Kanto Gets Loud
Chapter 82: Pokemon Fashion Flash!
The Next Day, in another part of Hophophop Town,
"So, Brock, care to talk more about Scissor Street?" Lincoln asked, as the intrepid trio were walking down the street, where many barber shops, salons, and boutiques were located all around. Unbeknownst to them, Gyleena, Xalanna, and Vaxeena were following the three of them, each using some kind of device to make them appear human. They had their sights fixed on Lincoln and finding out just what he was all about.
"Well, Scissor Street, as you learned yesterday, is also known as 'Breeder's Lane'. Many of the best Pokemon Breeders have their own shops here, dedicated only to helping bring out the absolute best in their Pokemon. These methods can range from groomers to even fashion boutiques, for trainers who want to get accessories to help show off their Pokemon," Brock explained. And he was right. As they walked, they saw all kinds of Pokemon, dressed in makeup and fancy clothes.
"Hey, look there!" Misty said, walking over to one shop, which had a poster featuring what appeared to be black bodied poodle Pokemon, each with different styles and cuts.
"Oh wow, I wasn't expecting there to be a Furfrou Salon here!" Brock commented.
"'Furfrou'? Are those what those poodle Pokemon on the poster are?" Lincoln asked.
"That's right," Brock replied, as they walked over to the other window, where they could see a stylist brushing and cutting a rather scruffy looking poodle Pokemon, "Look there… That's what a Furfrou normally looks like. Right now, it's getting itself groomed into one of the trims on that poster there." Lincoln then pointed his Pokedex at the Furfrou.
"Furfrou, the Poodle Pokemon, a Normal Type. Trimming its fluffy fur not only makes it more elegant. It also increases the swiftness of its movements. Furfrou will only allow those it trusts to trim its fur," Dexter explained.
"Sounds like Leni and Lola would have a field day if they had a pack of them," Lincoln chuckled, as they continued walking. They then saw a rather bizarre looking poster, featuring an Arbok and a Koffing, all dolled up in gaudy dresses and makeup.
"Ooh, this must be the latest fashion! How cute!" Misty gushed.
"You think THAT'S fashion and cute?" Lincoln questioned, not seeing the appeal.
"I feel like I'm looking at a Christmas Advertisement than anything else," Brock commented.
"This shop must be run by true visionaries! We have to go see!" Misty exclaimed, dragging Lincoln away.
"Hang on, Misty! I don't want to go in there!" he cried out in protest. Rounding the corner, they saw the salon in question, with a long line out front.
"You won't believe how beautiful a Pokemon can be! Step in and see for yourself, only by the expert stylists at the fabulous Salon Rockét," a familiar man's voice said over the PA.e't
"Did he just say 'Salon Rockét'?" Lincoln questioned.
"Why does that sound familiar?" Misty wondered. Brock then looked inside the display window, to see the same Arbok and Koffing from the poster.
"Whoa, I'm starting to wonder if this really is a Christmas Store instead of a salon!"
"Please tell me you WON'T dress any of us up like THAT!" Pikachu pleaded, obviously disgusted at the appalling sight.
"Don't worry, Pikachu. I honestly don't see any sort of appeal to using accessories and makeup to bring out the best in a Pokemon," Lincoln replied.
"Some people think of their Pokemon as extensions of themselves, and want to match them up with themselves. It's all a matter or preference," Brock replied.
Inside the Salon Rockét, a disguised Jessie and James were busy styling a Raichu and what appeared to be a three headed ostrich, each with a different expression, "Bring your drab old Pokemon down to Salon Rockét for a complete Pokemon Makeover, complete with jewelry!" Jessie sang, as she put tons of makeup on Raichu, along with what appeared to be necklace made with obviously fake diamonds.
"And let's not forget a lather, wash and rinse for hair too!" James added, as he was seen washing up the ostrich Pokemon, as well as giving each of them their own haircut.
"AND DONE!" they said, as they presented their "masterpieces".
"Oh, I think we've truly outdone ourselves with this one, James!" Jessie gushed, as she and James appeared to have long roses taped to their backs.
"That should go without saying, Jessie," James replied, obviously proud of the work he did to the ostrich. The two of them approached a woman reading a magazine in the lobby.
"Ma'am, your Raichu and Dodrio are finished with their makeover!" Jessie replied, catching the woman's attention.
"Oh, what unique designs! They'll be the talk of the town!" the woman said, somehow happy with how her Pokemon looked. Both of her Pokemon then looked into a nearby mirror, and were mortified beyond all reason.
"Is this really what they consider good?" Raichu whispered to Dodrio.
"We're going to be the laughingstocks of our friends," the middle Dodrio head whimpered, as they left with their trainer. At the front counter, Meowth was seen counting some money.
"120… 130… 140… 150," he counted.
"PLEASE COME AGAIN!" Jessie and James said to the woman, as she exited.
"Jessie, James, I just got done counting our money! We're spending way too much on advertising!" Meowth yelled.
"Relax, Meowth, it's all apart of our strategy to bring in more customers! The more we hype up this place, the more people will come to spend thousands on fashionable Pokemon!" Jessie yelled back, causing Meowth to fall back and off the counter. Outside, Lincoln and friends saw the woman and her Pokemon leaving. Lincoln could see how embarrassed her Pokemon were.
"Yeah, I am so NOT going to put any of my Pokemon through that!" Lincoln declared.
"I'll say. Raichu and Dodrio didn't look too happy," Brock replied.
"Is that what that big bird Pokemon's name is?" Lincoln asked, as he scanned it.
"Dodrio, the Triple Bird Pokemon, a Normal and Flying Type. It has three heads and three sets of lungs. Although it can't run as fast as Doduo, it can run for longer stretches of time. The strongest head with the thickest neck becomes the leader and gains primary control over the body," Dexter explained.
