Isaac Gravity
Supports hot-bloodedness
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- Posts
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- Years
- A quiet place where I can stare at the clouds
- Seen Aug 24, 2008
I've always been a devoted fan to the "Cursed Ones" story Arc-types in the shounen field while in the field of Pokemon, my loyalty has always lied with the third generation which revived the vibe Pokemon gave me that generation two lacked completely. I always wanted to mix these two worlds together to make an over-the-top supernatural action shounen with the Pokemon backbone and mechanics, but could never get into the groove…
Despite that, I worked pretty long/hard on this on-going work and hopefully was able to grab a bit of the vibe from both fields. The story starts (and emphasizes) with a pace that matches daily life in a deeply whimsical sense before moving on. And despite the human-centric feel (which is honestly out of my own belief that it's hard to see the Pokemon world without humans), please enjoy your stay.
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Rain pours heavily in an urban world of black and white. The only being bearing proof of life's beauty: A woman with short curly brown hair wearing a violet autumn dress holds onto a beautiful yet large golden ring with odd markings in its center as she backs into a corner due to the angry mob surrounding her.
"Enchantress! How much longer will we suffer from you?" a male voice roars.
"Do you think you're the only one who knows the pain of loss? You're so selfish it disgusts me to the very core…" a female voice adds.
"Our home- No, our world has no need for beings like you trying to shift it to your twisted desires." An elderly voice growls.
The mob closes in, leaving the woman to grip the ring tightly as she gives a cry for help in any form to arrive. As if reacting to her feelings, the ring resonates lightly until a piercing light shoots down from skies, engulfing the woman in a radiant aura that pushes the mob back!
With another flash of light, cotton balls swarm about the area bringing feelings of confusion and fear amongst the people. This feeling only heightens when the cotton begins to spark with stinging electricity while the silhouette of a fluffy creature known as the wool Pokemon Mareep made its appearance in the sky.
Mareep eyes the woman understandingly before making a loud cry that forces the balls of cotton to disperse and activate at full blast!
Every time I stare out into the wide blue sky, I can't help but realize how fortunate it is to exist.
Earth, a planet blessed with so much mystery and beauty... It's no shock that Pokemon choose to exist as this realm's protectors of life and secrets.
Pokemon, beings that appear so unstoppable and eternal…Beings that can freely manipulate the very element of life as if to mock their meager human living mates…
The mystery around these creatures and their unknown destined connection to we wasteful humans is one that spanned for ages. A feeling of magic and adventure that linked two seemingly different beings to each other creating a bond that lasted as long as the time guardian can tell…
All that once antagonizes the woman are now nothing but cinders blowing in the wind…
She now watches helplessly as her wool savior shudders in massive pain. Eventually, the little Pokemon gives into these ill feelings and forcefully fades away…
Taking its place is the slow approach of a girl in school uniform who can easily be seen as a wide-eyed, twelve or thirteen-year-old look-a-like… Well, had not been for her long bangs.
The woman's worries wash away to tearful relief when she races over to give the familiar face a hug… This only results in the girl forcing her hand through the woman's stomach…
…But, there are many things a magical heart cannot cure…
Blood seeps down the woman's lips as she slowly faces the child who gives nothing more than a feral expression. Seeing this, the heartbroken woman smiles as the tears rolling down her cheeks are last feeling of warmth she receives…
Falling limp, the grip on her golden ring slips away and shatters when hitting the ground…
That is when we look to our dreams as we fly into the horizon…
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Distanced Hurricane Pilot Series
Cursed Wings! A Martyr Named Hiromi ~I Won't Lose!~
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(Johto Region: Violet City)
"Eh? Johto's best lost to Kanto's in the exhibition?" a woman queries to her circle of four friends. "Nothing surprising, those Kanto-breeds are impenetrable powerhouses."
"Kanto sure does have a mighty ego though; wanting to pit their Gym Leaders against our own in a fight for what was it? Kicks?! More like an instant massacre…" shrugs the other woman, who covers her just-out-of-salon-done hair with a hairnet.
"B-but our Falkner fought very hard!" A woman a tad younger than the rest of her middle-aged acquaintances blurts before breaking into an unsure mutter. "Although… I didn't really see the match on TV myself…that's just what I heard… He even defeated the… person with the thing…"
The other four women turn to their youngest acquaintance with expressions of clear annoyance.
"The ninja girl from Fuchsia City if that's "the thing" you're talking about, withdrew before the battle even started for ninja related matters or something." The third of the women grins. "Who can understand these modern day ninjas anyway? Bunch of overgrown children in tights running around legally with knives if you ask me."
"Only in Kanto!" the four women confirm with chuckles.
Their laughter is short-lived thanks to the sound of sirens from an ambulance speeding towards its destination.
"Such a racket… And no surprise, it's heading to Kageyama Junior High…" the second woman sighs.
Though not saying anything, the youngest woman watches the ambulance with a nervous expression. It is not until she hears the description of the child and his condition from random people chasing the vehicle that makes her lose all sense of balance and gives chase.
"It's a sad thing isn't it?" the first woman mutters dejectedly.
The third woman nods, "That Lynette… She thought of no one but herself by inflicting the hot-blood curse in THIS place of history and sanctity!"
"Considering Violet's history, the violence from local youths was a problem far greater than a child who just became the butt of blame only two years ago." The final of the woman voices sternly. "How do you think Lynette feels about all this?"
"You act as if we want out hearts to waver towards Lynette!" the first woman argues. "We cried just as much as Lynette did when she lost her first child, but her second child… something that should have suffered a similar fate…"
The first woman has trouble trying to finish her words leaving the second of the group to leave her own input: "Such a horrible era for Violet… With Falkner's so-called clan of bird-users declining, Violet really has nothing left…" she sighs. "It's just so shocking how her child, not some jealous outsider that brought about the fall of the Pokemon passionate Hiromi family…"
Everyone but the fourth woman, who shakes her head, agrees to this conclusion.
As the ambulance continues toward its location, a woman with short curly brown hair wearing an every-day-wear dress for autumn with a matching jacket and pair of shoes tightens her hold on the two grocery bags she holds while watching the vehicle zoom towards the all too familiar path.
The woman, dubbed by many as bringer of Violet's dark era, better known as Lynette Hiromi, finds herself having to hold both bags with one arm in order to pull out her cell phone from her right jacket pocket.
Taking one look at the message, she sighs.
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Mrs. Hiromi sat stiffly in her chair. Biting the bottom of her lip, the woman steals a few looks at the Principal, who calmly calls for security to break-up the fighting that went on right in front of his closed office door.
It really puzzles the woman how the man could be so calm with those children banging on the door like that…
"Mrs. Hiromi," the Principal begins coolly, "I've been in the education field from the bottom-up. I have come to meet many kinds of children with their own little stories of sorts… I come to learn your daughter May possesses quite a tale. As much joy I feel to be selected the man to ready such a child for the qualms of society, I grieve." he continues. "The overly-violent outbursts May inflicts on her peers seem to be too much for this school to endure… As much as destiny calls, I must think of the larger scope."
"I won't reprimand my daughter defending herself!" Mrs. Hiromi counters to his surprise. "I acknowledge the frustration you must feel, as much as I understand the pain any parent would face when your child comes back home cut and bruised from a place where they're supposed to learn such methods of resolving matters aren't the way…"
Mrs. Hiromi places her hands where the heart is to emphasize her feelings. "My child always comes home to me with cuts and bruises and never tells me a word. Yet, I'm always stuck hearing all the damage she caused!"
"Mrs. Hiromi, I understand the distress you feel for your obviously troubled child but we cannot ignore the facts." The Principal reasons. "While she gains cuts and skinned knees, the others who cross her leave with fractures and casts. She's also reported to be a frequent no-show for classes and because of all this, I greatly fear for her future…"
The Principal feels relief when "reality" sinks into Mrs. Hiromi.
"Do not fret Mrs. Hiromi, I do not believe you bear witchcraft or your daughter a mythical creature of any caliber. She is just a child unable to keep up with the pace our faculty is offering thus, in all her frustration, shows inability to rationalize her feelings and act like a functioning human being." He confirms. "In all my years, I came across only a handful of children that Ahem, possessed that special need-"
"Yes, my daughter is special…" Mrs. Hiromi interrupts. "She's a beautiful, intelligent, passionate and honest child who'd I'd sell my soul a thousand times over to claim as my own!"
