Pokémon Trainer Hero
Chapter 78: Hero Killer Arc, part. 1; The Public Perception. Act 1
Gar sat sullenly and stiff in the back of a limo, draped in his Fire Type outfit. His body slouching into the seat, his eyes tired and beat, and his face neutral. In front of him was a small pull-out tray with three Ultra Balls sitting on it. Never taking his eyes off the whole ride, he watched them, as if waiting for something to happen or an answer to appear.
He finally breathed out and whispered before shouting, "I can't believe it, I just can't believe it. It just doesn't make sense, it doesn't!"
Photo Finish, who was sitting next to him and trying to pay mind to him. Using her phone as a distraction. Finally got fed up and asked, "Gar, sweetie. You've been saying the same thing over and over. Are you finally gonna say it so you can focus?"
"Focus? Focus!? I can barely think right now under these circumstances!", Gar shouted at her, practically jumping from his spot to stare her down. Before grabbing the three Ultra Balls and shoving them in her face while exclaiming, "Don't you see what these are!?"
The photo looked between the panicked man and the three devices he held, answering, "Three Ultra Balls?"
"Three Ultra Balls with the three Legendary Beasts in them! Beasts!", He reiterated the last part of stress.
"And?"
"And! This isn't some murder of Murkrow or herd of Bouffant: this is Legendary Pokemon!", He exclaimed in opposition to her nonchalantness. He slumps back into his seat with all three devices on his stomach, saying to himself, "Bayo has managed to corral three of the most powerful Pokemon of my world, here."
"Is that bad?", Photo inquiries.
Gar shoot a shocked and disbelieving expression at her, before exclaiming, "Only world-changing or world-ending bad!", Seeing her taken-back expression and tense body, Gar turned it down some and said while slumped over himself, "I've been around this Burmey enough times to realize that when any evil organization gets Legendaries involved, it's bad news!"
After calming herself down, Photo asked further, "Didn't you say that these are minor deities? And you caught them, so it's fine!"
Gar blew out a raspberry as he explained back, "He used them as a distraction! If he's using Legendary Pokemon like this, I hate to even think about what he's planning!"
Photo then looked out the window and smiled when she saw where they were. So to try and cheer her up, she assured him, "Well you'll just have to figure that mystery out later. For now, you need to put on your game face for the week we got ahead of ourselves!"
Gar thought it over for a bit, a sour expression on his face that slowly faded to a small smile as he replied, "I guess you're right. One thing at a time."
"Great to hear! And speaking of which, we're here!"
"Wait what!?", Gar immediately exclaimed as he jumped up to swivel his head just in time to see Photo opening the limo door to a large building.
Inside the Building
After being rushed out of the car, dashing into the front foyer to keep up with the power-walking woman, and packed into an elevator. Gar found himself inside one of the floors that were in absolute chaos! Not chaos in the sense that everything was a mess, but chaos in the sense that everyone was moving at about a mile a minute!
People were running about, papers flying all over, loud talking was obvious, machines and other equipment were being rolled around, and so much more! Gar had seen scenes like this before, but this was on a whole other scale!
As he looked around, completely enamored and overwhelmed by the madness going around, he asked Photo, "Photo…. remind me what we're doing here?"
"A photoshoot of course! The best way to enter the hearts of the public is through the cover of a magazine!", She told him in her chipper yet overly exaggerated tone.
"I feel like I've heard that before but with a different context.", Gar sweat dropped in reply.
Suddenly a voice shouted so loud and suddenly it not only cut through the crowd but also caused him to straighten up and pucker his butt cheeks at the abrupt and forcefully commanding tone it took! After he calmed down a bit, he looked around for the voice and found its origin. A shorter, heavy-set older man in a slick designer button-up shirt, thick dark glasses on his face, slicked-back silver hair, clean-shaven, skinny jeans, and actual leather shoes while being dazzled up in jewelry. He was standing in the very center of the chaos with his head held high, chin and chest puffed out, pointing somewhere or at someone as several people came up to him and then left like honeybees. All the while talking in the loudest tone, and fakest over-the-top accent.
Gar tilted his head at the strange man and asked, "Uh Photo. Who is that loud guy with the fake accent?"
Photo, who wasn't paying attention before, looked up to where he was and stated with a look of recognition, "Oh! That's the man who runs the most popular magazine company in all of Japan! No one knows his name, so he's known as the Director."
Gar sweat dropped at this and observed, "Well it sure is fitting. He likes to bark orders."
"He has worked with some of the biggest heroes in the industry and shot them to stardom!", She told him while waving her arm across the air whimsically.
Somehow the Director seemed to catch sight of them and then made a B-line in the middle of what he was doing.
Once he was upon them, he didn't even give them a second to breathe as he started to push them out while exclaiming, "You there! No fan entry until 4:30! Now be gone with you! Shoo!"