"And that's a Pokemon Lisa would have a field day with," Lincoln commented.
"I was thinking of getting in line, but I think I'll pass," Misty commented.
"Probably a good call," Lincoln replied. It was then that they noticed Brock looking around for something, when…
"THERE!" he exclaimed happily, pointing to a nearby salon. He wasted no time in rushing over. One the door had what appeared to be a red Vulpix, "I've found it! I've finally found the place!"
"This? This is the store you've been looking for?" Misty asked incredulously.
"Well, you never know. Plain looking places like this must carry breeding products that aren't found at any other salons," Lincoln replied. Brock shakily reached for the door, seeming to be afraid to open it, "C'mon, let's go see what with this place," Lincoln said, as he casually opened, allowing him and Misty to enter.
"Hi, have a seat and I'll be right with you," a girl's voice said. Brock yelped out, and quickly dashed in. In the middle of the showroom of this salon, there was a beautiful young woman with long, green hair in a cosmetologist's uniform. She appeared to be massaging a Chansey with some kind of oil, giving Chansey a lustrous sheen, "Just relax. Release all of your tensions. And there! Now you'll have more energy!" she said, as Chansey went to check itself out in the mirror.
"Ooh, I look so shiny! I love it!" Chansey exclaimed happily. The door opened, as a man came in.
"Chansey, I've come to get you!" he rang, as the woman and Chansey approached him, "Oh, don't you look precious?!" he gushed, obviously happy with how his Chansey looked.
"Thank you for bringing your Chansey to my salon," the woman said to the man.
"And thank you, Suzie! Chansey looks as healthy as can be!" the man replied, as he and his Chansey left the salon.
"I've heard that most masseuses use scented and therapeutic oils in their treatments, but I never would've expected them to work on Pokemon as well," Lincoln commented, impressed with how happy Chansey looked.
"May I help the next customer?" the woman, now known as Suzie, asked the trio.
"Uh, at the moment, we're really just browsing around," Lincoln replied, only to get cut off by Brock.
"Uh, no… I… uh," he tried to come up with the right words, but couldn't. It was then that Misty noticed something.
"Hey, isn't that Vulpix just the cutest thing?!" she gushed, as she was looking over at a red Vulpix sleeping in a fancy chair.
"Oh wow, that must be what Vulpix outside of the Alola Region looks like!" Lincoln commented, as he scanned it.
"Vulpix, the Fox Pokemon, a Fire Type. As it's body grows larger, its six warm tails become more beautiful, with a more luxurious coat of fur," Dexter explained, as Misty approached it.
"Be careful! You mustn't touch that…!" Suzie warned, but it was too late.
"Aww, I wish I could have hair as luxurious as…." Misty's thought got cut off when she got a face full of Flamethrower, causing her to drop Vulpix back into the chair, "Your… cute… fur…" she said before collapsing.
"I'm sorry, I should've warned you that that particular Vulpix doesn't like being held by strangers," Suzie said.
"Good to know," Misty slurred, as she still laid on the floor.
"Uh, Suzie?" Brock said, sounding like he was trying to keep his courage to keep talking to her, as she turned to face him.
"Yes?"
"M-My name's Brock, and it's very nice to meet you! I'm an aspiring Pokemon Breeder, and would like to breed like you, I mean I want to be a breeder like you!" Brock said, clearly nervous about talking to Suzie.
"It's very nice to meet you too, Brock. I'm very flattered that you want to make me your model," Suzie replied.
"Y-Yes, I want to model you… I mean I'm flattered that you're flattered… I mean, your Vulpix is nice!" Brock stammered, just as Lincoln helped Misty back on her feet.
"You know, Brock has a Vulpix of his own," Lincoln pointed out.
"Oh, is that right?" Suzie asked, causing Brock to freeze up on the spot.
"Y-Y-Yes, that's right! And I'm quite proud of it and all of my other Pokemon too! Please, won't you have a look?" Brock asked, as he let out his team, which consisted of his Vulpix, Shelgon, Torterra, Roselia, and Bronzong.
"Ah, a very nice array of Pokemon you have here, Brock. And they all look especially healthy," Suzie praised, taking a closer look at Brock's Vulpix, "This one is especially well groomed! Did you catch it in Alola?"
"N-No, I actually received it from a Wonder Trade," Brock replied.
"All the same, it's clear that it trusts you a lot," Suzie complimented.
"Why, thank you! I do my very best, though I am always looking to improve myself. What I'm trying to say is that I would love it if you would take me on as your pupil!" Brock replied, finally getting over his nervousness. His request shocked his friends and Suzie, who was the most taken aback by his request.
"I'm sorry, Brock, but I don't take on pupils. Pokemon Breeding takes up all of my free time," Suzie apologetically declined.
"Hey Brock, what's the deal with Suzie? Is she like a celebrity Breeder or something?" Lincoln asked.
"Ooooh, HOW DARE YOU?!" Brock yelled, causing Lincoln to fall back, "Allow me to explain; The sensational Suzie of Scissor Street has been awarded the trophy for excellence at the Pokemon Breeders Conference for three consecutive years! But that's not all! The readers of the Pokemon Friends magazine has named her 'the most popular breeder' four years running! And her largely popular website records over ten thousand hits per day!"
"Whoa, now that's what I call a professional breeder!" Misty commented.
"You better believe it!" Brock replied.
"Ok Brock, we hear you loud and clear!" Lincoln said defensively.
"So, has your Vulpix won any awards?" Misty asked.
"That goes without saying, Misty! Vulpix is one of many Pokemon that are the most popular among the Pokemon Breeding World! Just look at its luxurious tails, how the light captures the radiance of each…" Brock was cut off when Lincoln and Misty held him back.
"Alright, we get it, Brock! Vulpix is one of the top models for Breeders everywhere!" Lincoln exclaimed.
