This story is co-developed by Titan127.
Disclaimer: Pokémon is a registered property of Nintendo, the Pokémon Company, and GameFreak. This work respectfully uses the world and characters of the Pokémon series, with no intent of harm on the original creators. Please support the official releases of the Pokémon franchise.
Chapter 1: Sunrise (4,989 words)
To Ciel, the village of Mahogany seemed the type to take any excuse to party. He couldn't tell if they were partying to celebrate the two new Gym Leaders or to honor Pryce in his retirement. Nobody he asked really seemed to know, and he'd bet that no one really cared.
Mahogany village was definitely… a village. There were only about twenty buildings in total, including the Gym. He was certain the entire population of the small hamlet had gathered. They were excited to have an opportunity to throw around a few drinks and dance into the night.
Ciel busied himself with conversation. Only a few locals were around his age and he neither knew nor could immediately remember any of their names. That was alright. Either there would be plenty of time to get familiar with everyone if he stayed in Mahogany, or it wouldn't matter. He still hadn't decided yet.
He felt himself growing ever distracted as he tried to maintain a chat with the people in front of him. Two older women, holding drinks and doting on him, and another guy his age vied for his attention. None were getting it, as he was too deep in his own thoughts.
Ciel had lived in Goldenrod City for his entire life and had graduated from Goldenrod High School less than a year ago. Since then, he'd been content to continue living with his parents and take some basic jobs to make money until he made his decision.
He liked to consider himself more prepared than most. He knew what he wanted to do. His parents were both trainers. He'd watched competitive battling since he was a kid. He already had a partner Pokémon, and his Trainer Card was registered as soon as he left high school. More than anything, he wanted to be a Pokémon trainer himself.
Being a Pokémon trainer meant leaving home. He'd travel around his home region of Johto and undertake the Gym Challenge. Most major regions in the world had a series of Gyms, institutions where rising trainers proved their mettle by battling against a Gym Leader. Each Gym Leader specialized in a certain variety of Pokémon and acted both as tests for new trainers and as representatives of their home cities. His own parents had taken up the mantle to represent Mahogany.
Ciel wanted, no, needed to be a Pokémon trainer. He needed to rise to the challenge and be the best person he could be with Pokémon at his side.
He just didn't know if he was ready to take that step. Ciel knew what he wanted, but he didn't know what being a Pokémon trainer meant to him. Every trainer had a purpose, but he didn't have the slightest clue.
The teenager was snapped out of his conversation—and his distracting thoughts—by a tug on his arm. Looking down, his eleven-year-old sister Laina had a miserable look on her face. Absolutely miserable. "I want a cookie," she pouted.
He held back a chuckle at her expense. "I suppose you're just going to have to wait until they bring food out, sis," he told her, wide grin on his face.
"But, I want a cookie!"
Ciel poked the tip of her nose, causing her to flinch. "Don't pout. Don't you know that patience is a virtue?"
"Cookies are a virtue too." She crossed her arms and turned away, grumbling. Laina let out a huff, puffing her cheeks until they were adorably red.
"Hey, Laina, let's go find Mom," Ciel said.
He bid goodbye to the people he was speaking to and waded through the thick crowd that flowed around the communal center of the village. Banners were strung up across the buildings and on posts, complete with hanging lights and torches burning into the sky. Ciel was in awe of the colors displayed around them, starting to really appreciate the atmosphere and the happiness that the celebration was bringing.
People danced freely. Everywhere he looked, men and women, men and men, women and women were locked in arms and tossing their weight around to the beat of live folk music. Screams of joy were silenced with alcohol before crying out again in jubilation. A constant chatter held in the air, feeling both inviting and overwhelming.
Ciel called back. "Laina, you still there?"
"Yeah!" his sister shouted, pumping her short arms in the air.
He reached down, grabbed his younger sister's hand, and squeezed tight. "Stay with me, alright?"
The siblings weaved through the crowd, watching it thin out. Ciel narrowed his eyes overhead. He looked for tell-tale signs of the Mahogany Gym where his parents were likely to be. They'd disappeared after their formal introduction at the beginning of the celebration and the people of the village quickly forgot about them.
