InuYasha Fan Fiction / Crossover Fan Fiction / Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ *What* Insertion? ❯ Rained Out ( Chapter 8 )

[ A - All Readers ]

*WHAT* INSERTION?
by Curtis Wildcat


Chapter Eight --- Rained Out

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(Cue theme)

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Location: Kaden residence
Time: Immediately following Chapter Seven

Phibrizzo rested on his bed, watching as Inuyasha and Curtis sat around the latter's chamber. It had been only an hour since dinner, and now the trio were just wasting time while waiting for night to roll around.

For dinner, Phibrizzo had brought back some okonomiyaki from Ukyo's restaurant. Each one had scored highly with his parents and the family cat (French Vanilla wouldn't stop pestering the family until Marcus tore off a piece of his dinner and gave it to her), and Sylvia had asked him to thank Ukyo sometime for "making such delicious food".

It would only be a few hours now before Phibrizzo would turn Inuyasha loose, just as he had done every night since he arrived. It was mechanical and routine.

To Phibrizzo, 'routine' was dull. He didn't know about the others, but he felt like he wanted an adventure of some kind. It was strange...before he came here, he rather enjoyed being stuck in a routine; it wasn't like there was much else to do, after all. But now...

"I still find it hard to believe that these people earn so much money," Inuyasha was saying as the television blared in his mind. "All that, just to kick a ball across the field and have the other guys bring it back?"

Curtis nodded as he caused a 1-liter bottle of orange 'Gatorade' to materialize. He drank some of it down. "It's a living, I guess. That money goes towards their day-to-day lives...well, some of it does, anyway. In some cases, the rest of it is wasted."

I still don't see what Conan Edogawa sees in the sport. Why would he---

Knock, knock. "Excuse me, Phibrizzo? There's someone on the phone for you," Marcus called.

Phibrizzo muttered something inaudible, then called back: "Who is it?"

Marcus stopped to confirm the call, then replied a few seconds later: "He says his name's Agasa. He claims to know you."

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Phibrizzo picked up the phone, a bit uneasy since he didn't like using technology such as that. Since it was a cordless set, he carried it off back to his room before he said anything. "Hello? Phibrizzo speaking."

"Hello. Glad to speak with you, Phibrizzo Kaden."

The half-mazoku sighed. "Hi, Doc. How'd you get hold of this number?"

"Conan gave it to me a day or two after we first met. He later told me how you're planning to find those men in black, too."

Phibrizzo sighed. "How much did he tell you?"

"Enough for me to know that you're an extraordinary individual," Agasa replied. "With that in mind, I started on a few things. One of them I gave to Conan two nights ago, and the other I'm going to give to you."

"Huh? What would that be?"

"I'd much rather not tell you over the phone," said Agasa. "Why don't you come over and see for yourself?"

Phibrizzo was more alert. "Now?"

"No better time than the present. Besides, if you hurry, you'll be able to get back before it starts raining again."

"Alright. Consider me there, Doctor! Talk to you later!"

-------

It took a minute to ask Marcus to take him over there, since he didn't know Agasa personally. Eventually, Phibrizzo was able to convince him that he wasn't really a stranger...more like a friend of a friend. Once there, Phibrizzo asked his adoptive father to wait for him while he went inside.

"So, Doctor," he was saying a minute or so later as he followed the oddball scientist to his lab, "why are you giving...whatever it is to me? I know I made it a goal to find those men, but it's not like I think of it as my only reason for living or anything."

"Just a little something to help you in your endeavors," Agasa replied calmly. "Even with my occupation, I always have quite a bit of spare time on my hands." He opened the door to his lab and allowed Phibrizzo to enter first, then closed it behind him.

Phibrizzo let his eyes wander around the room, trying not to feel as if he had gotten lost in unexplored territory. A lot of the technology here was unfamiliar to him, although he recognized enough to understand that Agasa dabbled in chemistry as well. Keeping himself from gawking, he focused on Agasa. "So, what is it you want to give me?"

"See for yourself," Agasa said as he reached into a desk drawer. He fished out a small case and handed it to Phibrizzo.

"Wonder what he's going to give him," Inuyasha muttered, curious.

Phibrizzo accepted the case and opened it slowly. He raised an eyebrow at what he saw inside. Funny...he'd been expecting something a bit more complex than... "Huh? Sunglasses?"

"Try them on," Agasa suggested as he made his way back to the other side of the room.

Shrugging, Phibrizzo fit the sunglasses over his eyes. "Okay. Not exactly what I'd call avante-garde, but they work."

