Twenty-first Move
Twenty-first Move
At the sidelines
Griffin Empire
Dining Hall
A new day normally meant the same old routine for Empress Victoria: wake up, take a shower, have breakfast, read every report from the guards and nobles all over the empire, get in touch with dignitaries from the other nations if they happen to be around, have open court and listen to all kind of troubles from her citizens, make some public appearances, have dinner with said dignitaries or alone, head to her chambers and have at least a couple of hours alone until she had to head to bed.
It was safe to say the life of a ruler was rather boring, at least regarding the Griffin empress. Or so it was until a week ago.
Now there was a mountain of stuff to do regarding the new citizens of her domain, plus most of her previous routine.
“You know, I never thought a world-changing event would be so draining on me,” said a very tired Victoria as she sat in her royal seat in the dining room, as she tiredly took a bite out of her omelette.
Last night, and because of Shredder’s newest addition to the Pokemon Corps, Victoria had noticed just how many children were currently away from their families, a fact which left her with very few hours of sleep as she read over all the reports regarding said missing children or the parents desperately looking for them.
“I just wonder what kind of disaster forced this Arceus to move this many people in such a rushed and tactless way… have you seen how many reports we have so far?” Inquired the Empress with a tired and almost angry glance toward the pile of missing reports.
“It’s been a long week your Highness” said Grizelda with a comforting tone as she poured some tea into the Empress’ mug. “Well, almost a long week.”
A tired groan came from Victoria.
“But we know you will manage!” Cheerfully added the clawmaiden, “As far as I know, we have some of the best relationships with Pokemon since the very start, that alone is a great feat itself.”
“I suppose you are right…” replied Victoria with a small smile as she took some of her tea and give a bite to a toast.
“Besides, the Pokemon registration has gone smoothly, now they are fully fledged members of the Empire.” Grizelda continued, “all we need now is for some translators to join the efforts and we will be one step closer to have a level of harmony worthy to make Equestra jealous!”
“Don’t go assuming only because things had gone calmly,” softly scolded Victoria, “but I must admit it would be an interesting sight to see Celestia’s shocked expression for a change.” The ruler openly admitted with a childish grin.
“But for now, we must focus at the problems at claw,” the Empress continued.
“Wise words indeed your highness,” half jokingly said Grizelda, “so what will the imperial schedule be for today?”
“Same as yesterday I am afraid…” calmly said Victoria with a slightly defeated tone, “hear random troubles at open court, bargain the nobles to help us…” ~splosh~ “... read this scroll which just fell on my oatmeal…”
As if it were nothing, the empress took the scroll off the now wasted cereal and dry it off, now used to their random appearances.
“I sometimes wonder if Celestia sends her messages with such timing and precision on purpose” Said Grizelda with an arched eyebrow.
Victoria chuckled as she unrolled the piece of parchment and read its contents.
~Sigh~ Victoria put down the letter and turned to Grizelda with her serious demeanor back on, “cansel every appointment we may have from three days onward.”
Grizelda noded and then inquired, “something important I presume?”
“We may find out about Celestia’s expression sooner than expected.” Victoria said as she finished the rest of her food. “She is calling a world submit.”
“I will go get my camera!” Happily replied the clawmaiden.
Victoria smiled as she added to herself, “and we can finally meet this Pokemon God…”
Manehatten City
Weiss’ location
The Bisharp sighed at Xavier's head as they float towards Pancha and Rouge’s signal “So let me get this straight… you went and took over one of his companions, which he saw as a brother, and turn him against him?”
“Pretty much,” replied the Metagross as if where nothing.
“And you really didn’t expect him to lash out at you?” Asked back Weiss.
“If I remember correctly, you were the one who told me to ‘show off’ to them,” defended the shiny Pokemon.
“As in let them know how strong you are, not incite them into a fight!” retorted back Weiss. “Not to mention he is the Doctor’s son, if he were to know about us we would be in serious trouble by now.”
