Swole-POV:
A ray of light pierces the window curtains at just the right angle to shine directly into my bloodshot eyes.
Nothing helps. It traces my eye wherever I move. I can't roll to my stomach because my pokemon are on both sides of me. Glaring at the evil sun only stings more.
My desperate wiggling proves to be too noisy for Salandit to sleep. She stirs awake at my side, smacking her lips.
~"Morning." Her tongue darts out to clean off the sleep-sand from her eyes.
Yuck. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"
She nods. ~"Iss she sstill in her pokeball?"
I nod. "Let's get up."
Today is supposed to be a busy day. Akari and I rescheduled our trip to the historical museum to today. Afterwards, Cynthia expects me to see her at the rooftop cafe across the Galactic Building.
I need to be dressed like a perfect gentleman.
Awaiting me, my pokemon sit on the bed while I freshen up in the bathroom. Only Lopunny - still inside her pokeball - remains by my side as I wash my face, shave the few stubble that have grown over the days, and get dressed most of the way.
What is she thinking about? Is she still asleep? Could she at least sleep a little better than I could?
As I stand in front of the mirror, wearing just a pair of dress pants, two options lay before me.
A tank top. I have the muscles to pull it off. Dawn and Zoey wished that for me. It's cool, modern, tough, and manly.
And a dress shirt plus vest as the other option. It reminds me of my father. I wore this when I caved in Victor's stupid fucking face. It screams authority.
The one thing I am clearly lacking: authority.
...
My hand hovers above the vest.
I glance at Lopunny's pokeball and the decision is made.
I have to toughen up. To reign in an amazing pokemon like Lopunny, I will have to exude authority with every pore and fiber of my being. Perhaps that is impossible for me; but at the very least, I can try with every fiber of my clothing.
A new man looks back at me in the mirror. My long, wavy, surfer hair has been beaten into submission for today. It won't dare to stick out of place, instead flowing neatly like a river creek across the back of my head.
The dark black of the vest contrasts strongly with the white dress shirt.
No more pulled-up sleeves either. No more rebellion.
Through the bathroom door, I can see Akari marching into my apartment with Typhlosion following closely behind.
Reminds me of the dream I had tonight. Akari crawled over my bed with pure lust in her eyes while her hand moved up and down the length of my shaft.
The moment I tried talking with her, she melted into the shadows, and I woke up.
Akari looks around my apartment for a bit before spotting me. "Good morning, dear."
I return her smile. "And a good morning to you as well, dear. I need just one more moment."
"Take your time."
I use some shoe polish to freshen up my Devon Corp running boots, my vintage backpack, and my black belt with six pokeball slots. They have all started looking a little worn and beaten, but the polish gets the job done, making them shiny and smooth once more.
The pokeball-shaped belt buckle clicks in place when I finish off my ensemble.
Lopunny's brilliant white ball stands out nicely against the black suit like a lonely star in the night sky. Salandit's ball joins hers, then Riolu's, and finally Sewaddle's.
An emergency potion and pokeball find their places in my pocket.
The person looking back at me from the mirror seems like someone from a parallel dimension.
There he stands, an accomplished pokemon trainer, known by many for his rapid success, and his beautiful wife patiently waiting for him.
He's not the failure who let his pokemon rebel.
He's not the degenerate who kind of liked it.
He's not the scrawny nerd who thought he knew so much better.
He's a man - not a boy who won't get to live past age 15.
"I'm ready."
---
"Akari?"
"Yes, dear?"
"When will we marry?"
A person leaving the historical museum gives us weird looks as the question lingers in the air. Who cares what the nameless, faceless stranger thinks? Not me.
Akari smiles. "I would like to hold the ceremony in our own home within our very own town. So, as soon as it is built?"
"That sounds great. Have you thought of a name yet?"
Her head bobs up and down while her thumb rubs across the back of my hand. "Rootwell Town. How do you like it?"
"It's perfect. It seems right at place with the rest of Sinnoh's towns."
She stops rubbing my hand but smiles brightly. "I'm glad you like it. Marley shot down so many of my ideas, always saying that they already exist."
We walk through the entrance decorated with carvings of old figures and pokemon, when--
"Halt." The voice of an Officer Jenny stops us the moment we enter, one palm stretched out, inches away from my chest. "Please keep your pokemon inside their pokeballs for the duration of your visit."
