Story Notes:
Ah yes I'm pretty excited about this one. I tried to emulate the style of my favorite story here on AGNPH. (Pokemon Lover Studios) But that quickly changed as I turned it into my own style, sort of. In order to acheive this story, I read over my four favorite stories a few times to gather information on how they write n' such. (Those four being #1 Pokemon Lover Studios by Sigmaweapon, #2 Lazuli Island by Matt and Pokegirl, #3 Coordination by Yarid, and #4 The Breeder by Vidmaster. None of which have updated in the past forever, I have a theory behind that though. Sigmaweapon was taking a walk and got hit by a car and died. Matt and Pokegirl, who were driving the car, fled to cuba so they wouldnt get arrested, and now they have no internet. Yarid, who was Sigmaweapon's best friend went to tell the police but Vidmaster killed him and now he's in cuba too so he wont get arrested.)Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.
Suspicion
Sceptile could hear very little as she awoke. Only the faint sound of pidgey chirping outside, and light breathing near her ear. Before she even turned, she knew just who it was: Will resting at the side of the bed.
This room, she had never been in. But she easily recognized it as a cozy hospital room. Emotionless, she went to sit up, expecting pain, but none came. She felt as good as ever, maybe even better. She had no visible scratches or scars as far as she could tell. Whoever fixed her up did an excellent job.
Moments after she finished examining herself, Sceptile heard a yawn. Will was waking up, perfect. As he rubbed the crust from his eyes, he had stop and stare. For a moment, he couldn't believe his eyes. "Gro- Scep...you're awake!" A wide smile spread across his face as the days of worry were finally over. "Y-you've been out for like four days. I thought- you just-" He laughed and sighed in relief. "Thought you would never wake up. Are you okay? Any pain anywhere? Need something to drink?"
Will laughed and joked for a time, but he soon realized Sceptile wasn't laughing with him. Her face was as emotionless as before, and soon after, angry.
"H-hey don't give me that look. Everything's okay now. I got that broken window fixed and I even got police to catch the pokemon that did it. It was a stray mightyena, someone's lost pet. He may have had rabies or something, not sure. I don't know exactly what they're doing with it, but he won't be hurting anybody any time soon."
Despite Will's upbeat attitude, Sceptile's expression remained the same.
"Really, what's with the look? You're still mad about the-"
"So who was she?"
"...Who was who?..."
"You know, I was beginning to think you weren't into pokemon, that you were 'normal.' I mean, it would have explained so much. Why you were avoiding me, why you were acting so dumb. I just thought you were into humans. It made perfect sense. But then you go out and have sex with another pokemon?!"
"Sex with a pokemon? That's ridiculo-"
"I could smell it, Will! All over your breath. You didn't just lick her, you buried your face in there! You ate her out like there was no tomorrow! The scent in your mouth was so strong it almost made me gag. You can't weasel your way out of this. Who was it?"
Fffffffffuck.
Will sat dumbfounded as he tried to figure out what to do. Never had he been so clueless in his life. What could he say? What could he possibly do? Nothing, as far as he could tell.
After a minute of staring and failing to form a word, Sceptile knew she had Will. But the knowledge didn't make her as happy as she expected. "Go on. Who was she? How long has this been going on? Where was it?"
Biting his lip, Will struggled to come up with an answer. "I'm...not allowed to say..." Not a second later, Sceptile grabbed him by the neck. "B-but I'll tell you what I can!"
She gave Will a stern, somewhat suspicious look before releasing him. "If I hear anything, anything I think is a lie, I'll rip your throat out. Understand?"
Noting the overly serious look on Sceptile's face, Will nodded and agreed. Taking a quick glance around the room, he didn't notice any cameras, which was perfect. He closed the door, wedged a chair under the knob, and closed the window and blinds. Once finished, he sat back down next to Sceptile as he prepared for the worst.
"I think I should start from the beginning. I doubt you'll believe any of this."
"Try me."
Will took a deep breath before starting. "I work for...a secret organization, whose base of operations lies three miles under the city." He looked to Sceptile for approval. A firm nod told him it was okay to go on. "It's our job, well my job to...get rid of antipokephiliacs so we can-"
"So you work for The Club then."
"Yeah..." Will wasn't surprised she knew of it. Most people and pokemon had at least heard the rumor.
"And what does that have to do with this pokemon you had sex with?"
"Ah, well...it was there that it happened..."
"So you work with her?"
