-The Dragon King-

  -Call to Arms: Ch 3-

  ETERNA CITY!

  Big! Loud! Busy! Unashamed!

  “Expensive!” Mark physically cringed as he dropped another painfully expensive bag of Pokémon food into his cart.

  The bag had a cartoony picture of a Dragonite, and proudly listed all its “nutritional benefits” and how it was “quality first” and all the “protein additives” and how it was “packed with every vital nutrient for growth”!

  Surely all of that justified the ludicrous price, and it had nothing at all to do with the happy Pokémon League brand stamp on the front. The same stamp that was on every single other bag!

  There was no store brand knockoff, no cheaper alternative, just the official League product. It was the same thing with almost everything else trainer related, too! It was either the League's own product, or all exclusively from one single company that was “Pokémon League approved”.

  Mark was really starting to understand why very few people had a full team of six in the games, just doubling the amount of Dragon food he had to buy to account for his new teammate was putting a significant bite mark into his wallet. (The Bidoof just got whatever leftovers he had on hand, or what they could forage from around the campsite.)

  Because yeah, apparently Noibat was actually a Dragon type. The mammal with fur was a Dragon, that made lots of sense.

  It did explain her obsession with collecting shiny things, though.

  (And only a dumbass would be upset about having another dragon.)

  Shelgon took one sniff of the bag and scrunched up his nose at the offending kibble. He walked over and nudged Mark’s leg before turning and looking longingly towards the chilled section, where they had massive slabs of raw red meat on display behind a plastic countertop.

  Actually, now that Mark was looking at those prices…

  “Nah, fuck this shit.” Mark shoved one of the bags of kibble back onto the shelf. “Good call buddy. Half of everyone’s dinner is just going to be a fucking 8 ounce slab of raw ribeye steak. It’ll fucking save me money!”

  And boy how he would like to save money on some things, because that meant he would be able to buy other things. Like, for example, 20 bucks down the drain for a pair of vacuum sealed ear muffs, because he had a suspicion that training Noibat was going to get loud. And an additional 10 bucks for a bag of earplugs for Shelgon, because he couldn’t just leave his boy out to dry like that.

  “Mark! Mark!”

  Hellena came jogging around the corner, looking the most alive he’d ever seen her.

  “I just remembered something from my last journey! Winter’s going to hit in a few months, and we’ll need gear if we plan on traveling in that weather. If we start buying now, we can get it before the seasonal price markups. It’s a great way to save money!”

  In her arms was a bundle of blankets and sweaters, and she was wearing a massive puffy purple jacket that looked similar to what you would see the guys in Antarctica wearing, in the documentaries.

  Mark looked her up and down with an unimpressed face, and gave his highly sophisticated verdict.

  “You look like a giant purple marshmallow.”

  “O-oh…” Hellena visibly wilted, hanging her head in shame. “I’m sorry, I just thought- I was excited to be on a journey again, and- I-I’ll go put it back.”

  “No! No, stop.” Mark sighed and pinched his nose. “Don’t get mopey on me, you’re making me feel like shit. This is where you jab back, come on, friendly banter. Hit me with something. Tell me my nose is crooked.”

  Hellena didn’t respond, instead just silently shuffling her feet.

  “Look, if someone is perfectly nice to you all the time, it means they’re not being honest. Don’t trust them. The best friends are the ones who call each other a fucking idiot for dropping the pot of soup, smack them over the head, and then help clean it up. Making fun of someone is a good thing!”

  “You’re insulting me because we’re friends?” She asked with a mix of hopefulness and doubt. “That doesn’t sound like an entirely healthy relationship.”

  “Ha! I haven’t had a healthy relationship in a looong time, Purple. You’ll have to get used to it.” Mark said as he slapped her on the back (his hand bouncing off from the jacket’s fluff), and threw the bundle from her hands into the cart.

  “...You’re alone?”

  “Yup. Parents? Divorced and dead. Friends? Also all dead. Sister?” Mark stuttered for a moment, his smile becoming brittle. “Well, you get the pattern.”

  “I’m sorry. I understand what that’s like.” Hellena said softly. “I also don’t have anyone anymore.”

  She didn’t explain any further, but to Mark, she didn’t have to. The two continued shopping, and although the topic moved on, Mark’s jabs were noticeably softer.

  -The Dragon King-

  Stacy was fuming! She, like, had TOTALLY had the best chance to get famous, like, ever! But noooooo, the stuck up nurse hadn’t let her leave the Pokecenter to record the Ursaring, because it was “dangerous”. Like, what crawled up her ass and died?

