Jubilife City.
18:24 PM, Thursday, 15 January 2044.
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“Hurry up, man, the commander''s waiting!”
“Shut up! I''m so sick of hearing you say it. Are you stuck looping the same lines of dialogue like an NPC?”
“What the hell are you talking about, Alex? If this was a video game, I''d be the main character while you''d be stuck as a no-name grunt. Now hurry the hell up!”
In the back alleyway of a street, two strange men, no more than nineteen years old by the looks of their faces, weren''t doing anything suspicious at all. Well, save for rushing through a dark alley with a metal briefcase. They were dressed in funny gray suits with a golden G embroided where their hearts were, in the padestrian-filled lightshow of Jubilife City at night.
Rush Hour.
“Get out of the damn way! Jeez, you people think because you have desks and computers you''re so important, huh?” Alex shouted as they rammed through crowds of rushing knocked-off workers on their way to the tunnel leading down to the subway.
Ding-dong!
“A train is now approaching Jubilife Station. Please wait at the edge of the platform. Thank you.”
“Hear that? Look what you''ve done! We''re supposed to be right there to meet her, and we''re gonna be late because you don''t know how to run!” Alex snapped in panicked frustration as they nearly stumbled down a flight of stairs. Handfuls of people double-backed in a mix of irritation and confusion at the duo with funny hair and somewhat wacky costumes.
They had no respect. No empathy.
“You always do this! Stop acting like you''re not the one who nearly got us lost at that wayfinder thing! If you weren''t so stupid, we could''ve found the way to the subway in no time—”
“Stop right there!”
The pair turned around to see a man dressed in a neon vest, holding a thick baton in his hands, marching up to them with frustrated steps.
“You two are causing a ruckus, bashing and pushing people–where are your manners? I’m in charge of security, and you two seem to be causing problems…those ''G''s on your jerseys...you''re part of that weird new energy company, Team Galaxy!" the officer pulled out a Poké Ball and pointing it at them.
The duo flashed glances at each other before Alex ROCKED him in the face with a mean fist that knocked him right to the floor.
“Haha! How about you suck my balls, fatty?” Darren snickered, "Don''t ever disrespect Team Galactic like that again! We''re here to change the world and there''s nothing ''weird'' about that!"
“Yeah, you can be in charge of these nuts since you wanna ride us so bad!” Alex swiped the officer''s Poké Ball off the ground. “Thanks for the generous contribution! Everyone, listen up! If any of you have a problem with us, come and say hi like Baldilocks over here,”
“Don''t be shy to show us your Pokémon too! Team Galactic is always grateful for the donations! We''re here to change the world! No, we''re here to create a new world entirely!”
After causing a chaotic ruckus, pair dashed off in the opposite direction, past startled people as a long metal snake smoothly slid into the station. They stood firm by the train''s entrance as people poured out.
Carefully guarding the metal briefcase.
“What an idiot! He should''ve just used his electric baton thing instead of trying to be cool and popping out his Pokémon! Did he think we were gonna join him or something? Pokémon aren''t even allowed outside their balls in the Metro!” Alex said.
“You''re complaining? He gave us a free donation. It''s probably not half bad since he''s a security officer,” Darren replied, shaking his head.
“That''s not the point! That guy undermined our intelligence by thinking we were gonna engage in a useless battle instead of just beating him up. Adults always think the youth is too stupid to think for themselves–"
But he''d have to hold that thought.
She was here, and she wasn''t alone.
Strutting out the doors was a young woman with predatory, sharp scarlet eyes that suffocated the pair of grunts. Behind her was a fleet of cleanly cut men and women dressed in the same outlandish uniform, with the same alien cyan bowl cuts.
“Get the hell out of our way! Do you know who the commander is? Show some respect!” a male grunt snapped, shoving a man onto the platform edge.
The pair stiffened up, straight backs and all, as they mechanically saluted on cue when they saw her. Blood-red hair curled by her cheeks like horns, and she was fashionably decked out in a khaki trench coat.
All business.
“Wow, I have a welcome party here to see my arrival. I''m flattered. Good evening, gentlemen…” Her heels stabbed the ground with firm clicks!
“Commander Mars! It''s a pleasure!” Darren immediately shifted gears like a Klink.
“Yes, Ma''am! Welcome to Jubilife City, Ma''am! Commander Jupiter appointed us as your personal security guards. She also said to deliver this briefcase to you—Ma''am!”
Mars stared at the briefcase. Solid steal sealed shut with a brass padlock. As if anyone would even dare to look inside… Jupiter always did too much.
“Alright, girls and boys... I don''t need Pluto crying like a baby because we''re two seconds off schedule. Let''s head out. Remember: quick and easy.”
“YES, MA''AM!”
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19:27 PM
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Dawn stood in the class, empty chairs and desks all around her.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
The papers were stuffed in a big brown envelope held close to her chest.