"No. There's more than what you think down there. It's not just a workplace, there's a whole city...underground. And hundreds of thousands of people live there. I know it's hard to believe but-"
"So who was she then?"
"Just a friend. I have a lot of friends down there."
"...That bite mark on your neck, was that from one of your 'friends' too?"
"Yeah..."
"Tell me about her."
"Why do you want to know?" After receiving an angry glare, Will conceded. "We were..."
"Having sex."
"Yeah...and she..."
"Bit you, why?"
"She likes to roughhouse, and she just...got a little into it, that's all."
"'Got a little into it?' That's a huge bite mark. A pokemon that big could have bitten your head off! And you're still friends with this woman? What about this other pokemon, how big was she?! Big enough to crush you under her weight? Big enough to break your arm and not even notice it?"
"She was about your size...before you evolved..."
Sceptile stopped and stared for a moment. The guilty look on Will's face was unnerving. "Will...who was she?"
"I told you, a frie-"
"Will! You know what I meant. Who was she?"
Will knew this moment was coming. Try as he might to stall, there was nothing he could do to avoid it. Nowhere to run, no lie he could tell. He had to say it. "A grovyle." He couldn't even look at sceptile's face as he spoke. Too afraid to look her in the eye, Will looked toward the ground as he waited for his throat to be ripped out.
Unexpectedly, Sceptile broke the silence with another question. Just when Will thought things couldn't get worse, Sceptile asked the only other question he was afraid to answer. "How long have you known her..."
"I had just met her..."
From the corner of his eye, Will could see Sceptile's hand clench her blanket. "You...just met her? That day?"
"Yes." Still unable to look at Sceptile's face, Will could only imagine the look she was giving to him.
"You just met her." Sceptile repeated out loud. "Unbelievable...Unbelievable! What...just what were you thinking? I just can't understand it. Why would you- how could you-" Sceptile struggled to find the words she was looking for. She could think through sheer shock and disbelief. She stammered on for minutes as she continued to try and work things out, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't make sense of it all. In the end, she could only ask one thing. "Why? Will, Why?"
Will choked back his tears as he heard the pain in Sceptile's voice. As much as he prayed for any kind of backup whatsoever, no help was coming, and he had no answer for Sceptile. "I don't know..."
"Why don't you know!?"
Poised with yet another question he couldn't answer, Will remained silent. There was nothing more to say.
"Nothing? No reason? No excuse? No lie? Anything?!" After receiving nothing but the silent treatment, Sceptile sighed and shook her head. She wasn't sure what to feel as she stared at Will, his head still hung in shame. "You're unbelievable..." With all that she had learned, there was only one more thing she was curious about. "Show me, this city. "
Finally able to raise his head, Will gave one last dejected look before reaching into his pocket. Whipping out a familiar phone, he pressed a single button and put it to his ear. "Yeah, it's me...Yeah, I'm handling it now. I need you to arrange something for me."
The trip to the club was uncomfortable to say the least. Both Will and Sceptile spent the almost entire time looking in opposite directions. The silence made the situation feel even worse.
At every turn, Will stole a glance at Sceptile's face, but no matter how many times he looked, her indifferent expression remained the same. She looked uninterested as she and Will rode elevator that lead three miles into the earth, and that didn't change as she rode the long, underground railroad toward Eminence. It was nothing like how Will had planned their first trip together. What he predicted would be a joyous occasion was now a nervous journey through a dark tunnel, filled with worry and regret.
After a longer than normal train ride, they passed the threshold of the tunnel into the bright open skies of Eminence. It was a sight not even Will had seen before. The tracks passed by the green meadows just outside of town. Will had never been to this side of the city before, let alone explore its outskirts. The looming backdrop of the city in front of the wide open plains were awe-inspiring, at least they should have been. Another quick glance at Sceptile showed she was thoroughly unimpressed. What little hope Will had was gone. He still clung to the vain hope that Sceptile would forgive him, somehow.
The two of them traveled by car - arranged by Salem - through the inner city, another area Will rarely visited. It was known by most as the area where the rich stayed, and it showed. Ritzy as Eminence was, the inner city struck Will as a bit more"classy" than normal. On average there were more people in business attire and the occasional limo which couldn't be seen anywhere else in the city. There were also more cars, but less traffic due to widened roads and an abundance of side streets.
But there was only one reason Salem had picked the inner city: It and its suburbs were known to have the nicest houses and apartments.
