Chapter 2 highlights:
- it's almost as long as chapter one
- more characters are fleshed out
- I did this in
four days, jesus.
- Taikyu and Thresher have their match
- it's friggin dope
I like this story. I'd like to finish it. With that said, I need to take a break from this. It's been a week and a half and this story is already clocking in at over 30,000 words. During National Novel Writing Month, your goal is 50,000 words in 30 days. If I keep up this pace, by the end of March this story will be more than double that. And while I wouldn't mind if that happened, I don't want to jam it all in a month. So I'm going to take at least a week off in terms of writing. I have a couple ideas planned for Chapter 3, so it'll give me something to come back to, but... man, this has been crazy. Thanks to all of you who submitted characters and allowed me to bring them to life. Even if I can't accommodate everyone's every desire, I'd like to think I've succeeded in at least getting mostly there and giving y'all something enjoyable to read.
As always, I appreciate any feedback you have about how badly I am bastardizing your characters (especially Eldan, forgive me Jabberwock).
Word count: 11,367
Chapter 2: Secrets
"I'm sorry, Gardevoir."
Rose wiped a few stray tears from her eyes. After Esmeralda had gently reminded her that they needed to prepare the arena for the next match, Rose wordlessly recalled her Gardevoir and marched straight to her room, ignoring everyone who'd tried to stop her. She didn't care that her team needed healing, she didn't care that Scarlet was hysterical and screaming for her, and she sure as shit didn't want to see
him,
or his Deoxys. She had barely gotten the door closed behind her when new tears came rushing down her face. She released Gardevoir, still soaked and worn, and flung herself into her, gripping Gardevoir tight. Being squeezed so tightly actually hurt a little, but Gardevoir remained silent, allowing Rose to cry all her tears out. There they stayed for several minutes, until Rose's sobs had been reduced to nothing, and the two of them remained that way until Rose finally broke the silence by apologizing.
"I'm so, so sorry. I wasn't careful. I almost made a huge mistake," Rose said, extracting herself from her Pokemon and surveying the damage that had been done. Gardevoir's dress was singed and blackened in some spots from zapping herself, and she was still positively dripping from being dunked in the pool.
Gardevoir looked at her, puzzled. "Mistake? Oop!" She quickly brought her hands to her mouth as Rose went wide-eyed with panic, looking back to the door, fully expecting all the other competitors to be staring slack-jawed at the talking Gardevoir. Seeing no one, she breathed a sigh of relief, and turned back to her Pokemon.
Gardevoir's ability to communicate using the human language wasn't something that Rose shared with just anyone. While learning the human language was a talent all Pokemon had, it took a lot of self-discipline and control, and it was extremely difficult to learn; because of this, most Pokemon didn't bother and, with only a handful of documented cases worldwide, neither did most trainers. Most Psychic Pokemon, once they were high enough in level, could speak telepathically with their trainers if their bond was strong enough, but that was more like the human brain automatically translating the Pokemon's thoughts into words it understood. Gardevoir's ability to speak - actually speak - was exceedingly rare, and the last thing Rose wanted was to alert the world to it.
Well, maybe second to last. Rose took Gardevoir's slim hands into her own and gave them a gentle squeeze. "Yes. The kiss. I shouldn't have done that, but I was just so happy that you got out of that battle in one piece, and alive, and safe..."
(I'm happy too...Rose,) Gardevoir told her. Calling Rose by her given name as opposed to something more formal was still something she was getting used to, but the praise warmed her heart all the same.
(And I understand. I was scared, too. I'll just have to train more so I can make you proud of me.)
"I am plenty proud of you already," Rose said, sending a thought to Gardevoir. Gardevoir closed her eyes for a moment, extending her senses out, then opened her eyes and nodded. Rose smiled, wrapped her arms around Gardevoir's slender frame and pulled her in for a long, tender kiss, one Rose wouldn't dare do on live television.
(You know, if you keep showing me all this attention, Lucario is going to get jealous,) Gardevoir scolded.
"Oh, let him. He'll understand. I'll make it up to him later." She sighed contentedly, her mood improved. "Okay. Let's get you guys fixed up, shall we?"
* * * * * * *
To say lunchtime was awkward would be an understatement. Where breakfast was a lively affair, full of excitement for the tasty food and exciting battles to be had, at lunch, everyone was behaving as if someone had died. Hell, someone almost had. And no one knew that better than Quayle, who'd been ostracized by all the other competitors, save for a brief moment when a Chara-controlled Frisk went to compliment him on his sick cape and wicked Pokemon. Only Ruby and Esmeralda, wishing to remain impartial, behaved normally around him. Safiri was not present, for she was overseeing the battlefield cleanup and replacement for the second match, but she shed zero tears when Quayle lost. Serves the insolent little twit right, she'd said.
They all saw what he did. Of
course they did. Did he expect them
not to watch his match? Never mind the other competitors, what about the tens of thousands of people who saw him do it live, to say nothing of the possible millions of people who either watched it on TV or heard Ruby relay it over the radio?
What about Candice?
Quayle tried not to think about that as he resumed eating.
Kiria, Windra, and Nye (who made a big deal in front of Quayle about asking Windra and Kiria if she could sit with them) ate at the table across from where Quayle sat, sitting specifically so Nye's back was to him. Thresher, Taikyu and Alex ate at another table, although Alex looked so disinterested that he thought he was going to die of boredom. Eldan, who was sitting alone nearby, wished he would. At least then he wouldn't be blocking his view of Esmeralda, who was happily chatting with Ruby and Frisk. Lenny and Tsomu sat and traded cooking tips, each drawing on their unique life experiences to help improve the culinary skills of the other. Rose, unsurprisingly, hadn't shown up, and Scarlet had taken it upon herself to bring the poor girl some food. Cody and Jethro decided to skip lunch and get in some training, but Kyro couldn't resist the call of hunger and gave in. He barged into the room, ecstatic after coming off of another win (against Cody this time), but paused when he saw how gloomy everyone was; even he seemed to be able to sense the tension in the air. Confused, he made his way over to the food table as Thresher came up for more.
"What's wrong with everyone, Mr. Thresher?" the boy asked.
"Everyone is raging at Quayle," Thresher explained. "He hurt Rose's Pokemon pretty badly."
Kyro nodded. He remembered seeing Gardevoir nearly drowning. "Why did Mr. Quayle tell his Pokemon to do that?"
"That," Thresher said, leaning down to speak at the boy's level, "is the $100 million question, innit?" He patted the boy's head, got his food, and sat back down with the others. "Sorry, lads," Thresher said. "Just getting more of this delicious food. You were saying, Taikyu?"
"Nothing else, I hope," Alex complained. "I do not remember asking you to sit with me. Either of you," he added, glaring at Thresher.
"Ya should be glad we did decide and sit with ya. Or did ya like sittin' alone at breakfast?" Thresher countered.
