《Macabre Charming (Pokémon OC)》 Cemetary Strays (A good brushing starts at the tips and works in)
There was a man in the graveyard. In his hands was a ratty old brush. By his side a dirty tub sloshed with clean water. A roll of toilet paper was the towels; the chair, his lap. His clientele were the creatures that lurked in graveyards¡ªghosts. They primarily manifested as church grim¡ªdogs with shaggy bone white fur and bearing candles of corpse wax. Which is probably why they accepted such shoddy tools. Dogs typically like pettings over brushies. They certainly begged for petties hard enough; crowding around the man¡¯s feet making it hard to keep the client in his lap. Wriggling paws and all. There was a man approaching the graveyard, he had flowers in his hand, and a bird on his shoulder. He pushed the aged, well-loved, gate open, and took the path on the right, before he paused, and shifted to approach the man on the bench. He hid his flowers behind his back. It wasn¡¯t good to mix business with personal matters. And a man surrounded by wild Ghost Pok¨¦mon was likely business. He drew a Pok¨¦ball from his pocket and brandished it like a weapon. "Sir," the man with the bird said, tone low and lifeless. As was his custom. "Is there any assistance needed?" "Well, I really could do with a better brus-" The man with the dog in his lap looked up. "-Oh, am I in danger? No." Both watched each other, waiting. It was only broken when the ghost dog leapt from the man¡¯s lap, to allow another Greavard his place. Satisfied, the man let his bouquet droop before him, and he left. To do what one normally does in graveyards. He came back with the sun much lower. He had only his bird, no flowers. He came back to more dogs around the groomer, and a few errant floaters. Shuppets, Gastly, Misdreavus. "Still here?" The man hummed in response, he had a Misdreavus under his ministrations currently. And was seemingly trying to massage the ghost. Hands palm-together, thumbs pressing into the back of the neck, where the spine would meet skull on a creature that wasn¡¯t all head. A bone snapping crack, and the Misdreavus sighed, sinking so deeply in relaxation that she fell through the man¡¯s legs, and onto the floor. Naturally, his lap was immediately re-occupied by another Pok¨¦mon. Another Greavard, demanding attention. The other man nodded, and gestured to his side, a wordless ask to sit. Another gesture back, and both sat on the bench. One with a dog in his lap, the other with a bird on his shoulder. "Wild Pok¨¦mon are often helped by many kind strangers. Outdoors, it is not uncommon for watering holes, wildlife corridors, and artificial shelters to be found." The other man began. "Aid is provided to certain types of Pok¨¦mon specifically, with stones being broken open for Rock Pok¨¦mon and charcoals left for Fire types. But a person volunteering for Ghost type Pok¨¦mon has never been heard of by me." "I wouldn¡¯t call it voluntarily." The groomer muttered. "Are you being paid to groom and brush ghost Pok¨¦mon within this graveyard?" The current Greavard being petted and washed was picked up, nose to nose, and the man asked her, "Am I being compensated for this?" The Greavard licked his nose. He turned, "She says no." "Is there coercion, in some way, to make you complete this work?" The man asked the dog again. "And am I forced to stay here?" The Greavard gently bit onto his sleeve, and refused to let go. "Unless you count puppy eyes as coercion, no." A slight smile. "Then, per the terms and guidelines of the Paldean employment agency, this is volunteering. Still, I would like to ask a question. Why here? Why Ghost types?" The man rolled the dog onto her back, and absently pushed her paws down as he thought of an answer. "¡¯S like you said. Many go out of their way to help wild Pok¨¦mon. But you¡¯ve never heard of someone going out to help Ghost¡¯s specifically." He waited a moment for a response, then continued. "That¡¯s a sensible answer, isn¡¯t it? A nice, good Samaritan answer, someone realising that there is a group who has ended up neglected, and going out of their way to help. It¡¯s not my answer, however.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. "The truth is, I¡¯m lost. I¡¯m alone. I don¡¯t know how I got here or where I am, nor am I aware of where my next meal will come from. Or even where I¡¯ll lay my head come nightfall." The other man leaned closer. This man, who spent his time in the graveyard brushing down Greavards, did not wear a desperate expression. His hair was not overly greasy, his eyes were tired, not flinty. His clothes were only hiking-dirty. This was a man who found himself homeless recently. "Why then," he asked, "Are you here, grooming dogs, instead of looking for help?" "Because it¡¯s easier to help others then solve your own problems." The other man leaned back, and thought heavy thoughts. He spoke dryly, with the sort of voice that reads stock prices out loud and finds it riveting. "That¡¯s a lot of information that I didn¡¯t have before." A lot of personal, never-admit, information, he didn¡¯t say. "I¡¯ve poured my heart out to each one of these Ghosts. What¡¯s spilling it to one more person? Better, even, because you can answer back." "Still, I am a stranger to you-" The man with the dog cut him off ¨C not rudely, but with the kind of speed that comes from thinking faster than he could filter. "That¡¯s easily changed," he stuck his hand out, "I¡¯m Linh." "It¡¯s nice to meet you Linh, I¡¯m Larry." Larry considered him with a dull gaze. He took Linh¡¯s hand and shook it precisely twice, at a precise angle, with a precise pressure. Then he smiled warmly and gestured to the bird on his shoulder. "And this is Staraptor." Linh blinked, then inhaled sharply as he recognised the dull gaze, the wind-swept grey hair, the understated yet tastefully tailored suit. Larry¡¯s demeanour screamed business-man, just like any other power-walking down the street. He settled into the role as only the ideal could. "¡­ Gym Leader Larry. Of Paldea? Elite Four Larry, of the Paldean league?" Larry nodded once. "Yes. To all of those. But please, just call me Larry. It¡¯s outside business hours." They lapsed into silence, no conversation¡ªno talk. Larry enjoyed the peace, and snuck his Staraptor seeds from his pocket. Linh fell back to half-brushing half-playing with the ghosts. The graveyard continued to be its grim place, with Ghosts drifting away and back. The number of Greavards lingering about Linh¡¯s feet stayed the same, even if most of the faces changed. Linh smiled. He pursed his lips and whistled Gotta catch ¡®em all. Larry responded with first confusion, then nostalgia, then a knowing smile. "Pok¨¦mon. The anime was overrated." A jolt, a Greavard shook in his lap. Sheer surprise, then Linh gave back the same knowing smile. "The new series is good." "Please, new region, new companions, same story." "Oh, no, you didn¡¯t hear? Ash made it to the top. We have a new protagonist now. With an original plot line and everything." Larry considered this, then nodded. "Given your¡­ everything. I can probably guess." Linh continued. "But it¡¯ll be nice to confirm, where you from?" Larry didn¡¯t answer directly, he whistled himself. Kimigayo. Japan. As expected, for someone who screamed ¡®overworked salaryman¡¯ with his every mannerism. Linh nodded, then whistled his own national anthem. It was a song most people would know. "American, mmh?" Nevermind¡ªhe forgot My Country, Tis of Thee was the same tune. Linh gave the most disgusted ¡®I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve done this¡¯ glare. "A Brit, then." Larry noted, and Linh nodded happily. Then Larry gestured to Linh¡¯s eyes, in particular, the double layers. "But then..." Linh smiled, "It¡¯s multicultural, innit? But my parents¡­" He started a bar of another country, an anthem less known. "Refugees. Kids when they ran." Larry nodded sagely. "My grandparents had their honeymoon at Saigon. Nasty business, all told." Both men leaned back, coats against the curved wood. Linh scowled, "Bah. I didn¡¯t mean to make this dour." He reached forwards and scooped up an armful of Greavards. "Pok¨¦mon¡ªcute, right? No reason to be sour." Privately, Larry didn¡¯t agree, but he did smile at the lapful of puppies. "Perhaps. But feeling good doesn¡¯t help with your situation. How¡¯d you get here?" Linh started the verse of A Thousand Miles. "I was just heading back from a walk, then I¡­ guess I took a wrong turn. All I know is between one streetlamp and the next, I stopped stepping on pavement and started walking on grass." He kicked the gravel under his shoes. "Grave grass. Think I crushed some poor flowers someone left out." "Not the usual path. Usually it¡¯s a big unmissable portal and a fall. And missing memories." "Hm. This happen often enough to be usual?" "No, single digits. How long have you been here?" "This¡¯ll be my second day. Was a bit useless by myself. But they," Linh gestured to the ghosts. "Were kind enough to provide some things. Food, blankets, stuff." He gestured to the brush and the forgotten basin of water. "This is just repayment." Larry nodded. "I¡¯ve decided. You can stay with me¡ªI will help you get things together." Linh paused, he spoke hesitatingly. "I can¡¯t ask that of you." "What, you¡¯re acting shy now?" Larry stood up and adjusted his suit. "Just accept my charity." Linh remained hesitant, pensive. "I suppose these dogs can¡¯t follow, nor would they want too." Larry looked down at the suddenly begging pack of Greavards, muddy paws pawing at the hem of Linh¡¯s trousers. "I wouldn¡¯t say that, but no. They should stay. Especially since they eat life force." "They what now?" "Greavards instinctively drain vital energies from those around them, they need to be trained to stop, do you not feel that tiredness? You must have a great affinity to still be awake after two days of exposure." Larry gestured to Linh¡¯s hands, they were shaking. "But you should still shoo them off. Some time away to recover." Linh furrowed his eyes, and held up one Greavard, meeting her eyes. "I¡­ Okay I understand that you¡¯re more experienced and know what¡¯s probably best for me and them. But I¡¯ll die a thousand deaths before I inconvenience one dog." Larry sighed, Staraptor chirped a laugh. "And I¡¯ll inconvenience a thousand dogs before I let you die. Dark Pulse." Chapter 1 - Home, such as it is. (Expected Visitors and Visited) A pen sat on the table, by the crisp sheet of paper, and the old clunky laptop humming away. It was a simple ballpoint pen, with clicky button action, and a plastic ridged grip. The point faced towards the man at the table, Linh. A hand reached out, Linh''s hand. It gripped the tip and lifted, and the pen stood on its button. A press down and the hand grip slid to the plastic grip, index one side, middle finger the other. Click-click. The pen went, point extended. And Linh twisted his fingers. A flex, and the pen spun into the standard grip. The point tapped the paper twice, at the latest line. Tech support it read. Comma, then a company. The pen touched paper and stained it black¡ªtwo dates, month and year, written afterwards. Underneath, in looping cursive, a list of skills it displays in scrawl half elegant. Linh let his pen sit motionless, as he looked over his half-remembered, half-recreated resume again. He looked at the black ink, and the white space, and how the second dwarfed the first. Then his gaze turned to the laptop, where a muted video played. The championship match of Unova, ''22. A moment of awe at the Pok¨¦mon''s power, before Linh forced himself to look back at the incomplete paper. "C''mon mate, I''ve done this before." Linh told himself, then immediately felt silly. He didn''t need to speak out loud to know he barely remembers what he had on his old resume. The pen touched paper. Then separated. Then touched again. It hung in the air motionless, in thought, then glided across white. Ink rolled across the fibre. Software engineering intern, one date. A summer''s work. Three copies more, naming different companies and times. University lab demonstrator, two dates. The length of three semesters. Linh nodded, then set the pen down. A little too harshly, as it rolled across the table. Linh watched it with slight disappointment as it reached the edge, and tipped over. Landing on the wooden floorboards. Larry''s floorboards. Linh lifted the paper up, holding it so the light from the living room''s (his bedroom, currently) window could shine through, paper thin and faintly backlit. "I can work with this." He declared to the air, "No references, no proof of any of this, I don''t even have an identity, yet. According to Larry. But I can work with this." He continued, voice a bit tight. Suddenly, the table before him thumped and jolted to the side. Something impacting one of its legs. Linh startled and dropped his paper. He looked down, under the table. There, crawling across the ground, was a koala. Except not really. Koala''s are not that brilliant shade of blue, they don''t carry a heavy log with them. And they actually have their eyes open when they move. Komala. Komala crawled into Linh''s leg, and it felt a bit like a bowling ball slowly rolling against his foot. The Pok¨¦mon was densely furry, and the hunk of wood he carried did not help. "Hello Komala." Linh said, smiling. "How can I help you?" Komala made no sound, but he did rear back where he layed, and bumped forwards. a sleep-headbutt. Komala breathed in and out, with snoring snorts. "Hungry?" Linh asked the comatose koala. And Komala''s sleepy grumbles became positive. "Well¡ªlemme just¡ª" Linh closed the computer, set his resume under it so it wouldn''t go anywhere, and looked around the floor for his dropped pen. "Uh," he stood back up, confused. "Oh!" There, on the table, was the pen. And by its side was a single, long, grey-white hair. "Oh." Linh gave it a suspicious side-eye, but when Komala reared back to give him a balance-upsetting tackle again, he had to move on. With Komala on his shoulders, hanging from his neck, Linh made the way to Larry''s kitchen. On the feedbag up in the drawers was a sticky note. Today''s medicine day. Make sure Tauros takes the pill this time. Dudunsparce should have more iron. Usual for everyone else. - Larry Linh hummed, then shoved the note in his pocket. Larry had asked him, while he''s crashing there, to feed the Pok¨¦mon staying there. With pay, even. Simple enough. The hard part is how to rephrase it professionally in writing; not the clatter as Komala''s food bowl is set out, or the rustle as the dry kibble-like Pok¨¦chow is poured. Komala crawled out of Linh''s arms, and sat in front of the bowl with a sleepy, baby-like pose. Tiny legs half-bent and ahead of him, tiny arms with pudgy fists shoving the food into his mouth. He ate reflexively, without thought. Linh shifted both slightly, to be further away from the edge of the counter. And then he added the rest of Komala''s meal. Leaves plucked directly from the potted tree by the windowsill (A bovine snout left condensation on the glass) and a half-lemon''s juices, squeezed and soaked into the chow. A thump against the window, Linh looked. Tauros was there, begging with soulful eyes out of place on a massive bull. He opened the window by a crack and Tauros''s tongue reached through, seeking the Oran berries hanging from the potted tree. "What''s that, you want something?" Tauros moo''d pathetically, barely reaching the branches. "I don''t recall Oran berries being on your food plan." Linh scratched his head to hide his smile. Tauros did not have the right head shape to convey sheer despair and pitiable want. But he made an admirable attempt. "Oh, okay..." Linh plucked two berries off, and handed them over. "You never got anything from me, got it?" With a finger against his lips, silence invocation. Tauros nodded conspiratorially. Linh washed his hands free of bull spit. Then consulted Larry''s food plan stuck to the fridge. One Pok¨¦mon fed, five more to go. Tauros and Oinkloigne, who nominally reside in the pen out front, take the most food. Requiring a trough filled entirely with wheat and hay. Normally stored outside at the shed. But they also need the right nutrients and vitamins. A blend of vegetables and berries. Small b berries¡ªblue, rasp, black. All chopped roughly and tossed together into a bowl¡ªwhich Linh will scatter in the feeding trough later. Blender turned on. Tropius prefers his food very wet. Which means soaking the platter of kibble with a smoothie. Banana flavoured, because the small sauropod with banana''s growing from his neck has a theme. As the blender noisily whirred, Linh busied himself with what the birds will eat. Mundane fish and fruits chopped together, piled with nuts and seeds, and a special additive for each one. To match their preferred tastes, or they won''t eat. Oricorio gets some strips of sweet smoked-jerky. Altaria gets a bitter zest, and Braviary has a haunch of a rabbit, chopped at the joints. And, because Flamigo gets fussy if she doesn''t get a treat with her food, one of the fish-shaped biscuit''s from the bag under the sin¡ª The biscuit bag had a tear in it, and some of the treats that spilled out were chewed on. Edges wet with spit. One of them had a doggy paw-print smushed into the soft pastry. "Hmm." Linh hummed, calculating gaze intent on the bag. The basement was where Dudunsparce was fed. Or rather, the portion Larry covered. Dudunsparce, a Pok¨¦mon filling the same ecological niche as a mole, had a diet of worms and other borrowing insects. Fitting, for a creature who preferred to live under the soil and ran an expansive tunnel network connected to the basement. Sprawling all under the estate. "I mean, it''s bloody obvious I''m being followed." Linh began. In his hand was a cup filled with gummies in the shape of worms. Vitamin D supplements. "Unexplained moving pen. Half-eaten food. I don''t need the rule of three to presume a Ghost Pok¨¦mon followed me from the graveyard. Probably a Greavard, given the unidentified hair and the paw. The question is, how can I lure it, him, her, out?" The tunnel out of the basement started at a mound of dirt left to pile in the darkly lit room, left on a ledge so Linh didn''t have to lean down. Linh dumped the cup in front of the entrance, and took a tuning fork and set it ringing in the pile. A calling bell. Linh slowly stepped around the room, inspecting and scrutinising every facet of the basement. The dark corners, the stacks and stacks of storage boxes, the single hanging light bulb. Inadequate for the rooms size. "That''s a performative question, by the way." He called out to the empty room. "I''ve already set up my plan¡ªyou likely saw me set it up. I just don''t think it matters that you did!" Linh stopped at the base of the stairs, where the light switch sat so perfectly innocent. His finger touched it, smooth plastic under the pad. He inhaled, and began softly. With a quiet voice that urged listeners closer. "I remember this thing in my childhood, when I was the last person downstairs and I was heading up. I would turn the lights off and start walking up the stairs. But with each step I felt surer and surer that there was something behind me, some strange entity crawling out of the night and from nowhere to drag me back down. It led me to sprint up the stairs, missing steps with this tightness in my throat. "Of course, in my old world, there was nothing there. No demon in the shadows, no monster in the closet. But that was then, and now we''re here. And I don''t think you''re the kind of creature¡ªthe kind of ghost¡ªthat won''t leap on this opportunity. Even if you know I know about you, and are openly stating I am baiting you. Call it a gamble, say, fifty-fifty. A coin toss." Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Click. The basement plunged into darkness. Darker then dark, as Linh''s eyes have not adjusted. Yet, the darkness did not sharpen¡ªobjects highlighted by their edges catching what little light there was¡ªit remained bleakly blankety dark. "Ghosts like to scare right? Well. I''m here. My breath is quickening, my hearing sharpening. Is the creaking I hear the sound of boxes settling, or is it something moving? Are those shadows writhing, or am I seeing patterns in nothing? Is that the head of a ghoul-like dog, with slavering jaw and burning candle and rotting flesh, or halucina¡ªundead monstrosity, sprinting up the stairs now." Linh sprinted up the stairs. His shoes thumped hot rubber up the wooden stairs, and just behind, furry paws scrabbled upwards. Barks of bloodthirsty rage chased Linh up into the light, the sound clacking like knuckle bones clicking together. Step by step and then two and three steps at a time, Linh ran, and at the top he made one daring leap out of the stairwell¡ªyet the dog-beast, some thing ill-defined in the dim light, did not stop chasing, and scuttled all the way up, one paw turning and growing fingers and-! -And crashed into the cling-film Linh spread across the doorway, along the bottom edge. The illusion broke¡ªthe beast shrunk, its paw-hand hybrid thing revealed as a small stubby paw, no longer then a corgi''s. It''s long lupine jaws, with rotting flesh stringing the bones together, revealed to be a furry snout, wide and round and with a fat tongue lolling out. The cling-film wrapped twice around the ankle-tall dog as they scrabbled for traction on the smooth polished floorboards. Greavard. Greavard tripped and rolled, wrapped in plastic, stopping at Linh. He sat down on the floor, one leg crossed over the other, hands holding at the ankle. His head tilted completely to the side, ninety degrees, smile full of vicious teeth. "How nice. I called heads." Greavard made a curious noise, muffled by the clear strip around the muzzle. Tongue sticking out and leaving wet droplets on the inside. Greavard tried to stand up, and Linh reached down to help. But in between the paws and the hand, Greavard rolled out, and kept on rolling. The bundled up puppy tipped back down the stairs, howling distress. "Oh whoops." Sheepish grin. Linh ended up apologising to the Greavard three times. Once for trapping her so cruelly in the strange and unknowable material known as cling film. Twice for calling her ''boy'' and ''it''. And thrice for letting her fall down the stairs. This was all conveyed through stomps and whines, given that Pok¨¦mon can''t talk, let alone say their names. Then, afterwards, the dog immediately broke the very solemn apologies by sneezing, chasing her tail, and trying her very hardest to get Linh to play with her. Linh played tug of war with her, then fetch with a throw pillow, but then Linh asked a curious question. "What was that... thing, you did back in the basement. With the appearance of being bigger, gorier , vicious. I would have chalked it up to me seeing things in that dim lighting, but, well. It felt real to me." Linh spoke faintly at the end there, well aware of how unhelpful he sounded. The Greavard tilted her head, then without warning she shifted. From one moment she was an ankle tall doggy with a button-nose and discoloured spots on her cheeks resembling freckles, and the next she was a human sized dog thing, hunched so low that it crawled instead of padded on its four legs. It made a sound no earthly creature could. "That! That right there!" Linh pointed, grinning. Seeing and hearing the creatures janky movements set his blood hot, and adrenaline pumping. "How''d you do that! That''s awesome! Is this real?" Before Greavard could react, Linh surged forwards, his greedy hands reaching out to the visibly weeping flesh. But his hands fell through, instead of touching ragged, dirty fur. Linh''s hands continued into the illusion. The false image, all the way until his elbows were melding into the huffing corpse, only then did he actually touch something¡ªthe cold waxy candle atop Greavards head. Greavard barked, and it came out of two places, her tiny jaws, and the lupine throat phasing half way through Linhs chest. "An illusion, huh? Can you... Alter that illusion. Say, give it more teeth, or make them flat incisors like mine." Linh shuffled backwards, and opened his mouth to lightly tap his teeth. "The uncanny valleys really good for horror, saw an image of a dog wearing dentures, and it was oddly terrifying." The image-ghoul-dog thing tilted its head, its mouth closing shut with an awoo? Then it opened its mouth, and revealed every tooth as flat incisors, as long as finger bones. It was distinctly ugly and inhuman to look at. "Cool." Linh whispered under his breath, not the breathless voice of admiration, but the faraway admission of a mind running a thousand miles per hour. A new game was played between them, it was called ''make the monster more horrifying.'' Unfortunately, they had no audience to show off to¡ªKomala was in the room, but he did not seem to be able to see the illusion. And outside, Oinkloigne bumped into the illusion, breaking it. A single gust of air sent from Oricorio''s wings scattered the ragged image. And Dudunsparce did not even dignify Greavard by showing up. Messengengar:
Larry Mr. 3 jobs.
Larry > I did not mention it before, but a work colleague of mine, Rika, will be visiting today. > Which job is she from? E4. Gym leader or the secret third? Larry > Elite four and gym leader share the same personal connections, so both. And my third job is no secret and not a job. I run accounting for a small daycare union remotely. It is strictly voluntary. > That you automatically know what Im referring to means u know its a job. It''s to much Larry. Larry > The boss has cut my allowed overtime hours. I have to fill the time somehow. > If it were not for the fact that I don''t know your bosses phone no. I would rat you out immediately. Larry > And you never will. > Rika was it? I''ll keep an eye out.
"Hey hey, Rika here, where''s Larry''s couch-crasher¡ªoh what the fuck." A women, green hair, long ponytail. Frame androgynous enough only her voice betrays her gender. She entered the room and stopped. The ''what the fuck'' indeed. As Linh was currently kneeling by Greavard. His hands stretching out to ruffle her belly fur. Except that was not as it appeared¡ªGreavard was cloaked under her rotten illusion. Long and lanky like a Borzoi, with flat shovel-shaped teeth and dirt smeared fur, and a split hole where the dog''s underside should be, like as a butcher would, if it were hanging from a hook. It looked more like Linh was rummaging through a corpse¡¯s entrails. He looked up, confused, and he saw Rika with shoulders tensed and a Pok¨¦ball in her hands. He looked down. And held up his hands, arms coated to the forearm with slick red. Greavard''s suggestion. "... Oh, right! Greavard, drop it." And the illusions faded away¡ªjust a man and his dog. Rika put down her hand. Not smiling, but no longer concerned. "Ah...?" Linh walked towards her, Greavard chasing after his feet. Still a bit playful. "Just illusions, yeah? Anyway. I''m Linh, and you''re Rika¡ªhow can I help you?" "Ya sure scared me. Thought we had a slasher on the loose," head turn, head scratch. Rika awkwardly held herself. Whatever momentum she brought scattered with her thoughts. "Jus'' wanted to meet you, heh. Get to know you." Linh smiled pleasantly, "And you''ve met me," he nodded to her, and then down to his ankles. "And Greavard now. I''m an open book, ask." "Well¡ªthe first thing I wanted to know is." Rika still did not look at Linh. "Um. No, I''m still stuck on the..." "The dog thing?" "The dog thing!" Rika pointed at Greavard. "What was that!" Linh nodded, "How do I put this... Ghost Pok¨¦mon?" Rika scowled. "Yeah, I know what Ghost Pok¨¦mon do. Doesn''t mean I expect to walk in on a horror movie." "Sorry about that." Linh dipped his head, contrite. A pause. Linh said nothing, and Rika still seemed a little lost. She shook her head and spoke a tad more harshly. "Look, that was a mess. Can we start over?" "...Sure?" Rika exhaled, rubbing the back of her neck. "Alright. Rika here¡ªat your service. Now, I know I''m pretty, but there''s no need to be intimidated. Just friendly ol'' Rika!" I think you''re the more flustered one around here. Linh did not say. "Hello Rika, I''m Linh. And this is Greavard." He gestured with a hand, Greavard barked. "I actually have a question for you¡ªone only a Ground type specialist like you can answer." "Shoot." Linh pointed down to the Pok¨¦ball clipped to her belt. "You have, a Clodsire, yes? Pok¨¦mon that evolves from Woopers. Cute things." "Certainly." Linh put on a curious face. "What precisely is the purpose of a Wooper?" "Environmentally? They''re filter feeders. They eat the scum of dirty water and ground the silt so it becomes pure, ready for other life to move in." Rika rattled off that information with a smile¡ªit''s something she''d studied extensively, and something she was glad to share. Linh hummed. "I was thinking, philosophically. But that works too. Do you have any Woopers? "Several." "... Do you have photos?" "Oh, albums! But if I''m bringing them out I''d better get some hospitality¡ªwhat does Larry have in his fridge?" And Linh followed Rika towards the kitchen. One minute, awkward acquaintances dancing around a dog¡¯s faux-corpse. The next, a friendship forged by the raiding of a kitchen. All Dogs go to the Good Place (So why is this one still here?)
Linh stood by the graveyard''s gates. He looked down, by his ankle was the Greavard that followed him. "How''re you girl? Wanna meet up with your friends again?" The Greavard, tail wagging, looked up and barked back, loud for her small size. "Y''okay." Linh grinned, and pushed the gate open. "Just let me set the timer..." He fiddled with the phone in his other hand. Exposure to ghosts, especially candle-bearers like Greavards, inherently results in draining life force. Any human seeking to interact with them must keep track of time, and ensure they do not stay for too long, lest a ghost take what cannot easily be given back. "Six hours, make them count." Linh told the Greavard, all stern like this would be the very last time they did this. Greavard ran through the gates like a rocket, and Linh followed more subdued. His phone in his hands and the contact list on-screen. He tapped one name and typed out a small message¡ªnot received, like the ten before it. As Greavard ran between the headstones and over the grass, her barks grew louder and louder, and were responded to with more barks and howls in the distance. From out between the grave dirt, candles uprooted, and little dogs wearing those waxy sticks ran forwards. From the shadows came orbs of sentient poison and discarded doll heads and horned figures¡ªGhastly, Misdreavus and Shuppets. And they all flocked forwards, greeting their returning family. A little bit of Linh''s mind skipped at that thought, like a record slipping on the groove. Linh took the back seat, letting the Pok¨¦mon play. He sat well back, atop a square block near the centre of the cemetery. To his eyes, the games the Greavard played together seemed very much like the sort of things that happens at a dog daycare. Lot''s of chasing, faux-nipping, and the highly frantic behaviour of overstimulated dogs. The floating ghosts all joined in not through direct participation, but as a human would. Watching it all happen while gleefully encouraging the frenetic energy with thrown sticks, frisbees, small blobs of Ghost Type energy¡ªtoo weak to be Shadow Ball, not windy enough to be Ominous wind. As he watched, sitting with the timer on his phone and his coat wrapping around him tight, he thought to himself private thoughts. Things he would rather others did not know¡ªalthough their temper revealed themselves with the imperceptible slouch of his posture, and the way he worried the sleeve of his sweater with his fingers. "Awo?" Came a Greavards questioning noise, it was Linh''s Greavard, sitting by his feet. She seemed concerned with his quiet. "Oh, you¡¯re worried about me?" Linh smiled, and pulled her into a side hug. "Flattering, but I¡¯m just reflecting, letting my mind free-associate and dwell in the past. I¡¯m¡­ not sure the chain of thought I took¡ªand it¡¯s a convoluted one¡ª but I remember one time, back in high school¡ªdrama class. We were doing this sort of play-acting activity. We go around the circle, giving out prompts for the next person to act out. "There were some boring ones, and then there were some creative ones. As what happens when you have a bored group of early-teenagers all doing one task. The one I had to act out was ¡®trimming a lion¡¯s beard¡¯ and the one before that, football. "Mine? The one I gave to the next in line? Seppuku." In a single instant, the candle atop Greavard¡¯s head flickered, a blackened wick appearing within the fire. Linh scratched his neck. "The teacher wasn¡¯t very pleased with me. But it was what was on my mind. Not anything like actually doing it, but, the concept itself just fascinated me. Assisted suicide, wrapped up in the trappings of honour. Funny, that the disembowelled and headless corpse was pointed at and called honourable." His gaze drifted away from Greavard, to the ghost¡¯s playing in the distance. An observer set apart. "I suppose that¡¯s just where my mind wanders, when it¡¯s given leave. Circling around and around dark things. Death and the dead. Fear and the afraid. Spooky cryptids in the dark corners, and ghost stories told by campfire." Greavard tilted her head, the confused-dog-head-tilt. She made a chuffing noise. "Where am I going with this? I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m just sharing myself, I guess." Linh huffed. "It¡¯s funny, people ask me how I¡¯m doing, and I tell them that I¡¯m reading about how shrunken heads are made, or about the labyrinths below France. And suddenly they¡¯re no longer interested. Squicked out. "Thanks for letting me ramble," Linh told Greavard. "It¡¯s nice, to have someone listen to me." He patted Greavard¡¯s side, and ruffled the fur, before gently pushing her out. "But don¡¯t you want to be with your friends? You¡¯ve kept me company enough these days. We¡¯re here for you, remember? Go on, go play. I¡¯ll still be here." Greavard left him with a few quiet urgings, warm and promising. And this time he watched her leave and watched her play with the locals with the promise to himself to not fall away from the moment. And he did not! Instead, he found himself fascinated by the strangeness of how the Ghosts played. As the day progressed, and the shadows grew larger. Greavards pawed at each others shadows, and the silhouettes writhed in response. The feint black shapes moving not with the sun but with strange ethereal energy. A game of shadow tag, if the shadows could leave the ground and reach out to others in grasping paws. And, and there was another game¡ªone which the floating ghosts terrified the Greavards with. It seemed to Linh that Ghost Type Pok¨¦mon can create illusions innately¡ªfragile illusions, as even a shadow crossing near makes them fade away like a summer haze¡ªand when they band together their illusions grow details and legs, moving and shifting more and more strange. The Gastly, Shuppets, and Misdreavus all banded together by species line and competed¡ªwho could make the scariest thing, and who could herd the most Greavard with it. And then Linh''s phone rang. Six hours at a goodly distance away¡ªany longer, and he¡¯ll start to experience a wild Haunts life drain. Any closer, and the time limit drops. "Okay. Greavard!" Linh cupped his hands around his mouth, his voice made several Pok¨¦mon turn his way. "It''s been six hours! Let''s head home now!" Nothing, no Ghost Pok¨¦mon came to him. Linh waited two more moments, fingers tapping against his leg. His arms came up a bit, then down again, hesitating to act before he was sure. Some of the Greavards dug into the ground, reburying themselves so only their candles were above ground. "I said the timer''s up! I''m heading back now!" Linh raised his voice so it carried further. Some more ghosts raised their heads to look at him, but his Greavard still did not come out. Linh scrunched his eyes closed, and hissed out a tiny breath. "... That hurts." Not only because of how sudden it was. Linh turned, and walked away. Things changed as he reached the gate, grave dirt caked on his shoes. A single wailing bark, chasing after him at full sprint. Linh turned, and there was his Greavard. She tackled his leg and sat on his shoe, head buried into the crook of his foot, where sock met leather. "Hey girl." Linh smiled, heart beating just a little faster. "Guess you were too caught up to notice me, huh?" Greavard shivered. It wasn''t from the chill in the air. "Or maybe... you were scared I was leaving you?" Linh knelt down, and gently pried Greavard up to look her in the face. He was reading fear from her expression. Greavard nodded. "Oh baby..." Linh pulled her to his shoulder, feeling her weight on him. "I''m sorry about that. I just thought you wanted to stay with your friends more then me. Let''s go home now." Linh left the graveyard with a ghost his shadow. The afternoon air cool against his skin, wrapped up warm with a tiny smile. END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE The second time Linh and Casket came to the graveyard, Linh did not bother to watch Casket play with her friends¡ªhe instead found a quiet corner along the cemetery wall. With slight grave desecration, as he was sitting against a headstone, and facing the brick wall. A Greavard barked from behind him, Linh turned, and saw her watching him intently. "Oh, hello girl." Linh patted the spot next to where he sat. "Here to check I''m not unfocused like last time? Sweet of you. Nah¡ªI''m keeping myself grounded. Although, I am thinking dark thoughts." At that admission, Greavard harrumphed, a sort of scoffing bark. And she jumped up to plant her stubby forelegs against him. "Heh. No. I''m just thinking about Greavards. And how all of you are existing here. Wanna hear them? I don''t think it''ll be pleasant." Greavard sat down politely, facing him. Her tongue slipped out and she panted dumbly. It was the same effect as a kid sitting cross-legged and going ''tell us a story Uncle X''. "Precocious, well." Linh leaned further back, feeling the cool stone under his coat. "They say that Greavards are ghosts who formed from dogs, who lived and died without companions. This true?" Greavard paused, then waggled her head from side to side. "It depends? Then, you didn''t live that, but others did? Or the other way around." Greavard thumped the ground twice. "My condolences, I am glad that it didn''t happen to you. But also, they say that Greavards cannot truly control their life-draining nature. You have to absorb my energy, and cannot suppress it. All because you cannot extinguish it." Greavard stared intently up at her own candle, and the blue flame atop it cut out. Smoke drifted from the charred wick. "Well, that takes the wind out of my sails a bit." Linh said, nonplussed. "I was going to say that it seemed dreadfully cruel to me, that Greavards died lonely, and were reborn in such a way that they must not make friends. But if you can shut it off-" The candle re-lighted itself and Greavard heaved, soaking up air. "-Never-mind. Something that takes effort then?" Greavard nodded at him, then bit onto his sleeve, and tried to pull him away from the lonely seat. "Hold on now," Linh stuck up one finger, staring at the dirt intently. "I was building up to something¡ªwhat was it..." He jolted, and pointed at Greavard, tone happy and vibrant. "That''s right! "Greavards suffer a cruel fate." He began, sharply dropping his voice all grim and foreboding. "One that¡¯s repeated across every graveyard in Paldea, isn¡¯t it? Born lonely, grew lonely, died lonely. And then life in the grave places, with only infrequent living guests. But I think your fate is crueller, somehow. Because; the others, they stayed when I left, didn¡¯t they?" Linh continued. "They¡¯re used to staying here. It¡¯s their home, and they like visitors. But they know they can¡¯t follow them out. You¡¯re different. You followed me¡ªyou didn''t want to stay here. This isn¡¯t home. "Am I right? Is this graveyard your home, or was there something else?" Greavard stopped trying to get Linh to play with her, and nodded again. Linh leaned forwards, "Where¡¯s your home? Where did you live before you came here?" Greavard paused, before sneezing. She did not meet Linh''s eyes, and in fact seemed curt with her movements. Linh gestured vaguely in response. "I''m sorry, sneezing isn''t an answer. Try again!" He said, his tone airy, making light. Greavard pulled her lips back and showed teeth before they stubbornly sealed together, and she turned around, pointedly not looking. Linh pulled Greavard into his lap, hands loose on her. "C''mon. If you don''t want to say you can not say. But I''m curious, and will remain curious." Greavard growled to herself, all stiff and tense. "I just want to know," Linh gently rubbed circles into Greavards fur, "Please?" Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. The Greavard gave a glare to Linh¡ªthe first she''s done against him¡ª and looked sharply to the brick wall before them. And Linh blinked as the shadow, his shadow, writhed and warped. Becoming thing''s without a mirror in the real. It became a black square that enshrouded the candle, and it rose and grew bigger. It shifted, and became a silhouette of a present on a table. Two figures stood around it, tall enough that their heads clipped above the roof of the wall, their shoulders brushing the top. A little figure came along, one in a dress. The girl opened the gift, and lifted up the ghost. Four legged, furry. The scene shifted again. The girl and the candle, running and playing. The girl grew as it progressed. Going from tiny to small. And then, the girl was called in by a parent, standing at the door. She collapsed halfway there. The parents took her away, and chased the Candle out of their home. The shadows fell away again, until Linh was staring at his own shadow, and feeling the furious vibrations of the dog in his lap. "Oh, girl..." He began sadly. Greavard barked, harsh and brittle. And kept barking. She scrabbled out of his lap and moved away as Linh tried to touch her. "I¡ªI''m sorry I pushed you," Linh said, "I just wanted to know!" The justification sounded just as weak to him as it did to her. Greavard snapped her teeth at him, and a bit of her shadow peeled up and slapped near him. Shadow Sneak¡ªthe move can disembowel a man if the user is strong enough. Linh leaned away, even though the swipe formed, swung, and faded away before he could react. "Ah fuck." He took a step back. "Listen¡ªgirl-" Greavard took a step forwards, a rumbling snarl as she advanced. Another swipe with her shadow, and suddenly Linh had to focus more on backing up then talking. Her chase was slow, dead slow. Nautical term for as slow as possible. Which meant that Linh had ample time to write an apology, try to start it, and then be struck silent by the frenetic violence restrained in Greavard. It only stopped once Linh reached the graveyard''s entrance, and he understood the finality of going through it. He turned, and spoke most urgently: "Greavard, I''m-" The dog tackled him, full force against his torso, and he was knocked over the line. Tripping on his own feet and eating pavement. The gate slammed behind him. Greavard stared out at him from between the bars, before slipping away into the shadows. Linh just sat there, thinking about what he''s done. "Shouldn''t have pushed and pushed." Linh left the scene regretful. "Me and my stupid fucking brain. Can never leave well enough alone, can I?" Linh came back to the graveyard to find the Ghosts kept their distance from him. Seems word has spread in the many days hence. At the place where he last met Greavard, there were a pile of things where he sat. A broken collar. A dirty old ball. A ratty rope with knots at each end. And¡ªin prime place¡ªa bag of dog treats, empty, the cheerful face of a Growlithe warped by how the plastic was pulled apart. Linh crouched down, puzzled. He reached out and¡ª ¡ªwas immediately tackled in the side by Greavard. A wriggling ball of fur knocking him over, and prancing about on his stomach. Linh made a very pained groan, as he tried to push himself back up. But Greavard could not be denied¡ªeven when standing on the dirt instead of trampling on every organ. She darted about, excited by Linh''s presence. "Okay! Okay! Down girl! What''s got you so happy to see me?" Linh held his hands up, turning his head this way and that to watch. "Weren''t you so very angry at me? Where''d all this come from?" Greavard paused, then shot off to the pile, and came back with the dirty ball, she dropped it at Linh''s feet. "I don''t, I don''t understand." Greavard watched him for a reaction, unsatisfied, she tried a long and knobbly stick. "You want me to throw this? No?" A smooth and shiny pebble. "You¡ªgifts? For me?" Linh squeezed his eyes shut, pained. "Baby girl, no. You don''t need to do this. I hurt you. I should be the one apologising." Greavard violently shook her head, putting her entire body into it. Long shaggy hair whipping. Linh raised his hands helplessly. "What do you have to apologise for?" Greavard extended her shadow up. A single paw held in the air, ready to swipe. She looked guiltily at it. "Girl, please. Yeah, you did attack me¡ªbut it was aggravated. It can''t possibly-" Greavard barked, interrupting. She meaningfully jerked her head, towards the ghosts of the graveyard. They looked at Linh with judging eyes. They also looked at Greavard the same. "...It does matter to them, and you, huh." Linh looked down at the pile of tribute she gave, and picked up the tennis ball. "Well, I accept your apology, and I hope you accept mine." As Linh shoved the ball in his pocket, a tenseness in the atmosphere faded. A tiny mutual exhale from every one Pok¨¦mon. Linh did not notice, "Girl, friend. Greavard. I''m sorry. I''m sorry I pushed you to tell me things you didn''t want me to know. It is your right to privacy and i violated that. I have no excuse because I cannot excuse. I just hope that we can remain friends. Can we?" Although it hurt to say all of this, Linh forced himself to look at Greavard and nowhere else. Greavard gave his apology as much weight as he did hers, and waited so patiently for him to finish. But the moment he stopped speaking she tackled him in the chest and gave many forgiving doggy kisses everywhere she could reach. Linh accepted all of them with as much dignity as he could, then trapped her in a hug, her head in the crook of her neck. "You''re my friend." Linh whispered to her, his chin on her forehead. "I never meant to hurt you." Linh walked away with a dog on his shoulders, behind him, cheers at the conciliation. IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END IS NEVER THE END The graveyard gate slid open smooth, cool painted iron against an undead paw. A human hand held up the lock, but the dog pushed it and moved through first. "Why are we back here girl? What do you want me to see?" Linh asked the Greavard, pleasantly taking in the fresh air. Greavard did not answer, she just waddled forwards with serious intent. No deviation to sniff the grass or rub against the stone or greet any curious ghosts. Instead, a one track mind towards a curious corner, at the brick wall. And Greavard stopped before a gravestone, spun in her spot, and laid down. Linh recognised this spot, he hurt Greavard here. "Oh, this will be a serious talk, then." He sat down as well, back against the cold stone, watching his own shadow. Very aware of the tension in his frame. The shadows moved, Linh grimaced, and watched Greavard tell him a story. The story began with a box, a table. Two parents, and a child. A gift, a Greavard, lifted up in the air by little hands, and hugged so dearly. The young girl¡¯s first Pok¨¦mon. A starter. But, the gift was a ghost, and ghosts are known to covet life. By the light of their candle, they grasp and pull. From the moment the lid was lifted, a little stream of shadow drew from the girl¡¯s heart, feeding into the wick of the candle. Through it was not seen¡ªfor fire casts no shadow¡ªthe intensity of the light drew forth the girls life, the flow thickening and thinning with Greavard¡¯s own heartbeat. Now, the parents were clever, they knew what they were doing! They knew the nature of ghosts. They forbade prolonged contact. And although the girl and her dog played and trained, ready for their journey. It was not for hours and hours, naught more then scant minutes each day. No more then an hour, two on weekends. Yet, they underestimated the precociousness of the child, and the ingenuity of the dog. They wanted to play more, and so they did. Through careful (to their mind) and cautious (to their mind) quick thinking, they snuck out, so often. The girl through the backdoor, when her father was out front, tending to the bushes. The dog through the gap in the fence, when the mother let her run around the yard. Then they went down to the big old river, and Greavard chased the duckletts on the riverbank. It was not that the girl and the dog played and trained for an hour each day, but five. And that was enough for what would follow. It was¡­ Autumn, when it happened. When the leaves of the big oak tree would turn brown and fall, the big oak tree the girl and her mother sat under, reading stories together. The girl was returning from their walk to the park, careful to be five minutes early. For she was a good girl, and obeyed what her parents told her. But as she walked past the old oak tree, and down the stone squares that made the path, she felt a shortness of breath. Her legs lifted slowly, like someone had tied her mother¡¯s weights to one, and her father¡¯s massive torso to the other. There was this blur at the edge of her vision, eyelids fluttering and eyes prickling. Then she fell. And she was caught again. Her parents knew the warning signs. ''Be more careful!'' They said. ''Remember, you need time alone to be healthy!'' They said. And neither thought anything of it beyond a correction. But then the mother saw the little girl let the doggy in, and lifted her up to nibble at the bag of kibble. And then the father saw the candle habitually leap through the open window, instead of pawing at the door to be let inside. If neither the daughter nor the dog could temper themselves, then they had to be separated, for good. Greavard sat on the dirt, slumping down with tired bones. The grains of soil stirred with her snorting, sniffling breath. Linh cried with her, fingernails tilling the ground. "Oh. It couldn''t have ended any other way, could it?" He choked out. "Both of you were just having fun, and didn''t see the danger you were causing." Greavard wuffed, and Linh reached out, and dragged her into his side. She cried, not the ugly crying of overdrawn emotions, but the dripping rivulets of a long sad seeping away. Linh hated to say this, but he felt he must. "Do you... Do you think you have changed? So this doesn''t happen again?" Greavard paused, as if the idea never occurred to her. And then she panicked, howling as she kicked the dirt, scampering away from Linh. Her candle blazed to roaring life, and Linh felt a twitch somewhere he couldn''t name. "Hey, hey!" Linh stood up quickly, hands held up in front of him. "No! I''m fine, look at me, see me! I''m still active, I''m awake, I''m standing up, see? I''m okay. You''re okay." Greavards breathing slowed as she watched Linh stand up and wave his hands around. He even did a little hop-kick. A ''see? Moving'' half-dance. She barked, the blue flame shrinking and shrinking down to usual. "It''s okay." Linh held his hands low, and Greavard came close and let him brush down her fur, "It''s okay. Remember, you can control your life-drain. Douse the candle, douse the danger. We can practise with it, ''k? First a little bit, then a little more. Until your only feeding for what you need. I''ll be there, every step of the way." Both calmed, both sat down. A certain emotional exhaustion to both motions. "... So, Greavard, is there anything else you want to say?" Greavard looked up, and then shook her head. A single bark, no. "Well. You want to play with your friends?" No, she barked. "I see. Wanna go home?" Linh stood up and stretched. Greavard stood up, and followed him. All along the graveyard path, past the headstones, over the grave dirt, along the wall to the exit. Ghosts rose up to greet them, poking muzzles out of the dirt to sniff, and flitting out from the shadows to fly past them. Greavard this time reciprocated back, sniffing and licking muzzles, and leaping up and trying to bite at the fluttering bits. Linh passed through the cemetery''s entrance, the gate clinked shut behind him. He took two steps before he realised that Greavard wasn''t following. "Problem, girl?" Greavard stuck her tongue out and panted aimlessly, so probably not. She turned to the right and moved sideways, behind the wall besides the gate. And before Linh could follow, curious, she returned. With a Pok¨¦ball in her mouth. He watched as she gently put it down, and rolled it across the floor, under the gate. It came to a stop at his feet, and he picked it up. "Oh, a gift? Thank you." He rolled the dirty and scratched up Pok¨¦ball in his hand, seeing the scuffed red plastic and the faded white. On its back was a little plaque, held by tiny screws and cast in bronze. A name tag. "Nice to put a name to a face, girl. It''s nice to meet you... "Casket." Chapter 3 - The Neighbourhood (Yeah this is the Slice of Life arc)
Messengengar:
Rika Woop Woop
Rika > Hey, what¡¯s this I hear about you moving out? > Wha > I told no one but Larry, how¡¯d you find out? Rika > ¡­ By asking Larry? > Communication, my one weakness. > But yeah, couch surfing isn¡¯t really something to permanently do. Don¡¯;t wanna owe Larry anymore then I already do. Rika > Everyone¡¯s in debt to Larry, u aint special. You want help moving your stuff? > First. Thank you, but everything I own can fit in one bag. Rika >Damn that¡¯s sad. > And secoDon¡¯t interupt me. > And second, I haven¡¯t even gotten a house yet. Just looking around.
Linh walked down the street with his dog. On his back was a bag, containing the essentials and the things he actually owned. Several weeks ago he was homeless, and relied on the kindness of Larry. Today, he was seeking accommodation a bit longer term then ''crashing on someone''s couch''. Clawing back to ''normality''. He was currently visiting a neighbourhood. The area was... semi-urban, far enough away from the city centre that the trams only ran twice; for the morning and afternoon commutes. The house at the end of the street was available to rent. Linh walked across pavement then narrow cobble then concrete road. He passed tall streetlamp and wrought iron fence and an elderly couple, sitting in their front yard. "Oh hello, who''s this handsome young lad?" One of the old men asked. the other one was dozing in his seat, wool comforter on his lap, thick beanie on his hairless head. "Just visiting, looking for," Linh paused, recalling the text message from the realtor. He rattled off the address. "Ah, taking Betty''s place. You know, I never did get her cookie recipe..." The old man briefly looked sad, before fording ahead with a more friendly expression. "Well! That''s down the road, second on your left, you planning to take it? Rent''s cheap around here. " "Oh I''m on the fence, buuuttt..." Linh sent a sly glance up and down the old man, "Eye candy like this can sway me over." "Oh don''t say that!" The man chuckled, delighted, "I''m just like any old grandpa." "Grandpa!?" Mock incredulity. "Can we see some ID?" The man cackled and nudged his husband(?) Friend(?) Platonic life partner(?) Awake. "Darling, look at this nice young man! A real silver tongue too!" "Whazit?" A gruff, grumbly voice came out between his thin lips. "You trying to steal my husband?" "Your husband?" Linh turned to the first old man, a ''this true?'' Stare. "He single?" The second old man snorted ugly, he took off his hat and waved it harshly with a smile, "Damn flirt, gerroff you!" "Alright now, pleasure talking." Linh moved on, smiling. "Second on the left." The house Linh ended up at had that cosy, weathered look. Plaster walls chipped and faded, tube like roof tiles jaunty. It had two stories, and a traditional steeple like tower forming a third. At the top a section of the roof had an array of solar panels. At the bottom, the fence wall was half thick hedge and half uneven stone. Linh tried the fence gate, horizontal slats with no gaps. Locked, expected given he doesn''t have the key. "Hey you!" Linh looked up. There, over the fence of the gate, a young boy in pigtails. "Hi!" He chirped. "... Hi." Linh waved. "Who are you? Ah, I''m Linh." "I''m Rupert." Rupert smiled at him, un-reacting. A moment of silence passed. "I''m bored," he announced, as only a child can. "Wanna tour?" Linh checked the time¡ªthe realtor would be a couple hours before they arrive for the viewing, so he had some time to kill. "Well, sure. Show me where all the cool kids hang, eh?" "Dunno. I''m not one of the cool kids." Rupert popped back down, and ran out of the gate of the neighbouring house. Linh followed him. "Oh my, what caused that?" "Cuz I don''t have a Pok¨¦mon!" Rupert said, with a little hop. "And I eat bugs." Linh slowed his walk, leery. "Like, Nymble?" "No like, beetles and worms. Crunchy and squishy." "Weird, but not a sin." It was also possibly texture seeking behaviour, although Linh was no psychoanalyst. He just read a lot. "ANYWAY. This is the plaza!" Rupert swung his arms out, gesturing to the wide open space he took Linh. The plaza was rather described as mini, just large enough to tend to the surrounding neighbourhood blocks. It had stone tiles and long benches and neatly square patches of grass surrounding trees. In the middle was a positively ancient water pump, and at the edges were buildings with colourful awnings and cheerfully chalked blackboard signs out front. Caf¨¦s and shops. "That''s Nancy''s book store! And that''s the Pok¨¦mart! And that''s the kebab place all the cool kids hang out at! But no one''s there right now, cuz they''re all on their journeys." Both of them stood before the shop. Linh could see through the glass and spy some muted shadows, moving about inside. "Huh. How old are they?" "Like, my age, why?" "Well, I just thought that a journey was sorta a, everyone does it at the same age. Y''know, wander the country, try for eight badges, flunk school for a year." Linh said, "But they left and you are still here?" "Momma says I should wait a year." Rupert said matter of factly, "But like, they still have to go to school, on their phones." "Well, anyways, I could do with some food, you want me to buy you something?" Linh stepped forwards and opened the door, shop bell buzzing. "Yeah! I want¡ª" "And here the Pok¨¦mart is! It sells Pok¨¦mon specific stuff, like potions and Pok¨¦balls!" Rupert pushed into the shop, he had an empty can of soda in his hands, squeezing it intermittently to hear the metal scrunch. "And stuff like specialist feed and kits. I think they sell some camping supplies too." It was probably a mistake for Linh to buy him the sugary drink, it made him babble. It also made him easily pleased, every one of Linh¡¯s common-sense questions lit up Rupert¡¯s face. "Mm? A Pok¨¦ball? What''s that?" Lighted up just like that¡ªwith the eyes shining, smile wide and toothsome. Rupert practically exclaimed the words, but Linh didn''t pay attention. "And how does this Pok¨¦ball work? Can you shrink it? Can you release the Pok¨¦mon inside?" He just poked and prodded, browsing the shelves and picking out what he wants. To his side Rupert stood, chattering back answers and a thousand trivia factoids. "When you throw it, how does it know to release? Can you control how far it goes before the Pok¨¦mon comes out?" Linh asked, hefting up his arms to catch a slipping bottle. He got in line with his goods in hand, a short one, with only one other, standing before the sullen cashier. "And does the Pok¨¦mon inside know what''s going on outside?" Linh moved aside so the customer ahead of him could leave, a barely comprehensible apology in the air. "Can they release themselves?" The cashier muttered something under his breath, it didn''t sound kind. Linh looked up, from where he was laying down bottles of medicine on the counter top. "Hm?" A Burn Heal clinked on the wood, "You sayin somethin''?" The cashier looked up, his hat drawn low to cover his face, an older teenager, wearing an unfortunate pimple on his chin. "Uh... no. Nothing. That''ll be £¤ 10 000, please." Linh nodded, uncertain. He paid, and turned. "... Idiot." Low and on the edge of hearing. "Do you usually insult your customers, or am I special?" Linh remarked over his shoulder, leaving the shop with the disagreeable cashier. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. He stopped, however, when someone tugged his sleeve. Rupert had tugged him, "Uh, actually can I buy this?" He held up a magazine, one from the wire rack shelves by the counter. Linh smiled, and turned right back around, digging through his pockets for the cash. The cashier glared at Rupert, and took the magazine sharply. But he did scan it, and dutifully quoted and took the money. Exact change, too. "So, what does the magazine say?" Linh asked Rupert. He dismissed the cashier and faced only Rupert. "... Fucc''in read the cover, can''t you?" Linh continued to look at Rupert, smiling encouragingly as Rupert glanced nervously at the cashier. Rupert smiled less nervously, and started blathering about the magazine, with an interview from the famed Bug Catcher Bugsy. He stopped when both of them heard the cashiers disgruntled mumble. "... Blah blah." "Rupert you know this guy? Talks very familiar, he your friend?" Linh pointed at the cashier, and contained his smile at the cashier''s disgusted grimace. "... M'' names not important, just the shop keep..." The cashier looked away, ducking under his hat and pretending to fiddle with the register. Rupert did not hide his smile, happy to see the teen flustered. "He''s Cuno! He''s been working here since for-e-ver." "... Busybody..." Cuno muttered, barely heard as he ducked behind the counter tops screen. The registers tray clinking open. But he did nothing as Linh gestured to the door and led Rupert out. Cuno did have one final thing to say, as they reached the doors. "... Dumb and dumber, look at them go." He muttered, just a tad louder. Clearly trying to make Linh hear him. Rupert paused, and Linh took note of that, or rather, had to stumble to not trip over him. Linh turned back, a grin filled with teeth, "Cashier too cowardly to insult someone to their face, you wanna sling shit you gotta be prepared to square up." There, lips pulled back, puberty''s angst all across Cuno''s face. "?" He said, not a word, but a sound. "Rupert, where do people here go to battle?" Rupert grinned excitedly. "AND ON ONE SIDE IT''S CUNO WITH HIS SKWOVET!" Rupert cheered, standing on an upturnt milk crate. "AND ON THE OTHER SIDE IT''S LINH WITH..." He turned to Linh, standing at one side of the square. On the other side, Rupert, and all further back, the few bystanders interested in watching. In this plaza there was always a few locals nearby. "Casket. Casket the Greavard." "... GREAVARD!" Rupert continued as if nothing had happened. Then he stepped off the crate and spoke more calmly. "Do both of you accept¡ªrecognise and accept my judgement as referee?" He recited, as if this was something learnt by rote. "I accept and acknowledge." Cuno droned out, and Linh copied him. This was some sort of ritual, a part of the battling culture. "Great!" Rupert grinned, then he coughed and put back on his serious face. "Then this will be a 1v¡ªa one on one battle, no switches, first to leave the ring or be unresponsive. Okay?" "Okay." "Yeap." "Then release your Pok¨¦mon!" Cuno threw first, his Pok¨¦ball soared and opened mid-air. A strong throw putting Skwovet in the middle of the square, an aggressive choice. Linh threw a second later, the flash of light zapping out of his Pok¨¦ball putting Casket near the back of the square, a passive choice. "Then, begin!" Rupert continued, taking a step back and sitting on the milk crate. He became part of the audience. "Belly Drum!" Cuno started them off, a loud shout. "Oh shit." Linh said, leaning forwards and bracing his arms against his knee. He watched as Skwovet slammed its little paws against its stomach, pain wracking and twisting up the squirrels tiny face. Belly Drum sacrificed a full half of the Pok¨¦mon''s vitality to multiply their strength four fold. "Casket, attack!" Casket, the little dog that could, fell into her own shadow. Baffingly, the shadow she cast did not disappear without her, but instead flowed across the floor towards Skwovet. "Shadow''s ahead of you, leap left¡ªnow!" Cuno snapped, his eyes intent on the moving dark. As the puddle-like shadow touched Skwovet''s it bulged, and Casket leapt out of the shadow, dark purple on her fangs, a pounce full of teeth. She missed, and flailed as she hit the ground. "An opening! Skwovet, use-" Linh grimaced, this wouldn''t be pleasant. "-Body Slam!" Linh exhaled a soft sigh of relief, then spoke up as a confused Squirell phased right through Casket, and a confused Cuno cursed. "Greavards are ghosts¡ªimmunities yeah? Normal can''t touch Ghost Types." "Goes the other way as well asshat, my Skwovet''s just fine against your ''Casket''." "Unless Casket knows another move." Linh said the natural response. "Does she?" Linh didn''t say anything, he was trying not to betray his blush. "Do. Do you actually know what moves your dog has?" Cuno asked, incredulous. "Naturally, no." Linh grinned, "Actually, I do know she has Shadow Sneak, and I was planning on using it, but then..." He gestured to the confused squirrel, who was trying to convince Casket they were fighting, and not playing. "Skwovet." "Well shit." Cuno remarked to the air. Loud enough that there was a parent''s scandalised gasp. "Skwovet doesn''t know any other moves. I... can''t win." Rupert spoke up, legs swinging. "If neither side can win, then it''s a draw immediately." "And I don''t really know what Casket has." Linh sardonically said. "Actually, Casket!" Casket looked up and stopped chasing Skwovet around. "Do you know Bite? Big grey-black coating around your teeth? No? Okay. What do you know?" Casket stared at Linh, then came to a realisation and switched to Skwovet. She growled. Like a dog normally would, with lips pulled back and teeth clenched. But more, the sound came out with a significance to it, and was visible as white distortions in the air. "Growl." Linh watched as the sound waves passed through Skwovet, rattling it''s defence. "Not a damaging move." Rupert noted. "Unless you can prove Casket can hit Skwovet, I''ll have to call this." "No." Linh agreed. "But it''s Normal typed, so Casket knows how to manipulate Normal Type energy. "So?" Cuno snorted. "So, take that energy, and make it Tackle. And that can hit Normal types." There was a moment of silence at that declaration. Linh didn''t know this, but typically moves were learnt after hours training, minimum, or spontaneously learned by a Pok¨¦mon''s sheer need. Neither of these situations apply here. "Okay Casket, come here and sit, okay?" Casket waddled up to Linh''s feet and sat. "So, remember your Shadow Sneak? You travelled through your shadow here, but before you used it to make your shadow reach up. We''re going to do something a little similar here. But with Growl. So, can you start a Growl, but not actually send it out?" Casket paused, before slowly peeling her lips back, purposefully. And a rumble built in her throat. Linh knelt all the way down, chest to the floor, and looked between her teeth. There was a white glow, in the back of her throat. "You may not see this, but you may feel it; there''s this white light in your mouth. That''s Normal Type energy. What I want you to do is spread it out, get it into every part of your body, and then I want you to find Skwovet, and tackle them good. Alrigh-Uh?" Casket was running off, in the middle of his explanation. She had already formed Tackle¡ªa white light around her body. Skwover stared with wide eyes as she approached, and only started moving when Cuno shouted a belated warning. It wasn''t fast enough, and Skwovet took the blow head on. With it''s life already halved by Belly Drum, it fainted. "Oh wow! Linh you taught your Pok¨¦mon a move so fast! That''s amazing!" Rupert shouted, he was jumping in the air¡ªwhen he saw Casket run in that white sheath, he bolted up right. Even Cuno seemed impressed. "Casket lived for a long time in a graveyard, it''d make sense for Casket to forget how to Tackle, cuz it will be useless there. This was just... remembering" Linh demurred. Or lied, maybe. He wasn''t sure how Casket learnt that so fast. "But Skwovet''s down, which means I can pronounce Linh as the WINNER!" Rupert shouted, returning to his position as mock-referee. A short round of claps, from the audience. Cuno recalled his Skwovet with half-stunned eyes. The other half was frustration. He stalked towards Linh and shoved a wad of cash into Linh''s surprised hands, his shoes thumping as he walked away. Linh blinked at the money, ignoring Rupert running up to him and babbling about the fight. He straight up didn''t remember that people bet money on battles¡ªwinner takes the pot. He riffled through the stack, not much, just pocket change. But it felt good in his hands. But then, a buzz in his pocket. A text. Some quick reshuffling of his pockets and he read the message. > Hello. Apologies for the delay but I''m available for the viewing if you''re still interested? Linh turned to Rupert. "Hey." Rupert stopped. "¨Cand I had no idea it was even possible to-huh?" "Nah, just wanted to thank you for the tour and playing referee, but I''ve got a house I want to check. So I''ll be heading back to where we met." "Hey, it''s been fun! It''s nice for someone to talk to me." Chapter 4 - The Home Visit (Here¡¯s Poppy!)
