[We're back today with a special kind of chapter, one of several that will be appearing throughout this story; Music Chapters. There's only two songs in this one but other chapters may feature more. I'll have links to the songs used at the beginning of when they start in the chapter if you want to listen along rather than just reading it. Obviously, I don't own these songs, all rights to their original owners. Also, may have made slight tweaks to the lyrics so they would fit into this world but 90% of the song stays exactly the same. Another thing, most of the songs I'll include in this story are explicit in their tone and language. These songs are from my personal taste and what I would like my characters to sing so if you do like them, I'm sorry, you can skip them if you want. Anyway, hope you all enjoy. Note: I do not own Pokémon or the songs used in this story. All rights to it's actual owners.]
Chapter 4: Open Mic
"How you feeling about this shit man?" Okazaki asked as the group made their way down Route 15 towards Tapu City.
"To be honest, a little nervous but excited. I mean, I only performed for you guys and the Team." Warren said with Azalea hanging off his left shoulder.
"And you were awesome. No one is gonna stand a chance against your skills Big Bro." Tiffany praised.
"Shrew!" Gabe praised him as well while walking next to Tiffany.
"*exhale* I sure hope so." Warren said before receiving a reassuring nuzzle from Azalea which caused him to pet her head as thanks.
"You got this man. Hell, I still remember the first rap you sang and you killed it." Okazaki said.
"What was his first rap?" Tiffany asked.
"Eh, we don't have to talk about that." Warren stated quickly.
"Come on man, it was dope, especially since it was one of your first raps you've written." Okazaki said.
"Still a little bit cringe to be honest." Warren admitted.
"I want to hear it!" Tiffany said excitedly while walking faster to move in front of Warren. She then turned around and walked backwards while showing off her excited look to Warren, one that he knows means she's not gonna back down. This caused him to sigh.
"You seriously want to hear it?" Warren asked, causing Tiffany to nod a few times.
"Of course, if you remember it. I love your music." Tiffany stated.
"Of course he remembers it. I haven't seen a song of his that he's forgotten. I'm sure I got the beat in this thing." Okazaki stated while looking through the storage of his phone that is connected to his speaker.
"Yeah I remember it. Like I said, it's pretty cringe, especially with what it is about." Warren stated.
"Oh come on, you've heard my songs. What is this one about?" Tiffany asked.
"Well…there was this bake sale that the Flowerscout troop was hosting at the Pokemon Center near my old place…so I made a song about it." Warren admitted while sheepishly scratching the back of his head. Azalea snickered at this.
"Really? That sounds so wholesome." Tiffany said.
"Yeah, the song is definitely not wholesome." Okazaki said. "And I found it! You ready?"
"Yeah, hit it." Warren said, preparing the lyrics in his head. It was then that the beat began.
Bake Sale by Richie Branson (https/watch?v=bWmK_ESt9QQ)
I know I talk a lot of shit
But when you makin' dollars, you ain't gotta make a lot of sense
Look I started at the bottom, couldn't even top the rent
Now I'm rollin' in the dough
And I ain't talkin' chocolate chip
(*Tiffany giggles a little*)
Got me feeling like I just hit the lotto
Hit the club and order up a couple wine bottles
Look, I'm about to take a trip to Cabo
Pull up in the Lamborghini Gallardo
And I keep my paint job hella clean
That's why I'm getting to the green like celery
Cookie cartel, feeling like a Medellin
I'm in the kitchen cooking up that methamphetamine
I'm a hustler if you couldn't tell
I could sell water to a motherfucking whale
Got haters on my tail cause they see me doin' well
But when they need them cookies, they be hittin' up my cell
Bake sale, bake sale
Lookin' clean
In my bake sale, bake sale
Stackin' Gs
In my bake sale, bake sale
Methamphetamine
Bake sale, bake sale
Welcome to my Bake sale, bake sale
Lookin' clean
In my bake sale, bake sale
Stackin' Gs
In my bake sale, bake sale
Methamphetamine
Bake sale, bake sale
You know I gotta keep them cookies baked
Never make a move that a rookie makes
Delta 88 trunk full of cookie cake
Never been to Venice Beach but I'm pushing weight
Feelin' like I'm Tony Montana
Movin' through this snow, bitch I slay like Santa
Tryin' take a trip down to Copacabana
Just so I can catch a few rays, no mana
Look, I don't need a plug like the power's out
Unless I'm looking for the bud like the Flowerscout
Can't apologize if I'm going out of bounds
I'm just ballin' out, hittin' like I'm fallin' now
You want my snacks?
That'll cost you 5 stacks
Matter fact, I just cooked up a nice batch
One bite is all it takes to make your eyes spazz
Runnin' drugs like the dread pirate, no eyepatch
Bake sale, bake sale
Lookin' clean
In my bake sale, bake sale
Stackin' Gs
In my bake sale, bake sale
Methamphetamine
Bake sale, bake sale
Welcome to my Bake sale, bake sale
Lookin' clean
In my bake sale, bake sale
Stackin' Gs
In my bake sale, bake sale
Methamphetamine.
Bake sale, bake sale
Beat slowly fades away*
After his song, Warren takes a look at his three compatriots to see their reactions. It was at this point that the group also stopped walking.
"Woah." Tiffany had started. "That definitely wasn't wholesome."
