Outsiders (ZnT/Pokémon Reverse Summon)
Season 1, Episode 10, Chapter 1
"I had a nightmare last night," Elizabeth told the mirror, "I thought I was done with them, but I guess that derp-sword, or whatever its name was, dredged up more than just bad memories. I suppose that's also why I'm talking to you again."
The mirror didn't respond. After all, it was merely a piece of reflective glass mounted on a wall, and those can't talk. Elizabeth didn't care.
"Yes, I know there are actual people I can talk to now," the verdette continued, "but I've told you before why I don't." She looked away, unable to even meet her reflection's gaze. She took a deep breath. "Wish me luck today."
But glass doesn't feel emotion or empathy. Even if it could, an inanimate object cannot wish someone luck. Elizabeth didn't mind, mirrors couldn't betray you any more than your reflection could.
The verdette didn't need to curl her hair today. Her exposition match was in just a few hours, and her persona's hairstyle was sufficiently different from her usual one that it would be wasted effort. Somehow, Elizabeth felt tired. She had been looking forward to this all week, so why the apathy now? The verdette shook her head and splashed water on her face. She needed to be in top form today, and second-guessing herself wouldn't help. Finally working up her courage, Elizabeth walked out of the bathroom, only to sigh upon seeing a regretfully common sight. Eevee and Zorua were squabbling again. Machamp had long since given up trying to mediate between the two, deciding to lean against the wall with his arms crossed while continuing to watch the tussling canines intently. Elizabeth never tried, figuring that if even Machamp had failed, she stood no chance.
A mirror can't betray you.
"Come on, Zorua," Elizabeth said, picking up the fox, "Janet wants to talk to us downstairs."
Eevee shot a nasty look at Elizabeth while Zorua just looked relieved. Elizabeth's hand curled into a fist. A locust swarm of thoughts blanketed her mind.
Idon'tdeserveyouyoudon'tdeservemeIdon'tIdon'tIdon't—
A jolt of pain. The swarm died. Her hand felt damp.
"I had a nightmare last night."
Red became green became red became green became red. Zorua yipped in concern.
"I'm fine," Elizabeth replied as she opened the door and walked downstairs. She couldn't be late, after all.
"You guys sure you don't want a ride up to Cyllage? I have more than enough room," Calem once again offered as they waited outside the Muraille Coast entrance into Ambrette Town. The dawn sun cast an orange light over the city and coastline, and the trainers felt it was a beautiful sight.
Louise waved him off. "We appreciate the offer, Calem, but we must refuse. Saito and I want to hike up to Cyllage City. We could use the extra training time."
'In more ways than one,' Louise thought. Had Calem asked the question just yesterday morning, assuming the fossil wasn't an issue, she and Saito might have taken him up on his offer. After all, the prospect of getting to Cyllage in only an hour versus a whole day of walking was a happy prospect. But, as Louise looked back down at the four Luxury Balls strapped to her belt, she was reminded that life tended to throw curveballs wherever it could.
"Besides," Saito added, "we didn't really experience it the last time, so we wouldn't be retreading any lost ground."
"… Can't say I really blame you guys," Calem admitted with a shake of his head, a smile gracing his lips. "If I just got a bunch of new Pokémon, and a brand-new evolution, I'd want to get to know that a little better before a Gym Battle, too."
"Exactly." Saito's words rang true in Louise's eyes, although she couldn't help but note that her situation was much more precarious than his own. Calem nodded then released his Gogoat, mounting her and grabbing hold of her horns.
"I best be off. My next delivery's taking me straight to Lumiose City. I hope we can see each other again, soon."
"Likewise, Calem." Louise smiled genuinely, and Calem smiled back before he and Gogoat rode off down the road, bounding up the mountain trail and out of sight. Louise and Saito watched him go for as long as they could until they couldn't even hear them, then looked at each other.
"So, we get everything?" Saito asked his travelling partner, and Louise nodded.
"Yes," she replied, fishing through her bag. "I stocked back up on supplies at the PokéMart, including food and travel gear. According to the PokéNav, we should arrive in Cyllage in by about mid afternoon, giving us plenty of time to train as we go."
Saito nodded as he pulled out his own bag, the Pokémon Egg carefully nestled inside. The sight of it made him immensely relieved that they had left it in the hotel room rather than bring it with them. He didn't want to think about whether the chaos of the attempted Ambrette Fossil Heist would have damaged it. Louise couldn't help but look at it as well with the same relieved eyes as its owner. Part of her regretted her previous decision not to accept the Daycare's original offer, yet at the same time knew it was the correct one.
