//------------------------------// // Backstory: Chapter 1 // Story: A New World, a New Lifestyle // by Omega_code //------------------------------// The soft scrapping of paws echoed down the alleyway as a Zorua ran down it. He jumped over a stack of boxes and bolted up to a trash can standing near the end of the building. He peered over the wall and down the sidewalk, looking both ways. Humans and Pokemon were strutting their merry way hardly taking any notice to the pair of teal eyes watching from the shadows. The Zorua shifted his gaze upwards to the direction to the front of the building he was standing next to. A small smile grew on his face as he saw the sign standing out in the open. Virbank City Theater Today Shows: The Ditto Darkrai on 13th Street Houndooms of Baskervilles How to Train Your Salamence Safari Zone of Horror Zubatman Begins The Zorua’s eyes glistened as they gazed at the third title. YES! It is showing today! he gleefully thought to himself. Sure, Houndooms of Baskervilles had never been his favorite case out of the Sherlock Holmes Books, but he’d take what he could get. The Zorua glanced back down at the sidewalk, looking back and forth once more to make sure no one was paying close attention to the alleyway. He backed off slowly and closed his eyes, before he jumped into the air and doing a flip in midair. His body glowed and an illusion formed around it, and when he landed he appeared to look like a ten year old-ish human male child, save for his small tail hanging out from behind. However, he was prepared for that in the appearance of illusional self . He was wearing black pants, and t-shirt with some read around the collar and sleeves. His hair was also black and resting on top of it was a pair of fuzzy Zorua’s ears on a headband. Hopefully his look helped portray he was just a young boy who loved to cosplay as a Zorua. Of course... he just had to make sure he didn’t say anything. Cause he doubted he would be able to keep up his disguise to others if the only thing he could say was his name at the moment. He also hoped no little kids would sneak up behind him and yank on his tail... that was embarrassing. Taking in a deep breath and letting it out, the ‘young boy’ walked out to the open and headed for the front entrance of the theater. None of the humans gave him a second glance or thought as he did so, though some of the Pokemon, especially the canine variety, did with small confused looks. The Zorua tried to not make any eye contact with them as his pace quicken and he approach the door. Thankfully, a pair of humans, male and female, were already making their way through the door. As the man walked ahead and open the door for his girlfriend, the Zorua passed through just as the woman finished walking inside. He flashed an apologetic smile at the two before continuing on, hearing a small, “how rude”, remark from the woman. The Zorua let out a small sigh as he reached the center of the main lobby of the theater, humans and some Pokemon roaming about as they bought tickets and food. He really didn’t like doing that to people... but he couldn’t help it. While his appearance was a human at the moment... he was still a Zorua with limited strength. He would be just too weak to push open the doors by himself. Not only that but it would totally look out of place for a child having trouble pushing open a simple door. He glanced up to see the huge board on the wall listing which move was being show in a room, including some of the times. His eyes quickly scanned for Houndooms of Baskervilles and saw it was mostly being show at theater room four. The Zorua then craned his head over the clock hanging next to it and smiled to see he wouldn’t be missing the one o’clock show. Though now... the question is how would he go see it. He bit his bottom lip. He didn’t bring any money with him...mostly because he’s been unfruitful in finding any in the streets while coming here. He couldn’t just change appearance to something else either, like a box or something, or even turn invisible to sneak past the usher... one because he was out in the open and the other only work if he stood completely still. In all...he really didn’t think this through past the part in his plan of just making it to the theater and getting inside. The Zorua closed his eyes and let out a sigh of disappointment... it would seem he wouldn’t be seeing the movie after all. “Hey, something the matter kid?” a male voice asked behind him. The Zorua’s body tensed from the sudden voice and his head whirl around to see who asked the question. Standing behind him was a tall blonde haired young adult man, wearing jeans and a white t-shirt. The man’s green eyes widen a bit as he took a step back. “Whoa, sorry dude; I didn’t mean to startle ya,” he stated with an apologetic wave of his hand. The Zorua let