Disclaimer:
This work is fiction. The work is presented under fair protection where applicable.
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You should not read this work if you are not of legal age where you reside. This work may contain concepts or written actions that some readers may find excessive or disturbing. This may include (but not be limited to) rape, BDSM, or death.
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Chapter 22
Full Steam Ahead
The shadowy figure tapped their fingers rhythmically against their desk. Light glinted from numerous medals decorating their breast. “That’s your report?”
Miruko stood at attention, the Lopunny’s ears swinging slightly back and forth. “It is, Sir.”
The figure’s free hand flicked a page over. “There’s more here than just a report, 1309.”
Miruko gave a quick nod. “Yessir. I urge you Sir to consider a permanent handler. Immediately.”
The rhythmic tapping continued. “I see here you’ve recommended yourself for the position.” The figure glanced up. “Your recommendation is noted, but you should know well that agents do not choose their posts.”
“Sir, I am afraid I must insist. Any delay could lose the asset. I am the only one who understands him.” Her cheeks began to flush red even though she remained completely still. “I’m the only one he- I mean, the asset trusts. Who has knowledge of his, his habits, and-“
“I read here that you continue your recommendation, 1309, by mentioning how any attempt at inserting a pokegirl other than yourself as the asset’s handler would prove counterproductive.” The figure’s tapping stopped and he sighed. “It must be you. Mustn’t it.”
Miruko lifted her chin. “I must insist. Sir.”
“To do so could be considered insubordination. Are you prepared to face the consequences?”
Miruko’s eyes were resolute as she replied. “If I may speak freely. Sir?”
“Granted.”
“One way or another, I will be going to him.”
Silence fell over the office for a few minutes before the figure began to chuckle. “Then I will take this as your resignation. Surrender your equipment at the armory.” It glanced down and tapped the report. “I will notify your superiors of your new, permanent assignment.” The figure glanced back up. Miruko’s eyes glistened, but not a single tear was allowed to fall. Not until she was dismissed. “And, 1309? May I say it’s been an honor to have you. Congratulations, Miruko.” It turned fully to the desk, the trembling Lopunny forgotten. “You are dismissed.”
Miruko gasped. She’d shot upright, chest heaving, to stare at the low light of the bedroom. Her mind raced. She’d… She’d just been dreaming. That was all. It had been… It had all been a dream.
…Not all. Her hand brushed something and she glanced down, staring at the slumbering man beside her. He… He hadn’t been a dream. The night crashed over her, tears dripping down her cheeks. He was real. Her love for him was real.
The office, the resignation, that was a dream. She hadn’t been a Lopunny then. She hadn’t been sure then. But she was sure now. His presence, his comfort, had turned that memory into one of hope.
The numbers of her old life faded away as she draped herself over the man next to her and snuggled close. She had a name now. She was Miruko. His Miruko.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nicholas’ touch was gentle as he stroked and explored the intricate details of Miruko’s face. There hadn’t been the light or the time to do so before, and Miruko leaned into him, perched as she was on his lap, glowing as she let her tamer caress her.
Zisela grunted. “So this is what you wanted to tell us.”
“Mm.” Nicholas pushed his fingers into Miruko’s hair, finding where the tufts of fur sprouted and massaging the skin around them to a few appreciative sighs from the Lopunny. “This rabbit is yours now, Zisela.”
Zisela eyed Miruko. “We have had words that would color that relationship, Weyrleader.”
“You had words with a Buneary. This is a Lopunny.” Nicholas smiled when Miruko stretched into his touch, her teeth clicking together softly as she relaxed. “I would be willing to say that this Lopunny is absolutely nothing like the Buneary you ‘had words’ with before.”
Miruko’s eyes cracked open. “No, there are a few things I share with her,” she murmured. “But, overall… I would be happy if my Alpha could see me as a new pokegirl all the same.”
“Hmph.” Zisela looked around at the others. Sammy was starstruck, Quinn was indifferent, so it was only Sohn that she addressed. “Sohn. What is your opinion on letting this pokegirl join us?”
Sohn blinked. “Eh? Me?”
Zisela inclined her head slightly. “Yes. You.”
The Infernape chuckled nervously. “Why ask me?”
“There are many reasons,” Zisela replied. “However, there is one that matters above all else. Our tamer has made his opinion clear, so before I pass my own judgement, I would hear from my Beta.”
Even Miruko’s eyes turned to Sohn in surprise when Zisela said that. “I- You- Huh?” Sohn sputtered. “What did you just say?”
“I called you my Beta,” Zisela repeated firmly. “From the day I first met you, Sohn, I saw potential. I saw a pokegirl who I now believe can stand at my side.”
Nicholas raised an eyebrow. Regardless of whether or not Zisela was truthfully naming Sohn her Beta this was going to be interesting. The Infernape saw Miruko as a shadow smothering her. Helpless to resist. If she was the Beta, her voice would no longer be worthless. She could attempt to veto her addition.
He was just a few steps behind, though. Zisela was thinking of far more than just Sohn’s reaction. She waited, clearing her throat when Sohn remained silent. “I asked you your opinion on this pokegirl, Beta.”
Sohn shook herself and coughed to buy her another few seconds. “Eh-hem. Yes. Right. Well.” She swallowed as her eyes turned to Miruko. The Lopunny gazed back more inquisitively than anything. “I… I think…”
Zisela waited patiently for Sohn’s body language to calm. When the Infernape blinked and took a deep breath she smiled.
“Miruko.” Sohn stepped forwards. “I welcome you to our harem. I look forward to the day I promised you – when we become equals.” She smiled warmly. “Until then, I look forward to training with you and growing strong.”
“I… Thank you,” Miruko whispered.
Nicholas began to smile when he saw Zisela looking at Sohn approvingly. That tricky Alpha. What a play she’d just made. With a quick push of aura he found her mind and Zisela started when she heard her Weyrleader laughing.
“If she had not been worthy to be your Beta, this moment would have revealed that,” he crowed to the Garchomp. “If Miruko was not worthy to be in your harem, this moment would have revealed that. But both of them are no longer the same pokegirls as you first met. Both of them have matured.”