"This salad is delicious," Taikyu stated, taking a large bite to emphasize this. He closed his eyes as he chewed, making a point to make an "mmmmmmm" sound so Alex could hear it. "Such flavors. You submitted this dish to the cooking staff, yes?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"If you
must know, yes, I did," Alex said with a smug grin. "The Slowpoke tails are imported from Kalos. Even though you can find plenty of Slowpoke in Kanto, the Kalos region's climate has an effect on the way the tails taste." He took a bite of his own salad. "The vinaigrette is made with both juiced and crushed Sitrus Berries, also imported - from Hoenn - as Kanto is not very well suited for berry growth. The chefs here are nowhere near as skilled as my own personal chefs back home, so if you think
this salad is good, then you should visit Father's restaurant in Kalos, though I sincerely doubt the likes of
you would be let anywhere near there." He directed that last statement at the shirtless Taikyu with more than a hint of disgust in his voice. He noticed his plate, now empty, and saw an opportunity to escape. "I think I will enjoy some more. If you will please excuse me." He stood up, gathered his plate, pushed his chair in, and left.
Thresher smiled, leaning in towards Taikyu. "Hook, line, and sinker. Real bawbag, ain't he?"
Taikyu nodded slightly as he ate. He didn't particularly approve of Thresher's term - if his memory wasn't failing him and it indeed meant what he thought it did - but there was no denying that, to some degree, he was right. "It wasn't all a ruse. The salad really is delicious. Have you tried it? The vinaigrette adds just the right amount of flavor, and the greens--"
"Okay, okay, I get yer point," Thresher said with a laugh, taking a bite of his own lunch, steamed crab with vegetables. "I don't each much salad back home. More of a fish man, myself, but I will admit it does look quite tasty. You looking forward to our match, old man?"
"Yes, of course. I hope you won't go easy on me just because I'm old," Taikyu said, smiling.
"Ha! No chance o'that, to be sure. In fact, it's
because you're old that you'll be gettin' nothin' less than our all. Some of the others might think you've got no chance, but you ask me? I say they're forgettin' what we had ta do to get here. We
all did it, even that horse's arse, Alex, hard as it is to believe that," Thresher said with a chuckle. "We're pretty simple folk where I come from. Simple and respectful. We were all taught to show our elders the respect they're due, and Taikyu, my friend, you are definitely worthy of respect. Around Pacifidlog, folks your age aren't as serious about battlin', or nearly as traveled. You've got a look in yer eyes that tells me you've seen some shit over the years."
That was an understatement. "A fair bit," Taikyu replied evenly. "So, you show respect to your elders, do you? Does this mean you'll be forfeiting the match to me? My youngest Pokemon is nearly old enough to be your father."
His opponent laughed. "Ah, good try, but no. I'll be beating you fair and square, old man, but you can rest assured I'll do my best to give you a battle worth writin' home about."
Taikyu smiled, but said nothing. "What did you think about the battle this morning?"
Thresher sat back in his chair, sipped his drink. "Aye, that was some battle! I'm not sayin' I agree with Quayle's fightin' style... or the cape... but it sure kept me on the edge of my seat! And Rose, the poor lass. She must have been scared to death. Was quick thinkin' that likely saved her Pokemon's life and gave her the win. She'll be a tough opponent, for sure."
Taikyu nodded, partaking in his own beverage. "Yes, definitely." A hint of a smile appeared on his lips. "I'll be sure to let you know how she was after our battle."
At this, Thresher laughed openly. "Is that right? Well, you'd best hope you can fight as well as you can brag, old man, because we'll hold nothing back!"
Taikyu raised his glass. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
And they toasted.
* * * * * * *
Meanwhile, alone at a corner table, Quayle brooded. He had come
so close to winning. He would have sworn that Rose was mere seconds away from throwing the match. That damn wish. He growled to himself, gripping his fork harder in his hand. And just like that, his dream of winning was shattered. Not only was it embarrassing to lose, but he was the first competitor out! It made his blood boil. And to make matters worse, everyone was ignoring him. It wasn't his fault he'd lost! Even Lady Nye had literally turned her back on him. He noticed the younger of the two nomads constantly stealing glances at him, then whispering something back at Lady Nye. Quayle could tell from the look on her face that these were not the same looks he'd gotten from giggly young girls too shy to talk to him. No, she was mad at him, but the frequency at which she looked at him was starting to get on his nerves. Finally, when he caught her looking, he asked, simply, "What?"
"Shut up, you big jerk," Windra spat at him.
"What the hell's your problem? I've done nothing to you. I don't even know you," Quayle spat back.
"Windra, wait," Kiria said, already getting up from her chair to stop Windra from doing the exact thing she said she'd do if Quayle gave her any lip.
But it was too late. Before Kiria or Nye could stop her, Windra practically flew out of her chair, sending it crashing loudly to the floor, marched over to where Quayle was sat, drew her fist back, and drove it square into the middle of Quayle's face. He stumbled backwards in his seat, falling to the ground. Thresher got up from his seat and hurried over, intent on defusing the situation. "That was for Gardevoir, you creep!" Nye and Kiria restrained her, each taking an arm. Windra shook Nye off her fairly easily, but Kiria held firm. "Let me go! I'm fine. I'm fine," she repeated, calmer this time. Nye relented, but Kiria didn't let her go.
Windra was about to walk to her seat when Quayle scrambled to his feet. What the hell was wrong with these women?? It's not like he'd actually killed the stupid Gardevoir. A couple hours in the Pokemon Center and she'd be as good as new. What was the big deal? "You bitch," he growled, feeling to confirm that yes, she'd bloodied his nose. Windra smirked when she saw the damage she'd caused. "Stupid bitch!" he raised his hand and moved to strike her, but Thresher grabbed his raised arm hard and yanked him away.
"Are ye daft, lad?!" Thresher yelled, gripping Quayle's inside shoulder with another strong arm, preventing him from moving anywhere. "Never, ever raise yer fist to a lady." He walked away from the crowd, forcing Quayle to step with him. "Yer a man, right? Start actin' like it," Thresher warned, his voice low, "or I'll be givin' you somethin' worth worryin' about. Get me?" He emphasized these last two words by shaking him. Quayle nodded immediately. "Good." Thresher turned back to the crowd that had formed and wrapped his arm around Quayle. "It's okay, everyone. Quayle here just had a lapse in judgment and was about to apologize to dear Windra here. Weren't you, buddy?" Quayle muttered something no one could hear. "Sorry, mate, I don't think she heard you. Say again?"
"Sorry," Quayle said, his voice laced with venom, glaring daggers at Windra that told her and everyone else that he was anything but. No one, not even Thresher, had expected Quayle to be sincere about his apology, but the fact that he was being made to go through the motions of it combined with how humiliating it was for him to be made to do it was plenty. Thresher wanted to bring him down a peg, and he'd succeeded in bringing him down several.
"Great! That's a good lad. See? All a big misunderstanding,
right?" Thresher asked, giving Quayle a slap on the back that may or may not have been unnecessarily hard. The second Thresher released his death grip on Quayle, he was pushing his way past Eldan and Lenny, walking out as fast as his legs would take him.
* * * * * * *
Safiri looked at her watch. It was nearly time to start the next match. She briskly made her way to the main arena to make sure that the next field had been preset. While it appeared to be randomly selected to the crowd, in truth, the battlefield was decided long before the match actually happened. This saved loads of time, as it took nearly twenty minutes to safely rotate one arena out and another one in. So while the selection of the field really was random, it wasn't as spontaneous as League officials would have you believe.
