Pokénin 022

As they approached the gates, Tekai noticed dozens of retainers stationed upon the walls. 

Bows were drawn taut, and braziers were so bright, it almost seemed like it was day time. 

A pulse ran through his identity talisman, and it glowed a dim red, signalling denial. 

However, Cynthia stepped forward, and held out her talisman, which had a green light to it. 

A second later, the great gates leading to Blackthorn rumbled open. 

“First Grade Cynthia, it is good to see you. A heist has been made, and a shinobi has made off with a great many black apricorns. The city is on high alert.” A middle aged, Second Grade Ryu clansman said. 

“So it was nothing more than a distraction.” Cynthia muttered to herself as she held the chipped remains of a deceased shinobi's mask. 

“Pardon?” 

“Keep up the good work, I shall report to the Elders and Clan Leader.” Cynthia nodded at the man, then turned to nod at her team. “Training resumes tomorrow, same time, same place. This theft is serious, but we Ryu won't allow others to dictate how we live our lives.” 

After she finished speaking, Cynthia disappeared in a blur of motion. 

“You kids run along now.” The Second Grade said, seeming to eye Tekai for a few uncomfortably long seconds before he too turned away to disappear. 

Tekai thought that guy was weird, but what could you do? 

Anyway, he was willing to bet his bottom dollar that Orochimaru was somehow involved in the theft of the black apricorns. 

The actions of tonight reminded him that the Hidden Leaf wasn't his friend. 

Oh sure, the Root may not be under the direct supervision of its Kage, but Hiruzen knew about it, and Danzo's actions allowed the old monkey to remain looking squeaky clean amongst his supporters. 

Kicking a loose pebble, Tekai glumly put his hands in his pockets, and was about to head home, however, Zinnia had other ideas. 

“Awesome, why don't we grab some food to celebrate?” Zinnia stepped forward, and wrapped her hands around both Tekai and Clair's necks, drawing them close. 

“Thank you for the invitation, but I have training with my grandpa-” 

“Aha! But big sis said she was going to report to them, try again!” Zinnia wiggled her fingers, and giggled at Clair as she caught her out in her lie. 

“Just let Clair go, she spent a lot of chakra in our fight and is probably sleepy.” Tekai spoke up, deciding to play defense for the obviously emotionally compromised girl. 

“Ah, ah, ah, wrong again Tekai. Everyone knows food is the best way to return chakra. A sleeping dragon is a pathetic dragon as grandma always says. She's always saying to me: ‘Zinnia, dear, why hide yourself in a cave when you can live life, and grab it by the balls!” Zinnia finished her statement by reaching her hand out, and making a violent crushing gesture. 

Tekai involuntarily shivered. Whoever the hell Zinnia's grandma was, he wanted to never get on her bad side. 

Looking at his two teammates, Tekai came to a conclusion. If Clair was the uptight, princess type, then by Arceus, Zinnia's grandma must be the bad girl gyaru of the clan. 

Case in point, Zinnia's bare constant feet, short sleeved outfit, and tan skin compared to Clair's expensive silk clothes, and porcelain white complexion, Tekai inferred that yes, they loosely fit into these stereotypes. 

Of course there were some differences. Zinnia, Tekai suspected, was much more intelligent than she let on. Or at least observant. And Clair, she wasn't really all that stuck up, it seemed almost like a defense mechanism that became a default attitude when dealing with this cruel world. 

“Oi, oi, oi, no spacing out you two, it's time to eat!” Zinnia snapped her fingers, and pushed them both forward. 

Blinking his eyes, Tekai realized Zinnia had been guiding them along this entire time, and used both Clair and his introspective nature against them. 

Zinnia had dragged them to a bar! 

“We're a bit too young to drink, right?” Tekai threw out one last defense. 

“Old enough to kill, old enough to be married off, yet we aren't old enough to drink? You're a real jokester, shiny!” Zinnia laughed, and pushed them into the bar, and swaggered in behind them.

The room they found themselves in was dimly lit, and a hazy cloud of smoke ringed the ceiling. 

A few dozen people were lounging about in booths, or at the counter, quietly drinking, smoking, gambling, or talking up women. 