What the hell?
"It is a new policy until the new security system has been thoroughly tested."
"Are you serious?" Her blue police hat bobs up and down with her nod. "What if we get attacked?"
"Be assured, my sisters and I will keep you safe. In turn, please consider the safety of the other visitors, the staff, and the exhibits."
All because of an attempted robbery? That's tyrannical!
"Hey, Officer Jenny! I don't think that will be necessary." A new voice joins the discussion. Who's that pokemon trainer? "I recognize this man. He will be a new challenger in my gym soon!" It's Gardenia!
Her black hair has an orange highlight on top - or perhaps it is the other way around? She has an intense gaze and orange eyes. A green poncho drapes over her shoulders while tattered brown cargo shorts with tall, sturdy boots to protect her tomboyish feet cover her legs.
I remember a rumor from pokemon school - I wonder who started it - that she shows her midriff, abs, and navel so onlookers would become distracted during a fight. I have yet to hear another reason for her contrasting sense of style: an outdoor tomboy plus a tease dressed for a different climate.
Roserade stands guard behind her, looking out for trouble.
"Good morning, gym leader Gardenia. Apologies, but we cannot compromise on this matter. Especially because of the recent break-in, we can't take anyone's word for it. Team Rocket had a flawless disguise that fooled all of the staff."
So it wasn't just a rumor. Team Rocket really did it. Was it Jessie, James, and Meowth? Or perhaps... Domino.
"The new rules are for everyone, including you, Gardenia."
She grumbles about the 'stupid rules...' before pressing a button on her belt to return Roserade to her pokeball.
"All of your pokemon. Don't make me bring out Growlithe."
The threat alone was enough to get her fire dog pokemon fired up. He waddles around Officer Jenny's work desk, claws scraping on the wooden floor, before sniffing at the air. He barks.
"Yes, yes. Alright." Another flash of red light shoots out, aiming for Gardenia's shadow. "Stupid rules."
Growlithe only calms down after investigating Gardenia's feet, legs, and thighs closely with his nose... I wish I was Growlithe right now. Does she smell like normal humans, or did she pick up the scent of a pumpkin from her elevated status as a gym leader?
"You may pass." Officer Jenny opens up the cordon for Gardenia. However, the gym leader decides to approach me instead.
She inspects us with a critical eye, looking up and down at me and my pokemon. "I heard you tried to register at my gym a few days ago. Try to reach me over the poketch instead."
A business card changes hands.
When she stalks off, her heavy boots barely make a sound. Her steps are gentle, precise, and confident. Her hips sway, but not a lot. Her whole body is filled to the brim with constant tension, like a compressed spring ready to jump into action at any moment.
Her walk conveys authority. A part of me is now more impressed with Officer Jenny, who managed to talk down to Gardenia.
Growlithe barks at us, pulling my attention back to the matter at hand.
I don't like it. But I'm not a paranoid wuss... Gulp.
"I'll see you later."
Salandit scales down my body. ~"I didn't want to ssee the human museum anyway." She pushes the button of her pokeball before disappearing.
After giving Riolu and Sewaddle a few pets, they return to their pokeballs as well.
Akari shuffles around on the spot, reaching for her primitive-looking pokeballs within various pouches sewn into her kimono to recall her pokemon one after another.
Hisui Zoroark too.
Officer Jenny continues to block the way. "All of your pokemon."
I check my whole body. Did Sewaddle get out and hide in my clothing?
No. I'm clean.
"You have a ghost pokemon hiding in your shadow. You can't trick Growlithe's Odor Sleuth."
Huh? "I swear, I only have these four pokemon."
"Then who is moving that pokeball?" She points at a pokeball that's floating out of my pocket.
It's my emergency pokeball, hovering in the air as if held by a ghost.
Suddenly, the button depresses before it opens up and sucks something invisible inside.
It wiggles three times.
Ding
I... I guess I captured something?
"Huh."
"Huh." Officer Jenny is as stumped as I am.
"Well..." I scratch the back of my head while picking up the plain pokeball. "I guess I have five pokemon now."
What the hell was a wild ghost pokemon doing in my shadows?
