar and spoke with reverence."Speak your piece, girl. Before you cause any more trouble and bring in the likes of some other meddlesome youths like yourself here. I'm a busy man, and it doesn't look like you're here to settle things with a Pokemon battle."
She confidently nodded in agreement. "I'm sure you are. I've come to ask a favor of you..."
- 10 minutes later -
Giovanni had poured himself a drink upon listening to Syra's story, as she had sat at the chair across from his desk. "Understood, girl. Your friend shall be given a home here where she can flourish her intelligence and work for a purpose greater than herself. After looking into what she did myself after you gave me her name...it seems she will be very useful. Anyone who's defying anyone related to Team Rocket shall face a penance."
Syra's arms crossed over each other with a smirk. "I know you want something in return for me busting the faces of multiple grunts of yours. Name it."
Giovanni thrust out his glass before taking a sip again from it. "Galar is a region I do not have a threshold inside yet, and currently have been fighting just to continue working with; it has many Pokemon that do not exist anywhere else. Our HQ has many projects with many interested 'eyes' looking to us for help. Buyers, if you may so nicely call them."
"Okay then. You want Galarian Pokemon? You got it. I'll send to you as many as I can gather. But only if you can help me on this idea of, oh I don't know, making things right by defeating this unruly man that thinks the only thing that matters is 'being the best'; damned the consequences?" she would reply with a leg crossed over the other.
"You give me someone with great smarts; someone I would have found most likely. Since I request you bring Pokemon here, and you're doing that much maybe I'll help give back some of my Team Rocket's finest bred Pokemon and Pokemon supplies possible. But a warning to you: part of this deal means that you do not bring suspicion to Team Rocket by any means necessary. If you compromise us while on your so-called 'quest', you can kiss your progress goodbye. Whatever Pokemon you get from us, the money you earn using them, and badges earned, will be revoked." the nefarious leader of Rocket said, standing up extending an arm.
A sickly, evil smile came on her face. "All-or-nothing? Heh. That's fine. It's time I stopped putting my face into the books anyway: it's been almost 2 months since Haru became Champion, and I'd better make sure it doesn't last much longer. All I'll need is an endorsement." Syra grabs the hand and shakes firmly, before turning back to leave and recalling the Machamp into her PokeBall.
"You'll get your endorsement, and we'll keep in touch, girl." he calls out before she leaves.
She pauses before facing him again one last time. "Good. But seriously, you need better security. I was trained by my father which is how I barely had to use Pokemon to get here, and he's told me my perceptive abilities and reflexes are above normal. Guess you found that out too hmm? Looking forward to working with you, Boss. Oh, and I'll send you my measurements for my uniform."
One of the door shuts as the other still hangs a little of its hinges; Giovanni relaxes finally with his Persian going to his side. "What a scary woman she is...I've seen ambition like her before and I know better than to fight against it."
Upon leaving, Syra makes her way past the multitude of grunts she physically knocked out, and comes to the one female grunt she almost liked enough to be serious earlier. Leaving a small note, her full number and placing it on her hat with the words "Call me" written on it.
- - - - - Galar - - - - -
- - - - - Syra's Room - - - - -
A few days later, Syra arrives abruptly and manages to avoid running into her Dad for the moment. Going straight up to her room after putting the Machamp Pokeball back in the same spot, and then getting to her computer, Syra goes hard into preparation mode. The first thing she searches for is the entirety of Haru's career.
/No doubt he would be angry with me for doing this and spending as much as I had to in order to travel to such a location. He's probably going to get chewed out for it, and then chew me out for it, or punish me in some other way, but I don't care. This has gone on beyond what anyone here wants. It's about making things right. If I'm going to make this work out, I have to know everything this piece of shit has done and out-smart him. Strength isn't everything, you repugnant, tomato colored, tosh eating ponce. You do something to my family once? That's fine. I'll even look the other way. Twice? That's pushing it and I'm annoyed. Three times?/
Syra clicked on his profile and started a video file of his battles that was logged by some fanbase page of 'Champions of the Pokemon League' for Haru and hit 'PLAY'.
/You're going to face me, then, and I'm going to find anything I can that will ruin you on top of what you've done./
- - - - - Present Day - - - - -
- - - - - Motostoke - - - - -
/They're just lounging around...nothing really worthy of taking note. How does he make sure they're in top shape?/ The thought ran through Syra's mind, perked up on a building's roof with binoculars in hand pressed towards herself to see through them. Viewing from afar, she got a perfect glance of the backyard of Haru's home. She'd see 7 Pokemon, not 6, playing around or doing what they could to self train.
