Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Let's Slaughter An Anime/Game/Whatever Beyond All Recognition! Yay! ❯ Chapter 3

Matrix was tired and hungry, but was unwilling to go back to his new home just yet. He himself wasn't sure why he wandered. Cord and his family were very nice to him. They fed him and gave him a place to sleep and gave him kisses and hugs and toys to play with...but they weren't his Papa and sometimes…sometimes he just had to get out. Sometimes he was looking for his father. Sometimes he simply felt the need to be somewhere else. He knew it worried Cord and he felt bad about that but he just…had to.

The streets seemed extra unfriendly tonight and the little Eevee's steps grew quick and anxious…maybe he should head back. This territory was unfamiliar, and he was starting to feel lost. There came a sudden sound in an alley and his normally limp ears went straight up, feet sending him streaking forward in a panic! Then…his next step was halted abruptly as his stepped on his own undone shoelaces and he was sent tumbling head over heels with a cry, landing in a shaking little heap of too-big clothes and tangled ears.

A brush along his back conjured up images of monsters and demons trying to grab him and pull him into the dark, those liquid chocolate eyes snapping up fearfully…but no monster. Only a blue lady, who had knelt beside him and was now pulling him to his feet. He sniffled, standing, then watched as she tied those dangerous shoes for him. He watched her, tears and terror utterly forgotten for the moment. She had pretty hair. He wanted to touch it! And, being the child he was, he acted on that impulse, stroking a small hand down shining cobalt tresses.

"Your hair is pretty!" he piped cheerfully. The lady blinked again, then smiled, her dark eyes shining softly. "Thank you for helping me up. I can't really tie my shoes good yet…" The woman nodded but said nothing, finishing up the bow on one sneaker. Matrix frowned a little, but then just plowed on. "My name is Matrix! I live with Cord, he's my big brother now. We're waiting for my Papa, have you seen him?" The woman shook her head no, getting to her feet. "Oh…well, that's okay. What's your name?" The woman grimaced slightly and Matrix wondered if he'd done something wrong. Then she moved gracefully to a nearby shop window and bent slightly, lips parting as she breathed gently on the pane. Then she took her finger to it, writing something in the resulting cloud of moisture. Matrix could read, but only a little bit…he stumbled and stuttered over the syllables, trying to make sense of them. The words read: NA-EE-AH. He tried them out, fumbling along, and the woman nodded. Of course, she hadn't spelled her name correctly…the child would never have been able to understand "Nai'ia".

"Nai'ia!" he beamed proudly, pleased that he'd been able to decipher it. "That's your name?" Another nod from the Vaporeon. She didn't seem to talk, or want to talk. Matrix accepted this easily enough, and turned to straightening his floppy clothes. The blue lady then turned and began to walk away. Matrix blinked, scampering after her. "Dun' leave!" he cried. "I don't wanna be alone, Nai'ia!"

Nai'ia stopped, and he moved up beside her, reaching up for her hand automatically. Those dark eyes of hers softened, and she bent, scooping him up into her arms and holding him tight for a long moment. Nai'ia…hated everyone…and everything…but children…she held nothing against. She felt closer to them than anything else, without even trying. For someone who had nothing…nothing at all…this was a treasured feeling. The boy in her arms nestled trustingly into her and she sighed, stroking his hair and ears with easy affection. Matrix just melted into it comfortably. He needed this…

"Matrix?" Came a call in the near distance. Nai'ia stiffened, dropping into a half crouch and gently putting the confused child on his feet.

"That's Cord!" Matrix chirped happily, "He's come to find me, like he always does. You should stay and meet him, then you can be friends!" Nai'ia shook her head, giving him a sad little smile and touching one long, furred ear before slipping into the alley, disappearing into the shadows. Cord came jogging up, tired, but relieved.

"There you are," he sighed, plucking up the little one. "We need to have a serious talk about all this running off you do, I can't concentrate on my studies!"

"You scared Nai'ia away!" Matrix pouted, but snuggled into Cord's familiar black trench coat.

"Nai'ia? Who's that?"

"She tied my shoes for me!" he replied, swishing his bushy tail merrily. "And then she stayed with me `til you came…then she ran an' hid!"

"Oh she did, hmm?" Cord frowned, peering into the shadows. Why would anyone have reason to hide in this ship? Unless, of course, they were up to no good. Cord slowly put the child back down, eyes narrowing at the alleyway. "Stay right here, okay?" And without waiting for an answer, he stepped into the foreboding recesses.

"Hello?" he called softly, his tail held low to the ground nervously. Perhaps this Nai'ia was only a figment of Matrix's imagination?

