Disclaimer:
This work is fiction. The work has no (intentional) relationship with any person existing at any time anywhere whether real or imaginary or copy written.
Feedback will be read, processed, and if it’s a flame it will be given the finger, then I will burst into hysterical laughter. Constructive feedback, be it criticism or praise, will be read, processed, given a smile, and filed away. To contact me, please send an email to socom.seal@(SPAM)yahoo.com. Remove (SPAM) for a valid email.
You should not read this if you are not of legal age where you reside. This work can contain rape, BDSM, cannibalism, and probably anything else my sick, twisted mind can come up with.
Note: All times are in a mix of military and standard times. For example, 1AM = 0100 hours = 1:00, while 1PM = 1300 hours = 13:00. I hope this will make it easier on readers to understand the timeline while leaving me in a format that I understand better. If it causes too much of a problem I will switch to standard.
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“<<Text>>” Means that it is being spoken in a language other than English.
“This is telepathic thought”
Chapter 22
<13:00, Poketown>
Andrew smiled. “Killroy sent me.”
Stephanie McMahon frowned. “I would rather not be reminded of that incident. Or what followed it. What I would like to remind you is that the Council is much reformed since then. The Author project was shut down; all data purged. Where did you come from?”
Andrew chuckled darkly. “Nothing truly dies. Someone is still pulling some strings. If you have nothing for me or against me, then why did you want to talk to me?”
“Curiosity. You are an anomaly, mister Ranger. An anomaly that has the potential of throwing the council once more into chaos.”
Andrew smirked. “I’ll just make sure not to kill anyone dear to you and send you their head in the mail. Or sic a replica legendary on you. Or nuke you from orbit.” He paused. “No, wait, that last one was never implemented.”
Stephanie gaped. “You planned to nuke Sanctuary?”
Andrew shrugged. “Wolf wouldn’t have lost any sleep over it. I doubt any of the others would have either, but then again they more or less dropped Typhonna on you. So there’s that.”
She shook her head. “Why?”
Andrew’s gaze hardened. “Your kind ripped us from our lives and attempted to enslave us. Not only that, but you would have used us for the most bullshit ideal I have ever heard of. And to that end you hypocritical bastards tortured and imprisoned us.”
Stephanie frowned. “You don’t believe in parity?”
Andrew sighed. “Glossing right over the enslaving and torturing thing I see. No, I believe in parity. It’s called common decency. I don’t believe in paradise.” He sat down. “Say every time you leave your house, you see a bar of gold on the ground. It’s always there. Suddenly, that bar of gold is normal. But then one day it’s not there. You would say it’s a bad thing, yes?” He waited for her nod. “But you never had that bar of gold. The reason you say no gold is a bad thing is because for you, gold was the norm. Once the normal expectation is raised, anything less is bad. Paradise is a bit like that. If perfect becomes normal, there’s nothing special about it. No matter what you have, you always want more. It’s human nature. And though they argue about it, pokegirls are human.”
Stephanie nodded slowly. “I understand that much, but what’s wrong with the dream? No threshold, no social ladder. No crime, no debt, nothing bad.”
Andrew chuckled. “Tell me, what is good? Your favorite food, say? How do you know that’s something good?”
She frowned. “Because it is. It’s something you enjoy.”
Andrew nodded. “Sure. You eat something bland every day, but one day you eat something that tastes good. You want more. But the next day, you’re given something that tastes opposite. It’s bad. You know it’s bad because it doesn’t taste like the thing that was good. You don’t want any more of it.” He spread his hands. “It’s the same idea as the bar of gold and perfection. If you didn’t have something bad, you couldn’t have something good. Otherwise, good would be normal. And normal would be bad.”
Stephanie shook her head. “You’re wrong. Paradise could have been real.”
Andrew shrugged. “I won’t argue, considering I have no interest in what you do. You’ll realize in time that I’m correct.” He got back up. “And now I believe our conversation is over. You are simply wasting my time and I have much more important matters to attend to.” He held his hand up when the Undertaker stepped forward. “I have no intention of interfering with Sanctuary. My only grievance is with whoever is responsible for my being here. Do not give me a reason to widen my net.”
Stephanie cleared her throat and nodded. “I am not eager to anger another of your kind. The Council is more than happy to leave you alone.”
Andrew smiled and tapped his forehead before drawing a large circle in the air in front of him, the doorway appearing to lead into a dark abyss. “Good. Do not pursue me, though I will allow you to contact me. The number is in your pokedex.” He remarked, stepping through. Claire, Grace, and Shamira followed after a short hesitation and the portal snapped shut.
Stephanie shivered and quickly backed away from where Andrew had disappeared. “He is more willing than even Wolf was to destroy us. How did he get his number to you?”
Undertaker tapped at his pokedex. “I don’t know. Nobody has this number, but I just received contact information.”
Stephanie nodded. “Inform the council that we have made contact with a rogue element, but are fairly certain he is not dangerous. And pass along the warning.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<17:00, Outside London>
The portal snapped shut behind Shamira and she looked around. “How-?” She glanced down and noticed Claire and Grace cradling Andrew’s head. “Hey!”
He winced. “I’m fine. I’m fine. Although if you wouldn’t mind getting Aella, that would be nice.”
Claire pulled at his belt, managing to trigger the releases on the rest of the harem. “Aella. Healing. The rest of you, get camp set up.”
Andrew sighed as the healing glow began to suffuse his body. “That feels better.” He struggled to sit up. “Well, now I know that works.”
Aella glanced at him. “What did you do?”
He shrugged. “I made an exit.”
Claire sighed and found the tent, beginning to set it up. “He did more than that. Since when could you teleport?”
Andrew groaned. “First of all, I didn’t teleport. I pretty much made the space we walked through exist in two places at once. That’s why it was pitch black – Colors were mixing that aren’t meant to, so our eyes didn’t know how to process it. It also made for an interesting experience when I went through.”
Claire frowned. “I didn’t feel anything.”
Andrew grinned sheepishly. “I may have lost my concentration slightly when I came through.”
Aella glanced at him. “I’m assuming by the way my healing is treating your whole body that some things were put out of place?”
He nodded. “I scrambled my atoms slightly. Right now you’re pretty much putting me back together.”
