#i barely brushed upon it but look at all the food-based pokemon

[bam-monsterhospital]

scalding hot but obvious take: object pokemon are the most creative pokemon.

like, duh, of course you have to engage your imagination when creating pokemon designs based on objects. most of the work isn't already done for you like with animal-based pokemon. just. duh.

but people are sooooooo quick to shit on object-based pokemon because they have no imagination/taste for some reason or other, y'know, despite object pokemon being some of the most delightfully designed pokemon out there.

i mean

(img from bulbapedia) lookit this lil baby! a heckin candle, and it's A GHOST? lookit that widdle smoile that definitely is totally trustworthy. I adore litwick and its line, but it's also one of the least imaginative of these pokemon i'm talking about. You have trubbish, klefki, dhelmise, fuckiNNNN sINISTEA, POLTCHAGEIST, it's fantastic!

hnnngh i fuckin love object pokemon.

[prof-peach]

Hello, Prof! I’m looking to adopt a Pokemon as a companion. I’m leaning towards grass types, so I figured you’re a good source to ask. What kinds of grass Pokemon are best suited to a slow, domestic life, and what can I do to make them as happy as possible?

A wonderful bracket of Pokemon to start your Pokemon family with, a good grass Pokemon can be very sturdy and joyful, so here’s a few I’d suggest for both great companionship, plenty of laughs, and who would also suits home life very well.

Sunkern: Often jolly and super happy indoors, so long as they have a sunny window ledge to sit and bask on. They like a good misting to refresh their little leaves, and actually sleep quite a bit compared to other more active grass Pokemon. They’re a Pokemon I breed a lot of variations of, and they have a lot of forms and sizes, but their drastic changes come upon evolution, so be careful to not catch or buy a variant who may become very large in the long run. They just kind of love to be with their selected family, so just treat them well and they’ll sit on your shoulder and want to know what you’re doing all day.

Bounsweet: they can like a little more heat so if you get cold winters it’d be worth getting them some cold weather gear, but on average they’re very kind, social Pokemon, with perhaps a simpler outlook on life. They’re often easy food for predators outdoors, so an indoor life isn’t terrible for these individuals, so long as you have a bright window for them to hang out on. They need a humidifier close to their sleep space to keep them nice and healthy, but they can handle a lot of conditions considering, and are quite adaptive should they want to evolve, able to keep up with modern living, even enjoying jobs and tasks around the house to elephants them busy.

Cottonee: soft and sweet, this Pokemon is a very simple soul, happy in a number of conditions and surprisingly tough in the cold should you get harsh winters. You’d still do well to bring them in during really chilly snaps, but they’re cool without gear in the snow, should you go out to the shops or trips to view it friends or family. I would however advise a safety line for windy days, these Pokemon can get blown away if it’s super blustery out. They enjoy a good brush, and are normally quite open to a good cuddle.

Budew: usually really varied in personality, they can be very fun, super engaged with their partners activities, and happy indoors given bare basic care needs are met. They’re too small to do long travel without a little care, so they suit a home life, and settle into a routine quite well if given the chance. They can give the home a quite delightful scent, and are notoriously clean Pokemon, being found tidying up their territory in the wild, and homes in captivity. Once evolved they can become capable helpers around the home, and good lifelong friends who defend their loved ones with ferocity.

All the Pokemon I have suggested need at the very least, a pot of soil to root into, big enough for them to sit comfortably without falling or tipping over, fresh water available at all times, all bar the cottonee need a misting regularly, cottonee instead needs a good brush unlike the rest. All four do well with moderate to high levels of light so again, sunny window at the very least, but ideally a small garden, outdoor time for at least an hour a day, or a balcony for fresh air. Just because they’re at home a lot doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy going out and learning about the world around them, so peak their interests, share your joys with them, and try to show them as much as you can, so they have a good understanding of their world. Sheltered Pokemon can have a lot of fear of the unknown, and in turn have a hard time socialising and enjoying the great outdoors, so learning stuff is super great for them, and you two can bond over all sorts!

All four of their diets are plant based, fruits, greens, herbivore poke-foods that you can find in the shops, they’re not fussy, and at their small stages need no specialised care within their diet unless they begin to show signs of nutrition deficiencies, which is usually easy to spot because of their green foliage parts changing colours. This can also happen with the changing seasons, and you’ll learn to notice what’s normal and what’s not as you get to know them more. Nutrition issues are not something to be deathly afraid of, and are normally easily fixed.

Hope you find your perfect partner, but keep an open mind, what I suggested is not always what finds you. Good luck!

[nelvana]

In which the mailbox is assaulted

First: In which the human is transformed Next: In which another bug is rescued Previous: In which a higher ranked team arrives

    It wouldn’t take long for Team Galaxy to learn that Shiftry’s team wasn’t the only bad team. In fact, they learned the very next day after Team A.C.T.’s arrival to Pokemon Square that there was another team in town that was possibly worse than Shiftry’s team. When the pair walked outside their house to check the mail and then head out to Pokemon Square, they saw a gengar, ekans, and medicham walking towards the house, whispering and chuckling to each other. Nelvana’s grip tightened on her weapon; she could already tell that this new group wasn’t going to be friendly.

    “Well then, this is the place!” Gengar told his teammates upon arriving to the edge of the pathway.

