Chapter 3 – Xenoglossophobia
Sèbastian Cyprès walked with purpose into his lab. “Everyone, sortir!” He called. Four beams of red light shone from the spheres along his belt. Four silhouettes form along the edges of the lab, turning white before coalescing and turning solid. Four creatures were summoned simultaneously in their designated places. And as one, four Pokémon bowed to their master.
“Lacerta”, announced Cyprès. “Je t’aime” came the response from the Scrafty.
“Fornax”, announced Cyprès. “Je t’aime” came the response from the Braixen.
“Canis”, announced Cyprès. “Je t’aime” came the response from the Houndoom.
“Noctua”, announced Cyprès. “Je t’aime” came the response from the Noivern.
While each Pokémon assembled before him had an accent flavored by their native type dialect, each spoke Kalosian without any difficulty.
“And now...”, Cyprès said in anticipation, “Torok and Orion...” He called. The pokèball in his hand opened. The light came together and deposited the newest members of his team. Torok was a Charmander. Secured to his back was Orion, a Kakuna. Sèbastian had found the pair under Mount Moon. It was a curious case of symbiosis indeed. Charmanders, being fire-types and carnivores, should be the natural enemies of Kakuna, who where bug-types and herbivores. The Charmander stood and looked around.
“Hello.” Stated Cyprès. His knowledge of the Ignis Pokémon dialect was limited, but enough for a workable conversation. “I am your trainer. I will be taking care of you from now... until forever” He said, slowly stumbling around the tonal syllabics that made up the dialect. Hastily and trembling with fear, the Charmander babbled, trying to explain some nonsense about gold and saffron to his new trainer.
“No. No no no… NO!” Sèbastian yelled. He slammed his fist down on the lab table, causing the Charmander to jump and then cower. He grabbed the lizard about his neck and lifted him up. The Charmander squirmed as he dangled. His tail thrashed about. “You Are Torok.” Cyprès said, starring into his eyes. Each word was spat into the lizard’s face. “You Belong To Me. You Will Do As I Say.” He continued. The Charmander grabbed at his throat, unable to breath. “YOU ARE TOROK.” Sèbastian yelled. “SAY IT!” He roared. The four Pokémon stood statue still at their posts. They could not intervene. They knew the price for disobedience. The boy would learn not to upset the master. “Chr..man-” The Charmander tried to say. Sèbastian squeezed tighter, strangling the word from him. “Tor...rok” The word was faint and fractured. But it was there. Cyprès dropped Torok back onto the metal table. He coughed, then looked up, trembling, at his trainer.
“I am sorry Torok.” Sèbastian said in a soft conciliatory voice. “I don’t want to hurt you. I want what is best for you. It is my job as your trainer to help you to grow into a strong and smart monster. You just are too young to understand… Now. I want you to stand up, and tell me that you love me.” He said. Torok shakily got to his feet. “Char...Mander” He said. “I love you too.” Sèbastian said. But for all the work I do for you. I deserve to be loved in my native language. All my other Pokémon can do it. Can’t you?” He said. “Je t’aime” His four Pokémon responded without hesitation. “Now you try.” He said calmly to Torok. The lizard could not look his trainer in the eye. “J…ta...mander.” He whimpers. “That’s not even close.” Cyprès said, “I guess you are just a dumb monster. You don’t know how much that hurts me, to hear you mock me like that.” The scientist sighed and looked down at the lizard. “We have a lot of work to do before you are ready to face the board. Let’s begin.”
* * *
“Nocta! Dragon Pulse!” came the command. Torok braced himself. Nocta’s mouth opened. Fire and electricity came together in a hellish purple sphere of energy. It launched from Nocta’s mouth towards Torok. He didn’t move. He was not allowed to move. He would be punished if he moved. The beam struck. The sensation was well known to him by now. His muscles spasmed, and the heat soaked into his hide. The pain was intense, but it was brief. Despite it seeming like a long time, the attack was over in moments. Torok sunk to his knees, then fell to his hands. He fought to remain conscious. He fought to maintain control.