"They work much better than you realize, my little friend," Agasa said, chuckling a bit.

He was met with a curious look. "What? What do you mean?"

"Hope you're ready for this," the doctor warned, reaching over his shoulder and flipping the light switch. "Now, feel along the bridge of the glasses."

Phibrizzo ran a finger along the frame and bridge of the glasses, frowning when he discovered a small hole. "Okay, I think I found a small depression. What is this?"

"There's a button inside. Go ahead and push it."

Phibrizzo followed Agasa's suggestion, tapping the button with the side of a fingernail...and was startled to notice that everything he saw through the sunglasses was visible, tinted a light red. It was a bit unusual, but he could see...

The realization of this leapt into his mind, eliciting a gasp. He could see...in pitch darkness! "Doctor Agasa...I don't really know what to say. This...this is..."

"Go ahead," Curtis urged. "Come on. Get it out of your system already."

In the past as far as Phibrizzo was concerned, there was absolutely no way to use only your eyes in absolute darkness and expect to see. That always had been one of the few things he extremely hated, but now it was no longer an issue. Deciding that acting out of character wouldn't hurt for once, he blurted: "This is utterly fabulous, Agasa! Real nice!"

"Glad you enjoy it," Agasa said, pleased that he liked them. "And to go back to a normal view, just push the button again." After Phibrizzo had done so, he switched on the light and continued: "These infrared sunglasses work as well as normal sunglasses, with one added advantage: they make things easier to see the darker it gets. When it gets too dim for your eyes, just push the button. The glasses are both waterproof and shockproof; the only disadvantage is that it requires some previous exposure to light before usage."

"That won't be a problem," a delighted Phibrizzo declared as he put the glasses away. He slipped the glasses case into his pocket (en route to subspace), smiling broadly. "Thanks a lot, Doctor!"

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Time: Three hours later

True to what Agasa implied over the phone, it began drizzling in Beika a half hour after Phibrizzo returned home. The weather forecast didn't help either, since it called for scattered showers and thunderstorms up until the following morning. Curtis brought up the fact that if Inuyasha was out all night in the rain, Sylvia and Marcus would somehow figure out that Phibrizzo hadn't been in his room at all. Therefore, it was with great reluctance that the trio decided not to head out after any criminals tonight.

After the mandatory bath (which he himself didn't think was mandatory; Curtis and Inuyasha had deemed it as such), Phibrizzo donned a set of indigo pajamas before closing himself in his room for the night. Before he could settle down, though, there was something he needed to take care of.

First, he took out the damp Water Show ticket and one of his schoolbooks. He then set the ticket near a heat vent, then placed the book on the edge of the ticket to keep it from blowing away. It wasn't a perfect way to dry off the ticket, but it was better than nothing.

After setting his wristband and bracelet aside on his desk, he burrowed under the covers. Instead of leaving himself some breathing room---since, as a half-mazoku, he didn't really need air in order get by---he pulled the covers over so that only the top of his head could be seen. It has been a mildly amusing day, he thought. Now, didn't you say you had some things you wanted to discuss with me?

"Yeah," Curtis said, stretching his arms. "More like a couple questions I wanted to ask, really. The first of those things you actually brought up yourself."

Huh?

"You made a reference to your sibling lords earlier," Curtis reminded him. "More specifically, Deep Sea Dolphin."

Ah, yes, Phibrizzo murmured bitterly. She made the mistake of trying to get too many details from Xellos and his boss, Zelas Metallium. She tried to absorb all the knowledge at once and became a grade-A psycho. What is there to explain?

"Well...physical appearances, for one." Curtis brought up a bottle of water and drank some of it slowly. "Some people back home who are fans of the whole series speculate on what Dolphin actually looks like, since there aren't more than a handful of pictures available. Even then, those aren't easy to find. Thought that since you'd known her the longest, you'd be able to tell me."

Phibrizzo thought back to the last time he'd seen his 'sister' in a calm state of mind, which had been nearly a thousand years before. Hmmm...I can't really say for sure. Even though she used the same base form, she always liked to make alterations to it. Sometimes her eyes were narrow and pointed like Xellos's; other times, her eyes were as big as mine. A few times she's looked as young as I do, and other times she looked fierce enough to scare away even the wild dragons.

"Well, then what did she look like the most?" Inuyasha asked. "What did she look like when she wasn't all mixed up?"

Like I said, I can't say. About the one thing that was always a constant with her was that she always had the same long hair. Phibrizzo rolled his eyes. I could never understand why. I mean, even done into twin ponytails her hair reaches her knees. Without the ponytails... He chuckled at a distant memory. She made it a point never to walk backwards, because if she did she'd slip and fall.

