Prologue Part 1: Ghost Busted

Story by Lowrisk on SoFurry

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#2 of Blood, Sweat, and Poke'mon

Well, here is the prologue, should be ready to post the other part soon. Please read and review. Also, I had this story posted on fanfiction.net, but it had some chapters taken down, so I decided to re-edit and post here. Hope you all are pleased!


/Mantine, Florida_Toys R' You_AugustThursday8:00am_Thunderstorm

Mim/

"I can't believe this!" I shouted at the stoic store clerk of African decent, "How can you be out of stock if you guys just opened the store!" I motioned my arms around the huge light blue room filled with darker blue shelves upon shelves of new, state of the art, toys.

"We are the only two in here!" I ranted as the clerk just sighed and stared at me through his dreads with his dark green eyes and said 'that' sentence to me, the one that is the near bane of my existence.

"Aren't you a little too old to be playing with stuffed poke'mon?"

My eye twitched at his statement, "Its for my sisteeer." I said, literally lying and seething through my teeth.

"You don't have to lie, you're not the first plushophile to walk through those door." He said in the same monotonous voice he'd been speaking to me in this whole time.

"I am not a plushophile!" I seethed and at just that moment. *BOOM!* *ZRRZT!* The whole store blacked out.

"Dude, I didn't mean it don't hurt me!" said who I assumed was the clerk I was just talking to."W-wasn't me." I told him in a hushed voice, "Why are you whispering?" He said, more confused than scared, "I don't know, it just seems that I do that when it gets too dark."

*CRACKLE!* A couple of lighting bolts flashed by, illuminating the store for a few brief seconds, allowing me to see the clerk hiding behind the cash register before going dark again, "Hey, I still say you guys are holding out on me, Ima go check the ba-

*BOOM!* as more lightning flashed by, we saw a shadow swoosh over to a door in the back, freaking both of us out.

"What WAS that!?" We shrieked in, uh, 'manly' unison, while holding each other. As it went dark again, the clerk push me off of him, and ran for the door, "Goodbye crazy pervert, I ain't gonna be the first black guy to die in this place!"

As he got to the door, he struggled trying to get it open, "Its locked! Why is it locked?"

He looked at me as if I knew, "You!" He said, as his silhouette from the dim light outside, pointed at me, "Are you sure you ain't doin this, cause if you are, Ima break my foot offa that ass you call a face!"

I laughed silently at his ignorance of my skill, not that he could tell, but I soon came to a realization of events, "I get it now, you are just trying to scare me away so that you can keep all the soft and comfortable plushies to yourself!" I stated, returning the accusing point of shame, causing the clerk to wear a bewildered expression.

*BOOM!* I looked at the door the the shadow had gone through, labeled, /BASEMENT, "but I know where they could be," I spouted, then ran for the basement door, where they must have my plushies hostage.

"By the way, you're the plushophi-OOF!" I was cut off with a wall of toys to my face, *Slam!*, I could tell that the whole 'domino effect' thing was about to happen, so I did the honorable thing, and ran into the door before hearing a muffled *slam!* accompanied by a few more slams and a girly shriek of, "I'm so gonna be fired!" While I waited on the metal stairwell on the other side of the door, that lead down to the basement floor.

~o~

I made my way down the stairs, and began walking until *thud!* 'I really need to get a flashlight', I felt something light land on my foot after I bumped into the box and I picked it up, it felt like a plastic toy light-saber.

'Good, all I need to do it find the button on this thing and-', I pressed it, and it lit up in a blue hue, and then it began... 'Vibrating?' "What kind of sick toy is this?"

Getting over the disturbing lack of adult common sense, I held the 'light-saber' to the box I bumped into and it read. "RECALLED TOYS, DO NOT USE OR SELL UNDER PENALTY OF LAW, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!"

"That explains it." I said in a sarcastic tone. I held the light up only lighting a few feet ahead of me in the dark room, but enough to tell it was big by the echoing of my voice.

?/

I watched the human through a doll I was possessing as the human bumped his way into each box, mumbling something about 'plushy hogs' or something.

