Chapter 24
Don't Own Pokemon or anything else, Only The Oc
'thought'
"Speech"
System Text
"Tvs, Radios, and Text via book or newspaper... when those are around..."
"Well." I whisper as I watch the small grey and white dinosaur chase after Loki. "That was Exhausting."
This won't last long...
Loki's leading it into a false sense of security before he activates 'demon mode' and gives the little lizard some sort of stress disorder.
"Yeah." Courtney nods quietly, a smile on her lips.
Unexpectedly, collaborating with a bunch of enthusiastic and eccentric weirdos to revive extinct species is quite mentally taxing.
Courtney slowly speaks up. "Tomorrow can we go to Undella again?"
There's a slight dangerousness to her smile.
"Why?" I slowly blink.
"I had a vision..." She replies simply.
"Ooooooh." I breathe. "Am I going to meet your mother?"
"Perhaps." She notes.
"How should I act? Just. 'hello ma'am I'm fucking your daughter and there's literally nothing you can say or do to change that.' Or should I be more professional."
"Heh heheheheh." The girl darkly giggles but doesn't reply.
A little unusual, she doesn't really madly giggle like that. That's more of my thing.
After a long moment she finally speaks again. "I will leave it up to your discretion."
Ooooh that's fun.
I suppose I'll be using a respectful tone with her. At least until she pisses me off.
"Man, we've been visiting Undella a lot recently." I sigh. "It makes me think... about what I was before... I just kind of wish my earlier memories weren't so jumbled."
A long sigh leaves my lips as I watch Loki easily leap over the snapping jaws of Terry.
He lands on his head, sending the lizard smashing head-first into the floor due to Loki's added weight.
The corners of my mouth turn downwards as I look over the black fox, eyes narrowing slightly.
A black fox... that almost seems...
I shake my head. "So. Courtney. How do you plan on fucking over your family when they try to disown you?"
"My plan is to... let them..." She blandly replies in her normal emotionally distant tone of voice. "Then marry you."
"oooh maybe I could battle your mother!" I beam.
"She is quite strong... she's the matron of the battle tower for a reason, and while I have no doubt that your... thing-" She casts a meaningful glance to the black fox who has summoned two 'Shadow Claws' to strangle the little dinosaur while he just sits there in front of it. "-There would have no trouble battling her own Flareon to a standstill... potentially without even revealing Prismeon. I am doubtful if it could take on her Typhlosion or Magmortar after that... though his ability would be quite annoying for them. I do know they have moves which you don't have a real counter to."
"Merlin."
"Ah. Right." She mutters.
*Crrraaaaaaawn* the lizard begins to whine.
"Loki leave him alone you little bastard. I'll throw you like a football." I call out.
"Eevee!" The fox releases him, causing the dinosaur to quickly scurry away and cower behind my leg.
The black fox seems to darkly chuckle. "Vee Vee Vee."
"You know... I've heard people say that there were evil deity pokemon... I Just never thought they'd look like, well... that." Loki sticks his tongue out as I point at him, making him look especially brainless at this point in time as his eyes blink out of sync.
I pet the dinosaur as it seems to lean into my touch.
Why do I even bother with such a savage beast.
Traumatizing my dinosaur like that.
A swirling vortex appears in front of us as Courtney and I lounge on the couch, Zinnia strutting out of the portal, a smirk on let lips and a pep in her step. On her fingers is a golden sling-ring that Merlin made for her. "Heyo~"
"Where'd you run off to?" I question as she had disappeared while Courtney and I were in our meeting.
"Oh, I took a quick trip over to a nearby island after hearing a news story." She shrugs.
"Why?" I slowly blink.
"Shiny Druddigon."
"So you saw the news... teleported over and managed to find such an illusive pokemon in... like... an hour?"
"Three, but yeah!" She beams.
"Why?" I question slowly.
"Money!" She exclaims simply.
I rub the bridge of my nose. "Giving you a sling ring was such a fucking mistake... did anyone see you?!"
"Nnnnope!" The girl beams. "Jeez Xander... I might be the 'hee hee hoo dragon' lady but I'm not dumb. I know how to be subtle when I need to."
"Alright. Alright. I'll trust you." I sigh, causing the girl to walk over and take a seat on my other side, leaning into me and causing me to absentmindedly wrap an arm around her.
"Besiiiides." The girl was off. "Even if they did see me show up I can just use your Merlin as an excuse."
A single breath exits my nose.
She flops down beside me. "SOOOOO, what are you doing, my chums?"
"Thinking about how I'm apparently going to be meeting Courtney's mother in the near future... according to her totally bullshit future sight, at least." I answer as I look back to the Tv.