They left the party crowd completely, and Ciel sighed in relief as he spied his mother speaking to a frail-looking old man. He was wearing a fine blue coat, and Ciel suddenly wished he had something to fight back the chill.
"Oh?" The old man noticed them as they approached. He was leaning on a cane. "Might these be your children, Kori?"
"Yes. I thought you had met them before," his mother said.
The old man sized up the siblings. "Definitely not. I'd trust myself to remember faces that look like such magnets for trouble!
The man let out a cough-ridden laugh. Ciel felt embarrassments in his cheeks. He wasn't a trouble magnet. Usually.
"Mom, who is he?" Laina asked.
"Kids, this is Mister Yanagi, the former Gym Leader of Mahogany," his mother introduced. "He's the one whose position your father and I are taking over."
The old man raised his eyebrows. "You bunch are a long way from Goldenrod."
Oh. Ciel mentally slapped himself. Mr. Yanagi's face was on pictures his mother kept in her bedroom, and he'd seen the man sparsely on the internet and on posters. He was one of the strongest and most famous trainers in the entire region.
He held out his hand. "Pryce Willow Yanagi. It's a pleasure, young man."
"Ciel Fauder," he introduced, taking Pryce's hand with a firm shake.
"I'm Laina!" his sister cheered next to him.
"Well, it's certainly nice to meet the both of you. I'm sure my Gym is going to be in good hands with your family."
"That's up to her, sir." Ciel pointed at his mother.
"I suppose it is. You're a Pokémon trainer yourself, aren't you?"
"Yes, sir."
"Drop the sirs."
"Sorry, sir. Err… sorry."
"Drop the apologies."
"Sor- wait..." Ciel cut himself off, causing Pryce to throw back his head in laughter. His mother gave him a dirty look. Ciel's cheeks were heating up again. A few moments of silence left the entire situation feeling a bit awkward, and he was still getting cold.
His sister approached the man, causing him to look down. "Are you a strong trainer, mister?"
"That's a good question." To meet her eye, the former Gym Leader gripped his cane and slowly lowered himself to a crouch. He smiled.
"And what's a good answer?" She asked.
"I've traveled the world over with my Pokémon. We've seen quite a lot together and understand each other better than perhaps I do any person. So, I suppose you can say I am strong in that regard."
"Well, mom's still the strongest trainer I know," Laina contested, crossing her arms.
"I wouldn't go that far, sweetie," his mother said. "He did teach me nearly everything I know, after all."
"Oh, don't flatter me, Kori. By the time you reach my age, you'll have far been my superior. Your husband is nothing to scoff at either. I've seen his tournament work."
If only he had anything beyond that, Ciel thought to himself. He wouldn't say it aloud, of course.
His sister changed the subject, having lost interest in the conversation. Laina said, "Mom, I want a cookie."
"The food should be ready soon. Would you like to go get one and dance at the party?" his mother asked.
His younger sister flashed a wide smile and threw her arms in the air. She shouted, "Okay!"
His mother took his sister's hand and led her back towards the crowd. His sister was excited beyond recognition, and it was clear even in the late evening that she wasn't going to bed anytime soon. "Take care, Ciel. Tell your father we're going to enjoy ourselves!"
"Sure, I will," he lied.
This left him alone with the former Gym Leader, who was eying him with a raised eyebrow. Ciel stared up at the Gym, a large building adorned with icicles hanging off of its roof. It was an old building, he guessed, painted plainly in white with a red roof. A sigil of the Pokémon League hung worn over the door.
Pryce kept silent, and Ciel was forced eventually to meet the man's eye. His short form looked swallowed within the scarf he was wearing. Despite his body looking frail, his eyes had a distinct fire betraying both his age and his Type specialization.
"Sir, err…" he caught himself again. "Do you need something?"
Pryce smiled. "No. I don't think you could give any more answers than I already have."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
The man slammed his cane into the frozen ground, causing Ciel to startle. The fire was burning brighter now, and Pryce's face was marked by the combination of a youthful eagerness and a veteran's confidence. Reaching into his coat, the former Gym Leader retrieved a red and white capsule.
"Would you like to find out?"