"If you don't mind, could I maybe see the Pokemon that the two of you are caring for?" Suzie requested.
"Our Pokemon?" Misty parroted.
"Um, sure, no problem," Lincoln said, as he released his other five Pokemon, which consisted of Buneary, Mawile, Selena, Fearow, and Mienfoo. Selena looked positively sour to have been called out like this. Misty did the same with her Pokemon, which consisted of Staryu, Goldeen, Araquanid, Snorunt, Medicham, and Psyduck.
"Oh wow! What a wonderful array of Pokemon the two of you have!" Suzie commented, before her eyes settled on Selena, "Except…"
"Something wrong?" Lincoln asked.
"It appears that your Meowth is severely lacking in exercise and key nutrients. It's coat looks so unkept," Suzie explained.
"Whoa, you can tell all that just by looking at her?" Lincoln asked, sounding impressed.
"Just goes to show that time and diligence can give you an eye for these sorts of things," Brock replied.
"But as for all of your other Pokemon, their coats are all so glossy and healthy! Tell me, do you make your own Pokemon food for your Pokemon?" Suzie asked.
"I'm still learning from Brock on how to make specialty Pokemon Food for each individual one. I mean, I've figured out the kinds of Pokeblock and Poffins each of them like and dislike, but Brock's really the one who handles all Pokemon Food detail," Lincoln explained.
"TH-THAT'S RIGHT!" Brock proclaimed.
"That's good to know. It was actually Pokemon nutrition that kickstarted my career," Suzie explained.
"Is that right?" Misty asked.
"Oh, most certainly. You've probably heard, but different berries provide different affects to Pokemon when ingested," Suzie replied, looking back at her Vulpix, "I mean, just look at my Vulpix, and how glossy it's coat is."
"It is impressive," Lincoln commented.
"I wonder if it'll be interested in Brock's Pokemon food?" Misty wondered.
"I don't doubt that Brock's a talented chef, but Vulpix won't eat any food that I haven't prepared myself," Suzie replied.
"Well, you never know. After all, all of the Pokemon we've got right now can't get enough of his recipe. The least he can do is try offering some to Vulpix," Lincoln replied.
"Well, you do have some kind of a point there," Suzie replied, seeing the idea of trying other people's Pokemon Food being good for Vulpix.
"I'll be more than happy to whip something up!" Brock proclaimed. It was then that Misty decided to ask Suzie about something.
"By the way Suzie, on our way here, we saw a bunch of Pokemon done up with make up and accessories. Is that really the latest fashion?"
Suzie's expression turned somber, "By any chance, you didn't happen to pass a large salon along the way, did you?"
"We did pass that really tacky Salon Rock ét place," Lincoln replied.
"Yes, that's the place. Ever since they opened here this morning, everyone's trying to make their Pokemon as flashy as possible," Suzie replied.
"So it was that salon that started the trend?" Brock asked.
"Unfortunately, yes. A good breeder always strives to bring out the best in their Pokemon, but this new fad is more about standing out, rather than showing what's inside," Suzie replied.
"I can't say that I like it either. And some Pokemon we saw leaving the place looked absolutely mortified by their 'makeover'," Lincoln chimed in.
"Was it really that bad, Pikachu?" Fearow asked.
"Saying it was 'bad' would be an understatement. Every Pokemon we passed along the way here looked absolutely gaudy," Pikachu replied, shuddering at the mere thought of the Pokemon with makeup on.
"I have no need for any sort of 'makeover'. All that matters is my prowess in battle," Mienfoo stated. Lincoln heard this, and got an idea.
"Suzie, based on the way you're talking and how you handled that Chansey from before must mean you're more concerned with a Pokemon's overall health, is that right?"
"Yes, their health, both physically and mentally, and trying to maximize their natural beauty," Suzie replied.
"Well, I think I might have a plan to help get your message out to the masses," Lincoln said, as he began to relay his plan.
Meanwhile, back at the new Loud House,
Lori and Lynn couldn't help but feel lower than they've ever been. All day long, they've been heckled and harassed by their former friends and peers for their actions against Lincoln during the trial. And to make matters worse, the teachers either didn't notice the harassment, or they refused to help. They were both sitting at the kitchen table with Lisa there to tutor them and help them get caught back up on their missed assignments, "Alright, I feel like that should do for now. Go ahead and take a break for now. We'll pick this up again in a little bit," Lisa said, as she took her leave. Both sisters then slumped in their seats, completely spent from the day.
'Man, I never knew my old teammates would be THAT mad at me,' Lynn thought to herself. She looked like she had gotten pummeled by several people at once. She remembered what happened earlier that day.
Flashback, a few hours earlier,
Lynn was just barely able to make through her fourth class of the day, trying to take notes and get started on her missed assignments. She knew she had to find somewhere to try to make something of a dent in them, and since it was lunchtime, she could find somewhere nice and secluded to get started, "Maybe I can find one of the outside tables, and then…" she cut herself off when she bumped into someone by mistake.
"Oof, careful there, I… oh, great, not you, Lynn!" an angry girl's voice groaned. Lynn looked up to see some of her former softball teammates. None of them looked happy to see her.
"Uh, hey girls! How've things been?" Lynn awkwardly greeted.
"Things have been fine, up until a few seconds ago."
"Why are you here, Lynn? You're supposed to be at Fountain Heights Psychiatric Sanitorium," the mention of the sanitorium caused thunder and lightning to boom through the halls.
"W-Well, I got an early release for showing signs of progress early on," Lynn replied.
"Hmmph, people like you don't deserve things like that!"
"Because of you, EVERY team in school had to be disbanded!"
"After everything you did to us, just so YOU could win a few lousy sports games, you don't deserve to call yourself an athlete or anything like it!"
"Just like you don't deserve to call yourself a sister to that brother of yours!" it was then that a group of the most notorious bullies in the school walked up, "What was his name again?"