There was a house, one freshly rented. Inside that house was a man and his dog. They were playing a game, they were drawing eyes. Casket, the Greavard, would run around the room with the stack of paper in her mouth, sometimes deigning to give a fresh one out. Linh, the human, would draw a single massive eye on each one, and occasionally running down Casket to wrestle out a fresh one. The eyes were made of swooping circular lines, swirling over and over. A pupil made of rings. Around those rings were the eyelids. Shifted such that the eyes would look in certain directions. Each one Linh finished, he would pin them on the wall, behind the sofa. Where anyone sitting on that couch could be stared at. Suddenly, a buzz from the door¡ªa curious case, he expected no deliveries this weekend, no guests either. Linh walked to the door. "Now, I wonder who that is?" he asked Casket, performatively. "Also, remember the candle." The blue flame atop Casket''s candle snuffed out, an exercise to give Casket more control over her life-force feeding ability. Linh passed through his front door into the patio, then down the wooden porch and onto the gravel. At the gates he opened them to find Rika, with a little wave. By her side was a little girl, who waved more enthusiastically. "Heya!" Said Rika, she was holding up a little gift-wrapped present. "So I''ve heard you just moved in, and I thought to get you a house-warming gift!" "Oh," Linh said, touched. "Thank you." Then thinking further. "About several weeks late, but it''s appreciated." He held out his hand. Instead of handing off the box, Rika swept to the side and waved her arms towards the girl. "Meet your house-warming gift! Poppy!" Linh blinked, his hand fell. He tilted his head and spoke slowly. "... Okaayyy." Squatting down, he met the girls height. "Hello Poppy, it''s nice to meet you. Would you like to meet my dog?" Poppy grinned. "Yeah!" "Great." Without further words, Linh picked up Casket and plopped her right in front of Poppy. With her sufficiently distracted, he stood back to Rika, and pulled her close. "I know our relation is composed of fucking with each other, but there are limits, y''know? Like, what the fuck? Where did this preschooler come from?" He spoke quietly. "Eh, first cycle in Primary. But I was heading out to visit you and Poppy wanted to tag along. To ''see Larry''s new friend!'' And I can''t say no to her face, look at her." Both of them looked down to Poppy, she had Casket''s face in her grubby hands, and were smooshing them together. "Okay." Linh shook his head and looked away. "Okay. Wanna head inside? C''mon, lemme give you some hospitality." Rika prodded Poppy, and she followed them inside, Casket dangling in her arms. Linh gestured around his current abode. "So! There''s the garden, which I admit I know nothing about¡ªthese poor bushes will not enjoy my stay¨C" "Hardly an uncommon thing." Rika interjected. "¨CAnd here''s the door. Standard stuff, but one thing I want to show is, is that." Linh pointed up at a corner, at the edge of the door frame. Rika paused. "Um." "We were experimenting with ghosty illusions, and that''s one of our results. That one''s to test how long one can last without maintenance. One week long currently." "Yeah, cool, does it need to be a doll head in a cobweb? It looks like you dug it out of a cursed lot. And is it... dripping something?" "Oh no, that''s not the illusion." Linh cheerfully ignored the face Rika pulled. "Right this way¡ªto the kitchen!" Rika hung back, which was fortunate, Poppy had came close, with a question he didn¡¯t want Rika to overhear. She tugged on his sleeve. "What¡¯s the illusion, then?" Linh leaned down and beckoned Poppy closer. "Can you keep a secret?" Poppy nodded. "That is the illusion, I just lie to Rika for fun. But shhh, no telling!" Poppy grinned and pressed her finger to her lips, nodding. "Now!" Linh turned back to Poppy, "Do you want anything? Juice, water?" He looked up as Rika walked into the kitchen, "Coffee?" "Do you have apple juice?" The child asked. Rika shook her head. "So. The kitchen, just a standard kitchen¡ªreally only here to get Poppy her appy juice." Linh casually remarked, he poured a cup and gave it to Poppy. "But look, walnut counter tops. Look at them, so adult." Rika snorted. "Oh what fresh nonsense is this." Rika took in the living room, specifically, the wall of paper eyes. Unfortunately for her, she took too long boggling at it¡ªLinh took the seat opposite the couch and Poppy sat on the couch''s far end, leaving the only seat available as the one directly under them all. (She could have dragged a chair from the nearby table, or even from another room, but under the expectant stares she capitulated. She did sit with great suspicion, and kept a close eye on where Casket was.) (Casket being, of course, the source of any mischief Linh may make.) "It''s a perfectly average living room. Coffee table, seats, cabinets..." "Wall of creepy eyes." Rika interjected. "Wall of creepy eyes." Linh agreed. "Just decoration. I''ll be living here for a bit, so¡ª" "A bit? How long''s the lease?" Linh held up a finger. "¡ª I deserve a little house gussying up, yeah? And it''s month to month, so I''ll be staying around until I save up a decent nest egg. I want to explore Paldea, and not worry about the costs for a bit." "A trip around Paldea? What, are you planning a Journey?" Rika asked. Poppy set her cup on the table. Both hands around it and standing up to reach the glass. "A Journey Mister? You want to do the badge challenge? I''m planning to do it too. Maybe we''ll meet during it!" Linh shifted in his seat, given Poppy''s age, she''d probably start her journey much later. From what Rupert told him it occurs around the second to third cycle of secondary education, teenagers. "Perhaps. Although I hope it won''t take that long." Poppy smiled, but in a confused way. Rika smiled in the way that showed she knew something Linh didn''t. "But enough about me. Poppy! How are you?" Linh jabbed a thumb at Rika. "And how do you know her?" "Quite well, thank you," Poppy recited, something she was taught to say and pleased to remember, "I had some very fun battles recently¡ªthere was a guy with a Quaquaval rain team. He had Pelipper and Kingdra and Barroskewda but I beat him good! And¡ªOh! Oh! There was this women, from Sinnoh! She had this Drifblim who was very strong!" "And how do you know Rika?" Linh mildly repeated. Who''s running around and having Pok¨¦mon battles with this kid? "I''m her co-work-er!" "... Elite Four? The job where you serve the Champion and gate keep challengers, and you handle problems for her, and you get merchandise and interviews and publicity? "Yep! Miss Geeta says I''m her favourite!" But then Poppys face scrunched up. "I don''t remember interviews." ... Maybe Poppy is humoured by Rika, and allowed to call herself an Elite Four? Linh looked to Rika. "As the second member of the Elite Four, Poppy is a stronger battler then me. She is the one fought directly after me by the challenger." Rika nodded, calmly. "Ah yes. Silly me, forgetting." Linh said. Linh hoped his meta knowledge was wrong, because he didn''t want to think about the consequences of Poppy being a kid with a full on, celebrity/government level, job. "A Journey, while still in the Elite Four. You have strong Pok¨¦mon, yeah?" "Yeh." Poppy proudly claimed. "But then, why go on a Journey?" It was a cultural pilgrimage, first, to come of age. And second, to train up Pok¨¦mon. "Why would you take your team through it?" "You don''t?" Poppy said, and seemed to think it was an adequate answer. Rika coughed to hide her wry grin, "She''ll be taking and training up a new team, a fresh start for eight badges. Then no further. And she is a kid, isn¡¯t that what you¡¯re supposed to do?" Linh said no more, he looked to the side, visibly lost in thoughts. A silence then. Rika happy to recline back, but Poppy kicking her feet in the air. She occasionally glanced at Casket, naked want. Linh thought about child celebrities, how they handled the position. One had a meltdown and shaved her head. Another had every penny he earned wasted by his parents. His grip tightened into a fist. "Hey Poppy," tone a bit off. "Would you like to play with Casket? And Rika, do you think the triplets want to see Casket again?" The triplets being the children of Clodsire, Rika''s ace. Three very mischievous Woopers very good at pulling others into their trouble. Rika raised a single eyebrow as she watched Linh nudge Casket towards Poppy. Poppy was vibrating in her seat, and when Casket flung towards her she flung back, a tackle that left both rolling along the floor. Three flashes of light and three Paldean Woopers appeared. They took in the scene and beelined directly towards the child. Linh took a moment to watch them play. Poppy sitting down, legs straight out in a ''V'', and shoes waving side to side. A dog and three axolotl''s crowded around her, trying to get her attention with undead or aquatic barks. He turned away. "So, Rika." "Linh." Rika smiled, but her gaze was sharp on Linh¡ªshe could detect a distraction just as well as Linh could make one. "Tell me about Poppy, please." Linh asked. "And, perhaps, what these little things called child labour laws are." "Oh, is that all?" Rika leaned back, she tossed her head and laughed under her breath, "Thought this would be serious, everything''s up to code. She gets compensated fairly for her work, she gets less then twenty five hours a week, and never more then five on a week day. AND everything gets logged and okayed by both her school and her parents." Somewhat mollifying, and if it was just something small then Linh wouldn''t complain. But this was a very public position. An important one, Gym Leaders were the centres of their cities, community figureheads that people could bring their woes to. And Elite Four were a step above that, trainers the Champion picked to stop rampaging Pok¨¦mon, to respond to big disasters and speak with her authority. "This isn''t running a till or moving boxes. Elite Four''s a full time job." Linh paused, then glanced at the kids to see if they noticed his outburst. They did not¡ªthey were playing a sort of, call and response game. One would do an action, and the others would copy it. A tiny hop and spin, and the next moment, four tiny hops and spins. "Is it? Is it as big a deal as you''re saying?" Rika tilted her head, blithe. "Larry''s working as both an Elite Four and as a Gym Leader, and¡ªalthough he shouldn''t, we suspect a third." "He is¡ªsome sort of night shift." Linh gave a sour look. Rika grimaced, a shadow fell over her face. "¡ªI knew it. Anyway; Hassel''s both Elite Four and an Art Teacher, and I''m Geeta''s secretary. Poppy''s only real tasks are responding to challenges and handling errands the Champion want''s done, every other moment is spending time being a kid." Linh turned back to the children as they played. Casket''s found herself the rope with a knot at each end, and was playing Tug of War. Poppy was winning handily, Casket''s paws scrabbling on the floor. Even with every one of the Woopers, Silt, Clay, and Loam, biting onto her tail and pulling mightily. "That''s not the point¡ªhere, look." Linh pulled out his phone, made a search, and flipped it around. "This article states that after Cascarrafa suffered partial flooding you worked with the Gym Leader, Kofu, to assist and drain the water quickly. So do or do not the E-four duties include this sort of disaster assistance?" "When you put it that way..." "So, you''ve given a disaster response job to a¡ªa preschooler." "Okay, but I volunteered for that, yeah?" "That''s not¡ªthat doesn''t¡ªthat doesn''t matter you¨Cyou." Linh pulled in a sharp breath, his hands curling in claws around his armrests. "As long as she''s in the position, she can be asked to do it. And when that happens, of course she''ll do it¡ªbecause she clearly admires Geeta. Why wouldn''t she? And she''s just a little girl; does she even know the potential dangers helping in a disaster risks?" Rika shook her head, looking away. "Look, Linh, that''s¡ªoh shit." She stood up sharply, her head turned towards Poppy''s direction. Linh looked as well, and watched as Poppy backed up into a cabinet at full force. Pulling Casket by the rope as hard as she can. As she fell to her butt, Casket and the triplets came with her. Colliding with her stomach in two consecutive impacts. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. It was a tall cabinet, tall and thin. One that rocked with the crash, and the plates and glasses atop the shelves slid in their places, shifting slightly before settling into new places. All but one safely far enough from the ledge to stay seated. All but one. The world moved in slow motion as a jug, tall and heavy, with a thickened base, rocked and rocked, slowly tipping forwards and over the ledge. It fell down and down, directly above Poppy''s head¡ªand¡ª ¡ªAnd Rika made the dash to reach the wall. Grabbing the jug in both hands and crashing her shoulder into the cabinet itself. She held the jug against her chest tightly, with eyes of panic. A moment of silence, or rather, the very harried breathes of a women''s unexpected sprint. Before Poppy realised what just happened, and started wailing. Fit to wake the dead. Four Pok¨¦mon raised their voices as well, distraught. "I¡ª" Linh froze, half out of his seat, hand reaching out uselessly, no idea what to do now. Rika slammed the jug into its place with force, and held the cabinet, watching the plates settle with the wood creaking under her hands. She pivoted to Linh, and pointed her finger at him, her other hand reaching down to her waist, and with ease brushing over the Pok¨¦balls there¡ªeach one she touched lanced out a flash of red. "Linh." Voice stern, authoritative. "Recall your Pok¨¦mon, then fetch me ice, a towel, and band aids¡ªany you''ve got." Linh moved before he realised it, such was Rika''s commanding tone. Casket disappeared into her Pok¨¦ball, and the kitchens door swung on it''s hinges. From the freezer he grabbed ice. Around the oven''s handle we fetched the towel, and he wrapped the ice with it. Linh whirled, remembered the medkit was upstairs, and instead grabbed a cup and ran it under the sink. When Linh came back to the room he found Rika on the sofa, with Poppy on her lap. She was bouncing the girl on her knee, whispering shushes louder then Poppy''s hiccuping sobs. Rika took the towel and gently pressed it to Poppy''s head. "No blood, no dizziness," she murmured to Linh, "But placebo band-aids would be good. You got them?" Linh held up one finger, and knelt down to Poppy''s height. "Hey Poppy." Soft and low. "Here, let''s drink some water, okay? We have to replace the tears, yeah?" Poppy eyed the cup dubiously. But she took it and drank from it, eyes wet, but not crying. "Couldn''t find them," Linh whispered. "Had to improvise." "Smart thinking." Rika whispered back. She brushed Poppy''s hair. "Okay, Poppy? Is the pain just here?" She lightly ghosted the patch of head where the ice was. "Or is it anywhere else?" Poppy shook her head, she wasn''t leaking tear trails down her face anymore, but her eyes shimmered. The cup was a little too big for her hands, fingers not wrapping all the way around. "Do you feel like you''re ready to move? We need to see your limbs move to see if your back was hurt." Rika asked, gently. Poppy sniffed, and she shook her head again, mulishly. Her eyes were staring forwards, not vacantly, but at Linh where he helplessly knelt. "Okay Poppy. We can wait." Rika hugged Poppy and pulled her closer, so her back was against her torso. She sighed, and seemed to slump into her seat more, worries let go with the peace. Linh huffed and looked down, when he looked back up, a gimlet eye was directed to only Rika. "Rika, does she seem responsible?" Rika scratched her cheek, and could not meet Linh''s eyes. "... It was never a problem before." He just wordlessly gestured to Poppy, her face all screwed up as she sadly drank her water. "Fair... But it''s not up to me. You have to talk to¡ª" "Mister¡ªI challenge you!" Poppy interjected. "Oh, that''s a good sign." Rika muttered. It took a moment for Linh to look away from Rika, trying very hard not to call his friend out for dodging responsibility. But talking to the recently injured child took priority. He asked Poppy. "What''s that Poppy?" Poppy repeated herself, cup waving in her grip. "I challenge you Mister! I demand resititution." Tone outraged and lively. Linh asked again, "What¡¯s that?" He didn¡¯t have anything else to say, really. Poppy scowled as well as a child can, and jabbed a finger at the cabinet, "Your cab¡¯nent has o-fend-ded me! My Face is slight-ed, and I demand recompense!" Linh stared blankly at the girl. Then worriedly at Rika. Rika''s shoulders, still tensed, loosened. She rubbed her face, exhausted. "No concussion," she then snorted, "She''s just quoting a cartoon. ''Cultivation Friends''. Aired every Saturday at three PM." She waved at the air. "I''d recommend accepting her challenge, Linh. Some normality would be good for her." "I can still hear you, you know." Poppy grumbled petulantly. "I''m here too!" "Sorry Poppy." Linh nodded, "I''m very sorry, Poppy." He sighed, "And I accept your challenge." He tilted his head, "But not outside, let¡¯s not get in anyones way." On the way to the battling courts, Linh released Casket. She barked, before rushing towards Poppy. Poppy paused, confused, as she watched Casket carefully inspect her. "Um?" "Oh, nothing." Linh remarked casually, a bit to casually. "Just thought you''d like to be with Casket again, for a bit. Before you fought her." And Poppy lit up. She and Casket ran ahead, leaving the two more sedate adults behind. "Okay, so I think you''re planning something but I''m not sure." Rika leaned over. Linh leaned just as much right back, "You think I can¡¯t win against her?" Rika smirked, "Poppy¡¯s a veteran trainer. You¡¯ve fought¡­ once?" "Harsh, but how much do you think Poppy will like hurting my dog?" Linh puffed a small breath. Rika squinted at the girl, who was giggling as Casket ran into the bushes by the side of the road, and leapt out of them at her. "You play dirty pool. But she won''t be swayed that easily." "Thank you¡ªand I''ll suppose we''ll see." Linh quickened his pace as the court came into view. At the battlegrounds, Rika took the position of referee, in a plastic lawn chair someone left there. "Okay, we have Poppy vs Linh. Ah¡ªyou need to recall Greavard first." "Right." "Very good¡ªthis will be a one v one, no switches, no ante. Simultaneous release. Poppy? You ready?" Poppy bounced on her feet, she waved her hand in the air like a student, all grins. "Ready!" "And Linh, you ready?" "Yes." Linh stood at the other end, his foot tracing the concrete divot marking out the bounds. "I suppose I am." "Then three, two, one, go!" Rika called out. Her voice suddenly booming on the last word. Both threw. From one came a small dog. From the other, a pink gremlin¡ªslightly taller then Poppy, wide set feet and hands, a mop of pink candy-cotton looking hair¡ª with a hammer many times her size. "Casket¡ªup!" Casket padded on the ground. "Go, Tinkie!" Tinkie the Tinkaton landed with a booming crack of the ground, her scrap-metal hammer clanking ominously on her shoulder. Traditionally, Tinkaton''s fashioned their hammers from steel harvested from their foes. This hammer bore ferrite plates and sharp tusks and steel feathers, and a small blue slip. Almost paper like. Rika winced. "Shadow Sneak, Casket!" Linh called out, and Casket pulled up her shadows into a set of stabbing points, arcing towards Tinkie. Tinkie, in response, moved. Not a great big leap to clear the space between them, nor a sprint blowing past Casket''s attack. But a casual walk, a jog. Unharried movements that none the less cleared the space swiftly. She made a show of it. How her steps twirled around inky paws¡ªa circular dance that followed the straightforward path. How the two hundred ton hammer displaced the air as she moved, and how it waved side to side precariously. A tension wrought by its unbalanced nature. And how she ended up standing right before Casket, a dog very out-massed. Linh took one look at Poppy and knew she had no mercy here. Tinkie gave a slasher wide grin. "Gigaton Hammer!" Poppy called out behind her. Back the hammerhead went. Falling further and further back, exaggerating it, "Casket!" Linh cried out, grabbing her attention. "Get ready to dodge, okay? Pick one direction, left or right¡ªdon''t look! Don''t show it! Then sprint when I call it." Poppy cried out too, "Track her, Tinkie!" Forwards the hammerhead swung. "GO!" Linh yelled, and Casket dodged. She went right, Tinkie swung right. But she underestimated the speed of the dog¡ªno direct hit. It was still a brutally painful attack. The shock waves of the hammer hitting the ground carved a great divot, and sent shards and sherds in every direction. The vibrations sent Casket stumbling, and then flying, as the displaced air smacked into her. Casket went tumbling across the grounds. Hitting the floor once, twice. She fell in a flump and a pose that looked painful. But she stood back up, with a nasty scratch across her face from where it dragged across the rough ground, and a mass accumulation of dirt and gravel in her fur. She was weak on her feet, but she was still standing. Poppy narrowed her eyes at her. Linh held his fist against his face and held his elbow with his other hand. All across his face worry and fear etched itself in. "Casket?" He spoke, voice faint. "You good?" Casket growled at Tinkie, then barked. If she could speak, it would have sounded like ''I can take ''em!'' Tinkie seemed amused. Poppy snapped her fingers and pointed forwards. "I like Casket Mister¡ªso we''re going easy on her! Tinkie! Skitter Smack!" Rika, on the sidelines, mumbled into her hand, "That''s just bullying Poppy¡ªeven if it''s not effective." Ghost resists Bug. But this was little consolation as Casket watched Tinkie drop her hammer. It thrummed against the ground, sounding like an old church bell. Metal resonating. Tinkie''s grin didn''t help either. She glowed briefly green, and vanished. "Beh¡ªShadow Sneak now! Hide in it!" Linh shouted, and Casket trusted him. So she ducked into the shadows. Except, as she sunk, a flash of green to her side¡ªnot teleportation, but rather a green light skittering around her. Suddenly, Tinkie was there, in place of the green light. Her hand lashed out, fingers stretched like talons, and their pierced the air just above Casket''s sinking form. Her thumb barely brushed Casket''s back, yet it still felt like the world slamming into her spine. Linh winced, even with his warning, Casket was still hit. A glancing hit, but her expression... Casket reappeared out of the shadows, to tackle Tinkie in the back. Or rather, to get smacked in the side by Tinkie''s hair. One sharp turn of the head at the wrong moment, and the taffy-like hair slammed into her like steel wires. Again was she knocked across the court. Poppy pointed at Casket, realisation. "That should have fainted¡ªshe must be fluffy." Linh forced down his fretting to respond. "¡ªI should hope so, she''s a dog." "No," Rika called out. "Fluffy, the ability. Halves damage from Moves that make contact." "Then I just have to use a move that doesn''t make contact¡ªand not something the dog can dodge!" Poppy pointed dramatically at Linh, "Your luck ends here! Tinkie, use¡ª" "Casket, get ready to fall away again¡ªon my mark¡ª" "¡ªBULLDOZE!" "¡ªNOW!" It was too late, in fact, nothing Linh could have done could have prevented this. It only took Tinkie punching the ground once; the floor, the dirt, the stone, the gravel, it all glowed deep brown, before violently shaking. This shaking, this lesser cousin of Earthquake, spread across every inch of the court in heartbeats. Casket fainted before she could get more then a single foot into her shadow. A moment of silence, as they watched Casket pop out, like a spring loaded toy. She fell down in a ragdoll, tongue sticking out. Rika stood up from her chair. "Greavard has fainted! I announce Poppy as the winner!" "I won!" Poppy cried out. "I won I won I won I won I¡ª" she tackled Tinkie in the midriff, and Tinkie spun her around. It wasn''t a hard victory, but Tinkie always indulged Poppy''s foibles. Meanwhile, Linh looked down at Casket''s Pok¨¦ball, and retrieved the puppy. "Sorry girl." He winced. "Didn''t mean to drag you into all this." The Pok¨¦ball rocked once. Comforting. He strode over to Rika¡ªwho had retaken her seat. "So. I fucked up." He began. "Shoulda kept a better eye on Poppy. Shouldn''t have let them play in the room; to many things there." Rika responded, "Not my finest moment either. But I share responsibility, yeah? It may have been your house, but I was the one meant to watch Poppy." "Yeah... Yeah..." Linh agreed, slowly. "I''m just happy she''s still as happy as she started, really." Rika smiled, and lightly punched his side. "I am too." And then perked up, remembering something. "Oh, and, since you asked earlier, about who let Poppy become an Elite Four member. Well, isn''t the answer obvious? Only¡ª" Chapter 5 - Training Daytrip (Tumbleweeds are an invasive species)
Messengengar:
Larry Mr. ''Overtime is Mandatory''
Larry > Your budgeting seems reasonable, but, pardon the parlance. > You''ve fucked the math. > You get paid on the 2nd, but since you''ve planned to leave on the first¡ªso you don''t have to renew your house lease¡ª that means your heading out with one less paycheck then you should. > Well that''s an easy fix, just delay my leaving. Its not like Im on time limit. Sure, I may be homeless for one night, but that just means I can break in the kit. Larry > Don''t stress about making it perfect. There are plenty of opportunities for a trainer to make money on the road. And the league matches earnings with scrip if you really need it.
"¡ªGeeta, Geeta. Champion Geeta." Linh grumbled under his breath. The leaves on the side of the road crunched under his boots. "National figurehead, major administrator of the League. Responsible for responding to major Pok¨¦mon-related incidents, encourage the growth of a strong bond between humans and Pok¨¦mon, and promoting the cultural growth of Paldea as Champion of the League. And as Chairwomen of the League, responsible for managing the budget, investing in cival infrastructure, and diplomatic endeavours to other countries. "It''s a merging of two very different positions," Linh continued, more thoughtfully. Cars and trucks passed him, exhausts puttering and engines rumbling. "Two fulltime jobs meant for two people. That she''s managed to keep up with the workload is impressive, but it''s a concerning amount of consolidation." Linh stopped under a tree, one who''s branches curled and leaned over the pavement and over to the road. He leaned against it. "Question is, how can I help Poppy? Do I need to help Poppy?" He paused, working the sleeve of his sweater. " "They say all safety rules were written in someone''s blood. I hope I can make the first that isn''t." He stopped speaking, and leaned back against the bark. Thoughts circling imagined scenarios. "Bah." He continued walking, but this time drawing a Pok¨¦ball from his pockets. " A flash of light, and Casket, his Greavard stood boldly. Her tail wagging. She focused, and the candle atop her extinguished. "Hey Casket!" Linh put on a baby voice, "We''re nearly there, yeah? Let''s run there¡ªgo go go¡ª" ''There'' was an offshoot off of the road¡ªone that cut through the bushes and left city limits to show a grass field. One battle-scarred with scorched plants and scattered dirt holes. A place for Pok¨¦mon training. Early Pok¨¦mon training, where you''re less concerned about others knowing what your teaching and more about having something out of the way to avoid interruptions. The grass crunched under his feet. Casket zoomed around the clearing. Tongue panting, head whipping around, and her gait at a full gallop. The simple zest of life in her. Linh let her have her fun, as he moved to the centre of the area, and pulled out a blanket to lay on the ground¡ªto sit without getting dirt anywhere. He watched her frolic for a moment more, before calling out. "Casket! Casket¡ªhere girl!" She slowed, and padded over. "So. Training¡ªgetting stronger." Linh told her. "You want to be stronger?" Casket barked. "I want to be stronger." He agreed. "Because strength is nice, strength is useful, and strength is respected." He paused. "This culture respects and follows strong trainers¡ªthe position of Champion proves it. I don''t know if we''ll ever get there, but I want to try. Agree?" Casket barked. Tail wagging and tippy tapping her excitement. "Yeah. So." Linh looked around, aimless looking. "The first thing we need to do is figure out what you have¡ªwhat your moves do, and what they can do. So, I know you know: Growl, Tackle, and Shadow Sneak. Do you know any other moves?" Casket paused, thinking. She opened her mouth, then closed it slowly. Then she opened it purposefully, and her tongue stuck out. Except... It wasn''t her tongue¡ªthe shape was wrong. It wasn''t wide enough, it wasn''t shaped almost spade like. It was rounder, and almost looked... It grew bigger, to Casket''s size itself, and it swiped the air with a trail of slightly yellowed spit hanging in place. ... Human. "Lick." Linh sucked in air between his teeth. "Eugh. Thanks for not hitting me with it. Casket, with the tongue shrinking back into her mouth, barked. The trail in the air hung there, moist slobber shiny in the daylight. Looking closer, Linh saw little yellow arcs between the snail trails. The beads and tubes were slowly breaking apart, fading away. "That''d be the paralytic effect. I wonder if... NO! Not going any further. I don''t want to know, I don''t want to experiment." Linh shuffled away, and watched as the ectoplasmic spit faded. Linh sat there, a little shiver in his spine. "So! Let''s start with Tackle. Can you¡ªshow me Tackle, please. Just run around while under it." Casket did so, and ran a lap. It took a few steps for her to be coated in that white glow. And Linh noticed that her steps parted the grass, flattened them down. And all behind her an unbroken line of smushed grass slowly unflattened. All of it, instead of the two thinner trails her feet should have carved. "Actually..." As a thought to him, he pointed to a point in front of him. "Casket, run towards this patch, and then stop just before, yeah?" Linh knelt down, then lied down, so he was eye-level with the strand of grass he pointed out. There! As Casket approached, the grass started falling down¡ªright as the glow reached the strand. But as Casket stopped before it, the glow of the Tackle faded and the grass sprung right back up. Tackle''s shroud extends her reach. Or, perhaps, is a form of ''shield'' or ''ram'', which builds up thickly around her. But how could Linh test which one? Perhaps... Make contact while Casket is running by. Linh reached down, and picked up some rocks from the grass. "Okay, so, here''s what will happen. You will run by me while using Tackle, and as you pass I''m going to throw rocks at you, just tell me if it feels¡ªweaker, or doesn''t feel like rocks. You willing to try that?" Casket tilted her head, but she didn''t show any hesitation as she ran away, and then back towards Linh. Linhh threw the rocks. He missed a lot of them, but some did land on her back and get stuck in her fur, or bounced off easily. "Feel that?" Casket nodded, then shook the rocks off like water. "Not something protective¡ªjust extended reach. About a few centimetres... I wonder if we can extend that out¡ªor change the shape. But that sounds like a lot of effort." Linh stood up. "We should try for the low-hanging fruit first. Tackle, how easily can you change your trajectory with it? Run, and then Tackle in a different direction." Casket ran in a straight line, a white light starting to spread around her form, but before it could snap fully around her, she twisted her feet and leapt in a different direction¡ªthe Tackle forming and¡ª ¡ªshe tripped and fell into a pothole. Tackle dragging her along her initial path instead of allowing her to change course. Linh laughed as he dug between the grass and picked Casket up. "Good try¡ªbut it seems that wouldn''t work. C''mon, lets brush you down." She wriggled in his grasp. Yipping and griping. Sitting back on the blanket, Linh kept Casket in his lap as he brushed her down¡ªwith a firm grip so she couldn''t get out and try again. "C''mon." Linh said, the thick double coat raked heavily with the slicker brush. "I watched you do it throughout¡ª Tackle seems to need momentum to start building up, and once it snaps in place it''ll force you in that direction¡ªno flash-stepping dodges allowed. So let''s move on. Also, extinguish your candle again." Linh made one last rake across her fur, down to the tips of her fur, then pushed her out of his lap. Shaking the dust off of his legs, he followed her off the blanket. "Let''s look at Growl next. "Growl''s¡ªit''s those shock waves, when you, well, growl, you release these sound waves that spread in every direction. And those you select get debuffed¡ªweakened. The problem here was, the one you showed be before, it affected me as well as the Skwovet. It shouldn''t have, it should only have affected them." Linh paced in front of Casket. "So let''s try it, use Growl, but don''t hit me with it." Casket growled, as the sound waves passed through Linh, he felt a weakness in his arms, and a spine-chilling fear lurking in the back of his mind. That''s the debuff¡ªfear fit to make one''s sword arm weak. "Nope, that didn''t work. Try it again, but in a different way¡ªmaybe, see if growling quieter makes it travel less, so it doesn''t hit me." Casket tried again, her head dipping low and stance wide. Her growls were imperceptible, more a rumbling. But the light in her throat spilled out as visible sound waves regardless. And seemed neither slower nor shorter travelling for the effort. "No, that sucked." Linh grimaced, and reaffirmed to himself that Casket was his friend, and not something to fear. "Um, this time, try to... think very hard about not hitting me. Or think very hard about targeting something different¡ªlike that big stone over there." Casket barked chipper-like, then jumped and spun to the pointed rock. She stared at it all angry-like and growled. The sound waves spilling out from every side of her mouth, spreading like ripples in a pond. Despite Linh being behind Casket, he still felt his bowels unsettle from the vibrations. "I know it''s possible, but I suppose neither of us know what to look for, huh?" Linh paced aimlessly. "That''s... fine. We can focus on other things. Another variant of Growl is one where the sound waves get tightly focused. And this time, I actually know how it''s done! This time around, seal your lips, only let the sound escape from a small gap at the front of your teeth." Casket seemed to struggle with getting the right reverberations while keeping her mouth closed, and Linh had to both remind her ''mouth closed'' and ''candle''. But before a half-hour could have passed, she was able to growl with her mouth closed entirely. The glow in her throat catching on the teeth and lips, and spreading no further. And her body reverberating like an engine. "Good! Very good! Now, just keep this up, and open the front of your mouth just a little." Linh crouched down behind her, his hand reaching out and pointing to the big rock, "Aim right there..." The growls increased in volume, and Casket peeled her lips back, and a small sound wave¡ªlooking like a smoke ring¡ªshot out. With actual force behind it. A lot of force, actually; Casket was flung into Linh''s leg unexpectedly, and her yelp was aimed upwards, sending a great and loud Growl into the sky. "Oof!" Linh caught Casket. "That''s some unexpected recoil. Maybe because we held it for so long? But you did it! That was a perfect example of the other variant of Growl. A nice directed shot. Now¡ªOoer hang on¡ªwe''ve got a guest. Seems your aim is good Casket." Linh and Casket looked up, and watched as a small robin sized bird descended, with a fiery red coat and a nasty gleam to his eye. Casket barked at him and the Fletchling chirped back angrily. "Hello Fletchling," Linh began politely, his hand keeping Casket from running at the perched bird. "Sorry to bother you, did we hit you?" Fletchling tweeted. Like the app, it was probably toxic. "Well¡ªI''m sorry, would some berries be an apology? I do have some in my¡ª" Linh looked down to his pockets, which is why he didn''t see Fletchling fly at him, and didn''t see Casket rip herself out of his grasp. "Wha¡ªah, fight now." Linh scooted back, scrambling to stand back up as Casket Tackled Fletchling mid fight. "Right¡ªFletchling''s Normal Flying. Casket, Tackle and Growl''s only." He called out as they separated¡ªFletchling by taking flight, Casket by gravity''s claim. Casket barked affirmative, even as she hit the dirt with a dense thud. Fletchling circled around Casket, clearly disregarding Linh in favour of the Pok¨¦mon. It''s a part of the ''culture'', attack the Pok¨¦mon, scare off the human. Casket watched carefully¡ªwaiting for Fletchling to approach. Fletchling did not, aggravated he may be, he knew how well Casket out-massed him. "If the bird doesn''t commit, then debuff until they have to¡ªor they no longer can." Linh commanded, "Growl!" Fletchling, seeing the dog start to reverberate with that god-awful sound, dove. Around his tiny body, a white glow formed. "Stop! Prepare Tackle, and hold¡ªhold!" Fletchling dove without concern, there was no way the Greavard could hit him, not while he was focused entirely and not surprised. He could easily hit and fly away before the dog could react. Which was why it was really surprising when he passed right through her undead flesh, glimpsed the insides of the dog, and hit the dirt on the other side instead. A squawk spilled from his beak as he bounced off the ground. "Now!" Casket sprinted towards the flailing bird. One step built momentum, two steps and the light of power started shining. Three steps it snapped into place, and Casket Tackled Fletchling. He bounced like a beach ball. "Damn fine shot! Again!" Casket followed up the Tackle with a Tackle, paws thudding against the ground and the grass parting, but she was too slow¡ªFletchling soars again! Casket''s leap missed by metres. And she was bopped on the head by a Peck for the trouble. The Flying type move having no trouble touching the Ghost. This scene played out, as Linh thought furiously. Casket kept on chasing the bird, leaping but never making it. And every time Fletchling agilely turned around, and pecked at her head. A defeat by a thousand beaks. What can Casket do? She''s not fast enough, nor agile enough to hit the bird. The only move that could reach him would be Shadow Sneak, but it''s Ghost. ... Does Fletchling know that? This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Casket, Shadow Sneak, but don''t try to hit it! Just reach up and hem it in!" Casket''s shadow grew five spans wide and five spans out, a massive circle under Fletchling, and paws started rising up. Shadowy spikes that shot through the air and stayed there¡ªutterly harmless, but Fletchling arced and veered away from them. And soon enough Fletchling was surrounded on every side by long thin paws made entirely of shadows. His gaze darted from side to side, not looking at Casket, but at the thin streaks of sunlight between each inky paw. "Now¡ªTackle! Catch him in your mouth!" Fletchling''s eyes widened, but in those tight confines, he could not dodge as Casket leapt, a mouth full of slavering teeth opening wide! A spit-sodden and soggy shell-shocked bird stood on the blanket, shivering. By his side, Casket lay down, her chin on Linh''s leg. Linh, cross-legged, rifled through his bag and came out with a bag of treats and some berries. He lay them down before Fletchling. "Sorry about trapping you in her mouth Fletchling," Linh said to the unresponsive bird. "And sorry that Casket ran around for four minutes while I failed to get her to spit you back out." He turned to Casket. "You''ve obeyed ''drop'' commands before, what changed?" Casket ignored him, her head crawling up his leg, towards the dog treats. "Mm." Linh dismissed her, and leaned over to poke Fletching in the breast. "You awake tweety?" Fletchling''s head snapped towards Linh at the contact, and he visibly rebooted. Before ruffling up, sending a remarkable glare at Casket for someone that has definitely lost the fight, and flew off without touching the berries Linh gave him. Linh snorted, and rolled them over to Casket. He watched as she devoured them, "Y''know, I was thinking to explore Shadow Sneaks ability to move through shadows first¡ªbut that trick you pulled at the end there was fascinating. How many paws can you make from the shadow?" With her maw a bit discoloured with Oran Berry juice, Casket barked. "You done?" Linh glanced down at the crumbs, "Well, let''s get practising¡ªno point waiting now." Linh bade Casket up with a clasp on her collar, and he crossed the field with her, to the edge line where the hedge line cast jagged shadows. She stood at the edge of the line and cast her shadow against the sun¡ªwhere it mixed with the hedge and formed darker darks. Small paws peeled off of floor, like paint peeling off an old coat. Inky dinky black paws on inky dinky black legs extending tall and taller. Climbing up above the hedge line. One, two, three, four. ... Ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen. Casket was heaving, huffing. Heavy breathing like she was haunted. "Thank you Casket¡ªjust hold them there, yeah?" Linh stepped further, up to each paw pillar. He rap tapped tapped one, and it broke. "Oh. Doesn''t seem very sturdy, ''s strange for a move meant to harm." Linh lightly brushed another, it snapped like paper. "Oh. It''s really good Fletchling didn''t test them, wasn''t it Casket? But then, how could it even damage anything? Just hold them there Casket." Casket barked behind him, with time, she seemed to hold the move easier. Each instant Linh touched turned weak and crumbly under his grip, bar number five, which felt solid and resistant under his grip. "Hm. More durable, I can see this one as something that can hurt." Yet he snapped it still¡ªthe face freshly found, the wound, a sort of jagged black. Four went similar, yet three was near un-breaking. And two and one felt like steel. "Hmm, perhaps age hardens these spikes. Or the first one is stronger, and every one after is weaker. Or perhaps the strength of each spike is split between each one that exists? We can find out, with one more use of Shadow Sneak." Linh turned, and Casket let the shadowy extrusions slip and fall back down. Shadow Sneak ended. "Casket? Would you? Or do you want no more¡ªa break. I know we''ve been indulging my interest more then investing in your strength." Casket sneezed, and shook her head of the snot. She barked indignant at the idea that she would want to stop. Barked! "Okay." Linh smiled, the word shifting tones playfully. He stepped sideways for a clear sight-line, "On your own time, Casket." Caskets shadow slid, and more paws peeled off the ground. One, two, three, four, five, six¡ª "Stop!" Linh held up his hand, "That''s good. We can test which way it goes now¡ªthis one is the youngest, and this is the oldest. If the oldest breaks easily then that rules out the second interpretation, then we break the youngest, and if that has any durability it is the third¡ªif not, the first. Ready Casket?" He lashed out, hand holding each gestured spike, and with a quiet muted crack, he broke each in turn. "... Third interpretation. Even if Fletching was not Normal, and could not phase through the spikes. It could have just broken them by simply breathing a bit harshly." Linh turned and gave Casket a sly smile, "Wouldn''t that have been a sight?" Casket grumbled and growled, remembering the bird. But then she stuck her tongue out, panting to show relaxation. "Okay. The only thing to really test now is how flexible¡ªhow dextrous¡ªthe limbs, the Shadow Limbs, are. Question is, how do we test that?" Linh stepped back, and picked up Casket. "Any ideas girl?" Casket thought, and then barked something¡ªit sounded a bit like ''no idea!'' "... And I want to move onto the other variant, wanna do that instead?" Casket tilted her head and tried to wriggle around to look up at him. "Oh yes. In particular, I want to see how things like items interact with your ability to walk in shadows. Can you hold things and carry them through? What things, biological things or large things? What about things too large for you to even hold¡ªwhat about things that are tied to you? And what happens if you let go of those things inside the shadow. Do they stay there? Do they pop out? Do they linger there in perfect stasis or age or decay and deteriorate? Can you carry me through the shadows? How far can you travel in shadows? Can you do it through walls¡ªthrough floors? Through gaps in the seams? If you put something in another''s shadow, does that impact them? Hurt them? Give them an itch they can''t scratch or something else?" Casket made a somewhat worried sound, from how manic her man''s voice turned near the end. "OH I have so many questions!" Linh grinned, this did nothing but unnerve Casket. She whimpered. Linh and Casket padded back home, with the sun setting orange-red behind them. On the side of the road, there was a stopped truck. Big and boxy and white, one for deliveries. A typical depiction of something broken down, to be towed towards a lot at some point later. The only thing different was with how the driver was crouched near the exhaust, instead of swearing at the engine. The driver was squatting before the exhaust, grunting, his hands were clad in thick work gloves, and he had a solid grip on the exhaust itself. He was tugging on it. More yanking, with thick arms flabbing at the force. "Problem Sir?" Linh asked, kneeling with him. Casket made herself busy by turning around, and sniffing at the bushes. The driver let go, and glanced at Linh, "Ah? No no. It''s nothing." "It doesn''t look like nothing¡ªit looks like a clogged exhaust. What is that, twigs?" The driver grimaced, and held up his gloves, the fabric seemed a bit frayed. "Thorns more like. Don''t know how it happened but it got all real stuck in there. And it won''t get out." He snorted loudly, "Bastard thing''s stinkin'' up my truck." "Mm, may I?" Linh held his hand towards the exhaust, close to the woody dessicated bundle shoved in there. The driver sent an incredulous look at Linh''s far thinner frame, but he let Linh try. Linh started by gently grasping the twigs, feeling them¡ªand the thorns against his palm. Pinpoint sharp, but not enough to draw blood, not unless he grips hard. A light tug and Linh felt the resistance, and maybe he imagined it¡ªbut did it draw back? Or, was there something else tugging? "Casket, candle." Linh turned back to the exhaust, and lightly touched the woody bundle again. There! A slight tugging on something inside him, the thin hairs on his arm raising, a drain on his life-force unfamiliar and different to a Greavards. "Well, I found your problem. This isn''t just detritus¡ªit''s some sorta Ghost Pok¨¦mon. I can feel it draining my life when I touch it." "Eh?" "Yeah..." Linh pulled out his phone, made a search, and tapped on the screen. "Was your truck coming from... about West province, near Asado." "Yes, actually." The driver frowned, "From Porta Marinada. How''d you know?" Linh flipped the phone around, showing a photo of a tumble weed, with dried desiccated twiggy branches, and two floating eyes in the hollow. "Meet Bramblin, the Tumbleweed Pok¨¦mon, it lives in Asado Desert. And as with all Ghosts, it eats life force¡ªwhen something touches them, usually. Fella'' must''a gotten stuck inside the pipe, and when you try to pull it out it just grips harder. Dunno how the poor bugger got stuck so badly inside though." "Co?o! I''ve been yanking at it for hours!" The driver looked alarmed, "Will I be okay? I don''t want my fuggin'' soul eaten!" "Hm? Yeah," Linh waved his hand negligently, "It''s just one Pok¨¦mon, they can''t eat life-force that fast. You''d have to be carrying the bush around for a while to be really hurt. Just have a big meal later and you''ll be fine." "Oh." "Like take my dog," Linh leaned backwards, grabbed Casket before she could do more then nibble at a stick on the ground, and held her towards the driver. "She''s a Greavard, they draw out life force when their candle is lit. But it''s not fast¡ªit can''t be, not with how small the flame is. I have her out and about for about six hour''s a day, and no issues on my end. And I''m not the healthiest person around. You''re a full grown adult man¡ªit''d take twenty Greavards feeding off of you before you felt anything." The driver took the offered dog. "Okay." The driver held Casket in one meaty hand, the other patting the base of her candle. He ignored how she wriggled to try to lick his hand. "That makes sense. Thanks. But¡ªthis ''Bramblin'' ''s still here. And I''m late as it is. How do we get it out?" Linh hummed, head tilting. "You have any Pok¨¦balls? If we hit him with one, that''ll do it I reckon." "But wouldn''t Bramblin be able to break out¡ªsince it''s not damaged or anything." "I''m not sure huffing car fumes for a long time will keep anything healthy," Linh countered, "But that''s what our Pok¨¦mon are for." He gestured to Casket, "You got any on you?" "Jus'' Judo¡ªbut he''s tired. So we poke Bramblin with a ball, and if it breaks out, use our Pok¨¦mon to scare them off?" The driver stood up, and looked at the road and the passing cars. "Will need to be careful, make sure it doesn''t get run over." Linh blinked, realising he forgot about the road. "Ah, yes. But we''ll need to capture, I think. They''re not native here, so turn over to the rangers or keep. And maybe a Pok¨¦centre visit. Truck fumes, y''know?" The driver nodded. "Sound''s like a plan. I''ve some ball''s in my glovebox, we can do this now." Linh stood up and nodded back. "Ready when you are." The driver came back with two Pok¨¦balls, one for him, one for Linh "Right, other side of this hedge is a decently flat field we can keep Bramblin in to try to capture it. Head on to the other side, and when I get the Bramblin inside the ball I''ll toss it over. If it breaks out it''ll be up to you." "Of course¡ª" Linh was already walking, seeking a gap in the hedges to squeeze through. "I''ll shout you when I''m ready!" The gap Linh found was particularly narrow, it left loose leaves on him, and a scratch on his cheek from a sharp branch. But he managed all the same, and stood on the grassy field with Casket at the ready. "Here! Throw at will!" A moment later, the sound of a Pok¨¦mon getting caught in a ball, and then the sound of a man exhaling ''hup!'' and the ball came over the tall plants. It hit the ground once, shook twice, and then broke as Bramblin broke free. He swayed in place woozily, floating eye''s spinning and twirling like puppet''s dangling from strings. Before he snapped into reality, and the Bramblin took in Casket and Linh. "Casket¡ªStart with¡ªno that may scare it." Linh paused, "Just sit, let''s see how Bramblin reacts." Bramblin reacted by snarling, desiccated plant branch rasping against root, and a green glowing translucent vine shot out at the speed of fast, and swung left to right. It swayed in the air and lunged towards Casket¡ªvaguely, it lurched side to side, as if Bramblin''s vision was swaying. Casket dodged with a leap, and then it came around again and stopped inside Casket, instead of passing through or smacking her down. An opaque patch of realer looker green flowed down the vine, from Casket to Bramblin, then it popped off, rotting in the air. "You hurt?" Linh shouted at Casket, she barked no. "You weaker?" Casket barked yes, head bobbing. Linh assessed Bramblin¡ªhis branches seemed sturdier, somehow. More life to wood long dried. Strength Sap. Drain the Pok¨¦mon''s strength to heal. "Okay, it''s aggressive, Shadow Sneak¡ªlimbs!" Paws peeled up from Casket''s shadow, and dove forwards¡ªthree disjointed forelegs, with claws extending out from them. Bramblin rolled away from one with unsteady gait¡ªperhaps poisoned? Then another hit a glancing blow and Bramblin bounced away with a rattle of seeds inside the hollow branches. This caused the last to miss¡ªBramblin threw himself with the attack. Bramblin responded with a Spiteful look, his eyes spun and a most baleful glare slammed into Casket. The roughage at the base of the bush rasped and creaked, and it somehow came off as a scathing insult. Croaked from a smoker''s lungs. Casket growled, and then slumped¡ªSpite. A move to induce unnatural exhaustion in a foe. Linh frowned, Casket was weakened and drained¡ªnot ideal. He needed to end this. Fast. Bramblin turned a gimlet eye to Linh, and rasped at him too. Hisses from a pissy bush. A bush that has been trapped in exhaust fumes¡ªwith toxins and off-gasses building up until it backed all the way to the engine. ... Actually, it won''t take much, one Lick for paralysis and the tumbleweed should be caught easily. "Casket, go for Sneak¡ªwalk this time, and then once you''re in, Lick." Casket dove into her shadow, but this presented a potential problem¡ªwith a disorientated Bramblin losing track of the Greavard, he could instead target the other creature, noisy and moving. He did, with a spray of Bullet Seeds. Badly aimed, but each one could knock a tooth out. Linh yelped and ducked as the salvo landed in the bush behind him¡ªand then paused, as he heard a crackling screech. Looking up, he saw Casket slapping the Bramblin with her tongue. Yellow lightning arcing over the plant like static. "Well done¡ªCasket! Just in time too!" He stood up, and threw a Pok¨¦ball. It rocked twice, but clicked at the end. Chapter 6 - Acclimation (Honey look what the dog dragged in.) A tiny plastic table, three flimsy chairs¡ªeach ornately decorated in the way only children''s toys can be, with stickers and moulded flourishes. A small girl sat in one chair, while two fully grown men occupied the others, their knees bent up to their chests. The ensemble was tucked into the corner of the break room, on the bottom floor of the League¡¯s main building. The place functioned more like a daycare than a break room. When government drones had no choice but to bring their kids to work, they left them here¡ªto sit quietly on the couch, absorbed in their phones, or to make a racket and take it outside for a Pok¨¦mon battle. At this time of day, it was mostly empty. Apart from the three having a tea party. Linh, one of the men, was leaning over the tiny table, his phone resting on its surface. The harsh fluorescent lights above reflected off the screen, distorting the images as he scrolled. "So this is Bramblin¡ª" "Wow cool!" Poppy reached out and took the phone in both hands. "So green!" Linh leaned over, and pointed at the plant. "No¡ªthat''s the plastic tree I put next to his bed, he''s the dead brown bush in the pot next to it. The taller one." Larry took the teapot and poured the water inside into his dainty teacup. "Mm. I''m not familiar with that species, but he sounds Grass typed to me. How''d you catch him?" "A poor story, actually. He hitched a ride from Asado on a truck. Problem was, he was breathing in the truck''s fumes the entire ride. Left him disorientated and sick when we got him unstuck." "Oh no!" Poppy gasped. "I smelled a truck before, they smell nasty!" "Troublesome," Larry clicked his teeth. "I do hope you made sure to have him checked over by Nurse Joy." Linh nodded firmly, "Straight to the Pok¨¦centre, yes. They wanted a weeks stay to be sure, but he was perfectly stable by the third. He''s a tough one, alright." "Discharged fine?" Larry asked. Linh nodded. Then Poppy spoke up, "What happened next?" She asked, eyes sparkling. "Well," he responded, "Afterwards I spoke to a Ranger¡ªshe gave me a few tips on where I needed to look to care for Bramblin, but then gave an offer to take him and relocate him back to his natural environment? Which is a bit of a mixed message." "It''s reasonable." Larry said, his cup clinked against the table, and he poured the teapot. "Ranger''s prefer to leave Pok¨¦mon with their catchers, in hopes of more trainers. But they''re obligated to provide alternatives." He paused, then leaned towards Poppy, "Which is good, if someone feels they can''t take care of a Pok¨¦mon its better for a ranger to take it and relocate to a better place, instead of releasing the Pok¨¦mon to a bad habitat. Or worse, abandoning it." "What''s the difference?" Linh asked, "Between releasing and abandoning." Larry leaned towards Linh, "Releasing means to release from the Pok¨¦ball, so the Pok¨¦mon can be recaptured. Abandoning means to leave the Pok¨¦mon without doing that¡ªwhich means they can''t be put in another Pok¨¦ball, so they can''t be captured if they prove hostile." Linh thought about Casket, resting in his shadow. He thought about if she stayed angry, back at the graveyard, and no one could capture her to get away. He looked back up, to see both others looking grim, remembering about their own incidents. A beat, before Poppy squared up, and spoke with a cheer. "So, what is Bramblin like? Is he happy staying with you?" She asked, curious as a child. "Well..." The Pok¨¦ball opened, a tumbleweed rolled out of the light beam. "Okay, Bramblin, you''ll be staying here for the time being while we wait for my call''s to get returned." Linh said, he was at the front door, just locked behind him. "So move around¡ªexplore a little! I''ll be setting up some¡ªhello? Hello?" Bramblins first action upon being released was not hiss or attack Linh, or look around the room with fresh eyes, but instead, running away. He rolled around the corner, and the distinctive fwip, fwip, of unfurling vines signalled he was sling-shotting himself around. "Okay." Linh said quietly to himself, his coat hanging off of his arms. "Guess he''s excited. Or skittish." There were loud thumps from the floor above, as something crawled/rolled. And then there was a crash, Linh felt a sinking feeling in his soul. "In retrospect, Bramblin cover miles every day, putting one in my house wasn''t especially clever." As he followed the path up the stairs, he rubbed the floor with his foot. "I hope the thorns won''t scuff this. " - Linh found Bramblin where the damage was. Where the stair banister had pricks in the lacquer, where the bedroom door swung on it''s hinges. And where the bed frame had gouges in the wood. At the bottom edges. Bramblin was hiding under the bed, with the blanket hanging over, and darkening the underside. Linh lifted the blanket, and in the dark under the bed frame, two red angular eyes shone. It hissed, air escaping dried wood, and a single seed shot out. Linh snapped his hand back, "Ow." He inspected the red impact, bruised. The blanket fell back and the Bramblin''s hissing stopped. Linh frowned, then stood up, and walked away. He came back with a plate¡ªa berry on top. He left it on the floor, outside of the bed''s dark. When Linh checked in later, there was no sign of Bramblin, but there was an empty plate. - Linh looked up from his book, and froze. There, on the coffee table, Bramblin sat. Staring at him. The two seed-shaped eyes floating placidly. "...Hey...?" Bramblin''s eyes flicked towards Linh''s finished plate. And a vine snaked out from between the roots. Long and stringy, and made of cracked dead bark. It smacked Linh''s plate on the ground. "Oi!" Linh sat up. He glared as Bramblin stared evenly back. Slowly, far slower, another vine reached out¡ªtowards Linh''s empty glass. "I see where this is going..." The vine slowly crept up, and lightly touched the glass, it shifted an inch towards the table''s edge. "There will be consequences for this..." It dared. Linh caught the glass and grimaced in a pained way. They both knew there would be no consequences for this. - Bramblin was dozing. Not on his bed¡ªa pot of soil set near a window on the ground floor, where the sun could beat down for photosynthesis. Nor upstairs, where the sun shines through the bedroom''s window at midday, and leaves a bright warm square on the floor. Not even on the balcony, where a long trough of soil hangs from the railing. No, Bramblin was resting on the patio''s lattices, below that balcony. The crosshatch roof, where vines climbed and clung to. Bramblin sat on top as an immobile bush, with it''s two floating eyes not floating, instead face down in the base of the tumbleweed. Where roots met branch. Linh leaned over the balcony, and when his shadow covered the sunlight Bramblin slept in, Bramblin woke. He glared upwards. Linh walked away. - Linh sat on the toilet. In his hand''s, a phone running a forgotten video. He was watching the closed door. Under that door, between the tiles and the wood, in the gap in between, there were vines. Thorny brown dried vines. With the skin cracking like dried roots. Each one were probing underneath, snaking left or right, with a curious rasp as a new vine appears. Curious, he pressed lightly down on one. It retracted so fast that the thorn''s caught, and a thin red line of beaded blood formed on the tip of his finger. Then another vine stuck under the doorframe. ''Krrsch?'' - Linh stood at the table, with a bowl of food in his hand. He looked down at the Bramblin in the chair. "Give me my chair," he said. Bramblin rasped, and when Linh reached towards him, batted back with a thorny whip. It left red score marks in his skin, but drew no blood. Linh ate on the sofa, sitting on the edge of the armrest, and looking a different way. "He sounds mean." Poppy pouted, chin on the table as she listened. Larry corrected her, "He seems stand-offish. Which isn''t a bad thing to be, wanting to keep distance." "Like you, Larry? When you try to go home early?" Poppy asked, "Rika says that''s when I have to talk to you, so you don''t get all mopey!" Linh tapped the table, "He''s right in some ways, and Rika''s right in other ways. Larry deserves to have time to himself, but also he''d be a very poor friend if he didn''t make time for you as well. Does he make time for you?" Poppy hummed, remembering her day. "...No?" Linh pointed at the table, where they were having teatime. "Yes!" Poppy jumped in her seat. Linh nodded, and smiled. "That''s right¡ªso it''s not so bad if he decides to take some extra time for himself. For the day." Larry shot him a not un-pleased look. Linh picked up the teapot, "More tea, Poppy?" Poppy held up her teacup, and said, "Please and thank you!" She giggled as he poured water into the suspended cup, with some difficulty with how much Poppy was moving it. Larry frowned down at his own cup, the dregs of water sticking at the bottom. "Truthfully, I''m still hesitant with drinking this. Are you sure this toy is food-grade?" "Eh, the microplastics just keep our skin clear. It''s basic biology." The teapot sloshed as Linh waved it. He then glanced at Poppy. "Don''t repeat that." "So, Linh." Larry leaned forwards, elbow''s on the very low table, his knees enclosed by the arms. "Has there been any issues with how Casket and Bramblin interact? Or do they avoid each other." "That''s no good if they avoid one another," Poppy frowned. "Not if they''re living in the same house. Also what''s microplastics?" Linh ignored the child''s question. Or rather, avoided it as if Poppy asked about where babies came from. "ACTUALLY¡ªvery well! Sure. There was a lot of swatting and bapping at first, and Casket seemed to get confused and think it''s affection near the end. But they''ve been getting along seemingly. Some weird behaviour, but I''ve been chalking that up to Ghost Pok¨¦mon things. I think they''re bonding activities, or maybe games?" The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. One day Linh came across Bramblin staring at a wall. "What are you doing?" He looked down to Casket, dogging his ankles. "What is he doing?" Casket approached, padding on paws, and sniffed and snuffled at Bramblin''s roots. She then quietly turned, sitting and staring at the same wall. "What are you two doing?" He asked, perplexed. ''Parrently, staring. At the wall¡ªno, the corner where the wall meets roof. Silence, studious silence. Slowly, Linh came to a choice, and sat cross-legged behind them. Staring at the same corner. He had time on his hands, and if Casket wanted to stare at the brickworks with Bramblin instead of play with him, then Lin might as well join them. Who was he to stop them? With the sun shining sideways, spreading across the window and stretching its bright shadow along the floor, Linh sat in the sunspot, air swathed in heat. He stared at the wall, hands in his lap and spine straight. He admired the smooth, flat, surface, the straight perfect corner, sharp with edges and joints. Maybe, there was something there? He was starting to feel a chill in the air, or rather, a lack of heat. The sun has moved past its place, it no longer shown through the house and stretched across the room. And that wall, the thick paint, was it always that texture? Surely not, it looked like it was over-painted, fat dollops left to dry. Linh did not remember the last time he blinked, and as he made that realisation, he noticed how dry and itchy his eyes were, and the fatigue must have made the wall funny, too. The bulge seemed to be growing before his eyes, looking like five sausages, five small logs, pushing out of the wall in a spread pattern¡ªno! That''s a hand! A sharp inhale of shock, Linh blinked, and the wall was flat again. The corner smooth and finely fitted. Linh looked down, his Pok¨¦mon were glaring disappointingly at the corner. "Well, better luck next time." Linh commented, even though he didn''t know what they were looking for. He ruffled Caskets fur/ - When next Linh saw Casket and Bramblin together, it was when he was locking up the door for the night. They toddled towards the locked door together, and when Linh moved to speak Casket gave a pointed look¡ªan ask to be quiet. Linh watched as they quietly listened to the door. Before Casket leaned up and stood on her hind legs, and bapped the door twice. Knock! Knock! It sounded so distinct in that quiet night. Linh held his breath as Casket and Bramblin leaned towards the door. Listening for something above the sound of their breathes. Linh was about to speak up, but then the ghosts sprinted away, towards the kitchen¡ªLinh raced to catch up, and inside he saw them sitting quietly by the window, locked by the handle. Slowly, Bramblin reached out, and whipped the glass lightly, leaving naught a scratch. Knock! Knock! They listened carefully, and as far as Linh could tell; nothing responded. Then they were off again! Circling around his legs and sprinting away. He heard the thumps of them storming upstairs. Linh found them at the steeple-tower''s circular window, but the stairs were tall and they were fast. He heard them knock multiple times on the other window''s around the house. The backdoor and the basement''s door as well. Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Linh took the spiral staircase two at the time, and watched as they crowded on the small ledge of the steeple''s window. Knock! Knock! And something responded. Or rather, in that quiet moment where the ghosts listened, and Linh lurked, they heard something shuffling. As if a long coat or dress dragged along the rough ground outside. This was the second story. Both ghosts started wailing, making sound. Unearthly howls and ragged barks, and the rasping of a bush dried to dust. Their howl''s were undercut by the stomping outside the window, something in that dark running away entirely. Linh stood in awe as Casket and Bramblin stopped, something was out there! Something ghosty! Then he realised that the ghosts have left him again, sprinting down the stairs. Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Howl, rasp. Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Howl, rasp. Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Howl, rasp. Knock! Knock! Howl! Rasp! Knock! Knock! HOWL! RASP! Linh sprinted after them, and nearly tripped as he turned the corner, stumbling over their still bodies. The front door was unlocked, a crack open. The ghosts pushed it closed and pulled Linh''s hand towards the lock. And then they searched the house together. But no matter where they looked, they found nothing. "So what came in?" Poppy asked, sipping from her cup. "Idunno, some sort of house intruder." "Did you die?" She asked earnestly, eyes sparkling. "Mommy says if I let strangers into my house they could be dangerous." Linh looked down at himself, twisting his body, "I don''t feel very dead." Poppy nodded. "Good." She set her cup down and stated authoritatively, "Then it''s a nice house intruder." Larry was leaning back, thinking heavily. A flash of realisation came to him, and he spoke up unexpectedly. "Type games." "Pardon?" Linh. "Type games," Larry repeated. "Pok¨¦mon of shared types seem to have universal games, little social activities, that only they can get." "Oh, like self-quenching!" Poppy piped up. Larry nodded. At Linh''s confused look, she continued. "Sometimes my Steel Pok¨¦mon want to stick their limbs in the fire for a bit, until it''s all glowy and hot. And then they go diving into some nearby water. And then they do it again and again!" Larry nodded again. "It''s a classic example of a Type game, if your Pok¨¦mon are playing together then something must be going right." Linh refilled his cup, smiling. "Wonderful, I was thinking that when I caught Bramblin letting Casket sleep in his pot. Wasn''t... exactly happy about it because this was just after a bath and made Casket dirty again." Poppy threw her head back, suddenly sighing exhaustively. "Bathing is sooo hard! I have to do it so often! Mama won''t let the maids help me but some of my Pok¨¦mon don''t try to bathe themselves! Copperajah likes being filthy!" Linh commiserated, somewhat. "Casket picks up so much dirt just from running around, but thankfully, Bramblin seems to have a good handle on his own cleaning." "Makes sense, Grass type''s like getting into water, which helps wash away their dirt." "Not like that¡ªBramblin runs a special scraping stalk along his body, and that scrapes away the dirt. It all collects in the base and seems to mix with the soil when he roots while sleeping." "Soil¡ªah, yes. I remember that your Bramblin''s bedding is a soil pot." Larry said, "Do you give anything special, or is it just dirt?" "''Just dirt'' would be fighting words in certain communities," Linh joked. "But no, there''s this fertiliser targeted to Ghost-Grass, states that it has special calcium supplements, from long dead sea creatures." "So you use that?" "No, I buy seashells wholesale, crush them, and mix them with the cheapest no-brand fertiliser I could find. Is the same according to the ingredients label. A cup full a day mixed into the soil and that covers Bramblin''s nutritional needs. Although ever since he had warmed up to me, I''ve needed less. No need to feed from the soil what I give. Doesn''t hurt that I''ve got a lot of treats as well." Poppy perked up, "Treats? Like Berries? Or those doggy biscuits you give Casket?" "Nah¡ªit''s..." Today was a day of celebration; first, the expensive overseas items Linh ordered has delivered. And second, Bramblin has willingly rolled onto Linh''s chest, eye''s buried in his roots, and a soft scraping rumble as he shifted against the warmth slab. It was so precious to Linh that he barely had the power to get up and actually open the packages. But he had to get up eventually. He sat up and caught Bramblin before he could roll out of his lap. And awkwardly carried the tumbleweed towards the box¡ªcheap shipping cardboard packed with peanuts There were a grid of colourful boxes, all stacked on top of each other. With faux-gold leaf the lettering. Highly respected and reputable brands of Incense sticks. The kind that you burn before a shrine or a memorial. Or you use to feed your Ghost Pok¨¦mon. Giving away your life force, through a medium man-made instead of their naturally evolved methods. You can achieve the same thing with a bouquet of flowers, or pouring a beer can out for them. Linh got out a small bowl, shallow. The kind sauces are put in instead of food. This would be where he placed the incense as it burned, leaning on the bowl lip. Casket sat before him and Bramblin on top of him as he worked. Snapping open the taped cardboard with a loud rip and rolling his fingers across paper sleeves each stick was protected by, packed tight. He tossed one lightly away and it rolled, Casket chasing it. And held up a lighter to another. A visible flame on the tip. He extinguished it, and left only the embers left. Lying in the bowl, it burned away slowly¡ªa glow weak, with a singly wispy smoke tray. It gave a heady scent of frankincense and sandalwood. Linh breathed in and tried to feel it''s effect¡ªhow the act of lighting linked himself to the stick, and the smoke would carry bits of his life force, to be inhaled and absorbed by the Pok¨¦mon. ...Mostly, he felt like a weight was off of him, he opened his eyes. And Bramblin was no longer in his lap. He looked around, Bramblin was not near Casket, nor was he lurking in the far corners of the room or sunning at the window. A shuffle, and Linh looked down to see the incense box shifting. He picked it up, and inside it looked like someone has shoved bundles of dead sticks and thorns. Two angular eyes floated in between the branches, staring placidly at Linh. "Well, that explains how you fit inside that exhaust, but not how you got there." After a moment, Larry spoke up. "So, did you respond back to those rangers?" "Hm?" "Those rangers, who offered to relocate Bramblin." Larry continued. "Oh! I want to know too! Did you keep or release!" Poppy asked. Linh woke up when something dense and furry elbow dropped onto him. Hitting what felt like every vital organ in his chest. "I''m up. I''m up." He grumbled, sleep rubbed into his eyes. "Normally it''s Bramblin that wakes me up y''know...?" Linh looked over the side of the bed, there on the carpet, was Casket. Sitting on her haunches. On top of the bedside table was Bramblin, cackling creakily. Linh still felt the heavy wait of something, on top of the blanket. He looked down, and gingerly drew the blanket away. "Oh fuck that''s Dolores''s Pawmi." Dolores, the sweet old lady who uses a walker and has a thousand wildly inconsistent stories on how she met her husband. And he has the twitching corpse of her Pawmi on his lap. "Oh Bramblin," fear, pale shaded on his face. A hand reaches up to his cheek. "What have you done!" Bramblin rolled his eyes, literally, the eyes made an aileron roll. Then a small seed shot out, and smacked into Pawmi''s cheek. Pawmi twitched, turning over and showing eye''s conked out. Not glassy. Linh breathed out, relieved. "Feinted only." His hands prodded Pawmi, checking the body in the standard pattern the Pok¨¦centre recommends. Surface, to check for blood or other fluid''s leaking. Chest, to feel the heartbeat or other organ''s pulsing. And head, for swellings or otherwise. No, nothing. No signs of deeper injuries. Linh sighed, then looked away. "Bramblin¡ªno, Casket. Take Pawmi away, yeah? Let Pawmi sleep off this... whatever, back at Dolores''s place." He picked up Pawmi, dropped her unceremoniously on Casket''s back, and watched her toddle away. "And you," Linh pointed at Bramblin. "What do you have to say for yourself?" Bramblin ''mrp''d. Tilting slightly to the side. "Don''t mrp, me." Linh scowled. Bramblin hopped from end table to bed, and snuggled into Linh''s side. The thorns pricked, but not any harsher then a dull knife. "...Okay, fine." Linh grinned to himself, sitting up in bed, one leg bent and a hand resting on the other. He shook his head in silence, and then looked up in a quiet moment, "... Hey. Bramblin. How about a name?" Bramblin made a burring noise, a noise like ''mrp?'' "Yeah, a name¡ªsomething to make you my Bramblin. My Pok¨¦mon. My friend. Bramblin rasped, it sounded agreeable, but indifferent. "I''ll take that." Linh sat up straight. Thinking. "How about¡ª" "Well. I¡¯m keeping him, obviously." Linh''s response was quick, matter of fact. "Even though he breaks your stuff?" Larry asked. "Well¡ªyes-" "And even though he keeps on trying to break into your bathroom?" Larry parried, hiding his smile behind his cup. "And¡ªyes, but-" Linh could already tell what was about to happen. "Oh! Even though he brings wild Pok¨¦mon into your house?" Poppy waved her arm in the air. Linh gently slapped his hand against the table and cut the air with the other. "I thought I could trust you Poppy," a look of mock-hurt. "But yes, yes, a thousand times yes! He¡¯s feral, uncooperative, and just the worst. But that doesn¡¯t matter. "He¡¯s a menace, but he¡¯s my Menace." Chapter 7 - Final Checks (Last Minute Changes)
