ALL NOVEL Chapter 7 – Passed
August 29, 2005
Country Maharlika, Malibo City
In a sprawling backyard, Suzuki Akiko from Nihon is accompanied by a medium-sized, blue, bipedal creature: a Wartortle. Not far away, a local man guides a Rhyhorn—a beast shackled by chains and iron rings, its body encased in rugged, grayish-blue armor-like skin.
Trailing behind them are eight individuals. Some have brought their own chained beasts, while others have come empty-handed. Among them is Floyd, who gazes at the chained Pokémon—Meowth, Eevee, and Swablu—that they've brought along.
Floyd's eyes shift to Suzuki Akiko, the owner of the Wartortle. She appears to be in her late 20s, with black hair, a petite frame, and refined features. She stands, evidently waiting for additional people to arrive.
Next, his attention turns to a teenage girl with disheveled hair and a grungy dress. She seems visibly anxious and uneasy, her eyes darting nervously among the people present—especially Floyd who looking at her.
The reason Floyd observes them isn't out of superficial attraction. One is clearly older, and although the teenage girl can be seen to have attractive features obscured by her current disheveled appearance and filthy dress, he doesn't care to dwell on that. What fascinates him is the unusual sight amidst the Pokémon present. Aside from his own Axew, only two Pokémon, Wartortle and Swablu, do not bear lifeless expressions like the rest. Interestingly, these lively Pokémon are cared for by the two females.
In a world where Pokémon are met with widespread animosity, there are always a few who offer understanding and compassion.
Floyd surveyed a peculiar gathering. Among them was the son of Malibo City's Vice Mayor, Jonathan, who appeared to be in his 20s. Floyd couldn't grasp why such a prominent figure would be present. The group consisted of eight individuals, although only three seemed to be the main focus. The remaining two acted as servants to the trio. Two young male teenagers were Pokémon owners, while a young female teen seemed to be there just for amusement.
"Check this out—Beast Cat, lie down and act cute!" one teenager commanded.
"Meowth~," Meowth complied, lying down and forcing a smile.
"Hmph, 'Beast Cat' is such an unimpressive name. My Pokémon is named Josephine. Isn't that right, Josephine?"
"Ee-buy..." Eevee offered a slight nod.
"Josephine, spin around and show off your skill!"
"Ee...buy," Eevee hesitated momentarily.
The owner's smiles but does not smiling. "What's the matter? Can't do it?"
"Eebuy, eebuy, eebuy," Eevee panicked feeling the threat coming from her owner and spun around hastily.
The two male teens continued to brag about their Pokémon's cuteness and obedience. But Floyd saw the façade on these two pokemon; their expressions hid a deeper despair.
"That's so cute! I want one too," the young female teen gushed enviously.
"No, young lady, it's too risky. The Master forbids it," a male servant intervened, visibly anxious.
"But they don't seem harmful at all," she argued.
"Don't complicate matters, young lady," the male servant pleaded.
"Don't worry. Once you're older, I'll talk to Father about getting you one," promised one of the young men.
"Really?"
"Tch... these people," Floyd muttered disdainfully. He then turned his attention to another young man who, like him and a filthy female, but had no Pokémon at his side. He just glanced a bit and looked away after.
Earlier at the bar counter, when Floyd secured his appointment, a man stood up and gestured for him to follow. As Floyd did so, the man pointed out various locations, explaining that these would serve as their meeting spots.
Floyd glanced at the proprietor of Wartortle's Tavern, who kept checking her watch, making him wonder when they would get started.
Minutes later, two teenagers trailed the same man Floyd had followed. Behind them, a weary Mankey struggled to keep up, dragging itself along to match the teens' pace.
Floyd recognized these teenagers; they were the same ones who had allowed their Pokémon to fight earlier. Now he noticed only Mankey was with them. Where was Growlithe? The grim options were abandonment or, worse, death.
This was a situation Floyd was all too familiar with, and given his current circumstances, there was little he could do. Even if his Axew evolved into a Haxorus, or he amassed a team of six Pokémon, defeating these individuals was an impossibility. Changing the status quo was beyond his capabilities and it may take a long time; fighting alone wasn't the solution.
He never attempted to communicate with wild Pokémon because he knew they were generally distrustful of humans. Even his own Axew, when they first met had initially been wary. His Horsea was an exception. Recruiting more Pokémon posed another problem: how would he sustain and train them? It went against his mission, which was to open a breeding store specializing in Dragon-Egg group Pokémon breeding. He was not allowed to train Pokémon that doesn't associate with dragons
But where could he possibly start a breeding program in a world where the majority despised Pokémon? Even the simplest steps seemed insurmountable.
This was why he was drawn to a flier he'd found posted by someone.
The message read:
"There's a way to prevent the tragedy; a way to understand the beasts and shield our world from destruction…"
"The key to averting chaos is harmony. A harmony of human with beast…"
"If you're eager to uncover more about these creatures, join us on our journey to unravel the mysteries of the beast. Meet me in Malibo City, at the Tavern…"
"Signed by: Kanraku Hiroshi, Chairman of the Asian Alliance Association."
Though the message might not appeal to everyone and could even turn some away, what piqued Floyd's interest was the term "Alliance." Those familiar with Pokémon understand the significance of "Alliance." However, in a world where Pokémon is unknown, using such a word is intriguing.
Floyd wasn't sure if Kanraku Hiroshi was someone like him, perhaps a transmigrator. But if it is then his mission could be more easier than doing it alone. That's why he had to come and find out.
As Floyd approached, Suzuki Akiko glanced at her watch and announced, "Time's up. Follow me." Without waiting, she began to move, the crowd trailing behind her.
…
A few moments later, as they journeyed through various locations, they encountered some Pokémon. The group's anxiety spiked because these Pokémon lacked the iron rings around their necks, signaling they were wild. The threat of an attack was real.
A nearby servant admonished Suzuki Akiko, demanding an explanation for her seemingly careless actions. Jonathan's concerned expression mirrored the sentiment. The atmosphere was thick with fear, especially among the young elites. One young lady, paralyzed with terror, peed her pants while holding onto her equally terrified brother.
A disheveled female and her Swablu became increasingly vigilant of their environment. Meanwhile, another young man sought refuge behind Floyd. Floyd, too, seemed uncertain about the unfolding events. He quickly became tense, signaling to his Axew to remain on guard for any unexpected accidents.
The group of young masters debated retreating, but they felt they had ventured too far to simply turn back now. When several Pokémon approached, a few of the young masters hurled stones, warning the creatures to stay away. Yet, what puzzled everyone was that these Pokémon had not shown any aggressive intentions since the onset of their journey. They merely approached, then retreated as if nothing had happened.
Hours later, the group found themselves back in the familiar safety of their initial starting point. Many cast questioning glances at Suzuki Akiko, particularly the young masters. One, red-faced with indignation, exclaimed, "I'll report this to my father!" before storming off with his servant in tow.
Suzuki responded nonchalantly, seemingly unfazed by the earlier events.
Many gave her icy stares before moving away from her and leaving.
"I don't understand," Jonathan said, awaiting an explanation.
Feeling deceived, Floyd's frustration was shown. He was about to leave when Suzuki suddenly spoke, "Wait."
Floyd, taken aback, turned to face her.
"You four... you've passed."
Confusion spread. "What?"