“You understand, yes?”
“Of course, sir,” she nodded. “I’ll make sure they reach him safely, no casualties.”
The professor nodded, staring at the little brown rabbit standing at her side. It observed every gesture he made, it''s soft brown ears sharply perked up like blades of brown wool as if something was wrong.
“I’m sure Professor Birch will be pleased with the results. When you see Paul later, make sure to tell him how much I appreciate his aid in this project, and inform him that I have decided to push his assignment forward. Tell him…it’s time.”
Dawn stared in confusion at the cryptic wording.
“What assignment, Professor—”
“It’s none of your concern, young lady." He cut her off, shaking his head as if disappointed she''d even think of asking. "Dawn, Your sole priority is making sure these papers land safely in Professor Birch’s hands and no one else’s. Paul is dealing with more… shall I say, complex tasks. That is all. Do you understand?”
…
“No, sir.”
“Good. You’re dismissed.”
“Have a pleasant evening, sir,” she said, cut and dry, burying a stew of toxicity under her mask as she exited the room. “Toffee, let''s go,"
Wasting no time, the Buneary hopped to it, strutting behind her.
Then Stopped.
Professor Rowan’s thick silver brows furrowed in curious anticipation as the Buneary stomped its feet on the ground and grunted, a sound soaked in…disgust. Contempt. Aimed at him.
But there was more.
What was more, the buneary wouldn''t stop sniffing the air. It was like its little nose couldn''t believe iitself. Its little black eyes seemed to be staring more behind and inside him than at him. As if there was an incongruity in the bizzareness of what she was seeing and the oddity of what she was smelling.
Rowan...smiled.
"Yes. It''s confusing. It doesn''t align. It doesn''t make sense. Soon, it will. Your inability to speak on the truth is perhaps one of my greatest decisions." He said, staring into the buneary''s naked sould, "Yours is a simple role. A tiny catalyst. Nothing you''re not used to. Now...disappear."
As if possessed by a ghost, the buneary immediately sprinted out the empty classroom.
Walking down the now-empty hallway, her pink boots lightly echoed past lockers. Dawn harbored a hard, strained mask on her face.
She couldn’t get rid of it. It was too powerful—the rage and resentment stirring and churning in her stomach. It was never enough. There was never enough, no matter what she did or how she did it. Always rejection in one way or another, always forgone for…him.
“It’s not fair! We’re always helping, always doing the most, always volunteering. We’re his top assistants, and still, he takes us for granted, always opting for Paul and…you-know-who.” Dawn faced Toffee, who had an unshakeable grimace on her furry chocolate face as she imagined Paul and his stupid partner’s ever-blasé face and dull long gray ears.
Pests! That’s what they were!
Toffee stomped on the hall’s tiles, growling with animosity. They angrily stormed past rooms barely filled with people in lab coats urgently discussing matters of science on their way to the door at the end of the hallway.
“It’s just so…UGH!” The pair simultaneously kicked the air. “Is it so hard to show some appreciation? Who takes care of every single new kid he hires? Did he forget what we did for him two weeks ago, that whole mess with the freakin’ Stunkies—the SMELL? Yet somehow, somehow! We don’t even deserve to know what’s going on—not even what’s on these stupid papers?”
Toffee kicked the door open, making it rattle as they sassily strutted through into the minty outside, stomping down a large flight of stone stairs lightly frosted with frost. Outside, the dark navy sky was also lightly frosted with stars and little spics of snow fell from above. The Buneary’s ears immediately perked up as the ominous echoes of distant hoots rippled through the cold air.
Her ears instinctively turned and twisted, capturing each noise. She couldn''t shake the feeling. The feeling of being...
Dawn turned around, sticking her tongue out at the giant estate. Well… more so at the white-haired, rude, selfish grouch inside the estate.
“It’ll come back,” she snickered, tossing her midnight hair over her shoulder and fixing her beanie. “Oh, it’ll come back. It always does, you ungrateful ancient fossil. Damn bastiodon." Dawn marched away, hollering at the security guard at his post as she and Toffee marched through the gate.
The school was always open until late.
There was always much to be done. Research never sleeps, especially in the land of myths and legends. No, there was always something to uncover, something to discover. Which is why Dawn stayed past normal working hours, helping Professor Rowan (that ungrateful, wrinkle-faced, shriveled sack of sand) with his research.
Two years she''d been doing this.
Helping.
For most kids, you''d only become illegible to carry around a pokémon if you were fourteen or above. But for Dawn things were different. Being an assistant meant special privileges. One of which was having your own pokémon, all courtesy of the Provisional License.
So many privileges, tools at her disposal. All to help the Professor’s research...all to help herself.