"I think she always called him 'Stinkcoln'."
"Hey, do NOT call him by that name! Only I get to call him that!" Lynn yelled defensively. This proved to be a mistake, as she was backhanded hard into some lockers by the lead bully.
"Not anymore, Lynn! If and when that twig of a brother of yours comes back and starts attending classes, WE'RE the only ones who not only get to bully and call him 'Stinkcoln', but you're the only one in school who DOESN'T get to bully him!"
"So, don't even let us catch you bullying your brother in or out of school on any level! Because if we do catch you doing it," one of the other bullies said, roughly grabbing Lynn by the chin and holding her up, "We're going to make sure you wish you NEVER got released early from the sanitorium, CAPICHE?!"
"Bite me, you losers!" Lynn snarled, which proved to be yet another mistake on her part, as the bully holding her up threw her to the ground, allowing his cohorts to start beating up Lynn.
"Don't you EVER call anyone a loser, Lynn!"
"You're the VERY definition of the worst kind of loser in the world!"
"Even that brother of yours is much cooler than you'll EVER be!"
As Lynn continued to take the brutal beating from the school bullies, she saw that her former friends just abandoned her to take her lumps. Soon, the bullies left the beaten Lynn on the floor, whimpering in pain, and she knew that the only one to blame for her predicament at this point was herself.
Realtime,
'Today sucked ass in every possible way,' Lynn thought to herself, as she was still reeling from the beating she took earlier in the day. Lori had a similarly difficult day, though she never experienced any physical abuse. It was more like receiving harsh scorn from half of her peers and being ignored by the other half. Needless to say, both sisters were miserable beyond comparison. They had to wonder if Lincoln felt the same way during the whole bad luck mess. It was no wonder to them now why he refused to properly forgive them.
"We have to find a way to make it up to Lincoln," Lori finally said.
"Yeah, we do. The question is 'how?'" Lynn asked.
"I don't know, but when we do speak to him, it'll need to be absolutely perfect and sincere," Lori replied.
"In other words, the next time he calls, we got to make it count?" Lynn asked.
"Perhaps. I just hope we can work up enough nerve to talk to him," Lori replied. Nearby, Rita was watching and listening to the two.
"Well, at least NOW they're willing to try and properly apologize," she quietly said.
Back in Kanto,
A fairly decent sized crowd was beginning to gather both inside and out of Suzie's Salon. On the showroom floor, Suzie, along with Lincoln and Misty, were busily massaging and grooming their Pokemon, "There's still a few spots left to see and listen to Breeder Suzie's lecture on Pokemon Care! Come one, come all!" Brock bellowed with a megaphone outside the salon, which was attracting some trainers who looked interested in what it was all about.
"It's important to give each Pokemon special care and attention. And one of the best ways to help a Pokemon that's been injured in battle by giving it a therapeutic massage," Suzie explained, as she rubbed Pikachu, who seemed really into it. Nearby, Lincoln was gently brushing Buneary's fur, much to her delight, while Misty was washing her Starmie, "And as you can see, both of my volunteers here are showcasing the various other techniques to help improve the quality of a Pokemon's wellbeing. For Pokemon like Buneary, it's important to groom it gently to get any dirt and debris that could be trapped inside its fur. While in the case for Water Type Pokemon, maintaining their moisture levels is vital to maintaining their health."
"Oh, I never knew that!"
"Maybe I oughta try it out myself!"
"Seems like a lot of work, but it also looks like it'll be worth it in the end."
Lincoln and friends smiled, as they could see that their plan to showcase proper Pokemon Care was working, "Alright Buneary, that should do it," Lincoln said, as Buneary stood up, it's coat glistening in the light, much to the impressment of the crowd, "Alright, Selena, you're up next!" he said, as the disgruntled Meowth pranced her way up. She could see the smug looks on her teammate's faces as she did, "Now then, lets begin," he said, as he took a moment to spritz her with some warm water.
"Hey, what's the deal?!" Selena yelled, not liking the water.
"Calm yourself. I'm just getting your fur set up so that grooming you will be easier," Lincoln said, as he proceeded to brush her fur. As much as she hated to admit it, it did feel kind of nice having someone else grooming her. Down on the floor, Buneary was admiring herself in the mirror.
"Wow, my coat has never looked this good!" she exclaimed.
"And it feels so soft too!" Mawile commented, touching Buneary's fluffy fur.
"I still don't see the appeal of all this grooming, but if it'll help improve overall health," Mienfoo commented.
"Indeed. It's kind of a hassle to preen myself," Fearow added, looking at her feathers.
"And done!" Lincoln said, as Selena's coat looked much better than it did before. She then leapt off the table.
"There, I sat still for the grooming, happy now?" she asked bitterly to her teammates.
"It'll take more than just that for us to be satisfied. You actually have to listen to Lincoln in battle," Mawile retorted. Selena could only growl, as it was now Mienfoo's turn.
"I think Suzie would agree with me that any technique is only as good as the trainer or breeder that uses it!" Brock called out. Most of the trainers took a look at their accessorized Pokemon, and could only sigh in exasperation, realizing that the fad they were following was wrong.
"HOLD IT!" a woman's voice yelled, causing the crowd to split, making way for the disguised Jessie and James, "I was wondering who was stealing our customers! And what do we find but some two-bit salon that doesn't care about a Pokemon's physical appeal!"
"Hey, who are you calling 'two-bit'?!" Misty snapped.
"Yeah! At least the Pokemon Suzie cares for still have pride in their overall appearances! Every Pokemon that you claim to 'improve' look like they got into a fight with a makeup kit and lost!" Lincoln added, as he finished up grooming Mienfoo, who looked and felt amazed at how great she felt after. Lincoln then proceeded to start grooming Mawile.