  She could have gotten so many likes, and shares, and updoots on her BN account! Ugh, the disrespect! Did that pretty pink harlot, like, not understand how much work it took to make sure her ass was always in the frame and looked good in every shot?

  So now Stacy needed some was to salvage the situation, and get the attention that she deserved to get. And she DID deserve it, because she was, like, just better looking than everyone and waay smarter than most people.

  She was also a really good singer.

  “I told you, no one has bought your tapes. I don’t owe you jack shit.” The radio shop owner said gruffly, with his arms crossed.

  “Okay, one. Don’t, like, ever raise your voice at a woman like that. I’ll fucking sue you fro harasment. And B, that’s total cap, it’s been three weeks already, and you’re, like, contractually obligated to pay me for my value.”

  “The store’s policy is to pay a portion of what your content generates. Your ‘singing’-” He said in a way that said he really didn’t agree with the fact he was having to use that word. “-hasn’t made a single sale.”

  “OMG, that is, like, literally impossible. I know you’re lying to me, I want to see the manager!”

  “I own this place, I am the manager.”

  Stacy crossed her arms and cocked her hips with a raised eyebrow.

  “So first you steal my money, and now you’re lying about being the manager? Like, you have a pr-o-blem.”

  The radio shop owner watched a paying customer put down a CD with an angry huff and hastily walk out the door of his shop, leaving him alone with the loudly complaining woman that had been hogging the checkout counter for the last 20 minutes.

  “I really do, and I would like for her to leave.”

  “Like, what are you even talking about? Your lying problem isn’t female, dumbass, it’s a concept.”

  Stacy scoffed and flipped her hair, but before she could launch into another rant, something caught her eye.

  “Marcus Cross?” She read the name on the cover of a record, as she picked it up. “Wait, that’s, like, totally that guy from the BattleNet memes!”

  “He’s not selling either. I’ll give you a copy for half off if you stop coming in every day asking for money.”

  Stacy happily took the deal. She paid digitally with her Pokesketch, and slid the record into her brand name luxury purse. Finding this would get her so much clout! She could already smell the TV interviews she would be invited onto!

  (Her upload would get 183 views before getting“stolen” by an audio professional. The guy would clean up the audio, replace the video of Stacy working out to the music with a picture of Mark stupidly trying to punch the Ursaring, and then post it on his own account to a total view count of over 13,000)

  -The Dragon King-

  Mark raised an unimpressed eyebrow at the notification on his phone.

  His little recruitment ad had been forcibly privated, and he got a stern telling off by some internet moderator with a stick up their ass big enough to put a redwood tree to shame. He wasn’t bothered much, though. The post had gotten plenty of attention before it was taken down, and he was actually doing something with his life, as opposed to being some obese Reddit mod who got off on the crumbs of power they were lording over on the equivalent of the internet’s toilet bowl.

  BattleNet, Twitter, whatever BS the kids were using, it turns out that social media was the same no matter where you went.

  Without giving it another thought he dismissed the notification, and went back to his map. The destination? A highly recommended shop named “Barbera’s Breeders”.

  Sure, he’d already just doubled his core team, but ehh. Call him greedy, he wanted to look around. The best way to find gold was to go looking for copper, or something. It was on the way to the Pokemon Center, anyway.

  According to the internet (Pokenet?) Barbera’s Breeders was an old family business that specialized in purebreds and had been running in one shape or form since Sinnoh was united as a region.

  The building fit the bill to a T.

  Weathered solid stone walls were softened by flowery vines that spread across them, and were surrounded by a barricade of carefully trimmed rose bushes. Mahogany shutters sat over glass windows, and had been painted a gentle blush, adding a warmth to the building.

  A heavy wooden sign hung above the entrance with the name in elegant gold-leaf lettering, and was framed by intricate floral carvings, lovingly painted in soft pinks and creams.

  The entry room was easily seeable through its large windows, even from a distance. Aged leather-bound ledgers, polished wood counters, plush red furniture- It screamed of the same “old money” that was so common with high end dog breeders back on Earth.

  “Cute place.” Mark remarked, popping open a bag of chips he’d bought from the store, and tossing one of the crunchy lil fuckers in his mouth. “Bit to cholorful fur me tho.” He said as he chewed.

  “I think it looks nice.”

  “Of course you’d like the bright pink building with flowers. Another female stereotype wins again.”

  “And of course you’d hate a nice building just because of the color. Standard man.”

  This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

  Marcus snorted in amusement, causing Hellena to crack a small smile.

  As the two came up upon the building, they only noticed the other group of people after they turned the corner, and by then it was far too late.