"It is understandable for a parent to disbelieve the truth of their offspring-"
Mrs. Hiromi angrily stands and slams her hands against the Principal's desk. "Why don't you pull your head out of that dictionary and that poorly pressed Italian suit to stop worrying about that dream home you plan to own in one of the regional territories and start focusing on the present!"
The Principal holds nothing but annoyance on his face when he warns the woman to refrain talking to him like that any time in the future.
Mrs. Hiromi ignores this and makes her way to the door.
"…I apologize you feel so ruffled about this Mrs. Hiromi… though in time- No," the Principal cuts himself off. "You made the correct move… Perhaps the school's reputation can finally refurbish-"
Mrs. Hiromi stops in her place to face the man once more. "Yes and good luck picking up your career in this right-out-of-a-kung-fu-movie junior high school! Oh, and it's very unbecoming of a man to wear a full head toupee for a hard to see bald spot! Accept yourself and get your priorities straight!"
The woman then storms out of the room, leaving the Principal to adjust his rather displaced toupee.
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A "freaked out" expression is the best way to explain Mrs. Hiromi's face after spending so much of her time dodging fight-crazed students just to find an empty nurse's office.
Perhaps May's condition is now something that has her in the hospital. Or worse, she's being hostage by some student's act of personal revenge!
These thoughts made the worrisome woman grow into a shaky daze.
"WHY IS THAT DOOR OPEN?"
Mrs. Hiromi weakly turns to and is run over by a dark-haired young woman whose most noticeable features, aside from the crazed look on her face, is her glasses, the white medical coat and the first-aid kit she grips.
It's not until the crazy- or more to say, Kageyama Junior High's school nurse steps out of the office with a strained expression muttering, "I can't believe it" repeatedly, is when her identity is a clear one.
Though having no problem curing fate for the rest of the day, the nurse feels all life freeze over when noticing a rather gloomy Mrs. Hiromi grabbing onto her ankle. Without giving it too much thought, she helps Mrs. Hiromi up, saying nothing for the remainder of the time.
"So… you have no clue where my May would go around this time?" Mrs. Hiromi questions.
The nurse blankly shakes her head, leaving Mrs. Hiromi to fall into another slump.
"Sorry if I'm interrupting but… I know where the Hiromi Devil is."
Both women turn to see a shy girl, quite tall her age, whose most noticeable features had to be the Kageyama Junior High uniform, an official dress code that hardly any student in that school takes seriously. The second would be her obvious purple contacts and wild two-tone (believably dyed) auburn hairstyle that gives her that untamed feel.
Mrs. Hiromi figures looking like that would avoid pressure from both peers and teachers. Still, something about the child bothers her…
"Her name is May; you seem like a nice enough girl, so I'm pretty sure you would dislike it if you were called a devil."
The tall girl looks away before facing the woman with a bit of confidence.
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"If you're really looking for her, then you should definitely look in Apricot Park first, it's well known to be her hang-out spot."
A hangout spot that was conveniently located on THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN! At least Mrs. Hiromi can finally piece together her daughter's periodic lateness.
Running through this large yet lush park really makes the woman equally thankful for taking those cardio-workouts but she really wishes she could slow down and enjoy the lushness part…
Children playing and laughing with the activities of the younger ones watched by their loving parents who chat amongst themselves, Pokemon fanatics showing off their domesticated friends in a nearby talent show.
Even the wild Pidgey roosting in trees relax within the serene beauty of a park that seems to exist in its own little eternity.
To think her daughter actually enjoys being around such tranquility. Even if she's resting somewhere in this spacious place, Mrs. Hiromi can't help but feel their hearts melding closer.
This sense of intuition buffers when bumping into a girl who can easily be seen as a wide-eyed, twelve or thirteen-year-old look-a-like… Well, had not been for her long bangs. Aside from the unfavorable Kageyama uniform, the girl appears overdressed for this season with the thick hooded school burgundy sweater, and a light blue scarf.
Mrs. Hiromi blinks twice when the girl faces her with a dull expression but freaks out when she collapses in her arms. The woman hastily checks the girl's pulse, feeling great relief to know she's all right.
"Wait! Please don't let that child run off!" a voice calls from afar.
Mrs. Hiromi remains silent as a woman in a light blue Pokeball design apron races towards her and after catching her breath, thanks her before firmly places an ointment on the girl's injury.
"This kind of bump can easily bring one to a concussion; it's a shocker alone she remained conscious for who knows how long." The woman begins, facing Mrs. Hiromi with a smile. "But I should just count my blessings to see she let herself go in the arms of someone apparently close to her."
A small blush paints Mrs. Hiromi's cheeks as she brushes the unconscious girl's bangs. Shortly joining the scene are two women wearing the same apron design.
Though spending time to catch their breath, they also show relief. One of them even mentioning she's glad she won't have to explain this to the children leaving Mrs. Hiromi to give a questioning look.
"Oh, not too far from her is a little daycare center for young children. We tend to take the children to the park for recreational exercises and they really enjoy your little sister's company." The lead woman smiles widely. "Though she's withdrawn, if the kids nag her enough, she'll push them on the swings and slides and she generally makes sure none of them get into trouble. She really is a welcome entity to many of the parents here."
Mrs. Hiromi gives a small look of surprise but again, feels something is very off. "I see… but despite how cute she is, May is my daughter."
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(That night: Hiromi Household)
Though running the risk of awakening her child, Mrs. Hiromi runs her fingers through her hair.
Half past one with today already calling it a close, not that the nightlife meant anything to Lynette Hiromi. The two-week break from work and overtime is a request long overdue. Even if she can officially kiss the first week goodbye, relaxation is far from her list…
Just watching her child makes her realize just how little she really knows… The description those Apricot Daycare women make would be a huge shocker to the people here…
…Well, maybe not to that girl…
She, like many in Violet, chooses to use "devil", but her notion of it seems to be in a manner of affection and respect. As much as this saddens Mrs. Hiromi, she has to face reality… Still, she can't help but feel the spirits were on her side when meeting Kageyama's school nurse. The kind young woman's information really gave light to her daughter's overall scenario and the ride to and from Apricot Park could mark the beginning of a new friendship…
Her trade of words with the Principal quickly ends that happy memory…
She feels bittersweet over it, but Mrs. Hiromi inwardly chuckles at the crack she made about that poor man's toupee…
"Look at you, you're a carefree stray Meowth on one corner and an alley Persian here…" Mrs. Hiromi chuckles softly. "Perhaps we should just admit we're problems and live with it. However, May, we can't do that unless you believe in me as I do you! I know your trust is the last thing I deserve but…"
The woman cuts herself off when the phone rings.
Whoever calls someone at this hour is persistent about it. Prank callers went either insomniac or the anonymous "Leave this place! Your family is bringing us misfortune." callers have lost all-purpose in life; it would be better to just get it over with rather than have it clutter the messenger.
"Hello? Long distance call? …Oh, of course I'll accept! Thank you so much!" she spoke rather happily. "Dear? Of all times to call, it's 1:42 AM… Only afternoon where you are? I can imagine… Um, Dear-"
A light-hearted chuckle escapes Mrs. Hiromi's being. "Yes, yes, you know me best. However, is it under my descriptions? May needs to be away from city stress, we all do… I see… Nothing close to where you work available? Then, just fax me the catalog photos of all possible options, we'll sit down and work through it-" she sighs. "… I understand. You do have heavy duties to uphold after all Mister Gym Leader! I'll just work with it from there and come back to you quickly then! Love ya! And…I miss you…"
Mrs. Hiromi then, hangs the phone.
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(Two days later: Violet Streets)
Mrs. Hiromi stretches lazily before breathing away any laziness left in her. "On lovely days like this, the best way to find yourself is by breathing some of the great fresh air no matter how polluted it is!" she claims jovially.
"You know… I could have easily stayed home if you were going to drag me out here for nothing. It's not like school is a problem or anything." Her daughter May replies sourly.
It's a lovely Thursday afternoon in October. While Mrs. Hiromi remains content in one of her autumn sets, May (at the request of Mrs. Hiromi) dresses a tad lighter today with her more autumn oriented lavender coat, black skirt with same color stockings and boots. She still oddly enough wore that same scarf along with matching mittens which couldn't be seen since she kept her hands in her jacket pockets.
Mrs. Hiromi looks to the sky as if considering May's words. "Hmm… Yes, I should be really happy that I wasn't paying tuition or we'd have real problems." She grins. "Besides, you're great company. Maybe we can go to that park you like so much later to relax."
May watches her mother in exasperation before walking ahead.