Anyway, Growlithe finally calms down. Officer Jenny allows us through.
Curiosity itches at my fingertips. What is inside the pokeball?
I must reel myself in whenever my fingers reach for the new ball.
Hopefully I don't get too distracted and forget about the new pokemon while looking at the historic items...
Like the faceplate of a Yamask in the shape of a kitsune fox mask, a plaque claiming it belonged to a Hisui variant.
They have added a brand new exhibit as part of the historic texts section. Archeologists have just recently unearthed it in an ancient ruin and restored it to readable quality.
It's a collection of folklore under a glass case with copies printed out nearby for visitors to read.
All of the stories are a little weird and way too exaggerated in my opinion. Except for the Rapidash story.
---
Two hunters, brothers in fact, both skilled at their craft, were as different as sun and moon. One was soft and kind, the other harsh and decisive.
The younger brother went to the east, where he found not a single Ponyta all day, for the herds had been decimated by his careless elder.
But at night, during the time of the moon, his eyes laid claim on the most majestic Rapidash with most beautiful mane in the world.
As he laid his traps on the ground, her flaming mane would not leave his mind. And when she was just about to step on the rope that would seal her fate, the younger hunter jumped from his bush to scare her away.
The older hunter went to the west where the pokemon fled. His genius traps could raze hordes in one fell swoop.
Sometimes he would eat his prey, and other times he would take only a trophy for his victory. Oftentimes, the pokemon died for no reason at all.
When he saw a beautiful Rapidash, his eyes were fixed on her fiery mane.
The trap was quickly set, and the deed was done. A cut with the knife later, he wore the most majestic mane for himself.
The younger hunter couldn't believe his ears as he heard her voice. "My sister would flee, but I would not, for I carry nothing worth fleeing for."
The knife in his hand, meant to end a life, slipped from his hold. "I wanted your mane for myself, but not like this."
"It can still be yours for the taking." Rapidash folded her legs, allowing the human to ride on her back. "Take me."
Together they rode to the west.
The younger hunter taught her to battle, while Rapidash taught him the ways of the pokemon.
"Never kill a mother or a mother-to-be."
Days later, the younger hunter found a majestic Rapidash in the distance with a mane that rivals his own.
He recognized the face hidden underneath the mane. "That is my brother."
"He killed my sister. She expected an egg, just like me."
He understood.
An arrow flew through the air to pierce the older brother's heart.
---
Akari eyes the same page with an expression on her face that I just can't quite pin down. "What did you think of that story?"
"... I think he fucked that Rapidash."
"So uncouth." She chuckles. "I never considered this when I heard it the first time. Although, perhaps I was too young to think of it at all."
"You heard it before?"
"Hmhm. The elders told lots of these stories; each one was meant to impart some wisdom to us. This one told us not to hunt more than we could eat, or else your own people must turn on you."
Makes sense. They would rather kill the hunter than lose access to all their food.
But I think that isn't all.
This story is about how it is necessary to form bonds with pokemon. Both Rapidash and the younger hunter benefit from their... relationship.
"What about that story? The one with the Typhlosion and the little girl?"
Akari cringes. "Do not accept a stranger's help."
"But didn't the girl seem happy in the end? And the story would have ended differently if she and Typhlosion had trusted each other more. They could have lived happily if they went to her father together."
"..." She thinks for a bit. "The girl was just homesick. The father killed Typhlosion in ignorance."
Every story is like that. They have one obvious piece of wisdom, but also another lecture hidden in plain sight.
They all revolve around copulating with pokemon. Could that be a lesson of the past?
I mean, it felt good. Amazing even on a physical level.
Only the loss of power, agency, and authority was terrifying.
I'm a bit like the little girl: Lopunny took control. If that continues, she will make a terrible mistake.
If there is one thing in common in all these stories, as well as the modern sentiment, it is that humans must be in charge.
Typhlosion went out alone and died in a world he didn't understand.
If the herds of pokemon killed the older brother instead, then they would have risked retaliation.
By killing his own brother, the younger hunter saved both his tribe and the pokemon.
Pokemon are driven by instinct, and when their body tells them to do something, they will make the most shortsighted decisions.
In short: pokemon cannot be trusted to make their own choices.
