Chapter 6 - Re:act
Hello and Welcome back to Pokemon Re: Dux! We're kicking off the second "arc" in this first part of the story with a bang! I redid the poll on discord to get some real results and the winner of Retsuko's Pokemon will be revealed in this chapter! Retsuko has slipped into a slumber after losing to Ascension. What are the results of the plaza attack? Is everyone okay? Read to see!
2027 - Unova, Star City
"Retsuko..."
"Retsuko..."
"RETSUKO."
Retsuko awoke to an extremely bright light shining on his face.
He winced and moved his arms in front of his eyes to block the light.
Retsuko had always had issues with his eyes, specifically his ability to adjust to the light. He was very susceptible to bright light and his eyes were very easily irritated.
He reached over and moved his arm off of his bed, attempting to pick up the glasses on the same desk where he had kept his Pokeballs.
He felt around but was surprised not to find them sitting there.
Retsuko immediately sat up and realized that he wasn't in his room, and instead in some sort of strange medical facility.
The room was a bright white color, with 7 other medical beds beside the one Retsuko was sitting on.
On the bed right next to him, slept the pokemon that he had fused with during the attack.
The tray that he had mistaken for his desk was a large medical bin with tools and equipment on the top.
"Where are we?" Retsuko asked himself aloud, looking around the room.
He was attached to some sort of machine through a cord that was connected to his shoulder.
He gasped, his eyes widening, as he remembered what happened before he fell unconscious.
Worried about his friends and Pokemon after the attack on the Plaza, Retsuko's drowsiness immediately went away.
"Hey! Wake up!" Retsuko called out to the Semi-Aquatic Pokemon.
Retsuko's shouting slowly woke up and she jumped back after noticing where she was.
She jumped off of the bed and began to walk around the room on all fours.
She began to jump from counter to counter, inspecting the room like a curious Litten.
She hopped on top of the tray next to Retsuko and saw a purple bottle on the tray that piqued her interest. She picked it up with her mouth and dashed around Retsuko's bed with it.
"Wait, stop it-" Retsuko said, attempting to get out of bed.
The second his feet touched the ground, he slipped on the liquid inside of the bottle that the pokemon had spilled.
Retsuko stood up and snatched the bottle out of her mouth.
"Shit!" He exclaimed.
He turned around but slipped a second time and the cord that connected him to the machine that he was attached to snapped as he fell.
An extremely sharp pain ran through his entire body, and the Pokemon began to experience the same pain as Retsuko, and she fell onto the floor beside him.
The pain they felt disappeared for a second and then reappeared as a harsh jolt of agony in their abdomens, invoking a yell from Retsuko.
He held his breath and closed his eyes, attempting to avoid being affected by the toxic chemical, and a girl wearing a Doctor's uniform with a pin that resembled a Pokeball ran into the room along with her Lopunny, who was wearing a similar uniform.
She crouched at their side and picked up the bottle on the floor, taking out a mask and putting it on.
"They're awake! Hey Retsuko, can you hear me!?" The girl shouted at him.
As Retsuko lost consciousness, he mumbled the girl's name in confusion, recognizing her face.
"S-Saabrina..?"
2027 - Unova, Star City (8 Hours Later)
Retsuko woke up with a jolt and again found himself in the same medical facility.
He turned to his side and saw the girl, still in her uniform, at his bedside.
The girl resembled Retsuko and Naoki, but with brown and black hair instead of blue and black. Her hair was shoulder-length, shorter than Retsuko's without his hair clip, and her eyes were the same shade of Ultramarine as his. She was an inch shorter than Retsuko and was fairly well endowed.
"What's up!" She said cheerfully.
Retsuko blinked twice, refusing to believe what was in front of his eyes.
'"Saabrina?" He asked her.
The girl nodded.
"With two A's!" Saabrina said.
Retsuko sat up, wincing a short bit at discomfort in his abdomen.
"Wait, be careful. You got hurt pretty bad. And the spill didn't help." Saabrina warned him, helping him up.
"Where is she?" Retsuko asked her, narrowing his eyes at her.
Saabrina pointed to the bed beside his, where the pokemon slept peacefully.
Her wounds were completely healed, and the machine was spraying a calming mist onto her body.
Retsuko sighed in relief and returned his attention to Saabrina.
"I thought you were still in Kalos at the academy. Why are you here in Unova?"
Saabrina smiled playfully.
"Surprised?"
"Well I didn't expect my older sister to be here in Unova," Retsuko replied.
"I know, right!? I was studying in Kalos, but I was called in for an internship here in Unova. They placed me in this division, where I got to work directly with the Madame! It's like a dream come true!" Saabrina exclaimed.
Saabrina's Lopunny, named Na'na walked into the room with a tray that had two glasses of water on it and some vitamins.