“Apparently he didn’t know anyone on the staff besides the assistants from the lab, there is little percentage of probability about him knowing about us.”
“Maybe…” replied Weiss with an annoyed tone, “but that doesn’t make things any easier…”
The two of them keep silent for a couple of seconds before Weiss spoke up again.
“You mentioned something about him throwing a barrage of memories at you…”
“He did,” Calmly replied Xavier.
“Memories of his time with the Doctor huh…?” Weiss said while thinking ‘this may be divine retribution for our past life. I would say its rather twisted, but then again knowing ‘our’ God...’
“More like the evidence against a monster” Coldly added Xavier, much to Weiss’ surprise, which finally lead him to say something more surprising.
“Xavier, play those memories to me.” Weiss said with resolution.
The Metagross stopped in midair, if he could turn around and look at his leader, he would have give him an incredulous look.
“Are you insane?” Asked Xavier, “I can shut down my emotions thus rendering them ineffective, but you wouldn’t be capable of such!”
“I know that,” calmly said Weiss, “but something brought our path to cross with theirs, if we’re going to come clean in this world, we need to start atoning for our actions, even when we get nothing from it.” And then added, “not to mention we wouldn't be in this situations if someone haven’t been such an exuberant pain in the ass!”
“I don’t see any sort of logic in your reasoning…” admitted Xavier, “but you are our leader, and thus I must obey.
They finally reached a regular looking building, the presence of their comrades coming from it.
“I presume you want to go through this before meeting them.” Inquired Xavier as they stop before the window.
“Just do it already before I change my mind.” Proclaimed Weiss.
In just a fraction of a second, Xavier established a mental connection with Weiss, brought him into an accelerated state of mind and share with him the events Vincent Nurem had used to attack him a few minutes earlier. Although Xavier did some modifications to the memories, like playing one at a time and keeping Vincent’s personal feelings out of them.
However, that didn’t make things that much easier for the Bisharp, who soon found himself trying to keep his breakfast in his stomach with all he had.
“... I told you it was too much…” said Xavier with his monotone as Weiss did his best to not throw out.
“... and I told you we need to be on equal footing…” answered the disgusted and pale leader. “Also, do you really hold such little interest in your kind!?” he asked with a small amount of disdain as he placed a leg between Xavier’s eyes.
“I told you I can turn my emotions off, so what I said back then was purely my empirical reasoning.” Replied Xavier.
“You can keep telling yourself that, buddy, but you and I are going to have a very long chat once this is done with… now let’s properly join this party.”
At these words, Xavier established another link with Pancha and Rouge, whom were currently talking with the Nurems.
“They seem to be calming them down, that is a good start.” Said Xavier while making another mental link, Simon and the rest had arrived as well and were currently waiting in the hallway.
“It seems we are ready to go, just need to make them look this way” was all Weiss said as he looked for the right time to join the conversation with the rightly distrusting Kadabra, while adding to himself, “I’ve always been curious about what we look like when we sneak up on someone.”
Daring’s safe
Manehatten Central Bank
Daring had left Valerie with her husband somewhere in a nearby park, as she knew they would appreciate the alone time to catch up with each other, not to mention that their shows of affection were significantly more than what she was used to tolerating.
“And I thought Ahuizotl was over the top.” She said to herself inside her personal vault. “A mere ‘hello’ from those two can beat any of his doom speeches with ease.”
Daring seemed to have little troubles continuing the paperwork she had left the day before, since most of it was approved anyway. She was currently in her vault, choosing what had the least sentimental value out of her personal collection. However, this seemed to be a rather difficult task as most of the things she regarded as ‘treasures’ were very dear to her, even when they were mostly trinkets she had picked up right from the ground to commemorate the clearance of yet another dungeon.