... Is that why they embrace captivity?
"Swole?"
"Huh? Yes, Akari?"
"I was asking what your thoughts are."
"... Do your pokemon call you master too?"
"They call me mistress instead."
Right. Of course they would. "I think humans and pokemon were designed to be together. Neither can exist optimally without the other."
She nods after some thought.
But how far does it go? Are pokemon and humans meant to have sex? Why else would it work in the first place?
Does it even work? Those are just stories after all. It's not like I got Lopunny pregnant.
"Do you and Typhlosion... you know... ?"
"We should continue looking at the other artifacts." Why is she blushing?! Do they really?! "There is still so much to see."
No way! It was just an embarrassing topic for her to talk about. "Sure. Let's go."
Right?
---
Akari and I keep holding hands as our tour through history continues. Paintings, reconstructions of ruins, exhibits on ancient caves. This building has it all.
Even the legendary Adamant Orb can be viewed by the public, according to the plaque on a glass sliding door.
One of the largest gemstones humanity has ever discovered: it is supposed to have mystical properties, but I can't remember what they were. I'm hoping to read about it inside.
The doors slide open. Excited chatter fills my ears. A class of school children is here with us, discussing what they would do with such an incredible jewel. They don't realize a national treasure couldn't be sold anywhere, thereby having no actual value.
Cordoned off in the center of the room stands a pedestal with a red silk cushion on top. The Adamant Orb rests on top of it.
The whole thing is surrounded by a glass cage.
Another Officer Jenny - clearly a different one than the Jenny we saw earlier - stands between the cage and the crowd as they shoot pictures of the gem.
There is one person who doesn't seem to fit into the scene, sticking out like a sore thumb.
A woman with blonde, twin-drill hair stands a little further away than the rest of the crowd. She doesn't point her camera at the pedestal either.
I can hear the clicks of her device, but it doesn't flash. Security cameras are mounted in the corners of the room, directed at the gemstone. Her camera points at one of them. Snap. Then at another. Snap.
She wears an Alolan shirt and a short skirt - the absolute worst choice of clothing for Sinnoh weather, but quite typical for idiot tourists.
Tabatha the tourist turns towards us to take another picture-- No, towards the glass sliding doors behind us.
This time, the camera flashes. She lowers her device, revealing her piercing purple eyes before giving us a disarming, apologetic smile. One that says, 'Sorry for blinding you.'
But it doesn't work on me.
Her eyes are the very same violet that Domino had.
It is the same woman.
I'm gasping at Lopunny's pokeball. Fear?
She approaches us, eyes on the exit.
Is it really her? She looks just like Domino. Doesn't she recognize me?
My finger is on the button already, shaking.
She walks past us, not even giving us a second glance.
... The doors slide open.
If she isn't Domino, why is she photographing the security system?
What normal person would do that? None.
I need to follow her.
She just turned the corner. I follow to see her walking down the hallway completely unbothered.
But she takes no more pictures. Did she complete her job? Is she running away?
She recognized me, right?
I saw three girls in this city who looked just like her! I need to know! What the hell is going on?!
I need to understand if I'm going insane.
The finger on my pokeball's button comes to a rest. The shaking stops. Purpose guides it two slots to the right before coming to another rest.
I can't let out Riolu right now. It will attract too much attention. Officer Jenny might stop me. How could I explain the situation to her in time?
Domino is a mistress of disguise; she would be gone the moment I let her out of my eyes.
Instead, I follow her. My third eye is open; my concentration is solely on her.
Some words of worry land on deaf ears as we pass the Officer Jenny by the entrance.
The moment we exit the building, I release Riolu. Without an order, she falls in place by my side.
~"Who is the enemy?"
"Her. The blonde. Ahead of us."
I feel Riolu climbing up to my shoulder. Her feelers rise, brushing past my head.
~"Got her."
My feet miss a step once I relax for a moment. Aura is too difficult to use for a long time.
"Swole? Who is that?"
I grip my chest, a scream at the tip of my tongue when I see Akari appearing out of thin air right by me.
"Domino. Her code name is the Black Tulip. She's a psychopath from Team Rocket."
She's walking down the busy main street, weaving past people with a brisk tempo. Somehow looking like just a hurried tourist while she practically runs.