    “Can we… help you?” Keahi asked hesitantly, sensing the tension that pulsed from zir partner.

    “Why, yes… Yes, you can,” Medicham hummed, moseying on over towards the base.

    Nelvana narrowed her eyes, watching the trio’s movements, but not making any moves yet herself. The other group suddenly rushed onto the team’s lawn and over to the mailbox. Nelvana reacted immediately, raising her club defensively and growling, but she wasn’t going to attack them yet, despite their trespassing.

    “Hey! What’re you doing?” Keahi exclaimed, approaching the gang to stop them.

    “Oh! A mailbox! How tasty…” Medicham murmured, ignoring the torchic and gently brushing a hand along the side of said mailbox.

    “I wonder if there are any job offers?” Ekans replied to their friend.

    “Who are you people? Back away from our stuff!” Keahi hissed, zir talons idly clenching up grass in zir frustration.

    Finally, the strangers turned their attention to Team Galaxy again. A sly grin grew on Gengar’s face.

    “We’re Team Meanies!” he announced proudly.

    “We’re a rescue team… although all we get up to is no good,” Ekans added, “wanna know how it works?”

    “You’re incredibly lucky, evil, and stupid. We get it. Now leave!” Nelvana growled.

    “Oh, you’re being very pushy…” Medicham sighed.

    “And you’re being very annoying!” Nelvana countered, gripping her club with both hands now.

    “Anyways,” Ekans continued, “being a rescue team gives us cover, letting us get away with so much more!”

    “We have our eyes on world domination!” Medicham chimed in.

    “I feel like you have a very flawed plan… you literally named your team Team Meanies, how does no one suspect that?” Keahi mumbled.

    “Who knows. Works for us though,” Gengar replied, shrugging.

    “Won’t for long! If you guys make any villainous moves, we’ll be the first ones to stop you!” Keahi challenged, zir feathers puffing up in an attempt to make zirself look more intimidating.

    “And our first step is getting you guys away from our base!” Nelvana added, looking a lot more intimidating than her partner.

    “And how will you do that? Attacking another pokemon is against the law I’ll have you know,” Medicham taunted, continuing their weird way of admiring of the mailbox as he spoke.

    “So is trespassing!” Keahi reminded.

    “But we don’t care about the law, you do,” Ekans hissed triumphantly.

    “We’re wasting time,” Gengar sighed, crossing his arms impatiently. “Just open the mailbox and see what goodies are in store for us.”

               Before Keahi or Nelvana could protest, Medicham opened up to door of the mailbox to reveal its contents…

    “Wha- It’s empty!” Ekans gasped.

    “Well, yeah. Peaky doesn’t come around for a half hour or so,” Nelvana huffed, “did you expect us not to take our mail out of our own mailbox?”

    “I… um…” Gengar was a loss of words as he looked into the empty mailbox with disappointment.

    “Why did you two make such a big deal about this then?” Ekans asked with a scowl.

    “Maybe because you trespassed, and made threats to not only steal our stuff but also take over the world?” Keahi replied, venom dripping from zir tone as zie glared at Team Meanies, “so, now that your plan has failed, leave please.”

    “Nah… I think we could still find some sort of crime to do around here,” Medicham commented, looking over to his teammates for ideas.

    “That wasn’t a question. You will be leaving, and you will be leaving now!” Keahi was starting to lose zir patience, a small flicker of flames escaped zir beak as zie spoke.

    “We could vandalise the property. It’s a dump anyway,” Gengar suggested, ignoring the torchic.

    “Or we could steal some of the stuff inside the house. I can still smell some tasty food,” Ekans continued, licking his lips in anticipation.

    “How about, you get the hell off our freaking territory!” Nelvana snapped, hitting her bone club on the ground in pent-up frustration.

    “Territory? That’s an odd word to use,” Ekans commented, but looked intimidated regardless.

    “It’s a perfectly fine word to use, thank you very much,” Nelvana snarled, her tail lashing behind her. “Now go away!”

    “…or else...?” Gengar asked.

    Nelvana’s reaction was instant. She spun her club around and poked the jagged end into Gengar’s belly, forcing him to take a few steps back to avoid getting hurt. A look of regret crossed the dual-types face as he raised his arms slightly in nervousness. Ekans and Medicham tensed up in place, both equally fearful of the cubone with the dangerous weapon and an expression that told them she was serious about using it. Keahi looked with surprise at zir partner, clearly not expecting this turn of events.

    “Or else we’re going to find out not only if gengars have blood, but also what color it is,” Nelvana growled, bone club still raised and eyes narrowed.

    Silence hung in the air with the tension from before for what felt like forever. Gengar glanced at his teammates, and then back at Nelvana, who looked even more threatening if anything. Finally, he dropped his arms in defeat and scowled.

    “Fine. We’re leaving. But you’d better bet you’ll see us again. This is barely a temporary setback. We-“

    “Now!” Nelvana spat, interrupting Gengar’s beginning monologue.

    Gengar opened his mouth to speak again but gave up on it and simply stormed off. Ekans and Medicham followed quickly behind him. Even after Team Meanies had finally left, it was quiet. Finally, Keahi burst out into nervous laughter.

    “I can’t decide if that was awesome or scary,” zie chuckled, looking back over at zir partner.