Geh, it had been foolish of her to run into this dead ended alley. Here there were no condensation ducts to climb into, and nowhere to run. She saw the Dragonair approach and dove behind a pile of discarded boxes, going quite still. The darkness and her own silence had been her savior before…but not this time. The tall creature knew something had gone in here, and that there was no way out…whatever had come in was still here, period. She cringed against the wall, watching helplessly as he came closer, using his tail to shift things aside and peer behind them. she would not wait to be found. Nai'ia sprang to her feet with a challenging, low hiss, half crouched, her eyes narrowed and glittering in the half light of the artificial stars above.

Cord leapt back, startled, as the slender being shot into view. It was a woman, a Vaporeon, by the looks of it. She was sleek and elegant, wearing some kind of odd black bodysuit that cast light from every graceful curve and rise of her form. She'd expected to be able to HIDE in something so reflective? He gave her a small smile, moving forward.

"Um, hi! Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you," he greeted in a quiet voice. She stepped back nonetheless, growling almost ferally, ear-fins laying back along lustrous sapphire hair. Cord paused, pulling back a bit and studying her more closely. Her bearing, the look in her eyes…something was slightly off, ever so slightly wrong. He wondered if she was, perhaps, a little off her rocker. "Hey, you helped my lil bro', I'm not going to do anything bad to you. What's your name?"

She only hissed, backing towards a sanitary grate. She certainly didn't like taking that route, but she could bathe later. And before the blue Dragon could stop her, she'd flipped aside the cover with her fluked tail and disappeared into the unknown depths.

Cord stood here for a moment, staring at the space she'd been in a moment before. He wasn't sure why, but he felt it was wrong to have let her go.

----

The game arcade was particularly busy today, Taser noted as he picked his way through the mass of chattering children and teens, silky blue wings tucked tightly behind him. The noise alone would have been enough to frighten away the faint of heart. Assorted shouts and screams, entire symphonies of electronic beeps and trills, the shuffle of many pairs of feet and raucous laughter filled the air. Yet oddly, he felt it was a sanctuary of sorts. Very few adults came in here, including his father, and he could lose himself for hours in the neon embrace of those many screens. There were favorites, of course…the dancing sim, for instance, and Space Captain Amano. He prided himself on the fact that despite the enormous volume of customers who courted the games daily, he consistently held the high score on those two. According to his father, he couldn't do anything right…so he'd do THIS right, as minor a victory as it was. Tossing a handful of silvery tokens to himself, he approached Space Captain Amano, shoulders back confidently. He took a moment to watch the demo play by, followed by his high scores.

5th TAS
4th TAS
3rd TAS
2nd TAS

And then, blinking frantically in brilliant hues across the screen…

1st RAD

It took a moment to register. Then he scrubbed his eyes, slammed his hands down on the controls, and leaned forward to stare, one eyebrow twitching. Eight solid months of being the ONLY person in the best score slot and suddenly…suddenly it was gone?! Noooo! Who the hell was this RAD upstart anyway?! Well he'd show him!

He'd just begun to select a token to start the game when a particular din from behind him caught his attention. Scowling, he turned with a flare of pale azure hair to see what the noise was all about. The dance sim, of course. It wasn't unusual to see a crowd gathered there to watch the better gamers, but something in particular caught his eye. The score screen was flashing. That meant someone was, at this very moment, breaking the high score. HIS high score!! He pocketed his tokens and stalked over, plowing through the gathered onlookers to the front of the line so he could see.

"YOU!" he gasped, eyes going wide as he recognized the girl who had run him over in the hall several weeks before. She didn't answer, of course, crimson eyes intent on the screen in front of her, diamond hooves flashing across the touchpad in wild motion that became increasingly hard to follow. Taser's accusingly pointed finger slowly wilted as he looked on in horror. It was going to take some serious, serious practice to beat this new score! It should be impossible, or illegal even, to move that fast! Just then, the set ended, and the panting Rapidash hopped over the pad, marking in the new score.

1st RAD

"YOU did it!" Taser cried anew, making the girl jump! She turned to blink at him in bewilderment, fiery hair in disarray about that freckled face.

"Oh! Hello again!" she beamed cheerfully, swishing that flame hued tail behind her innocently. "Taser, right? I'm sorry, I think I forgot to leave you my name last time! I'm Radish!"

"Radish? Isn't that a vegetable?" he grumbled, eyeing her. She didn't seem perturbed by his anger in the least, that snowy face still innocently merry.

"No silly, Radish is me!" she replied with a sage nod as though this made the best sense in the world!

"I er….see…" he muttered, rubbing the back of his head. It was hard to be mad at someone so damn happy. "You um….you like video games?"

