Alright, back to back reviews for you.
Chapter 3: Feathers
May 7th
(19)
After taking a day off, I felt refreshed and ready to resume my challenge of the clubs!
I guess you could replace the "to resume my challenge of the clubs" with "to resume challenging the clubs". In my opinion it makes it more direct and straight to the point.
As I stepped out of my front door, my eyes landed on a particularly rotund Doduo. Clearly it was the one that followed me home a couple days prior... Curiously,
both its heads were asleep.
So this Doduo isn't like a normal Doduo. Is it some sort of mutated Doduo? Or maybe it just behaves differently compared to other Doduo?
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Doudo were supposed to sleep
one head at a time... Pah! No matter. Why was the bird still
there? I hadn't fed it and largely ignored it! Was it be trained? Even if it were, it made no sense why it would chose to follow me...
Mr. Gentleman, why in the history of the Egyptian Empire didn't you feed it?! It's a living being too and it needs to eat food to survive! If it dies from starvation, it's blood is going to be on your hands the police are going to be on your ass until they catch you. And if they do your life and career is practically over! Think Mr. Gentleman think!
I turned to lock my door and heard a sudden ruffling of feathers. Casting and inquisitive glance over my shoulder, I noticed Doduo had jerked awake.
I guess you could add a "that" in between "noticed" and "Doduo".
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(20)
It looked about frantically until one head noticed me. The other head stopped, looked where the other was facing, and directed its gaze to me as well. With apparent panic abated, I'd say the bird seemed
relieved if I didn't know any better!
Was Doduo afraid that Mr. Gentleman was going to attack him?
But for the Doduo to lay about waiting... I barely even met the bird which hardly justified fixation on me!
Maybe Doduo sees something in Mr. Gentleman that he doesn't see in other humans? Or maybe it's because of Mr. Gentleman's outfit.
I turned around and faced it.
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Beady black eyes bored into me. Was
blinking out of the question?
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"I don't know why you are hounding me, bird, but I am not currently in the market for a pet, nor do I have the funds to spare on food for you!"
Well, couldn't you just give it some water at the very least? I assume that Doduo can go on longer without food than they can without water.
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Unsurprisingly, there was no change in expression. Only an insane fellow would expect dialogue with a Doduo. And this fowl was no parrot! But, like animals, Doduo
were known to pick up on emotions... Perhaps my words weren't they type to cause a reaction? But it was nice to have someone to speak to. Even a dull bird.
I then noticed something different about being outside...
Feathers.
They were EVERYWHERE! In the bushes, in the newly planted tree... Even spilling over into the neighbor's lawns! Yet somehow, the majority of them were in a heap. that I initially mistook for a large pile of leaves! How could
one bird DO all that?! And why shed them all in a specific location?
Damn, Doduo's molting! And Mr. Gentleman is probably very, very pissed and confused. One question that I want to ask is how does Doduo shed that many feathers?! This is definitely not normal, Doduo needs to go to the vet as soon as possible.
Or maybe it's just a natural trait of Doduo in general. But how does Doduo manage to rapidly grow new feathers after molting enough feathers into a heap. Big or small that's still an absurd feat from a Doduo. Is there going to be an in universe explanation for this?
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It's a good thing Doduo feathers were not on the list of prohibited yard debris for the homeowners association... I recalled their last visit to be
particularly unpleasant. Apparently my Scyther-themed mailbox was
not on the approved list of mon for the neighborhood! Now all I had was that dull
Doduo mailbox in its place... The mailbox. Surely that bird wasn't dumb enough to consider my mailbox company! But then again, it might have explained its willingness to remain...
Why is a Scyther mailbox prohibited?! It's not like an actual Scyther would jump out of it when the mailbox is open and go on a maniacal killing spree at a nearby school!
Shifting my focus back to the feathers, I was immensely relieved I did not invite the bird inside. Clearly, the bird was so lazy that it rolled about my yard for an entire day! There were few other ways to explain the sheer volume of feathers I was seeing... A fat, lazy, and dumb bird...
So, Doduo rolled around Mr. Gentleman's yard for an entire day without getting hungry or thirsty? The Doduo species in this world seem to be quite the survivalists! Maybe their particularly rotund bodies act as a storage compartment for fat like how a camel stores fat in it's hump or humps if it is a Bactrian Camel.
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If it hung around me enough, people were bound to take me less seriously and surely more willing do duel... It didn't sound orderly. The mess would probably be awful... But that was
exactly what I needed! With my mind made up, I would not only let it follow me about, I would
welcome it!