"And besides, the true purpose of a salon is to help improve a Pokemon's overall health and to make them feel more energized!" Brock added.
"Ah, who cares about inner beauty when a stylized Pokemon can be the talk of the town with how good they look?! After all, it's the beauty on the outside that matters!" the disguised James proclaimed.
"If outer looks are what's important to trainers, then they should definitely avoid your tacky shack of a salon like the plague!" Lincoln snapped back, as he finished grooming Mawile.
"'Tacky'?! We'll have you know that every Pokemon we stylize walk out of our salon as true works of art!" Jessie yelled.
"Everyone has their own opinion on how Pokemon should be cared for! There shouldn't be any sort of trouble with what I try to do in my salon!" Suzie pleaded, trying to deescalate the situation.
"Just who are you guys, anyway?!" Misty yelled.
"My, was that which I heard a drab, twerpy voice?" the disguised Jessie began.
"Stylish introductions are now, that's our choice!" the disguised James said, as the broke through the windows of the salon, and throwing off their disguises.
"You guys!" Lincoln exclaimed.
"Travelling the world, plundering it's most fabulous trends!"
"All to enhance our financial ends!"
"These stylists will not be governed by your law!"
"We follow our sense of style, and all you can do is stand in awe!"
"Jessie, the Fashionable Gifted Mistress of Villany!"
"Accessory Master James, that is me!"
"We're an independent team of Fashionable Criminals, fighting against drab!"
"Give up now! Against us, you'll sure end up on some stone slab!"
"WE'RE THE X-ROCKETS, STYLIZING EVERY NIGHT AND DAY!"
"And with Meowth, the price you'll surely pay!"
"Who are these awful people?!" Suzie questioned.
"We just told you, we're the X-Rockets! And we had a perfect scam lined up with our Salon Rockét! Step 1: Convince a bunch of gullible trainers about the hottest new trend in Pokemon Beauty!" Meowth explained, much to the shock of the trainers nearby, "Step 2: Charge folks big bucks to stylize their Pokemon with our phony fashion trends! And finally, the third, final and best step: If a really rare Pokemon is brought it, we make sure the trainer is distracted, then swipe it from underneath their noses!"
"And those Pokemon of yours will be our greatest masterpieces!" Jessie added.
"I don't think so! We're stopping this trainwreck of a salon of yours!" Lincoln proclaimed, as he and his Pokemon rushed out onto the streets, along with Misty and her Pokemon.
"Let's dazzle them, Arbok, Smoochum, Wobbuffet, Ariados, Barboach and Fomantis!" Jessie said, as she sent out each of her stylized Pokemon to battle.
"Koffing, Sawk, Darmanitan, Clobbopus, Pinsir, and Larvitar, let's put on a stylish show!" James said, sending out his own stylized Pokemon.
"Heh, we don't need a bunch of gaudy makeup and accessories to beat you! Pikachu and the others are feeling plenty great after their grooming and massage sessions!" Lincoln proclaimed.
"And my Pokemon feel refreshed after their own sessions!" Misty added.
"Arbok, go on the attack with Poison Sting!" Jessie ordered.
"Koffing, fire off a Sludge Bomb!" James ordered. Both Pokemon fired off their respective attacks at Lincoln and Misty's Pokemon.
"Quick, Pikachu, use Light Screen! Mawile, charge in with Iron Head!" Lincoln instructed.
"Medicham, use Safegaurd!" Misty instructed. Pikachu erected a yellow barrier around all of their Pokemon, while Medicham raised a green barrier, while Mawile charged in with Iron Head. Upon making contact with Poison Sting and Sludge Bomb, Mawile was able to plow right on through without losing any speed.
"Whoa, just look at that Mawile go!"
"Works even better, considering it's a Steel Type."
Mawile then rammed into Sawk, sending it skidding back a few feet, "Don't take that, Sawk! Use Brick Break!" Sawk retaliated with a powerful Brick Break, that was able to send Mawile back a few feet, "Now Darmanitan, use Flamethrower!" Darmanitan then fired off a Flamethrower at Mawile, when Suzie's Vulpix jumped in and took the full blast, seeming to absorb Flamethrower into its body.
"Whoa, that's amazing!" Lincoln exclaimed.
"You're witnessing Vulpix's Flash Fire Ability. It nullifies all Fire Type moves against it, while also powering up Vulpix's own Fire Type Moves," Suzie explained, before she turned to the X-Rockets, "I'll handle these guys from here!"
"Oh, don't be so impatient! We'll give your Vulpix a makeover it can be proud of! And shaving off those tails of its should be the perfect start!" Jessie proclaimed.
"It's high time someone taught you a lesson in true Pokemon Breeding! If all you care about it a Pokemon's outward appearance, then it's true inner strength will be lost!" Suzie chastised, as her Vulpix took on a battle-ready stance.
"Don't you know that a Pokemon is just like a fashion model? All that really matters is a pretty face!" Jessie taunted.
"Yeah, like mine!" Meowth said, as he jumped into the fray, only to catch sight of Selena, "Oh, be still my beating heart!" he gushed, becoming instantly infatuated with the female Meowth, who seemed disgusted at the sight of Meowth.
"Vulpix, wrap this up with Fire Spin!" Suzie instructed. Her Vulpix then gathered up a ton of energy from Flash Fire, then blasted out a raging fire twister, scooping up the X-Rockets and their Pokemon, sending them flying through the air.
"WE MAY BE BLASTING OFF, BUT WE STILL LOOK GOOD DOING IT!" they yelled, as the disappeared into the wild blue yonder.
"Whoa, that was some attack!" Lincoln commented, as he looked it up.
"Information: Fire Spin: A Fire Type attack that traps the opponent in a spiral of fire, while also causing damage," Dexter explained. Brock then turned to the crowd.