Zisela glanced at him as her smile flickered between approving and smug. Then he heard her speak back. “Of course, Weyrleader. As I have. As you have. Miruko will be a powerful addition to my harem.”
Nicholas winked. “OUR harem.”
That caused Zisela to laugh out loud and the connection faded when she turned her attention to Sohn, grabbing the Infernape and planting a kiss directly on the surprised girl’s lips. “I couldn’t agree more, my Beta. Miruko, I welcome you.” She turned. “However, I must insist on one thing.”
Miruko blinked. “Name it.”
“You will remember how to be a pokegirl,” Zisela growled challengingly. “And you will do so quickly. When we are done in this place I will test you before we leave. If you have not remembered by then, I will chase you away myself.”
Miruko blinked a few times before smiling nervously. “Ah.” She craned her neck to look up at Nicholas. “And, uh, when are we leaving?”
Nicholas grinned back. “I was planning on introducing you and leaving right away.” He snickered when a flash of panic passed through Miruko’s eyes. “You have nothing to fear, Miruko. You remembered last night.”
“Right, right…” Miruko quickly slipped from his lap and squirmed so that the man was somewhat between her and Zisela. “We, uh, we can’t leave yet though. Um.”
Zisela chuckled darkly. “And why not.”
“We… I haven’t fixed everything yet!” Miruko blurted out. Nicholas was laughing quietly as he listened to her grow more flustered. Delaying for time. Some things never changed. “THE COMPUTER GIRL! Uh, Kalmiya! It was Kalmiya. Kalmiya, can you come out?”
Silence met her request and Nicholas glanced back. “Kalmiya isn’t here right now. What do you need her for?”
“Errrrrr-“ Miruko giggled nervously. “I, I know my Alpha isn’t going to let me off, that’s fine, but I just, um, wanted to make sure she had a better idea of what she’s getting into?”
Any tension that may have still existed between Sohn and Miruko was fading away as Sohn listened to Miruko babble. She was chuckling amusedly, same as everyone else, as they took in the Lopunny’s antics. “I’m pretty sure Zisela knows quite well what your strength level is, Miruko,” she called with a smile. “She just doesn’t care.”
Miruko grabbed at Nicholas’ pokedex desperately. “She should really seeee…!”
Nicholas snagged the device from her. “Fine. If only to remove the excuse you’re using.” He pondered the device for a bit before casting his thoughts back to the strange radio Bill had used to call his own Porygon home. Checking the files on his pokedex he found an odd, seemingly corrupted one and chuckled. This pokedex was her home. Of course Kalmiya would have left something here to remind her where to return.
The pokedex squealed when he launched the file, various broken tones ringing out before it went dead. After a few moments Nicholas checked to make sure nothing had actually broken before raising the device and waggling it in Miruko’s direction. “She’s not coming. No more excuses.”
Miruko’s eyes darted around, searching for anything she could use. “Uhhhhh…”
“MASTER?” Nicholas yelped when the pokedex sparked and dropped it, the swarming static quickly forming into Kalmiya before she grabbed his hands. “Master, what’s wrong?”
“Oh. Was that, uh, an emergency signal?” Nicholas asked with a laugh. “Oops. Everything is fine, Kalmiya. Hi.”
“Was that a…” Kalmiya blinked before going purple. “Oh. Shit. I felt something and just assumed…” She glanced down at the pokedex. “Everything’s still here… What did you…” Very very slowly her face grew mortified. “Oh. You found… that.”
Nicholas blinked at her. “Found what?”
“NOTHING!” Kalmiya whisked the pokedex off the floor before Nicholas could more than reach for it. “Nothing, Master! I’m back. Hi.” She flashed him a winning smile. “I haven’t found anything yet though. Sorry!”
Nicholas chuckled and glanced to his side to draw Kalmiya’s attention there. “That’s fine. I figured things out while you were gone.”
Kalmiya blinked at Miruko a few times before a sly grin spread across her face. “So you did, Master.” She giggled. “I see everything worked out fine.”
“Yeah, it… did.” Miruko bit her lip. “Hey… You’re still doing that, thing, where I’m…” She glanced at Sohn. “Where my pokeball, when registered to… Master Nicholas’ harem… says I’m just a teensy bit weaker than Sohn. Right?”
Kalmiya nodded. “I never removed the flag. Didn’t expect it to matter again.”
Miruko nodded. “Right. Well, it does, so…” She hesitated before scrunching her eyes shut. No more excuses now. “Remove it. Please.”
Kalmiya shrugged. “Sure. Done.”
“…Can you show my Alpha?”
Kalmiya frowned but turned and presented the pokedex to Zisela. “I don’t see why not. Zisela?”
Zisela looked at the screen. For a few seconds she stared at it before she snorted and pushed it away. “So that’s why you said what you did yesterday.”
Miruko beamed at her. “That’s right! So maybe we should-“
“If you’re all done making excuses, step away from the house.” Zisela glanced at the shattered railing. “You’ve caused enough damage for your Master to pay for. I don’t want your body causing any more.”
Nicholas held out his hand and took the device from Kalmiya when she offered it. Miruko was still stammering, though she couldn’t back away from Zisela any more than she already was so the slowly advancing Garchomp was pushing her down the steps. He ignored them and took a look at his harem profile now.
Tamer: Nicholas Topolski
Badges:
Mine Badge
Forest Badge
Coal Badge
Relic Badge
Cobble Badge
Fen Badge
Harem:
Zisela, Garchomp (Alpha) – Level 50
Sohn, Infernape (Beta) – Level 48
Sammy, Rotom – Level 49
Quinn, Gallade – Level 48
Miruko, Lopunny – Level 65
Non-Com Harem:
Kalmiya, Porygon-Z – Level 30
His brow furrowed. “Huh. You already added the…?” He rolled his eyes before the words could finish. “What am I saying. I bet you’ve been recording every single thing you missed and just watched it all back faster than I can even think.”
Kalmiya giggled and nodded, lacing her fingers behind her back and swinging side to side happily. “Maybe.”
“So Miruko is that powerful.” Nicholas watched her fall down the stairs. “Can Zisela win?”
“Well, Master, yesterday… Yes,” Kalmiya replied. “Easily. Zisela no longer makes threats or boasts she cannot back up.”