"Do you know how far along it is?" Louise asked, and Saito nodded.
"It's getting closer," he admitted as he continued to fumble around his bag for something. "Espirit told me that she'll be ready in about two or three weeks."
"Guess that prevents you from using her during your battle with Grant." Louise winced as soon as the words left her mouth while Saito stared at her dumbfoundedly.
"… Louise, she'd be a newborn."
"Yeah, I realized it as soon as I said it. Anyway, what are you even looking for?" Louise asked, hoping to change the subject. Saito squinted his eyes in concentration and poked his tongue out from the corner of his mouth, reaching his arm deeper into the bag.
"Well," he grunted, "I figured that since we'll be on the coast for a bit, it might…be…fun…to – Found it!" Saito announced as he pulled out two collapsed rods, one red and the other blue. He handed the red pole to Louise, who looked at it in mild curiosity.
"What is this?" she asked. Saito smiled as he extended the rod. "Oh, a fishing pole."
"Yeah! I figured that it might be fun, and or relaxing. Have you ever gone fishing?"
Louise combed through her memories before shaking her head. "I can't say I have, no."
"It's easy. If we find a good spot, we can try them out." Saito said as he collapsed the rod and placed it back in his backpack, Louise repeating the action. After both zipped up their bags, they looked back out over the coastline and breathed in the salty air. They then looked back at Ambrette Town, the recent memories playing back out through their minds.
The museum would be closed for another few weeks, according to the investigators. Luckily, all the equipment and fossils stolen were recovered inside the semi-trucks parked in the docking bay, and the open displays out in the main foyer were merely worthless fakes. Them being destroyed was no real issue for the museum. Mr. John Hammond, a wealthy, elderly gentleman who owned the museum, had personally arrived to thank the three of them for their efforts in protecting his prized fossil museum. In addition to a rather large sum of money as a reward, he even extended an invitation to a Fossil Pokémon biological reserve he had set up off the coast of the Alola Region. Admittedly, the thought of an overseas tropical getaway filled with wonderous Pokémon was rather appealing, but she had to decline.
Luckily, Mr. Hammond saw fit to make the invitation indefinite. Perhaps if she had time before, or maybe even after, the Pokémon League.
Result aside, Louise couldn't help but look back at Team Flare's latest criminal activity with the benefit of hindsight. Once again, they had gotten lucky, managing to catch an unprepared criminal cell with their pants down. A cell that, for all intents and purposes, was incompetently led. There was no guarantee that, should they come across Team Flare again – which Louise figured to be an eventuality – their luck would hold. She could tell that Saito felt the same way but resolved to leave that discussion for later.
"Well, we aren't making any headway standing here," Derflinger announced as he floated forward. "You guys comin' or not?"
Both trainers looked at the Honedge and nodded before proceeding to quickly catch up to him. The trio continued to make their way down the sandy coastline, hugging the rocks as they did as they kept their attention focused on the beautiful scenery around them.
"By the way," Louise began as they continued to walk, moving around a large rock while Saito decided to skip on top of it, "were you questioned by that Smith dude again?"
"Arceus, yes! I swear, he was, like, glaring into my soul. If I didn't know any better, I'd almost think he thought we were Flare."
"Why would anyone believe that?"
"I'm telling you, ma'am," Smith regaled into his phone, watching the two trainers and their talking Honedge continue their trek down Route 8. "We're well past coincidence territory. First, the Mega-Beedrill Incident in Santalune Forest, which we theorize to be a potential Flare Weapons Test. Then, Maxwell Fletcher's raid on the Kalos River Daycare Center. Now, Joshua Carnegie's cell tries to steal fossil revitalization equipment. Every single one of these events are tied to this girl and boy. They have to be connected somehow."
"… Smith, what are you suggesting?" his commander asked, exasperation in her voice. "Do you honestly think those two kids are Team Flare, after they actively worked to stop them?"
"It's a possibility, however seemingly unlikely. They could be part of a rival cell taking out their competition." Smith paused to let his commander sigh once again. He knew she didn't always agree with his theories or even tactics, but at the same time had learned to trust his judgement. "Moving on, recent events have me concerned. Coda Nakagawa's trail has gone completely cold, and I recently found her abandoned compound thanks to some odd weather patterns. I think Fletcher is related, somehow. It's possible that he's finally putting into motion the 'revival' plans he wouldn't shut up about."