The binoculars were moved from her eyes in disbelief at the count; thinking at first she saw incorrectly. /Ah...7 instead of 6 are your 'chosen' hmm? Just an extra in case you need to cover another base? Pft./
Goji, his Cinderace, was sitting near a small fire he made to do his best at controlling the flames. She'd notice he'd try to control it as if to fire bend, and was taking notes.
"Haru's Cinderace may be a problem. Might be doing what he can to control fire better which may lead to increased PP for his moveset, or more critical hits. Knowing he does that without his trainer means their relationship is strong together as a trainer and Pokemon. Got it." Syra muttered to herself with a notepad near her; laying on her stomach to view the scene.
His Lunatone was appeared to be chatting with the Hatterene and Tsareena while the nearby Glaceon took to sitting in on the conversation; doing some self-care of her fur. Nothing terribly interesting or eye catching would be going on with exception to one detail Syra happened upon. Towards the entrance of where the backyard would lead into the house itself, she saw 2 Pokemon were together on the lawn with each other in an embrace. The Lucario was laying in what was a modified lawn chair that reclined back as a female Gardevoir had joined his side. They too, were having their own conversation but appearing much more close than anyone else.
Putting down the binoculars, Syra wrote a few more notes. "Interesting. Didn't even know that close relations was a thing Pokemon could experience." Upon putting the binoculars back to her vision she saw the two do what looked like kissing, with the Lucario ending up giving a happy reaction and pulling up the Gardevoir off her feet to join the others. For that second it seemed almost...human. The girl spying on the whole scene sat up, putting away her gear and just looked at her notes with a slight red on her face.
"Here I thought Pokemon would interact with each other on their carnal nature, or instinct. What's all that about...? Haru has a nice relationship going and even two of his own Pokemon have one too? Makes me sick." hesitating a little to comment further to herself once her backpack was fully zipped back up again.
/Why do I feel kind of jealous of those two? NO! No, this is stupid. All that matters is why I began this whole thing in the first place: there isn't any time for stuff that will only distract me./ She thought to herself, running down the stairs from inside the building she spied on them from and exiting out to the main streets. Upon stretching out her arms and legs from having laid down for an extended period of time, her phone pings with a text message. Getting it out immediately, her eyes fill with joy.
[[G: Syra, the Pokemon you requested us to send you is on its way.]]
[[SYRA: Holy cow thank you! It's just the trump card I'll need.]]
[[G: Good. Report back tonight your results of your current status.]]
[[SYRA: Will do, sir!]]
Putting the phone in her sweat jacket's pocket on the right side, Syra heard thundering in the distance. Putting up her hoodie, she prepared for any storm that may be heading her way.
- - - - - The Next Day - - - - -
- - - - - Hulbury - - - - -
- - - - - Water Gym - - - - -
It had been a few days since Haru had Nessa meet his mother on a surprise visit when the two bumped into her, and was thankful that since the aforementioned event they were getting along. Now occasionally he'd be getting group text messages with the 3 of them in a chain being able to talk to each other freely. For Haru it was just another way to feel a slight embarrassed because Lana would discover new photos or things she had tucked away of his memory then share it to the group on the phone going "Look Nessa!" making him sigh.
This continued right up to the point when he decided to visit Nessa for a morning before any of the battles started with other trainers, carrying a bag full of to-go breakfast goodies that he prepared in his kitchen. He ran into Yuli, the cheerful Water Gym Trainer when going down one of the halls. "Hey Yuli, you seen Nessa anywhere?"
"Oh hey Ch-...er Haru. Yes, she's actually doing her morning stretches so you can find her in one of the prep rooms." she said, eyeing the bag he carried a little.
"Uh okay but can you point me to which one?" He'd ask kindly.
"Good morning beautiful." he'd say the second he walked in, as Nessa was indeed doing her morning stretches alongside some music that was playing to put her in the 'game mode' for the morning.
"Hey! I didn't expect to see you this early!" she cheerfully said before embracing him into a kiss, greeting her boyfriend. "What's this?"
"Breakfast." came the answer from him.
"You bought breakfast for me?" looking up at him.
"No I made this all for you actually. If there's anything you can't finish though, it is safe to re-heat at a later point." he said beaming a little confidently.
The Water Gym Leader herself poked around in the bag and saw an assortment of things she enjoyed to eat before big matches would happen, and no doubt would be able to chow down on during any intermission periods. "It smells great, love. Thank you. But uhm, you got a minute?"
The bespectacled Champion glanced at her with interest. "Sure, I don't have anywhere to go for a bit, what's up?" he asked before she took his hand.