"Did you see that? A cute exterior can hide true power! That's where a Pokemon's real strength comes from!" he announced, which was the last bit of convincing the crowd needed, as they began to clean up their Pokemon from all their makeup and accessories, much to the Pokemon's delight.
Later, back in Suzie's Salon,
Suzie was petting Vulpix for all of it's hard work, "You were just fantastic, Vulpix!" she praised. Vulpix merely yipped in delight. Suzie then turned to the trio of trainers, "And thanks to all of you, I was able to reaffirm my beliefs and gained even more confidence in what I do!"
"It was our pleasure to help you out, Suzie, and all of our Pokemon seem much happier with the grooming you taught us," Lincoln replied, just as a bright light erupted from Buneary, "Whoa, Buneary's evolving!" and he was right, as Buneary grew a bit taller, and her ears grew longer, and fluffier. When the light died down, Buneary had evolved into an almost humanoid rabbit Pokemon with fur around its wrists and feet that looked like cuffs and boots, "Oh wow!" Lincoln said, as he scanned his newly evolved Pokemon.
"Lopunny has been registered to your Pokedex. Lopunny, the Rabbit Pokemon, a Normal Type, and the evolved form of Buneary. An extremely cautious Pokemon that cloaks itself in its fluffy ear fur when it senses danger. It likes to keep itself clean, and never fails to groom its ears. It runs with sprightly jumps," Dexter explained.
"Lopunny, this is amazing!" Lincoln exclaimed, embracing his newly evolved Pokemon, much her absolute delight.
"I've heard that Buneary evolve into Lopunny when they like their trainer immensely. That grooming you did to it as a Buneary must've helped you to get close enough for it to evolve," Suzie explained.
"Well, it's great that she evolved, nevertheless. Let's keep working hard, alright, Lopunny?" Lincoln asked.
"Of course, Lincoln!" Lopunny replied, as he and Misty recalled all of their Pokemon.
"By the way, Brock, could I ask a favor of you?" Suzie requested, making Brock freeze up.
"Uh… a favor?" Brock parroted.
"You see, it's clear that you've done a fantastic job raising each of your own Pokemon to the point that they're at. I want to learn more about Pokemon Breeding so that I can continue to grow as a Breeder myself. Which is why I'm going off on a journey of my own to better my breeding skills. Which is where I must ask a favor, regarding my Vulpix," Suzie replied, picking up her Vulpix, "I'd like for you to raise Vulpix as one of your own from here on out." Brock was flabbergasted, as was Lincoln and Misty.
"Suzie, are you sure?! I mean, you put in a lot of time and effort raising Vulpix to where is now!" Brock exclaimed.
"Yes, I won't deny that fact, but this one is a bit spoiled, and hasn't done much travelling. So, I was wondering if you'd be willing to take Vulpix as one of your own. I'll find another Pokemon to start over with," Suzie replied. Sensing a great deal of trust, Brock humbly and respectfully accepted Vulpix.
"I promise that I'll raise Vulpix to be the best it can be!" Brock replied.
"That's all I ask of you," Suzie replied, as she handed over a Pokeball. Brock then knelt down to Vulpix's level.
"Let's get along, Vulpix," Brock said, as he recalled Vulpix, adding to his team.
"You've gained a great new friend, Brock," Lincoln commented.
"Well, hopefully our paths will cross again someday. When that day does come, I'd like to see how much Vulpix has grown," Suzie said.
"And I'll be sure it gets plenty of room to grow into an even more fantastic Pokemon," Brock vowed. With that, the trio left the salon, with Suzie bidding them farwell.
"So, what should we do now?" Misty asked.
"Well, seeing as how we're going to be staying in town long enough for the P-1 Grand Prix Club Attack, why don't we see what kind of grooming products these other salons have?" Lincoln suggested.
"Hmm, that would be a good idea. After all, each salon carries brands that the others don't carry," Brock replied.
"Why don't we search individually?" Misty suggested.
"Great! Let's meet back at the Pokemon Center in about…. Oh, four hours? That should be more than enough time to do some shopping," Lincoln suggested.
"Sounds like a plan," Brock agreed. Misty nodded as well, as the three of them split up. Lincoln continued down the street, when…
"Excuse me, young man," Lincoln was stopped upon hearing a beautiful woman's voice.
"Uh, me? Who's talking to me?" Lincoln asked.
"Over here," Lincoln then saw a black hand beckoning him towards an alley way. He approached, but remained ever cautious, "You needn't be so suspicious. My friends and I wish to speak with you, fiancé of Nana," Lincoln was surprised to hear that this girl knew Nana, "We mustn't talk here. There are far too many people. Come with me into the back-alley way."
"Are you really going to go, Lincoln? This seems a bit sus," Pikachu warned.
"My thoughts exactly. Be ready for anything, Pikachu," Lincoln said, as he followed the girl into the alley, leading to a rather spacious lot, that only seemed to have fairly large sized lockers that definitely could've used some major TLC. Also there, Lincoln saw two other, seemingly human girls, each in rather outlandish attire, as was the first one.
"Are we alone?" one of the girls asked.
"Yes. But just to be safe," the first girl said, as she pressed some keys on her wrist device, sending up a flare like object, which spread a barrier around the backlot, "There, the perception filter is in place."
"Alright, with all due respect, what's this all about?" Lincoln asked.
"Ah, yes. Perhaps we should discuss this in a more…. Face-to-face manner," the first girl said, as she fiddled with her wrist device, which caused similar barriers surrounding each of the girls to drop, revealing their true forms.
"I thought so! You three are aliens, just like Nana! Are you friends of hers?" Lincoln questioned.
"Mmm, quite the straightforward young man Nana has been engaged to," Gyleena commented.
"Yessss, quite," Vaxeena replied.
"Well, to answer your question, yes, our families are long time allies of the Deviluke Empire. I am Princess Xalanna, the crown Princess of the Maritan Race, and third in line for the throne," Xalanna said, introducing herself first.
