Work Text:
Ena felt her legs shake a little as she watched the imposing shadow of the Celdaon Game Corner that stood before her tower over herself and the two pokémon stood next to her. The bright lights were blinding, and she still didn't quite understand why she was even stood there in the first place…
Ena is the artist for a mysterious music group known as Linkingcord at #0025, whilst Mizuki is the video editor, Mafuyu is the lyricist and Kanade is the composer. At the start, they were only able to communicate over Y-Comm, and didn't even know what each other looked like, but after some time, they all met in person and started going to the Celadon Department Store for after parties.
But, as much as she loves the other three members, who have also since become more than just that to her, do they really have to meet at a sketchy arcade of all places just because Kanade has an important announcement…?
This was all probably Mizuki’s idea…
Ena sighed to herself before looking down to her left. Her partner pokémon, a Smeargle, was completely fascinated by the glowing lights of the arcade at night. She could practically see the lightbulb glowing above his head, as he has probably gotten a new idea for a painting he can do once he goes home in the morning.
She then looked down to her right to see another pokémon of hers, a Sliggoo nicknamed “Ame”. Ame was shivering in the cold atmosphere of the dark night and she kept her small stubby arms wrapped around the leg of her trainer, refusing to let go as she could also sense the danger of the situation despite not being able to see it for herself.
Ena crouched down and stroked the head of her quivering pokémon before reassuring, “It’s okay, Ame. If you want, you can go back into you poké ball if that makes you feel safer?”
The Sliggoo nodded, and her trainer then sent her back into her poké ball, which had a raindrop pattern on it that had been painted by Ena herself. She then stood up straight and, with a deep breath, began to walk closer to the Game Corner, Smeargle following behind her.
The doors opened for her as she went inside. She thought an arcade like this would actually have people in it at night, especially since she knows a lot of people come in here on a regular basis, but for some reason, she couldn't see a single person in the building. The lights of the arcade machines were flashing and the noises were blaring, but there wasn't anyone there.
It just gets creepier and creepier…
Suddenly, Ena heard a noise from behind her. She spun on her heel and got herself in a position where she could easily punch someone if the situation needed it. She gritted her teeth as she watched the shadow of a figure sat on top of the machine she had just rested her back on, emotionally preparing herself for anything to happen next.
But she wasn't expecting a familiar giggle…
The figure jumped down and it was revealed the person that had been stalking Ena was… Mizuki! She stood confidently with her side ponytail blowing in a non-existent breeze with a shiny Sylveon and a Mimikyu either side of her.
“What the hell were you doing, Mizuki?!” Ena exclaimed.
“So much for a hello and a proper greeting to your secretly favourite girlfriend…” Mizuki sighed.
“That doesn't answer my question! How did you even get up there?!” The artist replied with a chilling glare which sent a shiver up her spine.
“If you actually got regular excercise like me, you could do that too!” The video editor quipped, sticking out her tongue as cutely as a Skitty, but she would never admit that.
“Was this all your plan for us to meet here in the first place?” Ena then asked with a smirk, “You do seem like the type to enjoy a good gamble!~”
“How can you think such a thing about your favourite girlfriend?!~” Mizuki exclaimed dramatically before pouting, “Only on gacha games, I’m much too innocent for these types of places…”
“If you say so…” She sighed, still not quite believing her.
Ena then looked down at Mizuki’s two pokémon for a closer inspection. She had already noticed that her Sylveon was a shiny, but why did she of all people have to have a shiny when she had been hunting so hard but hadn't caught a single one?!
“How did you get a shiny?” Ena asked, her eyes darting between looking up at her girlfriend and down at the shiny pokémon.
“Have I not already talked about how I got Sylvie?” Mizuki questioned before shrugging and explaining anyway, “Well, I’ve looked after her for my sister ever since I was a child and ever since she was an Eevee. My sister gave her to me because she knew I would take great care of her, so she's been by my side ever since…”
The video editor then looked down fondly at her partner which was wearing a frilly and sparkly pink skirt she had made especially for her.
The artist then had a closer look at her Mimikyu. Her piercing gaze frightened the poor pokémon, so she was trying her best to hide behind her trainer, but Ena still noticed the ribbon wrapped around one of her… ears?
“Why do you have such a hideous pokémon on your team when you're all about cuteness?” Ena asked with a skeptical look on her face.
That comment deeply upset the Mimikyu and she returned to her poké ball before her trainer could even stand up for her.
“How dare you say such a thing about my precious Mimi!” Mizuki growled, “Mimi-chan is the cutest Mimikyu to ever exist! She's got style and a certain charm to her that just made me have to catch her! Clearly you can't see that…”
“Sorry…” The artist sighed.
“You better be!” The video editor huffed and crossed her arms.
She turned her back on her, but only for a few seconds before she looked down at her Smeargle.
“Hey buddy! It's nice to see you!” She greeted the pokémon, “Where’s Ame? Isn't she normally always by your side too?”
“She could sense the eerie atmosphere coming from this place and returned back to her poké ball,” She explained.
“I get what you mean…” Mizuki nodded in agreement before suggesting, “So, should we start finding a way to the basement of this place?”
“Sure,” Ena answered.
They joined hands before heading to the back of the arcade. There was a staircase back there which seemed to be the only way down, so they both went down that way.
