Pokémon Legends: Court of Kings

[Marsuru]

((Nani?!))

Coumarine City Gym

Ramos pushed Salieri's fingers closed over her Plant Badge. 'Raisin' pokémon is about more 'n just battles. Any fool can make a pokémon strong, but yeh need somethin' special to make 'em love yeh.'

He gestured to his plants, surrounding the battlefield in full bloom beneath the strong sunlight.

'Look'it my garden. I ain't proud o' much, but it blooms every year cause o' the hard work 'n long hours I put into tendin' to it. Sure a' the grass is green, your Pawniard is bloomin' cause you fill it with the same type o' love.'

'Take the badge, Salieri. Yeh earned it.'

Shalour City Pokémon Center

Zack was bucked from Tyrant's back in a single throw, hitting the centre of the battlefield with a roll. He landed on his front, looking up at the pokémon as it rampaged in front of him. Now pissed at Zack specifically. At least that was one problem solved, now to make sure he didn't end up as dino s**t.

'Bad breath...' Zack grunted as he was sprayed with one of Tyrant's roars, reaching for Malis's pokéball. One good Dragon Pulse ought to put this thing back in the ground. But before he could release his Charmeleon, something else struck hard.

Tyrant was toppled, hitting the ground with a rush of air and dust.  

[Spinne Biss]

Shalour City Pokémon Center

Helena rushed to Zacks side as fast as her legs would take her, catching him on the shoulders to keep herself up and far more exhausted than she had been when they first met back up.

"Darumi," she breathed, looking up at the Darumanitan as she used her pokeball to recall Tyrant via her free hand.

Henrietta came running up just a few seconds later, also recalling her own Pokemon as she looked the two of them over. "E-ev-everyth-thing okay?"

Helena nodded and then turned to Zack. "are you?"  

[Marsuru]

Zack pushed himself up to his feet. He vaguely recalled Henrietta as one of the league challengers he'd seen on his holocaster, and more definitely recalled her as one of the girls hanging around with Helena earlier.

He couldn't help but check out that Darmanitan. It was strong, no doubt, but he was already thinking up ways to beat it.

'Thanks for the help,' he said, 'but I had that.'

He gave Helena a deep look, apologising without either of them needing to hear the words. He'd hoped to have an easygoing battle with his little sister, not put her life at risk.  

[Spinne Biss]

Henriettas face lit up, cheeks first and then the redness bled into the rest of her face and she looked away. "S-sorry I wa-was scared."

Helena looked between the two of them and then smiled softly at Zack.

"Etta, go tell everyone I'm okay." The pink haired trainer would nod meekly before apologizing one last time to Zack, her eyes full of brimming tears, before she turned and left.

"She's like a walking cupcake," Helena said once she was out of earshot. "But she's really sweet." Helena wouldn't notice her own blushing as she looked at Zack. "Like you but she cries instead of acts like a jerk."  

[Marsuru]

'Name one time I acted like a jerk,' Zack said, aiming an expert recall beam that caught Antiq off in the sky. She reabsorbed into his pokéball in a scattering of light.

Zack didn't notice Helena blushing as he wound his arm around in circles, keeping the joints loose after he landed on it. If his journey to Kalos taught him one thing, it was that having a messed up arm sucked a**.

'So that's your friend. Good. About time something normal happened in this messed up country.'  

[Spinne Biss]

"Ha," Helena said deciding against going down that rabbit hole. She wasn't in the mood for a fight. Or a sappy apology fest. "We're taking the long way to the next city. Walking instead of flying." She groaned. "For exercise, wanna join us?"  

[Marsuru]

'Sorry, can't. Got that thing with the Professor, remember?' Zack said, tapping Helena's forehead. Besides, nothing quite as frightening as a bunch of hyperactive teenage girls in the wild.

He paused for a second, and considered lecturing Helena on getting Tyrant trained, but this was honestly the easiest conversation they'd had in what felt like years. He didn't want to ruin it by being overprotective. And besides, if she didn't think Tyrant was a worry before, she certainly did now.

Zack just had to trust Helena.

'I better get moving anyway, my place in line should be up. Catch you later, little sister. And stay out of trouble.'  

[Spinne Biss]

"I'm a Redgrave," Helena said, laughter in her voice as she pulled away from Zack and steadied herself. "The only thing we ever commit to is trouble." yeah ******** you dad

Grinning with a smile that lit up her eyes she'd wave to Zack and leave him with a "if you do something stupid do it wrong enough that it ends up on the news so I can come save you again." Then, sticking out her tongue, she turned and scurried off toward her friends.  