Claire sighed. “I have a lot of questions. Like how, when, and so on. But you’re never doing that again.”
Andrew smiled. “Agreed. Not if I don’t have to. I did that to make an impression.”
Grace chuckled drily. “You did that. McMahon looked ready to faint.”
Aella put a final burst of energy into him before leaning back. “You’re as fixed as I can make you. Your body will just have to get itself together again on its own.”
Andrew stood up slowly. “Thank you Aella. Adria, how’s the tent coming?”
The Groaning hissed in frustration. “It won’t stay up! Every time I get close something slips.” She struggled with a pole, cursing when it flew out of her grasp.
Andrew frowned and grabbed the mass of fabric. “That’s strange. Let’s see if I can-“ He froze.
Lyn yelped and jumped towards Claire, nearly landing in her arms. “Something just touched me!”
Andrew closed his eyes and hummed softly. “Are you really going to do this?”
Laughter echoed around them. “You should not have attracted my attention.”
Andrew rolled his eyes. “Okay, now I’m not sure who you are. Maybe you’re just a boring Ghost type having fun with a hapless tamer. Oh, how un-original.”
The air next to the tent shimmered and a large Catgirl appeared, pouting. “You’re mean.”
Andrew shrugged. “Tough. And without meaning to be meaner, I had no hand in Jenova’s death. Why are you here?”
Macavity’s eyes flashed. “No, you did not. I am very aware of those who were ultimately responsible for that act, and I do not hold it against you or any of the others. I do, however,” She sighed, “Have a vested interest in you.”
Andrew groaned. “You just want to be a part of the club.”
Macavity grinned. “Yup! And I like you. Did you know that just by being here you have changed numerous pokegirls, without even being near them?”
Shamira growled. “Hello. Cat.”
Macavity glanced at the Goldina. “Yep, there’s one. Why’s she so hostile, hmm?”
Andrew shrugged. “Feedback from me. And I’m aware of that. There are…” He glanced at the numbers Cortney posted onto his pokedex. “… three others.”
Macavity nodded enthusiastically. “Leave ‘em. They’ll be fun to play with once they get into the world and people begin to realize they’re new.” She grinned. “But I’m here for you, not them.”
Andrew cocked an eyebrow. “Harem’s full, if you couldn’t tell. Although I could always make an exception.” He mused, juggling an empty pokeball.
Macavity eyed it. “Put that damn thing away. No, I’m here as a… What do you call it? A ‘Match-Maker’?”
Andrew shrugged. “Harem’s full. That hasn’t changed. Although…” He paused. “Cortney, upgrade my profile to Master Tamer. I took the test in… Shit, I don’t know. Plymouth. And begin juggling flags so it looks like I use my storage. Even though I’ll never put a single ‘girl into it.”
Macavity clapped. “See, I knew you would catch on.”
Andrew sighed. “So far you’ve only given me ideas, and I’ve had no reason to say no. So where’s this ‘girl?”
Macavity shrugged. “Dunno. But I’ll steer her towards you soon. She’s really interesting. I think you’ll like her.” She grinned. “I really do!”
Andrew rolled his eyes. “Cool. Good night.” He watched her disappear and turned to the rest of the harem. “…What?”
Claire snorted. “Oh, no, nothing. Shall I set the table? Will we be having Typhonna for tea?”
Andrew grinned. “Nah, she’s dead. And the fake one died over in Sanctuary. Although if you want me to, I could start compiling a list. Cocooner is out, since she tends to take bites out of the guests… Let’s see, Moan, Moantwo, maybe I’ll go rifling through time for Hild. Any of the bird legendaries maybe… Ooh, I know! I’ll invite the War Espers!”
Claire threw her hands in the air and stormed off. “I don’t even need to understand half of that to know you’re being a moron!”
Andrew looked around in bemusement. “Whaaat? She asked!”
Cortney piped up. “Sir, I believe she was attempting to make something called a ‘joke’.”
Andrew chuckled. “Thank you, Cortney. As was I. I think you’ll find the tent a lot easier to manage now, Adria.” He sighed and started after Claire. “We’ll be back in a bit.”
He caught up to Claire, but stopped himself from calling out to her. She was standing in a clearing and had begun to unbuckle her armor, so he leaned against a tree and waited. She finished stripping down and suddenly vaulted into the air, her wings shimmering into existence. Andrew watched her for a few moments before she noticed him and dropped in front of him. He smiled. “It’s been a while since you’ve done that. Is everything alright?”
She sighed and began putting her armor back on. “No. No, it isn’t. I’m beginning to feel overwhelmed. Every day makes you seem less like a normal man. You casually chatted with a LEGENDARY, for goodness’ sake.”
Andrew gazed out into the night. “Nice try, but that’s not what’s bothering you. You’ve known I’m not normal from the day we first met and I busted us out of that Limbec prison. No, it’s something else.” He thought for a moment. “Do you not want the job?”
Claire chuckled. “Perceptive as always.” She grimaced. “I don’t want the responsibility of choosing a Beta. I need the help, but I don’t want the drama.” She gave a barking laugh. “How sad is that?”
Andrew snickered. “Do you want my advice?”
Claire nodded. “Please.”
He began ticking his fingers. “Grace is out. The two of you have too much of a rivalry to work effectively. Shamira is out. She will only care about my protection when it counts, and less about the harem – the team. Lyn is out, since she’ll be more interested in her experiments. Which leaves Adria or Aella.”
Claire thought. “It has to be Adria, doesn’t it?”
Andrew nodded. “Aella’s Hunter template is not the best to put in a Beta position. She’d be fine, but Adria is the better choice.”
She sighed. “I’ve been agonizing over this for weeks and you clear it up in a matter of seconds.”
He smiled and stroked her hair. “That’s what I’m here for.” He turned and started walking back to the tent. “We need to get some rest. Sadie Poken’s is tomorrow.”
Claire fell into step beside him. “What, expecting a record turnout?”
Andrew grinned. “You’ll need to make a sign to put on my box. ‘Combat Harem. Do not apply if you are not willing to be pushed past your limits.’”
She laughed. “Your score will be low enough that not many will apply anyways.”
Andrew shook his head. “I’m supposed to be a veteran tamer. A Master Tamer to boot. Cortney’s going to forge my scans and give me a score that fits.”