Hmmm...I do remember she always used the same form when she had any real serious dealings with me or my other siblings. Looked about twenty years old, give or a take a year. Her hair was shaded aqua, and she liked making it look as if it would blend with whatever shirt or dress she liked. Aqua-colored eyes, aqua-colored earrings...basically, her theme was that of the ocean.

Her attitude was a mix of dolphin and shark: intelligent and dangerous. She had a mean sense of humor, but she didn't take back-talk from anyone, including myself. Whenever one of us said something she didn't like, she would always think of something to say just to make the other person clam up.

"You mean she actually tried that with you?" Curtis wanted to know.

She didn't just try it; she did it. And she had a real sharp tongue when it came to reprimanding her servants or other mazoku, but she had a soft spot for sea creatures. She was once told that a rare species of fish that she enjoyed watching was being relentlessly hunted by someone; she immediately left her palace to deal with the perpetrators in person.

Phibrizzo poked his head from beneath the blankets, focusing on the nearby bracelet. She was quick to catch on to any changes in people, and she often formulated her strategies around those changes. I sometimes wonder what she'd say if she could see me now. She'd probably chew me up, spit me out, and flatten me with her shoe just for trying to escape my own destruction.

Inuyasha folded his arms, disgusted. "It was your decision. Even if she was still around at the time, she wouldn't have had any right to argue against you if you wanted to take your act elsewhere. She would've done the same if she knew that any destructive goals she had would turn out the same way."

Maybe. Maybe not. It's a moot point now; my homeworld's long gone. I've left those things behind. All that I have left... Phibrizzo tore his eyes away from his bracelet. ...are my memories.

Curtis looked around for a few seconds, pretending to look puzzled. "Huh?"

I said...oh, forget it. I see what you're doing. Phibrizzo inched back beneath the covers. I believe I was explaining to you why I was able to stretch my arms like that earlier.

"Yeah. That's right," said Inuyasha. "Something about your half-mazoku makeup, or whatever that was."

I'll try to keep it simple so that you can understand it. He laughed silently when Inuyasha fumed at this, then kept going. As a full mazoku, my form was extremely malleable; I could do anything I wanted with it. I could look as big as a giant, or as small as Marcus and Sylvia's cat. Of course, I chose to look like a child in part because of my nature and personality...and also because I enjoyed fooling other people with my looks and charm.

"Don't remember exactly where," Curtis replied, smiling, "but I recall seeing some material that suggested that you'd burrowed your looks from Amelia."

Phibrizzo could feel the sweatdrop roll down his temple. You mean that Seyruunian princess? That annoying justice-spouting do-gooder? he snapped. It's a very lousy joke, and I'm not laughing!

"Figured that would be your response. Anyway, you were saying?"

Shaking his head at the sudden change in subjects, Phibrizzo continued. When I came to Tokyo, something odd happened to me. My form was still malleable, yet for some reason I couldn't change the way I am now. I'd known what the results had been before, but I forgot about it until today for some reason. Guess it had been too long since I'd used it last.

"So, now it's malleable in the sense that you can stretch your limbs and body every which way?"

Right. Looking at Curtis at that moment, Phibrizzo began to get an extremely uncomfortable feeling. Um, Curtis...I'm not really sure if I like that look on your face. You were reminded of something, weren't you?

"Perhaps," Curtis chortled. "I think we're going to have a lot of fun with this one."

Maybe.

After that one word, all was quiet. While the others did whatever it was they felt like doing, Phibrizzo began musing a little about his past back home. What with everything they faced together in the past two weeks, those events seemed like so long ago. Technically, they were---years, decades, and centuries ago.

And it was one specific memory that repeatedly rolled around, making him focus on it before it could dwindle away.

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-Cue Flashback-

Location: The Desert of Destruction, in Phibrizzo's hideaway
Time: Two hundred years ago

"Over six hundred years," Phibrizzo growled aloud after he teleported deep into his sanctuary. "I've been wandering the world year after year, and what do I get? Nothing! There's no clues and no evidence suggesting that it even existed! The remaining dragons don't have it, and the humans sure don't know about it!"

He threw himself onto a chair, glaring at the half-rock, half-crystal ceiling twenty feet above his head. With this room two full kilometers below the ground and the tremendous maze that linked this room to the surface, he was safe from anything threatening...not like anything could harm him, of course.

"I despise not getting what I want," he grumbled. "I hate even more losing what I already have! But still...why does this loss persist in irritating me? I'm a a mazoku, for crying out loud!"

