The Antagonists Revealed
CHANSON DU SOLITARE
VI.
The words hit him like a bulldozer, and his mouth fell open at the news.
"P-p-pregnant?!" he stuttered, trying to grasp reality.
"Yes..." she said.
"You're kidding...right?"
"No, I'm not."
"Very well. I'm not going to leave you. Our child will have a full family if I have anything to say about it." He hugged her, as to prove the point.
"I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too," she replied.
The two looked at each other, and finally, Crystal spoke.
"We need to tell the others." she said.
"If they misunderstand," Takeru replied, "we must speak of the circumstances. I'll not have them think me a rapist."
"Wouldn't the 'circumstances' make me one?" Crystal asked.
"Not really. The circumstances can be justified by biological design."
They'd resolved that the others would be told the next dayâ�"well before the naked eye could detect the pregnancy. Preparing for such was nerve-wracking; what if they misunderstood? What if they thought he'd forced himself on her in a heat of passion? The irony of such a thought struck him then; in a way, that was the opposite of what had happened.
When the day had arrived, they were nervous, but determined. It had all been pre-determined as to how they'd tell; the rest was just fate.
"Umm...everyone?" Crystal began. "I...uh, have to tell everyone something."
"What?" Ash asked.
"I...um, I'm pregnant."
May wasn't surprised, as she'd known what had gone on; it was everyone else that freaked out.
"Um...I'm scared to ask, but who's the father?" Max stuttered.
"I," Takeru said.
That was what really set everyone off.
"Dear God! You...what the...you just violated her when she couldn't fight you? Iâ�"" Brock began.
"No!" Crystal exclaimed. "I...asked him to. In fact, the opposite of what you said is how it started."
"Mother of God, this is a shock," Ash exclaimed.
"Well...um...anyway, regardless of what everyone thinks, where I'm from, this is a perfectly acceptable practice. We've recently discovered 'plastic surgery', though, so it never happens, but it's perfectly fine if there's total understanding and consentâ�"which there is here." Takeru said. "Does anyone know where she can go to have the child?"
"Back home, there's a professor who could help." Ash said.
"Very well...if anyone wishes to accompany us, feel free." Takeru said.
After some debate, the group agreed to carry on together, however, Misty had left.
Meanwhile, the spy 'Viktor' had been observing the group. He reported back to Santiago in earnest.
"My Lord," he began, "I have been observing Takeru. The man is most...curious. A female Rukario carries his child. The Rukario seems to be an outcast of a local colony of her kind. I also observed the colony...they are most proud. I am sure the idea of one of their kind having a child with an outsider would provoke them to attack him. Then, if he survived, his grief would paralyze him, for surely his wife would be dead. We could easily kill him then."
Santiago thought a minute. His spy was certainly very intelligent.
"We'd have to stretch the truth, lie a little," Santiago began. "Call it a rape, or something to that degree. Explain she stays out of shame and fear...but yes, that is very well a plan worth making. Contact the colony's leader, arrange a meeting. I'll take it from there."
The group had arrived at the laboratory three days later.
"Prof. Oak!" Ash called out.
The aged Professor came out, and greeted the group like old friends, but did not recognize Crystal or Takeru.
"So," he began, "who're your friends?"
"This is Crystal," Ash said, "and Takeru. His vessel crash-landed in Hoenn, and we'd helped him to survive."
"Ah," Oak said, "so that explains the seismic activity over there. So...what brings you here?"
"Crystal's pregnant; can you help deliver the baby when it comes?"
"Certainly. Who's the father?"
"Takeru."
"As odd as that is, I don't need to know," the professor said. "Follow me."
He led them into a bedroom.
"I'm sure this will do, correct?"
"Of course, Professor. Thank you." Takeru said, bowing slightly.
"Um...Professor, is it OK if Yoshi stays here?" Crystal asked.
"Who?" he asked.
"Yoshi's my first name," Takeru explained.
"Um, sure, if he's OK with a sleeping bag."
"Of course," Takeru said.
Suddenly, Shigeru entered, Poké Ball in hand.
"I'm here to capture the Lucario," he said.
"You can't!" Max exclaimed.
"Hey, she's no-one else's."
He threw the ball into the air, but Takeru quickly whipped out his M9, and shot it, causing it to shatter in mid-air. He then calmly walked over to Shigeru, slammed him against the wall, holding him there by the collar, and put the gun to his forehead.