Thinking about it, she really can't argue when that ditzy woman is concerned. That innocent brat everyone keeps gushing over on a bet decided to be stupid and hit her from behind with, when she got her hands on him, a sandbag of all things.
Nothing else to say except it still hurts, her senses and mobility feel groggy and she's given the term "sleeping in" a brand new twist as of late.
May stops walking to stare at a teddy bear wearing a red scarf and fighter pilot jacket on display. Despite making no facial change, a strong blush forms on her cheeks.
"Aha! So you are a child." Mrs. Hiromi replies from behind. The woman ignores her daughter's scowls to look at the item herself. "It's very cute, do you want it?"
"Lynette, is that you?" a woman with short blue hair greets before May can answer. "You remember me right? We met at that parent teacher conference a year and eight months ago concerning student safety?"
Remembering one-shot names and faces are NOT a strong point of Lynette Hiromi. It's a tad embarrassing, as this woman seems to have the distinguishing feature of having her eyes closed in a foxy manner the whole time…
Since she doesn't want to offend her, Mrs. Hiromi gives a hesitant nod.
The smile on the woman's face widens. "You're a horrible liar Lynette. That Kageyama gets worse by the year, I had to transfer my son to Cross Creek and he still wasn't safe from those delinquents…"
"Y-yes, the problem with youths has gotten rather out of hand hasn't it?" Mrs. Hiromi responds uneasily.
"Feh, rather than be people with potential futures or Pokemon trainers, as far as Violet is concerned: Once ten, children become thugs and delinquents who can wield Pokemon legally-" the woman cut herself off to smile at May. "Except for our cute possessed friend here…"
May narrows her eyes at the woman but flinches when she bent down to caress her cheek.
"A lot of people envy her Lynette, always able to get into problems with other children and not gain serious injuries… Maybe a bump on the head here or there…" the woman moans almost longingly. "Your May might be the only child in her age group to walk around with her parent so foot-loose and fancy free… It isn't a shock to me anymore that she ignited the younger children's involvement in what used to be a rivalry between high school brats…"
At this point, Mrs. Hiromi grows deeply nervous but the woman calms her.
"Lynette, I'm not like the ignorant masses that bitterly talk behind your back. With what you posses, any person would passionately justify its existence…" she smiles. "I don't know how it happened exactly, but I'd sell my soul a million times over to obtain that for my own…"
Mrs. Hiromi wants to protest yet remains silent when May squeezes the woman's wrist.
"This is why I hate adults," she growls. "Always using their kids for their petty competitions, always having a hidden agenda, and always, always throwing in some kind of scapegoat to rule out the reality that's really around them- Don't screw around!"
May shoves the woman's hand aside and walks off, leaving the woman to voice: "I took my son out of that school so he wouldn't become antagonized by monsters like you!"
This gives the girl leeway to stop in her place and turn to the woman with a bright smile. "Oh? Then that Pokemon junkie shouldn't be so weak then, nya? Oh," she adds. "Touching me without permission is a punishment of a thousand paper cuts. You… might want to start getting some bandages now."
With that, the girl walks away, leaving the woman in her own bitterness (along with a heavily bleeding hand) and Mrs. Hiromi in slight awe.
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As part of her schedule, Mrs. Hiromi decides to place past events where they belong and take her daughter to her favorite diner: "Sprout Café & Luncheon".
Despite the lack of conversation between the two, something tugs at the woman's heart…
"May," Mrs. Hiromi begins. "Earlier today I could've sworn I heard you say Nya."
"So? Isn't that something I usually say?"
"Well yes, its just… you haven't said that in such a long time I was pretty much caught off guard when you just blurted it out like that." Mrs. Hiromi smiles lightly.
Since May chooses to pay that line no mind, the woman decides to push a new topic by revealing two photocopies.
The one on the left is a nicely designed home in an urban area and the one on the right is…of nice sizing in a seemingly rural environment… but rather… rundown in its outward appearance.
"Yeah, you do have a good point… the one on the left is quite the eye candy… But May, aren't you tired of the noise in the city?" Mrs. Hiromi reasons when her daughter shows disdain for the picture on the right.
As the woman doesn't allow her child to comment, she furthers her analysis. "This one isn't so bad… some interior repair, paint job of our choice… Sure, it'll badly burn our pockets and take a lot of work, but that's country life at its best!" Mrs. Hiromi grins lecherously. "By doing all the work ourselves we'll get the price of the home slashed drastically!"
Though May knows she wouldn't be doing any of that "grueling work" her enthusiastic mother talks of, she goes back to her drink all the same.
That is, until the shriek of a falling waitress who crashes in front of them. Better put: a waitress falls to the floor because of the blind dash of fellow who covers himself in a violet cloak.
No matter how it's looked at, the trays of food and drinks the waitress hold all hit either the floor or the Hiromis.
Of course, this event easily caught the attention of everyone within the café.
"Oops." The fellow replies flatly.
Even if her sighing says otherwise, Mrs. Hiromi shakes the matter off, her daughter however-
"It was deliberate!" May argues. "I can understand if you're a ditz, but how can you ignore that?"
May glares at her mother only to meet an odd mixture of strength and sincerity within her eyes. This eventually forces the girl to take a seat.
"Hmph, and here we all thought the enchantress who brought that abomination into our world had no control over it. Even mistakes can be dealt with it seems. But you know…" the fellow smirks. "It's still a mistake no matter how you look at it."
After those words, the cloaked troublemaker now had the woman's complete attention.
"What's wrong enchantress? The truth has been existent for quite some time: Nobody fears your little abomination."
Mrs. Hiromi gives the fellow little expression before looking away to grab a napkin. "Then you must be blind, I only see a cute little girl in front of me." She answers eventually.
The fellow simply takes what's left of Mrs. Hiromi's coffee and tosses its contents at the window "for clarity", as he put it.
His actions create tension within the on-lookers. However, none of them dare act out what they were feeling…
Despite all this, Mrs. Hiromi ignores the troublemaker and begins wiping the contents from her face. She shortly stretches over the table to do the same for May, only adding to the girl's frustration.
The cloaked troublemaker shrugs simply as he walks over the scowling waitress. "How you noble families remain so high and mighty when they're nothing goes beyond me. After all, the Hiromi strength dispersed the moment your husband abandoned you!"
May slams her right fist onto the table, forcefully bringing the object lower in height. No further action could take place considering Mrs. Hiromi firmly places her hand on her daughter's and daintily, yet painfully, continues her actions.
This makes the cloaked troublemaker leave the café quite content… Until he finds himself suddenly spun around face to face with, the Sprout Café's aged owner. The owner keeps a very stern look on his face as he grabs the fellow by his violet cloth.
"You're welcome to your opinions, but keep your trash outside my life's work! Don't let me catch you in here again!"
The owner releases his grip on the cloaked troublemaker, forcing him to lose all balance and fall onto the floor himself. The whole café share a good laugh at this.
"True heroes are always mocked before reality hits the face of the masses!" he growls.
"You call yourself a hero?" a teen, in private high school uniform, snickers with his three friends.
"Obviously!" he argues. "From the way it looks, I'm the only one unwilling to idle by and watch a place as fortuitous as Violet fall at the hands of that traitorous enchantress Lynette Hiromi and her vile hot-blood curse! All while our friends and younger siblings fall prey to her devil! …You'd have to be utterly stupid or already under her mind control to see otherwise-"
"Don't give us that self profound banter! You're nothing more than another local hood trying to make a name for yourself. You're type is the real trash here!" the teen scoffs.
"Hey, you wanna see abominations? Ever look in a mirror, pal?" a tourist from Goldenrod City heckles.
The café broke into fit of laughter after this. Of course, the cloaked troublemaker is obviously furious, but with HE being the one set a fool, exiting is the best option.
May pulls away from her mother to give chase. Much to her displeasure, Mrs. Hiromi grabs her right wrist.
The café again found itself wrapped in silence as the two Hiromis trade words. No matter whom they agreed with, it ends with May simply, yet forcefully, removing her mother's grip to give chase.
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(Some time later: Violet Streets)
Finding that troublemaker proves easy, May realizes when she finally spots a moving violet cloak race under a walkway.
It's just…she might have to take a number…And honestly, with the noises coming from there, it's doing a great job at making her edgy…
The monstrous ones anyway…
After some more horrified cries and savage barks, that cloaked troublemaker drags himself out of the underpass. Full of cuts and his tattered cloak drenched in his blood, his shock to be alive takes a more content turn when seeing the confusion on May's face.