"Ohohoho FUN." The girl grins savagely. "How does the bitch react to our whole three way relationship thing."
I look to Courtney who simply shrugs. "I didn't see her find out."
"You know... it's finally setting in that we're back." I quietly note as I gaze up at the ceiling. "It kind of makes me think... 'what now?'."
"Grand Meteor Delta?" Zinnia points out.
"Aaaaah. Right. Kind of forgot about that, honestly. Yeah. Sorry. I just kind of feel like my life from before was kind of uprooted and turned on its head and I'm still a little... confused..."
"I knoooow." Zinnia sighs. "When looking over a pokemon back then I found myself thinking 'oh, that'll be easy to catch and cook' instead of 'oh look. A pokemon'."
"Oh. And Cynthia invited us to have lunch with her in Undella town." Courtney speaks up suddenly.
"She did?" I question.
"She will." The girl replies.
"Good! I want to kick her ass!" The Draconid cackles to herself.
"Three. Two. One." Courtney counts down.
*Ping*
"Sir. Champion Cynthia has sent you a message." Jarvis announces dutifully.
"You're kind of scary, Courtney." I hum, causing the corners of the girl's mouth to turn downwards. "But! I have to say, I love that aspect about you. The power's kind of enticing."
"Leave it to the geneticist to be attracted to power." Zinnia snorts.
"Hey. I won't deny that the thought of 'our children will have the potential to wield great power' has crossed my mind." I reply, causing a small tinge of pink to appear on Courtney's face. "It's probably crossed yours as well considering how much you talk about rebuilding the Draconid tribe."
"Of course." The tanned girl smirks. "As two of the most potent magic users in the world... I'm sure our children will be quite... talented."
"Third place by default is nothing to be proud of, frankly." I deadpan, giving the girl a half-lidded stare. The faintest of smug smirks on my lips.
"Oh? And tell me how many people can shoot FIRE from their hands?! How many people can breathe fire like DRAGONS?!"
"I don't know... like... a few hundred, maybe?" I guess with a small shrug. "You do know there are people out there that can use 'aura' right? You know, like the Lucario move 'Aura Sphere'?"
Her mouth thins slightly.
"Now! I should probably reply to Cynthia!" I smile brightly as I turn to the Tv.
"Hello Cynthia." I smile as I take a seat across from her.
"Ah! Xander!" The woman smiles.
She looks quite tired.
We're quickly joined by Courtney and Zinnia
"You look exhausted." I blandly observe.
"The entire pokemon league... all of the champions are trying to decide how to deal with this... and as the only champion who has met you, I am the busiest." She admits.
"So. How many of those plans involve mugging me for all of the pokemon I own." I snort.
A disgusted look appears on her face as she gazes down at the table. "More than I'd like."
"Well... I'm just gonna flat out tell you... Don't. I spent the past year and a half fighting immensely powerful feral Pokémon with my bare hands. That course of action doesn't end well for anyone."
"Those suggestions have died since you have started working with the pokemon professors." The woman admits. Her gaze slowly strays between us, looking slightly worried. She probably noticed how we are all hyper aware of our surroundings. The minor twitch of muscles. "Are you all... doing okay? Spending over five hundred hundred days in the past couldn't have been good for your mental health."
I wince slightly, letting out a low hiss.
"On one hand... I'm still enjoying the fact that I have a bed again. On the other... I nearly punched a random pidove in the throat on the way over here on reflex because it flew too close to my peripheral vision."
"Mn." Zinna hums, nodding slowly. "Yeah. Kinda hard to curb those instincts, buuuut it's not that much of a change from how I was."
"I'm doing as well as I possibly could, Cynthia." Courtney supplies, the corners of her mouth turning upwards. "Thank you for asking."
"You all really should get some therapy..." The blonde woman chastises.
"Eh. Seems like a waste of time, frankly." I shrug, causing Zinnia to nod repeatedly.
"I've got loads of things better to do that sit in a fancy chair and talk about my issues." The tribal girl scoffs.
"Yeah. That'd take hours for you, hm?" Courtney smirks slightly causing Zinnia to glare challengingly at her.
"Oh yeah? You're just mad that Xander likes me more!" Zinnia puffs out her chest.
"Untrue." Courtney declines instantly. "I share his desire to research."
"Well, we're bound by fate! The last of our people!" The Draconid girl counters.
They quietly bicker among themselves as I wave over a waitress and order something to eat. Then something for the other two as they seem too busy fighting to worry about food at the moment.
She returns quickly with water that has a nice slice of lemon in it.
