Bling Slaking
Bugger
Chapter One: Welcome to Tohoku
A silent wind breezed through an outskirt mountain of Tohoku, a north-eastern region of Japan. Unfamiliar Pokémon cries added to an atmosphere of uneasiness. The silence, aside the dribbles of a waterfall, could be explained by the preparations of the Tanabata Festival at the infamous Sendai City, many miles away, yet just in view. The show-off region’s newest Pokémon trainers, 10 year olds mainly, would have gathered there from nearby towns, as it’s all they talked about for months.
Just below this mountain was an unnamed lake where a full moon illuminated its dark surface, as clouds started to set back. Out of nowhere, a swarm of Yanma appeared breaking the silence as they travelled across the water. They gleamed at their rushing reflections as they called their names, finding amusement with their echoes. One smaller than the rest landed on a rock in the shallow washing its eyes, as the swarm moved on. The dragonfly was soon distracted as a silhouette slid down a rocky slope from a high edge. The rock fragments scattered into the water causing large ripples. “Ouch! Come, come,” it said ominously. The startled Yanma took a suspicious look, then flew in the opposite direction. The mysterious person’s moving shadow reflected in the unsettled water as it stood up and staggered to a lone boulder, barely able to walk straight, and coughing gently. From what could be seen was that they wore a black hooded coat, followed by a belt and white patches on the trousers, which were presumably brown or some other dark colour.
It started to relax, gaining their breath, then opened a hand-sized box containing rationed osechi. The box had an engraved message saying Celadon Industries. While eating, the figure casually looked down the cliff edge which lead into a waterfall. Every moment small whirlwinds breezed through a forest, a forest that shrouded a barely visible road leading up to the city. With this, the person finished and dropped the box into the water - which fell down the waterfall. Then they soon stepped out of the shade, raising their hand. It was a tall skinny man.
“Where are you? Come, quick!” he commanded again, this time in a clear yet deep voice. A black triangle-like shape immediately emerged from the rustling trees of the forest below. It glided up the waterfall as a long reflection from moonlight appeared against dropping water. It hopped a couple of steps at the cliff edge, then fluttered onto his hand. As far as Pokémon go, this one was swift, confidently postured, and had some experienced sneakiness to the way it flew.
“Finally! Is he there?” the man asked. “Is he there? Is it too late? Is it all set?” he repeated impatiently followed by a tear jerking cough. The tainted bird twittered followed by a couple of light squawks. “Ok then, lead. We have hardly any time…”
The bird flew off, disappearing into the night sky - this time in the city direction. During this the odd man steadily climbed down the mountain’s short cliff, and took his first step onto Tohoku soil. At this instant, more alerted calls from peculiar creatures were more obvious and clear as they echoed throughout the starlight sky. The man, standing alone at the mountain’s roots, looked around with deep thought and anxiety. So sudden, everything seemed to spin around him, faster, and faster. He coughed violently, which made him fall to his knees. Walking up to and rubbing his face in the waterfall lake next to him. Suddenly, all went quiet. Deathly quiet. The now obviously ill man’s eyes opened wide and his hands slowly came away from his face. A deafening explosion killed the silence. Flocks of Spearow, Taillow and unknown bird Pokémon fluttered into the sky from the forest, scared, shocked. The man had ducked with his arms over his head. His mouth stayed opened in shock but made no sound. He stood up and spun around - the night sky from behind the mountains he had cometh had become a warm orange-yellow. His hand automatically reached into his deep pocket, grabbing a pokéball.
“Doduo, out..” he silently said throwing the ball pathetically weak. A bright white emitted, lighting up the small space, before dying down. A double screech was heard from it. The almost featherless and scratched up Doduo looked around uncertainly at the warm colours, lingering behind the other side of the mountain. Then the bird’s two heads looked at each other - winced - while its two uncouthly legs stood a step backwards. The man and his Pokémon both stood for some seconds before wild forest Pokémon started calling again, gradually. The lanky man mounted the Doduo, before right away it ran at great speed - probably due to its fear. It wasn’t long until they both were gradually swallowed up into the darkness of the forest depths.
It must have been some hours of travelling when the forest’s zelkova leaves started to glow lighter. Broken sunlight had pierced through some parts, making the path visible, all though dim. On each side of the knee-length grassy path there situated a steep dirt bank, which occasionally had a small dribble of water running down it. The path itself was almost blocked by logs, weed infested, and vines dinged down every branch. This place also had a damp smell, though it hadn’t rained. A running stomping suddenly upraised. The man riding his wide-eyed Doduo had got deeper, much deeper, into the woodland. An occasional Spearow would be seen swooping down for prey which made them both jumpy. It had seem to take an age to travel through, with no rest, and his anxiety had also ceased to end. This wasn’t helped by what almost seemed like rustling, followed by echoic wicked laughter within the inaccessible depths up the two banks and beyond. Both heads of the Doduo were looking in various directions as it ran which slowed it down. “Keep it going,” he kept saying supportively to them.
You have to wonder why the man bore a distinguishing curved scar on his pale cheek, which looked like half a moon, and also a smaller full moon in the middle of it. It was attempted to be hidden as it was mostly covered over by a parting from his shoulder-length black hair, and only became visible when he looked behind. His eyes were covered also, making him almost expressionless.
As they hastily went on, the Doduo jumped over yet another log. Something fell out the man’s pocket with no notice. A blue card.
He halted the terrified Pokémon, dismounted and moved his hair from his face. He looked up after hearing a faint deep squawk. A Murkrow was sitting on a branch leering down at him in the corner of its wicked crimson eyes. From its posture, it probably was the same bird Pokémon from last night. The Murkrow’s head swerved to another direction while its eyes stayed entirely focused on him. A gap it was indicating to, in between a dozen or so trees, which a few bushes covered over. More light seemed to come from here than from above. Without hesitation, he limped light-headed to it.
