“Yeah, their decision was mainly following salvage laws,” said the Officer Jenny, consulting her notes though she didn’t really need to. “The condensed version is that salvage law applies here. The wronged parties gain the pokégirls of the various wrong-doers. Ash Sexum has already taken possession of a CharAmanda and is due to receive a Boobisaur, Shadowcat and Squirtitty along with a portion of SLC that were in the combined accounts of Gary Stroak, the missing John Sexmore and Jack Thompson. As for the Feral Boy-”
“Ranma,” the Espea interjected. “His name’s Ranma Saotome.” She then nodded her head towards the police pokégirl to continue.
“Yes, ‘Lanuma’...” the OfficerJenny corrected herself, clucking her tongue at the roof of her mouth as she tried to get used to such a name; sounded rather Edo to her. Ignoring the looks the three other pokégirls were giving her as she tried to enunciate she kept explaining, “Will not only gain ownership of Tamer Stroak’s Class-A Landmaster Recreational Vehicle, but also the two pokégirls that were in the balls of that Nabiki girl due to various taken statements from the woman. Although she was kind of drugged out at the time of interview and memory hazy to scanning from the medical treatment, the higher-ups at the VCPD have decided to let the girls go with her.”
“Still a shame about those girls,” the Sorceress commented with a sad shake of her head. “They were also human until they’d been Love Balled...”
“Love Balled!?” The OfficerJenny shouted as she turned to the blonde and shapely Magic-type pokégirl dressed in black. “What do you mean they were Love Balled? There wasn’t anything about that written in the report handed in earlier!”
A voice spoke up behind the OfficerJenny. “That’s because we didn’t have the information to report then and your department was already demanding results,” the Espea said in a soft and soothing voice while emitting a low-level current of alpha waves to calm the irritated pokégirl. “As you know, the Love PokéBall was initially a creation of Team Rocket to change human males into a pokégirls to further profit and cut down witnesses. From scanning Tamer Thompson’s mind, I came upon a series of memories that show him toying around in the back of Tamer Stroak’s RV with a Love Ball he’d gotten through a contact within the VCPD.” She looked at the OfficerJenny in annoyance. “YOUR department.”
“Impossible!” The OfficerJenny shouted in defiance; the alpha waves not having any immediate effect. “All of my ladies are good, law-abiding officers! There is no way a Jenny would do something as underhanded as to supply a citizen with a Love Ball!”
Nervously, the NurseJoy standing by the healing tank offered, “What about the male officers in your department and their non-Jenny pokégirls?” Being a fellow League-created pokégirl meant to serve humanity, the nursing pokégirl knew from first-hand experience what it was like to give her all every time she was on the job, yet see shady dealings going on around her with staff that wasn’t programmed on the genetic level to be on the up-and-up.
At hearing that, a crest-fallen look came over the Jenny’s face. “That...” she trailed off. There was nothing she could say. While Jennys were genetically coded to follow the laws of their region to the letter, humans weren’t as trust-worthy. “I’ll want you to come down to me with the station later today for a low-level scanning, Katie. Don’t go purposely digging, just see about skimming thoughts off the top and see if you can find anything ‘out of the ordinary’.”
The Espea named Katie nodded her head. “Of course, Officer Amanda. But I could already tell you that the policeman that Tamer Thompson was in contact with was Officer Edwards.” At the deep frown on the Jenny’s face, the silvery two-tailed, cat-like fox-squirrel continued to admit the low level alpha waves. “But to continue, after getting the Love Ball he’d studied it; broke it down and rebuilt it. With his new knowledge and little bit of hacking into a couple of regular PokéBalls, he programmed them to do such to any human women he came across. He’d intended to catch all three women and turn them into pokégirls and had mostly succeeded. Nabiki Tendo was lucky the Love Ball he’d tried to use on her failed to function due to the faulty error that occurred in the Ball’s memory from his hacking.” She looked over to the woman floating in the tube. “Sadly, fate seemed determined to see her turned into a pokégirl like her sisters.”
Her arms crossed over her chest, the OfficeJenny’s frown put creases around her mouth. “Tamer Thompson is soon to be in quite a bit of trouble. The law states that abuse of human women can get a person not only a length sentencing and heavy fine, but the use of a Love Ball calls for an immediate warrant of the confirmed user arrest and execution.” The Indigo League didn’t play around with matters like that. Being Anti-Pokégirl as they were, the Indigo government cherished human women and put many laws into place for their protection and benefit.
“Well good news for the government then,” the Espea started as a most disturbing smile crossed the Psychic-type pokégirl’s features. “He finally died from his numerous wounds. He was declared dead at 1936 hours today. Not only will the League not have to spend the credits for his execution but there will be no hassle over the deposition of his material belongings.” She tilted her head to the side and added as an after-thought, “Oddly enough, his last words were he was sorry he didn’t do more to stop videogames, whatever that meant...”
Shaking her head, Officer Amanda grumbled, “Typical Idiot Tamers...” she sighed in annoyance. Looking up at the Espea, she asked, “Well what about Tamer Gary Stroak? Can we at least still charge him as an Accessory?”