"Yeah it's pretty cringe…even then." Warren said a bit offhandedly and sheepishly.
"Still pretty awesome, considering you made it years ago." Tiffany stated.
"Yeah, and you only got better since then." Okazaki said. "You got a song in mind for this thing?"
"Yep, Bank Account." Warren said simply.
"Oooooo, that's a good one." Okazaki said.
"Zorua!" Azalea cried out in agreement.
"What's that one? You holding out on me?" Tiffany said jokingly while walking up to Warren and nudging him in the side while brandishing a joking smile. Warren laughed a little.
"I have a lot of songs. There's gonna be a few that you haven't heard yet." Warren stated.
"You gonna play it for me?" Tiffany asked while looking up at Warren and blinking her eyes in an overly cutesy manner. Warren wasn't phased by this and playful pushing her face away.
"Nope, gonna have to be patient, little one." Warren joked. That comment caused Tiffany to stop walking.
"And just who are you calling little one?" Tiffany said annoyed, her hands resting on her hips.
"You." Warren and Okazaki said simultaneously before they and Azalea started laughing together at Tiffany's expense. All Tiffany did was pout before running up to catch up to them as they all continued their trek to Tapu City.
(Inner Tapu City, outside the Dugout)
The group now stood outside the open mic place known as the Dugout. It seemed like any normal bar/small club you'd find in the city, this one being built slightly underground. It also seemed to be baseball themed, though the name may have given that away.
"So this is the place?" Okazaki asked.
"Doesn't seem all that special." Warren stated.
"It's a semi-popular spot in the city, though it has a bit of a rough side to it." Tiffany explained.
"Come on, we're Team Skull, we can handle a little rough side." Okazaki boasted.
"Even so, it'll be best not to bring any unwanted trouble. Come guys." Warren said as he entered the place with his friends in tow. They were greeted with a stairwell that led further down and made their way down. At the bottom they came across an intimidating looking bouncer who stopped them immediately.
"Woah woah, this ain't a daycare. The hell are you kids doing here?" The bouncer asked.
"We're here for the open mic competition." Warren answered simply, causing the bouncer to snort and look at the group up and down in disbelief.
"Really? You guys?" He jokingly questioned.
"Yeah, you got something to say about it?" Tiffany said, trying to sound threatening. Gabe let out a cry to support his trainer.
"Tiffany." Warren warned making sure she didn't get them in trouble before they even got in.
"You got the cash to enter? No one goes if they don't got money." The bouncer explained. Warren flashed the cash to him before pocketing it again. "Hmm, alright one second."
The bouncer proceeds to pull out his phone to dial a number and call someone.
"Yo boss, got a late entry here." The bouncer said before being quiet for a sec, sound coming out of his phone. He then put his attention back onto Warren. "Is it just you participating?"
"Yep, my friend here will be helping me with my bit though." Warren said, nodding towards Okazaki who then nodded towards the bouncer.
"It's just him…What do I think of them?" He asked before glancing at us again with what seemed like judging eyes. "Well from the looks of things, they seem like Team Skull, so you know they're probably gonna be annoying."
"Hey!" Tiffany yelled being insulted. This caused Gabe to start growling at the bouncer threatening.
"You want to run that by us again." Okazaki said threateningly while Warren just glared at the bouncer. All this only led to the bouncer laughing a little at their actions, which certainly didn't make the Team Skull members feel better.
"Yeah, they're definitely Team Skull. It may be entertaining to have them perform." The bouncer said. After a brief response from the phone, the bouncer answered back. "What's your name kid?"
"Warren Perk." Warren responded.
"His name's Warren Perk…Okay, I got you." The bouncer said. "Alright, I'll let them in."
After hanging up the phone, he brought his attention back to the trio.
"Alright kids, I'm letting you in. Give me the cash and I'll bring it to the boss for the winnings." The bouncer said, holding his hand out, causing Warren to put the cash in his hand.
"That better get to him." Tiffany stated.
"It will, it will. Now that that's done, onto the rules. No hassling the other patrons or I'm throwing all of your asses out without your cash. Also, no Pokemon are allowed out of their balls inside the bar. So return those two now." The bouncer said, pointing to Azalea and Gabe.
"Dang it, alright." Tiffany said, pulling out Gabe's Pokeball. "I'll see you when we get out. Gabe, return."
And with that, a red beam appeared from the ball and sucked Gabe into it. Next, Warren pulled out Azalea's ball, though this caused Azalea to whimper.
"It's the only way we're gonna get this money, I won't be long girl. Wish me luck." Warren said before Azalea nuzzled his cheek and gave him a nod. "Azalea, return."
With that, the red beam of the ball sucked her in. This left a weird feeling within Warren, seeing as how he rarely ever returned her outside of battle. Warren shook the shoulder that Azalea was just on slightly.
"Alright, come on in." The bouncer said, moving to the side to allow the trio to walk in. "Remember, no trouble."
It was then that Tiffany turned her head to him and stuck her tongue out at him before she continued walking. This only made the bouncer shake his head and roll his eyes before he went inside as well to find his boss.
Back to the trio, they looked around to find that the bar was pretty packed. It was filled with adults and a few other teens, some of the patrons staring at the trio, putting all three of them a bit on edge. They soon found an empty spot in the back of the bar which was a booth that could sit the three of them and sat down, Warren kicking his feet up to rest on the table and folding his hands on the back of his head to relax. They also took notice of the current act that was going on, which seemed to be some comedian on stage. From the looks of things, it wasn't going well.
"So later that day, my buddy and I went to this bar on another island, totally forgot the name of it. When we got there, he told me, well asked me, 'Hey man, you want some liquor?' and I told him 'Liquor? I barely know her?'" He then proceeded to slap his knee and laugh a bit too much at his own joke. After calming down, he noticed that the room was still quiet with the occasional cough. "Get it? Cause liquor? Know her? Is this thing on?"
"Oh boy…" Tiffany sweat dropped while facepalming.
"Yeesh, how long you think this has been going on?" Warren asked, cringing a little and not really expecting an answer.
"A bit too long if you ask me." A random voice suddenly said. The trio turned their attention to the sound of the voice and found that it was a group of five teens, three boys and two girls, all who were the same age as Warren or a year older. The group soon all stood in front of the Team Skull members.
"Uh, can we help you?" Warren asked defensively.
"I don't know, maybe." The boy in the middle, Warren's age, said. The guy was fair skinned, about as tall as Warren, maybe a little taller, had long-ish black hair that went to around the middle of the back of his neck, and wore a red sweater, white T-shirt, black basketball shorts with red outline, and all red sneakers. The rest of the group also seemed to be sharing in his color scheme. "As you can see, this guy is bombing hard. We thought maybe you could provide some jokes."
"Why would we do that?" Warren replied.
"You are Team Skull right? It should be obvious." He stated but was met with silence from the trio. "I guess I have to spell it out for you rejects. Your entire team is a joke so maybe you can do better than that guy up there."
"Excuse me!?" Tiffany said annoyed while standing up and nearly slamming her hands on the table. Luckily, the other patrons didn't seem to take notice. Both Okazaki and Warren began glaring right at the intruding group.
"Y'all really only came here to be annoying, huh? Why don't y'all fuck off already? We got better shit to do than deal with entitled assholes like you." Warren stated, moving his legs down to the floor so he can better look at them, but that only seemed to get a laugh out of the group.
"Hey, they might even win with just their presence alone." One of the other hassling boys said.
"Now now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. We already know who's going to win this." The middle teen stated.
"Yeah, my big bro right here." Tiffany said hyping up Warren.
"Big bro huh? Which means you two aren't dating~" The head teen stated while leaning down to lean on the table and getting closer to Tiffany, giving her a sly grin. This caused her to sit up and move away in disgust. This also caused Warren and Okazaki to stand up and Warren to place an arm in front of Tiffany in defense. Warren also took notice of the Z-Ring with a Normalium Z in its socket. "I think it's safe to assume that you're also not with fatass over there."
"Motherfucker…" Okazaki growled.
"How about you get with the real winner right here? I may even treat you to some of my winnings…if you treat me first.~" He said, causing the trio to give a look of disgust.
"Sander, you sly horn-dog. What about your girl?" One of the girls laughed annoyingly.
"Oh please, that prude is too focused on her little restaurant and the prissy new girls to have fun, hence why she's not here. She would have killed the vibe anyway." Sander stated to his friends before turning to the trio, mainly staring at Tiffany and glancing at her up and down. "So, you coming to the winning side or what?"
"Even if I was into guys, you'd be the last boy I'd get with." Tiffany said, crossing her arms to cover her chest, already feeling extremely uncomfortable with this guy. Luckily, Warren and Okazaki were there to keep her somewhat calm. "And I already told you, I'm already on the winning side with my big bro here."
"Oh? And what's this wannabe gangster gonna do?" Sander taunted.
"I'm singing." Warren stated, causing Sander and soon after his group to laugh a bit, much to the ire of the Team Skull trio.
"Oh yeah, whatcha gonna be singing?" Sander asked.
"An original, and that's all you're getting." Warren stated sternly while crossing his arms and glaring harder at the opposing group.
"Ooooo, look at him trying to intimidate me." Sander laughed with his group while standing up. "Listen Joker, just drop out now. I already rapped my way into winning this shit."
"What? You wrap gifts as a talent?" Okazaki joked, interrupting Sander and causing the trio to laugh.
"Shut up kid. And you just gave me more money by coming here. So how's about you take your reject asses back to the sewer you all crawled out from before you get embarrassed. I thank you for the money." Sander finished causing the trio to become tense again.
"I thought being a member of Team Skull was an embarrassment itself." One of the boys in Sander's crew joked.
"You seem pretty fucking confidant." Warren stated.
"Of course, when you're as good as I am." Sander said snidely. There were a few seconds of a silent stare down between the two groups, mainly between Warren's death glare and Sander's overconfident smirk, before a new voice came on.
"Well…that sure was…something!" A new voice came on stage. Everyone brought their attention to the person on stage. Replacing the comedian was a middle aged man, fair skinned, black, slicked back hair, black sunglasses, white suit jacket and pants, blue T-shirt, white dress shoes, and gold chain. "I'm honestly not too sure how to respond to that…performance. What did you all think?"
The announcer was met with silence, causing him to laugh awkwardly.
"That's about what I expected." The announcer laughed before giving a slight cough. "Well it's a good thing we have a new contender to end this open mic. He's part of an interesting group of individuals that you might have heard of; Team Skull."