'So I guess he isn't looking for me', I thought hiding from him as he kept bumping into boxes trying to make his way to each one, unfortunately he bumped into some boxes labeled, 'Rusty Shards of Metal' that were stacked irregularly as they began to wobble and tilt at a dangerous angle over his head as he obliviously screamed, "FOUND IT, TAKE THAT YOU GREEDY, STUPID STORE!"

Holding up a stuffed Banette plush, It seemed the store had heeded his call as the boxes began to fall down.

"(Watch out!)" I shouted, pushing him out of the way and into a giant open box of white colored 'PlayGoo' as he and his toy fell in and under the surface.

"(Are you all right?)" I asked, not sure if he'd understand, but hoping for a reply nonetheless. I was elated as he slowly rose out of the goo, with a toy light-sword in his right hand, and a soggy, falling apart, banette toy in the other. He moved the light closer to his face revealing an expression covered in the whitish clear goo, between extreme sadness and disappointment.

I jumped as he began to speak in a seething quiet tone, attuned to that of a child angry about losing his favorite toy, "Youuu," he replied, pointing the sword at me, "ruined my toy." He got out of the box and slipped, but got up very fast as he began to walk closer to me.

I could now sense his feeling of vengeance, it was so tempting, but I am better than my urges, so I warned him as best I could, "(I'm sorry, for what I'm going to do.)"

I used tackle on him, but when I did, he grabbed my head, twisted around, and slammed me into the floor, for a normal attack, it actually hurt. I used knock off to gain some distance and shot up into the air.

I saw him run behind some boxes for cover, so I shot a shadow ball at him, but as I did, there was another clap of thunder as all of the underground warehouse lights cut on, blinding me in the process.

I panicked and flew up, only to feel a hand grab me down, "(Let go of me, please, I'm sor-)" I was cut short as he shoved me in his messenger bag and closed the lid, I tried phasing out but could only move trough the contents inside as it felt like he ran upstairs, most likely to leave me in the bare sun.

I didn't sense his vengeance anymore, and it seems like I am at his mercy.

"(Maybe the trainers life isn't so bad.)" I mused, hoping for a positive turn of today's events and daydreaming of possible exciting adventures.

Mim/

'I can't believe I have a shuppet, this is way better than having a plushy of one', I thought as I ran up the stairs and out the door. I could see that the clerk had broken the front door and decided to leave, 'that lying little punk', and after a few moments of climbing over turned shelves as I made my way outside, and began power walking back to the Mantine University for Professors in Training, or MUPiT for short. There I am living in a dorm until my graduation.

I decided on using some of the still falling rain to rinse the disturbing, in color, taste, and texture, goo off. *CRACKLE!*, 'I needed to hurry'. It was still early in the morning as I ran under a shady awning and checked my bag, the shuppet inside poked its head out, then floated in front of me, looking me up and down.

"(For a trainer, you sure have an unconventional way of catching a poke'mon.)" it said with a smirk.

"Well I haven't got my licence yet, but I will after I pass the final tomorrow!" I said pumping my fist in the air.

"(So, you 'do' speak Ulimi!)" It happily said as it flew close to my face, causing me to back up a little. "I can, but only when its spoken slowly." I replied, and pressed my fingers to to my chin in thought.

"Heeey, why aren't you trying to escape, I mean, I didn't catch you in a poke'ball, why would you want to stick with me?" It looked at me puzzled, then vanished out of existence, I looked at the ground and continued walking in the rain.

"Why would you wanna stick with me?" I said to no one in particular.

~o~

I made it into the large MUPiT building, it was as any other college campus, just with more classes focusing on poke'mon and research methods, nothing special.

As I walked into my dorm, my five foot, six, blonde, blue eyed, dormmate, Prof. in Training, Ludwig Lasso was in his white lab coat, sitting at his desk, and writing something down. I walked further noticing the TV on his corner of the dorm was on the news, showing a recent vandalism at a local Toys R' You, causing me to sweat drop.