  Casey was kneeled down at the fence, rubbing the ears of a Shinx through a gap, while Dawn had her Pokedex out, and was listening to it ramble about how Electric types generate energy.

  Both groups spotted each other at the same time, and Dawn immediately started walking over.

  “Ugggh, I really don’t want to deal with the sunshine squad.” Mark whispered to Hellena. “Purple, they know I don’t have any responsibilities, but they don’t know you yet, can you give me an excuse or something to get away?”

  “Uhm, what do I-?”

  “Think fast, time’s up.”

  “Hello!” Dawn gave a friendly, if a bit awkward wave. “What a coincidence running into you guys. I want to thank you both for staying and helping during the Ursaring attack. I had the most badges of anyone there, but I felt like I wasn’t pulling my weight.” The teen gave a stiff bow over concerns no one her age should have to carry. “Thank you for helping protect people.”

  “Don’t beat yourself up over it, kid. It was all Roark’s fault, Gym Leaders are supposed to protect the major cities, and he didn’t. It’s not your job to cover for his mistakes. Simple as that, right? Can we all agree on that?”

  Mark turned his body in a way that forcibly brought Hellena into the conversation, making a triangle of everyone, and putting attention on her.

  “O-Oh, uhm, yes! The Gym Leader should have done his d-duties, and, uhm, y-yeah.”

  Mark rolled his eyes as his backup melted into a puddle behind him at the concept of having to talk to people. Yeah sure, she was completely level headed when Galactic almost kidnapped her, and when a giant bear was trying to kill her, but the thought of communicating with strangers was a line too far.

  “You’re here to look at the Pokemon up for adoption, too, right? Do you want to go in together?”

  Dawn asked with a sparkle in her eyes, as Casey slowly finished making his way over to them, looking just as reluctant as Mark at having a conversation.

  “I would be happy to tell you everything you need to look for when adopting a baby Pokemon! I helped Professor Roark hatch the starter Pokemon for last year’s lab trainers. I know more than some professionals about raising baby Pokemon.”

  Dawn puffed up her chest and bragged with pride, making Mark realize that the games never really did go into details about what Dawn and/or Lucas did as the Professor’s assistant/unpaid-intern.

  Mark looked over at Hellena.

  “Purple, that’s you.”

  “Th-That sounds like a great idea!” Hellena blurted out, immediately caving under even the lightest social pressure.

  (He was going to make her talk to Nurse Joy to book their rooms by herself, and then exclusively stick to the most populated areas of the city during their stay, as payback for this betrayal.)

  “Great!” Dawn smiled, grabbed her by the hand, and led the babbling woman towards the doors.

  Leaving Mark alone with Casey.

  “I-”

  “If you’re going to challenge me to a fight, I have to pass.” Mark cut him off. “My Pokemon are healthy, but I need to take them to the Pokecenter after our trip. They’re not in peak condition.”

  “That’s not what I was going to say!” The Fairy trainer bristled. “Look… I do not approve of how you treat Pokemon, but you did stay and help when Oreburgh was attacked, so I know you’re not a bad person, no matter how much you act like it. I-I was worried you had been putting on a mask during the time we spent in trainer school, and-” Casey shook his head and glared up at Mark. “I’m still going to prove that you’re wrong! I’m going to beat you to the Champion, and make you admit that there’s a better way.”

  Mark didn’t respond right away. Instead he popped another chip into his mouth and loudly cronch cronched it, while looking down at Casey, unimpressed.

  “I thought we already covered this. You passed the ‘them’s fighting words’ point, we’re not on friendly speaking terms until I kick your ass, and you stop acting so prissy.”

  Casey looked taken aback at the, very mild for Mark, pushback. He huffed and puffed and stomped his foot.

  “You- you!”

  “Ladies, ladies, you’re both pretty.” Dawn interrupted them. “Are we going to go inside, or are you going to make us girls suffer in the heat while you have a hissy fit.”

  “I am not having a hissy fit.” Mark countered by maturely bouncing a chip off Dawn’s head.

  Dawn countered by throwing the same chip back twice as hard.

  Thoroughly bested in the art of combat, Mark followed her inside.

  The interior was more of the same, matching what Mark had seen through the windows. There were rich fancy rugs on the floor that were mellowed into soft rose hues. The thick velvet drapes, tied back with silk ribbons, were a delicate powder pink, filtering the sunlight into a gentle glow.

  Everything seems to have a pink tint, or a pink highlight to it- and the answer why was immediately apparent.