"Let's talk for a minute where we aren't interrupted...since we got time." Nessa replied in an unusually lower tone of voice. It wasn't filled with dread or anxiety or disappointment but something Haru couldn't pinpoint on.
- - - - - Nessa's Office - - - - -
Haru whistles when he gets inside seeing multiple framed pictures of past events, past Gym Leaders, past celebrations, battles, meeting with Leon, a lot of trophies she won for fishing, and other assorted shelf decorations. Nessa was a decorated person in several ways, and even though they had been together for almost half a year this would be their first time with him seeing her personal work space.
The desk she had would be large but had no computer; relying on her own laptop computer she brought there which sat inside a case next to the desk. Haru hears the distinct sound of the door shutting.
Then locking.
"Honey, have a seat, please." she said again in the same tone as before, as Haru took to what she said. Sitting in the chair that was most likely as comfortable as the office chair that she had for her own desk, it then struck him odd he didn't hear the sound of her walking from behind him to the desk. Instead what happened was the chair was spun backwards to face her as Nessa stood above him.
His eyes widen when she just quietly and slowly straddles him in the chair and lays her head on his chest. One of her feet dangles off due to the seat itself not being a recliner.
"I just...want some time to us without any eyes barging in on us for a bit." Nessa spoke quietly, as one hand held onto his red shirt that poked out of the Water Gym sweatjacket he was sporting. For some reason his mind went to thinking of the worst scenario from the way she set this up, but saw that she just wanted a quiet moment with him. One of his hands goes around her back in an embrace while the other half wraps around her other side only to have his hand caress her face.
"Work stressing you out?" he asked.
She shook her head "Mm-mm. I'm actually dealing with it well. Thankfully nothing else came of that stupid conference that I left. Nobody has been bothering me about it, outside of the occasional remark I hear. Just like the seas of Hulbury, I too, ebb and flow. For now, I'm easily going with the flow." her blue eyes settled on his hand that was near her face and nuzzled his hand a bit.
"I suppose this sort of thing is something I'll be dealing with too once I transition to being a Gym Leader. Like before, if anything happens I'll come to you for advice. Smack talk from jealous people however, I can handle." Haru chuckled a bit, thinking a bit out loud.
"I've been wondering something lately..." Nessa said, slowly shifting until her face met his and readjusted herself so that her body faced his entirely. "Haru, do you find me 'sexy'?"
*th-thump, th-thump, th-thump*
"Ahhh~ Well, of course I do. I can't stop thinking about how damn beautiful you are: you were so captivating to me on the first day we met. One of many things...that..." Haru said, albeit with a little bit of a rising sense of the moment marching towards something. The way she looked back pierced through the veil in his mind, knowing exactly how he was feeling or would think at any second. "...I like so much.." he ended his thought.
"Haru?" she started to ask, almost in a breathy tone.
His heartrate spiked a little at the next question.
"Do you ever think of wanting to touch me, like you did the other day?" Her face leaned a little closer without blinking. Despite having his heart leap to his throat, Nessa saw just how honest he would feel by not pulling away his gaze from her own. He gulped a bit audibly and maintained his look to her eyes.
"AH...uhm..sometimes..." trying his damndest to control his speech and actually maintaining it.
"What if I told you that I would be okay with that..?" she said in a whisper, sitting there.
Haru had to bite his lip, as his eyes finally broke away from her gaze for just a split second. "Y...you did say that, I remember..."
"But...REALLY touch me, I mean." she said back in the same tone that got Haru's body to harden up in several ways.
"Nessa, we're in your office and this.." His eyes looked a little off to the left before one of her hands goes to his chin and directs his view back to her face.
"Nobody has to know. They don't ever come in here unless I'm here and am not busy. I'd say I'm pretty busy right now." she spoke in a near hypnotic tone as her right hand that wore the glove for throwing her Dive Balls pinned a finger center of his diaphragm and went in a small circle. "I think it's fine to have those thoughts, but not to hold back on them. Otherwise it'll just build up and up and up and up.." her finger went up the nape of his neck to one of his ears. Nessa saw that doing this made him physically shiver a tad and found a new pleasure making him react just by her fingertip and voice alone after reinforcing the thoughts in his head. Haru was basically melting underneath her but had kept his eyes back to her, lest he attempt doing that again. "...and you just can't take it anymore."
Her eyes suddenly went wide and blush came to her cheeks, turning behind herself at the sensation of his hands grabbing on both sides of her hips, then slid down a little to get a handfull of that derriere that belonged to her. "Ah..!" she briefly yelped.