"If you ever make an attempt like that EVER again on my family, so help me, I will fucking kill you. Do you understand?!" he snarled.
"Y-y-yes, I understand! Don't shoot me!" Shigeru replied, frantically.
Takeru looked at Crystal, who mouthed out the words 'let him go'. He released Shigeru, who took off. Prof. Oak just ignored the incident out of pure shock.
Viktor arrived at the Rukariatsu Tribe's Colony. Immediately, ten Lucario captured the unarmed spy, and took him to Chieftain Malakar, who questioned the spy.
"Why were you trespassing on our land?" he asked.
"My master, Santiago III, heir to the Emperor's Throne, wishes to make a deal with you over a need to execute a common foe," Viktor said coolly. "I was sent to arrange a meeting. I apologize for trespassing, but my instincts told me that this would be the easiest, if not the only way to meet you."
Malakar then spoke in a booming voice.
"Why should we trust a human? Your kind have betrayed us time and time again. While your ability to communicate with us is impressive...I haven't a reason to trust you."
"My master," Viktor replied, "is no human, nor am I. We are Nyonians, a race foreign to this world...although our past could be traced here."
Malakar thought briefly, and then spoke.
"I will release you now to get your master. If you are not together when you come, we will not accept you, and attempting to force entry will be dealt with most...severely."
Viktor bowed deeply.
"Thank you, my lord."
The spy then departed to inform Santiago, who was eager to meet Malakar. At the meeting, Santiago, knowing a chieftain would desire such, brought a diamond the size of his fist as tribute, which he accepted.
"Now," Malakar said, "you wish to speak to me about the destruction of a common foe?"
"Yes," Santiago said. "There is a man named Yoshi Takeru. He is my nemesis, and for some time we have wanted to kill each other. Now...I believe nearly a half year ago, there was a defection from your people?"
"Yes," Malakar said. "A nameless. She was Unclean, for the Plague ravaged her."
"She still is of your kin by blood, and she has bred with my enemy."
Malakar dropped his staff in shock.
"You jest."
"No, sir. She bears his child."
"We must dispose of her. As to your enemy...a later time."
"Very well," Santiago said. "I leave in good faith we will be working together soon."
"We will," Malakar replied.
VI.
The words hit him like a bulldozer, and his mouth fell open at the news.
"P-p-pregnant?!" he stuttered, trying to grasp reality.
"Yes..." she said.
"You're kidding...right?"
"No, I'm not."
"Very well. I'm not going to leave you. Our child will have a full family if I have anything to say about it." He hugged her, as to prove the point.
"I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too," she replied.
The two looked at each other, and finally, Crystal spoke.
"We need to tell the others." she said.
"If they misunderstand," Takeru replied, "we must speak of the circumstances. I'll not have them think me a rapist."
"Wouldn't the 'circumstances' make me one?" Crystal asked.
"Not really. The circumstances can be justified by biological design."
They'd resolved that the others would be told the next dayâ�"well before the naked eye could detect the pregnancy. Preparing for such was nerve-wracking; what if they misunderstood? What if they thought he'd forced himself on her in a heat of passion? The irony of such a thought struck him then; in a way, that was the opposite of what had happened.
When the day had arrived, they were nervous, but determined. It had all been pre-determined as to how they'd tell; the rest was just fate.
"Umm...everyone?" Crystal began. "I...uh, have to tell everyone something."
"What?" Ash asked.
"I...um, I'm pregnant."
May wasn't surprised, as she'd known what had gone on; it was everyone else that freaked out.
"Um...I'm scared to ask, but who's the father?" Max stuttered.
"I," Takeru said.
That was what really set everyone off.
"Dear God! You...what the...you just violated her when she couldn't fight you? Iâ�"" Brock began.
"No!" Crystal exclaimed. "I...asked him to. In fact, the opposite of what you said is how it started."
"Mother of God, this is a shock," Ash exclaimed.
"Well...um...anyway, regardless of what everyone thinks, where I'm from, this is a perfectly acceptable practice. We've recently discovered 'plastic surgery', though, so it never happens, but it's perfectly fine if there's total understanding and consentâ�"which there is here." Takeru said. "Does anyone know where she can go to have the child?"
"Back home, there's a professor who could help." Ash said.
"Very well...if anyone wishes to accompany us, feel free." Takeru said.
After some debate, the group agreed to carry on together, however, Misty had left.