    “Oh…uh, sorry..?” Nelvana replied, still looking tense but her eyes were no longer narrowed in anger.

    “No it’s just… I didn’t expect you to do that? You looked really scary there y’know,” Keahi said, zir feathers starting to fluff back down with the tension starting to leave the air.

    “Yeah… I don’t like, uh, threatening people… I like diplomacy. It just didn’t seem like we were getting anywhere with that. We asked them to leave, and they just ignored us…and they were really rude…and I guess I just lost my cool. Sorry,” Nelvana explained, dragging the club on the ground in front of her as she spoke.

    “It’s fine… I doubt they would’ve left if you hadn’t done that. We would’ve had to force them away, and to be honest, what you did was kinda cool. Like how Alakazam got Shiftry to do the mission without an argument!” Keahi chirped, getting louder as zie continued talking, even physically hopping up with the last sentence.

    Nelvana couldn’t help but smile at her friend’s sudden enthusiasm. However, Keahi’s expression changed to one more thoughtful after a couple short moments.

    “I have to ask though…what was with that, uh, blood threat? Do some ghost-types have blood and some don’t..?” Keahi asked, tilted zir head in confusion.

    “Oh, that was just… Well yeah, some have blood and some don’t. I think it has to do on whether they’re dual-typed or not. For example, sableyes have blood, it’s black; however, dusknoirs don’t,” Nelvana answered.

    “Huh, that is a weird yet interesting fact to know,” Keahi responded, “wait! Do you know what this means?” zie suddenly perked up again and excitement filled zir chocolate-colored eyes.

    “Maybe..?” Nelvana replied.

    “It means that you lived nearby sableyes and dusknoirs! Or you know someone that does. Either way, we can narrow down where you lived or lived based on that fact!” Keahi exclaimed.

    “Oh! That is a good thing!” Nelvana cheered, “I can’t believe I almost missed that!”

    “I think there are a few places they can live, nowhere near here though,” Keahi continued, “but hey! We learned something about your past! At least something good came out of this event!”

    “Yeah!” Nelvana agreed, nodding enthusiastically.

    “Take that Team Meanies! You didn’t completely ruin our day! Hah!” Keahi yelled out towards the direction the trio had run off to, despite knowing they were long gone. “Oh wait, speaking of which, do you think we should call up Rayden? I’m a bit worried they might try and actually vandalise our house or something,” zie added after a few moments.

    “Sure,” Nelvana agreed, “actually that reminds me, Rayden dropped by last night with a new recruit after you had already gone to sleep.”

    “Really? That was fast! I’m guessing they’re working together now?” Keahi replied.

    “Yup. They just wanted to confirm and to get a nickname. She’s a geodude who I named Pearl. Not one of my better names… I was pretty tired. She seemed to like it though,” Nelvana explained, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly.

    “Well if she likes it, then that’s what matters! Besides, Pearl is a pretty name, even if it’s a bit cliché,” Keahi chirped, “if you can message them while we walk, that’d be great. We’ve wasted enough time standing around!”

    “Sounds good to me! Let’s get going,” Nelvana hummed and the pair headed off on their way.

[fenneckitsune]

Marina.

Marina was obtained through an auction from the forum game thread ‘dungeons and a dragon’ where the object was essentially like twitch plays pokemon, where multiple people controlled the actions of one dragon. Below the read more is her story from the thread itself.