“Better.” Came the voice of Cyprès. That one word, one of praise, filled Torok with pride and happiness, even as the pain of the attack faded. “What do you say?” Cyprès prompted. “Je t’aime” Torok responded reflexively. He had spent the entire winter in Cyprès lab. He had not thought about Saffron City in over a month. Orion was mostly silent. He did not see how wonderful Sèbastian was. The winter climate had encouraged him to hibernate anyway. Kakuna slept most days, without saying a word. “I need you to evolve, Torok.” Cyprès was explaining. “You are not strong enough as a Charmander. I need you to be Torok the Charmeleon. You should be old enough now. Why don’t you like me Torok? What did I do to make you not want to evolve for me?” His shift in tone was enough to cause Torok to say Je t’aime again.
“Fornax, You are up next.”
Torok knew what came next. He squared off against the Braixen. Cyprès had taken her wooden wand long ago, and replaced it with one made of steel. She wielded it the same as her natural wooden one. It was her most prized possession. In all honesty it was her only possession. The first wave of fire came. There would be twelve to fifteen total. Torok dodged. One. Two. Three. He ducked, dove and spun. Fornax was growing irritated. She clearly enjoyed hitting him. The heat was intense, but Torok found that he could increase the burn rate of his tail. Aside from giving him more energy at the cost of later exhaustion, it also had the side effect of cooling him down. The change up would come soon. Fornax always threw two waves side by side, to try and force him to dodge into an opening. This time, Torok was ready. Left and Right. The twin waves of fire boxed him in. Then the third attack came. Rather than try and jump, Torok flattened himself to the ground. The wave passed over him, nearly searing his back. Fornax’s fury was evident. She threw attack after attack at Torok. Her rage, however, was making her sloppy. It was relatively easy to dodge the remainder of the attacks.
“Stop!” Commanded Cyprès. Fornax stopped mid pose, then stood at attention. Torok stumbled and did his best to follow suit. “Fornax. You did well.” Cyprès said. His praise seemed to cause her nothing less than ecstasy. “But you Torok, You were perfect...” Cyprès praised. Just as easily as his previous words had caused rapture within Fornax, this proclamation filled her with depression and rage in equal measure. She looked at Torok as if he amounted to little more than gutter trash to her, not that she ever held him in high regard. “Back to the lab you two.” Cyprès commanded. Torok obediently fell in step behind him. There was a loud Thwack as Fornax’s plastic wand connected with Torok’s knee, knocking him forward onto his face.
“What was that for?!?” Torok demanded in Ignis. Sèbastian was upon Torok in seconds. “WHY are you speaking to her?!” He roared, “I did not give you permission to talk to her!” Fornax grinned smugly and headed inside as commanded. Torok looked up at his trainer in terror. “When you speak to them, it makes me feel like I am not good enough for you! Is that what you think? Am I not good enough for you to talk to?” Cyprès demanded. “I’m Sorry!” Torok cried out, once again in Ignis. “Kalosian!!!” Sèbastian shouted. “I deserve to be spoken to in my native tongue!” The back o his hand knocked Torok back to the ground. “d...désolé. Je t’aime” Torok said with a whimper.
“JE SUIS désolé!” Cyprès corrected furiously, “I AM sorry.” He repeated in Ignis. “I speak to you in your birth tongue. The least you could do is do the same...”
“Je t’aime” Torok whimpered, as he started to cry. And as quickly as Sèbastian’s anger flared, it was gone, replaced, by the soothing voice of a mother comforting her child. “I love you too buddy. I only want you to grow up and have a good life. To do this you need to act properly. You need to be an adult. And you will never be if you don’t do as I say… I love you Torok...” Sèbastian said, nearly crying himself. “Je t'aime aussi” Torok said quietly. “Moi aussi, je t'aime...” Sèbastian corrected. “We are going to see Professor Oak tomorrow. You need your rest.” He picked Torok up, cradled him like a child, and carried him inside to his lab.