Finding everything in order there, she returned to her office and sent a page to both Taikyu and Thresher requesting that they please report to the stadium. While she had nothing against either man, and didn't think they would be late, the incident with Quayle had thrown her off a little, and she didn't want any more surprises. Better safe than sorry. She made a note on her clipboard to include Quayle's insubordination in her daily report to Mr. Diamant. Though he had lost his match, she wanted to stress that he was definitely
not the type of trainer that they were looking for - just in case.
"We don't want people like him involved in this project, do we?" she asked Glaceon as she left her office; Glaceon growled to show her displeasure. The two made their way to the west side of the stadium to meet Taikyu and were out in less than a minute. When she experienced a similar result with Thresher, Safiri smiled widely, sighing contentedly. Now that was more like it. Both men were respectful, addressing her as ma'am or miss, didn't dawdle in their decision, and they had both been waiting patiently for her when she arrived. It made her especially glad that Quayle had lost his match; any further interactions with him would be kept at a minimum. This put an extra perk in her step as she headed back to the main arena to report the battlers' lead Pokemon and take her seat for the next battle.
Fanfare played to signal that the next battle was about to start, and it didn't take much effort on Ruby's part to bring the crowd's cheers to new heights. They'd been spoiled by a phenomenal first battle, and they were hungry for more. "It's time for the second match! Let's get right into it and bring out our competitors! Approaching the east platform is a man old enough to be your grandpa! Don't let his age fool you, though; he breezed through the Hau'oli City qualifying tournament! He may be the oldest trainer ever to grace this stage, but will he also be the best? We're about to find out if he's got what it takes to make it to round two! Give it up for Taikyu!"
Taikyu walked calmly to his platform, addressing the crowd to build hype, the same way Ruby asked both him and Thresher to do. His Pokemon were as ready as they'd ever be, and so was he. All four of them were prepared to fight with everything they had, and it would be a fine learning experience, regardless of the outcome. Taikyu took a deep breath, drinking in the warm afternoon air, then let it out, letting all his fears escape with it.
It was time to go to work.
"And on his way to the west platform is a humble fisherman from Pacifidlog Town, on a journey to find Mirage Island! We don't know where it is, but we do know that his journey took him all the way to the top of the Olivine City qualifying tournament! Will this handsome hunk have what it takes to topple Taikyu? We're only seconds away from finding out! Please put your hands together for Thresher Fessco!"
If Quayle thought for a moment that he had a lock on ladies who wanted a piece of him, he was proved wrong the second Thresher came into view. The shrill screams of young ladies briefly overpowered the general roar of the crowd; an ocean of dark blue flags made it clear that he was the favorite.
Thresher was not as confident. His team was custom made for the sea, and if they weren't lucky enough to draw the water field, there'd be a lot of improvisation going on. He tried not to let the look of disappointment come across his face as Esmeralda revealed that the normal field had been chosen. This was definitely the worst battlefield for his team. At least with the fire field, he could use water to create a smoke cover. Corsola could shatter some of the ice on the ice field and use it as a weapon. Even the grass field would have been preferable to literally nothing. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide - just his Pokemon and Taikyu's Pokemon. It would be a true test of strength.
The safety shields went up, and Esmeralda - who was just as excited to get things started - said the magic words. "Trainers, release your Pokemon!"
"Rikan, go!"
"Prickles, I choose you!"
"And from Thresher, we've got a Ferrothorn! Looks like Taikyu's gone with Lycanroc! It's true that the Midnight Form is better at close combat fighting than its Midday Form, but those barbs on Ferrothorn sure look sharp! How is Taikyu going to - wait, what's this? Taikyu has recalled Lycanroc, folks!" Ruby was surprised to see Taikyu recall Lycanroc immediately, and so was the crowd.
Taikyu knew that this would be a horrible matchup. Though he probably could power through Prickles' defenses with sheer strength alone, those barbs would be murder on Rikan's thirty-year-old hands. It would be unlikely he'd be in any shape to continue fighting, even if he were victorious, and Taikyu didn't want to take that sort of risk this early on. He'd have to take advantage of Prickles's bad speed to win. "Hansha, go!"
The giant Pokemon, standing more than a foot taller than Taikyu, lifted its massive claws and roared in an attempt to assert dominance. If the cameras had been on Thresher instead of Taikyu's Necrozma at that point, they would have seen a look of real worry on his face. He remembered the way Rose's team had been destroyed by Shifter, and this...
thing looked to be at least twice as strong. The way the light refracted inside its body gave it almost a rainbowlike appearance. "All right, Prickles, let's show Taikyu you're not afraid of a wee 'mon like that! Stealth Rock, go!"
"Hansha! Charge Beam!"
Ferrothorn's body glowed white briefly before firing several beams around the field. The beams solidified into large stone pillars; some planted themselves in the ground, and others stayed floating in midair. Necrozma took advantage of this opening by firing a focused beam of electricity into Ferrothorn. Thresher felt more than a little concern when he saw that Ferrothorn actually flinched from being struck with the move.
That's some power, he thought.
I've got to close this gap. "Prickles, use Power Whip! Don't let Hansha escape!"
Ferrothorn threw out two of his tendrils far, latching onto two of the levitating stones, then pulled himself forward like a slingshot, sending it flying through the air. Taikyu was taken off guard by this, not expecting the creative use of Stealth Rock. "Hurry, out of the way!"
Though his movement ability was hindered by all the floating rocks, he was able to dodge as Ferrothorn landed with a bang. Ferrothorn stayed on the offensive, attempting another Power Whip, and this time, Necrozma blocked it with one of its giant claws, only to be surprised by Ferrothorn's barbed tendril becoming stuck inside it. "Aye, that's it, Prickles!" Thresher encouraged his Pokemon. "You've hooked a big one! Now use Rock Climb!"
Ferrothorn leaped, pulling himself in towards Necrozma with impressive speed, and smashed Necrozma hard in the face. Ferrothorn dug his tendril deeper into Necrozma's arm, and used another one to repeatedly bash his opponent. Taikyu smiled. "Autotomize! Cut yourself loose!" Necrozma reached over to its right shoulder and ripped its own arm clean off, letting it fall to the ground with a thud. Necrozma made a mad dash for the other side of the field as more of it dropped off as if it were shedding a layer of skin - first its shoulder spikes, then the spikes on its head, then finally the huge piece on its one remaining hand fell to the ground. Both Ruby and the crowd were going crazy - surely this battle couldn't get any more intense. Taikyu with his next command, was about to prove them wrong. He didn't fault Thresher for not knowing about Hansha. Not many people did. Fewer still knew of his most powerful attack, and Taikyu was confident that Thresher would be kicking himself when he'd realized just how much he helped Taikyu by placing those rocks around the field. "Hansha! Prismatic Laser!"