Will's chauffeur parked in the driveway of a fancy-looking white house, on a street not too different than Will's. It was a modest, ranch house, built for one or two people at the most. Its grass was freshly cut, and its white fence was built low - common in most residential areas of Eminence. Complete with its own, tall oak tree, it was a perfect little home.
The chauffeur tossed Will a set of keys, and with a wave and a smile, he drove off, leaving Will and Sceptile to themselves. The air around them still as tense as ever, they entered the house. Little exploring was done by Will. He only followed Sceptile as she eyed the posh interior of the house with little interest. It was surprising how similar it was to their old home, only well furnished and decorated. It was all Salem's work. A similar environment, a similar house, all were things supposed to make Sceptile's transition a comfortable one. Though in her state of mind, she couldn't care less.
Their journey ended in the bedroom. Twice as large as Will's, the room had a cozy atmosphere. The open blinds let great amounts of natural light inside, giving the light green walls a hazy glow. The bedspread was of a similar color, coupled with white pillows and sheets. The dressers and desks followed suit. They weren't something a pokemon would need, but they came standard with most houses. Outside of the window, toward the backyard, there was even see a personal garden, no doubt another arrangement on Salem's part. It was a perfect home. Sceptile would no doubt be happy there, at least Will hoped.
"This should be 'safe' enough." This time, Sceptile was the one to close the blinds, and the door. "Tell me everything. From the beginning."
"...Only if you promise never to tell anyone else."
Sceptile nodded and Will pulled up a chair. Somewhat reluctantly, he started at the beginning. His first meeting with Byron, his first steps into the club, his first encounter with the never-ending orgy, and his first time with a pokemon. He reminisced about his first meeting with Salem, and tried his best to skip over the subsequent sex. Sceptile could his nervousness as he spoke so she continued to push him until he spilled just about every last detail, about every last pokemon. Maria the typhlosion, Carmen the tyranitar, the three lucarios who never told Will their names, Katrina the arbok, the nameless blaziken, Kelly the swampert, Cara the lopunny, that luxray and absol pair. Will surprised even himself with how many of their names he remembered. Whenever he could, he would leave out a detail or two to preserve what little of an image he had left in Sceptile's eyes, like the fact that Cheri was wearing a lewd outfit their first time together, or that he went searching for serpent pokemon after the arbok encounter, just because he secretly enjoyed the feeling of being coiled up.
The longer he went on, the less he could hide his perverted nature. All the sex left little time to explain the fundamental question of why he did it, but he snuck an explanation in whenever he could. Try as he might to change the subject, Sceptile would always force him back to perverted talk. It was almost as if she liked watching him nervously squirm.
It was a long story, and Sceptile listened, never looking away, never letting her mind wander. She remained interested throughout, always making sure to stare into Will's eyes and make sure he wasn't lying. And as she listened intently, Will continued to explain everything right down to the power of his eyes, and all instances of their use.
When all was said and done, it took a little over an hour to explain everything, even with Will skipping over parts when he could - which wasn't very often.
For a time after Will finished, Sceptile simply stared at him as she tried to work out the details in her head. " So, 'you were scared' is your excuse?"
"Well...yeah..."
"Scared of what I'd think of you?"
Will nodded. He wasn't surprised she came to that conclusion, even with the details she didn't let him say.
Sighing to herself, Sceptile leaned against the headboard of her new bed. She turned completely away, not even looking in Will's general direction as she spoke. "I get it." She said quietly. "I understand, I guess. You're a pervert, a good-for-nothing pervert. And I see how you got that way. I get it, but still, you put me through hell, Will. Do you know how lonely it gets in that house? For years I've been waiting. Just waiting for you to open up to me. I've even had fantasies about you." She chuckled momentarily, but her serious demeanor returned within seconds. "But when you finally come out and say it, you bring all of this with you. I don't mind you lying about your secret life here, to an extent, I kind of understand why you did.. But I do mind the torture you've put me through."
Will knew what was coming and there was no way to stop it. Putting on his toughest face, he failed to hide the fact that he was on the verge of tears.
"If you're so much of a coward that you'd let something like this happen to the one you love, then you're just...a terrible person. And I can't imagine spending the next minute with you, let alone the rest of my life. I don't hate you, Will, but I just don't want to see you, not for a long, long time. I hope you underst-"
She heard the door close before she finished.
He managed not to cry, somehow. It didn't make him feel any better, not in the slightest. Sitting at the end of a fairly deserted bar somewhere in downtown Eminence, Will laid his head on the bar after downing his seventh shot that night.