There were a few laughs and jeers, a few of the laughs coming from the group of hassling teens that were hassling the trio.
"But hey, let's give them the benefit of the doubt. Warren Perk, get up here." The announcer said signaling to the trio. With this, the trio pushed through the older teens. Sander sounded a kiss towards Tiffany which caused her to jump back a little and made Warren and Okazaki jump in front of her in defense. The hassling teens laughed again.
"Good luck Joker." Sander said to Warren with a shit eating grin. The cockiness started getting to Warren.
"I won't need it, especially from you." Warren said threateningly, wanting to wipe that smug grin off Sander's face. As they passed them, Okazaki purposely bumped into Sander's shoulder.
"Really? You take up that much space to need to do that. I suggest cutting back on the Malasadas." Sander joked, getting his crew laughing. Okazaki only let out a smirk hidden under his mask as he followed behind his friends. The trio then made their way to the stage, ignoring the comments coming from the other patrons. The announcer began talking to them as soon as they got to the stage.
"Alright, who's Warren?" He asked.
"That would be me. I'm gonna need my boy here for my bit." Warren said motioning to Okazaki who nodded towards the announcer.
"What's she doing here then?" The announcer said motioning to Tiffany.
"Uh, my protection." Warren said, coming up with a reason for her to stay here. This answer caused Tiffany to growl and try to look intimidating towards the announcer.
"Heh, sure, whatever." He laughed. "Alright, if you need the speaker, the cord is on the other end of the stage, you can already see where the mic is. Make it good kids. You guys are kind of already a laughing stock it seems."
He left the trio to their own devices at that point. And they soon got to work.
"Alright Okazaki, you got the beat for Bank Account ready?" Warren asked as they all got on stage.
"Yeah I do. I'll go set it up." Okazaki said, making his way over to the cord where he could contact his speaker.
"What do you need me to do?" Tiffany asked.
"Just be there to provide moral support Tiff, I'm gonna need it." Warren said, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"That I can do. You got this big bro, knock 'em dead." Tiffany encouraged, feeling excited about hearing another one of Warren's songs that she hadn't heard before. Warren also had a feeling that Azalea would also be cheering him on if she were on stage with him. Warren, as a result of that and wanting to put Sander in his place, was feeling more confident. He soon made his way to the middle of the stage and grabbed the mic and pulled it off the stand that it was attached to, checking to make sure it was on before looking towards the crowd. They looked pretty unamused and disinterested. This made Warren hesitate a little. Never had he performed his music to other people besides the gang. He began to feel his nerves getting the best of him. The one patron that seemingly showed interest from what Warren saw was Sander's group, now sitting where the trio once stood and with Sander still sporting that shit-eating grin.
"Come on Joker, get on with it!" Sander yelled out causing a few laughs to ring out throughout the bar. This comment caused an image of Warren's father to appear in Warren's mind, always believing that he would never amount to nothing, and this steeled Warren's nerves as he looked towards Okazaki to see if he was ready. Once he had connected his speaker, he gave a thumbs up to Warren who nodded back at him. Soon, the music began to play and Warren went off.
Joyner Lucas - Bank Account (Remix) (https/watch?v=ZFy7RdZWwj8)
I'm willing to die for this shit
I'm ready to flip it
And end up in prison
The rest of my life for this shit
So my Daddy ain't want me,
He went to attackin'
I end up surviving this shit
And if I wanted somethin',
I ain't got the money
I'd probably be robbing and shit
Don't know how much I cry for this shit
Said I am willing to ride for this shit
You know murder's my hobby,
Inside of my closet's
A bunch of dead bodies and shit
* say that I'm cursed
'Cause I go to church
And stare at the Bible and shit
Shawty say I'm the worst
Cause I do my dirt,
And I don't be hiding this shit
Bitch, I'm a savage
I spit at you bastards,
I wonder what you gonna do to me hoe
I need to hear some more rapping,
I'm just not impressed by your cash or your jewelry hoe
All you my soldiers
And I'm a lieutenant,
Goddammit,
You should be saluting me hoe
I hope you know I ain't going nowhere
All you rappers just better get used to me hoe.
,
I'm Mr. Blue with my jeans,
Bought me a jeep,
Cause I wasn't riding as much
My bank account looking weak,
Don't look at me,
I ain't got no time for no fun.
Starting to feel like Tyrese,
I'm 'bout to trip,
And maybe start crying or som'
I might just hit up the Smith's,
Throw me a fit
And wait for my wire to come
Ain't nobody give or show me love
When I was coming up,
I had to double up
And tell these * buckle up before they ride
And they don't really wanna knuckle up,
I hit 'em with the uppercut,
I had these motherfuckers running for they life
Unidentified craft when I'm flying past,
I'm an alien sailin'
And if you look up in the sky
Blow your mind back,
Put your eyes back
To your iPad,
I'm an Iraqi in suicide
When the bombs are loaded
And your mind explode in the wind
And you gon' sit down, repent
I was raised in the sewer;
Me and the IT clown are friends
Red balloons for your kids,
Sink my tooth in ya bitch
I lost too many friends,
I don't do good with kids.
What you know about riding dirty in the evening?
What you know about Ramen Noodles, And a pack of sazon seasoning?
What you know about leaving the oven
Door open when there's no heat again?