"Wait, Martians? You mean there really is life on Mars?!" Lincoln exclaimed in shock.
"Yes, but we prefer to keep our civilization under a highly advanced cloaking system, as we don't feel your planet is worthy of knowing of our existence yet," Xalanna replied.
"Next, I am Gyleena, the first-born Princess of the Swampy Planet of Bronov. It is very nice to make your acquaintance, Lincoln Loud," Gyleena said.
"And finally, I am Vaxeena, proud warrior princess of the planet Vuter," Vaxeena said.
"It's very nice to meet you ladies too. As, Gyleena, was it?" Lincoln questioned, receiving a nod from the newt like alien, "Right, as she said, my name is Lincoln Loud."
"We know about you, Lincoln. Nana told us all about you, and how you became engaged to her," Xalanna replied.
"Oh, is that right?" Lincoln asked, worried that these three weren't going to take his engagement to Nana lying down.
"Yesss, indeed. She alssso explained your sssituation with your family. She probably figured telling usss would sssave you a lot of trouble in the long run," Vaxeena replied. Lincoln was relieved. He hated telling his story over and over again.
"But we became curious when Nana, much like her sister, Lala, became engaged to a member of an underdeveloped planet, such as Earth," Xalanna added.
"'Underdeveloped'? Is Earth really that primitive on galactic standards?" Lincoln asked, feeling quite puzzled.
"Yes. If anything, your civilization is in the earliest stages of development," Gyleena replied.
"Methinks I'd rather not know how much more advanced your planet's cities are compared to Earth," Lincoln commented sheepishly.
"Probably for the bessst. Ssseeing our architecture may prove… overwhelming to you and your kind," Vaxeena replied.
"Back to you girls, you said you three are princesses of your individual planets, right?" Lincoln asked.
"Yes. In fact, in addition to the Juraian Royal Family and the Deviluke Royal Families, our families make up the five greatest empires in the universe," Xalanna replied.
"Each of our planets are located in different sections of the galaxy. My planet is in the eastern quadrant. Vuter, Vaxeena's homeworld, is in the west. Jurai is in the north, and finally, Mars is the southern Royal Family. But Deviluke is what you would call… the dead center of this alliance," Gyleena added.
"I see. Well, considering what Nana told me about her father being the supreme ruler of the universe, that would make sense," Lincoln replied.
"And speaking of Nana, a while back, she told us about how you and your friends stood up to the Clan of Echo Mirages and freed some of the Kovaks they were planning to sell as slaves," Xalanna added.
"Oh yeah. Well, no one deserves to live their life as a slave. My planet has a rather dark history about that particular subject, so I guess I just didn't want to see it happen in my lifetime, even if they are aliens," Lincoln replied, rubbing the back of his head. It was then Vaxeena sensed something.
"Quick, sssomeone isss coming down thisss way!" she warned.
"What?! But what about the perception filter?!" Gyleena questioned.
"No time for that!" Vaxeena replied, as she looked around, settling on the nearby lockers, "In here!" she said, as she dragged all three of them inside of the same locker. Pikachu was the only one left outside, but hopped up onto the locker to stay out of sight. In seconds, the X-Rockets bolted down and into the alley way, looking completely ragged.
"We… should… be safe… for now!" James panted, trying to catch his breath, as was Jessie and Meowth.
"Who would've thought that all those people we ripped off would hound us for their money back?" Meowth questioned.
"They're just jealous that they're not as fashionable as us!" Jessie proclaimed.
"Well, in any case, lets lay low here for a few minutes to catch our breath, then we can bolt for our hideout," Meowth suggested. From inside the locker, Lincoln and the girls were listening to the three, while also cramped as well, given how small the locker was, and how big the four of them were. Lincoln was sandwiched between all three alien girls. He was facing towards Gyleena and Xalanna, while Vaxeena was right behind him.
"Who are those three?" Xalanna quietly questioned, as she and Vaxeena eyed them, waiting for them to leave.
"They're called the X-Rockets. They're a couple of crooks I often run into with some hairbrained scheme to get money or Pokemon. They're also not very good at those things either," Lincoln quietly replied, as not to alert the X-Rockets to their location.
"As long as we do nothing to alert them to us, we should be ok," Gyleena commented, as they waited patiently for the X-Rockets to leave. Unfortunately for Lincoln, his hands were in rather precarious locations. His left hand was on Xalanna's side, while his right was firmly squished by Gyleena's surprisingly massive rear end, much to both girl's annoyance. Lincoln wouldn't have guessed Gyleena had such a large ass from the way she was dressed.
'Damnit, Lincoln, now is definitely NOT the time for that kind of thinking! Just keep your cool, and you and these girls will be out of here before you know it!' he thought to himself.
"Lincoln? I know this is asking a bit much, but could you kindly remove your hand from my rear?" Gyleena quietly requested.
"Believe me, I would if I could, but my hands are kind of stuck where they're at," Lincoln replied quietly.
"W-well, I'll allow you to push in my rear so you can have some room to move your hand," Gyleena replied shakily.
"Alright," Lincoln replied, as he gently pushed down on Gyleena's butt, causing her to moan a little. He then proceeded to attempt to shimmy his hand up and over her hip line, inciting more moans from the newt like princess, "Just hang on a bit more, Gyleena, and I'll have moved my hand."
"O-Ok," Gyleena moaned. Soon, Lincoln was able to free his hand, which normally would be a good thing, but his hand accidentally got a grip of two things, one of them being slimy and the other one being scaley. Both Gyleena and Vaxeena let out startled yelps as they felt where Lincoln's hand was, "L-L-Lincoln, please try not to…. M-m-m-move your hand so much!" Gyleena moaned louder than before, as was Vaxeena.
"Wait, what am I even holding?!" Lincoln questioned.