The door to Rika''s apartment was being unlocked, lock rattling in its cage. Objectively weird, because Rika was home and she was expecting no more guests. The door opened, a women stepped through, with ridiculously long and thick hair, cut with blue accents. "Rika¡ªmy apologies for dropping in unannounced, but I just wanted to check on¡ªoh." She paused. There, pausing in their conversation, were three unexpected guests. There was Larry, and there was Hassel. And a third man who she did not recognise. They were seated at a table with four chairs, an array of cards in front of them, and the ensemble facing a wall-mounted TV. Playing a rerun of one of Rika''s preferred telenovelas on mute. "Boss." Larry greeted. Hassel waved, with a smile screwing up his crow eyes. The third man raised his hand perfunctorily, a greeting of a stranger. Geeta noted all of them with a polite but dismissive smile. "Rika''s just freshening up, she''ll be back soon." "Thank you Larry." Geeta came forwards and rested her arms on the empty chair. "I''ll just wait here, please. Forget I''m here." Ever dutiful Larry obeyed, "Linh," he gestured to the man Geeta did not recognise. "Your turn?" He said. Linh, presumably although Geeta has made bigger mistakes and has avoided consequences through being quiet about it, coughed, and checked his hand. He placed two cards face down on the pile, "Two queens. And Hassel, what were you saying about your student? A... Darcy, right?" Larry cut in, flipped the two cards, showing a king and a three. "Bullshit." Linh scowled, and took the entire pile, adding it to his hand. "Work on your poker face young sprout!" Hassel chuckled at the look on his face. "And yes, Darcy. Fine young woman. Why, her latest submission brought me to tears! And, three two''s." Larry laid down four cards. "Four queens." "Oh screw off." Linh flipped over the cards good-naturedly. "There, see? Garbage. Take your cards back." He turned to Hassel. "And I thought you didn''t like those sort of... well it''s a troll piece. It''s absurdism taken to the point where it¡¯s mocking the viewer." Hassel nodded, "Naturally, I''m fully aware I am biased towards naturalism. Nothing Darcy could make could appeal to me, not without destroying her unique style. But that is precisely why I like her. Such passion! Such unafraid baring of her soul! I have instructed her to make me hate each and every one of her sculptures more and more. "Darcy has succeeded every time, I couldn''t be prouder." Linh''s eyes widened."You''re not her target audience, you can''t be. So she must seek to appeal to her fans as much as possible, instead of creating something milquetoast and bland." Hassel grinned, and reached over, and gently laid a hand on Linh''s knee. "Precisely, join my art class." Linh gently brushed the hand off, but he smiled apologetically. "Ah, would like that, I think." He paused, "But I''m actually going to be busy for the foreseeable future. Almost enough now. Three two''s." "Your country tour?" Hassel said. "Two one''s." Geeta, still leaning on the empty chair, had been content to watch in silence¡ªuntil now. "Planning a trip? May I ask about that?" "Oh, I never did the badge challenge in my youth." Linh remarked. "So I''m going to do it soon, T-M. Once I''ve got enough." "Never had the opportunity?" Geeta asked. "Yes¡ªactually." Geeta smiled, "Well, I''m happy you''ve chosen to have your much overdue journey here. Paldea''s a fine place to adventure. Safe and strong. You''ll be in good hands here." Hassel chuckled. "She''s very proud about that, Linh." "Why wouldn''t I be? I''m proud that my country is so safe that many children can journey. Just look at Poppy!" She kept her smile, then she frowned, "Although, few do. Children that young tend to prefer staying with their parents then adventure." Three people gave her questioning glances. Then Linh pointed to the pile. "Also, Cheat Hassel. Don''t think we didn''t see th¡ªDon''t! Pull a face, you''re at one card, of course someone will call!" Hassel chuckled and shook his head. He flipped the cards and showed off two one''s. Linh groaned, Larry tossed down his cards in disgust. "Ah, Poppy. Real adventurous girl. This''ll be her third gym challenge, you know?" "Third?" Linh asked, "Why would she do it again, then?" Geeta answered that. "To train up a new Elite Four capable team, of course. Completely unnecessary, but it lets her have her fun." A non-committal noise, letting the conversation die. Larry made an outrageously audacious lie and was called out for it. And Geeta let her gaze drift around the room. Waiting for Rika to come back. Linh broke the silence again, "It''s surprising that this country''s so peaceful, if kids can roam the country side with a pack of fire breathing Pok¨¦mon. Or water breathing, or hurricane summoning. Surely somewhere out there, there is a band of rugrats looking for people to happen to." Before anyone could respond, Linh continued. "It¡¯s a wonder Poppy hasn¡¯t started any trouble. You know how impulsive kids at that age can get," Linh muttered offhandedly. Truly? Geeta hadn''t considered so¡ªnot before. But then Geeta did not keep a close eye on Poppy as she was out there, having fun. And, last year, there were a group of trainers running around and being... disruptive. At Poppy''s second run. Poppy wouldn''t have taken part, likely stopping it if she''d stumbled on them. But still, having Poppy in the area while Geeta was handling it would have been... chaotic. "Alright! I''m back, what''d I miss¡ªGeeta?" Rika stumbled, surprised at her visitor. She rubbed the back of her head. "Ah, Rika. I was looking for you." Geeta stood up and smoothly moved past Rika, a light touch guiding her away for some privacy. "I wanted to follow up on some things..." There was a man sitting at the battle court on the roof of the League''s headquarters. Geeta was watching him through her office''s blinds. He was sitting on the edge, leg''s hanging off. By his side, a Bramblin. Geeta glanced up towards the clock on her wall. Almost time for lunch, she called it early, and came down the elevator. Curious. "Linh yes? I don''t recall this area being open to the public." She called out, stride quick but unhurried. "I gathered," Linh unexpectedly confessed. "Given the context clues. But is it really trespassing if no one checks?" "Yes." Geeta said, but instead of escorting Linh out, she stood behind him, staring out towards the horizon. The headquarters sat at the top of a slope, hugging the great caldera of Paldea. It overlooked Mesagoza, with its skyline cutting up the great hills in the distance. "Darn. You hear that Menace?" Linh looked down at the Bramblin, "Guess we''re criminals. Might as well enjoy the view before it''s jail for a thousand years." "...It is quite a view." Geeta agreed. "But no, there''s no harm staying up here. It''ll be ''a little secret''." Quiet, as they watched the world. Linh fiddled with the plastic container, bits of leftover rice stuck to the inside. Bramblin dozed in the sun, and Geeta simply took in the air. A minute passed, before Geeta noticed Linh wasn''t watching the view, but scrolling on his phone. "What could be better to look at then Paldea?" Geeta chuckled. Linh startled, and then turned. "Mmm, better¡ªnot at all. But it''s more stimulation then the land." He mumbled to himself the next part, ''Internet''s still got its grip on me''. Then spoke up, "''M just doomscrolling¡ªbrowsing the media and the algorithm''s demented desire to show sad things." He flipped the phone around, a rolling list of news articles on LCDs. "Look¡ªstory about copyright theft. Story about some influencer doubling down on being terrible. And here! Some kid getting hypothermia because they saw a Pok¨¦mon in a blizzard and rushed out without thinking." Geeta saw a flash of cracked skin, "That''s enough, thank you." She looked away. She had heard the horror stories, and had no interest in seeing any more. Not in her shining Paldea! ...Although she weeps to say, Geeta knows that her Paldea isn''t as safe as she wants it to be. The air taxi''s have the supplies and training needed to pararescue anyone within range. But their coverage isn''t infinite, and sometimes an injury can tip over before someone can arrive and stabilise. And what if Poppy runs into those troubles? Not any danger from the wild Pok¨¦mon¡ªnot with how strong Poppy is. But from the environment itself. If she gets lost or her equipment gets damaged or¡ª Well. Geeta won''t dare to think about it any further. "... Terrible situation. Journeys shouldn''t be like that." Geeta muttered. "Huh? No¡ªthis wasn''t¡ªah." Linh shifted. "You worry that Poppy may encounter something like this? When she''ll leave in...what, a month from now?" Geeta sighed, and stepped forwards. She ignored Bramblin''s warning hiss and thorny vine and sat besides Linh. Her legs to her chest, immaculate dark fabric stained at the bottom by grass. "Her safety has been on my mind more recently. Yes. She''s handled herself just fine both times before. But... well. It''s proper to worry still." Because Geeta was leaning forwards, she did not see Linh''s satisfied smile at that statement. "Well." He began. "Perhaps, if you worry that much. Why not get Poppy to delay¡ªor just not¡ªgo? Can''t get into any trouble or danger if she''s safely home." Geeta could¡ªno, no... "It''s not impossible. But I don''t want to hurt Poppy like that¡ªshe want''s to go, her parents approve of it. But she''s strong, she''s Elite Four. Her Pok¨¦mon are strong¡ªI''m proud of every trainer in Paldea, ''her shining jewels''. But most of all her." Linh frowned. One leg crossed over the other, and finger tapping on the ankle. Something unreadable was across his face. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Its not about how powerful her Pok¨¦mon are, its about whether she should even be unsupervised. He did not say. "As you say, she is a strong trainer." He said instead. There''s a community centre in every district, and each one hosts a party for the blocks abound for various reasons. In this case¡ªa fine couple has married, and their families decided to splash money around. A big excuse for communities to gather around and mingle, pensioners with tennis-ball-canes and old families with pedigree bellies and business suits on break and kids with sticky fingers. Geeta makes a habit of being seen at a few. Linh, for instance, is lurking near the buffet table; exploiting the bacon wrapped shrimp. He''s surrounded by old people from old money, sharing their greatest hits and doing the same. Stories from their past, with only the slight exaggeration common to many a fishing tale. They put up the air''s of urban gentry, but they''re regulars at bingo night. Geeta leaned on the balcony railing above, listening in. She noticed Linh''s glance upwards, and gave a little wave. Linh nodded back. "Ah, the summer of ''seventy nine! Now that was a year." The current spinner of yarn was Gilbert. Old, very well to do, with a waistcoat and a moustache straight out of a regency drama. "A great big summer storm¡ªit caught me right as I left the grand underground! Why, were it not for my brilliant Toady," he gestured to the Seismatoad besides him, in a pristine valet outfit and holding Gilbert''s platter. Very incongruous to the setting. "I would have been swept away!" "So, your the kind that prefers to explore alone, mm? Just you and your Pok¨¦mon against the world!" "Precisely my boy!" Gilbert laughed, and clapped Linh on the back a little to hard. "Oh, I''m sure many a man will say otherwise, but I''ve always found a solo hike is best!" Gilbert turned questioning. "Do you say otherwise?" "Going with a companion just sounds nicer. Doesn''t it? Someone to talk to. To relate to. To help you and get helped back." Linh started wistfully, before turning into something more sly. "And someone to drag you out of any messes caused." Gilbert laughed uproariously. "Reminds me of dear Lea! Why, have I ever told you about..." Geeta didn''t listen, her glass hung from her fingertips. A drop of wine trailing down it. "Someone to look out for you, huh..." She mused, looking into the distance. Poppy''s already had two solo journeys, perhaps she''ll like a companion for her next one? Linh''s boss was a very lax one, all things considered. The ''don''t bother coming back from lunch for a half hour. I won''t be there either,'' kind. He was Sakai Hannei, short, smug like a cat, and very much in love with his husband, Adam. He was also leaning back in his chair, balanced on two legs. Taking in the news Linh broke. "Leaving in two months, huh. Thanks for the heads up, but its a bit far away, ne? No two weeks notice." "It''s not like this is a weekend thing, I''ll be gone awhile. Aiming to get things done within the allotted vacation days, but I''m probably going over." "Mmh." Saika plucked a bit of ham from the bento box in front of him and tossed it to the ground. Where Casket, Linh''s Greavard, fought Saika''s Lechonk for it. "Actually, I think I have a few things still at home that could be useful to you. Notes, maps to hidden areas, a journal." "Oh you don''t have t¡ª" "I''ll have to check with Smashie." Let it never be said that Saika doesn''t love his husband, because he''ll never miss a chance to drop his affections to Mr. Smasher. He leaned forwards, his chair legs clacking against the floor, "Think of it as a substitute for your pay raise. Cuz¡ª" he waved over to the door to the server room, "You''ve done well enough." "...Thanks boss." "So, yeah¡ªit''ll take a bit, but I''m sure it''s somewhere in the attic. Should be able to give it sometim¡ª" A knock on the door behind them. Both looked up. "Come in!" Saika called. It was Geeta, her hair hanging out as she leaned in. "Excuse me, is a mister Linh here? I''ll like to have some words to him. In private." "Oh, Champion! Of course," Saika immediately stood up, hastily packing up some stuff. His food, a few pens, Casket and Lechonk. He was less packing up his things and more picking up items in an effort to seem busy. The door shut behind Geeta as Saika hurried through it. Arm full of puppy, pig, and food. He didn''t have the spare hands to keep his food from being eaten, but getting out of the champions way was more important. C''mon, she was the Champion! "So," Linh said, once privacy was established. "What can I do for you?" He asked, casually. No celebrity worship in him. Geeta took what was Saika''s seat, her hands lacing together. "So. I''m... sure, you are aware about our dear Poppy. And her... situation... with her planned journey?" "I am." Linh said. "And I hear from my delightful secretary, that you are planning your own journey, one later." "I am." With a hint of a questioning lilt. "And I was just thinking." Geeta looked down at the desk, and idly adjusted the lamp on it. Two fingers on the top and a thumb on the bottom. She tilted it up and met Linh''s gaze. "Paldea''s a large place, perfect for adventure. For exploration. But it''s also..." "Dangerous?" "No, no. But there are things to be cautious about. Thing''s that no normal journeying child would would stumble upon. Poppy''s no normal child." "And...?" "Welll." Geeta dithered. "It would be nice if Poppy had someone to keep an eye on her. Someone to make sure she''s eating well¡ªand calling back home and doing her homework. And yes, to keep her out of any trouble that may occur." Linh leaned back and crossed his arms, "I know when someone''s trying to manipulate me¡ªyou want me to volunteer to follow Poppy around Paldea." Geeta leaned forwards, "...If you''re offering." "I wouldn''t do it for free." Linh lied as easily as he breathed. "And while I am close to having enough money saved up, I don''t have everything." "Oh, money is nothing to get in the way of a journey." Geeta smiled, eyes closed. "Please, allow me to cover that for you. We can even make it offical. A proper job title: Elite Four assistant." "Then I have nothing to complain about. One journey, two members." Linh nodded firmly. "Was there anything else, ''boss''?" Geeta stood up, cheerful. "Oh, no. Thank you for your time¡ªI''ll leave you to your break." She called back as she walked out of the door. "Keep an eye on your email! We''ll make arrangements from there!" Linh nodded, then glanced at the clock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Once satisfied she wasn''t coming back, he chuckled. In that room, by himself, Linh smiled a secret smile. He feared he''d been too subtle, the way puzzle-makers overestimate the obviousness of their clues. But he''d also feared being too obvious. It''s threading a needle, but being unaware of the dimensions. It seems, however, that Linh succeeded in his amateur games. After all... The easiest way to get someone to do what you want is to get them to come to the conclusion themselves. ¡®It¡¯s a wonder Poppy hasn¡¯t started any trouble. You know how impulsive kids at that age can get.¡¯ ¡®Oh no, I was just doomscrolling¡­ Here¡¯s a story about some kid on their journey getting hypothermia.¡¯ ¡®Going with a companion just sounds nicer. Doesn''t it?¡¯ He wanted Poppy to be minded; Geeta wanted Poppy to be minded, he gets hired to pick up things after her. Everyone¡¯s happy! ¡­ Well, no. Linh wanted the pre-teen to be told she can¡¯t just wander around Paldea without parental supervision, but he takes what he can get. A small barking puppy came through the door. A second later, it opened, Saika. Linh swivelled his chair and leaned down, a more honest smile on his face as he caught the Greavard. "Oh, did you miss me so much that you ran through the door? Did you miss me girl? Did you?" He pulled her up to his lap and let her push into him as hard as she could. "She did." Saika said. "It only took thirty seconds before she was pawing at the door. You haven''t trained her to handle you going off without her, have you?" Linh pulled Casket away, doggy-paddling in the air. "No? Why would I?" There was a man waiting at the gates of the great academy of Mesagoza. It had lessons to all, from young to old. With ridiculously flexible timetables, to accommodate even the most abnormal schedule. And it had a great tradition¡ªone that every lesser school and learning-place in Paldea copies. In the middle of the school year, a break is offered. The ''Treasure Hunt''. Go anywhere, do anything. Explore, adventure. Find your unique treasure somewhere in Paldea. If you just spend that time lazing around at home. Oh well. If you use that time just keeping up with the lessons offered remotely, oh well. Both are fine, both are accepted. Most people use the Treasure Hunt as a time to start the Gym Challenge. Most fail and give up before they hit four badges, but they''ve been doing that for generations. And that makes it a tradition. One the League encourages¡ªso of course Poppy starts her journey at the academy. Even though she doesn''t actually go there. "Hello Mister Linh!" Poppy waved, running up to him. Linh stopped leaning on the gate''s pillars. The [COLOUR] banner faded where it hung, rubbed raw by countless others leaning on it just as Linh did. Behind Poppy, a Tinkaton followed. A big bag slung from the head of her hammer. Tinkie was the only Pok¨¦mon Poppy would take with her from her own team. Safety, and also someone to lug around her supplies. "You said your goodbyes?" Linh asked Poppy. "Yeah!" "You have your starter Pok¨¦mon?" Poppy nodded, "Mm-mm!" And she released a Pok¨¦mon from the shiny and new one at her waist. Five more shrunken ones right by it. The flash of light revealed a Riolu. "Meet Riolu! He''s one my dad got me! He''s going to evolve into Lucario and¡ª" And Poppy babbled about all the things Lucario can do. Meanwhile, Linh watched Riolu sniff the air, standing up on his tippy toes. And then sat on the floor and scratched her ears with her legs. Acting like a dog instead of the humanoid jackal he''s supposed to be. There were not a single thought behind those eyes. None of sentience or sapience. Certainly a unique specimen. Linh smiled and nodded, and then spoke in between Poppy''s excited breaths. "Then, and this is most important." Linh continued. Poppy leaned in. "Have you told Casket she''s a good girl today?" Linh looked down, where Casket was sitting by his feet. Staring forwards dumbly. Poppy broke into a wide grin. "You''re a good girl, Casket!" Casket did not respond, bar her mouth opening and a dumb tongue tasting the air. "Then lead the way." Linh gestured. And Poppy ran down the road away from the academy. Arms straight out like an air plane. Linh followed along more sedately, with the sun on his left and the morning chill in the air. It smelled of fresh beginnings. A fresh start waited and prepared for, gladly taken. ARC END: HOME. ARC START: JOURNEY (A Swing and a Miss!)
Asking a preteen to walk the length of Paldea is, of course, completely unrealistic. Thus: the use of a Cyclizar. These quadrupedal lizards exist to carry people long distances, only rivalled by the humble horse. Linh led one by a leash, one tied around his wrist and the other end gently held in Cyclizar''s mouth. He strode forwards calmly, paced. At his feet, before him, two shadows stretched out. One was of him, a thin pillar. The other was a small dog, stretching to the side and climbing up the wall. With long shaggy fur and bearing a candle. Every tenth step, Casket the Greavard fell out of that shadow. And every eleventh step, Linh gently pushed her back in. Practise makes perfect, and eventually Casket would be able to Shadow Sneak¡ªShadow Walk, inside his shadow twenty-four-seven. On Cyclizar, Poppy rested. Seated on the scaled back. She sat back straight, with eyes forwards. She''s walked this pass before¡ªwith her parents and by herself. So she had the bridge''s traditional stonework well remembered. Riolu, her Riolu, just behind her, did not. It seemed to his mind that every sun-worn stone, every mossy growth, every rebar reinforcement, was worth thorough inspection by nose, paw, and tongue. Linh turned his gaze back, curious at the curiosity. "Poppy," he began. "About Riolu¡ª" "Hm? What about him?" They stopped walking and looked at Riolu. Riolu had found a pebble, and was gnawing on it. Linh continued, "Does he seem... different, somehow." Poppy gently on Cyclizars neck, and they continued moving. "He''s funny. It''s why I picked him!" Linh hummed. "How''d you pick him, then? From what I remember, Lucario enclaves and units prefer to choose their trainer, rather then get chosen." Poppy bounced in her seat, sliding sideways until Cyclizar shifted and popped a step, throwing Poppy back up. "I dun go to them, they go to me! When I asked Tinkie and Rajah," Rajah referred to Copperajah, an elephant with oxidised copper skin, "Where I could find a new ace, they left into the outdoors and came back with Riolu''s and Lucarios! Geeta says that''s an arm-ou-ry call." "And out of all the one''s you could choose, you chose him," Linh remarked, not reproachfully. "Yeh. He''s perfect." The conversation died as they left the bridge, exchanging textured brick for pavement. The footpath had a brother it connected to, a car path to the side. As while the bridge they crossed was old and large, strong after the test of time; it did not have the strength to hold the endless trucks that fuelled and fed the city. So a modern bridge ran beside and below an old bridge, river water splitting around the pillars, Marill and Azurill hopping onto and off of the piers. Linh and Poppy ignored them, and the Pok¨¦mon living in the road-lining hedges and in the air. Spewpa chewed leaves in the thickets, and Hoppip drifted along the air, bumping off of various things that stood taller then the passing cars. A fork in the road. "Which path, Poppy?" Linh asked. "Right¡ªTo Katy!" Poppy pointed to the path labelled ''Cortondo'' by the road sign. "Katy''s an odd name for a town. Are you sure we''re going to Katy?" Poppy frowned, "No-oo-uh, Katy''s a woman, she''s down that path!" She hopped in her seat, finger bobbing. "Are you sure? People can move, are we sure Katy''s down this path?" Linh teased. "Maybe she''s decided to be at the other end of this path?" He pointed down the other road. "Nooooooo!" Poppy cried out. "Oh, okay." Linh took the correct path, and patted the pouting Poppy''s head. "Oh don''t pout, why don''t you tell me about Katy? She''s the... Bug type Gym Leader, yeah?" "Yeah..." Poppy paused, vacantly thinking. "What about? I know lots of things." Linh gave that question some thought, shoes crunching loose leaves on the pavement. Without a brick wall, Casket hid on the floor. And every so often, a leaf or a twig disappeared into the shadow. And then fell out again, Casket''s grip slipping on it like drool between teeth. "I suppose I would like to know," Linh said. "About what she''s like. Her personality. How she treats you." "She''s sweet, she always has these honey candies on her," Poppy said. "Says they''re for Teddiursa, but she always gives me one when we meet. Um..." Seeing her struggle with what to say, Linh interrupted. "Does she like anything?" "Uh. Her bakery. And her gym¡ªum. Maybe?" Poppy tapped her index fingers together, "She doesn''t like talking about her gym duties, but she likes battling?" Linh nodded and hummed. He pointed upwards, a split in the road travelling up the slope. "Route?" They could continue down the road, but that was for cars, and cut through the vegetation. Wheres the Route path meandered through, and was for hikers. Poppy didn''t say anything, she just steered Cyclizar up the path. Pavement exchanged for packed dirt surrounded by trimmed bushes. A steepish angle that Cyclizar and Riolu cleared with easy. Although Linh did slow the pace, little dirt bits dug out by harsh steps. The top of the slope revealed a prairie that stretched out, dominated with grass a darker shade then a lawn''s. Coarse grass feeding heavily on the fertile soil. Sparse trees and shrubs grew where they could, those that survived the grazing of passing Pok¨¦mon and beasts. "About Katy¡ªshe wants to ba¡ª" Linh started, but then a loud bark cleared the air. There, on top of the next slope over. A single Maschiff, a dog like a Mastiff, barked aggressively. He posed dramatically, intentionally. Poppy brightened up at the sight, and got off Cyclizar and waved both hands in the air. "Hello! It''s so nice to see you! Do you wanna battle?" Linh spoke up, "I''d hope not, it''s a pain doing anything on a slope this steep." Maschiff, who was approaching with an excited grin, paused. Before he turned, and scampered a bit down the path they were walking. He stopped at a flat part, hemmed in at both sides with the tall grasses. Poppy grinned and ran forwards, "C''mon Riolu!" She stopped in realisation, and turned around. "Oh! Do you want to fight Maschiff?" Linh looked down to his shadow, "Do we, Casket?" Casket did not pop out. "No thank you." "Great!" Poppy continued running, and stopped a good distance away. Riolu ran in front of her. A long stalk of grass was between her jaws, and it was pushing against the grass it hit. Maschiff waited for Riolu to come to a stop, and then they moved as one. "Remember what we''re planning, keep your distance and use Swift!" Poppy shouted, and Riolu barked. Probably in agreement, given he flung himself back down the road. A salvo of white stars arcing in the air. Maschiff charged through them, with little smoke detonations across his hide as he bulled by. Riolu skipped backwards, but by half as much, and Maschiff got close enough with a mouth glowing darkly. A black-brown energy coating his teeth. Bite. Maschiff bit Riolu on an arm. Dark type energy struggling to pierce the Fighting type hide. "Shake him off, then Swift again." Poppy commanded. Maschiff yelped as Riolu tossed him into the grass, disappearing behind the green. In that vegetation, thick enough to block sight, Maschiff could have found the time to hide a bit, and recover himself. Could, theoretically; Riolu was using Swift¡ªit auto-aimed, it could not miss. A moment later, a spread of stars soared into the vegetation. The tiny slicing pops of it sounded back, and then more sound came back, visible sound, with a purple coating. Snarl. Once again, the sound waves dark energy struggled to do meaningful damage to Riolu. But this time, it clung to him, weakening his offensive power. "Is that the loudest you can go?" Poppy called out, "Metal Burst. Cover your ears!" Linh blinked, and then placed his hands over his ears. Perfunctory. Riolu clapped his hands together, and a sound like a skidding car came out¡ªall metal on metal, screeching. It came out with a grey outline, one that beat the grass flat, and ruffled Poppy''s bonnet, and made Linh grimace and press his ears harder. Shows him for underestimating Riolu. Although... Poppy didn''t cover her ears, and seemed entirely unaffected. Two piercing whines filled the air, one from the grass, one from Linh''s feet. Casket was pressing her head into foot''s crook, rocking her head side to side in distress. Linh immediately ducked down to cradle Casket. Then did Poppy wince. She turned, frowning. "Sorry..." Then Maschiff interupted, leaping out of the grass, snarling. Small ''s'' snarling, he ran back with body glowing white. Tackle, a better option. But, it was too late. While Swift was weakened by Snarl, Metal Burst raked invisble scars within Maschiffs hide, which Swift could open and rend him down. Poppy spun, took in the charge, and commanded. "Jump up high, and Swift! Hit first!" Riolu leapt up, legs extending as Maschiff sailed past. He tumbled in the road, and a brace of Swift stars collided against him. He fainted, belly exposed, tongue lolling out of sagging cheeks. Poppy pumped her fist, "Good job Riolu!" And Riolu fell back to his haunches, and sniffed the air. Casket ran up to Riolu, puppy friendliness, and congratulations in licks. "So, Maschiff''s down. What next Poppy?" Linh asked her, and she responded. "Well, we can capture him, or just leave him. That''s why they battle us, to prove their chops!" She paused, then spoke more slowly. "Do you... want him as your Pok¨¦mon?" Linh looked at the fainted dog, both Casket and Riolu were sniffing him. "Not particularly. We just leave him there?" Poppy shrugged, "Most do." "Hm. Alright. He tried, and he didn''t get anything." Linh knelt down and scratched behind Maschiff''s ear, once, and then continued. "But he did get something," Poppy called out. She was climbing back up onto Cyclizar. "They battle because they get stronger that way!" "I thought you said they challenge trainers because they want to be caught?" "That too!" It was about half a day later, further down the trail. The route climbed steadily higher and higher, all the way to the peak of a valley, and at the top, they looked down the path to sprawling orchards, pushing out the tall grasses with tall trees. Linh breathed in the air, his inner-city heart making him pause. Behind them, on the plateau, a route Pok¨¦centre sprouted up. "Do you know what Terastallization is?" Poppy asked, out of the blue. "Maybe." Yes. "Why don''t you tell me?" he asked. Cyclizar started walking down the path, winding slowly down, and circling around a great and old black-stone watch tower. As they took the road down, a gently curving wide path, Linh swung a long stalk in his hands, tapping it against the ground. Casket chased it. Poppy''s gaze was trailing up the tower, staring at it with big old eyes and a big old smile. "Well! It''s this super duper method to make your Pok¨¦mon stronger. It changes their type and gives them a funny hat!" Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "Incredible." What Poppy didn''t mention was that it required a Tera orb to use¡ªavailable at a decently high price, and with a waiting list. It was out of Linh''s money and time budget. "How''s it work?" The path straightened out at the bottom of the hill, and connected with the wide asphalt road. No more Route, just the path cars and trucks and the school trip buses go vroom on. "Vroom." Poppy grinned as they watched a cheerfully red bus drive by. "Vroom," Linh agreed. He laid a hand on Clyclizars scaly neck, and scratched it idly. Rows and rows of tall old olive tree they passed. Each tree the same age, the same height, the same distance from each other. With branches spread wide, and big bundles of small green olives hanging at the tips. It was nearly harvest time, to collect the drupes and process or package them, sending out bottles of oil or table olives. There were a few Pok¨¦mon species roaming the trees, not the kind that''ll eat the trees, the farmers won''t tolerate that. Fidough ran around and herded the weed eating Mareep. Neither able or inclined to reach up and take the fruits. In the boughs, Smoliv and Sunkern rested up high. Needing only light and thus, harmless to the orchards. One particular Smoliv peeked out from between the leaves, curious at the man and the child walking by them. Linh and Poppy waved. "Ah, don''t mind them," a voice called out. Ahead of them, a man in overalls leaning against a parked truck. "Just passersby. Back to work." Behind that farmer, a great Arboliv and a flock of Hoppips turned back to the trees they were at. The Arboliv was bending one branch like arm, and bending down the olive tree branches. And the Hoppips were blowing off the olives with gusts of air. Aiming at the thick canvas bags at the base of the tree. "Good morning sir!" Poppy said as Cyclizar approached the truck. Cyclizar curiously sniffed the headlights. Just behind her, Linh spoke up, "Good afternoon." "Good afternoon!" Poppy corrected. The man waved, but he didn''t speak up as they passed. And Linh felt no need to either. His gaze was on the town at the end of the road. Cortondo. Agricultural town, specialised in olives and olive oil manufacturing. It''s a cluster of earthy tones and whites, buildings two stories tall set in splotchy spreads. No clear line between the orchards and the town, just buildings replacing trees more and more. Within Cortondo, the building they needed to go to¡ªfor this and every Gym challenge¡ªwas the league''s local office. A standardised building with every modern technique and material, an office building with glass window walls, and multiple stories tall. Except, this one was altered, at least on the ground floor. The walls were not clear large glass panes, instead a plaster facade. And on and around that facade, warmer things then a professional setting prefers. There was a free-paint wall, with a honey comb pattern stretching across it, etched in yellow finger painting. Hands and bear paws pressed in place, wrinkles and palm lines visible. There was a pot garden, of many flowering shrubs, arranged in shelves and rising up. And spilling through the window on that wall, likely merging with an indoors pot garden. Like a glass and metal needle inserted into the town. It''s small town blood welling up and scabbing around the wound. An intrusion that has lasted for so long that it was assimilated. The door opened with a smooth shfff. Automatic motors whirring. Inside, there were the things expected in a reception and waiting room. A foyer with seats and a hanging TV. A reception desk with computer and chair. Yet there were also other things¡ªpersonal things. Linh and Poppy approached the desk, Poppy taking four steps for every one of Linhs. Behind the desk, there was a collage of art and photos. Crayon drawings of bug Pok¨¦mon, and photos of a large, inflatable olive, in various degrees of motion, and chased by a variety of children and Pok¨¦mon. Every Gym has a small task they ask you to do before the Gym Leader will battle. Well, Linh hopes it''s opt out. Because he doesn''t know how his ego will survive if he has to very gently roll a large inflatable olive through an obstacle course. He came up to the desk, and moved the stool on one side over, so Poppy could climb up and see what''s actually over the desk. Linh rapped the surface twice, and waited for the man manning it to finish whatever he was doing. "Greetings, do you have an appointment?" The man said, then grinned as he saw Poppy appear over the desk, "Hello Poppy! Back again?" Poppy smiled and waved, but it was Linh that answered. "Actually, we''re here for the Gym Challenge." "Oh, is it that time of year?" The man turned around and looked up at an electronic billboard above the art collage. It listed out a great number of vacant slots¡ªopenings for a Gym Challenge to be scheduled. "Well, Poppy''s already in the system but Sir, we''ll need you to give some information first." "That''s fine." Linh said. "First, name?" "Linh, L-I¡ª" "I don''t want to fight Katy," Poppy interrupted. "Uh," Linh said. "Excuse me one moment." He raised a finger. "Poppy?" Poppy turned to him, hands on her hip, and a neutral expression. "I don''t want to fight Katy yet! I wanna fight her later. She said before that she misses fighting high-tier battles, and I wanna give her one!" Linh glanced at the man, looking for sympathy. He only found a professional mask. "No reason to be here?" he asked Poppy, weight shifting from one leg to the other. "No." Linh sighed, the sigh of someone who assumed, instead of checked. "Right," He turned back to the official, "Scratch that sir, sorry for the trouble." The man smiled, he reached under the desk and came out with a brochure. "Oh it''s no trouble at all! Here, why don''t you enjoy our lovely town''s atmosphere before you go?" Linh took the brochure with a muttered thanks, and walked out of the building at a faster pace then he entered. He felt like the man was hiding his laughter. "Where to, Poppy?" "I want to go see Katy! To tell her the news. This a way!" Poppy pointed, and marched towards (presumably) Katy''s bakery. Linh followed, idly flipping through the brochure given. The destination was close, but it seemed they''d tripped over every Pok¨¦mon in the town, or Cortondo just had a very high density of Bug type Pok¨¦mon. Hanging from the awnings and the balconies up high, Kakuna and Metapods stared out. Cocoons shiny and glossy in the sun. Poppy stopped and allowed a queue of Spinarak''s to pass, on their backs little paper bags filled with groceries. And Linh found himself lightly threatened when he wondered to close to a flower, a Combee buzzing. "We''re here!" Poppy turned around, with a little jump to make a stomping sound, her hand open and gesturing towards the building. Katy''s bakery, the Patisserie Soapberry, was exactly as a small town bakery would be like. That is, the moment Linh entered, door swinging, bell ringing, he was punched in the face by the scent of fresh bread and sugar. "Just a minute!" A woman''s voice called out from the back, in the door behind the counter. They waited awkwardly at the counter. Well, Linh did, Poppy didn''t. She found her fun by watching Riolu stare at the baked goods, paws against the glass, nose fogging the display. "I''m here now¡ªOh goodness Poppy!" Katy swept into the room and past the counter, her green hair tied up in her chef''s hat. The way it flowed set the decorative antenna-like lines waving. "What a surprise to see you!" She brushed her hands off on her apron, and shook Poppy''s hand. Both eager. As Poppy promised earlier that day, in that handshake Katy palmed off a small yellow candy. "Have you been eating well?" Katy asked. "Mm-hm!" Poppy nodded. "Plenty of water?" "Mm-hm!" Poppy nodded. Katy nodded back, beaming, and then turned to Linh. She did not smile, and set her hands on her hips, folded over to the knuckles. "Has she been eating well?" Linh nodded firmly, "Naturally. Three square meals a day." Katy stared at him fiercely, judging his truthfulness. "Good." She finally said. Then she asked Poppy, "So, you want to battle now?" "No." Poppy shook her head. "No?" Surprise. Linh gestured, "She want''s to battle you later, after some more badges." The idea came to Katy slowly, and as she realised what this meant¡ªthat she''ll get to battle with stronger Pok¨¦mon, to match Poppy''s growth¡ªshe glowed. "Oh, that''s a wonderful gift Poppy!" She knelt down and hugged Poppy suddenly, "Thank you." Poppy giggled, and hugged back. "That''s all!" She broke the hug, and stepped back. "Goodbye!" She made it to the door before Linh reacted, "Wait, what? Shame to go to a bakery, and not get something." Poppy turned around, "What do you mean?" Linh waved towards Katy, and to the displays of cakes and breads. Poppy continued to look confused. "But, we''re not battling Katy yet?" Katy blinked, then hid her smile behind her fingers, "Oh, my. Poppy, you did know that you can buy from me without beating me first, right?" Poppy gasped, "No!" Katy''s laughter was not hidden by her hand. "Well dear," she reached over the counter, and withdrew a cupcake from under the case. "Why don''t you get something, on the house." They sat outside, at a fountain, to eat their goods. A lemon drizzle cake¡ªa crumbly yellow bar split into four, each no longer then a finger¡ªfor Poppy. And a cinnamon swirl for Linh. Both were delicately packaged, folded card-stock set into a pretty neat box. And both boxes placed inside the paper bag, so small and tight that there were no open space inside the Teddiursa-decorated bag. Linh set Poppy''s cake on her lap, and gave her a disposable fork so she could eat it without getting messy. He also put down her water bottle, half-full from the day before. His own meal sat in the bag, for later. Instead, Linh tapped his feet and played with Casket¡ªa game of tossing her into his shadow, and catching her as she leapt back out. "So, Poppy," He began. "If you don''t want to fight Katy first¡ª" "I don'' wanna." Poppy said, a bit of honey-crumb on her cheeks. "¡ªRight, right." He passed over a napkin, "So who do you want to fight, first?" Poppy hummed, clearly thinking. Linh let her, and let Casket climb into his lap. He leaned back and turned his head, towards the statue in the middle of the fountain. It was old stone, real old. Marble white once, maybe. Now just, weathered grey. It depicted a Volcarona, standing proud. It''s six wings flaring straight up. The plaque told a story about how this Pok¨¦mon saved the town in ages past. Stopping a rampaging Snorlax with a single mighty blow. Although, Volcarona aren''t known for their physical capabilities, more inclined to using their fire from afar. A strange inconsistency in the story. One that made Linh thoughtfully hum. He watched Casket sniff the water, before slipping in. He put the mystery out of his mind. Poppy hummed louder, a realisation. "Tulip! I wanna fight Tulip. She said she had a Ralts hatch recently. I want to see him!" Linh answered, although he was more interested in watching Casket''s candle slowly approach the Surskit in the water. Like a canine shark approaching a water skimmer. "Huh. Sure. And where is Tulip? Her city." Two things happened in quick succession. First, Poppy answered, "Alfornada." Second, The Surskit bit onto Casket''s nose with Leech Life. With a yelp, she flailed and doggy-paddled away in a splashy panic." Chapter 9 - The Outdoors Trip (Training, Travel, and as a Verb) "Hm. This is a very strange path you''re taking us, Poppy. I wonder what''s on the other side?" "You''ll see!" Poppy skipped along the riverside rocks, and behind her, Linh and the Cyclizar followed. Linh with slow steps, and Cyclizar bumping his head into his back at every hesitation. The path Poppy showed Linh started traversable, just a game trail in the open forest. A thin canopy shining down on the far more plentiful grasses and shrubs. Starly and Fletchlings and Wattrel tweeting and fluttering above, Rockruff and Yungoos scampering between cover. Now the path was far less agreeable, not as it thinned the higher they went. When it wasn''t rocky it was too narrow. When it wasn''t too narrow it was waterlogged. When it wasn''t waterlogged it had thick branches at head height. (Linh''s height, not Poppy''s.) "This way, this way." Poppy called back, turning to her side and shimmying between the running water and the tree. It took finesse on the little girl''s part. And magic for a full grown adult. If he wasn''t willing to soak his feet. Linh sighed, rolled up the hem of his trousers, and checked his boots were laced up. He braced himself, and stepped into the edge of the river, ready to ford the shallow slope for at least one ste¡ª! With a yelp, Linh sank halfway up to his knee, the silt underneath giving way alarmingly easy. Water spilled down his boots and seeped around his toes. Cold water. The only reason why he did not sink further, or trip or some other unfortunate thing was Cyclizar. His teeth clamping onto Linh''s coat. Poppy turned, and saw Linh''s nail-cracking grip on the bark, his face a panicked grimace. "Linh!" "I''m okay! I''m okay," he responded. "Just a bit of shock." Linh''s breathing slowed, his reaction throttled into forced calm. He looked down at the river, the riverbank obscured by a cloud of sediment, already fading away by the fast currant. His boot didn''t slip on the silt, it sank underneath. An experimental pull, and he found the liquidated sludge refusing to give. "Poppy, can you get Tinkie, I may need her strength." "Okay." And with a flash of light and the sound of a Pok¨¦ball, Tinkie the Tinkaton appeared. She appeared by Poppy, after the narrow ledge. Her hammer balanced precariously on her shoulder, and hanging from that hammer''s head was Poppy''s bag. Poppy''s supplies bag, not the purse-sized key-shape bag Poppy hung around her neck. That''s where she stored her stickers and treats. Tinkie took one look at Linh, half-sunk into the river, and held in place only by Cyclizar, and chuffed a wet laugh. "Help Linh, Tinkie!" Poppy pointed her finger authoritatively. Tinkie set the bag down, and extended her hammer''s haft. The head bracing under her shoulder. Linh shifted his grip and grabbed on, and was unceremoniously lifted out. Once back on solid ground, Linh rolled his shoulders and looked away. "Thank you Tinkie, and thank you, Poppy." He said sincerely. Poppy giggled and continued down the path, Tinkie followed, bag back in place. But not before Tinkie gave an extra mocking laugh. Linh glared at her, then at Cyclizar, who was still on the other side of the obstacle, and laughing with his eyes. "Let''s see you do it, then." Cyclizar''s weight would certainly sink further down then Linh did. Cyclizar took a few steps back, and then leapt across the thin river to the other side. He turned, and leapt back over in the same breath. Linh shut his eyes, consternated. "... Let''s just go. Uh, Poppy! Wait up!" He half-jogged, and ignored the sloshing of river water out of his boot. This far up the slope, the vegetation became sparser, with less soil to grip onto. It turned to dirt. Dry crunchy dirt, from crushed rocks. There were a lot of Pok¨¦mon that habitually broke the rocks and stones of this mountainous section. Pygmy-elephant-like Phanpy dug vertical pits to nest, turtle-like Chewtle left the river to chew things with their itchy growing teeth. And the goat like Skiddo pranced about with hoof stomps powerful enough to crush pebbles. Not that they encountered any Pok¨¦mon, mind. Only a river running ever thinner and thinner, only able to bulk up downstream by every passed tributary. Poppy''s destination was clearly a remote place. "Here it is!" Poppy ducked behind a large rocky outcrop, close to a shear cliff. A tiny trickle of water flowing out from behind the rock. At the entrance, Tinkie held up the vines hanging in between. Linh, hand against the smooth stone, leaned over to see in, and then startled when Tinkie smacked his arse. A glare, a cheeky laugh back, and Linh responded most maturely. He grabbed a Pok¨¦ball on his belt and threw it. Releasing Menace, his Bramblin, into Tinkies face. He ducked into the vines and came out inside a cave. A large and tall cave, with many stalagmites and stalactites. The cave wasn''t dark, in fact, it had natural sunlight. From a great hole in the roof, with green leaves and vines growing over. A tiny waterfall fell down from that hole, and splattered noisily against the floor. The sunlight reflecting off those droplets cast flickering shadows, and the floor itself was dipping down at the centre. Erosion. Perhaps, in a thousand years it would become a lake inside the hollow. It was still a very pretty site, if Linh wasn''t focused on the sensation of wet toes. Poppy called out to him, off to the side. "Over here," she said. "We can put up our tents here." Indeed. The branching off cave would be ideal. It even had a fire pit already set up. "So, you just wanted to show me a good camping spot?" Linh asked. Poppy shook her head. "No, this is private, isn''t it? We can train here!" "Well, it''s isolated, and it''s enclosed. But plenty of places are the same, why here, in particular? Did you just want to show me the waterfall?" Linh asked, "It''s certainly pretty." "No, the shadows silly!" Poppy pointed at the waving shadows. "You''re practising Casket''s Shadow Sneak, so have some weird shadows to play with!" Linh looked again at the flickering shadows¡ªthis would be a nice challenge for Casket. If she practised peeling up the shadows as they were constantly moving. In previous experimentation, they learned that the possessed shadow can persist in both darkness and light, but with every luminosity change it strained. And that was growth, essentially. Straining the self in some way, to repair and strengthen the damaged components. "Yeah, I can see it. But I''ll like to square away our tents." He shifted his stance, and grimaced again as his shoe squished. "And change my socks out." "Okay," Poppy said, she walked by Linh and left the cave, "Tinkie! Where are you! I need my bag!" She came back into the cave, holding Tinkie''s hand. She very seriously led Tinkie over to the branch, and instructed her on how to set up Poppy''s tent. Right next to where Linh was sitting, his bag open, shoes placed by its side. He tapped his shadow with his fingers in a five beat rhythm. A furry snout, grey and whiskered, poked out of Linh''s shadow. Casket, the Greavard, crawled upwards, and barked twice in response. "Heya Casket," Linh said, "Spare socks, please." Casket''s ears perked, she ducked her head underneath, and came back out with a zip-locked baggie, inside, several bundles of socks, rolled and folded into balls. Spares of spares, the ones Linh doesn''t mind losing by way of popping out of his shadow, and getting left behind. Footwear suitably replaced, Linh set to setting up his own tent. From his own bag, for now. Their accommodations set up, the group reconvened to the main cave to plan out their training. Linh started, "So, how long do you want to stay here before we move on?" "Well, until Tinkie comes back, I guess." Poppy put her hand on her chin, puzzled. Linh and Tinkie shared a glance. She was here, and seemed to have no inclination to change that. A silent communication made of pointing at each other ensued. Tinkie lost, and she asked Poppy a question, made of wordless noises. Like too much saliva being sucked through teeth with braces. "Oh right! I forgot to tell you." Poppy moved to speak quietly into Tinkie''s ear. Tinkie nodded to her, then to Linh, and marched out of the cave. Linh watched her leave. "... Am I going to get an explanation for that? Or is it a secret until she comes back." Poppy laughed, "Yeah!" It took some work, but they rolled a series of rocks together, larger and larger, with flat tops and bottoms. A staircase of stable ground. Poppy climbed up for one purpose, so she could speak to Linh from above him. "Listen up!" she commanded, "Broadly speaking, the training of a Pok¨¦mon can be thought of through multiple paradigms. All of which are equally wrong! Why are they wrong, Private Linh?" Her stance, parade rest, was as perfect as a drill sergeants. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. "High major Poppy! We are here to train our Pok¨¦mon, not discuss philosophy!" Linh stood, arms crossed behind his back. Poppy nodded, sternly, almost paternal if she resembled anything like that implied. "Correct! The paradigm we will be using is Poppy''s three P''s! What does the first P stand for, Private First Class Linh?" "Physical, Ma''am!" Poppy nodded, "Yes! The body of the Pok¨¦mon, across all metrics. Speed, power, endurance, durability, every way to split it!" Poppy paused, then lowered her voice. "The body is the temple and the engine, weapon and armour both. As Trainers, we must take our Pok¨¦mon''s chassis and strengthen it, quicken it. And if we do not know how, we must find out. Look at Menace." She pointed. Over by the trickling waterfall, Menace trained. He sat his roots into the shallows of the divot, and let the soaked up water hydrate and soften the brittle branches. Then he rolled. Soft roughage scraping against the smooth stone, bits of matter lost with the rolling. Except, the dirt and the stalk-shreds, the root-hairs and the powders. They do not linger on the stone. Instead, Menace rolls over them again, and with the same power by which he rolls, they stick back on his body. "I know how to make a Pawniard tougher," Poppy continued. "Magnemites and Cufants as well. You heat the metal, beat it against harder and harder things until only the toughest bits remain. Then quench, and repeat once the muscles are rebuilt. I do not know how to strengthen a Ghost, not one made of grassy stuff. Instead of alloyed flesh. "Damage neither little nor big, rest for it to grow back better, do it again, but against tougher things." Linh remarked, "Except, ghosts are dead. There are no mechanisms to repair, not within the bodies. After damage, it has to be put back together by the same will that the Ghost exists, piece by piece." Poppy tilted her head, "Okay." "Once Menace''s bush is suitably shredded. He''ll rest, and feed. And he will seal back together, stronger then before." As Poppy said, she does not know how to condition Ghosts, so Linh put together his thoughts and observations. This was the result. A clap of tiny hands, "Okay! So next ''P''. Powers! You tell me what that means," she said, her tone turning authoritarian again. "Corporal Linh!" Linh smiled, then snapped his heels together. "O Captain my Captain! Powers stand for a Pok¨¦mon''s Moves! Patterns Pok¨¦mon act through to empower their actions. A Tackle is more then a tackle. A Growl is more then a growl." "Correct¡ªthey are the prototypes every attack and action in Pok¨¦mon battles derives from. Every new Move learned increases a Pok¨¦mon''s options. What moves were you hoping to teach Casket?" Poppy pointed in a different direction. Over there, by the edge of the cave, where the stalagmites were thickest, was Casket. She was standing before each stone spike, and rumbling her throat until a Roar spilled out. Yet as the sound came out, she clamped her jaws shut and rammed her head against the stone. Sometimes, she bounced off harmlessly, unleashing an unintentional Roar. Other times, she absorbed the force, her head glowing white as she struck¡ªshattering the stalagmite cleanly. More and more, the stone broke instead of Casket crying out. "Ideally, the Moves I want Casket to learn are Body Press, and Play Rough." Either would allow Casket to hurt Dark Types super effectively. "And why am I requiring Casket to learn Headbutt before I show how she can learn those, and why did I require Casket to develop Roar before I allowed Headbutt itself!" "Grand Admiral Poppy, I don''t know," he said, matter of fact. "I will explain! So¡ª" She turned, and paced the small foot-space atop that boulder. Her chin up, eyes close¡ª "Look where you step," Linh interrupted. "Un!" Poppy interrupted herself. "¡ªSo every Move has a certain ''Oomph'' to them! The amount of energy they have. A Tackle uses less power then a Bite. This is important, because trying to teach a Pok¨¦mon a move that uses more energy then they can handle, that they have, can hurt them. Casket''s strongest was Bite, which isn''t enough to jump to Body Press, only the three Fang Moves." She thrust a finger forwards, "But then she learnt Roar." "How is Roar strong?" Linh asked. "It is a cry loud enough to force a Pok¨¦mon back into their Pok¨¦ball, or far far away! How can it not be strong?" Poppy countered. "Fair point. That Casket developed Roar through experience means she can learn Moves at about an equal power. Yes?" Poppy grinned, "Correct!" "So why not jump straight to Body Press, why learn Headbutt first?" They looked to Casket again, she was managing Headbutts instead of Roars about eight times out of ten by now. Poppy spoke, "Because making different Typed energy is hard, learning a Move not learned naturally is hard, one step at a time." She nodded, then turned back to Linh, "So¡ª" her voice cracked. Linh frowned, then, "Water, Poppy?" He shook her water bottle, metal and thermos-like. "Thank you!" She stuck her hands out, waving in the air. Moments later, with Linh leaning against the big rock, and Poppy sitting on the edge, Linh said, "We''ve covered Casket and Menace, what are you doing with Riolu, then?" "That''s the final P! P-Technique!" Poppy stood up and ran down the makeshift boulder steps. She raced away and Linh chased. Away to Riolu, in a corner of the cave opposite Casket. "The body and Moves are tools, both Pok¨¦mon and trainer must use them, as best they can! This P refers to every strategy or trick or skill the Pok¨¦mon practises. By body, Move, or both. Look at Riolu, he''s practising tumbling. Aiming his falls, aiming while falling, reducing the hurt from falling!" Riolu was climbing up the stalagmites and leaping to the stalactites, and then letting go. In the air he twisted and turned, releasing braces of Swifts, shifting his profile in the air, and rolling and tucking at the last moment. So the hard ground doesn''t knock his breath out. "Riolu! Good work!" Poppy then muttered to Linh, "Remember to praise your Pok¨¦mons hard work, they need encouragement to stay on track." Back to Riolu, "Now come here, we''re working on the next step. Dodging." Linh let himself fall out of the conversation Poppy was having with Riolu. He thought to himself, about the tricks he''s practising with Casket, and the tricks he''s not practising with Menace. The two styles of Shadow Sneak¡ªLimbs and Walk¡ªare examples of ''P-Techniques''. He''s pushing Casket with walking in shadows. But not with limbs. And now that he sees the dexterity Riolu demonstrates with his paws¡ªgripping and twisting on the pillars to re-orientate¡ªLinh''s thinking on the length of Casket''s shadowy paws. Could he have them grab and pull, restrain things? Or can he have them push and lift, platforms of giant hands. An image filed into Linh''s mind, like a sleazy salesman sauntering into the bosses office. That of Casket''s candle light at the dark end of a light-lit corridor. Paws reaching out to shatter the lights, and drag the hapless viewer towards her. Linh grinned. Then he thought about Menace. Recalling back to their first meeting¡ªthe battle. Menace preferred to weaken his foe, instead of attacking. Spite and Strength Sap before Bullet Seed. He could lean into that, and help Menace dodge and avoid things. Training the battlefield awareness to always be in an awkward spot to hit. Or he could poke and see how flexible Bulltet Seed is. Can the seeds be shot faster? Slower? At different angles and timings, to make dodging harder? Could they be given spin, create some curve balls? Decisions, decisions. And then his stomach rumbled, and Linh thought about the passage of time, he glanced at his phone, afternoon. And he interrupted Poppy''s speech. About the right way to twist and contort, to adjust the profile without introducing too much spin. "It is getting late, actually." Linh looked up, to the hole in the roof the cave waterfall flows from. The sky above was turning orange. "Poppy? Wanna call it here." Poppy frowned, and, following his trainer, Riolu stared up with big soulful eyes. "I don''t wanna go to bed yet." "Eh? No. We still need to eat, and you." Linh crouched down and poked Poppy on the nose. "Haven''t done your lessons today¡ªnor called Mom and Dad yet, have you?" Poppy looked away, guiltily. It was after dinner, the living group member''s share made and eaten, and the dishes rinsed and left to dry. Poppy had recalled Riolu to sleep off his food coma, and was sitting in front of her laptop. She was quietly watching the lesson¡ªher teacher on the screen guiding through math exercises. Equivalent fractions. Every so often Linh looked over to make sure she was still paying attention. But his focus was on the smoking incense in his hands, the smoke drifting sideways and curling around him. Sucked into the Ghost Pok¨¦mon clinging to him like they were fume extractors. The stick burnt low, to the fingertips, and he let it extinguish. Menace, on his lap, rasped displeasure as he discarded it. Linh patted his barbs and then let Casket nibble at the hand. An exhale, as Linh looked up. Tomorrow, they''d continue training, or perhaps leave early. Maybe Poppy''s missing Pok¨¦mon, Tinkie, will return with her secret surprise, maybe she won''t. But for now, he was tired, the Pok¨¦mon were full, and the night was quiet. Chapter 10 - The Cavern Road (What Strange Geometries when Pok¨¦mon Landscape) Breakfast was simple fare, eggs, vegetables, and cheese beaten together into a soft fraittata. A pile of meat strips added to Riolu''s portion, and an incense stick lit for the Ghost''s honour. Now, Linh sat over his map, digesting the information as he digested the meal. In the background, a game of chase between the dogs, and Poppy throwing a ball for them to chase. Rubber, bouncing off the stalagmites like the shadows. "Hey, Poppy." Linh spoke up, "Alfornada''s south west, yes? Where''s the road to it?" Alfornada looked to be on a large plateau, and the only road that looked like it would go in that direction, actually stopped three quarters of the way. Or just wasn''t drawn down¡ªthere looked to be a road coming out of Alfornada, that could connect to it. But there was just a large gap of wild space in between. "There''s this big cavern underneath the cliff, a tunnel''s been built right through it, all the way up to Tulip!" Linh sniffed and nodded, looking back at the map. His hand reached out reflexively, and held Menace back from sitting on it. Menace rasped, indignant. Linh settled him down by dragging him into his lap. "Underground tunnels, ey? Anything interesting in there?" "Lotsa things! Its big and wide and lots of space to explore, even with the two big roads¡ªthe car one and Diglett one! Big and dark, but everywhere there are these standing torches and lights, the little dinos fight over them with the Fighting Types! Then there are Dunsparce suburbs and they''re always fighting for space with the Diglett routes. Oh! Oh! And the ceiling has all these moving glints. Like stars!" "Sounds cramped." "It''s beeeegg." Poppy spread her arms wide, to emphasise the largeness. Their conversation stalled by a distant sound. A loud scrape, something heavy dragged across the floor, from the caves entrance. All activity paused as they waited for the reveal. It was Tinkie, her large hammer dragged behind her. Her face set in irritation, a hand clutching something. "Tinkie! You''re back!" Her smile fell as she saw Tinkie''s hand, she tilted side to side, looking behind Tinkie, "Only one?" Tinkie shrugged. Then opened her hand. A pile of rocks and an oddly shaped metal thing clanged as it hit the floor. "The only one who was interested..." Poppy said, "That''s. That''s fine!" "Can I have an explanation." Linh mildly said, approaching from behind. He eyed the pile of rocks, and twitched back as it twitched. Poppy paused, "That''s right! It was a surprise!" She turned, and slammed her fist into her palm. "Well. I only had Riolu, but you have Casket and Menace. That''s not fair, so I asked Tinkie to find me a Pok¨¦mon!" She stepped to the side, pointing at the shifting refuse on the floor. "There it is!" Tinkie coughed something. "There she is!" Poppy pointed at the Pok¨¦mon as the rocks rolled into position. One rectangular one, and four disc like rocks at the corners. The scrap of metal shifted, and flowed, fitting itself atop the central rock. A pipe extended out the back, and out dribbled a purple liquid, staining the tip. A block extended out above it, square and indented in lines. Two yellow eyes formed on the sides of the metal block. At the front, a protrusion like a proboscis extended. The opening at the front shifting like a mouth smacking its lips. With the sound of a starting engine, piston''s rotating, and a puff of choked smoke seeping through the grates on the block, and from the exhaust in the back, Varoom awoke. Linh stared, somewhere between unamused and bewildered. Then a shift in the stance, "Varoom are not native here." "Yeh." Linh''s gaze went from Varoom to Tinkie, and took her in. There were twigs in her hair, sand stuck to her hammer, dirt marks were across her cheeks. She gazed back resolutely. Linh shifted to impressed, and Tinkie gave a tired smirk. Poppy stepped forwards, towards the wild Pok¨¦mon. Varoom stared back at her and something in her internals clicked. Like a spark plug arcing sparks. Linh, frowned, and stepped forwards himself. The clicks sounded like a warning. Poppy took another toddling step. Linh gestured behind his back, and he heard Casket running forwards. Ready to intervene if Varoom did anything. Varoom clicked again, and then rolled forwards slightly, a slick purple ooze dripping from her exhaust. Poppy took another step, and before Linh could bark a command, Varoom darted forwards¡ª! "Hey!" Poppy shoved her finger forwards, and waggled it in front of her. Varoom stopped, discs spinning grooves in the cave floor. "No!" Varoom growled, piston-like. But Poppy just shook her finger again. "No!" Varoom stared up at her reproachfully, and then froze, as she heard a metallic fall. Tinkie was standing behind her, bouncing her hammer''s haft in her hands. Poppy, slowly, knelt down, keeping her eyes on Varoom the entire time. Linh held his breath, watching. A command on his lips and held back by Tinkie''s flicking gaze. Poppy reached into a pocket... ... And pulled out a Pok¨¦block. A specially made powder of flavour and nutrients shaped into a cube with a paste. One of the many food products to efficiently feed Pok¨¦mon. Poppy set it down in front of Varoom, and then sprinkled coal dust from another pocket onto it. She remained motionless as Varoom approached the block, and slowly ate it. Then, when even the crumbs were gone, she raised a hand. Varoom watched it warily (but less so) as it approached, unmoving. "Tag." Poppy said, poking Varoom right on the mouth. "You''re it!" And she ran away, hands in the air, shrieking laughter. A moment later, Varoom chased her. Linh watched her go, then exhaled. He turned to Tinkie, "She do that often?" Tinkie opened her mouth¡ª"No, of course she does. This was normal for her, wasn''t it?" he finished. She laughed. Linh walked to stand beside Tinkie, and they watched the game of tag between Poppy and what would undoubtedly be her next Pok¨¦mon, Varoom. Varoom was faster, but had difficulty turning¡ªwhich Poppy took vicious advantage of with the many stalagmites removing straightaways. Their other Pok¨¦mon were joining in¡ªwell. The two dogs. Casket and Riolu, both on all fours and barking because Poppy was making noise. "She going to do this more often? Send you away, and then you come back with some random arse Pok¨¦mon? Tinkie thought, then shrugged carelessly, then sighed, and Linh looked over her haggard frame again. Did she even sleep while she was looking for Varoom? "You seem tired. Also hungry," Linh remarked, "You want breakfast?" Tinkie''s eyes sparkled. Dark, cool, air. Gloom in the half-sphere cavern. A rolling landscape cut by a four lane road. Linh''s group stood at the entrance, on the path by the road leading in. He turned to Poppy, astride Cyclizar. "Let us go over the rules of cave trekking again." He said. Poppy nodded, her eyes looking up and away as she ticked off the fingers on her hand. "Do not summon a Pok¨¦mon bigger then the space allows. Do not use earth shaking moves because that compromises struc-tu-ral stability," her cadence took on Rika''s in that moment, "Loud noises like Roar and bright lights scare Pok¨¦mon, so we shouldn''t do them if we don''t want attention!" "And the rules for us, specifically?" Linh nodded. Poppy tilted her head. She made a confused sound. Linh chuffed, "First, don''t go running away without telling me, if I get separated from you, I''ll get sad." And also scared for Poppy, but she doesn''t need to know that. He continued, "Second, if we do get separated, rely on Tinkie and call me on your cellphone." He pointed to the road as it passed into the dark. Periodic along the side, boxes on poles stood. "With the number of repeaters inside, we should have reception. Get to the road and call me, and we can link up and I won''t be lonely anymore, yeah?" Poppy nodded, then asked, "But don''t you have Casket?" She pointed at his feet Linh looked down at his shadow and he saw Casket, betrayed. He picked her up and continued. "Never mind that. Now, let''s talk about what we want to do inside the cavern." "Get to Tulip!" Poppy raised her arms, eager. "We can do that just by following the road." A car passed them by, rolling on tarmac. "What else?" "Um. Oh! Fight Trainers!" Poppy grinned. "There''s always a few hikers and treasure hunters around. Cuz there''s always shiny stuff in the tunnels. We could see what Pok¨¦mon wants to fight us too!" "I see. What else?" Linh asked again, smile widening. "... Explore?" "Yes yes. What else?" Linh asked again, a teasing note in his voice. Poppy squinted at him. "Have fun, obviously, we''re packed and ready¡ªlet''s go!" Poppy did not exaggerate the size of the cavern under Alfornada. Nor the variety. Dotted across the stone, warm fire lights and cold electric lights stood out like buoys in an ocean. The ones on ledges and high places seemed to attract Fighting types, Meditites and Makuhitas. Who refined their martial stances and katas against each other in the light. The low lights attracted more animalistic Pok¨¦mon. Larvitar and Deinos, Bagon and Gumshoos. Pok¨¦mon who fought for the light with a cacophony of growls. There were also people, striding fearlessly through the cavern on desire paths and otherwise. Climbing up and down with hooks and ropes, or taking the faded pale trails. "Hey you! Wanna fight!" Poppy pointed at a man, standing atop a higher ledge. The man jolted, his thermos cup tilting, a bit of tea splashing down. "What?" He looked down, the hanging trinkets from his bag hitting his bare arms. "Oh, hello there!" "Do you want a fight?" Poppy asked again. The hiker recapped his thermos, and nodded. "Sure¡ªsound''s fun." He patted down his tank top until he found the Pok¨¦ball pinned at his belt, and palmed it. "As challenger, you throw first!" Poppy grinning, turned to Linh, "I had the last one, so you can have him Linh!" Linh snorted, "Well, if the young lady desires." He called out to the hiker, "I''ll be your opponent! Go on, Menace." Menace rasped. The hiker nodded, he picked a different Pok¨¦ball, "Grass type, well that looks like a job for Numel!" He threw, another flash of light. Stretching to the floor. A small dromedary like Pok¨¦mon cried out, rearing back and stomping the ground. Yellow fur, grassy shade on the hump. A red gloopy spit droplet falling from her mouth, hardening into an uneven pebble on the ground. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Fire Ground, against Menace''s Grass. Linh hummed at the counter-pick. In a fight this casual, there was no need to call a beginning, or a referee to grandstand for an audience. It only needed Linh and Poppy to take a few steps back, to create space to fight in. The hiker, straightening up from up high, pointed. "Let''s start with a nice Dig!" Numel drove her hooves into the ground, stones flaring up in plumes. Linh commanded, "Before she goes, Bullet Seed." Menace spat the brace of seeds, flying straight and true. They collided with Numel, just as much as they collided and spun off of the pebbles Numel drove up. Numel disappeared underground. "''Bout even speed," Linh told himself. "Menace, ready to dodge aside¡ªyou''ll feel them coming¡ªand then, Strength Sap." Menace hissed something, affirming, and then tensed as the ground rumbled and cracked, vibrations travelling through stone and up to his roots from¡ª ¡ªBehind! Menace rolled and jumped, and Numel''s form clipped him. The earth-brown shroud around Numel weak against Grass. Yet momentum matters, and Menace was flung into the air. "Now¡ªlatch on!" Mid-air, Menace''s Strength Sap connected. And what damage Numel did was recovered, in exchange for Numel''s physical attacks, like Dig, being weaker. Not a very fair trade at all. Menace bounced on the ground and ended up upside down. He rasped something mocking and foul at Numel. Spite. Numel stumbled a bit. The hiker blinked, then scowled. "Ember, Numel!" "Bullet Seed¡ªGive it something else to burn!" Linh commanded. Menace spat seeds and Numel spat fire. Both collided in bursts of popping. Yet Numel proved stronger, and the Ember flakes proved more numerous. Menace took hits, ashes falling into his desiccated cracks and burning inside. He rolled haphazardly, flailing from the fire. The hiker laughed¡ª"Now, again! Push him down!" Linh scowled¡ª"Menace, you need to stop it! Nightshade¡ªsend!" Menace rolled out the last of the embers, and then turned a spiteful eye towards Numel. The eye rotated and spun over and over, a Ghostly power coming from it. Numel flinched¡ªNightshade was a Move to induce a horrible image into the foe. "For¡ªNumel, Mud Slap up, cover for Ember!" "Nightshade again¡ªproject!" Numel hit the ground with her hooves. Instead of stirring up the dust, the ground smushed like mud. Mud flung up into the air, obstructing the view. Can''t send nightmares without eye contact. A moment later, little firebolts shot through, too fast to dodge! They flew into Menace and through. Not detonating. Menace did not visibly react. "What the..." "Now," Linh grinned sharply, "Bullet Seed." Menace flickered, then disappeared with the sound of shattering glass. Nightshade needed eye contact to send visages only the victim can see. But a projection visible to all needs only the effort taken. The illusion of Menace faded away, two feet to the side of the real Menace. Bullet Seeds soared, Bullet Seeds hit, Bullet Seeds fainted. Numel hit the floor with a thud, and then disappeared in a flash of red. "Well then." The hiker shook his head. "Good fight." Linh nodded back, "Thank you, you too. And¡ªlet''s skip the payout, yeah? Looks like a climb." He did not hear the hikers next words, instead he turned to Poppy. She cheered as she approached. In the dark away from the lights, stranger things lurked. Digletts built packed dirt roads¡ªonly for Dunsparce to replace with their burrow homes. An architectural battle underground between gridlocked stone edifices and sprawling dirt cottages. And at the edges, Sableye and Glimmet lurk. Feeding on the churned up material left behind. A gentlemen''s agreement: the Glimmet got the waste stone to leech minerals from, while the Sableye got the gemstones to gnaw on. Sableye¡ªthis particular Sableye¡ªwandered the tunnels. They looped up and down and stretched far around. Even all the way to the cavern roof, with many holes looking down on the cavern. This Sableye liked to lurk from the top and look down, watching the lights. At this distance, it all looked like stars in polluted skies. An interesting view. Sableye gnawed on a ruby as he watched, the lights refracting in his gem eyes. Little pinpricks of light on the cavern roof. A sound echoing down the tunnel behind Sableye, something small crunching the ground. Not with the soft padding scales of a Salandit, or the steady thump of dense Larvitar. Rubber and muted¡ªshoes. A Trainer! Sableye turned and crawled forwards, purple goblinoid hide blending into the dark. He had no intention of being captured, and all the intention to give a scare. Blame the ghost in him, the shadows shifted as he crawled. And the swipe of his claws dragged up around him. Alterations. Purple turned white, limbs lengthened. Eyes clouding over, and jaw distending. A rake thin figure. Sableye approached with silent steps, waiting for the Trainer to get closer. Small, with a Cyclizar following. Wait... Wait... Now! Sableye''s jaw slammed open, screeching the worst sound he could at the top of his lungs. His limbs wrenched into the ground and pushed, a gallop on too long limbs. He raced down the tunnel with a banshee cry. The girl, short and blue, stared eyes wide. Then ran. "Linh! Linh! I found him!" Sableye chittered, he ignored the words, and focused entirely on modulating his stride. Fast enough that Cyclizar grabbed the girlmand hauled her on, slow enough that they were always just far enough away. And never too close or too far. Can''t have the girl get caught. What would he do then? A harrowing chase is better, so she never comes back. Down winding tunnels the Cyclizar runs, claws scraping stone at each turn. Every step of the way Sableye''s wretched illusion so very close. Close enough Cyclizar can feel the wetness of its breath, the warmth of its lungs, the stench of cloying mud between teeth! A final turn is made, reaching a crossroads. Cyclizar takes a turn and stops so Poppy can watch. Sableye rounds the turn, and pauses. There is a man facing away from him. Another Trainer. Motionless. Sableye stopped, so as to not bowel him over. And he screeched. No response, the man''s back stayed exactly as it was. The shoulders didn''t even twitch. Something is wrong. It was a strange conclusion, but it arrived in Sableye''s mind the same way the hairs on his neck raised. Sableye looked left, then right under his illusion. Then took a single step forwards. Then another, and another. The crawl of a creature. The illusions white face steadily approaching in an unnatural glide. Nothing. With some hesitance, Sableye reached out. Clawed hand getting closer and closer to the man''s back before¡ª ¡ªa bone cracking snap, the mans head twisted all the way around! And on that head! No face! Just skin, patch of flesh! Smooth, unnatural! Sableye flung backwards, forgetting his illusion, left hanging in the air and wafting away. He screeched. With another snap, of cartilage and bone crunching and tearing, the man''s limbs turned around. Rotating in place one by one. Sickening and inhuman. A backwards man stood there. Sableye hissed a warning, and then fled as the thing took a step forwards. Screeching into the tunnels on purple claws. A moment passed. The illusion faded. Linh, with Menace in his arms, looked down. "Now see that? That''s how you do a jump scare. Silence, then sudden action. Abnormality, turn it into a threat." Menace rasped in his arms, pleased. Poppy ran up, displeased. "Linnhhh-na! You were supposed to catch him!" Linh smiled apologetically, "Oh, was that what you wanted? I''m sorry Poppy! But, I''m not seeking another Pok¨¦mon right now, so let''s try talking to me first, next time?" At the final stretch of the cavern¡ªwhere the light of the outside can be seen stretching in¡ªit narrowed. The walls coming closer to the road, and the slope turning upwards. It ended in a breach in the ground, the ground of Alfornada''s plateau. Linh and Cyclizar walked along the side of the road, so the many cars and trucks can pass. Cyclizar glanced longingly at each vehicle that passed, each one moving faster than a walking pace. He knew what he was assigned to do, walk so his rider doesn''t have to, but that was so slow! Boring! The speed demon in his soul wept. Linh''s pace was also slow¡ªtiredness. His fingers and shoes were muddy, for Casket had found the one (1) muddy puddle within the entire cavern. Poppy was sitting on Cyclizar''s back, humming the ''Cultivation Friends'' theme song to herself. She played with a Pok¨¦ball in her hands. Varoom''s empty ball. Varoom herself rolled up the hill with more energy then the group. She ran up to every object on the road, the poles of the repeaters, the streetlamps up high, the boxes with the fuses and the stones on the sidewalk. Not out of curiosity like Riolu, but instead as checkpoints in her imaginary race. Varoom was also a speed demon, and in between each lap she turned a goading glare up at Cyclizar. She would drive to Cyclizar''s feet, and make three loud revs¡ªexhaust puffs and all¡ªand then roll ahead at speed towards some distant feature. Rock wheels skidding on the ground. Every time Varoom shot ahead, it was harder and harder to resist the urge to run as well. Poppy noticed immediately, yet Linh noticed only when Cyclizar started to sprint after Varoom, only to catch himself. Linh sighed, then looked ahead¡ªnothing in particular in the way. "You know," he said, "We can race, if you want." Cyclizar looked up, his scaled lips spreading into a grin. "Let''s just make sure Poppy''s got a great big grip, yeah?" He poked Poppy''s shoulder, and when she startled he pointed down. Varoom was staying by his feet, puttering engine ready. Under her, Cyclizar braced himself, head low and hindquarters wriggling. "Oh, oh!" Poppy grinned herself, leaning down and grabbing at the inbuilt seat in Cyclizar''s back. "Race time!" she cheered. Linh nodded, then reached down into his shadow, and picked up Casket. She whined in his grip, the tips of her fur stained brown. Linh ignored her, "Okay, Varoom? Cyclizar? Ready?" Cyclizar snapped something, Varoom revved up. "Then, to the end of the cavern¡ªinto the light. Ready, set, go!" Off they went, leaving Linh behind. He looked down to Casket, disappointed she couldn''t join. "Oh, no. I ain''t letting you out of my sight just yet missy. I''m not letting you run into another mud pit, somehow." Casket maturely responded by twisting in his grip, and planting her dirty paws onto his clothes. While the mud was long dried, it still left flakes and smudges. Linh sighed, then carried her under his armpit. "That won''t convince me. You''re staying right by me." Casket made a half-hearted attempt to wriggle out, before going limp. Linh continued up the road, hand wrapping around the electric poles he passed. Up and up on that gentle slope, towards the light. A solid wall brighter then the cavern, one that hurts the eye before it''s adjusted to. "Alfornada, huh." Casket looked up curiously. Linh looked down, "Ready for Tulip? She''s the Psychic type Gym Leader¡ªshould have the advantage throughout the fight." Casket barked eagerly, and they stepped into the light together. Chapter 11 - Alfornada (Tulip)
Messenngengar:
Rika Birds fly, flowers bloom, Wooper''s Woop.
