This... is not very long. It's kind of sad.
However, I'm still getting used to typing on this stupid iPad. I've been wanting to upload a story for the longest time, and now there's finally a way. I was pretty happy about that.
This is the first fanfiction I'm going to be putting a lot of effort into. I may ask for OCs later on, if I need them. Most of all, though, I just want to finish this. I have no reason to ask for reviews, because they won't make me write faster. Hate may make me write slower, but whatever. I'll finish this someday.
Now, before I bore you all with a longer A/N, here's Chapter 1.
The small girl brushed her long hair out of her eyes, staring up into the face of the Warrior. She looked frightened to say the least - eyes wide, holding on to her Treecko with trembling hands. The Pokemon had all its attention focused on the girl, patting her small hands comfortingly and repeating its name in a soothing tone. Despite that effort, the girl didn't seem to want to calm down.
The Warrior looked at her with interest. She wasn't the thing on the streets that stood out most, but it was clear he was looking at her. Something was strange about the girl. Perhaps it was the obvious trust that she and her Treecko shared. It wasn't a usual thing to see in one so young. She looked maybe seven or eight years old, with long, light brown hair and green eyes. Of course, it was hard to tell how old she was when she wouldn't stop shaking. "You two seem strangely close." he murmured.
"Hey, Takakage," one of the Warrior's companions yelled. He was standing twenty feet away, waving his arm dramatically. The girl's attention flew over there, her eyes landing on the Pansage sitting comfortably on the other Warrior's head, "Hey, what's the holdup? You coming or not?"
The first Warrior, Takakage, waved back. "Be right there!" he called over, casting a last glance at the little girl with the Treecko. She seemed to think she was being ganged up on by the Warriors, glancing nervously back and forth between them. Her Treecko seemed less at ease as well, having just noticed the Sewaddle riding on his shoulder. Takakage sighed, then turned to walk away.
"What was that about?" Motoharu asked, leading the way toward the castle.
"That girl has an unusually strong bond with that Treecko." Takakage replied thoughtfully.
"And you were wondering if Lord Hideyoshi would be interested, since he wants as many people as possible to be friends with Pokemon, right?"
Takakage nodded with a chuckle, "Yeah, that's exactly it. You know me too well."
"There's no such thing." Motoharu replied with a grin, "Now hurry up. We're going to be late because you had a staring contest with a kid."
The girl stared at the retreating Warriors with cautious eyes, not loosening her hold on Treecko. The grass-type pulled itself away, grabbing the girls hand and beginning to lead her away.
"Oh, you're right," the girl said softly, following willingly, "Brother wanted me home soon, because it's almost night time. I forgot."
The girl was wearing simple clothing. It was green, her favorite color, and matched Treecko's tail. The outfit wasn't difficult to move around in - it was in fact the opposite. Her hail was pulled out of her face by a dark blue bow, though much of it had escaped at this point. She stood out with these colors amid the brown and orange garments of the majority of people in Ignis, but she had come from Fontaine with her brother and didn't think much of it.
She was a few feet taller than her Pokemon, and had to bend over for the Pokemon to drag her along, but she didn't mind that. She knew that someday, if Treecko got strong enough, she would become a Grovyle, and then a Sceptile. The girl had spent many days memorizing the names of Treecko's evolution family. Her brother had laughed and congratulated her when she'd told them to him, saying that she'd be a great Warrior someday if she could keep up the learning. She hadn't been totally sure of what he meant, but she liked getting praise.
Treecko dodged between people, forcing a path through the thick crowd. A few of these people had learned to get out of the grass Pokemon's way when it came charging through with the young girl in tow. It had only been happening for a few days, since her brother had finished unpacking their stuff and gave her permission to wander the city. She spent most of her time staring at the things she didn't understand. All of the sights were much different than in Fontaine. At least Treecko dragging her around was the same as always. It was a source of comfort.
When Lord Hideyoshi, the Warlord of Ignis, had captured Fontaine, he'd asked the girl's brother to join his cause. There hadn't really been much of a choice, but the brother had accepted and moved the two of them to Ignis.
The girl looked back, seeing the sun beginning to set. "Hurry, Treecko!" she urged, running faster herself, "We have to be home before dark, and it's almost dark!"
Responding to her words, the Pokemon put on a burst of speed and dragged her through the remaining crowd. The pair didn't slow down until the sun was halfway below the horizon and the house was in sight. With a sigh of relief, the girl slowed up. She'd make it home just before dark, which was all her brother had specified.
