I like Pokémon and I like Attack on Titan, so I thought I might as well combine the two. Only, this isn't a crossover fic. The concept of AOT is borrowed, transported, and then molded into something that fits into the world of Pokémon.
This story contains action, adventure, horror, mystery, and romance. Most relationships found inside will be slowburners, but hints are made early on. Characters set to appear in this story will be from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh.
Real life animals exist in the universe I'm attempting to create, as well as Pokémon, who are taking on the role of Titans, and therefore will remain as proper nouns. It'll make sense as the story goes on.
All characters and settings belong to Pokémon.
The Hunted
The morning sky was clear and rich, painted in hues of blue, with streaks of cerulean, azure, and sapphire spread out on the horizon. The sun shone with a fierce intensity, with rays of light reflecting off of the thick glass windows of the townhouses below. Pallet Town was alive with activity, caught in the middle of the afternoon lunch rush, and the daily market spree. People were walking, talking, laughing. The enjoyment and general excitement was radiant, infectious.
A young boy, with hair as golden brown as caramel, stood amidst the commotion, his eyes searching the area around him for something, for someone.
"Where is she?" he whispered, irritated.
His gaze, golden and intense, swept across the town square, falling on a trio of children, who were squatting over on the pavement as they drew unusual shapes into the cement with colored chalk. Their hands were covered in blue, red, and green dust, but they did not seem to mind it, continuing their sketches merrily and with the utmost joy.
"Looking for someone?"
The voice he heard was sweet like honey, but terribly, terribly sticky. The young boy knew it could only belong to one person: Leaf.
Blue Oak scoffed. "More like annoyed," he said, turning his head. His eyes traveled upwards, from the dull white shoes on her feet, to the deep magenta of her skirt, to the powder blue of her blouse, and finally to the look of feigned innocence on her face. "What took you so long? I've been waiting here all morning."
"Poor baby," she said with a slight pout, mockery replacing the feigned innocence of her countenance. "I got distracted coming over here, if you must know."
"Sounds about right," Blue said under his breath.
"Oh, shut up," she said, folding her arms over her chest. "I doubt you were waiting here all morning."
Blue folded his arms over his chest, and scowled. "I was here, bright and early. Just like you asked," he told her. "So, what is it you wanted to tell me?"
Recollection flashed across Leaf's face, and her expression became animated, perhaps to extremities. She leaned forward, so that she was standing mere inches from Blue, and placed a small hand on his forearm. A broad smile tore at her full lips, as if she had the world's best kept secret and she was dying to tell.
"Not tell you," she said. "Show you."
Blue's eyebrows scrunched together, and a deep cut frown took shape on his face. "Show me?"
Leaf nodded, her thin fingers curling around his wrist as she tugged him closer. Her voice was low, but still held a hint of amusement and mischief. The sweet but strong smell of cherry blossoms wafted up to his nostrils, tickling the inside of his nose. "Do you want to see it?"
A cold, hard glare replaced the scowl on his face, and Blue suddenly felt as if this whole business was a waste of his precious time. Time in which he could have spent elsewhere. Doing things more important than playing games with an obnoxious and pesky girl like Leaf.
Knowing her, Blue could only guess what sort of thing she wanted to show him. In the past, she would lure him in with false hopes of something grand and spectacular, only to find himself severely disappointed. A dead bird, an army of maggots crawling out and around a rotting piece of food that someone had dropped on the way to the garbage, an old woman bathing in a window. All of which were things Leaf showed him, hoping to elicit a reaction of amazement or perhaps amusement.
None of those emotions were ever felt. On the contrary, Blue felt annoyed, and a bit disappointed in himself for going along with her. And yet, each and every time she told him she had something new to tell or show him, he found himself coming back, slightly curious.
She was a pest, that Leaf.
"Just tell me what it is," he said, unamused.
Leaf tutted. "I can't. You wouldn't believe me."
"Really?"
She nodded, and then batted her eyelashes, dark and long, and contrasting to the light color of her skin. She stuck out her bottom lip, pleading with him.
He rolled his eyes. "Fine," he said, huffing in displeasure. "Let's go."
Beaming brightly, Leaf let out a small cheer before yanking him forward with unforeseeable strength. Her grip on his wrist was tight, iron-like, as she pulled him across the square and to the other side of Pallet Town. She led him even further than that, which was surprising to him, since normally Leaf's 'show-and-tells' involved objects found inside the town's boundaries. As she tugged him along, under the stone watchtower, Blue's mind began to run wild with thoughts about what she could possibly want to show him.