"Barkeep, another shot. The pain's not gone yet..."
"Bar's closing. You've had enough anyway."
"I'll have had enough when I can't feel my legs anymore."
"If you're trying to drink your troubles away-"
"NOPE! Not taking a lecture from a bartender." Hopping off his stool, Will clumsily made for the door. "I'll get drunk on my own, thank you very much."
Shaking his head as Will's slurred speech, the bartender simply watched as Will stumbled out of the door.
"Idiot."
It was a cold night, but Will could barely feel the temperature in his partially drunken stupor. His only goal was to find a twenty-four hour liquor store. A lot harder than it sounded when all he could see were blurred neon lights. Still as wobbly as ever, Will made his way down the middle of the street. Staggering to and fro, he groaned as he passed nightclub after nightclub, various late night restaurants, and every other place imaginable that didn't sell bottles of alcohol.
Figures, the one time I really need them...
He walked until his feet hurt. How far, he couldn't tell. Time seemed to be lost to him. However long it was, it was too long as he could begin to feel himself sober up. Tired and annoyed, he staggered into a nearby alley.
Half-drunk, depressed, and alone, Will groaned as he slid down the dirty, brick wall.
Maybe I should just stay here forever. A dark alleyway is just where I belong.
"I thought I might find you here."
The voice was familiar, but it couldn't be who Will thought it was. That was impossible.
"Must be more drunk than I thought."
"Afraid not, Will."
Will was certain he heard it this time. Turning his head only slightly, he confirmed his suspicion. "Salem? You're...outside?! But wh-"
"Because we need to talk, and I doubt you could have made it to my office in your condition."
Will's expression quickly turned hostile. "I have nothing to say to you."
"You're angry at me because?"
"You knew this would happen because you made do it, and now she's gone. You made me tell her and now she hates me!"
"She doesn't hate you, Will. She even said so herself."
"Yes she does." Will said through a broken voice. "Yes she does. She has no reason not to. Not after everything I did."
"Don't be so melodramatic. It's not as if she never wants to see you again, and it's certainly not the end of the world."
"It's the end of mine, and it's your fault."
" You and I both know you would have to tell her eventually. If left up to you, you would have waited and waited until she found out herself. At that point, it would have all been over. I gave you a fighting chance. The odds of her forgiving you were low, but they were there."
"But I-I could have-"
"No, you couldn't."
"But...but I-"
"There was nothing you could do."
"Maybe-"
"There was no other way, Will."
"I would have found a way, I would have-"
"No you wouldn't!"
Will's jaw dropped. Salem had never so much as raised his voice, let alone shouted.
"You need to grow up and stop living in that fantasy world of yours. If you can't learn to cope, then you might as well stay in this gutter."
"Great, now you're going to lecture me too?"
Grabbing Will by the collar, Salem dragged him to his feet. "What'll you do then, Will? Curl into a ball and die? Turn into a drunkard? Anything to make to pain go away, am I right? Of course I am. Do you want to know what's funny? They've won. They've beaten you."
"Who?"
"Why, the antipokephiliacs of course. And now look at you, drunk, depressed, alone in an alleyway. A broken man with nothing left to live for."
"How is it their fault?! They aren't the ones who-"
"Who is it who forced you hide your feelings in the first place?! Who was it who forced you into down here with the rest of us? Who's really to blame? Me for trying to give you a chance? Or them?"
Will looked away, the anger on his face less pronounced, but still there. After he had calmed down, Salem let go of his collar.
"I can see it in your eyes, Will, all that sadness and rage. It's so nostalgic. Trust me when I say I know what you're going through. I know it all too well. You know exactly what I mean, don't you? Tera's told you the story. Do you think I quit when times got tough? No, I got smarter. I learned, trained, dedicated myself to a cause. Focused my rage on my enemy. And now I fight, just like you, Will. All that aggression, all that anger, focus it. Use it. I'll show you how. What do you say?"
Salem's words were uncanny. As long as Will had known him, he had heard similar speeches, but this one seemed unnatural, and somewhat frightening. But as scared as he was, something just wasn't right. "Salem...did you...plan this?"
"Let's go. We're at least two ops behind schedule."
Salem didn't glance backwards as he walked to the end of the alley.
"What do I do about-"
"There are plenty of other fish in the sea, Will. Now let's go. We have a lot of work to do."