I think that with Doduo following Mr. Gentleman around, there's bound to be some chaotic moments in the future. Maybe Doduo would go berserk and attack Mr. Gentleman's opponents or maybe Doduo would just roll on top the the cards during the duel. I can already imagine Mr. Gentleman crashing the hell out if Doduo does that. Or maybe Doduo might even peck the living shit out of Mr. Gentleman's opponent if he thinks that they are going to cheat in the game or hurt Mr. Gentleman!
(21)
Just then, I caught sight of what appeared to be small metal collars on Doduo. One on its left neck and another on its right neck.
Were the metal collars painted black? Normally, metal collars are often silver in appearance. If that was the case, they would be extremely noticeable to the average person, Mr. Gentleman included because Doduo have black necks. If said metal collars were black, it would make more sense as to why Mr. Gentleman didn't notice them right away.
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"A collar?" I brought a hand to my chin. "Could you perhaps belong to someone?"
An animal with a collar around its neck or necks in this case is 100% someone's pet.
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Doduo looked up in a way that displayed the collar more prominently.
Taking the opportunity, I knelt down to inspect the left one first.
Doduo appeared not to mind and stood patiently.
The collar was old and tarnished. It had a dog-tag attached, and even though it was worn, I was able to make out letters on it: 'go'. Go? Go where? I turned it over to find a male symbol on it.
So Doduo is male.
"Ah, it seems we share a gender, dear bird."
Out of the corner of my eye, Doduo appeared to have... grinned for a moment? Perhaps it was my imagination.
Inspection of the one on the right revealed it was in a similar condition to the first. The letters 'tan' were engraved. The back of this tag was empty.
Well, I supposed Doduo was rather 'tan' in color and certainly a creature that 'goes' quite fast!
Nice pun there, Mr. Gentleman!
I then had an idea. If this bird should follow me about everywhere, I might as well give him a nickname!
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Looking Doduo in the eyes, I grinned confidently. "Very well, you feather factory! I
now know what I shall call you!"
I guess Mr. Gentleman's lucky that Doduo didn't start profusely pecking him after that comment.
Doduo looked at me with both heads wide-eyed and... eager?
"Gotan!" Crossing my arms proudly, I smiled.
Gotan's heads tilted as its eyes seemed to squint for a moment with a flash of... bewilderment? -or at least I thought he might have, perhaps it was my imagination?
Mr. Gentleman, perhaps you might have gotten his name wrong.
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"Can you... understand me, Gotan?" I tilted my head.
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Gotan simply stood there with a blank vacant stare.
Of
course that bird couldn't understand me... What an
absurd notion! I turned my thoughts to more productive matters. If Gotan had an owner, it must have been from too long ago to expect to find them again. Judging from the collar's condition, the one who placed these collars on Gotan was not Imakuni.
Damn, now I'm wondering what happened to Gotan's original owner, did they go missing? This could be a really interesting plot point for an extra chapter or spinoff oneshot!
"So, it seems like you have been without an owner for a long time, huh?"
Gotan's eyes began to shimmer slightly. Were his eyes... watering?
It seems that Gotan was really close to his previous owner. I wonder what happened to them?
Before I could contemplate the matter further, Gotan suddenly broke into a roll in the grass sending feathers into the air as it went.
Waving my hand dismissively, I shrugged off the birds odd behavior. "Well, from now on, I'm going to call you Gotan. At least, until you get bored and find someone else to follow."
Gotan stopped rolling and I almost thought I caught him squinting at me, but on closer inspection, it was his usual dull vacant expression.
Based on this part right here, I think that Gotan rolls around in grass so that he can relieve himself of stress.
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Unwilling to waste further time on idle flights of fancy, I looked over the yard again. It would take a while to clean, but that would be a problem for later.
My next destination was the Science Club. After my recent suffering at the hands of the opposite gender in the Water Club, a currently all-male club would be a
welcome reprieve... I opted to take the bus to see how determined that bird was to follow me. Since Gotan was too large to fit through the bus door, he would have to chase on foot.
Hmm, so the Science Club has no female members? I fins this kind of weird because there must be at least few women in this world who are into science right? Oh wait, Dr. Wem! If Dr. Wem could become a researcher in this world, then she must have started somewhere like the Science Club right? I know that you want to stick as close to the game as possible but I think that Mr. Gentleman could have mentioned that there are a few women in the Science Club as well but they are not as clingy towards him like the women at the Water Club. He could also mention Dr. Whem's history with the Science Club (if there is any between them) like Dr. Wem was a former member or she was even the former clubmaster before she left to work at the university.