Meanwhile, the spy 'Viktor' had been observing the group. He reported back to Santiago in earnest.
"My Lord," he began, "I have been observing Takeru. The man is most...curious. A female Rukario carries his child. The Rukario seems to be an outcast of a local colony of her kind. I also observed the colony...they are most proud. I am sure the idea of one of their kind having a child with an outsider would provoke them to attack him. Then, if he survived, his grief would paralyze him, for surely his wife would be dead. We could easily kill him then."
Santiago thought a minute. His spy was certainly very intelligent.
"We'd have to stretch the truth, lie a little," Santiago began. "Call it a rape, or something to that degree. Explain she stays out of shame and fear...but yes, that is very well a plan worth making. Contact the colony's leader, arrange a meeting. I'll take it from there."
The group had arrived at the laboratory three days later.
"Prof. Oak!" Ash called out.
The aged Professor came out, and greeted the group like old friends, but did not recognize Crystal or Takeru.
"So," he began, "who're your friends?"
"This is Crystal," Ash said, "and Takeru. His vessel crash-landed in Hoenn, and we'd helped him to survive."
"Ah," Oak said, "so that explains the seismic activity over there. So...what brings you here?"
"Crystal's pregnant; can you help deliver the baby when it comes?"
"Certainly. Who's the father?"
"Takeru."
"As odd as that is, I don't need to know," the professor said. "Follow me."
He led them into a bedroom.
"I'm sure this will do, correct?"
"Of course, Professor. Thank you." Takeru said, bowing slightly.
"Um...Professor, is it OK if Yoshi stays here?" Crystal asked.
"Who?" he asked.
"Yoshi's my first name," Takeru explained.
"Um, sure, if he's OK with a sleeping bag."
"Of course," Takeru said.
Suddenly, Shigeru entered, Poké Ball in hand.
"I'm here to capture the Lucario," he said.
"You can't!" Max exclaimed.
"Hey, she's no-one else's."
He threw the ball into the air, but Takeru quickly whipped out his M9, and shot it, causing it to shatter in mid-air. He then calmly walked over to Shigeru, slammed him against the wall, holding him there by the collar, and put the gun to his forehead.
"If you ever make an attempt like that EVER again on my family, so help me, I will fucking kill you. Do you understand?!" he snarled.
"Y-y-yes, I understand! Don't shoot me!" Shigeru replied, frantically.
Takeru looked at Crystal, who mouthed out the words 'let him go'. He released Shigeru, who took off. Prof. Oak just ignored the incident out of pure shock.
Viktor arrived at the Rukariatsu Tribe's Colony. Immediately, ten Lucario captured the unarmed spy, and took him to Chieftain Malakar, who questioned the spy.
"Why were you trespassing on our land?" he asked.
"My master, Santiago III, heir to the Emperor's Throne, wishes to make a deal with you over a need to execute a common foe," Viktor said coolly. "I was sent to arrange a meeting. I apologize for trespassing, but my instincts told me that this would be the easiest, if not the only way to meet you."
Malakar then spoke in a booming voice.
"Why should we trust a human? Your kind have betrayed us time and time again. While your ability to communicate with us is impressive...I haven't a reason to trust you."
"My master," Viktor replied, "is no human, nor am I. We are Nyonians, a race foreign to this world...although our past could be traced here."
Malakar thought briefly, and then spoke.
"I will release you now to get your master. If you are not together when you come, we will not accept you, and attempting to force entry will be dealt with most...severely."
Viktor bowed deeply.
"Thank you, my lord."
The spy then departed to inform Santiago, who was eager to meet Malakar. At the meeting, Santiago, knowing a chieftain would desire such, brought a diamond the size of his fist as tribute, which he accepted.
"Now," Malakar said, "you wish to speak to me about the destruction of a common foe?"
"Yes," Santiago said. "There is a man named Yoshi Takeru. He is my nemesis, and for some time we have wanted to kill each other. Now...I believe nearly a half year ago, there was a defection from your people?"
"Yes," Malakar said. "A nameless. She was Unclean, for the Plague ravaged her."
"She still is of your kin by blood, and she has bred with my enemy."
Malakar dropped his staff in shock.
"You jest."
"No, sir. She bears his child."
"We must dispose of her. As to your enemy...a later time."
"Very well," Santiago said. "I leave in good faith we will be working together soon."
"We will," Malakar replied.