“Oh yes,” the Espea said happily. “The Psi-Probe of his, Nabiki Tendo and Ranma Saotome’s memories show that yes, he assisted in the crime of creating the Love PokéBall albeit did not actually participate in the commission of the crime as a joint principal. Still he did attempt to rape the then fully human woman Nabiki Tendo.”
Nodding her head, a small smile finally came back to the OfficerJenny. “At least that’s some small silver lining.” The police pokégirl was going to see to it that he was punished to the full extent of the law. A few years in prison and being the ‘girlfriend’ of some guy named Butch for said time would be sure to set him straight. “Still, isn’t there anything we can do for the Tendo girl’s sisters?” She looked over at the two PokéBalls. Stuff like this was so totally messed up in her opinion; it made her want to HURT someone... maybe they’d let her scare Gary so badly that half his life wasted away from the fear?
The Espea waved a finger at the OfficerJenny. “Now Officer Amanda, those aren’t nice thoughts...”
“And who are you to pry?” Sighing, the OfficerJenny’s shoulders slumped. “Look, I know, I know... doesn’t mean I have to like it!” she shook her head in disgust before looking back up. “Anyway, would you please answer the question?” She was starting to feel a headache coming on for some reason.
Cutting off her the projection of alpha waves, Katie explained, “I wish there was something we could do. With pure humans, Love Balls shouldn’t worked but unfortunately for them, Tamer Thompson had made those Balls with pre-programmed information sets. While they tend to have higher failure ratings, the pokégirl-species specified Love Balls will get the desired pokégirl of choice should they capture.” She looked over to a table nearby the floating tank that held the unconscious Asian woman, the two Love Balls lying atop a pillow on said furniture. “We also can’t get them out. Normally Love Balls are instantaneous because they use the genetic material already there in the person’s DNA. Because it’s forcing it into them, they will become pokégirls and it will take time. I have no clue when the PokéBalls are going to release them and worse, trying to do so now before it’s completed the transformation could kill them!”
“Some would say that it would be better to die than become a pokégirl...” the Sorceress explained as she reached for her purse. She slowly slid a cigarette from a pack she kept in there. A small flame lit on the tip on her finger which she then used to light her paper-rolled nicotine.
Frowning at the Sorceress, the NurseJoy shouted, “Really Selena! Do you have to smoke here? It’s a hospital!” She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted as the Magic-type took a long drag of her cigarette.
Cold eyes gazed at the other pokégirl for a moment. “No,” the Sorceress disagreed. She blew a puff of smoke into the NurseJoy’s face. As the pink-tress pokégirl coughed, she added, “And it’s not a hospital. It’s a PokéCenter.”
A deep frown adorning her features from the Sorceress’ antics, the OfficerJenny spoke up in a commanding voice. “Well Selena, I’m ordering you to put out that cancer-stick in my presence this instant!” She absolutely hated cigarettes. The chief would always smoke in her presence; even when he was Taming her. Worse, she always hated that kink of his that involved those things. Bastard would often put them out by rubbing the butts on her own. The police pokégirl had a more than few pock-mark scars on her body that her clothing hid.
“Fine, fine...” The Sorceress muttered and put it out... by pushing the end said ‘cancer-stick’ of the OfficerJenny’s badge and twisting it. “Better?”
A fire sparked in the OfficerJenny’s eyes as the action. “Not really...” she growled. “That piece of her uniform was EXPENSIVE! Easily 6800 SLC and the Sorceress did something like that to it!? Not cool!
Seeing the OfficerJenny was about to explode with anger, the NurseJoy tried to calm things by speaking up and taking their attention off of what just happened. She needed Selena to do her work at the PokéCenter, after all. “Excuse me, Officer Amanda? Selena? I believe we have more important matters at hand.” As the two turned to look at her, she told them, “We still have to figure out the fate of Ranma Saotome and the formerly human women. We can be sure that they’ll be journeying to find a Megami or something to help their friend before the viral DNA turns her completely into a BuzzBreast. Can we even trust them to be to travel this world alone?”
“I think we could,” the OfficerJenny said. “Those two are certified as Tamers now and they’ll have the Landmaster to travel in. Give them some time and a let them capture a few Feral pokégirls and they should be good.”
“In a world they have absolutely no clue about,” the NurseJoy added. “They could get killed or worse!”
“I say the worst already happened,” the Sorceress grumbled under her breath.
The OfficerJenny spared a quick glance at the Sorceress, before shaking her head. “Well, it shouldn’t be so bad for the group. At least two of them still have their minds...” or what passed for minds after all that happened. This was just a major headache and she really, really wished that she had some aspirin right now.
“I still think it would be safer to give them an escort of sorts until they’re at least adjusted enough to how this world works and what it’s like,” the NurseJoy said firmly.
“Out of the question!” The OfficerJenny shouted. “This is Viridick! My forces are spread thin as it is with them preferring to staff more humans than pokégirls. Our city may have the lowest crime rate in the entire League, but that’s only because they’re paranoid about everyone going in and out of the city and work us to the bone. There’s no way the chief would let a single one of us go, not even that Titmouse he keeps around that makes the coffee!” Or should she say, ESPECIALLY not the Titmouse who seemed to be the only one at the station who knew how to make a decent cup of coffee?