And the rent is due,
And your landlord
Try and throw you out
On the streets again
, I was only dreaming of a Bentley And a fucking Lamborghini
When I win 'em,
I'ma finally get a break
If I didn't get away
Before I guarantee
That if I talk to God,
Then I can say I got it when I pray
She don't really want me to get petty
Turn her dime into a penny,
But she know I got a lot of shit to say
I got juice and water and a henny,
Drink it up and let the semi shoot,
I'll pop you * all up in the face
Blood all up in the lake, I
Wanna see your wake die
They don't wanna wave bye
Creep when I came by,
Teeth like a K9
Bleed through your Levi,
We from the East Side
Eat when the beat's hot,
Tea from the teapot
Aim for the tree top,
Beg till your knees pop
Skrrt in a Nissan,
Swerve into three cars
You just a bird in a beehive,
You just a cold in a room full of germs
, I said all of my idols and favorite rappers ain't been rhyming a lot
What the fuck happened to Jay Electronica?
I wonder if he still got it or not
Whatever happened to Elzhi?
Whatever happened to Meth?
What happened to Beans?
Whatever happened to Lauryn?
What happened to Banks?
Tell me what happened to Bleek?
What the fuck happened to Mos?
What happened to Missy?
, what happened to Ghost?
Whatever happened to Cube?
What up with Common?
What the fuck,
Where did they go?
Tell me what happened to Budden's?
What about Luda?
I hope they ain't losing it now
Hope they get back to the music
'Cause I need some new shit
I'm sick of these new * out,
I'm that new * now
I got One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight
9 * wanna war,
10 * on the floor,
11 * on the porch
12 Pokés wanna war,
13 carnivores,
14 Labradors,
15 dinosaurs,
16 Avatars
17 bombs or grenades At your rental car,
18 ways you can die When you have it all
I got One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight
9 bitches wanna fuck,
10 * wanna rush,
11 Pokés on a bus
12 think they one of us,
13 other guns,
14 runners-up,
15 rubber gloves,
16 double pumps
17 shots in your face Till you cuddle up,
18 ways you can die Tryna fuck with us
(Aw) (Aw)
I'm willing to die for this shit
Said I'm ready to flip it
And end up in prison
The rest of my life for this shit
And my Daddy ain't want me,
He went to attackin'
I end up surviving this shit
Shit,
If I wanted somethin',
I ain't got the money
I'll probably be robbing this shit
Don't know how much I cry for this shit
Said I am willing to die for this shit
You know murder's my hobby,
Inside of my closet's
A bunch of dead bodies and shit
* say that I'm cursed
'Cause I go to church
And stare at the Bible and shit
Shawty say I'm the worst
Cause I do my dirt,
And I don't be hiding this shit
Warren, wooh!
Beat slowly starts fading away*
With the end of the song, the room begins to fill with silence, something that Warren was a bit put off by. He gulped and also noticed how sweaty he had gotten.
I did well enough, right? I mean, I didn't mess up right?
His self-doubt is soon overshadowed by a round of applause from the patrons. Warren then exhales a breath that he did not notice he was holding in. He is then tackled slightly by his two compatriots who join at the center. Okazaki had his right arm wrapped around Warren neck and Tiffany as her arms wrapped around his torso.
"That was dope man." Okazaki said excitedly.
"Why you always keeping me from your good songs, Big Bro?" Tiffany pouted up at him.
"Hey, you saying the songs I sung for y'all before weren't good?" Warren said jokily, feeling the nerves from before melting away thanks to his friends and performance.
"You know that's not what I meant." Tiffany pouted before I ruffled her hair playfully. Suddenly, the announcer from before made his way back up to the stage and grabbed the mic off of Warren.
"Well that sure was something! What did y'all think?" Hey asked the crowd who gave a cheer in response, something that made Warren's grin grow. "I guess that settles it then."
The announcer then put the mic back on the stand and walked up to the trio.
"Follow me kid." He motioned for Warren to follow him.
"Wait? What about us?" Okazaki said while they all released their hold.
"Sorry, office is too small. Y'all will have to wait here." The announcer said, nonchalantly waving them off.
"Alright." Warren said a bit skeptical but still went ahead. Before going, he turned to his friends. "I won't be long."
Warren had also looked into the crowd and saw Sander and his party looking bewildered at him. Warren only grinned and stuck up his middle finger at them, Sander specifically, which only made them glare at Warren and the Team Skull members.
"We'll be out here if you need us." Tiffany stated. Warren nodded to them before following the announcer down the stage and down a hallway next to the stage. It was a short hallway that led to three doors. Two were men's and women's bathrooms and the last had a sign that said 'Employee's Only.' The announcer opened that door and walked in, holding it long enough for Warren to follow him. The room they enter was a pretty small office. Looking a bit disorganized few loose papers and folders laying on filling cabinets around the room and on the main desk which also had a computer on it. The room also had a few posters of scantily clad women on the walls, a detail about the place that didn't surprise Warren. The announcer sat down behind the desk as jester Warren to sit in the chair on the opposite side. Warren complied and sat down, leaning back into his chair.
"So." Warren said feeling a bit suspicious being in the room alone with this guy. "Whatcha got me in here for?"
"Relax kid, you're here for your winnings." The announcer said going into one of his draws in his desk. He pulled out a thick envelope and tossed it to Warren who sat up and caught it. "That should be around 700. Count it."