Treecko led the way confidently to the gate, only to stop suddenly. Peering ahead, the girl recognized the silhouette of her brother standing outside. She took the lead then, letting Treecko climb onto her back.
She realized that she looked messy, with her hair coming out of her bow and dust on her pretty green clothing. Most of it was from the mad dash home, but her brother didn't know that. All he'd see was the bedraggled child in front of him and he'd assume something bad happened. There were two things her brother cared about: battles, and his sister.
The girl walked slowly to him, staring at her feet. She hadn't wanted to worry him, and the fact that she'd been so late and that she looked so messy was bound to be worrying. Without a word to her, he led the way inside. The girl followed slowly.
They both sat down, though the girl couldn't meet her brother's eyes. She couldn't shake the feeling that she'd done something wrong, even though all she'd done was come home late. Treecko patted her head softly.
When the girl didn't speak, her brother did. "Why did you come home so late?" He didn't sound accusing or angry, to her relief. Still, she hung her head.
"I got distracted," she mumbled, still not looking up.
There was a pause, during which she assumed he nodded. "Ignis is pretty big and strange, isn't it." It wasn't a question, but she nodded. "I'm sorry we left Fontaine."
That surprised the girl enough to look up at his face. He didn't look angry, or upset in any way. He looked exactly like he sounded: sorry. His Oshawott was patting his shoulder much like Treecko was patting the girl's head.
"Why did we leave?" the girl asked, only just noticing the tears in her eyes. They had probably come when she'd realized she'd worried her brother, and stuck around ever since. She didn't usually cry, but it made sense that she would be upset. After all, her brother was the most important thing in the world to her, along with Treecko.
"I told you before," her brother said, "Lord Hideyoshi captured Fontaine and asked me to join his army. It wasn't up for negotiation." he closed his eyes, and leaned his head back. "It was my fault, really. I lost the battle, and therefore lost Fontaine. The city wouldn't have been the same if we'd stayed, anyway."
The girl had heard it all before, but hearing it again made her feel worse. "Why did he attack Fontaine?" she asked, turning her head away. She couldn't pronounce the Warlord's name, and even if she could have, she wouldn't. The girl had decided that she hated him.
Her brother knew what she meant, however. "Have you heard of the Legend of Ransei?" he asked. When she didn't reply, he went on, "Whoever unites all of Ransei will have the legendary Pokemon who created Ransei appear before them. Since this legendary Pokemon created Ransei, it stands to reason that it could change it. Lord Hideyoshi wants all people to be able to link with Pokemon, not just Warriors and Warlords. So he's trying to unite the region."
The girl recalled what the Warrior with the Sewaddle earlier had said, something about her bond with Treecko being surprisingly strong. It made sense, then, that he'd stared at her so oddly. His Warlord wanted more people to be like her.
Suddenly, the girl hated him a lot less.
"If I was trying to unite Ransei," the girl mumbled, "I would let big brothers and their sisters stay where they lived before. Treecko and I could do it on our own if we had to, so nobody would be forced to move."
Her brother smiled, "That's a good way to think, Ray. But to be a Warlord, you need a castle and a few followers, and a goal."
The girl thought about that for a moment. "I would make it so that nobody would be forced to fight when they don't want to. It would be peaceful Ransei, not everyone fighting Ransei."
Treecko nodded in agreement, moving to sit next to the girl.
"That's a great idea." her brother said, shifting to face her directly, "But now you need a castle and some followers."
"That comes later." the girl pointed out, "I'm little now. I couldn't unite Ransei while I'm little."
Her brother smiled, "Yeah, I guess you're right. It would be hard to get people on your side when you're just a kid."
He stood up, then looked right at her. "But, now it's time for you to go to bed. I have a war council to attend, and I shouldn't be late. Treecko, please make sure Ray gets to bed."
Treecko saluted, and the girl's brother walked out of the house.
Ray walked herself to bed without Treecko's help, her mind filed with ideas for when she was older. "When I grow up," she murmured to Treecko before falling asleep, "I'm going to be a Warlord and unite Ransei. I'll be like my brother and Lord Hidoshi."
Treecko patted her head as she curled up on the pillow next to Ray. The girl had pronounced the Warlord's name wrong, but at least she'd tried to say it.
Man, I hate the way I write. More detail in the beginning, and then much, much less in the end. And it's super short. I'll have to make the next one longer.