"Do you have any ideas what his next steps might be?"
"Right now, nothing. It's possible that he might have allied with Coda to try and regain his powerbase."
"That's the last thing we need. I'll assign Looker and his partner after they investigate Alola's recent Ultra Beast problem. In the meantime,… Do you honestly think the children are connected?"
"If not directly, then at the very least the two will almost assuredly run into Flare again. Children tend to run into criminal organizations in this world."
"That they do. Alright, I'll approve your continued surveillance. But, do not harass them, you understand? Keep a distance and only interfere as needed."
"Of course, ma'am. Smith out."
Lyco's Lounge would never be called a lively venue. On most days, the lobby would be considered "busy" if at least three people besides the receptionist were present. Today wasn't quite normal. Janet had only been out of the lobby for, at most, three hours–even she needed to sleep–but when she returned, it was positively crowded. Well, she would hesitate to call it a crowd if it were anywhere else, but it was once in a blue moon when Lyco's Lounge had more than six people in its lobby at one time. She already knew Raven and Erina had yet to return and, for once, she didn't have any paperwork she needed to catch up on. For the first time in a long, long time, Janet let her curiosity guide her.
"So, what brings you to Cyllage?" she asked as she approached the newcomers. All five immediately recoiled, confusing Janet. Had she surprised them? Had they not noticed her entering the room? Maybe she should ask again, this time in a softer tone.
"No need to be so frightened, I won't bite," she spoke again, this time with a note of levity as she gestured to her mask, "I'm a local, so if you're looking for anything I might be able to help."
"Oh, just that?" one of the five asked in relief, "Well, we're here for a reunion, but it's not until later today, so we're just milling about until then."
"Oh, I know quite a few interesting places here. Do you want any recommendations?"
The five looked amongst themselves, each shaking their heads in turn.
"No," the spokesman said, "We have our day planned out already."
"Ah," Janet replied, her face falling beneath her gas mask, "Well, have a good day, then."
"You, too."
'That was a waste of time,' Janet thought to herself as she walked across the room, 'They were probably just too engrossed in their conversation to notice me.' With every possible method of distraction exhausted, the raven-haired woman was left to just sit and wait for Raven and Erina to return. She hoped it wouldn't be too long.
"We had her dead to rights!" Raven exclaimed as she staggered through the front door, "I don't understand what happened!"
"Well, speak of the devil," Janet muttered.
"She wasn't alone, obviously," Erina weakly replied, clutching her head, "I told you we should have been more alert."
Janet rose from her seat and cleared her throat as she approached the two. "Well, it's nice of you to finally show up," she deadpanned, "In case you don't remember, you have a match later today."
"Really?" Raven whined, "Do we have to?"
"Yes, you do," Janet snapped, "Elizabeth's introduction relies on your match and the two of you are NOT ruining an introduction in my ring."
"Do you have to rub it in?"
"Urgh…" Erina groaned, and Janet raised her eyebrow.
"What? Nothing to say?" Janet demanded.
"Concussion," the silver-haired woman muttered, "Thinking hurts."
"I'll have someone take you to the clinic later," the green-eyed woman conceded, "but right now I need you in the conference room."
"Sure, sure..."
"Fine…"
Without even bothering to look back, Janet strode off toward her destination as she forcibly blinked back tears. It was times like these when she wished Versus and the other producers kept their trainers on a tighter leash. She was always the one stuck dealing with the consequences of their trainers getting into fights, not them! Every single one of them had some form of golden parachute if a bad hire or a scandal wrecks their business, all she had was her house and her arena.
It wasn't like this issue was a solely 'her' issue, either. The sad fact was that PWE had been going downhill since The Necromancer retired from the Interregional circuits. While she was sure his influence was still felt in the Unova circuits, she wasn't sure how long that would last. With his departure, PWE lost one of its biggest symbols. Without that symbol, the almost gravitational force that drew in new people on both sides of the ropes just felt somewhat less. Even the most out-of-touch producer could tell the circuits needed a new symbol to stay relevant, but none of them really knew how to fix that problem. For all the hope Versus pinned on Diego, he couldn't fill the void Calaway left behind, nobody could. She had figured it out early in her career, after all. His shoes were just too big to fill. She could still remember the first time they met, it wa—
let every action build your character\oh? so you're challenging me?\keep your focus\I've learned your every move\let it flow naturally\do you feel powerless\don't worry, it's all scripted\all this data, I won't lose again\don't let fear stop you\I\let every action\you won't escape now\keep focus\an expected counterattack\CAN'T\keepyourfocus\letitflow\keepyourfocus\letitflow\BREATHE!