Since he was alone, there was no one to answer him. "They say that talking to yourself out loud is a sign of insanity," he continued regardless. "I can't even begin to imagine what Dolphin is going through at this moment, and I don't want to find out." Collecting himself, he finished: "Maybe I should just take it easy for a few days before I go back out. Getting stressed over a failure is only going to mess up my concentration."

Getting off the chair, Phibrizzo strolled over to where he kept his personal library. Thousands of books were arranged on shelves of varying lengths, consisting of fiction, historical works, and the like. Most of them were ignored.

There were several books that he was interested in now: books that told the stories of people and lands that never really existed, yet were described in such a way that they could've been real. He had found them once in a human ruler's library a long time ago. Flipping through them, he had found them to be interesting material. He'd kept them since then, but hadn't thought to look at them any further until recently.

He briefly wondered, though, why in the world the books' author would call himself "Homer". That didn't sound like a name a person would call himself.

Returning to his chair with the books in hand, he set them down and lit a nearby candle. Selecting a book, he opened it and began reading to himself. While he did this he continuously flipped glances at his multi-piece bracelet, either reminding himself of his goals or telling himself that one of the things he sought the most would someday be within his reach...

-End Flashback-

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As the memory faded, Phibrizzo shook his head in wonder. In the end, neither of his main goals could be achieved. His plan involving Lina Inverse had failed, and he couldn't find the one thing that escaped his grasp. He chuckled half-heartedly. Now I know how that part-golem chimera always feels.

Not getting an answer, he checked inside his mind. Inuyasha had dozed off, and Curtis had set to work doing something. For a while, Phibrizzo just stared into his blanket. Finally, he broke the silence. "Is this what boredom feels like?" he asked aloud.

"If it's a whole lot of nothing," Curtis mumbled, "yes."

Another pause. Hey...Curtis?

"Yeah?"

What do you do when you're bored?

Curtis shrugged. "I take a nap. With my illness the way it is now, it's all I can do."

What about if it's impossible for you to fall asleep?

"Try counting sheep."

I don't like wool. It's too itchy.

Blink. "Oookayyy...try counting mazoku. Try to imagine hundreds or thousands of Gaavs and Xelloses, one after the other, jumping over a wooden fence and going: 'Baaaa...that is a secret...baaa...that is a secret..."

Has it ever occured to you that I'm not the least bit tired, jumbo?

Curtis was getting annoyed by now. Of course, so was Phibrizzo; but being annoyed was old hat to him. In any case, arguing with the fat human seemed to be fun...but first, he had to get that annoying mental image that Curtis had inserted into his mind out.

"I don't know how to relieve your boredom. Why don't you ask Inuyasha?"

I wouldn't ask him how to cure your boredom, let alone mine.

"Fine. Teleport a few times, then. That should tire you out!"

In this weather? Phibrizzo asked disbelievingly. Where would I go?

"I never said you actually had to go outside. Warp around the house a few times!"

Now that would be a complete waste, and you know it.

"Baaa...that is a secret..."

Phibrizzo twitched. Don't do that. I'm trying to forget it, not remember it. Just keep it to yourself!

"I don't have anything to say right now, I wasn't planning on playing 'Risk' or 'Stratego' tonight, I've got stuff to do...and, of course, we're stuck in here tonight," Curtis told him impatiently. "If you don't mind, Phibrizzo...I think I'd like to work in peace tonight. I'm sure we all need a break from recent events."

Once more, silence ensued. For a while, Phibrizzo wasn't sure whether to act upset at Curtis for suggesting it or to just ignore him and brood on the unfairness of his life. After three minutes, he decided that he didn't want to stay awake the whole night and be bored out of his mind. Fine, then. But if I have any of your experiences with life, then you can forget having any peace for a while.

Sighing, Phibrizzo rolled out of bed and teleported downstairs to the laundry room. From there he warped straight to the kitchen, then to the living room---almost landing on French Vanilla---and finally back upstairs. The drain caused by four teleportations in less than nine seconds rapidly took its toll on him, barely giving him enough strength to clamber back into bed. It took about twenty additional seconds for his eyelids to finally fall shut, allowing him to murmur:

"Tell me...is this what it feels like...to be given the chance to recover...from a day's stress..."

In the back of his mind, multiple copies of Gaav and Xellos took turns leaping over a wooden fence.

"...you pathetic pillow of preposterous proportions?"