Rika > Alfornada, huh? > Yep, not what I was. uh. Expecting. I would have preferred fighting Tulip later. But Poppy''s in the driver''s seat. Rika > Oho, looking to get an easy battle in when the gym leaders get to stop pulling punches? > Sneaky. > Actualyl not this time, I wanted to see how a type disadvantage can be foughht against. Rika > Nah. I''m onto you. > Believe what you wish, you can''t prove it in court. Rika > Yes. > No. Rika > So. Did you take a taxi in? > The road route is a bit convoluted. > No, the cavern. Got pictures. > And wtf there were some aggressive pokes in there. Rika > Really? Any of them targeting Trainers? Attacking multiple at a time? > no... there was this time with two Deinos, but for some reason they waited so it was 2 1v1''s Rika > That''s good, Cerbie''s still around then. > Cerbie? Rika > Big Hydreigon, strongest Pok¨¦mon in the cavern. Occasionally Hassel has to come down there to make sure she''s still obeying the rules, and make sure everyone under her is too. >Anywayyyy. Gonna fight Tulip soon? Or you want to take in the scenery? > Eventually, Poppy wanted a chicken sandwich. Rika > Chimkin sammich. > Tell me how it goes!
Linh put away his phone and leaned back in the chair. By his side, Poppy stuffed her face with a sandwich, crumbs falling on the caf¨¦s table. Under the table a meat and bone platter was placed for Casket. And beside her, Riolu. Riolu was stealing Casket''s food. They were in Alfornada, and vibe wise... Well, it''s very obvious that it was a small but lively town that has boomed in popularity far too quick for the small town townees to leave. The heart of the town was composed of single floor flat-roof houses, blue paint outlining the smooth bricks. Tall smokestacks extended from these houses high into the air, and were dwarfed by the dense apartments and tall business offices. The kind that''s advertisement laden. The town-bordering-city was changing, and changing fast. And... it''s working well, given the number of people on the street. Especially as the figurehead is a home-grown talent. Linh mused, looking up at a great big billboard. It depicted a woman holding up a perfume bottle. Soft lilac colour scheme and butterfly motif. Tulip. Model and makeup artist, Gym Leader in her off-time. What little she has¡ªthe woman''s not the only reason Alfornada''s bloating with tourists, but she is the only reason Alfornada''s shipping out so many beauty products. In between photo shoots Tulip''s holding important calls and in between that Tulip''s speaking to the press and in between that she''s researching compounds for a new type of eye liner. A very busy life, Linh could never. The League Official at registration stated that Tulip had no openings today. "So, Poppy. Do you know Tulip well?" Poppy put down her oversized sandwich, a bit of sauce on her cheek. "Um... Not really. She doesn''t drop by the office often." ''The office'' referred to the main headquarters of the League, in Mesagoza. It was where Poppy went when she wanted to talk to the other Elite Four. "But she''s really pretty!" "What a compliment to her personality." Linh teased. He tilted his cup where it rested, dregs of tea flowing. "Anything else?" Poppy frowned, and angrily crossed her arms, "No, cuz she doesn''t talk to me! Not for long. She''s always busy! She''s never at work when I''m there!" ''Work'', in this case, referred to the League Headquarters. Where she went to bug the rest of the Elite Four. "Maybe she''s avoiding you, using her psychic powers to foretell her arrival? Poppy blinked, sandwich halfway to her mouth, a bit of lettuce fell. "Tulips not psychic?" The table thumped, as if something doglike bumped against the table''s foot. Both ignored it. "She''s not?" Linh''s face froze, and then he shook his head, "The butterflies?" He referred to the decorative butterfly ornaments around Tulip''s person. "It''s this super fancy, um." Poppy patted herself down and released her Tinkaton. "Tinkie? Hammer." Tinkie looked left then right curiously, and then proffered her hammer head. Poppy stuck her hand into a gap in its construction. Withdrawing a wire. She held it up. "See this? It''s a special silver alloy. It gets all wriggly when near psychic stuff! Tulip says her butterflies are made with it!" "And since the Psychic Type Gym Leader''s surrounded by Psychic Pok¨¦mon, the butterflies are always flapping." "Exactly!" Poppy smiled proudly. (This wasn''t exactly true. The butterflies are attuned to flap with psychic energy. But Tulip is a psychic. Weak one, better suited to carrying grocery bags, or an array of fine brushes. But still psychic.) Poppy then gave the metal back to Tinkie. Tinkie put the wire back in her hammer without a grumble, and then looked under the table. Riolu just poked her in the ankle. Curious, she crawled underneath. The conversation died, Poppy went back to her sandwich. Linh took to people watching. Poppy ate the last of her sandwich in great big bites. The last chunk pushed into her mouth by a finger. And teeth breaking the crisp crunchy crust. Then she stared at Linh, hard thinking. "Um," she hesitated. "Can we meet Tulip now? I wanna ask her a question." "Just one?" Linh asked. "Yep!" "We do have the challenges tomorrow, not willing to wait until then?" "Nuh. That''s too long! I''ll forget by then!" Linh''s gaze drifted away from the table, and drifted around the streets. His eyes alighted on a poster, ignored like all public posters are. "Well, according to that; Tulip''s doing a fragrance launch today¡ªsome sorta giveaway promo thingy. It''s going to start soon, and is pretty close. Wanna go over there now and see if we can talk to her?" "Tulip''s going to do what?" Poppy said, dismayed. "But that''s going to take alllll day! And the line moves soooo slow! There''s no way we can get through!" If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Linh could think of a few ways, but he was more interested in giving Casket a little test. "Why not?" "Because there will be people in the way? Anything she does in public is always crowded." "And do we know someone who can ignore crowds? Say, someone who can get underfoot, and pass through shadows?" Poppy looked down to Casket. She was using Shadow Sneak limbs to clumsily brush Tinkie''s hair. "You get it. We write a note for Tulip. Casket carries it to Tulip, she reads, and comes meet us when she has the time." Poppy smiled at Linh. "Yeah, Yeah! That''ll work!" "I sure hope so, given I thought of it." He found a sticky note and a pen in his pockets. And slid them across the table. "Why don''t you write the note?" What is beauty? Is it a symmetrical face? Sometimes, an offset mole can be delightfully charming. Is it a thin, delicate frame? Sometimes, but a broad and thick set of shoulders can appeal too. ''Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.'' There are many beholders. So many, in fact, that it is said that there is a special someone for everyone. Love! That wonderful, maddening thing. Every creature need only find that one that finds them beautiful, and something miraculous can happen. Is it, then, possible that everybody is beautiful? Every face is handsome? In the right light, with the right angle, with the right affections? The mind must be a wonderful thing, to perceive others with so many differences, and see them all the same. Beautiful. Tulip wishes nothing more then to bring out the beauty in every form. Every man, woman, and otherwise. She does so with her sorcerous tools. The foundation, her wand. The brush, her staff. Every item a reagent; Her client, the ritual site. And she, or any who seek to do the same, cannot work with shoddy tools. Mascara that spoiled overnight, and melted and ran like tears. Greasy foundation, soaking into the pores and swelling the skin underneath with oil. Lipstick, patchy and cracking. Desiccants that peeled the lips open and let the toxins in. Lead! Lead! Tulip weeps for what her predecessors worked with. So she worked, works, will work to make the finest tools. Crazy blue eyeliner. Hair dyes vibrant. Ergonomic handles and cute portable kits. Then she markets them, shows them to the world and stamps her name proudly on them. So all know their worth. Tulip knows all this, so she stands proud as she speaks to her fans, and the press, and the photographers always in her wake. As she tells them of her products, of how they can highlight the clients beauty, bring to the fore their perfections. (Never say the make up makes one beautiful. Never say the make up will work. Match the product to the client, never the other way around.) Tulip''s ambivalently positive about some of her work here. The first timers, the tourists, those who appreciate a touch up or enjoy new scents. They meet her, get dazzled, and ideally leave with greater appreciation of themselves. They bring a smile to Tulip''s face. But the other half, that, that she adores. Her fans, her reoccurring fans. She knows their names and their faces. There is Harold, who fears he is overweight and so his wife''s love will fade. He first came to Tulip in hopes it could be hidden somehow. This is false and also unrealistic, no highlight will hide a number on the scale. Instead, she taught him posture. So he could walk confident, and then be confident. Now when his wife says she loves him, Harold is happy. "Tulip!" "Harold, darling! Thank you for your time! Just set that over there¡ªand there should be bottles out back, could you¡ª? Yes thank you, you''re a doll." Taylor, a regular. Shy girl, thought she''s plain but its how she hid her legs that was the issue. A makeover to sharpen those cheekbones, a quick lesson on projecting authority, and she had all the boys she wanted eating out of her hand. Or perhaps she wanted girls? The way she stammers when Tulip gets close has little heterosexual explanation. Here she comes now, not joining the line, standing outside the crowd. She''s waving, with someone on her arm. A¡ª Oh, it was girls! How wonderful. Tulip waves back, grin reaching her eyes, and she turned to greet her next¡ª Hm. Her shadows extending out, the next man (Alain? Was that Alain?) steps back. Tulip watches curiously as the shadow bulges, hand towards her Florges and¡ª A Greavard? Small, so small she looks up no matter what. Hm. And what a beautiful Greavard she is¡ªfur brushed smooth, fur brushed clean, no enhancers, no decorations. Just the Greavard''s natural beauty, soft satin grey fur turning rose white at the tips. A candle dripping wax in clean trails, the light pure and focused. Splendid. Oh. Wonderful. And the note, tucked into the fur, placed over her nose. What a charming placement¡ªshe cannot see! Yet she wags her tail at Tulip still. "Oh, hello. Aren''t you a doll?" Tulip kneels down. She picks the Greavard up in both hands, like a cherished pet. And up the dog went, paws in the air, dumb tongue out. She plucks the note from where it stuck (the dog''s tail wagged harder, seeing Tulip) and read it. She recognised the looping, large childish letters, with the heart instead of a dot on the ''i'', as Poppy''s. Oh, was it that time already? Curious. Last year Poppy arrived much later into the season. Perhaps her ''assistant'' is responsible? But no matter, she had the time. First, she must display this Greavard''s beauty. Tulip turns to the side and angles them both towards the cameras. About forty five degrees. She brings her close to her chin, and kisses on the forehead. Like a pet for Christmas. Photo flashes. Her photographers and fans finding this as cute as she did. Splendid! "Pretty girl," Tulip tells the Greavard, "Stay a while, please. I''ll bring you to your Trainer soon, just wait. And we shall treat you well while you wait?" The Greavard barked, agreeably. "Wonderful, now¡ªHarold, come take her¡ªescort her to the back tabl¡ªwonderful. Thank you¡ªwho''s next? Oh, Alain! I thought you''d never¡ª" Tulip met Linh and Poppy with a puppy on her shoulder. Heels clacking against the pavement, steps swift but unhurried. Both Poppy and Linh were glad to see her. Linh, because he wasn''t sure the note would work, and he had something he wanted to say to her outside of earshot of Poppy. And Poppy... "TULIP!!" Poppy waved her hands in the air. A hello so energetic it risked her toppling off of the retaining wall. Three things reached out to stabilise her. Linh, leaning against the wall. A vine from Menace, soaking in the sunlight atop the shrub. And Tinkie, laying tummy down on the raised dirt bed, fingers poking little holes in the dirt. ... Poppy just likes to meet people. "Hello!" Poppy continued. "Hello Poppy, it''s nice to see you," Tulip said, "And hello, are you the one Geeta spoke to us about?" "I wasn''t aware Champion Geeta said anything about me." "She did, to explain why we shouldn''t be concerned about a man following Poppy around for an extended period." Linh took that in, and then, mortification. "Ah. Right." "But yes. She vouches for you. You are the Trainer for this Greavard?" Tulip lifted up Casket, and held her forwards. Casket looked down at the arms holding her, and then looked at Linh from the corner of her eyes. "Ah, yes. Thank you," Linh took Casket, turning her towards him¡ª"Is she wearing nail polish? Uh, claw polish?" Where Casket was pawing at his arms, air-swimming, there were black shiny marks. Four blunt streaks of paint. Linh held up a paw for inspection. And there, sticking above the paw pads, black nails. Still a bit wet. "Oh, I simply could not resist, forgive me." Tulip hid her mouth, "Your Casket was a very polite girl, she did not mind me brushing her at all! I simply had to give her the full treatment." "Did you?" Linh brought Casket closer. "Did she?" Casket barked and panted, her teeth were clean and her breath was not as doggy as it was before. "She did! Look at you! You''re cute now!" Tulip smiled, "I only brought out her inner beauty. Something you''ve done yourself very well. What''s your grooming schedule?" Linh brought Casket to his chest, and turned her around. He pursed his lips, feeling like he''s been complimented on something he had no idea he was doing. (He is.) "So. Once a day I brush her down until no more shedding. And if she''s dirty or its been more then a week, a bath with what water''s available." "Really, what brush?" "Uh, metal? Casket found it somewhere, I didn''t ask where." Tulip flustered, "Oh, I, um. You don''t trim her fur? You don''t¡ª" "Um. Miss Tulip? Can I ask you a question?" "That''s nice Poppy." Tulip said, then she rounded back to Linh. He stood there awkwardly. "But, surely you apply something? What shampoo did you use, to get these tips so rose-white!" Tulip lifted up some fur, and rolled it in between her fingers. The fur looked bone white to Linh. Chalky. "... Discount store brand? I''m actually running low¡ªprobably should get more..." "That won''t do at all!" Tulip scowled, and dug around her purse. "Hold on, I have a sample here somewhere..." Linh looked to Poppy, face starting to turn angry. He set Casket down on the planting box and she immediately started sniffing the dirt. "Hm. You know we asked this meeting because Poppy had a question. You know?" Tulip blinked, glanced at Poppy then acknowledged her properly. She crouched down a bit to be eye level. "Oh, I''m sorry Poppy. I just get distracted, see? What was your question?" Poppy glared harder at her, then started to ask. "I wanted to..." She looked down. "I wanted to..." She looked up. "I forgot!" Tulip sighed. "That''s okay. Maybe you''ll remember it if you retraced your steps?" "Maybe it was about Tulip''s Ralts?" Linh commented. "Um..." Poppy sucked her thumb, deep in thought. "Ralts?" Linh gestured to Tulip, "That''s actually why we''re here early, this is our first badge, not the usual seventh. Poppy said you hatched a new Ralts recently and she wanted to fight them." Tulip''s gaze softened, and she smiled. "You remembered?" Poppy didn''t react, she was still looking down, curled up. Thinking so hard it was almost like they could hear the gears spinning. Tinkie rolled her eyes, poked Poppy until she turned, then said something. "OH! It was about Ralts!" Tulip nodded, "Yes? What about Ralts?" "What does Ralts like? I want to give him a house-warm-ing gift!" Poppy said. Tulip blinked. "Wouldn''t a birthday present be better?" "A birthday present!" Poppy grinned. Tulip nodded, slower. Thinking back to her Gym''s Ralts. "Well, he likes¡ª" Linh let himself drift out of the conversation. He scratched the back of his neck and looked upwards. There, the League''s local quarters, adorned with advertisements and posters of upcoming plays and movies. Here, the observatory Tulip battled at. A tall square building, with a large iron sculpture atop the roof. A sphere on four steel legs. The actual viewing bubble. Under that (hidden from view) would be the arena itself. GYM BATTLE: Tulip (FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT)
Alfornada''s observatory was largely defunct now¡ªwith the more recent constructions it left little starlight for the observatory to capture. Even with a lights-off curfew. Linh and Tulip stood opposite each other. Each had an audience to them. Linh; Poppy, with her Pok¨¦mon out and watching. All of them carefully sitting on Tinkie''s hammer handle. Poppy sat the prettiest, preening with her new Badge, pinned to her key-bag. Tulip; with a small gaggle of photographers, seeing if anything done during the battle was publicity worthy. Linh fidgeted with his Pok¨¦ball. The battle wasn''t the only thing Linh was nervous about. He wanted to talk to Tulip about something serious, and privately. But he could pretend it was only battle-nerves. "¡ªSo, I wanted to follow you up on¡ªyep, that. Delays? For how long? Unfortunate. Well. Light some fires your end, and I''ll see what I can do over here. Reschedule the¡ª? No no no. That won''t do at all. Change subcontractors if you must¡ªall of these problems have solutions." She sighed. "Call back tomorrow, I have commitments, chat later." Tulip snapped her phone shut. "Hello Linh, it''s time, then?" She took in his stance, then commented quieter. "Let''s relax¡ªthis is just the first badge, yes? Show some confidence, that you have battle-sense is good enough at this level." Linh inhaled, then exhaled. He nodded. "That''s. Thank you. I''m ready." She jerked her head to the referee, and the referee spoke the rules and the conditions. "This will be a three on three, single battle! No switches! As the challenger does not have three Pok¨¦mon he shall win double knock outs!" The referee continued, speaking the expectations of fair conduct, the notice of recording, the formalities. The official words to signify this is official. Until, with a sharp swipe through the air, she swung her flag. "BEGIN!" They threw. Light flashed. Casket stood opposite a Ralts. Looking like a toddler with a bowl cut and a dress that drags on the floor. "Hey!" Poppy cried out, from the sidelines. "I thought you used him against me!" Tulip called back, laughing inside, "No no dear! This is a different one. Ralts! Use Hypnosis!" Ralts slapped her arms against her head and a light purple glow emanated from her horns. Shooting out as darts of energy. That''ll induce sleep in those it hits. With one small weakness. Slow moving darts, easy to dodge. "Walk away and Roar." Casket slid to the side, sinking down into her shadow by an inch, and then dragged by its stretching. She popped out a moment later as the darts went wide, spiralling off and breaking apart like smoke rings. In her throat a power built, and escaped with a bark¡ªa Roar, a wall of sound. "Why would you?" Tulip started to ask. Ralts had no time to react as it slammed into her, and carried her in the air as a bolt of white glittering light. The bolt slammed into Tulip''s Pok¨¦ball. A forced recall. Tulip frowned, brows furrowed, and she reached down to her waist. An attempt to direct who gets released next. Unfortunately, the process is too fast to allow that¡ªanother Pok¨¦ball at her waist triggers, and what comes out makes Tulip fumble. A Flab¨¦b¨¦ twirled in the air, spinning around her flower. Then she beeped in confusion. The little fairy clinging to the stamen tilts her head. Tulip stared at Flab¨¦b¨¦, then muffled a swear, digging through her pockets. Linh leaned forwards, "Just to set the tone. Follow through." Casket dipped into her shadow again, lancing towards Flab¨¦b¨¦ and diving out towards her. "Wait wait wait¡ªFlab¨¦b¨¦ dodge!" Tulip scrambled, she wasn''t looking at the battlefield, all her attention drawn to her own person. Flab¨¦b¨¦ floated upwards, not as a dodge, but as a response to getting smacked in her underside by a leaping dog. She floated high, then drifted down as Casket lost momentum, and hit the ground. "Now, Headbutt," Linh commanded, "Keep the momentum¡ªcharge!" Tulip shouted, eyes wide, stance straight, "Wait! Wait wait!" She held up a Tera Orb, a sphere onyx like. "Challenger! I need to¡ªthere''s a script I need to¡ª" Linh paused, "Wait, really? Casket hold on¡ªfor what?" Tulip waved her Tera Orb wildly. "It''s in the contract¡ªwe have to Terastalize our ace." Linh looked over to the referee, she was nodding. "Okay?" "Thank you." Tulip took a breath, then held up her Tera Orb daintily. "Come here, my little Flor¡ªFlab¨¦b¨¦! It''s time for a makeover. You''ll become a new you!" Streaks of energy flowed around the orb, and it shook wildly as power inside it built up. Tulip''s hand shook and she held the orb away from her, wary. Until the orb made a shimmering chime, and Tulip threw the orb. As it made contact with Flab¨¦b¨¦, it engulfed and trapped her in a crystal. Her form obscured and refracted in the surfaces. The crystal broke, and Flab¨¦b¨¦ gave a cry as new power formed around her. She was also wearing a massive violet eye, made of crystals, atop her head. It also sparkled, and shone brighter then the sun. The light reflected off of the metal and Linh winced, blocking the glare with his arm in a flinch. He dropped his arms just in time to watch the photographers behind Tulip flash their cameras. Another eyeful of light. He flinched. "Now we can resume Challenger!" Tulip shouted, she pointed ahead, "Flab¨¦b¨¦! Use Fairy Wind!" Flab¨¦b¨¦, dwarfed by her hat, spun and giggled. Somewhat menacingly because she''s just been hit twice with no recourse. As she spun the petals of her plucked flower rippled like fans, and the air rippled and took on a pinkish hue. The wind blew towards Casket. She barked and rolled, dodging what she could. Then she perked up as Linh snapped out, "Shadow Limbs¡ªpressure up!" "Vine Whip to the side!" And Flab¨¦b¨¦ whipped out a vine from the flower, wrapping around the metallic pillars and launching herself across the battlefield. Away from the peeled up inky paws. This also made the light refracting off of the Tera hat shine in dazzling patterns, every ray finding a home directly in Linh''s eyes. "Mother F¡ª" Linh made a disgusted sound, "How is it I''m the only one getting affected by this?" Tulip spoke ahead of him, a tinge of disapproval. "Handling the effects of Pok¨¦mon battling is a basic skill of Trainers. Stray projectiles, loud noises. It''s simply part of the beauty." "Skill issue!" Poppy cried out behind him. Linh turned around, "Thank you, Poppy!" He turned around again, "Casket¡ªShadow close, repeat it!" Casket barked agreement, fur ruffled and a bit glittery at the roots. The aftereffects of Fairy Wind. She sunk into her shadows and the shadows moved across the ground. Tulip shook her head, "When she leaps out, Vine Whip away. Get distance and Wind!" Casket did not leap out. She simply rose up. And she watched as Flab¨¦b¨¦ launched out another vine. Her head traced Flab¨¦b¨¦''s trajectory. "Chase, stay close." Linh commanded. Casket followed, barking like she was chasing a stick. "Then¡ªTurn around¡ªDig!" Tulip frowned, "What are you trying..." She watched as Flab¨¦b¨¦''s vines run out, and Casket stood the wrong way around. She kicked the ground and dirt flung up into Flab¨¦b¨¦''s face. She shifted, realisation, "Alright that''s clever. Show me a Fairy Wind!" Flab¨¦b¨¦ spat out a dirt clod and started to spin her flower again. And then a dirty pebble smacked her in the face and she cried out, annoyed. The dirt stuck to her flower and her flower crown and in her ears. And in every crevice of her crown. Weighing her down by grams. But she''s a Flab¨¦b¨¦. "Well, I had to see it myself. Escape again!" She weighs grams. One hundred of them if she presses on the scale right. A vine lanced out, around another pillar. And it tugged her half the distance she did before. Closer to the ground, too. "Shadow walk, Headbutt her to the ground!" Linh shouted. Tulip frowned, "Shake the dirt off and drop, quick!" Casket leaped towards Flab¨¦b¨¦, a little too high, for she was dipping down and down, towards the ground in an attempt to make Casket overshoot. It both did and didn''t work. Because Flab¨¦b¨¦ got a white-glowing Headbutt to her forehead, and Casket got flipped over at the point of contact. Leap turning into a tumble that would collide with the crystal Tera eye¡ª No, straight through. The hat was intangible. The light cut out as Casket''s body blocked it, and then shone back with a vengeance. "Sh¡ª" Linh held his and in front of his face, "¡ªNevermind, perfect Casket! Now, Shadow Limbs, surround her!" Casket fell to the ground. Flab¨¦b¨¦ fell to the ground, harder. And then Casket''s shadow reached out and lengthened, until Flab¨¦b¨¦ was in the middle. And four large paws emerged, ready to slam down. "Well done Challenger," Tulip called out, "But I''m not letting Flab¨¦b¨¦ go down without anything! COPYCAT!" Flab¨¦b¨¦ cried out cutely, and slapped the ground herself. Her own shadow rose up and shot between the falling paws. An extending leaf, with veins and ridges, sliced at Casket. Casket yelped. Flab¨¦b¨¦ fainted. The hat shattering with the sound of breaking glass, and Flab¨¦b¨¦ putting her head down, eyes closed. Even in unconsciousness, she refused to give up her death-grip on her flower. The referee swung her flag. "Flab¨¦b¨¦ is down, One-none to Challenger!" "Very well done, Casket!" Linh called out, then¡ª"Wait wait, stay there! Not over yet!" Casket stopped running. Tulip quirked a lip. Then she recalled Flab¨¦b¨¦ and tossed a different Pok¨¦ball in the air. "Gym Leader, release your next Pok¨¦mon!" "Well, Challenger. I''ve never had a Gym Test shake out quite like this. Splendid job." Tulip began. "But I had my own plan, and we better get back on track¡ªGo, Ralts!" Ralts appeared, with a distinctively peeved glare. She puffed her cheeks and set her arms on her hips. "Light on your feet, wait for her to get close, then Hypnosis!" Ralts perked up, and waved her arms in a circular, slow, motion. Purple energy leaving glowing trails. Hypnosis ready to be released. "Naturally, in response to that¡ªCasket. Do not get close. Shadow limbs. Poke her." "One trick? That''s like having only one hand mirror!" Tulip laughed, "Oho! Ralts, be a doll and get over to the broken up ground, yes?" Ralts ran, ducking under the dark paws that lunged at her. She tripped on the ground where Casket dug¡ªthe stone broken up. "Perfect, Confusion on the rubble. Defend and counter!" Tulip cried out. And where Ralts lay her horns glowed red-purple. And up came the disturbed material. Tiles and bricks floated up. Smashing into Casket''s Shadow Sneak. Linh frowned, "Sneak some from behind as well, and get moving!" Casket ran to the left, dodging the rubble thrown at her, breaking on the ground in plumes of telekinetic dust. Her shadow continued to peel up paws and race towards Ralts. Three darted forwards like wolfs on the hunt, two circled around and leapt for the back of the neck. Both failed, dashed against lifting rocks, and Casket got a stone to her nose for the trouble. "Ugh." Linh thought to himself; he had a few ideas to get Casket a solid hit, but he doesn''t think any will work twice. One good hit... Make it count with¡ª"Tail Whip!" Casket wagged her tail at Ralts, Ralts gasped and dropped her stones, she waved her arm at the dog and babbled something angrily. Then slumped over as the move hit. A defence drop. "Keep throwing with Confusion. She''ll have to get close eventually." If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. True. "... Dig." "Ralt''s, Prepare Hypnos¡ªno. There won''t be time..." Tulip muttered. "Ah.Confusion on yourself, fling upwards on my mark!" A silence on the battlefield, Ralts covering herself with a psychic glow, and glancing nervously downwards. Linh and Tulip watch quietly, waiting for¡ªthe rumble in the ground, the bounce of pebbles, the growing cracks¡ª "MARK!" Casket rips out of the ground, the dirt flowing with her and glowing bright strong brown. Ralts flew upwards before Casket could reach, and so she landed with a frustrated growl. "She has to come down at some point! Follow, Headbutt!" "Prepare Hypnosis, land it as she gets close!" Ralts fumbled in the air as Casket chased her on the ground. Then, as if chasing a thrown ball, Casket leapt, throwing herself upwards with the white glow around her forehead. She tackled Ralts soundly, and both fell down. A rolling tumble that brought them to the end of the battlefield, near the audience. Ralts did not get up. "Ralts has fainted! Two none to the Challengers favour!" The referee shouted. Casket stumbled away from the Ralts, stepping unevenly. Linh asked, "Casket?" And then watched as she fell down. A flash of panic, before he saw Casket''s little chest rise and fall, a snot bubble bloating out from her nostril. "And the Greavard has fallen asleep." The referee continued. Tulip nodded as she recalled Ralts. "Splendid. You''ve done well Challenger¡ªyour Greavard''s just as hard to get rid of as caked-on mascara. But I have one last Pok¨¦mon and she''s asleep¡ªrecall her or face Hatenna!" Hatenna appeared with a cry greater then the buzz of her Pok¨¦ball. A small thing, bouncing on two feet with her twin tails flopping and her hat-like extrusion flapping. She made a cry somewhere between man and mammal, and with it a word appeared in the air, formed of fire. Mystical Fire. It faded away before it could go anywhere¡ªperformative. "Let''s not let Casket burn, shall we? I withdraw Casket!" Linh recalled Casket and glanced at the referee¡ªwaiting for her. The referee obliged by calling out, "Greavard withdraws! Two one, Challengers favour!" Linh raised his second Pok¨¦ball. "It''s going to be awkward, but I need you to dodge. Go, Menace!" Menace the Bramblin appeared, his eyes floated out of his roots, waking up blearily. He rasped. "Mystical Fire." Hatenna cried out the same word, and the fiery kanji was spoken into existance. It soared. "PROJECT, and keep dodging!" Menace rasped, a vine reached out and pushed against the ground¡ªMenace rolled right. The kanji soared by him, searing the ground and spilling steam as it passed. Linh stepped to the side and it continued out of the battle court, into the open air behind them. He muttered quietly to himself, "That''s one." Menace rasped something that sounded cruel at Hatenna, and Hatenna gasped, bouncing up. Tulip did not say anything else. She clicked her fingers, and Hatenna took that as permission to launch another Mystical Fire. A few degrees right. Linh nodded. "That''s two. Stand and bite back." The kanji formed, and streaked towards Menace. It sizzled in the air and left sooty ash on the ground and spat sparks as the brush-stroke like shapes twisted closer and closer to Menace and¡ª ¡ªflowed right through. An illusion. The kanji continued past the battlefield and only stopped when Tinkie stood up and in the way. The fire wasting on her flesh. Menace cackled, on the other side of the battlefield. Hatenna listened to words, rasping tongue against stalks, and slumped again. Tulip frowned. "Again." Linh grinned, "Again." Hatenna puffed up, and said the word to conjure. Yet when Menace hollered something rough and dry, she flustered. Tongue flicking and fumbling. Fire started to form in the air, before turning into puffs of smoke. Tulip drew back, surprised. "What?" "Three. Mystical Fires a strong move, yes? Strong enough it''s exhausting. Especially if you keep eating Spites afterwards." Linh started to explain. "Sure would be a shame if Hatennas too¡ª" "Spite!" Tulip snapped. "You¡ªI¡ªHatenna, Confusion!" "Bullet Seed." Linh said. "Finish this." Menace cackled even as a blast of telekinetic force sent him rolling. His thorns shook merrily as he bounced along the floor. Coming to a stop, his eyes rotated back around, and from the depths of his roots a cluster of seeds shot. All five hit. Hatenna fainted. "Hattenna goes down, three one to the Challenger; And I declare him the winner!" The referee waved her flag again. One side, a bush''s scraping skittering laughter and his Trainers pleased grin. On the other, an unconcious puffball and an annoyed Gym Leader. Tulip''s fingers twitched at the unexpected loss. And then she sighed. "Very well. I must be gracious in defeat. Your strength has this magic to it. And, I suppose I can see the beauty you see in your Bramblin." She strode forwards and gently picked up Hatenna, holding her comatose body against her chest. "Trainer Linh! Approach and receive your badge." Linh approached. Tulip held out her Gym Badge, a small silver-coloured badge with a brass wreath surrounding it. The face depicting a pink six pointed star. "With this badge I recognise you as the winner¡ªcongratulations." She also held out a disc, "I also award you with this TM, for Psychic. I''m not sure if either of your Pok¨¦mon are inclined to it, but with some training you could achieve something wonderful with it." Linh took both with a quiet thank you. Behind him. Poppy cheered. Before him, Tulip''s photographers captured the handover. Tulip smiled to the cameras and Linh got one final flash to the face. "Now," she continued. "I would say I have to dash, but, this battle was done very fast. So I actually have some free time. Which is a rarity, I admit. Do you have any questions or, would you like to talk?" Linh glanced at Poppy, then back at Tulip. "Actually, could I talk to you in private?" Tulip raised an eyebrow, "What for?" Linh glanced at Poppy again, more meaningfully. "I''d just like to know some things from your perspective. About Poppy''s position." Tulip nodded, in the sense of someone who wasn''t quite picking up what the other was putting down. "Now, I did just say we have time, so¡ªfollow me?" By the time Linh left Tulip''s office¡ªthe unused one she''s mandated to have in the League building¡ªit was raining. A light drizzle to match his disappointed mood. He took the building''s stairs, with raindrops trailing down the high window''s on each floor of the stairwell. The bottom floor had the expected. Desk. Lounge. TV hanging in the air and decorations everywhere, community sourced. Except, this floor had a geriatric core. There were many thin blankets folded neatly on the table by the chairs. On the carpet below the TV there were four rectangular divots, each one matching the wheels of the trolley in the corner. And atop that trolley was a well-used bingo cage. The TV was running reruns of an old show, set to mute so it didn''t disturb the two Grandma''s knitting together. At their feet flocks of Natu hopped around or stared. Stared at them. Stared at nothing. Stared at Tinkie, uncomfortably fiddling with Poppy''s bag. Stared at the receptionist and stared at the tourists who dared to think that they are part of Alfornada. Why, they didn''t even live here before Tulip became Gym Leader! Pfeh. They also stared at Linh as he approached Tinkie. "Where''s Poppy?" Tinkie looked up at him, then pointed towards the far edge of the room. Where two doors were. With a sign showing a man and a sign showing a woman. Linh huffed, and went to the lounge to wait. He sat near the Grandmas, on the couch. Near immediately, a flock hopped towards him. Natu''s with wings too weak for long flight. Instead preferring their quaint little hops and their great flapping leaps. The little birds stared unblinkingly up at him, from the floor, on his feet, on the couch, on the couch''s backrest, on his shoulder, on his la¡ª ¡ªNo. Casket could not take that. She refused to have these strangers claim the place of honour! She puffed out of Linh''s shadow, and swelled herself up as high as she could. Illusions lengthening her limbs. And she barked aggressively. Horrible. Raggedly. The Natu did not move, they did not flutter their red wings or their green feathers. Their red feather crests did not twitch either. Casket barked again, loud enough to turn the dead in their graves. Again, no response. Casket whined, turned in a circle, then reached up with a Shadow limb. It batted at Linh''s waist. At Menace''s Pok¨¦ball. Menace appeared in a flash of light. Claiming Linh''s lap. He took in the situation, looked at Casket and rolled his eyes. Along all three axes. He rasped something at the Natu. One of the grandma''s smiled as the Natu fled to them. "Natu like you," the other grandma''s remarked. Her needles clacking away. "They don''t do that to just anyone. You feeling down, sonny?" "Why do you ask?" Linh ran a hand through Menace, fingers tracing thorns and coming out untouched. "Natu like you. They don''t try to reach out unless they think someone is hurting." Linh looked down at the birds again. "It''s. Well. Just a momentary set back. She proved unhelpful so I''m just moping." "Hmph." The needle''s came down, mechanically. A weathered hand went into a well-worn pocket and held out a strawberry candy. The individually wrapped kind. "It''s not good to mope, have a sucker, sugar''s good for feeling better." Linh took the strawberry bon-bon, and then grumbled and dug into his own pockets. He came out with a lemon drop. The sugar coated kind that were candy, not medicine. The grandma took the candy seriously, and then returned to her needles. The other grandma found that funny, and fell into giggles. "Hehehe¡ªOh, I''m sorry!" she said to their curious looks, "It''s just, oh. Forget me. Here, young man." She dug into her own pockets and withdrew a butterscotch. Linh took it with pursed lips, then nodded grimly. He gave back haw flakes. A paper roll filled with coin-shaped candy. A favourite of his, and something rarely found in Paldea. The grandma fell into greater giggles at the second trade. The other grandma continued knitting stoically, and Linh looked away awkwardly. The bathroom door at the far edge of the room swung open. "Ah, there''s Poppy. Well. I''ll leave you two to your business. Thank you for your candy¡ªand see you later." He walked away before either responded. "Heya Poppy!" Linh knelt down slightly, "We got the Badges, yeah?" "Yeah!" Poppy grinned. She grabbed the key-shaped bag hanging like a necklace and lifted it up, showing off the badge pinned there. "So, where to next?" Linh took out a large Map and unrolled it. "Which Badge do you want?" "Ummm." Poppy looked down at the map. "Brassius next! He''s tall!" "And where is Brassius?" Linh placed his finger on the map at Alfornada, on one corner of the map. "Is he here?" Poppy giggled, "No." She grabbed Linh''s finger and dragged it allll the way across the map, to near the opposite side of the region. "He''s over here!" Linh lifted his finger and read the name under it. "Artazon, huh?" The map closed with a rolling snap, and he straightened up. "Well. We''d need to get more supplies, it''s quite a hike." Poppy nodded, then ran towards the exit of the building. At the door she stuck her hand out into the rain and felt the droplets on her skin. Then she turned to Tinkie and put on the small plastic raincoat Tinkie gave her. A copper ochre lining, and Cufant embosses on the clear plastic. They left the building, Poppy looking for puddles to splash in, as the League building faded behind the rain. Chapter 13 - Teatime (The protag is G*larian after all)
Mielcera. Small village a little way East from Alfornada. It''s where those who want to climb to Alfornada start. The Trainers who want to dodge the Bombirdier instead of facing the cavern dragons. They drop rocks and metal scraps and their hatchlings on people and Pok¨¦mon for fun. Not even for hunting¡ªthey do not need gravity to open the hides and scales of the small lizards and fish they eat. Instead, they seek to make loud clatters with their payloads. Mielcera. A small village fed by a river. A water wheel spun the old mill, surrounded by flowers. Combee crossed the river periodically to return to their hives. The long horizontal kind, easier on old bones. Further up the river, and a good walk away, the grass gave way to clay¡ªcarved from the cliff side. A local supply to keep costs down. Tall above the skyline is an old watchtower, old before the old men in the village were born. Mielcera, where a local potter is holding a Mexican stand-off with a teacup. The man stands just outside his workshop, at the end of the street. In his hands is his sculpture tool, hefted and settled in flexing fingers. The teacup floats in the air on the other side, broken pottery glazed and chipped. The eyes glazed on the front squint, and the tiny liquid hand holding its broken handle tightens. Behind the man stands a teapot, sitting on the table. Freshly fired, stamped, and ready for shipping. All Mexican stand-offs end someway, somehow. This one ended at an unseen signal. Both man and teacup moved as one. The teacup charged, floating forwards with its liquid swirling. It bubbled and hissed like boiling water¡ªa war cry. The man adjusted his stance, carver forwards, like a fencer. The sharp near-right-angle blade thinned by constant use. The teacup went low first, spinning to build momentum. And as they turned to face the potter again, the liquid drooping over top the lip extended and swiped like a licking tongue. The potter slashed with his sculpture tool. Once, twice, thrice! The off-coloured tea within the teacup parted easily, and splashed as harmless fouled drink. Next, the teacup darted right, seeking to circle around a foe instead of overcoming. The purple liquid swirling in their cup gave off pink wafts of steam, leaving a thin mist in their wake. A pleasant smell. Disarming. Yet the potter remained undeterred, sidestepping right with it. And his scraping tool came down, hitting not the liquid, but the cup itself. Eins, Zwei, drei! Except! As carver touched pottery, it pierced fabric, not ceramic. The teacup puffed into smoke, and what remained was a cute little plush of a nondescript lizard creature. The carver made a confused noise, then alarmed as he saw the true teacup reappear in the corner of his eye. The liquid swirling and swelling, something underneath the surface pushing up. It escaped! It escaped as a tiny purple-pink glow, that soared in the air like a fluttering bird and came crashing into the tool. With a cry, the potter let go of his carving tool as it was sent somersaulting in the air. It flipped over and over until it landed in the teacup''s grasp. Now free of the slicing tool the potter used, the teacup made its dash to its prize. Yet for all the swiftness of the teacup, it matched not the grace of the potter. He dashed to the teapot and a long leg catapulted him up onto the table, the teapot in his clutch and held up high. "You shan''t take it! Befouled Earl Gray, begone!" The potter cried, and he kicked at the teacup. Uno! Dos! Tres! The teacup dodged one foot, dodged the next, and then rolled rim over foot back and back away. Not a drop spilled. The teapot cried out in dismay, with the carving tool staining inside its tea. Then, confused, the teapot turned to the street and then, a panic settled on their face. The teacup''s decorative finish curling in distress. There was nothing there on the street. Passing cars in the distance, a man and a child walking towards them, but nothing to be alarmed about. Seeing nothing, the potter turned back, and was amazed to see that he held his sculpture tool, and the teacup held the teapot. A trick was made on him. He snarled as he clutched his sculpture tool, black tea dripping onto his fingertips. He gripped it and watched futilely as the teacup floated backwards, with the teapot in its grasp. "Do you... need assistance?" Linh said, approaching near. He had a grey dog peeking out from his shadow. Poppy watched the teacup saunter away with a stern pout. She was holding hands with a Riolu, who did not seem at all aware of his surroundings. "No no!" The potter said, wiry moustache twitching in embarrassment. "I''m fine! Nothing''s wrong!" He hastily climbed down the table. "Because it looks to me like you''re getting robbed by a Sinistea." Linh adjusted the grip on his bag. "Doesn''t he, Poppy?" Poppy looked between teacup and potter. "Yeah... Sinistea!" She rounded on Sinistea, putting her hands on her hips. Sinistea perked up, a questioning noise as tea splashed. "Stealing is wrong!" Sinistea nodded seriously, then hefted the teapot and the tea in its cup bubbled. It sounded like a raspberry. Poppy gasped. "Riolu! Anti-Ghost!" she commanded. Riolu sprinted forwards on all fours, and with bared teeth he growled. A dark sheathe forming around each canine. Sinistea watched him approach with indifference, and then a looped eye winked¡ªa light purple glow around Sinistea and the potter. Before Linh or Poppy could say anything, Sinistea was over there, and the potter was right in front of Riolu, mid leap! "RIOLU! STOP!" Poppy suddenly snapped, like brittle metal snapping. Riolu spun and tumbled in those instants. Mid-air, and carried by momentum, there seemed to be nothing he could do to stop himself colliding with the unfortunate man. Seemed, as with precision both instinct and technique, Riolu snapped his arms straight up, a blast of blue energy came out. Not Aura Sphere, but something that would one day be it. It came with recoil, and Riolu slammed into the ground with a whuff. "Never showed me that before," the potter muttered, before straightening up from his cower, "Ah. Young lady, thank you...?" A giggle, and they turned. There by the table, Sinistea tossed up the teapot. It rose to catch it, and continued upwards, floating up and behind the workshop¡ªover the shingles and away. "They''re getting away!" Poppy cried, "Come on, let''s follow!" She ran after the teacup, righteous excitement fuelling her. Linh watched her go, then walked right up to the potter. "Hey there. I''m Linh." He stuck his hand out. The potter watched Poppy''s retreating back with furrowed brows. He took Linh''s hand, "... Florian." "If you''d pardon my, well, curiosity," Linh began. "You don''t seem all that broken up, about the teapot." Florian chewed his lip, then nodded. "Ally Switch needs an Ally to work¡ªdoesn''t it? Can''t swap places with the unwilling." An understanding woof came from Linh''s feet¡ªCasket''s realisation. "It''s a long story." "Well, you''re going to have to wait to tell it¡ªI shouldn''t let Poppy run off without me." He took of his bag and held it behind him, and then dropped it. Instead of hitting the ground, it sunk into his shadow, leaving behind nought but a single grey-white dog hair. With a single wave goodbye, he took off, after Poppy. Poppy burst into the street, Riolu sprinting just behind her. She stopped, and Riolu ran into her back¡ªtripping over her and into the wall. "Thief!" Poppy cried out, she pointed at Sinistea, on the other side of the street. A dusty road without others, running at the back of the village¡ªbetween small houses. Sinistea hefted the teapot, and twirled. They swirled the tea and it came off as mockery. "You!" Poppy, grinning, pointed again. "Riolu, anti-Ghost, again! No one to swap with Sinistea!" Riolu darted forwards, black forming around his teeth, cross the street fearlessly. Oddly, Sinsitea came closer, a nasty gleam forming as a sparkle in the lacy pattern on the cups surface. To Poppy''s surprise, Riolu connects, a solid bite on phantasmal porcelain. One that slipped on the curvature, and sent Sinistea spinning back. Coated in cracks across the pottery. Poppy''s heart skipped a beat at the sight, did Riolu bite too hard? No, those cracks in the teacup. They were glowing. "Weak Armor," Poppy breathe.d A dangerous ability. Every hit reduces the armour, and increases the speed. Poppy''s gaze flickered to the star shape in the cup pattern, and she watches it twinkle. Like a spark of insight¡ªNasty Plot! Doubled special attack! "Riolu, dodge focus!" She commanded. Riolu, obedient, dodges away clumsily. More a backflop then a backflip. In his wake a single large, powerful shadowy ball slams through the ground. Poppy looks away, trusting Riolu to stay unharmed. She raises Tinkie''s Pok¨¦ball. Riolu doesn''t have Dark Pulse yet, can he beat a Sinistea boosted in power and speed? A Shadow Ball went into the air, a panic throw as Sinistea dodged a kicked pebble. Poppy clenched the ball, she can. "Riolu! Agility!" Riolu lands in a sprawl and leaps back upright with a bark of acknowledgement. A glittering shell formed around him before it faded¡ªas if soaking into his fur. Then he moved. The next Shadow Ball Sinistea threw went past the empty air, and hit next to Poppy¡ªthe misty orb breaking into expanding waves on the ground. Like ripples. Poppy did not react. "Push forwards! Bite!" Riolu pounced forwards, maw forwards, teeth forwards. Black and bleak and ghost-cutting. His paws pounded on the pavement in a straight line, directly towards¡ª"Sidestep left, now!" Riolu touched the ground with a foot, and pivoted, sharp movements left. To avoid the Shadow Ball Sinistea shot forwards. One misty, malformed, weak and tiny. Poppy saw the incomplete Shadow Ball and recognised what it meant. "No! Dodge again!" Yet Riolu did not have the time, the second Shadow Ball came faster, complete and strong. It slammed into his knees, and tripped him onto his face. A skid across the ground under Sinistea, past it. Sinistea giggled. Poppy frowned as Sinistea crowed at Riolu. "That''s my fault." She said, resolutely, "I made the wrong call." Sinistea made one last giggle, bubbling like a brook, before daintily floating away. Poppy scowled, Tinkie''s Pok¨¦ball raised, "Tinkie, go¡ª" "Shadow Sneak," Linh said, breath a little faint from running. A shadowy paw came out from behind Poppy, soaring long and far and many-jointed. It smacked Sinistea in the face and batted it down like a volleyball. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. A crash against the ground as Sinistea cried out. A spray of tea trailing behind it, that left a bad stink in the air. Casket ran into the street, tail wagging, proud. "Linh!" Poppy commanded, "Go catch Sinistea, I''ll help Riolu!" Linh pursed his lips, but followed her orders. He approached the puddle of tea, shoes scuffing on the pavement and pressing against the blindness-friendly pavement. Bumpy knobs of concrete which the black tea ran between. He stepped into the tea with a soft splish, and then paused. There was no teacup at the end of the puddle. Only a soft plushie, soaking in the spill. Casket sniffed the plushie, and then picked it up, she held it proudly. "Hey Poppy," Linh stood up and turned back, "Uh. Sad news. The cups gone. Want to head back and tell Florian the news?" "No! After them!" Poppy cried out, as she recalled Riolu. When next they found Sinistea, they saw it crossing the river. bobbing above the water with the teapot in its grasp. "There they are¡ªLinh! Hide!" "Why? Sinistea''s not paying attention at all." He crouched anyways. Pointlessly, as he was outside of the bush Poppy hid behind. "We need to ambush them, and you can''t ambush someone if you''re noticed first." Poppy pushed away the branches. "It''s halfway across, let''s go!" Poppy stood up, but was held back by Linh''s hand. "Now hold on," he said. "Riolu''s not fighting fit, is he? What''s your plan?" Poppy held up Tinkies Pok¨¦ball. It shook with anticipated violence. Linh winced, "Didn''t you," what was it? "Didn''t you say that you wanted to avoid using Tinkie in Pok¨¦mon battles? And shouldn''t Varoom get some experience?" Poppy looked disdainfully at the river. "Varoom can''t swim, Tinkie can." "Casket doesn''t want to either." They both looked down. Casket was tippy tapping in the dirt, whining at the thought of river fording. "If you want my help. It''s better to get Sinistea where they stop. And look!" Linh pointed at Sinistea, floating up. "Sinistea looks to be going to that old watchtower. If you steal something, you gotta stash it somewhere, and that looks like what Sinistea''s doing. We plan out what we can do, then we get up there and do it." Poppy nodded, and Tinkie''s Pok¨¦ball rocked once in disappointment. "Sure. Varoom would be better with flatter ground. And that''s what will be up there!" She pointed up at the top of the old watchtower, with it''s roof half-caved in. "Okay. What else?" Linh nodded. Poppy thought, "... Sinistea''s weaker then they seem. Their Shadow Balls were just regular, instead of enhanced as they should be with the power of Nasty Plot. Sinistea must be using Nasty Plot to reach the needed power!" "So Menace''s Spite should be effective," Linh said. "Could lock out Shadow Ball entirely. In fact, Menace should be close to picking up Infestation¡ªa good battle could make the difference." He looked back to Poppy, "About Varoom, does she know any useful Moves here?" "Yeah! Assurance!" Poppy smiled, "She also has Taunt, so Sinistea can''t substitute away again!" "Then we have a plan¡ªnot a Master plan. But a Bachelors." Linh said, then he looked away. "Dumb arse joke." The room at the top of the watchtower, where the viewing balcony ringed around, was formed of old stone and brick, and had dust everywhere. Everywhere, bar the piles of pottery in the corner. Shattered or intact. Sinistea hefted the teapot, and placed it down on the ground. It hovered around the pot, inspecting it. Satisfied, it then gently lifted the lid, and dived inside. The lid fell back into place with a clack. A moment later, Sinistea rose out of the teapot, facade pouting. The tea bubbled and hissed, and in a furious fit Sinistea threw the teapot away. It cracked against its brethren and broke on them. More sherds amongst ceramic. Sinistea huffed, a whistle like steam from a kettle, and then froze as it heard something behind it. "Taunt!" A young girl''s voice. Poppy''s voice, from the ladder up the watchtower. The roar of a piston just after, a Varoom at her feet screeching. "Come out, Menace." A man''s voice, Linh''s voice coming from the ladder. A bit exasperated, "Couldn''t even wait for me to get up there? Also, Menace, Spite on the cup." A flash of light arcs up and over Poppy, ending in a thorn bush by Varoom. Menace rasped. Sinistea sagged and perked up at the same time¡ªenraged and exhausted by foreign power at the same time. Taunt prevented anything that was not violence, and Spite drained power away. It spun, tea spilling in anger, and from the tea a Shadow Ball formed. Varoom''s rock-wheels spun and skidded on the stone, and with a jittering jump start she drove forwards, the ball flying past her. Even as it flies, Sinistea was floating backwards, more Shadow Balls being prepared. "Bullet Seed¡ªshoot them down!" Menace shot seeds, colliding with the Shadow Balls and reducing both to green-brown-black ripples in the air. Achieving a stalemate until Varoom leapt off the ground, surrounded by an off-grey glow. Assurance. Sinistea yelped as they dodged, Varoom landing back on the ground, wheels spinning. Sinistea scowled, spinning between Menace and Varoom, before deciding on Menace¡ªa pink-purple glow spat out of the tea, and floated drunkenly towards Menace. "Shoot it down, mock their efforts." Linh said, he would have mentioned covering Varoom, but Menace responded better to instructions to be cruel. Menace rasped, and more seeds shot out, vines too, to smack the Stored Power down. However, to dry crackly hisses, the little pink glow dipped past the seeds and side-winded around the thorny vines. It twirled and spun and rotated in a barrel roll, arcing towards Menace. It just barely missed, lightly grazing Menace before it popped. The nature of Stored Power is to improve in power for every boost the Pok¨¦mon has. Sinistea has two boosts from Nasty Plot, and one boost in speed from Weak Armor. Stored Power starts out four times as strong as usual, before being empowered by Nasty Plot. Or in other words. The ''light graze'' Menace had felt like ninth degree burns, angry boiling liquid forced down a pipe onto his dead flesh. Menace reeled back and bounced across the floor, eyes spinning in place. Fainted immediately. Menace''s unconscious body rolled directly into Linh''s face, and he swore. Poppy didn''t look back. "Varoom! Keep going, lay gas!" Varoom shot underneath Sinistea, exhaust belching Poison Gas, purple smoke clouds engulfing Sinistea. Sinistea burst out, and then winced, small purple bubbles floating up and out of the tea, iridescent like soap. It poured itself out and from the spilt tea dark green wilted leaves fell. The clumps of leaves hovered and spun into wet crescents, that shot towards Varoom. Magical Leaf, unerring projectiles. Unfortunately, twice resisted by Varoom. "Now, Assurance, straight through!" Varoom spun, drifting backwards by momentum, and then shooting towards Sinistea. She leapt through the tea leaves to a suddenly panicking teacup. Assurance hit. Assurance fainted. "We did it!" Poppy cheered, pumping her fist. "Linh!" She turned. "Oh," she said. Linh still had Menace on his face, branches curling around him in the Bramblin''s sleep. Poppy ran up to him and helped him pry Menace off. "Linh, we won!" she said again, as Linh climbed up. Menace returned to his ball. "So we did." Linh took in the fainted teacup, and Varoom running victory laps around it. He then looked around the room; with all of its pottery, broken and pristine teapots. All piled up carelessly. "So, do you see the teapot Sinistea stole?" Poppy looked around the room herself, all of the teapots were differently shaped, coloured, glazed. But the ones at the tops of the piles looked eerily similar to each other. As if the potter was finalising a design. "...No," she said. "That''s weird." Linh hummed, "What''s weird?" "Look at all these teapots! There''s been a lot of thefts, but they''re all just thrown around. Why would Sinistea want so many teapots, but also treat them all badly?" "Here''s another weird thing." Linh, on a hunch, threw an empty Pok¨¦ball at the feinted Sinistea. It bounced off them, without capturing them. Sinistea was owned. "Who''s Sinistea''s Trainer? Why take the teapots here, instead of to whoever they belong too?" "Do you know?" asked Poppy. "I think I do." Linh did not elaborate. So Poppy puffed her cheeks out and pouted. "Okay! Okay, why don''t we ask Sinistea? When they wake up. A Potion and an Antidote should do it." "Okay." And Poppy walked up to Sinistea, she took a Potion and with both hands aimed it. Sprayed it over Sinistea. And repeated with the Antidote. She sat down to one side, and pulled Varoom into her lap. A cloth in her hands polishing the metal, staining black and purple from the rock residue, and the sludge by-product leaking from Varoom''s exhaust. Linh sat down next to her, further away from Sinistea. "Scootch back a ''lil, let''s not crowd Sinistea?" He tapped his shadow and Casket came out, to get ear scritches. Poppy scootched back. Several moments later, Sinistea awoke. The loops patterned on the cups front blinking awake. It yawned, and hovered up. Then yelped as it saw Poppy. Dropping down to the ground. It cowered. "Hey Sinistea!" Poppy began, she stopped when Sinistea skipped backwards, cupfoot scraping the stone. "Sinis¡ª?" Linh began, and Sinistea skittered further away. Casket barked something. High pitched. Sinistea swirled its tea, tilting in a questioning manner. Casket yipped, and then Sinistea relaxed a smidge. Casket then looked up to Linh, and pawed his chest. She glanced to his pocket, and Linh got the message. Inside his pocket was where some berries were carried. He placed one on the ground, and rolled it towards Sinistea. Sinistea watched it warily, and then swooped at it¡ªthe tongue of tea dripping from the cup lip flowed around the berry, and it was gone when it retracted. Linh nodded, then from a different pocket withdrew a stick of incense. Drawing interest from Sinistea. He lit it, and Sinistea relaxed fully. "Sinistea? We''d like to know some stuff about you." Linh placed the incense stick to the ground, "About these teapots. Why you''re collecting¡ª" "¡ªStealing," Poppy said. "¡ªCollecting them," Linh finished. Sinistea watched him carefully as he spoke, judging. Smoke curled around its cup as it listened, thin wispy trails swirling into the swirl the tea formed at rest. It came to a decision. With a contorted expression, the lace pattern upon Sinistea''s face twisted, malforming into images. And those images started telling a story... "... And that''s why Sinistea is stealing your teapots!" Poppy proclaimed. Florian the potter dumped the teabag in his cup onto the saucer. "Well. Yes. I know this already, it''s why I''m making them in the first place." He took a sip of the tea in silence, before it was broken. Chapter 14 - Clayshaping (Straightforward is the potter''s craft...) Naturally, Florian the potter''s workshop was filled with clay. The air tasted vaguely like it, and dried dust stuck to the edges of tables. Blocks sat wrapped in clear plastic behind cupboards and in mats left to dry out. However, the big table and the spinning wheel were pushed aside, for a table for Florian to meet his guests at. And by that table, a stool sat. For Sinistea to meet its own guests. Sitting on big pillars of clay, two dogs and a gremlin sat. Tinkie, Casket, and Riolu. "Okay. Let me start at the beginning." Florian the potter gestured to Sinistea. "Sinistea came to me about... twenty years? Eh, Sinistea m''boy. Was it twenty, or fifteen?" Sinistea looked up from their stool-table, and then two bubbles blew up in its tea, and popped. It turned back to the stool, focused back on the game the Pok¨¦mon were playing. Something involving two small clumps of clay, and a ring drawn around them. None of them were touching the clay, and the clay wasn''t moving, but they were watching like it was. "Fifteen. Time flies." Florian turned back. "So, back then, Sinistea approached me¡ªscared me proper when ''e showed up. But, with those illusions, he told me what he wanted." "A teapot?" "Precisely," he chuckled, "So he could evolve." "What do Sinistea evolve into?" Poppy asked, fingers tapping on the table. Linh and Florian made to speak at the same time, they dithered, and then Linh gestured ''go ahead''. "Polteageist," Florian said, "They exchange their cup for a teapot." "Polteageist." Poppy nodded. "I remember them! There was this Trainer who fought me with one. It used Shell Smash and then blew up Rajah! Had to use Corvi to stop it!" Florian looked askance at Linh, "Is she?" "She''s that Poppy." Linh turned to Poppy. "That''s what all Polteageists do, if they want to be optimal. Fragile, but hits hard and is fast. So Shell Smash to get as strong and fast as possible, and then full power until you drop." "Anyways," Florian continued. "We made many teapots, together. Ones with tall necks, short necks. Round and wide, short and square. Even the fancy ones with two chambers, or the rotating ones. Problem was?" He looked back to Sinistea, cup-shaped. He was frowning, frustrated. "None of them worked." Poppy looked to Linh. He considered what he knew. "Doesn''t it need the ant¡ª" "The antique teapots? Yes, we tried those. Replicating the design and purchasing them! Neither kind worked." There was a tone of bitterness with his words. Linh nodded slowly. Sinistea normally evolved using two different teapots, depending on whether the cup they possessed were authentic or replica antiques. A chipped or cracked pot. But, if neither worked... Perhaps it was to do with the age? NO, that would have meant that the purchased ones should have worked. Or manufacturer. Or perhaps emotions. Linh mulled it over, turning back to the stool-table where their Pok¨¦mon played. The Pok¨¦mon were making a small fuss, half celebrating, half not. One of the clay clumps that was inside the bounding-ring was knocked outside it. Rolling off of the table as if it was hit by something. The other clay clump seemed almost triumphant, with how it was placed and shaped. It almost looked like it had stag beetle horns. Florian spoke, Poppy nodding at every point. "... So, eventually we decided to see if how Sinistea obtained the teapot would change anything. The attempt both of you walked in on was us seeing if fighting for the teapot would do anything. Next time, we''ll see if fighting with another Pok¨¦mon instead of these old bones would work." "I have an idea," Linh interrupted. "Have you tried involving Sinistea in the process?" Florian stopped, "Tell me more?" "Well. I''m thinking it could be about the maker of the teapot, or the emotions put in. If the hand that makes the teapot needs to be the one that makes the teacup, or if the teapot needs to be made with enough want." Florian''s hand fell into his lap, he looked a bit hurt. "You don''t think I put in enough effort?" "No! No. Not what I meant." Linh paused. "It''s just. Pok¨¦mon are so much more freer with their emotions. And it makes sense that if a Sinistea makes a teapot, that teapot is what will let them evolve." Florian sat there in silence, thinking. Linh looked away, uncomfortable with his gaffe. Poppy hummed, kicking her legs. "Alright." Florian said, finally. "We''ll try this. But you''re making the teapot with Sinistea." Pottery isn''t a single day event¡ªit needs time for the clay to change. To dry out. First, it is wetted to better shape. Then it is left to dry to leather-hard, until it can be easily scraped and trimmed down to the final shape. Then it is left to dry even further, so there is less moisture, so it doesn''t get damaged in the oven. Linh received a text from his phone, so he asked Poppy if she wanted to go with him back to the workshop, or continue to watch her show on the TV in the Pok¨¦centre. She wanted to see Sinistea again, so they went together. At the workshop, in the window by the front door, Sinistea watched them approach. Then, as Linh knocked on the door, it phased through the glass and spun around Linh. Poking him, occasionally, with its liquid tongue. It circled him precisely like a pet smelling an open treat packet in a pocket. "Yes, fine. I have the goods," Linh huffed, and he shook a small plastic bag. Loose flower petals squishing together. He raised a fistful and Sinistea stopped, vibrating in anticipation underneath it. Linh showered a fistful of those petals over Sinistea, soaking and corroding into their tea. As he did, he felt the slightest tiredness¡ªlife force given willingly. Sinistea cheered, and then floated around him, towards Poppy. "Only wanting me for my soul, I see how it is." "I''m sure it''s a nice soul," Poppy said off-handedly. She was distracted with poking back at Sinistea. Linh sighed, then he took another fistful of petals, and dropped it over his shadow. The shadow ate the petals, greedily. Even peeling up to reach them faster. The door opened, it was Florian. "Ah, Linh! Good to see you so promptly. Come in." Linh smiled, "The pot''s ready?" "Just firing it is left¡ªand I thought you would like to see the process." "That I do¡ªlead the way." He scraped his shoes on the front mat, and followed Florian into the workshop¡ªtowards the table that he used to let the earthenware dry. There, on the table, was the teapot he made. White ceramic clay, glazed whiter. Stout and bulging in the middle, although the peak of the curve was slightly below the mid-point. A sign of Linh''s inexperience. The spout started at the bottom and curled up, hugging the body until the top, where it daintily turned away. The handle stuck out, instead of curling down into a ''C''. Linh crouched down, a finger lightly tracing the teapot. The surface felt grainy¡ªpowdery. The glaze not yet vitrified into that glossy sheen pottery has. "Ay," Florian''s hand snapped out, and slapped the finger away, "Don''t scratch off the glaze." "Yeah, yeah... So," Linh looked over to the side of the table¡ªsitting on a chair was a bowl stained purple. "Never managed to work the tea out, did you?" Florian shifted to stand pointedly in the way. "It''s nothing." ''It'' is the bowl they used while shaping the clay, Sinistea''s tea poured in to wet the hand and the clay. "Bowl''s are easy to replace¡ªnot like a good table." He gave a sharp-pointed glance at the table. Rather, the gouges in it. Linh winced, those were cuts formed by carefully aligned Magical Leaf. Sinistea''s, to cut the clay into the right portion. "Or a wheel." Both men winced. He was, of course, referring to the potters wheel. The basin around it had chips and cracks, from when Sinistea''s Stored Power skidded off of the clay, instead of trimming shavings off it. Linh redirected, "Just ready to fire, now?" He looked to the oven. Thick, gas-fed, sitting on four legs, with the fuel tanks sitting underneath. "What are we waiting for?" "You, but also. Sinistea¡ªwhere''d he go?" Florian looked around, and then walked away. Linh followed. They found Sinistea in another room, watching Poppy as she gesticulated. "¡ªAnd this was where I met Sparky!" She bounced on the stained-couch, waving the phone around. "My Magnezone, found them when I went to Zapapico, again, again! They really liked being strong, and kept on pushing until they''re one of my Elite!" "Was this on your first or second Journey?" Linh walked into the room. "Also, hey again." Poppy turned, hops in her seat as she shifted. "This was my second¡ªthe only Pok¨¦mon who wanted to stay Elite. Everyone else wanted to stay at home." Florian spoke up, "Well. We''re going to fire the oven up now, do you want to watch us?" "Yeah¡ªdo you want to watch us set the teapot on fire?" Poppy and Sinistea shared a look, and then ran over eagerly. Like mines, children yearn for fire. The oven door swung open, and Florian started stacking pottery within, cups and lids and vases, carefully placed from back to front. "Hand me a board?" Florian pointed to some thin slats stacked by the cups-not-yet-packed. "Open space is an absolute waste. Although you shouldn''t let any of them touch each other. The glaze will melt and they''ll stick together." Florian placed four small pillars in the corners of the over, and a board overtop. More earthenware, and the teapot (Carefully tipped over to pour out a giggling Sinistea-cup), were placed there. Taller ones, about the same height as the teapot. Four more, longer, pillars, at the corners, and Florian steadily built up. "Please don''t touch the valves on the tanks," He said to Poppy. "Okay." Florian then put on each shelf, a small clay thing, bar-shaped, with many cones sticking out of the top. "These are our monitors, each cone melts and sags at a different heat. So we can keep track of how the firing goes. For this type of clay, I prefer to cut the heat at about seven cones." The oven door swung shot easily, once Linh was moved back and out of its arc. (And Poppy, but she had the good sense to move back before Florian could get to her.) Florian then bent down and turned the valve¡ªand the oven turned on, hissing. He gestured to the door¡ªwhere several corks where embedded in it. "Check through there to see if the fires reaching up, will you?" The corks were plugs for the viewing ports, Linh twisted one out and peered inside. "... Yep. Fire. See the cones as well." Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. "Great. Now. We''ll check the cones every hour, but beyond that it''s just waiting. Normally I''d do something else, but," Florian looked towards Sinistea. So they waited. Poppy with impatience, and Florian with the patience of a fisherman. Linh pulled Casket out of his shadow, and started brushing her down¡ªand time passed. About two hours in, with legs kicking, Poppy frowned, she stood up from her chair, and spoke, "I''m going to go find Sinistea," she announced. Walking away with shoulders square. They watched her go into the other room, then leave and go outside, then go back in. "Sinistea is missing." She set her hands on her hips. Linh and Florian shared a look, before Florian stood up and power-walked out of the room. Linh leaned back and thought to the last time he saw Sinistea¡ªinside the teapot. ''Poured'' out, naturally. But... He walked a circle around the oven, checking each side. Then he got a stool so he could see the top¡ªthere, a patch of oven roof without dust. He lifted up Casket and placed her by the dustless patch. She sniffed it, then barked to Linh, confirming. As Florian returned to the room, concerned, he saw Linh peeking into the oven, tapping his fingers against his thigh in concern. "Hey, Florian. We have a problem." Linh stood up and gestured to the viewing port. Florian peered through the port hole. Through the red-orange glow, Sinistea''s handle poked through the teapot''s hole. A liquid hand extended up. It waved. "Well then." Florian. He put the cork back in. "That''s probably fine." "Your ghost is inside the oven. There is fire," Linh pointed out. "Open the oven?" he asked. He looked to Poppy incredulously that he needed to state that. Florian''s face pinched, pained. "But... Gas prices." "So?" A hand raised up, Linh gesturing towards the air. Poppy ignored them as they dithered, she took the stool and stepped up it. She pressed her ear against the oven door. "... Hey! I hear laughter!" Linh and Florian pressed against the oven door, and she was right! There, above the hissing and roaring of the fire, so strong and hot that it could push out of any open port holes, was laughter. Bubbling, ghostly, laughter. Neither boiling nor vaporising. Florian exhaled, rubbing a hand down his face. "I knew Sinistea was fine." "No, you didn''t," Linh accused. Florian ignored him. "Besides, opening the oven now will ruin the whole batch." Linh made some incredulous noises, his hand slowly reached towards the oven''s latch. But Florian slapped it away, scowling. Linh stared wide-eyed. Before scowling himself, picking up Casket, and walking away. "I''m going to go cuddle my dog until something happens," he announced. Florian called out to his back, "Besides¡ªSinistea can go through stuff! He''ll be able to leave anytime!" Linh did not dignify that with an I knew that. Or any muffled grumbles. He sat in the corner with his dog hugged to his chest. More time passed, Florian checked every half hour. Worry masked by checking the cones. "... Seventh cone''s sagging. It''s about done." Florian remarked, he turned the valves again and turned the oven off. Then he turned to Poppy and Linh as they got up to approach, "¡ªHold on now. We need to wait for it to cool first. Can''t open the oven yet!" Poppy sagged, and Linh snorted. Yet, as they turned back around, a strange noise came from the oven. Not the hiss of gas or the roar of fire. But the splashing of water¡ªliquid. Silence and confusion, turning towards the oven. It shifted forwards, then back. Forwards, then back. The splish splash came again¡ªwith the notes of fullsome laughter. Florian opened his mouth to speak when something phased through the oven. Something spherical. Wide and stout. With a spout and a handle. Cracks and chips and missing patches of ceramic outright. And inside the teapot, liquid. Tea, black-leaning-purple. That flowed and spun as the teapot floated out. The tealid popping up as a slime-like ghost popped up. Great big swirling eyes and a small smile, and two small arms pushing out of the tea-body. One hand braced on the teapot''s rim, and the other doffed the lid like a hat. Sinistea has evolved. Polteageist has left the oven. Jubilation marked Florian and Polteageist¡ªFlorian laughed so strong that his wiry hands shook, the barest hints of jowls jiggling. Polteageist danced wildly in the air, swishing side to side like a ballroom waltz. Tea sloshed inside the teapot, a glugging echoing out of its spout. Florian pulled Polteageist into a hug, and patted its back harshly. "You evolved! I knew you could!" "Congratulations," said Linh, standing back. "Congratulations!" Poppy cheered. "What can you do now! Show us! Show us!" "Yes Polteageist, show us your moves!" Florian cheered, pulling it in front of him so he could stare proudly. Polteageist giggled, the tealid tilting on its head. Then it clapped its little hands together and the liquid making them up flash-boiled. A thick steam exploded out from Polteageist, engulfing Florian and advancing alarmingly quick towards Poppy and Linh. Poppy grinned as it surrounded her, Linh stumbled back, shoes catching on the leg of his chair and he fell¡ª ¡ªbit down on a berry. Linh blinked, then looked down. He was sitting at a table. A table with a hole in the centre for a parasol. There were plates and teacups set before him, before Poppy, and before Florian. Polteageist was floating above them, and pouring out its possessed tea into his cup. "Teatime, is this?" Florian asked. Polteageist preened. "Brilliant!" he whooped. "What about your Moves, are they stronger? Hey." Florian picked up his plate, the berries and cookies¡ªmelting like illusions¡ªtumbling off. "Shoot this down!" Florian tossed the plate. Polteageist giggled, and slammed its hands against its teapot. The teapot shook back, and rumbled like the liquid inside was boiling. Before, phasing through the ceramic like a ghost, a great big Shadow Ball ripped out. It sunk into the plate and knocked it off course, throwing the plate harder into the ground until it shattered. Polteageist cheered, and so did Florian. Then Florian, grinning like a child, snatched up Linh''s plate. And before he could react, tossed it out again, like a skeet target. "Use Stored Power!" Polteageist giggled, tracking the plate like a hawk. And then it flung its hand out, a pink-purple glowing light floating out. The orb shot forwards like a hummingbird, flying low and then behind and above. Circling around the falling plate, a feat of dexterity. Before it collided with the plate, and shattered it with telekinetic force. Again, shards fell onto the floor. Florian reached for Poppy''s plate, thanked her when she handed it over, and then threw it as well. "Use Magical Leaf!" Polteageist shook itself, up and down and up and down. Heavy sloshing and splashing, as tea dripped from the cracks in beads. Polteageist seemed to then reach into itself, amorphous hand reaching into amorphous body. And then it flung out what it grabbed¡ªwilted clumps of tea leaves. Tea leaves that soared and curved into the plate. Smacking into it and cracking it apart. A third plates-worth of broken shards hit the floor. Linh noted that the plate shards remained, while the table and the snacks and the cups were hazy at the edges. "... Were those your plates?" Linh asked. Florian opened his mouth and made a noise, his eyes darted to the shelves on the wall, where multiple racks stood depleted. De-plated. "Ah, well." Florian frowned, then sighed. "It''s fine, they''re all defects." Linh doubted him. Poppy doubted him. Polteageist merrily rocked side to side. "Sooooo." Florian faced Polteageist. "You''ve evolved! That''s great. What are you going to do now?" Polteageist looked confused. "I mean. You''ve evolved! You came to me for that, and you''ve gotten it. So. Now what?" he asked. Polteageist thought, popping down into the teapot, lid clacking on top. Whistling sounds came from it, steam seeping through the cracks and the holes. Before Polteageist popped back out. It pressed it¡¯s hands against the teapot, and the lacey looping patterns shifted. Telling a story in pictograms. Florian and Polteageist, hand in hand, skipping across a green grassy hill, revolving in place. Polteageist against some foe, the heat of battle drawn literally. By Shadow Ball and Stored Power, the ever-shifting Pok¨¦mon scribble defeated. Polteageist and Florian, sitting around a campsite. A meal outdoors, and far from civilisation. A childish image, but it was clear what Polteageist wanted. A Trainer to do battle with. Explore the world. Journey. Florian frowned at the sight. "Ah," he said, with a note of nostalgia. "Heh. A Journey? Well. Polteageist. That''d be a sight. But..." Polteageist leaned in. "But I''m just an old man now, and those days are behind me! No. I''m quite content with just staying here." Polteageist wilted. "That¡ªthat doesn''t mean you can''t¡ªLinh!" Florian rounded on Linh, and he reared back in surprise. "You''re journeying, aren''t you? Queer at your age, but you are. Aren''t you?" Linh nodded, finger raised, questioning. "So that means you can take Polteageist in! It''s only fair, you''re the one who came up with the idea¡ªPolteageist evolved because of you. So. Why don''t you take him in?" Linh lowered his finger, then looked between hopeful Polteagiest, slightly manic Florian, and quietly watching Poppy. "... I think it''s Polteageists choice first." They faced Polteageist, hovering there. Polteageist stared inscrutably at Linh, before coming to a decision. It approached Florian and... ... hugged him. Liquid arms expanding from shoulder to shoulder. Florian hugged it back. Before Polteageist floated, smiling, towards Linh. A choice made. "I see." Florian grinned. "Take care of Polteageist, will you, Linh?" Linh nodded, then reached into his shadow, and passed Casket over to Polteageist¡ªa greeting made again. "Naturally." "And you better bring Polteageist back! I want to hear about his adventures!" Linh nodded, lips twitching. "I can do that." "Good!" Florian harrumphed. Then he stood up, "Well. I better go find his Pok¨¦ball¡ªwon''t take a moment." When Florian came back, he found Linh and Poppy waiting by the workshops exit. Polteageist explaining something animatedly to their Pok¨¦mon, through liquid shaking and tea swirling. "Hey." He tossed the Pok¨¦ball, faded and warm, towards Linh. "Heading out now?" Poppy grinned, "Yeah!" Linh nodded again. "Well. Jus'' let me say my last goodbyes to Polteageist, okay?" They had no issues with that. And Florian pulled Polteageist close again, "This is goodbye, I suppose. And a see you later, if I have anything to say about that. But, before you go. I''d like to give you one last gift. Okay?" Polteageist nodded, smile soft and a little sad. "A name. To remember me by. When you''re out there, in the big world outside this tiny village. Show off your new teapot out there. I know you can do whatever you want¡ª "¡ªKaolin." Chapter 15 - Travel Time (And tonight''s guest is...)
Maybe it was the shrivelled old Grinch in Linh''s soul, but Poppy''s travel plans were completely ridiculous. The shortest and simplest path to Artazon starts at Mesagoza, and cuts west through the rocky cliffs. With few jagged turns, it''s a relatively straightforward and flat road. Does Poppy take that? No. She chose wild route 34. The one that started several miles south. The one that winds less, with more space between the cliffs. The one that has only stone, no concrete or pavement. The one that went up and down at steep angles, that Poppy''s Cyclizar cleared easily and eagerly. And Linh huffed and puffed up. Loose dirt skidded under draconic claws, Cyclizar''s feet pressed into the ground, finding the tiny, uneven ledges that made going down safe. Hard outcroppings held together by tough grass. Poppy''s sitting backwards on the dragon, she''s watching Linh stumble down the slope. feet sliding in his boots. "You can do it, Linh!" Poppy cheered, fist in the air. It did little to help. Linh huffed and puffed, "Y''know, you don''t have to cheer me on at every bit of rough terrain. In fact, I''d rath¡ª" "Watch out for that Gulpin tunnel," she interrupted. "They like digging into¡ªoh no, down you go." A spat of bad luck, a too curious Gulpin peeking out from the small tunnels, like rabbit burrows, poking out from the hill. Linh''s foot landed on the Gulpin and squished them. Soft like foam, slippery like a balloon¡ªcompressing and sliding. Linh lands, his butt on the slope, and he slides down it until he comes to a painful stop. "MOTH¡ª" Thump, skid, thump. Linh hit the ground and rubbed his jaw. He bit his tongue. Behind him, Gulpin gasped in annoyance and rage¡ªlike a reverse balloon. Purple spit spreading across the mouth like soap film. Linh looked up to see Poppy watching carefully, fingering Riolu''s Pok¨¦ball. He looked back and saw Gulpin rearing back as if to spit, ballooning up. He sighed. "Casket." Casket came out of his shadow, barking mad. The Gulpin reared back, and thought otherwise. Gulpin fell back into the burrow, small and cramped and not at all a good place to fight. Casket took one step inside, a growl building up in her throat¡ªone glowing white. She prepared a Roa¡ª "Ay! No. Leave it!" Linh snapped, he gave her a sharp look, "No reason to. Let''s catch up." Casket turned around, yipped, and then walked with Linh down that slope. Down to Poppy. "That''s it," Linh commented. He followed Cyclizar as the path evened. Then paused as a thought came to him. "Actually¡ªCasket, if you want to help." She popped up, if her ears could have stood up, they would have, "Find me a stick¡ªlong and straight." She vibrated as he said the word ''stick'', and he started to think that he may have said the wrong word, before she melted into her shadow. And that shadow sped away, crawling up the surrounding cliff walls and beyond. Poppy tilted her head, not smiling nor frowning. "How''s she going to find you again?" There was a moment of silence as they continued walking down the path. A path with faded dirt, and sparse trees on the sides, with bird nests under thin leaf roofs. Murkrow nests, as noted by the slight glint of shininess between twigs and Mankey fluff. "She''s fed on my life force¡ªa lot. Prolonged and recently. She can find me." Linh stuck his hands in his pocket. "Okay!" "She knows my scent too¡ªand with this heat¡ªthe trails sure to be noticeable." Linh looked away. "Okay?" Poppy waited to see if he would say anything more. He didn''t, so she turned around in her seat. Moments later, she pointed out to the left¡ªNorth. "Hey, look!" Linh sped up, and looked. Then he set his flat hand above his brows, "Look at what?" "That!" Poppy pointed towards the cliff tops far from them. Flat tall and thin mountains that the valley below winded around. Atop one of them bright lights flared, and lightning shot upwards. "A Pok¨¦mon battle¡ªuh," Linh muttered. "What do you think''s causing that?" "What?" Poppy''s head turned towards the commotion, "No! That''s just wild Pok¨¦mon showing off. Hoping to attract strong Trainers. I''m talking about that." She pointed to the right. Linh adjusted his gaze. "The empty cliff?" "Don''t you see?" He stared at the bare rock, with the rare shrub clinging to its ledges. "No?" Poppy crossed her arms, "The Titan. Naturally. The Stony Cliff Titan!" They continued walking down the path, in the distance, the path fed into another¡ªone sparse Trainers and hikers and other''s walked. Linh thought, then spoke up, "The one here is... a Klawf. Yes? Crab with a back that looks like a cliff¡ªcamoflague. You must know a lot about them, if you can recognise one so far away?" he asked. Poppy said, "The Rangers look out for them and where new ones show up. But, yeah! They''re¡ªuh." She paused, a more pensive look. "Maybe someone can explain this better..." "But I''d like to hear it from you," Linh said. Eyes ahead. Poppy brightened, "Okay!" She hopped forwards in her seat, further up Cyclizar''s back. "So, Titans! Really big Pok¨¦mon! They sit on a territory and stay there until they die or get beaten! When they''re defeated they shrink down, and we don''t know why!" She continued, as they merged with the main path. One that climbed up slowly, and skirted near the edge of the plateau. A prime place to take pictures from. "But we do know why they''re big! There''s this little herb they have, that when they eat makes them bigger! They guard it with their lives. And they guard their territory too! They attack every Trainer that gets near them, so everyone goes around them. Or moves too fast for them to bother." Poppy said all that with a wide grin, as only a kid sharing an interest can. Linh, as an adult who''s been sliding into the parental by accident, listened with a half-ear. As is proper. "Huh. Who''s the others?" Linh stepped around a big rock in the path. On the top was a Rufflet, who spread their wings in intimidation and challenge. They ruffled their feathers, pleased, as both went around them. A sort of victory. "The other Titans." "Right!" Poppy raised her hand, counting out each Titan on her fingers. "There''s three who we know about! There''s the Open Skies Titan, its a Bombirdier, who lives near the big desert. Then there''s the Dragon Titan; who may be the False Dragon? Some say its the small fish, some say its the big fish, I dunno. "Then there''s the Lurking Steel Titan!" Poppy held her hand up, excitedly. "It''s an Orthworm! They live near Levancia, in the desert north there! It''s a great place for Orthworms, the sand''s nice and dry so they can dig without rusting. Did you know that, unlike normal worms, they don''t need to come up to breath when it rains? They go even deeper, to the rougher sands that scrape open their pores!" "Huh. You know a lot about insects, as well as Steel Pok¨¦mon and Titans?" Poppy sneered, "Annelids, Orthworms aren''t insects, they''re Annelids." She huffed, and turned away. Linh held up his hands, sheepish smile. They passed a battle-scarred patch of ground, on the side of the path. Grass uprooted, gouges in the cliff walls, stones wet despite sunny days and cloudless nights. Linh coughed, "Bet you want to fight them, huh? Fighting something that''s usually not big sounds interesting." "No?" Poppy frowned. "I don''t want their herbs." They rounded the corner¡ªcoming to an outcropping, a ledge extending out. A single girl¡ªteenager¡ªwas already there. Standing at the edge with binoculars against her eyes. A Lycanroc sat with her, gaze just as intent. Lupine eyes matching mechanical lens. "But you like battles?" "That''s different!" Poppy swung her arms wide, illustrating the difference in her armspan. "Without Trainers, Pok¨¦mon fights are less fun." She pauses, and looks towards the teenager at the cliff again. She grinned, "Wanna see why?" Linh nodded. Curious. Poppy smacked her hand against Cyclizar''s side, and he came to a stop behind the teenager. Lycanroc''s ear twitched, and the stones in his mane clicked. But the teenager made no reaction. "Hey, Nemona!" Poppy called to her. Nemona did not respond, she was still peering through her binoculars, mumbling something. Poppy nodded to herself, made Cyclizar turn around, and then, "Oh boy! I sure wish there was someone willing to give me a Pok¨¦mon batt¡ª!" Nemona turned around, there was a light in her eyes. "Battle!" Then she saw Poppy. "..." She took some steps forwards, then some more, and Poppy held her hands out and wide¡ªNemona swept her up in a hug. A very high pitched noise came from them, one that made Lycanroc wince. "Eeeeeeeee! Poppy! I didn''t know you were going this way! I was waiting for Ju¡ªthis Trainer, and I just know you''ll like her! And¡ª" Nemona looked over Poppy''s shoulder, and saw Linh. He stood there awkwardly, looking left, then right. "And who''s this?" Nemona questioned. Politely curious, and also a tinge embarrassed¡ªas only a teenage girl realising she just acted like a teenage girl in front of a stranger can. "I''m, Linh?" he said. "Geeta hired me, to follow Poppy around. Keep her company, and to cook stuff for her." Nemona sniffed, then looked at Poppy, and put her down. "I thought she left that to her Tinkaton. They''re really clever, you know!" "Tinkie uses twigs she picks up from the floor to pick at her teeth," Linh slandered, without hesitation. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Poppy made a confused noise. The Pok¨¦ball at her waist rocked, indignant. "Makes sense," Nemona said. The Pok¨¦ball rocked harder. "So. Poppy¡ªyou want a battle?" Poppy, who had her fists up to her chin and was bouncing on her heels, chirped, "Nope! Linh does." Nemona''s gaze snapped to Linh, and he raised his hands in confusion. "First I heard of it," he responded. Poppy continued, "I will explain! He wants to know what''s fun about Pok¨¦mon battles with Trainers specifically. Nemona¡ªcan you help me show it to him? Please?" Nemona nodded firmly, "You had me at battle. C''mon¡ªroad-court''s this way!" She started jogging towards the path behind them¡ªlikely to the area with the battle-damage. Before she paused, and turnned to Lycanroc. "Stay here, Florian told me Julian should be arriving at the valley any minute now! Find me when she does!" On the way over, Poppy spoke again, "I will referee, and I will call out when both of you need to stop. And then you will STOP!" She commanded. "This is a lesson!" "I thought this was a Pok¨¦mon battle?" Linh asked, an upbeat note in his voice. Mischief in his blood. Poppy rounded on him. "You know what I mean!" Tone sharp, inoculated against him. Nemona looked at the byplay, Poppy''s starting-to-be-indignant, Linh''s guileless voice. How he fell into an easygoing, lax tone. And how Poppy glared as she would against an Uncle who makes bad puns. She jumped on it, "I thought this was a battle, too? I don''t see any teachers." "This is a lesson, but it''s also a Pok¨¦mon battle!" Poppy rounded on her, she stomped a foot. "Ah, a lesson-as-a-spar," Linh said. "Why didn''t you say so?" Nemona, grin wide, tapped two fingers against her palm and leaned in. "Yes Poppy. Clock''s ticking!" Poppy pouted hard, and walked faster. As both were taller, this didn''t help much. The roadside-court had no boundaries, nor barriers against projectiles, nor medical supplies nearby. It could not be said to be a well-regulated, safe place to have Pok¨¦mon violently interact. In fact, with the steep fall on the other side of the road, it could be said to be more dangerous then the average battle arena. This did not deter Nemona, and it did not for Poppy. Linh sighed, looked to the ledge, and weighed his curiosity with a mind that doesn''t like walking on the road-side of wide pavements. He found the former mattered more. Since there wasn''t a big rock nearby for Poppy to stand on, she made Cyclizar lie down so she can sit on him. "Listen up!" Her finger went up, "Linh!" Her finger glided towards him, "Battles against a Trainer and a wild Pok¨¦mon are massively different. Because wild Pok¨¦mon don''t pay attention to what the Trainer is doing. Other Trainers do, why does this matter?" Linh said, "Are you going to do this call and response thing every time you want to teach me something?" "Miss Bletcher says that''s how you teach." Linh did not know who Miss Bletcher was. "Now why does it matter?" Linh rocked back on his heels, thinking, "Because.... Because it''s¡ªresponsive. The opponent pays attention to your commands, so they can respond to your Pok¨¦mon before they act." "Correct, but incomplete!" Poppy exclaimed. "Now, release your Pok¨¦mon¡ªand I''ll point out what information you''re sharing with them!" Nemona threw her Pok¨¦ball, "Ohhh, Pawmo¡ªlet''s go!" Pawmo appeared, a baggy looking marmot, with yellow spots on his cheeks that hummed with power. Smaller yellow pads on his fore-paws waved in the air, and unhummed with unpower. Friction between paw and cheeks transferred charge to Pawmo''s fists, for electrifying arm-thrusts. Linh reached for Cask¡ªMenac¡ªactually... Polteageist''s Pok¨¦ball rolled in his palm, a bit old, dried clay stuck in between the seams. Old, but new, used, but never by Linh. He tapped it as he watched Nemona''s swaying. Champion Nemona, according to information he knew before. The protaganists rival. He didn''t want Kaolin''s first battle with him to be a loss. But... Kaolin''s Pok¨¦ball shook. An answer to that. Linh inhaled, then exhaled, soft but firm. "Go, Kaolin." A flash of light¡ªthe teapot formed and sloshed. Kaolin stretched it''s arms out wide. Eyes closed and yawning. "And PAUUSSSEEE!" Poppy cried, she gestured to Nemona. "What do you see when you look at her, Linh?" "I." A gap in his confidence, hitch in his rythmn. "A teenager?" Nemona mock gasped, hand on her chest. "Wrong." Poppy said. "Right. Look at her stance! Look at the number of Pok¨¦balls she''s showing!" Linh looked. Nemona stood proudly, unblinking gaze and confident smile. She had three balls at her belt. "That''s confidence, that''s posture, that''s the stance of someone who knows how to battle. And, there''s three balls. Hobbyists and none battlers really only keep one or two. Because they don''t need that many on hand when they''re going out." Poppy nodded firmly, "She''s a professional." "Aw, thanks." Nemona rubbed the back of her head. "She also doesn''t show any signs of either Electric or Fighting specialisation, despite showing signs of professionalism." Linh blinked, signs? "Thus, she''s a generalist! Now, look at her Pok¨¦mon." They looked at Pawmo. He was shadow boxing towards Kaolin, aggressively focused. "Pawmi evolve into Pawmo at a later level of strength then you have, Linh." Poppy gestured and Pawmo looked up, "He''s stronger then you and therefore more likely to win." Kaolin shifted, its smile became a frown. A seething hiss¡ªbubbling up like escaping steam. Before¡ª"Kaolin, we''ll just have to prove her wrong," Kaolin spun, and took in Linh''s gentle smile. "Won''t we?" he asked. Kaolin cheered, and it turned back. Just in time for Linh''s face to fall, and he scratched his neck, "Menace woulda been better..." he mumbled. "Also note the Tera Orb at her side, but it''s poor form (and wasteful) to use them in casual battles. Now, Nemona!" Poppy exclaimed, "Explain to Linh what you see when you look at him!" Nemona hummed, and her gaze sharpened. Linh''s fingers curled and he frowned. "That, right there. Hesitation, nervousness¡ªno, just indecision. A passiveness, which is bad!" she called out, "Your Pok¨¦mon will pick up on that! And also... "Your Pok¨¦mon choice, Polteageist, Ghost. Fully evolved. I would then check for signs of Ghost specialisation¡ªwhich I don''t see." She took a breath, "But, Poppy''s said that Polteageist''s not as strong as Pawmo, so I don''t expect to see any signs." Again, this talk of specialisations, Linh opened his mouth. Nemona continued, "Now, Polteageist''s known to the competitive scene, people who Pok¨¦mon battle for a living. They are Shell Smash abusers. Therefore: fragile but deadly. "Pawmo may be stronger, and faster. But he''s actually working at a bit of a disadvantage¡ªI''ve been focusing on his Fighting half, so most of my training will not be useful here." Nemona rattled off. "Only useful one is his dodge training." Poppy turned back to Linh, grin flashing. "Any questions, Linh?" Linh had a few, but he could save them. And their Pok¨¦mon were starting to look impatient. "No." "Very well, then I announce that this battle will begin!" Poppy chopped the air with her hand. Linh very gently held his teapot, rocking like a baby. The tea inside sloshed left and right, and swirled into a whirlpool¡ªgrumbling splashing. Kaolin gripped tightly one of it''s Substitute-stitched Pok¨¦dolls, sodden with tea. One of many Pok¨¦dolls Kaolin made, to no more result then prolonging its defeat. "So, Moves." Nemona took wide, long, slow, steps. Matching Cyclizar''s pace, even though Linh lagged behind. "He''s got creativity, but not much flexibility when its countered. Shielding with Magical Leafs was high level, but once Pawmo intercepted them with pebbles he had no response. Teatime play was nice, through. "Then there''s his reaction speed, Linh can''t use one word when five would do, and it''ll be a hair late when the really fast parts start." Every so often, Kaolin slapped the doll against Linh as he cooed, and the tea soaked into his sweater and down the front. It left a thin droplet trail down the path. "Other then that, very well-rounded. If he chooses, he''ll make a right danger on the circuit." "I know right! He''s picked it up from me!" Poppy''s finger pressed against the corner of her mouth. Linh felt something thorny and thin wrap around his arm. He looked down. It was Menace. He rasped something. Accusing eyes at Kaolin. Kaolim responded maturely by throwing its plush (missed) and waving its fist angrily. Leaning so far to the side that it lurched in Linh''s arms. Kaolin grumbled its annoyance. But not in the ''upset about defeat'' way, the ''stop ruining my hustle'' way. "Oh. You''re screwing with me," Linh let go, and Kaolin floated away, giggling into its hands. "Fair play. Fair play. By the way, your shoelaces are untied." Kaolin paused, and then looked down at its little legs, poking out the bottom of its teapot. Out of the broken space inside the foot. Kaolin did not wear shoes. Kaolin has never worn shoes. Linh chuckled as he sped up, Menace in his arms. Unjustified outrage chased him as he came up to Nemona and Poppy. "So. Poppy, Nemona," Linh greeted them both. "Done talking about everything I''ve done wrong ever?" "Yea¡ªLinh!" Poppy turned sharply, "You were supposed to be listening! "I was. And so was Menace." Linh lied. He lifted Menace up to show his perpetually unamused stare. "See?" "Linh!" Poppy started. Her hand raised, curled into a fist. "Oh, you have a Bramblin too? You really are going for a Ghost specialisation." Nemona blurted out. "Did you know their evolution isn''t strength based? It''s entirely how much distance they travel!" "Well, yes. Why else would I have him out?" "To get sun for photosynthesis?" Nemona. "Because you like being around him?" Poppy, mumbled. "Also, it doesn''t work if you''re just carrying him, you know?" Nemona again. Linh''s eyebrow raised, he shifted his grip by the slightest inch, and Menace hissed. Nemona laughed, then leaned over, and tried to touch Menace. He reacted with a thorn, and she laughed again. "Very personable, I see. I think I can get him to warm up to me, though." "How so?" Nemona''s gigawatt grin shone bright. "A batt¡ª!" "Actually¡ªweren''t you looking for someone? A... Julian?" Linh asked. Poppy''s head turned her way slowly, "Yesss, and you left Lycanroc there to keep watch, remember?" Nemona paused, then turned around. There, a few turns up the road, Lycanroc. On the same ledge Nemona started at. He was not looking out into the distance, but rather at her. Tail between his legs, in a very betrayed fashion. She inhaled, "That''s right! Sorry, I have to go now¡ªbuh bye!" She ran off, torso turnt so she could wave back for as long as possible. And as easily as Nemona appeared, she left. They continued down the road. Silent, bar the sound of crunching dirt under boot and claw, and the soft rasping purrs of Menace. "There''s a clearing near here. If we take a rope up. It''s a good place to stay." Poppy said. "To train? To cook?" Linh nodded, "Sounds reasonable¡ªlead the way." "Okay." Linh looked closer at Poppy¡ªanger? No, annoyance. Petty? "... So Poppy. What''s this about Type specialisation?" he asked. "The signs of it, at least." "Hmph!" Poppy turned away, "I''m not telling you, because you didn''t listen earlier!" Linh chuckled. Petty. "Fair enough. I''m sorry." "Hmph!" She made sure Linh saw her turn away this time. Messengengar:
Rika Remarkable Grounded.
> Rika. I''m really not exageratting. People back home think you''re mad hot. Rika > I know I''m a pretty face, but your lying. > Rika there was a poll for women''s top fictional crushes and you got #1. You beat Gojo, Trafalgar, Chainsawman. Fucking Chainsawman! Rika > I don''t know who those people are, but i''m sure they''re ACTUALLY what women crush on. > ''I thought she was a hot boy but when it turned out she was a woman my heart went crazy'' <- direct quote right there. > Also c''mon. Look at yourself. Rika > . > Linhhhhh, is this flirting? > My my. > . > I thought you were taken? Rika > WAHT > NO > Or gay, you give that vibe alot. Rika > ASJKHGALDSKH > Yes, like that. Seen at 19:00 > Hey Rika. Whhat''s type specialisation? Poppy won''t tell me. Rika > It''s that thing that happens when you hang around a lot of Pok¨¦mon with the same type. Let them do their thing to you etc etc. You just get better about handling Pok¨¦mon of that type. Intuiting their wants, communicating your plans, stuff. > And what''s this about signs? About recognising specialists. Rika > Exactly what it sounds like. your physical appearence can change due to specialisation. It''s not common, but it''s ''common knowledge'' that you change. > The more common part is that you get a sort of benefit from it. Nothing big, nothing REALLY noticeable unless you know about it before hand > Most don''t, cuz it''s not exactly spread around. > Poppy doesn''t know what hers is, after all. > What is it, then? Rika > Iron Stomach. > Don¡¯t tell her that, by the way. Having the kid eat dirt or something WILL get her parents on us. > i see > Yours? Rika > Ohohoh I get to show off again hold on Rika > vid.pr4 > Impossible balance. Comes with a fairly decent ability to guess angles too. I''m Always Grounded. > Rika that''s a brick wall. Are you telling me you can walk up it like a spider its a damn right angle > Also is all of these ''things'' puns. Rika > About 87 degrees, actually. And I''m standing on the little lips caused by how the cement bends inwards. > I''d call it wordplay. > What''s Ghost? Rika > High Spirits. You get a sorta > not resistance > Ryme called it somewhere between defiance and ignorance. > You don''t really feel the effects of life drain, and that last bit of soul before you die just refuses to be pulled out. > I¡¯d expect it to start kicking in at like six badges, if you keep to only Ghosts. > Last question. What do people who don¡¯t do one type get? Rika > A team that doesn¡¯t keel over against one (1) type. > lol > Aight. Thanks. Rika > Anytime. > And getting back to a previous topic. I am NOT hiding ANY girlfriend OR boyfriend. > ... No one mentioned anything about hiding? > ANd, interesting that you typed girlfriend first. First thing that came to mind, much? Seen at 16:00
Chapter 16 - A Talk about Types (This was all supposed to be last chapter but it just bloated like gas buildup.)
The winds blew across the clearing top¡ªaltitude gave speed, and it sent the pot''s steam wafting away. Today''s meal was a simple meaty stew. And Linh was chopping. Up down, up down, up down went the knife. flat against fingers flat, curled away. Two Pok¨¦mon watched him as he worked. Tinkie, and Kaolin, his Polteageist. Behind him, Poppy was on her laptop, a video call to her Mother¡ªone that Linh had to set up, and instruct the women how to unmute, enlarge screen, and turn on face cam. One wrinkled finger press at a time. Poppy held Varoom up to the camera, so her Mother could coo. Further away from the fire, sitting atop where Linh left his bag, Menace watched this all. Casket has yet to show back up. Before Linh looked around for her, Tinkie made a noise. Spit sucked in between braces. Linh''s chopping stopped. "Yes?" Tinkie, chin just higher then the table, scowled. She raised a clenched fist, and held it over the table. She let go, and a twig knocked against the plastic. Linh made a confused noise, he watched Tinkie nudge the twig towards him. "I... don''t understand?" Tinkie growled, then picked up the twig and pointed it at her teeth. Linh tilted his head. "You want to eat that twig?" She shook in negation, and maybe rage, then jabbed the twig at Linh, then her mouth. "You want me to eat the twig." Tinkie nodded, she reached across the table and set the twig before Linh, by the cutting board. He set down the knife and looked at the dirt on the twig. "... How about no." Tinkie somehow managed to look affronted, she ducked down and crawled under the table¡ªpopping back up right next to Linh. She looked up at Linh and poked at the twig again. Linh crossed his arms, "No." Then he noticed Tinkie''s hand, clamped on his wrist. Pressure grew, and he found himself dragged down with a yelp. Her movements were neither forceful nor hurried. Persistent and gentle effort that Linh could not interrupt¡ªnot that he was trying, as Tinkie''s other hand was gripping the twig, and trying to snake past his warding hand. She poked his lips with the twig, and Linh sealed them shut, laughter bubbling up. "What''s the matter Tinkie?" The twig poked his cheek, and it stretched his grin out further. Tinkie scowled, she had dragged Linh down so far that he was practically over her knee¡ªfacing up. And he had gone limp, so she had to bend down even further. "C''mon, am I not a friend? A honoured ally?" Linh looked past her and winked. Tinkie kept on poking his cheek, twig-arm snapping from side to side, in an attempt to get past his hands. Weak slaps and pushes against her arm and face. Then Linh glowed purple, "Ally Switch," he said. And he was gone¡ªin his place was Kaolin. Kaolin leaned upwards and bit onto the end of the twig¡ªsucking on it. Tinkie blinked, then sneered, she tossed Kaolin away and stood back up. She stood back up and stomped her feet at where Linh was¡ªon the other side of the table! She stomped around the table this time, clenched fists held behind her waist. Kaolin followed, giggling. "Hey hey hey!" Linh backed away as Tinkie menaced him. A look to the left, and then to the right¡ªfor options. He grabbed the chopping board, "This needs to go into the pot!" Tinkie paused, and glared down at the chopped carrots. Linh raised them up a little. Tinkie snarled, and then grabbed the cutting board. She took the knife too¡ªand used its point to give a ''I''m watching you'' gesture. She marched to the pot. Linh watched her go, then asked Kaolin, "What''s her issue?" Kaolin mimed picking its teeth with the twig. "Oh she remembered that?" Kaolin giggled, nodding. It came out as thin streams of steam from it''s teapot¡ªa laugh all the way to the belly. "How strange¡ªwith Nemona''s battle, I would have thought she''d forget." Linh uncrossed his arms and leaned against the table, nonchalant. "Oh well." Kaolin simply smiled, drifting side to side, humming a tune made of rippling tea. Linh looked across the campsite¡ªa shallow bowl somewhat protected from the wind, where it whistled on the crater lip. Tinkie dumped the carrots into the pot, knife scraping against the wood. She turned. She saw Linh miming stirring the pot. She went back to the pot and stirred the soup, scowling. The spoon clacking against the rim. Linh chuckled, then turned to Kaolin. "Hey, Kaolin," he began. It perked up. "We haven''t actually had a proper talk, have we?" Linh rolled his wrist, meaningless, "I know you want to go explore, but I don''t actually know what you want to explore¡ªbattles, yeah. But to where? How far?" Koalin gestured with its tea-hands, and the teapot''s sides told more. Battle, against many a foe. Victory, against many a foe. A trophy being given to a man and Kaolin. The features started out like Florian the old potter, but half-way through, became like Linh the Trainer. "Battle, success? Fancy yourself a blood knight?" Linh asked, then paused, "Yet, you do not seem upset about losing the battle against Nemona." Kaolin twitched, then crossed its arms and fumed¡ªvery convincingly. If it were not for how the tea that made its body remained perfectly stable and smooth. In fact... Linh, without warning, stuck his finger into Kaolin, and came back with it stained purple-black. He ran it over his tongue and tasted only a pleasant herbal brew. The ghost didn''t even taste bitter. And in this world, that meant both literal and metaphorical bitterness. Kaolin gasped in affront, but Linh spoke over it, "In fact, are you sure you even want battle? Or, perhaps, you want something else?" Kaolin''s eyes furrowed, an invisible brow creasing them. But it conceded. The images shifted again¡ªto a pottery competition, a tall and thin-necked vase. And Linh bowing his head to recieve the medal. Then a fishing competition, and then a contest. Each time, Linh and Kaolin lavished with rewards. "You only want to win?" Linh frowned, "Lie," He said. Kaolin pouted, arms shaking, then the images flickered, and every medal, every bouqet and trophy disappeared. Instead, Linh and Kaolin, making an ashtray together. Linh straining against a fishing line¡ªthe sun setting in the background. The roar of applause and the silence of a crowd both represented in jagged cheer lines and awkward dots, both to a proud Polteageist. "... The experience itself." Linh reached out, and tapped each image in succession. "Creation, struggle, success and failure. You don''t care what happens, only that it does. Is that right?" Kaolin nodded, a little shyly. "How about this, as a good memory?" Linh reached into his pocket, and took out a single flower petal. A rose petal¡ªlarge in his palm. He tore it in half, and offered one half to Kaolin. "There''s this little ritual, of kinship, where two men pour sake, alcohol, into a bowl, and share it between them. I don''t like alcohol, and I don''t intend to be siblings. But what about a shared meal with a friend?" Kaolin solemnly took the torn half, and they both ate the flower petal together. Then Linh coughed out the petal, and hacked for air. Kaolin pointed a finger at him, and laughed. Unhelpfully. "See?" Linh coughed, "Good memories." Kaolin spun merrily. Linh hit his chest and spat out some extra saliva. "Fuck that''s foul¡ªdunno how you lot like them." He looked to the side and checked the time. "Well, the food shouldn''t take long... You want to eat now, or later?" He offered an incense stick¡ªrunning lowish. (If he ran out, he''d switch to feeding his Ghost''s by the ways they naturally fed. Which could range from simply drinking their poured tea, to bleeding on their thorns.) (Petals and prayers are treats, given how much they like those.) Kaolin floated towards the stick, before looking over to Menace¡ªlazing in the daylight¡ªand shaking its head. The tealid jostling. "Eat together?" Linh guessed right. "I suppose so. We can''t eat while Casket''s out, regardless." Then Linh shifted in place, and checked the time again. "... Casket''s been gone awhile, hasn''t she?" He braced against the table, hand covering his mouth. "Maybe we should go look for her..." You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Kaolin tilted to the side, but then Linh stood up and turned away, "No¡ªno. That''s silly. She''s found me before, she can find me again. She''ll be back." He walked a few steps, Kaolin just behind. "Unless, of course, she gets accosted by something." Boots scuffed the dirt below, drawing half-circle tracks, "No¡ªshe''ll just go into her shadow and run away. Have some faith." Kaolin watched his boots brush against the ground, then at his shadows crawl. Then it giggled at what it saw. "God, where is Casket!" Linh turned around, a bit of something in his voice. "Should never have suggested she run off. Stupid¡ªstupid." He inhaled through his teeth. Kaolin flew in front of his face and held its arms out, a ''stop'' gesture. Linh stopped. He watched as Kaolin stuck its thumb out, one eye closed, aiming at his shadow. And then a Shadow Ball came out, weak and wispy and nothing. A smeared illusion more then a Move. It sunk into Linh''s shadow and Casket popped out. Tail wagging, with a long stick in her mouth. It has been about two hours since Casket left to find a stick for Linh. Which doesn''t really explain the wide, bright grin on Linh''s face as he pulled Casket into a hug, so viciously he unbalanced and nearly fell. Stew done. A simple meal¡ªbut effective. Everyone crowded around Linh as he ladled bowls and passed them off, each taking their own with their own preferences and wants. Tinkie first, as her right as ''co-chef'', she snatched the ladle and the bowl from Linh''s hands. And she poured her own portion¡ªfilling so full that it reached the rim and wetted her fingers. She brought the bowl close and sniffed it for evaluation, and then moved to go away before Linh offered her a berry. A sorta apology. She left the small circle with the bowl steadily still¡ªnot spilling a drop. The berry dripping its juices onto her other hand. Linh hummed, then turned to hand out more stew. Riolu''s next, standing to his tippy toes and reaching up as far as his paws can stretch. Linh handed over the bowl with the salt shaker. As Riolu preferred to oversalt his food. He toddled away with both bowl and condiment over his head, eyes empty. Then Poppy''s, from her fancy bowl with a great big ''P'' on its side. Linh carried it for her to the table because it was still steaming hot. Then Linh''s Pok¨¦mon¡ªsmall tiny portions for flavour and bonding. They ate from Linh himself. Casket got a quarter portion, which she would leave for later. Far more interested in gnawing at Linh''s ankle. Gumming it as she inhaled incense. Menace got a half portion, lifted up and tilted against the pot''s side until the soup spilled out. Minimal moisture, most substance for the desiccated bush. He rolled atop and sat there, the root system at his base steadily breaking it down. Kaolin got the liquid itself¡ªskimmed up. Broth to be drank and added to its tea-brew body. It demanded with tugging sleever that Linh pour it down himself. And it reclined back as Linh poured the stew down it''s teapot. Finally. Linh''s portion, the dregs of the pot. The chef''s rightly earned portion. He sat near Poppy and lifted up his bowl. A scent of heady broth. Slow-reduced and starchy, with chunks of flurry soft potato¡ªthe base. And in between, red-brownness of beef cuts, seared first for that maillard reaction. He spooned up a good mix of the food and blew on it, then ate it. Savoury beef cut with sweet chopped carrots, quartered tomatoes boiled until they shrunk and tore apart. A hint of sourness in the aftertaste, a splash of vinegar to accent. Crunch from soft-stiff cabbage ribbons, soaked wilty green until it was juicy, not crispy. And the taste of fruity oil between it all. Olive oil drizzled at the last moment, to give a silky sheen of oil puddles. Linh stirred his bowl, watching the dregs spin, before he set it aside and dragged Casket into his lap¡ªto rub her ear-tufts and flap them about. "Hey Poppy," he started. "How do Pok¨¦mon pick up moves from different Types?" Poppy made a humming, beeping, noise, spoon stuck in her mouth and to the side. She opened her mouth and it dropped down with a splash. "It''s kindaaaa weird." "How weird?" "Weird!" Her arms shot up, legs stretching out with a kick, "To teach them, you gotta explain how to make their type the other type! You gotta break down what they know, break down what it needs to be, and explain how one becomes the other." "... Could I have an example?" Poppy nodded, then reached down towards Riolu¡ªsitting flat on the ground. She pulled up one of his paws and showed off its toebeans. A press, and the tiny claws popped out. Directly underneath the dewclaws above each ''finger''. Riolu made no reaction, he just stared straight ahead, eyes like black dots. "The first things a Riolu learns is Quick Attack and Feint. And that''s Normal. Attacking quickly and striking with thier paws is normal, so they understand Normal. But as they get older, by their first month, their claws grow in, and they grow in as metal! It''s itchy, so they scratch things to relieve it." "And as they scratch things, as they play with the claws, and feel the hardness of them¡ªas the claws ring and vibrate, they learn Metal Claw. From there, they understand Steel. In contrast to Normal. Hence, the connection is made¡ªNormal is to do something normally, with your body. And Steel is to do something with Steel, steely! "But! But! If they learn Steel from a different move, like Bullet Punch or Metal Burst, then they''re understanding of Steel and how it relates to Normal changes!" Poppy stopped pressing down on Riolu''s palm, the claws shrunk away with a shik! "That''s how it works, every Pok¨¦mon develops their own understanding, their own translation of how to turn their Type into each other Type!" She paused, "Or they go with a Type they already know. Menace can, for example, learn Steel type Moves by starting from Ghost, or Grass." That''s, so every type paired to all the others, seventeen pairs ... repeat by the number of types there are, eighteen. That''s... "Three hundred and six," said Poppy. "Like, two hundr¡ªokay do you just memorise that?" Poppy tilted her head, "No?" Pause. "...Okay," Linh sighed, "So, can you help me with it, then?" "Ummm. Yeah, I can teach Body Press and Play Rough, and Steel as a whole!" "Useful, but what about for Kaolin." Linh gestured with Casket''s ear. To where Kaolin was poking at the still-hot cooking pot. "They''ve Psychic¡ªthe type, not sure if I should bother with the TM¡ªand Ghost. What about Fairy, to handle Dark? Once Kaolin grab''s Shell Smash it can blow through Psychic resists with just Stored Power, but it can''t do much against immunity." Poppy hummed, "That''ll be... Disarming Voice, and then working up to Dazzling Gleam." She grinned, "I can''t help you there! I don''t know how to do Fairy outside of Play Rough! I can teach that to Casket, and maybe Menace!" She paused, "I dunno if Brambleghasts can learn Play Rough." "Actually," Linh grinned, "I think Menace should learn Ground. There''s a certain Move there that I think Menace will REALLY like. But, yes¡ªPlay Rough would be just fine. Or Body Press¡ªit''ll still target Dark, and Casket will have decent bulk when she evolves." "Body Press is easier, it''s just throwing your weight around." Linh nodded. He found a good spot in Casket''s fur and scratched until she started kicking. "What about you? What are you planning for your Pok¨¦mon." "I''m learning about Dark first! So I can teach Riolu to master Dark Pulse." Linh nodded, "As you''ve said before." "Exactly," Poppy chirped. "Do you wanna see me do it?" Linh had nowhere else to be, he nodded. "Okay. Fighting to Dark." She tapped Riolu on the shoulder until he looked at her, maw still a bit wet with stew. "Riolu? Listen carefully, okay?" Riolu just stared. "Fighting is about respect and honour, and justice and doing right! Right?" she asked. Riolu stared at her, then nodded slightly. It was difficult to tell if that was because he understood, or if he was nodding off. "So is Dark!" Poppy bounced in her seat, "Dark is loyalty and trust, but only given to the right person¡ªDark knows the ease of betrayal and the incentives to do bad, because that is what the instincts of Dark Pok¨¦mon call for. So they only give their faith and trust and sacred vows to the most worthy, yeah?" It was so subtle Linh swore he mistook it, but a flash of calculation sparkled in Riolu''s eyes. Shiny light that pierced through the optical nerves to shine on cobwebbed gears. Then it was gone. Riolu leaned upwards and sniffed the hem of Poppy''s coat. "Think about that, that grim trust¡ªit''s rare and not given much, if at all. Think about that. As if you could only trust one person in your life. Show me Swift." Without stopping from licking at the soft puffy edge of her coat, Riolu raised his palms. On them, white glowing shuriken spun. "Consider that¡ªto be so untrusting of the world. How lonely! But it''s a good lonely, a severe and deep lonely. One you chose, because Dark treats trust as precious as gold, and Dark is greedy! Now, throw!" Riolu snapped his paws out, and dark orbs flew through the air, Dark Pulse. Riolu glanced down at his paws in surprise, then they glowed with a Dark and careful energy¡ªbleak black¡ªfor a moment. They faded away as Riolu let the Dark Pulse stop forming, so he could sniff his paws. Poppy beamed at Linh, "And that''s how to do it!" She made a ''moue'' face, "Fighting''s also about honour-able tac-tics, but that''s not Dark-like. So we, like, ignore it." Messengengar:
Hassel N.B. Bring tissues
> CasketCliffGap.jpg > How''s this? Hassel > Artistically? Very well done. The overly detailed eyes pop very well. It really DOES look like some speakable horror is hiding in the cracks! > Photographically, still not adhering to the sacred thirds. > PHOTO_BASICS.pdf > Adhere to this, young Wyrmling! Adhere! > Nyeh. You say that but ther ewas nothing else to contrast against. It was a flat wall. Hassel > Impossible! > Sunlight''s dusk and it''s shining bright on the stone¨Cthat''s direct contact. Point your camera towards it and capture the sun in the second third. Have the first third be your monster coming out of the crack. > And if the sun is in view, I can have Casket put up a flat in front of it. Make the sun literally beam down, a smile so wide the caruncles twist! Hassel > Hold on let me search something. > Horrifying. Keep going. > Could go even further, make it distort until the eyelids peel and the punctum show. A little leakage and... Hassel > hold on again > Disgusting. Keep going, or is that not the tone you want to give? > On 2nd thought your right. More grotesque then scary. > What''d you say about body horror? Hassel > Ahem. > Listen up baby Drake! Body horror is NOT biological ugliness within our comprehension > (It is also not OUTSIDE our comprehension. That''s just silly. Eldritch themes shouldn''t be visualised at all.) > It is the defilement of the form! It is the desecration of the self! It is cruel man and indifferent universe violating the flesh! > What''s the average age of your art classes, again? Hassel > Good body horrabout 17, I think. Why? > Just checking. Quick! Get back to your monologue before you lose your pace! Hassel > Good body horror does not show blood and gore and surgical scars no. That''s just disgusting, and sobering, not scary. Good body horror makes the reader or viewer afraid it''ll happen to THEM. > Yeahhh thats it. > We gonna make it to Artazon soon, anything you think we should look at? Hassel > I''m sure Brassy can recommend better places then me. But there''s a hole in the wall restaurant down Youngbark rd that does an amazing Biryani. Tell Elora I recommended you, she knows me. > Gonna head off now? > Ye Hassel > Then, as your next assignment¡ªshow me a photo showing off romance! But, as a condition. > Only one creature, Pok¨¦mon or human, can be in the photo. > Good luck! Read at 10:00 Hassel > And no forlorness! Nothing but positive emotions!