Ciel was frozen, and not due to the approaching chill of the night. He was being challenged to a Pokémon battle. It wouldn't be a friendly skirmish between a few of his friends back in Goldenrod or a half-hearted waste of time with random trainers on the street. A real one. A battle against one of the strongest trainers in the entire region.
He didn't know how to respond. Still unsure of himself and hardly able to call himself a trainer, there was no way he could win. However, he did know one thing. A true trainer never rejects a challenge.
"You're on, Mister Yanagi," he said.
He ruffled back his hair and curled his thumb and index finger into shape to whistle. The ringing sound echoed into the air around them. He sunk his hands into his pockets, waiting for his partner to appear.
He expected Raven to make a show. She'd drop the shadows and growl menacingly to prove her own intimidation factor. Absol was a menacing Pokémon species—felines with black skin yet white fur and a sharp sickle-like weapon protruding from their heads.
Ciel watched with disappointment as his Absol slowly strolled from the direction of the crowd. At regular intervals, Raven stopped walked and stretched her legs, yawning as she did so.
Both Pryce and Ciel stood in awkward exasperation as the fluffed creature took to the field. He gave the man a shrug, to which Pryce turned away and held a fist to his mouth to prevent himself from laughing.
"Look who finally decided to show up," Ciel scolded, as Raven stood her ground in front of him. She responded with another yawn.
"Strange for a Johtoan trainer to have such a Pokémon. Is there a story behind that?"
"A bit of a long one," he said.
"I'll ask some other time, then." Pryce grinned and tapped his cane on the ground. "Are the two of you ready?"
"Ready as we can be," Ciel said. His Absol agreed with a half-hearted growl and gave her best attempt at a battle stance.
"Well, now it's my turn. Piloswine!"
The old man lobbed the Poké Ball skyward with surprising dexterity. The orb rotated in mid-air until it popped open, releasing a stream of glowing red light. Striking the ground, the energy of the stream solidified into the construct of a Pokémon's body. The red glow flashed and dissipated into the night sky, revealing the powerful, fur-coated body of Pryce's Pokémon. Piloswine was a bulky mammal with powerful tusks adorning its head
"Since we don't have a referee, I'll give you the first move. Hit me with all you've got, young man."
"Raven, use Slash!" he shouted, thrusting his arm forward.
His Absol bounded forward with a strong push from her back legs. She crossed the battlefield with surprising speed and closed the distance in a second. she torqued her head in the direction of her bulky opponent.
"Catch, Piloswine," Pryce commanded.
Piloswine met Raven's charge with a bite. It chomped down onto the Absol's blade as it swung to connect with its head, stopping her momentum and putting the two at a standstill. The two creatures' eyes locked and Raven released a pained growl at the pressure.
"Now, if you would," he started, tapping his cane again. "Take Down."
"Raven, get out of the way!" Ciel shouted, realizing what a poor situation he put his partner in.
His warning made no difference. A sickening crack sounded and his Absol's body was flung across the arena, sliding through the cold dirt in front of him. He had a strong urge to run to his partner to check for damage, but that was technically against sanctioned battle rules.
Raven stumbled to her feet. What he'd found in their time together as partners was that her species was relatively fragile; rather than being naturally defensive, they were more inclined to dodge and outmaneuver their opponents to circumvent that weakness. It was his own fault that he urged her to charge forward without a plan.
"Okay, Raven, approach him slowly. Don't drop your guard!" he shouted.
Following his command, his Absol slowly stalked forward, still shaking from the previous blow. Pryce watched the Pokémon with an amused expression, but he didn't call an attack. The feline stopped of her own accord, planting herself about a meter away from the Piloswine.
Now was his chance. "Quick Attack!"
Raven closed the distance and slashed across the Piloswine's fur. The lunge was quick enough to catch it off guard, even at close range, and Raven bounced back to safety before the creature could deliver another bite. Unfortunately, the Piloswine either wasn't injured or it completely ignored the injury it sustained. The two Pokémon once again locked eyes, exchanging growls.
The old man stared around their makeshift battlefield in front of the gym for a moment, as if contemplating something. Rather than order his Absol to attack, Ciel took the tense pause as a generous few moments for her to recuperate. He could still see her sway and clenched his fist. He swore at the thought of her sustaining a permanent injury.