"Cough! Cough! I didn't think it would turnout like this…but…the time I spend in the hospital will be more than worth it to know…cough! This will…this ravaged form of mine will finally make the people of this town wake up and chase you down like the demonic creature you truly are…" he states in-between pants victoriously.
"…I may be the demon but at least my remains won't be food for a barking one." May replies to his disdain. "Unless they're put in their place, they always get the most blood-thirsty. And moreover, because of you, that woman is more annoying than ever…I can't get rid of her as easily I can you though."
"Cough…Arrogant to the bitter end… As expected from a demon hiding behind nobility… Hope to dispose of the evidence, devil?" the cloaked troublemaker scoffs before thanking her for the juicy inside secrets.
"I never denied being what I am from the start. I know it and I'm proud of it. What I AM tired of however, is getting into fights, as there's nothing coming out of it anymore. All the interesting types are getting cluttered out by weaklings and cowards. Even the person I love to fight most just up and disappeared…"
"How cough! Touching… Now… before my spirit can no longer compensate for my body and this town slays you-"
"You just don't get it do you…?!"
Perhaps its blood loss, perhaps it's his inner will crumbling, but when that fellow gets in range of the anger seething out of that girl, he trembles.
He admits it, in a place like Violet City where traditionalism and folklore are the golden point; he loves to read about and place hexes and chants on those he dislikes. Nothing serious, they don't even work and it just earns him more ridicule from his peers…
Then, he hears of an enchanter known for communicating with spirits. She's even able to make actual incantations! The proof as most claim, is in the form of her "child".
He couldn't believe this until actually meeting the woman in her own home. While she turns down any request for apprenticeship, she does give him a bizarre-looking charm to ward away the unlucky spirits that she claims have been haunting him.
He's not too sure about being unlucky, but because of that charm he wears like a necklace lifted off the goddess of fortune herself, he can now see a little of, if not feel abnormalities around him! He always knew he had some level of spiritual power and that little charm just enables him see wandering spirits, the emanation of other people's souls…
This includes the nearly unfathomable sparking roar for a soul that enchantress possesses when he saw her walking by a few weeks back. However, his idol was utterly oblivious to the gale of death and destruction circling her daughter…
He saw it for himself; the breeze around her would kick up when close to an innocent soul then bind it! The strained soul would then make every attempt possible to avoid being fully devoured bringing about the displeasure for the physical body. The only thing that sabotages that devil is the power from that same enchantress who created her…
…It finally makes sense…
Now here he stands, in the eye of the very gale he sought to extinguish from the very same devil that sent his heart astray from the one he admires…
He even… gave into rumors and got a loan on the very same thing that, though successfully forces that devil back in what could possibly be a weakness, nearly killed him!
Moreover, it looks like its coming to finish them both…!
Whatever anger May still has washes away into uneasiness when facing a large, mostly black and gray wolf-like Pokemon, if it's even fair to call a creature of such badass detail a Pokemon.
Regardless of the case scenario, it's one foreign to her and dangerous! Pokemon of this caliber were seriously the worst…! Yet people still place those unstable things higher than their own lives…Foolishness really!
While instincts say run, her body shutdown, only heightening that foreign creature's bloodlust.
"Oh calm down, it's only a harmless puppy that entered its evolutionary requirements too suddenly. Geeks only know geek stuff not Pokemon." An older male voice reasons from behind.
May blinks twice when realizing those same private school teens from the café stood around her all before she crumples to silent shudders when the seemingly talkative one grip and tugs her left bang.
"Look at her, that antenna hair really are her horns, man." The second teen comments when viewing the void in May's expression.
"Spaced out, looks like that hex geek was telling the truth after all." The third, better built teen, agrees. "Let's just take a picture and bail before something happens."
When the group agrees to this, they come to remember the existence of the bloodied MVP who brought about this trophy.
"Hey…what did I…tell you guys… Cough! But seriously…Cough! Cough! That crazy Pokemon you loaned me swiped my gift from the enchantress…" the battered teen extends his arm at the creature who returns to the side of the fourth teen contently. "Gi-give it back to me! It's because of that I proved the Hiromi devil exists…It also awakens my latent spiritual powers…C'mon fellas…"
"Man, you're cornier than those lame guys who do dumb crap to get on TV." The second teen laugh when he receives Mrs. Hiromi's charm from the fourth teen. "What's so frickin' great about this ugly thing?"
"Totally got ripped off dude…Dumber than you talk…" the third teen sighs when he gets to examine it.
"Kuu…YOU BASTARDS GIMME BACK MY-"
"wh…are you making fun of me?" May cuts in shakily. "Wh-who gave you permission to touch my hair?!"
"Sure, sure you're secret's safe with us, you're just some weird punk with a knack for fighting-" the first teen laughs before he's cut off by the sharp pain in his bang holding wrist.
If it's simply the strength that girl's rumored to posses that's one thing, but what leaves the teen and his friends in shock is the reality that she isn't touching him. Yet, the one foolish enough to call a bluff now must deal with a lower arm that cuts and crushes itself along a sharp breeze.
"Don't ever, EVER touch my hair unless I say you can!" May roars when smashing her fist smashing into his stomach.
The teen feels his body hit the ground hard, yet that reflex nulls in comparison to the struggle for air and intense stinging pain his stomach feels.
With this move startling everyone human, only the fearsome wolf-like Pokemon takes action by leaping in between the girl and its master's fallen friend. Ignoring the girl's stumbling back, the foreign Pokemon now resorts to the steps taken should its master, his little sister or his friends fall into danger: That being whisking the hurt player out of the battlefield as fast as it can.
She might have looked like a kid on the verge of tears but…that…whatever she is, should not be pissed off! Is the resolve of those left behind as they give chase.
Taking time to calm herself, May heaves a heavy sigh before turning to that cloaked guy.
…All this trouble over one of her mom's talismans? Even in his current shape, that cloaked martyr tries to drag his messed up body towards it.
"Chill out, these things burn me when I touch them anyway." May huffs when the fellow shows desperation the moment she approaches the item. "I hate it when people make fun of my hair and it got pulled because of you! I don't get any of this, but I hope I don't get stupid when I get as old as you!"
"Whu…who said you'd get older?" the fellow growls. "Granted, I see my quarrel is with you and your power tainted my soul… I wouldn't want that charm anymore even if it WAS a gift from the enchantress! Especially if you put your sullied hands on it…"
The teen eyes bulge out of his head when that heartless, mother-eater devil says "fine" and kicks the item towards him. She could've broke it after all…
"I already told you, I know what I am and I like that. I'm just tired of fighting but I won't lose to trash like you or to lameass things like Pokemon, ever!" May claims. "That's because, I'm simply someone who can control the wind. So, shall I carry you away?"
To be continued
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(Notes)
All I wanted was a nice 15-20 page prologue before I got into the main story.
However, things seemed a lot more difficult than I thought, so that estimate expanded into a two-parter, making me think how can I still call it a prologue with that being the case. Pacing and planning of the Prologue's direction constantly shifted and changed. In the course of months of on and off work, I found myself rewriting the chapter as a whole ten times.
Finally, I have the result: I kinda scrap the prologue idea, breaking it into a three-part pilot: Chapter 0. This pretty much serves what I wanted with the prologue idea…
On a side note: For all those who were wondering about it, the name of May's Junior High: Kageyama is actually based off the singer Hironobu Kageyama. For those all those who are either a fan of his talent (like myself) or a DBZ vet/Saint Seiya fan (again, like myself) this name shouldn't be an uncommon one.
08/10/07 Update: Though apologizing to those who already read the original version, I updated the chapter to have the entire story (save for situations that call for a flashback) into present tense as well as killed any "wordiness" in the situation. Or at least tried to the best of my ability anyway.
Also, I altered the ending scenario, as I: 1) Never liked the scenario but was strapped for ideas and got impatient about releasing. It always felt so…off from everything else (the situation beforehand and events to come). And: 2) It's pretty much closer to the original ideas to the overall premise I had to Chapter 0.
Design-wise, May, be it game incarnation, anime or the loosely based Sapphire from the Pokemon Special manga, her stand-out point (design-wise) was always her hairstyle. Couldn't help but actually take a shot of that, I figured she might have a strong feeling of pride in her hair but also a very fragile level of self-consciousness, as it's something very different from others design-wise. Only characters (in franchise) I could see rival that is Crystal or Emerald but that's stories in themselves…
04/07/08 Update: Heh… I guess at this point, I can call this Distanced Hurricane Version 2. What was repaired was not structure but uses of punctuation and whatever edits/fixes I missed in the past. Still not perfect, but I'm slowly getting stronger… I also gave the three part pilot series formerly called Chapter 0 a proper name suiting the situation. This time however, I'm gonna make sure ALL chapters (not just my very spoiled Chapter 0) get fixes and much needed edits.