She handed Retsuko a glass of water and two pills.
She then placed the tray on the table beside the pokemon's bed and walked over to Saabrina's side.
"Thanks, Na'na," Retsuko said as he received the water.
"Lopunny-pun," Na'na replied with a small smile.
"Take the pills. They should help ease the pain." Saabrina suggested
Retsuko tossed the two pills into his mouth, took a big sip of water, and lowered the cup to his lap.
"That reminds me, Retsuko," Saabrina added, catching her brother's attention.
"Hmm?" He responded.
"You took a lot of damage to your body during the attack. So did friends, but you were missing a large chunk of your abdomen and lower stomach.
Retsuko looked through his gown and his eyes widened when he noticed a fairly large gash running down from his lower chest to his abdomen.
"I'm fine." He responded, completely disregarding Saabrina's statement.
He looked back down at his mark and was reminded of the fight with Ascent and the Orakuru.
"Where are they? My friends. And my Pokemon. Where's Kuu?" He demanded.
"All in due time." Another voice coming from the front of the room answered, interrupting Saabrina before she could answer.
Madame Asther walked into the room through the automatic doors and approached the two siblings and Na'na.
"M-Madame!" The Saabrina said, hurriedly bowing.
Na'na also bowed, and Madame Asther stopped at Retsuko's bedside.
"Have they recovered?" She asked Saabrina.
"They aren't at 100%, but they're alive at least," Saabrina replied.
"Fair. On your feet, Champion. It's time." Asther ordered Retsuko.
"Where are Kyu Ichinose, Kion Diaz, and Olivia Fluerprin? And what's going on with this Pokemon?!" Retsuko sternly asked her, refusing her order.
"That Pokemon, as you call it is a Buizel. All you need to know is that your friends are safe and healthy. And that the two of you may just be the key to saving millions of lives." Madame Asther replied.
"Here are your clothes." She said as she tossed Retsuko the plastic bag in her hands.
"The clothes you were wearing at the scene of the attack were taken in for research, but we found spares at your apartment. Get dressed, Collect your Buizel, and meet us outside. We need to talk." She continued, walking out of the room.
"Miss Kourada. Return to your post." She ordered, startling the girl.
"Duty calls!" Saabrina told Retsuko, as she dashed off and left the room behind Asther.
Retsuko flopped back onto the bed and held up the plastic bag in his hands.
Through the clear material, he could see a similar set of clothing to what he had on before, with a T-shirt, a pair of black jeans, and his sneakers.
After Retsuko forced himself off of the bed and irritably got dressed, he walked over to the other bed where the pokemon slept.
She was being bathed in a mist and was sleeping peacefully.
The machine that was spraying the mist onto her body was connected to a Pokeball, and a monitor on the side of the bed monitored her heart rate.
"I wonder... Can she hear the song..?" Retsuko pondered as he watched her sleep.
He took the Buizel's Pokeball off of the machine and held it out in front of himself.
"Return." He ordered as her body became a beam of red energy that flew right back into the device.
Retsuko made his way through the automatic doors of the Medical Facility, looking at the plastic bag where Madame Asther had held his clothing.
"How come they took my dad's hoodie?" Retsuko thought as he groaned, walking out of the room.
He then found himself in a room with many desks, with large computers and workers at each one. There were weapons lined up on the walls, and a large control panel and screen in the front of the room.
There were Pokeballs and gear lined up on another panel and in the center of the room, was a pedestal with a master all in the middle.
The area was bustling with I.P.F. officers and their Pokemon, leaving Retsuko nervous and confused in the environment.
"Come." Madame Asther called out to him from the other side of the room.
She was standing beside the door to an elevator.
Retsuko dashed over to her and pressed the button on the door for her.
"Thank you." The Madame said in appreciation.
Her loud and booming voice showed her power and her presence as the Region's Dictator.
"No problem," Retsuko answered.
Madame Asther intimidated Retsuko, and even though he was the most powerful trainer in Unova, she scared him.
Asther pressed the button on the elevator that revealed a touchpad.
It looked as if it had faded onto the elevator button panel through the use of some sort of nanotechnology.
Madame Asther placed her hand on the Touchpad and it glowed green.
The elevator immediately shot downwards to the lowest level in the building.
Their declining speed was enough to send Retsuko in the air for several seconds before they slowed down and eventually made a complete stop.
"Where are we?" Retsuko asked Madame Asther as the elevator doors opened, revealing a new room below the facility.
"Several seconds ago, you were in the headquarters of the Unova International Police Force. Now, however..."
Madame Asther led Retsuko into the room.
There was even more Technology in this room than there was before, and there was a roundtable in the center of the room.
A monitor was in the front of the table, and like the room that they had just been in, there was a control panel.