Pryce then looked back up and grinned. "Yes, this should do. Piloswine, Ancient Power!"
An eerie glow invaded the air as Pryce's Pokémon focused a strange energy. Loose dirt layering the ground around them lifted into the air with ease, some particles flying haphazardly out of range of their battle.
Ciel nearly lost his footing as large chunks of dirt and stone were wrestled from the ground into the air by the mysterious force. Holding his ground, his eyes widened as he saw the empowered stones flying towards him and his partner.
"Hit the deck, Raven!" he yelled before kicking his legs out from underneath himself and dropping to his stomach.
His partner did the same, but the delay in her reaction caused her to be hit directly by one of the flying boulders—a small one. It tore a cut across her hide, though superficial, and she cried out in pain. Ciel stood to his feet. He tried to call another attack but hesitated.
He couldn't just overpower his opponent as he had in a few previous battles. Raven was a strong Pokémon, even if she was untrained compared to most, but Pryce's highly experienced, likely aged Piloswine was on an entire other level. Pryce to him was the same. Neither he nor his partner were fighting a battle they could win, and he was fully aware of that.
He moved to call out another attack but felt himself hesitate as he opened his mouth. What could they do that wasn't an act of desperation against an unbeatable opponent? What was the point of even continuing the battle?
"Don't tell me you're giving up already!" Pryce taunted from across the now scarred battlefield. "I can see the uncertainty written all over your face."
Ciel grit his teeth, hating that the man was right about his hesitation. But what could he do? Raven only knew about three attacks, but Piloswine could probably counter each of them or shrug off damage like it did to her Quick Attack. Should he go for a Slash again, since it was his most powerful option? No, that would also be the easiest for his enemy to counter.
"Come on, young man! How are you going to get anywhere if you let a little doubt keep you back?"
"But sir, you're way better than me. I don't have a chance."
"And you're letting that stop you?" There was anger in his words.
"But sir, I—"
"You'll fail, then!" he bellowed. It inspired fear to hear such power from such an unassuming, fragile person. "You can't succeed if you don't take risk. If you bow out of every risky situation, the only roads left won't be worth taking! What kind of success, what kind of life, is sitting back and allowing your adventure to pass you by?"
The young trainer clenched his fist at his side and closed his eyes.
"Do it! Hit me with everything you've got!" Pryce yelled a second time.
Ciel's eyes shot open and he swung out his arm to command. "Raven! Go!"
"Piloswine, charge!"
The field exploded into motion when both Pokémon kicked off from their standoff position and charged toward each other. Pryce's Piloswine was deceptively fast on its feet and the two rushed to collide. Raven leaped the final distance, reaching her opponent in the blink of an eye.
"Slash!" Ciel shouted with every ounce of his being.
"Double-edge!"
As quickly as it had begun, the battle ended. Raven was forced into the ground by the sheer power of her opponent's full-body move, letting out an agonized howl on impact. She slid along the dirt a short distance before coming to a stop, and knowing the fight had concluded, Ciel rushed to her for help.
She wasn't unconscious, just weakened to the point of immobility. Dirt caked her fur, and running his hands through it revealed sizable bruises and scrapes. She'd need to be taken to a Pokémon Center, quickly, so that none of her injuries worsened.
Ciel looked up as a pair of feet stopped in front of him. He couldn't bring himself to look up.
"A fun battle, wasn't it?"
"I guess so," he offered, halfheartedly.
"How is she, young man?"
"Nothing too severe, but we need to get her to a Pokémon Center," he said.
"A wise decision," Pryce said. He recalled his Piloswine to its personal capsule. The man walked away and beckoned for Ciel to follow.
He nodded, not in response but in silent acceptance to himself. He withdrew Raven's Poké Ball, and clicked the center button. It popped open and his injured partner was engulfed in red before disappearing completely into his palm.
As he stood to follow the former Gym Leader, he noticed a figure standing in the corner of his vision. Ciel turned his head, only to lock eyes with his father. The blond man's arms were crossed over his chest, and he held an expression of judgement. It made Ciel sick, and he walked away as quickly as possible. That didn't stop the feeling of eyes boring into the back of his head as he went.