Necrozma gathered energy in both its hands (despite one of them being detached, much to Ferrothorn's horror) and fired, bouncing it off the rocks Thresher had placed. With each ricochet, the beams grew larger, tearing through Ferrothorn and doing massive amounts of damage. Only Ferrothorn's impressive bulk and resistance to Psychic-type attacks allowed him to remain standing after such a hit. Thresher, for his part, was visibly terrified. He'd never seen an attack like that before, and it brought back memories of Shifter using Psycho Boost to annihilate Rose's team. He didn't want to risk having Hansha roll him over in a similar method, so Thresher did what he figured was the most likely way to eliminate Hansha - he'd hit the reset button. The great equalizer. He'd be down a Pokemon, but so would Taikyu, and he'd rather deal with the non-legendary ones any day of the week. "Prickles, use Explosion! Can't let our teammates take that prism attack!"
Taikyu could only watch helplessly as Ferrothorn used the last of his strength to overload his own body. All the Mr. Mime outside the arena made sure to reinforce their barriers - this was going to be a big one. At last, Ferrothorn exploded, reducing the rocks to rubble and sending Necrozma crashing lifelessly into the wall. The crowd went wild as Esmeralda declared both Pokemon defeated, and explained that Thresher would be the first to send out his Pokemon since he forced the double KO.
"That took guts," Taikyu commented.
"Aye. I didn't want to do it, but I couldn't very well let you run me down with one Pokemon, could I?"
"No, I suppose not. Prickles was very strong. I was impressed by his speed and tenacity."
"We're just gettin' started, old man! Predator, I choose you!"
Thresher's Huntail landed on the ground, and the crowd became a little quieter as some people started to question what Thresher was up to. Taikyu considered Thresher's reasons for using Predator over Corsola. There was the type matchup, for one. Rikan would effortlessly dismantle the poor thing; he didn't need to be a Fighting-type for that. Without water, Predator would be at a slight disadvantage, but it was something Rikan and his in-your-face battle style could take clear advantage of. Taikyu decided to trust in this strategy as he released his Pokemon. "Rikan, go!"
No sooner had Lycanroc hit the field did Thresher give his command. "Let's pick up the pace! Shell Smash, Predator!!"
Taikyu realized immediately what Thresher had planned to do. Fortunately, he had a backup strategy planned. "Rikan! As Predator comes out, use Scary Face!"
Huntail started to glow in a bright white light that seemed to solidify around his body; bright red cracks began to appear in it. Lycanroc dashed forward, reaching Huntail just as he shattered the covering, and made a scary face, surprising Huntail and causing him to leap backwards. "Now, Rikan! Rock Tomb!"
Lycanroc raised both his hands in the air, forming a large silvery ball, and tossed it at Huntail, landing a direct hit and sending him backwards. Lycanroc threw out three more of these balls - one behind and to either side of Huntail - limiting Huntail's movement. Thresher remained unfazed, however; in fact, in Rikan's attack, he saw a possible opening, but would Taikyu go for it? "Predator! Use Aqua Tail to send that attack back!"
From within the stone confines, Huntail flipped his water-enhanced tail like a bat, sending the large stone in front of him. flying towards Lycanroc. The attack came with impressive speed, and there was no way Lycanroc was going to be able to dodge it in time. Lycanroc instinctively thrust his paw out as the rock connected, shattering it and sending shards of it flying everywhere, and Thresher was overjoyed. "Waterfall!" he commanded, and Huntail dashed forward, his path clear. He connected with Lycanroc with a powerful headbutt, sending him crashing into the wall, defeated.
"Lycanroc is unable to battle!" Esmeralda declared. "Huntail is the winner!"
"Great job, Predator! One more and we're on our way to round two!"
"Rikan, return... that was quite impressive, Predator! And you too, Thresher! I see I have underestimated you, but I will not make that mistake again. Now you face Seinaru! Go! Aether Comet!"
"Wait, hold on, Aether
what?"
Seinaru, Taikyu's Drampa, burst from his Poke Ball with a deep roar. As he landed, a large orange ball formed from his mouth, one Thresher recognized as similar to Draco Meteor. Instead of shooting it skyward, however, Drampa held it and whipped up a huge blizzard. Drampa shot the ball forward as the blizzard struck it, sending smaller shards of the ice-infused energy raining onto Huntail and all over the battlefield. The remaining energy dissipated into the air, reacting with the snow and creating small auroras throughout the arena. Esmeralda, mesmerized by the sight, nearly forgot to officially declare Huntail defeated before she came to her senses and did so.
Thresher reluctantly recalled his Pokemon. "Christ above, Taikyu, that was a hell of an attack!"
Taikyu grinned. "Are you impressed? I don't use it very often. You should consider yourself lucky that you got to see it."
"That so? Well, you'd better hope Seinaru's ready, because I've saved the best for last! Coral, I choose you!"
Thresher's Corsola emerged, and she rocked back and forth happily. Seinaru towered over the much smaller Pokemon, and he extended his lengthy neck and roared. Corsola frowned and "roared" back, unwilling to be intimidated by the larger Pokemon's size. "That's my girl! Show Seinaru what you can do, startin' with an Earth Power!"
Corsola focused and a large orange crack appeared in the ground. It sped towards Drampa's position, giving Taikyu little time to react. "Fly up!"
"Oh come on, yer shittin' me, he
flies?!"
Drampa lifted himelf into the air as the Earth Power launched, missing Drampa completely. "Excellent, Seinaru! Use Thunderbolt!"
Thresher was quick to counter. "Coral, use Protect to block it, then Blizzard! Knock Seinaru out of the sky!" Drampa's attack came raining down - much weaker than Thresher had expected it to be - and it fizzled harmlessly on Corsola's shield. Corsola then looked to the sky and shouted, summoning her own blizzard. It struck Drampa hard, forcing him to land and regroup. "Great job, Coral!"
Taikyu was not deterred. "Energy Ball, Seinaru! Decisive attack!" Drampa summoned the energy from all over the field, forming a greenish-blue ball in front of his mouth. It fired this ball at a wide-eyed Corsola, who leaped behind a rock to evade it. "Chase Coral down, Seinaru! Energy Ball, keep up the pressure!"
Immediately, Drampa was in the air again, firing Energy Ball after Energy Ball at Corsola, who had to alternate between Protect and rolling around the rocks to evade. It was clear Corsola was getting tired, though, and the attack would hit eventually, and it would be lights out... or would it?
Wait, would it? Thresher thought back to the Thunderbolt attack. It looked weak, but Seinaru hadn't even taken any damage. Why was it so weak? It couldn't have been the Aether Comet, could it? Maybe it was - the attack did look an awful lot like Draco Meteor. Maybe they had similar side effects. He hated to take a page out of Quayle's playbook, but Seinaru was relentless in his attacks, and it was only a matter of time before one connected. "Coral!" Thresher shouted. "I've got an idea! Get yourself hit by one of those Energy Balls..."
Just as Thresher said that, Drampa shot another attack. Corsola stood perfectly still and the Energy Ball hit her directly, sending her tumbling and crashing into the wall. Thresher's look of worry turned to joy as he saw Corsola, badly damaged and on her last legs, get up off the ground! "Oh, Coral, you sweet thing! I knew you could do it! Now Mirror Coat it right back!"