The Roundtable had a built-in Projector, there were weapons and Pokeballs on the walls.
Kyu and Kion were standing in front of the table waiting for him.
They seemed to be fully healed from their injuries and their Pokemon were also fully recovered.
"Guys!" Retsuko excitedly yelled as he dashed towards them.
He fist-pumped Kyu and Kion in relief.
"Is everyone okay?" He asked them.
"We're all fine," Kyu replied.
"Where's Via?" Retsuko asked, semi-worried.
The Lieutenant from the meeting walked into the room with a tray with a Pokeball on it.
"She woke up a few days ago and has been staying at a hotel in district 8." He said.
"I believe these are yours," He continued, offering the PokeBall to Retsuko.
Retsuko grabbed Kuu's Pokeball and attached it to his belt, but the second he did Buizel exploded out of her Pokeball.
Retsuko was thrown onto the ground by the force and readjusted himself.
"What are you-?!" Retsuko asked in surprise.
She looked around and began to run around the room, inspecting everything around her.
She then playfully attacked Madame Asther with a powerful burst of water, but Asther manifested a scythe out of green nanotechnology from her sleeve and blocked the attack.
A Serperior revealed herself to the group, having emerged from a Pokeball hidden inside her scythe sleeve.
Madame Asther inspected her scythe, caressing the blade that Retsuko's Buizel was so mesmerized by.
"Bork Industries Nano-Weaponry. We've successfully found a way to incorporate the power of Pokemon into our weapons. A beautiful accomplishment. The true potential of Pokemon... Unleashed with the flick of a wrist..." Asther said.
She slid her hand up and down the blade.
"I never knew that Madame Asther even had a Pokemon... Serperior is a fitting starter Pokemon for a woman like her."
Buizel went in for another attack by jumping into the air but was quickly seized by Kou.
"Woah. Woah. Easy there buddy." Kyu warned her.
"Hey, what are you doing!?" Retsuko demanded.
"You?" The pokemon confusedly asked through her telepathic link with Retsuko.
She pointed her paw to herself.
"I can hear her," Retsuko said in awe.
Kyu and Kion turned to him.
"Can't you hear and communicate with all your Pokemon? With that Kourada family gift thing?" Kyu asked.
Retsuko shook his head. "No, this is different. My gift is something that only those in the family of Alola's kahunas can receive. We can feel their emotions and communicate with their souls. This is like... psychic." He said.
Asther sighed and sat down in a chair, urging Retsuko, Kyu, Via, and Kion to do the same.
After everyone was seated, Asther began.
"I suppose you all deserve an explanation." She said grimly.
Kion and Kyu glared at her.
Asther turned to Retsuko. "Do you remember anything that happened last week?"
Retsuko could hear the intense emotions in her voice.
"I don't have any memory of what happened after I got knocked out," Retsuko said, as his Buizel jumped into his hands.
"I should start from the beginning then."
Asther pointed to the board and the screen changed.
"Many years ago, A Pokemon named Arceus created our world. After giving his gift of life, Arceus created the legendary and mythical Pokemon, giving each of them one of his abilities so that they could rule as the gods in his place. When the first humans evolved and began to become their species, Arceus reawakened and gave his final gift to them. The power of the Elemental Type plates. Arceus merged The nine original elemental plates with the bodies and life forces of Nine early humans."
She changed the screen and it depicted an ancient mural of 9 people holding their hands up and praying to Arceus.
"Suna, Noll, Rei, Dux, Elo, Axl, Chi, Fleur, and Fin. Arceus's will caused the 9 humans to evolve together. The 9 ancient humans have the ability of 9 of the known legendary pokemon. Their powers have been passed down for hundreds of thousands of years, to every 2nd generation. Those humans could form what's called a link with a pokemon that they develop a bond. Allowing them to do what's called a burst. It's a fusion between man and pokemon, which transforms the pokemon into a spiritual armor that the human can don in battle. The power of a god."
Retsuko looked at her in awe and then at his Buizel.
Asther nodded.
"Retsuko is the descendant of one of the original 8 humans with the power of the plates and legendary pokemon. We're calling them Gijinka as a codename, and due to the water-based nature of his abilities, we think he's the descendant of the Water Gijinka, Chi. The power of the legendary Pokemon Kyogre."
Retsuko looked at his palm. He was completely speechless
Asther looked at Retsuko seriously.
"Retsuko. What you did with that Buizel is called a burst.
Retsuko leaned back, trying to process the information he'd just been told.
"Who are the Orakuru and how do they tie into this?" He asked.
Asther turned to Kion. "I suppose that's what you want to know the most."
Kion scowled at her. "Yeah. And what are those stones that you and Naoki Kourada are excavating?" He asked.
Retsuko's eyes widened, and Via looked over to Kion.
