Lunar Eclipse
By Sheik-Lovin' 'UserID 124707' Rose-chan
I've had this sitting on my hard drive for about six months, so I'm finally getting around to posting it. Given my spectacular track record with multi-chapter fics, don't expect a pile of updates. Pokemon isn't mine, yada yada yada.
1. In The Beginning…
Before there was anything, there was only The Watcher. The Watcher, in his power, created the world and all life. It could not exist without him, and he is what allows us to keep on living, for he took his place in the sky as the Sun and watches over everything. Without the Sun, there is only death and darkness.
Yet, with all his power and wisdom, The Watcher was alone. He had many servants, but none he could call equal. He had created a world but had none to share it with.
So to one of his servants he gave his light and power. She is The Lady, and her light is softer and purer than the burning ferocity of The Watcher. She delighted in it, enjoying her light as she thanked Her master and took her place by his side as the Moon.
Though the other plantfolk look up to The Watcher for guidance, we chose The Lady as our mistress. This angered the Night Birds, who declared us unworthy of her light, or of The Watcher. We were lesser beings, and they called for our destruction.
Yet The Lady was angered at the birds, and said that they could not make decisions that belonged to The Watcher. He, too, went against the birds; Murkrow's beautiful white feathers were forever blackened and sullen, and Noctowl's children, Hoothoot, would only ever be able to use one foot; they were easy targets for predators.
There were still repercussions. We are hunted today by vengeful birds who live under The Watcher, hoping to catch us off guard as we sleep and avenge their comrades. Noctowl and Murkrow are forever our enemies, and will never forgive or forget. But we continue to live, for we are The Lady's favourite servants and She shall never abandon us.
…
…
…
"Rel! Dreaming again, I see."
"Wh – oh. Hey, Zul. How's it going?"
"I'll tell you how it's going! I'm actually working, instead of staring at The Lady all night like you!"
Brellis shook his head. "She's so beautiful tonight…" he murmured, glancing up again at the Moon. Even when her power was waning, like tonight, The Lady was always the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
"That's your excuse every night," Zulrie muttered.
"You're saying she's not?"
"No! No, of course not. That's not what I meant and you know it. The Elders are getting tired of this, Rel. You have to pitch in sooner or later otherwise they'll have to do something about it. They don't like you lazing around all night when winter's not far off."
"I can't help it! Surely you know what it's like, to just take one glance, and be mesmerised?"
"When winter comes, her power is given to strengthen The Watcher and we can no longer rely on her protection. Anything will eat anything. We'll need the seeds to be good and buried if they're to survive until spring."
"Right, right, I'm going. Geez…"
"That's the spirit! You can stare all you like come summer, but right now we need to be careful."
"Uh huh." Rel glanced at his sister and frowned. "Don't we have to be careful anyway? The birds don't disappear in summer. If anything, it's safer in winter because they've all migrated."
"Oh, come on! Are you saying you'll stay up to watch her in freezing temperatures and all the other ravenous hunters who suddenly don't mind eating plants if it means not starving to death?"
"All right, you have a point. Still, if you think about it…"
"Hmm…s'getting dark. We may as well camp here," declared Ben, dismounting from Kreen and recalling the Rapidash. "You've been good today, girl, get some rest."
Ten minutes later a fire was lit and Ben let out his pokemon to rest before snuggling into a sleeping bag himself. Vex the Bellossom yawned hugely, making him grin as he settled down to sleep. This really was the life…
He dreamed his mother was a giant bird constantly nagging at him to do better, how he should have been a scientist like his father and how it was wrong to imprison animals like that. He tried to reason with her but she started to scream in anger, charging at him as if to peck his face off. He yelled and woke with a start, looking around wildly for psychotic, face-pecking birds. None were there, of course, and Kreen was looking at him strangely. He shook his head and settled down, before noticing Vex watching something intensely. This wasn't normal – Vex was usually the first one asleep, and the last one to get up in the morning.
"What is it?" he asked, causing the plant pokemon to hiss at him slightly. Vex put a green arm to his mouth in a universal gesture for silence before pointing to a clump of grass outside the firelight. Ben watched carefully, starting when he saw some leaves move; an Oddish on its nightly prowl.
It was curiously inspecting the camp, apparently unaware of Ben and Vex's watching eyes. Ben motioned to Vex, who nodded; a second later and the Oddish was enveloped by Sleep Powder. It wobbled slightly, blinking and looking about in its stupor, before it finally fell to the ground asleep. It didn't look like its level was very high, but Ben used a Great Ball just in case. The ball shook once, twice, three times; Ben grinned and high-fived Vex as the Great Ball disappeared in a beam of white light to his PC. He had a spare Leaf Stone he'd bought before he found out you got Bellossom with a Sun Stone instead, the shopkeeper having failed to mention it to him at the time. It wouldn't be part of his main team – no way was he replacing Vex – but he could use a Vileplume for his Pokedex. He was still two days away from Lavender, so he'd have to alter his training plans once he got there.
The would come in the morning. Right now, he wanted to sleep.
End part one