Author's Note: Yes! Finally got chapter 1 of this story out! Warning, there is some pokelove ahead! It is very adorable!

Enjoy the beginning of Noir.89, folks!

Dawn.

...

Sinnoh's streets were always blanketed in snow in its state of eternal winter, with the harsh, wipping streaks of icy wind it brings.

Beside me my Buizel clung to the rose laced hem of my pink coat, scorned by the cold. Deep inside my head I wondered how it could come to this, trudging through Veilstone City in pursuit of the Pokémon Center, an alleyway, anything. A trainer with 3 badges should be more prepared than this. And then I scowled.

But not this trainer.

I trudged past a few stores, all closed due to the blizzard, and the more that fell behind me with time, the more idiotic I felt. The scream of the blizzard was all that I could hear; it had become the sound of my thinking, and I might have just been too close to fainting, but behind the hapless noise I heard something else. It was a zapping, scorching, and the sound of a Flamethrower hissing against the snow. Between the sounds of battle, a human voice was shouting orders. It was all too faint, but it was there. My eyes peered through the onslaught of snow into where there was a pause between two buildings, leaving an alley between them. Bright yellow and red flashes alternated and swelled dully between the blast of snow.

The words barely left my frozen lips as I gasped, "Oh, finally,"

Hauling myself to my last hope, Buizel and I fought the biting cold wind plodded through the snow and into the darkness of the passage.

…

Instantly, complete darkness engulfed me. Above my head, the blizzard buzzed across the building's rooftops to miss the groove formed between them.

I squinted through the confusing array of red and yellow flashes that grew more defined the further I walked. "Is anybody here?" My voice rattled with my shivering.

Suddenly, the current flash of red was jerked to a stop.

"Hold up!" An angry male voice ordered, then the steady sound of footsteps. The sound of a person. All I could do was stand dumbly in the middle of the alley and clutch my upper arms in the chilling air. Buizel positioned herself in front of me protectively.

The crunching rhythm ended directly in front of me. This time, his voice was within conversational distance, with a deep, rich tone to it that shocked me awake.

"Elekid, give me some light,"

There was a low zapping sound, and a soft glow of light appeared out of nowhere, casting a large splotch of light onto the faces of an Elekid, whose electricity crossing through the antennae on its head produced the light, and that of a boy no older than I was.

I studied his features carefully, too cold to utter a coherent sentence. His eyes were a striking coal black, glassy and cold cast in the light, shadowed out by a fringe of messy violet hair. His mouth was curled slightly downward in a sort of curious frown. All I could manage was a squeaking sound from the back of my throat before a rush of cold air sped through the alley and my responding shudder cut off the words.

He scoffed. "Would you look what we have here,"

The Elekid at his side chortled in a curious, electronic way.

Yellow light bounced in his black eyes. "What the hell are you doing out here? Have you noticed the temperature, idiot?"

I glared up at him from under my eyelashes, which were literally painted with frost, and shivered harder. Of course I noticed. At last, my body crumpled with a lash of biting, frigid air, and I fell to my knees.

"D-don't you think I kn-n-" A tremor rattled my bones, stopping me midsentence. All of a sudden, the boy grew closer to me at an alarming rate before I could scramble away. I flailed and screamed with as much velocity as my frozen body could manage as his arms wrapped around my waist and slung me over his shoulder.

I kicked and fought as violently as possible, momentarily unaware of the fact that I was wearing a miniskirt. "L-l-let me go! NOW!"

I might as well have been screaming into a purple haired lamppost. He shrugged, and my body bounced uncomfortably on his shoulder. "Oh, shut up, will you? I'm doing you a favor,"

"I d-d-don't accept favors from strangers,"

"Okay, then consider it a kidnapping,"

I moaned, kneeing him in the ribcage. "Can I at least walk? I'm wearing a skirt…"

"Nope,"

Okay, now I had about three options. One, screw modesty and try to wriggle out of his grip. Two, let him drag me wherever. Three, have Buizel attack him. One was… an option. Two was dangerous, but then again, I could always go to option three if he did turn out to be hauling me somewhere dangerous. Three was just inhumane. I would never do that; not unless it was absolutely necessary.

Looks like it was option one. Sucking in a gust of breath, I let out a fresh scream and smashed my knees as hard as I could into his chest, trying to slide farther and farther forward so that maybe I'd fall out of his grasp. He solved the problem pretty quickly.