"Before then there was a great storm that befell the entire planet." A voice interrupted as someone came into the room.
"Naoki..?" Retsuko mumbled.
Naoki Kourada had walked into the room and was holding a tablet in his arms. He adjusted the glasses resting on his nose and turned to Retsuko.
"The storm was a natural phenomenon labeled the Redux, and it was the direct cause of the existence of Humans separate from Pokemon, and the reason Arceus created the Gijinka. Pokemon and humans who were originally the same were separated into separate beings. Project Redux was an experiment held by team Plasma and corrupt members of the Unova Government. The experiment was a redoing of this first Redux. Their goal was to achieve peace and equality between people and Pokemon by uniting them as a species once again. They failed, but Colress, in his quest to find the true way to draw out the strength of Pokemon, created stones called Burst Hearts. They allow the users to become a sort of artificial Gijinka."
"What does my brother have to do with any of this?!" Retsuko demanded.
"And what are those stones? And you still haven't explained to us what the Orakuru are!?" Kion added.
"The Orakuru's goal is to create a proper Redux. The stones are called Oracles. We don't know what they are or their origin, but we know that they're connected to the power of the burst." Asther said.
Kyu's lip quivered as he listened to the information.
He stood up suddenly and leaned over the table so that his face was only a few inches away from Asther's.
"I'm Kyu Yeonghon. Kanto's Champion." He said.
Asther nodded in response.
"I'm here in Unova because I heard rumors of team Plasma coming back. I also came to find my friend who I thought was dead. But he's not. I know the identity of Ascent."
Kion sat back in thought.
"Do you mind sharing?" The Lieutenant aggressive urged.
Kyu took a deep and shaky breath.
"For his safety and the safety of my family, I refuse to give you that information unless necessary," Kyu said.
The Lieutenant slammed his hand on the table and pushed Kyu into the wall.
"You listen here you little shit. What you've just done is openly admitted to withholding information from the Unova government. That's very punishable, so if I were you, I would get to talking, right the heck now!" He screamed.
"No. What he's done is punishable by death, and that's much worse than any punishment I can receive." Kyu responded.
The Lieutenant raised his arm in preparation to punch Kyu but was stopped by Asther.
"Lieutenant Blake. Leave him." She ordered.
Blake kept his hand raised in disregard.
"I told you to release him damn it!" Asther yelled, causing Lieutenant Blake to unwillingly release Kyu from his grip and lower his fist.
Kyu slowly sat back down and looked at Asther.
"I won't punish you for this. I respect your passion and determination to protect your friend." She said.
Kyu lightly smiled.
"However, I'll only bestow you grace this one time. If you withhold information from me again, I will have your head." She snapped at him, causing Kyu to slouch down in his chair nervously.
"I fought Ascent by myself..? A burst?" Retsuko questioned.
Naoki sighed and pulled out a remote to the screen projector.
"Maybe this will refresh your memory." He said as he selected a video recording from the attack.
The video began to play when Retsuko absorbed Buizel's energy and generated a massive vortex of water.
As Retsuko watched the fight on playback, his eyes widened, and the Pokemon in his arms looked at it in amazement.
"Master." She spoke, pointing her paw at Retsuko.
As the video played Retsuko looked from the
Buizel to the recording, his expression becoming more and more surprised and panicked.
Once the recording ended with Retsuko-Buizel Punching through the mask, Retsuko turned and looked at everyone in the room.
"Asther. How many people and Pokemon died during the attack? And who recorded that footage." He sternly asked.
Naoki raised his hand.
"I'm guilty of the recording. He said." Naoki's voice was blank and distant, a harsh reminder of his cold and calculative personality.
Asther remained quiet and crossed her fingers.
"ASTHER, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE DEAD?" Kion screamed.
"2880. 2880 People and Pokemon were killed either during the explosion, in the resulting collapses of buildings near it, or the tremors that happened afterward." Naoki responded darkly.
"Unbelievable," Kion said, standing up and placing his hands on his head as he walked around the room aimlessly.
"Listen, are we free to leave?" Retsuko asked, holding her arm and looking away from Asther.
"Yes. I have nothing more to tell you. Get checked out by our paramedics and then you'll be free to leave."
Retsuko, Kyu, and Kion slowly stood and left the room, leaving Asther, Naoki, and Blake.
Lieutenant Blake turned to Asther.
"I lost my wife and nearly lost my daughter and her Plusle during that attack, Asther. You're letting a man who is harboring the person responsible run free."
Asther remained quiet.
"DAMN IT BITCH, SAY SOMETHING!" He shouted. Tears began to flow down his face, dribbling off of his stubble and onto the floor.
Asther continued to sit in silence, and after four seconds, the Lieutenant walked out of the room in rejection.
Naoki turned to Asther.