There comes a time in every young dragon's life where they must set out on their own. After all, few dragons remain in the lair they were hatched in. So, after receiving gifts from her parents and taking her own personal affects, she set out. As she walked down a dirt path, she saw before her a fork in the road. Her parents had told her she'd find someone who could open the gifted box for her somewhere, but she forgot where... Which way should she go? After several moments' consideration, she decides to go straight, to the little town. The town is cute, with little dragonmade structures lining streets in which dragons go about their business. Some stand behind booths, harping their wares, others drag wagons full of unique wares, others still converse with one another in the streets. Marina's attention is first drawn to a stall containing a variety of fish and shells, and then to one with something shiny resting on the counter. Next she notices what seemed to once be a gnarled tree that's been shaped into a structure of some sort, and hanging above the doorway is a sign upon which a picture of a cat is sloppily painted. Finally, she notices a colorful tent with designs embroidered on the thick cloth. She pays little mind to the fish stall, and gives the one with shiny objects and the tent only a passing glance as she heads to the structure with the cat on the sign. Cats were good. Clearly that was the most important place to go. Inside the structure was surprisingly well lit by what seemed to be some bioluminescent fungus, and a variety of creatures played in pens. There sat a desk off to the right, but it seemed unmanned. Marina's attention is drawn to the pen full of creatures. Inside are a variety of small animals, and though she has to think for a moment, she recognizes each from her studies and what she's seen around her first lair. Inside the pen she sees a Leopard Coralclimber, a Coral Basilisk, an Emerald Cave Jewel, and a Brush Dodo. It's a strange grouping but a wide variety of animals. Still, the owner is nowhere in sight. Marina takes a moment to glance around for an owner, but these creatures are just too cute! She cannot resist the urge to stick her paw into the pen, just to touch one animal. Her fingertips brush the Coral Basilisk's feathered back and it shies away, wings fluttering and making a clucking and squawking fuss. Immediately from a doorway (if the hole in the upper wall could be called that) a little Fae sticks her head out. "Spot, shh-- oh. What are you doing?" "I just wanted to pet one..." Marina answers the fae, looking just a bit guilty. "Hm. Well. You are just a hatchling. I suppose I'll let it slide." The fae says before climbing from her hiding spot. Marina can see that she's a fairly plain, amber and brown colored fae, but carries a number of bags on her. The fae continues, "Were you looking for work or to buy something?" "What jobs do you have?" Marina asks of the fae. The fae seems to size up Marina for a moment. "Well, familiars always need food and I can hardly go out hunting it myself, so I could use someone to go out and catch bugs and maybe a couple of small animals for me. I could also use a courier to take familiars to dragons in other places. Beyond that, well, you'd have to look elsewhere for work." The fae adds that she would pay 100 treasure for every food point brought back, or 1,000 treasure for each familiar delivered if taking a courier job. Marina decides that she'd do the hunting job for the fae. The fae explains that she's got four familiars in the shop, and each of those need at least one food point, but three is ideal. She then hands Marina a map with a couple areas circled, indicating good hunting spots. On the map are mostly areas Marina has at least looked at before. There's the woods visible from the fork in the road, the base of the cliff, and a field just on the other side of the town. It's a hard decision to make. Every region surely has its benefits and appeal. However, after staring at the map for a good long while, Marina finally decides to head to the woods. She bids the fae farewell, and makes her way out of town and down the road to the edge of the woods. The woods are lovely. Sunlight peers through leaves, speckling the ground, and the trees stand tall and straight and strong. Marina hears birds sing and sees the occasional bug skitter across the ground, and she swears she even saw the tail of something small as it pranced off through the bushes. It's no contest what Marina should do. She hasn't the strength to take on anything directly - even large beetles are scary to such a little dragon! She sets about digging a hole, moving rocks and twigs aside (and finding the occasional bug, which she quickly catches) before covering the hole with leaves. She retreats into some bushes to watch her trap, waiting for anything to come along. She'd nearly dozed off, her eyes having just closed when she heard a sudden commotion! She rushed to the now uncovered pit and looked inside. She had caught a cottontail rabbit! Even though by now the light of day is fading, Marina finds herself pondering her choices. While in town, her choices seemed easy, her path clear. Now that she had ventured out into the wilderness some, though, she wanted more. The rabbit and bugs would be fine in her bag until she needed them. What was the hurry? Though, now that she thought about it, she was starting to feel a bit hungry, too. Maybe she'd eat some of the rations she was given by her parents. Once she decided what to eat, she pulled out her map and peered at it in the fading light as she debated on where to explore. She sat down with her dried jerky for a quick dinner and looked her map over. The cliffs other places were tempting, but she already was in the woods. It might be easier to just stay here to explore more. Once she had finished eating, Marina put away her things and began following what seemed to be a path carved by other feet passing through in the past. As the light faded further, she began to realize just how dark nighttime could be when a canopy of leaves blocked out the stars and moon and she found herself slowing so as to avoid tripping over exposed roots and rocks. Marina had come this far into the woods already, and doubted that she could find her way back even if she tried. And even though the thought of just sitting and waiting for another to pass by crossed her mind, she decided against it. She continued walking, her pace little better than a crawl as she made her way along, trying to keep to the barely visible path that lied ahead of her. Around her she could hear the night coming to life with the hoots of owls, croaks of frogs, and chirps of crickets. Somewhere off in the distance, she swore she could hear the burbling of a stream. If it weren't so dark and creepy, it might almost be relaxing to just listen to the sounds of the woods. Then she heard a twig snap. At the sound of a twig snapping, Marina turned to face whatever it was that stepped on it. She breathed a sigh of relief when standing before her, apparently frozen in fear as it gazed up at her, was a little Glowing Pocket Mouse. She dismissed it with a small laugh, but then something occurred to her: this mouse certainly was a long way from home, out here in the woods. She leant in closer to study it, wondering if maybe she'd found some woodland variety, but she barely got the chance to really inspect it before it skittered off into the undergrowth. She turned to resume her travels, but in that next instant found herself face to face with a Serpenta. Oops. She turned and ran without a second thought from the Serpenta, paying little heed to where she was going and trying just to put as much distance between herself and the creature. Suddenly the ground beneath her feet seemed to vanish and an instant later she found herself sprawled out on smooth stones, with water splashing against her. She stood and shook, for whatever good it would do while she remained in the apparent creek. She looked around. It was so dark. She didn't know where she was. She thought she saw a light out in the distance, but it was a tiny floating thing. It could be the Pocket Mouse again, but then again it could be a traveler with a lantern... She stood in the cool water for a few moments, watching the light bobbing along in the distance as she considered her options. Eventually she decided that she would follow the creek. It seemed the safest of her options. Marina plodded along through the water, letting the pull of the current and the slivers of moonlight glinting off the surface guide her. Now and then she would stumble on slippery stones, but as she carried on she began to get a feel for how to move. She didn't know for how long she'd walked, but the sky had begun to turn purple as the sun rose somewhere off in the distance. It was as the sky lightened further that she saw ahead of her a spring, the origin of the creek. She slowed to a stop to take in her surroundings in the improved light, and finally noticed the growling of her stomach and ache of fatigue in her legs. She waded through the creek towards the edge of the spring where she finally climbed out of the water. The grass was soft beneath her feet. She took her recently caught rabbit out, deciding that it really was worth more to her to eat now than it was to return to the fae for a reward. With her belly full and soft morning light peering through the trees to warm her, Marina felt herself quickly drifting off. When she woke, a strange dragon was peering down at her with curious pale eyes. "Hello." Marina greeted the little dragon standing above her. Immediately the dragon twittered, a sound between surprise and delight, as she pranced away without a word. She stood about twenty feet away, near the other side of the spring, looking at Marina. Marina climbed to her feet and shook off her sleepiness and the grass and looked at the other dragon. "Please don't run away! Come back!" Marina called out to the other dragon, whilst remaining standing where she was. She was wary. What if following the other dragon led her into a trap...? The strange dragon trotted back to Marina, stopping just a few feet away before wiggling playfully, spinning, and bounding away again. Perhaps she wanted to play? Marina took off after her. Once the strange dragon saw that Marina was giving chase, she took off running. She was quick, but stopped now and then to allow Marina to catch up. She ran up a small hill, darted around trees, and through bushes until finally coming to a stop upon a boulder. Upon the boulder were scratched symbols. It looked like the drawing of someone young. Quite possibly the strange dragon's work. Marina stepped closer to peer at the boulder, when suddenly a light from beneath her caught her eye. She stepped back and the light faded. She looked down, noticing for the first time that there was a line of symbols in the dirt as well.

