Thank you for reading our story! This only follows one of the characters within the story. If you want to have all the information and know the full plot, go to our profile and read the other Books, The Book of Raphael, The Book of Mal, The Book of Felix and The Book of Eve.
Innocence is like glass. It provides the illusion of clarity, but is in reality a barrier. It can be shattered, so quickly, so easily.
Joy is the emotion of innocence. It comes with the illusion of purpose, security, comfort. It can disappear so quickly, so easily.
Laughter is the sound of innocence. It is the sound which shakes the glass—until it shatters that glass, and lets reality in.
As she ran down the hillside, ringing laughter echoing, the six-year-old girl was the epitome of innocence. She was followed by a small black Pokémon, a Zorua.
They ran through the Icirrus marshes, watched by Palpitoad and Stunfisk and Tympole. There was laughter, innocent laughter. The Zorua yipped and leapt through the air, transforming, suddenly, into a mirror of the girl, with the same white dress, the same white-blond hair, the same pale skin, the same innocent, violet eyes. The two danced through the marshes, followed by legions of curious Pokémon, smiling and laughing and playing all the way.
The laughter suddenly stopped with a flash of purple light.
It evanesced, and so did the sound. For a moment there was just the girl, standing still, her eyes wide, her friend, back as the Zorua, standing beside her. Around them the grass was flat, and water rippled away. Everything seemed as though a wave of force had come from the girl as it's epicenter, and flown through the area. The wild Pokémon had scattered.
The girl's eyes widened.
And then she began to laugh again, and her eyes blinked closed and opened again with that same endearing innocence. The Zorua laughed too, and the two ran through the marshes once more, ignoring the Psychic accident that almost happened.
From the city above watched the girl's mother, a woman with brown hair and warm eyes. Beside her stood a young woman by the name of Caitlin.
The mother was pained. "How powerful?"
Caitlin smiled kindly. "Very."
The mother closed her eyes. Not what she had wanted to hear. "How long can I put it off?"
Caitlin shook her head. "You can't, not really. She's an accident waiting to happen."
The mother turned away from watching her daughter, facing the Psychic. "Is it selfish of me, wanting her to stay here with me? Even though she could hurt someone? With Caius away, I just can't…"
Caitlin shook her head, putting up her hand. "It's perfectly understandable. But Sonia needs some form of training. Her power is mostly dormant now, but it's one trauma away from coming out, or simply awakening on its own."
The mother licked her lips. "I just... don't want to send her away."
Caitlin bowed her head. "My academy will take very good care of her."
The mother held back her tears. "Could you… block it?"
"Block her power?" Caitlin frowned.
Yannoa nodded.
Caitlin looked slightly taken aback, not seeming to have expected it. "Not permanently, no," she replied slowly. "But I could ensure it remains inactive for another few years." Her eyes sharpened. "But after that, she really will need the training."
"I don't want her out of my sight," the mother whispered. "Not now. Everyone in town sees her and they turn and walk the other way. The Dragonspiral incident terrified everyone." She gestured to the young girl, sitting and playing with the Zorua and a wild Palpitoad. "Now, I see my daughter. But sometimes she's… different. I'm scared they're right. I'm scared that something did happen to her in that tower."
Caitlin didn't respond for a while. "I can't pretend that everything will work out. Your daughter's presence is powerful. I can feel it from here. But there is something off about it. The town, like it or not, is right, professor Darkin. Your daughter is not normal, even for a Psychic."
"You will do it, though?" Professor Darkin pleaded. "You'll block it?"
Caitlin looked resigned, but she nodded. "I will."
Professor Darkin opened her mouth to thank her, but Caitlin was gone. She looked back to her daughter to see Caitlin standing beside her. The member of the Elite Four bent down so she was facing the girl. She said something to her, and the girl looked confused. The Zorua leaped up onto the girl's shoulder.
Caitlin put her hand on the girl's other shoulder and smiled.
The mother turned away. She couldn't know, but she had just asked Caitlin to trap something dark and terrible within her daughter, something which may have been purged had she allowed her daughter, Sonia Darkin, to learn about her Psychic power at this age.
It was something that would transform Sonia Darkin from innocent young girl, to something else. Perhaps to a violent monster.
Only time would tell.
A/N: Reviews to help improve this story would be welcome. Thank you.