“Yesterday, you say.” Nicholas moved to the side of the porch along with the other pokegirls as they watched Zisela stalk after the protesting Lopunny. “Before she evolved.”
“I believe the term Zisela used was that ‘Miruko is not even a pokegirl’, and that ‘you fight like your humans do’.” Kalmiya leaned against the railing with a smirk. “After last night, Master, I believe you are correct in saying that Miruko has become a pokegirl.”
Nicholas shook his head. “Maybe so, but I can’t tell if Miruko’s act right now is really because she’s nervous or not.”
“I don’t think any of us can, Master,” Kalmiya replied, sweeping her hand to indicate Sohn, Sammy, and Quinn, “and that may be their latest sister’s greatest strength.”
“Huh.” Nicholas nodded. “You know what? I think you’re right. Careful, Sohn. Seems Miruko’s a rival for you in more ways than one.”
Sohn was grinning, her teeth glistening in the light of her flames. “I’m glad, Nicholas.” Her tail whipped through the air and smacked the deck, flashing between fur and flame every second. “It’s no shadow I see anymore. Just a goal.”
Nicholas grinned and reached over to slap her on the back. “That’s my Beta.”
“We- We really don’t have to, um, to do this,” Miruko was stammering, holding out her hands pleadingly as Zisela continued to approach. They were firmly in the empty space between the bungalows now and Miruko was suddenly holding her ground. “Please, Alpha? I don’t want to hurt you.”
Zisela’s lips drew back and she loosed a low, guttural growl that ripped between clenched teeth. “Hurt me? Try it.”
Miruko was still holding her hands out, staring at Zisela, when she seemed to sigh. She straightened and when her eyes returned to the Garchomp they were 1309’s eyes. “I warned you that I might just remember.” Zisela’s eyes narrowed when Miruko’s hands snapped up in a boxing stance. “I really don’t want to do this, Zisela. Alpha. I truly just want to be another one of his pokegirls.”
“If you really have remembered how to be one of us,” Zisela snarled, a roar building in her chest, “THEN YOU KNOW I CAN’T JUST ACCEPT THOSE WORDS!”
Miruko stared on as Zisela loosed her roar and charged, her arms raising to bare her razor-sharp fins. For a moment she looked sad, before that vanished and she screamed her response, her face twisted aggressively. “I DO!”
It only took one blow. If they had been equal in strength, Zisela may have been as fast as Miruko. As it was, she was agonizingly slow in comparison. The Lopunny ducked, sliding under Zisela’s outstretched arms as she drew her fist back and it began to glow.
With a shout the punch blasted Zisela off her feet, shards of frozen grass following in its wake as the Garchomp rolled, tumbling across the ground until her momentum was stopped by one of the houses. Miruko slowly stood, releasing her fist and staring at the swirling ice while it dissipated. She hadn’t… She hadn’t done that since training. Her fingers slowly closed back into a fist as a wild grin split her face. It felt so good.
Sohn’s eyes were flicking from Miruko to Zisela and back. “I… I saw that. I saw her!”
Nicholas nodded. “Imagine. You tried to hit her as a little Chimchar.”
Sohn giggled. “I think I might be able to actually hit her now.”
“Mm, maybe one blow, but you’d be joining Zisela on the ground right afterwards,” Nicholas replied. He jumped the railing and turned to where the Garchomp lay. “Let’s get her healed up.”
He’d only taken a few steps, Miruko still standing alone, when Zisela stirred.
Miruko whirled in surprise when she heard the Garchomp retch. Zisela was terribly unsteady, barely able to pull herself to her feet, but she made it by using the side of the bungalow as support. Slowly she turned to the Lopunny, eyes flickering as she fought to stay conscious, and stared. Miruko stared back. They stood that way for a few minutes before Miruko’s fist fell and she walked forwards, ducking under Zisela’s arm and supporting her Alpha as they walked to where Nicholas stood.
Nicholas caught Zisela when she slumped in front of him. The three stood there for a bit, waiting for Zisela to catch her breath, before Miruko spoke. “It may not have been by much. It may not have been at my strongest.” She looked into Nicholas’ eyes. “But my Alpha withstood me. I said if she could, she may have a chance against the other one. I stand by that.”
Nicholas barely nodded. “Still. It doesn’t hurt to improve those odds.”
Miruko smiled and nodded back. “That’s right.”
“You’re banned from fighting anything,” Zisela gasped. “The only thing you’ll be- be punching is us. Until-“
Miruko squeezed Zisela’s arm to silence the struggling Garchomp. “I agree, Alpha. I should not fight our opponents until… until my sisters and I can fight them, together.” She smiled at Zisela. “As equals.”
Nicholas squeezed them both. “Let’s get you fixed up, Zisela. Then we’ll hit the road.”
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Nicholas propped his foot up on a rock as he surveyed the small city below them. Sunyshore. The buildings were all very modern, giving off a metropolis vibe, but the actual area they sprawled was tiny, tucked into nooks in the cliffs and scattered across spits of rock and sand.
“I think we’ve had a long enough vacation,” Nicholas said to nobody in particular. The pokegirls behind him knew he was talking to them. “I want this badge before we leave tomorrow.”
His mind churned as they slid down the steep paths towards the city. What would be awaiting him here? He’d listened to the news, read the reports, the public knew he was back in Sinnoh. They’d watched his battle in Pastoria, Crasher Wake advertising it and selling the footage before the video was pirated and spread across the web like wildfire. Cynthia had easily known his route from Pastoria and intercepted him on the way here. So what was waiting for him in the city below?
At first, nothing. A few eyes recognized him but there were no cameras, no media clambering to ambush him at the gates. He glanced around. He was still drawing attention. And in today’s digital age all it took was a single post for the whole world to know he was there. “Kalmiya. Give me directions to the gym.”
Nicholas turned and set off to follow the Porygon-Z’s instructions. She led him up a humming escalator and onto a wide set of roads that snaked through the city, commenting as they walked. “These pathways are ingenious, Master. They’re traversable solar panels, providing infrastructure for the city through power generation and transportation in one.”