The poor guy had been mentally overloaded for the moment and was just keeping his hands there. "Does this help you figure out how damn sexy I think you are? I don't know what anyone viewing your modeling shoots say or those that try to get side glances of you in this irresistible swimmer-like outfit, but this ass of yours..it's just too much..." he flared his nostrils with his head hitting the chair.
Despite the arousing sensation of his hands squeezing her rear, Nessa looked back at him and then wrapped her arms around him. A thought hits her mind after seeing how strained he was trying to handle this whole thing, as her high left her.
"I'm sorry." she says.
"Huh..?" almost snapping him out of the whole moment while she said that phrase.
"I must have broken you being like this. I think we're close enough that we can, y'know, be a little more physical. I don't want to push you past what you're comfortable with: I really only just wanted to know firsthand if you think that way about me." Nessa would go on to say, sitting upright with a hand rubbing her neck feeling a little bad.
Haru had to readjust his glasses before looking at her straight. "I get that...I think I just need to mentally prepare myself. I think I can be ready for that soon. My body, however, says otherwise." It was time for Nessa to have her brain broken. The two of them just looked at each other with Haru letting out a small chuckle of embarrassment.
Shifting to get up, she felt THAT poke her and had to hang onto his shoulders so her balance wouldn't falter with the two of them on the chair together. "You're doing great hon. I'm sorry if it was too much." she said again, now embracing him in a sweet way. Finally, Haru's mind was able to think clearly and held her close.
Giving her a kiss, their eyes met again. "I'm glad we're going at it at our own pace, my dear Water Goddess. However don't think for a second that I don't feel you're the sexiest woman alive."
/I could have just gone through with it and said 'damn with the consequences', but it doesn't feel RIGHT for now./ was the thought running in his head.
/I could have pushed myself onto him even if he said he wasn't ready, and taken him right here but that wouldn't be right of ME right now./ she thought back in her mind, looking back at him.
"You still trust me right? Not just, y'know, for this." she asked him, while getting up off of him slowly and helping him to his feet.
He would reassure her there. "Nothing that just happened would make me think lesser of you, babe. Of course I do."
A wide, innocent smile spread across her face as she bounced a bit happily. "Good! Then I'll continue trusting you too, sexy!"
Haru's face went back to being red and nodded with her.
"Oh come on you called me sexy, so you deserve to feel like a king too!" she said laughing a little tapping him on the shoulder.
Shaking his head a bit, it took him a second to regain his composure. "Y-yeah, just give me a second to take that last compliment in."
The two looked at each other as Haru broke from the flustered mannerism he was in for a bit to be serious. "I think we're both ready to go further." as Nessa smiled brightly and felt her guilt from a moment ago disappear. It took the two a bit to work it out, but the level of consent and comfort was moving onward between them with no leftover issue.
To be fair, Haru was the type of person who was used to giving compliments, affection and care to other people but rarely able to learn how to receive them. Throughout this whole relationship he was beginning to grow to be used to hearing things. Comments such as him having the good looks passed down to him from his father, being as good of a person that he was, being able to move out of his own comfort zone for his life, and approaching adult topics with an adult mindset. Nessa was teaching him a lot more about himself as he was to her. So far they were going through a few rocky moments but came out of each one a lot stronger from them. The thought that maybe if he ever were to attempt finding 'Shiny' Pokemon again that it wouldn't matter to him as much as the fact he may have found a 'Shiny' person in his life.
The two exited her office, with her hanging onto one of his arms. "I'll be sure to enjoy the food you brought, love. But before you go I would like to point out one last thing."
The Champ turned to her when she brought up the possibility of there being more to this topic with a look of interest. She leaned forward into an embrace and whispered in his ear. "I now know one of your weaknesses...which I said I would start finding."
The ability to resist getting another reaction from him had waned though it did seem to fire back immediately since Haru gave a kiss goodbye, and a slight 'tap' on her rear causing her to yelp a bit. One wave and wink later, his exiting farewell was "So you did, Raging Wave. So you did. Love you."
"Love ya too!" she calls back, huffing a bit and realizing what just transpired.
Nessa made one of her hands into a fist and huffed from the adrenaline of having him visit. /Okay. Now I'm really fired up for today's matches!/
- - - - - Hammerlocke - - - - -
- - - - - Outdoor Markets - - - - -
Taking a detour from his usual day-to-day routine that became the norm for him for a bit, Haru decided on getting his Pokemon some supplies and new clothes for himself. Admittedly he reached a new point of 'laundry needs to be done but I'm being lazy so I'll get some new clothes first', so the necessity came for new clothes.
