Pokémon Mars

Chapter 40: Injustice

The skate park was busier than it had been in months when Jin and his Pokémon joined Nyx and Firmino. Decidueye quickly came up with all kinds of tricks that Zorua tried and failed to copy. Jin didn't buy a skateboard for his Dragalge, since it could only skate by clinging to the board and nudging it along, but it still tried the one that Zorua let it borrow. It was covered in poison when Dragalge gave it back. Feraligatr washed it off. Jin's smile was distant as he watched.

'I'm really glad it's you guys here with me – on Mars, I mean – and not a bunch of strangers...'

'Me too, mate,' Nyx replied, 'Me too.'

She almost said that she was glad she came to Mars because she would never have met Firmino otherwise, but she didn't. It was too soon to say anything that dramatic.

'And I think I might actually find Volo after all...'

'Yeah... I think you will. But... I didn't come here to fight evil teams... I came for science... for Pokémon...'

'Welcome to Mars,' Firmino replied, 'Where you study for years to do one specific thing, but end up cleaning up after morons instead...'

'But I want to change that. I have to change that. It isn't how I hoped it was gonna be, so I've gotta make it that way myse–'

Jin was cut off by rumbling. Red flashed vehemently through the streets and all around the park. The Pokémon protectively surrounded their Trainers. Nyx and even Firmino felt that sense of creeping dread that Jin described when he passed the funeral home. Then it was gone. The streets fell silent again as if nothing happened.

'Well... that's escalating... whatever it is...'

Zorua frowned. It had a theory about what that was, but it would have to ask its mother.

They didn't hang around for long after that. They flew home. Jin almost fell headfirst off Charizard. They were blinded by another flash. This time, the rumbling sounded like the gurgling roar of a trapped monster. Nyx's knuckles were white. Poison stained her nails from where they dug in to her Crobat's skin. The Pokémon couldn't get inside fast enough, except Zorua. Nyx had to pick it up to tear it from the doorway where it stared up at the sky, awaiting the next flash. Once the door was locked behind them, it jumped up on to the windowsill and peered through the blind.

Nyx didn't expect another flash. She was comfortable in bed when the studio was flooded with red. It startled her. She sat bolt upright. The light was already gone by then. She felt embarrassed, wondering if she imagined it, but Firmino saw it too. Feet pattered in neighbouring apartments. Everyone saw it. Zorua was still on the windowsill. Cinderace peered out from under its blanket. Crobat, hanging upside-down from a rail that Nyx installed for it, opened one eye. Togekiss landed at the foot of the bed. It waddled into Nyx's arms. It wasn't ashamed to admit it was frightened. Electricity crackled. Firmino's Jolteon watched the door as if it expected a monster to burst in.

'I feel like your life's got worse since you met me... it might be a Celestica thing. Shit tends to follow us...'

'What? Don't be silly. My life fuckin' sucked. It still sucks in most ways, but... I love being here with you. I'm free. Courtney's gonna find out eventually and you're gonna think your life got worse since you met me... but it's just... perfect right now. Sorry. I feel like I'm coming on way too strong...'

'Say whatever you want. I'm being more insecure than I usually am... but I'm not scared of Courtney. If she wants to come at me, let her try. She'll regret it. The press are gonna keep coming at you...'

'I don't care. I won't read it. I'm more worried that Courtney will scare you off.'

'Mate, let her try! She won't beat me in a battle or a fistfight. I'll hand her over to Caroline and she'll never bother us again. But... I get it. Even though I know it's... probably impossible... I'm still scared that my ex is in my closet somehow...'