He eyed the soldier standing on the balcony of the stone watchtower warily, worried he would stop them from leaving. But, Blue remembered the soldiers stationed out here, in the towns furthest from the Interior, cared little about what went on around them. Citizens of the towns like Pallet, New Bark, Littleroot, and Twinleaf, to the soldiers, were plebs. And, not much happened in terms of 'action' either.
They were in the Garrison branch of the military, tasked with watching and guarding the Walls, and the citizens who lived in the outlier towns. But, since the threat of a Pokémon attacking was so slim inside of the Walls, the soldiers of the Garrison were lax. Lazy freeloaders who lived off of taxes, bored with being stationed so far from the Interior that they could care less about discipline and propriety.
Blue scoffed at that. If the soldiers were so bored with being stationed in Pallet Town, then they should have tried harder to rank into the Military Police Brigade than being content to ending up in the Garrison. Never mind the Survey Corps. Only a fool with a death wish would become a Scout.
The outskirts of Pallet Town were flat and barren. The grass was wild and unkempt, and in some spots, dead. It stretched long and wide, all the way to the Wall. White oak trees sprouted out of the ground, but there were only a few of those. They had been planted far away from one another as well, so they stuck up like missed hairs on a man's face after his morning shave.
"Should we even be out here?" Blue asked, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the back of Leaf's head.
"No one said anything to me or Red when we went out here the first time," she said.
"You and Red?"
"Yeah."
"Is he…?"
"Red's waiting for us out here," she told him. Her neck twisted slightly as she gazed back at him, coffee-colored eyes wide and sparkling. "It's actually him who has the thing I want to show you."
Blue frowned again. "Really?"
Leaf dropped his wrist. "Yes," she said. She raised her hand, and pointed into the distance, to a larger tree that sat mere inches from Wall Palkia, its branches stretching, scraping against the structure. "He's right over there."
Following her finger, Blue caught sight of a boy, who had chestnut brown-colored hair that poked up in different directions, sitting up against the tree's trunk. He had removed his jacket and was cradling something in his arms. His gaze was focused on whatever it was, so he did not see them.
Leaf cupped her hands over her mouth. "Red!"
The boy's head jerked up at the sound of his name being called, and he glanced around him until his gaze settled on Leaf and Blue standing quite a ways away. He waved when he saw them.
"Come on," she told Blue, starting off into a short run over to the oak tree.
Blue found his feet moving on their own. His curiosity had peaked as he wondered what Red was holding. As he approached, he saw that his neighbor and childhood friend had cradled the bulge to his chest, and was rocking it gently.
A wary and suspicious glance was shot over at Leaf from Blue as he stepped closer.
"Don't get too close too fast," Red told him, his voice lower and softer than if usually was. "You might scare him."
"Him?" Blue asked.
Leaf placed her hand on Blue's back, and then pushed him gently to his knees beside Red. She knelt down as well, and smiled softly. "You'll see."
She reached out and lightly tugged at Red's jacket, revealing a small, yellow…thing. Blue was not sure what to make of it at first, but then, realization crashed over him like a tidal wave. He sprang to his feet and began shaking his head, chuckling lowly.
"Oh man," he began. "You've done some idiotic things, Red. But, this tops the cake. This is the crowning achievement of it all." He started clapping slowly.
Red's face flushed the same color as his name, and he pulled the creature bundled in his jacket closer to his chest, as if meaning to shield it from Blue. He was embarrassed. And, when he looked to Leaf, the corners of his lips pulled down into a frown.
"I told you," he said miserably. "I didn't want to show him. I knew he would react like this."
Leaf looked disappointed.
"React like what?" Blue asked mockingly. "Red, I know you're stupid, but I didn't think you were this stupid. Do you know what you're holding in your arms right now?"
"Yes."
His voice was quiet and curt. He was going on the defensive, Blue knew. Red was a boy who usually kept to himself. He was a shier one, and only ever opened up around Leaf, who was basically his sister, and Blue. And, even with him, it had been hard to break through his walls. So, naturally, Red was reverting back into his usual guarded, silent self.
"What?"
"A Pokémon," Red told him. "A pikachu."
Blue hollered, and shook his head in disbelief. "A pikachu. A fucking pikachu. You do realize that Pokémon are dangerous, right? I mean, you had to have realized that. What do you think this Wall is for?"
Red was glaring hard at the ground. He would not say anything, Blue knew. He was not a fighter. The pikachu that was bundled up in his jacket was still tucked away under his arm, shielded from Blue, as if he would hurt it.
"Blue," Leaf began. "Listen, you need to stop shouting and making all of that noise. You're going to wake up Pikachu."
He rolled his eyes. "Why? Are you worried it's going to attack?"
Leaf scowled, and rose to her feet, stepping in front of Red and the pikachu. "Maybe."