Narrowing his eyes, Will watched as Salem stepped farther and farther down the alley. With a great deal of reluctance, Will followed, now a little less trusting of his so-called friend.Chapter End Notes:Not as epic an ending as I'd hoped, but I lack the skill to do much better.
Btw, my birthday's coming up on the 21st. Guess how old I'll be, 21 of course. I'm looking forward to writing myself a birthday present. :) It'll be too weird post here...
Read, review, or enjoy...sorry
This room, she had never been in. But she easily recognized it as a cozy hospital room. Emotionless, she went to sit up, expecting pain, but none came. She felt as good as ever, maybe even better. She had no visible scratches or scars as far as she could tell. Whoever fixed her up did an excellent job.
Moments after she finished examining herself, Sceptile heard a yawn. Will was waking up, perfect. As he rubbed the crust from his eyes, he had stop and stare. For a moment, he couldn't believe his eyes. "Gro- Scep...you're awake!" A wide smile spread across his face as the days of worry were finally over. "Y-you've been out for like four days. I thought- you just-" He laughed and sighed in relief. "Thought you would never wake up. Are you okay? Any pain anywhere? Need something to drink?"
Will laughed and joked for a time, but he soon realized Sceptile wasn't laughing with him. Her face was as emotionless as before, and soon after, angry.
"H-hey don't give me that look. Everything's okay now. I got that broken window fixed and I even got police to catch the pokemon that did it. It was a stray mightyena, someone's lost pet. He may have had rabies or something, not sure. I don't know exactly what they're doing with it, but he won't be hurting anybody any time soon."
Despite Will's upbeat attitude, Sceptile's expression remained the same.
"Really, what's with the look? You're still mad about the-"
"So who was she?"
"...Who was who?..."
"You know, I was beginning to think you weren't into pokemon, that you were 'normal.' I mean, it would have explained so much. Why you were avoiding me, why you were acting so dumb. I just thought you were into humans. It made perfect sense. But then you go out and have sex with another pokemon?!"
"Sex with a pokemon? That's ridiculo-"
"I could smell it, Will! All over your breath. You didn't just lick her, you buried your face in there! You ate her out like there was no tomorrow! The scent in your mouth was so strong it almost made me gag. You can't weasel your way out of this. Who was it?"
Fffffffffuck.
Will sat dumbfounded as he tried to figure out what to do. Never had he been so clueless in his life. What could he say? What could he possibly do? Nothing, as far as he could tell.
After a minute of staring and failing to form a word, Sceptile knew she had Will. But the knowledge didn't make her as happy as she expected. "Go on. Who was she? How long has this been going on? Where was it?"
Biting his lip, Will struggled to come up with an answer. "I'm...not allowed to say..." Not a second later, Sceptile grabbed him by the neck. "B-but I'll tell you what I can!"
She gave Will a stern, somewhat suspicious look before releasing him. "If I hear anything, anything I think is a lie, I'll rip your throat out. Understand?"
Noting the overly serious look on Sceptile's face, Will nodded and agreed. Taking a quick glance around the room, he didn't notice any cameras, which was perfect. He closed the door, wedged a chair under the knob, and closed the window and blinds. Once finished, he sat back down next to Sceptile as he prepared for the worst.
"I think I should start from the beginning. I doubt you'll believe any of this."
"Try me."
Will took a deep breath before starting. "I work for...a secret organization, whose base of operations lies three miles under the city." He looked to Sceptile for approval. A firm nod told him it was okay to go on. "It's our job, well my job to...get rid of antipokephiliacs so we can-"
"So you work for The Club then."
"Yeah..." Will wasn't surprised she knew of it. Most people and pokemon had at least heard the rumor.
"And what does that have to do with this pokemon you had sex with?"
"Ah, well...it was there that it happened..."
"So you work with her?"
"No. There's more than what you think down there. It's not just a workplace, there's a whole city...underground. And hundreds of thousands of people live there. I know it's hard to believe but-"
"So who was she then?"
"Just a friend. I have a lot of friends down there."
"...That bite mark on your neck, was that from one of your 'friends' too?"
"Yeah..."
"Tell me about her."
"Why do you want to know?" After receiving an angry glare, Will conceded. "We were..."
"Having sex."
"Yeah...and she..."
"Bit you, why?"
"She likes to roughhouse, and she just...got a little into it, that's all."