Just before the two of them could get fully booted out, Photo managed to slip out and tell him in a rush, "Hold on a second Director! We're not fans.", The Director stopped his shoving and allowed her to explain, to which she said, "We're here for our scheduled photo shoot! This is the Pokemon Hero Trainer: Garfield."
"Again, with the name.", Gar irritatedly muttered under his breath.
Director made a face like he was searching his memory, then a lightbulb went off as he said, "Ah! So sorry about that, you wouldn't believe how often fanatics break into here!"
"Too often I assume.", Gar answered with an understanding eyebrow raised.
Director then placed both his hands on his shoulders and said, "Accept my apologies.", With that he grabbed Gar's neck and kissed him on both cheeks, leaving him bewildered and silent.
Once he pulled away, the Director took his authoritative tone and commanded, "Now then, take off your clothes!"
Gar got back to his senses after this statement and pulled out a PokeBall that popped open in his hands, revealing Aegislash, and holding the Pokemon half unsheathed in attack, he demanded, "Excuse you!"
"I need to see what I am working with, and where did you get that sword?", Director quickly said without looking even slightly worried.
"It's Aegislash, one of my Pokemon.", Gar told him firmly as the Pokemon's one eye glared at him.
"That's actually why we're here!", Phot quickly jumped in, before things get dicey.
Director put a hand to his chin and thinking it over a bit he exclaimed excitedly, "Hmmm. A photoshoot with these Pokemon things….I love it!"
"Wonderful!", Photo agreed happily before pulling Gar away. Once out of earshot she scolded him in a low hiss, "What was that before?!"
Gar stood his ground against her and stabbing Aegislash into the ground he proclaimed, "Look Photo, I don't mind sliding my ass into a speedo, but I'm not doing nudes! End! Of! Story!"
Photo groaned out in aggravation while agreeing with a hand wave, "Fine, fine. I'm sure we can work that out at least."
"Thank you.", Gar replied cordially with a head bow.
Once they returned, the Director was already surrounded by his underlings as they waited for his instructions.
He clapped his hands and announced, "Places people! I have a feeling we will have a very busy day today!", Once every called out in an astounding agreement and scattered, Director, turned to Gar and pointing at him exclaimed, "You!", Gar waited to hear what he had to say, and he replied his worst fear, exclaiming, "Remove your clothing! All of it! The season of Pokemon nudes is-!"
Before he could finish that, a large muscle arm came out of nowhere and slugged him so hard he flew back and crashed into a rack of clothing! All eyes turned from the Director and back to Gar, who looked equally floored by this surprise, looked behind him where the arm was stretching out from.
Behind him stood a very angry look Machamp baring her teeth with all four of her hands clenched into fists! It did take the young man very long to realize that his Pokemon heard what the Director said, popped out on its own, and slugged him for it.
To try and make sure that this didn't reflect badly on him, he quickly turned to the horrified onlookers and said, "Okay! I didn't tell her to do that! Everyone saw that, right?"
Luckily the Director took the hit in full stride and burst out from the piles of clothing while proclaiming, "I love the power and enthusiasm! Exactly what we need! I also want him in the photo shoot!"
"Machamp is a girl.", Gar corrected him.
"I want her in the photo shoot!", And Machamp looked flustered by this offer.
Later
Gar then went through a few hours of not only sitting in a makeup booth but also swapping between outfits and different Pokemon to try different poses in front of a green screen. Even Machamp got in on the action, trying on all different outfits to pose in with Gar.
Gar went from several kinds of styles of suits, casual wear, trendy clothing, graphic designs, swimwear, and even underwear. Many of which were in different styles and colors. Some of his….outfits became more and more open, like at the chest or rolled up sleeves. Until it eventually went to losing certain articles, like the shirt or pants or both when it came to underwear. Gar became suspicious of this, but the Director didn't try to do anything else, especially under Machamp's hard gaze….no matter how much she enjoyed dressing up.
This went on for a while until the Director called for a mandatory break, much to Gar's relief.
Gar stepped off the green screen stage and walked over to Photo who was sitting and typing rapidly on her phone as she sat in one of those old movie directors' chairs.
With a large groan, he complained with a blush, "This is so humiliating!"
"I thought you said you were okay with sliding your ass into a speedo.", Photo shoots back, not looking up from her phone.
"Yeah but not when it's every other picture!", He stressed to her before motioning to himself and asking, "I swear I've been more undressed here than I have in my whole life! I mean, what am I even wearing?"
Photo finally looked up and answered in a chipper tone, "Fall fashion!"
Gar was clad in something that could only be reasonably described as an…..outfit. He was wearing an open white button-up with an overcoat that was colored in different shades of orange, yellow, and red. Wearing only briefs on his bottom that we're also colored the same while wearing eye makeup in the same color argument.
To this reply, Gar was not amused as he said back, "Okay, two things. First off, does fall fashion require no pants and over-the-shoulder poses? And second, isn't it way too early for fall? I mean, we just did Spring and Winter."