Durantelegram:
Poppy E4 Co-worker THE BABY.
Poppy > LARRRYYYYY ???? > Four sparkles. Has something really excited you? Poppy > ?????????????????? > Remember my rule. Poppy > Two more for today! > ??? > Hee > Not your usual selection. Poppy > I chose ones I think youd like! > Appreciated > Was there anything else? Or did you not want to miss an opportunity to spam stickers at me. Poppy > No yes! > Linh''s sooooooo slow! I would have been at you by now!" > Is that so? > Well. You do have to accomodate Linh, he has old man knees. Poppy > Does he? > Yes, please make sure to mention this to him whenever possible. > As his old man brain may make him forget. Poppy > Ok. > But, it''s good to take your time, see some sights. Memories stick better when they''re longer. Poppy > But I found all the cool spots on my first Journney! > Now you get to show all the cool spots to Linh now, right? > Isn''t that nice? Poppy > Yeah... > Yes. > Plus, if there''s anything I''ve learned since I fell into this world, there''s always something new, just over the horizon. > Tell you what, I''ll have a gift for you when you reach me, but don''t arrive too soon! > The best things come to those who wait. Poppy > Okayyyy > Goodnight Larry > Goodnight, Poppy.
Despite Casket leaving to find Linh a good walking stick, leaving so abruptly and long that he got nervous, Linh found that he didn''t really have the walking stick. "Does it have a name?" Poppy swished the stick this way and that, smacking down the few tufts of long grass clinging to the slope. Linh took a few steps, he watched two trees stradding the road¡ªroots crossing over the dirt and entangling. In the boughs, two flocks of Squawkabilly screeched at each other¡ªthe left flock had blue feathers, and the right flock had yellow. This was apparently enough to have a verbal gang war over. "Flintpiercer." "That''s a good name!" Poppy swished the stick again. Nice and straight, shockingly straight, with a knob at one end and two small branches just a bit down. A pommel and hand guard by freak of nature. "How long ''till Artazon?" "You can see it Linh!" Poppy pointed, "It''s right over there¡ªor did you forget?" She grinned slyly. Or as sly as a preschooler can. Linh looked ahead, "So you say." There, past the trees of feuding Squawkabilly, and past the shrubbery Tandemaus darted between, and past the drifting Drifloons¡ªtrapped in deadzones of wind¡ªthere was Artazon. Tall, rustic, houses. Ordered regularly¡ªso much that Linh could see in between the houses and straight through the city. This was no rural sprawl inherited long before. This was a town planned from the start, from the tall metal bird-nests for Rookidee to the lattices for flowering vines to creep up. Chapter 17 - Artazon (Brassius) Poppy pinched her nose shut and stood next to the dumpster¡ªat the back of a building. She nodded to Tinkie, and Tinkie raised one dense fist. Bang! Bang! The rooting in the dumpster stopped, something shiny and metal pushed the black-ridged lid up. "Hello," Poppy said, nasal. "Would you like some keys?" She showed in her hand a keyring, with several keys jangling. There were small silver ones, and large brass ones, a selection between rusty fence and cheap padlock keys. Klefki leapt out of the dumpster with a clattering and gleeful chiming. As the lid shut, its stench wafted out as if by fan. Poppy did not react, but Linh, several feet away, did. "So." Poppy watched as Klefki eagerly attached the keys to himself, "If you become my Pok¨¦mon, I can give you lots of¡ªignore Linh''s gagging¡ªlots of keys. But I can also give you space to store even more keys! "All you''ll have to do, is fight for me! You can fight for me until I collect eight Badges, or fight for me as one of my strongest. But I will be your friend either way!" Poppy leaned forwards, "Do you want that?" Klefki watched her, evaulating, then he nodded. "Great!" And Poppy took a step back, arm cocking, Pok¨¦ball palmed. And she thre¡ª! Tinkie coughed. "Oh, right!" Poppy turned back to Klefki. "We need to do this right." She held her hands out, limply, palms up. Klefki paused, then eagerly unlinked himself, to grasp her hands with either sides of his keyring. Poppy nodded, and held back. "Then by," she turned to Tinkie, and Tinkie said something, she spoke over Tinkie, a second behind. "Cold iron. By Urban court. By Lock-maker''s word I vow to the compact between Man and Monster." Klefki nodded in time with with thrice-by vows. And made a single chime just after Poppy spoke. Poppy grinned, and held up a fresh Pok¨¦ball. One Klefki allowed to catch himself. "Did I do it right, Tinkie?" Tinkie nodded. Then she hugged the Pok¨¦ball to her chest and stamped her feet. "Yes yes yes yes!" "What, precisely, was that?" Linh asked, still very far away. "What''d you say?" Poppy called back, still grinning. Linh took two steps forwards, then grimaced at the smell. He gestured towards himself, and Poppy approached. He asked again, "What was that? The vow." "Uh," she grinned sheepishly, "Fairy thing? Tinkie showed me it." They turned to Tinkie, who was twisting her finger into her ear. "Nevermind that¡ªdid you get any trash on you?" "Uh, no?" Poppy looked down, twisting side to side to check. "What about your hands¡ªthey touched Klefki. And Klefki''s a bit stinky, isn''t it?" Poppy pursed her lips, staring down at her fingers. She tentatively brought them to her face, sniffing them. Then, her tong¡ª "Oh for¡ªhere!" Linh stopped her, in his hands was a disposable cleaning wipe. The kind that''s folded into a paper packet and given when ordering really greasy food. "Wipe your hands, then lets get out of here, yeah?" They left the back, to emerge into Alfornada''s streets. Wide, with brickwork floors. Brickworks on the houses too¡ªclean austere bricks that the Applin crawl up. Roofs in bold colours contrasting the Squawkabilly''s and Murkrow staking out their territory above. Below, in the shrubbery pots stretching across the street, Sunkern and Sunflora gossipped as they watched the Skiddo walk by. Skiddo hitched to cheery red wagons, that their Trainer''s sat in. Sculptures stood in admiring spots¡ªthe ends of shrub rows and in places where the light shines bright. But with their little plaques¡ªrust and dirt in the screw-divots¡ªthey showed that the sculptures were not admired as art. Rather as public installations that have been there forever. Poppy wanted to read a plaque, so Linh held her up as she read the words, finger tracing under them. He read them faster¡ªfound the hidden pun, and snorted, looking aside. A man was approaching them, a face set old-man grim and gaunt. With his green thorny hair casting deep shadows over his eyes. Brassius. He called out as he approached them. "Poppy¡ªit is good to see you again," he said, "Right on time for our... third, bout." Poppy twisted in Linh''s grasp until he turned her around¡ª"Brassius! I caught a Klefki just now!" Brassius nodded to her, "That''s nice, Poppy." He jerked his head to Linh, "And you must be Linh?" Linh nodded. "Well. Both of you want a battle?" "Yeah!" Poppy grinned. "I do have time right now." Brassius half-turned, gesturing down the street, "Shall we?" "Perfect," Poppy said, and she wriggled out of Linh''s lift. "We shall!" They walked. Linh looked at Brassius, gazing out to the side, and not really focusing on the area. "So, Brassius, sir?" "Don''t need to call me that," he said. "Uh, alright," Linh turned back to the road, "Poppy says your an artist¡ªthat you''ve made most of these sculptures on display. But is it only sculptures?" "Ah," Brassius gestured to one stone ''gargoyle'' that they passed, a Hoppip perching on a streetlamp. "Yes, when I was still a child I did drawings¡ªand those were what got me into this career, actually." He smiled, before his expression turned back to a sort of dissatisfied neutral. "But I quickly switched to stone. I find paper and canvas so... pervious. Not exactly able to capture enduring nature." They passed around a turn in the road, lined by neatly trimmed shrubs, staying behind the brick path. However, one bush a distance away had dirt on the stone, and in between was an Oddish. Flat on their back, with dizzy swirls in their eyes. Brassius let out a tutat the sight. Brassius stopped and knelt down¡ªdown there, lying on the ground, next to Oddish. When an Oddish gets knocked over, they just stay there until helped, which Brassius did with a hand. "There you go." He stood back up, Oddish gave him a thankful cry, and a brush against his leg. And he gently nudged Oddish back to the bush. Poppy looked at that with creased brows. "Do you have artistic inclinations, Linh?" "Hassel''s been poking me about photography, and working with Ghost illusions, if that''s what you mean." "I do." The conversation died, Brassius not elaborating. The Gym Building stood a medium distance away¡ªnot so close that they could hear the busker at the entrance. Not so far away that they could not see the busker''s partnered Oricorio¡ªred feathers dancing. "So," Linh began again, "Most of these sculptures are your make, yeah? Do you... have any favourites? Or any you really think are underappreciated?" "I am fond of Surrending Sunflora, although I do wish critiques would talk about my later works. It is... old. And old work may have been avant-garde then, but not very much now." He scratched his cheek, thinking. "... Nobody''s actually brought up Rising Rays. Which is odd¡ªLegendaries are legendary for a reason." Linh looked to Poppy to see if she''d share any of her perpetually cheerful encouragement¡ªan often thing, with her. But she just kept glancing back at Brassius, with pursed lips and thinking eyes. Tinkie kept on nudging her, so she didn''t walk off the road. "Well," Linh said instead, "I''m sure it just needs the right au¡ª" "Why are you sad?" Poppy asked. "What?" Brassius spluttered, "I''m... not sad. Why would you think that Poppy?" "''S just. You go out of your way to care for the Pok¨¦mon." She pointed backwards, towards where the Oddish was. "Normally you''d have stopped to help him reroot. Why didn''t you? Last time I got your Badge you made me bury all of them!" "I''m just not feeling like it, I suppose." Brassius remarked. Even Linh, who has never met this man in his life, recognised the despondence in his tone. "Now that you mention it¡ªyou aren''t really acting enthused about art." He said. And then blinked at Brassius''s split-second scowl. "Perhaps we''re just talking about terrible things not worthy of being art." Curtly. Brassius turned away. Linh pointed out the obvious. "... We''re talking about your sculptures." Brassius let the awkward silence continue, before he sighed and stopped walking. "I suppose it''s no trouble to share. See." His head tilted back, staring into the sky, "I''ve been in a slump. I have this idea I want to make, and nothing else. But it''s not cooperating. Or rather, he." "Who''s he?" Poppy leaned forward, hands linking together behind her, with coaxing eyes. "Trevenant." It seemed Brassius was the kind of man who found energy from complaining¡ªas he groused he started gesturing with more life, tone drifting up and down in octaves, instead of droning. He even asked Poppy about Klefki, and complimented his collection. "There''s this wild Trevenant who''s been living in the woods behind my studio." By his side, a Sunflora that decided to follow held up her leaf arms beggingly. And Brassius absent-mindedly handed his whip to her. He continued as Sunflora played with it. "Has been since I moved in¡ªand he helped with the plants too. In exchange for some things. Look¡ªthere''s the building now." Brassius''s art studio stood near the base of a tall rocky face¡ªon a road that departed so far from the town that it turned more dirt then cobble, and deep in a small forest. "So, Trevenant''s... stopping you from making art? Is he, I don''t know, stealing your supplies or something?" Linh asked. Poppy, cheerfully, toddled side to side. Small-hopping from cobble to cobble. "Oh¡ªmaybe Trevenant''s distracting you when you try to complete your project! What if he''s scaring you away from your in-spi-ration?" Tinkie, holding Riolu under one arm, and Casket in the other, garbled something too¡ªher own answer in this ''game''. Brassius shook his head, smirking, "Close, all of you. Trevenant''s not stopping my project. Treveant is my project. He''s my muse. It''s just, he keeps on leaving before I can get the sketches done." "Could you not just draw from memory?" Linh questioned, "You have seen him a lot, right? If he lives near you, and is friendly enough that he''ll trade things with you." "You would think that, but no. See, there''s this fascinatingly contorted knot on the¡ª" Brassius cut himself off, with a shake of his head. "Doesn''t matter. Here, I can show you¡ªat this time of day he should be in that direction." He pointed into the treeline. They went around the house¡ªwooden sculptures pinned to the bushes lining it, and tiny decorative edifices between the creeping vines clinging to the walls. "Hm." Brassius stopped, suddenly intent on one patch of the wall. "That''s not good. One moment, please." He held out a hand as he walked away, making the group stop. "What is it?" Poppy''s head tilted. Neither she nor Linh could see anything wrong with the vines on the wall¡ªdensly packed leaves. A grimace, "Kudzu," Brassius condemned. "Sunflora? We need some heat." Sunflora looked at the unassuming plant. She frowned at it, gave Brassius back his whip and raised her leafy hands. The light sharpened in between them, and a small, tiny, Solar Beam absolutely obliterated the fuck out of that plant. Leaving only soot-scorched brick. Brassius nodded at a job well done, thanked Sunflora, and walked back to Linh as Sunflora sat down to bask. "Kudzu''s an invasive species here," Brassius explained. "I keep some on hand, because I like the taste, but sometimes it''ll take root outside of the greenhouse. It''d be irresponsible of me to let it get out of control. Shall we?" He gestured to the treeline. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Inside the forest, well. It was very obvious a Trevenant has taken root. The trees seemed to curl around them, branches twisting slightly so the light streaming down looked like curious staring eyes. Brassius continued onwards fearlessly, even as Tinkie got closer to Poppy, and made sure Casket stayed right at Linh''s heels. "My next project, the one I can''t get out of my head, is intended to be Trevenant¡ªa sculpture to him, to capture his presence and influence over my life. Now and forever, as a piece of my legacy. "Problem is, once I explained this to Trevenant, and he agreed to being my model. He disappeared. Every time I met him I would break out my sketchbook and my pencil, but once lead touched the paper, he was already walking away¡ªred eye behind the trees. "And, well. I only have so long before I lose this chance to carve him in stone. He''s very old¡ªold enough only his will is keeping him going." Linh commented, "From my understanding, that''s true to most Ghosts. They can leave life whenever they want, they just have to let go of their body." His head snapped to the side, seeing something red in the corner of his eye. "We''re here," Brassius noted. He held a bush aside so Poppy could step into the grove. And then followed her through. The branches whacked Linh in the chest¡ªbut he ignored that in favour of seeing what they saw. A grove of two tree stumps, in the middle of a fairy ring, Trevenant waited. Old, large. A tree possessed to motion. Hexapod root-legs and a great big vertical slit in the trunk, from which a single red glow slides up and down. The eye. To the side and resting on one root, a single large hunk of dead wood. A bark arm with knot and yellow-leaf, curved like a bent elbow. "Trevenant," Brassius waved. Trevenant''s eye shifted towards him, and the arm raised up and waved¡ªstocky, janky, movements. He did not react as the group approached. Brassius took a seat on one tree stump, "Here¡ªwatch. I''ll bring out my notebook and see what he does." Out went his notebook and out went the cover¡ª flipping around and tapping against his hand. Poppy and Linh stood behind him, somewhat awkwardly. "Casket," Linh said, and Casket stopped padding towards Trevenant. Trevenant''s eye went from Casket to Linh, before he saw Brassius''s pencil dancing across the paper. With creaking heaving groan¡ªlike the sigh of falling leaves¡ªTrevenant stood up. And up. And he walked away¡ªbackwards, never turning away. "See¡ªlike that." Brassius snapped his book shut, "Every time! Just hides in the forest, I can''t get any details with that." Linh looked at the treeline, in the shadows cast, that red glow looked back, almost... expectant. He recognised that look on Menace. "It doesn''t look like he''s going away¡ªit look''s like he wants you to follow." He frowned. "He just goes further away." "So follow him more?" Poppy made a curious noise, "Like, if Trevenant didn''t want you to follow, he''d just disappear, right?" Brassius blinked, then scowled, and pinched the bridge of his nose. He muttered something self-recriminating. "Fine, sure, yeah! Let''s go!" Brassius stomped into the treeline, chasing that red eye. Linh and Poppy exchanged a glance, before they hurried to catch up. Poppy and Tinkie, hand in hand¡ªmassive hammer swinging side to side. Linh, with Casket on his heels. And Riolu on her heels¡ªbarking excitedly. They came to Brassius, pacing in another grove¡ªfuriously muttering. "He''s gone! Gone, gone, gone! All that''s here is this!" He jabbed his hand towards a broken stone in the middle of the grove. One semi-spherical, split in half so the crude smiley face carved on the flat side was split apart. "What is it?" Poppy asked, she came close and peered at it, traced the divots with her fingers. "Just some dumb rock." Brassius seethed to himself, standing at the edge of the clearing. His hands were on his whip, running down the length, thorns pricking his skin. Linh looked sharply at his back, "Don''t be like that," he muttered. "Hey, Poppy¡ªwhat do you think?" "It, looks like art?" Poppy asked herself, then she looked down at Riolu, she took his paw and traced the crack for him, "Look''s broken. Maybe we can fix it?" Linh looked back to Brassius, who did not respond. He considered Trevenant, why he would lead them here, to this object, specifically. "That sounds like a fine idea Poppy. But, how? It''s not like we have anything to fix it with." Perhaps a test, and how would Linh answer this test? "Hey! You''re standing on some vines Linh! They look cut up." Poppy squinted, "Weird." Fix the broken object. "So I am. Let''s see¡ªTinkie? Can you push these split halves back together?" Linh held one end of the vine and offered the other to Poppy. "Why don''t you run around the stone? Lets wrap it tight, that sounds like it''d work to me." Poppy took the vine end and nodded, she ran around the stone thrice¡ªLinh holding up the vines so she could duck underneath. They pulled the vines tight¡ªCasket and Riolu and Tinkie pulling the other end until the vine leaked sap over itself. And then Linh and Poppy got to work making a knot at the back of the stone. A headband for the smiley face. Well, they tried to work. The vine was slimey and springy in a way that made it slip out of Linh''s grasp. And it was too thick for Poppy to actually wrap her fingers around. "Hey," Brassius''s voice came from behind them, he was frowning, but it was because of their poor quality work, instead of his frustration. "Have neither of you worked with vines before? Here, this is how you do it." His fingers worked dextrously, and a tight ball-like knot formed. Even with a facsimile of fabric trailing down. "There." Brassius smiled, hands on his hips. "That''s how it should look." The smiley smiled proudly back, stone happy with it''s new headband. A deep creaking chuckle¡ªand suddenly Trevenant was between them. He turned to Brassius and his arm rose up, and beat against his trunk. Not as a deep woody thunk, but as a clap, clap. Brassius froze, then made a confused noise as Trevenant walked backwards, into the trees again. Red eye in the shadows, inviting. "What are you waiting for?" Linh asked, "You''re getting what he wants¡ªpray, continue!" Brassius glanced at him, then walked forwards, a sort of excitement in his breast. Trevenant led them to many broken things¡ªleft out in empty space so the daylight caught on them. And each time, Brassius fixed them, with his hands, his mind, and his Pok¨¦mon. Each time Trevenant appeared, and praised him gladly, and left again. And Brassius led the group deeper and deeper into the forest¡ªgrowing with every Pok¨¦mon he used. Until they reached the last clearing. Where not just one thing stood broken, but many. Many statues¡ªovergrown with vines and plants, and surrounded by flowers. Statues clearly sculpture-like. Human-tall, yet not all human. Some depicted Sunflora, some depicted Brassius, some depicted the naked form¡ªclassical beauty. All were unfinished¡ªthigh melding into uneven blocky stone, smooth at the sides and bumpy on the top. Chest leading to neck leading to square untouched marble, the sculptor''s TODO note. All were of sporadic quality. The faux-cloth crude. The stone skin chipped. Sunflower petals not shaped like petals at all. Brassius wandered between them with gaping mouth, eyes wide. "These, these are my sculptures! My first ones¡ªthe unfinished ones, that I left behind. How did..." He spun in a circle, taking all of them in, "How did Trevenant find all these?" "Where did you discard your statues? It''s not like you''d go out of your way to dump them far away, right?" Linh questioned. Brassius just shook his head. "What, what do I do?" Trevenant appeared; One moment not there, the next, undeniably. He gently gestured to the sculptures. Brassius''s unfinished works. "But. Look at them!" Brassius swung his arms out, "This¡ªthe muscles are so bad, the poses are off! The details are just wrong. There''s¡ªthis¡ªthese can''t really be repaired, they can''t be made whole!" Trevenant shrugged, and knocked a statue over. It shattered into parts, the head rolling and rolling across the dirt. Brassius screeched, "What are you doing! Stop!" Trevenant stopped. Brassius also stopped, heaving. "I. I..." From behind him, Linh spoke. He was carrying the stone head¡ªheavy in both hands. "Now listen, I just met you, and you''ve been on a real big emotional rollercoaster today. But the lesson seems obvious to me." Linh looked up from the bust. "Either fix them, and make them as best as you can. Or destroy them. Don''t leave your past in this half-life." Brassius stayed silent, looking away. So Linh turned to Trevenant and rolled his eyes. Trevenent glared. Linh walked back to Poppy. "What do you think, Poppy?" Poppy hummed, "I don''t know?" "I think... well. I think they should be repaired. As best we can. At the least cleaned up. Brassius carved these out with intent, and it''ll be a shame to leave them dirty." Poppy hummed again, "Okay. Tinkie! Let''s go clean these up!" Poppy and Linh had picked up a little of what Brassius showed¡ªthe skills to repair, with what''s on hand. And clearing away vines and growth is no great hassle. Especially not with Tinkie''s hand, and Casket''s teeth. It went faster when Linh cajoled Brassius''s Pok¨¦mon into helping as well, instead of just milling around. Watching like Brassius was. Seeds planted into stone, growing stems that turned into sturdy dowels. Internal reinforcement and joints. "So¡ªno that piece doesn''t go there, it goes¡ªKaolin? Can you?" Linh gestured to the missing arm, and Kaolin, Linh''s Polteageist, spilled out an illusion¡ªa stone arm in place against the shoulder. Arboliva bent down to inspect it, and crooned with her sleazy and oily voice. She started to gesture, before Trevenant was there¡ªin the way of her wreath-like arm. The leaves slapped against his branch-crown to her surprise. Trevenant ignored her, and he ignored Linh''s surprised ''urk''. He said something to Kaolin, and it sloshed back an answer. Trevenant nodded, then tapped the illusiary arm. His branch-hand did not go through, it sounded like wood on marble. "Wha?" Linh stepped forwards, and tapped the arm himself. It held. He looked down to where the original arm was. It was still there, and still felt real to his foot. He turned to Trevenant, eyes wide, grinning. "That''s¡ªincredible! Can you do it again?" Repairs continued, but this time, Trevenant helped¡ªwith this strange illusion-yet-real technique that left Linh endlessly fascinated. Sunflora were completed. Brassius basts stood stony in full. The faceless men and women¡ªcarved beauty¡ªwere given faces. "No. Not that one¡ª" Brassius spoke up. "It''s scrap stone, not worth the effort. Leave it." "So, what do we do with it?" Linh asked. Brassius thought, his gaze snapped to the statue. "My... garden, needs an expansion. I could use the rubble as a substrate." Trevenant made an approving sound. They continued¡ªsome statues set right. Some not. Until every statue stood finished, or was rubble to be carted and used elsewhere. Brassius stood there, expression unreadable. "I..." He turned to Linh. "Thank you." He turned to Poppy. "Thank you." He turned to Trevenant, "Thank you!" He grinned, so wide it hurt. Trevenant came forwards then, and clasped his arm around Brassius, and drew him into a hug. One returned eagerly. Brassius pressed his forehead against the old tree. Eyes closed, tension in his shoulders. Before he relaxed, and turned to Poppy. His voice far brighter then Linh has ever heard. "So, you want a battle? Something avant-garde? I can oblige¡ªand I think we can make a masterpiece together!" GYM BATTLE: Brassius (FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT)
"CHALLENGER!" The battlefield sat right under an old windmill¡ªone Brassius has rigged to turn at his command. Which explains why the blades stood still, allowing him to stand on top of one blade, and belt out his speech. "You did well to come this far! I was watching you. Back then." Linh stood on one end of the battlefield. In the stands around him, was Poppy and her team, and the usual townies who hung out at the arena. On Brassius''s side, the empty half, many Grass type Pok¨¦mon sat and watched also. "You demonstrated a proper eye for beauty, putting back together my old works. Not as I would have done it, no," Brassius spoke softly. "But it was undeniably beautiful. I... appreciate, what you''ve done for me. And it''s certainly as much worth as the Gym Test." "Yes, it was truly Avant Garde." He nodded firmly, "Which leaves just one last question¡ª" He took two steps back, tiny steps on that thin wooden blade. And then¡ª ¡ªLeapt! Leapt into the air! A somersault, a flip! Fearless flying falling to the three point landing. Nary a scratch or skid, or even broken skin. Brassius stood up, and posed. "¡ªAre you ready!" Behind him, great plumes of spores were released in the air¡ªspores from a crowd of Sunflora behind him. They ignited, and a flare explosion plumed up behind them. It spread far and wide, but weakly¡ªthe Sunflora''s leaves did not appear scorched. From the heat-wave Linh smelt only acrid spores, no smoke. He blinked. "Was the explosion necessary?" Linh asked. "Fool! You have spoken to dear Hassel, have you not?" Brassius posed, "There is art, and beauty, to all things! By embellishing it, by acting for it." He posed again. "We will achieve something truly Avant Garde!" Another plume explosion behind him. Cheering from the audience, although it felt slightly surreal to Linh. Brassius held his pose for a second, and then dropped it. He looked pensive. "And... by the way... About." He gave a very meaningful look to Poppy. She pointed at herself, confused. "I have decided. I will not be helping you there." ... Really? You like her, do you not? "...Can I ask¡ª" "I will not explain why." Brassius turned back to Linh. "Now. Shall we battle?" Linh scrunched his eyes shut, then sighed. He raised his Pok¨¦ball. "Yeah. Let''s do this." "Art is creation and destruction!" Brassius threw his Pok¨¦ball¡ªa fast spin, releasing as far as he can down the court. "Draw your clouds, Petilil!" "Casket, out." Linh''s command was outmatched by Casket''s howl¡ªloud for such a small dog. The flag dropped, the Referee cried, "Begin!" "Dig, Shadow Sneak, rush ''em down," Linh commanded. And Casket ran forwards, Brown Ground underneath parting in her paws. The shallowest a Dig can go¡ªand that churned up ground mixed with Casket''s shadow. Riding with her and pulling her faster. Petilil watched Casket approach placidly, bulb-like head turning. Until Casket crossed an invisible line and she shook herself¡ªyellow powder so soft and fluffy it bloomed in the air. Brassius watched with his arms crossed, waiting. What is that? Some kinda¡ªStun Spore¡ª"¡ªDIP!" Linh shouted. Casket fell into her shadows as the cloud exploded towards her. Floating there in the windless arena, a bubble half a metre long. Petilil hopped out of the spore cloud, pretty as can be. She twirled and sang to herself¡ªwith the soft crinkling of leaves unfolding. Casket reappeared well away from her, outside the spores. Away from the debilitation. Petilil released another cloud of stun spores, dense and lingering on the battlefield. Brassius''s lips quirked at the sight. "Oh." Linh frowned. "Roar¡ªRacket, please." There, second variant to Roar. Doesn''t phase, force Pok¨¦mon back into their ball, but does push things around. Casket growled, a rumbling white glow building in her throat. It raced down her teeth and¡ª ¡ªAnd then she froze up, a choked confused bark, yellow lightning arcing across her. Paralysis! Brassius chuffed, "Mega Drain." Linh winced as the green orb shot into her side, Petilil dancing joyfully as Casket whined. "Uh." With Casket under Paralysis, she had little chance of being effective in the long run of the battle. "Fuggit¡ªCasket! Shadow Limbs! We''re going full send." Casket barked¡ªvoice a bit warbling as cords catch on the lightning. She dipped into her shadows and she was reaching forwards again. "Charm, then sketch more," Brassius said, calm as can be. Petilil turned shy eyes on Casket, and her sprint forwards grew a note of hesitance¡ªPetilil''s power getting to work working down Casket''s offences. Not fast enough, however, and Shadow Sneak landed true. Casket leapt out of her shadow with not just her sharp teeth, but several inky paws. Reaching out with her. The latest innovation Linh and Casket made¡ªblending Limbs and Walk until it''s a tangle of claws and teeth erupting out. Petilil was tackled by the dog, and sent rolling over. And then the paws wrapped around her, pulling her closer and into Casket''s mouth. Petilil gave out a single fervent cry, and released another spore cloud, lingering across the terrain. Why...? Linh thought. Casket''s already Paralysed. They rolled all across Brassius''s half of the battlefield, a small ball of shadows, leaf. and fur. And twice more, yellow spore clouds sprouted up. Massive lumps vaguely hilly, spread out over the wide area. Linh looked towards the first spore cloud. The oldest one. It still looked remarkably cohesive. Oh. "... How long are those clouds going to stay?" Linh asked. Brassius smiled. He raised Petilil''s Pok¨¦ball. "That should be enough. I withdraw Petilil from battle!" Linh gestured, "Casket, drop." And Casket broke away from Petilil¡ªrevealing that under the shadows, she was fainted. "Petilil is fainted! One-Nil to the Challenger!" "We have our Paint, so paint! Go, Doliv! Start us with Grass Knot!" "Shadow¡ªWalk, back here!" By Linh''s reckoning, Casket''s Roar is the best option he has for these Spore Clouds¡ªbar Menace''s Rapid Spin. But that''s... Unpractised. And also Menace has no good way to attack Doliv¡ªGrass Normal. A shadow flitted across the ground, just behind it, Tree roots burst upwards. Breaking dirt open as the roots tried to hit what was never there. Casket popped out again, and stared down Doliv. A puppy and a young tree exchanging violent glares. Then Casket shivered. "Roar¡ªand keep moving, dodge!" Casket ran to the right. An unending stride for the ground under her was not yet broken. "Again." Brassius commanded. Eyeing the increasingly white glow from Casket''s throat. Shining between the fur. And then Casket froze up, the yellow sparks acting up. Just in time to get grabbed by the roots and flung back. Linh winced, and the audience behind him gave a commiserating groan. Poppy loudest of them all. "New plan! Get a Nightshade¡ªProjection. "Nightshade¡ªProjection. Give us a mist¡ªjust blind them!" Brassius nodded. "Smart act, if Paralysis doesn''t. Doliv." Doliv half-turned, "Keep it up. I''m content." Doliv nodded fiercely, and as she drew the under-roots back up, she gave a war-cry. Slick and clear, oily. Casket stayed still¡ªshe had to. She was not as skilled with illusions as friend-Menace. She had to haunch down, muzzle touched the grass and spit seeping into the cracks. Even then, the illusion wavered, occluding mist across the entire field flickering in and out of sight. The roots came up, big spikey pillars in the air. Surrounding Casket. The roots came down, smashing into her. Casket did not faint. More roots came down. Casket did not faint. More roo¡ª The mist snapped into place, not a thin transparent film, that built the further you looked in. But white-gray scribbles in the air. No depth at all. Linh grinned at the sight. It was also one directional¡ªliterally just a wall a brick long between Doliv and Casket. Right across the middle of the arena. Linh''s grin sharpened. "That''ll do." The sound of cracking wood, thudding against ground. No dog was hit. Instead, Casket popped out of her shadow, several metres right. "Now¡ªRoar. A Racket until these Spores are gone!" "Mega Drain, weak," Brassius barked. And Doliv shot tiny green orbs across the battlefield¡ªhead height. Not at the smaller dog. Each shot caught on the illusion. Smearing it in streaks behind it. Damage to tear away the image. Casket tried to Roar. Tried. An entire section of the fog wall faded away, thankfully. Not the one Casket was behind. "... Again. Keep moving. Avoid where the illusions collapsing!" "How long can you keep this up?" Brassius taunted. "Doliv, split each wall in half! Nowhere to hide!" More fog went down. Casket found a frog in her throat, instead of anything useful. "... C''mon Casket, give me a Roar, we need those spores gone yesterday." Casket built a rumbling Roar, and then froze up again¡ªtripping and tipping over her frozen feet into an undignified heap. All around her, tree roots and Mega Drain''s broke the ground. "Casket please." Linh begged. "It''s only a quarter chance!" he cried. Half the audience were complaining with him. The other half just laughed. "Five times!" Poppy shrieked, outraged. She nearly leapt out of her seat, before Tinkie grabbed her, and pulled her back in. She fumed with her arms crossed as Tinkie fussed and Riolu sniff snorfled her bonnet. Brassius shook his head, although, with some schadenfreude. "Terrible luck." At this point, the fog wall was almost entirely gone. "One good hit: Finish it!" "Body Press." Linh scowled. Looking aside. "Shoulda done this from the beginning." Naturally, Casket was not paralysed. In fact, she rode the shadows so fast that she dipped and dived between Doliv''s roots. And leapt out up and high in vengeance. Coming down right on top of Doliv with a super effective (But halved in strength by Charm) Body Press. Before eating a point-blank Mega Drain, and fainting. Doliv giggled, leaves unfurling to soak in the stolen energies. Linh sighed as he recalled Casket. Staring down at the old-worn plastic. "Greavard down! One-one!" the Referee called out. "Enjoying my colour palette? Some cheery yellow to brighten up the day." Brassius smiled. "I am pissed beyond belief," Linh confessed. The Pok¨¦ball shook. "Oh no¡ªnot you¡ªnot you at all! You were perfect." He clutched Casket''s Pok¨¦ball and whispered to it, even as he flung his next Pok¨¦mon. Kaolin, Linh''s Polteageist, cheered out as it appeared. Then it peered curiously at the spore clouds. "Well, no more reason to see if you can beat this¡ªDoliv! Sweet Scent!" Linh scrunched his brow''s in confusion¡ªas he watched Doliv seep the oils that she produces. The oils bubbling from her surface into fruity, heady, scents. Curlinng around the battlefield and mixing with the spores before homing in on Kaolin¡ªBringing the spore clouds with them. "YOU CAN DO THAT?! Shit, Kaolin, Substitute!" Immediately after calling that out, Linh thought twice. Does Substitute actually block status here? "Nasty Plot, after. One clean shot should do it." Brassius gave no commands, he just leaned back, watching and waiting. A tick? Linh guessed that was a sign of Brassius''s uncertainty. Early battle, watching and waiting. Once Casket was struggling? Taunts. (Look at him! He''s reading his opponent. Poppy will be so proud! Linh thought, ruefully.) The clouds drifted towards Kaolin, sitting and quietly humming to itself. As it daydreamed about world domination or some other nasty plot. Dark swirling energies formed in it''s tea, reabsorbed for greater power as the clouds slowly lurched over it. Swallowing like a dust storm. Linh watched this all with trepidation, beating a drum beat into his arm¡ªcrossed over each other. And then Kaolin rose out of the spore clouds. In it''s grasp was a small plush, lizard like. Electricity arced over the plush, not it. Linh''s grin returned, lighting jagged. "Stored Power now¡ªSweep her!" Brassius nodded. "Good¡ªI can step it up! Grass Knot, walls!" Kaolin spun and in that moment, the plush disappeared back to whatever realm it stays until it is needed. And as it faced Doliv again, it opened its hands and many glowing purple-pink lights floated out. Drifting in the air like glowbugs. Doliv reached down and slammed her leaf hands on the ground. Oil built up and seeped out of her hair ''ornaments'', spilling from the olive divots. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Many, many roots broke the ground and came up. Twirling and twining together into structures that can self-stand. And structures that weaved and wove towards the lights. Kaolin tried to guide the orbs past the roots¡ªready to take the roots to its teapot, in exchange for a good hit. But. That was not what Doliv was doing. And despite Kaolin''s best efforts... A root lightly touched the side of one light. The root caved in¡ªthick gouges exposing the snapped fibres. Uneven toothpick edges. A great crack like a tree-felling as the Stored Power released its energy into the wood. Utterly obliterating it. But the Stored Power achieved no more, spent utterly on the mundane, not-Doliv, wood. And then another root hit the other Stored Power. Same result. Then another. None of the lights managed to get through to Doliv. Thanks to her sweating efforts. Linh frowned. "Keep it up, she''s pinned like this." Kaolin agreed, and with another swipe of its hand, more lethal lights flittered across the battlefield. Same result¡ªwith Doliv showing exhaustion, and Kaolin giggling at the turn of events. But. Kaolin was not achieving anything as well¡ªwasted effort, both ends. This can''t continue, Linh thought. Tapping away again. Really awkward situation to be in. "Talk about a difficulty jump," He muttered to himself. He started, "Uh. Shadow Ball through! Make her flinch!" In between the probing pink-purple spheres, something golf-ball sized flew. A purple-black orb seeping mist flying dart-fast. It shot into the thick tangle of roots and through. All the way towards Doliv¡ªeyes widening. Brassius took a step forwards, clenching a fist¡ª"Doliv no! That won''t¡ª" But it was too late. Doliv flinched away from the Shadow Ball. Dodging something she did not have to. Just for a Stored Power to sneak through the tangle, and slam into her face. Doliv fainted. She was lifted up into the air, and came down hard. A wheeze escaped her, mixing with oily spit. The crowd cheered¡ªthey always loved a massive hit. The referee even waved his flag with more energy. "Doliv is down! Two-one, Challengers favour!" Brassius ran a hand through his hair, frowning at Doliv''s loss. "... I need to teach my Pok¨¦mon what moves they''re immune to." "Yeah, I get an surprising amount of millage out of that," Linh agreed. "Well¡ªit''s not the circumstances I wanted, but. Go, Steenee!" Steenee appeared, spinning like a top on her two pointed feet¡ªtwin-tail hair-leaves clunking against each other. Sepals hard as shields. "Give her no quarter¡ªShadow Ball, Stored Power. Flood the room!" Linh barked immediately. "Up! Up up up up!" Brassius called, popping his ''p''s playfully. His gaze never deviated from Kaolin, however. Steenee took his words and went up¡ªlegs tensing and stretching and she bounced up. Bounce¡ªlight-blue-blue energy around her legs as she soared upwards. Then floating up high. Hanging there in defiance of gravity and reality. Shadow Balls and Stored Powers came up to her in their customary fashion¡ªdark blobs the size of billiard balls slamming forwards just like them. Fat flittering lights as bright as glowbugs drifting like them. Large lights and little unlights chasing the rising Mangosteen. What comes up. Must come down. And Steenee dives, towards¡ª ¡ªthrough¡ª ¡ªthe orbs, Linh just starts to shout a warning as Kaolin''s surprise etches. Yet Steenee kicks before either of those! It clinks against the teapot like talons on pottery. And Kaolin''s wheezing bubbling face puffs away in smoke. A plush replaces Kaolin¡ªone lizard-like. And still sparking electricity. Steenee completes the kick, and the plush soars high above Linh, landing somewhere into the audience. A small child holds it up with glee, his hair all frizzy. Kaolin phases into existence mere feet away from Steenee, as she finishes her kick. Foot stamping a needle point into the ground. Kaolin''s still dazed from the blow. It''s dribbling tea down his front, and its arms hang low. "Fling!" Brassius exalts, he leans forward, predatory. Steenee winds her leg back¡ªa kick fit for a penalty shoot. Dark energy builds around the tip, and at a pebble at her feet. The object to be flung. "Teatime!" Linh cries, "Teatime now!" Kaolin shakes itself aware, just to see the approaching pebble. With a steamy yelp, it claps its hands together¡ªexploding them into steam that occludes and engulfs both Kaolin and Steenee. As it fades, it reveals Steenee, sitting daintily on her stool. Ankles crossed, not the legs, as a proper lady should. She held up a teacup, filled with steaming hot tea. Kaolin''s tea. And took a sip. Kaolin said something from the heart¡ªwhich is why it came from the spout¡ªand Steenee laughed, flicking her stiff-hair back. "Steenee!" Brassius called. Steenee froze. Looked at herself and what she was doing. She remembered, and launched herself out of her seat, towards Kaolin¡ª ¡ª"Teatime!" Linh yelled again. And Kaolin brought its hands together¡ª ¡ªAnd Steenee was back to having a lovely meal! With such a gracious host, too! In fact, one so gracious that it set out MULTIPLE tables and MULTIPLE chairs! ''To be able to accommodate all of my guests of course!'' "Steenee!" To true bestie. To true. "STEENEE!" Steenee jolted. And suddenly remembered. She vaulted out of her chair and¡ª ¡ª"Fling! Fling now!" "Teatime!" Kaolin brought its hands together¡ª Kaolin hosted a tea party with Steenee. "Moth¡ªSteenee! Just¡ªLinh! Why are you doing this!" Steenee jolted, remembered, and lauched herself forwards. "You''re not the only one who can set hazards! Teatime!" Linh shouted. "STEENEE¡ª" Brassius thundered. Kaolin brought its hands together¡ª Kaolin brought its hands¡ª Kaolin brought its¡ª Kaolin¡ª "...Why?" Brassius said, baffled by the sheer number of tables and stools all over the battlefield. Tables and chairs slowly breaking down into mist, but slowly. Not fast enough "I''m opening an IKEA, naturally," Linh sniped. "I switch Kaolin." "... Ahem!"The referee jolted and gestured to Linh, "The challenger switches out his Pok¨¦mon, using one of his two switches! Challenger, release your next Pok¨¦mon¡ªnow!" Linh released Menace, in between the tables and under the chairs. "Nightshade," he commanded. And Menace cackled and crackled¡ªdead flesh uncurling. Steenee, still a bit discombulated from switching gears so many times, flinched away as the illusion passed through table and stool and into her mind''s eye. It showed her a terrible fate. Her hair rotting and falling away, and the rot carrying further in and in and in and in and in... "Steenee! Focus¡ªBounce!" Steenee jumped up reflexivly. Then in the air, looked around wildly, searching for¡ªthere! Moving vines between the table gaps! She dove, dodged the stools thrownn back and hit the table. And to her surprise, did not break through. It was merely wood! She stalled on the table, cracking it, but not getting any further. Steenee made a confused sound, before slumping as she heard a spiteful rasp. Menace''s favourite move, Spite. Brassius blinked, thenn nodded firmly. "Fine strategy. Well done!" Linh asked, "Clever, right?" Brassius nodded slowly, then looked closer at the tables¡ª"... That''s too weak. You''re clever Trainer, but these tables don''t look hard enough to withstand higher level battles. And I don''t believe these tables can get any stronger! In the future¡ª" "The future is far away and this battle is now, Nightshade." Linh concluded. Steenee saw a terrible fate, mildew between her fingers, and cried terribly. Menace, naturally, mocked her with his rasping roots. "But! There are ways to clear obstacles! Steenee! Rapid Spin!" Steenee stopped, and spun in place like a top¡ªand then she was off. Careening around the battlefield shrouded in white light¡ªNormal Type energy. Everything she touched, was flung away. Tables overturned, chairs launched out of the field. The impact so much that they faded away as the illusions they are swiftly. (Rapid Spin also blew away the single, massive, spore cloud that was still there. But it wasn''t important at all now) And in harsh moments the battlefield was clear, bar the damage to the ground¡ªroots poking up and slumped down, and discoloured puddles where the tea spilt. Finally, Steenee spun towards Menace, a spinning top coming faster and faster until¡ª! ¡ªShe went straight through. Naturally, as Menace was a Ghost. "Good!" Brassius cried, "Bounce now, no more tricks!" "New moves¡ªInfestation and Spikes!" Linh commanded, and Brassius winced. Menace exploded with two pulses of energy, neon green and dirty brown. The green wave became many many bugs. Brightly green-shelled and with an indeterminate amount of legs, all stacking up each other. The brown wave sunk into the ground, and overturned the grass to reveal shifting soil. Steenee went up, true. But when she came down, it was to a wall of bugs between her and Menace, and when she came down through (ew ew ew) the bugs. It was upon a bed of spikes. Caltrop''s shaped from dirt. Menace cackled as he rolled away, eyes steady in his centre, fixed on the wild flailings of Steenee. "Nightshad¡ª" Linh began. "Enough! Enough!" Brassius recalled Steenee with flash of light. "Steenee can''t beat that yet¡ªI withdraw her!" "And that''s our second withdraw. Leaving the score at three-two, Challengers favour!" The referee swung his flag. "Oh. Uh. Thanks." Linh smiled. Menace hissed, displeased. Then a moment passed. "... You... You gonna send out your last?" Brassius stared, clearly thinking hard. He only reacted when the referee called out, questioningly. He took a sharp breath, "Ah. Yes. Well¡ªI''m not sure I need too. Challenger¡ªyou''ve displayed. Well. REMARKABLE flexibility and skill! Truely¡ªtruly Avant Garde!" He grinned, wide and bright¡ªit sorely cut against the image his eye-shadows formed. "If I were to judge your work, for that is my job, I would say it passes my inspection. Yes¡ªa pass without exception! "So¡ªas proof of your artistic prowess, you may¡ª" The referee coughed, it sounded like ''regulations''. "I''ll take the write-up¡ªsee if I don''t," Brassius said as an aside. "¡ªAs proof of your artistic prowess, you may have my Gym Badge!" Linh pursed his lips, and shared a somewhat disappointed glance with Menace. "Sure."
Messengengar:
Larry Look out! It''s the invincible Salaryman!
