This world is inhabited by creatures that we call pokemon. People and pokemon live together by supporting each other, but now the scourge threatens the safety of the entire region. Kohaku has become a dangerous place, where children stay at home and only brave souls go adventuring.
Welcome to KOHAKU. Come for the nightmares. Stay for the tea and crumpets.
The season is SUMMER. It is easy for survivors to forage for food from the land, as there are entire abandoned farms ready for harvest. On the downside, you can smell the corpses.
swarms
GRAND OPENING !
Welcome to KOHAKU REGION's grand opening! If you're interested in joining, come check out our grand opening giveaway!
he didn't look forward to meeting this man, but he supposed it was a necessary evil. people from his past were very much usable in different ways, and this person did owe his family a favor or two. it was time to give chase to old debts.
a knock on his door sounded, and ignatius glanced up from his book. about time.
oh, what a joy it was to meet one of his former benefactors. ecstatic and exhilarating as it was he couldn't help the grin and smile as he was allowed entrance into their private little room. how special he must have been, to share a room with someone like him.
"mr. grimm ~" his voice rang cheerfully. "it's a pleasure to meet you."
"pleasure to meet you too, mr silvera," said ignatius as he placed the book back on the nightstand, "i trust that you know why i've called you here."
he had sent the elusive researcher a letter asking him for a favor and enclosed his address; he wasn't expecting him to show up so soon, but as soon as he caught wind that he was in the city, ignatius was ready. rome wasn't exactly a subtle person.
"you still wear your hair long," he commented, idly.
"of course." he grinned, practically floating around the room as he made his way closer towards the other researcher. why wouldn't he? the call of someone so special was bound to lure him close. he hadn't bothered hiding it. it wasn't another test subject, not yet at least.
as he reached for his pokeballs, the comment threw him off the loop. to be complimented by mr. grimm--how rare! he gave a healthy chuckle. "i've had no reason to cut it." after all, doesn't it look nice bathed in red?
"but, as you've said, shouldn't we get down to business?" he said casually as his trade mark zangoose appeared by his side.
"you shouldn't," said ignatius, humming. it would be a pity to cut it. how else was he supposed to pick mr silvera out of the crowds without aid from his signature hair color and the way he wore his hair? it was a pity they had to get to business so soon instead of trading comments. he would have appreciated more conversation.
"we should."
the researcher took out his pokédex and scanned the zangoose that emerged.
"do you have vaccines to spare, by the way?" he snapped the dex shut, eyes meeting with rome's.
zangoose stared at the man, not at all recognizing him, but chalked it up to another one of rome's eccentricities. he merely kept his arms folded waiting to be returned-which he was soon after mr. grimm was finished.
"there's nothing to spare these days." he commented, never losing that cheer. with the way things were, vaccines shouldn't be given away so freely as candy. even he knew that. "are you in need of one?" never did he lose that smile. so it wasn't only his pokemon that he required scans of in a room so dearly private.
"i may acquire new pokémon. unfortunately, producing the eos vaccine is harder than it was before." ignatius sighed, making his displeasure with the world known. "i would need a stronger team. a flygon and torchic alone is not going to see me through even the ceres forest, unfortunately."
he returned rome's smile with one of his own. "you would give a hand, wouldn't you?"
"unfortunately," rome agreed with a tap of his chin. that was all the other had so far? how disappointing. he had hoped that the other scientist had at least obtained stronger pokemon by this time, but a flygon--at least it seemed as though he were focusing on strengthening them. having many pokemon didn't mean that he would have the advantage in a battle if they weren't strong enough--something he learned quite intimately.
a small pout tugged on his lips, "pokemon and a vaccine?" he leaned close to the other researcher, "what will you give me for it? seeing as though it's so difficult to come by."
ignatius didn't flinch as rome closed the distance between them. a smirk pulled at the edges of the mouth as he leaned in closer; something flashed behind his eyes. his reply was almost deliberate as he formed the syllables:
"what you would like, i will try to provide," he said, placing a hand on the other researcher's shoulder. "so what would it be, mr silvera?"
"i like many things," he replied as he let a hand snake its way to the other's pokedex. had he tucked it away in his coat? no matter. rome didn't mind. "seeing just how well you progress is one of them, and i'm more than willing to help another researcher in need."
ignatius guided rome's hand to where his pokédex was, slipping it into his pocket and allowing the other researcher to obtain it. it wasn't an eos-approved pokédex -- that alone was an apparent fact from the start-up screen alone. he didn't care -- felt like rome wouldn't care, either. "you tell me," he said, "help me get there."
feeling the sleek cover of the pokedex, he pulled it out smoothly. he never moved back, observing the other's scans right where he was. there wasn't much and the way it felt was different than any others. it was completely wrong--and he approved. his own pokedex had changed for the better, because he wanted it to, because others couldn't stop him from it.
the pokemon he had weren't on there. perfect. "i could, but you'll only owe me more."
the very same hand that let towards the dex, he pulled towards himself. a small case hidden inside his coat contained the vaccines. "you can have one. that's enough for now, isn't it?" there was a slight emphasis on the last of his words as if suggesting something more.
it wasn't an eos-approved pokédex, but rome didn't mind -- it was precisely why he had allowed him to see it. mr silvera wouldn't judge. he understood -- "just one," said ignatius, allowing himself to be pulled towards where the vaccines were. "i'll settle for it."
he worked the latch on the case with a sort of masterful grace, and slipped them in. the vaccines were sleek and cool to the touch, and when he removed his fingers, they held one of the tubes between them.
"you owe me more," he breathed into rome's ear, and snaked his arms around the other researcher in pursuit of the pokéballs he held within his lab coat.
his lips quirked upwards at mr. grimm's answer. good. he certainly couldn't spare any more, not just yet. the man sounded as though he hadn't earned enough pokemon for that. his dex was only starting.
a pleasurable chill went down his spine. how comfortable ignatius was around him--all the more fun, especially when the other man seemed so intent in touching him so freely. "i haven't forgotten," he returned, placing a hand on the other researcher's and guiding him to his target.
the water was pleasant on his skin, and when he stepped out of the shower, he inspected his skin in the mirror. there were a few marks, but none to last longer than a day, two at the most. none anywhere visible. good enough.
he grabbed a towel and exited the bathroom as he dried his hair, only to see the other researcher seated at the edge of the bed. ignatius picked his pokédex off the table and skimmed it as he attempted to put a shirt on single-handedly.
"we don't have all day," ignatius drawled after he was fully-dressed, sinking into an armchair as he flipped through the pages of his pokédex.