"Ah... lemon... how I missed you." I smile wistfully, looking to Cynthia. "Are you aware that the first citrus fruit grew only a short eight million years ago? I've learned that through Osmosis via Courtney. There wasn't a lot of interesting foods to eat in the past."
I cock my head to the side, tapping my chin. "Mostly just meat and bitter vegetables... some extremely tart berries as well."
I look to the iced water. "You truly never know what you've got until you lose it."
"I agree." The woman nods solemnly as we fall into an uncomfortable silence.
After a long moment, Cynthia speaks. "I suppose I want to ask... what do you three plan on doing now? Beyond helping your fellow pokemon professors."
"Tough question." I nod slowly.
"I'm gonna beat all eight gyms." Zinnia grins. "Train up some new mons!"
"I had an egg back home that was incubating... back before the event. I'm fairly certain it's a dragon type so she'll be getting it."
"Plus there are a few eggs we brought back from a couple of the dragons." I admit. "She was awfully insistent on it."
"Hey. I've got modern Salamence. Literally nothing is going to stop me from getting past Salamence.
"Malimence." I correct with a small huff, crossing my arms over my chest. "It's one of the only ones we have a name for at the very least you could use its name."
"It appears to be the origin for both the Salimence and Hydreigon species. Xander and I are hard at work with Professor Oak in compiling an official pokedex for ancient pokemon." Courtney supplies.
"Prehistori-dex." I note.
"No. We're not getting into this again." The girl sighs. "The names you and Oak came up with are far too cheesy."
"Oh?" Cynthia smiles.
Courtney turns to the champion. "Yes... this morning they bickered like children for an hour over 'Prehistori-Dex' and 'Ancient-Dex'. I myself merely wish to call it a 'Pokedex'."
"But it's special. All of these pokemon are extinct! It shouldn't be categorized alongside normal every-day pokemon." I shoot back.
"He's right in a way." Cynthia nods slowly.
"But realistically all the knowledge just gets compiled into a single pokedex anyways. At most we're looking at a new region of pokemon instead of an entirely new pokedex." The girl grumbles. "But ooooh of course when I brought this up, Oak and Xander here couldn't decide what to call the region."
"You know you love me." I state.
"I do." She nods once. "And I also know you were being difficult for amusement. Much like Professor Oak was to get a better read on you as a person."
"Mhm." I nod slowly. "You caught onto that too?"
"I did." She deadpans.
"We also need to finish our join research paper on... ah... what were we going to call it? Branched Progressive Evolution or something?"
"Branching Regional Species Adaption." The emotionally mute- most of the time- girl declares.
"It'd work better if we have an acronym that actually sounds like something." I point out. "Think we could figure out a way to get 'Branch'?"
"Hm. Perhaps." The girl concedes to my point.
"Oh. My bad." I begin as I turn to Cynthia. "It's kind of rude to continue a conversation like that, leaving you out when it was you who invited us here. How have you been, Cynthia? How has your day been?"
"Exhausting." She huffs, rubbing an eye, sipping on her iced coffee.
"I apologize." I wince, scratching the back of my head. "Ah... let's ignore all of this for a while... what were you doing before I called you?"
"Oh... I was planning on traveling to Johto to see some interesting ruins."
"The ruins of Alph?" I question.
The woman blinks. "You- you've heard of them?"
"Vaguely." I nod slowly. I remember reading a bit about them before our... adventure... a few days ago. I'm afraid that I don't remember much of what I read beyond 'Johto' and 'Ruins of Alph'. It was over a year since I read it, after all."
"Oh. I'd personally recommend having a few books downloaded to your rotom just in case you are ever without an internet connection. Gods know I could have used them when we were hiding out from the rain."
"Well, as an archologist I was packing my things. I had my flight planned and everything but... oh well. I'm frankly just glad you three are safe now."
Her attention turns to Zinnia. "So, I've been meaning to ask but who are you? How'd you come to travel with Xander and Courtney?"
"Oh. Pshhh Xander and I go waaay back." The girl waves.
"We met one time before we crossed paths at Twist Mountain." I deadpan suddenly.
"But in that moment, like lightning! Our brilliant passionate love bloomed. Much more than any love he has for any pink haired emotionally damaged robot chick-"
"I have known Xander for three years now... and we have almost exclusively worked together on school projects." Courtney shoots back. "More than double the length that he has known the feral, dense, tribal, dragon woman."
I take a sip of my water, tuning them out as they begin quietly fighting again.
"Do they do this often?" Cynthia asks, looking between the two as they lock hands.
"Oh? Do you not remember how this went last time? I am physically stronger than you." Courtney observes.