"Allo Mul, it iz very good to see you, did you get your item of fanzy from ze toy store?" He said in his heavy German accent as he turned around to face me. I continued solemnly to my bed and dropped on it face first with a wet splosh.

"I take zat as a no." He got up and moved the chair to the bed resting his head and arms on the back support, "Oh, vuts wrong Mul, you are usually so cheery, did zey not have it in stock?" He smugly said, pointing his thumb to the TV behind him.

"They had it Lassie, but it got away..." He looked at me questioningly when I said that, "Vel, I don't follow, but I know just how to cheer you up!" He said standing on the chair like Captain Morgan, as I felt a chill run down my spine...

~o~

/Mantine Mall_12:00pm_Cloudy with a chance of rain

"First, ve are going to get somezing to eat!" Ludwig shouted out loud, causing people and poke'mon to stare as we made our way to the food court, when we got there it was packed.

"Great, ve are going to starve if ve vait in any of zese lines!" Ludwig shouted, again gaining stares, as we walked through, looking for the shortest line. We kept searching, and searching, and searching, until, "Hey Mul, I have an Idea." He motioned me into a whisper, "You see that trainer and his Machoke who are fifth in line at the MukDonalds?" I turned, looked at a line of twenty people and three poke'mon, and nodded, "Good, now all I need you to do iz punch that one in ze arm, and when they're both distracted, I sneak in front of them and order both our meals," He said as he waited for my approval.

"Oh yeah, I am so gonna punch that trainer and-" "I vasn't talking about ze trainer..." I froze as I turned back at the two, now third in line, and noticed both of their frustrated expressions, "That thing will murder me!" I whispered loudly, he grabbed me by the shoulders and down to his level.

"Come on Mul, that poke'mon vill maim you at best, you can do it, 'I' believe in you, but do you?" I thought about it for a few seconds, and punched my fist in my palm, and replied, "Your right, how could I have been so doubtful in my friend," "Ja ja, that iz great, now go over and do your job!" He rushed, shoving me towards the two as he stood a few feet close to them, pretending to read the choices before getting in line.

I walked walked over and stood right next to the two, I looked over at Ludwig as he glanced back, giving me a thumbs up. I nodded and immediately brought back my fist and brought it forth into the machoke's side.

*ROAR!* It was 'not' happy, and showed it by lifting me up in the air, I looked down at Ludwig, as he was standing in line like nothing transpired, 'mission complete.'

"Toss that trash away Armstrong." I looked at the black trainer in shock as I felt myself go forward and then thrown back, slamming onto a table occupied by a Hispanic trainer and her treecko, belly side up.

"Hey who threw this guy at me!?" The Latina shrieked.

"He did!" I answered, pointing to the male trainer and his machoke, "Lets get'em Verde," "Yes ma'am!" They said running to the trainer, as she round house the machoke, and the treecko razor leafed the trainer.

"You alright Mul?" I looked to my right and noticed Ludwig holding out a bag to me labeled, 'MkDonalds, I'm Luggin It'.

~o~

After a few minutes of eating, talking, and walking, I followed my dorm-mate, 'more like was dragged', through the mall, every now and then being able to take a sip of my berry smoothie, as we went to different poke'mon accessory and clothing stores.

"Now ve go, to our last stop!"

"What's with you and shouting?" I asked blocking my right ear, on the side he stood to me, "You should try it, it iz refreshing!" I looked at him and shrugged, "So what is our last stop?" I shouted.

"It iz this place." He said, pointing to a window that was tinted black, and had three neon red x's next to a roulette wheel, above the door, "Is this a smut store?" I asked, furiously blushing and hoping he wasn't being serious.

"Ov course not, I 'am' far more classy than that!" Ludwig replied in a 'hurt' tone as he grabbed my hand and made us walk through the double doors, to which we were immediately greeted by a lopunny and gardivoire, dressed in black, lacey, french maids outfits, as they said in unison, "Welcome to the Lacey Poke'mon Casino, how may we be of service, master?"

I dropped my drink and tried to hide behind Ludwig as best as I could, "I though you said this wasn't a smut store?" I whispered into his ear, "It izn't. It iz a smutty casino, classy no?", I felt like having a heartattack, then giving it to Ludwig. "No, you know how girls make me get!" I spoke through clenched teeth and my face turning more flushed.