Despite that, I worked pretty long/hard on this on-going work and hopefully was able to grab a bit of the vibe from both fields. The story starts (and emphasizes) with a pace that matches daily life in a deeply whimsical sense before moving on. And despite the human-centric feel (which is honestly out of my own belief that it's hard to see the Pokemon world without humans), please enjoy your stay.
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Rain pours heavily in an urban world of black and white. The only being bearing proof of life's beauty: A woman with short curly brown hair wearing a violet autumn dress holds onto a beautiful yet large golden ring with odd markings in its center as she backs into a corner due to the angry mob surrounding her.
"Enchantress! How much longer will we suffer from you?" a male voice roars.
"Do you think you're the only one who knows the pain of loss? You're so selfish it disgusts me to the very core…" a female voice adds.
"Our home- No, our world has no need for beings like you trying to shift it to your twisted desires." An elderly voice growls.
The mob closes in, leaving the woman to grip the ring tightly as she gives a cry for help in any form to arrive. As if reacting to her feelings, the ring resonates lightly until a piercing light shoots down from skies, engulfing the woman in a radiant aura that pushes the mob back!
With another flash of light, cotton balls swarm about the area bringing feelings of confusion and fear amongst the people. This feeling only heightens when the cotton begins to spark with stinging electricity while the silhouette of a fluffy creature known as the wool Pokemon Mareep made its appearance in the sky.
Mareep eyes the woman understandingly before making a loud cry that forces the balls of cotton to disperse and activate at full blast!
Every time I stare out into the wide blue sky, I can't help but realize how fortunate it is to exist.
Earth, a planet blessed with so much mystery and beauty... It's no shock that Pokemon choose to exist as this realm's protectors of life and secrets.
Pokemon, beings that appear so unstoppable and eternal…Beings that can freely manipulate the very element of life as if to mock their meager human living mates…
The mystery around these creatures and their unknown destined connection to we wasteful humans is one that spanned for ages. A feeling of magic and adventure that linked two seemingly different beings to each other creating a bond that lasted as long as the time guardian can tell…
All that once antagonizes the woman are now nothing but cinders blowing in the wind…
She now watches helplessly as her wool savior shudders in massive pain. Eventually, the little Pokemon gives into these ill feelings and forcefully fades away…
Taking its place is the slow approach of a girl in school uniform who can easily be seen as a wide-eyed, twelve or thirteen-year-old look-a-like… Well, had not been for her long bangs.
The woman's worries wash away to tearful relief when she races over to give the familiar face a hug… This only results in the girl forcing her hand through the woman's stomach…
…But, there are many things a magical heart cannot cure…
Blood seeps down the woman's lips as she slowly faces the child who gives nothing more than a feral expression. Seeing this, the heartbroken woman smiles as the tears rolling down her cheeks are last feeling of warmth she receives…
Falling limp, the grip on her golden ring slips away and shatters when hitting the ground…
That is when we look to our dreams as we fly into the horizon…
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Distanced Hurricane Pilot Series
Cursed Wings! A Martyr Named Hiromi ~I Won't Lose!~
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(Johto Region: Violet City)
"Eh? Johto's best lost to Kanto's in the exhibition?" a woman queries to her circle of four friends. "Nothing surprising, those Kanto-breeds are impenetrable powerhouses."
"Kanto sure does have a mighty ego though; wanting to pit their Gym Leaders against our own in a fight for what was it? Kicks?! More like an instant massacre…" shrugs the other woman, who covers her just-out-of-salon-done hair with a hairnet.
"B-but our Falkner fought very hard!" A woman a tad younger than the rest of her middle-aged acquaintances blurts before breaking into an unsure mutter. "Although… I didn't really see the match on TV myself…that's just what I heard… He even defeated the… person with the thing…"
The other four women turn to their youngest acquaintance with expressions of clear annoyance.
"The ninja girl from Fuchsia City if that's "the thing" you're talking about, withdrew before the battle even started for ninja related matters or something." The third of the women grins. "Who can understand these modern day ninjas anyway? Bunch of overgrown children in tights running around legally with knives if you ask me."
"Only in Kanto!" the four women confirm with chuckles.
Their laughter is short-lived thanks to the sound of sirens from an ambulance speeding towards its destination.
"Such a racket… And no surprise, it's heading to Kageyama Junior High…" the second woman sighs.
Though not saying anything, the youngest woman watches the ambulance with a nervous expression. It is not until she hears the description of the child and his condition from random people chasing the vehicle that makes her lose all sense of balance and gives chase.
"It's a sad thing isn't it?" the first woman mutters dejectedly.
The third woman nods, "That Lynette… She thought of no one but herself by inflicting the hot-blood curse in THIS place of history and sanctity!"
"Considering Violet's history, the violence from local youths was a problem far greater than a child who just became the butt of blame only two years ago." The final of the woman voices sternly. "How do you think Lynette feels about all this?"
"You act as if we want out hearts to waver towards Lynette!" the first woman argues. "We cried just as much as Lynette did when she lost her first child, but her second child… something that should have suffered a similar fate…"
The first woman has trouble trying to finish her words leaving the second of the group to leave her own input: "Such a horrible era for Violet… With Falkner's so-called clan of bird-users declining, Violet really has nothing left…" she sighs. "It's just so shocking how her child, not some jealous outsider that brought about the fall of the Pokemon passionate Hiromi family…"
Everyone but the fourth woman, who shakes her head, agrees to this conclusion.
As the ambulance continues toward its location, a woman with short curly brown hair wearing an every-day-wear dress for autumn with a matching jacket and pair of shoes tightens her hold on the two grocery bags she holds while watching the vehicle zoom towards the all too familiar path.
The woman, dubbed by many as bringer of Violet's dark era, better known as Lynette Hiromi, finds herself having to hold both bags with one arm in order to pull out her cell phone from her right jacket pocket.
Taking one look at the message, she sighs.
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Mrs. Hiromi sat stiffly in her chair. Biting the bottom of her lip, the woman steals a few looks at the Principal, who calmly calls for security to break-up the fighting that went on right in front of his closed office door.
It really puzzles the woman how the man could be so calm with those children banging on the door like that…
"Mrs. Hiromi," the Principal begins coolly, "I've been in the education field from the bottom-up. I have come to meet many kinds of children with their own little stories of sorts… I come to learn your daughter May possesses quite a tale. As much joy I feel to be selected the man to ready such a child for the qualms of society, I grieve." he continues. "The overly-violent outbursts May inflicts on her peers seem to be too much for this school to endure… As much as destiny calls, I must think of the larger scope."
"I won't reprimand my daughter defending herself!" Mrs. Hiromi counters to his surprise. "I acknowledge the frustration you must feel, as much as I understand the pain any parent would face when your child comes back home cut and bruised from a place where they're supposed to learn such methods of resolving matters aren't the way…"
Mrs. Hiromi places her hands where the heart is to emphasize her feelings. "My child always comes home to me with cuts and bruises and never tells me a word. Yet, I'm always stuck hearing all the damage she caused!"
"Mrs. Hiromi, I understand the distress you feel for your obviously troubled child but we cannot ignore the facts." The Principal reasons. "While she gains cuts and skinned knees, the others who cross her leave with fractures and casts. She's also reported to be a frequent no-show for classes and because of all this, I greatly fear for her future…"
The Principal feels relief when "reality" sinks into Mrs. Hiromi.
"Do not fret Mrs. Hiromi, I do not believe you bear witchcraft or your daughter a mythical creature of any caliber. She is just a child unable to keep up with the pace our faculty is offering thus, in all her frustration, shows inability to rationalize her feelings and act like a functioning human being." He confirms. "In all my years, I came across only a handful of children that Ahem, possessed that special need-"
"Yes, my daughter is special…" Mrs. Hiromi interrupts. "She's a beautiful, intelligent, passionate and honest child who'd I'd sell my soul a thousand times over to claim as my own!"
"It is understandable for a parent to disbelieve the truth of their offspring-"
Mrs. Hiromi angrily stands and slams her hands against the Principal's desk. "Why don't you pull your head out of that dictionary and that poorly pressed Italian suit to stop worrying about that dream home you plan to own in one of the regional territories and start focusing on the present!"
The Principal holds nothing but annoyance on his face when he warns the woman to refrain talking to him like that any time in the future.