  The creature was perched on the front counter, its body too slender, its movements too graceful, its fur too smooth- like a doll polished and polished and polished by a maker that didn’t understand the slight natural imperfections that made the world feel alive. That smoothed away every imperfection because he didn’t realize that flaws were what made life, well, life.

  Its pale fur shimmered like snow under the ceiling lights. Ribbons of silk, impossibly smooth, trailed from its delicate form, and they looked like they were blowing in the wind of a nearby fan, but they were swaying too fluidly, too deliberately, like fingers trying to pretend they weren’t.

  It jumped to the ground without a thump, and pranced towards the group on paws that made no sound.

  Mark tensed up as it approached. There was something wrong with this thing, something hidden behind its aggressively beautiful appearance that he couldn’t logically put his finger on.

  It didn’t bare fangs, it didn’t bristle or growl, but it was dangerous. He could feel it.

  “Oh my gosh! A Sylveon!” Casey squealed and kneeled down to shower the abomination in pets and kisses.

  “I’ve never seen one in person, these are super rare. I need to ask the professor if he’s ever been here.”

  Did they not see how uncanny it was?

  Did they not see how its eyes were flat and lifeless? How they never blinked? How it didn’t have pupils, and they were just orbs of blank blue? How it always stared directly forward and swiveled its head robotically to look directly at you?

  How were they blind to it?

  …

  Or was he just able to see past something they weren’t?

  Mark sneered down at the abomination in disgust, and it merely smiled wider at him, tilting its head in what would normally be cute if it weren’t for the fact it was tilted much too far, well past the point its neck should have snapped.

  Dawn slapped him on the shoulder and told him to knock it off before crouching down with Casey and cooing over how “cute” the monster was. At least Hellena wasn’t fawning over the thing like a child, but even she didn’t seem to think anything was wrong with it.

  The soft chime of a bell grabbed everyone’s attention as an old lady entered the room. She was small, but carried herself with poise. Miss Barbera Pendleton, the owner of the building, was swathed in pink, from the delicate blush lace at her collar to the deep rose of her tailored skirt. A fine string of pearls rested just above the high neckline of her blouse, and her white hair was pinned into a bun with meticulous care.

  “Oh my, hello dearies. I didn’t think anyone would come in when I stepped away for a cup of tea.”

  Her heeled shoes tapped lightly against the worn wooden floor, as she made her way to the reception desk, her gloved fingers idly straightening a bouquet of fresh roses as she passed. She eased into her chair- an antique thing made of so much pink fluff it threatened to swallow her.

  “What can I do for you youngins today? I’d be more than happy to help you all.” The woman wagged her finger at Mark. “Not you, though. I don’t have anything that would interest Dragon trainers.”

  “Hey!- Wait, how did you know I have dragons?”

  Barbera nodded to Sylveon. “Cupcake here is the pride and joy of our daycare. She’s such a helper! She helps at the register, she helps take care of all the young Pokemon here, and she even has healing moves to help when there’s an injury, all of that on top of being a mama. Everyone that meets her loves her.” She quirked an eyebrow in Mark’s direction. “Everyone except Dragon Type specialists.”

  “It’s not my fault she’s creepy as Hell.”

  “Oh Honey, you don’t have to be self conscious about lovey dovey Cupcake whooping your big bad dragons. No one’s invincible. Even Cynthia used to lose battles back when I was younger.” The old woman said with a bit of sass.

  Dawn let out an unladylike snort, and looked over her shoulder at him with her fingers over her mouth, and a shit eating grin on her face.

  “Yeah, Marcus. Don’t feel bad about your beeg baaad dwagons being weak to the cutesiest pootsiest babies around.”

  Sylveon was staring intensely at Casey, the solid blue pearls in her eye sockets burning holes into his head so hard that it was almost like she was staring through him.

  Mark followed her gaze, but whatever she was seeing, he wasn’t. The nerd looked just as wimpy as ever, granted he did look a lot healthier, but that’s what some time outside would do for you.

  Without any warning, Sylveon suddenly stood up, reached across the room with a ribbon to open a door, and bounded off down the hallway.

  “Marcus!” Dawn turned around and pointed at him with all the flair of an anime character. “You scared her off!”

  “I literally didn’t do anything!”

  The bell chimed again as Sylveon reentered, but this time she wasn’t alone. She was carrying the scruff of a small Eevee in her mouth. She placed the bewildered looking kit in front of Casey, and then nudged the little guy with her nose.

  The little Eevee looked up at Casey curiously, then smiled and waddled over.

  Casey smiled back, and scooped the kit up in his arms.

  “Hey little guy, what are you up to? Did mama come to show you off? You’re so cute, I can see why.”