"'Got a little into it?' That's a huge bite mark. A pokemon that big could have bitten your head off! And you're still friends with this woman? What about this other pokemon, how big was she?! Big enough to crush you under her weight? Big enough to break your arm and not even notice it?"
"She was about your size...before you evolved..."
Sceptile stopped and stared for a moment. The guilty look on Will's face was unnerving. "Will...who was she?"
"I told you, a frie-"
"Will! You know what I meant. Who was she?"
Will knew this moment was coming. Try as he might to stall, there was nothing he could do to avoid it. Nowhere to run, no lie he could tell. He had to say it. "A grovyle." He couldn't even look at sceptile's face as he spoke. Too afraid to look her in the eye, Will looked toward the ground as he waited for his throat to be ripped out.
Unexpectedly, Sceptile broke the silence with another question. Just when Will thought things couldn't get worse, Sceptile asked the only other question he was afraid to answer. "How long have you known her..."
"I had just met her..."
From the corner of his eye, Will could see Sceptile's hand clench her blanket. "You...just met her? That day?"
"Yes." Still unable to look at Sceptile's face, Will could only imagine the look she was giving to him.
"You just met her." Sceptile repeated out loud. "Unbelievable...Unbelievable! What...just what were you thinking? I just can't understand it. Why would you- how could you-" Sceptile struggled to find the words she was looking for. She could think through sheer shock and disbelief. She stammered on for minutes as she continued to try and work things out, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't make sense of it all. In the end, she could only ask one thing. "Why? Will, Why?"
Will choked back his tears as he heard the pain in Sceptile's voice. As much as he prayed for any kind of backup whatsoever, no help was coming, and he had no answer for Sceptile. "I don't know..."
"Why don't you know!?"
Poised with yet another question he couldn't answer, Will remained silent. There was nothing more to say.
"Nothing? No reason? No excuse? No lie? Anything?!" After receiving nothing but the silent treatment, Sceptile sighed and shook her head. She wasn't sure what to feel as she stared at Will, his head still hung in shame. "You're unbelievable..." With all that she had learned, there was only one more thing she was curious about. "Show me, this city. "
Finally able to raise his head, Will gave one last dejected look before reaching into his pocket. Whipping out a familiar phone, he pressed a single button and put it to his ear. "Yeah, it's me...Yeah, I'm handling it now. I need you to arrange something for me."
The trip to the club was uncomfortable to say the least. Both Will and Sceptile spent the almost entire time looking in opposite directions. The silence made the situation feel even worse.
At every turn, Will stole a glance at Sceptile's face, but no matter how many times he looked, her indifferent expression remained the same. She looked uninterested as she and Will rode elevator that lead three miles into the earth, and that didn't change as she rode the long, underground railroad toward Eminence. It was nothing like how Will had planned their first trip together. What he predicted would be a joyous occasion was now a nervous journey through a dark tunnel, filled with worry and regret.
After a longer than normal train ride, they passed the threshold of the tunnel into the bright open skies of Eminence. It was a sight not even Will had seen before. The tracks passed by the green meadows just outside of town. Will had never been to this side of the city before, let alone explore its outskirts. The looming backdrop of the city in front of the wide open plains were awe-inspiring, at least they should have been. Another quick glance at Sceptile showed she was thoroughly unimpressed. What little hope Will had was gone. He still clung to the vain hope that Sceptile would forgive him, somehow.
The two of them traveled by car - arranged by Salem - through the inner city, another area Will rarely visited. It was known by most as the area where the rich stayed, and it showed. Ritzy as Eminence was, the inner city struck Will as a bit more"classy" than normal. On average there were more people in business attire and the occasional limo which couldn't be seen anywhere else in the city. There were also more cars, but less traffic due to widened roads and an abundance of side streets.
But there was only one reason Salem had picked the inner city: It and its suburbs were known to have the nicest houses and apartments.
Will's chauffeur parked in the driveway of a fancy-looking white house, on a street not too different than Will's. It was a modest, ranch house, built for one or two people at the most. Its grass was freshly cut, and its white fence was built low - common in most residential areas of Eminence. Complete with its own, tall oak tree, it was a perfect little home.
The chauffeur tossed Will a set of keys, and with a wave and a smile, he drove off, leaving Will and Sceptile to themselves. The air around them still as tense as ever, they entered the house. Little exploring was done by Will. He only followed Sceptile as she eyed the posh interior of the house with little interest. It was surprising how similar it was to their old home, only well furnished and decorated. It was all Salem's work. A similar environment, a similar house, all were things supposed to make Sceptile's transition a comfortable one. Though in her state of mind, she couldn't care less.