Tekai spotted a trio of retainers, two separate groups of shinobi-one with stars on their forehead protectors, and another with sharp triangles-indicating that they were from the Hidden Star & Grass Villages respectively.  

At the central table, a merchant, ronin, one retainer, and a pair of ninja were gambling on dice. 

Team Cynthia's arrival garnered a few glances, but most eyes seemed to be glued to the dice table. 

Tekai didn't mind, and followed behind Zinnia to the bar.  

Clair wrinkled her nose, and seemed lost, yet she advanced all the same. 

A lazy, middle aged man glanced at them whilst he slowly enjoyed his cigarette. In his hands was a newspaper, and a half eaten sandwich rested in front of him. He didn't bother glancing up from his leisure when Team Cynthia stood right in front of him. 

“Barkeep, a bottle of rice wine.” Zinnia slammed her arm on the countertop-rattling it in the process-and then said something that got the worker really moving. “If you don't hurry up, my grandma will burn down your store.” 

“Your grandma? Pfft, who would, hrm?!” 

The barkeeper's face turned white, as he accidentally swallowed his cigarette. Eyes going wide, and erupting into a coughing fit, the man pulled out a bottle, and rapidly poured three glasses. 

“Ahem, sorry, I hadn't noticed Grandma Miko's one and only granddaughter. It's been two years since I was invited to your 10th birthday. Forgive me! The associates kept me at the back, and-”

“Yeah yeah, stop being so boring, and get us some snacks. We'll be in the booth over there.” Zinnia rolled her eyes at the man, then took her glass and bottle with her.  

Tekai raised both his eyebrows as high as they could go. Was Zinnia's grandmother…a mobster?! Furthermore, this barkeep was fast, clearly he had awoken his chakra and trained in martial arts. 

Looking at Clair, he noticed she was just as stunned as he was. 

Chuckling at their shared reaction, Tekai shrugged a shoulder at Zinnia's back, and gestured with his hand. 

“Hmph.” Clair stuck her nose up, and followed after Zinnia, clearly still unhappy with what happened earlier. 

“Tch.” Tekai scowled. 

‘Stupid woman, if anyone should be angry, it's me! What's all this bs about running being cowardly, it's called being smart!’ Putting one hand in his pocket, Tekai grabbed his glass with the other, and took a swig.  

Tasting sweet and a somewhat sour flavor, Tekai was happy with Zinnia's order, and took a seat at the booth next to Zinnia. 

When he arrived, bagon and horsea were released, and the barkeep had hastily set down a plate of candied nuts, rice cakes, and some oran berries. 

Releasing Gil, Tekai fed his golden magikarp an oran berry, and started to examine his scales for any dirt or debris. 

“Phah! Woo, I always saw grandma drink this stuff, and it is awesome.” Zinnia finished her cup in one big gulp, then poured herself another. 

“Oi, don't take too much at once, at least let the snacks dilute the alcohol.” Tekai pushed a plate towards the tan girl. 

“Mah mah, who knew you were sho boring, shiny?” Zinnia rolled her eyes, yet was quick to munch on the candied nuts that he had offered. 

Meanwhile, Clair slowly sipped at her beverage, horsea's face was messy from some berries dripping down her chin, and bagon was eating some sort of meat. 

Feeling the alcohol begin to take affect, Tekai started to become more sociable, and launched into a story. 

“So I guess now that we're chilling out, I can tell you what happened. There we were, swimming back to Blackthorn when this masked guy burst out of nowhere throwing explosive tags at us….(one hour later)...and then I tricked the idiot into the range of his teammates own explosive tag, blasting him into smithereens!” 

“Bah ha ha! You're shitting me, he really bought it? I didn't know you had it in you to play like that, Clair!” Zinnia slammed the table hard, rattling several empty bottles of rice wine. 

“It was unbecoming of a Ryu to fight like that. Tekai should behave more poised, like Gym Leader Lance.” Clair said, glaring at Tekai, heat rising to her cheeks. 

The hour was late, and Tekai had had quite a bit to drink, as a result, his reply was much less filtered than it ordinarily would be. 

“Oi oi, we lived didn't we? Stop being such a stuck up bitch about it. Not even a thank you or job well done. Tch.” Tekai spat to the side and rose to go take a piss. 