"Why'd you let them go? Yeonghon admitted to aiding and abetting in a terrorist attack and Kourada is a valuable subject." He asked.
Asther waved her hand at Naoki.
"I'm not letting them go. All four of them are valuable subjects that I intend to have you keep an eye on. Trust me on this." Asther Replied.
Naoki turned around and left the room, rolling his eyes.
"Wait," Asther ordered.
Naoki obeyed and stopped to turn to her.
"Did you Obtain the Arceus Oracle?" She demanded.
Naoki whipped out the stone in a small case and spin it around his finger, answering her without speaking.
"Good."
In the private infirmary, Saabrina checked up on Retsuko, Kyu, and Kion, and was just finishing up.
"Soo...!" Saabrina squealed, walking right up to Retsuko and Kaz.
"That's so cool! It's a complete genetic fusion between human and Pokemon! It's like Retsuko's the base and your Buizel is the armor and weapon!" She exclaimed.
"Aha..." Retsuko said, visibly uncomfortable.
Buizel was given a fidget toy to keep her from exploring anywhere else and causing another accident.
"This is incredible! I have so many questions! What's it even like to BE a Pokemon!? How does it work if you're a male and Buizel is a female? How do Ga-jin-ka fit on the biological scale?" Saabrina listed.
"How much of a rush was it? Wait, we need you to find a name for your Buizel!"
"Uhh, sis-" Retsuko said nervously.
"Ooh the possibilities!" she continued, jogging over to her computer and punching in a bunch of keys.
Retsuko and Buizel looked at each other and back.
"Retsuko, can you do it on command!?" Saabrina asked.
"Bri," Kyu said.
"Or is it like an automatic ability or something? Like a protector!"
"Bri."
'Wait, since you're my brother, and you're a descendant of the original one, does that mean I'll get powers too?!" She gasped.
"Bri!" Kion shouted as he started to slam Saabrina's body into the bed repeatedly, causing her to bounce out of it, and land on the cold and hard floor.
"Saabrina. I FUSED with a Pokemon. A Pokemon, that I don't even know. I saw her in my dreams twice, and boom, she spawns out of nowhere in an attack that nearly cost me my life, and it turns out that we're descendants of gods that were literally poke humans! Retsuko snapped.
"Oh. Yes. That would be a lot for anyone to take in... heh...' Saabrina apologetically chuckled.
Kion sighed.
"Is everything okay with Retsuko?" He asked.
Saabrina turned to her monitor and saw that the scan was complete and flashing green.
"Uhh... Yup! Thanks to the Bork Industries Nanotechnology, Retsuko is completely healed from an otherwise completely fatal injury!" She sarcastically replied.
"You're good to go." She said as she turned around and faced them.
Retsuko hugged her and went out the door with Kion and Kyu.
"But if any more Gijinka shenanigans happen, then I wanna be the first one to check up on you and see what makes you tick!"
2027 - Unova, Star City I.P.F. Headquarters
Retsuko, Kyu, and Kion walked outside of the building to find Via waiting patiently for them.
Retsuko and Kyu ran up to her and hugged her.
"Via! We were so worried!" Kyu said as he gripped her tightly.
Retsuko nodded and Via placed her hand on their backs to calm them.
"I'm safe now." She said.
They separated and Via turned to Kion.
"Hey... Jax." She said awkwardly.
"Hi," Kion replied.
The two stared at each other for a good moment before Kyu opened his mouth again.
"Guys. We need to figure out what the Orakuru is trying to do with that whole ReDux thing. And what the heck those Oracles are. This is a mass extinction event we're talking" He stated.
"What are you talking about?!" Via asked.
Kion walked up to him.
"What the heck are you doing, Kyu? This is classified government information, information too dangerous to be speaking about here; Especially in front of Olivia!" He whispered.
"I don't care Kion. I'm going to protect Kiatsu, and find Aunt Karrin." He said adamantly.
Kion grabbed Kyu by the hair on his scalp and pulled Kyu's face toward his.
Their faces were centimeters apart and Kion's pale green eyes met Kyu's bright silver eyes.
"Your arrogance is pissing me off. Do you not understand the gravity of the situation? You're hiding a criminal from the government. To top it off, you snitched on your damn self, and now you're talking about it in a public space where the I.P.F. have eyes and ears everywhere! The Plaza, a monument in the history of Star City was destroyed. Hundreds were killed. This isn't a fucking joke." Kion said, flicking Kyu away when he finished.
"You know what, Kion. How about you just back off. I didn't ask for your criticism, and I told them for a reason because I have this handled." Kyu responded, grabbing Kion by the shirt.
"Then show some respect." Kion continued, provoking Kyu into anger.
"Don't you think I know about the situation? We did everything we could!"