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Sure enough, Gotan trailed me all the way to the Science Club! Keeping up looked
easy for him... Clearly, that bird would be following me until he found someone more appealing. Perhaps I could have tried to sneak away as he slept, but that would leave him in my yard which would accrue even
more feathers...
Yeah, you do need to watch over him, Mr. Gentleman. He probably thinks that you're his new owner now. Wait, you are!
As I entered the Science Club, Gotan trotted right behind me. Feathers fell off the bird like the leaves of an autumnal tree.
Then I saw the sign.
(22)
There was one hanging in every club. It read: 'Doduo owners are responsible for the cleaning of any feathers left behind. Violators will be prosecuted.'
Well, shit.
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Obviously I was NOT this bird's owner, but with him following me around everywhere, who would believe me? Besides, I suppose I DID nickname him... But I didn't have
time to pick up feathers everywhere I went! Why did he follow me in? It
was my idea for him to make opponents more likely to duel me, but
he didn't know that! Yet, instead of waiting outside, here he was. Then again, he
did follow Imakuni in... Perhaps he behaved differently at clubs?
Well, I guess I was wrong back there. Then again, perhaps Gotan's previous owner taught him how to act properly at clubs?
Regardless, the bird stuck to me like glue! A questionable benefit was NOT a valid trade for picking up hundreds or perhaps even
thousands of feathers every day! Clearly I would have to devise a method to sneak past him if I wanted to avoid
feather duty... Had I the funds, I
could pay a lawyer to fend off the lawsuits, but it would still
look like I disrespected the clubs by allowing my presumed Doduo to leave his feathers about. As a champion and a gentleman, I had to hold myself to higher standards than that! At least I wasn't planning to visit the lounges, so the feathers could all be contained to the entrance and main room of each club...
The entrance of the club was unchanged from my last visit since clubs almost never redecorate. The floor had a large square light purple tile in the middle with the TCG Island science symbol on it. The symbol itself looked rather strange now that I was looking at it closely. Almost like some kind of mechanized Mew.
I guess Mr. Gentleman's name isn't for nothing then. He clearly has very high standards that he hold himself to. Great example of him acting like an actual Gentleman. Something a certain friend of his isn't capable of.
The remainder of the floor was some sort of light green metal tiles. I couldn't remember what they were called. One would assume this building was brand-new with all the technology it contained, but these light-green metal floors were actually among the oldest structures on our island. I had the lectures from my academy days to thank for that information. Unlike oxidized copper, many experiments revealed there was no force known to mankind that could even scratch them. How old were they? How were they made? Where did they come from? No one knew. Regardless, they were perfect for an experimental building that might contain the occasional chemical explosion.
Damn, I guess those tiles are as durable as Captain America's shield! But who made them in the first place?
I tread on the blue diamond-patterned rugs in the hallways leading to the other rooms as my hand grazed the cool, smooth, light purple ceramic tiles that lined the walls and emerged into the lobby.
In the far left corner were two large vertical metal cylinders with steps leading to what looked like sliding doors of some sort. I approached one and peered inside. It always seemed like something a person could crawl inside of. When I was a kid, I used to wonder if they were used to turn people into Doduo! Obviously I had far too active of an imagination back then, but even as an adult, I still had no idea what they were for.
You know, I think that this machine could play some role in future chapters but I'm not sure.
The corner in the far right contained one of the Science Club's quantum computers. It might have been old technology, but few households had their own quantum computer due to their cost and bulk.
Whoa, whoa, whoa! How in the ass of a Sea Cucumber did the Science Club members get a MOTHERFUCKING QUANTUM COMPUTER!? And it's called OLD TECHNOLOGY?! And people just have quantum computers in their houses?! Is this world so technologically advanced that people just have quantum computers at home? What would the average person even need a quantum computer for?! Tango, I need to know why! WHY DO PEOPLE HAVE QUANTUM COMPUTERS IN THEIR HOMES?! WHYYYYYYYYYY?!!!!!!!!
(23)
As Gotan and I entered the main section of the lab, I noticed the majority of the room was unlit, with only the separate room in the back with the light on. As I stepped into the room, the automatic lights kicked in, revealing the usual decor.
There were three large wooden tables in the main section of the room with laptops, beakers, flasks, and various notes scattered about.
Damn, couldn't they at least attempt to clean up the place? People are going to come here for duels!
