by KJ Harlow
“Flick!” Starry exclaimed. “How did you know where to find us?”
“I saw the way you stared at this cake shop that morning we had pancakes,” she said with a sly grin.
“I wasn’t staring!”
“When you’re staring at something you love, you don’t know that you’re doing it.”
Starry pressed her lips together. Lucky I didn’t get that second slice.
“These girls treating you nicely, I hope?” Flick said, nudging Arlif’s shoulder.
She drained her tea and nodded. “Mmhmm. I don’t think Soph likes me much though.”
“Aah, don’t worry about her,” Flick said dismissively. “She’s like that to everyone. She’ll warm up to you soon enough. Where is she anyway?”
“Last I heard, she said she was going shopping,” Crystal said.
“She’s always the first to hit the shops,” Flick said.
“She told me that she didn’t like her bikini. She could be getting a new one.”
“There are zillions of bikini stores here. We’ll never find her. Nice set by the way,” Flick said, plucking at Arlif’s strap. It had been difficult choosing a color that complemented her neon-green skin tone, but as it turned out, Crystal had a knack for color combinations.
“Thanks,” Arlif said, tracing the cup of her magenta bikini top. “Definitely different from wearing a poncho and dress.”
“What’s everyone got planned now?” Flick asked. They sat in silence, staring at their empty dishes in front of them.
“I wonder what Potionguy’s doing.”
“Why do you call him that?” Flick said with an eyebrow raised.
“He gave me a Potion after he captured me.”
“He gives us all nicknames, why can’t we give him one?” Starry said.
Flick put her finger in the air. “Soph does call him ‘Bossman’.”
“Or dickhead,” Crystal added.
“Yeah, something tells me he doesn’t like that.” Starry stood up, her dark hair streaming behind her. “What time is it, anyway?”
“Five-ish. You’re not already thinking of dinner, are you?” Flick asked exasperatedly.
Starry didn’t seem to hear her. “I’m going to find him.”
“What? Right now?”
She pushed her chair in slowly.
“She probably wants some one-on-one time with him,” Arlif said with a sly wink. “I don’t blame you.”
“Did he say where he was going?” Starry asked. “Does anyone remember?”
“All he told us was to meet up with him back at the Guild at seven,” Crystal replied. “He didn’t say where he would be going before then.”
Starry crossed her arms. Yoshi seemed really bummed out about not getting the reward from Spence. He really wants a new GF-wiki.
“I think he’s back at the Guild; I’m going there now.”
“Alright, I’m going with you,” Flick said. “Wouldn’t mind another trip through the slides. How about you two?”
“I’m coming too,” Crystal said, before glancing at Arlif.
“Me three. Don’t want to get lost.”
Starry nodded, taking the bill over to the front. A sense of unease was creeping down her neck her the longer she was away from him. Best to see he’s OK.
“Whooooa, so many people,” Arlif said, marvelling at the inside of the Guild. “What do you do here?”
“All sorts of stuff,” Flick said. “Let’s see, there’re a few restaurants over there, a GF-mart, a mission board in the middle… and on the left there is the Battle Theater.”
“Is that…?” Arlif squinted. “Is that Soph?”
The girls all looked towards the Battle Theater where a speckled flying-type stood with debit card in hand. A disappointed-looking trainer touched his cell to her card and trudged towards them with hands shoved deep into his pockets.
“Soph, what were you doing with that guy?” Flick asked, jogging over.
“Hey, Flick. Oh, everyone’s here.” She waved at the gang, a stray, speckled feather flying loose. “Did you know that girlfriends can just go into Battle Theater by themselves? We don’t need our trainers with us.”
“Hey, nice… that’s a robe, right?” Arlif asked.
Soph pinched at the red-hemmed collar. “It’s cool, right? Didn’t come cheap: 980 Coins!” She smoothed out the black robe with red cherry blossoms emblazoned on it. “But it was the last one and it grants +3 Speed so I thought, ‘why not’? Here I’ll show you guys.”