As he caught up to Pryce, they had nearly already reached the Pokémon Center. Though he hadn't yet seen the building, it was a testament to how small the village really was. A few party stragglers were hanging out around the front of the building, happily sharing drinks and laughs. Pryce and Ciel passed them by, pushing open the door into the worn-looking medical facility.
"Welcome to the Pokémon Center!" a bubbly woman greeted at a counter inside. The building was only a single story and couldn't have been renovated in decades, but it held a warming atmosphere.
Pryce stepped aside the counter. "I need a Pokémon healed, please," Ciel told the woman, offering the capsule. "She was injured in a battle a little while ago.
The nurse, wearing an oversized hat, bowed affirmatively and nearly dropped said hat upon doing so. She took the Poké Ball and disappeared into the back room. Once he sat down to rest, the word "ABSOL" appeared at the top spot on an old hanging monitor that constituted their waiting list.
The Gym Leader took a seat next to him after setting his cane against the wall. His knees buckled, and he groaned in pain while doing the simple action. Probably, he was obligated to congratulate his opponent for winning. In addition, even though he had forgotten in the rush of accepting the challenge, it was still custom to pay a victorious opponent, but he had no money on his person.
"That was an enjoyable battle." It wasn't really directed to Ciel, as if just a thought spoken aloud. "I think it reaffirmed everything I already guessed about you."
"What did you guess?" Ciel asked.
"That you're stuck. You don't yet have conviction as a Pokémon trainer. Your performance in battle reflected that."
Ciel didn't respond. He was right, of course, so he couldn't refute it. It didn't mean he had to like the assessment.
"You want to embark on your own journey, don't you? Did I guess right?" The man said, shining a sly smile.
There was no reason for him to answer as the old man already had all he needed. It was embarrassing that an experienced trainer could see right through him, but even more so that a near-stranger's first impression of him was a weakness.
"I was you once, you know. Your mother was you, and I her. We've all been or will be at a point where we don't know what it means. It's not supposed to come easy. You just get better." He let out a cough.
"But, sir, even if I do decide to leave, I don't have a goal to chase. I want to be a real Pokémon trainer, but what happens after that?"
Pryce nodded slowly, but he was aware that it wasn't just an affirmation. The man understood completely. "Even if you can't see the light yet, that doesn't mean you'll never find it. If you keep going, maybe the road will start to shine."
Ciel stared at him, confused at what he meant. He just shrugged. "It's
from a book I read in college once. An awful book, to be honest. No real substance to it. Strange it stuck with me so long."
The man rolled up his sleeve, revealing an old yet expensive looking mechanical watch. His eyes widened a bit, and he abruptly grabbed his cane and stood from his seat.
"I've let the time slip away from me!" He laughed. "A geezer like me needs his beauty sleep. I'm sure a growing boy like you needs some as well."
"Thanks for the battle, Mr. Yanagi," Ciel said.
The man simply grunted and pushed open the door to the Pokémon Center without another word. This left Ciel to his own musings, much to his dismay. All the action was helping him put off thinking about it.
The old man was definitely holding back, there was no denying that. His Pokémon barely even moved until its final charge and could have probably even avoided the only hit Raven landed if it really had wanted to. The difference between someone like him and a seasoned, veteran trainer was jarring. Yet, it didn't really make him feel any worse.
The man was goading him to go forward, following the fire in his heart, but it wasn't that simple. Unfortunately, he'd have to decide soon. Ciel was on the cusp of adulthood and it was his duty to find his own guidance, or else he'd never really grow up. There were so many things that he didn't know and so many daunting tasks ahead, and they were barrelling towards him. It sucked.
The nurse told him that Raven's injuries weren't severe enough to require extensive treatment, but his partner would still have to stay overnight to be fully recovered. He was grateful for that. Looking around the Pokémon Center at the peeling, yellowed wallpaper and rustic designs didn't give him a good impression. Without knowing otherwise, he assumed their medical equipment might be as old as the building was.
Ciel's boots crunched through the snow as he walked towards their new home. He didn't find himself hungry enough to seek out food at the welcoming celebration for his parents. His sister and mother would enjoy it enough for him as well. He stopped in front of the small cabin they were contracted to live in, wondering how it could fit a family of four. He fumbled with his copy of the key and pushed open the door.