"Do you even know what Pokémon are? What they can do?" he demanded. His eyes swept over his companions, taking a moment to glare at them equally. Red still would not meet his eyes. "They're killers. Monsters. They've killed millions of people, and they're going to kill millions of more."
"Pikachu isn't like that," Red said defensively. "He's gentle. He wouldn't hurt us. He's small. He isn't like the others. The others are big. Colossal. Pikachu won't hurt us."
Blue shook his head. "You don't know what you're talking about," he said. He swallowed heavily as a memory started to unearth itself from the deepest parts of his mind. "You don't know what they can do."
Red stood up just then, much to Blue's surprise, and he held the pikachu up, shoving it slightly in his face. "What?" he asked, his voice unsteady. "What can Pikachu do?"
"Get it out of my face, Red," he growled.
"What can Pikachu do to you, Blue? What can he do?"
"Get it out of my face."
The pikachu was awake now. Its big, round eyes were wide open, staring back at Blue, and appearing a bit confused to be jostled so roughly. Its black nose twitched slightly.
When Red pushed it forward toward Blue again, the boy knocked the yellow-furred Pokémon out of his arms. It fell, screaming in alarm. Red made to go catch it, but Leaf snatched his wrist and yanked him back, just as a jolt of electricity erupted from the pikachu's small form, shooting straight up into the air, the sound of thunder clapping, echoing off of the Wall.
Red gaped and Leaf placed a dainty hand to her mouth, her eyes wide with terror. Pikachu had unraveled itself from the jacket, and was standing on all fours, its tail erect. Its teeth, white and pointy, were out as it eyed all of them in turn. It was on the defense, or, possibly, the offense. Blue noticed a coat of light was now surrounding it.
"Not like the others, huh?" he asked sarcastically. He flicked his hair out of his eyes and scoffed. "Dumbasses."
Red knelt down and tentatively reached his hand out for the pikachu, but as soon as it saw him, Pikachu scurried backwards toward the tree. It still looked ready to attack, and the light around its body was growing brighter, more intense. Blue made to step forward for his friend. Red had been wrong about the Pokémon, yes, but Blue would not allow for him to be electrocuted.
"Hey!"
The voice was deep and rugged, and held hints of about enough authority in it to cause the trio to turn around. Coming up toward them was a short and stout man, with hair as white as snow and whiskers that stuck out from his face, making him look like a walrus. He wore the standard military uniform. A copper-colored jacket and dark brown leathered boots that extended past his knees. He was quite far from the trio, but he was jogging, and would be before them within a few moments.
Blue, Red, and Leaf watched him as he neared.
"What are you kids doing out here?" he asked when he was close enough.
"Playing," Leaf told him, sweetly. "Is something wrong, Mr. Wattson?"
"Yeah," he said. "There was an electrical bolt of some sort that came from this direction." He finally came to a stop before him, and appeared out of breath.
"Really?" Leaf asked, incredulous. "I guess I must have missed it." She shot Blue and Red equal looks. "You two see anything?"
Blue turned his head back to the tree trunk, where he had last seen the pikachu, but was surprised to see it was gone.
"No," Red said quietly. He was not one to look directly into a stranger's eyes. But, Wattson was not a stranger. He was a familiar face around Pallet Town. Blue saw him more often than the other Garrison soldiers, but he supposed Red did not feel as comfortable with the man.
At the moment, Red was also staring at the tree trunk, his eyes fixated on something shining in the dead grass. It glinted slightly when the sunlight that filtered through the oak tree's leaves beamed down on it. Blue had to squint his eyes to get a better look.
"What about you, Oak?" Wattson asked.
Blue craned his neck back in the direction of the Garrison soldier. He voice was steady. "No. I didn't see anything at all."
Wattson knitted his eyebrows together before glancing up at Wall Palkia. "Huh," he said. "Must've come from outside then." He focused his attention back on the three kids before him. "You should get back into town. If there are Pokémon on the other side, Arceus knows what they might be up to."
Red nodded quickly and leaned down, scooping up his jacket. All the while, Blue watched him charily. Leaf's face seemed to be holding the same expression, just not at Red. The trio stepped forward, quiet and hesitant, as Wattson led them back to Pallet Town. When Blue glanced back one last time at the tree, he saw that the glittering object in the grass had disappeared. Similarly, one single thought seemed to be on all three of the children's minds: what happened to Pikachu?
The rain was heavy, barreling down on the soldiers of the Survey Corps as they rode forward, their horses, coursers, galloping at top-speed through the forest. The redwood trees around them were tall, about three hundred feet in height, with branches so thick, a person could ride a horse across it. The clouds overhead were dark grey, blanketing the sky in darkness. Any hint of sunlight would have been graciously accepted by the soldiers, for the darkness made it harder to see them. To see the Pokémon.