NAME: Sophie (Soph)
NATURE: Bossy
TYPE: Flying
ACC.: Sakura Speedrobe
LEVEL: 20
HP: 26/66
- ATTACK: 26
- DEFENCE: 19
- SPCL ATTACK: 18
- SPCL DEFENCE: 17
- SPEED: 25 (+3)
MOVESET:
Bird Run - Type: Flying - 24/35 PP (Run at foes and crash tackle them)
Sand Screen - Type: Normal - 40/40 PP (Lower accuracy by kicking and flapping sand up into opponent’s face)
Fell Swoop - Type: Flying - 10/20 PP (Launch up and dive at foe. 5% recoil damage)
Dagger Wing -Type: Steel - 5/15 PP (strike down foes with sharpened metallic wings [bird-kin only])
“Wait, Yoshi only gave us 400 Coins each. Where did you get the rest from?” Flick asked.
“I knew that tight-ass wasn’t going to give me anymore, so I asked myself, ‘where could a little birdy make some extra dosh?’ I just had to pick a few noob trainers with bug-types and BAM! Exp and Coins, babeh.”
As the girls clamored around to feel the material, Starry looked around the room. Was he here? Yoshi didn’t have any particularly defining features, but she would know him if he saw him. Would he have gone back to provide a sample to win that GF-wiki?
“Hey Soph, did you see Yoshi here this afternoon?” Starry asked.
“Been too busy making bank, babe,” the bird-kin said, pointing a finger gun at her. “Why, what’s he gone and done now?”
“Nothing, it’s just…”
“Wait, is that…?” Starry turned around so quick she almost twisted her head right off.
“Chester!” Flick said, waving at him.
The trainer with green hair in the shape of a wave didn’t see the water-type at first. When he did, it took several moments for the realization to dawn on him.
“Hey,” he said, coming over. “I remember you guys. You were the newcomers in town from the other day. How’s it going?”
“Good. Goody, good,” Flick said, turning pink in the process. Chester gave her a faint, crooked smile and her brightness intensified.
“It’s weird that you guys are here,” he said. He looked to have aged considerably since the last time they saw him. “There’s a missing person I–”
“Yeah, I saw it too,” Soph said. “That mission’s been on the board for aaages. A new one popped up not too long ago actually. Which one are you talking ‘bout?”
Chester was shaking his head. “Neither of them.” He swung his bag down and unzipped it. He pulled out a sealed, plastic evidence bag with a trainer’s belt in it. Five rings were still locked into the sockets in the belt.
“This was handed in to the Sapphire Police Station about an hour ago. Scans were done on the rings, which were found to belong to a Mr. Yoshi Soysauce.” A cold hand gripped Starry’s stomach and squeezed hard.
“He’s been kidnapped?” Soph said, barging her way to the front.
Chester shook his head. “Don’t know yet. Like I said, this was only handed in an hour ago.”
“Are you from the police–?”
“Did you come to find us–?”
Chester raised his hands. “One at a time. No, I’m not with the police. I’m more of a… private eye. The police come to me for issues they can’t or won’t resolve. And no, I didn’t come to find you specifically, though I am glad I did. I came to the Guild because this was the last place your trainer was sighted.”
“Have you found anything?” Starry said, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice.
He shook his head. “I only got here 10 minutes ago.”
“Why the hell would anyone want to kidnap him?” Soph asked.
“He might not have been kidnapped,” Chester said.
“But he wouldn’t forget his belt either,” Flick said. “Even if he did, he would have come back pretty quick to pick it up. Who handed it in?”
Chester examined the notes on the bag. “A cleaner working here found it on the floor in a presentation room.”
Starry’s eyes widened. He did go back to give a sample!
“It’s possible he came back here to become a donor,” Starry said.
Chester looked at the interstellar-type. “A donor?”
“A sperm donor.” Seeing the bewildered look on his face, Starry explained how the Professor Thorn had used the Breeders Club as a forum to get samples.
“I… see. It’s the first I’ve heard of it. And you say that they claimed they would choose someone at random to award the GF-wiki to?” Chester said, rubbing his chin. “Let’s go and ask them now.”