“Very smart, making the best use of their limited space.” Nicholas turned and grinned when he saw the building far ahead. “There it is.” His grin faded as they got closer. He saw cameras. News crews. They were camped out in front of the gym, but that wasn’t his main concern. The gym was dark. Windows silent. “Kalmiya? What’s going on here?”
Kalmiya took a moment to answer and when she did it was with an air of confusion. “I’m… finding news reports describing the Sunyshore Gym as closed, Master. But official records list it as active. That’s why I hadn’t realized sooner.”
“No harm done.” Nicholas turned back before any of the cameras could see him. “Do the news reports say why?”
“They… The only thing I can find in them is a single quote from the gym leader, Volkner. He says… ‘The gym is closed until renovations are complete.’.” Her voice grew even more confused. “But that quote was dated months ago. The more recent news states renovations have been finished for some time, and the gym remains closed.”
“Oh boy. I do love mysteries,” Nicholas said completely deadpan. “Try to dig something up on the leader, Volkner. Use your wonderful new processing power and give me some theories.”
“Y-Yes, Master,” came the flushed reply, causing Nicholas to chuckle as he imagined Kalmiya going red from his teasing. Sometimes he was sad that she wasn’t usually in physical form, but Kalmiya was Kalmiya, and he wouldn’t have her any other way. Besides, she knew how much he enjoyed playing with his pokegirls and she’d grown very good at modifying her voice to mimic a genuine response.
Nicholas moved to the edge of the road and thought out loud as he let his eyes drift over the scenery. “We’re here for the badge. There’s nothing else in this city for us. So if we can’t find the gym leader we’ll move on. The last gym is all the way in the north of Sinnoh – Snowpoint. Another boat, I think. You got any more in your pocket, Miruko?”
The Lopunny blushed. “No, I don’t. But I do know that there’s a public ferry that runs between Sunyshore, Snowpoint, and the new Battle Frontier.”
“Eh? It runs all the way to Hoenn?”
“Ah, no,” Miruko gently corrected. “The Sinnoh region has followed Scott’s lead and created a Battle Frontier of their own.”
“Oh, that makes more sense.” Nicholas lifted his eyes from the city below to the beaches and ocean to the north. “Where’s it at? I’m just curious.”
“To the north, running across the islands in the area between Sunyshore, Snowpoint, and the League.”
“Oh. Makes sense, still within Sinnoh territorial waters.” Nicholas pondered the ocean. It was a beautiful day and there were a handful of figures walking the beach. “We’d get on that ferry, then. Kalmiya, push that schedule to me while you think?” He lifted his pokedex when it beeped and looked through the ferry schedule. He tsked. “We just missed it. The next ferry is the afternoon express to the Frontier. The direct line to Snowpoint left already, and won’t be back until tonight, before going again in the morning… Hm, we could take the express, then go from the Frontier to Snowpoint, but that would take all day, while the direct is just six hours…”
“Master?”
Nicholas paused. “Kalmiya?”
“I have a theory.”
Nicholas nodded. “Go for it.”
“I don’t know why Leader Volkner still hasn’t opened the gym, but after digging into the history of Sunyshore I discovered that Cyrus, the man who led Galactic, was originally from this area.”
Nicholas blinked. “Your theory being that Volkner and Cyrus are related in some way.” He glanced at Miruko.
She held up her hands. “We knew Cyrus was born in Sunyshore, but there was never any link between him and the gym leader here.”
“…But there would be, wouldn’t there,” Nicholas said slowly. “Cyrus called Sunyshore home, or at the very least is related to the city by being born here. A gym leader is the face of their city. Kalmiya, when did Volkner make his statement regarding the gym renovations, and how does it compare to the day we took down Cyrus on Mt. Coronet?”
“How do you mean there’s a link because Volkner is the face of the city?” Miruko asked curiously.
“You know about my fiancé.”
Miruko’s eyes widened. “I knew about your girlfriend, Sabrina…”
“Oh good! So either the IP isn’t spying on me as hard or you left before we were engaged. Whatever.” Nicholas shrugged. “You know that she was once forced to shelter Team Rocket. It tore her apart. There are still days I have to help her with panic attacks and episodes of PTSD. Volkner may be struggling through the same things after learning his city gave birth to a man who wanted to destroy the world.”
“That’s a much better theory than what I’d been trying to come up with!” Kalmiya cried. “Well done, Master!”
“Uh-huh. I’m sure you didn’t just give me enough to go on so I could draw the conclusion myself.” Nicholas rolled his eyes. “Dates, Kalmiya. What are they.”
“The statement was given two days after the first news reports broke about Cyrus and Galactic.”
“What convenient timing.” Nicholas tapped his chin. “Let’s look around. I think we’ll spend the rest of the day in Sunyshore then catch the morning ferry if nothing promising happens. Who knows. Volkner might not even be around.”
They meandered down the roads, taking in the various districts, before the afternoon saw them back down at sea level and approaching the northern beaches. Nicholas didn’t expect to find the gym leader there but there were still some people wandering about so it didn’t hurt to check.
He was preparing to lead the harem back into the city when he heard a vaguely familiar voice. “Champion Topolski?”
Nicholas turned in surprise. A young woman in a sea green sundress was approaching him with a regal avian pokegirl strutting along behind. It took him a moment but once he recognized her his jaw dropped. “JASMINE?”
“So it is you, Nicholas!” Jasmine laughed and grabbed the man’s hands excitedly. “What a surprise to run into you here!”
“I feel like I’m the one supposed to be saying that,” Nicholas stammered. “What are you doing in Sinnoh?”
“I’m here on vacation.” Jasmine giggled. “Ever since you the Indigo League has been changing. When I heard how Leader Sabrina was retiring to chase her dreams I knew I had to find out what my own were.”
“And… have you found what that is?” Nicholas asked, turning his attention to the pokegirl next to her. She was incredibly fetching, deep black skin covered in what had to be feathers just as dark, with a spread of sleek white feathers covering her from groin to chest, where her breasts created a separation from the rich sea blue that covered her shoulders, neck, and ran down her arms – or rather, her wings. Her feet were very similar to Elaine’s, similarly twisted but with webbing between the talons, and her wings each ended in three wicked claws that poked out from within her feathers. But it was her face that provided the most definition to this pokegirl’s body. It was covered in a hard exoskeleton mask, running across her upper lip from ear to ear and also up the centerline, covering her nose, before all three paths continued past her forehead to end in diamonds that formed a three-pointed crown. Hence his first observation of her being ‘regal’. She contrasted extremely well with Sohn, he realized. “This girl next to you, I don’t remember seeing her back in Johto. Is she new? An Empoleon?”