Marina pressed her paw onto the pawprint, and it lit up. It was the same soft light as had caught her eye before, but when she looked up to the strange dragon she saw her shaking her head. Apparently that was not the right symbol. When she removed her paw again, the light faded once again. She looked at the symbols a moment, her attention torn briefly between the flower and the drop. Well, water was her element so what could it hurt to step on the raindrop? She lifted her paw and pressed it onto the raindrop symbol. It lit up like the paw print, just a faint light that faded once she removed her paw. Again, the strange dragon shook her head. The dragon sat and watched her curiously. Marina confidently pressed her paw onto the flower, almost certain that this was surely the correct one! Again, however, it lit up faintly only to fade when her paw was removed. The strange dragon seemed to sigh, shaking her head again before leaning down to repeatedly tap the carvings on the rock's face. "Hey! Look there! Look more closely!" her actions seemed to say. There really was one more choice now, though. And yet, Marina was determined that the paw was what she should step on. So again she placed her paw there, a look of determination in her eye as she stared up at the strange dragon as if to say "HA! I KNOW this is the one!" The strange dragon smacks her own paw to her face and drags it down with a look of exasperation. She sighs, and just stares at Marina. Like before, the paw lights up with just a faint light that fades when her paw is removed. Weird. That really should've worked. Well, what hasn't she tried yet? The sun, of course! She planted her paw onto it, and finally there was a different result. The light beneath her paw had a pleasant green tone and glowed brighter than any of the previous illuminations. When she removed her paw, the light remained.

After having the sun light up differently, Marina took a look at the stone carvings again. She had it! She was sure she understood how this puzzle worked! With confidence she pressed her paw onto the pawprint now. Like the sun, when she removed her foot the pawprint was lit with a green light. The strange dragon smiled down at her, pleased that she had apparently realized what to do now.

Lo and behold, after the paw print came the flower! When she pressed her paw to the flower symbol and removed it, it too retained a green glow. It seemed that there was only one real decision left, then!

The strange dragon remained on the rock, but sitting beside her now was the box Marina's parents had given her at the start of her adventure, the lock on it now clearly undone. Had she taken it while Marina was sleeping? Was it magic? Was it really the same box? Who cared that the strange dragon seemed to have unlocked the box? It was unlocked! Marina could finally see what was inside! She clambered up onto the rock beside the other dragon and lifted the lid of the box. The first thing that catches her sight is a letter that reads "Dear Marina, if you are reading this it means that you have managed to pass the trial of a guardian! Congratulations! We're so proud of you! Inside this chest are a few items we thought would help you as you go off to explore even more exotic locales and discover more about the world. Good luck out there! Mom and Dad" Inside the box were a number of items: Field Manual, Scholar, Discipline, Aid, Hydro Bolt, Major Health Potion, and a Cleansing Elixir.

[ingloriousfanfics-blog]

One Month - Ch 4

SHIP: hardenshipping WORD COUNT: 1,672 RATING: E for everyone, not much exciting here, folks FANDOM: pokemon / omega ruby & alpha sapphire ONE-SHOT/MULTICHAPTERED: this is CHAPTER FOUR, you can find chapter three here!

SUMMARY: as per his promise, archie takes maxie home to pick up his clothes for the rest of his month-long torture session of being wooed.

stay tuned to my patreon for chapter five, which will be released a week early before it will be on tumblr!

“Man, THIS is where you live?” Maxie tried his best not to mind Archie’s flabbergasted look, and tried even harder to not get furious when he tromped on in without taking off his shoes.

”Shoes are off when you are on the hardwood,” came his terse reply, removing his coat and hanging it up in the entry closet. ”Whoops, sorry. But can ya blame me for bein’ surprised? When ya said ya lived down here, I didn’t think ya were this fancy.”