The green-haired trainer snaked through the crowd, getting a few ‘hello’s’, hi-fives and even a few selfie requests. Starry frowned. For a private eye, he seemed to not be very… private.
“Hello.” He knocked on the door with a plaque that said, ‘Breeders Club – Sapphire Division’ on the door. No answer. He knocked again. He tried the doorknob–locked.
“Looks like they’ve closed up shop for the day.”
“There was a shifty-looking guy that day. Pinstripe suit, oily hair,” Soph said, eyes glazed in thought. “While Thorn was talking, this guy sat behind him, looking at each dude in the audience like a hawk studying their prey before they killed them. If we could look back at some security tapes, I can point him out to you.”
“It’s not much of a lead, but it’s a start.”
“We don’t have the authority to access the Guild’s security footage,” Crystal said.
“No, you don’t,” Chester murmured. “But I do.”
13
Extraction
So cold.
Yoshi was lying on his back. For some reason, his arms and legs were frozen in place, splayed out from his body. His head felt like someone had detached it from his neck, shaken it like a drink mixer and put it back.
What happened?
He opened his eyes… or at least, he thought he did. He felt his eyelids open but either way, he was lying in a cradle of darkness. He strained his limbs again but it was no use. The shackles were so cold.
The air shifted; something moved in the darkness, landing a few feet from him. There was shuffling, as if this being had lost their balance. Their breath caught in their throat, labored. Inhale, pain. Exhale, pain. Whoever this was, they were in trouble.
“Hello?” Yoshi asked. “Are you OK?”
His voice sounded distant, like he was sitting several yards away and heard an echo. The ragged breathing continued. If they had heard him, they gave no indication of it.
The air shifted again; Yoshi flinched. The… thing is on top of me!... And why am I naked? It had settled on Yoshi’s hips, its skin ice cold. And was that… fur? No wait… feathers?
“Wait, what are you doing?”
It grasped Yoshi’s erection and shifted its weight back.
“Wait, stop!”
I don’t have much time left.
A female voice… and so fragile. A gust of wind and it would shatter into oblivion.
She enveloped him and Yoshi twitched. She was so hot… literally hot. It felt like his penis had been inserted into a slippery rubber tube filled with hot water.
“Get off!” Yoshi yelped.
The girlfriend ignored him, pushing him deeper into her. Her breath caught in her throat again and she coughed. Is that… snow falling on me?
No matter how much he squirmed and bucked, she refused to stop grinding on him. Yoshi gave up. He had already become used to the heat and besides, he felt that he was coming soon. Was that what she wanted? Him to finish inside her?
He focused on the spot in the darkness where her head would have been, trying to see who was using him as a sex toy. She coughed again and doubled her speed. Any time now… hrrrrngh!
There was an explosion of light, like Flick had dialled herself up all the way to 10. In the split-second before the flash, Yoshi saw blue skin so pale it was almost white.
“Get it all outta him, atta girl!”
Wait what?
Yoshi screwed his eyes shut. Too bright.
“Looks like our newest stud’s finally woken up!”
Stud?
“Who’s that?” Yoshi said groggily.
Laughter. Men’s voices. He blinked, forcing his eyes to acclimatize to the light.
“Soph?” The bird-kin slid herself off him, eyes dull.
NAME: Sophie (Fifi)
LEVEL: 27
HP: 53/87
She was missing patches of feathers on her back, legs and arms. This isn’t my Soph.
A man in a white jumpsuit stepped up to the table and yanked her away by her handcuffs.
“Team Boom.” Yoshi closed his eyes. Why do I keep bumping into these clowns?
More ugly laughter. “Looks like this guy is a fan of ours.”
Yoshi strained his head up. He was stark naked, lying on a metal table. He had shackles around his ankles and his wrists.
“Where am I? Where are my girlfriends?”
WHACK.
Yoshi’s face flew to the right. Frank’s balls!
“A stud shouldn’t ask so many questions.”