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Curtis looked around, hearing nothing but the noise of rain and occasional thunder. Before he went back to his work, he shrugged and smiled. "Yes, it is...Good night, Phibrizzo. Sweet dreams, don't let the bedbugs bite, and all that."

A faint beeping noise echoed somewhere in the background. He ignored that for the time being in favor of his vision abruptly becoming extremely blurry...

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...And discovered that the beeping noise came from his alarm clock. Pulling himself out of bed, Curtis reached over and swiped the alarm's off button. It took a few more minutes for him to realize what today was. Well, at least today's Friday. I don't need to worry about trudging through school in a half-conscious state.

While eating some scrambled eggs that were offered him, Curtis tried to recollect what he'd dreamed about. Some of it was a blur, particularly the parts after Phibrizzo got the infrared sunglasses from Dr. Agasa and before his run-in with Domino. He didn't like forgetting those details, but it couldn't be helped. You never remembered everything you dreamt about anyway.

There was one detail that stuck in his mind, though: Phibrizzo's ability to stretch his arms as though they were rubber. That, in turn, led to a TV program that he'd been watching recently. Or more specifically, its main character...

That settles it, Curtis thought as he finished breakfast. When I get back to school next week, I have some research to do. By the time that Water Show rolls around, Phibrizzo will be better prepared to deal with the situations he might be facing if he ever tangles with Team Rocket or those black-coated thugs.

That's what I'm hoping, anyway. Ultimately, it's up to him.

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Location: Front walk, Kaden residence
Time: Four and a half days later (Friday)

Conan checked on Phibrizzo for what had to have been the tenth time since they left school. All that day, the taller kid had seemed apprehensive about something. Each time Conan questioned him about it, the only response he got was "Tell you later". Something about that response indicated that he didn't really want to tell him, but the shrunken detective wasn't about to let it go.

"Well, guess I'll see you. Thanks for letting me visit Cousin Rachel and Detective Moore tomorrow at lunch," Phibrizzo said politely as he neared the door.

"Glad you can come over," Conan answered in kind. "Now, could you please tell me why you've been acting jittery all day?"

"It's not that important," Phibrizzo replied, shaking his head. He looked down at his bracelet, his eyes shimmering slightly. "Just had a lot on my mind recently. That's all."

"I'll say," Conan said teasingly. "Your handwriting was even sloppier than usual today."

"I said I could speak Japanese fluently," Phibrizzo retorted. "I never gave any indication that I could write it properly."

That seemed to have cheered him up a little. "Well, at least you're honest about what you can and can't do. See you tomorrow, Phibrizzo!"

Phibrizzo nodded and waved. "Later, Edogawa."

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Time: 3:50p.m.

It was about time to go. Making sure that the ticket (which was somewhat brittle, but still usable after being dried off) was stashed away in subspace and that he had his fireball T-shirt on, Phibrizzo waved good-bye to Sylvia and left the house at a fast clip. As soon as he was sure that his adoptive mother couldn't see him, Phibrizzo ducked into his usual hiding spot and allowed Curtis to Switch over. After the human gave the signal, Inuyasha pressed the button labeled "Teleport" and sent the trio on their way.

As Phibrizzo took over again, he got his first glimpse of the building that Curtis had homed in on. They had appeared off to one side of the "Gym", out of view of the line stationed at the front door.
Tensing himself, he took his sunglasses out of subspace and put them on before walking out of hiding and getting in line.

Inuyasha began pacing back and forth, sniffing the air. "There's something strange about the air around here," he said uneasily as the line moved forward.

How so?

"It doesn't look like it has rained recently," Inuyasha explained, "but for some reason the scent of water is covering everything. Something here's not right."

The scent of water...Curtis, didn't you say that the gym here specializes in several water variants of those creatures?

"Yes." Curtis sat down in his chair. "That could probably be what Inuyasha's smelling. We'll know for sure when we get inside."

Time passed on without any further comment. When they got to the front door, Phibrizzo handed over the ticket to the orange-haired cashier. After receiving the ticket stub, he entered the building and made his way to the auditorium.

Phibrizzo examined the stage---or what passed for one---as he worked his way to his seat. There were several large circular platforms in the middle of a large swimming pool/aquarium. Several creatures, one which resembled a starfish and another that looked like a finned dog with a dolphin's tail, could be seen swimming about.

"We still have a few minutes," Curtis said. "You could've gotten a snack before the show started."

Nah. I'm not hungry. Phibrizzo sat down next to a taller brown-haired kid and an oversized yellow rodent. Maybe I'll grab something on the way out. Hey, is that smell still there?