"You're delusional. See all the bodies of those who were killed. This is nobody's fault except for those Orakuru bastards! Kiatsu's scum of the earth now. Maybe he always was. Sick bastard..."
"Why you..!"
"Quit it!" Via screamed, shoving the both of them away from each other.
"You guys just got out, and are arguing like little boys!" She said; her body trembling.
"Via! Kyu lost! I lost! Retsuko lost! We all lost! It isn't safe for you here! I mean seriously, you're just a little girl in a situation that she could never understand!'Kion told her.
"You know what. Stop it. You're a hypocrite and an Asshole, and this is exactly why we broke up!" Via screamed at Kion.
"Via, listen to me, it is dangerous here." You can't be in Unova right now." Kion warned.
Via walked up to Kion and stuck her finger in his face.
"STOP IT Kion! YOU'RE JUST MAD BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T DO YOUR JOB AND PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY, AND NOW YOU'RE PROJECTING YOUR INSECURITIES ON ME BECAUSE YOU LOST." She screamed.
People around them backed away from the two and walked in different directions to avoid the conflict they'd overheard.
Via backed away from him angrily, but Kion grabbed onto her hand.
"Via. Listen to me-" Kion repeated but was interrupted by Via squeezing his wrist.
"I SAID STOP IT!" She screamed.
A burst of what seemed to be fire exploded out of her hand, and Via stumbled backward in surprise, releasing herself from Kion's grip.
Vye wasn't anywhere near Via, and the flame didn't affect Kion in any way but it was real.
"Kyu was right. You were always terrible. Just back off. Please." She choked, begging Kion.
Kion remained quiet, only making a short grunting noise before walking off slowly.
Retsuko looked at Via as she walked off and then turned to Kyu.
"Did you see that? The fire?" He asked.
"Fire? What fire?" Kyu questioned but quickly had his hand snatched by Via.
She snatched Retsuko's hand too and began to drag them both in the direction of his apartment.
"Via, what are you doing!?" Kyu asked.
"My apartment. You guys can crash at my place for as long as you like while you're in Unova." Retsuko offered as he was being tugged.
Kyu broke away from Via's grip and sighed.
"I hate to admit it... but Kion's right. I need to take care of something real quick. Text me the location of the apartment and I'll meet you there!" He said as he ran off.
"Good, because I hate camping, and hotels in this damn city are expensive!" Via shouted.
2027 Unova, Star City District 5
Kyu walked into a building, showing his trainer ID to two Machoke guards.
He walked into the elevator and pressed a button, taking him to the top floor office he went inside and knocked on the doorway, signaling a girl to look up from her work.
The girl had light tan skin with forest green hair and red eyes. Her face was delicate and feminine, and she was wearing a white dress with red patterns flowing down it, and red glasses to match."
"Hey, Riatsu." Kyu flirtatiously said to the girl.
"Kyu." The Girl bluntly responded.
"You free tonight? I was thinking we could do something fancy?" He asked.
Riatsu looked up from her work and stared at Kyu in annoyance.
"Kyu Yeonghon. Still as smooth as ever." She said.
"Riatsu Akaba. Still as serious as always." Kyu mocked her.
Riatsu rolled her eyes.
"Come on! Loosen up a little!" Kyu said, walking over to Riatsu and wrapping his arm around her.
"What do you want?" Riatsu asked aggressively, wrestling Kyu's arm off of her.
Kyu's expression darkened.
"Listen Riri-"
"Don't call me that." Riatsu interrupted.
"Listen. Don't get mad when I say this or call me delusional but I was right. Kiatsu is alive." Kyu said.
Riatsu's expression thickened.
"Riatsu. I have info about your brother, Kiatsu." Kyu explained.
"Go on..." Riatsu said, half-sadly.
"I'm sure you know about the attack on the Plaza a week ago," Kyu said.
"Where is this going?" Riatsu questioned.
"I got into a fight with the man operating the attack, and his mask was destroyed in the conflict. I saw his face bright and clear in the daylight and it was him." Kyu said hopefully.
Riatsu's face reddened with anger and she slapped Kyu dead in the face.
"What the heck was that for Riatsu?!" He asked her.
"You come to MY region, enter MY building, and come to MY workspace to tell me that my dead brother is still alive! Then what, you're gonna tell me that Mom is still alive too?!" Riatsu shouted.
"She very well could be!" Kyu replied.
"Dammit Kyu! Just because you can't accept the fact that they're gone doesn't mean you have to bring back my pain!" Riatsu shouted in response.
She walked around her desk thinking.
"I'm the Director of International affairs, Kyu! Do you know how many wives, mothers, children, just people, in general, I've had to call and tell that that family is dead!?" Riatsu asked rhetorically.
"A lot!"