Claire frowned. “You’re not going for the scan?”
Andrew snorted. “Hell no. I don’t want to kill the scanner.”
They approached the tent and Claire nodded. “Makes sense. Good night.”
Andrew followed her into the tent, letting her beeline to Adria. “Good night.” He glanced down. “Can you do all that, Cortney?”
The Upgrade materialized her physical form next to him. “I will do all of that once the servers that store TTR are created. Right now, however, I have something different in mind.”
He smirked. “You can’t be ready for a taming, since you don’t require that while virtual.”
She regarded him coolly. “No. But it does not mean I cannot seek one out from my Commander.”
Andrew blinked in surprise. “You regard me as such? I’m honored.”
Cortney smiled. “You have earned my regard as such. Your actions during our escape from Poketown have earned you that right.” Her smile grew. “It is something that I have bestowed upon only a few of the humans I have worked with. And with each I sought a strengthening of that feeling.”
Andrew snickered. “To put it bluntly, competency makes you hot.”
A slight blush spread across her features. “To put it bluntly, yes.”
Andrew chuckled. “Well then, I believe we can fit you in tonight.” He peeked into the dining room and hailed Claire. “Claire, who was on the rotation for tonight?”
She waved. “It was my second night of the rotation.”
Andrew nodded. “Tamer’s prerogative, I’m canceling it. Sorry! Tonight’s for Cortney.”
Claire pouted. “Ditching me for a virtual girl. How am I not surprised?”
Andrew winked and walked upstairs, Cortney on his heels. “I’m curious. Who designed your current form?”
Cortney closed the door behind them. “All Videogirls in PLC service are allowed to customize their own appearance. Does it not suit you?”
Andrew shrugged. “I’d be happier if you were taller, but that’s it.” He said, looking her up and down. “What is that, approximately five and a half foot?”
She nodded. “Five and eight. One moment, I will make the change.” She said, disappearing and reappearing, having grown a few inches. “Is the rest satisfactory?”
Andrew looked her over. Her skin was a nearly electric blue color, and the form was hairless except for long black hair on her head. She also appeared to be wearing a kind of darker blue bodysuit that covered her breasts and groin, but left her stomach, arms, and legs exposed. “It’s quite interesting. Do you… unsummon the covering?”
Cortney smiled. “It’s just an appearance of the hologram. If I was organic, I would be considered completely nude.”
Andrew ran his hand over her navel where the line was. “Huh, so you are. There’s no change in texture.”
Cortney shivered in pleasure and guided his hand to her breast. “The nipple is there, too, but the coloring keeps it from being obvious.”
Andrew grinned and glanced down. “I would assume the same of your vagina, but I can see that quite clearly all of a sudden.”
Cortney glanced down and yelped, furiously scrubbing at her inner thighs, which had become stained with fluid. “Oh, shit, I forgot that happened when this body gets aroused, I’m sorry-“ She stopped when Andrew drew her into a kiss.
He broke it off and smiled at her. “I’m glad it happened. My dick would become quite chafed if it hadn’t.” He whispered, rubbing against her slowly as the two made their way onto the bed, where they each got rid of an article of clothing; Andrew his shirt, and Cortney his pants. She proceeded to take him into her mouth and started sucking, sending waves through Andrew’s body. “Let me guess, you – ah! – have an upgrade for that?”
Cortney chuckled and nodded, releasing him and wiping a stream of spit from her chin. “I have been upgraded in all of the vital areas… Speed, endurance, efficiency. And of course, all aspects of sex.”
Andrew grinned and grabbed her, spilling her onto the bedspread next to him. “Well then, why wait?” He mused, probing her with his fingers for a few seconds before removing them and thrusting into her. “Demonstrate.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<10:00, London>
Andrew sat and ate, constantly scanning the crowds of pokegirls that flowed around him. The morning had passed without incident, the attendants at the boxes taking his modified TTR without question. One perk to doing it in London; the lines were so long, he doubted they would have cared if they knew he had never been truly scanned. The entire harem had, of course, been released to do whatever they wanted, and he had given them each their pokeballs as was required. He had also found each and every one returned to his pack by the time he had exited the pavilion. He smiled. “Hey, I can’t be that bad then, right?” He muttered to himself.
A couple Dog types suddenly swarmed around him. “Are you going to finish that, sir?” One asked, gazing intently at his half-eaten brisket. He gazed back, humming softly. She cocked her head. “Sir?”
He nodded thoughtfully. “A nice scar would definitely make that face look better. Maybe even with the eye gone…” He mused.
They left quickly.
Andrew chuckled to himself. His higher TTR was attracting many pokegirls, since it was posted on him with stickers. Also visible was a large red sticker with a brain inset in it, to discourage psychics from probing his mind. So far he hadn’t seen any fall over near him, but the day was still young. He sighed as an Ophanim picked her way towards him. Yes, the day was still young.
Her helmeted head turned towards him. “You are a cruel man, to scare young ones like that.”
Andrew snorted. “It would be crueler to give them false hope. They would not know to check my profile more thoroughly before dropping into my box. If I can scare them away, then they are spared the disappointment that will inevitably follow.”
She nodded. “I, on the other hand, have done so. I am Cristina.”
Andrew inclined his head. “Andrew, as you undoubtedly know. And why would you seek me out? More importantly, why are you not with your tamer?”
She pulled her helmet off, revealing a wrap of cloth around her eyes. She stroked it gently. “I am. Or, I was. Until the end, I was.”
Andrew cleared his throat. “Are you sure you want to possibly relive that?”
She replaced her helmet and stood. “We will see, won’t we? Have a good day, sir.” She said and disappeared into the crowd.
He sighed and tossed the remains of his meal into a trashcan, exiting the dining area to mingle with the crowds of pokegirls. So far there had been, including the Ophanim, two pokegirls who hadn’t been scared away and had expressed serious interest in him. The other had been a feralborn Rosebreasts that had not only spoken with him, but had also grown a small flower that she had made him promise to keep for the rest of the day. He shrugged mentally. There were bound to be a few.
Cortney spoke into his ear as he navigated the crowds. “I have repeatedly picked up a Shadowcat. She is always behind you, and her behavior is directional. Not coincidental.”