“Yes! This is Zoe. I met her here in Sinnoh.” Jasmine turned to beam at her pokegirl. “Isn’t she amazing?”
Nicholas smirked when Zoe seemingly made no outward reaction to her tamer’s praise but he was angled enough to see the Empoleon’s short, sharp black-feathered tail vibrating happily. “She is. I’d actually been thinking about my own harem – we’re short a Water-type.”
Jasmine whirled back. “Well you can’t have Zoe!”
Nicholas laughed and held up his hands placatingly. “I wouldn’t dare try to take her from you! Just observing that she, or another Empoleon like her, would make a great fit.”
“There are no Empoleon like me,” Zoe retorted, her first words during their meeting coming in a sing-song voice that made Nicholas’ mind instantly flash to Aria. His smirk faded a bit.
“Yes, yes, I know, Zoe.” Jasmine patted the Empoleon’s wing placatingly. “So, Nicholas! Why are you here in Sinnoh? Or, I should say Sunyshore.” She giggled. “I know why you’re in Sinnoh. It’s all the news back home will talk about.”
“Well as you’ve probably guessed I’m looking to challenge the gym,” Nicholas replied. “Problem is Volkner’s nowhere to be found.”
“Mm.” Jasmine stroked Zoe’s wing a few times before turning back to him. “I don’t know where he is either, but I know someone who does.”
Nicholas raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“Yeah.” Jasmine seemed to be thinking before she grinned and stepped towards the city. “Follow me. I think you can help, actually.”
Nicholas followed the pair as they took a winding route through Sunyshore. “By the way,” Jasmine called as they walked, “you never came back to Olivine. To give me a real battle.”
Nicholas blinked. “What? I asked you if I could multiple times. Your schedule never lined up.”
Jasmine’s teasing smile froze and she giggled nervously. “Oh. Oh, that’s right. That’s what I told you.”
Nicholas shook his head. “Jasmine, were you avoiding me?”
“Er… No?” Jasmine squeaked.
Nicholas rolled his eyes.
“A-Anyways, here we are!” Jasmine hastily changed the subject, stopping in front of a modest café. “He should be inside.”
Nicholas and the harem stepped inside with Jasmine, waiting for her to look around and following when she brightened and pranced towards two figures seated at a nearby table with their backs turned. “Mister Flint!”
The figure with a fiery red afro turned his head and grinned when he saw who had hailed him. “Yo! It’s the pretty girl from Johto!” Flint got to his feet with a massive grin, reaching out to shake a suddenly beet-red Jasmine’s hand before he turned to Nicholas with an eyebrow raised. “And ho-ho. I see you’ve brought an old friend.”
Nicholas smiled and reached out to meet the other man’s hand with a firm shake. “Forgive me. I know I’ve seen that afro before but I can’t remember why.”
“Heh. You’re on your way to my arena, Nicholas Topolski.”
Nicholas’ smile grew wider. “That’s right! Flint of the Sinnoh Elite Four. A pleasure.”
“It’s mine, really.” Flint looked around and pointed at a few nearby tables. “Drag all that together, sit, please. The Proprietor won’t mind – we’re old friends.”
Flint pulled Nicholas to the seat next to him as the pokegirls made themselves busy in making a place for them all. “So, Jasmine said you know where I can find Volkner,” Nicholas tried.
“In a sec. YO! OLD MAN!” Flint cupped his hands around his mouth, bellowing through the quiet café to the annoyance of a few other customers. “GET OUT FROM BACK THERE, WILL YOU?”
It took a moment but it wasn’t a man who exited the kitchen. It was a pokegirl with demonic horns curling from her scalp that stalked towards the grinning Elite Four member. “Master Flint. You know what I will do if you make a scene.”
Flint reached over and grabbed the shoulder of his companion affectionately. “Come off it, Rekka. Hannah would love to play with you again.”
Nicholas raised an eyebrow when the figure Flint was shaking shrugged off the man’s hand and turned, revealing an identical pokegirl to the one confronting them. “Please forgive my Master, teacher.”
“Ho. The firebrand is quiet today.” Rekka turned to Nicholas. “Who is this?”
Kalmiya had identified the two pokegirls as Houndoom and Nicholas inclined his head. “I’m Champion Nicholas Topolski, originally of Alola.”
“Champion of Alola?” Rekka asked curiously. “Never heard of them.”
“Well, no…”
Rekka’s face split into a wild grin as Nicholas stuttered. “I’m just playing, Champion. I know you. So that’s why Hannah’s keeping the peace.” She glanced at Flint again before nodding and turning back the way she came, a whip-like tail with a pointed triangular tip flicking behind her. “I’ll fetch the Proprietor.”
“What’s going on, Flint?” Nicholas asked.
“You want to challenge Volkner for his badge, yeah?” Flint rested his hand on his chin when Nicholas nodded. “Let’s wait for the Proprietor before we talk, then.”
A few minutes later Rekka returned, an older man with silvering hair following her. Rekka was carrying an overloaded tray of drinks that she began passing out with practiced ease as the older man sank into a chair with a drawn-out sigh. “Flint. Why do you always have to disturb my clientele?”
“Would you rather I let my flame die out?” Flint shot back. “Eh?”
The man sighed again and shook his head. “No, of course not. We’re both frustrated, I just ask you show your old mentor a bit of respect. I’m getting old.”
“Bullshit. You haven’t aged a day.” Still, Flint’s shoulders drooped. “You’re here though. I want you to meet someone.”
“Champion Topolski. Yes, I know who he is.” The man reached out to take Nicholas’ hand. “If he’s half the tamer he claims to be he should do just fine.”
“If you wouldn’t mind explaining what’s going on now?” Nicholas asked in exasperation. “Flint’s been avoiding my question.”
“You’re here for Volkner’s badge. He’ll give it to you, if you just ask.” Flint leaned back in his chair with a sigh. “Technically that’s his right as a gym leader, but he’s been doing it to any tamer with a pulse.”