I suddenly jumped from feeling a tug on my coat sleeve, I turned and saw the shuppet from earlier.

"(I'm a girl, and you talked to me just fine.)" I paled, "You are?" She narrowed her eyes, "(Why did you need to ask?)"

"Uh, no reason, aha ha ha." I dryly laughed as I followed Ludwig deeper into the casino.

We were seated at a table, while Ludwig finally noticed the shuppet that had been tailing us, "Are you our vaitor?" Eying her like she had the plague, then leaning in to whisper to me, "They really let zeir staff go to ze subbull."

"(No you jerky pervert, I am 'his' poke'mon.)" She claimed floating closer to me, grinning, "(Plus, I got you this!)" She dropped a duskball on my lap, "This is what you left for?" I asked, holding it up so Ludwig and I could see before I put it in my bag.

"(Uhuh, It's the ball I want you to put me in,)" she ecstatically exclaimed, rubbing her head against mine, as I pushed my head into it, enjoying the contact, I was starting to feel dizzy since I have been blushing the whole time I've been here, I turned away from her and came face to face with a shiny pink roserade, in the same maid's outfit, "May I take your order master?" She asked, giving a small curtsy.

"Could you wait a minute please?" I replied immediately. "Of course master." She said gliding over to Ludwig, who happened to be panting like a dog. I decided to look at the menu.

'Sunny day, rain dance? These are all poke'mon moves.' I thought as I wondered what they meant, "I think I'll just hit a slot," I said placing down the menu, getting up, and walking towards the machines, with a steel, four door, H7 Hummer as the prize, "See you later, if you need me, I'll be getting ze 'stun spore' message!" Ludwig said as he was lead behind some curtains with the same rosarade and lopunny as before.

I walked to one of the slots, put my change in it, and was about to pull the slot when all of a sudden, shuppet apeared, right in front of me, and whined"(When are you going to properly catch meee!)" I sighed and said as sarcastically as I could, "If I hit this slot and win that car," I pointed to the Hummer, "I will catch you in the duskball you gave me." She smiled and disappeared.

"*sigh!* Maybe she wouldn't be bad as my first poke'mon, but I don't know, bathing may be an issue." I thought out loud, pulling on the one-armed bandit.

*Klank!* *roar!* The machine roared lowly as it began to stop on, *clink!*Arceus, *clink!* Arceus, my eyes widened, *clink!* Turtwig, "I guess I, huh?"

The turtwig slot grounded until *clink!* Arceus, x3*DING!*, "WINNER ON SLOT NUMBER 3!" A mechanicle female voice rang though the intercom along with the applause of everyone in the casino, I turned around to see the gardivoire from before holding out a pair of car keys, along with a short 4'3" dirty-blonde haired man in a white suit with sunglasses, and golden rings adorning his fingers, as he applauded.

"Well done, I can tell this win is legit thanks to Offellia here, so congratulations," He stated somewhat disappointed, yet wearing a forced smile as he grabbed both of my hands and shook them, "If you want the car, we put it out side, in the front!" I was handed the keys, still with a dumbstruck expression on my face.

I ran to the curtain Ludwig had been pulled behind to tell him the exciting news, only to see him, being 'ridden' by the roserade, as my nose bursted with blood while I outside of the casino and slumped against the wall, trying to comprehend the whole event.

~o~

It had been one hour since I walked outside, standing outside with my arms crossed, but it was faux anger as I had just won a freaking car. In my waiting the door to the brothel opened revealing Ludwig, nothing 'off' about his demeanor, except for the scowl that adorned his face.

"Vhy did you leave so early, its only two in ze afternoon?" He said, holding my shoulders, "I'm going back in you coming?" "Nope, I was planning on taking out my 'new' car for a spin!" I said giddily, jumping up and down a few times in excitement, his eyes widening at my statement.