Janet tore off her gas mask, taking breath after greedy breath of air. There was nothing wrong with the filters, nothing wrong with the mechanisms. She didn't put it back on. She was just so tired.
She knew she couldn't do anything to fix the issue. Even if she came out of retirement, she just wasn't the right person to carry on Calaway's legacy. 'Do you feel powerless?' was a phrase plastered all over her marketing, but it wasn't the invention of some scriptwriter or PR person. The line had been an ad-lib. Sure, the others had praised her for "getting into character," but she hadn't even known she had said it until after the fact.
Even back then, she knew that it wasn't Scarecrow who gave that line, it was Janet Crane. How could she even attempt to be like Calaway? Just look at what she had been worrying about. She was no better than Raven, no better than Versus. What good was it to worry about a problem she couldn't even work to solve?
"Miss Crane? Are you okay?"
Janet opened her eyes and looked up to see Elizabeth. When had she fallen?
"I'm fine, Elizabeth," Janet replied, "And, please, just call me Janet."
"Oh, okay," the verdette said, awkwardly looking away before turning back and extending a hand, "Do you need any help?"
Janet was surprised. So much of how the verdette acted reminded Janet of her younger self, yet this came almost out of nowhere.
Don't let fear stop you.
Janet took Elizabeth's hand. "Thank you," she said.
Janet Crane might not be able to fill the shoes of the Necromancer, but she could at least honor his memory.
After a few hours of hiking, Louise and Saito found themselves a nice clean patch of sandy beach nestled between two rows of boulders and a sheer cliff-face. It was a perfect environment to both take a break as well as do some training, which the two trainers quickly took. Their Pokémon enjoyed the chance to stretch their legs as well, and everyone had already broken off into separate groups.
"Alright, everyone," Louise announced to her gathered Pokémon. They all looked up to her expectantly and excitingly while she held her fourth Luxury Ball in hand. "I know we didn't get the chance to really introduce ourselves to our newest teammate last night, so now's the perfect time to do so."
Looking back down at her Luxury Ball, Louise thought over the name she had spent the entire morning thinking of. She scoured the history and legends regarding Absols, about how they were prophets of disasters and living bad omens. Her recent experiences with this particular Absol lent credence to that belief, and in the end the choice of name came naturally.
"Come on out, Auspice," Louise proclaimed as she opened her ball, releasing the Absol onto the soft sand. Auspice stretched out her back and legs before regarding the rest of her newfound team. Espirit was by far the most excited, her face beaming while holding out an inviting hand. Aile was more indifferent, focusing instead on her newfound evolution and how it was suddenly much harder to fly. Brennaraki, meanwhile, was more neutral. On the one hand, Auspice would clearly be a valuable addition to their team, yet at the same time she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealously course through her.
Finally, after a long moment of silence, Auspice released a soft cry. "An honor to meet you all," she said.
'Likewise!' Espirit replied, only for Auspice to not acknowledge her. For a moment, Espirit was confused. 'Oh right, Dark-Type. Well, time for me to learn Miracle Eye!'
"I don't know what she said, but is she always this excitable?" Auspice asked as Espirit bounded in place, and Brennaraki nodded.
"Yep, you get used to it after a while. Anyway, name's Brennaraki. The Kirlia is Espirit, and the flightless Fletchinder over there is Aile. I'm Louise's starter. That's—"
"The first Pokémon humans receive when they first start their journeys. I am aware of humans and their customs, including their propensity to name creatures other than their own."
"… I guess that means you're okay with your nickname, then?"
"The word 'auspice' means 'a divine or prophetic token'. It is adequate and fitting, given the disasters that follow her and my ability to detect them."
Brennaraki paused for a moment. "Part of me wants to counter that and defend my trainer, but at the same time I know you're kind of right. A lot of crazy stuff has happened these past couple of months."
"Indeed," Auspice replied before turning to regard Aile.
"Come…on…stupid thing!" Aile complained as she struggled to maintain her lift, only to flap far too hard and spiral out of control, crashing into the sand. "Dang it! Stupid added body mass!"