/I really should get better about doing this, but after seeing the sale they're having for graphic t-shirts representing some of the other Champions.../ He thought, eyeing several racks of them. A nice silhouetted one of Red and other figures representing his Pokemon team, another of Cynthia, and one that was a minimalist of Diantha. His shopping was interrupted a few times by those who were fans of his matches throughout the Pokemon League; a common occurrence at this point that meant he carried a felt tip market for autographs. One person came up and offered their apologies for some of the people that have been giving him problems over his relationship to Nessa. Haru, being a social media person with a lot of followers, only was able to slightly recall who this was but accepted the apology on principle.
"Look it's honestly real cool that you're doing it, and are still so outspoken, but I'm also an online moderator so if you need someone to help manage anything online for you let me know." His fan said: a girl with brown hair and ponytail. She wore a league outfit that had stamps of every Gym Leader's Gym, and stockings with black and red lining the sides.
"Thanks, I'll look into it since you gave me your contact information, Miss...?" glancing at the note that said 'Monika'. "Monika. Got it." The two parted ways. He mumbled a bit to himself after looking at the contact information again, flipping both sides of it. "Huh. No last name huh? Just Monika. Hmm."
Outside Haru would immediately have to re-think how he'd get back home without stumbling around too much up to the Air Taxi that could pick him up. Those thoughts would evaporate after running into someone else on the street. Someone he met before.
Facing him almost immediately upon exiting to his left, a very familiar long velvet haired girl stood to him.
"!"
"!"
Both of them met eye to eye with the exact same type of intensity one would give off before challenging the other to a Pokemon battle, and Haru just cursed a little under his breath.
/I only have one Pokemon on me and if she were to challenge me right here it probably wouldn't be that good of a fight. She may be fully prepared.../ Came the thought to his head.
"It's interesting to have met you again, Haru. Having a good day I assume?!" Syra spoke with one arm going behind her, fetching one Pokeball sneakily from within the bag she kept.
A bead of sweat formed on his forehead. For some reason as the two locked eyes, the intensity from her staring him down was shadowing her physical appearance. The words of Nessa awhile back came to his mind again as Syra stared him down hard with a poker face; noticing her breathing was calm. Haru could almost physically make out a ridiculously violent aura of power surrounding her body.
/"Haru? My Love? Please don't take this the wrong way, but I want you to be -very- careful around that person. There's something...wrong about her. I-I don't know what but something is telling me to be very cautious."/
"Sure am. You know how it is...being Champion. Days are rarely not busy. Even though I'm not hunting for Shinies I still got plenty to do." he spoke up with his eyes staying locked to hers.
/Being right here in front of him makes me feel so alive. He looks like a prey caught in the vision of a predator. That brief moment of despair is such a turn-on. I couldn't tell exactly when I was following him not long ago...but now I can tell. He's as dangerous as everyone said he was in battle./ Syra thought to herself, seeing an equally large aura of power looming around his body too and taking careful notice of one of Haru's arms going behind his back slowly as the other had set down the bags he was carrying.
The intense quietness of the two saying nothing to each other for a period of time and meeting in the middle of the street caught the attention of a few people.
"What's it gonna be, Haru? You man enough to go a round, or are you too Pidgeyshit to face a random challenger in the streets?" She called out with her eyes glaring at him. Haru catches wind of her expression and another bead of sweat forms. He got the feeling that there really WAS a dangerous person deep down that was just wanting to break out at any second. Was he going to see what this person was like, right here in the heat of a moment?
"You know, I didn't exactly come prepared. I only brought one with me since it was supposed to be an off day and my team is back home. To what do I owe you for this? How shall this go, then?" He calls back, as the two barely blinked and felt some sort of a clash growing.
"That's fine, then. One Pokemon. I'll only use one of the Pokemon I have on me. Just an exhibition match to test myself. This won't count for the League, but please just this once, satisfy a curious Challenger's request for a duel." her thumb clicked the PokeBall in hand to get it ready to throw.
/Even the way she's speaking.../ He began to think before replying to her without a long wait. "Sure thing. Syra was it? I accept."
Syra's eyes kept at him but her gaze breaks away to look past him as something caught her eye. There's something that shines in the light past him from an elevated surface, as she's able to make out the shape and color of a figure wearing all black. She sees a few floating objects rise up then fly towards them. Syra runs towards Haru.
"GET DOWN!"
"WHAT THE-!?"