A very small piece from some deteriorated throne which she used to whack one of Ahuizotl’s machines. A baseball cap used by one of her short lived assistant from her events in The Altar of Perdition. A fake beard made of leaves from when one of the princess’ friends become yet another of her temporarily sidekicks. A simple stone she used to kick the lights out of the raven witch Thirst on one of her latest attempts to do her creepy black ‘juju’.
“This one is definitely staying.” Pridefully said Do as she placed the stone back into its pedestal and moved on to the next item.
A small idol made out of jade and covered with polished obsidian stones from a small village from her encounter with the Quetzalcoatl princess. A sign of gratitude and friendship from their part they had call it, so it was bound to be worthy something.
“I guess this will do.” Said the explorer as she casually grabbed the idol and toss it into her saddle bag alongside some other trinkets she had gatter over the years. “I never been in this for any of you anyway.” She solemnly said as she remembered each and all of her adventures.
Daring had never been a Pegasus of luxuries or riches. All she wanted was the thrill and excitement only the deepness of jungles and the loneliness of ruins could give her. Maybe this was why that cyan pegasus held her in such high regard, just as she once held a certain Griffin hunter beyond a mentor figure and close to a fatherly one.
This thought made Daring turn to the more secure exhibition inside her personal museum within the bank. A single vitrine exposing a single, tattered and old, pithat. The very hat she received from said Griffin so many years ago.
“This seems to be one of those extra epic adventures…” Daring said as she walked over the panel and removed her current pink hat from her head. “It’s only fitting to dress accordingly.”
Outside Manehatten Central Bank
“...”
“...”
“Sie have been surprisingly silent…” commented Roa over Gold’s lack of noise.
Normally, the spy was calm and collected, but still he liked to talk whenever there was a chance; as far the Zoroark knew, this eased his mind when he was out on his missions. However, if he was ever this silent, it meant something troubled his mind heavily.
“We have been taken to a whole new world, separated from our comrades and friends, and sent astray from them by none other than our God,” replied Gold in a rather calm and slow tone. “Forgive me if I finally found some free time to properly think over it now that I can.”
“S-sorry…” said Roa with a hushed tone.
“No, I am sorry Roa” Gold replied again as he patted his comrade. “I didn’t want to make you feel bad. In fact, I feel lucky to have found you right away once we woke up. Only Lord Giratina knows what you could have ended up doing all by yourself.”
“...” These ‘apologies’ however, didn’t seem to calm the Illusion Pokemon in the slightest. “Y-you know I don’t get that bad without a reason…” She replied. “Not to mention my latest ‘event’ was because of some spy.”
“It was reckless of me to have used you as I did,” acknowledged Gold. “I also shouldn’t have taken my frustration over this whole deal on the mercenaries in the first place. They are surprisingly nice.”
“Ya, they are like nothing we have seen before,” replied Roa. “Then again, most ‘mon usually say the same of the commander. Why would that be?” She wondered.
“You really need to get out more.” Calmly added Gold with a chuckle as he knew Roa’s devotion over their commander wouldn’t let her see his character. “But on the contrary, you have become a bit more talkative and calm around others.”
“Y-you think so?” Asked Roa with curiosity and a bit of shame over this new topic.
“Certainly, before you would be staring at the ground to avoid any kind of eye contact, and now here you are enjoying a regular chat with me right before a very busy bank as if where nothing.”
At this point, however, Roa seemed to noticed the amount of Equuslings and Earthlings walking around them. Needless to say it was a big step back for her as she suddenly began to breath a bit heavily while looking around nervously. To the point where she looked right to the ground while covering her eyes.
Gold noticed the effect his words had caused and was about to correct his actions when then he heard his friend do something he didn’t expect her to do in such a situation; she began to whistle. Not only did she whistle, she began to give a small sort of tune out of it, although it didn’t sound like any kind of melody Gold have heard before.
This, however, seemed to calm the Zoroark’s delicate mind almost like magic.