Their journey ended in the bedroom. Twice as large as Will's, the room had a cozy atmosphere. The open blinds let great amounts of natural light inside, giving the light green walls a hazy glow. The bedspread was of a similar color, coupled with white pillows and sheets. The dressers and desks followed suit. They weren't something a pokemon would need, but they came standard with most houses. Outside of the window, toward the backyard, there was even see a personal garden, no doubt another arrangement on Salem's part. It was a perfect home. Sceptile would no doubt be happy there, at least Will hoped.
"This should be 'safe' enough." This time, Sceptile was the one to close the blinds, and the door. "Tell me everything. From the beginning."
"...Only if you promise never to tell anyone else."
Sceptile nodded and Will pulled up a chair. Somewhat reluctantly, he started at the beginning. His first meeting with Byron, his first steps into the club, his first encounter with the never-ending orgy, and his first time with a pokemon. He reminisced about his first meeting with Salem, and tried his best to skip over the subsequent sex. Sceptile could his nervousness as he spoke so she continued to push him until he spilled just about every last detail, about every last pokemon. Maria the typhlosion, Carmen the tyranitar, the three lucarios who never told Will their names, Katrina the arbok, the nameless blaziken, Kelly the swampert, Cara the lopunny, that luxray and absol pair. Will surprised even himself with how many of their names he remembered. Whenever he could, he would leave out a detail or two to preserve what little of an image he had left in Sceptile's eyes, like the fact that Cheri was wearing a lewd outfit their first time together, or that he went searching for serpent pokemon after the arbok encounter, just because he secretly enjoyed the feeling of being coiled up.
The longer he went on, the less he could hide his perverted nature. All the sex left little time to explain the fundamental question of why he did it, but he snuck an explanation in whenever he could. Try as he might to change the subject, Sceptile would always force him back to perverted talk. It was almost as if she liked watching him nervously squirm.
It was a long story, and Sceptile listened, never looking away, never letting her mind wander. She remained interested throughout, always making sure to stare into Will's eyes and make sure he wasn't lying. And as she listened intently, Will continued to explain everything right down to the power of his eyes, and all instances of their use.
When all was said and done, it took a little over an hour to explain everything, even with Will skipping over parts when he could - which wasn't very often.
For a time after Will finished, Sceptile simply stared at him as she tried to work out the details in her head. " So, 'you were scared' is your excuse?"
"Well...yeah..."
"Scared of what I'd think of you?"
Will nodded. He wasn't surprised she came to that conclusion, even with the details she didn't let him say.
Sighing to herself, Sceptile leaned against the headboard of her new bed. She turned completely away, not even looking in Will's general direction as she spoke. "I get it." She said quietly. "I understand, I guess. You're a pervert, a good-for-nothing pervert. And I see how you got that way. I get it, but still, you put me through hell, Will. Do you know how lonely it gets in that house? For years I've been waiting. Just waiting for you to open up to me. I've even had fantasies about you." She chuckled momentarily, but her serious demeanor returned within seconds. "But when you finally come out and say it, you bring all of this with you. I don't mind you lying about your secret life here, to an extent, I kind of understand why you did.. But I do mind the torture you've put me through."
Will knew what was coming and there was no way to stop it. Putting on his toughest face, he failed to hide the fact that he was on the verge of tears.
"If you're so much of a coward that you'd let something like this happen to the one you love, then you're just...a terrible person. And I can't imagine spending the next minute with you, let alone the rest of my life. I don't hate you, Will, but I just don't want to see you, not for a long, long time. I hope you underst-"
She heard the door close before she finished.
He managed not to cry, somehow. It didn't make him feel any better, not in the slightest. Sitting at the end of a fairly deserted bar somewhere in downtown Eminence, Will laid his head on the bar after downing his seventh shot that night.
"Barkeep, another shot. The pain's not gone yet..."
"Bar's closing. You've had enough anyway."
"I'll have had enough when I can't feel my legs anymore."
"If you're trying to drink your troubles away-"
"NOPE! Not taking a lecture from a bartender." Hopping off his stool, Will clumsily made for the door. "I'll get drunk on my own, thank you very much."
Shaking his head as Will's slurred speech, the bartender simply watched as Will stumbled out of the door.
"Idiot."