Photo waved him off and explained, "The Director likes to cover all fashion seasons so he can release them over the year. It's highly demanding but very rewarding for all involved!"
Gar opened his mouth to argue, but then thought about it for a bit before admitting, "That's quite smart, I've gotta admit."
"Garfield!", He heard the Director tell his name, making him jump.
"Yes Director?", He answered.
"I need something, uh, different from you.", He told him as he walked up to the man.
"Different how?", Gar asked back with a cocked eyebrow.
"Your Pokemon. I need different ones!", He exclaimed, finally getting to the point.
Gar looked at him confused and a bit insulted as he asked "What's wrong with the ones I've got?"
"Oh come now, you can't be serious!", He exclaimed while throwing his arms up and moving to one group of Pokemon eating from a dish.
"Bird!", He said while pointing to a group consisting of Pidgey, Pidove, Staraptor, and Unfezant.
"Rat!", He said while pointing to a group consisting of Ratatat, Raticate, Bidoof, Marill, and Minccino.
"Fish!", He said while pointing to a group consisting of Goldeen, Remoraid, Magikarp, and Wishiwashi.
"Dog!", He said while pointing to a group consisting of Houndoom, Boltund, Mightyena, and Furfrou.
"Frog!", He said while pointing to a group consisting of Politoed, Froakie, Poliwrath, Palpitoad, and Croagunk.
"People with mutant quirk!", He said while pointing to a group consisting of Machamp, Gardevoir, Lopunny, Mr. Rime, and Jynx.
"I can assure you that Gardevoir is not human in any way.", Gar told him, fearful of the implications.
"I need something with more, um, pizzazz!", Director told him while waving his hands around.
"What, like, a Legendary? Because they can be quite the handful.", Gar warned him.
"If it can razzle me, then yes!", He exclaimed back with no room for argument.
Gar shrugs as he takes out a Master Ball and says, "Well, if you insist. One razzle-dazzle, coming right up!"
He throws the device and outcomes Mewtwo looks annoyed and unimpressed as usual. Arms crossed, tail slowly swaying, gaze hard, and body floating off the ground.
The Director looked at the creature in pure shock as he stammered out, "It's-it's-it's-!"
"Oh Arceus.", Gar said under his breath, dreading what he'd say.
"It's hideous, horrible, disgusting, an upfront to the laws of nature itself!", The Director exclaimed off his list of descriptors directly at the Pokemon's face, who didn't look pleased with all.
"And?", Gar prompted him, hoping for something that wouldn't end in Mewtwo snapping his neck.
"It's perfect! Exactly what we need!", He followed up excitedly with sparkles in his eyes, much to the surprise of both Gar and Mewtwo. A light bulb then went over the Director's head and he stated while running off, "Ah! I just had an idea! Bring the wardrobe!"
Gar sighs as he watches him go off into his little world, walks up to Mewtwo, and gives him an apologetic pat on the shoulder while saying, "Sorry to rope you into this."
Mewtwo says nothing in return but only gives a slight growl and an even harder gaze of irritation and disappointment.
Many Hours Later
Gar was sitting in one of the old-fashioned director chairs, slumped back in it, his head hanging over the back with his arms limp. He was clad back in his Fire Type hero outfit as he rested on the chair. All his pokemon were either back on his belt or back in the PC. The photoshoot had finally come to an end! The chaos that has been going on all day today within the building had died down to nothing but an empty whisper of its former self. Almost everyone was gone apart from a small cleaning crew, Gar, and Photo Finished.
Gar, who had his eyes closed as he tried to rest, breathed out a groan and asked in a pitiful beg, "Photo for the love of Arceus, please tell me it's over!"
"It is. Labor laws state we can make your work any longer than you have.", She told him while continuing to do stuff on her phone.
"Oh thank the law! I thought it would never end!", He exclaimed as best he could, which was only him raising his arms. When you let him fall back down, he followed up by asking her, "Please don't tell me we have to do the same thing all over again, do we?"
"Nope.", She told him nonchalantly, making the man sigh with relief and relax further, all before she countered and told him, "We have something entirely different tomorrow.", Gar felt All the tension come back to him as he complained with sound. Photo ignored him and informed him, "We'll be meeting with a product company to manufacture merchandise for you."
Gar thinks this over for a bit before agreeing, "I guess sitting in a meeting for several hours isn't as bad as being shoved into outfit after outfit in several provocative positions."
"At least you didn't have to do any nudes.", She adds.
Gar chuckles at this and agrees, "Fair point."
"Well, I'm hungry. How's barbecue sound?", She asked him while taking her eyes away from her phone.
"Oh Helokisk yeah!", Gar exclaimed while immediately jumping to his feet and regretting it right after, as he falls to the floor in an embarrassing mess of himself as Photo laughs at him, making him lie there in a stew of his shame.