Corsola screamed as all the energy from the attack surrounded her body, growing to massive proportions, and then shot outward in a wave, crashing into Drampa, making him roar in pain. Taikyu slammed his hands on the podium. "Quick, Seinaru, Roost!" But the moment the words left his lips, Drampa fell to the ground, all his energy gone.
"Drampa is unable to battle! The winner is Corsola, which means the match goes to Thresher Fessco!"
Both players withdrew their Pokemon and met in the center of the stage. The two men shook hands, both smiling, neither having any hard feelings for the battle result. It was a welcome change, Esmeralda thought, from the sobbing, wet mess that had capped this morning's battle.
* * * * * * *
When Thresher and Taikyu came back from their battle, they found the other competitors - minus Quayle - waiting for them at the entrance to the dormitory wing. They applauded the two on a fantastic battle. Lenny gave Taikyu a firm handshake as Scarlet gave Thresher a big hug. Even Rose was there, congratulating Thresher on his win and expressing an interest in learning more about Hansha from Taikyu. And even though Taikyu hadn't won his battle, they'd all come to respect him as a competitor a little more, and any fear that had been present on his arrival was completely gone now.
Since they had a few hours before dinner, the gang went their separate ways. Taikyu decided to indulge Rose in her curiosity about Hansha as best he could. He offered his arm to the young lady, which she happily accepted, and the two headed towards the Pokemon Center to get his Pokemon healed. Thresher, not wanting to stall in getting his team healthy, decided to follow them.
Kyro convinced Frisk to practice with him, and the two headed for the practice wing, with Cody in tow as referee. Lenny retired to his room to relax and watch some TV, and Jethro did the same after Lenny made his plans known. Eldan and Alex bickered with each other as they made their way to the cafeteria; Eldan was trying to convince Alex that since Taikyu had barely lost the battle, he shouldn't have to pay up the $10,000 they'd bet on the fight. Tsomu went to the kitchen to help with dinner preparation - though the cook had recovered, everyone had loved his cooking (and appreciated his help) so much that they allowed him and Bae to help with all the meals, if he chose to.
Quayle, emerging from his room at long last, approached the four girls who were left in the hallway. Windra glared death at him. "What do
you want?" The others turned to see Quayle standing before them, hood off and hair out.
"To apologize. Really," Quayle said when Windra laughed at him. "Thresher was right. My fiancee... well, she's probably my ex-fiancee now... I would never dream of hitting her. I'm ashamed of myself for that. Can you forgive me?"
"No!" Windra shouted, incredulous. "Don't be ridiculous! You almost--" she lowered her voice. "You almost killed Rose's Gardevoir, and called me a bitch besides! And you think you can just go sulk for an hour and expect everything to be okay?"
"No, I suppose not," Quayle said, a little dejected. He looked up. "Nye. I need to talk to you. Privately. Will you join me in my room?"
Nye looked at him questioningly. He seemed serious enough, even going so far as to drop the title. Like Windra, she was pissed as hell at him, but unlike Windra, she was at least slightly willing to hear him out. She made a show of sighing, hoping it would be enough to get the backpackers off her back.
It wasn't. Windra interjected immediately. "Don't tell me you're actually thinking of talking to this creep! Think of what he did!"
"I know what he did," Nye said coolly. "And thank you, Windra, but I'm capable of making my own choices." God, she hated it when people tried to make decisions for her. She'd had enough of it as a child, and now that she was on her own, she'd be damned if she'd let anyone think they could get away with doing it now. Nye looked back at Quayle and sized him up. Being his friend was definitely taking its toll on her. She certainly wouldn't lose any social status by publicly denouncing him; if anything,
she made
him look better. But Nye could see something in his eyes that the others couldn't - a hint of the old Quayle. The one who'd rather die than raise his hand in anger to anyone, man or woman. The one who'd shared a tent with her during a camping trip when wild Pokemon made off with hers. The one who'd convinced Candice to fall in love with a man whose ambition and drive to be successful was unparalleled. Nye saw a hint of that seemingly long-dead person standing before her, so she'd indulge him. What was the worst that could happen? "Sure, Quayle."
The three remaining ladies could only stare in wonder as Nye and Quayle walked down the hallway to his room and swiped them in. The lock clicked behind them, and then there was silence.
"Those two are
so a thing," Scarlet commented.
"Um, ew," Windra said, crossing her arms. "But, then again, maybe it's possible, what with how easily she went with him..."
"Come on, don't start rumors," Kiria scolded.
"Pfft. Yes,
Mom," Windra shot back. "Seriously, though, what does she see in him?" She grabbed Scarlet's waist and pulled her in close to her. Windra looked into Scarlet's brown eyes with her own of light green, and said, "Oh, Quayle! You've been such a naughty boy! Say my name, you dirty, dirty beast, and kiss me!"
Scarlet took one look into those beautiful, perfect green eyes, those eyes she could get lost in for days, closed her eyes, and complied. "Rose..."
No sooner had the word left her lips did both Windra and Scarlet freeze. Scarlet's eyes shot open immediately as she realized her mistake; she turned red as a beet and started to run away, but Windra grabbed her with a deceptively strong arm. "Whooooooooooooa, where do you think you're going? This is huge!"
No, Scarlet decided, this is the end of the world. Was she really in this deep? How could she make a blunder that huge? "Let me go! I have to go die!"
"Ohhhh no you don't, you need to spill! Come on, into my room, you too, Mom!" Windra unlocked the nearby door and ushered both ladies inside. She practically shoved Scarlet onto her bed, making sure the door was locked so she couldn't escape. "Now talk! You have a crush on Rose?"
"Shhh!" Scarlet said, her eyes darting around the room, expecting to find the walls were now made of mesh and everyone on either side of their room was now privy to this information. "...Yes."
"I
told you she did!" Windra exclaimed triumphantly to Kiria.
"Just got lucky is all," Kiria said, sitting on the bed next to Rose. "Well, I think that's wonderful. You're a very pretty young lady. And how does Rose feel about this?"
"She doesn't know," Scarlet admitted. "I don't want to embarrass myself in front of her, just in case she isn't, y'know...into girls."
Kiria wrapped a strong, yet comforting arm around Scarlet, and she had a sudden urge to snuggle into the older woman's body. It was an urge that she barely avoided giving into. "Only she could tell you that. I don't think that she would stop being your friend if it turned out she didn't want to be with you romantically. Is she single?"
"I-I don't know," Scarlet stammered out. She hadn't even thought of that, and it embarrassed her.
"Well," Kiria began, "that's something else that only she can tell you. And who knows? Maybe she's thinking the same thing about you." She pulled Scarlet in for a hug. "I haven't talked to her much. Tell me about her."
Scarlet's eyes lit up. "She's beautiful. Her hair's kinda long, about the same length as yours," she said, gesturing at Windra. "Hers is kinda frizzy though, and it's a really pretty shade of red that I'm super jealous of. I'm a natural redhead too, but mine's more of a dingy brown and super ugly, so I just dyed it. She has these amazing eyes, oh my
lord those eyes. Bright, shining green, like Esmeralda's, but a little more subdued. The way she smiles at me, the way her mouth curves up ever so slightly, it gives me goosebumps. And she's already a Rank 10 Ranger, which is the pretty much the best you can be. She's only seventeen and she co-founded a brand new Ranger chapter in Johto! She's done so much and she's only been a Ranger for about a year longer than me."