"You're flapping too hard," Auspice advised as she watched Aile pick herself off the ground. "A Fletchinder's center-of-mass is different from a Fletchlings, and you need to recognize that. Control your wingbeats and try taking smaller steps before jumping straight into full flight."
"Oh geez, you think?! Thanks, Captain Obvious. Any other helpful suggestions?" Aile spat back as she shuffled her body from side to side. Auspice remained silent, and the Fletchinder scoffed. "Thought not. If you don't mind, leave the flying to the Flying-Type Pokémon. Unlike you, I actually know—"
"Are you going to whine all day?" Auspice interjected, throwing Aile off.
"Wha—I am not-!"
"You are, and I don't much care for it. The energy you spend on whining about your predicament is energy not spent on improving yourself. So I suggest," Auspice leaned her face closer to Aile, so suddenly felt nervous, "you stop wasting your time. Am I clear?"
"… yes, ma'am."
As Aile retreated from the Absol's stern expression, Louise watched in curiosity then looked down at Espirit. "Um, Espirit? Translation?"
'Aile was whining again, and Auspice put a stop to it.'
Louise looked back up at Auspice, who was now coaching Aile's efforts to regain control of her flight. She and the Kirlia tilted their heads to the side inquisitively, while Brennaraki looked on with awe.
"… I like her!"
Meanwhile, on the other end of the patch of sand, Saito watched as his Pokémon introduced themselves to Shogun once again, only this time in a much calmer setting. It surprisingly took little for the freshly revived Tyrunt to acclimate to his newfound setting, which Saito chalked up to Shogun's pack instincts. Notes on Tyrunts and Tyrantrums indicated that they, especially when they were young, were pack hunters led by a single Tyrantrum alpha. Something told the boy that Shogun saw him as the alpha this 'pack', for lack of a better word.
Moving on from that train of thought, Saito scanned the Royal Heir Pokémon with his Pokédex. Skimming through the summary, Saito focused on Shoguns current calculated stats and known moves. As he suspected, his Attack stat was by far his greatest strength, followed by Defense. His Special stats, however, were abysmal, borderline worthless even. His Speed wasn't anything to brag about, either. Saito quickly decided that any training with Shogun would focus on his more physical characteristics.
"Alright, Shogun. Let's see here," Saito said, bringing his Pokémon's attention to him. "According to this, you know… Tail Whip and Tackle. Not a whole lot, but I expected this. You did just revive last night, after all. Still, it's something to work on."
Pocketing the device, Saito knelt onto the sand and allowed his Pokémon to draw closer. He couldn't help but notice that Maindo was keeping himself distant from the others and himself, even after all this time. It was starting to become clear to Saito that, despite everything they've been through, Maindo still kept himself closed off. He was starting to suspect that it was intentional.
Idly, he also noticed that Shogun was making sure Maindo was always in sight, but that was more amusing than anything else.
"Here's what we're going to do. Our next Gym Battle is with Grant. He uses Rock-Type Pokémon. Ronin, Tengu, Tanuki, you guys are up front. All of you are strong against Rock-types, so I want you three to go off and practice among yourselves. Maindo, Shogun, come with me. We're going to train on our own for a bit."
Ronin, Tanuki, and Tengu nodded at the order and began walking towards the nearby rocks, Tanuki picking up Tengu and tucking her under his arm upon realizing that they had accidentally left her behind. Her stoic expression remained unchanged despite being manhandled. Saito chuckled at the sight before walking away, throwing his hand towards himself to tell his remaining two Pokémon to come with him. Shogun happily came in behind him, while Maindo groaned and remain standing where he was.
Seeing this, Saito paused and frowned as did Shogun. "Seriously, Maindo? Can you cut the attitude for one day, at least?"
Maindo refused to respond, instead deciding to teleport away and sit himself on top of a particularly large rock. Saito groaned and rubbed his forehead, wondering what to do in this situation, while Shogun narrowed his eyes at Maindo. Tentatively walking forward, Shogun looked up at the Ralts from the base of the rock.
"We go now," Shogun ordered, only for Maindo to scoff.
'Nah, I don't think I will,' he countered. 'It's not like you or I are needed for Grant. The idiot said it himself, let the plant and dogs take care of it.'
Shogun growled, recognizing an insult. Still, he pressed on. "Don't care. He alpha. You follow alpha."
Rather than acquiesce to his demands, Maindo laughed. "Oh, that's adorable! Only joined up last night and already you're a true believer! Truly, you're an inspiration to us all!'