There is no way it isn't Domino.
"You should return to the apartment." I feel Akari squeeze my hand tighter when I suggest it. "She had overwhelmed and imprisoned Dawn when we met her first."
"I will stay nearby."
"She's dangerous. You can't stay with me-- Wait, what?"
Did I hear that right?
"I will stay nearby." She crams out two of her pokeballs from unseen pockets before Typhlosion and Zoroark appear. "You should not worry for my safety, but you can rely on my backup if something goes wrong."
Her pokemon retreated into her shadow as soon as she finished telling them what was going on.
That's not how it goes in movies. She's supposed to waste time and show how concerned she is by arguing back and forth, yet... This feels better.
She trusts me to succeed. She doesn't want to stand in my way at all. Still, she allows me to rely on her if I'm in over my head.
"Thank you. You're the perfect waifu."
She squeezes my hand one last time before I speed up my walking, leaving her behind.
~"Left. She went into an alley."
"Is it a dead end?"
~"Yes."
"Keep me updated on her moment."
~"She's waiting. Around a dozen meters into the alley. She holds something inorganic in her hands behind her back."
A knife? A gun?
She knows she's being followed. She's waiting for me to chase her into the alley. There is no way she went into a dead end on accident.
"Don't turn your head towards her. Be ready to use Protect if she pulls the object in front of herself."
I take a deep breath.
Approach the alley.
"Where the fuck did she go?" I mutter, scanning the crowd. "Shit. She disappeared!"
My feet carry me further. I can't hide the hurry in my steps. "Did she go that way?" I don't want to be in her line of sight any longer than necessary.
I move past the dark alley where a psychopath was waiting for me.
The bustling street and their crowds accept me easily. Just another trainer in a sea of people.
~"She's leaving."
I continue to look anywhere except behind me.
~"She's walking away."
"Where we came from?"
~"Yes."
"Is she facing our direction?"
~"I can't tell without looking."
"Do it quickly."
Riolu shuffles for a moment.
~"She's facing away."
I turn around, seeing nothing but random people on the streets. Still, I walk back towards the historical museum.
It takes a while of walking before I spot her again.
She strolls down the road like a perfectly normal tourist, looking at storefronts and asking for prices from vendors. Even going inside a shop to buy clothes.
If her face and hair weren't burned into my mind for what she-- Well, for what I did to her, then I would never expect her to be a Team Rocket member in disguise.
Nor would I expect that she had a gun or something somewhere on her body. Where is she hiding it? Underneath her skirt?
She enters another alley once we passed the museum.
There are far fewer people around this time, so I hide myself in a different alley nearby.
~"She's moving weirdly. I can't tell what she's doing."
I would be doomed without Riolu. But with her by my side, I don't even need a line of sight to keep going.
~"She's on the move again."
Carefully I peek around the corner into the street. Once again, she is gone like the wind.
~"Straight ahead. 50 meters."
I trust her call, following a group of Team Galactic grunts on their way back to work after a lunch break.
They joyfully talk about indecipherable topics.
Two split off from the group. A man and a woman.
Domino and her brother?
They walk into a karaoke bar. During work hours? Who would buy their act? I follow them--
~"She's still in that group of people."
It's just a couple trying to sneak off during work.
I see her, I think. It must be her. Everyone else wears grunt clothes, but she wears an officer's dress.
A dark, skintight top with sleeves going all the way to the fingers. The accented light gray part covers her breasts, goes down along her body before ending in a tight pencil skirt. She shows a thin strip of skin before her high-heeled, thigh-high boots begin.
Her hair looks the same. It still took me so long to recognize her.
Have the grunts even noticed that an officer joined them?
The way they keep talking about raunchy topics makes me think they haven't... I am too close if I can hear their conversation about Ron and Bethany's ongoing make-out session in the karaoke bar. Or if I can hear them saying that, "The bosses won't mind because it's just an 18-year recruitment scheme."
Had to stop myself from laughing. Almost blew my cover.
I'm forced to slow down my steps when the group enters the Team Galactic building's campus.
Do they have security in here?
Can I just follow them?
Nobody is stopping me as I approach their main entrance.
Fuck, I probably look extremely suspicious! Everyone else wears some kind of uniform!