"Riatsu, I'm telling you, I saw Kiatsu. And I will chase him, even if he Is a ghost because if there is a SPECK of hope I can keep that he is still alive, then I will carry that with me for the rest of my life." Kyu responded.
Riatsu sat back down in her chair and placed her hand on her head.
"Why are you doing this?" She asked; her voice breaking up.
"Because I owe it to your family after everything you've done to help me with my... 'Condition." Kyu answered.
"YOU'RE DISEASED, KYU!" Riatsu retaliated.
"What the heck do you know, Riatsu?! Just listen to me!" Kyu begged.
"What do I know?! What do I know?!"
"I know that My Grandfather and your God-Uncle, Sir Shino Akaba, a famous neurosurgeon has been treating your VERY serious and completely new variant condition of DID or dissociative identity disorder, and it's so much so, that your physical traits like eye color and teeth shape change. I KNOW that you were not only in Kanto for the entirety of the two years between the pokemon league and now, but staying at the headquarters of his foundation so that he could poke and prod at you more easily and efficiently like a damn lab Rattata! I know that they named the alter, Moe, and after research, figured out a way for kyu to communicate with his alter, thus figuring out that he imbues your emotions into your very vulnerable Mimikyu, and uses it as a power source for battle. Does that about sum it up?!" Riatsu rambled.
Kyu looked at her in awe.
Riatsu slapped a folder on the desk and turned around.
"I read your file." She mumbled.
Riatsu turned back to Kyu after contemplating.
"Just... What do you know?" She asked.
"Does the Name Orakuru sound familiar?" Kyu asked lightly.
"I'm praying to Arceus to make it not sound familiar... Orakuru is Japanese for oracle. The attack on the plaza was done by them to obtain a stone called an Oracle. That's what the higher-ups told me." Riatsu deduced.
"Your guess is as good as mine." Kyu shrugged.
"Why are you coming to me with this?" Riatsu asked.
"Because you stuck with me after the league incident, have been my best friend since I was three, and your status as a director of a branch of the I.P.F. can help," Kyu answered.
"I made you made a promise to help find and get your brother," He added.
"I was an interval part in the team deca-plasma case, but I'm not a detective anymore! Leave that work to the actual I.P.F." Riatsu replied.
"We both know that we can't do that," Kyu said.
Riatsu slightly nodded.
"I wish you could just continue being a model or a celebrity or league champion or whatever the heck you've decided to be this week," Riatsu suggested.
Kyu brushed Riatsu's worry and the mood of the conversation off.
"What I wouldn't give to be your boyfriend for just a day..." Kyu said, staring into her eyes.
Riatsu rolled her eyes as her face slightly reddened.
"Enough with the flirting." She paused for a second in thought. "How...is grandpa by the way?" Riatsu inquired, changing the subject.
"He misses you. We both know that."
Riatsu took off her glasses, flicking her hair in the process.
"I know that he's sorry, but if he were, then the Team Plasma Situation shouldn't have happened three times. If he were sorry, then Mom wouldn't be dead, and my brother wouldn't be who knows where. He could have stopped them all the way back in 2010. But he didn't."
Kyu looked back at Riatsu distantly.
"Let's just focus on the positives for now." Kyu said bashfully
"Yeah, let's." Riatsu replied.
Via looked at her watch and then back to Kyu.
"It's getting late, so you should probably head to wherever you're staying. I have a meeting with someone important." She said, standing up and nudging Kyu out of the room.
"Alright, Alright, stop pushing me, I'm going!"
2027 - Unova, Star City Retsuko's Apartment
Retsuko and Via made it back to Retsuko's apartment safely, and Retsuko flopped onto the couch in exhaustion.
"My entire body aches-" He croaked.
Via cracked a small smile, which then burst into a giggle, and then a hysterical laugh.
"What's so funny?" Retsuko asked, bending his head over so that he could see her properly.
"It's nothing, it's nothing, it's just... You haven't changed at all and yet you have at the same time." She said.
Retsuko corrected his position so that he sat upwards and Via sat next to him.
"Back then... You were so immature. You loved to battle, eat, play games, and do all the stuff a little kid would do." She said.
"I was a lot more rambunctious and outspoken. I honestly envy the confidence I had back then..." Retsuko explained.
He sighed nostalgically.
"I dunno... I like this side of you more! It's kinda cute..." Via replied, mumbling at the end.
Retsuko overheard her remark, his face slightly turning red.
"E-Enough about me! How have you been!?" He asked frantically.
"Oh? I've been great, to be honest."
She started to toy around with Vyr's ears as the Braixen crawled into her lap.
"I'm still discovering myself. I don't know what I want to do in my life, but I want to live to the fullest!" She happily added.
Retsuko smiled.
His smile was warm, warm enough to make a Moltres cozy, but also sad. Because was always sadness in Retsuko's navy blue eyes.