Shogun growled again while Saito sighed. "Derf, what's he saying, now?"
"Being his normal self, that being an asshole," Derflinger answer. Maindo smiled at both the answer and Shogun's continuing growling and agitated tail whips.
'You know me so well, Derf.'
"Yeah, yeah. Are you coming, or are you just going to continue sitting up there all high and mighty?"
'I don't know. Pretty nice up here. Nice view of the ocean, a cool breeze on my face. It has it all, really.'
Derflinger rolled his eye, telling Saito all he needed to know. Starting to get annoyed, Saito decided to try a different approach and stomped his foot. "Seriously, Maindo. Come on, I'm done playing games. Now, are you going to willingly come with me to train, or are you-?"
Saito was cut off as a small rock was lightly flung at him, causing him to duck under it. The rock rebounded off the cliff, and upon righting himself, Saito saw a cheeky Maindo waving at him. Shogun was absolutely enraged, growling intensely at the Ralts. Saito and Maindo stared each other down, daring the other to make the first move, before Saito finally let out a defeated sigh and turned around.
"Come on, Shogun. I wanted to work more closely with you, anyway."
Shogun looked back up at Maindo for a few more seconds before reluctantly turning around and following his trainer. Maindo smiled as they left, ignoring the glares the other Pokémon, even the ones in Louise's team, were giving him. He didn't care.
"Maindo, you puzzle me sometimes," Derflinger admitted, breaking Maindo's concentration.
'How so, Derflinger?' Maindo asked in a mocking manner, although he was admittedly curious.
"One moment, you're fighting alongside us with no issue. But the next, as soon as the danger's past, you start being combative and trying to drive everyone away. I'm starting to think you're doing that on purpose. My only question is why?"
Maindo shrugged. 'Perhaps there isn't a reason. Maybe it's just because I'm an asshole.'
"Uh-huh, sure." Derflinger sounded skeptical and began to float after Saito and Shogun. He then paused right after passing Maindo and began to speak once again with his back turned to his audience.
"You know, the thing about being an asshole to everyone you meet is that, while it's fun at first, it'll only harm you in the long run. People don't like people who are jerks. They tend to drive everyone away."
'Maybe that's not such a bad thing?'
"Thought you'd say that. Here's the thing, though. Your petulant behavior has so far only happened around people who, miraculously, still care about you and want to keep you safe. You keep acting like this, eventually no one will care about you when you need them most."
'What are you blabbering on about?' Maindo asked, irritation seeping into his mental voice, only to flinch once Derflinger's eye bored into his own.
"In case you've forgotten, I've been around for a very long time. I may not remember everything, but I do remember countless soldiers who acted exactly as you do, driving everyone away with their behavior because they thought they were better than everyone else. They tended not to come back from campaigns, and no one mourned for them."
With that final warning, Derflinger left a silent Maindo behind. He watched as the Honedge disappeared then stared back out over to the others. Some were still glaring at him, specially Auspice, but Maindo paid them no heed.
After all, why should he care what they thought of him? It wasn't like he'd be around forever.
Shogun sat on a tree stump as he looked out into the coastal forest. He could hear birds chirping and insects clicking, feel the breeze whistle by his rather large head. Closing his eyes, he breathed in through his nose and smelled the gentle scent of nearby flowers. In the distance, he could still hear waves breaking against the beach. All combined, he found them to be a quite pleasant experience.
Rather than attempt to rouse his newest Pokémon, Saito was content was stay silent and give Shogun his moment. The Tyrunt was grateful for this, and he found that his impression of his alpha being a considerate one was accurate.
"So, kid? What'dya think?" Derflinger asked. Shogun breathed in again then opened eyes, turning his head to look at both Derflinger and Saito.
"Is nice," Shogun replied. "Am enjoying myself."
Saito nodded, able to understand what Shogun was saying, if not directly. He stood up, drawing Shogun's attention towards him, then they walked a little further into the forest.
"Shogun," Saito began, "before we start, I want to clarify what we're doing. You see, Louise and I are Pokémon trainers. We're trying to be in a competition against other trainers called the Pokémon League."
Shogun tilted his head inquisitively, prompting Derflinger to lean in close to the Tyrunt's head. "Think of it as fighting for dominance."
"Ooh." Shogun nodded his head. He could instinctively understand why his alpha – or trainer, as he apparently insisted he call himself – would desire such a show of dominance.