Nicholas’ brow furrowed. “You’re saying he’s stopped testing challengers?”
“Mmhm. More than even that, though. He’s stopped battling entirely.”
“Stopped battling…?” Nicholas frowned. “That’s why you’re here, then? Are you evaluating him for replacement?”
“Huh? Me?” Flint glanced down in surprise. “Oh. Oh, no. I’m here because I’m hoping it doesn’t go that far.” He returned to the table. “Volkner is easily one of the strongest tamers in Sinnoh. And that, that’s entirely the problem. He hasn’t had a good fight in a long time. It’s made him depressed. Sent him focusing on the city.” Flint looked out the window. “This entire city, it’s his creation. The solar panels, the infrastructure. He’s poured his soul into it because there are no challengers to excite him the same for battle.”
Nicholas tapped the table as he thought. “I’d assumed he might be feeling that way, but I expected the reason to be because of… Well. Cyrus.”
The two other men look at each other. “It probably still is,” the older one replied. “Sunyshore, Volkner’s Sunyshore, created that man. The Sunyshore he loves and rebuilt with his own hands. How would that make you feel?”
“Yeah.” Nicholas sighed. “So if you’re not here as an Elite Four member, Flint, what are you here as?”
“Volkner’s friend,” Flint replied quietly. “We grew up together. Two crazy street kids until the old man took us under his wing.” He glanced at the other man. “You know, we’re not kids anymore. Can’t I call you by name?”
The older man chuckled. “It’s bad enough you brats don’t call me master anymore. No.”
Flint rolled his eyes and turned back to Nicholas. “So, that’s the situation. What I’ve been thinking is that Volkner needs a spark. He needs a good rough battle with a challenger to remind him… remind him of the tamer he is.” He took a few moments before smirking and raising a hand. “What do you say, Champion Topolski? Could you remind my friend what a real tamer’s like?”
Nicholas took Flint’s hand without hesitation and smiled. “I’d love to. Where is he.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Just up the steps here.”
Nicholas followed Flint up the Sunyshore Lighthouse. Both tamers had their pokegirls in their pokeballs to save space in the cramped interior, so while Nicholas had no doubt a tamer of Flint’s caliber also had pokegirls able to sense outside their pokeballs it at least seemed like the two humans were alone.
“I’m curious, by the way,” he called up. “Who’s that old man? The one you just introduced as ‘The Proprietor’ and wouldn’t give his name. He must have been a strong tamer with a strong Houndoom if they were your teachers.”
“Him?” Flint shrugged. “I suppose there’s no harm talking about the past. He used to be a pokegirl hunter. They’re a type of criminal who range from poachers mass-capturing ferals for black market sale to specialized mercenaries that fill individual bounties.”
Nicholas had a vivid image of Elaine flash past his eyes. “…Oh.”
“Yeah. That’s what Sunyshore used to be. A decent city, but a mess of crime. Volkner turned that all around, made it what it is today, and it all started when the two of us faced down Rekka in a back alley and the old man decided to take us as apprentices.”
“Pokegirl… Hunter, apprentices?” Nicholas asked carefully.
“Maybe at first. But we weren’t about that.” Flint scratched his cheek. “I don’t know how but Volkner managed to convince the old man to go straight. He’s just that kind of guy. Doesn’t take no for an answer.”
Nicholas nodded slightly.
“Anyways he’s been hiding out up here. The lighthouse is the heart of Sunyshore, so it’s always been a place Volkner goes to be alone.”
As they reached the top Nicholas heard movement behind him and turned. He had just enough time to see a lithe yellow pokegirl wrapped over one of the support beams before she screamed a challenge, throwing herself towards him as a corona of electricity snapped into view.
“CHIA!” Nicholas was shoved backwards as Flint leapt in front of the screaming pokegirl. The second she saw him her expression morphed to surprise and her angry scream snapped off, turning panicked and flailing as she still rocketed towards the other man.
Flint stumbled back with a grunt as the girl, who Nicholas was surprised to identify as a Raichu, slammed into him and he caught her. Immediately the rodent pokegirl was squirming, twisting from his arms and dropping to the floor with excuses spewing from her lips. “Master Flint I am so sorry I didn’t see you there the lighthouse was supposed to be locked so I thought-“
Flint waved his hand at her face to make the noise stop while he caught his breath. “Shit! Chill, Chia, I get it. It’s fine.” He straightened up with a groan. “Where’s your Master, anyways? Is he shutting himself in again? He should be out here looking at the view.”
Chia glanced down the hall guiltily. “Err…”
“Yeah, yeah. I get it. You gonna announce me or do I have to go kick the door down again.”
Chia slumped and took a few scampering steps away from them. “Follow.”
Nicholas raised an eyebrow when he joined Flint in stride. “How long has he been like this?”
“Well, he had to close the gym for the renovations, but then… Well. You happened,” Flint replied. “He started locking himself away a few days after the news broke.”
“Hm.”
Chia was waiting for them outside a more sturdy door and she knocked, pushing it open when the two men approached. “Master?” She waited a few seconds before poking her head inside. “Master, Master Flint is here.”
She squeaked and jumped back when the door was flung open, a disheveled blonde man in a blue jacket stepping out. He seemed to be lost in thought, staring straight ahead, before he slowly turned and looked at Flint. “Yo.”
Nicholas heard Flint sigh softly. “Volkner, man. When’s the last time you left that room?”
Volkner shrugged. “Just now.” His eyes wandered to Nicholas. “Who are you?”
“This is Nicholas Topolski.” Flint waited a few moments but Volkner didn’t react. “You know. The Indigo Champion? The one here to take on the league?”
“Oh. You want my badge.” Volkner dug through his pockets until he found a small object and flipped it in Nicholas’ direction. “There you go.”
Nicholas didn’t move to catch the badge, letting it tumble and clatter across the metal floor. “You don’t really expect me to accept it that easily, do you?”
“Why not?” Volkner turned away. “You just need the badge to challenge the league. I gave you one.”
“You think I’m doing this for badges?” Nicholas stepped forwards to stall Volkner from disappearing back into his room. “Fuck no. I’m doing this to test my strength. I’m doing this to prove myself. This doesn’t prove jack shit!”