Sweat pearls down my face as I nod a greeting to the security guy sitting in his booth.
He didn't even see me. He's busy watching stuff on his phone.
At the end of the road is a clear glass sliding door, leading inside.
~"She's moving upwards. Can she levitate?"
Domino has reached an elevator.
---
With a whoosh of air, the doors slide open during my approach.
Cool air from their AC hits my face on the way in.
An abstract statue made from light gray concrete decorates the center of the lobby. It seems to be devoid of purpose. Random shapes and blobs.
In general, everything inside Team Galactic's lobby seems boring, gray, and monotonous: gray carpet, white walls, black benches in a waiting area. The windows are wide and tall enough to stretch along the entire southern wall of the building, allowing one to see the neatly trimmed grass of the campus outside.
A blotch of color pulls at my attention. A tiny, green potted plant stands atop the secretary's desk.
The blue-haired woman in a grunt uniform working at the front desk leafs through stacks of paper, stamping some of them on occasion.
She hasn't seen me yet.
Never mind. Just as I thought it, she looks up, pausing her work to wave me closer.
After adjusting a stray strand of her hair that had managed to escape her braided bun, she gives me her full attention. "Good day, sir. What is the purpose of your visit?"
I put on my most disarming smirk. My most casual gait brings me closer to the desk. "H-hey there, cutie. How did you know I'm a visitor and not an employee? Can you remember all of their faces?"
"I can't." She chuckles and winks. "I just need to remember the faces of those who forget their uniforms in their rooms."
All of a sudden, she gets up from her chair to lean across the desk. "You do look similar to one of them. But you're missing the scars in your face."
"Facial scars? That might be my dad, Ben Solo."
"You're his son? In that case, I'm sure he will appreciate the visit. He lives on the fifth floor together with the rest of the higher-ups... By the way, is your Riolu sick?"
Her feelers are still up in the air while her eyes are closed. A look of discomfort is on her face.
"There's nothing to worry about. She's perfectly healthy; don't worry! Fifth floor, you said? Alright, I will go and give my dad a surprise. Bye!"
I hear the nice lady's words as I retreat, "Bye-bye. Have a nice day."
She didn't suspect a thing, but damn was it close!
I still feel her eyes boring into the back of my skull even when I press the button to call the elevator.
She doesn't suspect me. I shouldn't be worried.
The elevator's doors open with a ding.
An electrician steps out together with his Electrike. A few grunts cut in line, getting into the elevator ahead of me.
Offices, Housing, Media, Research and Development, Leadership.
Levels 1 to 4 were already glowing when I entered. With my number 5, the elevator will now hold on every story.
"Are you new here?" A friendly voice speaks up after the owner tapped my shoulder.
"Just visiting."
The man who spoke wears the same grunt uniform as everyone else. A name tag on his chest says he is 'Jimbob Bob Dylan.'
I can't believe my eyes. That's the fakest name I've ever heard.
"Ah, sorry then. I was just wondering why you wanted to go to the ivory tower."
Huh?
"Because only the higher-ups live there."
"Live? You mean work, right?"
"I see. You don't know how amazing Team Galactic is yet. Team Galactic provides free lodging for all their employees." He has a proud look on his face as he explains it. "Did you know that we have the highest employee satisfaction rates in the world?"
"That's cool--"
"All thanks to Cyrus. The man is a genius. Genius!" A few other grunts nod and grunt in agreement before they leave on the housing level. "You should apply for a job here. You look like a trainer. We have really great contracts available for trainers who just want a little extra cash during their travels."
"I already--"
"And did you know that the officers at Team Galactic are practically celebrities?"
"I did not--"
"Man, the ass and thighs on Jupiter. I tell you, she really has the greatest body of anyone around. I would commit war crimes for her, you know?"
"That's awfully specific."
"Not that they would order us to commit any war crimes, of course. What do you think about Mars?"
"I talked to her before--"
"She's so cute, and that scathing gaze whenever I mess up-- Wait. You've talked to her before?!"
"Twice. A short bit during the end of trainer school. The second time was in Canalave City, where she ended up giving me her poketch phone number."
"..." He has a pained look on his face, as if someone was twisting his balls off right now.
"Are you alright?"
"Can I have her number?"