Andrew hummed and made a sudden turn. “She’s probably stalking me. Seeing if I’m worth approaching.” He ducked around a corner and flattened against the wall. “Let’s see if I can’t catch her by surprise.”
He waited for a few seconds but the Shadowcat didn’t appear. He sighed. “Too bad. Well, let’s keep moving-“ He cut off when he turned and came face to face with the girl. Upside down.
She grinned and flipped, landing softly on her feet in front of him. “You finally noticed me.”
Andrew shrugged. “It’s hard to miss such a talented display.”
She purred, circling him. “And you even know what to say. Hmmm, and your aura is just delicious.” Her tail twitched. “Yes, you seem to be the one my Mistress talked about.”
Andrew cocked an eyebrow. “Macavity sent you?”
She grinned. “Yes, my Mistress pointed me in your direction. Well, I will see you tonight, Soldier.” She said, disappearing again.
Andrew glanced around and noticed her lying on a rooftop, watching him before vanishing again. He chuckled. “That will be fun.” He ducked back into the main thoroughfare and spent the next few hours visiting the various elemental hangouts and rest stops throughout the city before winding back to his collection box as the sun set. Once he got there he met up with the rest of his harem, who were anxiously waiting.
Lyn was the first to reach for her pokeball, cradling it gently. “That was a crazy day. Can we not spend next year in London?”
Andrew chuckled and handed out pokeballs. “We’ll see. If I make it out of here with only a handful of pokegirls, we might come back.” He glanced around at the predatory tamers as the sun began slipping below the horizon. “Everyone back up. Pokeball registries are about to disable.”
He stowed them onto his belt and strode into the street as the streetlights flicked on, signaling the start of the hour long capture fest, watching with amusement as multiple young tamers got mixed up, managing to pelt each other as much as the pokegirls that wandered the street. As the hour came to a close, he noticed a pokegirl hiding in an alley near the collection boxes. He glanced around and slowly made his way to her side, making sure to keep his hands out and empty. She started when he leaned against the wall near her, but didn’t run. “Did you lose track of time?”
The girl nodded frantically, wincing as a pokeball flew past. “Please, sir. I just need to get to the pavilion.”
Andrew checked his watch, waiting for the hour hand to move. “I’ll escort you in a few moments. As soon as the hour is up most of the flying pokeballs should stop.”
She ducked her head as an errant shot flew by. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
He nodded and waited, straightening when the clocks began chiming. “There’s our cue. Stay next to me.” He said, beginning towards the pavilion.
They made it halfway across the street when a tamer decided to take a shot at them. Andrew caught the ball and rolled his eyes. “Hour’s up, mate. Try again next year.”
The other Tamer yelled in frustration, pointing at the trembling Nymph under Andrew’s arm. “I want her! Challenge you for her!”
Andrew smirked but picked up his pace, nearly dragging the Nymph into the safety of the collection pavilion. “Sorry, but she isn’t mine. Try again next year.” He laughed at the look on the other tamer’s face and bowed to the surprised ‘girl. “I hope you find who you’re looking for.” He said, motioning over an assistant. “Ma’am, this young lady is trying to find a certain collection box, I believe. Would you please assist her in doing so before the tamer she is desperately trying to find leaves?”
The OfficerJenny that came over smiled at him. “Of course, citizen. Well, ma’am, what is the TTR of the tamer you are looking for…?”
As Andrew walked away, the Nymph glanced after him. “I actually don’t need help anymore, officer. I’ve changed my mind.”
The OfficerJenny grinned and nodded. “Good luck.”
Andrew whistled as he walked up to the collection station that he had been assigned to, hailing the Jenny on duty. “Hello, I’m here to claim my box.”
The Jenny walked over and nodded, holding out her hand. “Pokedex, please.” She said, taking it and scanning it against the box in front of them, which clicked and opened to reveal a handful of pokeballs. “Here you are, sir.”
Andrew took the pokedex back. “Huh. Thank goodness there weren’t that many.”
The Jenny laughed. “Actually, sir, that’s your third box.”
Andrew rounded on her, mouth agape. “What?”
She grinned and opened a panel below the collection box to reveal two other boxes. “They filled up rather quickly to be honest, sir.”
Andrew just stared at the piles of pokeballs. “This can’t be happening. That many?”
There was a sudden flash of light from behind them and the Jenny deftly caught the falling pokeball the Nymph had left behind. “And there’s one more.”
Andrew glanced around before giving up and holding his hands out. “I’m going to need a bag.”
She laughed and procured a backpack that she began filling with the contents of the three boxes. “Each box holds between forty and fifty pokeballs. I would estimate you have around ninety in total here.”
Andrew took the heavy pack with another sigh. “This is what I get for spending the day in London.”
The Jenny winked. “Of course sir. Have a good night.” She turned to the next tamer while Andrew released Lyn.
The Enchantress glanced around. “Oh good. So, are we going back to Capital?”
Andrew shook his head. “Take us to last night’s campsite.” He held up the backpack. “We’ve got a boot camp to hold.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<08:00, Outside London>
The Nymph materialized and looked around her at the other pokegirls standing nearby. So, she had been wrong. She had just been sold immediately. Another disappointing year.
She started when Andrew’s amplified voice echoed around them. “Listen up! Look around you. If you thought you would luck out with a high TTR tamer, think again. All of you who know the password, form one group to my left. The rest of you, form a group to my right.” He scowled over his megaphone down at the milling pokegirls. “And don’t even try to guess the password. If you guess wrong you flunk out. Immediately. No second chances.”
The girls slowly separated into two groups, Andrew glancing around and nodding once movement had ceased. “Very good. Password group, you will be processed by my assistants. You will know they are my assistants because they are wearing the same uniform I am. You will know your fellow initiate by the fact that they are not wearing clothes.” He gave the groups a predatory grin. “And yes, that was an order. Strip.”
The ninety-some pokegirls moved to comply, Claire leading Grace and Adria towards the smaller password group while Shamira stayed at Andrew’s side. They were all wearing a tan military collared shirt and green cargo pants, which were tucked into black marching boots. ‘Something to set the mood’ Andrew had said when picking it out in a London clothes store.
It certainly did.
While Claire and the others moved from pokegirl to pokegirl, making sure they had read Andrew’s tamer profile and the message within, he turned his attention to the sixty or seventy other pokegirls. “Here’s the deal, initiates. You are not a part of my harem until you have proven that you deserve to be here. The fact that you are not in the password group means you had NO idea what you were getting yourself into. This is not considered a normal harem. This is a combat harem. Which means if you plan on sexing your opponents, instead of beating them to a pulp, raise your hands.” He waited, but nobody moved. “NOW!”
Hesitantly hands began to go up. Andrew waited for them before quick triggering the recall on the pokeballs Cortney directed him to. “Very good. Now from this point on, you are all fighting to become a part of my harem. The next few hours will weed out those who do not belong, until we are left with a much smaller group. You will then join the other group for the final round.” He glanced around. “Let me make one thing clear. This is a team more than it is a harem. If, during these few hours, you discover that you are in fact NOT a team player, it will do you much more good to notify me than let me find out.” He smirked. “That is a promise.”
He stepped down from the bleachers and began walking amongst the pokegirls. “Separate by type! Fire, Fighting, Water, Plant, you know what I’m talking about. Step to it!” He turned and made his way to the password group. “Claire, how’s it going?”
She handed him two pokeballs. “They didn’t know the password. Too bad, too – One was a decently trained Flarebra.”
Andrew chucked the balls to Shamira, who placed them back into the backpack with the others. “Too bad. They were liars.” He ran his gaze over the remainder, noting the few pokegirls he had spoken to the day before that were among them. “You twenty or so can re garb in whatever manner you are accustomed to. Thank you for your patience.” He motioned Claire and the others to follow him to the other side of the arena. “Begin judging. I’ll be watching from the sidelines.” He climbed the steps and sat again. “Attention elemental groups. You will now be judged to see who is worthy to be a part of the team. Being defeated in this stage does not mean disqualification. Victory in this stage does not mean continuation. The word of my assistants is law.” He set down the megaphone and nodded to Claire, whose wings shimmered into existence as she strode between the groups.
“Each of you, pair with another. You will be fighting, yes, but first you will run. Adria, open the walls.”
Adria nodded and spoke into her microphone, Cortney triggering the walls of the arena to begin to slide away, revealing a giant track surrounding a pool and various fields. Claire motioned outside. “All of you. Run until I say stop. If you can’t run any longer, you may sit and rest until you can run again. Once you can run again, you will run. Any who require water, for one reason or another, may dip in the pool. But once you have, you will run.” She dropped her sword. “Begin!”
Andrew watched the group start off, a few being picked off immediately when they refused to listen. Andrew sighed as the veritable horde of pokegirls got into rhythm. “How the hell did this happen to me?”
Shamira chuckled and triggered another return beam. “Because you are you.” She swiveled towards the smaller password group as a bright white light began to shine. “Hey, something’s happening.”
Andrew frowned and pushed off, walking to the group. “Alright, who evolved?” An Elf nervously raised her hand. “Yes?”
She pointed next to herself. “She did.”
Andrew surveyed the Gun Valkyrie. “And why did that happen?”
The Gun Valkyrie scratched her head nervously. “I accidentally touched my e-medal, and-“
Andrew squinted at her. “What’s wrong with your voice?” He looked closer and suddenly stepped back. “You. What are you doing here.”
The Gun Valkyrie shook her head wildly. “Please. I didn’t know where else to go, I-“
Claire was at his side at his mental summons. “You were told to leave once. You can tell the PLC I will not tolerate a spy in my midst.”
She gestured wildly for a few seconds before dropping her head. “I’m no longer a member of the PLC.”
Andrew frowned. “Explain.”
The Gun Valkyrie extended her hand hesitantly. “I am Kary. I was discharged when my Commander was announced KIA.” She looked at him with tears in her eyes. “Lieutenant Braxton was a man I respected greatly. When I was discharged it came as a second blow. I didn’t know where else to turn.” Her eyes pleaded with him. “Please. Don’t send me away. Not like that.”
Andrew glanced at Claire. “They declared Braxton KIA? There’s something wrong with the PLC.” He looked back at Kary. “Very well. You will be given the same chance as the others.” He turned and blinked when he saw the size of the group still running around the track. “The hell?”
Claire snickered. “We’ve cut nearly half already. Quite a few were bitching almost instantly, some tried to hide and not run, and one or two attacked other initiates in order to get them to carry them.”
Andrew grunted. “Feel confident that the remainder will work hard enough for you?”
Claire nodded. “I think this stage is just about over. I wasn’t expecting it to move so quickly.”
Andrew shrugged and picked up his megaphone again. “Bad apples are bad apples.” He turned it on. “Attention runners! Remember that you are being judged throughout the process. You will now be judged on combat ability. Form with your pairs, or find a new one. You will fight until you drop, be healed, then continue. Begin!” He rolled his shoulders. “I am not looking forward to even a dozen new pokegirls. How many do you think I’ll get?”
Shamira surveyed the rapidly dwindling group. “Twenty. You’ll get a few from those, but most will come from the other group.” She nodded at them. “Most are powerful breeds or are powerful pokegirls in general.”
Andrew nodded and shielded his eyes when another white light began to shine from the battling pokegirls. “Oh for goodness sakes. Not again.” He strode towards the diminishing glow. “INITIATE! Explain yourself!”
It was the Nymph from the night before, only now she was an Ice Maiden. She panted as her rapidly cooling body froze the sweat on her skin. “Sir. I was too tired. I’m not anymore. Sir.”
Andrew cracked a smile. “I remember you.” He remarked softly. He glanced at the password group. “Join them. Put your clothes back on, if you want them.”
She nodded and scooped up her garments, jogging to the other group while Andrew glanced around at the rest of the stalled pokegirls. “Well? CONTINUE!”
He chuckled as he sat back down. “Found one.”
Shamira laughed. “Yes sir, you did. Oh, shit.” She remarked, quickly triggering a return beam on a pokegirl as she began attacking Grace. “Found another bad egg.”
Andrew nodded. “Cortney, thank you.”
The Upgrade giggled in his ear. “Couldn’t do it without me. The remaining pokegirls number forty-seven. Claire has ranked them to me. Who would you like to cull?”
Andrew thought. “Take out the bottom seventeen. I’m correct in assuming around twenty are a part of the password group?”
“Yessir.”
Andrew straightened up and checked his watch. “That only took a few hours. Nice.” He surveyed the remaining pokegirls. “Congratulations. You all made the first cut. You may put on any discarded garments now and join the rest of the initiates.” He took a deep breath. “They’re all good, aren’t they?”
Adria sidled up next to him. “There are a few from the password group that I would not recommend. But other than that, these are all good choices.”
He scanned the remaining pokegirls. “I think I know the ones you’re referring to. Cortney, of the thirty remaining, Which are the bottom five?”
“The bottom five consist of three of the password group and two of the regular group. They are ranked as such based on general demeanor, and not on strength.” She snickered. “Oh, and I feel the need to notify you that there’s two Domina hiding in there.”
Andrew sighed. “Take them out. Claire, separate the bottom eight.” He motioned the girls towards him. “Interview time. Why are you here?”
He listened to each of the remaining twenty-eight girls, separating them into yes and no categories. The no category only held a handful of girls by the time they finished after nearly four hours of interviews. Andrew rubbed his eyes. “Cortney, remove the no’s. How many are left?”
Claire tossed one last pokeball into the backpack. “Twenty-two. Is that it?”
Andrew sighed and surveyed the group. “I wanted an army. And hell if one didn’t show up.” He stood. “Attention! Of the nearly one hundred pokegirls that attempted to enter this harem, you twenty-two are left. The others are on their way to the London ranch.” He grinned. “Congratulations. You all made it.” He held up a hand to forestall any celebration. “Now here’s the deal. You can still back out.”
A Gravelgal raised her hand. “And why would we do that, sir?” She called, accompanied by mini cheers from the others. Andrew smirked.
“You could back out because this harem, this team, does not run strictly with the law. And no I am not saying that team with a capital T. While you are here, you will not go into storage. I have, now, twenty-nine pokegirls. You will all be expected to contribute equally to the harem. You will be expected to work with this harem. And, eventually,” He took a deep breath. “You will be expected to kill for this harem.”
He continued. “I will begin using many terms interchangeably. ‘Harem’ and ‘Unit’ will mean the same thing, soon. This unit will be composed of, at its full strength, six teams of seven pokegirls. That is forty-two pokegirls. And if you’re worried about taming, you should be. Only team Alphas and Betas will have a consistent taming schedule with me. Other than that, each team will have one week, rotating, with me. You will be expected to find your own tamings in between. So take a good look around you, and pray to Sukebe that you like pussy. Because for a lot of you, it’s going to be most of what you get.” He held out his arms. “Anyone want to leave?”
There was silence for a few seconds before a pair of Nereidames stepped forward. “You propose something fairer than most will conceive.” They chorused. “We believe we speak for the rest when we say that such a trivial matter, especially one as well thought out as you have, will not dissuade us.”
Andrew nodded and glanced around. “Anyone want to amend that statement?” When nobody did, he returned his gaze to the center. “Very well. Here are the ground rules. Respect your teammates. I will not tolerate the normal usage of ‘Master’. Usage of the word Master will be tolerated by a case by case basis. I am Andrew, or ‘sir’ if you must. Is that understood?”
The chorus of ‘sir yes sir!’ came back and he grinned. “Good. As of right now, Claire is Alpha and Adria is Beta. As we separate teams that may change. But right now, you all report to one of them. Adria, Claire, introduce yourselves.”
Adria raised her head. “I am Adria. I am a Groaning. I am the Beta of this harem.”
Claire sheathed her sword and nodded. “I am Claire. I am an Armsmistress. I am the Alpha of this harem.”
Andrew nodded at the group of pokegirls. “And now we have your introductions. We will then meet the remaining members of the unit and you will be shown to your rooms. For ease, you will now be numbered in order that I call you for introduction. We will get to names later. State your number, breed, and preferred name when called. If you do not have a name, or prefer that I change it, say only your number and breed. We will begin with the front.” He said, pointing at the first pokegirl.
“Night Nurse. One.”
“Ophanim. Cristina. Two.”
“Assasara. Nial. Three.”
“Shadowcat. Lucina. Four.”
“Scorpiagirl. Five.”
“Longfly. Six.”
“Matratya. Juel. Seven.”
“Seabra. Eight.”
“Wet Lass. Nine.”
“Mecha Musume. Ten.”
“Nereidame. Yin. Eleven.”
“Nereidame. Yang. Twelve.”
“Sharptits. Thirteen.” Came next, followed by squeals from the twin Nereidames as they began pestering the poor Sharptits.
“Gunvalkyrie. Kary. Fourteen.”
“Guntit. Fifteen.”
“Gravelgal. Phial. Sixteen.”
“Ice Maiden. Al… Ice Maiden. Seventeen.”
“Tank Vixxen. Constance. Eighteen.”
“Dark Kitsune. Nineteen.”
The Myobu next to her snorted, but continued. “Myobu. Twenty.”
“Rosebreasts. Ashba. Twenty-one.”
“Dracass. Fuck you. Twenty-two.”
Andrew frowned. “I’m sorry, twenty-two, but I could have sworn your name was fuck you.” The Dracass glared at him. “Very well, fuck you. Everyone, please say hello to fuck you.”
The other pokegirls chorused softly but stopped when the Dracass began growling. “I owe you nothing. I will play your game, but keep it short.”
Andrew smirked. “Would you rather be sold, fuck you? Because I can still sell you, fuck you. You elected to be here, fuck you.”
The Dracass winced. “Fine. Yes, I did. Dracass. Seras. Twenty-two.”
Andrew’s eyes glinted. “I thought your name was fuck you? Well, I guess if you want it changed, I can oblige. Fu is a nice name, yes?” His smile faded. “That’s spelled ‘F-U’ in case you didn’t know.”
Fu growled but stopped when Andrew raised his hand. “You started a fight. I finished it. There is no ‘easy way out’ here. You want to be Seras? Earn it.”
Fu grit her teeth but nodded, so Andrew moved on. “Perfect. Grace, Shamira, introduce yourselves please.”
Grace spat and cracked her knuckles. “Grace. Mini-Top. ‘For you shall be judged by the Grace of God.’”
Andrew chuckled but let Shamira continue. “Shamira. Goldina.”