There was no light in the basement, so they had to guide themselves through the pitch black corridor until they found a room which seemed likely to be where they were going to be meeting up. As Ena was gripping so tightly to Mizuki, the video editor didn't have much choice but to be the one who opened the door.
Mizuki and Ena then entered the dimly lit room. They both smiled and sighed with relief when they found that their lyricist and composer were waiting for them inside, and they both sat down on the chairs provided for them.
“Hey Kanade! Hey Mafuyu! It's nice to see both of you!” Mizuki greeted, completely forgetting that she had previously been rather scared of even being down here in the first place, not that Ena would have noticed since she had her eyes shut the whole time.
“It’s nice to see both of you here too,” Kanade nodded in agreement, “We are both glad you made it here safely.”
The composer slouched on her chair without realising she was because that is just how she sits. One of her pokémon, a Swablu, was sat on top of her head in a position that made her look like a hat, whilst her other pokémon, a Cubone, was hidden behind her legs, rather afraid of most people that weren't her trainer.
Meanwhile, the lyricist was stood up and resting their back against a wall. Kanade had already suggested that Mafuyu should sit down quite a few times now, but they shook their head without saying a word and continued as they were. One of their pokémon, an Espurr, sat on their chair instead of them as his small stubby legs had gotten restless, whilst their other pokémon, a shiny Audino, clinged tightly to her trainer to keep them safe, even though they weren't in much danger to begin with.
“So, why are we even here in the first place…?” Ena got straight to the point.
“Well, the thing is that, although the Celadon Department Store is a good place to hangout and throw after parties, it is difficult to talk about our anonymous group in a public environment,” Kanade explained, “I thought that if we meet here instead, it's a lot more private and we don't have to hide ourselves so much.”
“So, have you rented out this whole place?” Mizuki asked.
“Kanade bought the basement, the rest of the arcade belongs to the public,” Mafuyu answered.
“Wait… BOUGHT?!” The artist exclaimed, “Where did you get the money to buy this room?!”
“My grandmother gave me a lot of money which I was supposed to use to buy self-care products for myself and Mafuyu, but we both decided to use it to buy this basement instead,” The composer answered.
“Oh Kanade…” Mizuki sighed light-heartedly.
“I know it looks bad, but I can assure you that we are much better off meeting here when we want to meet in person,” Kanade tried to defend themselves, their cheeks going red from embarrassment.
“Are you sure this is such a good idea? This place gives me the creeps…” Ena asked.
“Yes, we actually outbid this basement off of Team Rocket, so they have one less base to operate in,” Mafuyu nodded.
“Okay…” The artist mumbled.
“Cheer up, Enaemon!” The video editor wrapped her arms around her, “We're going to be fine, so quit worrying!”
“Why have you started calling me that again all of a sudden?” Ena asked.
“I just felt like it!~” Mizuki hummed.
Ena then had a look around the room. It did look like a mess, but maybe if Mizuki put her decor skills to good use, this place could look much better in no time!
“So, if you haven't bought out the entirety of the Game Corner, why is there no one upstairs?” The video editor asked.
“We aren't actually sure why that's the case,” The composer shook her head.
“When me and Kanade went to view the basement for the first time, it was busy upstairs, but we don't know why it isn't currently,” The lyricist added.
“Oh well, it just means I can have a go on some of the arcade machines!” Mizuki shrugged her shoulders with a cheeky grin stretching across her face.
“That is illegal, you aren't eighteen yet,” Mafuyu glared at her.
“Oh come on, Mafuyu, I'm sure you want to have a go yourself!~” She teased with a smirk.
"No, I don't," They shook their head, "But if I did, I would be the legal age to do so."
"Damn, since when has this group had anything to do with 'legal ages'..." She sighed
“I thought you said you were ‘too innocent’,” Ena muttered.
“Maybe I’m not so innocent after all!~” Mizuki grinned.
“Should we start getting to work now?” Kanade suggested, “It's almost time, and I brought the demo with me, which Swablu helped out with.”
“Is there even any WiFi here?” Ena asked.
“I think there is,” Mafuyu answered, “I might have to go upstairs to get the code, though.”
“Could I come with you?” Mizuki asked, “I would love to explore more around this place!”
“Only if you promise you won't sneak off to gamble,” The lyricist said.
“Fine…” The video editor grumbled with a pout.
The two then went up the staircase to go and find the WiFi password, Sylvie and the shiny Audino following behind them. Once they were gone, Ena sighed to herself.
“Why does everyone have a shiny but me?...” The artist asked herself.
“Don’t worry, I don't have one either,” The composer reassured her, "Although they do make a cool sound, I don't mind not having one.
“But you probably already have one hiding in your house somewhere, whilst I’m trying my absolute hardest to get one, but none of the effort I put in gets rewarded!” Ena argued.
“I guess that is true…!” Kanade chuckled to themselves in a light-hearted way.
Cubone then ran from behind their legs to jump up onto the chair and sit next to Espurr. Mimi followed and also hopped up onto the seat to sit on the other side of them. Ame came out of her poké ball and sat on her trainer’s lap. Smeargle sat on Mizuki’s chair and began to doodle away in his own sketchbook. Swablu remained in her cosy position on top of her trainer’s head, humming to herself her favourite song that the group had created together.
The pokémon had already warmed up to the new environment, and so had her partners, so maybe it was possible that Ena could too…