“There’s nothing to prove, not from you and not from me,” Volkner replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I’ll see you later, Flint.”
“It proves you’re a coward.”
Volkner stopped halfway through the doorway. “What?”
“I said you’re a god damn coward, Leader Volkner.” Nicholas leveled an accusatory finger. “Yes. Your city that you’ve poured your heart and soul into was the place a madman was born. But right now, I think it fits. Because if this is the man who poured everything he was into Sunyshore, well, seeing a man like Cyrus come out of it was to be expected.”
Volkner slowly turned back. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t I?” Nicholas asked.
“No. You don’t,” Volkner hissed. “That damn man grew up in the same city I did, but instead of choosing to make it better, he abandoned it. MY city didn’t create him, I DESTROYED the city that did. He was a reminder of what I worked so hard to change and now people like you hear where he was born and come here assuming to find the city that ACTUALLY made him. That city is dead and gone and I will be DAMNED if I let the world see MY city as anything less than what it has become!”
“And how do you expect to do that. Hm?” Nicholas challenged. “You’re the fucking gym leader, and yet here you are, hiding from the world looking at you. People say you’re one of the strongest tamers in the league but in reality you’re just a coward, unable to stand tall and defy the eyes judging you for your past!” Nicholas threw his hand to the side as his voice rose in volume. “I CAME HERE FOR A BATTLE, LEADER VOLKNER! SO EITHER DEFEND YOUR CITY OR STEP ASIDE FOR SOMEONE WHO WILL!”
Flint was holding his breath. Volkner took a half step towards Nicholas, his scowl deepening, but then he stopped. The fury in his eyes started to fade. “I’ve lost all interest in battling. It was a waste of time for you to come here.” He turned, slamming the door shut but not without a few final words. “Please leave.”
Silence fell, Chia wringing her hands next to the door, Flint slowly letting out the breath he’d been holding. “Well,” he said quietly, “I appreciate how hard you tried.”
Nicholas snorted. “I’m not done.” He twisted his neck back and forth, rolling his shoulders to loosen up as he approached the door Volkner had disappeared behind.
“No, wait!”
Nicholas stopped. Flint was holding out his hand. “What?”
“I think there’s another way.” Flint lowered his arm when he saw Nicholas listening. “Come back downstairs with me. Chia, can you make your Master look outside?”
The Raichu immediately began nodding as hard as she could.
“Okay. Give us… ten minutes, then coax him to look at the view. Look at his city.” Flint motioned for Nicholas to follow and began hurrying down the stairs. “You almost got to him. I saw it. He just needs a better push.”
Nicholas slid down the railings to follow. “What do you mean? What do you think we should do?”
Flint glanced back with a huge grin. “We show him that you can give him the battle he’s never been able to have.”
They burst back into the late afternoon sun, Flint grabbing one of his pokeballs and triggering it as he jogged to the other side of the area in front of the lighthouse. Nicholas’ eyebrows rose when he saw an Infernape form. “You want me to battle you?”
“Look, I know your girls probably can’t hold up yet, but that doesn’t matter,” Flint urged. “Being a strong tamer isn’t just about power, it’s about strategy and most importantly it’s about confidence in yourself. The challengers that have come here have no confidence. You do. Let’s show that to him!”
Nicholas eyed the Infernape. Just like Sohn she was nude, and currently stretching by pulling her leg past her ass, over her shoulder, and holding her foot against her neck. So even more flexible than Sohn, which told him everything he needed to know. “I have confidence in my harem but if you want a real battle, one that will shake Volkner, it’ll be a one-sided slaughter.”
“Perhaps not, Master.” Kalmiya materialized next to him and gave Flint and his pokegirl a quick bow before turning back to her tamer. “You have just recently brought a pokegirl into your harem who rivals even this region’s champion in her strength, have you not? Let her play her part in opening the way for her new sisters to test themselves against Leader Volkner.”
Nicholas slowly began to smile and tapped at his belt. “Hear that, Miruko? This is a battle your sisters can’t fight yet.” His smile grew when her pokeball triggered and the Lopunny appeared in front of him. “Feel like stretching your legs?”
Miruko was rubbing her hands together gleefully and she spun, waving cheerily at Flint as she called out. “I’ll fight, Flint! Don’t hold back against me!”
Flint was frowning. “A… Lopunny? I didn’t know you had…” he trailed off and his eyes widened. “Wait a second.”
Nicholas laughed and stepped forwards to hug Miruko’s waist. “Trust me, Flint of the Elite Four,” he called, “you won’t want to go easy on Miruko here. She’s a pokegirl that even Champion Cynthia fears.”
Flint began to laugh and clapped. “Damn, Topolski! If she’s who I think she is you’re one smooth bastard. Wish I could get away with sticking it to the world league like that.” He grinned and stepped back to give the pokegirls some extra room. “Chen! You heard them. Let’s make this a battle Volkner can’t ignore.”
Chen nodded and released her foot, twisting her leg as it came down so she landed already in a half stance. As Miruko moved into position Chen stretched out her hands, curling them around something only she could see and slowly blowing fire into her palms. The flickering flames danced, leaping as they collected in each hand before suddenly surging to either side as Chen took firm hold of the staff of flame she’d created and twirled it, bringing it back to rest against her body while she raised her free hand to make a taunting motion towards Miruko.
“Holy,” Nicholas breathed. “The hell is that, Flint?”
“Something Chen has spent years mastering,” Flint replied. “She used to fight with an actual staff but her flames grew too hot. Nothing could stand up to them when she fought seriously, so she turned those flames into the staff they burned away.”
Nicholas peered closer at the shimmering construct Chen had created. He could see her flames spinning extremely quickly within the white-hot core and thought over what techniques he knew an Infernape could learn. He wanted to figure out how she’d managed this trick so Sohn could learn it too.
Right now, though, he couldn’t spare a single thought on that mystery. Miruko was moving forwards and he realized as she approached Chen that he had no idea what kind of things she could do. He grimaced. He hadn’t even given her a radio yet.
His grimace slipped from his face as he thought. Why did he care about a radio? Why did he worry about not knowing? Why did he keep forgetting about the power he’d awoken here, in Sinnoh, the cradle of all creation?