She tackles him to the ground suddenly as several large rocks go flying by both of their bodies and colliding into one of the outside benches causing several people to run in fear; thinking it's another terrorist attack like at Wyndon Stadium. Haru looks up at Syra who's straddling him with her chest in his face, then upside down from the ground towards where the attack came from. Syra looks down, blushes and then gets off of him. "HEY! YOU!" she calls out to the figure who is seen withdrawing a Pokemon then setting off to run after hopping down a trash chute into the alley. Haru makes chase with Syra after she sets off.
"You know, being able to spot something like that and react so quickly: you got excellent reflexes you know! Did you catch anything specific?" He asks as he's able to keep up at the same pace as her. Syra parkours over a fence with Haru doing the same but more clumsily.
"All I saw was that whoever this was sent what appears to be the attack 'Ancient Power' and was wearing black! Definitely sketchy, and they're interrupting our match before it even happens!" she yells back at him.
Several more rocks are thrown at them, but with the Challenger and Champion expecting to be attacked they both avoid it. Haru narrowly escapes being scraped on the side of his jacket as Syra is seen tossing out a Pokemon: Corviknight.
"Hey Corviknight: help us trap this jerk that tried to kill Haru just now!" she calls out, as the Pokemon cries out before flying off. It's heard putting a stop to the assailant who ends up running into the giant bird face-first. Syra and Haru catch up, Haru a bit more out of breath than Syra who was still standing. She points to him. "YOU. TURN. AROUND."
Her eyes widen with several emotions hitting her face at once. The person was donning the colors she knew all too well with a giant red "R" on the front.
/What the fuck...?/ was all that ran through her mind.
"Team Rocket's ACTUALLY in Galar?! What does such an organization want with me?! Why did you do that, you could have killed me!" Haru is heard yelling, as it was Syra's turn to start sweating on her forehead.
/What the hell is going on? Giovanni you didn't tell me I was going to be getting someone else here...! Damn it! This is turning into a mess!/ she thought, gritting her teeth angrily.
The person does nothing but just holds up a PokeBall in guard. "Stay back you two! I'm doing this for the sake of the greater good of our organization! Haru is a problem that needs to be taken out!"
Haru looks at Syra, and walks up to her before putting a hand on her shoulder. Her nervousness disappears when he does that and looks at him. "Syra, you had a bigger team right? Why don't you handle this? It could be a way of you showing me how strong you are in person."
/WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GETTING SO CLOSE AND ACTING SO CHUMMY TO ME?!/ Syra thought with one eye twitching as he said that, but looked back to the Grunt before her and exhaled slowly. "Okay, look. I don't know who you are, but because you pissed me off you'll have to leave and never come back if I defeat you. Got it?"
The Grunt said nothing and threw out a Pokemon: Mamoswine. Syra smirked and found the perfect Pokemon to recall into the fight, sending out Arcanine.
"Look, Team Rocket, I don't have time for your shit right now. All that matters to me is having a nice match with our Galarian champion right now. So I'm going to have to do this in one shot. Unfortunately for you, that seems like an impossibility." Syra would say before pointing forward an attack at the same time as the Grunt herself shouted.
"FIRE BLAST!"
"HYPER BEAM!"
Haru had to hide behind a large dumpster before the attacks fired off, seeing that the Arcanine from Syra's side jumped to avoid the attack and gave a critical hit as the flames swarmed over Mamoswine's body. The attack knocks it out immediately in one hit. Before The Grunt could get a chance to try and escape, Syra runs at them again and tackles them down, whispering to their face.
"I don't want to see you come-...hey wait a minute." she held off on her own assault from beating up the Grunt as her eyes glazed over the details. Seeing the stitching of the outfit up close, including the red "R", a new conclusion came as she looked back to shout at Haru. "This is a fake! They're not with Team Rocket at all!"
"What?! How can you tell?" he poked his head from around the corner of the building. Syra yanks the person up off their feet and uses another arm to restrain them. He saw up close the poor stitching and the poor quality of the overall outfit. The two ended up laughing a bit at the pathetic attempt of mimicking Team Rocket realizing it was just someone being overzealous and reckless.
- - 10 minutes later - -
The fake Team Grunt is taken away by authorities cursing Haru for who he is; the summary they both came to was that he was simply an overzealous fan who wanted to get 'back at him' somehow because he was a Nessa fanboy and figured wearing a disguise would pin the blame on them instead of himself. Syra stood watching as he was taken away with her arms folded. Her buzz was killed, with Haru being none the wiser for the moment clapping for her taking him down. His mind went back to what Marnie said to him upon visiting her and Piers' home.