Mrs. Hiromi ignores this and makes her way to the door.
"…I apologize you feel so ruffled about this Mrs. Hiromi… though in time- No," the Principal cuts himself off. "You made the correct move… Perhaps the school's reputation can finally refurbish-"
Mrs. Hiromi stops in her place to face the man once more. "Yes and good luck picking up your career in this right-out-of-a-kung-fu-movie junior high school! Oh, and it's very unbecoming of a man to wear a full head toupee for a hard to see bald spot! Accept yourself and get your priorities straight!"
The woman then storms out of the room, leaving the Principal to adjust his rather displaced toupee.
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A "freaked out" expression is the best way to explain Mrs. Hiromi's face after spending so much of her time dodging fight-crazed students just to find an empty nurse's office.
Perhaps May's condition is now something that has her in the hospital. Or worse, she's being hostage by some student's act of personal revenge!
These thoughts made the worrisome woman grow into a shaky daze.
"WHY IS THAT DOOR OPEN?"
Mrs. Hiromi weakly turns to and is run over by a dark-haired young woman whose most noticeable features, aside from the crazed look on her face, is her glasses, the white medical coat and the first-aid kit she grips.
It's not until the crazy- or more to say, Kageyama Junior High's school nurse steps out of the office with a strained expression muttering, "I can't believe it" repeatedly, is when her identity is a clear one.
Though having no problem curing fate for the rest of the day, the nurse feels all life freeze over when noticing a rather gloomy Mrs. Hiromi grabbing onto her ankle. Without giving it too much thought, she helps Mrs. Hiromi up, saying nothing for the remainder of the time.
"So… you have no clue where my May would go around this time?" Mrs. Hiromi questions.
The nurse blankly shakes her head, leaving Mrs. Hiromi to fall into another slump.
"Sorry if I'm interrupting but… I know where the Hiromi Devil is."
Both women turn to see a shy girl, quite tall her age, whose most noticeable features had to be the Kageyama Junior High uniform, an official dress code that hardly any student in that school takes seriously. The second would be her obvious purple contacts and wild two-tone (believably dyed) auburn hairstyle that gives her that untamed feel.
Mrs. Hiromi figures looking like that would avoid pressure from both peers and teachers. Still, something about the child bothers her…
"Her name is May; you seem like a nice enough girl, so I'm pretty sure you would dislike it if you were called a devil."
The tall girl looks away before facing the woman with a bit of confidence.
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"If you're really looking for her, then you should definitely look in Apricot Park first, it's well known to be her hang-out spot."
A hangout spot that was conveniently located on THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN! At least Mrs. Hiromi can finally piece together her daughter's periodic lateness.
Running through this large yet lush park really makes the woman equally thankful for taking those cardio-workouts but she really wishes she could slow down and enjoy the lushness part…
Children playing and laughing with the activities of the younger ones watched by their loving parents who chat amongst themselves, Pokemon fanatics showing off their domesticated friends in a nearby talent show.
Even the wild Pidgey roosting in trees relax within the serene beauty of a park that seems to exist in its own little eternity.
To think her daughter actually enjoys being around such tranquility. Even if she's resting somewhere in this spacious place, Mrs. Hiromi can't help but feel their hearts melding closer.
This sense of intuition buffers when bumping into a girl who can easily be seen as a wide-eyed, twelve or thirteen-year-old look-a-like… Well, had not been for her long bangs. Aside from the unfavorable Kageyama uniform, the girl appears overdressed for this season with the thick hooded school burgundy sweater, and a light blue scarf.
Mrs. Hiromi blinks twice when the girl faces her with a dull expression but freaks out when she collapses in her arms. The woman hastily checks the girl's pulse, feeling great relief to know she's all right.
"Wait! Please don't let that child run off!" a voice calls from afar.
Mrs. Hiromi remains silent as a woman in a light blue Pokeball design apron races towards her and after catching her breath, thanks her before firmly places an ointment on the girl's injury.
"This kind of bump can easily bring one to a concussion; it's a shocker alone she remained conscious for who knows how long." The woman begins, facing Mrs. Hiromi with a smile. "But I should just count my blessings to see she let herself go in the arms of someone apparently close to her."
A small blush paints Mrs. Hiromi's cheeks as she brushes the unconscious girl's bangs. Shortly joining the scene are two women wearing the same apron design.
Though spending time to catch their breath, they also show relief. One of them even mentioning she's glad she won't have to explain this to the children leaving Mrs. Hiromi to give a questioning look.
"Oh, not too far from her is a little daycare center for young children. We tend to take the children to the park for recreational exercises and they really enjoy your little sister's company." The lead woman smiles widely. "Though she's withdrawn, if the kids nag her enough, she'll push them on the swings and slides and she generally makes sure none of them get into trouble. She really is a welcome entity to many of the parents here."
Mrs. Hiromi gives a small look of surprise but again, feels something is very off. "I see… but despite how cute she is, May is my daughter."
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(That night: Hiromi Household)
Though running the risk of awakening her child, Mrs. Hiromi runs her fingers through her hair.
Half past one with today already calling it a close, not that the nightlife meant anything to Lynette Hiromi. The two-week break from work and overtime is a request long overdue. Even if she can officially kiss the first week goodbye, relaxation is far from her list…
Just watching her child makes her realize just how little she really knows… The description those Apricot Daycare women make would be a huge shocker to the people here…
…Well, maybe not to that girl…
She, like many in Violet, chooses to use "devil", but her notion of it seems to be in a manner of affection and respect. As much as this saddens Mrs. Hiromi, she has to face reality… Still, she can't help but feel the spirits were on her side when meeting Kageyama's school nurse. The kind young woman's information really gave light to her daughter's overall scenario and the ride to and from Apricot Park could mark the beginning of a new friendship…
Her trade of words with the Principal quickly ends that happy memory…
She feels bittersweet over it, but Mrs. Hiromi inwardly chuckles at the crack she made about that poor man's toupee…
"Look at you, you're a carefree stray Meowth on one corner and an alley Persian here…" Mrs. Hiromi chuckles softly. "Perhaps we should just admit we're problems and live with it. However, May, we can't do that unless you believe in me as I do you! I know your trust is the last thing I deserve but…"
The woman cuts herself off when the phone rings.
Whoever calls someone at this hour is persistent about it. Prank callers went either insomniac or the anonymous "Leave this place! Your family is bringing us misfortune." callers have lost all-purpose in life; it would be better to just get it over with rather than have it clutter the messenger.
"Hello? Long distance call? …Oh, of course I'll accept! Thank you so much!" she spoke rather happily. "Dear? Of all times to call, it's 1:42 AM… Only afternoon where you are? I can imagine… Um, Dear-"
A light-hearted chuckle escapes Mrs. Hiromi's being. "Yes, yes, you know me best. However, is it under my descriptions? May needs to be away from city stress, we all do… I see… Nothing close to where you work available? Then, just fax me the catalog photos of all possible options, we'll sit down and work through it-" she sighs. "… I understand. You do have heavy duties to uphold after all Mister Gym Leader! I'll just work with it from there and come back to you quickly then! Love ya! And…I miss you…"
Mrs. Hiromi then, hangs the phone.
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(Two days later: Violet Streets)
Mrs. Hiromi stretches lazily before breathing away any laziness left in her. "On lovely days like this, the best way to find yourself is by breathing some of the great fresh air no matter how polluted it is!" she claims jovially.
"You know… I could have easily stayed home if you were going to drag me out here for nothing. It's not like school is a problem or anything." Her daughter May replies sourly.
It's a lovely Thursday afternoon in October. While Mrs. Hiromi remains content in one of her autumn sets, May (at the request of Mrs. Hiromi) dresses a tad lighter today with her more autumn oriented lavender coat, black skirt with same color stockings and boots. She still oddly enough wore that same scarf along with matching mittens which couldn't be seen since she kept her hands in her jacket pockets.
Mrs. Hiromi looks to the sky as if considering May's words. "Hmm… Yes, I should be really happy that I wasn't paying tuition or we'd have real problems." She grins. "Besides, you're great company. Maybe we can go to that park you like so much later to relax."
May watches her mother in exasperation before walking ahead.
Thinking about it, she really can't argue when that ditzy woman is concerned. That innocent brat everyone keeps gushing over on a bet decided to be stupid and hit her from behind with, when she got her hands on him, a sandbag of all things.
Nothing else to say except it still hurts, her senses and mobility feel groggy and she's given the term "sleeping in" a brand new twist as of late.