"Definitely," Inuyasha confirmed. "And it's gotten a lot stronger too. It's mostly coming from those animals down there in the pool."

"Hmmm...can you tell if there's anyone else around with a similar scent? Besides the Pokémon, I mean?" Curtis questioned.

Inuyasha shook his head. "Not really. I can barely see a person swimming around in the pool itself, but that's it."

Before either of the others could respond, a girl's voice blared over a loudspeaker somewhere in the auditorium. "Welcome to the Cerulean Gym, ladies and gentlemen; and thank you for your patience. The show will begin shortly."

As Phibrizzo settled back in his seat, the kid next to him started thumbing through a small booklet. "Let me see...high-quality water arts performed by the finest in aquatic Pokémon; 'Reason to Cheer', a play with Dewgong and Politoed in the lead roles, narrated by Misty; lastly, maritime grace you'll never forget as Laurene Aqua debuts. I wonder what she means by that last part, Sparky..."

"Pika," the rodent on his shoulder squeaked.

Phibrizzo decided to ignore Curtis's disbelief, turning toward the taller kid. "Excuse me? Can I see that booklet, please?"

"Ok. Sure," the kid said, handing him the booklet.

Phibrizzo began flipping through the booklet. "High-quality water arts...'Reason to Cheer', blah blah blah...yada yada Laurene Aqua. I thought as much." He gazed around him at the crowd; no question that the event was entirely sold out. "Now I know what a sardine must feel," he growled as he handed the booklet back.

"What's wrong?" the other kid asked. "You don't like this place?"

"It's not really the place so much as the situation, um...what's your name, now?"

"Richie."

"Right. Phibrizzo Kaden. Anyhow, I'm not from around here, so seeing places and creatures like this is very uncomfortable to me. My disliking of water only compounds that."

"Well, then why you are here?" Richie asked, puzzled.

"This past weekend I argued with a criminal, then distracted her while I opened up her pack to a rain shower. One of the things that fell out was a ticket to this event; after everything was said and done, she gave it up as lost and headed for home. I wasn't even going to go, but a few...associates of mine convinced me otherwise."

Richie would've asked more, except an announcement from Misty brought everyone's attention to the center of the gymnasium. The Water Show was about to begin.

---------

As the show went on, Phibrizzo decided that maybe it wasn't so bad after all. While it had its dull points, there were several highlights that he enjoyed.

The doglike marine animal, which Curtis identified as a Vaporeon, repeatedly shot water bullets in order to keep a set of rubber balls in the air. From what he'd learned, the attacks that these creatures used were stronger than they looked. Although Vaporeon's technique as it was now wouldn't do anything more except make him flinch, the same attack at 100% power would wash him down the street. I'll have to remember this, he thought as other Pokémon performed various other stunts.

One thing of note that Inuyasha noticed was that the silhouette who'd been swimming in the pool earlier had somehow disappeared. At first, Phibrizzo chalked it up to an illlusion of some sort; but before the next segment began, the trio was in agreement that none of them knew what it really was.

The play, 'Reason to Cheer', was supposed to feature a seal-like animal---Dewgong---trying to fix the problems in his life while his froglike friend kept trying to encourage him. The settings were limited, but the creative dialogue that issued from the narrator more than made up for it. On a scale of one to ten, Phibrizzo decided to give it a seven.

During a break, a yellow duck waddled towards the pool and fell in. After a few seconds of panicked struggling, the girl who'd been in charge of the tickets ran in, rescued him, then gently reprimanded him before taking him off-stage. This amused a great deal of the spectators.

Richie must've caught the smile out the corner of his eye. "So, you're enjoying this?"

"It's a good time-waster, I'll give it that much," Phibrizzo commented, turning his head just a fraction. "I'll have to be sure to come here again when I have more time."

"Along that line," Richie asked, "where are you from? Anywhere around here?"

Phibrizzo just smiled and winked, even though the second action couldn't be seen. "That, mister, is a secret!"

Richie and "Sparky" stared at him for a second, not sure how to react. "Huh," the former murmured as he turned away. "Strange kid." From its spot on his shoulder, the large rat muttered what sounded like an agreement.

"Just what we needed," Curtis said sarcastically. "Another Xellos."

He may be weird, but I like his attitude, Phibrizzo told him as he focused again on the pool. Just don't expect me to keep my eyes closed most the time. If he hadn't been doing that for centuries, I would've thought it was just his Rezo impression.

"Whoever Xellos is, it's still a scary thought," said Inuyasha, who just sat back against the far end of his chamber.

You honestly have no idea.