Yoshi blinked the stars tumbling into his eyes away. Wherever he was, he wasn’t the only one here. Not ten feet away was another metal table with some other hapless guy staring right at him. Grinding on top of him was a ripped girlfriend clothed only in her defined muscles. Her tits barely bounced due to the little fat they contained.
NAME: Janette (Crusha)
LEVEL: 30
HP: 121/121
The other prisoner wrenched his face away and bucked his hips, ejaculate pumping into the girlfriend. Crusha the Janette pursed her lips, climbed off him and disappeared past the Team Boom goons. The prison looked back at Yoshi, utterly defeated. Where have I seen him before?
“Why are you making us cum in your girlfriends?” Yoshi shouted.
“Ooooh, he’s onto us!” someone out of Yoshi’s line of sight jeered.
“Most men would enjoy being able to impregnate so many females with no consequences.” A new voice. Incisive, like a surgeon’s ten-blade.
Yoshi shut his eyes. How did I get here? Cava was getting a sample out of me, then… was I kidnapped? “Does Professor Thorn know what you’re doing?” Yoshi asked.
“Leave that fool out of this,” the new voice said sharply. “All he has to do is keep mapping the male TP genome and find that damned Switch.”
“What Switch?”
Silence.
“Bring more of the Ripe Ones in.”
“Yes sir.”
“What Switch? Hey, I’m talking to–!”
CRACK.
That last one split his lip. He spit the blood to the side.
“Stop talking if you know what’s good for you.” A grizzled voice. The other stud’s.
Another girlfriend got on top of him. He lifted his head and the room started to spin. Another bird-kin. Pink, matted feathers. Long, slender legs. Yellow, hooked beak with a black tip. One eye swollen shut. Yoshi had seen them in groups helping direct traffic at the slides in Sapphire.
NAME:Fiona (Nana)
LEVEL: 24
HP: 38/69
He closed his eyes, the darkness from his dream claiming his consciousness once more.
“Hey.”
“Mmmmmmrrrrrgh…”
“Wake up.” Grizzled voice.
“Why?” Yoshi croaked.
Silence. “M
y name’s Kell.”
Yoshi opened his eyes. Gray stone ceiling, gray stone walls. He sat up and hugged his knees. Gray rags. “Yoshi.”
“Yoshi, huh?”
Neither man said anything for a minute.
“Where are we?” Yoshi asked.
More silence. “No idea. You know as much as I do.”
“That we’re being used as sperm banks?”
Kell laughed bitterly. “That’s pretty much it.”
Yoshi sighed, looking up at the ceiling. This guy didn’t seem crazy. Might as well get to know him. We might be here together for a while.
“Did you give a sample to the Breeders Club in Sapphire then get knocked out?”
“Sapphire? Kell growled. “We’re in Sapphire now?”
Yoshi swung his legs out of the bed. “Where are you from?” Kell was sitting up against the wall on his pathetic excuse for a bed. The top bunk above him was empty and shrouded his face in shadow.
“I’m from Citrine.”
“Where’s that?” Yoshi asked.
“Do you know where Emerald is?” Yoshi shook his head. “Well, you pass through Citrine on your way to Emerald.”
“So you gave a sample in Citrine?”
Kell nodded. “There was a talk at the community center there. Some professor said he was trying to get samples and that in return you could go into the draw to win a new GF-wiki. I sign up, have a good time, next thing I know, I’m having girlfriend after girlfriend ride me until I shoot ‘em up.”
Exactly the same story. And now he knew that Team Boom was somehow behind this - again. Try not to get involved with Team Boom… Professor Poke’s words rung in his head. If anything, they couldn’t help but get involved with him.
“When you were at the talk, was there a guy sitting behind Thorn looking at everyone in a creepy way?”
“Yeah, that’s Crocop.” Kell shook his head. “He’s not with the Breeders Club at all. He’s Team Boom through and through.”
“Was that him before in the room with us?”
Kell nodded. “Yeah. I’ve only seen him once or twice, but that’s him.”
“Did you know what he was talking about when he mentioned the ‘Switch’?”
Kell shook his head, running his hand through his beard absent-mindedly. “That’s actually the first time I heard him mention anything about that.”