"W-Well you're a NERD!" Zinnia shoots back scathingly.
"Only since we slept together." I take another sip of the water as Cynthia flushes.
"W-H-WH- A-Are you sure you should be telling me about that?"
"Meh." I shrug idly. "Nothing to be ashamed about. Besides, they're much more professional when the time calls for it. They merely bicker now because we have the opportunity to. If we were in some sort of dangerous situation they mesh quite well."
We're lucky that we're in a booth otherwise their fighting would be drawing much more attention.
"So what's got you so interested with the Ruins, Cynthia?"
"Oh! They found some more ancient language! It appears to be an entirely new clan of people... we haven't even begun to date it! Here! Take a look!"
She turns her rotom phone around, showing statues with some engraving at the base.
"Huh... 'throughout the ages, our great guardian was reborn anew. Body of feather and fire. An insurmountable power. And yet, the life he gave left him weakened'."
"You- you can read this?!" Cynthia hisses, jealousy on her face as she looks like she's about to tear her hair out.
"Whaaaat no." I snort before giving the woman a smug smirk. "That's ridiculous. Whatever gave you that idea? What a shame that I'm rich now so I can't be so easily bribed to translate."
My smile becomes borderline impish.
The woman seems to grow more and more tired.
"What do you want?" She sighs. "I'll give anything."
"Anything?" I echo. "That's a biiiig promise Cynthia. What if I ask for a date or something."
She flinches back as if I had punched her in the nose, a blush on her cheeks. "W-W-Well- Ah- I-I Guess that would be-"
"I'm just kidding. I'll tell you for free cause we're friends." I snort. "Ah... how I missed messing with people."
"Jeez." Zinnia lowly growls. "That wasn't a very funny prank."
"For once... I agree with this mouth breather." Courtney frowns.
"Got you both to stop fighting though, didn't it?" I smirk at the two who give me half-lidded stares. "Also you've got to admit it was pretty funny to see the arguably the strongest Champion a blushing and stuttering mess."
"That's not very nice." Cynthia pouts, causing me to shrug.
Her rotom phone begins to ring causing her eyes to widen slightly. "Oh! I need to take this... I'll be right back."
She stands and seems to quickly make her way to the bathroom.
I sip my water again, the waiter finally arriving with our meals.
Mine and Zinnia's is Pattymelt and fries. I got Courtney the chicken parmesan.
Ohohoho how I fucking missed cheese, bread, and onions.
Potatos as well!
I pause as I realize something.
Cynthia is gone.
Courtney said that her mother attempts to disown her today.
She knew about Cynthia asking for us to meet for lunch.
Courtney's mother would never be so arrogant and disrespectful in front of a champion... which means...
My eyes slide over to Courtney who nods once at my unasked question.
"Scary foresight. Impressive." I compliment, causing the pink-ette to smile.
Out of the corner of my eye I can see an older woman walking down the street, right by the mirror we are sat beside. She seems to double take then march with purpose.
"Hm?" Zinnia hums, mouth full as she glances out of the window. "Omhh shbt."
"Swallow before you try talking."
"Heh. You told me that last night~" The black haired girl chuckles under her breath, a feral grin on her lips.
She goes back towards her sandwich.
I can hear heels click as a woman makes her way through the restaurant, stopping beside our table.
She gazes past me, not even acknowledging my existence. "Courtney. We're going home."
The girl acts like she doesn't even hear her, taking a sip of her drink.
"Courtney." The woman growls, steel in her voice. "You've fooled around enough. Stop being such an immature brat. We're going home."
"Ma'am. You are causing a scene." I observe with a half-lidded glare and a smile on my lips as I take in the woman's features. "Please leave."
The woman's eyes narrow, her gaze piercing me, but I've seen far worse glares. Mostly from beasts that want to kill me. "This does not concern you. Rabble."
I take a deep breath then exhale, my smile not fading.
Zinnia snorts.
"I think it does." I speak slowly. "Because you're insulting my girlfriend right now."
Her gaze snaps to Courtney. "You'd lower yourself to date some nobody?! You're going to be the next hall matron of the Battle Frontier! Think about how this would look."
"Yes... I will lower myself." Courtney glares suddenly. "You cannot change my decision, force me to break up with him, or bring me home. I refuse. I am old enough to make my own decisions. I will not become a hall matron. I will not allow you to treat me like some sort of doll you can puppet to do whatever is convenient for you."
"You brat! I will disown you! Think about all that debt you've foolishly gained through going to that academy! You'll have to pay it back on your own! You'll live a destitute disgraced life with your little... trash... here. Unable to find a stable job or income. A failure. You'll become a failure."