Just say the amount surprised Warren, who quickly opened it up and saw the stacks of cash. He took it out and confirmed the amount.
"This is a bit more than I expected." Warren stated after closing up the envelope and pocketing it.
"I run a popular club, what can I say." The announcer smiled cheekily before raising his arm for a handshake. "The names Willis Krieg."
"Warren Perk." Warren responded, reluctantly shaking Willis' hand before pulling away. "So is that it? Cause I got to get back to my team."
"Slow down kid, just want to talk for a sec." Willis laughed a little.
"Well I kind of don't. You know, stranger danger and all that shit." Warren said bluntly while standing up.
"Good point. But I want to talk to you about an opportunity. Specifically the monetary kind." Willis stated.
"What opportunity?" Warren questioned, still standing up.
"Well…I want to make my club a popular place among the entirety of Alola. In order to get that popularity, I need acts that people will come see." Willis explained.
"…Okay..?" Warren said slowly, sitting back down.
"And you got some talent kid, a talent that I'm sure isn't bringing in much needed cash for your Team Skull situation." Willis stated. While he was frustrated by Willis' words, Warren knew he was right.
"So you want me to play at your club." Warren stated.
"Exactly! Glad you caught on quickly." Willis said.
"How much would I be getting?" Warren asked.
"Straight to the money, I like it. It'll be a 70-30 split whenever you play at the club." Willis stated, making Warren glare at him.
"The 70 is for me, right?" Warren asked in a threatening, skeptical way.
"Oh you're a funny kid. Of course not. I get the 70." Willis laughed.
"What!?" Warren yelled, quickly hopping out of his chair and slamming his hands onto the table. "That's bullshit!"
"Trust me kid, I'm doing you a favor in letting you play here to get your music out there. Once you get more clout, we can renegotiate. And please don't throw a tantrum in my office, I'm not intimidated by grunts nor is it a good look for a professional." Willis said calmly before sitting up and raising an hand for Warren to shake. "Do we have a deal?"
Warren glared down at Willis though Willis didn't look intimidated in the slightest. After a few seconds of thought, he knew Willis was right.
This may be one of my few avenues for recognition. Damnit. Warren thought.
With a "tsk," Warren stood up fully and grabbed Willis' hand before shaking it in agreement. "Whatever."
"I knew you were a smart kid. Here, take my contact info, we'll work out scheduling another day." Willis said, taking out a black index card and writing his number on it before handing it to Warren. "I'm sure you're tired cause I sure as hell-"
"Fuck you dumb bitch!" *Glass Crash*
"Tiffany!!"
"What the fuck!?" Warren yelled before he charged out into the main club area. Willis stayed behind to close up some things real quick. What Warren found pissed him off to no end. Sander was currently standing a bit away from Okazaki and Tiffany with a shattered bottle in his hand, while yelling at another patron. Okazaki was holding up Tiffany by the head who was laying down, eyes closed shut, and bleeding from her head.
"Azalea!" Warren said, pulling out Azalea's PokeBall and tossing it in the air. "Headbutt the asshole holding the broken bottle!"
Azalea was then released and flying through the air. After a bit of confusion, she looked down at the scene and then to the individual responsible.
"Zorua!!" She yelled flying down onto Sander.
"Huh?" Sander said before headbutted in the face by Azalea, causing him to be pushed back and fall onto one of the bar tables, breaking it.
"Sander!!" Sander's gang yelled as they made their way down to him to see if he was alright. While this was going on, Warren ran down to Okazaki and Tiffany.
"Tiffany! Talk to me girl." Warren said but didn't get an answer. He did see her moving though and moved his head down to hear what she was saying.
"Please stop…don't let him…" Tiffany whispered, tears appearing in her eyes. Warren then knew exactly what was happening to her.
"Shit, she's having an episode." Warren stated before standing up. "Help me get her on my back. Then explain to me what just happened."
"What the hell is going on out here." Willis said finally coming out into the main club area. "And where the hell is Bruce?"
"Those assholes just attacked my friend!" Okazaki yelled, pointed towards Sander's gang after he helped get Tiffany onto Warren's back.
"That little bitch should have kept her mouth shut!!" Sander said being helped up.
"Zorua!!!" Azalea growled angrily, ready to attack again at her trainer's command.
"Sorry girl, no time. Return!" Warren yelled, Pokeball in hand with a red beam shooting out of it and grabbing Azalea, pulling her into the ball. "We gotta get out of here."
"Right." Okazaki agreed before they took off running out of the club.
"Oh no you don't. Ace, get out here." Sander said, pulling out a Pokeball and tossing it. It opened and out released a Magby who stood ready to fight. Right before his gang could give chase, Willis stood in between them, flanked by two other random patrons.
"Oh no you don't. You little shits have a lot to answer for." Willis stated with his arms crossed.
"Fuck off, old man! Ace, Ember them" Sander ordered before his Magby charged up the attack. Willis and the other patrons quickly and smartly jumped out of the way and the attack missed and hit one of the tables. With the way clear, Sander's gang gave chase. Warren's party had just made it up the stairs, only to hear Sander's group rapidly approaching.