There were about twenty-five soldiers, all of them riding steadily, grim and serious expression on their faces as they pushed onward outside of Wall Palkia. They were on an expedition, hoping to find out more information about the rouge Pokémon that seemed to clutter around the Walls, but to also take out the rather large one that was seen earlier this morning. Everyone usually became antsy whenever a larger Pokémon was spotted. It was the Scouts' duty to eliminate that fear, providing the feeling of safety and security to those who reside on the other side of the outermost wall, Wall Palkia.
At the helm of the group, riding a courser as black as coal, was the Commander of the Survey Corps himself. His hair was whipping back, vermilion in color, blowing rapidly in the wind and rain as he rode onward. His green cloak flew behind him, like a cape. He had raised himself slightly off of his horse, his amber eyes set in front of him as he scanned the area for the Pokémon.
Behind him, an older bald man, who elected to grow a long white mustache rather than hair on his head, was riding almost as quickly. He kept pace with the younger man, his own cloak floating in the wind, just not as majestically.
"Commander," the older man shouted through the rain. He squinted his eyes as water droplets fell into them. "Sit down. We don't need you falling off of your horse."
"Enough of that, Drake," a woman called out. She was riding on the other side of the Commander. Her courser was white like the moon, and it appeared to be glowing. It was a horse unlike the others, who had fur in shades of brown, and black. It stuck out, not necessarily a good thing, as it would potentially attract the attention of a Pokémon. But, the woman liked it. It was her horse.
She adjusted her goggles, something she used to see as opposed to her regular glasses, which would have undoubtedly fallen off, and graced her fingers against her scarlet hair that had been tied back in a ponytail.
"Lance doesn't know how to keep his ass in a saddle," she said. "Especially when it comes to Pokémon."
Drake, the older man, huffed, but kept a watchful eye over the Commander as they continued to ride.
Commander Lance tilted his head upwards at the sudden and unmistakable sound of a Pokémon. It was somewhere nearby, howling in the downpour. He was on the alert, and whipped the reins in his hands, inciting his courser to ride harder and faster.
The sound grew louder as the Scouts rode closer. Lance held out his left arm just then, signaling to those on that side of him. "Formation," he commanded. "Pokémon approaching to the north. We split into three groups. Left, right, center."
Drake was riding on Lance's left side, and he held up his arm for those behind him. "My team, with me," he shouted.
Lance thrusted his right arm out, in the direction of the scarlet-haired woman. "Lorelei."
The woman nodded, and pushed her white horse forward. "Keep a sharp eye out," she shouted behind her. "We don't know what we're up against just yet."
The right-side team led by Lorelei rode onward, leaving Commander Lance with only six soldiers. But, it mattered not how many Scouts were with him, Lance was the Commander for a reason. Despite his young age, he had skill in taking out Pokémon, and a natural ability to lead, to garner respect. As unsafe as it was to be outside of the Walls, the best place in terms of safety would be behind Commander Lance.
The Scouts surged ahead. The hooves of their horses beat down on the ground hard, making it sound as if a band of drummers were with them, hitting their instrument passionately. Rain continued to pour from the clouds above and soaked the soldiers to the bone. Some of them shivered, from the cold or from fear of what was to come.
Lance kept leading his team straight until he saw something off-colored in the distance. Trees blocked him from getting a clear view, but there was no mistaking the pale grey color that gleamed in the darkness.
"Dismount!" Lance commanded. "Gear up!"
The six Scouts behind him prepared their omnidirectional mobility gear, in which enabled them to get to higher ground over larger Pokémon, and to attack them at their weakest point, something that could not be done if they were grounded. The sound of grappling hooks being fired soon filled the air as the Scouts zipped toward the trees. Lance launched himself out of his courser's saddle with finesse as his grappling hooks pulled him to the branch of a nearby redwood.
As his grapples reeled themselves back into his gear, Lance caught sight of a soldier standing a few feet away from him on the same branch. It was thick and wide enough for more than one person to stand on, so he did not worry about their weight causing it to come crashing to the ground.
Though he gave her a sideways look, Commander Lance focused his attention on the other soldiers who were waiting for his word in the surrounding trees. "Prepare for attack. We wait for signals from Drake and Lorelei."
He hoped they spotted the Pokémon already, and were preparing for the all-directional assault.
His attention turned to the woman standing with him. Her hair was blue, light azure and tied up in a thick ponytail that swayed over her lower back, and she had her gloved hands fisted around her Dragon-blades. "Stay near me, Clair," he ordered.