"Yes," Saito continued. "I want you to help me with winning the League. To do that, you and I are going to be training together to get both of us stronger. Will you help me? If you don't, I fully understand. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do."
Shogun thought it over for a second before enthusiastically nodding. The way he saw it, not only was Saito his trainer, one that had already earned his respect, helping him assert his dominance would enable himself to experience more of the brave new world he found himself in.
Saito smiled and rubbed Shogun's snout, the Tyrunt purring at the affectionate gesture. "Thanks, buddy. Now, let's get started. Our first Gym Battle is against Grant. He specializes in Rock-types, so right now we're going to focus on that.
"You see those rocks over there?" Saito pointed to a large group of rocks scattered to the side. Shogun looked at them for a moment then nodded back at Saito. "You and I are going to break 'em."
Shogun's toothy grin was the only answer Saito needed.
Louise sat on a rock across from Auspice. Both she and the Absol stared into the others' eyes, each unblinking. The other Pokémon, even Maindo, watched the two closely. Auspice tilted her head slightly to the side, prompting Louise to do that same.
"…Why are we doing this, again?" Brennaraki finally asked in a whisper.
"You kidding? This is the most intense staring contest I've ever seen," Tanuki answered.
'Yeah, so shut up,' Maindo continued, eating from a bag of chips he had stolen from Louise's bag.
Louise felt her eyes strain under the stress of keeping them open for this long. She honestly didn't know how this impromptu contest had started, nor why she had decided to go along with it, but the Founder as her witness she wouldn't back down. To her immense irritation, Auspice didn't appear to be phased at all. The Absol almost appeared to be smirking.
"Damn…you…" Louise cursed, and Auspice's smirk turned into a full-on smile. Louise gritted her teeth then leaned forward to stare further into Auspice's eyes, the Absol repeating the action.
"Our two combatants are still going at it," Ronin announced as if he were a sports commentator, sitting behind a horizontal rock. "The drive and focus from them is palpable, don't you say?"
'Indeed, Ronin,' Espirit replied, sitting next to him. 'It's truly awe-inspiring. What do you think, Tengu?"
Tengu said nothing, the blank expression never leaving her face before she did an approximation of a shrug. In response, the two Pokémon commentators nodded and hummed in deep thought.
"Truly, powerful words there, Tengu."
'And fitting. Thank you.'
Tengu nodded before hopping off the rock, plopping feet-first into the warm sand and waddling over to the others. Maindo couldn't help but stare slack-jawed at the Seedot, wondering just what she had said or if she said anything at all. Shaking himself, he turned his attention back towards Louise and Absol, and it was clear to him that the staring contest was just about over.
'Come on…blink…' Louise internally commanded Auspice, who still appeared to be no worse for wear. She knew that she didn't have much time before her body would force herself to blink, her eyes screaming at her to let them close, but she still refused to submit. Her pride wouldn't –
Any further thoughts were dashed as Aile suddenly crashed into the ground next to them, kicking up sand that buffeted both Louise's and Auspice's eyes. They were forced to close them and began to rub their eyes, trying to get the sand out, while Aile picked herself back up.
"Okay… I was up for ten minutes that time. It's a start," she commented to herself as she brushed the sand off her wings. She then felt two dark presences staring her down, and the Fletchinder slowly turned to regard both Louise and Auspice. Dark auras pulsated around them, and Aile felt a pang of sweat trickle down the back of her head.
"Heheh… Bye." Before Louise and Auspice could do anything, Aile suddenly took off into the air, leaving the two enraged individuals behind. They screamed after her indignantly before taking off, leaving the other Pokémon behind.
"In a stunning turn of events, the contest has turned into a tie!' Ronin announced as he and Espirit watched Louise and Auspice chase after Aile.
'All thanks to outside interference, too! I've never seen anything like it before in my life!' Espirit excitingly proclaimed. The rest of the Pokémon nodded appreciatingly at the commentary before going back to their training. Maindo, meanwhile, simply stared unamused at both Ronin and Espirit with a dry expression.
'…I swear, you two need hobbies.'
"How are you feeling, Elizabeth?" Diego asked.
"I'm fine," the verdette curtly replied, not moving from her place by the window, "Why do you want to know?"
"No need to get defensive, I just wanted to know how you were dealing with any last-minute jitters."
"I'm not worried about the match," Elizabeth said after a beat of silence, "I feel more confident about it than I have for anything in the past five years. It's just… well," red became green as the verdette sighed, "something bad is going to happen, I just know it."