Archie paused in slipping off his shoes and putting them next to Maxie’s, offering him a sheepish smile. ”No offense.” ”None taken. While Magma is a non-profit organization, I have accumulated enough funds to be able to live like this, yes.” A penthouse in Slateport was no laughing matter, given the high tourism and the even higher rate of owning any property within it. Despite his mild irritation at how loud Archie was being about it, he could not deny the note of pride in taking him off guard.

”Man, yer even fond of red here, huh?” Maxie fought not to roll his eyes, stepping past Archie and navigating to the hallway to the bedrooms. ”We aren’t here to discuss my sense of style. We’re here to pack some clothes.” From surveying Maxie’s flatscreen and the dog bed situated in the corner, Archie was quick to whip around and trot after Maxie’s heels like an excited puppy, peering down the hall, and admiring the art pieces of Mt. Chimney on the wall. ”Did you paint these?” ”No. I bought them.” ”Huh. I always thought ya would be th’ paintin’ type. Guess I’ll scratch that off the list.” Pausing outside of his bedroom door, hand hovering over the handle, Maxie cast back a sharp glare, to which Archie froze. ”Can you not stay out in the living room?” Promptly melting, muscles going lax, Archie gave a short laugh. ”What, ya got some dirty toys ya don’t want me t’ see~?” Making a short noise of disgust with a harsh shake of the head, Maxie turned back. ”I would just like one moment of privacy, rather than having you breathe down my neck the entire time. Is this how you go about wooing all of your lovers?” That seemed to do the trick, Archie going from playful to mildly insulted, giving a soft huff as he folded his arms over his broad chest. ”Fine then. Imma dig ‘round yer kitchen. Don’t forget to pack yer undies, Max.” With that last, teasing note, he was gone, quick to trot off to the kitchen and likely dig around for some near-spoiled treats lurking in the fridge and cabinets. And Maxie felt all-too-thankful, releasing a breath with a slump of his shoulders, giving himself a moment to relax before letting the door swing open, and stepping in.

 His bedroom was exactly as he had left it, perfectly immaculate with the sheets pressed and blankets without a wrinkle. For a moment did he yearn to snuggle up within them, to draw back the soft red curtains and take a nap before he inevitably had to return to the blue hellhole that was Archie’s home. Fingers brushing against the edge of the comforter, idly thinking of the book he had last read under the lamp on his nightstand, a distant crash in the kitchen jolted him from his nostalgia, and brought harsh lines to his peaceful expression.

”Sorry! Didn’t see th’ blender there!” Pinching the bridge of his nose with a low growl, he counted to ten, and then went to his closet to find a bag to put his clothes into.

 Ten minutes and fifty four seconds of rummaging through and ranking articles of clothing from least to most important, a wardrobe was made and meticulously stashed away into his bag. Feeling confident that this, combined with the clothes bought from their prior shopping trip, would last him for the remainder of the month---with plenty of washing. Double-checking he had everything he needed from his closet, he was doubly as quick to vanish into the master bathroom, grabbing his toothbrush, toothpaste, and other essential items such as hair conditioner and skin-sensitive soap. Tucking each into the specialized pockets of the bag, slinging it over his shoulder he quietly stepped out of the bedroom.

 Pausing for a moment, waiting for some noise from Archie, upon hearing nothing, he frowned. ”It is far too quiet out here---” he started, only to pause, noticing one of the other doors opened. Trying to decide why Archie would have gone in, he pushed it open further, only to freeze. ”Hm?” Archie glanced back, knelt before the small shrine dedicated to his grandparents, and smiled, slowly getting up and smoothing the wrinkles out of his knees. ”Sorry, didn’t mean t’ barge in on ‘em. I was bein’ a snoop, an’ then decided t’ apologize while payin’ my respects.” His smile was sheepish, only to warm when looking back upon the shrine, his eyes gaining a softness that made Maxie uncomfortable in how soothing it felt. ”I am sure they would have appreciated you coming. Likely not the snooping, but my grandfather likely would have found it humorous,” Maxie said, his eyes settling upon the framed photograph of the pair together, smiling into the camera with their hands intertwined. Barely in the shot, he could see red hair, and he hoped Archie hadn’t noticed. ”An’ I think I can safely assume th’ lil scamp tryin’ to pop up from th’ bottom was you?” Was Archie a mind reader in his past life? ”Yes,” he grumbled, stepping over to rearrange one of the vases, his fingers brushing the petals of the flowers in it before nudging it gently so that it was perfectly centered. ”I was no scamp. I was a well-mannered young boy.” ”Ya certainly didn’t get yer grandpa’s sense of humor, that’s for sure.” Clapping Maxie on the shoulder, and giving a hearty laugh at the rosy flush that came to his cheeks, Archie carefully stepped around him and back into the main hall. ”I added water t’ th’ vases. We’ll make sure t’ stop by again t’ give ‘em fresh flowers, too. I know a good shop in Lilycove, an’ they have some lovely ones.”

 His hand rested on the doorframe, and the mirth that had once lit up his face returned to that damned softness Maxie despised. It was gentle, kind, and everything he did not want Archie to be. ”Are ya ready?” Oblivious to the fact that he had been openly staring, Maxie cleared his throat and shoved on by. ”Yes. I’ll meet you out front, I have one more thing to be grabbing.” Blinking, as if trying to understand what it may be that Maxie needed, Archie shrugged. ”Sure. We’re gettin’ lunch after this, by the by. I ain’t eatin’ that health crap you got stuffed into your kitchen.” And like that, as if he had never been there (aside from the broken blender Maxie would eventually discover jammed back into a cabinet), he vanished, putting on his shoes and coat and out the door. However, he was all too aware that he would just be waiting outside, likely back to his boisterous, loud self. His ears ached at the thought of enduring any more of his booming voice.