"'You' ver ze vone zat von?" He smiled, and turned his head back to the door as 'the' roserade stuck her head outside with a questioning glance, "I'll be back inside honey!" Ludwig said as she nodded and went back inside.

"Wow, you have a way with girls..." I said to him, lightly blushing and twiddling my fingers, "Vhile zat may be true, that service was an exclusive, as Veronica and I have been having a sing for each other since I started coming here." I was about to ask him what he ment, but he quickly made his way back inside the casino.

"(I'm waiting.)" "Gah!" I jumped as the shuppet popped up next to me, "How long have you been there?" I asked pressing my hand against my chest to calm myself, "(I havn't left your side yet, I even helped you win the car!)" My eyes widened, "YOU MADE ME CHEA-mpf!" She shoved her cloth 'hand' into my mouth.

"(Quiet, do you want to be arrested!)" she said hushed, to which I muffled a no, "(Good, now keep your word, and put me in the ball.)" I nodded.

She freed my mouth and floated a few feat from me, as I took out the ball, then I moved to her, hand out-stretched, and tapped her head with the ball, she became enveloped by the light and vanished into the ball, shaking a few times before settling down.

"THERE YOU ARE!" I gripped the ball harder as I heard the voice behind me, I turned around to see the trainer from earlier and his machoke, looking a bit worse for wear, an so very angry, on lookers decided to encircle us, and watch the show, with some distance of course.

"I have been lookin all over for you, you little bitch!" He and his machoke were cracking their knuckles, "We escaped that other crazy bitch and her poke'mon, but we are definitely gonna beat your ass!"

At the mention of that, the ball in my hand forced itself open, and revealed my shuppet, "(Ooh Mim, I'm that guys weakness, we can totally win this!)" I reached in my bag and put on some safety goggles, "I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but we will definitely get along with the right fist!" I shouted pumping my fist in the air.

"(Mim, that was kind of, well, lame, not that I didn't like it!)" I face faulted at her comment. I spread my legs into a defensive position and brought my fists up, just as the trainer and his machoke charged me. "(I've got your back!)" shuppet yelled as she got between me and the other two, "(Take this!)" she said as she used ominous wind.

"A you stupid bitch!" The trainer cursed while he and machoke fell back, "Watch your language, their are children present," I shouted, mocking him, "FUCK YOU, Armstrong use low sweep on the trainer... Armstrong?" He turned to see swirly eyes on his machoke, smoke seemed to rise off of the trainer, "Then I'll just kick your ass myself!" He ran to me and brought his right fist to my face. *Crack!*,when it made contact, I grabbed his wrist with my left and his shirt color with my right, then lifted him over my head, and walked fast under shuppet, "Quick use shadow ball, shuppet!" She nodded, and sent the ball of darkness straight for us, the trainer struggled until, *KrRtz!* I felt a sudden pressure from holding him over my head, and then trainer went limp.

I placed him down gently and checked his pulse, finding it to be okay, and I gave a thumps up to the crowd.

*APPLAUSE!* erupted from them as my shuppet came down and examined my face and noticing my bleeding lip, "(Your hurt, you need to be more careful!)" She scolded worriedly.

"I'm fine, I 'have' been conditioned to take on poke'mon in hand-to-hand." I said as we made our way to the malls exit, "Oh, I almost forgot," we stopped at the exit, "Do you have a name?"

She looked back a little and blushed, and answered, "(N-no, I don't...)"

"Well don't worry, I have thought of one for you, it will be, Arnyek, it means shadow in Hungarian, before English became the universal language, right next to Ulimi of course." I replied placing my hand on her head.

She looked at me with a grin that I could only describe as me in a plushy store, right before she tackled into me, rubbing her head into my chin, "Ha ha, guess you like the name!"

"(You've made me a very happy girl!)" I immediately ran out the door, blushing again as I 're'realised that the shuppet was a 'she', and 'she' was rubbing against my face, "I'll wait for you in the car!" I shouted back to her as she floated their with a dumbstruck expression.

"(*sigh!* I set myself up for the ride of my life, didn't I?*giggle!* Wait for me!)" Shuppet called out as she flew to her fleeing trainer...