She said nothing to acknowledge she heard him, and instead kept her eyes out in the distance. She was not exactly submissive to his command, but her lack of reaction gave insight into how acquiescent she was, at least when it concerned him. He was not a permissive cousin, and Clair never once defied him. He was her commander. The Commander.
"Commander," Drake shouted. His grappling hooks were shot into the redwood tree beside the one Lance was on, and he swung forward until he landed lithely on his feet. "Left-side is prepared for attack. I caught sight of the Pokémon," he said, his hands coming to a rest over his own Dragon-blades. "Draconic. It's a Dragon-type."
Lance nodded. "Lorelei will want it."
"You bet your sweet ass I do," Lorelei said, appearing on the same tree branch as the Commander and his cousin. She nodded once at Clair before stepping over to Lance. "Ice-blades work best against Dragon-types. Unless the Dragon Triad wants to give it a go."
Drake scoffed so loudly, it was heard even through the rain. "Dragon Triad," he mumbled with a shake of his head and a smile on his thin lips.
Commander Lance did not appear as amused, not even a ghost of a smile broke on his face. He frowned at Lorelei until she held out her hands defensively, signaling she meant it as a joke, and grabbed for the hand-controls of her gear.
"I'll get to it then," she said. "I'm taking center now, yes?"
Lance nodded stiffly.
Lorelei pressed down on her hand-controls, shooting out the grappling hooks as she swung back toward her team. The right-side would move to the center, while Lance and Drake's team would provide the cover from the sides. Though, with Lorelei's skills, there was no doubt she would need much backup. Her team of eight soldiers would suffice.
An ear-splitting howl echoed throughout the trees just then, and a Pokémon appeared. It was completely massive, with a grey body and six thick, clawed legs. It was draconic, as Drake said, with jet black wings that appeared to be ink-like in consistency. There were also a row of blood-red spikes that lined the top of its wings.
Lance yanked his Dragon-blades out and stepped forward toward Clair. She was closer to the Pokémon than he was, and appeared to be ready for the fight. A look of determination was present on her face, which was slick with rain water, with blue bangs clinging to her forehead and cheeks. Lance knew that look. She wanted to fight, but he would be damned if he let that happen. As long as he was around, she was his responsibility. She was about to press down on the hand-controls of her gear when he reached her, and held out his arm to block her from moving.
"Stay near me," he told her again with gritted teeth. Then, he whipped his head back toward the Pokémon.
Lorelei was waiting in the tree branch just above it, her Ice-blades, cool, thin steel swords that shone light blue, were gripped in each of her hands. Her team had flanked around the Dragon-type Pokémon as well. They were ready.
Commander Lance shot his arm up into the air, signaling for Lorelei to move. In an instant, her team was swirling down and around the Dragon-type Pokémon. It caught sight of them, and roared in anger, but they were moving too quick. Blades glinted in the air as they sliced down at the Pokémon. Their cuts did little but distract it, but that was what they were hoping to do.
Lorelei, while the beast's attention was focused elsewhere, shot the hooks of her gear forward and into the Pokémon. It pierced the grey skin of its long neck. Lorelei rocketed forward, with her Ice-blades held back, ready to carve up the monster's nape. As she neared, however, the Dragon-type Pokémon beat its wings, flapping them at the eight Scouts swirling around it. The blood-red spikes on its wings slashed and pierced all of those who were unfortunate enough to make contact with it, and they were sent flying to the ground and trees. Then, the Pokémon cried out once before snapping its neck back, focusing its pale blue eyes on the scarlet-haired woman rushing toward it.
Lorelei seemed to realize her mistake far too late, for terror flashed in her eyes as the Pokémon opened its maw. She closed her eyes tight, prepared for death, when, suddenly, the Pokémon vanished in a cloud of black smoke.
The hooks that had clung to the Pokémon's neck, acting as an anchor for Lorelei, fell, sending her soaring to the ground. She was quick to react, however, once she felt the cold wind rushing against her. She twisted and then launched the hooks out toward a nearby redwood.
"That was a close one!" she hollered as the cables of her gear reeled her in. "For a second there, I thought I was d―!"
The black cloud of smoke that had appeared in the place of the Dragon-type Pokémon suddenly reappeared, condensing and retracting together. It was like a wormhole had opened, and soon enough, the Pokémon had returned. Its eyes were now glaring red, as opposed to the pale blue of before, and it rushed forward with great speed, slamming Lorelei full-force. It tore into her, slicing right through her chest.
Her gear stopped retracting, and she started falling to the ground below, dropping at least twenty feet.
"Lorelei!" Misty, a Scout who had served under the scarlet-haired woman, cried out. She readied her gear in an attempt to intercept Lorelei's body before it hit the ground, but another Scout held her back.
"Commander!"