  Barbera bristled, and looked like she was about to object, but Sylveon looked up at her and the old woman immediately melted.

  “Oh, alright Cupcake. Mama always knows best, doesn’t she?” She smiled and scratched the Fairy behind the ears before turning to Casey. “You better take good care of that Eevee, you hear? Cupcake sees something in you, and I trust her judgement. If you hurt her baby, she will make you regret being born.”

  “W-Wait, take care of Eevee? I don’t have the money to buy him!”

  “Ha! Money. What Cupcake says goes, and she wants you to take her kit on a journey.”

  Casey blinked, staring down at the small bundle of fur in his arms as if he’d just been handed a live grenade. “Wait, wait, wait- this is a huge responsibility! I can’t just-”

  Sylveon’s ribbons twitched.

  It was a subtle thing, delicate, precise, yet unmistakable. The air in the room seemed to shift with it, the light filtering through the curtains casting a strange glow on her pristine fur.

  Mark’s eyes narrowed as Casey suddenly relaxed, and his resistance seemed to melt out of him.

  The Eevee nuzzled against Casey’s chest, its tiny paws kneading into his jacket like it had already decided this was home.

  Casey swallowed hard. “I… I guess I can at least take care of him until we figure something out?”

  “There’s nothing to figure out, dear.” Barbera said, her pearl necklace glinting as she leaned forward. “Cupcake’s never been wrong about a match. That Eevee is yours, and if you’re half the trainer she thinks you are, you’ll rise to the occasion.”

  Dawn clapped her hands together. “This is amazing! You’ll be great, Casey! And Eevee are super adaptable- you could evolve him into anything! Have you thought about which form would fit your team best?”

  Casey opened his mouth, hesitated, then looked down at the little Eevee. “…I don’t know yet. If he wants to evolve then I guess I would let him decide.”

  Sylveon’s ribbons curled slightly, as if satisfied.

  Mark wasn’t sure why, but that tiny movement made his stomach twist. He had the distinct and uncomfortable feeling that something had just happened, something he didn’t have the context to understand.

  “That’s what I thought.” Barbera said with a knowing smile. “No one says no to Cupcake.”

  Mark scoffed, and whispered under his breath so quietly that no one would hear him. “Yeah, big surprise, no one can say no to the uncanny flesh-doll that can manipulate emotions.”

  Sylveon turned its head toward him, like an owl, its mouth curling in something almost like amusement. Almost.

  “Well.” Barbera clapped her hands. “With that settled, do any of you have actual business here, or did you just come in to loiter and antagonize my best girl?” She wrinkled her nose as she looked over their clothes. “Because I have a suspicion that you all are in the wrong wealth bracket to afford anything here. My family exclusively deals in quality, after all.”

  “Do I get a free Eevee as well?” Mark jabbed.

  “Of course!” The old woman said with a serene smile. “Anyone can get one of our purebred Eevees from a prestigious line, for the free cost of 50,000P.”

  Mark physically choked on the air he was breathing, and Casey suddenly turned an interesting shade of white.

  “I was here to browse.” Marcus grumbled, side-eyeing Sylveon like it might suddenly snap its head around a full 360 degrees and start whispering in tongues. “But if all you’ve got is more of that, I think I’ll pass.”

  Barbera gave him a pitying look. “Oh, honey. You wouldn’t be able to handle one of my babies anyway.”

  Dawn failed spectacularly to hold in a giggle.

  Mark rolled his eyes and turned toward the door. “C’mon, Purple. Let’s go before all the flowers in here give me allergies.”

  Hellena, who had been suspiciously silent this whole time, nodded a bit too quickly and scrambled after him. Casey lingered a moment longer, looking between Sylveon, Barbera, and the Eevee in his arms, before sighing and following them out.

  As the door shut behind them, Mark let out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. “Well, that was the single creepiest Pokémon interaction of my life.”

  “I thought she was lovely.” Dawn said sweetly, holding the door open for Casey as he walked out.

  "You’re the type of person to think ‘nice’ counts as an entire personality."

  Dawn stuck her tongue out at him. “You’re just mad because she saw right through you.”

  Mark didn’t dignify that with a response. He just stuffed his hands in his pockets, took a step forward…

  And paused.

  Something pricked at the back of his neck, the same paranoid feeling he got when command warned snipers were out and about- the sinking feeling that he was being lined up through a scope without knowing. Slowly, cautiously, he turned his head.

  Through the shop window, past the delicate curtains, Sylveon sat on the counter, watching him.

  It smiled.

  -Chapter End-