"Kind of bold words coming from the fake pokemon champion." Zinnia smirks, a feral glint in her eye. "Ooooh what's that? You aren't stwooong enough to be a real champion so you have to wall off a little section of a region so you can act like someone important. You have no idea who you're talking to. Do you?"
"Pfft." Zinnia huffs. "Oh wait! Of course you don't. I imagine they've only told people who were important!"
"You little-" Courtney's mother growls as my gaze flicks past her, my smile growing. "Fine. If you want to stay with trash. Then so be it. I'm done being nice Courtney. Do you have any idea the pull the pokemon frontier has? I can guarantee whatever career your little 'friends' here could even dream of pursuing would crumble before it even begins."
"Are you threatening me, Ma'am?" My gaze becomes piercing. "Are you sure that's wise?"
"Yes... I'd like to know that as well." A new voice speaks.
I can see the lightly wrinkled woman pause and turn, eyes widening slightly.
"C-Champion Cynthia?! What are- this- is a familial matter. I-It doesn't concern you."
"I believe it does." The blonde frowns, gaze flicking from Courtney to her mother. "You are harassing my associates."
"A-Associates?!"
"Come now." I smile. "We're technically not Associates. Friends. Yes. Associates not really."
"In addition,~" I grin, gaze straying towards the older woman. "You didn't include my title when you addressed me. It's Professor trash."
"And no. Before you start, I'm not being presumptuous or hubristic or arrogant. I'm not just some researcher with delusions of grandeur proclaiming at the top of my lungs that just because I research pokemon I'm a pokemon professor based on a technicality. No. I am an honest to gods, rubbing shoulders with Juniper, on speaking terms with Rowan, meeting face to face with Elm, on par with- and on first name basis with Samuel motherfucking OAK... Pokemon... Professor."
"Hello. My name is Xander Welsh. The Pokemon Professor for ancient and extinct pokemon. This is Courtney Kate. The Pokemon Profesor of Ancient Geology and Botany. Get out of my sight before I demolish you, you arrogant, contemptuous, brown-nosing, corrupt hag."
"W-W-W"
Courtney's Phone pings, causing her to look at it.
"Oh..." She hums mutely. "It's just Courtney now... no last name... my paperwork finally went through... plus I was just disowned... right?"
Her eyes slide upwards, a glint of dark amusement in her eyes. "I have nothing more to say to you. Leave. Or the next document I file will be a restraining order."
Zinnia loudly slurps her milkshake, eyes moving between us as she seemingly enjoys the drama.
The woman seems to realize that she has made a critical error. "Courtney- wait- I wasn't thinking straight. I apologize for saying those mean things I'm- I was just worried for your future."
"Hm." The pink girl beside me hums before gesturing outside. "Well, you can worry about it... over there... Outside."
"Hall Matron Argenta." Cynthia speaks up quietly. "You should go."
The tone in her voice clearly notes that this isn't a suggestion.
Argenta looks like she wishes to say more, but sighs, then turns and walks away.
"Ah... lunch and a show. What a wonderful day." Zinnia smirks.
Cynthia lets out a long breath, her irritation apparent. "I apologize for leaving. If I stayed... I'd imagine things wouldn't have escalated into that."
Courtney lets out a low hum. "No... it was bound to happen... eventually."
She turns to me. "Marry me... so I can have a last name again."
"Wh-" Cynthia blushes again, shocked that the girl is being so blunt."
"Normally it's the boy that proposes to the girl." I note, looking over the pink-ette.
"Is that... a no?" Courtney pouts.
Zinnia butts in suddenly. "Now HOLD the fuck on for a second. I object! I'm not even going to let you guys get to that part of the vows before I step in and object. He and I have FAR too much chemistry for him to marry anyone else but me."
"Mn. If you mean by... Chemistry... hn... in Chemistry terms, he is sharp. Dangerous and potent... like an acid... you're just basic."
"Ooooooohohoho." I wince a laugh leaving my lips. "Oh, shit that one was good."
Well! that went well! I wonder how many Paparatzi saw Cynthia and started recording once Xander and the others showed up?
oh! I also have a patroom (The word FFN doesn't really like) where you can read chapters early (AND read some of the snippets that aren't put over here on FFN. such as Gacha Saiyan, Phantom Schemer, further chapters of Dxd Vrmmo, the rewrite of Fortune's Favors, AND another Snippet called 'Magic Research System'. Honestly? I don't really get WHY I call them snippets, Phantom has 6 chapters, Gacha has 10, FF has 21, VRMMO has 20 and shut in has 14
you can find me at 'Flameclawsxx'