It was so easy. Easier even than when he had reached for Zisela, for he and Miruko were so much closer. His consciousness flicked for a second to check the immaterial strands that he’d learned linked him to his pokegirls and he felt excitement swell in his chest. Miruko’s was blazing bright. He was never going to stop enjoying seeing how radiant the Lopunny was after breaking free of her worries.
Miruko didn’t even flinch when she felt the presence settle over her. In fact she closed her eyes in bliss, somehow still able to see her opponent. “Nicholas.”
“Hello, Miruko.”
“So this is what aura feels like when it’s not punching me in the face.” Miruko giggled softly and opened her eyes once more. “Is this even fair for them?”
“Probably not. But who cares?”
Miruko’s soft smile slowly firmed, then continued morphing into a wicked grin as she focused completely on where Chen still stood in her defensive stance. “Not me.”
“Good.” Nicholas surveyed what he was learning from Miruko’s thoughts. “Let’s put those sexy legs to use. What do you say?”
Miruko’s grin widened and entered her eyes as she began to laugh. “I say, Nicholas, that that is an excellent idea.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Master?” Chia thumped her fist against the door again. “Master, please open the door. It’s just me.”
It took a few more knocks for Volkner to open the door and peek out at his Raichu. “Hi, Chia. What is it? They’re gone, right?”
Chia reached out to take his hand in hers. “They’re gone, Master. Please come out.”
Volkner gently tried to tug his hand away but the Raichu didn’t budge. “Chia, you can come in if you want.”
Chia adamantly shook her head. “No! Master, you need to look again. I heard you. You were so angry! Look!”
Volkner grudgingly let Chia drag him towards the windows. “Fine. Fine.” He came to a halt, gazing out over the city, his eyes drifting. “Fine.” He gazed out silently for a few minutes, at the buildings, the roadways, the city he’d built. “Chia?”
The Raichu immediately had jumped up next to him. “Master?”
“He’s just like the rest of them, right?” Volkner’s eyes still gazed at his city but they no longer were looking at the buildings. “He was just talking big.”
“Ehhhhh…” Chia glanced over the sill and gasped, a huge smile spreading across her face. “Master, look there!”
Volkner glanced down. He was treated to the sight of Miruko leaping fifteen feet into the air and spinning, orienting her feet so she came rocketing back down to crash into Chen’s guard. The Infernape’s staff of flame held up and she shoved Miruko back, making a swipe before chasing the skipping Lopunny and throwing a straight. Nicholas moved, throwing his hand out and shouting something as Miruko ducked past Chen’s flaming fist, the ear that trailed behind her catching alight. She ignored it. Sprinted after the Infernape with flames streaming behind her and leapt again, this time sinking her feet into Chen’s unprotected back.
“Is he…” Volkner trailed off. Chen hadn’t gone down, not from one hit, and she twirled, beating Miruko back with her staff and feet until she found an opening. Feinting, she whipped her staff back around and pounded Miruko in the stomach, flipping her grip when the Lopunny doubled over and hammering her over the head.
And so neither did Miruko fall. Even as she was dropping to her knees her arms were shooting towards the ground and despite the debilitating pain Miruko cartwheeled past Chen’s finishing blow, skidding to a halt and screaming her displeasure at the cackling, dancing Infernape across from her.
Chia was quivering. She felt it. Felt the energy below her. She blinked. Volkner was gone. “Master?” She quickly looked around and her eyes widened when she saw him walking towards the stairs. “Master!”
Nicholas hissed when he felt the injuries Miruko had sustained. An unfortunate side effect from this more complete bond, this aura-fueled melding of their minds. His own body ached alongside her. This was Cynthia’s Elite Four? Miruko was hardly losing, but Chen was a terrible matchup for the Lopunny. When they got to Flint for real he’d have to make sure it was Zisela or maybe Sammy who took her down.
“Right,” he grunted. “I don’t like how your bounces take so much time to connect. It gives her time to prepare. Swap to kicks and punches.”
Miruko nodded her assent and bent down. Her feet dug into the ground as she surged forwards, hands glowing with energy, intent on battering Chen down.
Nicholas stiffened. He’d just felt… Miruko was closing in, Chen preparing her counter, when a voice called out from the lighthouse’s door. “This is what you call a battle?”
Miruko skidded to a halt at Nicholas’ urgent command, turning along with the others to the man standing there watching them. Volkner was eyeing her, then Nicholas, then Flint before he sighed. “All right, challenger. Champion. It’s not often, but I can remember a few tamers who gave me something to smile about. Usually, I don’t even break a sweat while defeating them.” He stepped from the lighthouse and raised a hand to point at his gym, the darkened building sitting in the distance. “Meet me at the gym and we’ll see if you’re just the same.” He lifted his hand to his hair and grimaced. “I’m just going to clean up first.”
Nicholas hardly dared to breathe as the man moved off. When he turned back to Flint the Elite Four member was standing with tears in his eyes.
“He… He hasn’t left that lighthouse in months,” Flint almost choked. “I- I need to get the Proprietor. We’ll meet you at the gym!”
Nicholas nodded, watching Chen’s staff vanish as the Infernape chased her master down the road. After a few moments he glanced at Miruko. She’d hobbled back to him, obviously in pain, and he could feel exactly where. “Well done, Miruko. You fought well.”
Miruko flashed her teeth in a smile. “Thank you.”
Nicholas recalled her and turned to the dark Sunyshore Gym. What kind of battle was this about to be, he wondered? Well, whatever it was, he knew his harem would provide the experience Volkner was missing. With any luck they’d be walking back outside with a badge in hand and a gym leader back in his rightful place.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
POKEDEX UPDATED
Tamer: Nicholas Topolski
Badges:
Mine Badge
Forest Badge
Coal Badge
Relic Badge
Cobble Badge
Fen Badge
Harem:
Zisela, Garchomp (Alpha) – Level 50
Sohn, Infernape – Level 49
Sammy, Rotom – Level 49
Quinn, Gallade – Level 48
Miruko, Lopunny – Level 65
Non-Com Harem:
Kalmiya, Porygon-Z – Level 30