"No?"
"..." His eyes turn into slits as he glares at me as if I'm the reason why the world is ending right now. "You have made yourself a new arch-nemesis today."
"Sure."
"Just kidding. Oh, look. This is your floor. Number five. Have fun."
He missed his own stop.
I walk out and try to ignore the way he's furiously mashing the 'close doors' button. His face holds a smile. However, his eyes tell me that he wasn't kidding.
"Bye, loser."
His smile drops when he hears my words. Half a second later, the doors close.
What a retard.
I'm sure that encounter will never become relevant again, so I just bury it into the depths of my forsaken memories along with ___ before I continue on with my life.
"Which room is she in?"
Riolu takes a deep breath to steady herself before pointing further down the left hallway.
"Tap my shoulder when we pass it."
I take steady, silent steps on the thick red carpet.
Rooms 501 and 502... nothing... 503, 504... 505, 506... 507, 508... 509, 510-- Riolu taps my shoulder with her foot, prompting me to take a quick glance at the name tags on the doors to my left and right.
Pluto and Venus.
Never heard of them.
... Wait. How could I find my father's room if they all have their code names instead of their real names?
I look at the other doors, finding Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn's rooms. Cyrus doesn't seem to have an apartment here. Unless... is Cyrus his real name or his code name?
"Which side, Riolu?"
~"Right."
So it's 509: Venus.
She is still inside. If I want to look through her room, I should wait until she leaves. But where do I hide until then? I don't know where Dad's room is.
...
I got it.
After pulling out my phone and dialing in the second number in my Ancient Sinnoh History book.
It rings...
She picks up.
A sharp, scathing voice rips through the phone. "How did you get this number?!"
If voices could kill through phones, I would be dead.
"Hello, Mars. It's me, Swole Solo. You gave me the number."
"Swole... Swole..." She repeats the name a few times, trying to remember who I am. "Solo? Ah! You're the cute little boy!"
Cute... little... boy.
... Maybe I should just ask for my father's code name... "I am in Eterna City and just so happen to stand in front of your door right now. Are you home?"
"You're actually here?"
I prove it by ringing her doorbell.
"One moment. I need to get dressed." I hear her putting the phone down somewhere.
Did I call her while she was still naked? Man, I wish I had made a video call instead.
"Ugh. Where did I put it?" Her voice sounds muted and muffled as if a piece of clothing landed on the microphone. "It should be somewhere with the toys..."
After a while, "Are you still there? Is there anyone else with you right now?"
"Yes. And no, I came alone." I hope she hurries. I don't want to get caught by Domino out here.
The door unlocks and opens up. With one arm up against the frame, Mars stands in the entryway.
Her face looks at my stomach before slowly traveling up with more and more disappointment visible in her eyes.
"Oh. You grew up."
She wears red lace panties and an incredibly short sleeveless t-shirt. It covers her breasts, alright. But even that task proves almost too much for the tiny shirt. Her pose pulls the fabric in a way that reveals the pink of her areolas.
A tattoo is on her exposed midriff. The motif is a Zubat who uses its wings to stem her left boob up.
"You are still 14, right?" She looks me up and down. Her eyes land on my chin, shoulders, and clothes with increasing disdain.
"Yes. And I thought you wanted to get dressed?"
Her pubes are peeking over the waistband of her panties.
"Innocent." She looks up and down the hallway, making sure it's empty before stepping out of the way. "That's good enough. Come inside."
Her apartment is a mess. I almost stumble over one of the many pairs of shoes that lie in the entryway.
"Take your shoes off." She reminds me.
"Of course. I am not a savage." I would have taken them off either way.
The mess gets worse deeper inside. The coffee table in the living room has a week's worth of pizza packages and other take-out boxes.
The front door shuts closed. "My bedroom is that way."
Uhhh, wait, what? "Your bedroom?"
A Bronzong stands in the corner of the living room, looking like a statue while her Purugly rests on the sofa.
"... Why else did you call me?" Why is she removing her shirt?
Her boobs are nice. Her nipples have a soft pink color.
Gulp.
She has an amazing body, despite eating lots of junk food. All the fat has managed to land around her thighs and breasts. Her stomach even shows a hint of abs.
"Are you still with me?"