No matter what.
"You were talking about how I've changed, but you have to. You seem a lot happier than you used to be." He said kindly.
Via made direct eye contact with her friend, feeling her cheeks get warm.
"I had a bad temper." She said, looking down in embarrassment.
"Remember that time when you got mad at me for catching Ace because he's a Rattata and you were terrified of them?" Retsuko asked.
Via's face became even redder.
Ace, hearing his name ran downstairs and onto the couch, slightly startling Via.
"Hmph." She scoffed, as she picked him up and nuzzled his cheek affectionately.
Ace accepted the embrace happily and rested in Via's hands.
"Has Vye gotten stronger?" Retsuko asked, referring to the Braixen laying in her lap.
Via looked down at her partner.
"I wouldn't say she's as strong as Kuu, but she's working hard." She replied, brushing Vye's fur.
"That's great, don't worry." Retsuko comforted.
He glanced at her wrist, noticing the black Z ring again.
"I'm glad you kept it. He said, assuredly.
Via smiled and nodded.
"Of course I did! It wasn't much help during the Ascent thing... And I couldn't use it outside of Alola's side of the equator, but it was super useful when I was there!" She explained cheerfully.
Retsuko looked at her and his eye twitched.
"You went back?" He seethed.
Vye crawled out of Via's lap and underneath Retsuko's arm.
She lay there comfortably, causing Retsuko to smile.
Via nodded in response to Retsuko's question.
"I visited alola for a school project. I was there for around... 3 months?" She guesstimated.
"Did you run into my family?" He asked.
"Mhm!" Via eagerly nodded.
She reached into the pocket of her skirt, revealing two stones.
One was an amber-colored crystal with a fist symbol, and the second was a green crystal with a leaf.
"I fought both your cousins and your grandfather! I beat your cousin Hau and Mister Hala, but I lost to Kala."
Retsuko smiled.
"My family sure is tough, aren't they?" He chuckled.
Via nodded again.
She raised her head and faced Retsuko.
"Hey..." She mumbled, tapping on his shoulder.
"Yeah?"
"I have a surprise for you." She began.
"I got your hoodie from the I.P.F. Headquarters a few days back!" Via exclaimed, pulling out Retsuko's hoodie from behind the couch, that's sleeve was still extremely tattered.
Retsuko smirked.
"Thanks, Vee!" Retsuko said, reaching to grab it, but Via retracted her hand swiftly.
"No. Let me fix it for you." She said adamantly.
Via had taken out all of her mending gear and quickly got to work on fixing Retsuko's hoodie sleeve.
"Y'know, this reminds me of back then..." Retsuko said.
Via giggled.
"Yeah. I used to fix your hoodie all the time because you ruined it so frequently. That's why your old shirt is bound to the inside of it." She said.
She tightened a string near Retsuko's upper arm and he winced.
"Except this time, you've grown to over half a foot taller than me," Via said.
"You, on the other hand, haven't grown an inch," Retsuko said quietly, placing his hand on her head to emphasize their height difference.
"H-Hey! I-I Heard that!" Via defensively retorted, her face turning redder than Vye's fur in jealousy.
"I'm a respectable 5'0. B-Besides, I used to be taller than you..." She mumbled.
Retsuko held his arm up, cuddling the Pokemon in his arms.
"Whatever." He said, slightly laughing.
"Alright, All done!" Via said, sewing the final thread into Retsuko's hoodie and handing it to him.
"You know what? You can wear it if you like." Retsuko said as he slowly stood up and faced Via.
"It's getting late so I should probably go to sleep." He said, putting his hand into his hair and removing his hair clip.
"Where do I sleep?" Via blankly asked.
"Uhh. Oh yeah, there's a pullout mattress on this couch, and I have an extra futon for Kyu. I'll help you set it up." Retsuko offered.
Via held her hand up.
"I'm fine. You go get the rest you need." Via replied, clutching the hoodie slightly.
Retsuko sighed.
"Okay. The bathroom is down the hall. You'll find everything you need there in the closet. Tell Kyu when he gets here where the futon is." Retsuko said, leaving the living room and entering his own.
He took off the two Pokeball on his belt and both Kuu, and Buizel exploded out of the devices.
Buizel immediately began to explore Retsuko's room, knocking his belongings off of their stands and tables and onto the floor.
Kyu hooted angrily and chased the Pokemon around the room, cleaning up the mess she made and scolding her through angry crows due to his neat freak Nature.
Retsuko looked at the Buizel.
"You're gonna be a handful."
This concludes chapter 6 of Pokemon ReDux! This chapter was pretty long and very exposition heavy, but that's all going to loosen up along with the mood of the story starting the next chapter. And yes, I know the pacing of this chapter was fast. Feel free to review as always, and I'll see you in Chapter 7!