Kiria nodded knowingly. "That sounds pretty impressive. What else?"
What else? What else was there? Scarlet tried to remember the conversation she'd had yesterday. "Oh, she was born in Goldenrod City in Johto. That's where she opened the new chapter, too."
Kiria sighed, gave Scarlet a playful squeeze. "You know, you kinda remind me of one of my ex-boyfriends."
Windra pulled up a chair, turned it around, and leaned on its back. "Story time!"
Kiria looked at the clock. Yeah, she could spare some time. She left her arm around Scarlet as she talked. "His name was Merrick. He was kind, but kinda mousy, y'know, never really stood out, let alone wanted to. He'd come into my work every so often - I was a tour guide for the Olivine City Lighthouse at the time - and after a while it became clear that he was there to see me. He would show up for tours multiple times a week, sometimes even two or three times in one day. He was kinda cute, so I introduced myself to him after I'd finished a tour." She chuckled. "He wasn't expecting that. I asked him if he'd join me for a walk on the beach and a swim after my shift was over, and of course he accepted, but asked if he could take me to dinner first. I figured that was fine, so I let him.
"He took me to a real fancy place. Live music, candlelight, the works. He even bought me this beautiful black dress to wear just for our date. I learned he was a history buff, with a focus on Johto. He even told me some things about the lighthouse that I didn't even know, which I thought was quite impressive, considering he was only nineteen and it was literally my job to know things about the lighthouse. We never did actually swim, now that I think of it, which is a shame, because I had this really cute swimsuit that he would have gone nuts over."
"So what happened?" Scarlet asked, still wondering how this story related to her.
"He asked me out at the end of our date. I was seventeen and broke, so I said yes. We dated for about a month, and we a lot of fun. He treated me like a queen...told me I was beautiful every day...bought me anything I wanted...wasn't pushy when it came to intimacy...overall, just a real gentleman, you know? You should have seen the way his face lit up whenever he saw me. He was over the moon just to be seen with me on his arm."
"That sounds wonderful," Scarlet said dreamily. She could see herself treating Rose the same way.
"If it was so good, why'd you guys break up?" Windra asked.
Kiria removed her arm from around Scarlet, forcing Scarlet to face her. "Scarlet, do you know what Rose's favorite color is?"
"Huh? Um..." Scarlet searched her brain for the answer. Did that come up? She furrowed her brow. "I don't know."
"That's okay. What about her biggest fear?"
"I don't know," Scarlet said simply. "We never talked about anything like that."
"Merrick and I didn't, either," Kiria explained. "He was wealthy, and kind, and to this day, he's the most attentive and considerate lover I've ever had. But he seemed more interested in being seen with me than really getting to know me. I still remember his favorite color is green, and that he hates Water Pokemon. He told me he loved me after three weeks, and it was then that I started to really consider our relationship, and what it was. How could he love me if he couldn't even tell me what I'm passionate about? How could he love me if he'd never once seen me cry, or expressed an interest in traveling together?
"It started feeling like he was more in love with my looks than my soul, and I started feeling cheap and used. I saw things in a way I hadn't when we first started dating. Remember the dress I told you that he bought me for our first date? It had a plunging neckline, which showed off the girls quite nicely. I didn't think anything of it at first, because it was a gift and I didn't want to seem ungrateful, but I hated it. All the clothes he bought me: tight-fitting dresses and lingerie." She shook her head ruefully. "A week later, I returned his dresses, broke up with him, quit my job, packed my stuff, and hopped on a boat to Kanto." A smirk. "I kept the lingerie, though. It was super cute, and I liked the way I looked in it."
An image came unbidden into Scarlet's mind, and she tried her hardest to shoo it away before she telegraphed any more of her feelings to her fellow competitors.
"Do you understand now, Scarlet?" Kiria asked. Scarlet looked like she was going to say something, but hesitated, so Kiria went on. "What did you tell me when I asked you to tell me about Rose? What was the first thing out of your mouth?
She's beautiful. You didn't tell me about Rose, you told me what she looks like. I already know what she looks like, honey. I wanted you to tell me about
her. I know you've only just met a day ago, so it's not fair to expect you to know her inside and out. What I'm trying to say is... try. Learn what makes her tick. What makes her happy, what makes her sad, her birthday, her most cherished memory...little things like that. And if it turns out that she doesn't want a relationship with you, you'll at least have made an amazing friend."
Scarlet took in the older woman's words. Learn more about Rose? Of course she planned on learning more about her. Right? She paused to consider that up until this point, she'd expressed little to no interest in learning about her. She'd asked once, when she and Rose met, but Scarlet had derailed that train almost immediately, and the subject went right back to her.
Wow. Am I really that selfish?
Windra broke the silence that followed Kiria's story. She stood up and stretched her arms to the sky, briefly exposing her stomach to the other girls. "Well, Mom, that was a great story."
Kiria threw her a stern look. "I'm thirty-one. Hardly old enough to be your mom."
Windra paid her no mind. "Look at that icy glare! Brrr, where's the thermostat, it's freezing in here!"
"Are you seeing anyone right now, Kiria?" Scarlet asked with genuine curiosity.
"I haven't seriously dated anyone since Merrick," Kiria told her. "The whole time we were together, I didn't do any traveling, and that's another reason I left him. Relationships are nice, but seeing the world and meeting new people and Pokemon is what I'm really passionate about, far more than any man. There's no caging this bird," she finished with a smile.
"So you're straight," Scarlet said, sounding a little more reluctant than she'd meant to.
Kiria saw the look of panic come across her face and pulled Scarlet in for another hug. "Yeah. But if I were of that persuasion, and I were a decade younger, I'd totally be interested."
"N-no, that's not what I meant! Ugh. You just seemed so knowledgeable about this sort of thing, I was hoping that I could come to you for advice or something, you know?" She looked over at Windra, who waggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Let me guess, you're straight too?"
Windra held out her hand, and Scarlet took it. Windra pulled Scarlet to her feet and spun her around, pushing her against a wall. She took the hand that held Scarlet's and pinned it above her head, then slowly dragged her other hand down Scarlet's side, finally allowing it to rest on her hip.
Scarlet's mind was in overdrive. A simple "no" would have sufficed, but this was okay too, right? No, of course it wasn't, Kiria was
right there and
wow Windra's stronger than she looks and what is she doing now?
Windra pushed herself up against the young girl, bringing her lips dangerously close to Scarlet's before she moved towards the back of her head. "Nope," she whispered into Scarlet's ear. "Not. One. Bit."
And in the next second, Windra backed off and sat in her chair, all smiles, acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened and leaving a bright red Scarlet breathing heavily against the wall.
"Come on, Windra, don't tease her," Kiria scolded. "She's trying to get with Rose, not you."
"I know! I think it's adorable. So I'll tell you what," she said, turning her chair towards Scarlet. "I'll try and get some info out of her, and--"
"No!" Scarlet yelled. "You'd probably end up jumping her in the shower or something. "I'll... I'll do this my way," she said, catching her breath. "But thanks, you two. You've been very helpful. And please,
please," she emphasized, looking at Windra, "Keep this a secret, okay? I don't want the others knowing."