out a slow sigh and shook his head with the expression ‘It’s no problem’ on his face. The man smiled slightly as he placed his thumbs in the pockets in his jeans and he took a relax stance. “So, what’s a young kid like you doing in a place like this without any parents?” he asked again. The Zorua frowned for a moment before he hesitantly pointed up at the board with one hand, then held up four fingers at him with the other. The man frowned slightly in confusion as he glanced up at the board and studied it for a moment. “You’re here to see Houndooms of Baskervilles?” The Zorua nodded his human head. A puzzle frowned crossed his face as he glance at the disguised Zorua. “I see... what’s the matter with your voice? Skitty got your tongue or something?” If the Zorua was still in his original form, his ears would have wilted back. He quickly deployed another tick he learn by moving one of his hand next to his throat and did a crossing motion over it with two of his fingers. Hopefully saying he was mute. A small ‘oh’ from on the man’s lips and he raised a hand to rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry, didn’t know you were mute.” The Zorua let out a small relieved sigh and shook his head to say, ‘It was nothing’. “Well... how about I buy you a ticket for it?” he asked, guesting a thumb to the counter selling the tickets. The Zorua’s eyes went wide in surprise and he tilted his head skeptically at the man. “Hey, I was planning on seeing some movie today, and I’m feeling a bit generous to boot,” he explain with a shrug of his shoulders. “So how about it?” A small thoughtful frown crossed the Zorua’s face for a moment before he smile widely and nodded his head rapidly. The man smiled and chuckle as he turned around and head for the counter selling the tickets. “I’ll be back in a moment then.” The Zorua nodded his head with a wide smile. It seem luck was with him today! It was around three thirty when the Zorua step out of the theater, another wide smile plaster on his face. The movie was AWESOME! Okay, yes he knew what was going to happen through most of the movie, but the way they portrayed Sherlock and his trusty partner Watson the Mightyena, it was all in character. “Well it seems you liked it,” Andy, the man whom bought the tickets, said as he joined the Zorua outside. The Zorua nodded his head firmly, his smile couldn’t get any wider. Andy just chuckle with a happy smile of his own. “Good, I’m glad I could help brighten up your day,” he stated before glancing a watch around his wrist. “Well... I better head off. I got some work that needs to be done,” he said as he place his arm back down. “Maybe we can do this again some other time?” he inquired. Without really thinking about, the Zorua nodded his head in agreement... it was... nice to hang out with someone. “Great!” Andy said with a smile as he turned around and head down the sidewalk, giving a goodbye wave. “See you around then.” The Zorua waved goodbye back before he head the opposite direction towards the alleyway. He walked halfway through it before he reverted back to his Zorua body, letting out a long relaxful sigh. Holding that illusion took a lot of work, but he was thankful he was able to keep it for nearly two and half hours. “There you are brother!” a happy tone of a girl’s voice cried out, and before he knew it the Zorua was tackle into a somewhat hug by an Eevee. “GAH!” he yelp out in shock as the back of his fur stood on their ends. He then notice who it was before he let out a relax sigh. “Oh... it’s just you sis...” The Eevee eyes opened wide before they narrowed and she walked back and gave a slapped across the Zorua’s face. “Is that all you have to say? It’s just me!? You know how worried I am when you just disappeared on me!?” The Zorua sat on his rump and rubbed a paw over the cheek that’d been slapped. “I’m... sorry... I thought I told you what I was going to do....” “I thought you were just going to go to the bookstore again to watch some of the clips from the show, not actually go to a movie!” the Eevee exclaimed. “Now we’re both going to get into big trouble with mom and dad for being out so late like this!” The Zorua winced at the volume of his sister’s voice. “Keep down it will you; do you want to attract attention to ourselves?” he whispered loudly to her. The Eevee’s eyes narrowed at once more. “That’s beside the point,” she replied, this time keeping her voice down. “I’m not going to be the one taking the full blame for this.” The Zorua grimaced as his ears wilted back flat against his head but he nodded slowly. “Good... now come on... we better get a move on,” she said as she turned around and dash down the alleyway. The Zorua let out a long sigh as he got onto all fours and followed after her. Now comes the part of his plan he was dreading; getting scowled at by his father.