It was then the Espea spoke up. “Excuse me, Officer Amanda? Not to be to tangential here, but may I ask what Tamer Ash Sexum’s rank is?”
Turning to the Espea, the OfficerJenny asked, “What about his rank?"
“Well think about it. He’s a relatively new Tamer and now he’s stopped a BuzzBreast swarm of epic proportions and saved a human woman... surely that must be a serious amount of points added to his Total Tamer Ranking. Enough to help him jump two or three levels, am I right?”
The OfficerJenny nodded her head. “Yes. I read the reports and available information on everyone involved. At 0000 hours, his rank as a Pokégirl Tamer rises to Delta from Alpha. What about it?”
“Well surely he’ll have the required rank to serve escort missions...” the NurseJoy said suggestively. “And besides that, all Tamers have to respond to League-sanctioned requests and callouts, even if only local.”
Catching on, Officer Amanda asked, “So, you want him to help them find a Megami then?” Hmm... she had to admit, the idea had merit. Besides, at least they’d be in an armored RV. Not to mention that even if he only passes his Tamer’s Test with a sixty-two percent, he could teach them all the ropes along the way. “I’ll put the request in then.”
“I think that would be best...” the Espea said as she nodded her head.
Snickering, the Sorceress asked, “Are you joking? That kid has only been a Tamer for two weeks! It’s only sheer luck he was able to save their asses and even then it was a group effort that stopped the swarm, even if the League decided the credit goes solely to Sexum. With him as their guide, they’d all be dead within a month!”
“Well, then why don’t YOU go with them, Selena?” The Espea asked, tilting her head and smiling. “After all, someone as experienced as you would have no trouble keeping them alive.”
Blinking her eyes once, twice the Sorceress held her hands up in a warding gesture. “Oh hell no Katie, HELL NO!” She shouted. “You are not saddling me with that Cirque de Crappé! Besides, Ash now has a full and varied harem as it is! He doesn’t need me and I’m not going into storage if I can help it. So no thank you, I’ll stick with my job here at the PokéCenter, helping tend to the wounded and aiding the police when needed.” She then stared right into the Espea’s eyes. “Besides, since you suggested it, why don’t YOU go with them?” Selena asked pointedly. There was no way she was going but she did have to admit, the idea of people dying didn’t set too well with her. Not that she cried over dead people or anything, but she didn’t really want someone’s death on her conscience.
Sighing, the Espea replied, “I cannot. Like you, I have a job here on staff with the PokéCenter and I’m one of only three Psychic-types they have...” she blinked her dark eyes in a cute fashion as she realized, “Although perhaps I could at least help them by suggesting starter pokégirl for Ranma Saotome...”
“Really?” The OfficerJenny asked curiously. “Do tell...”
“I have a younger sister over at the Boulder Ranch in Pewtit City,” Katie explained. “She recently reached her first puberty and is now a pokégirl rather than a pokékit. She’s only an Eva and hasn’t had any takers or calls for a pokégirl of her type.”
“Well no duh, she’s an Eva!” Selena commented. “Those pokégirls are ten credits a dozen! Anyone could go into the wilds and have a one in three chance of finding a Feral Eva. Hell, even chances if you’re on Route Twenty-Five...”
Although it was true, Katie frowned and glared at the Sorceress. “Maybe... but at least they aren’t stuck up like a certain blonde I know.”
Huffing in annoyance, the blonde Sorceress commented, “Hey! At least I do my job...” she replied irritably. “And I can become cranky when I can’t relax with a good cigarette.” She idly glared at the OfficerJenny.
Ignoring the Magic-type, Officer Amanda kept her attention on the Espea. “I’ll put in a call to the Pewtit Ranch and request they transport the Eva to the Viridick PokéCenter to be Lanuma Saoatoame’s starter pokégirl.” At the looks the gathered women were giving her, she asked, “What?”
“No offense, but you suck at pronouncing Edo-style names...” Selena said. Oddly enough, neither the Espea nor the NurseJoy called the rather abrasive Sorceress on it.
Grumbling in annoyance, the OfficerJenny tried to fight down the blush she felt threatening to appear on her cheeks. “Fine, fine... I’m still putting the call in. Let him sort it all out later.”
“True...” Selena said as she looked around the room. Wow, did she ever feel like she dodged a bullet. Eyes settling on the woman floating in the tank, she admitted the former brunette looked rather pretty with lavender-colored hair. She was sorry she couldn’t do more for the girl, really she was. Still it was either do what she could now, or else let the girl become a BuzzBreast. That would’ve sucked even worse.
Read the comments on this episode
See other episodes by Red Priest of the 17th Order
(Posted Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:15)
Questions? Problems? Suggestions?
Send a mail to addventure@bast-enterprises.de
or use the contact form.
らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
All other series and their characters are © by their respective creators or owners. No claims of ownership of these characters are implied by the authors of this Addventure, or should be inferred.
The Anime Addventure is a non-profit site.