 Maxie lingered in the shrine room for a couple seconds longer, wondering what advice his grandparents would be offering him now were they with him, and shut the door. Quickly, he went to the living room, going to his desk in the corner and pulling a pad of paper out of a drawer. Beginning to scrawl a note, he froze when hearing Archie holler. ”What’s takin’ ya so long, Max? Did ya hide th’ thing ya need or somethin’?” ”Be patient,” he snapped back, checking to ensure he hadn’t opened the door, and finishing the note. Hesitating, looking it back over, he stepped back at Archie’s second, impatient noise behind the door, growling as he readjusted his bag. ”I’m coming, I’m coming. You need to learn to be more patient.” Slipping on his shoes and grabbing his coat, with a little bit of adjustment of his bag, he had it on and was out the door. ”I told ya when we came by that you’d get t’ pick where we go,” Archie chirruped, all too chipper now that Maxie was out of the penthouse. He did not seem to notice Maxie pushing his keys back into his pocket without locking the door, looking ahead with thoughts fixated on food.

”Yes, I already have a place in mind,” Maxie sighed, and as they walked away, thought of the restaurant he had already picked out, instead of what he had left behind.

  “Leader Maxie?” Door unlocked, mud on the wood flooring… anyone could have taken a swing at any of the number of possibilities of what had happened. Maxie absent for a week from the Magma base, and for his penthouse to be left in this condition when typically so meticulous? Letting the door swing open, the spare key ready to unlock it pushed back into her pocket, Courtney surveyed the main entry, slowly walking in. ”Leader Maxie?” she repeated, voice rising a note higher, glancing down the hall and then into the kitchen, hoping that perhaps he simply hadn’t heard her. Perhaps he had gone back into a drinking spell, and this was simply the result of drunken mindlessness. ”Leader---” His name died in her throat, pausing when seeing Maxie’s unmistakable handwriting on the pad of paper on his desk. Nearly ripping off the top page in her stumbling grab, she quickly steadied herself, face keeping its neutral expression even with her churning stomach. Had he been kidnapped? Was he being held for ransom? Was this a vile act of Team Aqua?

 “… Ah.” Rereading the note three times over, ensuring she had captured every detail, Courtney withdrew her PokeNav, dialing Tabitha. ”… We need to talk.”

[make-it-trouble-archive]

Recruitment Drive pt 4 [END]

Pt 1

Pt 2

Pt 3

Fred was stubborn. But not so stubborn that when his pink haired tormentors mentioned that Executive Proton would be coming downstairs soon that he didn’t give in. But he’d been stubborn enough to earn himself scars.

Executive Proton, he’d learnt, was the name of the green haired man who’d questioned him back in Cerulean City. Apparently, he had a reputation. People called him ‘the scariest and cruellest guy in Team Rocket’, and the grunts made damn sure he knew that. As if some of them weren’t bad enough. The creepy, black-clad thugs were quick to welcome him to the base.It turned out, the whips Rocket grunts wore around their belts weren’t just for unruly pokemon. Fred wasn’t sure how long it had been, but within the first few hours, he was stripped down to his underwear, ribbons of blood across his back, bruised ribs and fractured bones. He was in no position to run away, even if the doors to the dungeon cell were open. In truth, the ‘dungeon’ was nothing more than a basement of run down storage rooms, converted to the scream filled torture chambers.

Sometimes Fred thought he could hear Ted screaming.

For a while, he’d hoped that if he kept explaining it to the whip wielding grunts, they’d get the picture, and let him go with just the scars to remind him of Rocket. But the closest thing to a response he got out of the Rockets was a sarcastic imitation of his whines and pleas to let him go. They watched him always. If he started to fall asleep, they’d douse him in freezing cold water. If he complained of hunger, they’d eat good smelling food in front of him. They watched him relieve himself, watched and laughed as he tried pitifully to escape. It was far too easy for them, and far too hard for him. What he’d thought was starvation on the streets didn’t cover how he’d felt in the cells. Perhaps it was a relief when he’d croaked out a lying confession that, yes, they had run away, they were deserters, desperately gripping to his captors legs just for their attention. When Proton did arrive, all he got was a backhanded slap and an order to wash himself up and get into uniform.

Only when he was handed the clean pressed uniform did he realise what had happened. It was a trick. They knew all along that he’d never been a Rocket. Perhaps they were pressed for members, or maybe they just wanted to make them pay for their minor nuisances over the years with service. Fred cried in the shower block. There really wasn’t any going back now. What Proton had implied to him… about him coming for them if they deserted was only confirmed by the grunts. The words ‘gutted’, ‘disposed’ and ‘terminated’ were thrown around like pleasantries in the dungeons. Team Rocket’s base was more like a prison than actual prison was, filthy shower blocks shared between rooms of grunts, each character worse than the last. Fred had managed to salvage some of his things from Team Rocket, but a lot of his shirts had been taken. Predictably, so had their wallet, not that it had much in it. He took Ted’s things as well, to keep them relatively safe until he was released.