Without warning, most of the lights above the audience flickered and went off. The pool lights, in turn, switched on and cast an eerie glow over the water. The water Pokémon that had populated the aquarium either disappeared somewhere or stayed along the bottom edges of the pool.

Before Phibrizzo could wonder what was going on, the narrator of the play, Misty, started talking again over the P.A. system. "Ladies and gentlemen, have you enjoyed the show so far?"

The audience applauded. Although reluctant, Phibrizzo decided to join in as well.

"That's great! I almost hate to say it, but we only have one more act for the Show today," Misty announced as the audience calmed down. "I'll guarantee you, though, that it's a good one. Everyone, please give a warm welcome to the newest member of the Cerulean Gym, Lauren Aqua!"

Something---possibly one of the Pokémon in the pool---caused a whirlpool to form in the water. Squinting a little, Phibrizzo and Curtis could both see the silhouetted swimmer from earlier appear and dart straight into the twister. Instead of being caught in it, the figure instead shot upwards through the pool, launching herself out of the water and eliciting a gasp from the crowd.

Flipping a few times in mid-air, the person---who was most likely Lauren Aqua---executed a three-point landing on the middle platform. Standing up straight, she smiled and waved as if she'd done such stunts all her life.

While the crowd burst into applause at her entrance, Phibrizzo took note of what Lauren looked like...and froze. A twenty-year-old with sharp blue eyes, blue earrings, and thick, ponytailed blue hair that hung near her knees...what looked to be a combination of a dress and casual clothes...the playful intelligence that glittered in those eyes...

Phibrizzo forced himself to settle down. "Too much of a coincidence," he whispered, unheard by everyone around him.

After waiting for the applause from the crowd to die down, Misty continued speaking in a calmer tone. "Miss Aqua is a newcomer to Cerulean, but she has proven herself adept at swimming, dancing, and Pokémon battling. Due to circumstances beyond her control, she is unable to speak; therefore, she will allow the accompanying music to sing for her."

Lauren stretched her arms and folded them in front of her. As if cued by this, a soothing melody began to play over the gym's loudspeakers.

(BGM - "Caribbean Blue", by Enya)

In time with the song, Lauren raised one arm at a 45-degree angle while lowering the other at an opposite angle. She stopped them there as the song seemed to fade, then brought her hands together above her head as it began anew. It was there that she shifted flawlessly into the dance, an elegant series of movements that kept everyone focused on her. By the time that the music's vocalist began singing melodiously, it was clear that Lauren knew what she was doing.

So the world goes round and round
With all you ever knew
They say the sky high above
is Caribbean blue

Inuyasha shook his head as the chorus filled the space between verses. "Man, when you decide you want to do something, you don't take any half measures..."

"You can say that again," Curtis said, shaking his head in wonder.

I'd rather you didn't say that again, Phibrizzo warned. Quiet and let me concentrate on this!

If every man says all he can
if every man is true
do I believe the sky above
is Caribbean blue

Lauren continued to amaze as the song went on. Shortly after its second verse ended, she dived into the water. Her form, which could now be seen by everyone this time, didn't slow down at all as she continued to dance and spin serenely in time with the music.

The Vaporeon that had performed earlier joined in, swimming and spinning in circles around her. As the two reached the surface, a blast of water from below forcibly hurled them skyward. Unperturbed, the Pokémon used her shoulder as a stepping stone to reach the left-most platform. Set into a flip by this act, Lauren continued to do so until she neatly landed on the center platform. Not at all fazed by this sequence, she resumed her waltz.

Phibrizzo tried to stop quivering, but was unable to do so. "Coincidence," he whispered. "It's a coincidence. Has to be."

"The timing of that water blast was no coincidence," Inuyasha growled. "This entire arrangement was planned out. There's no other way they'd be able to pull it off this well."

Inuyasha had no way of knowing this, but the timed attack wasn't what Phibrizzo was referring to.

If all you told was turned to gold,
if all you dreamed was new
imagine sky high above
is Caribbean blue

Lauren raised her arms and held them at angles, briefly illustrating the similarities between the sea and the sky. As the chorus took up the remainder of the song, the Vaporeon tilted its head at an angle and fired a steady stream of water into the air. It descended in a constant drizzle, making it seem as if it was raining around Lauren as she pranced around the platform.

As the song neared its end, the Vaporeon ceased shooting off water and curled up on its platform. Lauren slowly knelt and settled her hands on opposites sides of her own stage, looking as calm as she did when she first started.

All was quiet for about five seconds before the entire audience---sans Phibrizzo---began showering Lauren with accolades and cheers.