"Kill it!" Drake shouted, as he brandished his Dragon-blades. His eyes were trained on the Dragon-type Pokémon. "Kill it, now!"
"Lorelei!"
"Commander!"
"Kill the Pokémon!"
Commander Lance jetted forward with his omnidirectional mobility gear, landing on the tree branch where Drake was. The bald man was livid, and looked just about ready to fly down and attack the monster, but Lance reached forward and grabbed the collar of his shirt, slamming him back into the tree trunk.
"Commander Lance?" he gasped.
"You aren't killing anything, Drake," Lance said, his voice almost like a growl. "Keep your head on straight."
"We need to…we need to…"
"We don't need to do anything without first having a plan," the younger man said. "Rushing in like an idiot will get you killed."
Drake held his hands up to his collar, struggling in Lance's grasp. He peered into the Commander's eyes for a long while, and then, realizing his mistake, he hung his head in shame.
"Commander!"
Lance turned his head just as a Scout landed on his tree branch. It was Falkner, another soldier who served under Lorelei.
"What is it?" Lance asked, releasing Drake's collar.
The older man clutched at his chest as he gasped for air.
"The Pokémon," Falkner began. "It's trying to escape."
The Dragon-type Pokémon was beating its massive wings, attempting to expand them. Around it, the Survey Corps soldiers watched on in terror. It had moved with such speed, and sliced through Lorelei like she was butter. They had never seen something so enormous, so terrifying before. The Pokémon before them was unlike anything they had ever known.
"I want to regroup," Lance said. "We need to recollect ourselves before we―"
His words were soon cut short when the Pokémon screamed. The sound was high-pitched and sharp, like nails on a chalkboard. The Scouts brought their hands to their ears to protect themselves from the awful noise.
The Commander stalked over to the edge of the branch and stared as the Pokémon, now glowing with a black light, launched itself straight up, above the trees and into the dark rainclouds. He kept his eyes locked up on the sky for a long while, waiting, anticipating the Pokémon's return.
It never came.
Leaf was watching the birds fly off, wings spread wide, gleaming in the afternoon sun, soaring over Wall Palkia, as she sat, perched on the slanted, crimson-tilted roof of her house. Well, the house she shared with Red.
Beside her, Red was seated closer to the edge, his feet dangling freely through the air. His hair was blowing gently in the wind.
She sighed. "Sorry."
He was gazing out at the distance, probably still thinking about Pikachu, the one he had found when the two of them had been actually playing by the Wall. The Pokémon, small, and yellow, and cute, had been injured. They did not know how it got to the other side of Wall Palkia, but it was there. Weak, tired, and hungry. Red had reached out for it, nursing it back to health, despite the danger surrounding it and the possibility of him getting electrocuted. The pikachu did not attack him, though. Instead, it had accepted his aide, and seemed to appreciate his efforts and generosity. They had actually known the thing for a few weeks. It was only today that Leaf suggested they share their secret with Blue.
"It's okay," he murmured.
"Blue's a difficult one," she said.
Red grimaced and absentmindedly picked up a piece of gravel from the roof, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger. "Yeah, I know."
Leaf pressed her hands to her thick hair, and pushed it back, out of her face. "I didn't think he would react like that, but I guess I should've known," she said dejectedly.
"Known what?"
She stared down at the streets below, and then to the adjacent house, with its red door. Blue's house.
"That he wouldn't have accepted Pikachu like you and I did," she said softly. "His father was a Scout, you know."
Red turned his head sharply in Leaf's direction. "His father was a Scout?" he asked. "How did you know that?"
"He told me," she admitted.
"I've known him longer than you, but he's never said anything about his father. I just assumed he left his mom or something."
Leaf offered him a small smile, but it did not reach her eyes. "If only that was just it," she said. "But, no. His father was…killed by a Pokémon. I don't know the exact details, but that was what Blue told me."
Red seemed to be digesting everything she said, for he was quiet for a long while. He pulled his arm back, and flung the piece of gravel out into the air, watching it land in the streets below. Leaf fiddled with the hem of her blouse, deep in thought herself.
Just then, something glinted in the light, catching her eyes, and Leaf brought her gaze back up at Red. He was holding something new in his hands. It appeared to be a jewel. A crystal. It was light yellow in color, and only about the size of a fist.
"Woah," Leaf said, her mouth parting. "What is that?"
Red shrugged slightly. "I'm not too sure."
"Where did you get it?"
"I found it earlier," he admitted shyly. "When we were by the Wall with Blue. Before Mr. Wattson came. It was left by the tree."
"Yeah?"
Nodding, Red ran his thumb against the crystal, rubbing it gently. "I wonder if Pikachu left it behind," he said, more to himself than to her.