"Oh I love them, there was an arcade rightnexttowheremyauntandIusedtoliveandtherewasnothingtodothereyouknowsoIwo uldjustgotothearcadeallthetimeandgotreallyreallygoodatalotofthegamesbecause I playedthemsomuchandthenIfoundouttherewasanarcadehereandIjustcouldn'thelpmys elfand-"

"Whoah!!" Taser cried, holding up his hands to stop the sudden flow of endless, breathless chatter. "Slow down, you're hard to understand when you talk like that!"

"Talk like what?" she blinked in confusion. Oh wonderful, she didn't even realize she was doing it. Taser sighed and slumped a bit. This was going to be impossible. "Aah, don't look so sad!" she cried, stooping to peer at the Aticuno's face. "Come on, I'll treat you to a sundae, and maybe you can tell me what's bothering you! Ice cream fixes everything, you know!" she giggled, winking cutely at him. Taser blinked, lifting his head. Eh, what the hell? He sighed, nodding…and found his hand caught up in hers as she busily tugged him back through the arcade.

Every machine they passed was flashing RAD as the high score. Taser sighed…this was going to take a LOT of effort to rectify…and a LOT of quarters.

----

The Vaporeon sighed and stretched languorously in her favorite condenser, peering out the grate to observe the residential deck far below. She was in an odd humor. After meeting that child, she'd seen him several times, and even paid him a few visits, in secret of course. He always seemed happy to see her, and he gave her some bit of comfort in this otherwise cold existence of hers. Sometimes that Dragonair would watch them from a distance…he probably thought he was being stealthy, but Na'ia always knew he was there. She sighed, curling her fluke over her back, resting her chin on her arms, her hair pooling and slithering about her body.

Serenity was not to be hers, however. The insofar distant watcher had made her move.

Nai'ia cried out softly, curling into a protective ball and clutching at her suddenly burning skull…memories she did not want came flooding back, voices babbling and screaming at her…accompanied by a new voice…a commanding, irresistible voice. Nai'ia had power well beyond what her kind should possess. She should use this power. Use it now. This way. Use it here…I'll show you…and you WILL do it.

----

"Helloooo ladies!"

Sorcha jumped as Serike snuck in behind her and tugged at those lustrous tails of hers. She whirled about and sent a sound slap his way, but the swift little Jolteon was already away, having wisely put a clothes rack between himself and the furiously blushing girl.

"SERIKE!"

"Heh heh, calm down Sweetcheeks, it was just a little touch!" he grinned insufferably at her.

"I don't want you anywhere near me you pervert," she huffed, tilting her nose into the air.

"Awwwa, you just need some good lovins, dontcha! Ri's got the magic, how about tonight we-"

"Ri," came a voice from behind him. Serike's ears wilted and he winced, recognizing the voice.

"Heh, didn't know you were here, Astra, shopping doesn't look like your thing!" He would turn slowly, rubbing the back of his head as he met that unamused set of angular amethyst eyes.

"Out, Serike," she growled softly, towering over the smaller creature. Astra did not have to actually try to be intimidating. It just happened naturally. "The more you delay her the longer I have to stick around and I hate clothes shopping. It puts me in a bad mood."

"Oh we wouldn't want Astra in a bad mood, would we?" he grinned, but despite those words, the spiky haired youth was inching towards the door. "Catch you later, my lovely!" he twiddled his fingers at Sorcha, who pointedly didn't even look at him, before ducking out. Astra waited a few moments, then headed out that way as well.

"I'll be outside, you two hurry it up," she mumbled, shoving her hands in her coat pockets. Sorcha sighed, then perked and got back to the business at hand. Radish had been quiet during the encounter.

"Now back to what we were talking about…er….What did you say his name was?" Sorcha chirped as she contentedly picked through clothes in one of the upscale department stores, her skilled fingers flying over the various garments to pluck out only the very best of the best. Her great plume of multiple tails swished, her eyes sparkling, her ears twitching…she was in her true element. Shopping was such a zen experience. So few people understood!

Radish, laboring under the small mountain of intended purchases she had to carry for the Ninetails, strained to peek her head out from over the pile of cloth to answer.

"His name is Taser," she replied with a grunt, trying to keep the tower of fashion from toppling. Radish had to wonder if Sorcha ever, EVER wore the same garment twice. And how could she keep forgetting Taser's name? The grumpy boy had softened up, with some ice cream and kind words. She discovered that he was really quite lonely and afraid. He didn't want to live in his father's shadow and they fought a lot…all Taser needed was someone to talk to who wouldn't criticize him for everything in the name of `toughening up' or training. Radish….felt the need to be that person, for some reason. She would like to think that Taser had come out of this liking her a little better too…or, liking her as much as someone you ran into the ground CAN like you…

"Oh yeah, him," Sorcha wrinkled her nose at a polyester blend and tossed it over her shoulder. "He's not terribly cute, Radish dear, and you're just so adorable, I'm sure you can do better than that. Though his position...hmm…that might make up for it a bit. Oooh! The pink or the blue?" she broke off, holding up a pair of party dresses. Radish grimaced, her knees beginning to wobble under her load.