It was a cold night, but Will could barely feel the temperature in his partially drunken stupor. His only goal was to find a twenty-four hour liquor store. A lot harder than it sounded when all he could see were blurred neon lights. Still as wobbly as ever, Will made his way down the middle of the street. Staggering to and fro, he groaned as he passed nightclub after nightclub, various late night restaurants, and every other place imaginable that didn't sell bottles of alcohol.
Figures, the one time I really need them...
He walked until his feet hurt. How far, he couldn't tell. Time seemed to be lost to him. However long it was, it was too long as he could begin to feel himself sober up. Tired and annoyed, he staggered into a nearby alley.
Half-drunk, depressed, and alone, Will groaned as he slid down the dirty, brick wall.
Maybe I should just stay here forever. A dark alleyway is just where I belong.
"I thought I might find you here."
The voice was familiar, but it couldn't be who Will thought it was. That was impossible.
"Must be more drunk than I thought."
"Afraid not, Will."
Will was certain he heard it this time. Turning his head only slightly, he confirmed his suspicion. "Salem? You're...outside?! But wh-"
"Because we need to talk, and I doubt you could have made it to my office in your condition."
Will's expression quickly turned hostile. "I have nothing to say to you."
"You're angry at me because?"
"You knew this would happen because you made do it, and now she's gone. You made me tell her and now she hates me!"
"She doesn't hate you, Will. She even said so herself."
"Yes she does." Will said through a broken voice. "Yes she does. She has no reason not to. Not after everything I did."
"Don't be so melodramatic. It's not as if she never wants to see you again, and it's certainly not the end of the world."
"It's the end of mine, and it's your fault."
" You and I both know you would have to tell her eventually. If left up to you, you would have waited and waited until she found out herself. At that point, it would have all been over. I gave you a fighting chance. The odds of her forgiving you were low, but they were there."
"But I-I could have-"
"No, you couldn't."
"But...but I-"
"There was nothing you could do."
"Maybe-"
"There was no other way, Will."
"I would have found a way, I would have-"
"No you wouldn't!"
Will's jaw dropped. Salem had never so much as raised his voice, let alone shouted.
"You need to grow up and stop living in that fantasy world of yours. If you can't learn to cope, then you might as well stay in this gutter."
"Great, now you're going to lecture me too?"
Grabbing Will by the collar, Salem dragged him to his feet. "What'll you do then, Will? Curl into a ball and die? Turn into a drunkard? Anything to make to pain go away, am I right? Of course I am. Do you want to know what's funny? They've won. They've beaten you."
"Who?"
"Why, the antipokephiliacs of course. And now look at you, drunk, depressed, alone in an alleyway. A broken man with nothing left to live for."
"How is it their fault?! They aren't the ones who-"
"Who is it who forced you hide your feelings in the first place?! Who was it who forced you into down here with the rest of us? Who's really to blame? Me for trying to give you a chance? Or them?"
Will looked away, the anger on his face less pronounced, but still there. After he had calmed down, Salem let go of his collar.
"I can see it in your eyes, Will, all that sadness and rage. It's so nostalgic. Trust me when I say I know what you're going through. I know it all too well. You know exactly what I mean, don't you? Tera's told you the story. Do you think I quit when times got tough? No, I got smarter. I learned, trained, dedicated myself to a cause. Focused my rage on my enemy. And now I fight, just like you, Will. All that aggression, all that anger, focus it. Use it. I'll show you how. What do you say?"
Salem's words were uncanny. As long as Will had known him, he had heard similar speeches, but this one seemed unnatural, and somewhat frightening. But as scared as he was, something just wasn't right. "Salem...did you...plan this?"
"Let's go. We're at least two ops behind schedule."
Salem didn't glance backwards as he walked to the end of the alley.
"What do I do about-"
"There are plenty of other fish in the sea, Will. Now let's go. We have a lot of work to do."
Narrowing his eyes, Will watched as Salem stepped farther and farther down the alley. With a great deal of reluctance, Will followed, now a little less trusting of his so-called friend.Chapter End Notes:Not as epic an ending as I'd hoped, but I lack the skill to do much better.
Btw, my birthday's coming up on the 21st. Guess how old I'll be, 21 of course. I'm looking forward to writing myself a birthday present. :) It'll be too weird post here...
Read, review, or enjoy...sorry
Date:Aug 27 2012 Chapter:Suspicion
Date:May 11 2019 Chapter:Suspicion
Damn that ending gave me chills. I’m really enjoying this story, and I’d love to see how things play out from here.