Not wanting to make his friend go back into such a stressed state, Gold simply thanked the fact Roa had managed to calm herself down, as impressive as that thing alone was for him.
“Better?” He calmly asked once the little tune seemed to have ended.
“Y-ya…” Roa said back, and as if she knew what her comrade was thinking she explained. “Fraüline Valerie sings a little song for me some times to help me sleep. I thought remembering it would help me to calm down.” She then looked back up to Gold’s eyes. “It seems to do the job, right?”
The Golduck smiled and patted Roa once more. “It appears my worries over you will not last forever after all.” He said mostly to himself, something Roa didn’t seem to understand. “It’s nothing dear.” Gold calmly said as he stand back up.
“But it seems this human lady has been a surprising good thing for you.” Added the PLA member with curiosity. “To think all you needed to get better was a motherly figure.”
“Mü-mü-mü-mü-mü-mütte-tte-tte-tterlich!?” Replied Roa with a bit of shame and quite some surprise.
“You don’t see her that way?” Calmly asked Gold.
“I don’t think she sees me that way.” Quickly replied Roa, although as she said this her face took a slightly sad expression. “I doubt she would like ‘me’ as a daughter anyway. Who would want a creature like me as such anyway… But…”
Some seconds passed and Gold had to make a ‘go on’ gesture for Roa to complete her explanation.
“But, I wouldn’t mind to have her as a freund” she admitted with a childish and hopeful smile.
Gold went wide eyes at the scene.
This was the first time in his whole life knowing the Zoroark that he had seen her pulling out such expression, at least, regarding someone who wasn’t their commander or his sister. This finally made Gold chuckle.
“You my dear girl need to be more sincere with yourself.”
Of course this confused Roa even more, yet before she could ask anything to Gold, the mare they were waiting trotted out the bank.
“You two ready?” She casually asked.
“Have we ever?” Replied Gold with exaggerated elegance.
“A simple ‘yes’ would do, you know?” Deadpanned Daring as she pass walked the spy and meet with Roa. “Sorry, took longer than expected, you didn’t get too over crowded?” She sincerely asked as they began to walk away the bank and Gold.
“Not as much, danke” Roa answered.
Meanwhile Gold stood there, looking at both females walking away.
He let out a sigh and began to walk behind them while wondering a single thing. “When did we start worrying to wait for this group instead of looking for a way back with the Commander?”
“Quit your jabbering!” demanded Daring without turning back.
“He is quite nice once you get over his fanciness” defended Roa, sort of.
Daring only snorted. As far she concerned, Gold was the reason behind the rather rude visit they had to pay to none other than Celestia because of how he abused off Roa’s powers, not to mention her next book will cause some controversy because of this.
“You’re okay, kid,” said the explorer to Roa, “but he still has to work to get my trust. Besides, I did leave you two alone didn’t I?”
“For about twenty minutes” dryly replied Gold.
“And you should be thankful!” Commanded Daring back. “Now we need to go and pick up those two love birds so we can go and rejoin the rest before something bad happens.”
Then, a sudden shiver ran through the mare’s spine like a centipede made of pure ice.
“That can’t be good…” said Roa as she noticed this. Suddenly the sound of something crashing down hit their ears. “I told you it wasn’t” She added while Daring huffed and bring a hoof right between her eyes.
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happy new year!
5450288
Thank you! Happy new year to you too! 
OatfeelShould be fellVincent used Giga Drain!
...
Vincent used Giga Drain?
(Pretty sure that should be "lash.")
You probably meant "atoning."
5452949 Thanks for the info, I have fix them already.
Say, you seem good at this, wanna help me find more typos from now on?
5453098
Isn't that what I'm doing?
5454262 Ups, sorry, my bad then.
5474751 She is from EvoWizard, but if I play her well enough I may get her as one of my characters. It all depends of how good I write her.
5474866 ah... alright then. At any rate, I've caught up, so now I have to play the game I LEAST like... The Waiting Game