/"You don't think that just because you get along with all of the Gym Leaders, are dating one of said Gym Leaders, are life long friends with the ex-Champion, and even are on good terms with Ex Chairman Rose that you created any enemies along the way?"/
Haru wondered if this was related to that incident, or if it and the explosion at the stadium were isolated events. That, too, would pass as he walked to Syra giving a back pat to her, with Syra looking back at him with her face seemingly perpetually pissed off.
"You reacted rather quickly, and had just the right Pokemon to take him down. Pretty amazing that you came prepared. Otherwise it would have been a little harder to deal huh?" the redhead said with a bit of pride seeing how good she battled.
Syra looked to him and huffed, blushing. "It wasn't for you. Besides, we still have to fight."
"Ah, of course. Let's not waste more time before getting to that, hmm?" he would say, walking some distance away from her before about-facing. Syra's eyes changed back to what they were before the two were rudely interrupted with an arm going back to reach for another PokeBall.
It was completely quiet for a bit before either one moved an inch as the intensity of the atmosphere before rose up again. Neither one moved before both threw out a ball at the same time. Haru's chosen one was Flygon, and Syra's was Arctozolt.
"Okay that's a new one I haven't seen." he spoke out.
"Like him? He was a rough one to get for a bit, but I'm proud of this little baby. I traded a Shiny for him." Syra said proudly with her arms folded over each other.
"YOU GOT A SHIN-grr.. Sweet Fanny Adams, how is it everyone else has luck like this but I don't? Whatever, it doesn't matter!" Haru said, flustered upon hearing that but shrugged it off. Haru calls out to his Flygon. "Flygon let's try to make this go as quickly as possible: see what she's made of. Use Superpower!" His Flygon cries out and goes straight for the opponent in front of it with the move, causing a good deal of damage. Upon coming back to its side of the battle however, Haru notices Flygon seems a little frozen in its state.
"HA! Paralysis. Guess you didn't count on this one you have no knowledge of also having the ability 'Static'. In it, my opponent, you, had a 30% chance of having your Pokemon getting paralyzed through physical contact." Syra proudly exclaimed with a cocky laugh coming on, before throwing a gesture out commanding Arctozolt to use 'Blizzard'. Haru shields his eyes as the opponent blasts his Flygon with the intense ice based move and knocks it out in a single hit. Not knowing that despite them both at an advantage of the other, Flygon would be weak by more than double of what it was dishing out against her own.
Upon retrieval of the Pokemon, Haru sighs a little feeling a bit bummed on the loss...but since it wasn't an official match and he had no preparation without a good team he doesn't let it go to his head. Syra on the other hand, looks quite pleased with herself and is smiling proudly. It wasn't a legitimate match but it gave her some experience as the act of defeating Haru even once filled her with so much joy she looked like she was going to cry happy tears.
"You did good, Syra. Admittedly Flygon wasn't my best choice but he was one of my best ones. Even though you beat me, in an exhibition match like this, I still owe you." walking back towards her, causing Syra to look at him in confusion.
"What are you talking about?" with her raising an eyebrow and looking to his hands as he got out his wallet. Her face blushes and angrily shouts. "HEY! I don't need your damn money! This isn't something where I need your charity!"
"Whoa hey hey~ okay...but you still won-" he began to say.
"LOOK! I don't need your money or anything! Just knowing I beat you was enough!" She replied, balling both hands and trying to hit him over the head. Haru puts his arms over his head to guard but is slightly laughing since she's a tad shorter than him and can't help but find it amusing. The moment is put to a halt when he hears her stomach growling loudly and Syra holding onto her stomach with one arm.
"Well. Okay. I can't pay you like we're supposed to be doing when someone loses but I can clearly do something else for you that's probably going to matter more in the end." The Champ would say in an almost smug manner that had Syra look away gritting her teeth. He came back teasing her some more for his own amusement. "You sure you don't want something for your trouble?"
"I don't need anything from you. I'll come back with a full team and we're going to fight in the Pokemon League Arceus Damn i-" she would say before the sound of her stomach growling cut her off again. The pain of her hunger made her kneel down to the ground with her arms around her stomach. It was so aggressive it brought tears to her eyes and just looked back up to him with her still very pissed off expression. "Fine. I want a KarpBurger Meal!" she says almost in a bratty fashion and red blush on her face.
- 10 minutes later -
"You have an intense aura about you when you're willing to fight in a Pokemon battle, but you're really just like anyone else aren't you huh?" Haru jokingly said as the two walked out as she had a small bag from a fast food place munching on freshly fried chips. Haru had treated her to a full size meal to go with herself eyeing him with a throbbing vein in her forehead.
