So, this is basically a re-write of that questionable "Out of the Dark" Shadows of Almia story I tried to write some time last year or something.
I'm not really sure how consistent my updates will be, but I'm determined to not abandon this (or wait like a year before posting another chapter).
Enjoy!
Out of the Dark
It was warm.
At least, that was the first thing that went through his mind when the boat reached its destination. There were barely any clouds in the sky, allowing the sunlight to rain down. It was definitely warmer than Wintown, but Kellyn was pretty sure almost anywhere was warmer than Wintown.
With a smile, he departed the ship with his backpack thrown over one shoulder and his suitcase in his other hand. As he reached solid ground, a soft, sea breeze began to blow, ruffling his hair gently. He turned, scanning his surroundings (and narrowly dodging an apparently very busy, very frustrated passenger who almost knocked him over). Tugging at his backpack strap, he started to make his way away from the ship and towards the bustling town ahead. It was a relatively short walk to what he guessed was the edge of the town – Pueltown, he reminded himself, catching sight of a map with the town's name clearly emblazoned on it – as the buildings suddenly ended and it transformed into a thick forest.
Kellyn paused, making sure his suitcase was standing upright before twisting his backpack around to the front (he guessed, amused, that this was probably why the strap was so worn and looked like it was about to break) and unzipping it. He tugged out a map, grimacing as he noticed the various creases, but it was still legible, so it wasn't too bad. Muttering to himself, he decided that he was most likely at the entrance to Vien Forest, a large expanse of trees that separated Pueltown from its closest neighbouring town of Vientown. Folding the map up and shoving it into his pocket (there was no point in putting it back in his backpack, because he might need it again), he swung the backpack around and slipped his arm through the other strap, making sure it was secure, and grabbed for his suitcase before making his way into the dense forest.
Luckily, it wasn't as bad as Lyra Forest, because there wasn't a maze that he had to make his way through. He watched, smiling, as a group of combees buzzed past him, before his attention flickered over to a buizel and a wartortle playing around in the river. As he made his way across the bridge over the river, he frowned as it creaked slightly at his weight, but it wasn't anything too concerning. It was an extremely vibrant forest, he noted, as a flock of taillows soared overhead, and very lively. His train of thought slowed as he heard the sound of people talking, and then the faint cry of what he guessed was a miltank. With a smile, the speed of his pace increased slightly, and before he knew it, he was stepping out of the forest and into a town. It certainly wasn't as busy as Pueltown, but there were still various people walking around (though it was mostly elderly people and hyperactive kids), and it reminded him faintly of Ringtown.
Kellyn stared, before remembering why exactly he was even there, and stopped again. He dug into his pocket, pulling out the map, and studied it for a moment. He glanced up, trying to determine where exactly he was in Vientown, but it made little sense (well, he had never been that good at reading maps anyway, so it wasn't surprising). With a frown, he folded it up and put it back in his pocket. He caught sight of an elderly woman, cheerily talking to some combee, and nodded to himself.
"Um, excuse me?" he spoke up as he approached her. She turned to him with a toothy grin.
"Hello, dear!" she greeted, and the combee buzzed happily, evidently mimicking her happy mood. "What seems to be the problem?"
"I…I'm new here, and I'm wondering, uh, if you know where the Ranger School is?" he stumbled over his words slightly. He wasn't normally like this, but he guessed it was because he wasn't used to Almia yet – because, after all, he'd only lived in one region his entire life.
"It's so lovely to see a child doing something to help the world," the elderly woman remarked, before she motioned in the direction of another path that headed into a bunch of trees. "Just follow that path there, dear. It's a straight line to the school."
"Oh, uh, thank you," he smiled, only just remembering not to forget his manners, before waving at her slightly and making his way in that direction.
He faintly heard her response of "you're welcome", or something along those lines, before he was walking down yet another forest-y road. It definitely wasn't as long as his trek through Vien Forest, as it wasn't long until he reached a bridge that stretched over a large expanse of water. He hummed thoughtfully, staring at it for a moment, before moving forward to walk across it. His footsteps echoed solidly as he made his way across. The sound of water filled his ears, and Kellyn couldn't hear the sound of the wind rustling the trees as much anymore.
As he reached the end of the bridge, there were still trees to his right, but to his left he saw a tall, solid wall. He smiled, directing himself so he was walking up against the wall. He placed a hand on it, letting it slide across as he moved forward. A minute later he reached a tall, metal gate. Kellyn paused, brows furrowing, and forgot just how he was supposed to get inside.
"Hey, you're Kellyn, right?"
The voice startled him, and he nearly dropped the handle of his suitcase. His gaze flickered over to a man, his face somewhat shadowed by a blue cap, who was smiling at him. He nodded, before realising that he was supposed to speak.
"Uh, yeah, that's me," he confirmed.
With a sharp nod (though if it was for Kellyn or for himself, Kellyn wasn't sure), the man moved forward and unlocked the gate. He tugged it open just enough so Kellyn himself could slip through, before closing and locking it behind him. The man smiled at him, and motioned with his head to follow him up the stairs in front of them. Kellyn complied, almost effortlessly lifting up his suitcase and carrying it all the way up.
"I'm Mr. Kaplan, just for future reference," the man introduced himself with a bright smile, and it was strangely welcoming and made Kellyn feel a little bit more at ease. "I'll be testing your capturing ability."
He nodded. He'd known, even before applying, that he'd have to go through this sort of entrance exam.
As they reached the top of the stairs, Kellyn paused for a moment, looking up in awe at the giant building that loomed over them. It was one thing to read about it, he noted, but it was another thing entirely to see it. He heard Mr. Kaplan chuckling, probably at his expression, before Kellyn noticed that the man was walking towards the small building closer by. He jogged slightly in order to catch up, but when they got there, Mr. Kaplan instructed him to leave his belongings outside.
"Can't have any cheaters, you know!" he commented cheerily, and Kellyn wondered just how someone could cheat with a backpack and a suitcase, but he complied anyway, setting his belongings down in the shadow of the building, before following the man through a pair of automatic doors.
Their footsteps echoed slightly, and Kellyn realised that the inside was a lot bigger than he'd expected. His brows lifted as he studied the room, even twisting around to inspect the walls.
A soft cry was what brought his attention back to Mr. Kaplan. Next to the man was a small, yellow pokemon, which he had no trouble in identifying as a pikachu. Its red cheeks sparked, and it let out another cry as it scampered slightly towards him.
"Hey," Mr. Kaplan exclaimed, loud enough to bring his attention from the pokemon. The man chucked something at him, and he caught it just before it went flying over his head. Glancing down at it, he recognised it instantly as one of the school's capture stylers.
Cool.
"So, kid," Mr. Kaplan crossed his arms over his chest, and motioned with a nod of his head, "let's see what you've got."
And with a bright grin, Kellyn pointed the capture styler at the pokemon, pressed a button, and the top went flying out.
This, at least, was something he knew how to do.