Leaf tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she leaned closer to Red, hoping to get a better look. It would make sense, if Pikachu left a crystal behind. It could be a parting gift of some sort. Perhaps Pikachu wanted to thank Red for helping it, for healing it. Leaf did not know too much about Pokémon, but maybe they were able to create crystals out of nothing.
Suddenly, a bell started ringing in the distance, and Leaf and Red perked their heads up. The bell only meant one thing: the Scouts were returning.
Red peered off in the direction he knew the soldiers of the Survey Corps would be coming from. There was a small gate that rose in between the Wall. It was only ever used by the Scouts, who traveled through it when they journeyed outside.
Leaf noticed he had a hopeful look in his eyes, and she smiled softly.
"You want to see them?" she asked.
Red turned and parted his lips. "I…"
Leaf sprang to her feet and rolled her eyes. She offered him a hand up. "I know you do, Red, so don't lie. Come on, let's go."
A smile tore at Red's lips, and he took Leaf's offered hand. Together, they retreated back to the ledge that jutted out from the house, dropping carefully down onto the sill that belonged to the window of Red's room. They stepped inside and made their way down the stairs and into the common room, where Delia, Red's mother, was standing over the table, wiping it with a towel. She was a woman of average height, with hair the same light shade of brown as her son. Her hair was usually tied back, and today, it was resting over her shoulder.
She beamed at them. "Where are you two off to so quickly?" she asked.
Red look embarrassed. He was a bad liar, and he had not even opened his mouth yet. His cheeks flushed, and Leaf had to place her hand on his shoulder to provide him with some comfort.
"Out to Professor Oak's place," she lied.
As hard it was for Red, lying came natural to Leaf. The trick involved keeping a level and steady voice. Any wavering and hesitation would give away the lie immediately.
"Really?" Delia did not sound convinced, but that was because Red looked so guilty. His mom did not like the Scouts, or the fascination her son had with them, which was preposterous. Red did not really want to join the Survey Corps, Leaf knew. He just idolized them. But, Delia did not believe it was just reverence, and was certain he had some crazy idea to join them someday. She would not let that happen, and forbid him from fantasizing after them.
Leaf nodded and squeezed Red's shoulder sharply to get him to knock off the guilty look he was wearing. "Yes," she said.
"Red?"
"Huh?"
"Are you two really going to Professor Oak's?" she asked sternly.
"Uh…" he began. "Y-yeah."
Delia raised an eyebrow. "I don't believe it for a second," she said. "I just heard the bells chiming. The Scouts are back."
Red nodded lamely. "They are…"
"And, you two are going to see them."
"Shit," Leaf cursed under her breath.
"N-no!" Red's voice raised an octave.
Leaf had to fight the urge to hit her palm to her face.
"You're a bad liar, Red," Delia said. "I can see it on your face." She turned to Leaf. "And, you. Don't let him talk you into going on these crazy adventures. You're a good liar, Leaf, but you've lived here long enough for me to know when you're telling lies."
"We were just―"
"Uh-uh," Red's mother said, cutting off her son's protest. "Back into your rooms. You aren't going to see the Scouts."
There was no use arguing against Delia, so Leaf hung her head with a sigh.
It was later in the afternoon, closer to supper-time, and light was flooding Red's bedroom, filling the space with a warm gold and orange color. He was sitting at the edge of his mattress, the yellow crystal he had found earlier in his hands. He was turning it over absentmindedly, his eyes focused elsewhere.
A knock on the glass of his window pulled his attention back to reality. It was Leaf, squatting on the sill outside. She was smiling and pointing for him to open the window.
He rose from his bed, stuffing the crystal back into his pocket before going over to see what she wanted.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
Leaf made a face, as if the question he asked was ridiculous. "We're going outside," she said.
"My mom said―"
"We can't go see the Scouts, yeah, I got that," she said. "But, the Scouts are gone. I'm sure they passed through Wall Dialga hours ago."
"So?"
"So," Leaf said. "We're going to get some fresh air. Plus, Blue's outside now."
"How do you know that?"
Leaf tossed her brunette tresses over her shoulder proudly. "I know when Blue's outside."
Red accepted the explanation. As far as Leaf was concerned, Red figured it was better to go along with everything she did rather than question her.
She stepped back just then, making room for him as he stepped out through the four-paned window. He made sure to pull the glass down gently. He did not think his mother would get too upset if she found he and Leaf were gone, as she generally allowed them to do whatever they pleased as long as it did not concern the Wall or the Survey Corps. But, he could not be too careful.
Now crowded together on the window sill, Leaf sat down and let her legs hang freely in the air. It was windier than before, so her skirt was blowing wildly in all directions. She did not seem to care if she happened to be exposed or not, and stared down at the streets below.