"Don't think this means anything; like I owe you! But thank you." Syra fired back, holding the bag to herself as the two fellow Pokemon trainers exited. Despite the aggressiveness and deep seeded hatred she supposedly held against Haru, the two were able to somehow keep conversation going almost the whole time. Eyeing him the entire time they were there except for ordering the food, Syra would be at new odds within herself. The thoughts she was having would be interrupted however when someone called to both of them.
"Aye, what's all this then...?" came another voice, a shorter girl wearing a punk looking jacket and pink frilly top. It was previous Gym Challenger and current Gym Leader of Spikemuth, Marnie, and next to her the Pokemon, Morpeko.
Syra just eyed daggers at Marnie munching on another chip slowly. "We had a Pokemon battle earlier and instead of the usual prize money, Syra here wanted a meal." Haru would explain, gesturing to her. Marnie looked her up and down and felt some clash of lightning-like tension when their eyes met.
"You're en route to challenging the Pokemon League when the stadium gets rebuilt right? I'll be watching you, so good luck." she'd say trying to break the ice between the two of them.
"I hope so. I want everyone to watch. Thank you Haru but I must be on my way. I'll be seeing you in the Wyndon Stadium." looking back at him waving with a chip in her hand. Haru waves back and gives a confident shout back when she's walking away.
"Don't think the next time will go like today, Syra." was all he had to say to get her to immediately turn back and lock eyes with him again. The casual attitude she had disappeared; replaced with burning eyes that demanded she take him down later in the Pokemon League when the time came. They both kept the glares for a bit before Syra broke it off to continue walking. Morpeko was heard hissing a litle in Syra's direction.
Marnie would be the first one of the two left to get Haru's attention back. "So, I'm glad that it -wasn't- what I initially thought it was; then again there's no reason for me to think you'd do such a thing to Nessa."
There was a pause before Haru turned to Marnie with his arms crossed. "...huh? Is it really that big of a deal to take someone out to eat that's the opposite sex?" Haru asked with a winced, almost exasperated expression looking at Marnie because the notion sounded absurd to him.
She just ended up sighing a bit, looking at him with a palm still on her face. "So, what was she like in battle? Did you learn anything?"
He turned and gestured for Marnie to walk a little with him and kept his voice low so only they could hear between each other. "I'm unsure if it's related to what I was told before but there is something -very- different about her over everyone else. You can imagine how many people I've battled. I said before in an interview the count is in the hundreds. Syra, however...was very unsettling to me. Nessa told me herself to be very careful of her the next time I met her."
"What Nessa said? I didn't hear about this." raising an eyebrow, the goth girl didn't know about what he was referring to at all.
Putting a thumb to his lip, Haru looked at Marnie with a bit of concern growing on his face. "She said that she had a bad feeling about her when we both ran into her not long ago. It was a bit of an odd situation where she just showed up but I didn't think much at the moment. I just thought I was casually meeting someone who was maybe a fan or something for me. Nessa battled her in the Gym Challenge and gave her a Water Badge. Nothing too big. But for some reason on this last occasion she gave the impression that Syra was completely different. Neither of us are really sure on the trigger to explain it either, but the entire time I was standing near her I felt it."
"What did it feel like to you?" both Marnie and the Morpeko looked to him, with her Pokemon riding on her shoulder and glancing over.
He finally zeroed in on a way to describe it and felt horrified about comparing it to another situation. His mind flashes back to a long while back when him and Hop were facing down what felt then like the end of the world. A large beast that loomed over them with a raging storm in the skies with no discernible face to express its dark powers but still gave off the feeling of true despair. Back then, it felt like he was just a mere pawn doing what he could to fight off a titan.
"It was like Hop and I were fighting Eternatus..." he said slowly, with his eyes meeting Marnie. For some reason, the statement alone made him uneasy to his stomach.
"Wait, you're saying Syra gave off that impression by herself?" the goth/punk girl would exclaim. Her friend would nod, before shuffling with his bag of clothes and Pokemon supplies as the sounds of thunder echoed through the skies. Turns out that the forecast may have been a bit inaccurate to say that rain would come later, and as such he'd have to head home sooner than later. Not one to take into account things like broken glass or stepping on cracks being bad omens, Haru wouldn't be shaken up by the weather change. He had learned throughout his adventure that the most dangerous things to exist weren't necessarily supernatural forces beyond his comprehension, but people themselves; cliche as it were. /No, that'd be silly. There's no way I should be feeling this way about just a simple girl with burning eyes...right?/
- - - - - END CHAPTER 8 - - - - -