But that didn''t mean she could bypass the Law, which was why…
“Well, Toffee, I’ll see you in a bit, ‘kay? I’ll miss you!”
But Toffee’s body didn''t move. Rigid. Her ears still turning and turning like satellites.
"Toffee, seriously, you know the rules..." Dawn said, but something on her furry friend''s face, something she felt said no..."What''s wrong?"
Nonetheless, she had to follow the rules. She pulled her pokeball out and in a flash, Toffee disappeared. Troubled squeaking trailing behind her.
The road outside the school was lined with solar-powered streetlamps, some flickering faultily.
It was dark.
Uncharacteristically empty. Especially for rush hour.
As Dawn strolled down the street, away from the school, something felt… off. The feeling she got when she stared into the mirror…
Eyes.
She screamed, feeling a hand grabbing her shoulder. Dawn immediately jerked away, running from the man but tripped and stumbled onto the cold concrete, the marching of multiple footsteps showering her ears.
“Who are you? Get away from me!” she cried, backing away as two more shadowy figures appeared, another man and a woman spawning from the black of the surrounding alleyways, their faces covered by black balaclavas.
“I got them.” The man said in a cold, groggy voice.
Her heart shriveled up as one of the masked men waved the brown envelope at her.
“Are these the ones?” one of them asked, a lady.
“Of course. She’s the Professor’s assistant. G8 and G9 said to look out for a little girl who always leaves the school at half-past seven. Took longer than usual, but I’m positive it’s her—”
“Drain Punch!”
In a burning flash of light, Toffee charged at the robbers and sunk a horrible punch into the man''s guts, collapsing him onto the pavement! Dawn stood up, fog fuming out of her mouth in panicked cold pants with her hands shaking as the pokéball she''d drown in a panic dropped to the ground.
“Again!” she cried in a voice of determined fear. Toffee nodded, lunging forward with springy steps with a raging explosive golden aura around her little furry fist.
She knew she was well within her rights to do that. License or otherwise, all was fair when it came to self defense.
That wasn''t to say her victory wasn''t anything but a pipe dream.
“Golbat, Air Cutter!”
Suddenly, Toffee shrieked in agony, blood trickling onto the pavement as a blinding blade of air sliced her little furry body. Up in the air, winged and malicious with devilish knives hanging out of its jaws, a Golbat flapped its wings before perching on one of the robbers’ shoulders.
“Toffee!” Dawn rushed to the squirming bunny only to trip on nothing again and find her legs flailing in the air. Levitating.
“G13!” the other masked man called, hoping to get a response, but no dice. “He’s out cold; that Buneary’s Drain Punch took everything out of him.”
“It doesn’t matter!” The lady yelled. “We have the papers. Commander Mars gave direct orders; we have no time to waste. Let’s go!”
“Hold on, G16. That Buneary just used drain punch,”
“And what, G14? I mean I was right here when it happened, I saw it with my eyes. So what?”
G14 shook his head.
“So, G16, Buneary’s don’t know Drain Punch! It''s strong and so, G16–Take It! Then, check her bag and make sure she doesn’t have any more useful Pokémon with her.”
The masked lady scoffed, grabbing Dawn’s white marshmallow bag off the floor and scrambling through it before tossing it back onto the ground. “Nothing,” she said in an annoyed voice, swiping Toffee’s Pokéball off the ground. “Chimecho, use Extrasensory on G13 and wake him up!”
Out of nowhere, rings and chimes jingled in Dawn’s ears as a sinister chimecho floated by and let out a rippling wave of pink energy onto the unconscious masked man holding the envelope.
“No! Stop it! Give her back! Give me back those papers; I need them!” Dawn screamed, helplessly struggling in the air, bound by invisible nothingness. But no matter how much she tried to force her muscles to move, all she had to show for it were stagnant twitches and tears on her face.
“Sorry, sweetie. We need them more. Besides, in a few months, you won’t even be here to stress about such petty things. Why worry now when none of it will matter by the end of the year?” the masked woman said in a brief cold breath, “G13! Get up, we have no time to sleep, we’re leaving now! Commander Mars said eight o’clock, so we need to move, quick!”
The unconscious coughed and coughed, now awake. More awake than before, actually. Psychic energy was a hell of a drug. “R-right…ow…let’s move,” G13 groaned, whining and wincing as he held his stomach, almost tripping as he stumbled to get up.
“Alright, Golbat, return!” G14 cried, “G16, you too. We can''t be caught with–”
“I know the Law, dammit!” she yelled, annoyed by the underestimation of her abilities (she was very capable).
Light splashed the street as the Pokémon returned to their balls, and when the blinding flash dissipated… they were nowhere to be found.
All the while, another pair of eyes looked on, contemplating on whether or not he should''ve done something.
No.
He had a feeling that this was exactly what was supposed to happen. In fact, something told him there was no other way but to be quiet and look.