It didn't take him long to find his room; rather, he found a random room, since his family agreed to figure it out as they went. He quickly undressed from the day's clothing and hit the pillow, just wanting to sleep. His family spent most of the day driving hours in a stuffy sedan, and even after that, he'd still agreed to battle. Ciel was exhausted.
"I can make a decision tomorrow," he told himself. That thought carried with him as he closed his eyes and tried to sleep.
Sleeping didn't work out.
It must have been three or four when he decided to step outside. Ciel sat up, groggy from the lack of sleep and rubbed his eyes. After locating shoes and socks and slipping both on, he slid open the door to his room and felt his way along the hall of the small house towards the door, making certain to be slow to not disturb anyone else.
The world was silent as Ciel stepped out into the snow. A fresh coat was falling as he walked, and though he considered going back to find a jacket he'd stashed away in his luggage, he realized he didn't mind so much. If he wasn't going to be able to sleep, at least the cold would wake him up.
Despite the magnitude of the small town's celebration, the square of Mahogany was completely empty as he stepped though. The banners and decorations from earlier were strewn about, probably left after someone decided that they'd pick them up tomorrow. Putting it off, just like him.
Ciel groaned, climbed atop a small hill, and sat down onto the snow-covered ground. Though he hadn't had a destination in mind, he liked the vantage point to be able to see the sky. His mouth fell open a bit as he stared upward. There weren't stars like that in Goldenrod. They were bright and shining and, well, beautiful. The teenager sat like that for a long while, still tired but unable to close his eyes.
Another presence made itself known to him as he sat on the hill. His Absol sat down next to him.
"Do I want to know how you left the Pokémon Center?" he asked, interrupting the question with a yawn.
She growled in response, setting her head down on her front legs. His partner seemed to stare up at the sky as well, though the stars were beginning to dim. The color of the sky itself was brightening, if only a little.
He still had no idea what he wanted to do beyond just becoming a Pokémon trainer. A lot of people looked up to Gym Leaders and wanted to be just like them, so maybe he could too. He could become just like his mother. He could set his goal even further, like a member of the Elite Four, or even Champion. He could work with his Pokémon to open a business or create his own profession. He could go into breeding and caretaking and work with Pokémon from around the world. Really, he had no clue.
Pryce had the right idea. Ciel still had more time to figure it out, but if he didn't take the first step, he never would. The pieces were in place. He had a partner Pokémon by his side, school behind him, and a desire to find out what exactly his purpose was.
"Hey, Raven," he said, causing her to perk up. "How would you like to travel around the region with me?" The confidence in the question surprised even him.
She closed her eyes and put her head back down, preferring to sleep rather than humor him with an answer. That was understandable, since it was so late.
"Well, I'm taking you with me. You're the one who wants to be the strongest Pokémon around, right?" he asked.
Her eyes fluttered open, and she growled. A passive one, rather than an aggressive one.
"Would it kill you to be excited? Traveling is going to be a fun ride, and we've both got the opportunity to grow," he told her, before staring out at the brightening sky. "I'm leaving tomorrow. I think it's the right decision."
As the two partners enjoyed the simple presence of each other's company, the sun peeked over the horizon. The newly born rays of sunshine revealed themselves to the world, slowly illuminating the dark world with the coming dawn. Suddenly, Ciel didn't feel so tired.
It was a great day for adventure, after all.
Since this is the first chapter, I'd like to pose a few questions for viewers since this chapter will likely have the most traffic out of the entire story. I really appreciate reviews/comments as a source of positive and constructive feedback, and even if you didn't like the story, I'd appreciate if you could give me a quick comment about what exactly you thought turned you away or why your interest didn't catch.
- What strengths and weaknesses do you find in my writing style? What specifically do you enjoy/not enjoy?
- If you have experience with the series but haven't played the Second Generation games (or, in the rare instance where you have no series experience at all), does the story stand well on its own even if you aren't a hardcore fan?
- If you are never going to read the story again, please tell me why. Though I'm sure some of it has to do with tropes and decisions that are individually hit-or-miss (such as use of Original Characters), I'd still like to know your thoughts on what catches your eye when you read.
Anyways, I hope you enjoy the show!