He secured my legs with his free arm, and growled sharply up at me. "Give it a rest!"

Defeat hung over me like a blanket of stench. "You know, you're stupidly strong for a 10 year old,"

"Fourteen!" he hissed, before I heard the sound of a shoe connecting with wood, and he shouted out; "Reggie! I found this girl in an alley!"

The boy carried me into the center of a living room, thinly decorated with moss green walls and hardwood floors. Two charcoal gray couches were situated opposite of each other on a shaggy maroon floor rug where a Bibarel was lounging, the aroma of banana bread wafting through the room. On the wall was a cabinet that's contents were exposed by the glass door; it was filled with gym badges and Frontier symbols. I ogled for a moment, before I felt my waist being released and I was dropped roughly onto the couch, snatching the breath from my chest.

I floundered into a sitting position as the boy moved away from me to stand in a doorway between this and another room. "Hey! What is going on here?" I roared, to no answer.

Purple Hair stood in that doorway talking casually to somebody in the other room, and after a moment, I picked up the word "Hypothermia" and a young man with hair just as violet as the one who'd kidnapped me burst from the room with a pair of oven mitts on his hands. Their resemblance nearly bowled me onto the floor.

"What were you doing out there?" The man said, slapping his forehead. "Wait here,"

He left me sitting on the couch, venturing into the next room and momentarily emerging with a mug of some hot liquid in it. I eagerly slurped it down, letting the steaming drink swell and warm my insides. Purple Hair no. 2 watched on with a look of deep concern on his face. His gaze was on my hands.

"Sorry, but you shouldn't have been outside during a blizzard like that. What's your name?"

I popped my head up and licked a bit of hot chocolate from my lip. "Oh. I'm Dawn," I gave him a suspicious look, but it didn't last long; I dunked more of the hot liquid down my throat. It felt so nice. "Who are you?"

"Reggie. Him over there? That's my younger brother, Paul," He made a jarring motion with his thumb to point at the staircase, where Paul was leaning back against the rail, scrutinizing me.

I nodded, flushing slightly red. "Thanks. I… I guess we should be on our way, then, huh Buizel?" There was no replying cry, and I panicked, analyzing the room. Once I saw her, though, I nearly laughed out loud.

"Buizel! To a stranger? Really?" I laughed, because she was by the staircase, or more accurately, by Elekid, trying desperately to wrap her little arms around the Electric-type. Elekid was hissing out in frustration, trying to get in a good whack at her.

Paul rolled his eyes at the scene as I giggled over the cuteness of Buizel's crush. He shook his head. "Just shock it, Elekid,"

"Hey!" I shouted, but it was too late. An angry hum resonated in Elekid, and a current of electricity swept from him into Buizel. She flopped over in a dead faint. I scurried over to where she'd gone down and scooped her up; as a newborn, she wasn't all that heavy.

"What's the big idea, Paul? She's only a baby!"

My rage flared as he offered me only a dark chuckle. "Your baby needs to control herself,"

"You think you're so good, do you?" I leaned up into his face in hopes of startling him. "Let's battle then. We'll see who's the better trainer,"

Suddenly, Reggie was animate and panicky. "Uh, Dawn, I don't know if that's such a good idea-"

"I accept," Paul cut his brother off with a slicing motion with his arm.

"Great!" I bounded across the room and flung open the door, stupidly. The second that was done, there was a rattling from the roof, and a barrelful of snow was dumped onto my head. The entire neighborhood must've heard my scream as Reggie and Paul erupted in laughter.

Reggie perched himself on a rock a number of meters from the backyard, which was to be our battlefield.

"This will be a two-on-two single battle. No items may be used. All two pokémon must be in a dead faint to signify a trainer's defeat. Got it, you two?"

I nodded, readying Buizel's pokeball in my hand. Paul's expression was unfazed as we both said, "Got it,"

"Alright, get going!"

"Buizel, your turn!" She was summoned to the field in a gust of blue light decorated with bubbles; my favorite capsule.

Paul scoffed and threw out the only pokémon I knew of as under his ownership; "Elekid, let's go!"

From the pokeball burst the Electric pokémon, glowing with yellow energy. Instantly, Buizel was starry eyed, and I wilted at the subtle strategy. He might as well have had Elekid use attract.