Leaf swung her legs and then shimmied off of the edge, landing in a crouched position in the street below. Red was hesitant, but knew she would not wait for him if he took too long. It had happened before. He soon jumped off the sill in a similar fashion as her, just not as gracefully.
Red hated dropping from his house. It was a long fall and it hurt his feet, and he worried his legs would break every time they did it. That was why they rarely took this route. Leaf knew he disliked jumping from the sill, but she must have figured it was their only way out of the house. His mother could be like a dragon guarding a keep when she was mad. It was better to not test their luck with her.
Beside him, Leaf was squatting on the pavement as she pulled at her socks. Her skirt was flying more rapidly than before, and her thick brown hair spiraled around her as she stood up. Even Red felt the wind's effects as he rose to his feet.
"Look!" she said, grabbing his arm excitedly. She pointed down the street at Blue, who was talking to his grandfather, Professor Oak. She cupped her hands over her mouth. "Blue!"
Blue perked his head up at the sound of his name and found that it was Red and Leaf who were attempting to attract his attention. The boy huffed and rolled his eyes before turning away.
Leaf frowned but waved at him again. "Blue!" she called. "Blue Oak!"
Blue was obviously trying to ignore them, but that did not seem to bother Leaf, who tugged Red forward toward their neighbor's house. She continued calling after him, so much that Professor Oak himself started staring intently at his grandson, sending him pointed looks.
When they got closer, Red heard Blue say, "Later, Gramps. I've got things to do, people to see."
He took off sprinting down the street.
"Hey! Blue, where are you going?" Leaf shouted. She released Red's arm and bolted after him.
Red stuffed his hands into his pockets sheepishly as he was left with Professor Oak. He gazed after his friend and his neighbor as they ran off, and then decided he should go follow them.
"How are you, Red?" Professor Oak asked.
Red shrugged. "I'm fine."
"Everything okay with your mother?"
"Yes."
"Good, that's good."
Red kept his eyes on the ground, but tried a smile in Professor Oak's direction. It ended up looking more like a grimace.
"I…I should go…" he said awkwardly.
Professor Oak nodded, offering him a bright grin. "You keep an eye out for that sister of yours. She's a rowdy one, especially concerning Blue."
Red did not think he should correct the older man, and, instead, grimaced again before starting off into a jog in the direction he saw Leaf and Blue go.
Leaf was not his sister, despite what everyone in Pallet Town thought. She was taken in by his family when she, when he, had been ten. That was two years ago. Everyone seemed to believe they were siblings though. They looked similar to one another, as far as physical characteristics went, so he could see where the idea came from.
After running quite a bit, Red found Leaf and Blue in the middle of the town square. Leaf had tackled Blue to the ground and was sitting on his back, pinning him to the pavement.
"Get off me, you pest," he complained.
"Nope," she said. "You don't run away from me when I call you."
The civilians of Pallet Town were watching the two of them with humorous expressions. Some of them snickered, but eventually returned to their business. When Red approached, he frowned at Leaf, and then gave Blue an apologetic look.
"Leaf," he said chidingly. "Get off of him."
Leaf stuck out her bottom lip, but obliged. She pushed down on Blue's back before springing to her feet. Blue groaned in pain and displeasure before rising from the dirty pavement.
As he stood, he opened his mouth to tell Leaf off, but his words were cut short when something exploded near Wall Palkia and a bolt of lightning shot into the sky. The world around them shook and rocked, as if they were caught in the middle of an earthquake. The trio stumbled as the ground swayed, and Red had to hold his hands out for balance. Around them, the building and houses of the town square wobbled. A few people fell over. A baby was crying.
And then, it appeared.
A humongous monster with grey skin and black wings that spread wider and longer than anything Red had ever seen before. It had pale blue eyes, so terrifying and frightening that Red felt paralyzed in fear. It appeared to be staring down at them, at all of them. It was flying up against the Wall. The Wall that was supposed to be one hundred and sixty-five feet in length. The Wall that was supposed to be too high for any of the Pokémon to reach, to fly over, to break through.
Red did not know who started it, but soon enough, everyone was screaming.
A/N: So that was the first chapter. Obviously, if you've seen the anime or read the manga, then some of what happened should be familiar. I figured I might as well start the story off in a similar way. It will be like this for a while, but the story will deviate as it goes along.
To those who haven't seen Attack on Titan, you're in luck because you don't need to have seen it to know what's going on. Everything will be explained as the story progresses. But, I do recommend watching it, or at least searching up 'Attack on Titan opening' in YouTube to get a feel of what I'm talking about when I described the gear and stuff. Plus, the song is epic.
Thank you for reading, and feel free to leave any thoughts or comments.