[Jump Einatz]

Shalour City Pokémon Center

"Uh, I'm sorry, but please hang on a moment, miss."

A crowd that had been watching the battle between the Redgraves was dispersing, and emerging from it was a man in a purple suit and long brown coat. Perched on his shoulder was a Pikachu with a deerstalker cap, sipping on a mug of coffee.

"You too, sir. I did not want to speak up sooner, for your battle, it was intense. But I am glad to see it ended with minimal injury." The man cleared his throat and pulled his Interpol ID badge out from his inner coat pocket.

"Looker, that is what they call me. Agent Looker." He took off his aviator shades so both siblings could look him in the eyes before he let them part ways. "I'm with Interpol. I'd like to ask you a few questions. Unovan, that is what you both are, yes?"  

[Jump Einatz]

Coumarine City Gym

Salieri took in Ramos' lecture sure as his plants took in the sun. If it wasn't for Matheson showing her that nobles could, in fact, be people, Salieri wouldn't have shown him vulnerability in the first place. She was surprised she was giving him the time to give her advice, and even more surprised to find that she was willing to listen to it.

Sal clutched the badge tighter. The pit in her stomach was not at ease, although now that had more to do with the acrobatics and stunts she had pulled within the past two hours of waking up after getting ridiculously plastered. That feeling of not being up to par with her own standards was still there, but only slightly, dulled by Ramos' encouragement.

"When I become champion, and use my clout to pull up the weeds that have long needed pruning in Kalos, I want you to know that I won't bother you at all. Because I kind of like you." Sal held out her hand for a handshake. She looked away, aware that she was starting to blush. Finally, she pinned down what it was about the man that made her listen up.

He reminded her of her father.

"...if you heard of me, you'd know I don't say that to just anyone, so..."  

[Marsuru]

Coumarine City Gym

Ramos beamed like the sun and shook Salieri's hand.

'I look forward to seein' what yeh can accomplish. Grow strong an' wise.'

Shalour City Pokémon Center

So this was the Interpol agent Salieri had warned him about. Zack sized Looker up, noting the Pikachu with the coffee. He'd known a Chansey with the same vice once, but that was a long time ago.

'Rewind a second, Yoda. What did you just try to say?'  

[Spinne Biss]

"Yeah uh," Helena looked Looker up and down. Agent Looker. Suspicious. Probably worked for the nobility. Every part of her panicked and she looked at Zack, shook her head, and then looked at him.

"No. I don't talk to cops. Lawyer."  

[Jump Einatz]

"Yo...da? The slang, I am unfamiliar with, but it is Unovan I assume?" Looker started to sweat when Helena said 'lawyer'. "Your right to an attorney, I will respect. But allow me to assure you, you are in no trouble at all. Please, hear me out, if you can."

His attention shifted to Helena. He still looked nervous to prod after she had raised the ultimate shield, but gulped and went on anyway. "A league challenger. That is what you are, yes? Have either of you been threatened or bribed to drop out of the Kalos league? Or heard of such a thing happening to others?"

The Pikachu sipped the coffee slowly, also staring at Helena with a 'bad cop' disposition.  

[Spinne Biss]

Helena looked taken aback. Genuine surprise took over her expression but she resolved to use it. "No, Kalos has been the most welcoming country. I am so happy to be here and the only thing anyone has asked me for has been an autograph." Smiling a sweet smile that lit up her eyes with joy, a practiced smile that most women who had to deal with creepy men had practiced in Helena's case since she had been twelve.

"Now you really must speak to my lawyer." She turned and shot a look to her friends who hovered nearby and they started over and Helena looked back to Looker smile still on her face, eyes shooting to Zack as she started to walk away.

If nobody stopped her she'd reach her friends and they would very quickly retreat.  

[Marsuru]

Zack waited for Helena to go, then turned back to Looker. 'Leave her out of it, man. She's 16.'

He folded his arms, deliberating on whether to divulge what he knew to Looker. As he said to Salieri, he didn't trust Interpol. He didn't trust anyone, really. Especially not when that person extends one hand in friendship but keeps the other balled in a fist.

That Pikachu was a strange one, Zack thought. He'd seen the rare pokemon take on human traits like that before. He gestured to it, 'Cute rat.'