She's suddenly a lot closer. Her breath is on my skin, her eyes locking into mine with clear intent.
"I... actually just wanted to know my dad's codename."
I can't keep my eyes off her. Her breasts look flawless. Not too large, not too small.
Saliva pools in my mouth.
"He's Mercury. Is there anything else you wanted to do?" She flutters her eyes.
Oh sweet Arceus. "Well... I do have a few more minutes to kill. What else is there to do?"
"Do you have a girlfriend yet?"
Three. Although, I feel like I'm supposed to say, "Not yet."
She purrs. "I could show you what you're missing out on if you want."
"... Like kissing?"
She traces the back of my neck with her fingers before carefully taking hold of a fistful of hair. "And more."
I let her pull me closer, wrapping my own arms around her body. One hand grips her butt tightly, while the other remains on her back to pull her even closer.
Her butt feels soft, pillowy; it gives a little, squeezing between my fingers. The lace feels impossibly thin. Her breath smells of toothpaste and a bit of alcohol while her body reeks of sweat.
"Were you drinking?"
"Who doesn't nowadays?" She tilts her head slightly while keeping eye contact. "Did you know that the world might be ending in a year or two? Might as well enjoy life a little."
I move the final distance and kiss her, surprising her for a moment before she fights back. She bites down hard on my tongue, holding it in place while her eyes gleam with mischievous intent.
Mars pulls her head back, letting my tongue go just after the pain started setting in. "Be a little more aggressive." She says before biting and sucking on my neck.
Her fiery hair is all over my face. "Use your hands more." She mumbles against my skin.
I grab her butt harder and slide the other up her back.
She retreats again, opening her own neck up for me to attack.
When did she last take a shower? Tastes like three days ago. Or she does a lot of sports.
Her breaths pulsate quickly into my ear while I try to repeat what she demonstrated: sucking the soft skin on her neck, feeling her blood pumping underneath it. I don't stop grabbing, pulling, and massaging her body either.
"Better." She moans. "Much better!"
Her own hands are on my butt and chest as well. I feel her pushing against my muscles, her nails scraping my skin, almost as if she wanted to escape. It only makes me pull her tighter against me.
My kisses trail up her neck, over her jaw, back to her mouth, where our tongues intertwine.
She moans into my mouth before pulling back again. "Make more noise, and touch me more!"
I don't know what she means until her hand lands on my crotch, rubbing up and down the length of my shaft through my pants. She's being much harsher than pleasant until I let out a groan, which she catches in her mouth.
My hands change positions, touching her boobs and her pussy through the fabric of her panties. She's dripping wet. Hairs pushing through the thin lace tickle against my palm.
She suddenly backs off with a smile on her face, stepping back while telling me to come closer with her gestures.
I keep chasing until her back hits the wall. We stumble over her shoes, but I catch her in time, pressing her against the wall without any way to escape me again.
"Yes!" She moans as my fingers slip past the waistband of her panties. Her womanhood is hot like a furnace and slippery too. "Just a little bit more!"
She begins fiddling with my belt--
~"She's moving again."
What?
My whole body locks up. How did I get here?
What? Mars? How did I let this get so far out of hand?
I just had to waste a few minutes.
~"She has left her apartment."
"Why did you stop?" Mars' face is flushed. Her breathing is heavy with lust. Her hand suddenly feels gentle, like an angel's touch against the back of my neck. "I was so close..."
"I need to get going." I want to stay. "We're going to have to finish this some other time." My heart is beating out of my chest as I place a deep, greedy kiss on her lips.
She bites my lips in return until I feel the taste of coppery blood before smacking my ass way too hard. "You'd better make that a promise, big boy. But they're sending me out on a mission soon."
"Where to?" I ask as I put my belt back into place before getting into my shoes as quickly as I can.
"Lake Acuity. Near Snowpoint City."
~"She's waiting by the elevators."
"Snowpoint City is going to be my next gym." She smiles affectionately when she spots a little crack in my voice. "Maybe I can give you another call when I'm there?"
"Looking forward to it." She licks her lips as one hand descends into her panties. "See you soon, and have fun on your little spy mission."
~"She's moving down."
"Thanks, and bye." I move into the hallway, across the red carpet, approaching Domino's apartment.