Andrew nodded at Shamira. “You won’t recognize her breed. Needless to say, she pulls her weight.” He strode to the door, motioning the others with him. “Everyone on me. I’ll give you the tour.” He said, striding into the hallway and handing the backpack off to Aella. “Introduce yourself, Aella.”
Aella glanced at the group behind him. “Aella. Naga.”
The Mecha Musume frowned. “What is she doing here? She isn’t strong.”
Aella smiled and dropped the backpack, teleporting to wrap around the mechanical pokegirl’s neck. “Allow me to expand that. Aella. Naga. Hunter template, and more than capable of tearing you apart.”
Andrew snapped his fingers, calling Aella away from her prey. “Be careful who you insult. All of you. Ten, what is your subtype?”
The Mecha Musume rubbed her neck. “Flying. Sir.”
He nodded. “Keep your tongue in check next time.” He turned to the entryway as Aella teleported away. “Dining room and kitchen were through that door over there, but we have now expanded to a mess and larger kitchen. There is one bathroom opposite, with multiple stalls. Let me repeat that. One bathroom. Multiple stalls. If you want a private bathroom, you find somewhere else. Adjacent to the bathroom is the teleport room. Any teleport capables will want to familiarize yourself with it.” He strode to the forge hallway. “The hallway we just exited leads to the training arena, firing range, and taming room. This hallway leads to the forge, arcane workshop, and storage. We’ll be meeting the last member of the unit here.” He said, pulling open the door to the arcane workshop. “Lyn, these are our new harem sisters.”
The Enchantress glanced up from her table. “Greetings. Lyn. I’m an Enchantress, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll close that door.”
Andrew chuckled and quickly pulled it shut. “Don’t disturb her for small talk. Now then, your rooms are upstairs. Claire, if you would?”
Claire nodded and took the lead. “Everyone follow me. Right now your rooms are merely blank spaces, but we are in a subspace pocket. Everything inside here can be customized. Once you are sorted into your team your room will be moved accordingly.” She pointed back away from the pokegirl hallway. “The large double doors are the tamer bedroom. Entrance is by invitation only. And when I say that, I mean it. Andrew has made it very clear to me that trespassing will not be tolerated. Loss of taming privileges is just one way he might enforce his privacy.” She grinned. “Disciplinary action would be next. But please, try me. I’ll enjoy every second of it.”
The Myobu raised her hand. “What are the rules on personal effects?”
Andrew cleared his throat. “Please speak up, Twenty.” She repeated her question. “If you have personal belongings in safe keeping we will help you retrieve them. While here, your personal belongings otherwise will amount mostly to your clothing. Anything extra will be earned. I do not give an allowance; any cash that you receive will be a portion of your feral captures. If you do not capture a feral, you do not get paid.” He smiled. “Fair?”
She nodded. “Fair, sir. If we are unable to teleport, is it possible to get help?”
Andrew grinned and motioned around at the assembled pokegirls. “I can’t teleport. Ask your fellow sisters, not me. We are one unit. One family. Remember that.” He dropped his arms. “Claire will be drawing up the initial taming schedule soon. Remember, it is primarily your responsibility to keep from going feral.” He nodded. “Dinner will be in one hour. Be there.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<17:30, Outside London>
Andrew sat drawing out plans on his dex but stopped when the Scorpiagirl stood next to him. “Sir, may I ask a question?”
Andrew glanced at her and waved at the seat next to him. “Sit. You aren’t eating?”
She sat and shook her head. “I’ve already eaten. Most of the others are just talking by now.”
Andrew surveyed the mess and shrugged. “True. Are all of the tables still intact?”
She blushed. “Yes sir. I restrained myself.”
He chuckled. “You didn’t come over here to hear me talk. What’s on your mind, five?”
She dropped some of her material into her hands and began working it. “Sir, I am familiar with most military forces that operate in Blue. Your uniforms are not.”
Andrew raised an eyebrow. “What am I, some sort of veteran attractant?” He sighed. “That’s because we aren’t a military group. I was, but none of my other pokegirls were. Although now I guess that’s grown to me and three.”
She smiled. “BLSF. And from the way you hold yourself, you deserve this.” She said, handing him a set of bars and star. “I wouldn’t have my Master wear anything less.”
He chuckled but pocketed them. “Rank insignia will get you killed. Enemy snipers watch for the symbols of command.”
She pouted. “Yes sir. Thank you for your time.” She stood and walked back to the tables, Andrew standing and pounding his mug until activity in the room ceased.
“I hope everyone has eaten. I will now be entertaining questions. I will do my best to give an answer.” He nodded at the Longfly. “Yes?”
She stood. “How are we all able to be here? Why are you able to ignore the limit of six?”
Andrew nodded. “Good question. I’m not. As far as anyone of law enforcement is concerned, I have six pokegirls in my harem and twenty plus that I rotate through storage. As long as I don’t use more than six pokegirls in an official battle, nobody will be the wiser.” He pointed at the twin Nereidame. “Yes, Yin and Yang.”
They stood. “How are teams going to be decided? And if we are unhappy with them, how do we appeal?”
Andrew shrugged. “Teams are still being drawn up and will maximize each unit’s combat effectiveness. If you wish to appeal once they are decided, just notify me or one of the team leaders, who will then notify me.” He frowned. “I have to ask. Are you Siamese or something, because the finishing each other’s sentences is kind of unsettling.”
Yin grinned. “We share a low level bond, not unlike an Alpha bond. But yes, we are Siamese twins. The threshold progressed at a different speed between us, so we were separated in order to keep us from suffering damage.” Yang picked up the conversation. “We will of course prefer to be kept together. We are extremely effective when we are.”
Andrew nodded. “I’ll do my best. Yes, Fu.”
The Dracass grimaced. “How will team leaders be decided?”
Andrew shrugged. “I decide the Alpha. The Alpha decides the Beta. As I said before, there are no ‘free’ rides here. Earn it.” He smiled. “Any Alpha found shirking her duties will be replaced. Any Beta that I decide is endangering the team will be forced to step down and a new Beta, also chosen by the Alpha, will be found. I do not anticipate having to do that.”
Cristina stood. “I will ask the question nobody wants to. There is a reason for all of this. No normal tamer gathers this many active pokegirls, especially a Master Tamer such as yourself. Why are we here?”