Kiria nodded. "I will. I promise."
Windra mimed buttoning her lips. "Mer lrps rr srld!"
* * * * * * *
At dinner, all the competitors (save Quayle, who hadn't returned with Nye) congratulated both Rose and Thresher on their victories, and the conversation eventually drifted to the next day's battles. Tsomu would be battling Kiria, and Eldan - much to his delight - would be facing Nye. Frisk, Lenny, and Esmeralda all sat at a table with their meals, talking about the battle they'd witnessed earlier.
"Esmeralda, your referee outfit is so pretty," Frisk complimented. She clamped down on Chara's intent to make a rude comment, but only barely. "What's it like officiating?"
"Can't imagine it's too hard," Lenny added. "You watch the battle, make sure they don't kill each other, then tell everyone once one of 'em goes down." He raised his arm the way Esmeralda had done during the matches. "Blahblahblah has been defeated! Blahblahblah wins! ...Like that?"
Esmeralda smiled. "Yes, that's a very simple way to describe what I do. In addition to all of that, as the referee, it's my job to keep the battle going at a reasonable pace at all times. If it looks like the game state has been stalled, I have the authority to request the offending player to make a different play. If they don't, they can be disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct."
"Oh, wow," Frisk said, briefly imagining her in Esmeralda's outfit, telling a naughty trainer they'd been disqualified.
They'll never get that big! Chara chimed in.
Shut up! "Do you like doing it, Esmeralda?"
Lenny snorted. Esmeralda paid him no mind. "Yes, of course. I feel like it's my calling, you know? Like I was made to do this."
Frisk nodded out of politeness but honestly had no idea what Esmeralda meant by a "calling." Something she was made to do? Maybe she was made to drag Chara along with her for the rest of her life. That didn't sound like much fun.
Later that night, Frisk sat in her bed, sketching herself in Esmeralda's outfit. She smiled as she imagined what she might look like older, and put her ideas to paper.
I find you guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct! You are... disqualified! In Frisk's mind, she imagined Quayle was on the receiving end of her judgment, and the crowd cheered her for her ruling. You just didn't treat Pokemon that way. She looked over her work, and thought of what Chara had said about her chest. What did he know, anyway? He was just a dumb boy. And besides, she didn't even draw them that big. She erased them, drew them in a little smaller, then changed her mind and drew them the way she'd had in the first place.
She wondered what Esmeralda meant by officiating being her calling. She decided to get help from the most immediate source. "Hey Chara, what's a calling?"
I don't know, was all he said.
Frisk frowned. That wasn't the answer she was hoping for. She continued sketching, adding more details to her hair and face. "Esmeralda said it's something you were made to do, but that doesn't make sense."
If she already told you what it means, why are you asking me?
"Well, I don't know what it means for me," Frisk said, trying to fix some shading.
And you think I do? Geez, sis, just go ask someone else then!
Frisk paused. Someone else? It was late, but not too late. Who would be willing to help her at this hour? And suddenly: inspiration.
* * * * * * *
Taikyu was reading.
It was something that he learned to enjoy as a young man. It widened his vocabulary and kept his brain sharp. Over the decades, he'd amassed a large collection of several different genres, and he'd taken a few of his favorites with him to while away some free time.
Of course, now that I'm out of the tournament, I've got quite a bit more free time, don't I?
As he read, he could feel something dark approaching his room. It was her. Frisk. Or maybe it was whatever evil spirit tainted her, come to steal his soul? Whatever was outside, Taikyu heard it knock, and figured that it must have been Frisk. If there
was a demon waiting to devour his immortal soul on the other side, Taikyu doubted it would be polite enough to knock first. He rose from his bed, walked to the door, and opened it. "Come in, quickly," he said, closing the door behind her as she did so.
"Hi, Taikyu," Frisk said immediately, craning her neck up to meet the giant man's gaze. "I'm sorry to bother you so late."
"Not at all. What brings you here?"
"I just wanted to talk. Sorry about your match. Stay determined, okay?"
"I do, every single day," Taikyu said with a smile, pulling out a chair. "Please, sit. Would you like a refreshment? I've just prepared some delicious Salveyo tea."
"Um, sure," Frisk said, not wanting to be rude. Taikyu simply smiled, gathering two cups and saucers, and placing them on the counter next to the small stove that every room had.
"Did you know that, aside from water, tea is the most widely consumed drink in the world?" He removed the kettle from the stove and slowly poured its contents into the two cups. Frisk watched with equal parts fear and wonder as she saw the steam rising up from the cups, not knowing quite what she was getting herself into. "It was invented over four hundred years ago, though historians aren't in agreement on who came up with it first." He returned the kettle to the stove and carefully handed Frisk a saucer. "Now, be careful, young lady, it's very hot."
Frisk stared into the murky green liquid. She thought she saw tiny flecks of
something floating in it. People drank this?
Taikyu sat on his bed and sampled his brew. He frowned a little. "Hm. I might have added a little too much Salveyo weed... as I was saying, though the origins of tea are unclear, what we do know is that it originated in Kanto and was brought by merchants to Hoenn, who later shipped it all over the world." Taikyu took another sip of tea. "Yeah. Definitely too much. I'm sorry, you might find that a tad bitter. You should drink it before it gets cold."
"I'm sorry! You're right. Thank you for the drink," she said, bringing the cup to her lips, taking a small, tentative sip...
...and immediately wished she hadn't. Taikyu wasn't kidding when he said it was going to be bitter. She made a face at the taste, one that made Taikyu laugh. "You don't like it. Don't worry, you haven't offended me or anything," he said when she started to stammer out apologies. "It's an acquired taste, for sure. Took me almost a year before I could stand it."
Frisk delicately sat her saucer back on the counter, being careful not to spill any. "If it tastes so bad, why do you drink it?"
"If it truly tasted bad, I wouldn't have started drinking it," Taikyu said knowingly. "It's a muscle relaxant, first and foremost. In case you haven't seen, I'm an old man," he said with a wink, taking another sip of the bitter brew. "It also contains lots of vitamins that help keep you healthy. Some people will add sugar or honey to their tea to sweeten it, but doing so compromises some of the health benefits. I am admittedly guilty of having done this myself, but I have long since started drinking my tea the way it was intended to be drunk - free of additives."
Frisk said nothing, taking it all in. Taikyu had almost forgotten that the girl exuded evil. "Forgive me. I've been rambling. What can I do for you, Frisk?"
"What's a "calling", Taikyu? Esmeralda said that officiating was her calling, but I don't exactly understand what she meant by that."
Taikyu thought for a minute, and wondered if this could also be related to her evil aura. Frisk looked intently at him, awaiting his answer, and did not look even the slightest bit troubled. It was a far cry from yesterday, when she'd run from the cafeteria in tears. "A calling is when something deep inside you tells you about something that you should be doing."
"Oh! Like when I skip out on doing homework and a voice in my head tells me I should be doing that instead of drawing?"
"No, not exactly. Think of it as it relates to a job. When Esmeralda is out on the field of battle, there is a feeling of calmness and peace that comes over her. It tells her that being there is what she is meant to do in life, and that she should keep doing it."