A wall formed a separate room towards the back left. It was lined with two shelves with various chemistry supplies. Finally, there was a large hall off to the right leading to two more quantum computers at the back. Seeing no one in the main section, I made my way to the smaller room in the back.
I could hear a voice mumbling to itself in the other room.
"...but what could I use for testing this? Our stock ran out just yesterday... If only we had some Doduo feathers laying about... They are getting so hard to come by these days... Another shipment of Doduo went out to Neo just last week... I thought they hated those birds..."
Doduo were being shipped to Neo Island? Why? I heard they were quite strict about Doduo and viewed them as pests. And whole shipments of them? It seemed they were buying them, which made it all the weirder. But regardless, I wasn't there to investigate the mysteries of Doduo.
Why would an island that hates Doduo and views them as pests want a large shipment of them?
I coughed loudly from the other room.
A head poked around the corner.
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"Well! If it isn't the Gentleman!"
His gaze shifted to Gotan.
"Ah, very good of you to bring a present! Well, come on then! I have work to do!" Sticking a hand out around the corner, he beckoned with a wave.
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I glanced at Gotan. His eyes were wide as he couched down making himself as small as possible. Was he... afraid?
I guess, maybe he had a bad experience with another scientist?
Rick always
was an odd one. More interested in science than the Pokemon TCG. It was hard to
believe that he was Nikki's brother... Even when we were kids, he was always holed away in his room working on Mew knew what. Now that he was leader of the Science Club with tools and quantum computers at his disposal? I had even
less of a clue what he was up to.
Since he appeared to be the only one there, I figured I would see where the club members were.
As I entered the back section, it was as I remembered: the two quantum computers in the right corner were lit up with a variety of flashing lights. The small workbench in the far left corner that Rick was standing at had a variety of flasks and notes strewn about. Two more cylindrical objects like the ones from the entrance loomed in the corner to my left.
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It was a wonder that Gotan wasn't wrecking things in here or the previous room. If I didn't know better, I'd say he almost seemed
respectful!
Well, maybe his previous owner did teach him how to act in places like this!
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Speaking of the bird, Gotan followed, but was cautious. Using both heads, he eyed the surroundings and Rick carefully.
Rick was busy pouring some chemical into another flask with his back turned towards me. He was wearing a long white lab-coat.
"Well? Don't just stand there! Bring the bird over. Hurry!"
I approached and so did Gotan. Still cautious, but less so at this point.
Who knows if Rick's going to do something bad to it.
Perhaps the bird found my presence comforting in an otherwise scary situation? Not that I could see anything scary about this room in particular...
Grabbing at Gotan's feathers, Rick tore out a decent clump. "Ah! Excellent!"
Gotan had a dumb, yet happy expression on his faces. Apparently he
enjoyed having feathers forcefully removed. The day just kept getting weirder...
I'm not sure on what to say about this...
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"Do you
always collect feathers that way?" I held my chin with my right hand. "Were Gotan a human woman, you would likely be missing your
hand right about now..."
Damn, was the woman he was describing Lady from Devil May Cry? Granted, there would probably be nothing left of Rick if that were the case. (And if Rick was the demon that Lady was hunting on that very day.)
After a chuckle, Rick replied. "Oh trust me, I've dealt with enough Doduo to understand they PREFER it that way! They also tend to yield more with such an approach. I don't pretend to understand it, but it is an observable law of Doduo."
Shaking my head, I wondered just what was wrong with those birds...
I'm still not sure on what to say about this.
Placing the feather clump on the workbench, he plucked one from the top and dropped it into the chemical vial in his other hand. It rapidly dissolved with a hiss and some light smoke as Rick turned to face me.
Damn, that means Doduo feathers must be very reactive towards the chemical in the vial that Rick was holding!
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"Unlike quantum phenomena, watching the feather dissolve does
not change the behavior of the process. Curious things, Doduo are. Unless the old tales of the three legendary Pokemon gods are true, they are the only Pokemon to inhabit our world."
Wait, why don't any other normal Pokemon species exist in this world?
I nodded. "Correct by my understanding."
(24)
Holding the flask up, Rick peered into the sizzling liquid within. "Mew of Neo island, Ho-oh of TCG Island, and Lugia of GR Island. I am not one to trust superstition though. If there
are any Pokemon other than Doduo, we have yet to find any
scientific evidence to support that hypothesis."
An odd diversion, but Rick was the type to be helpful
after indulging him in conversation that interested him.
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I crossed my arms. "You speak as if you've been investigating the matter. Do you have any leads?"