----------

For a while, Richie and Sparky were clapping and cheering with everyone else...until the younger kid next to them stood up, clenching his fists. As the lights came back on, he removed his sunglasses and swiped at his eyes hurriedly. "Hey, what's wrong?" Richie asked him.

"Ever laughed so hard you cried?" the kid asked a mite sarcastically. "I think I just experienced something like that. Listen, can I burrow your hat for a few seconds? There's something I need to do."

Richie removed his hat. "What's that?" he asked, handing it to him.

"Getting that woman's attention," Phibrizzo said as the two of them (three, counting Sparky) edged their way towards the stairs.

"Who? You mean Lauren?"

When they reached the stairs, Phibrizzo uttered something in a cold voice. Richie edged a little closer and asked him to repeat it...and drew in his breath at what the kid had told him.

Lauren Aqua's not her real name? If that's true, how would he know that? Something's going on here!

--------

As the crowd dispersed and Misty thanked everyone for attending, Phibrizzo snuck down to the bottom rows. So far, it didn't look like 'Lauren' had seen him yet.

"So, how are you going to get her attention?" Richie asked quietly, stepping down behind him.

"There are a few things I know about that woman," Phibrizzo muttered. "If she reacts the way I think she will, then I can catch her off guard."

Richie tensed, suspicious. "What are you planning?"

Phibrizzo waved him off, putting his sunglasses and Richie's hat on. Down on the pool, Lauren had dived into the water only to resurface almost immediately, climbing out of the pool and calmly strolling towards one of the doors. The Vaporeon trailed along behind her.

Perfect, he thought, taking a tennis ball out of subspace. Let's see what happens next.

--------

'Lauren' had nearly made it to the door when a panicked voice called her. Turning to see who it was, she saw a dark-haired kid with sunglasses and a blue hat pointing at the pool. "There's something in the water!" he shouted. "It looks green!"

Gritting her teeth, she doubled back and dived into the pool, her Vaporeon close behind. She rotated her head every which way, but she didn't see what the kid was talking about until her eyes noticed something bobbing on the surface. Floating back up, she resurfaced and took hold of the green object she saw. A tennis ball? Whose lame idea of a joke is this?

Before she could begin fuming over this, something landed on the ground nearby. At first, the person didn't look familiar; it was wearing black pants and a violet shirt emblazoned with a fireball, was in desperate need of a haircut, and was wearing a blue wristband, multi-piece bracelet, hat, and sunglasses...

Hold that thought. Blue wristband? Now that I think about it...

The person took off his hat and tossed it into the waiting hands of a not-quite teenager. The first kid then took his sunglasses and put them inside its case before sticking it in his pocket. Having done that, he smiled broadly and appeared as cute and innocent as he could. "Deep Sea Dolphin! How have you been?"

Her eyes widened and dilated. It's him! Why, that little---!

-------------

From Richie's point of view, Phibrizzo wasn't sure how to react when the woman he'd addressed as 'Deep Sea Dolphin' climbed out of the water, reached down and hugged him. Sweatdropping, he protested: "Um...okay, I know it's been a while since I saw you, but you don't need to---"

Phibrizzo's statement turned into a startled squawk as 'Dolphin' grabbed one of his arms from behind his back and hurled him with startling ease into the pool's farthest end, looking vastly irritated at something.

After gasping at what had just happened, Richie and Sparky ducked beneath the guardrail to check on him, very nearly slipping in the process. They need not have worried; Phibrizzo's head broke the water after a few seconds. Wiping water out of his eyes, he remarked off-handedly: "Wow. She took that rather well. Glad she hasn't changed."

"So you knew she was going to do that?" Richie deadpanned, annoyed.

Phibrizzo shook some wet hair out of his eyes. "Yep. Why? Something wrong with---hey, this water's cold!" he suddenly yelled, his eyes bugging out.

Richie sighed out a mushroom cloud. "...Never mind."

--------

Chapter Eight concluded. Chapter Nine soon to commence

Author's Notes

In case you're curious, the books that Phibrizzo was reading in the flashback were indeed The Odyssey and The Iliad. Don't ask how he got them, 'cause I have no idea.

The description of Deep Sea Dolphin isn't an official one; it's just something I made up, so don't go telling me that it isn't true. I'm already aware of that. I just thought that since so little is known about her, I had a little bit of leeway.

Heh, heh. Whatever you do, don't count mazoku. The mental imagery is ludicrous. "Baa...that is a secret..." Besides, can you imagine Gaav bleating like a sheep?