"Well, I've got a pretty good idea," Janet interjected, throwing her hands in the air, "your damn context is going to dip the whole show!"
"What's wrong?" Diego asked, concern evident in his tone, "Have Raven and Erina returned yet?"
"Oh, they have. Nearly thirty minutes ago, at that!" Janet snarled, "They're all beat to hell and Erina somehow managed to get a concussion, so I'd be somewhat forgiving of some delay, but not a whole thirty minutes!"
Elizabeth winced in sympathy. She knew from experience how debilitating a concussion could be. "Will they still be able to do their match?" the verdette weakly asked.
"If they hurry up and actually show, maybe," Janet huffed in defeat, "But if they don't get here soon, they might not recover in time!"
"A concussion?" Diego asked in disbelief, "What were they doing for the last few hours?"
"Hell if I know!" Janet screamed as she flopped into a nearby chair.
Zorua could barely suppress a shiver. Despite having having only knowing her for a little less than a month, Elizabeth could tell that Zorua was having trouble imagining anything strong enough to beat up Erina or Raven, much less take on both at once. However, the verdette tried to remain more hopeful, green returning to red once more.
"Well," she began, "maybe it's not as bad as—"
"—And then she just had to get her friends involved," Raven ranted as she forced her way into the room, an injured Erina in tow, "It's like they're all too cowardly to face us without some of them blindsiding us!"
"Oh," Diego said through gritted teeth as he laid eyes on the new arrivals before politely looking away, "You're right, Janet, this could be problematic."
Zorua couldn't agree more, following suit almost immediately. But Elizabeth did not. Something inside the verdette kept telling her to—
don'tlookawaykeepwatchingkeeplooking
Raven looked horrible. Her left eye was already blackening and the rest of her body was covered in numerous scrapes and bruises. And all that wasn't even mentioning the awkward angle her right arm was bent at. By comparison, Erina looked like she had taken far less damage, but the knowledge of her concussion made Elizabeth question the assumption. The verdette couldn't help but feel ill at ease. All those injuries, yet she could still say those—
seeseeseeyouknowyouseeyoukn—
Elizabeth flinched.
A mirror can't betray you.
"Where were you Raven?" Janet demanded, "You two are putting tonight's show in jeopardy!"
"No need to worry, Janet," Raven replied, "We'll be right as rain when the show comes around, right Erina?"
"Unnnn…" Erina groaned.
"That's what I thought!"
"WHAT THE HELL!?" Janet screamed, her eyes visibly moistening, "The only reason we're in this situation is because you guys decided now would be a good time to try and make good on your grudge, since that obviously worked out so well the last twenty times you tried!"
"You don't understand, Janet!" Raven shot back, "Do you know how embarrassing it is to get the crap beaten out of you by someone half your age?"
Something about those words sent a chill down Elizabeth's spine. Sure, the Little Rose wasn't that much younger than she was, but she certainly looked the part.
A mirror can't betray you.
"It's been years, Raven!" Janet screamed right back, tears rolling down her face, "How long are you going to hold on to that petty grudge!?"
"As long as it takes to get even!"
Red became green became red became green once more as tremors propagated across Elizabeth's body, Raven's words echoing over and over in her mind. Her head hurt. It hurt so—
"Surrender, -, or she dies!"
"What are you doing!?"
She was back. Why was she back?
Elizabeth frantically looked around, but all she could see was the same staircase, stretching on and on forever. Yet she could still see him at the top, pressing that demon to her neck.
She took a step, then another, then another, the silk around her arms tightening all the while. The handles chafed her hands, but she kept gripping them tighter as she—
Crack!
She was on the floor. Her head hurt, but at least she was back in the conference room.
I had a nightmare last night.
Slowly, carefully, Elizabeth rose to her feet and looked around the room. Janet had backed Raven into a wall, tears now fully streaming down the twintailed woman's face.
"Why don't you back off a little, Janet?" Raven pressed, "I think you've already—"
Janet socked her in the face. "Shut. Up," she snarled, "Diego!"
"What?" he asked, "It seemed like it was more your problem than—"
"Well, it's your problem now. Make sure these two idiots are ready for the match tonight." Janet stormed over to Elizabeth and grabbed her wrist. "You're coming with me, Elizabeth."
"Where are we going?" the verdette asked as she was dragged along.
"Anywhere but here!" Janet all but shouted as she wiped tears from her face.
[~][~]