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"For Ho-Oh, The Legendary Rainbow Palace may hold clues," he reached up slowly as if to grab something, "but no one has seen it in over a century." With a slap, Ricks arm dropped and smacked his lab coat.
So Ho-Oh does exist! (In this world at least. Not ours.)
It certainly was odd a place like that could just vanish...
"Historical accounts from multiple eye-witnesses have been compiled on it. Is it
truly a miraculous place, or does it simply involve technology
beyond our current understanding?" Turning to the side, he placed his vial in a holder on the desk before returning his gaze back to me. "We know it employs anti-gravity to float in the sky. Anti-gravity is not new technology; GR Island's blimps use it. But we do not know the source or specific means that the palace utilizes for its anti-gravity."
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My arms still crossed, I impatiently tapped my finger on my arm. "Yes, I too have heard of such a place. My late grandfather, Jack, told me stories he heard from
his grandfather."
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"Indeed! The eyewitnesses are numerous!" Rick grinned as he held up a piece of chalk. "Those accounts also refer to a temple dedicated to Ho-Oh within the palace. Perhaps it contains some artifact or clue on the matter. Unfortunately, no one knows the current location of the palace or how to get it to appear again, if indeed it
ever does!" He rose both his hands towards the ceiling.
As interesting as that all was, it had nothing to do with what I was there for.
Waving my hand dismissively, I swooped in to change the subject. "Perhaps if it appears again, you will find something interesting to study. For now, I am here seeking duelists to test my new all-common card deck against!"
"All-common?" Rick raised an eyebrow. "How fascinating! It's been a while since I've had the opportunity to collect duel data on such a unique concept!" Holding his chalk against his chin, he knit his brows. "However, the club members are currently at the TCG Island science symposium at the Pokemon Dome and will be occupied for the next month... I
could briefly recall them one at a time, but I would like something in exchange." Flashing a smile at me, Rick raised his eyebrows.
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"Like what?" I tilted my head slightly.
(25)
Peering at Gotan intently, he elaborated. "
Feathers. I need more of them! Your Doduo appears to produce them in abundance!" In a single swift motion he directed his open hand towards Gotan with his coat billowing from the speed.
I smiled. "Well, if that's all you want, I'll give you as many as I have. There is a whole
mound of them! I could perhaps bring them by tomorrow. Of course, there are also still feathers attached to Gotan as well..."
So Gotan's constant molting is a mutation.
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Rick frowned as he lowered his arm. "There aren't NEARLY enough currently attached to Gotan! I must have MORE! Where is this
mound you speak of?!" He whipped his head around towards me.
"At my house. This bird has been camped out there for days..." I held my arms outward. "You wouldn't
believe how many of them there are!"
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Rick lit up. "Ah HA! That
settles it, then!"
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Fully tilting my head this time, I dared to ask. "
What does?"
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"I shall come with you back to your house and gather the feathers myself! I have a method of procurement that ensures quality and freshness." Rick grinned.
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Free lawn care? Did my ears
deceive me?! And just how many did he need? Perhaps I could get even
more benefit from the arrangement...
Damn, is Rick that dedicated to his research to the point that he'd do free lawn care for Mr. Gentleman!? That is true dedication right there.
"Very well, you may accompany me and I will permit you to gather them!"
Rick smiled broadly. "Excellent!" Holding the chalk to his chin, he inquired further. "Do you have a spare bedroom?"
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I furrowed my brow. "Why do you ask?"
Rolling his head back to suggest eye rolling, he explained. "Well I'll need a place to
crash for the night! Also, being around Gotan will give me the opportunity I need to collect the most
fresh feather specimens! I
do hate manual labor, but I can tolerate it... if you have some beer." He raised an eyebrow.
After laughing a moment, I answered. "Well, yes I do. I don't find myself partaking it in much, but I keep a supply for guests."
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Tapping the chalk on his chin, a slight smile worked its way to his face. "Not bad, but do you have enough," Rick looked me in the eye, "for
two?"
Anyways, that was a pretty straightforward chapter. I was expecting a few battles but I was pleasantly surprised that there were none at all. In fact, most of this chapter was quite chill and slow paced. We get to see the beginning of Gotan and Mr. Gentleman's bond as well as Rick becoming a mainstay character in the future chapters. One thing I'm confused about however is that the only person at the Science Club was Rick. Why is he the only member there? Overall, I enjoyed this chapter like the other chapters I read. I hope that this review is satisfying for you to read! Axihdio out!
I always love to see readers get farther in the fic!