"Oh. Sometimes I feel like that when I draw. Ever since Chara--" Frisk stopped abruptly as if caught in a lie.
"Who is Chara?" Taikyu asked.
"My little brother," Frisk said. "He died about a year ago."
This piqued Taikyu's interest. "I see," he said, thinking carefully. He had heard of the possibility of spirits, unable to move on, haunting the world of the living. If Frisk was really being haunted, it would explain why her aura felt like death incarnate. "I'm sorry for your loss. What were you saying?"
Frisk paused. Did she really want to divulge this information? His tea might have been awful, but Taikyu seemed like a genuinely nice guy, and she didn't want to risk that by revealing she was possessed by a spooky ghost boy who was intent on wreaking havoc on her whenever he felt like it. "It's not important. Say, Taikyu... what's your calling?"
It was an easy question, one he'd known the answer to for nearly thirty years. "Traveling the world, spreading the message of peace."
"Spreading peace is your job? I don't get it," Frisk admitted.
"In my prime, I was one of Ecruteak City's many sages. I and many others like me would travel all over Johto, sharing the story of Ecruteak's Brass Tower and the storm that brought it down. We offer people the chance to visit our temples and learn the legends, and perhaps offer a prayer that the legendary Pokemon might someday return one day to guide us into prosperity."
"That's it? You went around preaching a legend your entire life?"
Taikyu laughed. "No, not just that. All of us were accomplished sages. We earned money by dispelling spirits."
Now it was Frisk's turn to have her interest piqued. "Dispelled spirits?"
Taikyu knew that would get her attention. "Yes. A client would have us visit them, we'd do our thing and expel whatever spirit was troubling them, receive our payment, and be on our way."
Frisk fidgeted in her chair.
"Why do you ask, Frisk?"
Okay, now this was different. He made a living expelling spirits! Does this mean she could finally be freed from Chara? She decided that it was worth a shot. "My little brother, Chara... he lives inside me."
"What do you mean?" Taikyu asked, leaning forward. Now he was getting somewhere.
"I mean just that. Chara has been living inside me - as a ghost, spirit, whatever - ever since he died. He's got a crazy temper and sometimes he takes control of me, making me do or say terrible things. Oh! Oh, Taikyu, I'm so, so sorry about the other day. That was him that yelled at you. Please forgive me!"
Taikyu ignored her apology. He wanted more information about this spirit. "He controls you? Is he controlling you now? What kind of things does he say?"
"Um... sometimes, no, and I'd rather not repeat them," came Frisk's reply.
This was definitely different than what Taikyu was used to. He hadn't mentioned that his expertise lied in expelling Ghost Pokemon. He had no idea if his exorcist techniques could work on an actual spirit! It explained her aura, at least.
"Frisk, you said it was Chara who yelled at me yesterday. Does that mean he really can communicate with the living?"
"Yeah, and it's super annoying! Sometimes I'll be having a conversation and he'll just blurt out stupid things to make me sound like an idiot!
Not that I need any help with that! Come
on, Chara, stop that!"
Taikyu saw her eyes glow red as she said that last part. "My word... Frisk, would you allow me to speak with him?"
Frisk hesitated. "I... I don't know. I've never actually
let him take control of me - he always does it on his own, usually when he gets really, really angry. He can communicate without controlling my body, as you've just heard. Chara? Hey, Chara?"
Ugh, what is it this time?
"Will you talk to Taikyu?"
Why should I?
"Because he asked you to. He might know a way to get us separated."
Hm...I don't know. Do I get to take you for a ride while I'm doing it?
"Do you promise to behave yourself?
Chara laughed.
Nope.
Frisk crossed her arms. "Then no, you can't."
You know I don't really need your permission, right?
"You know you can't lie to me any more than I can lie to you, right? I know you won't just up and
oh man, what a rush!"
Frisk stood up and stretched. She wiggled her fingers and toes, admiring them as she did so. "
Getting these things back is always weird when you spend day after day shackled to someone's consciousness, you know?"
Taikyu saw her pupils, red like blood, as she spoke. "You're Chara."
"
Got that right, Pops!" Frisk sat back down in the chair and propped her legs up on a nearby table. "
Chara Skrif, in the flesh. Well, her flesh." She bunched her nightgown almost up to her underwear, giving Taikyu an eyeful of her legs. "
Look at that. She's so pale."
"Why do you remain in the world of the living? Frisk said you died. Can you not pass on?"
Frisk shrugged, admiring her toes. "
You got me, Gramps. I didn't ask for this. And before you ask, yes, I've tried," she said, pointing an accusatory finger at Taikyu. "
I may be a disembodied spirit, but I'm not stupid. You think I like being a girl now? Pfft. Get real. Life is shit. I have no body of my own and I'm stuck with a sister who never wants to share hers, and doesn't want me around on top of it."
"Why did you tell me to piss off yesterday?"
"
Because it was funny," Frisk replied. "
You see, one of the side effects of being an immortal ghost is not having to give a shit about anything. So I mess with her when I get bored, which, as you might expect, happens a lot. Haven't gotten her to kill anyone yet, but it's only a matter of time, you know?" Frisk stood up and walked around the room.
"Why not just harm Frisk?"
"
Tried that. Didn't go well. Remember the whole 'same consciousness' thing? That. I am her just as much as she is me. I feel what she feels, so if she kicks the bucket, I'll probably go with her. Or not. It's not like I stayed dead when Asriel died. Why should it be any different with Frisk?"
Taikyu didn't know if he was more shocked at having a conversation with a ghost, or that it had effortlessly hijacked Frisk's body and was using it as he pleased. He didn't like the implications that came with such a power, and vowed he would do everything he could to extract Chara from her and put his soul at peace. "What will you do once you've done that?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"
Make her kill again. What else? I tell you, she's the easiest person in the world to freak out. I almost made her walk out in her underwear last night. She was bawling! It was great."
"What's great about making your sister cry? She loves you, doesn't she? She wants to see you happy."
"
No she doesn't!" Frisk screamed. "
Don't give me that. Frisk doesn't give a shit about me. Frisk doesn't care if I rot in her head forever, just as long as I only come out when it's convenient for her! Well, it's not happening, Grandpa. I may not be able to kill her, but I can still make her life a living hell! It's too easy, old man. Watch this." Frisk turned her back to Taikyu as she reached up her nightgown and slid her underwear off, then picked them up, holding them out for display. "
Pikachu pattern. How predictable." Frisk took her underwear and stuck her head into it like a hat. "
Okay. The stage is set! And a-one, and a-two, and a-damn you, Chara!!"
Immediately, Frisk tore her underwear off her head and threw them on the ground, throwing herself into Taikyu's arms in tears.
"He does this all the time! I can't take this anymore! He knows how much I hate it, and he still won't stop! Help me... please, help me..."
For the first time in many years, Taikyu was rendered completely speechless. He simply held her until she cried herself to sleep for the second time in as many nights, then carefully scooped her into his arms and delivered her to her own room.
He'd put in a call to his friends in Johto. No one deserved what Frisk was being put through. There had to be something that could be done.
There just had to be.
)