I bit my lip. "Use Quick Attack, Buizel!"

Hesitantly, Buizel's feet sped over the ground at the intense momentum that she had practiced. Her body moved so speedily that she became literally an orange blur rushing at Elekid. Paul merely stood and observed as Buizel came in range of his pokémon.

Just as she was about to crash into Elekid, she veered out of her path and skidded to a stop behind him.

I gaped. "Buizel? Why did you stop, girl?"

Elekid looked strangely smug as electricity pulsed through his forearms.

"Thunder Punch!" Paul ordered. Instantly, Elekid slammed his electrified fist into Buizel's side, causing her to cry out in pain. She collapsed in a static-y heap in the middle of the field, and I dashed to her side.

"Oh no! Buizel!" I knelt beside her to turn her onto her back. Two X's spotted either of her eyes. Fainted.

"You can always forfeit,"

I reabsorbed Buizel, thanking her for her effort, and smirked up at Paul. "I could," I reached for my second and last pokeball. "But that would be out of character for me,"

Paul looked amused as I tossed out my final pokémon.

"Show him what we've got, Croagunk!"

And from her pokeball, Croagunk appeared, his arms already steeped with glowing violet poison. He was my strongest pokémon and loved Buizel like a little sister.

"Time to whip Buizel's abusive little boyfriend," I laughed. "Now Poison Jab, Croagunk!"

"Elekid, Thunderbolt!"

It was now a test of speed. Elekid's body coursed with electricity, and a Thunderbolt was released from the prongs on his head straight for Croagunk.

I jumped at my idea. "Now toss a Mud Bomb at the Thunderbolt, Croagunk, but don't stop!"

Croagunk smoothly gathered a hard packed cannon of mud and chucked it up in the air to meet the electric attack. The sparks fizzled and flailed against the mud, but was quickly dissipated.

"Yes!" I cheered. "Now get it with Poison Jab!"

Obediently, Croagunk smashed his glowing purple arms into Elekid, sending him flying.

Paul's face contorted with shock as his pokémon slammed headfirst into the dirt. "Thunderbolt, again!"

After shakily getting to his feet, Elekid's prongs pulsed with more electricity.

"Mud Bomb!" I shouted, and Croagunk hurled another ball of mud at Elekid just as the latter unleashed a blast of electricity at Croagunk. The mud struck Elekid for a super effective hit, while Croagunk took a full Thunderbolt from the Electric-type.

Silence.

Paul watched in disbelief as the remaining mud sank to the floor, his fainted Elekid lying amongst it. Croagunk, however, was standing shakily, one hand pressed into the ground for balance.

Reggie looked incredulous as Paul returned the pokémon to the corresponding ball. "Paul's down to his last pokémon. This is interesting,"

"Hmph. Standby, Grotle!"

Grotle. That was the evolved form of Turtwig, and a Grass type, if I had my facts straight. Maybe a well timed Poison Jab would end it with a victory for me. But Croagunk was badly beaten, chest heaving with the effort of remaining conscious.

"Let's give it a Poison Jab, Croagunk!"

Croagunk's eyes lit with determination, arms seething with poison. He kicked up a gust of dust and shot at Grotle, while the Grass-type lounged lazily before his trainer.

"Sunny Day!" Paul's voice was coursing with anger, realizing how close he could be to defeat. Grotle's head lifted to the sky, summoning a huge ray of sunlight to blast into Croagunk's eyes. With a strangled cry, Croagunk halted the attack to sweep his arm over his face.

Paul was shouting orders like a machine. "Mud Shot, now!"

And it was over; Croagunk dropped his arms from his face just in time to be slapped at close range by the super-effective Mud Shot. He was thrown backwards off his feet, and I dashed up to catch him in my open arms.

"Croagunk…?" His blue body quivered, too weak to battle either way.

Reggie hopped off of the rock he sat on. "Looks like Croagunk is unable to battle. Paul is the winner,"

Paul shrugged, holding out his hand for his prize earnings. I pulled out about 500 and handed him the money.

Reggie patted my shoulder apologetically, and I murmured miserably to my fallen pokémon. "I'm so sorry, Croagunk. I didn't know he was that tough,"

"I guess it wasn't fair I didn't tell you,"

"Paul?" I whipped around to see him standing behind me with his hands crammed in his pockets, nonchalant.

"You won't beat me with that kind of weak strategy. It's so sad it almost makes me want to take those pokémon from you and train them myself,"

My eyes grew childishly wide. "You think they would be happier with a stronger trainer?"

He nodded, not expecting what was coming next.

"Then I'll just have to work harder to beat you then, huh?"

That stifled him for a moment before he bowed his head in a curious way so that only I could see his eyes. The sun bounced off the snow to cast a glassy glow on his eyes "You're never going to get better without somebody to keep you sharp,"

"Oh, really?"

He flashed me a quick smirk. "Yup,"

I pondered this, holding Croagunk closer to me. "So you're saying that I need a rival? I don't know. You might be too strong for a training buddy, if you get it,"

"Promise to give me more of a challenge next time, and I'll go easier on you," he compromised.

I smiled, foreseeing my victories over him in the future, among other things. "Sounds like a deal,"

It wasn't long before a little shiver rattled my body, yanking me away from Paul. It was only until that small gesture that I realized his face had only been inches from mine. His face lit up as if suddenly recalling something, and he took off through the snow into the sliding doors at the back of the house.

"Come in. You're going to get even colder out here," He slung open the door and slammed it closed behind him to disappear behind the black tinted glass. In my arms, Croagunk stirred a bit, and finally his black rimmed eyes opened as I trudged through the snow and into the house.

Nearly an hour later, a phone was pressed to my ear between my shoulder and cheek, words of debate flying from both me and my mother's tongues.

"You know I don't watch the news, so that's completely invalid, Mom,"

I heard her sigh crackle over the connection. "I told you it was going to be cold. Why don't you listen?"

"I can handle cold. That was a blizzard," I groaned, rubbing my forehead. Anyway, I knew she had only been worried, and I changed the subject. "But I'm fine, okay? I met two brothers, and I'm in their house. At least, I think this is their house…"

Paul, not glancing from his pokedex, corrected me. "Reggie's. I just mill around here when it gets too cold for travelling,"

"Thanks, Paul," Sarcasm coated my voice. "Well, what he said. I'll be leaving as soon as I can. The Pokémon Center is snowed in and I want Croagunk and Buizel healed before I take off,"

"Perfectly fine," My mother presented me with her best calm voice, but I could sense her worry. "Don't stay long, okay? You don't know these boys,"

"Sure. Love you, Mom,"

"Love you, too, sweetheart- oh, and one more thing," She paused for a good moment while I waited uncertainly at the end of the phone, toying with braided bracelet on my wrist.

"The younger one is your age, right?"

I mumbled an "Mhm,"

Another pause. "Just… be careful. Okay, honey?"

"Um, of course. Bye," I hung up the phone with those last words ringing in my head.

Be careful…?

Just as the relapse went through my head, a lean, threatening black car rolled to a stop in front of the house, as I could see through the window beside the front door where I stood. Reggie was in the kitchen, and Paul was absorbed in something he'd been reading on his pokedex, neither being able to notice the car. Painted on the hood was the number 89 painted on in white.

A stab of fear twisted in my chest, more than suspicion. The driver's door was flung open.

I stared, the terror growing into a hot white light. "Paul, Reggie! Were you expecting visitors?"

Reggie appeared in the doorway connecting the kitchen to the living room. "No, why-" His eyes then fell on the group of darkly clothed teenagers that emerged from the car, and horror struck his features.

There was a vicious banging at the door.

"Come on out, Paul! We know you're in there!"

Suddenly, the corresponding purple haired boy jumped to his feet. "Oh, shit! Not them-"

Reggie was suddenly in action; he whipped the phone from my hand and slung it back in place, hauling me from the living room while shielding me from sight.

"Get her out of here!" Reggie hissed, giving me a hard shove towards the back sliding doors. Paul was instantly behind me.

I was too shocked, nor was I strong enough, to refuse Paul's grip as he tugged me from the house. Tripping in the entire escape effort, I could only cry, "What is going on?"

Paul's voice was fast, dark and angry in my ear. "Just keep it down. I'll explain it later,"

Helplessly confused, I twisted around and ran as fast as I possibly could behind him through the thick blankets of snow in Reggie's back yard, and we tumbled into the forest to the dying barks of fury banging at the front door.