Andrew sighed. “First of all, I do not like to lie. I do my best to stay honest every day.” He shook his head. “That being said? There is no reason. No reason for you to worry about.” He chuckled weakly. “I will say that I am an unwilling dimensional traveler. And I want to get away from a small group that wants me to stay.”
Kary stood when the harem began muttering to each other. “Bring them on. I signed up for combat, not babying. Give me a target, get out of my way, and let me fire.”
Andrew smiled and inclined his head. “Thank you, Kary.” He pointed at the Ice Maiden. “Yes?”
She stood. “What kind of a name is Ranger?” She asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Andrew smirked. “A fake one. Yes, Constance.”
The Tank Vixxen stayed slouching in her chair. “Gun.”
Andrew rolled his eyes. “Make one. We’ve got a forge and a huge metal stockpile. You want a proper one, earn it. Capture enough ferals to buy one.”
She growled but didn’t push, so he turned to the Night Nurse. “Yes?”
She stood. “Uniforms and tech. When.”
Andrew shrugged. “When I buy more. Tomorrow, probably.” He glanced around. “Any more questions?”
The Seabra glanced around and stood when nobody else did. “How will we have access to water? I can form salves for everyone here, but I would rather not have to renew them constantly.”
Andrew nodded. “As you saw, the training arena can have anything we want in it, including a pool. In addition, Lyn can put whatever you would like into your room. I believe she has put a small pool in for Shamira?”
The Goldina nodded. “She has.”
He turned back to the Seabra. “And there you go.”
She nodded and sat back down, Lyn standing. “In regards to rooms. Do not come to me until you are certain you know what you want. I find it highly annoying when my time is wasted.”
Andrew clapped his hands and rose. “If there are no further questions, I am retiring for the night. Tomorrow we will begin the initial taming schedule, which will progress for approximately the next two weeks. After that we will begin the regular schedule, as teams will be decided by then.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<11:00, Dublin>
Andrew ducked as the Mecha Musume blew by overhead, her form of an attack helicopter chasing a handful of the other flying pokegirls in the harem. “I need advice.”
Claire glanced at him. “With?”
Andrew showed her the lists he was compiling. “Teams. I think I have most of the inter-girl matches made, but now I need to make them into teams.”
Grace took the dex and scanned the screen. “Yep, most of these are what I would recommend. Do you just want them balanced?”
Andrew nodded. “I have already drawn up four teams, but I wanted your input.”
She handed the dex back. “As long as each team has a healer and a teleporter, they’ll work. Reasonably balanced would also be an advantage, but it’s not required.”
Andrew nodded and picked at the badge on his shoulder. “Thanks. What do you think of the design?”
The badge had a rainbow background, with the word ‘Unit’ stenciled over it. “It works. Why the rainbow?”
Andrew chuckled. “Red team, Orange team, Yellow team, Blue team, Indigo team, Violet team. Also known as Alpha, Beta, Delta, Epsilon, Sigma, and Omega.”
She counted on her fingers. “What about Green team?”
Andrew grinned. “We’ll let our enemies worry about finding Green team.”
A smile spread across her face. “Psychological warfare. Smart.”
Andrew nodded. “Cortney, review the teams for me and if they are satisfactory, post them to the board in the mess. Claire, who’s on the taming roster tonight?”
Cortney spoke. “The taming roster for tonight includes Thirteen, the Sharptits, and Phial, the Gravelgal. The schedule continues with two pokegirls each night for the next thirteen days, with two rest days.”
Andrew groaned. “You’re trying to fricking kill me. I swear.” He shook his head. “Fine. It needs to be done, I guess.”
Claire giggled. “It needs to be done, otherwise your mini army will fall apart. Your dick is the glue that will hold us all together.”
Andrew rolled his eyes but nodded. “As corny as that statement was, it’s true. Well, we’ll get to Naas tomorrow, if we keep up the pace. Stick around there for a little while, get some taming out of the way, finally figure out what Draken wants.”
Claire blinked. “Draken?”
Andrew stopped and jabbed his thumb over his shoulder at their shadows. “You remember him. The Vampire experiment that for some reason likes to hide in my shadow?”
His shadow bubbled and Draken emerged, grinning ruefully. “How did you know I was here?”
Andrew chuckled. “You were too perfect. I could still see the outline clearly when the Mecha Musume went overhead and blocked the sun. I then made an educated guess.”
The Vampire shook her head. “Amazing. I wish to speak with you.”
Andrew nodded. “You, or Roth?”
Draken winced. “Me. I’m here on personal business.”
Andrew motioned for Draken to follow and kept walking. “We can talk when we make camp. Let’s go.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<12:00, Sanctuary>
The receptionist glanced up with a smile. “Councilor! It’s good to see you again. Most of the council is waiting inside.”
Linda smiled and nodded at the girl. “Thank you.” She replied, pulling open the doors and entering the council room. As she did, one of the other S-Goths inside hastened to her side. “Linda! What is going on? Why the emergency meeting?”
Linda grimaced. “Hello, Morgana. My daughter had contact a few days ago. I’m here to pass along a warning.”
Morgana gasped. “Contact? With who?”
Linda shook her head. “I would appreciate only saying it to the council as a whole so I don’t have to repeat myself. But it was an Author.”
Morgana covered her mouth. “What?”
Linda nodded. “I’ll be giving the full report to the council. We should be beginning shortly.” She said, striding away.
Morgana watched her go and her face grew a calculating look. She pulled out a com unit and keyed in a number. “General. He’s made an appearance in Capital. Find that man. FIND HIM BEFORE HE CAN RUIN EVERYTHING.” She hissed, slamming the unit down as the council called to order.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Andrew Ranger
Age: 27
Licenses:
Tamer: Y
Master Tamer: Y
Researcher: N
Watcher: N
Breeder: N
Badges:
England; Coventry, Shrewsbury
Wales;
Ireland;
Scotland;
Active Harem:
Hauteclere – Armsmistress, Level 39 (Alpha)
Adria – Groaning, Level 35 (Beta)
Grace – Mini-Top, Level 37
Lyn – Enchantress, Level 36
Aella – Naga, Level 35
Shamira – Goldina, Level 41
Cortney – Upgrade VideoGirl