"Th-those are the tips of our tails, and they're extremely sensitive to touch!" Vaxeena quickly said, as she and Gyleena fidgeted from Lincoln's unintentional fondling of their tails. The force of their fidgeting caused Lincoln's other hand to slip and fall right onto Xalanna's ass, causing her to yelp out in surprise as well.
"Xalanna, I am so sorry, I…!" when he turned his head to face her, Lincoln accidentally brushed his head against the Martian Princess's breasts, causing her more unexpected pleasure.
"What is that noise?" Jessie questioned, causing Lincoln and the girls to tense up upon realizing that they've most likely been discovered.
"I think it's coming from that locker over there!" Meowth exclaimed, pointing to the impromptu hiding spot.
"Must be a couple of weirdos looking for some privacy," James theorized.
'Please believe that! Please believe that!' the four of them hoped. Up on top, Pikachu was hoping the same as well. Fortunately for them, their prayers were answered, as the X-Rockets began to move towards the only exit in the alleyway.
"Well, we should be good to go if we're quick and sneaky about it!" Meowth said.
"Good idea. After all, we don't know if who or whatever inside of there is dangerous or not. Better to play it safe than sorry," James said, as the three of them exited the alley way.
"Thank God they've left. Now we can get out of here!" Lincoln said, still accidentally fondling each of the girl's sensitive spots.
"I-I-It's no good," Gyleena panted.
"I don't think I can last much longer!" Vaxeena commented.
"Hang on girls, I think I can reach the latch!" Xalanna said, leaning forward to reach the locker latch, while unintentionally pressing her breasts against Lincoln's face.
"Please hurry, Xalanna! I think… I think I'm gonna… gonna…!" Gyleena was unable to finish her sentence as she and Vaxeena let out a passionate cry. Xalanna placed the hilt of one of Vaxeena's knives in her mouth to try and stifle the snake like princess's cry, while Gyleena did the same by biting down onto Lincoln's shoulder. It didn't hurt Lincoln, but he was taken aback by the sudden movement. In seconds, Xalanna opened the latch to the locker, allowing the four of them to fall out. However, Lincoln landed on top of them, and saw he was in a rather precarious situation. His face was sandwiched between Xalanna's breasts still, while his left hand was on Gyleena's massive ass, once again, and his right hand was on Vaxeena's breast. He was quick to pull himself off.
"G-G-G-Girls, I am so sorry! I did not mean for any of that to happen!" Lincoln exclaimed defensively, as Pikachu landed onto his shoulder.
"Lincoln, what happened in there?"
"Things… got a little awkward for us, Pikachu. Let's just leave it at that," Lincoln replied, as the three girls, still shaking from what they had just gone through got back up.
"You…" Xalanna's tone was unnervingly neutral, which did not sit well with Lincoln, because he could easily sense her rage, as well as the rage of the other two.
"How dare you fondle our tails like that?!" Gyleena seethed, clearly embarrassed by what had just happened to her.
"It wasn't my intention to fondle you! Your tails were just in the wrong place at the wrong time!" Lincoln said defensively.
"Even ssso, fondling usss the way you did can be consssidered sssexual harassment on both of our planetsss," Vaxeena seethed.
"And there's the matter of how you fondled my butt and put your face in my breasts!" Xalanna added, clearing just as irritated as the other two.
"Come on girls, I wasn't trying to feel you up in there! It was cramped in there!" Lincoln attempted to reassure. Fortunately for him, this seemed to calm the three princesses.
"Well, I sssuppose you do have sssome kind of a point, and we did kind of put you in the middle without thinking," Vaxeena replied, scratching the back of her head.
"But it still stands that if this were to get out, our families would be on you like algae on rocks," Gyleena commented.
"Which means there is only one course of action to keep you out of trouble with our families, as well as maintain our reputations," Xalanna stated.
"And what might that be?" Lincoln asked.
"Lincoln Loud, you must take each of us as your brides," Lincoln was flabbergasted at this ultimatum. On one hand, he'll be on the receiving end several powerful alien family's bad sides if he rejects. On the other hand, he's adding three more aliens to his growing harem.
"Well, if it'll keep you girls and me out of trouble, then I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try and get to know you better," Lincoln replied. All three princesses nodded.
"Right. Well, in the short time we've known you, we've seen that Nana's description of you is more or less spot on. I know you'll make nothing but the right choices," Gyleena replied.
"But, if I can make one request of you three, before you go?" Lincoln asked.
"As long asss it doesssn't involve mating with usss right now," Vaxeena replied, causing herself, Xalanna, Gyleena, and Lincoln to blush furiously.
"No, it's nothing like that! It's regarding the Kovaks that I helped rescue with Nana and their help… could you check up on them and see how they're doing?" Lincoln asked. The three aliens were surprised to hear this request.
"Um, of course… We'd be glad to check up on them," Xalanna replied.
"Well, we only came down to this planet to see what kind of a person you are, Lincoln, as previously stated. We really should get back to our home planets now. But we'll be in touch," Gyleena replied.
"Ok," Lincoln replied, as the three of them pressed buttons on each of their wrist devices, which warped them up to their ship. Lincoln saw the air around them shaking and changing, indicating the Perception Filter had gone down.
"So, now you're feeling up girls you've just met, eh?" Pikachu teased.
"Come on, Pikachu, it wasn't like that! It only happened because it was so cramped inside of that locker," Lincoln replied, as they left the alleyway. Inside of their Pokeballs, Lopunny and Mawile couldn't help but be envious of Lincoln's newest fiancés.
'I wish Lincoln could feel me up the way he did those girls,' Lopunny thought to herself.
'I wish I could have the right body type to get that kind of attention from him,' Mawile thought.
TEAM UPDATES
Lincoln:
Buneary Lopunny (Newly Evolved)
Brock
Vulpix (New Pokemon)