"There's more to men than looks and status, you know…Um…I like blue!" she replied, then balked as Sorcha went to toss it on the pile. "Sorcha, I can't carry anymore!" she protested. "My arms are full!" Sorcha paused, seeming to consider this as she eyed the poor Rapidash. Then she beamed…and hung the newest garment from Radish's horn, utterly obscuring the girl's face. Radish blinked, then her ears wilted. "Sorchaaaaa!!"

"Hee! Just kidding!" Sorcha giggled, taking the dress off Radish's forehead…then squealing as the floor shuddered under their feet, the lights flickering wildly. Clothes burst into the air, and both girls ended up under the pile of garments. Sorcha popped her head out of the mess, a pair of pants perched atop her ears. "What in the name of Tiffany's Diamonds was THAT? Oooh, and it messed up my HAIR!!"

Astraphobia sprinted back into the shop, hauled both Ninetails and Rapidash to their feet, and shoved them outside of the building just as beams began to shudder and creak in the aftershock.

"What's going on?!" Sorcha cried as the streets began to fill with confused and alarmed people. The station was trembling something terrible, and the floor was beginning to tilt off kilter…as though the entire ship had lurched to one side somehow.

"Something's wrong," Astra growled, peering up and off into the distance. From here, she could just barely make out the end of the housing district, where part of the bridge and command center began. She wasn't sure, but she thought she could see smoke coming from it. Her heart sank. They were too distant from Earth to be rescued in time if something serious were to happen…she blinked then, as droplets began to rain down from the artificial sky.

"I didn't know the simulator could make rain," mused Sorcha, blinking up at the unexpected shower.

"It can't," Astra frowned, reaching out a tri-fingered hand to catch one of the droplets. "They're real."

"OW!" cried Radish suddenly, jumping and brushing frantically at her arms. "Astra, it hurts! What is it, acid?"

"Don't fight much, do you," she replied, pulling off her voluminous coat and plopping it unceremoniously over the Rapidash to protect her. "It's elementally charged. You're a fire type, so it's going to hurt you in a way normal water won't. But since it IS charged, that means this is someone's doing. Someone created it…"

"Well it's not terribly nice of them!" whined Sorcha, peering mournfully at her tails and huddling under an awning, "It's ruining my style! Can't we go back inside, Astra? Why'd you drag us out, anyway?"

"Everything's still shaking. If another one of whatever that was hits, buildings could start to collapse…unless you WANT to be a Ninetails Pancake…"

Radish peered up from beneath the safety of Astra's coat, ruby pools blinking in recognition as they caught sight of something soaring just under the district's roof.

"Sorrygottagobye!" she cried before bolting through the crowd, the protective coat flaring and fluttering behind her as she gained speed, and woe unto those that got in her way. She struck more than a few of those who had come out to gawk at the smoking bridge in the distance. It was easy enough to keep up with the flying creature, even if she did occasionally mow down some poor soul…but this was important. She knew, somehow, she had to keep up…she had to get there when he did.

Only after circumnavigating several water filled corridors did she find what she was looking for. Taser. The boy was down on his knees, head bowed, his hands clawing into the surface of a horribly twisted access door. Radish went to him quickly, sinking beside him.

"Taser," she whispered, almost afraid to touch him. She reached out anyway, laying one snowy hand to his shoulder. He only shuddered and curled further into himself, letting his hands fall away from the door.

"Father's dead," he hissed out, "They won't let me in to see him."

"O…oh…Taser!" Radish gasped, feeling cold all over, and those large crimson eyes began to shimmer with sympathetic tears. "What's happened? It looks like something exploded!"

"Something did," he replied brokenly, still not lifting his head. "When the water hit the main power line to the command center, everything went up. It shouldn't have even been able to breach it, there must have been a fault in the insulation…I don't know…"

"Where…where did all this water come from?"

"I don't know that either," he croaked, "I just don't. Nobody's telling me anything, and I want to see my father…" he trailed off miserably…then actually jumped a bit as Radish put her arms around him, drawing him close. In any other situation, he would have jumped away…but he found himself clutching her and breaking into tears that he would be ashamed of later.

Radish remained silent, stroking his hair and speaking low, soothing words to him…knowing that there was nothing more she could do to help. Her own heart was breaking…she barely knew this boy, but she felt, oddly, as though this were her place. This was what she was meant to do. Quietly, she draped Astraphobia's filched coat over him and continued to hold him until the grief had run its course for now.