May stops walking to stare at a teddy bear wearing a red scarf and fighter pilot jacket on display. Despite making no facial change, a strong blush forms on her cheeks.
"Aha! So you are a child." Mrs. Hiromi replies from behind. The woman ignores her daughter's scowls to look at the item herself. "It's very cute, do you want it?"
"Lynette, is that you?" a woman with short blue hair greets before May can answer. "You remember me right? We met at that parent teacher conference a year and eight months ago concerning student safety?"
Remembering one-shot names and faces are NOT a strong point of Lynette Hiromi. It's a tad embarrassing, as this woman seems to have the distinguishing feature of having her eyes closed in a foxy manner the whole time…
Since she doesn't want to offend her, Mrs. Hiromi gives a hesitant nod.
The smile on the woman's face widens. "You're a horrible liar Lynette. That Kageyama gets worse by the year, I had to transfer my son to Cross Creek and he still wasn't safe from those delinquents…"
"Y-yes, the problem with youths has gotten rather out of hand hasn't it?" Mrs. Hiromi responds uneasily.
"Feh, rather than be people with potential futures or Pokemon trainers, as far as Violet is concerned: Once ten, children become thugs and delinquents who can wield Pokemon legally-" the woman cut herself off to smile at May. "Except for our cute possessed friend here…"
May narrows her eyes at the woman but flinches when she bent down to caress her cheek.
"A lot of people envy her Lynette, always able to get into problems with other children and not gain serious injuries… Maybe a bump on the head here or there…" the woman moans almost longingly. "Your May might be the only child in her age group to walk around with her parent so foot-loose and fancy free… It isn't a shock to me anymore that she ignited the younger children's involvement in what used to be a rivalry between high school brats…"
At this point, Mrs. Hiromi grows deeply nervous but the woman calms her.
"Lynette, I'm not like the ignorant masses that bitterly talk behind your back. With what you posses, any person would passionately justify its existence…" she smiles. "I don't know how it happened exactly, but I'd sell my soul a million times over to obtain that for my own…"
Mrs. Hiromi wants to protest yet remains silent when May squeezes the woman's wrist.
"This is why I hate adults," she growls. "Always using their kids for their petty competitions, always having a hidden agenda, and always, always throwing in some kind of scapegoat to rule out the reality that's really around them- Don't screw around!"
May shoves the woman's hand aside and walks off, leaving the woman to voice: "I took my son out of that school so he wouldn't become antagonized by monsters like you!"
This gives the girl leeway to stop in her place and turn to the woman with a bright smile. "Oh? Then that Pokemon junkie shouldn't be so weak then, nya? Oh," she adds. "Touching me without permission is a punishment of a thousand paper cuts. You… might want to start getting some bandages now."
With that, the girl walks away, leaving the woman in her own bitterness (along with a heavily bleeding hand) and Mrs. Hiromi in slight awe.
---------------------------------------------------
As part of her schedule, Mrs. Hiromi decides to place past events where they belong and take her daughter to her favorite diner: "Sprout Café & Luncheon".
Despite the lack of conversation between the two, something tugs at the woman's heart…
"May," Mrs. Hiromi begins. "Earlier today I could've sworn I heard you say Nya."
"So? Isn't that something I usually say?"
"Well yes, its just… you haven't said that in such a long time I was pretty much caught off guard when you just blurted it out like that." Mrs. Hiromi smiles lightly.
Since May chooses to pay that line no mind, the woman decides to push a new topic by revealing two photocopies.
The one on the left is a nicely designed home in an urban area and the one on the right is…of nice sizing in a seemingly rural environment… but rather… rundown in its outward appearance.
"Yeah, you do have a good point… the one on the left is quite the eye candy… But May, aren't you tired of the noise in the city?" Mrs. Hiromi reasons when her daughter shows disdain for the picture on the right.
As the woman doesn't allow her child to comment, she furthers her analysis. "This one isn't so bad… some interior repair, paint job of our choice… Sure, it'll badly burn our pockets and take a lot of work, but that's country life at its best!" Mrs. Hiromi grins lecherously. "By doing all the work ourselves we'll get the price of the home slashed drastically!"
Though May knows she wouldn't be doing any of that "grueling work" her enthusiastic mother talks of, she goes back to her drink all the same.
That is, until the shriek of a falling waitress who crashes in front of them. Better put: a waitress falls to the floor because of the blind dash of fellow who covers himself in a violet cloak.
No matter how it's looked at, the trays of food and drinks the waitress hold all hit either the floor or the Hiromis.
Of course, this event easily caught the attention of everyone within the café.
"Oops." The fellow replies flatly.
Even if her sighing says otherwise, Mrs. Hiromi shakes the matter off, her daughter however-
"It was deliberate!" May argues. "I can understand if you're a ditz, but how can you ignore that?"
May glares at her mother only to meet an odd mixture of strength and sincerity within her eyes. This eventually forces the girl to take a seat.
"Hmph, and here we all thought the enchantress who brought that abomination into our world had no control over it. Even mistakes can be dealt with it seems. But you know…" the fellow smirks. "It's still a mistake no matter how you look at it."
After those words, the cloaked troublemaker now had the woman's complete attention.
"What's wrong enchantress? The truth has been existent for quite some time: Nobody fears your little abomination."
Mrs. Hiromi gives the fellow little expression before looking away to grab a napkin. "Then you must be blind, I only see a cute little girl in front of me." She answers eventually.
The fellow simply takes what's left of Mrs. Hiromi's coffee and tosses its contents at the window "for clarity", as he put it.
His actions create tension within the on-lookers. However, none of them dare act out what they were feeling…
Despite all this, Mrs. Hiromi ignores the troublemaker and begins wiping the contents from her face. She shortly stretches over the table to do the same for May, only adding to the girl's frustration.
The cloaked troublemaker shrugs simply as he walks over the scowling waitress. "How you noble families remain so high and mighty when they're nothing goes beyond me. After all, the Hiromi strength dispersed the moment your husband abandoned you!"
May slams her right fist onto the table, forcefully bringing the object lower in height. No further action could take place considering Mrs. Hiromi firmly places her hand on her daughter's and daintily, yet painfully, continues her actions.
This makes the cloaked troublemaker leave the café quite content… Until he finds himself suddenly spun around face to face with, the Sprout Café's aged owner. The owner keeps a very stern look on his face as he grabs the fellow by his violet cloth.
"You're welcome to your opinions, but keep your trash outside my life's work! Don't let me catch you in here again!"
The owner releases his grip on the cloaked troublemaker, forcing him to lose all balance and fall onto the floor himself. The whole café share a good laugh at this.
"True heroes are always mocked before reality hits the face of the masses!" he growls.
"You call yourself a hero?" a teen, in private high school uniform, snickers with his three friends.
"Obviously!" he argues. "From the way it looks, I'm the only one unwilling to idle by and watch a place as fortuitous as Violet fall at the hands of that traitorous enchantress Lynette Hiromi and her vile hot-blood curse! All while our friends and younger siblings fall prey to her devil! …You'd have to be utterly stupid or already under her mind control to see otherwise-"
"Don't give us that self profound banter! You're nothing more than another local hood trying to make a name for yourself. You're type is the real trash here!" the teen scoffs.
"Hey, you wanna see abominations? Ever look in a mirror, pal?" a tourist from Goldenrod City heckles.
The café broke into fit of laughter after this. Of course, the cloaked troublemaker is obviously furious, but with HE being the one set a fool, exiting is the best option.
May pulls away from her mother to give chase. Much to her displeasure, Mrs. Hiromi grabs her right wrist.
The café again found itself wrapped in silence as the two Hiromis trade words. No matter whom they agreed with, it ends with May simply, yet forcefully, removing her mother's grip to give chase.
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(Some time later: Violet Streets)
Finding that troublemaker proves easy, May realizes when she finally spots a moving violet cloak race under a walkway.
It's just…she might have to take a number…And honestly, with the noises coming from there, it's doing a great job at making her edgy…
The monstrous ones anyway…
After some more horrified cries and savage barks, that cloaked troublemaker drags himself out of the underpass. Full of cuts and his tattered cloak drenched in his blood, his shock to be alive takes a more content turn when seeing the confusion on May's face.
"Cough! Cough! I didn't think it would turnout like this…but…the time I spend in the hospital will be more than worth it to know…cough! This will…this ravaged form of mine will finally make the people of this town wake up and chase you down like the demonic creature you truly are…" he states in-between pants victoriously.
