It had been a month in the city, Draco had paid the rent early morning. He sat as Ray carefully put his computer together. He had already paid for internet service. He was eager to surf though he couldn't spell very well.
He got tired of waiting, he went over to see what Cynder had planned. He found everyone else gone. Drow had taken Pichu and Smear to play in the park. Snore went along with them. Cynder left no note and Draco assumed he was chasing tail.
He turned on the radio and listened. He sang along. He didn't care if he looked silly he sat down singing along. Shutting his eyes he let the music take over.
Slow motion see me let go!
The timid die young!
Slow Motion see me let go!
What a brother knows!
Slow motion see me let go!
Slow motion see me let go!
We'll remember these days!
Slow motion see me let go!
Of a life decay!
Slow motion see me let go!
Slow motion see me let go!
Oh! Yeah!
Slow motion see me let go!
Slow motion see......
-Third Eye Blind, Slow Motion.
Draco realized the music stopped. Looking he found Cynder standing there staring and his finger on the volume dial.
"What?" Draco sat up.
"You have one helluva voice Draco!" He grinned.
"Don't start with your jokes!" Draco got up from the sofa.
"I ain't joking! You have a good voice Drac." Draco ignored him and went to his room to see if Ray was done.
"How's it going Ray?"
"Well, I got it up and working just need to load your software." He sat playing poker.
"That's cool." He pulled his disks out of the drawer.
"Someone's at the door Cynder!" Draco shouted as the knocks continued.
"Alright! Sheeesh! Want me to do everything around here." Cynder barked as he opened the door. "Hey Draco come here!"
Draco put his disk down and made grumbles as he tossed on a black shirt. He walked into the living room then into the hall leading to the door he saw everyone standing there. He moaned as he saw they each had a ticket in their hands. Little Pichu was chewing on hers.
"This is an expense I wasn't counting on!" Draco sat baffled at how they were going to buy all five tags in three days especially since the arena was shut down for repairs due to a Mewtwo match up.
"Well we just have to get the damn things or pay the hundred twenty-five dollar fine per each, plus receive more tickets for not complying in the noted time frame." Ray read from the yellow paper.
"Great!"
Outside the registration department Draco and his group met a rather unusual blessing. A Raichu named Raelle. She offered to counterfeit tags for fifty a piece. Draco refused but, Cynder talked him into it.
Raelle smirked, she was screwing the system again. Humans always using pokémon to profit. She laughed as she lead them toward her apartment where Etch would be waiting. Her two other roommates were out shopping for books so she had the place to herself. She wondered what Friana would say if she knew where the money was really coming from.
Smear hopped about with Pichu. Drowxena repeatedly reminded them they weren't at home. Draco had to remember that too, he kept his tail curled to his belly. Twice he caught the tip of his shirt on fire. Groaning he put his favorite shirt out.
"Okay let me introduce you to Etch." Raelle brought the smeargle over to meet them. "He can counterfeit almost anything! He was even busted for selling exact duplicates of the Mona Lisa as the real deal!"
"Zat is correct! Though no one knowz vhat happened to za real one." He laughed. "Pity, zuch a masterpiece lozt. Well let'z zee how we help you friendz."
"Ve need tagz!" Pichu shouted.
"Pichu! That is rude to make fun of others!" Drow made her apologize.
"No offenze. Little ones zo innocent!" He laughed. "I vill need namez."
"Drowxena." She grabbed Smear before he painted on the wall with his tail.
"Last name?" He wrote down on his notebook.
"I don't have one." She reminded Pichu to behave.
"Make one up." He was rather polite.
"I think...Emerald. I will take the name of my homeland." She smiled. "Drowxena Emerald."
"Aund you?" He pointed to Cynder.
"Cynder...well I think... Davenport! that would make me sound like some rich guy and females will throw themselves at my feet!" He could see it now.
"Okay, Cinder Davenport." He crossed out the other name.
"Not with an "I"! With a "Y"!" Cynder corrected him.
"I don't even have a name." Snorlax began to sniffle.
"Wait a minute. You had to have been called something by your mom." Raelle looked up at the behemoth.
"Don't remember too well, I was little when I was taken for training. Wait...she called me...Chester!" He smiled.
"Okay Chezter, what vill be your last name?" Etch stood patiently.
"How about Riley? If I remember right Ireland is where you were taken from." Cynder tried to recall.
"O'Riley! Now that sounds Irish!" Ray added.
"One Chezter O'Riley." He turned to Smear. "Vhat is your name little one?"
"Smear, I think Newo's last name was...Kasper! I'll be Smear Kasper!" He beamed as he now had a full name.
"Pichu! I'm Pichu! Pichu! Pichu!" Pichu danced about.
"You never named her?" Raelle gave Ray a dirty look.
"Hey, cut me some slack! Her mother died giving birth to her and running from Rockets didn't help me either!" Those were the darkest days, early in the Rocket invasion of Emerald. The grunts caught anything that would farther their arsenal and slaughtered the weak.
"Well, I'm sorry...how about Rosie? She seems so happy all the time." Raelle watched the baby bounce about.
"Rosie? Rosie Timbers. I like it!" Ray let Etch know.
"They'll be ready tomorrow. Till then I would Zuggest ztaying out of sight." He took down their address. "Rae will deliver them az zoon az possible."
Etch watched them go. He sighed and looked at Rae.
“That vuz rather rude of you Rae. Yelling at dat Raychu. He zeems bothered by something. Most likely the loss of hiz mate.”
“Yeah well I know that song!” Another smeargle bounded into sight. He sat on Rae’s chair and stared at both. “What does she want from me now?”
“Raelle if you will pleaze leave.” Etch put an apologetic paw on her shoulder.
“Hey! My place my rules! I say I don’t have to go!” She crossed her arms.
“Suit juhself! Come on Etch.” The smeargle leapt to the windowsill. “There are other secure places to speak at that ain’t so....disgusting.”
“Hey fuck you Zeek!” Rae shouted.
“No thanks I do my own kind only!” Zeek laughed as he leapt out and grinded down one of the building pipes.
“Excuse him my dear. He iz a bit emotional right now. In time he’ll zee vhat he givez up today vill make a difference for ze future.” Etch was apologizing once more for the younger smeargle’s behavior.
“Doesn’t give him an excuse for being an asshole all the time.” Raelle crossed her arms.
“I know it doezn’t.” Etch leapt out and somersaulted down the fire escape.
“Damn they can just about climb anything.” Rae shut the window and went to get herself a beer.
Standing on the platform waiting for the train they stood as, Draco Charlemagne, Cynder Davenport, Raychu Timbers, Rosie Timbers, Drowxena Emerald, Smear Kasper and Chester O'Riley.
*****
Standing in the rain waiting for the damn bus they stood, Jurael "Ace" Lupus Burvato, with Yana, Laura Jenny, and Nero Kasper. Beaten and broken they admitted defeat and now the city was promising money, shelter and a chance to steal away back home.
To be continued..........