Larry > Congratulations on your second badge. Heading off to Levincia next? > Thank you. How''d you hear? It''s been like 2 mins > Poppy''s still battling, even. > Yes, Levincia. A nice short walk that isn''t across half the country. Larry > Hassel shouted about you once Brassius complained about it. > We''re watching the recording right now. > Rika, Hassel, and Geeta. > Oh. The mortification fo being known Larry > Your face after seeing the explosion is amusing. > Are you aware that you blink a lot when stressed? > Ok Larry Imma need you to stop. Like, watch me all you want but I dun like the running commentary. Larry > Brassius usually actually does the spore explosion again when he gives the badge out. Must have been really off-balence to forget that. > SHUT Larry > VERY poor luck with Para > But, I''m sure that the kids these days would call it > Skill issue? > Why did you send Kaolin out and not Menace? You''ve shown Menace has Infestation. > Could have done the Shadow Ball bluff earlier, would have saved some of Kaolin''s stamina. > Why didn''t you use Teatime to force Doliv out of position for an easy hit? > By the way, you were slouching for most of that battle. Posture is important! Read at 14:43
(Larry did not, in fact, stop. He increased the fidelity of his comments.) (A little revenge for ratting out his extracurriculars to Champion Geeta.) (Worth.) Chapter 19 - Anothher Graveyard (All Ghosts deserve a good Cemetery)
Poppy sat on a fence and pointed out, over the grasslands. "Deerling," she said. "Deerling." Linh nodded. His hands hovered in the air, halfway between gripping the fence and bracing behind Poppy. Right next to him, Tinkie was doing the exact same thing. Her hammer laying beside her, digging divots in the road. Running over that hammer and into and out of the tall grass, were the rest of their Pok¨¦mon. Riolu and Casket and Kaolin and Klefki and Varoom. Everyone except Menace, who had picked up Shadow Sneak at some point, and rolled into Linh''s shadow with sleepy grumbles. Linh and Poppy were watching a moving forest in the distance. Slow-walking deers with bright green fur on their backs, hides fused with chlorophyll. The herd moved slowly, at a grazing-crawl. And in the outer rings of the herd, Pok¨¦mon taller then deers moved. With great antlers spreading wide, and suspending masses of vibrant leafs. Striders over the long grass. The young forest walks. "The big ones are Sawsbucks, right?" Linh asked to Poppy. She nodded. "Mm! Summer form!" Linh closed his eyes and leaned back¡ªhe took a deep breath of the air. "Alright¡ªready to go? Levincia¡ª" "No." Poppy stared at the Deerling''s a little longer. Really engraving them in her mind. Linh huffed, and just as he was about to speak¡ª"Okay! Now let''s go!" Linh watched as she twisted and stuck her arms out¡ª"Downies!" Poppy asked. Tinkie obliged first, arms under her armpits and letting her down. Poppy hit the ground and was moving. Linh shook his head, and followed. "Come along," he said back to their Pok¨¦mon, who left their busy game to chase at Linh''s heels, and explore curious things on the roadside. Such as twigs. And pebbles. The road ahead was long¡ªnaturally. Artazon''s still in sight. And this is one circuitous wild-route. They passed down that winding road, in between old moss-grown ruins from which Pawmot and Pikachu watched curiously. They¡ª "Oh, wait!" Poppy shouted, and Linh was forced out of his spacing out. "I wanted to find a Gimmighoul!" "Oh?" he asked. "Pure Ghost type. You thinking about stepping into my turf?" he teased. Poppy stopped him by walking in front of him and staring up at him, "Linh! You know Gimmighouls evolve into the steel type." "Okay, okay. And I know they either roam around the country at blinding speeds, or hide away in remote corners in their chests." Linh jerked a thumb towards the ruins, a Pichu gasped, and ducked behind the weeds. "Think there''s one in there?" "There might be! We should check." Poppy smiling, marched into the ruins. There were no Gimmighoul in those ruins. There were no dusty chests that peaked open for golden coin-eyes to leer out from. There were no little grey stick-figures watching around the corners. There was, however, a single Ceruledge. The ruins lord. The ruins lord, that is, until he found Poppy presence detestable, and was promptly knocked head over kettle by Riolu''s Dark Pulse. Poppy and Linh left the ruins, dust on their shoulders, and went back to the road. They crossed an old stone bridge over an old slow river. One that made muddy banks Oinkologne herds wallowed in. A very curious damp and floral scent. Rotting things in the moist mud suppressed by their skin oils. Then the road ended at a crossroads¡ªto the right, the highway to Levincia. To the left, a small old graveyard. One nothing has been buried in for decades. "Hey Poppy. Want to go this way?" Linh pointed. "...Why?" "Well. I''d like to see what kind of Ghosts are there. And it''s been a long time since Casket played with other Ghosts." In his shadow, a single doggy tail poked out. Wagging furiously. Poppy mulled that over, she crossed her arms and tilted her head in a very mimicry way. "... Okay!" They walked down that path, with the tall grass becoming shorter grass, and sparser. The road turned to old cracked cobble and the air grew a chill. One that made Poppy stick her hands in her pocket, and Linh to smile wider. There should be Ghosts here¡ªpast the brick and iron fence, in between the white-bleached head stones. Linh''s hair stands on the back of his neck, and when Kaolin splashed its tea on seemingly empty patches of land, tombstones appeared. Illusions broken. But there were no Ghosts here¡ªat least none that Casket could sniff. "Strange," Linh commented. He allowed Poppy to get a little further away¡ªTinkie holding her hand and her gaze flitting about. He took a few steps back, his back turned to the greater part of the graveyard¡ªwith the most headstones behind him. "Dip a bit deeper down Casket, and disappear Kaolin," he muttered. Both Pok¨¦mon melted away from notice in their own ways. Leaving Linh seemingly alone. A moment. "Hey, what was that! Who''s there?!" he cried. Voice with a panic he did not display. Another moment, quiet. "Eh. Probably just the wind." He told the air, and listened carefully for any silence¡ªa sign of something stalking. Nothing, just the quiet sounds of wildlife. Linh frowned, confused. Was this graveyard haunted, or not? "LINHHH!" Poppy came running back to Linh, dragging Tinkie along. Her hammer carved a groove in the dirt. "Linh Linh Linh Linh!" "Yes, si, hai, da." He nodded four times. "Look look look!" She grabbed his hand and dragged him forwards, along with Tinkie. Both man and Pok¨¦mon stumbled after her. Half-dragged across the cobble until they came to another crossroads in the road. A single chest stood in that road. Red-painted wood veneer. Thick brass fittings around the edges. A large silver buckle holding a black strap running vertically around the chest. Gimmighoul''s chest. It could not be any other¡ªno one designed containers that way. "Oh wow," Linh said. "That''s a Gimmighoul." Poppy nodded, "That''s right!" "Want to catch it?" Poppy nodded, "That''s right!" She pumped her fists. "Well¡ªI can''t say it doesn''t want to be caught." Linh gestured. "Else, why drag that massive chest to a place this obvious? One second, Poppy." He approached, and knocked on the chest. "Hello? Sorry to bother, but you there?" The chest''s lid cracked open with a rusty creak. Two small golden coins glinted in the dark. A blink as the ghost peaked out. "Hey there¡ªjust to confirm. You do want a Trainer, right?" Linh gestured around. Gimmighoul nodded, smiling, before pointing towards Linh. Specifically, the Pok¨¦balls at his waist. "Me? no." Linh gestured towards Poppy. "Her." "Hello Gimmighoul!" She waved excitedly, "I''m pleased to meet you!" Gimmighoul looked her up, then down. It scoffed, and the chest thumped shut. Poppy scowled, and snapped to Linh. "Knock again!" Linh knocked again, bemused. The chest lid opened a crack, just so Gimmighoul''s "Gimmighoul¡ªyou do not even know what I can offer you!" Poppy tried again. "I have many coins¡ª" Gimmighoul blew a raspberry at Poppy. The chest slammed shut again. She gasped. "Tinkie, I need your help! PRY THAT CHEST OPEN!" Poppy growled. Tinkie and Linh shared a look, before they came closer to her. "C''mon Poppy, you can''t just jump to violence at the slightest insult. That''s what bullies do! You don''t want to be a bu¡ª" Tinkie babbled something. She set her hammer down just so she could gesticulate. "¡ªAnd think about it, Tinkie''s proper E-four material. Kinda overkill don''t you think? Didn''t you want to make a new team?¡ª" Tinkie gestured with her hands, one fist smacking into the other, and the other shaking like it''s crying. "¡ªThere''s plenty of Gimmighoul''s out there, you don''t need to fixate on this particular one. And, hey! Maybe¡ª" "Fine! Fine!" Poppy pouted. She stamped her feet too. "Tinkie''s too much. Fine." She shoved a finger at Linh, "But I want this Gimmighoul! We won''t find another for a while." "Well." Linh knocked on Gimmighoul''s chest again. No response beyond a gutterly clinking sigh, echoing from inside. "You''re going to need to figure out a way to talk to it, ''cuz it''s ignoring me now." Tinkie mimed taking a key and unlocking the chest. "What she said¡ªhow will you open it up?" This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Poppy stayed silent, she tapped her foot and made exageratted humming sounds. They waited patiently. This was better then Poppy demanding squishing the ghost under Tinkie''s hammer. "What better," she started slowly, "Way to open a chest, but with a key? Go, Klefki!" Klefki appeared with a flash and a jangle of various metals clanging together. "So, going to try those keys?" Linh pointed to Klefki''s key ring. Klefki looked down, confused. "Or maybe the one up top?" He pointed, and Klefki tried to follow. He couldn''t, because it was his head. "I have a plan," Poppy grinned, "Klefki! Astonish on the chest. Scare the Gimmighoul open!" The chest lid cracked open a bit, and two golden coins glared out. This went unnoticed, as all were watching Klefki hype himself up. With increasingly dissonant jingles. Before Klefki reared back, and charged towards the chest¡ªa terrible cry whistling up his hollow body. And¡ª ¡ªThe chest lid burst open, and a wave of golden coins slammed out! Gimmighoul used Astonish first! Klefki halted in the air, petrified by the descending coins. They spilled down onto him and past him, hitting and bouncing on the cobbles. Before the Ghost energy that made them faded, and the coins melted in between the cobbleseams. Klefki shrieked like metal scraping at the attack, and flew and hid behind Poppy. Poppy spun around and gently grasped Klefki, "Hey. No¡ªthere''s nothing to be scared about. Ok? I know you can do it, you just need to help me, okay?" Klefki stopped peering fearfully around Poppy, and met her gaze. He visibily firmed himself up and moved towards Gimmighoul. The chest lid slowly opened as Gimmighoul readied itself, angrily. "Klefki, Flash Cannon!" Klefki cried cutely, and the light shining on his body refracted. A laser beam reflecting off, and scraping across the brass and wood. But Gimmighoul acted itself¡ªthe lid snapped fully open for but one moment. A single coin flicked into the air with a metallic chime. And as it tumbled down, light came out of the chest''s buckle. Striking the coin and the laser reflected towards Klefki. It''s own Flash Cannon! "DODGE!" she barked, and Klefki reflexively darted out of the way of the light. It raced towards Poppy before Tinkie held up a hand and it sizzled harmlessly on her palm. Poppy did not flinch. "Klefki¡ªImprison!" she commanded. Klefki, properly miffed about failing twice, and no longer fretful, gave a chiming cry. Gimmighoul scowled, and flicked another coin up. But no fell light shone. The coin bounced on the cobble with a dwindling clink as Gimmighoul made a confused noise. Imprison does that¡ªit prevents the use of moves known to both Pok¨¦mon. "Now, Fairy Lock!" Poppy shouted. "When it starts, Gimmighoul shall be locked. When it stops, Gimmighoul will be unlocked!" Strange energies formed around the keys in Klefki''s keyring, light pink and distorting the air. One by one, each key turned in turn, from facing in, to facing out. From facing out, to facing in. A timer, until the lock engages. "Does it work like that?" Linh leaned over. Tinkie shrugged. The Fairy Lock triggered, and with the sound of it engaging, Gimmighoul flinched. Trapped, unable to flee. The glow continued around the keys, and they turned in turn again. A timer until the lock disengages. Fairy Lock ticked down, key by key. Rusted, new, iron, copper. Each key reversed to their original orientation¡ªeach snapping into place with mechanical clicks. Louder and louder. Gimmighoul''s chest rattled even as it huddled inside. Tension rising and rising until¡ª ¡ªWith the sound of a door breaking open, lugnut tearing through the frame, hinges straining with stress, Fairy Lock ended. Nothing happened. Poppy scrunched her tiny fists together, and then called out, "Klefki, use¡ª!" "That won''t work dear," a female voice, speaking from the side. "The ghoul won''t leave its chest unless you interest it." Poppy and Linh turned. A woman walked towards them. One in a purple dress that flared wide and loose. And wild black hair unkempt and wavy¡ªcurling in every direction. She had white wrappings, bandage like, wrapped tightly around her hands, and loosely around her neck. "Oh, hello," Linh began. "Can I¡ªwe help you?" "Mmm, no." The woman came closer. One of her hands was rubbing the wrappings hanging from her neck. The other crossed over her stomach, and held nothing. "Rather. I believe I can help both of you. I''m Christie." "Charmed, Linh," he said. He stood up a bit straighter under her gaze¡ªno pupils in those wide eyes, only broken swirls. Like a fingerprint. He stared hard at them¡ªtracing the contours with fascination. "And I''m Poppy!" she chimed in, "What''s wrong with Gimmieghoul?" Christie nodded. "I wouldn''t say anything is wrong with Gimmighoul. It''s just selective. It wants a strong Trainer, who can bring out the Ghost in it." She gestured to Linh, "That''s why Gimmighoul''s more interested in him¡ªhe''s stinking of incense, and you''re not. To it''s eyes, he''s the stronger one." "I''m strong." Poppy fumed, arms crossed. "I''m an Elite Four!" "I know, dear. I saw you on the telly. But Gimmighoul''s only interested in those strong like Ghosts. And are you not strong with Steel?" Poppy fumed harder. "So, Gimmighoul will never want Poppy?" Christie shook her head, "No¡ªif she were to prove that Steel can match Ghost. Then perhaps Gimmighoul will be interested. Interested enough to be your friend." "And how can you do that?" Linh questioned. "A battle." Both Poppy and Christie spoke at once. Poppy faced Linh, "I challenge you¡ªthen! "That''s good, yeah? If I beat Linh, then that proves to Gimmighoul that I''m stronger!" she asked Christie. "Perhaps¡ªhowever. A battle with low Badges isn''t exactly impressive, no? Strong tactics, perhaps, but not strong Pok¨¦mon." Linh jolted, a bit alarmed. "How do you know that?" Christie pointed down, at her feet, Casket was begging. "You have a remarkably agreeable Greavard, Linh." She rummaged through her pockets and came out with a clenched fist. It opened, and clumps of wet dirt fell. Scattering on the floor and onto Casket¡ªscattered like fish-feed. "Casket!" Casket wagged her tail, and ran back to Linh. She pawed at his trousers and ruffled her fur. As if to proudly show off the treats (grave dirt) she got. Christie paused. "Also either way you''re going¡ªArtazon or Levincia¡ªyou''re likely near the start of your Journey." Poppy stared at Christie. "I mean¡ªit''s not a weird assumption, right?" Christie scratched her cheek, she looked away. Poppy interrupted. "Battle me." "Me?!" Christie reared back, surprised wide eyes. "Is that not what you wanted?" Linh asked. "I thought that was what you were implying." Poppy complained, "I thought so too." At that, Christie grinned. A wide grin without teeth, the lips simply did not peel back far enough. "I just want to help Gimmighoul, is that so wrong?" Linh was forced to concede, no. But also. What the hell woman. Christie leaned forwards, hands behind her back, "Now¡ªLinh, will you referee?" "Uh. Sure." He glanced between Poppy and Christie. "The stage." "Here," Christie offered, "Take care not to damage the gravestones, now." "The stakes?" Poppy frowned, "I want Gimmighoul." "If you can convince it, I have nothing to say." Linh coughed, "The sides?" Poppy wordlessly pointed to Tinkie¡ªstepping forwards with her hammer and a wide-grin. Christie held up four fingers, also eager. "Alright." Linh took a few steps back, standing right by Gimmighoul. His Pok¨¦mon lifted out of his shadow, interested spectators. And Gimmighoul''s chest slid open. "With all that out of the way, all I can say is: Begin!" "Tinkie!" "Mummify, Taphonomy!" With those words, A Cofagrigus appeared. Sarcophagus lid grinning. Rough linen strips spilling out the sides and forming loose piled feet to stand on. Suddely, they knew what the bandages Christie wrapped her hands in were. Tinkie and Taphonomy started moving at once¡ªneither needing instructions. Tinkie threw herself forwards, into a forward roll¡ªhammer tucked¡ªand as she came up she revealed a fist. A fist she cast out pebbles she grabbed. These pebbles flew not towards Taphonomy, but around her. Enlarging in seconds into octohedral prisms, floating in the air. Stealth Rock. While still approaching at great speed, hammer twitching to be used. Cofagrigus raised herself up, and then came down. A slam into the ground with a crunch that echoed in the mind. A purple wave came out from underneath, and spread throughout the graveyard. Seemingly to no effect¡ªnone seen. For, in the background, a low shfffff spilled. The shff of falling sand. The hourglass. A single moment as that idea crossed the mind, and then the sound reversed. "... I never saw that before!" Poppy exclaimed. "Trick Room¡ªI removed the walls because someone figured out a way to run up them." Christie shook her head, "Regardless¡ªShadow Ball!" Taphonomy, Cofagrigus, gasped¡ªa desiccated groan. And above Taphonomy, a thicksome tricksome ball of shadows, bulging and writhing against grey hieroglyphics constraining it. The sound of unfalling¡ªnot rising¡ªsand was met with the sharp clack of wood striking, the hourglass turned and slammed down. Tinkie started to dodge¡ªfoot on the ground, swinging wide, pivoting. The Shadow Ball shot out and hit her, before she could move. Tinkie was flung back, up and high and spinning. Her hammer went higher, twirling in the air. She landed, and revealed that the Shadow Ball was caught in her hands, rolling and writhing and rubbing the pink skin pale. It exploded around her, and from the fading smoke Tinkie burst out¡ªcatching the hammer. "Gigaton Hammer!" Poppy ordered. The hammer came down, square on Taphonomy''s sarcophagus. Taphonomy creaked and groaned, but did not move. Instead, Tinkie back flipped away as a shadowy hand lashed out. "Now, Bag of tricks!" Linh perked up¡ªhe''s never heard Poppy say that. "Stop her¡ªBall again!" Christie snapped. Taphonomy built up another whirling, antique ball of Shadows, and it slammed into Tinkie unnaturally fast¡ªbefore she can even react. Tinkie, however, did not flinch. She ducked behind her hammer and let the metal warp under the blast. She crouched behind it, glancing between her hands and the head. Over and over, until she grinned, and red hot fingers parted the metal. Taphonomy prepared another Shadow Ball, and with the power of Trick Room, it flung forwards before it was time. Yet, now, it did not hit Tinkie, nor the hammer. As it approached Tinkie finished her work, a crescent chunk of metal sheared off. The hammer now had a divot, an empty half-sphere on its face. And she swung it into the Shadow Ball. And then past, and around her body¡ªthe Shadow Ball spinning inside the curves. Around and around, she leapt and swung¡ªthe Shadow Ball turned back! "PROTECT!" Christie hissed. A hexagonal sphere formed around Taphonomy. Too late. Taphonomy collapsed, eyes swirling. Christie puffed. "Really taking me seriously, huh?" She grinned, lips stretched thin. "Remarkable¡ªGo, Resonance!" Tinkie rested her hammer on her shoulder¡ªthe head glowing red and slowly melting itself back together¡ªas she watched a Bronzong replace Taphonomy. Linh watched too¡ªhe watched as Poppy commanded Tinkie with vague sweeping commands and tight micro¡ªdirection and precision blended into the precise movements needed to dodge and retaliate against Bronzong''s slamming Body Presses. Interspersed by fluctuations in the air¡ªtraps laid by Future Sight, to launch her into the bell. Linh watched Christie as well, her movements bold, sweeping. Her commands, vacillating between hisses and laughs, yet all bright and eager. Hungry. The way her fingers flared as she laughed. The way her hair cascaded over her eyes as she hunched forwards¡ªfocused. The way that dress... Linh paused. He repeat that paragraph back to himself. "Oh." he said. Fist against his cheek and pushing it up the cheekbone. "She''s pretty." A soft woof from below him. Casket was curiously looking at him, head tilted. "Keep that quiet, yeah?" Casket''s head tilted the other way. "There''s a stick in it for you," he bribed. Holding one up. Casket''s tail wagged, she stood on her hind legs and gently took the incense. She then dropped it and stared at it, slavering. "Silly dog," Linh shook his head, he looked away, "You can just eat it, y''know? No need to make a produc¡ª" Someone else was staring at him. A floating blob of dark green gelatin¡ªacidic and poisonous. Inside, a small fetus like creature. Massive head, tiny arms. Black pin-point eyes. That diamond-shaped red mouth that opened and closed rapidly, like a fish''s. Duosion. Duosion was staring at him like he just found a gold mine. Like he had just overheard a scandal. Like he was privy to a great secret. "... Would you also accept a stick?" Linh waggled the stick. Duosion''s gaze snapped to the stick, before he shook his head and snapped back to Linh. He scowled, and the gelatin bubbled and hissed a denial. "... Two?" Out of options against such a harsh negotiator, Linh spread his fingers, revealing the second incense stick behind the first. Duosion eagerly took the incense sticks. But denied the lighter''s flame. He just clacked them together in light-purple glows. Enjoying the crumbly sound they make. "Heheheh........." Christie slumped forwards, her wide grin at odds with that vacant stare and her defeated posture. "I didn''t expect everyone to go down so quickly... But I still have Trick Room, and this one''s guaranteed to be slower then your Tinkaton¡ªgo Mitosis!" The Pok¨¦ball hit the dirt, empty. "Uh." Christie blushed. An action that immediately grabbed Linh''s attention. "Where''s¡ªMitosis? Mito! Where are you?" she called out. Mitosis, the Duosion, perked up, and he sped towards Christie. Proudly showing off his incense sticks. "Oh! You found something?" Mitosis shook his head, gelatin copying his movements wobbly. "You were given them?" Mitosis nodded, acidic liquid spitting happily. "Make sure to thank Linh, then!" Mitosis spun around, and gave a great big fizzing smile to Linh. Christie grinned as well, waving happily. Then she froze, and turned to Poppy, hands working at her bandages again. "...Uhhhhh." Her smile twitched, "I concede? Mito doesn''t want to fight now." "Gmmgblre," Poppy grumbled. "Fine! Tinkie, here." Tinkie laughed, her hammer skewed in several pieces¡ªsharp stakes splintering off the hammer. As she walked back, pink-red energy emanated from the metal, softening it molten, and melding it all back together. Poppy turned to Linh, "Did Gimmighoul like this?" Linh blinked away the vision of Christie waving at him, and then knocked on Gimmighoul''s chest. "Well. Thoughts?" he asked. Gimmighoul''s chest clamped shut with a slam, and then it opened again. Fully. The small ghost inside the chest standing up and tall¡ªmeeting Poppy''s eyes. It gestured, and coins spilled down from the chest, forming many-jointed worm-like legs. That carried Gimmighoul towards Poppy. "Great!" Poppy cheered, she held out a Pok¨¦ball. Gimmighoul stared at it, measuring. It made it''s decision. It slapped the Pok¨¦ball away and slammed the chest lid shut. A second later, it cracked open. Gimmighoul''s signature eyes gleaming. "What?" Confusion, the beginnings of outrage. "That means that Gimmighoul''s still deciding," Christie explained. "But it''s interested!" Poppy didn''t stop fuming, but she didn''t speak up about it. Linh huffed, and came close, he knelt down, arms on top of the chest. "Well¡ªwhat are you going to do now, Poppy?" Her face scrunched up, thinking and seething. "... I''m so close now! I don''t want to leave without it." "Can''t stay here forever. We do want to get to Levincia someday. And we''ve only so much food to get there." (Linh forgot about the various ways they could get food.) "Actually," Christie began. "You can." "Beg pardon?" Both of them turned to her. "My house is nearby," She said. "I''ll be willing to house both of you, until Gimmighoul makes it''s final decision." Linh and Poppy reacted differently. Linh slumped forwards, neck like a turtle, one eye squinting, the other wide. An incredulous look. Poppy brightened up, stars in her eyes. "Can we, Linh? Can we can we can we?" Linh shifted to look at Poppy, and then Tinkie. Tinkie shrugged, then nodded. "Well, who am I to turn you down?" Linh told Christie. "We''d be happy to stay at your abode¡ªyour heavily isolated, ghost-infested house. As we all know, nothing bad has ever happened by entering secluded houses home to uncannily knowledgeable strangers." Christie paused, then laughed. Linh found it a very pretty laugh, even as her shadow shivered. Chapter 20 - The Hex Hut (More a Cottage, really)
Linh woke up, eyes still closed, on an unfamiliar sofa. A weight on his chest, and the familiar lag in his thoughts indicative of being fed upon. His hand came up to the weight on his chest, grasping at it to see its shape, Two objects, one stringy and dry. The other curved and smooth. Linh prodded both with his fingers¡ª"Menace, Kaolin," his Polteageist, "C''mon, up and at ''em." The weight disappeared with rasping dry and sloshing wet grumbles. Then he opened his eyes, and saw Ghosts staring down at him. Linh jolted back at those eyes¡ªenergies shifting them from disturbingly human to disturbingly inhuman, and then huffed. "Ceiling Ghosts," he softly called. "What are your wisdoms?" The Ghosts, Shuppets and Yamask''s mostly, conferred with themselves. Dipping and diving into the ceiling like it was an upside-down lake. They roiled as they made noises to each other. Noises like gold glinting together. Then one bold Yamask answered Linh and threw their mask down to Linh. As they did, the shadowy teardrop that made their figure sucked down into the mask (a weeping face cast in gold), and Linh caught it. He shifted it to face him, and wiped a bit of dirt off of its eyes. "They say this mask was your face in a previous life, but it''s actually the face you''ll wear on the next." The Yamask popped back out of the mask, Linh booped them on the nose. "Mull on that, why don''t you?" The ghosts hiding in the ceiling puzzled over that lie as Linh stood up and walked away. He smiled as he ignored how one Shuppet tried to follow him, blowing air across his neck as an ask. Linh stretched, then faced his Pok¨¦mon. "Menace, Kaolin¡ªyou two want to stay with me? I''ll just be looking for Casket." Menace stared up at him with those almond-shaped eyes. He rubbed two rasping roots together and made the same sound he makes when Linh''s late too dinner. "Did you not feed on me while I slept?" Linh asked, "I still have the scars, probably." He rubbed the little pinpricks of pain under his shirt, like insect bites. Menace made the exact same sound, blatantly lying. Linh looked to Kaolin, who giggled, and swung down to Menace, gently rolling him away. Linh huffed again, and then left to look about the house. Christie''s house. He didn''t remember exploring it much last night¡ªjust awkwardly accepted food, a couch to crash on, done. The cabin, cottage, house had a clustered rustic feel¡ªdespite the many rooms and two floors. The floorboards were thick, wide, with just the slightest gaps in between. Covered by tiny rugs with thick edges and ornate patterns. Dream catchers and stringed beads hung from the ceiling, strung up near the walls. Pressed just below, bookshelves with books stuffed with bookmarks and strips of paper. Organised by colour into gradients. Sitting above them, display cases with Pok¨¦mon skulls in them, bleached and cleaned. Linh stepped into the kitchen. One with a stove split in half¡ªthe centre set much lower, with a hook hanging down from the smoke extractor. In the corner, there was a massive cauldron, sized to fit there. ''Witchy''. He stepped past both to peer through the window to the outside. Outside, there was Christie¡ªback to the window and facing Poppy. Both were chatting about something, although Linh knew not what. They had a gaggle of Pok¨¦mon around them¡ªthe Pok¨¦mon of the graveyard outnumbering Poppy''s. Linh let the curtain fall back in place¡ªa decal of a Golbat on it swooped down to the spice rack to the right. Small flasks that rounded out at the bottom. Exactly like those little potions in fantasy. Except instead of holding health and mana potions, they held turmeric and ginger, pepper and garlic powder. Very ''Witchy''. Linh opened the cupboard behind the spice rack, and on the other side a Duskull rolled its singular eye before fading away. Behind, was the spice bags. Dense-packed bags and bottles with commercial designs. A Scovillain on paper stared back as Linh quietly shut the door. He smiled to himself¡ªcute. Then he left the kitchen. Perhaps Casket was upstairs? The stairs were thin and uneven, and led up to a narrow hallway¡ªthree rooms available. There was the guest room¡ªdoor half-ajar. Last night Christie offered this room, but as Linh stepped inside he saw the piles and piles of plushies, the mirrored desk with a make-up kit still half-open. It wasn''t really a guest room. Not every guest''s room. Linh didn''t bother checking, Casket kept on sneezing when she took one whiff of it. She wouldn''t explore there. The next room was Christie''s. Her bedroom. And Linh would not see what was inside at all. He missed the single long grey hair, stuck in the crack of the door as he passed. The last room was the ''Doll Room''. Which Christie remarked upon but once as she showed the house. She refused to elaborate and the name itself kept Linh up half-way through last night. He opened the door¡ªunlocked. Inside, bare walls and wood panelling. Nothing hanging from the ceiling, and no rugs over the floorboards. There was only one chair, with a small doll on it. Not plastic, not felt. Yarn, with cross-stitches for eyes. Flat-faced, without fingers. Linh took one step towards it and the door clicked shut behind him. He turned, and tested the lock. Locked, naturally. He turned back, the doll sat where it was¡ªbut there was a chair facing it. Linh softly smiled, and came closer to the doll. He took the chair. "You wanna talk about something?" Silence. "Interesting. You want to hear a story?" There was a breeze in that still-air. Tickling across Linh''s hands. "Well, I can make one up... So! Granny was a spry up and comer hero who had just transferred to Class 1-A..." The outside of the cottage ran wild with wind-chimes, and sparse with vegetation. The ground had defiant weeds sprouting from the ground. In between the gravel laid out front. Smooth sturdy pebbles with tough, thick, stalks. Both resistant to the play of playful Ghosts. Not that the ghost''s played much with the floor¡ªthey much preferred batting at the chimes hanging from the dead trees and the house. Including the ones at the tunnel underneath. Christie had a rough blanket spread over the gravel, so Poppy could sit on the ground as she gesticulated. Story-time, of her journey so far. "And this is the river where the bridge fell down! We had to ford across. Linh did, but Cyclizar leapt across it in one beeeg leap!" Poppy proudly showed off the photo on her phone. "And when Linh was crossing, this Barroskewda got feisty! He was annoyed, and attacked him! "Varoom couldn''t let that happen, can she?" She leaned down to Varoom, and she jerked up¡ªaware of where the story was going. "Noooo! So she drove right in, all across the bottom of the river ''cuz she was so heavy." Varoom rolled towards Poppy threateningly¡ªor perhaps pleadingly. She revved and spat choking gas upwards in a whine. "That Barroskewda was acting all mean and grumpy, and kept on trying to tackle at Linh¡ªVaroom couldn''t have that! So she charged and used Iron Head¡ªyes just like that!" Poppy grinned, hand splayed towards Varoom. She was trying to use Iron Head in intimidation. "But all that was doing was making the river and mud splash all over Linh!" Varoom cried out, and she came closer and closer. Iron Head applied to the air until the force sent shock waves that ruffled Poppy''s bonnet. That is, until Poppy reached out and tapped her side¡ªtwisting her fingers against the metal until Varoom collapsed, the rumble of her engine stopping. Poppy giggled and stopped her story, instead shifting to rub Varoom''s nose bridge. Christie hummed, "And then?" Poppy jolted, "And then! And then Linh sent out Casket!" An ''awoo'', as Casket the Greavard approached them. Padding across the gravel with a notebook¡ªlike a sketchbook¡ªin her mouth. Her voice came muffled by the paper. Christie inhaled as she saw the book. "Casket wasn''t very happy because of the river, but she helped really good," continued Poppy. "She used Shadow Sneak to make these huggee paws, and they picked up Linh and put him down on the other side of the river! But that left Varoom and her next to Barro¡ªOh! Casket! What''s that you got?" She half-scooted forwards, towards Casket, hand outstretched. "Ah¡ªNo!" Christie reached out sharply, arm stretching across Casket''s barrel, and dragging her across the blanket. "That''s private, no touch." "I wanna see." Poppy pouted, hands flat against the blanket. "Now now¡ªweren''t you just about to tell us about what happens next? What did Barroskewda do next?" Christie ignored Poppy''s okay, and her story, as she focused on the dog. She lifted Casket up, and pressed her against her¡ªno escape now. Her other hand gripped the notebook¡ªcardstock cover textured under her fingers. She lightly tugged at the notebook¡ªand bar the baring of teeth¡ªCasket did not react. She did not let go. Christie sighed, "Do I need to take you to Linh?" Surely this Greavard''s Trainer can make her let it go? Casket hung under her arm, pressed against her chest, and notebook in her mouth. She made no effort to change the circumstances. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "Poppy," Christie began, "I''ll just pop in to get this girl back to her Trainer, okay? Just call me if you need me." "Okay!!!" Poppy waved as they watched Christie power-walk away. Poppy turned back to the Pok¨¦mon around her, "So after we beat the Barrowskewda, Riolu tried to¡ª" Inside the house, Christie checked the kitchen¡ªempty. And then the living room, also empty. "Boys," she asked the room, and a slew of Yamask and Shuppets phased through the walls, "Seen my other guest?" Casket dropped the notebook and barked while tilting her head upwards¡ªupstairs. She indicated. A shadow reached out from inside her mouth and stuffed the notebook back in before Christie could snatch it. She sniffed. And, miffed, she went upstairs. Casket indicated the Doll Room with a shadow instead of with her head¡ªso as Christie tried to pre-emptively catch the book she failed. Christie came to the door¡ªand she heard strange noises come from the other side. Without hesitation, with the lock clicking open by itself, Christie opened the door... "¡ªAnd due to the rigorous lovemaking with Granny, Bakugo was sweating as he never had before. Allowing him to make an explosion big enough to defeat Sephiroph and save the Hazbin Hotel. The end." "What is happening here?" Christie let the door shut behind her, Casket wriggled eagerly. Linh startled up in his chair, his foot caught on its leg as he tried to stand up. And it made this most dreadful screech against the floor as he turned¡ªthe chair coming with him. He raised his arms, then lowered, then half-way to folding behind. "Nothing! Nothing. Just plain old, wholesome story time. Isn''t that right doll?" Laughter¡ªscraping brass against brass and a zipper zipping¡ªfrom the floor next to the doll. From the ground an illusion fell away and a Cofagrigus and Banette came into view. "Isn''t that right?" he pleaded. Christie came closer¡ªa semi-mocking grin¡ª"Nevermind Playing with Taph and Pedio. I have something of yours to return." Linh, awkwardly fidgeting. "Taph, and Pedio?" He gestured to the two Ghosts on the floor. Still laughing at his story. Or maybe him. Christie clicked her tongue, then pointed to the Cofagrigus, and the the Banete. "Taphonomy, Pediophobia." Then she held out Casket. "Dog." "Right, right?" Linh took Casket, "You want the book?" Christie nodded. "It''s not much¡ªbut it''s important to me." So he gently tugged on the book and Casket let go easily. Christie tsked at the sight. Linh started to hand over the¡ª"Hang on, it''s got spit all over it." "No¡ªwait¡ª" Linh wiped his sleeve roughly over the notebook, and the cover dragged with his arm until it tore off with a faint rip. Revealing a paper stack held by threadbare stitching. "Ah¡ªshit, sorry," he started to apologise, before he saw Christie look away from the book¡ªembarrassed about something? Linh looked at the notebook again, he saw that it wasn''t really a notebook at all. Unless notebooks had perforated lines for cleanly tearing pages off, and those pages had thick ink strokes in large foreign characters. He looked up, Christie had that nervous look¡ªthe one creatives wear as their work is being observed in front of them. "Well, I have no idea what these mean¡ªbut they''re pretty." "Really?" "Well yeah. A calligraphy hobby is sophisticated, innit?" Christie''s mouth quirked downwards. "Not calligraphy¡ªnot just calligraphy. These are Tags. Spell Tags." Ah. Held item that strengthens a Ghost Pok¨¦mon''s power. Linh knew these both before and after he came here. "Well, they''re very neat. Do they work?" "Maybe." "What''s maybe? Either they do or they don''t?" he asked. Christie crossed her arms, "They''re not very good," she flustered. Linh just pursed his lips. He flipped through the pages again. "I don''t really know what ''good'' looks like with these. What''s the problem with them?" "The paper''s poor¡ªmy brush isn''t perfectly shaped¡ªhand''s aren''t steady¡ªit''s only five percent¡ª" "¡ªwith making these at all, are these Tags embarrassing to you?" Linh commented idly, "If I knew I could make things that made my Pok¨¦mon stronger, I''d be proud of that." He winced a bit internally¡ªhe''s just noted the bluntness to his words. He didn''t want to sound like that, not like his mother. Silence. Linh looked up. Christie was half shying away. "It''s... old-fashioned. Isn''t it?" she whispered. "Is it? I''m not the cleverest¡ªwho''s making these?" He offered the notebook. "It''s... For Mediums and channelers. It''s just their tourist trinkets¡ªthey sell it for cheap at shrines." Christie gently took the notebook back, and tried to get the discarded cover to stick back on. "Also for Cleanse Tags?" "Those, those are more popular yes." She nodded, "But what kind of Hex Maniac would I be if I made those?" she chuckled to herself. Linh sat down on his chair, and a moment later, Christie sat down on the dolls. Placing that doll on her lap. A moment later, the Banette¡ªPediophobia¡ªcrawled into her lap as well. Taph stood behind her. Linh started again. "So, I haven''t actually thought about um. What a Hex Maniac is, or does." He looked her up and down¡ªswirly eyes he admitted to himself looked nice, purple dress-shawl loose but not flowy. "What is one¡ªis it like a, gang, or something?" he threw out randomly. At this conversation change, Christie brightened up. She sat up straight and laughed shortly, "No, no! We''re not that connected. We''re just... We''re a like-minded people who all really like certain things we can share with each other. Like Ghosts, and paranormal phenomena, like actual human-ghosts, and cryptids that are not Pok¨¦mon, rituals, psychic powers¡ªOccult things." "A sub-culture." "Exactly! Oh, and we all have this uniform¡ªwell it''s not an uniform really¡ªlook that we can use to recognise others also in the scene!" Christie stood up, and she swished her dress around, "Look at this, this is real antique style fabric. It was made with traditional methods; even has pockets!" Linh nodded, "A dress? I suppose it would be odd for any male Hex Maniacs." "Ah¡ªum. Not a lot of men interested in this," Christie explained, "Most of us are women. It''s¡ªthis thing¡ªthis subculture, was formed from Kalosian and Hoenn witches. Not many men are interested in the rituals and unguants and stuff." "Mmm." Linh nodded, eyes closed. "And you¡ªcollective¡ªdon''t make Cleanse and Spell Tags?" "Ah¡ªno." Christie started closing in again, which was not in Linh''s plans. "Could you teach me how to make those tags? I''d like to make one for Casket." Christie paused, blinked, then leaned inwards. "Really?" "Well, yeah!" Linh grinned, "Learning new skills can never be wrong." "To begin," Christie sat side by side to Linh, both facing the candle-lit desk. "For the tools, we need an ink stone, a brush, the paper, naturally. And your nails." Linh nodded four times, then paused, "Nails?" She held up a nail-clipper, and snatched his hand. "How fast do yours grow?" "Uh, pretty fast¡ªwhy?" "Because the faster they grow, the more I need to cut¡ªwe need to make your brush. And to make it your brush, it needs to include parts from]you. Now hold still." She gently tugged his hand closer, and leaned close¡ªhunching over until Linh could feel the slightest edge of her breath on his skin. ... She lifted each finger one by one¡ªnestling the clipper''s blade up against the corners of his nail and snip! Snip! The nail clippers went. Each cut she paused, shifting Linh''s finger as she placed the single, cut nail on the table. Christie worked from one hand to the other. An array of keratin, and Linh''s fingers feeling slightly off; that almost-rawness as his fingertips shifted to fill in open space. He shifted in his seat, vaguely touched. "All done," she said. "Now¡ªsee that brush? Uncap the brush head¡ªyes, like that¡ªthere should be a hollow inside it. Fill it with your nails." Linh flexed his hands, and held up the completed brush. "Okay, and next?" "Next¡ªI''ve already made your ink. Water, stick against stone, mix until right¡ªnothing special. You dip the brush in and call your Pok¨¦mon over." "For what?" Linh asked, his hand was already reaching down and snapping. Until Casket toddled her furry butt over. "So they can give the Tag it''s power¡ªremember, we humans never generate Type Energy. They do, our bond lets the energy flow: They turn the wheel, we guide it true," Christie spoke cheerfully, "Place the Pok¨¦mon on your lap¡ªit''s just easier logistically." Linh looked at Taphonomy, in the corner. The giant coffin winked back. Christie followed his gaze, then laughed, "Yes, smaller Pok¨¦mon are preferred. Taph''s just as big as his heart. That''s why I use Pediophobia." She snapped her fingers upwards. From the ceiling, the Banette dropped down. She caught her, nuzzled her, and let her sit in her lap. Linh nodded, he then lifted up Casket up into his own. "Excellent! Now, how this works is you will draw a shape on the paper, while instructing your Pok¨¦mon into the mindset. And then you command them to use Ominous Wind to dry the ink. Now¡ªthere are these¡ª" Linh froze, "Ominous Wind? None of my Pok¨¦mon know that." Christie paused. "Oh? That''s unfortunate." She hummed in thought, "Well, you can borrow one of the Shuppets¡ªshould work, just not as well as it coul¡ª" "Wait wait wait. Hold on." He leaned forwards, an arm bracing his head, "What precisely is Ominous Wind for?" "It''s to dry the ink. As it dries it soaks up the Ghost type energies from the Move¡ªand how the Tag expresses itself is based on what the Pok¨¦mon is thinking as they do it." Linh took that in, "Keep talking, please." "Uh. The point is that Ominous Wind gives both medium power at a very controlled flow rate. But it spreads it out, thinly, unlike a Shadow Ball or Hex, which expels everything at once." "Maybe¡ªMenace, where you at? Menace!" he called. From his shadow Menace rolled out. He plucked him up, and placed him in his lap¡ªCasket pushed out with a pout. "What''s... Bramblin don''t know the Move either?" "Nightshade¡ªMenace is the best with Nightshade. Okay, Menace? We need a wind¡ªspooky like. Soft really." Linh brushed down Menace''s thorns as he explained. "Just over the paper, alright? Go." Menace rasped something grouchy¡ªyet he obeyed. And an illusion took over the desk. One that could only be felt, not seen. A soft wind telled by the (fake) waving of the candle fire. And the (not actually happening) sight of the paper corners flicking. "Does that work?" Christie frowned hard, stuck her hand into the illusion. And then pulled Pedio''s arm in. "Does that work?" she asked Pedio. Pedio waggled her arm, then made a fist high up, and gestured down with waggling strips of fabric. Christie turned to Linh, "Try a mini rain cloud, have the raindrops fall slowly on top of the paper." Linh looked down to Menace. "You heard her¡ªlet''s do it." Menace rocked side to side, confused. But he complied. Small wisps formed above like cotton candy. Stuffing together into one cloud. A cloud that spat fat wet droplets down silently. These droplets hit the paper, but did not bounce, and did not blue it wet. Christie watched the cloud for a few moments, then ordered. "Concentrate your illusion entirely on the cloud itself¡ªlet the rain drops be the illusion fading away as they fall." Menace did so¡ªthe rain became thinner, erratic. Less realistic¡ªit phased through the table instead of splashing into nothing. "That should do. Remember this for later, and stop now, please, Menace?" Christie grinned. She turned to Linh. "Now there''s the next part. Actually drawing the shape you want. Just put brush in ink then brush to paper¡ªthen draw your shape. Make it large, make it cover the page. Make sure the lines are smooth and consistent¡ªso the energies stick right." "Any shape I want?" He looked up. "Any one," she answered. Linh drew. A straight horizontal line, then a curving one downwards. Two tick marks at where they met. Apostrophes on the sharp corner. A long horizontal line just below, long and sharp. Followed by a slanted exclamation mark below. ¥Ö ©` ! Christie''s head tilted as she looked at it¡ªher hair flopping to the side and revealing a very distracting neck. "I don''t recognise this?" "It''s B¨±. Katakana. It can mean... several different things. But I''m referring to the sound itself." "How so?" "What does a kid shout when they jump out and try to scare someone?" Boo. Christie blinked, Then her smile turned wide¡ªlip''s over her teeth in characteristic fashion. "That''s adorable." Linh huffed. "So, what''s next?" "Right¡ªnow you need to coach your Pok¨¦mon into the right mindset for it. There''s these pre-written soliloquies to use, but it''s better to adjust for each Pok¨¦mon; And we may have to make new ones because of Nightshade. The one we''ll use goes by¡ª" "Careful now¡ªstarting to slow down. Consistent speed, always. And... Stop! Good." Christie waited for the last of the raindrops to fade away¡ªuntil the cloud itself smeared into the wood of the walls. She pulled the paper¡ªnow a Tag-hopeful¡ªcloser to herself and inspected the letters. "Smooth." She then picked up Pediophobia, still in her lap, and pressed her arm against the paper. She waited a second, then (to Linh''s alarm) twisted Pedio''s head a full one hundred and eighty degrees. Instead of snapping like a real neck, the doll''s fluff just compressed and twisted. Christie leaned down so she could look into the Banette''s eyes. "Hmm. Half-dilation." "Is that good?" Linh asked. "Hmm." Christie hummed. She let Pedio slump back into her lap, boneless flopping. "Yes, this is a Tag. But this is neither Spell nor Cleanse. It''s a Practise." "Practise?" "Practise¡ªlook at the ink? Compare it to this one." She placed a second Tag next to Linh''s one. Both sheets long and wide. Wide enough to cover a face, or act as a napkin. "The ink here is less something then in mine. The Ghost energies haven''t adhered perfectly. So it''s a Practise Tag." Linh glanced between both tags. It was true: His Tag''s ink, the way it looked, it had less something then the other. Some small imperfections he unconsciously noticed. "Huh. What''d I do wrong?" "Either brushwork or mindset¡ªyou''ll just have to keep getting better at both until it gives more something." Christie nodded, smiling, "But it''s not bad at all! Look¡ªPractise Tags can do some stuff Cleanse and Spell''s can''t." She lifted up the paper and stuck her hand underneath. "How many fingers am I holding up?" she asked. "Well I can''t see¡ªI, can?" Linh blinked. "Two." "And now?" Christie''s grin widened. The joy of showing something to your student. "Three." "Now?" "Five¡ªTwo." He flicked a finger upwards, reproachful to Christie. "Don''t change on me¡ªthat''s cheating," he faux-scolded. Christie laughed, then continued. "See? Practise Tags may not have all the Ghost energy they should, or they don''t have the correct ideas inside, but they still do stuff with that energy. In this case, a sort of transparency. It''s creator-bound, however. Only you can see through the Tag." Linh picked up the Tag. "Huh. What else can it do?" "Oh, minor things: radio interference, random levitation, does not move in harsh winds but does without, generates a slight chill in the air and all other things that can signal an invisible Ghost." "That''s a lot of things for just one slip of paper." Christie''s smile softened, "It''s less what they do, and more what they are¡ªthink. We''ve stored a mass of Ghostly energies in one place. Energies which are the sole consistent thing between every Ghost Pok¨¦mon. What can be described as ''the essence of a Ghost''. What can this Tag be other then the prototype of a Ghost?" Chapter 21 - Moments before the Road (With some Friends by your Side)
There''s a certain humbleness to watching someone more skilled then you at a craft work alongside you. Their confidence, their smoothness, their dexterity. Linh watched Christie draw her Tag with a sort of envy. And a realisation. It''s a simple task, really. Just rubbing the ink stones together, just soaking the brush, just smoothing the paper and drawing lines straight and curved. But Christie had this confidence¡ªeasy¡ªto her. A simple pleased smile as she makes perfect characters in thick-brushed ink. It seemed like impossible magic. But, to her, it was a simple task she''s done a thousand times before. Linh didn''t know where he''s going with this. He looked back down at his own paper¡ªCasket sitting up on his lap so her chin can rest on the table. The lines he drew were not smooth. The brush split at the ends¡ªit came out in thin lines. There was a waviness to his straight lines, and a jaggedness to his curves. The ink was just a bit too dark or just a bit too wet. What he did know is that someday, if he''s persistent enough in this art. He''ll match the same skill as Christie. And maybe someday, someone he''ll be teaching will have these exact same thoughts. Maybe that was where Linh was going with his thoughts. "Okay." Christie set down her brush, "Let''s stop for now¡ªit''s been some time. Snack break?" "Sure¡ªcould do with a cup." Linh pushed his chair back, and followed Christie out of the room. At the kitchen Christie beelined to the stove. Her hand flicking towards the other side without looking¡ª"Fridge has sitrus juice, coffee beans on top, and there''s cookies in the cupboard next over. There''s dark chocolate and whole milk¡ªget it out for me?" "Hm. What are you making?" Linh watched as she chopped up the chocolate bar into chunks, and swept it all into a saucepan¡ªthat she then poured the milk into. "Hot cocao. Want some?" "Nah, tea. If you have it." "Ah¡ªI don''t have any of that¡ª" Christie stopped as Linh set an open box on the table. Tea leaves next to a smiling Cherrim. "Well. You''re free to make it. Should have an extra pot some¡ª" Linh reached behind him, and out of his shadow a paw clutching a kettle extended. He thumped it against the stove. Christie blinked at the kettle¡ªthe kind you put on top of a heat source. She giggled at the sight of a man who thought a kettle was appropriate to just carry around. Linh fussed with his cup instead of responding. Standing close by but facing away, at the wall. A simple wall with panels¡ªset just far apart that there were gaps. Gaps for the darkness inside the walls to be seen. And for the soft grass-green liquid to flow out of. He ran that statement through his head again, and he jerked back as the liquid surged out of the wall. Floating in the air and forming into a Pok¨¦mon. "Uh?" "Oh, that''s Mitosis! Hello Mitosis," Christie sidled over¡ªher cup steaming. "Where have you been?" Mitosis¡ªDuosion¡ªA small brain-shaped Pok¨¦mon. Bulbous head with a cleft in between, perched on a small conical body, with two stubby arms reaching out. All surrounded in a green gelatin. Mito explained himself to Christie, arms swinging around to gesticulate, and sound muffled with the gel. She somehow understood him, and drew him close¡ªhands cupping him, cooing. Linh watched them interact, he interjected. "So, how''d you two meet?" Christie pushed Mito away and coughed. "Yes! Meeting. We did that, yes." She stepped away from Mitosis, and fluttered around the kitchen, hands busy. "Well. Mitosis may not look it¡ªbut he''s a late capture. In fact, he joined me well after I stopped going for Badges!" She tucked two plates under her arm¡ªthe ceramic clinking together as she stretched up to a cupboard. "I actually found him near Levincia. There''s a cliff west of there with a great view of the skyline, the ''Million Volt Skyline''. I found Mito there and we hit it off. A bit ironic, because I originally spent most of my journey looking for a Solosis. They would have been good on my team while I was still battling." "A Trick Room team, yes?" Christie came back with a box of brownies¡ªshe set it down between her and Linh, and started piling the chocolate on her plate. Two layers thick. "Correct! It''s... a fun team. Effective too. Everyone''s so focused on hitting first that they train to be as fast as possible. But I always hit first under Trick Room. If I had Mito back in Kalos¡ªhe would have been a wall breaker. Ah. A wall breaker is¡ª" "I know." Linh picked up the brownie box, reading the label. He set down a few pieces, before putting it back. To the side, as he faced Christie. "Slow, bulky and hits very very hard. Very hard to avoid losing a Pok¨¦mon whenever they get to act. But, isn''t your entire team very Special slanted? Cofagrigus, Bronzong, and Reuniclus all prefer Special Attacks." "Resonance is actually trained for melee¡ªwith Heavy Slam and Body Press," Christie said, she waved her cup around. "And Pedio''s entirely physical." "That''s clever. Certainly fits you." Linh smiled and nodded. Christie hummed, her eyes flickered away from him¡ªtowards the window. "Ah¡ªlook. Poppy''s out with Gimmighoul." She pointed, and it was true. Outside the window, Poppy was walking with Gimmighoul. Talking about something. "Is it about time?" "I''d think so¡ªand there''s the Pok¨¦ball." They watched through the window as Poppy offered the Pok¨¦ball, and Gimmighoul accepted it. "I knew she could do it. Girl''s really persuasive when she wants to be." Linh nodded. He then saw Mito get closer to his plate. "Can Duosion eat brownies?" "Hm? Sure." Linh offered Mito the plate, and he took the lot. Four chocolate cubes floating inside the gel, surfaces slowly fizzling down. Linh head-patted Mito. Christie watched, smiling. "You''re the parental sort, aren''t you?" Linh thought about what he knew of her. Pretty. Pleasant. Single. He met her gaze, "I''d like to think so." And he kept his gaze on her, until she looked away. Mito watched this, and gasped silently¡ªhis eyes sparkled, a shininess to the black. Linh held out a fist and Mito fist-bumped back. "W-well!" Christie stood straight. She inhaled, "Poppy¡ªand your Journey. How''s that been going so far?" "Well." Linh leaned, relaxed. "It was... surprising. At first. Not the actual travel trip¡ªbut where we started. I was expecting us to go to Katy first¡ªthe closest one to where we started, Mesagoza. Except. "Poppy wanted to go to Tulip first¡ªand so we did. Going straight through the caverns for that. So we''ll likely get Katy''s badge last, or near to last." "Mmm. Yes. Do make sure your bringing your best when you try for it; Bug specialists become nasty at the higher end of things. They have to be, to keep up with the raw power other Types get." She sighed, wistfully. "I remember going against one¡ªreally pushed me to give everything I had back then." "That''s a sight I''d like to see." Christie paused, half a brownie between her teeth. She broke it in half, and her tongue pulled it inside. She stared at Linh as she chewed¡ªbefore a decision. "You know. My first Badge was Bug. It was with Viola¡ªa Gym Leader in Kalos. A little known fact is that she actually offers photo sessions to her challengers. Captures them in their best light, with make-up and lighting and everything else. I actually took her up back then." "Mm. Prettied all up?" "Yes. And I have the albums still. Maybe I''ll show them to you." Christie''s eyes twinkled¡ªthe fingerprint swirls turning. "I think I''ll look good in mascara, don''t you?" "I''d say¡ª" Linh turned, and saw Christie leaning close enough that he could count her eyelashes. They fluttered, and he looked away. Light tinge on his cheeks. Hand on the table. Christie flashed a grin, placing her on hand down. Mitosis bounced in the air, grin wide and loudly acidic. He stared at the hands and his grin only grew. "So¡ªthe next place we went to was Artazon. With Brassius. It''s such a... green, town. I rather liked it, actually." "Grass." Christie made a disgusted noise, "Artazon''s not a good place in summer. Pollen," she spoke that word like it was a curse. "Ah, Hayfever hits you hard?" "It''s evil." Linh leaned forwards on both arms¡ªMito fell¡ªand spoke. "Flowers are a bad gift, then?" This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "Heh. Yes." Mito rose. "I''ll keep an eye out for skulls." Christie fell still, and stayed still until Linh looked up. "... My displays¡ªwhat do you think of them?" She gestured towards the wall behind them. Where the living room, and the glass display cases with skulls were. Linh gave that some thought. "I''m... not really interested in them." Mito wilted. "But they''re clearly well-cared for. I don''t really mind." Christie mulled that over, "That''s fine. I don''t expect others to enjoy my decor." Mito rose. "Now I didn''t say that¡ª" Linh straightened up sharply. "¡ªnot really a big decoration guy, that''s all. M'' shelves are littered with pens and tools." Christie didn''t answer that, but she did hum. "So¡ªI already know this, but where are you heading after Artazon?" "Levincia, naturally. Poppy''s been hyping it up for a while now. ''The city of skylights''." "Beautiful place. Really. Great view at the cliff west¡ªmaybe I''ll show you it someday." Linh adjusted his position, hand on the table. "The Volt Skyline again." "Yes. It''s certainly a romantic spot¡ªteenagers head up there to have affairs behind the bushes." Christie paused, then brought her cup up. "Or so I heard." Linh turned an accusing gaze at Mito, "And you were lurking there? Voyeur." Mito fizzed happily. The brownies in his gel melting one by one. Christie laughed. Her hand reached down to her plate, and nail clinked against pottery. She frowned. Somewhere, somehow, in this conversation¡ªChristie had emptied her plate. Nothing but crumbs. "Ah¡ªpass over that box?" "That one?" Linh pointed. "¡ªNevermind." Christie reached across the table¡ªher hand coming down to brace against the top. Except. She didn''t touch wood. She, seemingly unaware, placed her hand over Linh''s, and pinned it to the counter-top as she reached across him. The movement smacked Linh in the face with her hair, and he smelled the hints of dirt¡ªfrom lying down in the graveyard. She pulled back and Linh shook his head. He tried to shift his hand but Christie ignored him¡ªshe was focused on dumping the rest of the box onto her plate. Linh looked over to Mito¡ªhis eyes were sparkling at the ''handholding''. Linh lay against a headstone, stretching across the cool stone from headstone to slab. In his hands was a book¡ªone borrowed. In his lap Menace rested, roots down and sprawling over his lap. All the way into the dirt, Gripping just tight enough that Linh''s trousers bunched around the fractal bark. Around him, the wild Pok¨¦mon played¡ªchasing, chased, and screeching. Linh turned a page, then paused as something caught his eye. A purple glow from above. There, levitating in the air with slow, steady, movements, was a tiara. A cheap one. Plastic shiny metal and plastic shiny gems. Linh watched it gracefully approach him, and somewhat gracefully attach to his brow. The sharpish tips of the band sliding around his head. He looked over, to see Mitosis in the same purple glow. He floated there with a steadfast and stern gaze. In his tiny hands¡ªinside the gel around him¡ªwere a long stick, and a tiny circle of wood. A circle with the word ''shield'' sloppily painted on. Linh snapped the book shut, and set it to his side. He shifted to face Mitosis¡ªMenace rasping all the way. "A new Hero comes to this broken land. Seeking to right its wrongs, and set the Princess free¡ªchasing after his helpless cry:" Menace''s eyes twisted, staring up at Linh. He continued, in a painful falsetto. "Help me brave Hero; you''re my only hope." Mito bubbled¡ªmouth opening and closing silently. Sending out air bubbles that rippled through the gel, and popped on the surface with a hissing spitting reaction. He charged towards Linh, sword raised high¡ªa warcry on his lips. Yet, berfore he could make it half-way across. Two Pok¨¦mon appeared out of the gravestones. Kaolin and Riolu. Kaolin floated back and away from Riolu, a single Potion in its floating grasp. The liquid inside sloshed with mesmerising sparkles. Sparkles that led Riolu to stumble after Kaolin¡ªarms up and reaching, steps blind and dumb. "Two hulking figures intersperse themselves¡ªa fearsome Ghost and a mindless Brute! Dispatch these thugs in brutal fashion, that they may hear of your arrival." Riolu tripped on the cobblestones, little paws wrapped around the potion and bringing both to the ground. Riolu lay on top of Kaolin, chest pinning it down, Potion spray-head gnawed on by his teeth. Mitosis charged directly at the two¡ªyet, before his tackle could reach, Riolu reacted¡ªspringing up by instinct and rolling away. Leaving only Kaolin to suffer the bash of Mito''s shield, and the hit of his stick. Not that either of those were effective. The shield wasn''t large enough to push out of the liquid around Mito, only the stick actually poked out of the acidic gelatin around Mitosis. He jabbed ineffectively at Kaolin. It made a confused noise, and then flicked a tiny Shadow Ball at Mitosis¡ªblasting him back. "But these foes cannot be beaten by just his trusty sword. And his shield favours him not. He must use his Moves! His secret techniques!" Mito hissed and spat angrily, throwing down his stick and his shield¡ªthe liquid around him blooping as they are ejected. And his tiny arms reach up with a psychic glow. One that formed shapes above him in translucent hard-light. Linh shifted to get a better look. A catapult formed. Balancing on top of Mitosis by one wheel. He tossed it, and it soared wheels-over-arm into Kaolin. Kaolin tried to float away, but the massive contraption collapsed on him to¡ª ¡ªno effect. A moment later, a psychic light came alight on the catapult''s arm, and the catapult fired. Flinging that light up and up until it¡ª ¡ªdisappeared. Psychic looking... Delayed... Maybe¡ª"A Future Sight¡ªa pendulum swung back." Kaolin watched the catapult as it disappeared, confused. It turned back to Linh and a gout of steam spilled out of its spout¡ªshaped in a question mark. Linh made no effort to guide¡ªhe just pointed back to the game. Where Riolu was charging towards Mito¡ªSwift stars spinning in his paws. He fired, and they collided with Mito. And set the gel rippling. Mito returned fire with another psychic glow¡ªinstead of conjuring a hard-light catapult. A pillar wrapped in rings and topped with a sphere appeared. The sphere was faintly transparent, and inside, yellow lightning arced. A Plasma Globe. Without hesitation, Mitosis slammed it down on the ground. Where the purple faux-bulb cracked, and a great bolt of lightning arced out. "Thunder! Fruminous Thunder." Thunder by an unusual method¡ªLinh wondered at how Christie and Mito managed that. It shone bright enough to banish the the shadows behind the tombstones¡ªrevealing shocked and startled Shuppets. The lightning arced in one great bolt, up and down to ground at¡ª ¡ªthe ground. Right next to Riolu as he dodged. "Yet inaccurate it was¡ªa daring mistake." Mitosis made his anger known by the spitting of his acidic gel¡ªso hostile that little bits of it shot out like it was carbonated. He formed another construct with sweeping gestures from his tiny arms: a half-circle, with an arrow pointing from centre to edge. Numbers lining the the edge. One of those antique elevator floor indicators. He slammed it into the ground, and with a ding! the arrow shot to the highest number, and Linh felt a jolt. As if the world was rising upwards faster. This jolt hit Kaolin and Riolu harder¡ªthey slumped downwards and struggled to lift themselves. Paws pushing against the dirt. "Oh¡ªa rarity, Gravity well formed." It was a good choice on Mito''s end¡ªeasier to hit that which is pinned. Again, as Riolu was pinned to the ground, Mitosis made another Plasma Globe, and shattered it mightily. This time, the bolt hit. The cracking crackling boom slamming home with dirt-blasting force. Riolu was left spasming on the floor, dizzy eyed. "A dazzling blow! And¡ªanother; the pendulum swings forth." Then the purple light¡ªFuture Sight¡ªblinked back into existance. Right in front of a surprised Kaolin. It exploded. And Kaolin was left spiralling down onto Riolu. Tea boiling and steaming away. At that impact, Riolu let out a soft bark, and the Potion he had was spat into the air. "To the victor, goes the spoils¡ªbut a pack laden with loot, is often low on supplies. Best to use your medicines now, before you have to discard them." Mito surged forwards, and gleefully sucked the Potion into his gel. He spun it around. Then Mito heard his words¡ªand with a psychic aura conjured two things. A small bottle, and a roll of bandages. Mito mimed drinking from the bottle¡ªwhatever was inside making his gel ripple and glow purple. Calm Mind. Mito wrapped the bandages around himself, where the hard-light wraps sunk into the gel and melted. Recover. "Soothed, sedated." Mito continued towards Linh. Linh watched him placidly, deciding whether or not to impose more obstacles in his way. His eyes darted to the Shuppets in the shadows, watching. ... Nah. He looked down to Menace¡ªalready glaring at him for the presumption. ... Yeah. Linh pushed Menace out of his lap. "The greatest monster approaches. Nightmare made material!" Menace bounced down the graveyard slab, and came to a stop before Mitosis. Menace hissed as he shot a brace of seeds at Mito¡ªall missing by inches. This did not deter Mito¡ªas he conjured up a Shadow Ball. Misty and black between a set of Psychic tongs. Mito aimed those tongs at Menace and squeezed them together. Shooting that ball out by force! Menace took the blow head on, and did not bother to roll back up. "Pff¡ªA Singular strike!" Jubilated, Mitosis missed Menace''s disolving form as he floated past. He, however, did not miss Linh evaporating away¡ªan illuision he tried to touch. Mitosis cried out in shock. In Linh''s place was a small, plastic, disc. A TM. For Psychic. "I''m sorry Hero¡ªit seems your princess is in another castle." Linh''s voice came from nowhere¡ªcast by the winds. "Good luck next time!" Mitosis''s face screwed up, and he yelled outrage¡ªbubbling spitting acidic outrage. Matched only by unhinged, rasping laughter. The road was long¡ªlong to Levincia. And their time was short¡ªshort if they wanted to complete the gym challenge in a reasonable time. So Linh and Poppy had to repack all of their things¡ªand make sure everyone was there. And make sure they were ready to set out again. They set out. And then they came back¡ªMitosis had hidden inside Tinkie''s bag. It turns out Mitosis wants to go with them¡ª "It''s fair enough," Christie remarked. "He missed out on my Journey, and its just as important for the Pok¨¦mon as the Trainer." ¡ªso Christie gave Linh his Pok¨¦ball, and they left again, with an awkward goodbye. And then, twenty minutes later. Mitosis came floating back. Flying at full speeds until he slapped against Christie''s door. And tackled into her stomach as hard as he could. "So," Linh said, "Mitosis got homesick. I believe." He returned the Pok¨¦ball and they left. And¡ª ¡ªAnd you can pick up the pattern now. Mitosis hared after Linh, and clung to his arm until he carried him home. "So. This is a problem," Linh began. "Mitosis wants to be with me, but he wants to stay with you," Christie hummed. "He can''t have both." Linh crossed his arms, as much authority as he can muster. "Not necessarily¡ªyou could¡ª" They did not know, but Mitosis was also battling this dilemma. - Mitosis spun around and around¡ªbody following thoughts. He wanted to stay! He wanted to go! He wanted both! But he could not have both! ... An idea came to him¡ªcould he not have both? He was once a Solosis, one mind. Then he became a Duosion. Two minds, divided. If one could become the other, why could the other not become the one? Touching on the familiar psychic energies within, Mitosis pulls on them with the same ease he has always known. He grips himself. And he tears. Light, white light. Light around his form, that brought attention. Everyone turned to him, confusion and surprise. The light grew larger and larger until... ... It shrunk. Diminished. Faded. Two Solosis, the first things they saw as they opened their eyes was each other. Twin bubbling fizzing cheers, as they realised it worked. Spinning and chasing around each other, they inspected their mirror with fresh eyes. Before they saw Linh, and Christie. Mystified. Both darted towards them. One directly at Christie, and the other circled around Linh in excitement. "I don''t understand?" he stated. Head turning this way and that. Christie hummed as she caught the other. "I... I think I do. Duosion are two minds in one. They''re Psychic powers work best when both work in tandem. When they agree." She hefted her Solosis up. "I guess this is what happens when they''re too different." Linh took this in, "So, which one is which?" One of the Solosis settled into Christie''s arms. "I think this is my one¡ªMitosis," she said. That Solosis jerked upwards, and then bubbled and nestled deeper into her arms. Mitosis. The other one spun around Linh as he tried to catch them¡ªonce, twice. Successfully thrice. Linh held them in cupped hands. "So, you''re the one who wants to go with me?" Solosis nodded within their gel. And then with their gel, up and down pressure on his hands. "Alright. I''ll be happy to take you, then." Linh brought Solosis into a hug. Christie started, "He¡ª" The other Solosis made an annoyed noise. "She needs a new name." Linh nodded, long as he scrambled for an answer. Before it hit him. He pointed at Christie''s Solosis. "Mitosis, Mito." He pointed at his Solosis. "Meiosis, "Meio." Meio took in that name, before she fizzed happily¡ªred mouth curling into a smile. "Seems Meio likes it. And," Christie quirked her head, eyes closed. "I think I do, too." Linh grinned, "Great!" Then he paused, and scratched his cheek, "This should be the actual goodbye now¡ªright?" "Oh," she slouched slightly. "Yes. It is¡ªyes." Neither spoke. Until Linh spoke up. "Actually¡ªthere is one more thing. When we''re going out, to Levincia. You''ll want to see how Meiosis is doing, right?" "Right?" Christie asked. "So," he continued. "May I have your number? To text back how she''s doing. Naturally." She looked in square in the eyes, and a small smile grew. "Right. And I''m sure my number will be used for just that." Chapter 22 - Two Encounters (Two Weirdos)