"…I may be the demon but at least my remains won't be food for a barking one." May replies to his disdain. "Unless they're put in their place, they always get the most blood-thirsty. And moreover, because of you, that woman is more annoying than ever…I can't get rid of her as easily I can you though."
"Cough…Arrogant to the bitter end… As expected from a demon hiding behind nobility… Hope to dispose of the evidence, devil?" the cloaked troublemaker scoffs before thanking her for the juicy inside secrets.
"I never denied being what I am from the start. I know it and I'm proud of it. What I AM tired of however, is getting into fights, as there's nothing coming out of it anymore. All the interesting types are getting cluttered out by weaklings and cowards. Even the person I love to fight most just up and disappeared…"
"How cough! Touching… Now… before my spirit can no longer compensate for my body and this town slays you-"
"You just don't get it do you…?!"
Perhaps its blood loss, perhaps it's his inner will crumbling, but when that fellow gets in range of the anger seething out of that girl, he trembles.
He admits it, in a place like Violet City where traditionalism and folklore are the golden point; he loves to read about and place hexes and chants on those he dislikes. Nothing serious, they don't even work and it just earns him more ridicule from his peers…
Then, he hears of an enchanter known for communicating with spirits. She's even able to make actual incantations! The proof as most claim, is in the form of her "child".
He couldn't believe this until actually meeting the woman in her own home. While she turns down any request for apprenticeship, she does give him a bizarre-looking charm to ward away the unlucky spirits that she claims have been haunting him.
He's not too sure about being unlucky, but because of that charm he wears like a necklace lifted off the goddess of fortune herself, he can now see a little of, if not feel abnormalities around him! He always knew he had some level of spiritual power and that little charm just enables him see wandering spirits, the emanation of other people's souls…
This includes the nearly unfathomable sparking roar for a soul that enchantress possesses when he saw her walking by a few weeks back. However, his idol was utterly oblivious to the gale of death and destruction circling her daughter…
He saw it for himself; the breeze around her would kick up when close to an innocent soul then bind it! The strained soul would then make every attempt possible to avoid being fully devoured bringing about the displeasure for the physical body. The only thing that sabotages that devil is the power from that same enchantress who created her…
…It finally makes sense…
Now here he stands, in the eye of the very gale he sought to extinguish from the very same devil that sent his heart astray from the one he admires…
He even… gave into rumors and got a loan on the very same thing that, though successfully forces that devil back in what could possibly be a weakness, nearly killed him!
Moreover, it looks like its coming to finish them both…!
Whatever anger May still has washes away into uneasiness when facing a large, mostly black and gray wolf-like Pokemon, if it's even fair to call a creature of such badass detail a Pokemon.
Regardless of the case scenario, it's one foreign to her and dangerous! Pokemon of this caliber were seriously the worst…! Yet people still place those unstable things higher than their own lives…Foolishness really!
While instincts say run, her body shutdown, only heightening that foreign creature's bloodlust.
"Oh calm down, it's only a harmless puppy that entered its evolutionary requirements too suddenly. Geeks only know geek stuff not Pokemon." An older male voice reasons from behind.
May blinks twice when realizing those same private school teens from the café stood around her all before she crumples to silent shudders when the seemingly talkative one grip and tugs her left bang.
"Look at her, that antenna hair really are her horns, man." The second teen comments when viewing the void in May's expression.
"Spaced out, looks like that hex geek was telling the truth after all." The third, better built teen, agrees. "Let's just take a picture and bail before something happens."
When the group agrees to this, they come to remember the existence of the bloodied MVP who brought about this trophy.
"Hey…what did I…tell you guys… Cough! But seriously…Cough! Cough! That crazy Pokemon you loaned me swiped my gift from the enchantress…" the battered teen extends his arm at the creature who returns to the side of the fourth teen contently. "Gi-give it back to me! It's because of that I proved the Hiromi devil exists…It also awakens my latent spiritual powers…C'mon fellas…"
"Man, you're cornier than those lame guys who do dumb crap to get on TV." The second teen laugh when he receives Mrs. Hiromi's charm from the fourth teen. "What's so frickin' great about this ugly thing?"
"Totally got ripped off dude…Dumber than you talk…" the third teen sighs when he gets to examine it.
"Kuu…YOU BASTARDS GIMME BACK MY-"
"wh…are you making fun of me?" May cuts in shakily. "Wh-who gave you permission to touch my hair?!"
"Sure, sure you're secret's safe with us, you're just some weird punk with a knack for fighting-" the first teen laughs before he's cut off by the sharp pain in his bang holding wrist.
If it's simply the strength that girl's rumored to posses that's one thing, but what leaves the teen and his friends in shock is the reality that she isn't touching him. Yet, the one foolish enough to call a bluff now must deal with a lower arm that cuts and crushes itself along a sharp breeze.
"Don't ever, EVER touch my hair unless I say you can!" May roars when smashing her fist smashing into his stomach.
The teen feels his body hit the ground hard, yet that reflex nulls in comparison to the struggle for air and intense stinging pain his stomach feels.
With this move startling everyone human, only the fearsome wolf-like Pokemon takes action by leaping in between the girl and its master's fallen friend. Ignoring the girl's stumbling back, the foreign Pokemon now resorts to the steps taken should its master, his little sister or his friends fall into danger: That being whisking the hurt player out of the battlefield as fast as it can.
She might have looked like a kid on the verge of tears but…that…whatever she is, should not be pissed off! Is the resolve of those left behind as they give chase.
Taking time to calm herself, May heaves a heavy sigh before turning to that cloaked guy.
…All this trouble over one of her mom's talismans? Even in his current shape, that cloaked martyr tries to drag his messed up body towards it.
"Chill out, these things burn me when I touch them anyway." May huffs when the fellow shows desperation the moment she approaches the item. "I hate it when people make fun of my hair and it got pulled because of you! I don't get any of this, but I hope I don't get stupid when I get as old as you!"
"Whu…who said you'd get older?" the fellow growls. "Granted, I see my quarrel is with you and your power tainted my soul… I wouldn't want that charm anymore even if it WAS a gift from the enchantress! Especially if you put your sullied hands on it…"
The teen eyes bulge out of his head when that heartless, mother-eater devil says "fine" and kicks the item towards him. She could've broke it after all…
"I already told you, I know what I am and I like that. I'm just tired of fighting but I won't lose to trash like you or to lameass things like Pokemon, ever!" May claims. "That's because, I'm simply someone who can control the wind. So, shall I carry you away?"
To be continued
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(Notes)
All I wanted was a nice 15-20 page prologue before I got into the main story.
However, things seemed a lot more difficult than I thought, so that estimate expanded into a two-parter, making me think how can I still call it a prologue with that being the case. Pacing and planning of the Prologue's direction constantly shifted and changed. In the course of months of on and off work, I found myself rewriting the chapter as a whole ten times.
Finally, I have the result: I kinda scrap the prologue idea, breaking it into a three-part pilot: Chapter 0. This pretty much serves what I wanted with the prologue idea…
On a side note: For all those who were wondering about it, the name of May's Junior High: Kageyama is actually based off the singer Hironobu Kageyama. For those all those who are either a fan of his talent (like myself) or a DBZ vet/Saint Seiya fan (again, like myself) this name shouldn't be an uncommon one.
08/10/07 Update: Though apologizing to those who already read the original version, I updated the chapter to have the entire story (save for situations that call for a flashback) into present tense as well as killed any "wordiness" in the situation. Or at least tried to the best of my ability anyway.
Also, I altered the ending scenario, as I: 1) Never liked the scenario but was strapped for ideas and got impatient about releasing. It always felt so…off from everything else (the situation beforehand and events to come). And: 2) It's pretty much closer to the original ideas to the overall premise I had to Chapter 0.
Design-wise, May, be it game incarnation, anime or the loosely based Sapphire from the Pokemon Special manga, her stand-out point (design-wise) was always her hairstyle. Couldn't help but actually take a shot of that, I figured she might have a strong feeling of pride in her hair but also a very fragile level of self-consciousness, as it's something very different from others design-wise. Only characters (in franchise) I could see rival that is Crystal or Emerald but that's stories in themselves…
04/07/08 Update: Heh… I guess at this point, I can call this Distanced Hurricane Version 2. What was repaired was not structure but uses of punctuation and whatever edits/fixes I missed in the past. Still not perfect, but I'm slowly getting stronger… I also gave the three part pilot series formerly called Chapter 0 a proper name suiting the situation. This time however, I'm gonna make sure ALL chapters (not just my very spoiled Chapter 0) get fixes and much needed edits.
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