But he was far more stubborn than Fred.

He was given the order to collect him about a week after his own release. Things could be worse. He had a bed to lay his head on, he was fed (no matter how disgusting the food was), he’d even be paid eventually. It felt like getting used to school all over again, only he was older, and every third person in the corridor was the school bully. Fred tucked his blonde hair beneath his hat, careful that no one of any rank saw his still-blonde locks. He knew a few grunts got away with it, but there was no way he wanted to spoil his hair, especially since he’d just started care for it again. Maybe one day, he’d get away with it, he mused as he left the relative safety of his quarters. Putting his head down, he charged through the corridors as if he was on important orders, knowing this was the best way not to be stopped by some uppity agent, keen to lump their paper work on a lowly grunt. He just about knew his way down to the basement, careful to avoid the way to the science department. His head was bowed as he walked through the dimly lit halls, keeping a meek eye out for the grunt who’d sent him a message to pick up his friend.

“You the traitor who’s here for the other traitor?” a tall, goateed grunt asked him. Fred replied with a nod, craning his neck to look up. The other’s response was to open door he was next to, unbolting and unlocking it first. A rush of foul smelling air came up to meet Fred, followed by a pair of giggling grunts.

“He’s all yours now, kid. Help him get cleaned up. Don’t think he can do much on his own now.”

They handed him a pile of clean uniform, patting it as they sauntered past. And he was left with the quiet and the gaping doorway to Ted’s cell. He hadn’t seen the other in over a week. Would he be angry at him? He wouldn’t have long to find out.

Upon his first step into the darkened room, reminding him only too much of his own cell, it was hard to make out where Ted was. As his eyes scanned the room, he thought he saw a corpse, until he was hit with the dawning realisation that Ted was the corpse. Or not quite a corpse, rather. Fred’s own breath caught until he saw the sporadic rise and fall of his friends bare chest. But Fred wondered how far off dead he was. Ted was covered in his own bodily fluids, from vomit to blood and everything in between. Whether he was humiliated, or just too malnourished, Ted’s eyes wouldn’t meet his, lids perpetually covering the top half.  His hair was matted and stuck to his forehead, limp curls wet with sweat. Fred had never seen him look so… defeated. What did Fred say?

“Are you okay, Teddy?” He rushed to sit Ted up, but the young man didn’t even grace him with a sarcastic response. Fred tried shaking his shoulder to get something out of him, but he was catatonic, the life gone from his ice blue eyes.

Fred had to clean him up, get him in uniform like he’d been ordered to. But there was no point putting Ted in the fresh uniform like this. He placed the uniform on the table, the only surface not completely covered in blood, and stripped off his own sweater, and then his shirt, dressing the rag-doll Ted in it to protect his modesty, as well as his own underwear. He checked the corridor for any executives, and carried Ted as subtly as he could back to his quarters, completely commando. With one shoulder under Ted’s armpit, it was cumbersome going, especially with no effort coming from him. Although… Fred doubted he’d even realised he’d been moved.

When finally they were alone again, in their quarters, their new home, Fred could finally wash his friend and try to feed him. He dragged him into a shower block, sitting him up against a wall and turning a stream of warm water on. This elicited the first response from Ted he’d seen all day. A sharp hiss and a shudder as the water hit his back. Pulling him forward tentatively, Fred peeled his shirt off Ted, realising it was soaked with blood. His back was a tapestry of cuts, varying depths and levels of how healed each one was, but there was scarcely an inch of skin without a wound. All of a sudden, Fred felt stupid for having complained. He carried on faithfully, gently washing his filthy hair, cleaning off the chunks of dried bile from his friend’s chest, careful not to push water into his wounds. When he was done washing him, he turned the shower off, leaving Ted to sit like a broken toy in the bathroom, praying no one would come in to see him naked.

As he was collecting clean towels and fresh laundered underwear, as well as Ted’s new pressed uniform, Fred heard a voice from the bathroom.

“... all my fault… all over… ruined everything…”

It didn’t feel right. Everything felt wrong, as if everything was inside out. That couldn’t be Ted speaking, but he was the only one in the room, right? Carrying his things, Fred rushed into the bathroom to check. But it was as he’d left it, only Ted, sat with long legs splayed out at the base of the wall, lank hair covering his eyes. As cautiously as he could, Fred dried his friend, dying the white towel red. He tried applying antiseptic cream to the welts and gashes over Ted’s back, but it didn’t stop the largest and freshest of them bleeding. Perhaps he’d have to take Ted to the medical bay… if he could even get Ted in there. He crudely bandaged up Ted’s pale skin, dressed him and stood him up, finally managing to get him to carry his own weight. He dried his hair with the bloody towel, brushed the tangles out of the curls, and clipped it back with a pair of hair clips stolen from lost and found, covering the lot with the grunts trade mark cap.

Ted still looked like a corpse.

“Come on, Teddy,” Fred said, forcing a smile onto his face. “It’s gonna be okay.” He grabbed his friend’s shoulders, tip-toeing up so they could almost be at eye level. “We’re going to get out of here. I promise. We ain--”

“No. It’s useless. It’s over, Fred.”

En͟҉d̛.͢͝.̛̀͡.?̛