"Okazaki, grab and release Gabe for me." Warren said. Okazaki nodded and went to grab Gabe's ball, which was in Tiffany's back pocket, only for her to start flailing in Tony's arms.
"No! Don't touch me!!" She yelled, making it harder for Okazaki to grab the ball.
"Tiffany. You're okay. You're with your friend and big bro. I need you to calm down." Warren said calmly while doing his best to keep hold of her and keep his balance. "Did you get it yet?"
"Gabe, come on out!" Okazaki yelled, releasing Gabe onto the floor in front of him.
"Sand?" He said confused before looking at the state of her trainer. He ran up to Warren's leg in worry and yelled "Sandshrew!!!"
"Sandshrew, Icy Wind on the floor in front of the bar, quickly." Warren ordered. Sandshrew quickly turned to the front entrance before unleashing an Icy Wind onto the floor, coating it in a layer of ice. "Awesome job Sandshrew, that should slow them down. Okazaki, return him and let's go."
"Alright Gabe, return." Okazaki said, returning him and taking off down the street with Warren. A few seconds later, Sander's group came charging out. As soon as they took a step outside however, they all slipped and skidded across the floor, becoming a pile of bodies at the end of the ice. This did not quell their anger.
"Which way did we come from?" Warren yelled still running down the street and already lost without Tiffany's guidance.
"I don't know, try right?" Okazaki suggested. Warren took a sharp left and ran into somebody. It took all of his strength to keep his balance.
"Woah, where's the fir…" Guzma said with a grin before losing it upon noticing the hurt, bleeding Tiffany.
"Guzma!!" Warren and Okazaki yelled upon seeing their leader and several other Team Skull grunts with him.
"What happened?" Guzma said darkly.
"JOKER!!!" Sander yelled from down the street. Warren and Okazaki turned to see a seething Sander with his Magby and crew slowly approaching them. "You rejects have something that belongs to me!!"
After saying this, Guzma and the rest of the Team Skull grunts walked around the corner, all pissed and looking ready to fight. Seeing this, Sander and his crew stopped their advance, Sander's eyes darting between the multiple grunts that now outnumbered his crew. Sander's crew grew nervous, something that Guzma took notice of.
"Get her back to the Town. You grunts go with them to make sure they get back okay." Guzma said as he pointed to two grunts, girl and guy, who nodded to him. He then turned back to Sander's Crew. "Right now, Destruction in Human Form has to beat some wimps down."
"Let's go everyone." Warren said before running passed the rest of Team Skull.
"Hey! Get back here!" Sander yelled.
"Oh no idiots! You'll be dealing with me now!" Guzma yelled while cackling and crossing his arms across his chest. "I'm sure you know who I am and how fucked you all are!"
"Sander, I don't know about this." One of his friends said nervously.
"Come on guys. He may be the leader, but he's the leader of a bundle of fucking weaklings and rejects. We can take these failures." Sander said, motivating his crew. The two guys end up releasing a Houndour and Machop.
"Not only did you hurt my team, you're also disrespecting them too? Now you idiots get what's coming to you!" Guzma yelled before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a Pokeball. He threw it in the air and out came his ace Pokemon; Golisopod, who loudly cried out to intimidate his opponents. This also caused the Team Skull grunts to cheer and encourage Golispod to beat their opponents.
"T-that's a big Pokemon." The trainer using the Machop said nervously, his Pokémon looking a bit nervous itself.
"And? You know what the Skull Bashers have that you rejects don't!?" Sander yelled while pointing at Guzma.
"Skull Bashers? Clever name…" Guzma said sarcastically, causing his group to burst into laughter, further angering Sander. Guzma then squatted down and rested his head on his hand while it was propped onto his knee. "Tell me then. Show me whatcha got."
"A Z-Move! Fuck that thing up Ace." Sander yelled and Ace nodded, getting in position in front of his trainer. Sander then began the necessary movements, power being built up and transferred to Ace. Ace then exhaled smoke out of his mouth and slid his foot across the ground a few times, getting ready to charge. Sander then yelled "BREAKNECK BLITZ!!!"
Being surrounded in a bright aura, Ace rapidly charged towards Golisopod who only stood there, waiting for Guzma's call. Sander had a smile on his face, knowing that he was about to get a direct hit with his most powerful attack. That smile soon turned to confusion upon seeing Guzma smiling darkly at him.
"Block it Golispod, it's nothing." Guzma ordered. Golisopod took one of his armored plates and held it in front of him just as Ace made contact, causing wind from the speed and power of the Z-Move to fly past the two fighting Pokemon and towards Team Skull. The team got hit by the wind but all it did was blow past them, causing their clothes to start flapping in the wind. Some members shielded their eyes but Guzma in particular kept looking with a dark smile on his face.
"Fuck yeah! You hit it dead on Sander." One of the girls in Sander's group said excitedly. Sander did not seem to share in the excitement though.
"Wait a minute…" Sander said quietly to himself.
"Grab it Golisopod." Guzma said casually. Golisipod smacked Ace away, putting him in midair and breaking the Z-Move entirely, much to the shock of the Skull Bashers. Golisopod then grabbed Ace's leg and dangled him in front of him. "Poison Jab!"
Golisopod looked down at the dangling Magby in his claw, his eyes glowing red as four needle-like appendages reached out from his torso. These appendages then began to glow purple as Ace looked at them in fear and began to hopelessly struggle for freedom.