“Your… services are over,” he said blankly to the Murkrow, which was still glaring at him in the corner of its eyes. He returned his Doduo into its pokéball, before pushing through the bushes. A thud. He had walked face on into a metal sign. With a sore face he looked around with a sweat-drop, seeing Murkrow flying off with a cheeky grim smile. It was now the man simply collapsed.
Looking up at the early cold blue sky, he coughed so hard it made him almost faint. He was getting worse. He would have passed out due to over-fatigue if not for hearing footsteps. All though he wanted to look around, he just couldn’t move.
“Are you ok? I heard a terrible cough..” a pleasant voice asked. Still laying on his back, he turned his head around plainly, to see an attractive blue haired woman leaning against a fence post. She had an Illumise in her arms. “Another trainer which has travelled though Midst Forest. You're no 10 year old but still, impressive. I didn’t see you when Illumise and I had a search for lost people in there last night.”
He stared at her. “What do you mean?”
She blankly blinked. “Well,” she continued. “10 year olds with their initial Pokémon have to travel through the long dark dank Midst Forest to here to see if they are worthy of such Pokémon. Team work and determination!"
"Whatever.." he muttered.
"Well, ok, you look awfully tired and sick, so you must… no arguments, come with me and rest.”
“Anything is welcome away from that tree-hole infested with what only a Haunter would know..” he thought to himself. “As long as I get into the city I can find him..”
With his arm around the shorter girl, the woman took the pale man into the gigantic city. Predicable beautiful fountains, white slab paths and tall buildings with small trees growing against them - a hidden paradise, almost. Only just to his dozy notice there were hundreds of people here. He didn’t blend in at all. A few Pokémon were around too, types he had rarely seen before - Charmanders, Treeckos, Totodiles, etc. Some species were new to him. He was awed by this, however he was more concerned over looking at the crowds of people, as if he was looking for a certain face.
After some time recovering in a centre, he pleasantly opened his eyes to see the stunning woman and her Illumise on her shoulder looking curiously down at him.
“Hi,” she said smiling. “We didn’t exchange names. I’m Peri!”
“You’ve been staring at me all this time? How long was I out? Where are my Pokémon?” he immediately asked.
“You’ve been out about six and a half hours,” she replied. “It’s 10am,”
He sat up almost simultaneously as she spoke. Four pokéballs which were on his lap fell onto the centre’s white tiled floor. The Illumise hovered off of Peri’s shoulder and looked at one playfully. The girl picked the balls up while looking at the man rubbing his face.
“What is your name?” she asked. “The scar…”
“Six hours? It’s been too long. I’m too late, I’m too late…dammit..”
It was actually at this moment an explosion happened outside. In an almost rehearsed panic the man grabbed one of his pokéballs, leaving the others in the befuddled girl’s hands, and ran through the clear sliding doors. She looked at the pokéball. Yen was engraved in gold.
“Go back, get out of here!” he angrily shouted outside, about release whatever Pokémon he happened to grab. He then stood quiet, the now bright morning sun in his pale blue eyes, though still covered. The red and white pokéball remained in his vainly grasp in the air. When he could see, he saw nothing but trainers looking around at him with confused faces. The explosion was nothing but someone’s faulty firework, obviously preparing for tonight’s festival. He smiled, frowned, then smiled again. Most people looked away. “What a freak,” someone close muttered.
“It’s f-fine, it’ll be fine, I still have time,”
The young Peri came out the centre doors. “Mr. Yen? Here are your other pokéballs, sir,” she said as he stood next to him - a now wary and nervous face of the man. She knelt on one knee in respect. He grabbed them from the woman, and looked at them.
“Where is it?” he shouted. “Where’s my other Pokémon? Only three? I must have left it in that nightmarish forest, it’s over, it’s all over..”
“What’s all over?” she asked curiously. She seemed intrigued by this man.
“Are you a resident here?” he asked impatiently. “Are you?”
“Why, yes,”
“Then you must know that woodland like the back of your hand.” Yen held her by the hand. “You must take me back through this forest, I must retrace my steps, I must.. Find.. They probably won’t go the same…”
Peri felt the pain in his voice as he mumbled on. His grip, tighter.
“I can’t leave,” she replied with an awkward smile. He seemed disappointed before she even finished speaking.
“I can see you don’t understand,” he muttered. “THEY’RE COMING. But you will understand, you and everyone else!”
With no more words just turned around back and ran towards the way he came.
“Well now, I can’t just go leaving with a stranger just like that..” she said to herself watching him limp off into the crowds. “There are some strange trainers out there…”
As Peri turned back towards the centre, she straight away saw her Illumise holding Yen’s lost pokéball. She took it away, despite Illumise’s snobbish look.
“Illumise!” she cried. “I told you never to steal anything, did I not?”
She looked back around. “Mr. Yen! Wait!”
As she started to run to find him, her Illumise followed feeling just slightly guilty.
Peri started to run, excusing people as she bumped into them. She gathered Yen was obviously heading back to where she and Illumise found him.
“Hey look!” a random man shouted, pointing up.
“What is it?” another asked, looking.
Not hearing the murmurings of more and more people, she had reached the city’s gates. The tail-glowing Illumise overtook her, buzzing over the fence and into the forest. She was about exit too when suddenly something, which seemed like a pure dark shadow, appeared from literally nowhere and caused her intense shivering. It laughed psychotically wobbling its head. People looked around. The figure then screeched, causing immediate deafness to all close by. Peri screamed covering her ears and crying, dropping the pokéball she held. Trainers and their Pokémon looked around and the whole area went deathly silent. Yen stood by a close forest tree, peering from behind with a grim smile.
Last edited: