Pokemon - Tale Of The Guardian Master - CH 117 by ModestImmorality < Submission

Keywords male 1114916, female 1004732, cat 199492, pokemon 175397, rabbit 128792, bunny 105143, pony 102619, human 100535, girl 85352, boy 74516, horse 57049, males 41832, woman 26717, females 24053, alien 21988, man 17213, snake 16657, humanoid 13890, stallion 12345, boys 10764, girls 8995, crossover 7708, cabbit 5374, lopunny 4427, men 3608, gardevoir 3271, snivy 2591, women 2585, serpent 2150, ship 1936, kirlia 1220, serperior 1137, buneary 1093, ralts 496, servine 434, rapidash 381, tale of the guardian master 304, totgm 258, ryo 141, ohki 49, ryo-ohki 48, ryoko 37, tenchi 35, muyo 14, hakubi 11

Chapter 117 - From Another Reality

After the girls stomachs had finally settled down, the group gathered together next to the carriage, looking around at the damage they'd caused and facing one another with a nervous laugh. "I think it's best we fix the place up a little before we leave... This could be somebody's property after all." Chris point out. "And how do you intend to fix a mess like this?" Alicia asked. "Well..." Chris muttered, looking himself over before nodding and holding his hand out, forming an Energy Ball before wrapping it in the light of Sunny Day and tossing the sphere into the air. Hovering high over the lake, Chris gave his hand a swipe causing the power to burst, sending his energy raining down across the area while Sunny Day highlighted their surroundings. "In theory this should work, after all the Energy Sphere is made by drawing power from nature, so it should let me return the nature around us too!" he smirked, and sure enough the group saw sprouts popping out of the soil at a rapid pace around them before suddenly shooting up into new trees, surrounding the lake just as they had before their scuffle as Chris looked himself over once more. "And with the new stuff I can do with ice... I wonder?" he added before forming a frigid energy in his palm and tossing it up as well, giving his hand a second swipe causing a Powdery Snow to fall around them. "There... Outta sight, outta mind!" he grinned, watching as the snow slowly covered the exposed soil and newly grown trees. "Not bad... You just got that kinda power and you can already use it like that!" Rose point out. "Well, it helps wen you've spent your life learning about Pokemon and stuff. Plus it's kinda like... I can feel the things I can do, like it's a natural part of me in a way." he point out.

"The hard part's gonna be switching between these forms." he point out, taking a step away from the girls as he looked over his body, half covered in his usual flame while the other half was covered in his new icy energy. "I'm kinda stuck in between at the moment but... I'll get the hang of it." he laughed, rubbing the back of his head before flinching and letting out a groan as he clutched his stomach while the girls looked at one another in guilt. "I-I'm sorry for attacking you like that without paying attention..." Rose apologized. "I-Indeed. We're no different than Serenity really. We all got so caught up in the moment we didn't realized Ninetales had left you exposed. Apologies." Alicia nodded. Looking at the snake, Serenity poked her fingers while glancing away with a pouty scowl on her face. "I sorry too. Not know you not have any power. Feel bad..." she nodded. "H-Hey, don't worry about it." Chris waved. "If anything getting attacked like that will help me toughen up a little, get some pain tolerance going on. It's no good if the only time I can stand on my feet is when Ninetales is backing me up." he point out. "I suppose, but we put quite a lot of power in those attacks. Anyone would've suffered from that kind of blow, human or not." Alicia affirmed. "That being the case, I suppose there's something to be said considering you're able to stand and act so casually after taking such a blow from the three of us combined. For a human, that's admirable." she nodded. Looking at her, Chris grinned and gave the snake a thumbs up. "I am pretty awesome, huh?" he laughed. "Don't get cocky." Alicia scowled, causing Chris to jolt. "She said the same thing... Can't a guy have a little ego around here?" he asked, the snake blinking at him and asking "she?" while tilting her head.

"Ah, nothing. After Ninetales vanished she told me I was getting too cocky." Chris scowled, tapping his head making the snake nod with an "ohhh" before looking around. "All that's left is to fix up that lake. Any travelers come around it's a death trap." Chris point out before asking Rose to hold his staff and handing his coat to Serenity, both squealing excitedly as Rose took his staff and waved it around while Serenity donned his coat with an excited grin, Alicia left with a scowl on her face. "Oy..." he smiled, the three pausing and glancing away embarrassed before he walked ahead of the group. "Alright, here we go." he smirked, punching his fist against his head before bounding across the jagged lake, leaping across various tips of ice jutting out before shooting into the air. Following this, a massive eruption of scorching fire appeared around him, wiping out his icy form returning him to normal before he sent himself slamming into the center of the lake, sending massive shots of molten energy shooting up from a combination of Overheat and Fire Blast combined that quickly changed the lake from a shattered battleground to a massive collection of boiling water, the girls inching back as steam rose from the surface. "G-Good heavens..." Alicia muttered. "That was fast." Rose added, blinking in surprise. "That our master." Serenity smirked with her arms crossed. After a moment, Chris shot up from the lake, patting himself off with a "hot-ot-ot-ot!" before flashing back to his icy form and using a combination of Ice Beam and Freeze-Dry to return the lake to normal, its surface cooling before refreezing back into a smooth, solid state. "A--nd... Done!" Chris grinned before returning to the girls.

Once he landed, Chris found himself stumbling before falling back with a plop, sitting in a dazed state as his power vanished leaving him rubbing his head with a groan. "You okay?" Rose asked. "Y-Yeah, some moves take more outta me than others." Chris replied while standing. "That's odd... Your use of power never had much of an affect on you before. Considering everything you did while we were on that ship, I don't understand." Alicia point out. "T-True... It could be we just haven't recovered from everything we had to do. Don't forget Ninetales really exhausted herself the whole time we were going through all that. Lifting ships, keeping me alive at the bottom of the sea and stuff. It was several days ago but still, people don't always recover in the blink of an eye, and Ninetales did say shes lived for a long time." Chris reminded. "Excuse me?! Age has nothing to do with it!!" Ninetales snapped in his mind, causing Chris to shout as if his ears were ringing while covering them. "Wh-What wrong?!" Serenity panicked. "N-Nothing... Ninetales didn't like what I said." he explained before shaking his head with a sigh. "Anyways, the place around here is patched up so we should get going. We can at least reach the border before we lose sunlight. We can start heading through the mountains tomorrow." he nodded while heading toward the carriage, the girls following behind. "It kinda sucks to wait, but I still think it was worth it to stop and get some real exercise with you." he nodded while climbing into the drivers seat before scowling and looking at his forehead. "Even if SOME people think it was a bad idea despite being into the training herself." he added. "You really want to be punished, don't you?" Ninetales warned, getting a begrudging "fine" from Chris in response.

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - Trotting Along
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEdFhy68e7I

Once the girls were by his sides in the seat and Alicia was safely within the carriage, Chris gave the reigns a soft snap and clicked his tongue, Rapidash letting out a grunt before resuming their trek toward the border. "So... Sure you okay?" Serenity asked. "You don't need something for pain or anything?" Rose asked. "No... I think I'll be alright. I wouldn't mind having my coat back though." he laughed, Serenity jolting before holding herself with a disappointed look, letting out an "aww..." before nodding and returning it to Chris, allowing him to don it once more while she put her fur coat back on she'd left on the seat. "For the time being I should be alright as far as those powers go. I vent out enough of the energy to keep it under wraps until I can find some time to practice with it more. I kinda have a good idea of how it works, but it's still 50-50 at best." he point out. "It's pretty surprising how well you can use all that stuff in no time at all though..." Rose replied. "Well, maybe it's kinda like how you girls feel when you evolve. All of a sudden you learn new abilities and you can use em' as if you'd had em' forever. It's like I said, it's a natural feeling. You can just... Kind of tell you can do it, and then you just do." he explained. "Somewhere deep down it's like what I can do has always been a part of me. It's just a bunch of stuff I've never tried to do before, even though its always been there. Keep in mind most of the details about Ninetales were hazy at best until my journey began. She'd never revealed herself before, guess because she didn't have any reason to. But it's like the closer to her I get, the more I feel capable of doing. Being one with her makes me one with the things I can do, get it?" he asked, Rose blinking at him before laughing nervously.

"G-Guess it's kinda hard to explain. Wadaya say we forget about it for now, yeah?" he asked. "Sound good. Not want to hear about bond with fox." Serenity waved with an agitated look. "Instead..." she added, smirking at Chris before leaning toward him with her hand on his chest. "Can talk about bond we have?" she asked with a sly giggle, causing Chris to blink for a moment before blushing. "G-Geez, don't make things pervy outta the blue." he scowled, Serenity grinning playfully with an "aww" before twirling her finger on his chest. "Don't you think it's inappropriate to mess with him that way after you JUST nearly killed him?" Alicia point out from behind, causing Serenity to jolt wide eyed before pulling herself away and slumping with a guilty groan, poking her fingers and apologizing causing Chris to sweat slightly. "Th-That was an accident. No worries." he assured with a nervous smile. "Accident or not the fact remains, she could've killed you. Is it not for the best to make her reflect on that?" the snake asked. "W-Well, under some other circumstance maybe. I did tell you girls to go all and give it all you had so it was my own undoing. Besides it seems I somehow deserved what happened to me." Chris point out, the girls blinking at him surprised. "How did you deserve it? You just wanted to give us exercise, right?" Rose asked. "Well, yeah... But apparently Ninetales thinks it's better if I don't make you do that stuff. And since it made you get sick again after you'd finally stopped all the barfing, I guess maybe it's better if we avoid that stuff for a while longer." he sighed. "I not think it training that make sick, I think it stress." Serenity point out. "Indeed, we were in a terrible state when we discovered you'd sank into the lake." Alicia nodded. "Yeah... That was scary. I think that's what caused us to get sick. It was the sudden excitement, not so much the fighting. At least, I think so." Rose agreed.

Looking at the girls, Chris smirked with a nod before facing ahead. "Appreciate it, but still. Ninetales never steered me wrong before. If she's going out of her way to tell me something's bad for you, then I'm gonna pay attention to that. It's rare for her to show any notion of interest in that stuff, so it's best to heed her when she is. I'm smart enough to know that much." he affirmed. "So... You're also admitting you're not very bright...?" Alicia grinned slyly. "I-I didn't say that!! Not what I meant and you know it!!" Chris snapped causing the snake to laugh. "Just teasing, don't be so sensitive." she smirked, causing Chris to scowl with a "yeah, right..." in response, Alicia giving him an "awww" before sticking her tongue out, Chris doing the same causing Serenity to scowl at their moment before pulling Chris's arm. "E-Easy! Easy! What's wrong?" he panicked as Alicia grunt. "You interrupt our training repeatedly, now you interrupt our conversation..." she muttered. Looking between the two, Chris let out a sigh before focusing on continuing along their path, Rose smiling and patting his arm in a "hang in there" kind of way making him show a small smirk, nodding at the rabbit before giving her a rub on the head. "You know, compared to before I'd have to say your behavior toward each other has still improved. Even when you're getting all riled up over me, compared to how things were in the past this is pretty tame... I gotta give you two props for the maturity. Still room to improve, but I still appreciate the progress you've made so far." he praised, giving Serenity and Alicia a smile causing the girls to glance away with a scowl on their faces. "Snake still stupid." Serenity muttered. "The feeling's mutual." Alicia replied, the two looking at one another before facing away.

Looking at them, Chris chuckled while pulling out his Pokedex and looking it over. "They sure do make em' sturdy." he muttered before flicking it open and browsing the weather. "Huh, still work." Serenity nodded. "Wadaya doin'?" Rose asked, the two leaning in curiously. "Just seeing how things will be when we head into the mountains. I wanna start the trip when there's plenty of sun, but I also wanna make sure the weather's in our favor too. I don't think any of us would wanna be stuck in a blizzard or something up there." he point out, the girls looking at one another and nodding as he started reading reports. "So... It okay to make trip?" Serenity asked. "Looks like it. Wind's gonna be kinda strong, and cold of course, but it basically says to bundle up and we'll be fine." Chris assured before shutting the device and tucking it away. "Well..." Rose muttered. "Eh? Sup'?" Chris asked, raising an eyebrow as Rose leaned against his side. "I've got lots of fur, we could snuggle up instead." she giggled. "E-Eh?" Chris blinked in surprise, showing a slight blush as Serenity leaned against his other side. "That not bad idea. We keep you warm just fine." she smiled slyly. Looking at the two, Chris suddenly started pretending he was about to sneeze again, causing both to jerk away for fear of being frozen by his new form. "H-Haaah... False alarm." he sighed, pretending to be relieved making both girls sigh as well. "Y-You get control of ice power." Serenity scowled. "Y-Yeah, that's dangerous." Rose added. "Sorry, sorry. I will." he assured as they continued along, his sly act putting a smile on his face thanks to a new way of keeping the girls under control. Looking at the group, Alicia showed a smirk behind them.

"I see what you did there." she point out. "I-I didn't do anything." Chris affirmed, focusing ahead with a scowl. "Uh huh. You're a mean one." she giggled. Looking between him and Alicia, the girls tilt their heads and looked at one another, shrugging while looking at Chris as he showed slight sweat on his face and a bit of an uncomfortable look at the risk of the girls figuring out his act. "S-So! Yeah! We're finally gonna reach the border soon! Isn't it exciting?!" he laughed nervously, the two raising an eyebrow before looking ahead and nodding. "Wonder what rest stop have." Serenity point out. "I wouldn't mind a snack. Places like that usually have good stuff." Rose added. "We'll see. It'd be smart to have a bathroom break too. And you girls should probably brush your teeth while we're there, you did get sick after all." Chris reminded, causing Serenity and Rose to jolt and back away from him all the more, turning their faces and using their hands to test their breath before groaning embarrassed, Alicia secretly doing the same behind them within the carriage and testing her own breath. "W-We do that. Brush teeth." Serenity nodded. "Y-Yeah. That's a good idea." Rose agreed, the two looking at one another before glancing at Chris as he faced them with an "eh?" in response, both clearing their throats and facing away after becoming self conscious about their breath. "Alright then." he smiled nervously before snapping the reigns lightly and clicking his tongue once more, coaxing Rapidash to trot at a slightly quicker pace.  Eventually, the group finally managed to make their way to the entrance of the path that would lead them through the towering mountains ahead, each looking up and blinking in surprise at how large the landmasses had grown in comparison to when they were at a distance.

"Man... You never think much of mountains when you're far away, but once you get up close and personal they really make you feel tiny." Chris point out. "Really big." Serenity nodded while her gaze hovered along the border, seeing nothing but a wall of nature blocking off the world beyond. "Makes you feel kinda isolated, huh?" Chris asked, getting a nod from the girls before stopping Rapidash next to the rest stop and leaning back with a sigh. "This is what it was like back in my village. We were surrounded by a wall of mountains all around us so the whole time I was growing up it felt like I was in a whole different world. Sometimes there were days I wondered if there was still a place beyond them... It was kinda like..." he paused, thinking it over. "You wondered what would happen once you went beyond them. Would there be somewhere to go, or would you just fall off the edge of the world?" he asked, causing Rose's eyes to widen nervously. "Ha ha! Don't worry, rest assured there's plenty of places to go beyond them." he coaxed, rubbing her on the head before they climbed out of the seat while Alicia slithered out of the carriage and looked around alongside them. "Gimme' a sec and I'll get out the brushes and stuff. You girls can head to the bathroom and do a little cleaning while I talk to the owner about letting us hang outside here for the night." Chris instructed, the girls glancing at each other before facing away from one another and checking their breath again. Once he'd found their brushes and past, the girls abruptly snatched them and made their way into the rest stop, leaving Chris standing and blinking with his hands out as if he still had the supplies in hand.

"Well alright then..." he muttered before shutting and securing their storage and heading inside as well. After he'd negotiated rights to stay overnight at the stop and the girls had cleaned themselves up, the group returned to the carriage and looked around once more. "So this is where we'll stay tonight huh? Kinda feels ominous having a wall of mountains right there next to us." Rose point out. "Ah, it's nothing. Just a part of nature you gotta get used to. I did. It's like I said, I was surrounded by mountains the whole time I was growing up!" Chris chuckled while climbing into the drivers seat. "We'll hang out a little distance away from here. I don't wanna be crowding up the stop so we'll make camp across the path, just a little ways on the other side so I've got room to set up the stable for Rapidash and all." he point out, the girls nodding and following along as the carriage moved. "You know, I must say that, sickness and the incident with you being defenseless aside, today was rather... Refreshing. It was nice to return to the field of combat, especially in this new form of mine. It was an opportune moment to stretch my tail and see how this lovely new body performs in the heat of battle." Alicia point out with a proud smile. "Yeah, that BIG body." Serenity teased. "Excuse me?! SLENDER is the term you're looking for!!" Alicia snapped before holding her head up with a smug smirk, Serenity looking up at her before hovering her gaze along Alicia's form. "No... Just big. HUGE is better word." she affirmed with a nod and a smug smirk, causing Alicia to twitch an eye in agitation. "You know, compared to me, you're both bi." Rose point out just as Chris was about to interrupt the potential argument, only to blink at the rabbit and smirk while Alicia let out a "HA!!" and point at Serenity while the Pokemon crossed her arms and scowled.

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - Weight Issues...
https://youtu.be/pyKYULPxrfY?list=PL8A7B247623E882D6

"Stupid snake, that mean to her you TWICE as big as I think." Serenity clarified. "I didn't mean it that way." Rose scowled. "I-It still counts." Alicia complained, looking at herself before slithering along with an agitated scowl. Looking at the group, Chris shook his head before chuckling as he brought the carriage to a stop and climbed down. "You know you girls all look good. I love each of your forms. Alicia's size makes her a little intimidating, sure, but it's great for giving her extra oomph in a battle and gives her a really cool look at the same time! Plus, she definitely makes for one heck of a pillow in bed now!" Chris grinned, causing the snake to blink at him with an "eh?" before scowling with a slight blush. "A pillow? You could've left that part out." she replied. "Well it's true. I woke up laying in your coil this morning and I don't think I've slept better! Snug as a bug." he smiled, making the snake clear her throat and face away. "A bug alright..." she muttered in a shy and embarrassed manner. "As far as you Serenity..." he paused, turning to the Pokemon as she leaned toward him with her hands behind her and a "ye--es?" in a flirty tone, smiling playfully causing him to jolt and inch back. "Y-You've got a good body, yeah." he nodded, patting her on the shoulder warily. "Aww, say more than that! Want to hear nice things too! I know what my body do to you..." she scowled before rubbing herself against his chest and twirling her finger against it with a giggle. "N-Nice! Good!" Chris nodded, turning red from her close and seductive behavior. "I can read thoughts... I like what you thinking!" she point out, causing Chris to flush all the more before jumping back. "N-No mind reading!! You KNOW that's against the rules!! Come on!!" he snapped as the Pokemon laughed and waved her hand. "Okay, okay, I stop." she nodded.

Giving her a scowl, Chris let out a grunt before facing away and scratching his cheek, Alicia looking at the two and showing a scowl of her own. "So... You have those thoughts toward her... And I'm merely a pillow?" she asked, causing Chris to jolt and sweat slightly while Serenity blinked before snickering smugly. Stepping back, Chris looked between the two as he sensed another issue welling up, only to pause when he felt a tug in the side of his coat. "Umm... Any thoughts or opinions about me?" Rose asked, stepping back and fidgeting shyly. "U-Uhh..." Chris muttered, glancing away. "Y-You've got a cute form. L-Like a teddy bear or... Something. Yeah. Cuddly." he nodded. Blinking at him, Rose tilt her head before showing a nervous smile. "I'm like a stuffed toy?" she asked, causing Chris to groan in embarrassment before looking at Alicia and Serenity as they faced one another, with Alicia gritting her teeth while Serenity grinned smugly. "Agh... Why me?" Chris muttered, the two getting closer and closer to a confrontation while Rose looked herself over, poking her thighs and muttering "chubby?" from being called a teddy bear with a slightly sulky look on her face. Twitching an eye as the rabbit concerned over her figure and Serenity teased Alicia, he suddenly let out an agitated shout causing them to jolt and pause as he told the girls he'd thought of them all in the same ways on a constant basis, causing them to blink in surprise before showing a simultaneous flush on their faces while Chris paused and turned red himself. "U-Uhh..." he muttered, looking at the girls as they stared at him making Chris feel meek before shaking his head. "J-Just quit causing a fuss over nothing! You're all attractive to me in ways only each of your bodies can be so... Quit fussing over stuff. You all have special things I like about you that only you've got to offer." he affirmed before he began rummaging for the materials for Rapidash's stable, letting out a humiliated groan while seemingly glowing while the girls looked at one another and smirked.

"You wouldn't wish to go into detail about what those special things are by chance, would you?" Alicia asked, slithering up and leaning her face down towards his with a giggle. "I would just LOVE to rub it in her face." the snake added quietly. "I'm the only one who's face it gets rubbed in." Chris scowled with a slight blush, Alicia looking at him with an "eh?" before he glanced at her. "Y-You already know what's special about you. Back off." he muttered, the snake tilting her head before jolting and turning red. "Hey, what saying?" Serenity scowled. "N-None of your concern!" Alicia lectured before facing away. "I kinda wanna know what's special about me that turns you on too." Rose smiled with a slight blush of her own, glancing away with a shy smile on her face. "J-Just forget about it! Move on or no dinner tonight!" Chris lectured, getting a disappointed "aww" from the girls before hearing them sigh and respond with an "okay" in response, neither wanting to miss out on a meal while Rapidash looked at the group and rolled his eyes before enjoying the scenery, looking at the towering mountains with a "challenge accepted" smirk on his face, thinking about the journey ahead. "Alright... Just gotta set it up like the other night." Chris muttered before getting to work on the stable, the girls watching and looking around curiously. "A trek through mountains as tall and far as the eye can see... Quite the journey I must say, despite it being one covered in this... Mess." Alicia nodded. "I look forward to it. I not get to see other mountains we cross before, this make up for that." Serenity added. "I dunno, kinda makes me nervous. They're awfully big, and haven't you seen those avalanche things on TV?" Rose reminded.

"Oh, that's a very good point." Chris chimed in while fitting rods together. "I know you girls have your differences and all, sometimes you can't help but snap. However, once we're in the mountains you'll have to try and keep it down when stuff like that happens. Once we're in there, your issues really could be the end of us, so keep your arguments in thought form only. No physical fighting, and no screaming things in your normal voices. Vibrations are your worst enemy in places like this." he affirmed. "No worries there. My normal voice doesn't work so good anymore." Rose point out with a nervous laugh before trying to make a sound, only to get raspy squeaks to escape her throat causing the rabbit to sigh while rubbing and clearing it. "Ah, right... I didn't mean to make it seem like I was including you there. Sorry about that." Chris apologized, Serenity and Alicia looking at one another before glancing away quietly. "It's fine. Just saying is all, no problems here." she assured. Looking at the rabbit, Chris was silent himself before showing a smirk and walking up, Rose giving him a curious look as he squat and reached a hand out, giving her head a soft rub. "You know... Maybe Serenity isn't the only one who deserved something out of the Celebi Project..." he smiled, his statement somehow having an apologetic sound to it. "Wadaya mean?" Rose asked, blinking at him and tilting her head. "Well, lets just say if it weren't for my voice sounding a little weird coming from you, I might've been able to give you something you deserved to have too. It's my fault you lost it after all." Chris point out before returning to the parts of the stable and fixing them together once more.

Continuing to look at him with a confused look, Rose let out a curious "eh?" while Serenity and Alicia stood by her sides. "Still beats himself up over that." the snake sighed. "When he have guilt, it hard to get rid of." Serenity nodded. "I suppose that's another strangely endearing thing about him though. He cares. Perhaps too much... But still." Alicia replied. Looking at the two, Rose tilt her head once more before rubbing her throat again and looking down, her ears drooping with an "oh" while the two looked down at the saddened bunny. "You know, what he say something to make happy, not sad." Serenity point out. "Quite right. It says something when another is willing to sacrifice for those they care for, especially to his degree." Alicia nodded. "He give me eye, his eye, because he love me. He want to do same for you, but with voice. That say how much he love you too. When he say he could give what you deserve to have, he mean he give up talking for good to make you talk again so you not have to use mind." Serenity added, tapping her head. "I-I wouldn't want him to give up something like that! At least with the eye thing he had two of those so he had a spare!" Rose panicked. "G-Giving up his voice would be cruel. I might miss talking normally sometimes but the way we talk now is still just as good..." she added, looking down and poking her fingers. "I don't think I like the idea of never hearing him talk normally again just because he felt bad for me. It's flattering but still." she affirmed before looking up at Chris with a slight blush. "He does enough as it is... I couldn't ask for more than that. And what he's done already is stuff I'd only dreamed of someone doing for me. This life is more than enough, I'd rather have all this, I mean, this life, than my voice." she finished, Serenity and Alicia looking at one another and nodding with a smirk.

"It still stand though. He really love us, really love you. Give anything to make happy, to him it not matter what it take so long as he feel it right and he know it make you smile. What he say... It make you sad, but make happy too, right?" Serenity asked, Rose looking up before facing back down with a shy nod. "Y-Yeah, it's always nice when he gets all sweet and gentle like that." the rabbit agreed. Looking down, Alicia chimed in by saying "that's our..." and pausing, covering her mouth like a hand with her vine and coughing out the word "master" making the girls blink in surprise as she finished her sentence with "for you." and casually glancing away. "Y-You just say...?" Serenity asked. "What? I didn't say a word. Merely that's our moron for you. Yes." the snake smirked smugly, only for Serenity and Rose to jolt wide eyed and point nervously as Chris stood behind the snake, blinking in surprised. "What's wrong with you tw...!!" Alicia asked, cut off when Chris asked "Moron?" behind her, scratching his cheek causing the snake to turn pale before showing a "shit..." expression and groaning. "I admit it takes me a little time to put the thing together but... That doesn't mean I'm a moron." he smiled nervously while turning toward the frame of the stable, slowly beginning to take form. "I guess a girl does get testy when she's hungry though. Sorry for putting the stable first." he apologized. "N-No no!! Quite alright!! Never you mind!! I was referring to..." Alicia replied, glancing toward Serenity and quickly calling her name making the Pokemon snap with an agitated "hey!!" in response. "Her, yes. Serenity, it was merely a moment between us, not you." the snake assured with a nervous laugh. "G-Go about doing your little project, we're quite alright." she assured, Chris giving her a curious and confused look combined before nodding, giving a "s-sure." in response and continuing his task at hand, gathering more supplies from their storage.

"...Stupid snake." Serenity scowled with her arms crossed. "I gotta agree with her this time... You should really watch what you say more often. At least about him. You never know when he might be around and what he might hear. If you're going to lie about things you've said, at least do it without changing your words into an insult." Rose lectured. Looking at the two, Alicia scowled before letting out a sigh and nodding, giving an apology as Chris walked by with his arms full of supplies. "Wadaya sorry about? Isn't that my line for making dinner wait?" he asked, the snake jolting before laughing nervously. "You seem like you could use a hand. Give it here!" she offered before toting his supplies along in her vines leaving Chris standing with a confused look. "I uh... I think I should stop butting in on conversations." he smiled with slight sweat on his face, the girls looking at one another nervously before responding with a simultaneous "you're fine" and waving. "Alicia offering to help with physical labor huh...?" Chris muttered, rubbing his chin before smirking with a nod. "Works for me!" he grinned before following the snake and getting back to his task as she set his things down next to his feet. Eventually, he'd managed to finish the stable once more, stepping back and looking the structure over before tugging on the tarps, making sure all was secure and smirking with a satisfied nod."Alright buddy! All set!" he grinned before freeing Rapidash from the carriage, allowing the horse to enter his stable. "I'll have your water and grub in a sec. With the stop next door getting water will be easier for all of us." Chris nodded before taking buckets from the storage and heading toward the stop. "Be back in a sec!" he assured, the girls nodding with a wave.

"Light almost gone." Serenity point out as she looked toward the sunset, the sun having already fell beneath the trees while Chris had finished the stable as the sky above slowly began to blacken, several stars already beginning to appear. "Not a bad day I'd say. A pretty smooth trip in comparison to that horrid journey across the sea." Alicia shuddered. "Yeah, it's nice to have such a peaceful time like this. The fighting wasn't really my thing though... But it was kinda fun in its own way, I guess?" Rose nodded, unsure of exactly how she felt over the training. "Still feel bad about putting him in lake though." Serenity admit, poking her fingers with a guilty scowl. "Stupid fox, why she have to go and ruin fun? Take power away and make him get hurt." she added in agitation. "Ninetales is a very... Fickle creature. One can never know what she's thinking." Alicia point out. "I'd rather not talk about her behind Chris's back. It's risky... Then again, so is talking about her when he IS around. Either way you never know what she can hear." Rose cautioned, Alicia and Serenity looking at one another before nodding. "Back!' Chris called out, causing the group to jolt before facing him as he passed and put a bucket of water in the stable for Rapidash before bringing the other he filled to the girls. "Alright, all I gotta do now is give Rapidash his meal and I'll start on ours." he assured. "Since he does most of the work for us, he kinda deserves it, ya know?" Chris point out, the girls nodding as he prepped the horses food and hung it on the side of the stable for easy eating, Rapidash responding with a nod before munching away. "Enjoy man. Appreciate the work." Chris smirked, returning to the girls once more.

"So... What having tonight?" Serenity asked. "Mmm... Good question." Chris muttered while crossing his arms. "Feels like it might be a bit colder tonight, so something with just a little kick to it maybe." he nodded while thinking over the options. "You know... There's a dish I haven't served in a LONG time. Back in the village, during the winter season, we'd tend to serve this stew that was SO good. Although depending on who decided to cook it, the stuff could really set your tongue on fire!" he laughed, Alicia showing a wary look with an "ehhh..." of slight objection. "Don't worry. I like it on the tamer side myself. I think you girls would really love it! In the village, everybody would gather at the house of whoever decided to make it and we'd have a great time. It's the perfect dish for feeding a ton of people on a low budget, and even better for feeding just a handful of people with leftovers that are just as great the next day." Chris assured with a wink. "Come on, when have you girls NOT liked my grub?" he asked. "Well, if say so, then we try." Serenity nodded. "Does the dish thing have a name?" Rose asked as he went to the carriage and started rummaging for ingredients. "Heh, yeah. It's kind of a southern thing. They call it gumbo!" Chris explained. "Gum... Boo?" Serenity asked, tilting her head. "HA! Not boo, BO!" Chris snickered, causing the Pokemon to scowl. "Gumbo, gumbo... Ah, they've shown it on TV before." Alicia nodded. "More often than not the concoction looks a tad... Strange, to me. The things they toss together. Then again, much of what you humans eat is strange to me." the snake shrugged. "Ahh, but you love it, don't ya'?" Chris grinned, causing the snake to scowl.

"The only downside is that, while it's crazy good, it takes a few hours to cook. Around three so... It'll be a bit more of a wait." Chris point out, causing the girls to let out a collective and frustrated grown. "Don't worry, it'll be a little late but the wait will definitely be worth it." he assured. "Plus we've got stuff I can give you to help tide you over until then so I'm not leaving you completely hanging." he smirked. 'If want to cook gumboo should have started earlier." Serenity complained in a pouty voice, crossing her arms with her cheeks puffed out causing Chris to snicker. "G-Gumbo Serenity, gumbo." he clarified. "I NOT CARE!!" the frustrated Pokemon shout, agitated by her hunger and being corrected combined. "Okay, okay. Just let me get the fire set up and things cookin' and I'll fix you girls up a little snack to hold you over until the food's done." Chris coaxed, passing the girls and prepping a spot for a campfire. Once he had a space ready, he went to a nearby tree and gathered wood before lighting the fire, same as he'd done the night before. "Man make fire!" Alicia teased in a deep and derpy sounding voice. "Hardy har har. People don't talk like that anymore." Chris scowled. "Well, maybe not people, but certain Pokemon do." the snake snickered, looking at Serenity causing the Pokemon to twitch an eye. "Watch what say snake. Not like me when hungry." she warned. "What are you going to do? Turn green? Oh, wait..." the snake scoffed before laughing, making Serenity grit her teeth in agitation. "Alright, alright. None of that. I don't want any trouble tonight. You want us to be forced to camp somewhere else?" he asked, Alicia sighing with a "very well" in response, nodding before slithering toward the other side of the fire.

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - Poke Treats
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qic25bA51OU

"This not fair, keep getting picked on. Not right to have to take it." Serenity complained. "Aw come on, you know it's no big deal. You girls care about each other deep down, you all should be aware of that. Teasing is just another form of affection in its own way." Chris affirmed. "You pointing out words I say wrong not helping." Serenity point out with a scowl. "Well, it's just to help you, that's all. I don't mean anything bad by it." Chris replied while adding ingredients and water to their large pot. "Still, it make snake pick on me more." Serenity grumbled as he looked up at her before smirking. "Hey, come down here a sec." he instructed, making Serenity raise an eyebrow before squatting next to him. "Want help?" she asked, only for Chris to respond with a "no" before giving her a tender kiss on the cheek causing the Pokemon to freeze up. "Relax, alright?" he smiled, Serenity blinking at him for a moment before blushing slightly and glancing away with another scowl. "Fine..." she nodded, poking her fingers as Chris started stirring his ingredients, setting the pot over the fire after it had died down enough. "That's my girl." he nodded before standing and offering a hand to Serenity, helping the Pokemon stand before holding her against his side with his arm around her. "Just enjoy the peace. It's just us now so we should all take the opportunity to enjoy it again. In her own way, I think that's all Alicia's trying to do. You know you've been having fun too, like the snowball fight and all." he point out, Serenity glancing toward Alicia before nodding. "Guess so." she grumbled. "Atta' girl." Chris grinned before returning to the carriage.

"Aww, he's dotting on you!" Rose giggled causing Serenity to jolt before glancing away. "Not know what talking about. We just talk is all." Serenity replied. "Uh huh. You know you liked it." the rabbit teased, causing Serenity to blush all the more. "So what if do? Leave alone." she replied, only for Rose to give her a nudge making Serenity scowl before smirking. "Okay, okay. It nice. Quit picking." she confessed before nudging Rose back. "Ohh! Is that a smile I see on my girls faces?" Chris asked, grinning as he walked up between the two with several bags full of various bite-sized Poke Puff treats causing their eyes to light up. "G-Give!! Give give!!" Serenity shout excitedly, jumping against him and grabbing for a bag. "Ha ha! Alright, alright!" Chris nodded, handing over a bag as the Pokemon squealed before reaching in and tossing a Puff in her mouth, causing Serenity to shudder and coo. "I wish they tasted as good to me as they do to you. I gotta say, to humans, at least in my case, these things are pretty... Yeesh." Chris shuddered with a "blech" expression while handing a bag to Rose and Alicia as well. "Our kind is simply too refined for you, that's all." Alicia point out before munching on her own Puff, making the snake shudder slightly with a "heavenly..." before munching on another. "The food humans eat isn't bad, but it's a shame your kind can't enjoy the stuff we eat too. At least when it comes to this stuff. It's awesome!" Rose giggled while nibbling on her own puffs and letting out a satisfied sigh. "Well, you girls just help yourselves. I'll pass." Chris replied, waving his hand before returning to his pot and stirring the mixture within. "I'll have gumbo over Puffs any day!" he grinned, the girls responding with a collective "your loss!" before simultaneously popping another Puff in their mouths and munching away while relaxing around the fire.

"So do tell... This festival we're going to..." Alicia began. "You mean the Aurora Festival?" Chris asked. "Yes. Care to share more details about this little event?" the snake asked. "Well..." Chris muttered, sitting back from the pot before taking out his Pokedex and bringing up info. "First off, it's not a little event. Really the Aurora Festival is a lot like Christmas, there's not much of a difference between the two so the kids around here definitely live the good life." he chuckled. "Christmas?" Serenity asked. "Oh come now, don't tell me you've no idea about that? It may be a human celebration but there's rarely a Pokemon who knows nothing of it." Alicia scowled. "Easy now, remember, she hasn't been around long enough to know about that stuff." Chris point out, the snake letting out an "ahh, right" and nodding while Serenity crossed her arms and glanced away. "Hey, it's okay! You're free to ask about whatever you want here. If you don't know something, I'm happy to explain." Chris smiled with a hand on her shoulder, the Pokemon looking at him before showing a smile and nodding. "Whenever you've watched TV or looked at books, have you ever seen people putting things on trees? Shiny things, sparkly string and stuff? How about things showing houses covered in special lights, snow piled up to look like people..." Chris began, Serenity thinking it over while Alicia showed an "oh boy..." look and munch on another Puff while Rose giggled and listened. "What stuff showing people sitting around one of those special trees, opening boxes covered in shiny paper and all?" he asked, Serenity's eyes opening as she pat her fist in her palm. "Oohhh! I see that! So... THAT is Christmas thing?" she asked, Chris laughing with a nod.

"Now that think about it more, have seen that before. One time, maybe two... Not get it though." Serenity shrugged. "Well, you see..." Chris began, scooting closer to Serenity before popping up holograms focusing on Christmas activities. "Whenever this holiday comes around, called Christmas, people come together to spend time with the ones they love most. They decorate their homes inside and out with tons of awesome stuff, and a lot of people love cutting down a tree, bringing it in their homes, and covering it with lots of pretty decorations." he grinned as Serenity looked at the holograms wide eyed. "Whenever this special day comes around, people tend to feel closer to one another than ever. Everything feels really warm and tender. It's really sweet." he nodded while bringing up more holograms. "On this day, people love giving special presents to the ones they care about, that's why you see so many boxes wrapped up and see people tearing them open. All of those presents are to surprise the one's they're given to, and to show them how much they're cared for, how much they're loved." he went on. "Ooohhh... That?" Serenity asked, pointing out a hologram of people kissing. "A-Ah..." Chris muttered, showing slight sweat as he cleared his throat. "M-Mistletoe, it's another part of Christmas... People hang it over their heads, and whoever winds up under it has to get a kiss." he explained with a slight blush. "We have to get lots of that!" Serenity grinned excitedly. "O-One's enough!" Chris affirmed, causing the Pokemon to scowl before responding with a "fine" and listening once more. "It's also a time for doing stuff for other people. Showing those who might not be so lucky in life that they matter, that they have support and a purpose. That they haven't been forgotten." he added with a suddenly somber smile.

"I dunno if I like that look..." Rose point out with a worried expression. "S-Sorry! That last part just made me think of stuff is all. Not important stuff though, so forget it." he laughed while waving his hand nervously. "So yeah! That's basically what Christmas is all about. Being closer with the ones you love, giving presents to show them how special they are to you, doing a bunch of decorating... Amazing grub, don't forget that! And helping out those who need it most." he nodded. "What we're going to, the Aurora Festival, is basically the same thing. The only difference is the setting and theme." he explained. "But yeah... This will be your first time experiencing something like the Aurora Festival, or like Christmas basically. I'm gonna have to work hard to make it as awesome as possible for ya!" Chris grinned with a thumbs up, causing Serenity to blush before glancing away. "N-Not have to go to trouble." she replied. "Bah, it's the least I can do." Chris waved while stirring his Gumbo as it boiled. "You girls do so much for me just by being a part of my life everyday. It's only natural to wanna go outta my way to show you how grateful I am for having you with me whenever the chance comes around!" he grinned as the girls looked at one another, each showing a slight blush on their faces. "Y-You know, you kinda do that all the time. You don't have to always push yourself so hard for our sake." Rose point out. "Indeed... I've let you know already that you've no need to dote over me so much. The affection is appreciated but don't waste your time slaving over me." Alicia affirmed. "W-Well, just figured..." Chris replied with a nervous smile. "Not need to figure! You do stuff all the time. Should let festival thing be our turn to do stuff!" Serenity chimed in with a suddenly determined look on her face.

"I-I uh... I dunno. You girls are welcome to enjoy the festival by doing whatever you want, but are you sure you want to spend it worrying over me? I don't want you girls getting competitive and all that when we're supposed to all have fun together." Chris point out. "I was thinking we'd stick with doing some decorating and feasting, stuff like that. Exploring the festival and all. Together stuff." he affirmed. "Well, there should be plenty of time to do stuff together and try doing something for you. Nobody's saying it'd be a competitive thing. We just wanna do something special for you since you always do special stuff for us!" Rose smiled. "You girls already did something nice for me. I still haven't got over the whole cake thing you set up together! That was, and still is amazing. The banner you made, the little figures they sculpted... That was the best thing ever! I couldn't ask or expect more from you than that!" Chris grinned. "That was while ago! It time to do new special thing!" Serenity scowled. "Indeed... If that's all you feel worthy of, if that's all you expect from us, then that's pitiable. There's nothing wrong with the three of us wishing to return the favor once more, and you shouldn't fret over it either." Alicia affirmed. "They're right! It was fun putting that surprise together for you! I wanna have fun again and give you another one!" Rose grinned. "W-Well, if you're set on it. I was thinking I'd put stuff together for you but... If you wanna do something for me, that works too." he laughed nervously. "Why do you sound so nervous about us wanting to make you happy?" Rose asked. "I-I'm not!" Chris assured, waving his hands with sweat on his face. "Is it criminal to desire such a thing?" Alicia added. "N-No! It's fine!" Chris laughed nervously. "If you really think I deserve it, then do whatever you like!" he smiled.

"You act funny... Act funny moment ago the way you smile. Why you seem happy and sad at same time? I not get." Serenity asked with a raised eyebrow. "Quite, your behavior is a tad curious. You seem rather excited over the whole thing, but for some reason there's something that doesn't quite seem to thrill you deep down." Alicia added, squinting at him with a suspicious look. "Fess up, what wrong? What bother you so much?" Serenity asked, the three giving him a claustrophobic feeling while tugging his collar. "I-I uh..." he muttered before acting as though a light had flashed on over his head. "G-Gotta stir the gumbo! Don't want a burnt dinner do we?" he asked before hurrying to the pot and tending to their food, the girls looking at one another before letting out a collective sigh. "Hate it when he not talk. Make me want to read mind." Serenity scowled. "Indeed... But do that and you know the consequences. He's rather strict on that matter so I wouldn't cross it. Even when done in good fun he gets irritable so I'd hate to imagine his response to having his mind read during matters like this. No matter how much he loves you I still highly doubt he'd be quick to forgive." Alicia warned, making Serenity sigh and nod. "Ya' know, when you get right down to it we don't know much about him, do we? His past at least. When it comes to that everything's kinda blank so... Maybe it's something about that making him act the way he is?" Rose point out. "True, what little we do know paints a rather somber picture." Alicia nodded. "Well that what we here for! He make us forget bad past, it our job to do same for him, right?!" Serenity asked, once again revealing a determined look and tone.

Looking at one another, Alicia and Rose smirked before the three turned toward Chris, watching as he cooked while squatting with his back turned to them, an uncomfortable look on his face while showing a nervous smile. "S-So, this gumbo. It's actually a variety of it called Cajun, but another popular kind is Creole! Though there's a more vegetarian kind called Z'herbes too." he explained while tossing in several more ingredients. "I think my favorite is Cajun but... To each their own!" he laughed as the girls went up to him from behind. "Hey, not act that way." Serenity scowled while tapping his back with her foot. "Yeah, we know stuff bothers you sometimes. Stuff bothers us sometimes. Doesn't mean we always have to talk about it!" Rose smiled. "Indeed, what say we simply continue enjoying this little camping moment and leave it at that, shall we?" Alicia asked. Glancing back for a moment, Chris smirked with a nod in response. "Okay, okay. Sorry for souring things up." he apologized. "I'm happy you girls wanna do something nice for me again, really! I'll be sure to look forward to whatever it is you decide to do once we're settled in and stuff at the festival, alright?" he asked, getting a nod from the three in response before they sat around the fire together once more. Nearby, Rapidash was continuing to munch away at his food, only pausing to raise his head and let out a sudden belch that made the group jump and face the horse, blinking at him in surprise. "G-Good one." Chris nodded. "That gross." Serenity scowled. "An excuse me at least?" Alicia asked. "Wow." Rose laughed, the horse facing the group with an agitated "like you've never done it before?" look before continuing to eat once more. "Boy, wish I could let one rip like that!" Chris laughed. "That nasty! Not do that!" Serenity lectured, giving Chris a nudge. "You certainly wouldn't get anything from me if you behaved in such a manner." Alicia affirmed. "Way to make things perverted." Chris teased, smirking at the snake as she looked at him before stuttering and calling him a "dog!!" while facing away.

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - It's Gumbo Time!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OoxTuuhGf4

Over the next few hours, Chris went over the concepts of Christmas and the Aurora Festival further with the girls, discussing various celebrations he'd been through in the past and talking about what the town beyond the mountains might be like, with Chris leaving it up to their imaginations rather than spoiling things with the Pokedex as their dinner gradually cooked all the while. "You know, although I'm aware of the holiday you humans call Christmas, it's not really one I've enjoyed personally before." Alicia point out. "Me neither. I've seen tons of humans having fun though! I always thought their Pokemon were so lucky to be a part of something like that... They always looked so happy with their humans." Rose nodded with a nostalgic yet somehow somber and envious smile. "If you not know what it like before, why talk about how I not know about it?" Serenity scowled at Alicia, the snake shrugging in response. "I don't really know what it's like, I knew what it was however. I was merely surprised." she replied. Looking at the girls, Chris stirred the gumbo once more. "Looks like there's not much time left... We'll be feasting in no time!" he grinned. "Really? Wasn't it a three hour wait?" Rose asked, leaning forward to have a curious look at the stew. "It's almost been that long! Time flies when you're spending time with others talking about stuff." Chris point out before sitting back. "So... You girls haven't celebrated Christmas before?" he asked. "I suppose we've been more along the lines of admirers than partakers." Alicia replied, looking at Rose as the rabbit nodded. "I always thought it looked fun, but... I never really had any part of it in the past. I was kinda hoping being with a human would change that, but, well, you know. He wasn't interested in doing anything like that, not with me anyways." Rose reminded, referring to her past trainer.

"Same here really. It was around the time of such festivities that the human I was with started having issues with me, so I was cast out when the time came around. I watched the celebrations, but wasn't so much a part of it." Alicia point out. "Ah..." Chris nodded before rubbing the back of his head with a guilty look, the two taking notice. "N-No need to fret over such nonsense however! That was then! Surely the situation will be far different with this festival, yes?" Alicia asked with a nervous smile. "Y-Yeah! I'm sure it's gonna be great doing something like this since it's with you!" Rose added, showing her own nervous smile. "It chance for us all to have good first time. We all be happy, do stuff for us, do stuff for you. All good." Serenity nodded while giving him a pat on the back. "Not worry about before. Focus on now, what coming. Not need to punish self for things you not able to help. What happen to us before is all part of what make us who we are now. Look at this way, being with bad humans make us know how good you are. How special. Make us know you worth staying with, worth living for." she added. Looking at her, Chris blinked for a moment before facing away with a slight blush. "G-Geez... Okay." he nodded, scratching his cheek with a small smile as Serenity smirked and gave him a nudge. "Should stir food again." she point out, causing Chris to jolt before rushing to the pot. "Easily flattered, aren't we?" Alicia giggled. "B-Bah. So are you ya' know." Chris point out. "Only because you're so dreadfully tacky that one can't help but feel amused by your attempts." the snake replied with a smug smirk. "Hey, how I make you girls happy might be tacky but at least it comes from the heart." Chris scowled with a nod.

After adding in several kinds of seafood along with the meats and vegetables already in his gumbo, Chris continued simmering the stew for a while longer, bringing out a pan and cooking rice on the side before their meal was finally finished at last, the group gathering in close around the pot and looking at their dinner with curious eyes, each sniffing the meal as Chris tested the stew, taking a small sip and trying various small bites of the meats within, showing a curious look on his face as the girls watched before he finally nodded with an "all done!" causing them to sigh in relief. "Eat, eat! Put in bowls!" Serenity coaxed eagerly. "Alright, alright! Just hang on a minute."  Chris laughed before returning to their storage and bringing out the supplies they needed, including a long loaf of bread to go with the stew and rice. "Alright, now to ration it out." he muttered, filling each bowl part way with rice before adding the gumbo on top and handing each girl a chunk of bread. "This stuff is great with rice and it's perfect for dipping. It has a little kick to it since I didn't want to give it a zing you girls might not like. I used what they call bell peppers to spice it up a bit, but not too much so it stayed on the dull side. I think you'll still love it though!" he chuckled as the girls made themselves comfortable, using a nearby stump from a tree that appeared to be recently cut as a small table of sorts. Bringing out their milk, Chris handed out glasses and poured it out for the group, getting a "thanks" from each as they looked at their gumbo and sniffed it once more. "The color is a tad strange but it smells okay I suppose." Alicia point out. "It kinda makes your nose feel funny." Rose added while poking her portion with her spoon.

"Well, give it a try!" Chris coaxed, helping himself to his own portion before sitting next to the girls, only for them to pause and look at him before adjusting themselves to make room. "Not sit there, sit here." Serenity scowled, patting the ground next to her. Looking at the group, Chris grinned while sitting between Serenity and Rose, both giving him a hug before trying out their new dish. "Oh my... Although it looks strange, the taste is actually divine." Alicia point out, her eyes widened in surprise. "Sa--ay... Not bad!" Rose giggled while dipping her bread into the stew and nibbling away. "It kind of tingle, but taste good." Serenity nodded. "Told ya! Never judge something on looks alone." Chris smirked while enjoying his own portion. Looking at one another, the girls suddenly smiled causing him to pause and look at them curiously. "What's with those looks?" he asked curiously. "It's nothing. You're just right is all." Rose nodded. "Quite right." Alicia agreed. "You say it." Serenity added, causing Chris to blink with a puzzled look before the group responded with a collective "never mind" and continued eating, with Chris responding with a puzzled "alright..." before continuing to enjoy his food. "The kick it has is fairly dull, but the milk still helps." Alicia point out. "Yeah, milk is the best when you're eating spicy stuff. Something about it seems to cancel out different spices." Chris nodded. "Although if you make something REALLY spicy, it's not gonna help much!" he laughed. "I once tried some gumbo our neighbor made back in the village and it felt like my mouth would never stop burning. I was sweating up a storm it was so hot!" he revealed. "I not think I want that gumbo..." Serenity replied. "Y-Yeah, this amount of spicy is fine." Rose laughed nervously. "Indeed. This is fine." Alicia nodded. Looking at the girls, Chris teased with a "chicken!!" before taking another bite, making the girls scowl at him before they started eating again as well, the group enjoying their meal while chatting as time went by.

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - A Rift in the Sky...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biFQboD2rls

However, after spending time filling their stomachs while talking about their mountainous trek ahead, the group started hearing strange noises as the wind gradually picked up, causing them to look around curiously. "Weird..." Chris muttered. "Wind get strong all of sudden. Is it storm?" Serenity asked. "I doubt it, the sky's crystal clear." Alicia point out, the group looking up before a sudden powerful gust nearly blew out their fire. "The weather DID call for strong winds comin' our way." Chris reminded while adding more wood around their pot. Looking at one another, the girls shrugged before they continued talking, only to pause when they heard the wind sounding more and more strange. "That... Doesn't sound normal." Rose point out. "It sounds like a rocket or something is revving up." Chris point out as they looked around. After a moment, the wind died down and the sounds vanished, causing the group to stiffen slightly. "...I not like. Should get in carriage?" Serenity asked. "I think it best to go in the stop over there instead." Alicia point out. "I dunno... It could just be how the wind sounds blowin' through the mountains." Chris added, the group looking toward the towering border nearby. "I guess so..." Rose nodded. "We'll just finish a little more of the gumbo then pack up for the night, alright?" Chris smiled, the girls looking around once more before nodding warily. However, just as they started getting back into their cozy moment, another blast of wind suddenly rushed past them, the sound returning louder than before causing the group to panic and cover their ears. "Th-That's not the wind!!" Chris shout. "L-Loud!!" Rose added, pulling her ears down and covering them.

Gathering together, the group looked around as the wind started swirling around the area, almost like a twister was beginning to form as the snow pulled into the air and spun around them. "Is it another beast by chance?!" Alicia asked, looking around. "I-I dunno! This isn't like when Lunala showed up!" Chris reminded, having to shout in order for his voice to carry. Suddenly, they heard another sound echo from above, a strange noise crying out like something was terrified as the wind continued picking up and the sound like that of a rocket grew louder and louder. "G-Gah... T-Too much noise...!!" Chris groaned, clutching his teeth as the sound forced him to his knees, the girls slowly doing the same while shouting in pain. "Make stop!! No more!!" Serenity snapped. "Hurt!! Hurt hurt!!" Rose panicked. "Enough already!!" Alicia added, suddenly shoving her head into the snow to dull the noise. Shutting his eyes tightly, Chris groaned as he faced up, his eyes winced before noticing something happening in the sky above them. "L-Look!! Up there!!" he point out, the girls struggling to face the direction he signaled before seeing what appeared to be lightening gathering in a cluster and randomly shooting bolts in different directions, causing loud blasts and crackling noises before the area around the lightening began to spiral. "M-Maybe...!!" Chris muttered, quickly taking out his Pokedex and struggling to hold it up, nearly buckling when another terrified cry could be heard amidst the rest of the noise going on. "I-It sounds like a Pokemon!! Its gotta be!" he affirmed, continuing to hold his device in the air, only to get no response. Next thing they knew, a massive explosion of energy suddenly ripped through the air around them, sending the group flying back as a massive rift tore itself open high above, resulting in a colossal vortex taking shape.

"Th-That can't be a Pokemon..." Rose groaned while sitting up. "Whatever it is, I don't like the look of what's going on up there." Alicia added, raising up from where she'd landed. "I can't get my Pokedex to get a read on it..." Chris point out, pushing himself up and looking at his device, noticing it suddenly going haywire in his hand before seeing the stop nearby and the carriage going through an electrical frenzy. Panicking, he rushed to the carriage and quickly shut everything off, not wanting to ruin the circuitry as the girls quickly followed and stayed close to him, watching the sky together as the rift continued releasing massive discharges of energy in the forms of electricity and waves combined. Looking toward the stop, those within were quickly securing the location, shutting sturdy metal hangar-like doors and sealing themselves within. "Th-There goes that." Rose point out. "L-Look!!" Alicia shout, the group focusing on the mysterious rift as something finally started pushing through. Keeping their gaze on the object, it was a massive, crystal like structure, a floating craft covered in a jagged and black design that gradually made its way through. Hearing another terrified cry, it was almost as if the object was trying to resist, seemingly being pushed into their world by another force as the area around them began to tremble. "S-Sounds like a Pokemon..." Chris groaned. "I-Is it in some kinda pain?" Rose asked as the massive object continued to seemingly cry out in fear, randomly halting its progress through the rift only to continue being forced through. Looking down, Chris's Pokedex was continuing to malfunction, even its internal computer going on the fritz as it randomly spoke in slurs and flashed various colors.

"B-Better shut it...!!" Chris muttered, quickly forcing the device off by pulling out the battery. After a moment, the object above them was nearly completely through the rift before it let out another ear piercing cry, just before the rift let off a final blast of energy, causing a blinding light to flash which forced the group to shield themselves before all went silent, save for the sound of a strange engine of sorts humming above them and the wary sounds of a creature above, almost as if the object were nervously asking "where am I...?" as the group uncovered their faces and looked up, seeing the massive structure in its entirety now floating above. "Th-That's DEFINITELY not a Pokemon..." Chris muttered, blinking wide eyed in awe. "P-Pointy..." Rose point out. "Whatever it is, I take it down." Serenity affirmed, walking up and hitting her fist against her palm. "I uh... Wouldn't challenge that... THING... before we know what it is. Or... Is who the proper term?" Alicia asked, Chris shrugging with a bewildered "heck if I know!" while putting his battery back in his Pokedex and starting it up, the system going through an automatic restoration before booting up completely. "Alright, maybe now it can do something." he nodded while holding up the device, waiting as it scanned the massive structure. After a moment, it suddenly flashed before letting out an "unidentified presence" notice, the scan revealing not only the structure of the object, but what looked like a person standing within the red dome atop the craft. "S-Say... There's something inside that thing." Chris point out, the girls gathering curiously

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - The Space Pirate, Ryoko!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NSMR5iNf8I

Looking at one another warily, the group decided to make their way further beneath the craft, inching their way along while keeping their eyes firmly locked on the underside of the structure. However, just as they began to relax while admiring its size and crystal-like form, they were sent into a panicked state when the craft shot a beam down toward the ground, the light making impact as the group leaped away and shielded themselves, thinking it was a weapon only to look up and see the being within lowering toward the surface inside the light. Once the ground was reached, the beam abruptly vanished revealing the being to be a person, a spiky, blue haired woman to be exact, standing with her hands on her hips in a jester-like outfit and an agitated expression, looking around at the frozen land around her before her eye began to twitch and she let out a furious shout, causing Chris and the girls to jolt and quickly inch back from where they sat behind her, clutching one another. "What the hell?!! What's the deal Washu?!!" she snapped as a hologram of another woman appeared before, featuring a similar hair style only pink instead of blue. "Oh my, oh my. So---o sorry about that!" the woman laughed. "I was working on a new device of mine that could transfer the house to any location desired in case of an emergency when a certain you know who showed up in my lab. Combine her with the fact we've got Seina visiting at the moment and it's a perfect recipe for disaster!" the woman explained. "It seems as you entered the vicinity from your little trip you were caught up in the dimensional distortions going on as the device malfunctioned and uh... Lets just say we kinda, accidentally of course, threw you into another reality!" the woman revealed before laughing again.

"It's not funny!! I'm starving ya' hear!? I only went on that "little trip"..." the blue haired woman argued, making a motion with her fingers. "Because you needed those supplies for all the other crap you're up to!! Bring me back Washu!!" she snapped. "W-Well, I'm working on a fix as we speak. It'll take a little bit but we should be able to pull you back into our reality in a few hours. Until then, you technically ARE home! Where you appeared in that reality is in the same location as our own." the pink haired woman named Washu explained. "Oh like hell it is!! Look around!! The place is a wasteland!!" the blue haired woman snapped as the hologram rotated, allowing Washu to scan the area. "Well, it IS a different reality. Naturally there will be many differences between that world and our own. Look over there! Those are the mountains where the shrine would be! And it looks like the location of the lake by our house is in the distance way over there." Washu explained. "You know... I suppose I COULD speed up the process of bringing you back if you were to, say... Call me mommy? Why not, my wittle Ryoko?" Washu asked in a teasingly maternal tone, causing the blue haired woman named Ryoko to twitch an eye before responding with a harsh "fuck you!!" and flipping Washu the bird. "Oh dear, I think I may have miscalculated. Did I say hours? I think I meant DAYS..." Washu replied with a disappointed sigh. "You stall and so help me!!" Ryoko snapped, her teeth grit in fury as Washu laughed at her frustration. "Don't worry, don't worry." Washu coaxed while waving a hand. "A few hours is all I need, so long as a certain young lady stays out of my lab and Seina's misfortune doesn't go messing anything else up around here. Just hang tight and I'll keep in touch." she assured with a nod.

"Keep in touch, yeah... I'll give you a touch you'll never forget once I'm back!" Ryoko threatened. "Oh my! What a naughty daughter I have! You're into THAT now?!" Washu teased, causing Ryoko to jolt before flushing and growling. "N-Not what I meant!! Don't be sick MOM!!" she snapped, making Washu laugh all the more. "Alright, alright. I'll get to work and contact you again soon." she assured before giving a wave, her hologram suddenly vanishing leaving Ryoko alone. "R-Ryoko...?" Chris muttered. "Washu?" Alicia asked, the group blinking at one another bewildered as the craft above let out another nervous shout. "Ahh don't worry Ryo-Ohki, we'll be back home soon enough." Ryoko assured, waving her hand at the floating structure before scratching her head, the group suddenly hearing the sound of her stomach rumbling. "Aawww... And it was Tenchi's turn to cook for us." Ryoko whined before suddenly calling out the persons name in a drawn out and longing shout with her hands in the air before slumping to her knees. "Stuck in a wasteland while they're stuffing their faces..." she pout before cursing somebody by the name of Mihoshi. "Th-This chick's kinda wonky..." Chris muttered. "Agreed. A tad over-dramatic?" Alicia point out. "What we do?" Serenity asked, the group looking at one another before Chris took a deep breath and slowly stood. "U-Uhh..." he muttered, warily raising a hand while inching forward. "Er... H-Hel..." he struggled, only to freeze when Ryoko raised her nose. "Wait a sec..." she muttered, suddenly sniffing the air before standing and looking around, finally turning in the direction of the group and glaring with dangerous looking eyes causing everyone to freeze.

"It's..." she added before her eyes suddenly lit up. "FOOD!!!" she shout excitedly before rocketing past Chris, making him shout in panic while jumping out of her way as she soared by, having targeted their pot of gumbo before letting out an excited squeal while looking it over and taking in the scent once more. Looking around, she found a bowl to use and quickly helped herself, taking a spoon and looking it over curiously before shrugging and sitting by the pot with her legs crossed and digging in. "Wh-What wrong with her?" Serenity asked, inching next to Chris while blinking bewildered. "What a bazaar... Human?" Alicia added, slithering behind the two. "She came outta nowhere... Now she's eating our stuff..." Rose scowled while inching behind Chris and clinging to his coat. Looking at the girls, Chris faced up at the craft hovering above. "Ryo...Ohki?" he asked before facing Ryoko and tilting his head. "U-Uhh..." he muttered before walking toward the mysterious woman. Once he was behind her, Chris warily reached out and put his hand on Ryoko's shoulder. "H-Hello?" he called out, his touch and voice causing Ryoko to freeze wide eyed before glancing at his hand, showing a sudden angered and wild look in her eyes before dropping her bowl and sweeping her foot across Chris's legs, sending him flipping in the air before landing with a thud as Ryoko swiped her hand across her body, pulling a saber out of nowhere and pointing it at Chris's chest. "HEY!! WHAT DOING?!" Serenity snapped, causing Ryoko to jolt before facing the girls as they charged toward her, making the stranger from another world go on the offensive and hurl her saber in their direction, the girls dodging only for the saber to explode behind them when it impacted the ground, sending them flying in different directions as Ryoko formed a sphere of energy in her palm.

"H-Hold up!! N-Not enemies!! Not enemies!!" Chris panicked, quickly shooting up with his hands in the air. "F-Friends!! Friends!! C-Come in peace lady!!" he assured as Ryoko faced him with an agitated look, glancing toward the girls as they stood and groaned. "S-Seriously... Friends here." Chris smiled nervously with sweat on his face. Looking at him once more, Ryoko raised an eyebrow before looking down at her bowl, its contents poured in the snow causing her to slump with an "aww" before squatting down and helping herself to another portion of their food. "U-Uhh..." Chris stuttered, slowly lowering his hands as the girls gathered around him, each groaning from the explosion and rubbing their backs. "That's what you get for sneaking up on a pirate." Ryoko lectured before slurping her portion down and quickly spooning out more. "S-Such an appetite." Alicia point out quietly. Looking back at her, Chris smiled nervously before inching his way around to the opposite side of the pot and squatting down in front of Ryoko, tilting his head while curiously looking at the woman. "Wanna get your eyes blown out? Quit starin'!" she ordered with an agitated look on her face, ignoring the group as she enjoyed her meal. "J-Just uh... Looking is all. You... Came out of the sky." Chris point out. "So? Is this Earth as primitive as the other?" she asked, Chris and the girls looking at one another bewildered. "A-As the other?" he asked before Ryoko set her bowl down with a satisfied "Pwuah!!" noise, leaning back while rubbing her stomach. "Not bad for starters." she smiled before noticing the loaf of bread, pouring herself some of the liquid from the gumbo before dipping it and stuffing the roll in her mouth.

"Not bad at all! Guessin' you're the one behind the grub?" Ryoko asked in a slightly muffled voice due to the roll sticking out of her mouth. "Y-Yeah. Uh, name's Chris?" he replied with a nervous smile. "Tastes okay, not as good as Tenchi's of course. Then again, hell do I know? I don't taste much. I can smell good food from miles away though!" she giggled, suddenly brightening up in personality as she gradually filled her stomach. "Th-Thanks?" Chris nodded as Ryoko looked around. "Freaky animals in this place." she point out while looking at the girls, causing them to gasp and show insulted looks as she filled her bowl with more rice and gumbo before quickly shoveling it down. "D-Doesn't it burn at all? I mean, it doesn't have much kick, but still." Chris laughed nervously. "I just told ya' pal, weak taste buds." Ryoko reminded while pointing at her tongue. "R-Right." Chris nodded. "S-So, you're a pirate?" he asked. "Space pirate to be exact. Formally at least. Not exactly my line of work anymore but I'm just as deadly now as I was back in the day!" she warned. "I-I can tell." Chris agreed with a nervous smile, the girls by his sides in a wary stance. "Still can't believe I'm stuck here like this. That damned Washu." Ryoko growled. "Y-You mean the lady with the spiky pink hair?" Chris asked. "Yeah, that's the one. Always messin' around and breaking the universe." Ryoko complained. "Breaking the universe?" Alicia asked. "How you do that?" Serenity added. "Hell if I know, but she's always doin' stuff like that. Messin' with space-time junk and all. That's how I wound up in this God forsaken place." Ryoko sighed. "And we JUST fixed the last mess she made." the pirate point out.

"Uhh, last mess?" Chris asked. "Ohhh ho ho ho. It STILL gets me going! Thanks to that idiot we had to let MY sweet Tenchi enroll as a teacher in an all girls school!! It was terrible!!" she explained. "Washu nearly destroyed the world and we were forced to clean up her mess, to make a long story short. We managed to pull through, but still." Ryoko grumbled with her arms crossed. Looking at one another, the group smiled nervously. "You gettin' any of this?" Chris asked. "Not a bit. Universe breaking? Space-time nonsense? Who's this Tenchi character?" Alicia replied. "Y-Yeah. What's that about how you got here again? What's that thing?" Rose point out, the group and Ryoko looking up at Ryo-Ohki making the pirate sigh and shake her head. "Another primitive Earth alright." she groaned. "S-Sorry, but it's kind of hard to follow you. I mean, you showed up out of nowhere, randomly argued with a lady in a hologram, helped yourself to our food and attacked us..." Chris point out, making Ryoko sweat slightly. "Yea--ah... Guess I can see where I'm in the wrong here too." she nodded. "So, want to tell who are? Go over what doing here again? What deal with attitude and attacking us?" Serenity scowled with her arms crossed. "Uhh... What deal with way you talk?" Ryoko asked in a deep, caveman-esque tone while imitating the Pokemon causing Serenity to twitch an eye. "Nothing wrong with way I talk! I talk good!" she snapped. "I talk good?" Ryoko replied, letting out a snicker that agitated Serenity all the more. "E-Easy! Take it easy now!" Chris coaxed with a nervous smile. "Sh-She's sensitive about that. Human language isn't her forte yet." he explained. "Human language? Isn't she human?" Ryoko asked. "An... Awfully weird looking one in a costume maybe?" she added, causing Serenity to gasp before a small blast of energy formed in her palm.

"S-Serenity! Come on! Behave!" Chris panicked. "Quite right. We've no idea what this... Human... Is capable of!" Alicia point out. "Human? I ain't no human." Ryoko scowled, pointing out her long ears. "Are you an elf?" Rose asked, causing Ryoko to flush. "I ain't no ELF either!!" she snapped. "Well then, what ARE you?" Alicia asked, raising an eyebrow. "Th-That's complicated." Ryoko scowled. "Besides, isn't it supposed to be ME asking you... People...? That? You look like a bunch of mutated animals." she point out. "We are NOT mutants!! This isn't some cartoon!!" Alicia snapped. "Geez, sorry. The hell are you then?" Ryoko asked with a scowl. "Must you speak in such a distasteful manner? You act as though you were raised in a barn. And I thought Serenity was bad..." Alicia lectured. "I was raised in a tube, actually." Ryoko replied while digging in her ear with a "whatever" expression on her face, suddenly noticing one of the containers of milk in the snow. "Ah!!" she grinned, snatching it before popping it open and chugging down the contents as the group watched, none of them sure of what to think of the woman before them. "Pwuah!! That's a good quencher. I prefer a good batch of sake, but it'll do." Ryoko nodded, setting down the now empty container. "D-Doesn't your stomach hurt?" Chris asked, blinking in surprise. "Pssh, please. You got any idea how much I drink when I'm at home? A little milk's nothing compared to the amount of alcohol this baby can handle!" Ryoko grinned while leaning back and patting her stomach. "So..." she added, looking around while standing. "You guys live in this crappy place?" she asked. "N-No, just visiting." Chris smiled nervously. "Visiting? Here? You've got pretty messed up taste then... Who goes to a place like this on purpose?" Ryoko asked.

"Not to be THAT girl but... I slightly agree with this creature on that." Alicia point out. "I ain't no creature either!!" Ryoko snapped. "Well it's not like we know WHAT you are!!" Alicia argued. "Same here!! The hell are YOU supposed to be?!" Ryoko shout back, the two glaring at each other with their teeth grit. "Tch... Crude barbarian." Alicia scoffed before facing away. "Well excuse me, princess!" Ryoko replied, sticking her tongue out and pulling down her eyelid before turning away with her arms crossed. "Th-This looks... Familiar..." Chris thought, looking at the two before glancing at Serenity, creating a mental comparison of sorts between her and Ryoko. "If snake not like Ryoko person, then maybe Ryoko not so bad after all." Serenity nodded. "Excuse me?" Alicia asked, raising an eyebrow. "I just saying. If she not like you then that mean she have good head on shoulders." Serenity mocked while smirking, causing the snakes eye to twitch. "Oohhh! Now YOU are a cool looking creature!" Ryoko suddenly grinned, the group looking at her with an "eh?" before watching as Ryoko went up to Rapidash, the horse finally stepping out from his hiding place behind the stable. "A horse that's on fire, there's a new one!" she laughed. "You know, I'm starting to think they warped me into some weird reality where Washu dumps all her freaky experiments." she added, looking back at the girls. "Any chance you guys remember where you came from?" she asked. "We are not experiments! I was born from an egg thank you!" Alicia replied. "Same here. I come from egg." Serenity nodded with her hand raised. "M-Me too. We're not experiments." Rose chimed in.

"Eggs huh? Small world! That's where my ship came from!" Ryoko grinned. "Y-Your ship...?" Chris asked, the group looking at one another before facing up. "Th-That THING came from an egg?!" Alicia asked. "Give birth to that must hurt lots..." Serenity point out with a shudder as she looked at Ryo-Ohki's pointy shape, causing Ryoko to laugh. "She wasn't born that way! She was made in a lab! We're both... Uh..." Ryoko paused, scratching her head. "I guess the easiest way to put it is... We were test tube babies, basically." she tried to explain. "Test tube baby?" Rose asked, blinking and tilting her head confused. "A-Ahh..." Chris smiled nervously. "M-Maybe it's something I'll explain someday. For now, that might be in the TMI territory." he point out. "You sayin' there's something WRONG with the way we were born?" Ryoko asked in agitation, walking up to Chris with her face in his. "N-No!! Nothing wrong!!" he laughed with sweat on his face, the pirate growling with an "uh huh..." in response. "To put it simply, me and Ryo-Ohki were born in a lab instead of in someones stomach." Ryoko point out. "How on Earth could one be born in such a manner?" Alicia asked. "Yeah! Don't ya' kinda need..." Rose added before fidgeting with a slight blush. "A-A few things?" she reminded while glancing at Chris with a small smile. "Eh, yes and no." Ryoko waved. Looking at the space pirate and the girls, then facing the ship above, Chris suddenly twitched an eye before letting out a frustrated shout, making both Ryoko and the girls jump back in surprise. "TIME OUT!!" he snapped, making a referee sign with his hands. "All of this is WAY outta order!! Outta line!! Back it up!!" be ordered, the girls and Ryoko blinking at him with an "eh?" in response.

"Here you come in, through some random hole in the sky. You threaten us, eat our food, leave some giant ship that screams just floating over our heads, and now chit-chat like nothing's weird about any of this?!" Chris point out. "I literally JUST point that out a minute ago. Why don't we all just rewind, sit a minute, and take some time to breathe, eh?" he asked. "All we're doing is annoying each other and causing more questions than answers. None of us can follow any of what the heck is going on so why don't we all take the time to chill out and explain things for a minute? This is seriously the WORST kind of way to make a first impression on both our parts!" he lectured. Looking at both Ryoko and the girls, they faced one another before nodding in agreement. "Alright... Wadaya say we gather 'round the fire and try having an actual conversation to kick things off the right way? Sound good?" he asked. "Guess that's alright. Got anything else to drink?" Ryoko asked. "Y-Yeah. I'll get it. Just... Sit, please?" Chris coaxed, the girls doing as told while Ryoko looked around once more and did the same. Heading for the carriage, Chris started gathering more supplies while the girls looked at Ryoko and vise verse. "So... Uh..." Ryoko began, rubbing the back of her head. "Nice night?" Serenity asked. "I... Guess?" Ryoko replied, looking around at the frozen tundra. "Not my ideal location." she added. "I agree there. I'd prefer a rather warm locale, a beach perhaps." Alicia nodded. "Ha!! Now there's a place I wouldn't have had an issue being thrown to!" Ryoko laughed. "Y-You have a pretty unique hairstyle... It's neat?" Rose point out. "Yeah? I think it's great too. I tried a different style a little while back. Flattened my hair. Got a new outfit to show off the body. Thought it'd get me a few bonus points with Tenchi, but it didn't quite look or feel as right so I changed back to my old routine." Ryoko nodded.

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - Getting To Know Ryoko
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBqyQaD0r1M

Finally returning to the group, Chris brought the supplies to make them a serving of tea while they spoke, including a large kettle which he filled with water before adding tea packs and setting it on their fire next to the gumbo pot to boil, and more cups for them to use once it was finished, along with things to put in like honey and sugar. Sitting with the girls, Chris let out a sigh before facing Ryoko. "Alright... So starting from the top. Who are you exactly? What's your history?" Chris asked. "Well, the name's Ryoko, Ryoko Hakubi" she began. "A long time ago, I was one of the most feared space pirates in the universe. My universe that is. Not that I entirely wanted to be. Back when I was a kid I was kidnapped by this guy named Kagato and was forced into being a slave." she explained. "Kidnapping and slavery? Dang..." Chris replied. "Yeah, guy was a total ass. He had the power to take over my mind whenever I didn't obey so I didn't have a choice. Trying to escape didn't do any good since he could pretty much control me from anywhere. Raised me to be a mindless pet pretty much. So... I spent a LONG time doing his dirty work. He was a scientist and an archaeologist, always looking for valuable stuff and things that could help him grow in power. My line of work forced me into offing a lot of people, destroying a ton of different civilizations." she point out, sliding her finger along her neck. "My life was so crappy I found myself enjoying the expressions of the ones I tortured and terrorized on down the line. Kind of like my own way of coping, in a... Kinda twisted way." she confessed, scratching her cheek with slight sweat on her face as the group blinked at her in surprise.

"My word, you're a murderer?" Alicia asked. "WAS a murderer, thank you." Ryoko scowled. "Remember it wasn't a choice I could make. Either it was done, or I was forced to do it. You got any idea how messed up it feels having a guy you hate inside your head controlling your body? If it meant keeping him outta my mind, I did what I had to do." she reminded. "In a different yet still kinda the same sorta way, I guess I can understand that." Rose nodded with her hand up. "N-Not that I was made to KILL anyone." she smiled nervously. "So... You don't uh... Do that anymore?" Chris asked with a wary smile. "Nah, that stuff came to a stop WAY back. Ya see, eventually Kagato had me attack this planet called Jurai..." she began. "It's pretty much the place in my universe with the greatest power you could find. It's the home of a goddess named Tsunami and he wanted the key to obtaining her power. I gotta admit, I got pretty far when I invaded! Nobody had been able to do it before! I caused a LOT of hell on that planet." she laughed, the group looking at one another and laughing nervously. "That is, until this guy called Yosho popped up and spoiled things. He managed to push me away from Jurai and chased me all the way through several galaxies before we finally arrived at Earth, and that's where my life as a pirate, and Kagato's slave, finally came to an end." she nodded with a smirk before leaning back with a sigh that had a hint of relief in it. "So... How did it end?" Chris asked, the kettle suddenly whistling. "Ah! It's ready." he muttered, offering the group their portions and letting them put what sugar and honey they wanted in their cups. "Well, it's a pretty anticlimactic kind of ending." Ryoko shrugged, blowing her tea before taking a sip.

"Anticli-what-what?" Serenity asked. "Anticlimactic, it means suddenly ending, usually in a disappointing way." Chris explained, Serenity nodding with an "ohh" before listening once more. "Ya see, when we reached Earth in our ships, Yosho finally managed to shoot Ryo-Ohki down. We crash landed in this place on our Earth called Japan, and after that, me and Yosho went at it against one another for the longest time. Turns out the guy was the Prince of Jurai by the way." Ryoko point out. "Oh my, fighting a prince? Usually it's the prince fighting FOR the girl, not against her." Alicia point out. "Eh, call it breaking the norm, I guess." Ryoko shrugged. "Pausing this little story, you see these gems?" she asked, pointing out her wrists. "Shiny." Rose replied. "Not bad... But what about em?" Chris asked. "I owe you for earlier, plus I don't see you being much of a threat, most Earthlings aren't, so I'll tell ya." Ryoko grinned, causing Chris to scowl slightly. "See, these puppies are the source of my power! I can make gems of my own, but they aren't as strong. Back when Washu was raising me in her lab, she made these to help me tap into some awesome power. I can do just about anything so long as I've got em! The problem is, Kagato turned them into a double edged sword..." she scowled. "He found out they gave me power, but could also give him the power to control me. During my time as his slave, he mastered controlling my mind and body through these gems. Really pissed me off." she grumbled. "I wonder why every woman I tend to meet has had such a bad life while the guy involved was hot stuff?" Chris asked. "Eh?" Ryoko replied, blinking at him. "N-Never mind for now. Continue." Chris coaxed with a nod.

"Well, with my gems explained, I can get back to the story." Ryoko nodded back. "See, my fight with Yosho came to an end when he used his sword to take my gems away." she continued while swiping her hand, bringing out another saber causing the group to jolt back. "Oh relax." Ryoko scowled. "You see, his sword is a lot like my saber here. Only difference is his blade was blue instead of red. It's made out of energy, and to simplify how it works, you can basically control it with your mind." she point out before standing and looking at the group. "Eenie meenie miney..." she point out before stopping at Serenity, motioning "come here" with her finger causing the Pokemon to tense up warily, pointing at herself before looking at Chris hesitantly. "G-Go ahead, I guess." he nodded, the Pokemon slowly doing as told and standing before inching up to Ryoko. "Alright, so Yosho's weapon and mine kinda work the same. If your mind wants to hurt someone or something, our weapon can." Ryoko point out before suddenly tossing her saber into the air and clutching her fist, causing it to explode making the group jump. "And vise verse." she added before suddenly forming another saber and thrusting it toward Serenity, causing it to go right through the Pokemon's throat and stick out the other side making the group scream and panic, Serenity standing frozen and wide eyed as Chris shot up, ready to rush toward her only to pause when Serenity blinked with an "eh?" before looking down, reaching up to grab the saber only for her hands to go through it. "And THAT'S how my fight with Yosho came to an end." Ryoko nodded. "H-He sliced your neck?!" Chris asked as Serenity stepped back, the saber pulling out of her neck before she rubbed her throat, feeling for a hole in a bewildered state.

"Yes and no. It's kinda like what I did to... Serenity, was it?" Ryoko asked, the Pokemon blinking at her with an "uhh..." and nodding. "During my final attack, he rammed his sword through my neck. Since he didn't have the intent to kill, it basically just stopped me in my tracks. He used it to draw out my gems from my body, pulled them right outta my throat and into his blade." Ryoko explained, the group letting out a "yeee..." and rubbing their necks. "He sealed my gems in the handle of his weapon, and without their power, I basically passed out. We'd been battling for a long time and the fatigue caught up to me when that happened." Ryoko explained while sitting back down, sipping her tea once more while Serenity sat next to Chris, rubbing her throat again while remaining slightly tense. "H-Here." Chris coaxed, handing her some tea. Nodding, she started taking a sip, Chris and the girls watching her neck closely, somewhat expecting to see the tea start streaming out of her throat. "M-Making me nervous!" Serenity snapped, causing the group to jolt and give her space while Ryoko laughed and slapped her knee. "She's fine! Don't worry!" she assured. "P-Please don't do stuff like that again." Chris replied with a nervous smile. "Alright, alright. I'll admit that was a little mean." Ryoko smirked. "Anyway, once Yosho took my gems away, not only did it make me pass out and basically seal my powers away, but it also took away Kagato's ability to control me. So by stealing my gems, Yosho set me free at the same time." Ryoko nodded, looking up with a smile that seemed to say "thanks" as the group looked at one another. "Quite a story." Alicia replied. "That's something alright." Rose agreed.

"...What it like getting to kill so many humans?" Serenity asked in a somewhat eerily eager tone, causing Chris and the girls to blink at her. "S-Serenity!" Chris snapped, causing the Pokemon to jolt before glancing away with slight sweat on her face. "W-We asking questions aren't we?" she asked. "Eh, it was a living." Ryoko shrugged, causing the group to look at Ryoko warily. "Sometimes it was actually kinda amusing. Some expressions you never got tired of." she giggled. "I know feeling! Little bit ago, I torture humans! Expressions funny when in pain." Serenity grinned. "Oh? Do tell!" Ryoko asked with an eerily eager grin of her own. "I-I thought you didn't enjoy that life?!" Chris asked. "Well... It's like I said, torturing was an outlet." Ryoko shrugged. "I think I like way humans scream more though." Serenity point out. "Oh definitely. Then you get to the part where they start gargling and twitching like a total spaz!" Ryoko replied, the two suddenly laughing together as they made various expressions of people in torment, Chris and the girls inching back from the two. "M-My word, they're multiplying..." Alicia muttered. "Sh-She's creeping me out!" Rose added while watching Serenity enjoying the topic of torture. "Humans weak. It pathetic." Serenity waved. "I hear that. In my reality there's tons of planets with weaklings, but it's hard to find a race worse than Earthlings. Sometimes it's like the animals are smarter than them! Heck, most animals are stronger too. They're such a sad race." Ryoko shrugged, Chris showing an agitated look while twitching an eye, Alicia and Rose glancing away with a nervous smile, keeping their input on the subject silent.

"We actually have these rules in affect that makes it illegal for anyone from another planet to interact with Earth because it's so primitive. It's basically a way of preserving the Earthlings species. The funny thing is, Earthlings endanger themselves without anyone having to do a thing. A lot of people in the universe laugh at them. It's like watching a show on a comedy channel!" Ryoko snickered. "Okay, okay! We get it!" Chris interrupted. "Oh, right. Sorry about that." Ryoko apologized, waving her hand with another laugh. "Anymore to the story or what?" Chris scowled. "Oh yeah, definitely." Ryoko nodded while helping herself to more of the gumbo. "You're still hungry?" Rose asked in surprise. "Don't judge. Call it a fee for the backstory." Ryoko scowled. "Ah... Now, about what happened after the fight." she nodded, taking several bites before setting her bowl down. "Once he had my gems and I was out cold, Yosho sealed me up in a cave he'd found nearby. He built this thing that kept my body in a kind of frozen state for a long time." Ryoko explained. "You mean in stasis?" Chris asked. "Oh! Humans here might be smarter after all!" Ryoko grinned, causing Chris to grunt with a scowl. "What stasis?" Serenity asked. "Stasis is when somebody is put inside something that keeps their body in a kind of safe and preserved condition for a long time. When a person is in stasis, they're basically asleep the whole time." Chris explained, Serenity scratching her head, half understanding and nodding with an "ah" in response. "Don't strain yourself darling." Alicia smirked, causing Serenity to scowl while giving the snake an agitated look. "Believe it or not, I was in stasis for seven hundred years..." Ryoko point out, causing the groups eyes to widen.

"S-Seven hundred?! You're THAT old?!" Chris asked, nearly spitting out his drink. "HEY!! Watch it!!" Ryoko snapped with her fist up and a pulse of anger on her face. "F-Forgive him. But you have to admit, that's an impressive time span." Alicia smiled nervously. "Tch, for you Earthlings maybe. That's considered normal in the rest of the universe. Most can live to be thousands of years old, even longer in some cases. Especially when it comes to the Juraian race, some of them seem like they're immortal. There's this one hag called Seto..." Ryoko point out before suddenly pausing and rapidly looking around warily, almost as if she'd expected to be stabbed. "S-Seto?" Chris asked with a nervous smile. "Yeah, they can get pretty old, lets leave it at that." Ryoko scowled. "Okay, so you were sealed away for seven hundred years, then what?" Rose asked curiously, causing Ryoko to suddenly blush before swooning with a happy sigh. "That's when I met the one." she giggled. "That... Wouldn't happen to be this Tenchi guy you keep talking about, would it?" Chris asked. "BINGO!" Ryoko shout, pointing her finger toward Chris causing him to jump back. "W-Watch that thing!" he panicked with a nervous smile. "I can control my power you know." Ryoko scowled. "Anyways..." she muttered, taking several bites of food again. "His name's Tenchi Masaki, and it was several years ago when he was the one who finally set me free." Ryoko explained. "You see, when he was born, Tenchi's ma' had pretty crappy health so she couldn't play much. Cause' of that, he'd spend a lot of his time hangin' out and playin' at the cave I was sealed in. Yosho put bars and a lock at the entrance so nobody could get in, but Tenchi would always come up and look inside. He was a spunky one!" she grinned.

"How'd you find that out? Did that Tenchi guy tell ya?" Chris asked. "Naw. Even though my body was sealed up I still had a way of getting out. Whenever he'd come around I'd create an astral body and watch em'. It was hard to maintain since my powers were pretty much spent at the time, but I managed. I could only hang around the cave though, that's as far as what power I had could reach." Ryoko explained. "Astral body?" Rose asked. "It's basically a ghost body. Nobody can see or hear ya' but you're still around." Chris point out. "Right again. Not bad!" Ryoko praised. "You really think we're brainless, don't you?" Chris scowled. "Most humans, yeah. Now and then your kind surprise us." Ryoko shrugged. "Anyways, whenever he came around I'd watch him play and stuff. He'd make small fires and cook sweet potatoes, things like that." she giggled. "Oh, smart kid. Sweet potatoes are pretty great when they're cooked that way." Chris nodded. "Like most Earthlings he grew up pretty fast though. He didn't come around as often either..." Ryoko sighed, her ears drooping. "It got pretty lonely again after that. But then, finally a day came when he managed to find his way into the cave. Turns out his old man had the keys to get in and he snatched em' right up! I remember seein' Tenchi runnin' like a bat outta hell toward the cave that day. Practically smashed his way through the bars just about!" Ryoko laughed. "He came waltzin' right in and snooped around some. That's when he managed to find the handle to Yosho's old sword the guy had left behind in a little shrine inside the cave after sealing me away. After that, Tenchi found the chamber I'd been sealed in and that's when my body came to after seven hundred years of imprisonment." Ryoko giggled.

"Now THAT sounds like the story of a prince. Was there some kiss involved by chance?" Alicia asked. "Tch, I wish." Ryoko scowled. "After spending so long in stasis my body had pretty much rot away. I hate admitting it but I basically looked like a starved zombie. I was able to wake up thanks to Tenchi bringing Yosho's weapon into the chamber. With my gems so close by I was finally able to tap into their power again and get the juice I needed to come to. Yosho put a hell of a seal on me..." she grumbled. "The first time Tenchi saw me, all I did was reach out and touch his face and he looked like he was ready to piss himself. Didn't exactly do my pride as a woman any good, I'll tell you that." she sighed. "Anyways, he ran off and left me behind. I was able to restore my body to the way it looked before I was sealed away using what energy I'd been able to absorb from my gems. After that, for the first time in so long my body was able to leave that forsaken chamber at last. It was a hell of a feeling, I'll tell ya' that!" Ryoko smirked. "Still, it was pretty insulting the way Tenchi acted toward me, and that, combined with the frustration of being sealed up for so long, pushed me into tracking him down and doing a little... Venting." she explained. "Venting? So... I'm guessing you attacked him?" Chris asked, causing Ryoko to glance away with a drawn out "ma--aybe" before showing a somewhat guilty and embarrassed smile. "He'd fallen asleep on the roof of his school, so I thought I'd let him rest a bit before stretching my legs. Once he came to, we played... I guess you'd consider it a game of tag and a little hide and seek combined. But uh... I mighta', sorta, just a TEENSIE bit... Damaged the building during the fun." Ryoko confessed.

"I... Somehow feel like this Tenchi guy didn't have much fun." Chris smiled nervously. "Well he deserved it!! Treating a beautiful lady like me so rudely?! Any man would have it coming!!" Ryoko argued. "Y-You DID say your body looked like a zombie." Chris reminded. "Well still!! I mean..." Ryoko scowled before glancing away, poking her fingers with a pouty look on her face, a tear in her eye and her cheeks puffed out. "He didn't have to start screamin' and all... That hurt." she muttered. Seeing the pirate act this way, Chris once again compared Ryoko to Serenity, her expressions and behavior seemingly mirroring the Pokemon sitting next to him. "Anyway, after chasing Tenchi around some, it turned out he was able to use Yosho's sword as well. He'd hidden it in a bag he'd been carrying around and when I tried to attack, the thing shot out and came to Tenchi's rescue basically. Stupid thing chopped my hand right off!" Ryoko point out, holding her hand up. "B-But it's still... There?" Chris replied. "Well, yeah. I grew it back." the pirate scowled. "You can grow back stuff cut off?" Serenity asked in surprise. "Yeah, its one of my abilities. I can heal stuff pretty well." Ryoko nodded. "Ohh! I do that too!" Serenity smiled. "Huh, small world." the pirate smirked. "Anywho, after that I decided to move in with Tenchi, and boy was he surprised!" she grinned. "I-I bet. You've got a way with impressions." Chris point out with a nervous laugh. "Why thank you. I am pretty awesome, huh?" Ryoko asked with a proud smirk. "Y-Yeah, very." Chris nodded. "My goodness, you've got quite a tale. One spanning hundreds of years... Impressive." Alicia nodded. "Yeah! Keep going!" Rose grinned.

"Well... Alright then. It couldn't hurt to tell you about how we became such perfect lovers I guess." Ryoko grinned, Chris picking up a somehow sly and mischievous look in her expression. "R-Right... Go on?" he nodded. "After moving in with Tenchi, it turns out his old man was actually the same guy who fought and sealed me away all those years ago. Once the seal on me was broken, it allowed people to start tracking me down. The first person to show up was the biggest pain in the ass I'll ever know." Ryoko scowled with her arms crossed. "All was great until SHE showed up. It was the pretty Princess of Jurai, little Ms. Priss herself, Ayeka." Ryoko sighed in agitation. "She'd been searching for me ever since I was chased away from her planet by Yosho, thinking she'd be able to find the guy by hunting me down. They were supposed to get hitched before I messed up their plans apparently." she shrugged. "After being set free, her ship located me and there she was. A little fighting here, some confusion there, and she became the next resident of the Masaki house." the pirate summed up as shortly as possible. "When she showed up, I managed to get Tenchi to hand over one of my gems. With it back in my grasp, I was able to call my ship from where it crash landed all those years ago. It'd been left in a crater that had turned into a lake during my imprisonment." Ryoko explained. "You mean Ryo-Ohki?" Chris asked, looking up at the structure above them. "Right again! What a good boy!" Ryoko praised. "I'm not a dog!!" Chris snapped. "I used my ship to send hers plummeting into the Earth after she was dumb enough to attack me. She's lucky she had her little sister with her, otherwise I probably would've gladly offed that pain in the ass." Ryoko scowled.

"So... That in mind, instead of killing em' I just used Ryo-Ohki to send their ship on a free-fall to the Earths surface. It cost us both of our ships, but it was worth it to keep Ayeka from being any trouble." Ryoko smirked proudly. "B-But your ship's up there... And what about this Sasami?" Chris asked. "Ah, right. You see, Sasami is Ayeka's little sister. I actually like the kid so it would've been a shame to kill her so pointlessly. She's... Sweet, I suppose. She's kind of like our caretaker in a way. Helps with cleaning the house, cooks a lot of our meals. Even without much of a sense of taste that kid REALLY knows how to make a feast!" Ryoko laughed. "As far as my ship, Ryo-Ohki is able to preserve herself through rebirth. Whenever she's destroyed, she comes back as an egg, ya see?" the pirate explained. "Dang, that must be a HUGE egg!" Chris replied, both he and the girls looking up wide eyed. "Oh no, not at all. It's actually a tiny thing and Ryo-Ohki pops out in no time." Ryoko waved. "T-Tiny? How?" Alicia asked. "Just hold your horses." Ryoko replied. "Back to the story, after we crashed, Ayeka and Sasami moved in and started living with us. Things were okay for a while until we had the MORON who caused me to wind up here move in." Ryoko scowled. "It's like I said, after I was set free, everybody was tracking me down. The next fool to show up was a Galaxy Police officer named Mihoshi, the biggest goof in the entire force." Ryoko mocked. "Galaxy Police? The galaxy has a police force?" Chris asked. "Well DUH!!" Ryoko scowled. "Doesn't matter of it's on Earth or in space, there's always somebody upholding the law and making things boring as hell." Ryoko waved.

"At first I thought she was just laughably stupid. But the fact is she's just a plain jinx is all. She's always causing the weirdest stuff to happen and she's constantly making the most ridiculous mistakes! That boob would've been kicked out of the GXP a long time ago if it wasn't for her having relatives high up in the ranks. I'd hate to imagine the debt that girl puts them in. No matter what mission they give her, she might succeed, but the costs always tend to outweigh her success. That dumb ass doesn't even know how to land her ship without crashing it just about every time she comes to the house! I've lost count of how many times we've rebuilt it!!" Ryoko revealed with an infuriated look on her face. "S-Sounds like this Tenchi guy has MAJOR tolerance." Chris laughed nervously. "I'll admit, Serenity's a constant annoyance but in her defense she certainly doesn't sound as bad as this Mihoshi character." Alicia point out. "I not annoy!! YOU annoy!!" Serenity snapped. Looking back at the two, Chris slumped with a sigh. "Then again, I feel like I could really sympathize with Tenchi too." he nodded, Serenity and Alicia blinking at him before scowling with a simultaneous "What's that mean?!" in response. Looking at the group, Ryoko raised an eyebrow while crossing her arms. "I gotta admit, your little group does remind me a little of the others back home. Your giant snake there definitely reminds me of the prissy princess." she point out. "Excuse me?" Alicia asked with a scowl. "Just callin' it like I see it." Ryoko shrugged. "Your little bunny friend reminds me of Sasami... Awfully timid, aren't ya'?" she asked, Rose pointing at herself and blinking with an "eh?" before Ryoko looked up.

"Actually, maybe it's Ryo-Ohki you remind me of most. You look alike in a weird kinda way." the pirate point out. "H-How in the world do you gather that? She looks nothing like that thing." Chris point out. "And weird? I don't think I look very weird." Rose laughed nervously. Looking at the group, Ryoko suddenly showed a sly smirk. "I could show you, if ya' like... It'd be pretty cool." the pirate giggled playfully. "I-I dunno what you mean, but I'm not sure I like whatever it is by the sound of your voice." Chris replied warily. "Bah, trust me! It'll blow your minds!" Ryoko grinned before looking up at her ship. "Hey! Ryo-Ohki! Are ya hungry?!" Ryoko asked, causing the ship to let out a shout. "They've got some good stuff down here! Why not come and try a bite? Come on!" the pirate coaxed. "C-Come try?" Serenity asked. "H-How does a ship eat?" Rose added. "And since when does a craft of any sort sound like that?" Alicia point out. Looking at the group, Ryoko giggled once more before snapping her fingers, causing Ryo-Ohki to let out another shout before the engines could be heard revving up. "U-Uhh..." Chris muttered, looking up warily before the ship suddenly started dropping toward them. "H-Hey... Uh..." he added as the ship began hurrying down. "W-Woah there..." he added, the girls eyes widening as well as the ship plummet. "W-Woah there!! Woah!! WOAH WOAH!!" Chris screamed, flailing his arms before the girls started screaming as well. Turning around, the group started racing away from the location as the ship grew ever closer. "Here she comes!!" Ryoko shout before laughing, watching the terrified bunch hurry off thinking the ship was about to crash into the ground. About to rush off as well, Rapidash paused when he saw the ship suddenly begin to rapidly shrink, its shape twisting and morphing until it was nothing but a tiny creature that landed on Ryoko's shoulder with an excited "meow!!" of sorts, the horse sweating and showing a "you're kidding...?" expression.

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - Hello Ryo-Ohki!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgG46p-HpTA

Ahead of Ryoko, Chris and the girls had dropped to their knees, each covering their heads while Alicia hid hers in the snow. "Yoo-hoo! You can get up now!" Ryoko called out before snickering. Remaining in their terrified stances for a moment, the group gradually relaxed one by one, each standing and looking around bewildered before turning back to Ryoko. "Wh-Where...?" Chris muttered, looking around before looking at the girls and warily making his way back. "I-It's gone?" Rose asked, clinging to his coat. "How in the world...?" Alicia added. "Th-This weird." Serenity muttered, clinging to Chris's arm as they all warily looked around, Rapidash shaking his head with an agitated "ugh" type of noise before returning to his stable with his back to the group. "Wadaya think?" Ryoko asked with a smile. "I-I dunno." Chris replied. "Pretty neat, right?" the pirate asked, her smile widening. "Wh-Where ship go?" Serenity replied. "Good question!" Ryoko nodded, her smile widening even more. "S-Seriously, what's the deal?" Chris asked, the girls gathering against one another behind him as Ryoko's smile widened from ear to ear, the pirate snickering as her cheeks began to bulge, doing her best to resist bursting out in laughter at their bewildered and terrified state. "C-Come a little closer, you'll see..." Ryoko instructed, the girls looking at one another before suddenly pushing Chris toward her, making him stumble before shooting up straight. "It's a secret, a MAGIC secret!" Ryoko teased, tears welling up in her eyes as she bit her lip. "Come on, a li--itle closer!" she coaxed, Chris looking back at the girls as they gave him a "go on!!" motion. Letting out a groan, Chris nodded with a gulp before inching closer until he was barely a foot away from the pirate, Ryoko's face having reddened from forcing back her laughter.

"A-Are you gonna expl...?!" Chris started to ask, only to scream in a pitch higher than his voice had gone before when Ryo-Ohki jumped out from behind Ryoko with an excited shout, the crafty pirate having held the creature behind her until the right moment causing Chris to jump and stumble back as Ryo-Ohki made a leap off Ryoko's shoulder toward him. Panicking, he flailed his arms before falling back, the creature landing on his torso and looking up happily with another "meow!!" of sorts. Thanks to his reaction, Ryoko was doubling over in laughter, tears streaming from her eyes while shouting "it hurts!!" and pointing at Chris, her other hand clutching her stomach before she fell back and curled up. Blinking at Ryo-Ohki, Chris sat still for a moment before letting out a groan and laying on the ground with a thud, making the creature tilt its head with a curious "reow?" of sorts and sniffing him while Ryoko laughed all the more. "P-Pee!! I'm gonna pee!!" she shout, the girls bewildered expressions not helping the pirate as she tried to breathe. Looking around, Ryo-Ohki turned to Ryoko, tilting her head once more before facing the girls and blinking at them, the small creature just as bewildered as they were. After a moment, both Chris and Ryoko managed to stand back up, the pirate sighing in relief with a "God that was good" while Chris let out a groggy groan, Ryo-Ohki clinging to his chest before climbing up and sitting on his shoulder, causing him to freeze and sweat slightly. "I-Is that some form of evolution?" Alicia asked. "That... THING turned into THAT thing?!" Rose asked in surprise, looking at Ryo-Ohki and pointing her out wide eyed. "I though evolution meant growth?" Alicia point out.

"S-So this, uh, Ryo-Ohki..." Chris paused, the creature meowing happily from having its name called. "I-It's a Pokemon then?" he asked. "A Poke-WHAT now? Hell no!! Ryo-Ohki's an organic computer!" Ryoko clarified. "Computer? This thing?!" Chris asked in surprise, looking at Ryo-Ohki as she scowled at him for being called a thing. "S-Sorry." he apologized with a nervous smile. "She's the core of my ship. Whenever that form isn't needed, she turns into an animal for convenience." Ryoko point out before picking up her bowl and filling it with gumbo. "We call that form of hers a Cabbit, you remember that, ya hear?" Ryoko instructed, Chris and the girls nodding while Ryo-Ohki held her head up with a proud smirk. "That's not all she can do though. She can also turn into a humanoid!" Ryoko point out. "A humanoid? Really?" Chris asked, looking at Serenity and Rose before letting out a "huh" and nodding. "Alright then, that I gotta see." he added, Ryoko smirking before holding the bowl out. "Here ya go Ryo-Ohki! It's not Tenchi's but I think you'll like it." the pirate smiled as Ryo-Ohki let out an excited noise and jumped off Chris's shoulder, flipping in the air and morphing once more before dropping to the ground in the form of a child donning a dress and covered in fur with large ears. Seeing this, Chris and the girls eyes widened once more, their jaws dropping as Ryo-Ohki sat next to the fire and started sipping away. "Atta' girl." Ryoko giggled. "S-Ship, then animal, th-then PERSON!" Chris point out in awe. "That's the most remarkable..." Alicia muttered. "B-Big ship turn tiny human." Serenity added, all of them blinking dumbfounded. "C-Can she do all that at will, whenever?" Chris asked. "Pretty much." Ryoko shrugged.

"I have to admit, I think your reaction was even better than Tenchi's when he first met her!" the pirate laughed. Walking up to Ryo-Ohki, Chris looked down at her as she ate, the child-like humanoid looking up at him and tilting her head with an "eh?" before Chris shook his head and rubbed the back of it, walking around the fire with an overwhelmed "whooo" of sorts before sitting across the pot from Ryo-Ohki and looking at his gumbo. "Maybe it's all a hallucination..." he muttered, scooping up some and giving it a sniff. "It's all real pal. Welcome to the world that exists beyond your puny planet." Ryoko smirked with her arms crossed as the girls gathered around Ryo-Ohki, looking her over in fascination making her uncomfortable, a nervous smile showing on her face before raising her hand and making a sound as if to greet them, only for the girls to jump back in a defensive stance thinking she was about to attack. Pausing, Ryo-Ohki looked at the girls in a state of confusion before facing Ryoko, the pirate snickering and waving her hand. "It's fine. Don't worry about them. They're just curious is all. Don't you remember how Tenchi and the others were at first?" she asked, Ryo-Ohki thinking back before nodding and continuing to eat. "A woman from another reality and a ship that turns into a person and eats like a person... This one's gonna have me thinking for a LONG time." Chris smiled nervously. "Well, if you're over enough of your shock to pay attention, how about I finish the story?" Ryoko asked while sitting and helping herself to more tea. "R-Right, story." Chris nodded as the girls gathered to listen once more as well, their eyes repeatedly turning to Ryo-Ohki as she innocently sipped from her bowl.

"Well, after having Ayeka and Sasami, then Mihoshi move in, things somehow managed to settle down for a little while. Unfortunately, people still weren't finished with tracking me down." Ryoko sighed. "You remember how I told you about Kagato, right?" she asked, the group nodding in response. "Well, he was the next one to show up, and it was around this time I started figuring out who Tenchi's old man really was. Kagato appeared and, since I had two of my gems back at the time, he managed to take control of me again, just like he had back when I was a slave." Ryoko explained while crossing her arms. "He had me attack the others, and that's when Tenchi's old man stepped in to fight me back. Thing is, he used Tenchi's sword against me, and the only ones anyone had known it to work for were him and Yosho, thus the connection finally clicked completely. Kagato retreated and took me with him, and that's when Tenchi and the others took action to get me back." she smirked, showing a slight blush on her face. "He didn't know anything about the world outside of Earth, he was completely clueless about Kagato's power, yet he still came to my rescue without hesitation." she pirate added, beginning to swoon while the girls nudged Chris with a smirk, feeling a comparison to Ryoko's story and their own making him chuckle before coaxing them to settle down as Ryoko continued. "There was a ferocious battle between all of us and kagato, and during the fight Tenchi's true abilities suddenly appeared. Kagato pushed him to the limit, and that's when we all found out he could use a power stronger than any of us had seen before. I've heard he might even be more powerful than Tsunami one day!" Ryoko grinned.

"That's the Jurai goddess, right? he's stronger than a goddess?" Chris asked. "Oh, trust me, I bet he'll be WAY stronger someday. I'd expect nothing less of MY man!" Ryoko replied with a smug smirk, putting extra emphasis on Tenchi being hers. "Would want to see how he do against Chris." Serenity replied with her hand up. "M-Me against a dude like that?" Chris panicked. "Bah, you take that Tenchi human easy." Serenity waved before crossing her arms. "Oh ho. Tough words there girlie. You sure got some faith in this human!" Ryoko smirked. "A-Anyways, go on?" Chris asked with a nervous laugh. "Well, first off, let me clarify something. When he revealed his powers, and after making the right connections, it turned out Tenchi was actually a Juraian the whole time, just like Ayeka and Sasami, so trust me, there's a big difference between the two of you." Ryoko affirmed. "And going back to the story, after Tenchi managed to beat Kagato, that's also when we discovered he'd had Washu kidnapped as well, my psychotic... Mother..." Ryoko explained, her tone sounding as though she were annoyed and disgusted. "You uh, you really don't have the best relationship with her, do you?" Chris asked. "Not exactly. It's not like I hate her though, but she's definitely not my favorite person. She's obnoxious more than anything." Ryoko waved with a sigh. "HEY!! Who're you calling obnoxious?!!" a voice snapped as a hologram of Washu flashed up, causing Chris and the girls to jerk back in surprise. "Ugh..." Ryoko groaned with a sudden slump. "I told you I'd keep in touch." Washu scowled with her arms crossed before the hologram turned toward the group. "Hey there! Sorry for making you babysit little Ryoko here!" Washu apologized with a cackling type of laughter.

"N-No... Problem?" Chris replied with a nervous wave. "I do hope she hasn't been TOO overwhelming. I've been listening to bits and pieces of your conversation." Washu smiled before turning to Ryoko with a scowl. "You'll be lucky if I don't let Seto know about that little "hag" comment you made for talking about me like that!" Washu warned, causing Ryoko to jolt before facing away with a groan and slight sweat on her face. "A mother is ALWAYS watching AND listening, remember that." Washu warned before turning back to Chris and the girls. "Oh my my my. What intriguing species live in this reality. Tell me, what are they exactly?" Washu asked, butting into the moment causing Ryoko to twitch an eye. "I was telling a story..." she grumbled. "Yes yes, you can get back to that thing I don't care about in a moment." Washu waved causing Ryoko to gasp with an agitated "HEY!!" from the remark. "So, do tell! What are these lovely creatures?" she grinned as her hologram loomed over Chris with her hands rubbing together eagerly. "U-Uhh..." Chris smiled nervously, picking up on the woman's eerie experimentive nature from the get-go. "Th-They're not just creatures really. In, uh, this reality, we call them Pokemon." he explained. "Pokemon eh?" Washu replied while typing. "Tell me, what species of... Pokemon, are they? How do they function? Eating habits? Breeding process? Any abilities worth taking notice of in particular?" Washu began to ask. "HEY!!" Ryoko shout again. "Sush honey, mommy is working." Washu replied with a wave of her hand. "You're supposed to be working on a way to bring me home!" Ryoko snapped, standing and stomping her foot down in agitation.

"Such a strange relationship..." Alicia muttered. "Not know what to think of mom person... Not know what to think of Ryoko person. Or... Ship person. Head hurt." Serenity added. "Ho ho!! Just look at these brainwaves!! I know telepathy when I see it!!" Washu grinned excitedly causing the group to jolt. "Y-You can hear them?" Chris asked in surprise. "Not exactly, but when they speak I get a reading in my system that tells me the language they're using and a vague sample of their words. Sure enough they're speaking our language!" the woman laughed. "Astounding... Mind giving me a sample of their natural tongue?" Washu asked, the girls looking at one another before facing Chris, getting a nod. "Perfect, just say a little something and I'll get a recording of it." Washu instructed, the girls walking up to the screen one by one and speaking in their Pokemon language before backing away. "Perfect! The uh, rabbit Pokemon there didn't come through very well." Washu point out. "Sh-She has some damage in her throat, so she can't really speak normally." Chris explained. "Ah, sorry about that." Washu apologized. "Still, this is remarkable... Another Earth like that of our own filled with creatures completely unique to it. I've spent my time researching our version of Earth and the sound your Pokemon make can't be matched with any animals on our planet! In fact, my systems can't match them to any species in my records of ANY planet..." Washu point out. "That means your Pokemon don't exist in our reality at all! Ooohhh this mistake is turning out to be pretty exciting!" she cackled. "Would you stop with the weirdness already?!" Ryoko lectured. "Bah, where's your sense of adventure Ryoko?" Washu scowled.

"A-As far as their species, this is a Serperior, this is a Gardevoir, and this is a Lopunny..." Chris explained, pointing out each girl as Washu's hologram float around them, looking each over curiously. "That one there, the Serperior, and the Lopunny DO share just a slight resemblance to the animals found on our Earth." Washu point out before bringing up pictures of snakes and rabbits for them to look at. "Woah... Check it out." Chris muttered as the girls looked at the, to them, bazaar versions of themselves. "No offense but THOSE are what you refer to as mutants." Alicia point out. "Eh? They're perfectly normal species in our reality." Washu replied. "I dunno, I think the rabbits on that Earth look kinda cute." Rose point out. "There's definitely a difference in the structure and size between the animals of our world and the Pokemon of your own, it's fascinating." Washu smirked. "W-Well, if you're that interested..." Chris muttered before rummaging in his pocket and taking out his Pokedex, the curious Washu suddenly squealing excitedly as her eyes lit up. "And what might this be?" she asked as her hologram zipped up to the device, looking it over closely. "W-We call it a Pokedex, they have information on all the Pokemon and regions in our world. Even stuff about some Pokemon from space and stuff." Chris explained, Washu suddenly shouting "gimme gimme!!" before her hologram zapped his Pokedex and snatched it from his hand, causing him to jump back as the Pokedex float in a strange digital bubble of sorts. Grinning excitedly, Washu began typing away on her end causing his device to flash and go haywire before suddenly letting out noises of data being transferred. "I wish you hadn't done that." Ryoko groaned.

"You must have some CRAZY wi-fi on your Earth." Chris laughed nervously. "Psssh, please. This primitive planet is light years behind MY technology. So are most galaxies really. In our reality, I'M the greatest scientific mind in the universe! You can't beat the stuff I make!" Washu exclaimed proudly with her nose up and a confident smirk. "Not bad." Chris nodded. "I know, right?!" Washu grinned. "Please don't feed her ego." Ryoko groaned. "Shush!" Washu snapped. "I'm talking to the nice people who appreciate a little brilliance." the woman smirked. Turning her hologram back to the group, Washu was about to speak when her system and Chris's device let off a noise simultaneously. "Ah! Transfer's done." she grinned. "You can have your toy back." she added with a suddenly uninterested look on her face, her hologram tossing it back through the air causing Chris to panic before catching it with a sigh of relief. "I-It's just a toy now?" he asked with a nervous smile. "That's how she is. Hyped about something one second, bored with it the next. Get used to it." Ryoko point out. "Would you look at this... It's another Earth but the continents are completely shift around. Their shapes are different as well... Remarkable!" the scientist grinned excitedly. "The species in your reality... They all undergo a unique mass acceleration of evolution I've never witnessed on natural nor' man made planets before!" the scientist grinned with a thrilled squeal. "Your reality is the stuff of dreams for the scientific community!" she exclaimed. "M-Man made PLANETS?" Chris asked in awe. "Oh yeah. That's common in the universe." Washu waved. "I-I'm having way too much mind blowing going on tonight..." Chris groaned. "Try living with her, the woman is a walking migraine." Ryoko point out. "Oh Se---eto!!" Washu called out, causing Ryoko to shoot up and panic, waving her hands and apologizing making Washu smirk.

"My oh my, I'm beginning to think this little incident was nothing short of fate. I've dabbled with alternate realities and such before, but this time we've REALLY hit the jackpot." she grinned slyly, her look somehow making Chris feel unnerved deep down. "So... About bringing me home?" Ryoko asked with a finger up. "Ah, yes. You'll be back VERY soon." Washu grinned. "I'm eager to pay your location a little visit of my own now..." the scientist point out, the girls looking at one another feeling unnerved as well. "I'll give you an update in a few. Until then just sit there like a good little girl while mommy does her job and savors this delicious new batch of data." she giggled before she began typing, saying stuff about "Kanto" and "Unova" just as her hologram randomly vanished. "You just gave the worst person in either of our realities all the information about your planet. Good job." Ryoko point out with a slow clap. "N-No harm, right?" Chris asked with a nervous laugh. "Oh sure, no harm." Ryoko waved before sitting with a sigh, Ryo-Ohki looking at everyone before holding her bowl out for more. Taking it, Ryoko gave her more of the gumbo before stretching. "Well then, back to our...!!" she began, only to find herself cut off by the sounds of sirens and the feint echo of helicopters in the distance. "Wuzzat?" the pirate asked, squinting her eyes and looking around. "Sound like..." Chris muttered, putting a hand to his ear before freezing. "C-Cops. Ooohh boy." he muttered, looking at Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki. "Y-You're alright, she's gotta go!" he panicked. "Say what?" Ryoko scowled as Chris rushed to the carriage before hurrying back with ear muffs and a cap. "This here, that there." he muttered, covering Ryoko's ears using both before hurrying back to the drivers seat and snatching Serenity's coat.

"H-Hey!! What doing?!" the Pokemon snapped as he pulled Ryoko up, the pirate responding with an agitated "HEY!!" as he threw the coat on her. "Okay, good..." he muttered, looking her over before noticing her eyes and running back to the carriage, rummaging in their storage before hurrying back with a pair of shades he'd tucked away and adjusting them on her face. "G-Good..." he nodded. "R-Ryo-Ohki! Gotta go!" Chris instructed as they saw the police lights quickly approaching, copters shining their lights in the sky. "C-Come on!! Make her, you know, shrink!" he ordered. "Ugh... You're as bad as Tenchi." Ryoko complained before walking up to the little humanoid. "Sorry, just for a bit." she affirmed while pushing her palm against Ryo-Ohki's head, causing her to revert back to her tiny Cabbit form before Ryoko stuffed her inside the coat. "You be a good girl now." the pirate instructed before sitting by the fire once more. "Satisfied?" Ryoko scowled with her arms crossed. Rushing the girls, Chris had everyone sit together casually before joining them, quickly serving everyone more tea as the police showed up and several copters landed nearby, others remaining airborn as the workers of the rest stop opened everything back up and hurried out to the officers. "Ahh geez..." Chris smiled nevously with slight sweat on his face, the girls glancing at the cops warily as well while Ryoko shrugged and drank her tea. After a moment, the workers at the rest stop point out the group, causing the officers to turn their way before heading in their direction causing Chris to turn pale while the girls stiffened up. "S-Smile. Just smile..." he instructed while stiffly taking a sip of his tea.

"Excuse me!! You there!!" an officer called out as a group of them approached and gathered around everyone. "You folks, we heard you asked permission to loiter here overnight?" the same officer asked. "L-Loiter? I-I guess so. We don't mean any harm though!" Chris laughed nervously. "Normally it's against the law to loiter in this area. Never know what types go in and out of those mountains." the officer point out while suddenly shining a light on Chris, then the girls. "These your Pokemon?" the officer asked. "Y-Yes sir! We're all heading toward the festival beyond the border. We're not from around here so the stop owner gave us a break and said we could set out when the sun's up. We didn't want to run into trouble heading in the mountains at night." Chris explained. "Yeah well, at least you went to the trouble to ask beforehand." the officer nodded while putting his light away. "The staff over there gave us a call because of some weird activity goin' on around here. Something about a storm blowing up out of nowhere and something going on in the sky. Got anything you can add to that?" he asked, the other officers looking the group over closely, some leaning in towards Ryoko causing her eyebrow to twitch in agitation. "W-Well, there was a bunch of crazy stuff that happened outta nowhere, but I think I've got a good explanation." Chris nodded, the officers raising an eyebrow. "You see, the other night as we were heading here I saw Lunala appear through a hole in the sky." he explained, the officers looking at one another. "You talkin' about the Alola legendary?" the officer asked. "Y-Yeah... It's looming around here I think so it might've been Lunala appearing again." Chris laughed nervously. "I dunno about that..." the officer muttered. "Actually, I got a reading about some Pokemon showing up the other night too, so it might not be a lie." one of the other officers point out, holding out a Pokedex.

"We do get a few reports at this time of year about legendaries showing up in our area. It tends to happen when the Aurora Festival comes around. Seems like some kind of magnet that draws them in. The town past the border uses that as part of their advertisement every year to draw in more people. See the lights and the legendaries... Stuff like that." another officer reminded, causing the rest to let out an "ahh" and nod. "I suppose crazy things CAN happen whenever a legendary is around... If you ask me they're all a legendary pain." another muttered. "W-We're just trying to finish our dinner before anything else happens. We're sorry for hanging around here but like I told the owner, we promise we'll be gone in the morning." Chris assured, the officers looking at one another again. "So there's nothing else you can give us about the strange event?" one of the officers pressed. "Nothing really. It just looked like what I saw when Lunala popped up the other night. A weird hole in the sky, then suddenly, nothing." Chris affirmed. "Those are your Pokemon, so who's this?" a female officer asked, leaning toward Ryoko making the pirate grumble from having her space invaded. "Th-That's uh..." Chris stuttered, scratching his cheek. "M-My... That is..." he struggled, glancing at the girls before a light suddenly went off. "That's my girl!!" he suddenly shout, making Serenity and the others jolt and look at him in surprise while Ryoko's shades dropped slightly and she gave him the same look. "Your girl?" the officer asked, raising her eyebrow. "Y-Yeah... W-We're together. Th-That's uh..." Chris answered while glancing toward the carriage. "That's our... Love nest?" he laughed nervously while pointing out their transportation.

As the officers looked at the carriage, the girls were giving Chris a look that made him feel as though his body was being endlessly pierced by daggers, an ominous fire in their eyes as they quietly growled at him while Ryoko sat flabbergasted, nearly dropping her cup as her eye twitched out of a combination of shock and disturbance combined. However, as the officers looked back at them, the pirate quickly fixed her shades as everyone straightened up. "...That's an awful small love nest to be stuck in during a trip this long." the female officer point out before looking at Ryoko again. "...I think I'm a little envious." she smirked. "What?" Ryoko suddenly asked, looking up at her. "Oh come on. You and your man there, stuck for nights on end in that little thing? I bet the two of you have some fun, huh? I bet he makes a nice expression with a face like that!" the officer teased, nudging Ryoko causing Chris to sweat badly as the girls loomed over him all the more. Looking at one another, the other officers found themselves growing uncomfortable as well. "I wish I had a man like that. Willing to carry me off in such a way, our nights full of... Well... Everything I'm sure you're doing!" the woman laughed, patting Ryoko on her shoulder. "W-We'll be on our way... Sorry for interrupting your meal." one of the other officers apologized before they went off, the female officer waving with a wink and a thumbs up as they walked off. Once they were far enough away, Chris suddenly let out a massive sigh as though he'd held his breath the entire time, his body slumping before showing a relieved smile. "Well, that was averted!" he laughed, the girls now standing over him while Ryoko removed her shades.

"Let me make one thing clear buddy, THIS is WAY outta your league!!" she affirmed. "What with that lie?! You not think of better one?!" Serenity snapped. "Your girl?! You sure threw that out pretty easily!!" Alicia lectured. "Y-Yeah!! Why'd you go with that lie?!" Rose asked, causing Chris to stutter and shrink between them. "Pssh, it's simple. The thought was in his mind so he made up the lie. I can deny him, but I can't blame him." Ryoko shrugged with a smirk. "I-I wasn't thinking anything like that!" Chris argued. "Oh please, we all know you're a dog deep down." Alicia scowled. "I'm not a dog!!" he snapped. "A-Anyways, it helped her so leave me alone." he grumbled. "Eh... Guess it was an okay cover up." Ryoko nodded. "But yeah, you just keep that in your dreams." she affirmed with a smirk, causing Chris to groan and shake his head. "Whatever, you're welcome." he replied as the officers drove off, some toward Frola Village and the others toward the mountains, the copters heading in both directions as well. Once they were out of sight and their vehicles couldn't be heard anymore, Ryoko took off her hat and muffs before removing Serenity's coat, the Pokemon abruptly snatching it from the pirate with a jealous scowl before putting it on herself, Ryoko showing an agitated look of her own. "Hey, he put it on me." she point out. "I know!!" Serenity snapped, giving Chris a furious look. "Call her your girl, put MY coat on her... You on bad list for while." the Pokemon muttered. "Well sorry for trying to help and not blow anything!" Chris snapped. Glancing toward the stop, he waited for the staff to either leave or return inside, and once everything was clear, he focused on Ryoko once more.

"Alright, so anything else to your story?" he asked. "Not much really... That's the most important part. After everything that happened when Kagato returned, we all moved back in with Tenchi, even Washu tagged along. Ever since then everything's been... Alright, except for days Mihoshi causes trouble, or Ayeka bugs the hell out of me. Beyond that, it's a pretty good life." she smirked before Ryo-Ohki popped out from the back of her collar with a gasp for air. "Oops... You can come out now." Ryoko smiled nervously, causing the cabbit to scowl at her with a grunt before crawling out and sitting on her shoulder. "Oh yeah... About when I made Ayeka crash..." she point out. "I also owed Yosho one for freeing me. Sealing me away all that time REALLY pissed me off, but still. In the end it freed me from Kagato, AND thanks to being sealed up for so long, my criminal record was wiped away from the time I was a slave, so I became a free woman on Earth and everywhere else... It made us even." the pirate nodded. "G-Generous." Chris replied. "I know, right? I'm such a good person." Ryoko giggled. "Well, that's all I've got to say. Now how about we hear your story?" she asked, Chris and the girls looking at one another. "Well, we're not space travelers or anything like that, but we've definitely been through some... Interesting times." he smiled. "I guess I'll start off..." he nodded. "You see, a long time ago, my gramps saved the life of a Pokemon called Ninetales. In order to do that, he had to grab one of its tails as it fell from a cliff. Problem is, the Ninetales race is pretty vengeful, and they're especially serious over anyone touching their tails." he point out as the two listened.

"Ninetales was thankful to him for saving her life, but she still had her legacy to live up to. So in turn, she put a curse on his descendant that would make that person seek out others in need for his entire life, kind of to reflect how my gramps spent his life helping others. And the one who the curse landed on, was me." he point out. "Help a Pokemon and get cursed? This world's more messed up than our Earth if that's how things work." Ryoko replied with a raised eyebrow. "It's not so bad really." Chris assured, waving his hand before clearing his throat. "Back when I was eight, my parents disowned me and gave me to my gramps because of all the trouble I caused thanks to the curse on me. So in their place, he raised me in a secluded village filled with elders that taught me everything I needed to know so I could survive when I got older. In a strange kinda way it seemed like the curse gave me some time off during that time... Although it still put me in trouble from time to time." he laughed as the girls listened as well. "Seclusion, there's a word I know." Ryoko nodded. "I lived there until, I dunno, I'd say it was a few months, maybe close to a year ago now. My gramps finally passed away and after that, I set off to see the world. Even though the curse on me steers me along, I still manage to enjoy the places I get to go for the most part. That's thanks to the fortune my gramps left me." Chris point out, causing Ryoko to sit up with a sudden sparkle in her eyes. "Fortune ya' say?" she asked. "Somehow I get the feeling I know what that look's about. I'll just remind you that, since our realities are different, my cash is probably useless in your world." he affirmed, causing Ryoko to scowl with a "bah" before listening once more.

"It wasn't long after I started my journey that I met Serenity here." he point out, the Pokemon glancing at him with a slight blush as he pulled out his Pokedex and revealed her evolutions. "When we met, this is what she looked like. It's called a Ralts." he explained, getting an "aww" from the pirate. "Ha ha, yeah. Serenity was the cutest thing you'd ever seen." Chris grinned, causing Serenity to glance away with a small smile. "Thing is, I found her at the bottom of a cliff. In our world, humans use Pokemon mostly for two things, one is for companionship, and the second major use is for battling. Most people who want Pokemon for fighting capture them in things called Pokeballs..." he went on, showing a picture of a Pokeball. "Huh, that's a new one." Ryoko muttered as a short clip played on repeat showing how the ball works. "Just give a ball a toss and the Pokemon vanishes inside... Washu would really get a kick outta that idea." she point out before suddenly turning pale. "Ha ha! Don't worry, they won't work on people." Chris assured. "Trust me, she'd find a way to make em' work." Ryoko groaned. "Well, putting that aside for now. Serenity was one of the Pokemon captured for fighting. Problem is, the guy who caught her before we met found out she'd been born blind. She was pretty much a newborn at the time too... And because she was blind, the guy dumped her." Chris revealed. "Yeesh, not even a chance to live your own life. I can relate to that too." Ryoko nodded. "Not being blind though... That makes it even worse." she added. "Yeah well, the guy used one of his other Pokemon to drag her to the cliff where I found her and toss her of the edge. Smashed the Pokeball under his foot and walked away." Chris went on.

"So... You watched all this happen?" Ryoko scowled. "No. You see, I found Serenity late at night after it happened. I climbed down the cliff, then with a torch in my mouth and her in tow, I climbed my way back up." Chris explained, making a climbing motion with his hands. "I had my camp nearby, and I spent time patching her up. It wasn't until the next day I learned she was born blind." he clarified. "She just kept walking into stuff, so I gave her eyes a good look and that's when it hit me. After spending time healing her up and bonding some, that's when Serenity used some of her abilities to show me what happened to her. She projected these blurry visions into my mind to explain everything. With her being blind, all I could from her memories were vague outlines of things and hear a bunch of stuff going on. But what little she was able to reveal told me enough of what I needed to know." he nodded, rubbing Serenity on the back as she glanced down. "She was my first Pokemon, and we've been real close ever since." Chris grinned. "Even though she was blind, that didn't make her worthless to me. Serenity turned out to be a great traveling buddy. Once she was with me, I never felt worried or nervous, I was never lonely or anything... She was basically the light I'd been missing in life." he nodded, causing Serenity to blush and fidget slightly. "Th-Thank you." she nodded. "So she's a Pokemon, right? If they're like the animals in my world, shouldn't they be incapable of speaking to humans? And if she was blind, how come she can see now?" Ryoko asked. "Well, that explanation comes a little further down the line, but I'll get to it, no worries." Chris assured, waving his hand with a smile.

"After we traveled together for a bit, I started training Serenity, teaching how to use the senses she had left to help her live better. She got the hang of things pretty well, and eventually we challenged a Gym Leader!" he grinned. "In our world, we have places in each region, or each continent if you prefer..." he paused, bringing up pictures of Gyms and showing images of people battling, peaking Ryoko's curiosity. "Called Pokemon Gyms, and if you beat the Gym Leader in charge of that Gym, you win a badge! Get enough, and you can challenge what they call the Pokemon League... You win THAT, and you become the Champion of the region you're in!" he explained. "Well now, that sounds kinda fun." Ryoko grinned, looking at Ryo-Ohki causing the cabbit to inch away from her slightly. "People from other worlds don't qualify that easily, I wouldn't think anyways." Chris noted, causing Ryoko to let out an "aw" and slump slightly while Ryo-Ohki showed a relieved look. "Back to the story, I challenged a Gym Leader with Serenity and she managed to win. It was pretty awesome, and that's when we were given the badge you see around her neck." Chris point out, Serenity sitting up with her head held high and a proud smirk. "Most people keep em' in a case, but since Serenity did the work for it, I thought it would mean more, to both of us, if she kept it and wore it in the open. A souvenir to remind her of her progress and show the world there's no such thing as a worthless Pokemon!" he affirmed, giving Serenity a thumbs up. "After she won, that's also when she evolved into a Kirlia..." he added, showing a hologram of her second form. "Pokemon evolve after they've grown strong enough, and/or accomplished a certain thing." he nodded.

"After that, we traveled along some more until we ran into our favorite thief here!" he laughed, causing Alicia to flush. "Must you...?" she asked embarrassed. "Oh yes, I must." Chris smirked, causing Alicia to groan. "A thief eh? Nice." Ryoko praised with a thumbs up. "It's not exactly a moment of pride for me, more like desperation." the snake sighed. "It was when I was walking along a trail in the woods. One day I decided to leave my stuff behind while I did a little foraging for ingredients to use in cooking..." Chris went on, causing Ryoko to perk up again. "Say, you're kinda like Tenchi! He's a pro when it comes to that nature stuff." she giggled. "Eh? Really?" Chris asked, blinking curiously. "Oh yeah. He does a ton of farming all the time. Loves growing vegetables and all, but the main thing he grows is carrots nowadays for Ryo-Ohki here. She adores them." the pirate explained. "Well, if carrots are her thing, I've got some in the storage under our carriage she could...!!" Chris began to offer, only to have the cabbit shout excitedly and sprint off. "Oh boy, you won't have a single one left." Ryoko smiled nervously. "Meh, she can't get in unless... I..." Chris replied, only to go silent when Ryo-Ohki phased through the storage door. "Sh-She..." he point out, blinking in shock. "Yeah... Sorry." Ryoko apologized. "I can get her out if ya want." she added. "N-No... She's alright. I'll just get more from the stop there before we leave tomorrow." Chris waved with a nervous smile. "She won't eat anything BUT those, right?" he asked. "Don't worry, everything except the carrots should be safe." Ryoko assured. "So, wanna continue?" the pirate asked, "R-Right." Chris nodded.

"The next girl I met was Alicia here. By the time we got back to where I'd left my supplies, she'd eaten a lot of what I had in reserves. I found her inside my rucksack and I gotta admit, she caught me off guard." he laughed. "She jumped out like a jack in the box and ran off with something important of mine." he explained before pausing the story, heading to the carriage and returning with his staff. "This thing on the end is one of the Pokeball's you saw a minute ago. Inside of it is my gramps ashes." he point out, letting Ryoko look it over. "What are those other things?" she asked. "I'll get to those in a bit too." Chris smirked while sitting back down. "Alicia took that ball and ran off. I was able to track her down with help from Serenity, and it turns out she hadn't got very far. You see, something all three of them have in common is that they were abused and abandoned by the humans who captured them before we met." he point out. "Funny thing, they were all guys too... Just like the Kagato dude who abused you." he added. "Sorry to hear that." Ryoko nodded, the girls glancing away with a slightly uncomfortable look. "Not good thing to have in common." Serenity replied. "I agree, it's not exactly a highlight between us." Alicia added. "But... It happens to a lot of people I guess. It's too bad, how common it seems to be." Rose sighed as Chris brought up holograms of Alicia's evolutions. "When I met her, this was what she looked like, it's called a Snivy." he point out. "Huh, pretty neat." Ryoko nodded. "Before we met, the guy she was with made her fight a Serperior, it's her final evolution here." Chris went on. "It didn't go well at all, and because of the fight she formed a fear of her final evolution, and in turn, refused to evolve." he explained.

"The guy she was with didn't like that at all, so he figured he'd force her to evolve by starving and ignoring her. She lived a pretty crappy life for a long time after the Serperior fight, and by the time I'd met her, she was just about as close to death as you could get. Skin and bones doesn't cover it, and her body looked like it had been dragged through the ringer several times over." he detailed. "M-Must you emphasize that?" Alicia asked with a humiliated look. "Okay, okay... Anyway, she reached the point she couldn't even walk anymore really, and when that happened the guy she was with abandoned her. Talked down about her being trash and stuff, then the guy just walked off. It wasn't long after that when I came across her, and just like Serenity there, I took her in and patched her up!" he grinned. "Alicia was actually really adorable too. When she was weak, I'd hold her in my arms and feed her stuff I'd smashed up so it was easy for her to eat. It was like holding a baby!" he laughed, causing Alicia to flush and groan. "Aww, that's pretty cute." Ryoko smiled. "After cleaning her up and putting weight back on her, that's when I started helping her train her body so she was in fighting condition again. She was hesitant, but eventually I pushed her into fighting a Gym Leader herself. It took work, but she managed to win, and just like Serenity, she was given that badge around her neck as a symbol of her growth. She even pushed through her fears and evolved into her second form, that's the Servine you see here." he chuckled. "She evolved right in my arms. It was actually pretty cute because she was still kinda scared... She was clinging to me so tight I thought she'd rip my shirt off!" he added. "Alright!! Move on!!" Alicia snapped, seemingly glowing.

"What's the hurry? This is your part of the story! I thought you loved being talked about?" Chris scowled. "I do but... Not about those moments in particular." she scowled, continuing to blush from her embarrassment. "Alright... Well, after that, we continued on our journey, got back into our usual lifestyle. Problem is, not long after that fight we ran into this big pack of Pokemon called Houndoom." he went on, bringing up a hologram of the species. "Oohhh... Now THAT'S a bad ass looking beast." Ryoko smirked. "Bad good word." Serenity sneered with her arms crossed. "You see, one night, we were attacked by them. We were caught off guard and we all were beaten pretty bad. They threw the girls off a cliff that was by our campsite and I jumped off after them. It was a pretty long fall and I don't remember too many details, but I do know that's when me and Ninetales first started bonding." he nodded. "The girls were real shook up over it, and Serenity was so mad she forced herself to evolve into the form you see now, her Gardevoir form." Chris point out while bringing up her evolutions holograms again. "I gotta say, her species has a pretty good fashion sense." Ryoko smirked. "I noticed you two DO look alike, actually." Chris nodded, the two looking at one another before standing side by side. "Say... You're kinda right. No wonder I like the look." Ryoko grinned. "You not look bad either." Serenity smirked. "Anyway, she was furious, and she made herself evolve into the form you see now. Thing is, the way she evolve kinda corrupted her, so she's a Pokemon, but now she's also what we call a Shadow Pokemon at the same time." Chris revealed. "Shadow Pokemon? That sounds kinda cool too." Ryoko replied making Serenity hold her head up proudly.

"She went into this berserker mode basically and tore the pack up, flinging them all over the place and butchering em' like slices of meat." Chris point out. "I remember those days..." Ryoko nodded. "It was fun." Serenity grinned. "R-Right... Well, it wasn't but for a minute or two, but I managed to come around. That's when I basically met Ninetales for the first time. Just like you she can make an astral body whenever she wants to be seen. She came to the rescue and gave us a chance to calm Serenity down. I pulled her out of her Shadow state before it took control of her altogether and that was the end of the fighting. Afterward, we were rescued by the Millennium City police. They took me to the city's main hospital where I spent a while recovering." Chris smirked. "We met this awesome old guy named Gerald, and he helped take care of the girls while I was laid up. Turns out, he worked for this couple I helped before the Houndoom attack." he point out. "Couple? What'd you do?" Ryoko asked, tilting her head. "Arthur and Angela are their names. We were dining out one night at this fancy place and all of a sudden Arthur started having a heart attack. With the help of this electric Pokemon someone else had and Serenity combined, we were able to save him, got his heart ticking again. We've been pretty good friends ever since, and when they found out I was laid up, they sent Gerald to look after me. They're crazy rich and live in the biggest mansion you've EVER seen!" Chris grinned. "Gerald is their top breeder, and kind of a butler at the same time. They make a fortune off the Pokemon he helps them produce and stuff. By the time we left the city, Gerald was like a second grandfather to me." he chuckled.

"Don't forget about me!!" Rose chimed in with her hand up. "Of course not! How could I?" Chris grinned while pulling the rabbit in his arm against his side. "I met this little ball of cuteness twice before taking her in." he point out. "Th-That's more like it." Rose smiled with a blush on her face. "The first time I met Serenity was before the Houndoom attack. The guy she was with was threatening her and about to kick her around. She was a Buneary at the time. Take a look." Chris point out, showing off the rabbits evolution's. "Aww, now that IS adorable!" the pirate grinned. "Look at all the fluff! She totally reminds me of my own little fur ball." she giggled, rubbing Ryo-Ohki on the head as she lay in Ryoko's lap. "I called the cops on the guy for abusing her, but at the time I didn't feel right just taking her away from him either so I took her to a place we call a Pokemon Center for treatment. It's basically like a hospital just for them." Chris shrugged. "You mean a veterinary clinic?" Ryoko asked. "Uhh... Wuzzat?" Chris replied. "It's where people take sick animals in my reality." the pirate explained. "I-I guess so?" Chris nodded. "I met Rose again while we were in the city. After I'd recovered enough to leave, we came across that guy beating the hell outta her. Dude even broke her limbs and stuff..." he point out. "A guy did that to my Ryo-Ohki I'd rip his nuts off and make em' choke on his own pair until the suffocated to death." Ryoko replied with an agitated look, causing Chris to fidget out of slight discomfort from the idea."Y-Yeah, well, after beating her up he threw her into the street in front of a big truck. I was in a wheelchair but I still managed to reach her in time by rolling myself into the highway and grabbing her." he went on.

"And that when he show power!!" Serenity suddenly butt in excitedly. "Power?" Ryoko asked, looking at Chris before snickering. "Sure." she added. "I'm not exactly sure how it was triggered, but yeah. I can actually use Ninetales power nowadays. It comes in handy a lot." Chris smirked. "This crazy aura burst out of me and I stopped the trucks dead in its tracks. Ripped it apart then showed that punk what for." he scowled. "I almost went a little overboard but Gerald and the girls stopped me before that. The guy's been in prison ever since." he nodded. "All this happened while we were in Millennium City, and some other great stuff happened too!" he grinned. "I'm listening. I wanna hear more about that power of yours too." Ryoko smirked with her arms crossed. "Well, while we were in the city, I managed to meet some of the top scientists in our region, specifically a Professor by the name of Rose, who I named this girl here after, and together we worked on a way of giving Serenity the ability to see!" he explained excitedly. "We called it the Celebi Project, and after a lot of work, me and Serenity became its first subjects. The machine could perform a transplant without needing any kind of surgery, so I decided to offer the vision in my left eye so Serenity could see in her right eye." he detailed, pointing out his discolored and hazy left eye while Serenity blushed with a smile spreading from ear to ear, showing off her good eye to Ryoko. "It amazing what he did." the Pokemon nodded. "We both put on this helmet thing and it basically sucked the vision out of my eye, which was REALLY freaky by the way. I mean, I could kind of feel it happening, like it was slurping my eye through a straw." he point out. "Oh that's disgusting." Alicia groaned. "Yeah... Didn't need to hear that part." Rose laughed nervously.

"Pssh, that's nothing compared to the stuff Washu does to people." Ryoko waved. "Still... I gotta say that's something worth respecting ya for. Giving up your sight, even if it's just half of it, to someone else." she point out. "Ha ha... I'd give up way more than that if it meant making sure these girls were safe and happy. I'd sooner lose my life before any of them were harmed. They're my family after all!" Chris grinned, causing the girls to look at him before showing an endearing smile on their faces, the pirate taking notice and showing a smirk of her own with a nod. "Just like Tenchi..." she point out. "Eh?" Chris asked. "Oh, nothing. Keep going." Ryoko giggled with a wave. "Well, going back to how Rose joined us. You see, after I had the guy who tried to kill her arrested a second time, that's when I decided to take her away from him for good. I kinda took the law into my own hands and broke into the prison the guy was at so I could steal her Poke Ball from him. I also took away all his other Pokemon in the process, and it turned out none of his other Pokemon were any better off. Skinny, pieces of their ears missing... They were in real rough shape." Chris explained. "Ooohh, aren't you a dirty little law breaker?" Ryoko grinned in a teasing tone. "I've heard of breakin' OUT of prison, but breaking IN? HA! There's a new one!" the pirate added with a laugh. "Takes spunk to do that. Not bad guy." she nodded. "After that happened, I found out the Warden was the guys dad, so the Warden challenged me to a Pokemon match to decide whether he let what I did slide or put me behind bars." Chris continued. "Yikes, tough luck." Ryoko smirked. "Yea--ah... That was a surprise." Chris admit.

"It was a pretty tricky fight, and I almost forfeit the match when Serenity started losing control of her Shadow state. But after I threw the match, my friends that were watching gave me a hand and lent me their Pokemon for a rematch. They were the Gym leaders I'd beaten with Serenity and Alicia beforehand. Rose stepped in too, Gerald offered his Pokemon, and that was when Rose evolved into the form you see now for my sake!" Chris smirked proudly. "I gotta say, she was really incredible." he affirmed, rubbing the rabbit on the head as she blushed and showed a wide smile. "I-It wasn't that great..." she replied shyly. "You kidding? You were totally awesome!" Chris praised, causing Rose to flush and wave with a "go o--on" and giggling. "After taking her in, I told Rose she'd never have to fight again. That's the whole reason the guy she was with abused her so much, because he wanted her to battle and she hates violence." Chris point out. "Yeah, that sounds like Sasami alright." Ryoko nodded. "But even though she didn't have to, even though I objected, Rose still fought for my sake and helped me win. I'll never forget how proud I was because of how she stepped up like that. I'm still proud of her as can be." Chris nodded with an arm around Rose once more, causing the rabbit to fidget and seemingly glow. "N-No problem..." she nodded back. "During the time right before we got to the city, and especially after, Serenity started to learn how to use her psychic abilities to speak with me through Telepathy." Chris began to explain. "Her species have strong powers when it comes to psychic stuff, and the more she grew, the stronger her mind became. Eventually she learned how to share her Telepathy with the girls here by creating a psychic bubble around herself basically. So long as we're close to one another, they can speak to me too." he smirked.

"Oohh... Well then, that's one question answered." Ryoko nodded. "Most of the Pokemon in our world can't talk to humans like they do normally. So we really owe Serenity a lot." Chris smiled, giving Serenity a nudge causing her to smirk and nudge him back. "I hate admitting it but he's right. If not for her our language boundaries would've been a rather messy issue." Alicia nodded. "I dunno, even when we aren't using her power I think we understand one another pretty well. It might be a little tricky but still. Chris does pretty good on his own when he has to." Rose smiled. "Heh, thanks for that." Chris replied. "Anyways, the Warden was also the Gym Leader of Millennium City, so when we beat him I got my freedom back AND we got that badge you see around Rose's neck. From that moment on, they've all had their own souvenir to remind them of the day they proved just how amazing they were, both to themselves and the world. A symbol of the day they stood up, gave it their all, and made me the proudest man in the world. Definitely the luckiest for having such awesome girls in my life!" he laughed, causing them all to reveal a blush on their faces with wide smiles showing once more. "Shameless flatterer." Alicia replied, giving him a nudge from behind. "You and stuff you say. It too much." Serenity grinned while nudging his side. "I'm feelin' kinda spoiled tonight!" Rose giggled while leaning against his other side. "I'm the one who's spoiled! I got the best girls in the world as family!" Chris grinned, putting an arm around Serenity and Rose's necks and pulling them close while Alicia rest her chin on his head. "We are the best, aren't we? At least, I am anyways." the snake affirmed, raising her head with a proud smirk.

"Hey! He say we ALL best!" Serenity scowled. "Yep! Not just you!" Rose smiled. "Bah." Alicia scoffed. "Anyone ever tell you how weirdly human you seem?" Ryoko point out. "Eh, we get that a lot. We might be different species but when we're together most people can't tell the difference. That's just how close we are." Chris shrugged. "We look plenty different, but inside we've all got a heart that keeps us alive. That's all that has ever mattered to me. Who you are, what you look like... Your past. I don't really care. As long as someone still has a good heart, as long as they're trying to change for the better in the present and push themselves towards a positive future, that's what's most important in my opinion, and these girls hearts are the best." he chuckled. "In a way, you remind me a lot of Serenity, and even though she's a ship and stuff, Ryo-Ohki's gotta have a heart too, right? Based on your stories and how the two of you behave, even though your pasts aren't the best, I can tell you've still got good hearts deep down too. They might be swamped in a bunch of bad memories and actions, most you couldn't help like you said, but they're still good. Gotta be if that Tenchi guy cares so much about ya." Chris nodded. Looking at him for a moment, Ryoko showed a small smirk and nodded. "I was feared by everyone back then. Killing time and again... But despite all the stuff I did, Tenchi still accepted me. He let me live with him, cared about me. Even came to rescue me. No matter how much about my past he learned, he'd still wind up smiling at me in the end, letting me know it was alright, that he accepted it all. All he's ever cared about is what I've done in the present... He's some guy." the pirate replied in an endearing tone.

"I gotta admit, I keep liking the guy more and more." Chris nodded. "Nobody's perfect, and whether it's willingly or not, we all do things we wish we hadn't at some point. We all mess up, we all hurt someone in some way... But no matter what we do wrong, there's always a way to make it right. A way to make up for the mistakes, to make things better." he went on. "That's why I'm glad I've got this curse nowadays. I can spend my life traveling all over the place, and along the way, I can help people out. Fix problems, change hearts. This life may be rough, but I honestly wouldn't give it up for anything. A lot of the time I feel like I owe Ninetales for the path she's given me, because it has led me to a lot of friends, and brought together this incredible family I've got now." he grinned, looking at the girls. "No matter how bad things seem, how tough things get, there's always a silver lining if you're willing to reach for it. I've held onto mine for a long time now, and I don't plan on ever letting go." he added. "Same here." the girls replied collectively, all three embracing him together and showing affectionate looks on their faces. "You know... If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you were all in a relationship." Ryoko point out, causing the group to freeze before the girls quickly pulled away and fidget nervously, Chris rubbing the back of his head with a shy smile. "W-Well, since you brought it up, we actually kinda are." he nodded, causing the pirate to blink at him in surprise. "You mean you're actually... With them? As in, WITH them?" Ryoko asked, pointing at the girls. "P-Pretty much." Chris nodded with a grin. "Uhh..." the pirate muttered, looking at Rose and Alicia before showing a nervous smile.

"With a bunny and a snake...?" she asked. "Y-Yeah." Chris nodded again. Staring in surprise, Ryoko sat silently as the wind blew between them. "So... I mean, like THAT, you're with them? As in... You know..." Ryoko asked before using her fingers to suggest sex. "Y-Yeah, pretty much. They're my girls, in uh, different ways." Chris answered honestly, the girls flushing and facing different directions embarrassed. Looking at them all, Ryoko responded with "kinky" at the discovery. "That's private information." Alicia scowled at Chris. "G-Geez. You expose that stuff way too easily." Rose added, glancing away with a shy smile while fidgeting. "I was first though." Serenity made sure to point out. Continuing to look at them all, Ryoko returned to a silent state, the group looking back at her just as silently before the pirate leaned back with a "huh" and nodded. "Different strokes for different blokes I guess." she replied, surprised yet accepting of the reveal. "R-Really?" Chris asked. "Hey, you should see the interspecies stuff happening in space. I've seen stuff WAY beyond what you've got going on." Ryoko explained. "People that look like dogs and cats with humans, stuff like that. It gets pretty freaky, way more than anything that goes on in this planet." she clarified. "People that look like dogs and cats?" Chris asked, trying to picture the idea, the girls doing the same. "Eh, it's like ya said. We've all got a thing in common. Heart's all that matters, not the looks." Ryoko shrugged. "For Tenchi to be interested in Ayeka that HAS to be true." she added, mocking the princess of Jurai with a wave of her hand.

"That stuff aside, anything else? You still haven't explained those stones." she reminded. "Right, right." Chris nodded. "Well, after everything in the city, we went on a cruise on this ship called the S.S. Guardian." he began. "It's actually docked at a village not too far from here. We boarded it back in Millennium City and that's how we got here. There's a festival in a town going on beyond the mountains over there and that's why we're here." he revealed, Ryoko letting out an "oohhh" and nodding. "Along the way, we ran into a HUGE pack of these ferocious Pokemon called Gyarados..." Chris continued, showing the Pokemon in a hologram. "They tried to take down the Guardian and after damaging the ship, I had to take over when the bridge was blasted, wounding the Captain and his men. We made some progress, but they still managed to sink the ship in the end." he point out, showing Ryoko a hologram of the Guardian, the pirate leaning toward it curiously. "So if the ship sank, how'd it get here?" she asked. "That's where the stones come in. This one is called a Key Stone, and it basically links me and the girls together in a bunch of ways. During an emergency, they can use these things, called Mega Stones, to push themselves into an even more powerful evolution, but it's only temporary." Chris affirmed. "Oohh! They're like my gems!" Ryoko grinned. "I guess so, in a way." Chris nodded. "Rose used this one here to Mega Evolve during the fight against the Warden to help me win, and when the ship was about to sink, Serenity used this stone here to Mega Evolve, giving her the power to throw a barrier around the WHOLE ship at the last second!" he revealed, Serenity holding her head up with a proud smirk while Ryoko nodded with an "impressive" in response.

"We sank to the bottom of the ocean and was trapped in a chasm. Luckily, it turns out we managed to sink right next to this shipwreck that was a hundred years old, called the Arceanic." Chris went on. "Arceanic?" Ryoko asked, sounding as if the name was familiar. "You... Know it?" Chris asked. "No... I know about a ship with a similar name, but not the Arceanic exactly. I saw a program on TV about a ship with a name kinda like that though. It sank around the same time. Didn't pay much attention so can't remember the name for certain. The princess is the one who loves watching nerdy historic stuff like that." the pirate shrugged. "Okay then..." Chris replied before clearing his throat. "Anyways, the ship was filled with the souls of the people who died on it. In our world, a lot of people with unfinished business turn into Ghost Pokemon, so all the passengers and crew turned into Pokemon called Yamask while the Captain of the ship turned into a Cofagrigus." he explained, showing holograms of the two Pokemon making Ryoko inch back. "Yee... Not a big fan of stuff like that." she replied warily. "Well, after exploring the wreck and stuff, I managed to get the spirits to lend us a hand. They used their wreckage to break the Guardian free and worked together with me to lift the Guardian back to the surface. After that, their Captain helped me fight off the Gyarados that were still looming around, and now here we are!" Chris grinned. "None of it would've been possible without Ninetales though. She really is awesome." he smiled. "You know, I wouldn't mind meeting this Ninetales thing." Ryoko smirked. "Nor' would I mind facing you, and I'm not a thing." they suddenly heard a familiar voice echo in response.

"Wuzzat?" Ryoko asked, looking around and blinking in a puzzled state. "That's uh..." Chris smiled nervously before Ninetales suddenly appeared next to him, her aura pulling itself out of Chris before radiating around her spirit causing Chris to sigh and slump. "Ninetales, my mom." he point out in an "oh boy..." kind of tone. Looking at the fox wide eyed, Ryoko let out an impressed whistle. "Say..." she muttered before leaning toward the fox, Ninetales raising an eyebrow. "You know, you'd make a hell of a nightlight!" the pirate grinned, causing Ninetales to tilt her head before scowling. "Excuse me?" the fox asked. "Kidding, kidding. You called her your mom?" Ryoko asked, causing Chris to sit up and nod. "It's more of a nickname though, I guess. Ninetales doesn't like it much, but she's the closest thing to a mother I've had ever since my real one left me with my gramps." Chris nodded. "I see you've the same poor sense of humor." Ninetales sighed. "Hey, my taste in humor is just fine lady." Ryoko scowled. "Don't bother, none of these girls have any taste in that stuff." Chris point out with a wave of his hand. "Oh, we've plenty of taste. Just not in your particular style. Too immature." Alicia clarified. "I admit, his jokes kind of bad." Serenity agreed while holding her nose. "Hey." Chris growled. "We give him pity sometimes though." Rose laughed, patting his side. "Alright!!" Chris snapped, the girls around him grinning while Ryoko smirked. "You guys are a trip." she point out. "For a short time they may seem amusing, but living with them is a curse I wouldn't place on the worst human." Ninetales scoffed. "Now that's mean!" Chris snapped, causing the fox to face away with a smirk of her own.

Looking at the two, Ryoko watched as Chris and Ninetales exchanged various remarks, making the pirate think of her own situations with Washu before watching as Chris jumped toward the fox, only to phase through her aura and plant his face in the snow. "You'll never learn." Ninetales sighed as she shook her head. "Whatever! It's not fair!" Chris complained while shaking the snow off his face. "It hurts, doesn't it?" Ryoko asked, showing a sudden somber touch in her smile. "I'll say. I gotta admit, you'd think I'd learn not to bother by now." Chris grumbled. "I mean not being able to touch one another." Ryoko clarified, causing Chris to jolt before glancing at Ninetales and facing away with a scowl. "I went through that for a long, LONG time. There were times I really wish I could've been there for Tenchi, more than just in spirit." Ryoko sighed while looking down. "There were times he really could've used someone. Whenever something sad happened. Whenever he'd been hurt or depressed... Sometimes he'd show up bawling his eyes out and all I could do was watch." the pirate went on, twirling her finger in the snow. Looking at her, Ninetales glanced at Chris in silence as he wiped the wetness of melted snow off his face with his sleeve, his face reddened from landing in the icy snow as he let out a sniffle from the cold causing the fox to show just the smallest smirk on the corner of her mouth. "It would be nice if I could touch her sometimes, but at least she's here period. Even if Ninetales does act a little cold, she's still with me and looks after me, and that's still more than I can say for my real mom." he reminded while sitting between the girls again, Ninetales glancing away before letting out a sigh.

"Now that we've seen one another, I'll be on my way. I've my rest to catch up on." the fox nodded. "Well, that was a pretty sudden appearance. Quick too... Just comin' and goin' eh?" Ryoko asked. "That's how she is, you get used to it." Chris waved. "Later then I guess." Ryoko waved, Ninetales nodding before making herself scarce, her spirit flashing away while her aura returned to Chris, causing him to flash for a split second before all was normal once more. "I'm SO glad I'm not stuck with an astral body anymore." Ryoko sighed. "It's hated when ya love someone but touching is off limits. It's a real pain in the ass. Sucks even more when you're pissed, like with Washu for instance." the pirate point out. "You ra--ang?" the scientist suddenly chimed in, her hologram popping out from Ryoko's torso. "G-Geez!" she shout, jumping in surprise before scowling and twitching an eye. "For instance..." Ryoko muttered, reaching out and clenching her fist around Washu's neck, only for it to phase through the hologram. "Very mature." Washu scowled. "Yeah yeah, what now?" Ryoko asked with her arms crossed. "Just letting you know things are progressing well, especially with the data I extracted from that device of his." Washu grinned, her hologram facing the group. "Thanks to you I'll have dear little Ryoko back in no time at all! Not that it would've taken very long without the data." the scientist waved with a smirk. "Smug son of a b..." Ryoko growled. "B-EAUTIFUL woman!!" Washu interrupted, her hologram turning toward Ryoko and looming over her. "That IS what you were going to say, right?" she asked with a dark grin on her face, suddenly bringing up another hologram displaying contact information and the name Seto in bold causing Ryoko to jump back.

"A-Alright!! Whatever!!" the pirate panicked. "Good girl." Washu nodded. "Anywho, the longest it should take me to open a rift between our worlds is... I'd say an hour or so is a good wager. There's a few security measures to take as well beforehand. Even once your location is directly pinpointed, I've still got to put the safeguards in place to make sure the GXP doesn't pick up on our little reality jumping trek. We'll be lucky if Ryoko didn't already trip a few wires when she got forced into your world. So far it doesn't seem like we're in the red but we'll see. If we plan things right then nobody has to know exactly what went on. We can do a little covering up and say Mihoshi caused a few distortions at most. She's renowned for that kind of thing, especially considering how easily she gets into my lab by accident when it's supposed to be inaccessible, unless you're me of course." Washu scowled with her arms crossed. "This uh, Mihoshi person... She sounds like she really gives you guys a run for your money." Chris smiled nervously. "You've NO idea." both women replied simultaneously in an agitated tone. "I just sent Sasami out to gather everyone before I open the rift into that world. Unfortunately as intrigued as I am our journey is gonna have to be in and out. If there was more time I could easily work out a method of getting there without any worries about the GXP but since things are a bit tricky at the moment a primitive jump is the best I can do. My systems are still recovering from before." the scientist sighed in disappointment. "Man, things really ARE advanced in space." Chris muttered. "While the GXP isn't a particular threat to me it DOES cause trouble for Tenchi and the others, so I try to keep a clean ship around here while I continue my experiments." Washu point out.

"They can pick up unusual distortions from light years away. It's a shock they haven't contacted me about when Ryoko's shipped vanished in the chaos earlier..." she added. "Still, all the more reason to get her back so we can start covering up this mess. I just wanted to let you know it's gonna be time to go sooner than I estimated thanks to the data I've been researching. We might just be in the clear!" the scientist cackled before her hologram suddenly vanished. "That's kinda...!!" Chris began, only to jump back and shout when Washu's hologram popped out of his torso this time. "Surprise!!" she grinned. "I just wanted to say I heard your story by the way. Seems like we may have found your reality's version of our Tenchi! You're a good one." the scientist praised, grinning with a nod before her hologram vanished once more. "V-Version? Tenchi?" he asked before pointing at himself and blinking curiously. "Me?" he added. "Careful pal, if she's likening you to him you don't wanna know what that means she might try to do to you." Ryoko warned. "U-Uhh... But it's still a compliment, right?" Chris asked with a nervous smile. "I guess, but a compliment from that woman usually means she's interested in you as a test subject more than anything." the pirate shrugged. "She's always stringing Tenchi up in her lab, trying to get samples for things and all. Better protect your balls buddy." she smirked, causing Chris to turn pale. "She touch balls, I cut face." Serenity warned, forming a dark claw over her hand. "Ooohh, aren't we the possessive one?" Ryoko grinned. "Then again, I'm the same with Tenchi so guess I'm not one to talk." she confessed, scratching her cheek with slight sweat on her face.

"There's actually another thing I need to mention before our recap is finished. Back when we were on the S.S. Guardian, during the attack and before we sank, I was blown off the side of the ship into the sea." Chris suddenly brought up, causing Ryoko to raise an eyebrow. "I would've been a goner if it wasn't for Alicia here. I praised Serenity in the moment a minute ago, but I've gotta give Alicia her props too. In order to save me, she ran all the way to the back of the ship and jumped into the ocean to grab me. She has these vines she can use for stuff, and in order to help, that's when she pushed herself into the form you see now, the Serperior form she was paranoid of." Chris point out, the snake smirking with her head up. "She could've died trying to save me since her kind are real sensitive to the cold, but she was still willing to risk her life for mine. I gotta tell ya, she actually DID almost die, and I was cryin' more than I had in a long time when I thought I'd lost her. But when she came to, boy did I give her one heck of a hug!" he grinned, the snake remembering when she regained conscious and saw him in a state of despair, causing another endearing smile to show on her face. "Yes yes, he was quite adorable." Alicia nodded, patting him on the head with the tip of her tail. "Heh. And with that out of the way, there's your story of our family! After we saved everyone on the Guardian and the souls of the Arceanic, the people and Captain on board started calling me the Guardian of Ureaxion, and it's a title that seems to be spreading like crazy. Ureaxion is the region, or continent, we're on now by the way." he point out, Ryoko looking around with a nod. "So you're the Guardian eh? Not a title as great as LORD Tenchi, but hey." Ryoko shrugged with a smirk.

"H-He's a what now?" Chris asked, blinking in surprise. "Lord Tenchi, that's what the prissy princess calls him anyways, and others have been picking it up to over time. The goddess Tsunami likes him, and there's a second one we met a while back named Tokimi who's interested in him too..." Ryoko scowled. "Too many damned women... And to think I was there FIRST. I should have dibs." the pirate complained, Serenity suddenly crossing her arms. "I feel same way. That how should be." the Pokemon agreed with a firm nod. "Hey!!" Alicia and Rose shout simultaneously. "What? It true." Serenity grumbled. "Come on, none of that." Chris lectured. "I actually teased Ayeka about that when she first showed up. Back when I used Ryo-Ohki to crash her ship, she turned into an egg again and I pretended it was mine. I made this whole scene about the egg being Tenchi's and whoo boy did they fall for it. Tenchi didn't believe me of course but it sure rattled his nerves! It was hilarious." Ryoko laughed. "You uh, you really love pranking people." Chris smiled nervously. "Eh, it's a hobby. You know I'm a woman who loves to get a reaction." the pirate smirked, raising an eyebrow at him causing Chris to glance away. "You know, she DID make you scream pretty loud." Rose giggled. "You sounded more like a female than any I've ever met." Alicia snickered. "Sh-Shut up!!" Chris snapped. "Did scream loud. Pitch very high... Throat not sore?" Serenity asked, causing Chris to growl in agitation. "So... Tenchi person save you from Kagato, what else make you love him?" Serenity asked, causing the group to pause before facing Ryoko as she crossed her arms and thought it over, looking down at the fire before showing an endearing smile.

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - The Man We Love
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h6s888DAi4

"Well, it's like I said, he accepts me. I've killed so many, destroyed so much. I've done more things wrong than I have right in my life. I was a terrorist, the most wanted criminal in existence just about, besides Kagato of course... Whether it was my choice or not, I still did everything I told you about." she replied. "But... When it comes to Tenchi, he was the first person to look me in the eyes without a shred of fear. Sure when he saw me in the cave he was pretty freaked out, but I guess I can't blame him too much for that. He was afraid of a corpse that had rotted away." the pirate nodded. "That night I attacked him at his school, even though he didn't have a shred of power at the time, he still challenged me. He didn't hesitate to stand up to someone who'd spent her life watching people run away from her." she smirked while looking up. "When he finally managed to land a good blow, when he cut off my hand I mean, he actually apologized for it. I didn't know what to think of him really. Nobody had ever apologized for hurting me before either. Even if I might have deserved that particular blow a little." Ryoko giggled. "He was some guy... And even after everything I did. After scaring him and attacking him, he still let me move into his house. Tenchi gave me the first home I'd ever had where I felt at ease. A place I felt welcome, accepted. To him, it didn't matter who I was, what I'd done. He was the first man in my life to treat me like a normal girl. After so long of living as nothing more than a weapon, than a tool for someone else to abuse, of feeling like I was trapped in an existence of servitude... He changed all that the day he set me free and took me into his house." she smiled with an endearing look in her expression.

Looking at one another, the girls started showing the same expressions as they looked at Chris, nodding in a relatable manner. "I'd spent my life feeling like a disposable item. Like some kind of reject, an outcast... But with Tenchi, none of that crosses my mind anymore. I have value now, worth to him and in myself. The freedom to do what I want, to be who I want to be. I have a man who looks me in the eyes and smiles, who holds my hand to remind me he's there when I need him, who holds me when I'm feeling down and lets me know he cares. Most of the time I tease him, pick on him here and there. And... I'll admit I cause him some trouble the way I'm always losing my cool with Ayeka... But despite whatever problems I cause, he's still the same ol' Tenchi, accepting and supportive. Loving and sweet... I might get lectured by him here and there, but he's understanding and gentle, even when he's fussing me out. That's why I love him so much..." Ryoko nodded. "Because of taking me in, he's gone through a lot of hell over the years. Fighting my enemies and putting up with my attitude... I guess I can be hard to live with at times..." she sighed. "But not once has he ever made me feel like I didn't belong. He's never cast me out despite the issues I cause. In fact, he usually emphasizes how much he wants me around, even when I really mess up... I have a real home now. A real family." she giggled. "I guess that includes the princess..." Ryoko scowled, Serenity and Alicia looking at one another and scowling as well yet nodding in a relatable manner once more. "I'd do anything for Tenchi... I'd give anything for him." Ryoko affirmed before blushing and holding herself. "Anything to him..." she added with a loving smile.

Looking at one another, the girls blushed and nodded, looking at Chris together as he finally took notice and faced the girls, tilting his head curiously causing them to jolt and glance away shyly. "That how we are too." Serenity nodded. "Other humans think we worthless. He not think so. He take us in, make us feel good. Feel special." she smiled. "Despite my own fears regarding the way my species looked, as I evolved, his gaze never changed. No matter what form I took on, he'd always look me in the eye with the same smile. Tell me how impressive I looked, gave cheesy speeches about the beauty in my eyes." Alicia added with a smirk. "My speeches aren't cheesy." Chris scowled with a slight blush. "He made me come to appreciate my species again. He turned my fear into pride... I'll admit, I owe him for that." the snake nodded. "We were tools too. The humans we were with saw us as nothing, just like the way you were treated. We were used to fight, and if we did something or acted in a way the humans didn't like, we'd be abused and neglected." Rose chimed in. "We were beaten, starved, left for dead... But then Chris came! And just like with you and that Tenchi person, he took us in. He's loved us with all his heart, and supported us every step of the way." the rabbit point out with a smile. "He got us back on our feet, helped us see the worth in living again, to feel what it's like to be who we are and not be punished for it. To do what we want to do... It's the same in a way. Just like how Tenchi was the first to treat you like a normal girl, that's what he's done for us every day. We don't feel like objects anymore... We're not just Pokemon now. We're equals. We're living beings that stand together and get to enjoy everyday to the fullest!" Rose giggled while leaning against Chris's side.

Looking at the group, Ryoko was about to respond when Washu's hologram popped out in front of her, making the pirate jump back with a shout. "Dawww!! Isn't that just the most precious thing?!" the scientist squealed, causing the group to jolt and blink in surprise. "H-Hey." Chris waved. "Hello to you too. Seems we've got a second Romeo in our midst!" Washu grinned. "R-Romeo? Me? N-No way." Chris waved before rubbing the back of his head with a grin. "Oh boy." Alicia muttered, rolling her eyes with a smirk. "I was going to pop in with an update on bringing Ryoko home, but I just couldn't resist showing a good man a little admiration. I've been around buddy, a LOT more than you could ever imagine, and you better believe how true a fact it is that good men are hard to come by. People like Tenchi and yourself are one in..." Washu point out, about to give a drawn out percentage only to pause and cackle. "Lets just say not many like you exist, no matter which universe or reality you're in. You ladies better hold onto that one with all your might!" she grinned, Serenity and the others smirking with a nod. "Now, as far as you Ryoko..." the scientist paused as her hologram faced the pirate. "I'm still waiting for the others to show up. Sasami's finishing up a few chores and Tenchi's nearly done in the fields. Ayeka... Well, she's taking her time with Sasami." Washu shrugged. "Of course she is." Ryoko scowled. "I'm keeping Mihoshi and Seina out of here until everyone's ready to make the jump. I've got a few details to iron out myself in the meantime and everything will be set." Washu assured. "Alright, alright." Ryoko waved. "Well then, see you soon!" the scientist nodded before her hologram vanished again.

"Well, sounds like you're goin' home faster than we thought." Chris smiled. "Yeah, it'll be good to get outta here and back on my home turf. I don't like the idea of that princess having the run of the house without me around." Ryoko scowled. "You and her really do have a pretty deep frenemy thing going on huh?" Chris point out. "Kind of like a certain pair of girls I know." he added, looking at Serenity and Alicia with a smirk causing the girls to scowl. "Not my fault snake such a pain." Serenity sneered with her arms crossed. "The feeling's mutual." Alicia grumbled. "You know you love each other deep down." Chris nodded, the two responding with a collective "yeah right" and sticking their tongues out at each other. Looking at the group, Ryoko suddenly showed a smirk on her face. "You know... You guys are alright." she nodded, causing the group to give her a curious look. "Eh, we're not the worst people you could meet your first time in our world I guess." Chris grinned, thanking the pirate. Looking around, Ryoko stood before walking toward the carriage, the group watching as she squat down and knocked on the storage compartment. "Hey!! Time to come out!!" Ryoko ordered, getting a groggy sounding response from Ryo-Ohki within before the cabbit phased through and rolled onto the snow, letting out a burp and a satisfied sigh. "Made a pig of yourself, didn't you? What did Tenchi say about letting your eyes get the better of ya, huh? Wadaya gonna do about dinner once we're home?" the pirate lectured, Ryo-Ohki showing slight sweat on her face with a "sorry" kind of noise in response. Picking her up, Ryoko put Ryo-Ohki on her shoulder before returning to the group, looking them over making them tilt their heads.

"Something wrong?" Chris asked. "No... Just thinking about something." Ryoko waved before walking past them and looking toward the stars with her hands on her hips. "Any of you ever wondered what it'd be like to travel through space?" she asked, glancing back at them. "S-Space?" Chris asked while looking up. "Kinda... Who hasn't at some point?" he added. "It's not exactly something I've ever had an interest in myself. Then again, I've never had an interest in being in a place like this, yet here I am so... I suppose it could be somewhat interesting." Alicia nodded. "Space is big place. Lots of stuff. I think it neat." Serenity added while looking up as well. "Going to a place that far away... It'd make you feel homesick I think but at the same time it'd be neat too, seeing all the stuff that's out there." Rose chimed in. Looking at them silently for a moment, Ryoko faced away again and crossed her arms. "Wanna take a trip?" she asked, the group responding with a collective "eh?" before looking at one another and at the stars once more. "R-Really?" Chris asked. "Ryo-Ohki stuffed herself. It'd be a good chance to work off some of the food so Tenchi's cooking doesn't go to waste back home." the pirate point out, the cabbit sulking with another apologetic noise. "You mean we go inside ship thing?" Serenity asked. "That's the idea." Ryoko nodded before facing the group. "So how about it? Wanna go for a ride before we leave?" she offered, Chris and the girls thinking it over before nodding together. "If you're offering I suppose it'd be rather rude to turn you down." Alicia replied. "I wouldn't mind seeing what's up there!" Rose giggled. "I'm game." Chris smirked as they stood together. "Alright then... Get ready." Ryoko nodded.

Reaching over her shoulder, the pirate grabbed Ryo-Ohki with a smirk. "Time to fly. You know what to do." Ryoko instructed, the cabbit nodding with a nervous smile. "Hey, you've got yourself to blame for being such a pig! If you don't get your exercise you're going to wind up one fat cabbit! Don't think I didn't notice how much slower you've been on trips as of late!" she lectured. "I keep telling Tenchi not to pamper you so much but no--o. He keeps growing more and more carrots and you just keep stuffing your face. Keep it up and I won't let him grow carrots anymore!" the pirate warned, causing Ryo-Ohki's eyes to widen before flailing in a panicked state, pressing her paws together in a prayer form and shaking her head. "Well then, hop to it!" Ryoko ordered before rearing back and suddenly flinging Ryo-Ohki high into the air. "W-Woah!! A bit harsh don't you think?!" Chris panicked. "Eh? Wadaya talking about?" she asked before jolting as Chris rushed by with his hands out, readying himself to catch Ryo-Ohki causing Ryoko to sweat slightly. "I gotcha! I got...!?" Chris assured, only to pause when Ryo-Ohki let out a shout and started morphing high above, her body twirling and twisting before rapidly expanding into her crystalized ship form, causing Chris's eyes to widen. "U-Uhh... Gotcha?" he muttered, looking up as Ryo-Ohki hovered in her colossal state above. "You can put your hands down now. I don't think you'd be able to hold her up like that." Ryoko smirked while pushing his hands down as she walked past, Chris blinking in surprise as the girls gathered around him. "Huh... So that's how she changes." Alicia muttered. "That pretty cool." Serenity nodded. "Looks kinda painful to me." Rose laughed nervously. Raising her hand, the gem on Ryoko's wrist started to glow causing Ryo-Ohki to shout before firing a beam down over their heads.

For a moment, the group panicked as the beam hit, taking on defensive stances only to hear Ryoko giggle in amusement. "It's just gonna lift us into Ryo-Ohki, relax." the pirate coaxed, waving her hand as the group lowered their guard and looked around. "Du--ude... Trippy." Chris muttered, reaching his hand out of the beam before poking his head out and looking around, the girls curiously doing the same. "It kind of tingles." Rose point out. "Eh, you get used to it." Ryoko shrugged before the group froze when they felt gravity fading around them, their bodies slowly beginning to lift off the ground. "W-Woah there. H-Ho! Ha ha!" Chris laughed as his body began rising, finding himself slowly flipping upside down, looking at the girls as Rose flapped her arms and giggled while Alicia wriggled about. "A-Alright! If we're going up then do it already!" the snake snapped, her body turning upside down causing her face to redden. "Not see what problem is. Feel normal to me." Serenity shrugged while sitting in the air with her arms and legs crossed, used to things like levitation. "Okay, okay. Take us up Ryo-Ohki!" the pirate ordered, getting a loud "mreow!!" from her ship before the group shot up like a bullet, causing them to shout in surprise. "Boy, you're as bad as Tenchi was." Ryoko smirked. "Snake big baby." Serenity scoffed. "Sh-Shut up!!" Alicia snapped before they all paused when Chris pulled a sudden Superhero pose, shouting "My planet needs me!" with his fist in the air and a wide grin. "...Really?" Ryoko asked. "Why you do that?" Serenity groaned. "Such a child..." Alicia sighed. "Aw come on, I'm just having a little fun." Chris grumbled before crossing his arms. "Yeesh, excuse me." he scowled.

Next thing they knew, the group found themselves vanishing through a teleportation of sorts just before they hit the outside of the ship, abruptly reappearing inside Ryo-Ohki's control room. "E-Eh?" Chris muttered, he and the girls blinking and looking around as they float, suspended in the air before they suddenly dropped atop one another on the floor. Groaning together, the group raised up and looked around, finding Ryoko standing in the midst of several dark crystals floating about. "Well, wadaya think?" the pirate asked. "So weird... That little cabbit can turn into THIS? That's so wicked." Chris nodded, walking up to her. Suddenly, one of the crystals popped up in front of him, Ryo-Ohki's face displaying on it's surface causing him to jump back in surprise. "R-Ryo-Ohki?" he asked, blinking at the crystal as he got a "meow!" of sorts and an excited smile in response. "Y-You really are inside this thing..." Chris replied, tapping the surface of the crystal causing Ryo-Ohki to shout and wiggle her nose before scowling with a growl. "S-Sorry." he apologized with a nervous smile. "I told you, she's the motherboard. The central control unit." Ryoko reminded. Hearing an alarm go off, a screen popped up next to the pirate displaying people at the stop taking pictures of the ship and recording it as Ryo-Ohki let out a worried noise. "Oops. Can't have that..." Ryoko muttered, bringing up a hologram full of controls. "And... Done!" she grinned before the screen zoomed in on the people below, showing their devices smoking and blowing up. "No pictures, please!" she affirmed, pulling off a dramatic celebrity-esque pose. "Now then, you ready to fly?" she grinned, the group letting out a collective "uhh..." in response before looking at one another and facing the pirate with a nod.

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - Blast Off Ryo-Ohki!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf0T2riQ_QY

Turning away, several orbs gathered before Ryoko amidst the crystals, the pirate placing her hands on two of them while showing a smirk. "Alright then! Lets go Ryo-Ohki!!" she ordered, gripping the orbs tightly causing the ship to shout excitedly. Suddenly hearing the engines rev up, the girls gathered together closely while Chris inched closer to Ryoko, looking at her controls curiously before the ship let out a second shout and sent itself rocketing towards the sky above, the sudden lunge causing Chris to stumble and roll backwards, colliding with the girls as though they were pins causing the pirate to burst out in laughter. "Whoopsie, forgot to turn on the safeguards." she grinned slyly as the group groaned, tangled up amidst one another as she nodded at one of the crystals. Hearing a strange beeping, the group stood and looked around. "There you go. That shouldn't happen again." she giggled. "You did that on purpose..." Chris scowled, Ryoko responding with a playful "ma--aybe" and laughing again while the group gathered around her, various screens popping up around them showing off their surroundings. "Around the world in 80 seconds!" she grinned before Ryo-Ohki let off a massive blast of energy that sent them rocketing past Frola Village and over the sea, the ship cloaking itself to avoid sight and detection. "It took us days to reach the border! This thing just reached the ocean in mere seconds." Alicia blinked in surprise. "Please, this is a snails pace for Ryo-Ohki, wait till' we get out in space!" she grinned, pushing the control orbs forward making Ryo-Ohki shout excitedly as they zipped along, rapidly progressing across the sea until the screens suddenly displayed images of Millennium City as they approached. "H-Holy crap!" Chris replied in awe. "W-Woah. City..." Serenity muttered, pointing out the screens as they rocket past.

"Ahh, so that's the place eh?" Ryoko asked, looking over the monitors before the city vanished. "B-Bye bye city." Rose waved, blinking in surprise as they soared their way across Ureaxion, the screens bringing up the other towns the group had journeyed through. "It seems like such a tiny distance." Chris point out. "Of course! No matter how far things seem, if you're making the trip in Ryo-Ohki here it takes no time at all to get where you need to be!" Ryoko grinned before screens showing Chris's hometown appeared, causing him to freeze wide eyed as one screen displayed his Grandfathers cabin, lit up in the night. "You okay?" Serenity asked, waving her hand in front of his face making Chris jolt and shake his head. "F-Fine." he laughed nervously before the screens vanished once more, Ryo-Ohki continuing her journey. Standing together in awe, the group watched as screens repeatedly appeared and vanished all around them, displaying countless locations as they crossed sea after sea, continent after continent, getting a remarkable tour of the Pokemon world like none had witnessed before at unheard of speeds. From Viridian City with its vibe of a new beginning and the eerie Lavender Town in Kanto, past the dazzling Goldenrod City and Ecruteak City with its mysterious towers in Johto, soaring over the cities of Mauville with its towering structure and the concealed Sootopolis in Hoenn, the group couldn't believe their eyes as they sat in silence, doing their best to take everything in while Ryoko giggled at their childlike wonder. "Ooohh!! Look at THAT!!" Rose point out excitedly as screens displaying the flora covered Floaroma Town in Sinnoh appeared, followed by Snowpoint City which made Alicia groan with a "blech" expression on her face.

"All my life I've wanted to go out and see the world, now here I am, going everywhere in no time at all..." Chris muttered, once again finding his mind blown with an overwhelmed "whooo" kind of noise. Next thing they knew, Ryoko's tour of their world took them beyond the impressive Castelia City in Unova, followed by the mysterious White Forest with its towering trees. "Ahh... THAT'S more like it." Alicia smirked, all of the screens vanishing for a moment before noticing flashing back up and depicting a colossal tower, revealing they'd already entered the Kalos Region as they admired Lumiose City before coming across the city of Anistar, the mysterious sun dial within catching Ryoko's eye as a mischievous grin appeared on her face. "That place I wouldn't mind getting a closer look at someday... That's a pretty rock." she point out, causing Chris to scowl. "You're not a pirate anymore, right?" he reminded, causing her to slump with a scowl on her face. "Joy kill." she muttered. "Say, look at those structures." Alicia point out, intrigued by the displays of the Sunne and Moone ruins popping up as they passed Poni Island in the Alola Region, with several shots of the man made island housing the Aether Foundation showing up as well. "Boy, the things they build nowadays." Chris whistled. "I haven't killed your brains have I?" Ryoko teased as several crystals hovered around the group, each popping up an image of Ryo-Ohki's face as she looked at them and laughed. "We'll probably have a heck of a headache later, but for now I think we're alright." Chris waved with slight sweat on his face as more screens popped up, this time depicting the senior filled Agate Village with its mysterious Relic Stone and the towering Mt. Battle within the Orre Region.

You folks have a pretty neat planet, I'll give ya that. Pretty weird to call it Earth when everywhere you look things are so different though. Pokemon instead of animals, different looking continents and all... It's more like its own unique world than another Earth if you ask me." Ryoko point out. "Well, believe it or not, that's where we're at!" Chris laughed as they continued circling the globe, Ryo-Ohki gradually lifting higher and higher along their way until they began cutting through the clouds while leaving the planets atmosphere. Looking around curiously, the group watched as they left the world they called home, Ryo-Ohki gradually slowing down until the ship was quietly hovering in place high above the planet, letting out a somehow relieved sound. "I hear that. THIS looks more familiar!" Ryoko smirked, her gaze hovering along the vastness of space around them. "That planet might be different, but up here things look just the same... The stars, the moon..." she point out before stretching with a sigh and looking at the group as they lost themselves in the view surrounding them. "Say, if you want a better view of your world..." Ryoko paused, snapping her fingers causing the floor beneath them to turn transparent, revealing the Earth beneath their feet. Panicking for a split second, thinking they'd fall through, the group clung to one another before slowly relaxing and tapping the floor, blinking curiously before gazing at the world beneath them. "Remarkable..." Alicia muttered. "That where we live? Look so small up here." Serenity added. "Now THIS is what I call...!!" Chris began to joke, the girls scowling at him causing Chris to sulk. "...Standing on top of the world..." he grumbled, the girls letting out a sigh while Ryoko gave him a pity smile.

"Well, with our little trip around your world wrapped up, how would you like to try piloting Ryo-Ohki yourself?" the pirate offered, stepping aside from her controls with her hand out toward them. "M-Me?" Chris asked, blinking in surprise. "Eh, why not? Tenchi's not so bad at it. I don't think you could do any worse." she smiled, the girls looking at one another warily as he stepped up, Ryo-Ohki's crystals surrounding him curiously. "You think he can handle it?" Ryoko asked, the ship letting out wary sounds in response. "You're letting HIM pilot Ryo-Ohki? My my..." a voice called out before Washu's hologram popped up in front of Chris, causing him to jump back from the controls in surprise. "You know, both Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki are my daughters. I created them both. If you're going to lay your hands on this ship, you'd better make sure you treat her right! Bring any harm to her and I'm not so certain our meeting will be quite so friendly when the rest of us get there." the scientist warned. "I-I didn't intend to." Chris assured with a nervous laugh. "Well, if Ryoko's offering to allow it then I'll do the same. First time I've ever seen her willing to do such a thing with anyone besides Tenchi..." Washu point out, giving Ryoko a curious look. "How you've opened up after these few short years with him..." she added, the pirate facing away with a scowl. "Does it look like I want your opinion?" she asked in agitation. Looking at Ryoko for a moment, Washu suddenly showed a strangely maternal smile. "I'm proud of you." the scientist nodded, Ryoko glancing at her before crossing her arms with a nod in response. "Yeah, go finish things so I can come home already." she replied.

"Won't be much longer." Washu assured before her hologram faced Chris again. "Go ahead, but remember, be careful!" the scientist affirmed before her hologram vanished. "...You have an interesting mom." Chris smiled with slight sweat on his face. "Yeah... You want her?" Ryoko asked, causing Chris's eyes to widen before showing a suddenly somber smile. "Nah, keep her. You never know how much they mean to you until they're gone. A life without one's pretty rough. Even if my mom was like Washu, as long as she stayed around and cared about me, I'd still be happy to have her, faults, quirks and all. I think you're really lucky to have Washu... A mom like that can always keep life interesting for you at least. Thanks to her being a scientist, you get to have surprises and adventures like this! I'd say that's pretty neat!" he point out before facing the controls, Ryoko rubbing the back of her head with a guilty "whoops" look on her face while remembering his situation. "Alright, so my hands go on these..." he muttered, placing his hands on the same orbs Ryoko held while positioning himself into her stance. "Alright then, how's this?" he asked, Ryo-Ohki's face popping up on a crystal in front of him and giving a nod. "Well then, uh... Go, Ryo-Ohki?" he smiled nervously, getting an excited shout in response before the ship suddenly started moving once more, causing Chris to tense up. "W-Woah there. O-Okay." he nodded, clutching the orbs as they headed toward the moon. "Oh dear..." Alicia muttered. "He fly ship. Now nervous." Serenity added. "W-Well, he sailed a boat. It's kinda the same." Rose point out with a nervous laugh, Serenity and Aliia giving the rabbit a "no" look in response.

Watching him maneuver Ryo-Ohki, Ryoko smirked before letting out a sigh and shaking her head, walking up behind Chris and placing her hands over his on the orbs. "Relax, no need to look so terrified. It's a piece of cake." the pirate coaxed, suddenly making the ship increase its speed making Chris tense up all the more, both nervous about flying and due to having Ryoko so close. Watching the two, Serenity suddenly scowled with her arms crossed as they steered clear of the moon and went past, continuing to pick up speed as the Earth shrank behind them. "F-Fast." Chris laughed nervously. "There's plenty of empty space out here. It's not like you're in some obstacle course so relax and have fun!" Ryoko grinned before having Ryo-Ohki abruptly blast through the solar system, causing Chris to jolt in surprise. "W-Woah now! O-Okay." he laughed nervously as Ryoko helped guide him along, suddenly arriving at Mars before rapidly making way toward Jupiter and the planets beyond, the girls eyes widening while watching each planet pass them by. "There you go! Left here... Yeah! Now head right." Ryoko instructed, pointing out directions while inching back from Chris as he soared the ship through the Milky Way, laughing and giving him a clap. "Good! I told you it was a piece of cake!" Ryoko laughed, Chris grinning in response as they journeyed through the stars. "This is pretty awesome!" he nodded, gradually gaining confidence as Ryo-Ohki shout excitedly, enjoying her trek through the familiar galaxy. "Oh! There's some good practice! Follow that comet!" Ryoko point out, the group noticing it as well with a long icy tail behind it. Nodding, Chris steered Ryo-Ohki toward the shooting mass.

"That's it... Steady now. See how close you can get." the pirate coaxed as Chris followed the comet, inching closer bit by bit. "Good! Now, just back her up a little and follow above the tail." Ryoko instructed, Chris nodding warily while pulling back on the orbs, making the ship slow slightly while hovering its way over the comet. "Nice! Now just lower the ship into the trail." Ryoko giggled. "Y-You want me to do what now?" Chris asked. "Go on! Just do it!" the pirate grinned, giving him a slap on the back causing Chris to groan before nodding and doing as told. Lowering the ship, the bottom of Ryo-Ohki hit the comets tail, causing it to split in two and fly outwards from the sides of the ship, almost as if they'd suddenly started sailing along a sea of sorts causing the girls eyes to widen with a dazzled "ooohhh" from the show of glistening particles flying into space. "See? Now you're really sailing!" Ryoko laughed before several crystals popped up with Ryo-Ohki's face displayed, the cabbit letting out shouts of pain. "Aww, what? Is it making your butt cold?" Ryoko grinned slyly. "B-Butt cold? She can feel it?" Chris asked. "Well duh! That's why we did it!" the pirate laughed, causing Chris to turn pale. "S-Sorry!! Sorry, sorry!!" he panicked, immediately jerking Ryo-Ohki up and out of the icy trail, the cabbit letting out a sigh of relief and giving him a sound of thanks before she scowled at Ryoko, suddenly smacking the pirate in the back of her head with one of the crystals. "H-Hey!! Not cool!!" Ryoko snapped, the cabbit snapping back in response. Beginning to bicker, Chris sweat slightly while watching. "S-So they're really sisters?" he muttered as the girls surrounded him. "Have fun?" Serenity asked. "Y-Yeah." he nodded.

"Well, here we are... Space, the final frontier..." Alicia muttered. "It's amazing, huh? I'm definitely never forgetting this. It's insane!" Chris grinned. "So many stars... All the planets... It really makes you feel tiny." Rose point out. "You tiny anyway." Serenity shrugged. "H-Hey!!" the rabbit snapped. "There there." Alicia coaxed, patting Rose on the head with her tail making the rabbit twitch an eye. "Hey, leave her be. She might be smaller but don't forget, she's just as strong!" Chris reminded, the rabbit smirking with her head up proudly. "Thank you." she replied, getting a nod from Chris in response. Continuing to soar through space for a while longer, their journey was cut off when they heard another beeping sound, one of Ryo-Ohki's crystals letting off red flashes. "Uh, did I press something?" Chris asked, looking at the controls confused. "Nah, it's just a signal. Looks like we're being called back to Earth." Ryoko point out. "Washu must be ready to make the jump, step aside buddy." Ryoko motioned in a "shoo, shoo!" manner. "G-Got it." Chris nodded, backing away with his hands up while Ryoko took control of her ship. "You get to fly ship in space!" Serenity smiled. "Doubt many others could say that." Alicia added. "Lucky!" Rose giggled. "Y-Yeah. That was pretty wild." Chris nodded before watching Ryoko reroute her ship before they blast through the stars back toward their planet. Walking up to the pirate, Chris put his hand on her shoulder, causing her to jolt before looking at his hand with an "eh?" and turning her face toward him. "Hey hey, watch it now. Just because I was nice doesn't mean you can start getting all touchy feelie with me." she scowled in agitation.

Smiling in response, Chris stepped back before bowing to the woman, causing Ryoko to pause and blink at him in a somewhat confused and surprised manner. "Thanks for all this. It was amazing." he replied. "O-Oh. Uh, yeah. Right." Ryoko nodded as he raised up. "Tenchi's a lucky guy to have a woman and a ship like this!" he grinned, causing the pirate to face forward with a slight blush while one of the crystals depicted Ryo-Ohki's face, the cabbit blushing as well with an excited noise in response to the compliment. "And thanks to you for letting me be the pilot! Sorry again about the whole ice thing." he apologized, scratching his cheek nervously while Ryo-Ohki gave him an "it's okay" noise of sorts before scowling at Ryoko again. "Yeesh, kill a girl for playing a little joke." she grumbled, Chris and the girls looking at one another with a smile. Following this, it didn't take Ry-Ohki long to arrive back at Earth, the group, the ship sowing to a pause over the planet. "Soak it in one more time fellas. It's your last look at everything before you're stuck on that primitive mud ball again." the pirate smirked. "I dunno, our planet might be behind times compared to the rest of the universe, but I still love it for what it is. The place is my home, no matter how little it may have compared to the places you've been. I think it's part of its charm. We'll catch up someday maybe, but I think it's great the way it is now. Maybe that's why those GXP people and stuff put laws out to protect your Earth and keep it that way. Somewhere deep down, maybe the rest of the universe can't help but appreciate it too, despite how funny or hopeless they think people on the planet might be. It could be that we remind them of simpler times, and deep, deep down... Maybe they're the one's envying us." he added.

"Yea--ah, feel free to think that way." Ryoko scoffed, waving her hand at the statement. "Well, that's how I see it." Chris shrugged before smiling at the girls, Serenity and Rose hugging him while he reached up and held Alicia's cheek, the snake blinking at him before showing a smirk and leaning her cheek against it. "You girls ready to go?" he asked, getting a nod from them in response. "Alright then, Ryoko, take us home." he smirked, the pirate doing the same while facing her controls and sending Ryo-Ohki soaring back into the planets atmosphere, the ship cutting through the clouds before they could see the land approaching beneath them. "Ack, back into the ice." Alicia muttered. "Aw, it's not so bad." Chris smirked. "Trip crazy. Ready to lay down." Serenity sighed. "M-Me too. It was all amazing but kinda overwhelming." Rose laughed nervously as they approached the ground. "And he--ere we are!" Ryoko giggled. "H-Hey, hang on a sec." Chris muttered, looking around. "Wh-Where's the carriage?! Where's Rapidash?!" he panicked, noticing both having vanished. "Ohh yeah, forgot about that." Ryoko replied, patting her fist in her palm as a bulb of sorts seemingly flashed on over her head. "I brought em' aboard. Didn't think you'd want em' left behind so your stuff and your horse took a trip in Ryo-Ohki's cargo hold. "C-Cargo? You put him in storage?" Chris asked with sweat on his face. "Yeah, why?" the pirate asked. "Oohh, he's not gonna be happy... And he's our main source of transportation." Chris groaned. "That beast does have a hefty attitude. Would've been nice to know that sooner." Alicia nodded. "Eh, no worries. I'm sure everything will be fine." Ryoko waved before facing the controls and tapping several crystals.

Next thing the group knew, they were floating in the air once more, hovering over the floor of the bridge before they were teleported out of Ryo-Ohki and sent drifting back down to the land below, this time landing properly in the snow and standing together while Ryoko appeared next to them, snapping her fingers and calling the ships name causing Ryo-Ohki to shout before Rapidash and the carriage appeared nearby, the horse blinking bewildered before facing Chris and the girls with a furious pulse on its face as the ship fell toward them and returned to her cabbit form, landing on Ryoko's shoulder with her paws up and shouting in a "tadah!!" manner. "Oohh, so that's how you pulled off your prank." Chris nodded with an applaud, Ryo-Ohki bowing with a "thank you, thank you!" noise of sorts, Serenity and Rose clapping as well while Alicia rolled her eyes and nodded. "First impressions ARE important after all. Nothing wrong with it being a little shocking." Ryoko grinned before looking around. "Alright ma', we're back!" she shout out. "Excellent! Enjoy your little voyage?" the scientist asked, her hologram popping up before the group. "It was awesome! You're incredible Washu!" Chris laughed, the scientist blinking at him with an "eh?" before suddenly showing a wide grin and cackling.  "Ahh, you liked my work did ya? I told you I'm the greatest!" she replied excitedly. "I believe it! Ryo-Ohki's amazing!" Chris praised, causing the cabbit to hold her head up proudly once again while Washu cackled all the more. "Please don't..." Ryoko slumped, already bemoaning Washu's ego as-is. "Yes, yes. Thank you, thank you!" the scientist bowed, soaking up the praise. "Mine is a unique brilliance, thus it shows how impeccable your taste truly is!" she affirmed with her arms crossed and a proud smirk on her face.

"Anywho, everyone's finally ready to make the jump. I've got things set on my end. So long as it's a quickie we should be able to do this undetected." Washu assured. "Ms. Washu! Do hurry, would you? If we must bring that cretin back, lets get it over with!" they suddenly heard a woman's voice call out, causing the scientist to jolt and sweat slightly while laughing nervously. "Come on Ayeka, be nice..." they heard another voice respond, that of a mans. "Now now, it's not polite to give orders to those older than you." another, much older sounding man added, causing Chris and the girls to look at one another bewildered. "Alright, alright. We're on out way!" Washu smiled before her hologram flashed away. "S-So... What now exactly?" Chris asked, he and the girls looking around as Ryoko crossed her arms. "Now we wait. Shouldn't be but a minute or so." she shrugged, standing with the group. "You know, it's still kind of a shame you're leaving so fast... The way we met was pretty crazy but things turned out pretty cool in the end. Hard to believe we got to meet someone from a different reality... A space pirate at that!" Chris grinned. "Well, former anyways, but still." he added. "Eh, it was a'ight meeting you guys too." Ryoko nodded while Ryo-Ohki looked at the group and slumped, letting out a somewhat somber "meow" of sorts. "Ha ha, it was really cool meeting you too." Chris assured, nodding while petting the cabbit on her small head. "You give a whole new meaning to tiny but mighty, that's for sure!" he laughed, Ryo-Ohki smiling with a nod in response. "It was certainly the most interesting meeting I believe we've all ever experienced." Alicia nodded before glancing at Chris. "Well, second most anyways." she added.

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - A Fond Farewell...?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Eln4FfQrAc

Suddenly, the group jolt in surprise when a blast of energy hit them, Ryoko showing a smirk as electricity began to spark nearby, akin to what happened when Ryo-Ohki appeared only this time smaller in size and at ground level. Watching curiously, the group saw a rift tear itself open, releasing thunderous sounds before forcing its way apart and shining brightly, the wind picking up around it as silhouettes began to appear within. "It's about time!!" Ryoko shout as the silhouettes progressed through the rift. After a moment, one by one people started walking out of the distortion and into the snow, each looking around curiously as they made their way toward Chris and the others. The first to come through was a young man around Chris's age, sporting a small ponytail of sorts and a brown outfit, followed by a regal looking woman with purple hair and a kimono alongside a young girl with long blue hair in ponytails. "Man... Some styles." Chris muttered as a blond, curly haired woman in a strange police outfit stumbled through followed by a younger man, walking along in a sulky and apologetic looking state covered in bandages. "Look at all the band-aid's... Poor human." Rose point out as they watched the familiar Washu appear, followed by an elderly man in a kimono of his own who walked along in a calm and dignified manner. Clasping her hands together, Ryoko let out an excited squeal before rocketing toward them, shouting "Tenchi--i!!" in a drawn out manner before ramming into the man who'd led the others through, sending him flying back into the snow with a surprised shout and groaning from the impact. "Ms. Ryoko!! Must you be so rough?!" the regal looking woman shout. "Ah pipe down princess." Ryoko scowled before trying to smother the man in kisses, only for him to deny her by pressing his hands against her face.

"C-Calm down Ryoko!!" he panicked, the pirate scowling before pulling his hands away with a grin and kissing him repeatedly, causing him to flail and panic beneath her. "H-He needs to breathe you know." the small girl point out with a nervous smile. Giving him a long kiss, Ryoko finally pulled away, allowing the man beneath her to gasp for air and quickly back away, standing and clutching is chest in relief. "S-So uh..." Chris muttered before raising his hand. "H-Hello?" he asked with a nervous smile, the group of visitors facing him and the girls before looking at one another and walking up. "This handsome hunk of man is MY sweet lil' Tenchi!!" Ryoko grinned excitedly, pulling him by the arm making Tenchi sweat slightly. "G-Geez Ryoko, come on..." he scowled with a slight blush before facing Chris, the two men looking at one another and blinking curiously before smiling, each offering a hand. "I-I'm Chris, nice to meet you." the Guardian nodded. "Tenchi, Tenchi Masaki. Likewise! Thanks for looking after Ryoko." the man replied. "Oh my, what an exquisite creature..." the regal woman point out, walking up to Alicia with awe stricken eyes. "This creature has a name, call me Alicia." the snake replied with her nose up. "You can speak? Remarkable..." the woman replied while walking around the snake. "Such a refined aura you exude. This pattern is simply delightful!" she praised, Alicia raising an eyebrow. "And... You are?" the snake asked. "Oh yes, do forgive me." the woman replied before stepping back with a bow. "I am Princess Ayeka Jurai." she explained before coaxing the little girl to stand by her side. "This is my sister, Princess Sasami Jurai!" she smiled. "Well then, it's a pleasure." Alicia nodded.

"Y-You're a big snake..." Sasami point out, blinking in surprise. "Come now, don't be rude!" Ayeka lectured. "Alicia and Ayeka... Kind of sound alike, don't they?" Chris point out. "Sound alike, act alike." Serenity nodded. "Hello there young man!" the elder called out, walking up to Chris with his hands tucked away in his kimono sleeves, offering a bow. "H-Hello." Chris bowed back. "My name is Yosho, Yosho Jurai. As my grandson said, thank you for looking after Ryoko for us." he smiled, Chris jolting before looking between Yosho and Ryoko and showing a smile. "No need to thank me. Actually, you deserve thanks for what you did for her! You did WAY more than we did." Chris point out. "Oh? Told you the story, did she?" Yosho asked. "Yeah... Pretty awesome the way you planned everything out. Keeping her hidden until her criminal record was cleared and all. Knowing everything she did, you still saw her as someone needing help. You were willing to overlook so much just to set one person free from a life of suffering... Very cool." Chris nodded as Yosho smiled with a nod. "Well, thank you very much." he chuckled. "Well, that, and grandpa wanted to skip out on ruling Jurai, that's another reason he did it. Guarding one of the most dangerous criminals in the universe him an excuse." Tenchi scowled causing Yosho to jolt and glance away innocently, clearing his throat. "Now now, respect your elders." he affirmed. "Yeah..." Tenchi muttered. "You're not as tall as Tenchi, but you're just as scrawny!" Washu cackled, walking up to Chris causing both men to scowl. "I'm fit in my own way." Chris affirmed. "Same here. You know how hard I work." Tenchi nodded as the scientist looked the Guardian over.

"We're sorry for what happened to you Ryoko..." the police woman apologized, walking up to the pirate while poking her fingers. "Y-Yeah. I just came by to say high. I didn't mean to cause you this kind of trouble." the young man in bandages added with a nervous laugh. "And uh... I'm guessing they're Mihoshi and Seina?" Chris asked, the two pausing and looking toward him. "Y-Yeah, that's me. I'm Seina, Seina Yamada. I work for the GXP the same as Mihoshi here. Though I used to be just a regular Earthling!" Seina point out. "Yeah. That's me, Mihoshi Kuramitsu..." the woman replied in a sulky tone. "Guess she told ya all about us too huh?" Mihoshi asked. "W-Well, kinda." Chris laughed nervously. "I don't know much about Seina but er... I hear you're Mihoshi's best agent in the GXP! A little accident proned and clumsy, but... Still one of the greats!" he nodded. "I'm kinda the same as Mihoshi in my own way. I've always had an issue with bad luck, but after joining the GXP we're found a way to finally put it to good use! I've taken down some MAJOR criminals during my short time in the force!" Seina point out. "Oohh, nice!" Chris grinned, offering to shake Seina's hand. Walking up, just as Chris took it a branch above the two suddenly snapped, sending a massive pile of snow falling over the two as they stood blinking in surprise. "S-Sorry..." Seina apologized with a nervous laugh. "I-It's okay." Chris smiled, stepping back and brushing the snow off. "You know, I'd quite enjoy having your species on Jurai. You'd be an exquisite touch to the kingdom! And your pattern would match perfectly with the castle and royal gardens." Ayeka giggled. "Yes well, although it does sound like suitable accomodations, I'm afraid my place is here." Alicia smirked, looking at Chris as he and Seina talked.

"Now now, we can't have any of that!" Washu lectured, waving her finger. "We can't just go bringing things from one reality into another. You never know what that could do to an ecosystem!" she warned. "Not to mention the risks involved of stripping something from its natural habitat and throwing it into foreign territory. It's just not done." the scientist affirmed. "I-I suppose you're right." Ayeka nodded before apologizing. "Aww, I'd kinda like having snakes like her on Jurai too." Sasami sulked before taking notice of Rose as the rabbit and Mihoshi looked at one another, the officer squatting and poking Rose's nose while the rabbit poked Mihoshi's before the two giggled. "Aww, she's a cutie too!" the princess smiled, walking up to Rose causing the rabbit to tilt her head curiously. "Just so things are clear, the girl you see here is named Serenity, she's a species called Gardevoir." Chris point out. "And this is Alicia, she's called a Serperior." he added. "Finally, this is Rose, she's a Lopunny." he explained, Tenchi and the others looking at the Pokemon curiously. "In our world, we don't really call them animals exactly. Instead they're called Pokemon." he smiled. "Pokemon eh? Interesting..." Yosho nodded while rubbing his chin. "That's pretty cool. In a way they look like what you'd find in our world, yet they're also a lot different at the same time." Tenchi point out before the two groups continued mingling with one another. However, after a moment an alarm could be heard going off, the sound coming through the rift causing Washu to jolt. "Whoop!! Sounds like it's time to go!!" she instructed. "Aww! Already? I wanna spend more time with the bunny!" Sasami whined.

"Dang, guess it really is a come and go trip." Tenchi muttered. "Time to go home to our little nest, lover boy!" Ryoko giggled, tugging his arm. "Enough of that!!" Ayeka snapped, yanking Ryoko away causing the pirate to growl and twitch an eye at the princess. "We're sorry again for causing you guys so much trouble." Seina apologized with a nervous laugh. "Yeah, real sorry." Mihoshi added with a sulky bow. "N-No worries." Chris assured, waving his hand as Washu looked around. "Before we leave, we'd best leave no stone unturned." she affirmed, taking out several pen looking objects from her coat and handing it to Ayeka and the others. "All of you take care of the locals. Get rid of any memories." she instructed, handing everyone special shades of sorts with a "shoo, shoo!" motion before they hurried off to the rest stop. "I'm picking up a reading of two locals hiding in the distance there. Hop to it!" Washu ordered, tossing a pen and shades to Ryoko. "Yeah yeah..." the pirate muttered before flying off toward a nearby group of trees. "What's that about?" Chris asked. "Oh, just a little security measure. The flash those pens give off eliminate any recent memories someone has. Leaves them in a bit of an unconscious state for a few minutes so they also give us time to get outta here before anyone comes to." Washu smirked, the group suddenly looking at one another warily. "Does that mean...?" Chris began to ask as the scientist pulled out a remaining pen and donned her own pair of shades. "That we've gotta wipe your memories too?" she asked, holding the pen out with a grin causing Chris and the girls to jolt.

Pressing a button on the pen, they heard it click and quickly shielded themselves, standing frozen for a moment before slowly lowering their guard and looking at one another. "Uhh... Feel anything?" Chris asked. "No... Still remember." Serenity nodded. "Same here... Does it not affect us?" Alicia wondered, the group looking confused before facing Washu as she smirked. "Oh darn. I guess this one's on the fritz." she shrugged while removing her shades. "S-Seriously?" Chris asked, the sly scientist giving them a "don't worry" kind of smile. "I like you. And somehow, I feel like you can keep a secret." she nodded, causing the girls to sigh in relief while Chris's eyes widened before grinning from ear to ear and hugging Washu without thinking, thanking her excitedly. Caught by surprise, Washu blinked for a moment before cackling and patting Chris on the head. "It'd be a waste to wipe the minds of such an intriguing little group. You just keep this whole thing hush hush, and I'll let things slide as a little gift for taking care of my girls and to show my appreciation toward a man who reminds me so much of our own dear Tenchi, alright?" she asked as Chris released her and nodded, crossing his chest with a hand in the air. Suddenly hearing a pair of people shouting, the group was about to turn only for Washu to let out a sound of warning, causing them to freeze as the shouting stopped. Noticing Ryoko returning, Washu motioned for the group to focus on her. "Just act still and keep quiet, alright? No matter what, try not to even blink." she instructed. "Do what now?" Chris asked, showing a confused look. "Oy oy, pretend you've had your minds wiped!!" she snapped, causing the group to jolt before nodding and pulling off an act as told.

"Alright, I'm back." Ryoko sighed, landing next to Washu and tossing back the pen and shades. "There was a pair of reporters hiding. I wiped their minds and gave their stuff a good smash for safe measure. Doesn't seem like they were broadcasting so whatever they recorded should be gone now." Ryoko assured. "Very good." Washu nodded before the pirate looked at the group. "Wh-Wha?! Seriously?! Them?!" she asked. "It had to be done. You know there are no exceptions." Washu affirmed while crossing her arms. "That's messed up though!! You mean I wasted my time doing all that for them?!" Ryoko argued. "Pretty much. Sorry." Washu apologized, digging in her ear with an agitated look. "Keep yelling so closely and you won't like what I do to you either." she warned, causing Ryoko to step back with a growl. "You're fucked up... You known damn well they were alright." the pirate affirmed while walking up to the group and waving her hand in front of their faces. "...Crap." she muttered, stepping back as Tenchi and the others returned. "Aw no... You seriously did it?" Tenchi asked as they returned their shades and pens as well. "You should know more than anyone how important it is to keep things this way." Washu point out. "I still find it a terrible waste. They seemed like a rather likeable bunch." Yosho replied. "Now I feel even worse... Those nice people looked out for Ryoko and we had to do something like that to them." Mihoshi sulked while beginning to tear up and hick, walking up to Chris and apologizing while giving him a hug. "Man... The bad luck never stops." Seina sighed, walking up and taking Chris's stiffened hand, giving it a shake with his own apology.

Hearing the alarms blaring one more from the rift, the group jolt as Washu ordered everyone to hurry through. "Oh I do wish we could've stayed a tad longer." Ayeka complained, looking at Alicia and sighing. "Yeah! I wanted to play with the bunny!" Sasami whined. "Come, come!!" Washu rushed. "Okay, okay. Come on everyone." Tenchi nodded, he and his group looking back at Chris and the girls with guilty expressions, thanking them once more before hurrying toward the rift together. "You coming Washu?!" Tenchi shout. "I am! I am! Hurry on!" she waved as everyone flashed through the rift. Once she was sure they were gone, the scientist turned back to Chris and took his hand with a smile. "I can't let our meeting entirely go to waste, now can I?" she asked before slipping something into his hand. "This world is too unique to forget... You never know, maybe someday we'll find a way to meet again." she nodded before giving a wave. "Thanks again for taking care of my girls!" she grinned before rushing off toward the rift, looking back with a sly wink before flashing through causing the rift to abruptly vanish with a thundrous blast behind her. Remaining still for a moment longer, Chris and the girls finally let out a loud sigh, blinking and rubbing their eyes before facing one another. "Everyone alright?" he asked. "Y-Yeah. Feel okay." Serenity nodded. "M-My heart is racing!!" Rose added, clutching her chest in relief. "That was rather sudden... As quick and random to leave as they were to appear." Alicia point out. Hearing the sounds of a crowd groaning in an almost zombified manner, the group looked toward the stop as people stepped out, rubbing their heads and wobbling in a dazed state. "Thats gotta feel weird." Chris muttered. "Glad brain not get erased, but it give bad headache." Serenity nodded.

Feeling the object in his hand, Chris jolt before raising it and looking down curiously, finding a dark crystal akin to Ryo-Ohki's in his palm attached to a string. "That look like..." Serenity point out as they gathered closely. "Huh, a parting trinket?" Alicia asked. "Those things really are pretty." Rose giggled before they heard it give off a feint beeping sound, a dim light flickering within causing them to pause and lean in closer. "Not sure what it is..." Chris muttered before holding it up by the string. "Maybe it's some kinda beacon?" he asked. "Bacon?" Serenity replied, tilting her head. "N-No. Beacon. People use them to know where a place is." Chris explained before looking at the crystal once more. "Well, she did say they might find a way to see us again!" Rose smiled. Looking at the rabbit, Chris smirked with a nod before tying the string around his neck and tucking the crystal under his shirt for safe keeping, the light within vanishing as the beeping ceased. "Who knows? Maybe someday." he grinned, patting his chest where the crystal was before looking around, the group surrounded by the silence and stillness of the night once more.

"Another reality..." he chuckled before facing where the rift vanished and nodding. "It was nice meeting you, Masaki's." he grinned, raising a hand to wave, the girls smiling as well as they looked at where the rift was together before facing the carriage. "Guess it's time we hit the sack. It has been one HECK of a night!" he laughed, the girls agreeing before making their way toward their traveling home, taking with them their memories of their journey around the world and beyond and their time spent with the family from another reality...

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Pokemon - Tale Of The Guardian Master - CH 117

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