“Hmph! Let's go horsea.” Clair stood at the same time. 

Both Clair and Tekai bumped into one another as they tried to be first to leave. 

“Oi, you got a problem, princess?” Tekai growled. 

“Yes I do.” Clair narrowed her eyes, and hissed. 

“Guys guys guys, whaaats going on here?” Zinnia swayed from side to side as she tried to stand. 

Meanwhile, the guys at the gambling table had had enough of this bs drama, and had started catcalling them. 

“Just kiss and bang already!” 

“These kids are too damn loud, screw this, I'm out.” 

“Tch, they let anyone into places like this.” 

As the customers began to file out of the bar, the barkeep came up to them, and glanced at Zinnia. 

“Young lady, I'm sorry, but I, I'll have to report this loss of business to Grandma Miko. Free drinks and food are one thing, but reputation is another.” The barkeep nervously bowed his head, then left for the backroom. 

“You pair of idiots.” Zinnia staggered forth, and conked Tekai and Clair's heads together. The sound produced was the same as if someone was banging a pair of coconuts. 

“What the hell Zinnia? I think you've had too much to drink.” 

“Most uncouth Zinnia. This cretin was impeding my way, tell him to sit down and vacate the premises.” 

“That the way we're playing it? Alright, I'm game-”

“SHUT UP. Both of you just shut up, okay?! Yesterday we fought together, and got our Pokémon. We worked so well together, and found out we were on the same team. I also know that each and everyone of us are friendless losers. Are you really going to argue over something that should be celebrated? Heck, neither of you asked me what I did, or what I experienced tonight. You're just a pair of selfish, arrogant, jerks! This picture may not mean anything to you, but it means something to me.” Zinnia finished her statement by slamming down the photo of Team Cynthia. 

Looking up, Tekai saw that the always happy, energetic girl that was eager for a fight, the one who took criticism as a goal to work towards was crying. 

Tears left her crimson eyes, and bagon was clutched in her grasp as if he were a teddy bear. 

Glancing at Clair, Tekai began to have feelings of guilt and remorse. 

Closing his eyes, Tekai sighed and opened his mouth to say something assuring, yet Clair beat him to it. 

“Tekai, Zinnia. I'm sorry. It's as you say, what friends do I have but you two…I still feel the way I do, and don't like how we won the fight, but you are correct. Thank you, Tekai, for all you did. Lastly, Zinnia, please forgive me for being such a rotten friend. I'll strive to be better.” Clair finished by wiping a tear from her eye. 

“Clair!” Zinnia glomped the blue haired girl in a tight, emotion fueled embrace. 

As they hugged, Clair gave Tekai a bemused expression that went unseen to the resident ‘labrador.’

‘Clair you sneaky sonuva-’ Tekai thought to himself as his eyes widened to the size of saucers. 

By the time Zinnia had pulled back, she was wiping snot and tears away with the back of her hand, and was looking at Tekai with a hopeful smile. 

“Haaah, at least you can acknowledge who buttered your bread.” Tekai put his hands in his pockets, and smirked at Clair. 

“Tekai.” Zinnia dropped the smile and frowned. 

“Heh, I'll butter your bread too the next time we confront the enemy as a team.” Tekai flashed his pearly whites. 

“Is that a challenge?” Zinnia leaned forward. 

“You betch’your ass it's a challenge. Besides that, I bet I'll be better than both of you in every category the next time Cynthia Sensei holds her evaluation.”

“Ah, ah, you are one sly man, Tekai Tatsushiro. Almost had me fooled there.” Zinnia raised a finger drunkenly into the air. 

Tekai dropped the smirk, and felt a cold sweat. 

‘Did she realize I was simply appealing to her sense of adventure and competition?!’ 

Swaying forward, Zinnia began to slur her words, and mumbled her next line. 

“You want to take us both as waaiives, I'm oooon tooo youuu mishta!” Zinnia waggled her finger, giggled, then passed out. 

Before she could slam headfirst into the table, Tekai caught Zinnia. 

Glancing at Clair, Tekai gestured for her to take the other arm. 

“Sooo, you know where she lives?”