"What do you think¡ªLevincia by nightfall?" Poppy pressed her hand flat over her eyes. She stared at the citiy''s tall buildings¡ªalready lighting up as dusk sets in. "Um. Maybe?" Linh snorted and led the way, walking stick tapping the path. This was Route forty two, ''A winding path from bridge one-oh-four all the way to Levincia. The long way around. Enjoy the ever closing view of the great city itself as you meander down the hill. See playing Marill and Wattrel, exploring between the shrubs. Feel the gravelstone give way under your boots¡ªchurned by the migration of endless Tauros!'' Privately, Linh wondered who wrote these travel brochures. He continued walking¡ªa stray step knocking a pebble off the gravel, and sent bouncing down the hill. Crushing grass and tumbling past wilty-looking shrubs. Behind him, Cyclizar plodded along. Bored out of his skull. A rustle in the shrubs ahead¡ªCyclizar tenses, before the Pok¨¦mon inside leap out. Meio, the Solosis, and Klefki, chasing each other. Gel and metal easily taking the sharp leaves. They rushed from one side of the path to the other. Poppy spoke up, "Did you like today''s training?" "What a strange thing to say, so much later," Linh commented, "However¡ªI did find it interesting." He sniffed. "It got a name? Nothing''s coming to mind. But then, I suppose it''s hard to encapsulate ''training our Pok¨¦mon to be able to get hit by super-effective Moves and show no reaction'' in a single name." Poppy thought, "Ummm. No!" She chirped. "I don''t think it has a name, not many people talk about it!" "So it''s not a normal thing to do? I don''t think it''s been mentioned anywhere I looked." "It''s not at all. Like plenty of battles go on with both sides showing how hurt they are." Poppy''s head tilted, "But it''s cool! I saw Cynthia¡ªshe''s a Champion you know¡ªhave her Garchomp walk out of a Blizzard all unharmed and I wanna do that too!" "Mmm. The psychological factor." Poppy grinned, teeth bright. "Exactly!" "And how do you think our teams are picking up on it?" "Honestly, everyone''s doing very well!" she chirped. "Everyone was happy to do it. And they made some real progress! Riolu''s perfect at it, as always. But Menace was really good, too!" "Everyone except Gimmighoul," Linh noted. In fact, Gimmighoul refused to take part from the beginning¡ªit recalled itself back into Poppy''s ball. "That''s different," she stated. "It''s fine that it didn''t want to take part. That''s good even! The Bond should be a part-ner-ship. We can always do things a different way." Linh hummed. Poppy paused, then grinned. Twisting in her seat, "Hey¡ªwe can do the Nightshade illusions you use. You''ll be the teacher and I''ll be the student!" "Really? The student becomes the teacher¡ªa tale as old as time." "Hee!" And the conversation died in the way of two people who have already exhausted many conversation paths. They continued down the route¡ªshrubs rustling in the wind, dull shadows in the night. In the distance, Levincia slowly got bigger and bigger¡ªcloser and closer. The slightest scent of saltwater in the air, and the horns of a cruise ship docking, barely heard. "So, Poppy," Linh began again. "Levincia." "Levincia?" she asks. "Levincia," he confirmed. "City with... Iono. Gym challenge. What''s she like?" Poppy frowned a single moment. "She''s loud. And talks a lot. "But! She says she has to speak like that. ''Cuz she''s a ''streamer''. She says she films her battles and shows them to ev-ery-one." Poppy spread her arms wide, to encapsulate ''everyone''. "She also says she does ''collabs'' with everyone she can in Levinciat. Idunno what that means." "A collab is where the streamer¡ªIono¡ªincludes other people in her streams. Usually other streams, or someone interesting to introduce their things to Iono''s viewers," Linh explained. "Oh." Poppy''s face scrunched up. "But she doesn''t collab with me when I''m over at Levincia. I could do it! I could show off all of Riolu''s toebeans! Iono says it''s because she''s afraid I''ll overshadow her, but that''s dumb! Iono''s great, too." She pouted. Linh raised a brow, but didn''t respond. Silence as they walked. "Oh yeah. One last thing!" Poppy paused. "Iono''s a toughie." "Toughie?" "Yeah! Third Badges are meane¡ª" "Heyo down there!" A voice from up above. Both looked up. There was nothing there it seemed. "Who''s there?" he called out. "Me, up here! Wait¡ªyou can''t¡ªhold on let me get the lights." The same voice came down¡ªdistorted like it was from a speaker. A moment later, the click of shutters, and light from the sky. Linh flinched, hand over his eyes. Between his fingers he saw... A Pikachu floating high above from a set of balloons. Except. Both were metal¡ªmetal plates spherical like balloon, and a metal Pikachu robot. With visible squareish plates joined at the seams. The metal Pikachu hung by one stubby rat-hand and waved with the other. The lights in its glassy eyes falling down like soft spotlights, drawing soft circles on the shrubs. "Cool." Poppy grinned. "Who''re you!" she shouted up. "There''s no need to shout young miss!" The Pikachu said, "The drone''s on-board microphones are far superior then the human''s ears!" Poppy''s head tilted. Linh lied. "Pikachu hears better because its ears are bigger." Poppy made an ''ah'' noise. "Wha¡ªthat''s not¡ªthe ears are purely¡ª" the Pikachu sputtered. "Oh never mind! Watch out from below!" Pikachu let go of the balloons, and fell exactly like how a bird doesn''t. With all the weight of metal and circuitry. Up above the balloons stayed in place¡ªand a near imperceptible humming quietened. Down below, Pikachu landed between Linh and Poppy. And quickly scuttled up the slope until it was higher up. To better speak to them. "Now, greetings!" the Pikachu pointed its thumb at itself. "I am Clifford, I am communicating with all of you through the power of technology! Isn''t that amazing?" "Amazing indeed." Linh knelt down close. "What, is this? Doesn''t look like something you can buy at a shop." "And you can''t! This is custom made. Presenting¡ªPika-drone Version two point oh! Boasting fifty times the range of version one. Including updated protocols with Multipath TCP, Adaptive Bitrate Streaming, and Lag Compensation!" The Pika-drone posed proudly, hands on its hips. "Running R.S.L software, incorporated." the voice continued in a hushed tone. "Hello Pika-drone." Poppy urged Cyclizar closer, and to the side, so she could reach down and offer a hand to the Pika-drone. "Clifford," he said. The Pika-drone shook Poppy''s hand, and she giggled. Linh veered to the side, looking the drone over from a different angle. "Lag compensation is for video games. Why would you use that? Are you just throwing keywords at us to wow us?" "You¡ªI¡ªbluh, do not question me!" Poppy giggled. "You¡ªman! I am not here to dazzle the locals. I am here for¡ª" Clifford paused, and the Pika-drone''s head drooped. Its fingers poked together. "I am here for directions." "We have directions." Linh stood back up, he reached behind his back and a paw raised up¡ªmap in place. "And I have questions!" Poppy chimed, "What''s the robet for!" "Robot." "Robit." A sigh came through the Pika-drone. "Well. The Pika-drone''s purpose is simple. It does battles for me!" The Pika-drone dropped a paw to its side, and a panel opened up. A Pok¨¦ball rolled out. "In particular, it possesses great throwing power, ball storage, and great mobility and recording support! "So I may capture the greatest moments in battle!" The Pika-drone raised the Pok¨¦ball up in the air, proudly displaying it. Poppy gasped. "What''s in the Pok¨¦ball!" she asked. "Only the most wonderful partner anyone could ask for¡ªGo, Pikachu!" Clifford commanded, and out came a Pikachu. A sleeping Pikachu, lazily snoring. No one spoke¡ªthe shrubs rustled in the wind. "Wake up, Pikachu." The Pika-drone walked towards Pikachu in waddling, stiff, movements, and poked her in the stomach. Pikachu rolled over once, then twice. She batted away Pika-drone''s paw until she had enough. And rolled into standing. "There we go¡ªsorry about that. She''s a real sleepyhead¡ªsay hi to these two Pikachu." Poppy waved, "Hello Pikachu!" "Pik-a-chu~" Pikachu waved back. Linh dropped his map. "Say that again?" "Aren''t you the cutest thing~" Poppy cooed, she had pulled Pikachu close and was slow-rocking with her. Swaying hand in hand. "That''s a good thing! That''s what Ryme said to me." "No no¡ª" Linh interjected, "¡ªWhat did Pikachu say?" This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. "Pikachu?" Pikachu glanced at Linh, before Poppy tugged, and she pulled herself up into Poppy''s hug. "Since when did Pok¨¦mon say their names?" Linh wheeled on the Pika-drone. Clifford responded, "They... don''t." "Then explain that," Linh hissed. ''That'', was Pikachu. Head tilting, ears flopping. As Poppy held one of her paws firmly. Tracing the rat-palm lines carefully. Looking for something. "Dark," she whispered. "What''s there to explain? Pikachu''s making perfectly normal noises for her species." Linh spluttered. "What sounds do Pichu make?" "They squeak!" Clifford''s tone held that ''are you stupid?'' note. "And Raichu?" "They also squeak." "So why don''t Pikachu squeak?" "Birds fly. Grass is green. Pikachu makes Pikachu noises. That''s just how it works dude." Incredulous, Linh pointed at the sparse grass shoots growing up between the dirt. They were dirty yellow-brown. "Man, fuck you." The Pika-drone made a sound like a clicking tongue. Even more incredulously, Linh pointed at Poppy. The Pika-drone made an inarticulate sound. Linh made his own inarticulate sound. "For¡ª" He paused. "I know how to deal with you¡ªfight me." The Pika-drone''s eyelid raised. Soft glow expanding wider. "Battle me¡ªI win. You admit Pikachu''s are weird for making that sound." "And if I win?" Clifford demanded. Linh rolled up his map, and tucked it under his arm. "Directions." "The challenger is Linh of Mesagoza! The challenged is Clifford in absentsia!" Poppy recited. She was sitting on top of Cyclizar, and had a small piece of paper flattened on top of his back¡ªwith the right pronunciation on it. "Kaolin the Polteageist against Pikachu, no switches!" They chose to battle on the slope. With Kaolin in the air, swaying side to side and steaming a dainty tune. With Pikachu slouching on the pebbles, tail swishing the gravel down. "Linh¡ªready?" Poppy cried. "Clifford¡ªare you ready?" "Yes." "I am." Two answers back. "Then begin!" "Up the slope, Magical Leaf¡ªcreate space," Linh ordered. Kaolin obeyed with signature eagerness. And soon enough clumps of sharp, wet, wilted tea leaves soared around the teapot. Spiralling out. "Pikachu, rush-down!" The Pika-drone nodded firmly, fiercely. "I know what Polteageist want¡ªwe won''t give you that!" "Pika!" Pikachu agreed, and she sprinted forth on all fours. Linh glanced down the slope, eye-balling the angle. "Intersperse." A trick with Magical Leaf¡ªby aiming all at one empty spot, all of the leaves would orbit around it. Trying to hit something that wasn''t there. Instead of slicing at the enemy one at a time. Positioned in front of the foe, and Kaolin made a cluster of angry leaves, like a hornets nest. Not really a wall. But one enough to absorb a charge. Pikachu pushed through the leaves to encounter more leaves. With more behind. Slowing down as the leaves burned themselves in green slicing light. Until Pikachu''s momentum halted entirely, and she was pushed back. "Pika!" she cried as she hit the ground. And then she felt the ground give way. This was a slope, after all. A slope made of loose debris that fell with Pikachu as she tried to stop herself sliding down. "Chuuu¡ª" "Pikachu!" Clifford yelled, "Angle yourself into a bush! Catch on it, then get back in!" Kaolin giggled bubbly as Pikachu tumbled, it waved. "Cut the chattter," Linh called, "Set up¡ªuse your favourites." What Clifford saw was Nasty Plot, a wicked conniving smirk. Complete with hands rubbed together and foul beads of dark tea condensing around Kaolin''s teapot. What Clifford didn''t see, was the felt stitch lines running over Kaolin''s back, that formed and faded in the dusk. Substitute chained into Nasty Plot, and set to replace Kaolin. The Pika-drone turned to Pikachu with the sharp click of motors¡ªtwo sharp clicks, from the legs, and from the torso. Far down the slope, Pikachu stumbled out of a shrub, stray leaves stuck in her fur. "Pika Pi!" she called back, darting up the slope. "Stored Power, sweep." Linh nodded in satisfaction as Kaolin flooded the field with pink lights. Down and down they descended, a net of bulbs closing into Pikachu. "Continue, Pikachu!" Clifford cried, and Linh saw that in between moments the Pika-drone had withdrawn a Tera Orb. Held up high and swirling with energies¡ªenergies that rattled the rivets in the Pika-drone''s plates. And it threw as the Stored Power''s converged. It flew wobbly¡ªthe power of Terastalisation knocking it this way and that. Yet it flew with mechanical force. Straight through the Stored Power''s, and into Pikachu. She was engulfed in the crystals just before the lights hit. The crystals cracked and shook with the impacts, power forcing open fault lines. Before it broke¡ªand Pikachu bore a new crown. A crystalline hat in a spiky shape¡ªwith a nasty grinning face leering out. A mosaic in red, yellow, and purple. Tera Dark. Immune to Psychic. Resistant to Ghost. Linh winced. Clifford crowed. "That''s the way¡ªgo, fast! Thief!" And Pikachu was off¡ªtowards Kaolin. With a paw turned Dark, pressed behind her back to hide. Substitutes up but that won''t matter if Pikachu gets close and hits twice and Magical Leaf takes too long to push back so¡ª"Shadow Ball, pin her!" Linh snapped. Pikachu slammed into Kaolin before it could fire¡ªand swiped her paw across the ceramic. Kaolin gave a pained steaming grunt as the super-effective Move landed. Except it was a substitute¡ªthe clawtip parted felt, and the plush doll ripped at its seams. To the side, Kaolin appeared, Shadow Ball at the tip of its fingers. It fired, and hit. Knocking Pikachu down the slope again. But half as much¡ªmuch of the power wasted in the vastness of Dark. "Recover!" Clifford snapped, and Pikachu was running again¡ªKaolin floating back, warily. "Magical Leaf again¡ªno reason to stop what works." Once again, tea leaves swept the battlefield. Clifford made an inarticulate sound of frustration, "Pikachu! Switch it up¡ªzoning!" Zoning¡ªthat''s a fighting game term for long range com¡ª"Kaolin, dodge the ranged attacks and keep up the pressure!" Just in time¡ªas between the Magical Leaves thin electric balls shot out¡ªsparky stars that burst through the leaf chaff. Kaolin yelped and spun away¡ªdodging by hairspans. And then the leaves collided with Pikachu¡ªslicing against her sides. "Pika!" The Pika-drone stomped its metal feet, and Clifford grunted. Sound hotboxing through the mic. "Forget this, Mix-up!" Pikachu stamped the ground twice¡ªand the dirt turned moist-dark, and water moved up grass shoots. A puddle of water around Pikachu formed. Then a pool, then a great wave. "Surf? Float up and over, hit Magical Leaf as it fades." Kaolin floated upwards, tea-body dripping out the leaves again. Lightning struck the wave, bright light that cast everyone¡ªPika-drone, Linh, Poppy, the metal balloons still in the air¡ªas a shadow. And the wave sparked with surging lightning. It accelerated¡ªtowards Kaolin before it could get even halfway up. Not dodging that, "Stop! Magical Leaf now!" Linh snapped. As the wave slammed down into Kaolin¡ªlightning on its surface reflecting in it''s glaze¡ªa brace of leaves burrowed into it. As it faded, it revealed Kaolin, fainted. And on the other side, Pikachu, teetering, tottering. Clifford shouted, "Hang in there, Pikachu!" "Pikaaaaa¡ª" Thump. Pikachu fainted. Poppy, sitting well out of the way, finally spoke again. "Both are knocked out! I announce this as a draw!" Two annoyed grunts. Two recalled Pok¨¦mon. Linh and the Pika-drone approached each other, facing each other. Before Linh spoke. "What was that last Move?" The Pika-drone chuffed, "Surprised you, did it? Well. It''s a Pikachu exclusive¡ªSplishy Splash! Had Kaolin survived it, it would have been paralysed. Making my victory assured!" "But," Linh noted. "It didn''t. So Pikachu went down." "You lost too!" Clifford barked. "Where''s Kaolin, ha?" "So¡ªwhat happens now?" Clifford didn''t answer. Linh huffed, thinking. "I give you directions, you admit I''m right." he suggested. "..."" "Cliffor¡ª?" "Fine! You." The Pika-drone crossed its arms. "You are right¡ªPikachu are weird for saying ''Pikachu''." Clifford sounded annoyed. Linh chuckled. "Anyway¡ªdirections. As you promised. I''m looking for Route Forty Three." "Ah. I see. This is Route Forty Two." Linh finally unrolled his map, and consulted it. "Three''s far north from here¡ªacross the river. That''s about... drone''s top speed?" "Forty miles per hour." That statement was preceded by the ruffle of paper¡ªprobably Clifford consulting his notes. Linh ruffled his own map. "That''s... twenty minutes North. How''d you get so off course?" "That''s for me to know, and you to not," Clifford stated. Somewhat snippily. "Another question. Before you go." "... Fine." Even the Pika-drone seemed fed up with Linh at this point. Strange, for a drone made entirely of metal. "Why didn''t you include a geo-locater in your drone? They have these little ones that can be attached to birds to see where they migrate. And there''s definitely maps out there with geo-coordinates." "..." The Pika-drone jumped up towards the balloons, gripped them tightly, and sped away. Poppy poked the fire with a stick. "Levincia in the morning." "Sounds like it," Linh told her. He sat back to fire, teapot in lap. And fingernails dirty with cemetery loam. With a plastic re-usable snack-box in one hand, he dumped handfuls of it down Kaolin generously. Kaolin was leaning up and into the dirtfall. Eyes closed, head thrown back. Exactly like those women in shampoo commercials. Linh looked up, and checked the time. Ten to midnight. He nodded, and turned to Poppy. "Hey, could you go out and find some sticks or something? Fire looks like it needs it." Poppy blinked at that question. She glanced at the merry fire¡ªthick with wood and flickering. She exchanged a glance with Tinkie, shrugged, and toddled off. Hand in hand with the Pok¨¦mon. "And remember to take Menace with you¡ªhe''ll be useful," Linh called to her back. Menace obediently rolled along with Poppy¡ªthe three disappearing into the night. Linh spent a moment more petting Kaolin, before he gently pushed it off, and turned to the fire. He checked the time again. Nine minutes to midnight. And he waited. The crunch of dirt behind him. "Back so soon?" he called out to the night. "I was not aware I was expected," A voice returned. Linh turned, there, in the dark. A figure approaching. Tall, humanoid. Thick layered coat and scarf, and thick sturdy trousers dirty with grass stains. Rock dust clung to the creases in its jacket, and its gloves were yellowed at the tips. The figure had a cloth sack, dirty yellow, over its head. Eye and mouth holes poked through. "Will you greet this old hiker?" It mumbled. The voice¡ªit was neither male nor female. Not rough or smooth. It did not grate, but it did not lilt. Linh tapped his shadow, and it stretched out. Near imperceptible in the darkness. It reached far around the figure. A furry snout pulled up. And the shadow shrank back sans one dog. Linh stood up suddenly¡ªso his motion drew the eye. "Will you greet me?" he asked back. "It''s rude to not introduce yourself¡ªyou know." "I am what I am." The figure made no gesture to itself. "Just an old hiker. And you?" "Just a traveller." "Well Just A. Traveller. Well met." The Hiker tilted its head slightly. Cloth shifting in an acknowledgement. Linh hummed, he held a hand behind him, and flicked it to the side. Kaolin read it, and slunk forwards, just behind his back. Listening so very carefully. "Now that we are acquainted. Can I share your meal?" Linh glanced at the fire¡ªno pot was on top. Instead there was Meiosis. He gave her a pointed look, and jerked his head to the side. She floated low and away. Circling around. "May be hard for that. Considering I already ate." "We have established rapport. I told you my name. We''re friends," The Hiker spoke. "Can I share your meal?" Linh hummed. The Hiker took a step forwards. "Can I share your meal?" "No." Linh''s eyes flickered around the Hiker¡ªwatching his Pok¨¦mon tense up. Casket ready to lunge, Solosis ready to blast. The Hiker took a step¡ª "I can offer, however." The Hiker took a step back. Linh moved slowly, reaching up to his coat. An inside pocket. He withdrew a single incense stick. He snapped it in half and stuck one in his mouth. He offered the other. "Come closer," he ordered. The Hiker came closer. Close enough that Linh could smell the fraying threads and see the individual rough strands of the sack around its head. An insect, six legged and iridescent shelled, crawled out of an eye hole and down its face. Linh stuck the stick half into the mouth hole, staring directly into the darkness of the Hiker''s eyeholes. He lit both incense sticks at once, then gently blew so both were extinguished. A moment of silence, as the smoke curled around them. The hiker took a wheezing breath. Smoky streams sucked into each of the holes inside the cloth. No smoke came out as it exhaled. "A fine meal. But no food is complete without an accompanying drink." The Hiker took the incense stick out of its mouth hole, and withdrew a canteen from the folds of its coat. It sipped from the canteen, and offered it to Linh. Linh took the drink. It tasted like the bottom of a glass of hard water left to sit. Mineral concentrate. Linh gave the canteen back. The Hiker took the canteen and hid it away in its swathe of clothing. "Thank you for the meal, stranger. I must leave now. Route Sixty Six is long, and I wish to get to the end by sunrise." "Well, you have a long way to go. At least twenty four routes are in between." "What are you talking about?" The Hiker walked into the darkness, only its voice a sign of its existence. "The only Route here is Sixty Six." A moment of silence. As Linh waited to see if the Hiker was truly gone. "... Good." Meiosis, Kaolin, Casket. They all approached. Linh grinned and knelt down, so he could touch and hug each of them. "You all followed my orders so well! You all did perfect." And then, with the sound of shattering glass, an illusion broke. On the other side of the campfire. Poppy, hand in hand with Tinkie. Menace, lurking at their feet. "Did you get what you wanted?" Poppy asked, Linh''s phone in hand. "Yes, yes I did." Linh nodded to Poppy, "So, you got good footage?" Messengengar:
Christie
> encounter.pr4 > Check what I got > U were right Christie > Yesssss I knew it! > The Clothsack Hiker had to have been there! > Think the conditions are > Near but not midnight > Alone at campfire > Close to the route. Christie > Makes sense. Every sighting recorded has it seek out travellers to ask for food. If it targets routes it finds more trainers. > So, what Pok¨¦mon do you think it is? Christie > Not sure, need more info. It was sated when you gave it incense, which may be a clue. > What did the canteen taste like? It could have been trying to feed more off of you. > Did you see anything through the eyeholes? > Well. The drink it offered tasted foul, but not like Sinisteas. And I didn''t feel any more lethargic afterwards. And yeah the interiors all dark like Mimikyu-couldn''t see inside. But there was a bug that crawled out. Christie > What kind? > Beetle? Or cockroach. I didn''t see it clearly. Christie > That rules out a Phantump or Trevenant, termites and ants are what lingers inside them. > If any > But urban ghosts sometimes do have these insects. > Gastly have been known to have insect shells floating inside. > Could also be from one of the possessers. Pumpkaboo or Palossand line can have insect infestations. > Not a scarab? > Hard to say, but Im going to guess no. Didn''t see any horns or those mandible things Christie > Not Cofagrigus. But it could be Honedge or Golett, if they were native here... > One second I need to find a population map. ...
GYM BATTLE: Iono (...Wait isn''t this a bit early?)
Levincia stood bright in the morning¡ªtall whitestone houses near luminescent, and glass-walled offices near reflective in the sunlight. Everywhere one could look, advertisements on billboards sat just across residential balconies. Offices renting ad space next to bright painted homes. Iono was waiting for Linh and Poppy at the cities main road. "Hey-hey!" She waved at them, "What a surprise¡ªit''s everyone''s favourite Poppy! What are you doing here, Poppy?" "I''m here," Poppy waved back, both arms full throttle, "To challenge you! And this is Linh!" Linh half-waved. "Oh, what a surprise! I never could have guessed¡ªmy schedules too packed!" Iono''s grin turned sly, she lifted a leg daintily. "Or is it?" "Is it?" Iono laughed. One of her hands came up, and that yellow oversized coat flopped over her mouth. "We can battle now, if you want¡ªfollow me!" And she walked off, briskly. She hummed a tune that the decorative magnemite-hair accessories copied. The arena for battle was a large court held over the ocean¡ªconnected to the ring the audience watched from by two large bridges. "Ladies and gentlemens!" Iono''s voice skipped up and down¡ªa scenery chewing performance. It came from nowhere¡ªfrom speakers hidden. "Are you readyyyyy!" Linh stood at one side, uncomfortable with the number of cheers and eyes¡ªthere were far more people flocking to Iono''s matches than the last two. And this was streamed online too. Suddenly, Iono appeared¡ªa bolt of lightning eye-searing came down. On the field opposite Linh. The flash blinded, and when the eye readjusted, Iono was suddenly there. "Your eyeballs are MINE¡ªcaught in my Electroweb! Whosawhatsit?" Iono posed, "Iono!" Behind her, a trapdoor closed¡ªthe seams disappearing in the arena. "Today''s challenger is prowling hard like a Luxray! Iiit''s Linh! Yayy!" She did not look at Linh, instead, at the streaming drone floating just behind her. She moved constantly¡ªarms pumping up and down playfully. The camera drone¡ªa rotom-phone¡ªsped towards Linh at an alarming pace, and he jerked back as it closed in. It stopped, and drew back just enough for Iono to walk into frame. "How''re ya feelin'' about this battle, Linh?" She asked the camera. Linh looked at Iono, not the camera. "Battling stage fright a bit, actually. It''s¡ª" "Oh no! But surely once the battle starts and your heart'' pumping it''ll all clear up!" She looked to the left, away from Linh and camera, "Thank you¡ªLordyRai for the five-hundred. ''Let''s get this show on the road!'' Just what I was about to say!" And Iono was skipping across the battlefield again, a quick-pace conversation that left Linh reeling. Iono took a stance, Pok¨¦ball in hand. A moment later, Linh copied her, "Allllright! How strong is our challenger? I ''unno! Let''s find out together¡ªgo, Wattrel!" Linh exhaled, and threw. "Casket." Casket and Wattrel faced eachother. Tiny graveyard dog against tiny electric petrel. The referee, silent ''till now, coughed into her fist, and raised her flag. "BEGIN!" And it began. "Start with¡ª" "STRAFE ''EM!" Iono belted, clear and stark and louder then Linh. Wattrel soared high, with this static trail from his feathers. Periodic in his flight, circling Iono''s side of the battlefield, he paused. Hovering in the air. Motionless, each flap of his wings formed pale almost-blue crescents of air, slashing towards Casket. Air Slash. Before he moved again. Casket popped backwards as the leading one hit her paws, and she yelped. Dodging with a run. "Down!" Linh snapped. "Shadow Sneak¡ªlimbs! Hit it when it pauses!" Casket heeded, and sunk into her shadow. Her shadow dragging her away from the blasts. In her wake Shadow Sneak peeled up paws. Paws that stretched far, towards Wattrel. Wattrel dipped and dived¡ªbut the moment he stopped to fire back, two paws slammed into his wings. He squawked. Linh glanced away, to see Iono''s response. She wasn''t paying attention. "Thank you, Douglas Douglas, for the ten thousand! Wattrel, use Thunderbolt now!" she suddenly snapped, off-handedly. This time, Wattrel shot through the air again. And the static that trailed after him collected into bolts of lightning. White-bright, loud enough to ripple the seas below. Casket could not hear her barks, as the lightning streaked through the paws, and slammed into her. "Again¡ªno." Linh frowned, seeing the paws slow down whenever the lightning flashes, and hitting where Wattrel was, not where he will be. Too far away to reach and too slow to hit¡ªreset for something better¡ª"Go for Roar¡ªforce him out!" Casket snapped into the shadows, and came out on the other side of the battlefield. As Wattrel dove to find her again, she built up a rumbling growl in the back of her throat and¡ª "Air Slash turbulence¡ªAnyways~ Douglas Douglas says: Hi Iono! I¡ª" Before Wattrel could dive into the ground, and before Casket could make her roaring barks, Wattrel stopped and spun. His wings outstretched, light blue energy forming slashes in the air. Slashes overlapping and criss-crossing. Colliding as they ripple outwards, and colliding with the sound-wave of Casket''s Roar. And the Air Slashes went through. Casket rolled out of the way of one, hopped over the second, and got the third straight up her nose. She sneezed. "Limbs, again!" Linh ordered, "He''s not movin¡ª" "Back to lightning, Wattrel!" Iono spoke over him." And Wattrel was darting away again. Thankfully, chased by paws. Casket heard her Trainer. But again, the static trailing behind Wattrel fell away and formed Thunderbolts. Speeding past and through the chasing Shadow Sneak. "Not working," Linh hissed. His voice came sharply, "Casket, get ahead of him¡ªthen make a cage!" Casket barked affirmative, and in between one searing flash and the next, disappeared into her shadow. It darted quickly across the floor, wavering weirdly. Darker and lighter as Thunderbolts formed and faded. Then, Casket rose before Wattrel¡ªwith a full spread of inky paws rising up. A wall in front of her! Wattrel chirped, and swung out of the first paw, rose above the second, but found the last three wrapping in a long, long sphere around him. "OH MY GOSH, HATSUNE MIKU IS RAIDING ME!?!?" Iono fully turned away from the battle, "I''m your biggest fa¡ªI mean, hey viewers! Nice to meet y''all! Ello, ''ello, hola! Ciao and bonjour! Welcome to my stream! We''re¡ª" A full shadow-limb sphere curled around Wattrel. Held at an angle by a spear of paws. An umbilical cord to the arena. "¡ªA variety channel covering a very big array of content! In particular, Gym battles on mornings Monday to Friday¡ª" And then Casket was gone¡ªno! Casket rode up the paws¡ªsunken down to her hips and shoulders, her chin parting the short furs of the inky Shadow Limb. She passed into and through the cage of limbs. Casket tackled Wattrel with a bark, and her teeth clamped on his neck. The entire cage unfurled, revealing both tumbling towards the ground. "¡ªGames in the afternoon, and your votes on weekends! Nine to five, Central Paldean! Now¡ªback to the show and¡ªooooohhh that looked like it hurt." "TAKE HIM DOWN!" Linh yelled, "Dig him underneath!" Down and down they tumbled until impact. Concrete under bird. Bird under dog. Not much of a sound, as both were very small and very light Pok¨¦mon. Nor much of a plume of dust. Revealing Casket as she pressed Wattrel into the ground, and her paws scrabbled at the stone. Digging a hole, dragging Wattrel under. Shadow Sneak formed paws of night, sealing up the exit. "Clever, Challenger! Isn''t he clever, Chat?" Iono laughed, "Like this, Wattrel has no space to escape! And even with his Flying Type, Dig is sure to do something while he''s grounded!" Linh glanced at Iono again. She was grinning. "But that doesn''t matter¡ªBLAST STRAIGHT THROUGH!" She bellowed. Her cry was louder then the Thunderbolts, loud enough that it could be heard from under the stone. Silence, before lightning struck. Not from above. But below¡ªright where they were. It was like a mine going off¡ªa plume of ex-ground and a crater blown outwards. And a bird flying up, and a dog coated in soot flung out. Casket landed in front of Linh, and rolled all the way to his feet. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. He looked up, at the still visible blast of lightning, surrounded in a helix of light-blue winds. A combination move of some kind? He looked down, at Casket''s smoking body. A strong one, at that. She whuffed, then fainted. He recalled her, feeling faint himself. Wattrel alighted on the arena, and turned back to Iono. A little hop dance with joyful chirping. Praise-seeking. "Thank you Sakamoto-mander for the five hundo¡ªgracias, gracias! ''I just want to say¡ª''" Iono, naturally, had her attention elsewhere. Wattrel looked down, and scuffed the ground, frustrated. Linh sighed, he held up Casket''s Pok¨¦ball. "Sorry girl." "Challenger, send out your next Pok¨¦mon," the referee reminded. "Right, right. Go¡ªKaolin!" A teapot formed. Staring down Wattrel. "¡ªGlad you liked it Sakamoto! Tune in next week for¡ª" "Teatime, then him him hard!" Linh snapped, straight away. Iono laughed as she watched Wattrel get engulfed in the fast moving clouds. "What''s this now? Hey Zoners, what''s this?" The mist cleared to reveal Wattrel sitting on a bird stand, singing to himself in sweet chirps. Before him was a plate on a high table, stacked with bird seeds. And above him, Kaolin, Shadow Ball spinning in its grasp. Wattrel blinked, started to rise with a screech, and then was blown over by the blast. He fainted. "Oh wow¡ªthat''s, never seen that before! I th¡ªThank you! Grashu for the twenty-kay!" Iono looked aside, recalling Wattrel in the fluid motion. "No message! O-kay? Moving on," she snapped back to Linh, "Nice work, Challenger! Now can you handle the frog? Go, Bellibolt!" A frog appeared. An electric frog. Big, round, bulb-shaped. Smooth dark green skin with splotchy orange spots. A black tummy with an electric-yellow belly button. And on either side of his head, eyeball-white globes. Not his eyes, electricity emitters. His eyes were the blank yellow spots just above his mouth, pulsating slightly. Kaolin waved, and offered a seed from the illusory table. Bellibolt blinked back slowly, one eye at a time. "Kaolin¡ªNasty Plo¡ª" "Stall!"Again, Iono spoke louder, and more affirming, then Linh. And Bellibolt acted before Kaolin did. Raising his arms and miming a pane of glass before him. A glass pane that appeared, translucent and floating. Light Screen, to weaken and block projectiles. "Nasty Plot," Linh repeated, and Kaolin jolted up. It acted. It schemed, and power formed and refined its mind. Stitches appeared on the ceramic, hidden from view. Substitute woven into Nasty Plot, with Iono unaware. Ideally. "Oh neat, Substitute. Y''know it takes a lot to train a Pok¨¦mon to blend that into other moves. Usually not worth it!" Iono chirped. Her eyes were on the battle entirely, watching Kaolin carefully as it schemed. "Muddy Water, Bellibolt. Block what it does." Linh frowned, annoyed, "Stored Power." Kaolin spat out its many pink lights. Fairy lights drifting and swaying. Bellibolt stomped the ground until seawater rose up. Seawater carrying silt from the sea floor. Turning it sandy-brown. These blasts raced across the ground in blobs rising up. Mini slimes lurching across the stage. They aimed towards the lights, and surged in straight lines until they swallowed the Stored Powers up. Collapsing both. Or missed entirely with the lights agile movements. The lights that survived the swathes of Muddy Water then impacted against the Light Screen, and detonated without harm. Really need a way around obstacles. Linh thought. "Magical Leaf, curl up and around." Kaolin, fuming with clenched fists, flung tea leaves out. Quickly, they curled up and high. "Water Gun¡ªI missed a donation? Where?" Iono withdrew a phone from somewhere in her massively oversized coat, and flicked her finger across the screen. Up and down the tea leaves spun, and Bellibolt did nought but lean back slightly, and spit streams of water from his mouth. This was still enough, and with precise aim, the host of water streaked across the leaves. Unbalancing them and sending them falling. Sodden. But one Magical Leaf dodged, and swung low, into the barrier and¡ª ¡ªthrough, slower and thinner. It swiped across Bellibolt''s body once. Mere scratches. Linh grumbled to himself. How to get hits in? Past the moves, past the wall? Got it. Linh grinned, teeth sharp, "Now¡ª" "¡ªYou lie!" Iono laughed, "Silly Zoners, quit your lyin¡ªTERRAIN NOW!" Iono snapped, command cracking like thunder. Bellibolt raised an arm surrounded in electric arcs. "¡ªTeatime!" Linh ordered. Then he blinked. Yet he had no more time to ponder, before Kaolin brought its hands together. The mist spread, the mist faded. Bellibolt sat on a low stool, with a plate of crickets before him. His arm already coming down, into the plate and into the¡ª ¡ªthrough the table. Crickets and wood scattered everywhere, both hissing into mist, as Bellibolt hit the ground with a thundering punch. Literally, the sparks travelled out of the arena and back, and settled in every inch of the concrete. Electric Terrain¡ªprevents sleep, and empowers Electric Moves. Linh shook his head, "Never-mind that¡ªcontinue!" And Kaolin compressed all of its power into one Stored Power. One pink light made of power twicefold. Forming and flying too close to dodge. Too close to block. It flew true and Bellibolt¡ª ¡ªBellibolt didn''t faint. Instead, the blast impacted against his stomach, and bent it nearly concave. Yet as it flexed back out, a whirr came from inside. Like a dynamo spinning up. The Ability, Electromorphosis; After an attack, energy is stored to empower Bellibolt''s next. "Thank you Kammy Kong for the two hundred. ''Do the funny.'' That''s a great idea Kammy! Doing the funny¡ªBellibolt! THUNDER!" All of the previous Thunderbolts? The lightning? The bolts of eye-searing, ear-deafening light? Power that flinches, that overwhelms? All of that was nothing against Bellibolt''s Thunder. Mind-blanking, gut-unsettling, heart-thumping. Noise and light that halted traffic, rattled the surrounding building''s windows, and carried charge all the way down to the ocean underneath. Underneath it all, was a feminine voice, unheard by all bar one. "Strike twice!" When Linh''s awareness came back, all that was left, was Bellibolt. Kaolin''s teapot, spinning on its spout on the ground. And Iono, giggling, rubbing the blindness out of her eyes. "But¡ªbut Substitute?" "Two Moves beats one Move." Iono grinned, then her eyes darted to the side. "Oh! Squeaker Nelson has donated twenty thousand! ''Iono, I''ve lost gallons to you.'' Ha?" Iono smiled, lips pressed together, she blinked many many times. "Well I hope you find it. Next¡ªLinh! Send out your next Pok¨¦mon, yeah yeah?" Linh took a breath, then exhaled, incensed. "Menace¡ªDisable!" "Oooh!" Iono cried, watching Menace appear mid-scathing insult, "That''s really good Chat! Bellibolt! Reflect and Light Screen!" "Nightshade, veil yourself. Then pelt him down. Keep moving and do not get hit." Linh ordered. Menace rasped, and disappeared. Illusions so thick and heavy that even as Menace rolled and shot, Bellibolt had no idea where they were coming from. Not truly. "Muddy Water!" Bellibolt responded with stomping surges of water¡ªswiping across the floor. Every angle, every patch. None hit, bar one. And in response a green glowing vine shot out of nowhere¡ªcrossed space non-euclidianly¡ªand snapped onto Bellibolt. Strength Sap, disguised by the illusions. Completely unnecessary, given Menace''s resistance to water. But Menace is a cruel creature, and Linh was in less of a mood to temper him. And then, whistling. Whistling from above. Bellibolt looked up just in time to see a cluster of massive seeds descend. Seeds likes coconuts, with a seam in between glowing green. They exploded as they cascaded down on Bellibolt. Seed Bomb. Bellibolt fell flat on his ass, eyes dim, fainted. Menace reappeared to laugh. Rough and rasping. "Thank you Pingos Ploght! It''s good to see you again¡ªwhere''ve you been dude?" Iono laughed. "Anyways¡ªcatch you later. Cuz I''m getting pressed hard! Go¡ªLuxio!" "Back into safety," Linh commanded, "No need to risk anything." "You know what to do, Luxio." Iono stuck her hand out of her sleeve, and made a shooing motion. "Go! Have fun!" She turned to her chat. The first thing Luxio did was stamp his paws on the ground, yellow irises flashing in time with the yellow bands on his blue fur. And with a wave of his star-pointed tail, a wave of lightning shot out. Shockwave. It rippled through the air and tore at the illusions, all of them. At once. Revealing Menace, grumbling as the static struck against him, rattling some seeds loose. A moment later, Menace rasped something scathing. And Luxio''s shoulders drooped slightly. Spite. "You can do that?" Linh asked, "Uh¡ªget moving! Scatter up!" And Menace was rolling away. Illusions spilling out as false copies of tumble weeds. Different paths, different motions. A fractal of decoys. Each decoy shot a single seed out¡ªBullet Seed. One then two then four then eight shot. Volleys of seeds. Luxio watched them approach, he shifted his stance, and then dodged. "Disable the Shockwave¡ªquick!" Disable targeted the last Move a Pok¨¦mon used¡ªregardless of when. Disable landed¡ªand Luxio''s next Shockwave fizzled out as he landed. But Menace did it with a rasp. One his copies did not. Luxio''s ears flicked, and he moved. Paws stirring up dust, leaving it sticky with static, and Luxio pounced towards Menace. Teeth dark with Bite. Linh snarled, "Seed Bombs¡ªdanger close!" Or in other words. Use Seed Bomb to throw yourself away from them. Menace rasped, and from his branches tiny seeds fell. Seeds which grew many many times their size, engorged upon Grass energy. Rolling out onto the ground as explosive piles Luxio was falling into. "Protect¡ªThank you Knightnwl for the six hundred, ''Thank you for the streams!'' No¡ªthank you! Without my viewers I am nothing!" Iono laughed. Boom. A Bramblin flung high in the air, and down, and bouncing away. And as the smoke cleared, it revealed Luxio. Unharmed, in a hexagonal shield. It faded. Menace rasped angrily. A bit singed, but not too much. Resisted, and self-inflicted, the Seed Bomb did little. Even so, Linh winced. Not cost-effective at all. "Now¡ªslow him down!" Iono ordered. "Seed Bomb again! Zone him out!" Linh ordered, a second later. Menace aimed before Luxio, Seed Bombs making craters to halt Luxio''s dash. Luxio did not move, and when the smoke cleared, smirked at Menace. Feline teeth curling back, threateningly. Bared teeth, nasty gleam. Both eye and teeth sparked white light, which formed a sharp line between Luxio''s gaze and Menace''s eyes. Scary Face, slowing Menace down. Linh squeezed his eyes shut, and rubbed them, frustrated. "Dive in!" Iono snapped her fingers, smile all teeth. "No WAI¡ª" And Menace shot a brace of Seeds, rolling pitifully away as Luxio dashed forwards. Teeth sharp and dark and so brutally falling onto him. Menace fainted. Linh recalled him in silence. He grimaced. "And¡ªthank you btp¡¥¡¥btp! Twenty five gifted subs! What a guy!" Linh put away Menace''s Pok¨¦ball. And lifted up Meiosis''s. He looked between Luxio and Iono. Then down at the Pok¨¦ball. ... One against two. With a Pok¨¦mon he hasn''t trained much. "Challeng¡ª" the referee began. "¡ªI forfeit." Linh''s shoulder hitched slightly. "Oh, we''re wrapping up now? Okay¡ªlet me just¡ªAND THAT''S A HYPE TRAIN! Thank you NotVeryAnonymous, ten gifted subs! Gareon, Red superchat! Heaper, five hundred! Valen¡ª" Iono babbled, marching away from the battlefield. The referee shook her head. "I announce this battle as a victory for Iono!" "So." Linh faced Poppy. "I lost." "There, there." Poppy reached over and patted Linh''s knee. "Not actually mad?" Linh chuffed. "Well. I''m upset, but not devastated. Where to next?" Poppy made a confused noise. Linh shrugged. "Where do you want to go next?" he asked again. "I mean. It''s not terrible that I lost. I can just swing back to Levincia after you''re done with them all. I don''t mind getting Iono''s badge last. In fact, it''ll be good. Face my big defeat again at the hardest." "No. We''re staying." "Really? But don''t you have a Journey to complete? You really want to miss out on getting the next Badge for however many tries it''ll take for me to win?" "We''re staying, until you win." Poppy frowned. She crossed her arms. "Also. You will win next time." "You sure?" Poppy harrumphed, "Yeah! You were so close to victory! Menace could have beaten Luxio. And you should have!" Linh leaned forwards in his seat. "For the experience, yeah?" "Yeah!" Poppy swung her arms wide, spreading from the receptionist desk to the building''s entrance. "... Well. That still left Iono''s last¡ª" "So?!?!" Poppy cried, "Meiosis could have beaten Mismagius, she''s strong enough!" "I''ve had so little time with her, though." Linh leaned back, puzzled. "Not a lot of training, either." "But that doesn''t matter, if you''re quick enough," Poppy stated. "And, that''s not important. Casket, Menace, Kaolin. They all were strong enough to beat their enemy. It was you who didn''t act fast enough." Linh blinked, "Me?" "You." Poppy frowned. She jabbed her hand forwards, one finger extended. "Point one! Casket, she could have won if she got in first, faster! After Roar failed, and at the start of the battle. You kept on giving commands at the same time as Iono, but her orders are done while yours aren''t. You''re not projecting your presence enough." A second finger rose, "Point two! Kaolin. Kaolin lost because it didn''t respond in time when it''s substitute popped! It was still reeling after the Thunder, allowing Bellibolt to hit it again! If you intervened, it could have hit Bellibolt instead!" "But the Thunder? It was so loud I couldn''t have heard myself." "So what. Kaolin could have. Bellibolt did!" A third finger rose. "Point three! Menace¡ª" "¡ªI''m getting it. In those last moments. I was wasting time feeling frustrated about a bad call. Instead I should have tried something else. If I got Menace moving earlier, I could have pressured Luxio away from attacking." Linh paused. "Maybe Strength Sap? The attack drop would have done wonders." "Exactly!" Poppy''s frown rose. She leaned back, satisfied. "So, react faster, my end. So I can get my Pok¨¦mon acting more." Linh scratched his neck, and looked away. "...I could have your help, though. I''m not exactly sure where to start. Also, it''ll be efficient to train up my Pok¨¦mon while I''m practising. No point wasting time." Poppy glowed up, grinning as if she was waiting for him to ask. "I''ll help you, Linh!" she chirped. "And so will Iono." Both of them turned. On the couch to their side, lying down, was Iono. Magazine on her face. With the sluggishness of a nap, she pulled the glossy paper down. "A?" she asked. "Iono," Poppy said. "Won''t you help Linh project his presence, and react to things?" "I''m busy?" Iono said, she smiled hesitantly, shark-teeth shy. "He''ll be a guest on your stream!" Poppy volunteered, without Linh''s permission. "... Alright." Chapter 24 - Preperations 1 (I hate forced losses in games. Be ready for the runback!)
"The ring is my roiling sea. ? The towering waves shaped me. Crash! Crash! Crasher Wake! Crash! Crash! Crasher Wake! I''m the tidal wave of power to wash you away! Put out the fire, Crasher Wake! Run from electricity, Crasher Wake! Ah, ah, aaaah! The ring is my sea. ?" "Pause." Iono pressed the remote, "What did you see?" she asked. "That is a very loud man," Linh noted, watching the scanlines on the TV¡ªthe kind mounted on top of a VCR set¡ªflicker up the man''s face. Iono leaned harder against the TV, "He''s a Gym Leader¡ªit comes with the job. But no. Throughout that battle, what did you see of Crasher Wake''s composure? What was he doing?" "He was... Singing. Mid battle." "And this ain''t no musical, so. Why he do dat? What''s he telling Floatzel? And what''s the kid telling Buizel?" Iono stood up, and walked around her apartment, circling her couch¡ªcircling Linh. Linh thought about the battle¡ªbetween Crasher Wake and the kid. "Every one of his orders were... He was constantly on the offensive. While the kid was defensive entirely¡ªeven when she tried to stop Crasher Wake she fell back to dodging after Crasher ordered a few moves." "Exactamundo," Iono chirped. She raised her hand, over Linh''s shoulder, and tapped two buttons. "Rewind, unpause." The TV scrolled back, and started playing. Showing: "The ring is my sea~ Just listen to me~ " Crasher Wake hoarsely sang¡ªbobbing his head with every improvised lyric. His hands struck the air and the fins of his mask (sprouting from his eyebrows, and circling around his bald head) flapping rhythmically. "B-Buizel!" The Challenger cried, she had her hands clenched into fists. Those fists were clenched against her chest. "Get out of there! Dive!" "This is my turf~ Beware my¡ªSurf!" Crasher Wake suddenly snapped¡ªjubilant, he stomped the ground as Floatzel called the water. The screen stopped at an unflattering time. Crasher Wake''s massive body pudging up, fat rolls forming over his abs. "Pause." Iono rolled her wrist, gesturing to imaginary points with the remote. "You do things, they try to stop it instead of doing their thing. They lose! How you gon'' do that yourself?" "Fast pace¡ªif your Pok¨¦mon''s doing things first, then¡ª" "Part of it," Iono interrupted. She stood back up and stretched. "But you can only yap so fast, yanno? Ya get tongue-tied, or your guy trips up! The other part is¡ªme! My stuff! Pre-sen-tation! Put on a show, and they can''t help but get caught up. Look at Crasher Wake¡ª" She jabbed the remote at the screen, "¡ªHe''s stolen her eyeballs. She doesn''t know what to do!" Linh sat back, hands in lap. "Performance to unbalance the foe¡ªbut when there''s two people good at this sort of thing. Isn''t that just two dudes trying to yell over each other?" Not his style¡ªnot at all. "Bzzt! Not true¡ªI''ll show you with this next clip!" Iono vaulted over the couch and with quick practised movements ejected the tape. She moved behind the TV to the wall of shelves¡ªa foot lashed out and dragged a cardboard box out from the bottom of the wall. One which clattered with cassette tapes. She bent¡ª Linh looked away. All around Iono''s apartment, knick knacks and stuff lay scattered. An easel leaned against a shelf with several yarn balls and dusty needles. The table was stacked with board games (everyone bar the top still taped shut). By its side a display rack showed a truly pitiful trading card collection. In the corner, a camera sat on a shelf in front of a collage of photos (amatuer, blurry). Hobbies forgotten. A Magnemite floated by, with a duster floating beside it. There was a roll of magnets¡ªneodynium circles¡ªtaped to the handle. The Magnemite rolled its eye at Linh. "Nyahaha! Found it! Allister Vs Bede, semi-finals." Iono popped up, an USB stick in her hands. She pushed the TV aside (trolley scraping the carpet) and placed a laptop in front of Linh. "Sit back, and enjoy the show," she told him. "And watch the mask kid." Where Crasher had presence, mask kid (Allister) did not. He shrunk into himself before, during, and after. The kid¡ªlanky as a teenager¡ªdisplayed something that went beyond shyness. Anxiety. His commands were soft. His dictation was meagre. His stance was shaky. And even though he won against Gym Leader Bede, Allister seemed just as defeated as him. Linh wasn''t exactly impressed. "He''s... Well. Congratulations on his win. But he didn''t exactly show off a personality. Wallflower''s are not known for controlling the scene." "Yet you saw him." Iono leaned close enough that her hair smacked against Linh''s cheek. Linh sideeyed her. "He was on one side of the battlefield with no one around," he pointed out. "He was getting overrun, for most of that fight." "Did he? Look again. Rewind¡ª" Iono flicked the mouse pad, and the laptop jumped forwards and backwards. "Look! Here, Allister''s speaking, and Bede isn''t. Here! Bede''s ordering, but Allister blurts out his order, and his Cursola acts first! "And, also, aussi auch tambi¨¦n, look at his Pok¨¦mon! They''re confident, they''re all rarin'' to go! Allister''s got this style that doesn''t say much. But when he wants to speak¡ªpeople listen." Iono nodded firmly. Linh reached out to the laptop, scrolled to the start of the video. He played it again. This time, however, his eyes stayed on Allister at every moment. "Pause," Linh said¡ªruefully. "... Yeah. I see now. He''s... projecting his voice, even though its coming out all fretful, it''s still firm." Linh paused, he turned to Iono. "Can you teach me this?" She grinned, "Naturally¡ªI''ll show you how to build right up! We haven''t even gotten into the other side¡ªtrash-talkin'' them down! Hang on, let me just find the right..." Linh sat behind the table. Ankles crossed, back straight. Stiff. In front of his was a heavy book, a tome. It was closed. He sat in front of the camera and waited for Iono to finish fiddling with the recording settings. A touch at his feet, it was Meiosis, his Solosis. Meio smiled encouragingly, and Linh huffed. He shooed her to her position¡ªbehind the thin wall of the room. Iono popped up behind her drone, she rose her hand. Finger met thumb, curled in a ring. The okay sign. Linh inhaled, then exhaled. And with ramrod awkwardness, picked up the book. He tapped it twice against the table¡ªperformative, and to ground him. And he cleared his throat. "Good evening," Linh began. "And welcome to storytime with Li¡ªstorytime." He winced internally. Always good to flub straight at the beginning; it gets all the mistakes out early. Iono, behind the drone, gestured for him to keep going. "And what is the purpose of story time?" He asked, "Well. To tell stories, of course. And I have a story for you." Linh bent his neck down, and with a flourish, the book opened. He made a performance of looking through it, as if reading the text within. His finger trailed across the page like he was reading lines. But it only traced blank paper. "Ah¡ªhere! Tonight''s tale is: Assistance shall reach you Shortly. It begins on an afternoon very much like this one; "Cars, crossing the road so very far below. Crowds, slowly fading as the shops close. Birds singing their last calls¡ªbetter to try again tomorrow. "Our hero of this tale is one you may not know¡ªalthough it is unlikely. Our hero is but our favourite streaming queen." Linh tilted his head, the storyteller''s voice rough on his throat. "Iono." Iono perked up from her position. She whispered to the side of the drone. "Ohmygosh Chat is this real?" "No chatter from the peanut gallery, please." Linh chuckled. He waved his hand, a cue to Kaolin, just out of sight. It giggled silently¡ªbubbling¡ªand tapped its spout. Aromatic Mist curled out. A pleasent scent filled the air¡ªfresh brewed tea. But the audiance did not smell that. Instead, they saw the mist curl up and around Linh¡ªflowing up the walls and around the lightbulb just above. Until it was just Linh, the table, and his book, shrouded in hazy light. "Now¡ªthis tale begins with an ending. A very important ending for Iono, in fact. The end of a stream¡ªthe day is done¡ªno more to do. "Iono closed her browser, and pressed the off button¡ªand she pulled back on her chair. Scraping against the floor. She stood up¡ªstretching, eyes closed. Not like that matters¡ªthe only real light in that room was from her computer. And as she stood there¡ªa fel feeling came to her. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "A strange feeling¡ªone that tickled the back of her neck. One that compelled her to be quiet¡ªto be silent for a brief moment. Just to listen to her house. The few sounds that there were. "The hum of the air conditioner. "The buzzing of her Magnemite¡ªsomewhere in the kitchen. "The ticking of the clock." Linh paused. "Before we continue, I want you to do something important¡ªand this is important. Please, if you have the will. Move us from the second monitor to the main monitor." "Hey!" Iono interrupted, affronted. "You''re right¡ªmove us from the third monitor," Linh said. She squawked, outraged, before he lifted his hand. Linh took a deep breath, "Let us put ourselves into Iono''s shoes. Here. I want you to be just as silent as she is now. To stop what you''re doing¡ªto listen to your house. Listen to the creak, listen to the whine of electronics. Just sit¡ªstand¡ªlie where you are, and listen carefully. So you may experience what Iono experiences here:" Linh gently put the book down, and craned his neck to the side. He put a hand to his ear, and listened carefully. "Thank ye muchly, Electro King," Iono whispered. "No, not that." Linh shook his head, grinning. The crack of glass¡ªshattering sundering splintering. The sound of a window smashing. Iono jolted back, flinching. Linh hid his grin, and promised silently extra treats for Casket. So realistic! Or maybe none, if Casket actually broke a window to make that sound. "A sound! In the night! One perplexing and worrying to hear. Glass shattering. Iono frowned¡ªhad her Magnemite shattered a cup, or something? For it came from the kitchen. "Iono went¡ªshe went slow and fumbling. For she must find the lights¡ªand turn each on one by one. She moved in the dark clumsily¡ªfoot bumping against something fabricy. Curious¡ªhad she left something on the floor? But she moved on¡ªto her kitchen. "''Magnemite?'' she asked, ''Have you dropped a glass again?'' she asked, blindly reaching for the light. "Click, went the light. And she finds Magnemite." Linh sighed, performatively. "Well. She found what was once Magnemite. "As you see¡ªMagnemite was in no state to respond. It was... split. Split in two¡ªtwo halves left to wobble on the counter top. Screws left to spin endlessly. The halves¡ªthey looked torn in two! Edges all ragged¡ªlike some acid or poison had carved and melted at them. Bleach, or something." Meiosis heard the signal, and Linh''s words were matched by an undercurrent of hissing spitting liquid. Angry acid that bubbled right behind the drones. "And Iono reeled back, and she looked up. And to her horror, she saw the glass of the window broken. Shards scattered all over the sink¡ªout to in. "Something, or someone, had crawled through her window. And they have killed Magnemite. "And they may still be here. Iono froze¡ªshuffling! Shuffling in the room previous!" Linh dared a glance towards Iono, she was frozen behind the drone. Nail-biting. Magnemite, Iono''s, was also there, in the background. Paused and watching. "She looks¡ªthe lights were off, but dim night still shone through from room to room. "There is a figure, standing in the dark. Hunched, like a creature. Tall, like a man. Iono shied just back. Just one step¡ªand something terrible happens. "The floorboards under her creaks¡ªa bone-crack. A bone snap! The creature turns." Linh inhaled slowly, deeply. Then again. And again. Savouring the tension. And he inha¡ª He slamed the table with his hand! All fury, all motion! "Iono runs! Down the corridor, down the corner¡ªall the way chased by a thing on thudding steps! "She knows not where she runs¡ªshe can''t! Panic has taken her, fear of what will happen when it takes her! Heart thundering, feet pounding, will she make it to safety?" Linh suddenly raised in his seat, swooping forwards jarringly. Iono skittered back, even as Meiosis pushed the drone forwards. "But where is safety? Out? To be hunted in the streets? In, to be cornered? "Iono chooses, in blind panic, her most comforting place¡ªher bed. Into the room she goes and slam the door goes! Click! Goes the lock, and thud! Goes the creature. Banging against the door. "Iono looks around the room frantically¡ªshe needs to hide. But where? The bed? No¡ªthat''s where horror protaganists hide! The closet? No! That''s where horror protaganists die! "The drawer¡ªthe access panel, missing, hidden behind it." Linh chuckled, and fell back in his chair. "That. That may work." Iono was completely silent now, fully invested. "She moves to the dresser¡ªand she starts to drag it. Before she pauses¡ªthe lamp on top. The dusty lamp on the dusty surface. If she pulls it back in place it may fall off. And the creature will know where she hid. "So instead, she moves the lamp, from one side to the other¡ªpushing aside the clock and the plate. And she drags the drawer out¡ªsquealing masked by the creatures banging. "And she squeezes inside the hollow behind¡ªand she pulls the dresser back in place. "Just in time¡ªwith one shuddering bang, the bedroom door falls completely off." Linh paused, and hunched, book brought up high, to hide his mouth. He spoke in a foul low tone. "It enters. It seeks. It stomps." He raised a hand high. Then brought it low. In time with his words. "Thud. Thud. Thud. "Thud. Thud. Thud. The figure checked under the bed. "Thud. Thud. Thud. The figure checked inside the closet. "Thud. Thud. Thud. Iono held her breath." Linh inhaled, and held his own breath¡ªcounting the time. Only ten seconds passed, but from Iono''s stare, it must have felt like minutes. He exhaled. "Thud. Thud. Thud. Fading in the distance. Iono exhales, raggedly." Linh hid his smile from watching Iono copy her fictional version. "Iono sat in that tight hollow quietly, mind racing as adrenalin crashed. What was she to do? What could she do? "Her phone felt heavy in her hand¡ªand she knew what to do. She makesa call. And that call goes something like this:" Here, Linh took out from his pocket a small radio. Plastic, cheap. Not more then three thousand Pok¨¦dollers from the prop shop. He pretended to turn a knob, and static came from the fake radio. Inside, brambles rasped against each other. The static cleared, until a light, feminine, voice came clear. "''Levincia one one two, what is your emergency?'' "Iono stared at the phone¡ªso loud in the silence. She whispered to it. ''House intruder, my home.'' "''Oh dear, are you in a safe place¡ªhidden, perhaps?'' "''Yes.'' Iono pressed the phone close to her, the little screen light the only thing she knew as true. "''Just stay calm, assistance is on the way.'' "Iono carefully listened after¡ªfor shuffling or thudding from outside. ''Thank you.''" "''Per protocol, and so we can find you as fast as possible. We require that you stay on this call, and that you help us by sharing information.'' "''Of course,'' Iono whispered back." Linh ran his hand down the book, grin hidden fully behind the paper. Now to ratchet. "''First¡ªwhat room are you in?'' "The hollow is hot to Iono¡ªhot and wet, her breath fogs on the phone. It covers up the name tag. ''Bedroom.'' "''Do you have any Pok¨¦mon with you?'' "''No.'' Sweat makes her clothes stick to her back. "''Is the intruder inside the room right now?'' "''No.'' "The phone beeps, and the operator tuts. ''Do not worry¡ªassistance will be with you shortly.'' And it cut off¡ªput on hold." Linh leaned back again. He shifted the book in his grasp. "Iono sighs, relief. Before, tension¡ªadrenaline! Shuffling outside again. Thudding steps again! "The phone beeps again, back online¡ªwith absurd speed. ''Is the intruder inside your room right now?'' "Iono hissed through strangled cords. ''Yes.'' "''Are you hidden under the bed?'' "''W-what?'' Iono''s fingers tighten around her phone¡ªplastic digging into her skin. Maybe she misheard? "''Are you hidden inside the closet?'' "''Wh-why?'' She did not. "The operator chuckles¡ªairy and pleasant. ''Did you forget? The dresser is dusty¡ªexcept for where the lamp was,'' she tells Iono. "Iono blinks¡ªand then. Horror. Dread. "The operator continues, blithely. ''Some more questions, if you please.'' "Iono froze, as three, thudding impacts hit so close to her. On the wall, on the drawer." Linh raised his hand again, and thudded the table. "''Can you hear this?'' Thud, thud, thud. Banging on the drawer." "''Please.''" Linh was very proud of the tenor he mixed into his plea. "''Can you hear this?'' Thud, thud, thud. Banging on the drawer." "''No.'' "Thud. One final impact. A hand grasps the drawer¡ªaround the edge, and slowly drags it. Wood squeals against wood. "As the drawer slowly slides open, Iono hears from her phone¡ª''Do not worry; Assistance has arrived.''" Linh leaned back, and without warning, slammed the book shut. "And that," he spoke, with a casually light tone. "Is all the time we have for today! I hope you enjoyed storytime with Linh, if you did; Remember to like, comment, and subscribe! Buh-bye, adi¨®s, auf wiedersehen, au revoir, and to all, I bid a good night." He waited for Iono to press the button. And then for Meiosis to do it, because Iono wasn''t moving. Linh waited for Iono to speak, but she didn''t. So he did it first. "Presence, I think I get it now." A dressing room. Well. A dressing closet. Full length mirror, curved bench built into the wall, thick black curtains. Linh sat on the bench, and watched himself. Hands down, wrapped around Casket (gnawing his thumb), posture slouched. In the mirror, a curled up man watched back¡ªin clothes comfy, but not respectable. Hoodie with the drawstrings threaded loose, blank boring t-shirt, rough fabric trousers. He shifted, stretching his back¡ªand his long hair flicked backwards. Long, straight, black. Pinned by a simple hairband into a ponytail. Linh rolled his shoulders, and began. First, he pulled his thumb out of Casket''s mouth, and deposited her at his feet. Palm against her head, and with the slightest pressure, she sunk into his shadow. Next, clothes off¡ªdumped in a pile by a thick canvas bag on the bench. Then, clothes on. A dress shirt, buttoned down. Untucked, with the sleeves snapped to his wrists. A sweater, thin, woollen. Dull purple. No buttons, with sleeves folded back. Comfort over style. Trousers, light grey, polyester. Linh tilted his head, inspecting himself again. The reflection felt at the collar¡ªwhere the shirt''s collar were pinned under the wool. He popped them out. Ash blue coat, many pocketed inside and out. Another layer, because Linh just doesn''t feel hot, apparently. He holds it up before the mirror, and turns it around. Inside one of the pockets is a key ring, littered with key chains. Cheap key chains with small hard plastic figures, or tiny wool dolls. Each figure and doll a ghost. A Banette of polyurethane. A Duskull from yarn¡ªeye formed by a string ''x''. Linh held up a Polteageist, and showed to the mirror. The reflection of the Polteageist toy blinked¡ªand it grew into a bigger, full sized Polteageist. Kaolin floated out from the mirror, and batted the key chain like a cat. Linh huffed, "It''s a penlight, too." He flipped the thumb size toy over, and pressed down on the spout. A little light shining onto Kaolin''s face¡ªrefracting in its tea. Kaolin took the keychain with a giggle, and floated out of the dressing room (closet). Linh chuckled, and turned back to the key ring. He un-clipped each little plastic toy one by one, and turned to his coat. There, on the back, and on the sleeves and the front. Little loops of fabric. He was unsure what they were for originally¡ªbut he would use them now for the ghosts. Soon enough, Linh held up his coat again. Bedecked in ghostly effigies, that whapped against the fabric as he swished it. Wool and plastic, voodoo dolls hanging. Linh put on the coat, and hummed appreciatively at his form in the mirror. He turned to his bag. A large canvas bag, meant to sling over the shoulder, and rests on the curve of his back. He put it on, and rummaged through it. A nylon mesh ran just under the zipper, hiding the inside in shadows. Something pleasant to Menace¡ªBramblin thorns curled up inside. And also something to Shadow Sneak inside¡ªa dog tongue licked Linh''s palm. Linh took from the bag two things, a single incense stick, and a piece of hard candy. He lit the incense stick, and breathed in the scents it gave¡ªFrankincense and sandalwood, the scents of a church. He set it down and let it smoulder away for the ghosts. He unwrapped the candy¡ªlemon¡ªand popped it in his mouth. It crunched away as Linh inspected himself in the mirror, twisting slightly to see the sides. Satisfied, Linh retrieved the final part of his outfit¡ªwhat he would wear in Trainer battles. To better set his ''presence'', his ''persona''. Kayfabe. A slip of paper, wide as his face, and long enough to trail down to his neck. He pressed it against his face. Held to the brow by prosthetic adhesive. It read: ¥Ö ©` ! Phonetically, ''Boo!'' A practise tag¡ªone that Linh could see through, but no other could. A product of his creation. Linh looked at himself in the mirror, he straightened his back, and tilted his head slightly¡ªbare movements made noticeable by the expressionless face. Magnified by the papers slight shifts. He looked down, at his shadow. Where Casket fidgeted. Dog energy making her move. Then her movement making Linh''s shadow move. "This," Linh stated. "Is me." And he felt satisfied. He then took off the tag, and then his coat. He folded both and held them behind him. Where shadowy paws reached up and vanished them into his shadow. Leaving Linh just a man dressed a bit old-fashioned. He still had time to prepare, and it''ll be a shame to waste the outfits debut before his rematch.