"Get out of there! Ember that bitch's face!" Sander yelled. Magby soon started firing point blank Embers at Golisopod's face, causing a cloud of smoke to appear around Golisopod. After a second of no response, a purple needle shot through the smoke and hit Ace, causing him to cry out in pain. Soon after that needle left, another one appeared and hit him. Another one came quickly after that, and another one, and another one until it was just a ruthless Poison Jab assault.
"NO!!" Sander cried out.
"Let this be a lesson kids!" Guzma yelled as Golisopod stopped his attack. He now held a fainted, beaten, poisoned Magby in its claws. "Nobody fucks with Team Skull and gets away with it unharmed! Give the Magby back to them, Golisopod."
As ordered, Golisopod threw Ace back towards the Skull Bashers with little effort, Ace hitting the ground right before Sander's feet. Sander stayed silent, staring down at his fainted Pokémon with clenched fist and gritted teeth.
"Sander!" The guy using the Houndour yelled. "Is it okay!?"
"Damnit…" Sander said through his gritted teeth "Why didn't the damn move work?"
"I think I already made my point but, does anyone else want to try me!?" Guzma yelled towards the Skull Bashers, the Team Skull grunts hyping Guzma up further.
"You reject bastard!" The other guy in Sander's crew yelled. "Machop! Use-"
"First Impression." Guzma simply commanded maliciously.
(An Hour Later, Beach at Route 16)
"Thanks Lapras. Hang on Tiff, we're almost home." Warren said as the team dismounted the two Lapras Ride Pokemon and ran towards the forest meadow entrance. With their pace, they soon made it through the meadow and down the path to Po Town. Once they got to the gate, one of the grunts went to open the door but the door suddenly opened anyway, revealing a tired Plumeria. She yawned and stretched for a second with her eyes closed before she tried to make her way outside.
"Big Sis!" Everyone except Tiffany yelled, causing Plumeria to jolt awake out of her half-sleep state.
"Ah, why is everyone yelli-" Plumeria cut herself off upon seeing the state that everyone, specifically Tiffany, was in. Her drowsiness seemed to vanish as she quickly stepped aside. "You guys can explain later, let's get her to the Pokemon Center."
The group soon continued their trek to the Po Town Pokemon Center. On the way, the few Team Skull grunts that were still there took notice of the commotion and watched with confusion and worry as the scene unfolded. One grunt, named Thomas, who was a young adult dressed in all black shorts, black snapback cap, with an all white wife-beater t-shirt with blotches of random colors all over it, a utility belt of spray paint cans, a half gas mask of some sorts, and now sporting a Team Skull logo tattoo on his neck and an Alolan tribal tattoo on his whole right arm, was currently coming out of the Pokemon Center. He turned to see the rushing group coming towards him.
"Uh oh." He said simply in a deep voice as he opened the Pokemon Center's doors and stuck his head through. "Sis, get ready! You got company!"
"Wha-Ow!" A voice and a thud was heard under the main healing area's counter. A bit of cluttering was heard before a hand reach up and gripped the top of the counter. An older teenager then pulled herself up from the bottom of the counter while holding her hurt head. This teen had black, short, straight hair in bangs with white dyed tips and circle rimmed glasses. She was wearing white leggings and a large black and white T-shirt that was still a bit too large for her. Jane, the town's medic, readjusted her glasses and groaned. "What do I have coming at this time?"
Thomas didn't respond and only moved out of the way while holding open the door. Soon, Warren and his group rushed in, Jane quickly assessing the situation as she hopped over the counter to meet them halfway.
"She's having another episode?" Jane asked simply as she reached up to Tiffany and held her head to examine her wound, causing Tiffany to whimper and shake. "And that gash…"
"Yeah, what do you need us to do?" Warren said calmly.
"Right now, everyone except Plumeria needs to leave. We need to limit the amount of contact she has right now until she's calmed down. Sorry guys." Jane said as Warren carefully set Tiffany down so she can stand. She started to buckle down however, and Jane quickly caught her to hold her up. Tiffany then buried her face into Jane's chest and began to shake and cry again, Jane holding her tightly and running a hand through her hair to calm her.
"We understand, just make sure she's okay." Warren said. Jane nodded in response before starting to lead Tiffany into one of the back rooms.
"You guys get some rest. We'll discuss what we'll be doing in the morning." Plumeria ordered before following Jane and Tiffany into the back room.
"Wait, take this Big Sis. It's Gabe. Tiffany is definitely gonna need him there." Okazaki said as he tossed Plumeria Gabe's Pokeball. She caught it and nodded before disappearing into a room with the other two girls. The rest of the group then quietly filed out of the Pokemon Center and were greeted by a quiet and small crowd of grunts. Warren then gritted his teeth and clenched his fist before Azalea suddenly released herself from her ball. She looked up at him and despite not knowing all the details, she gave a look that said "We're going after these assholes right?"
"Yeah girl." Warren said as he got on a knee to place a hand on Azalea's head. "We're gonna get back at these assholes."
[Songs featured are Bake Sale - Richie Branson, and Bank Account Remix - Joyner Lucas]
[Hope you guys enjoyed. Like I said, these kinds of chapters are gonna appear every now and then. I feel like the music will help build some character if I do them correctly. Anyway, onto the outro
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PEACE]