Warning: This story is kinda depressing, so if you aren't okay with that, back away :( Tis a kinda sad story. Sorry for that.
*For my followers: Okay guys, I decided from the responses I got to make Iris' story into a Oneshot. This will tell you (and Cilan) what happened to her brother Aster and her parents. Like the warning says, this is kinda a sad story so beware. Obviously contains character death (if you read the Master Challenge)
*For newcomers: Welcome! This story is a supplement to my series: The Master Challenge. If you haven't read that story, then you might be a little lost here. This story is about Iris from the black and white series of the pokemon anime. It reveals my take on her past and her brother's past. You can still probably enjoy this story even if you haven't read my series, but simply realize a few details will be a little confusing, like the fact Iris has a younger brother in my headcannon.
Okay then, time to dive into this sad little tale, the reason for many of the things Iris does, her fear of cold and ice types, her famous, you're such a little kid, where her parents are and so on. Buckle up! The feels are real!
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The things most children would value and bring them joy only reminded her of what she'd lost. Normally, the good memories would help someone to move past their grief, thinking of happier times. In this case though, the guilt was too much. She had lost almost everything and it was her fault. It was all her fault.
Her father was a brave and well respected member of the village, often being seen as a second in command next to a couple others for the Elder. He was of strong build and dark-skin like his daughter with the same dark hair and eyes as well. He went with the caravans outside the city very frequently, always proudly wearing his village clothes. He always kept a lucky pendant of a dragon claw with him on his travels. Her mother was quiet and soft spoken unlike herself and her father. She cooked the most wonderful smelling stew and always knew which berries and herbs were ready when. Her long pale purple hair, like lavender, flowed down her back and her hazel eyes glittered with joy. She could remember toddling after her into the forest, a basket on her mother's hip and one on her head.
It was a dark day in late winter when Aster was born. A blizzard was howling outside and drowned out most of the noise in the birthing house. It was the first time other than a hatching pokemon egg, that she had seen the beauty of new life. Even at the young age of six, she understood how sacred life was. Father was beside himself when he learned he'd had a son; it filled him with pride. She and everyone else should have seen the circumstances of his birth to be a terrible omen, but with how well he grew and became strong, with how bright and happy, if a bit soft spoken, Aster was as a boy, it disappeared from the forefront of their minds with time.
Until later.
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"Iris, Iris, you're going too fast!" Aster yelped and trotted across the forest floor trying to keep an eye on his older sister in the branches above him. The five year old brushed a bit of debris from his pale purple hair. He looked like a blend between his father and mother; though he had his mother's hair, it was darker than hers and lighter than his father's and sister's. His brown eyes widened when he tripped over a root, after looking up too long and fell to the soft earth.
-Oof!-
Iris halted and leapt to the ground to check on him.
"Have a nice trip?"
"Oh sis, you're so mean."
"I'm just kidding silly."
"I know. I know."
"Hey what's that?"
"What's what?"
Aster followed Iris' gaze and saw up higher in the nearby mountain, a light glowing there. Some of the wild pokemon that had been playing with the two looked up and some got nervous and ran off.
"The pokemon… they don't like that light." Aster sighed as a pokemon friend, a wild Emolga, nuzzled his side.
"Aren't you curious though, Aster?"
"Mmm. I'd rather go visit Druddigon."
"Oh come on! You're such a little kid!"
"Am not!"
"Are too, now come on! Mom's still helping the other women with the coming festival and Dad won't be back until later in the evening with this week's caravan. We still have a few hours until they'll look for us! We can check it out and be back for supper." Iris gave a bright smile and an excited laugh.
"But Iris… You know it's dangerous in the mountains…"
"So that's it. You're just going to forget it?"
"Well no… I…"
Iris just smiled and turned to start running in the direction of the mountain, "Come on, let's go!" She waved at the remaining pokemon and said something to Drilbur that Aster couldn't hear.
Aster groaned a bit in frustration before giving a glance over his shoulder, back at the village at the bottom of the hill they were on. He then turned back and ran after his big sister.
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The snow as drifting down softly and just starting to stick on the ground around them as they made their way farther and farther up the slopes. The light was much closer now. Iris didn't feel too cold and was excitedly pointing out various ice types they noticed on their way up. She even helped Aster get to pat a small Chubchoo before it's over-protective mother could return. Aster was starting to get cold and he could see clouds a bit of a ways from the mountains, coming their way.
"Iris! Iris! Mom says if you see any clouds when on a mountain you should go. It might storm real bad!"
Iris paused from her trek and looked up at the light coming from a cave above them. They were so close. She locked eyes with her little brother, they were filled with hope.
"We're almost there. We can't give up yet." She saw his face fall slightly, but he didn't complain any further and continued to follow her. It was a hour later that they reached the cave and went to walk inside. Before they could round the corner, a large blast of cold air shot from the cave and into the sky. A gust of wind left the cave afterwards and blinded them before it was gone. After picking themselves up after the gust of wind had thrown them to the ground, Iris hurried inside and to her great disappointment, the light was gone.
"Where did it go?"
Aster walked up behind her and brushed a bit of snow from his pant leg.
"Maybe it was a pokemon and it got spooked when we got too close," Aster replied.
"Aw man," Iris huffed in annoyance and shivered, "I guess we go home. Man, I was wanting to see what that light was."
"There might be a problem with that, sis."
Iris turned to Aster's voice and gasped when she saw the snow was falling very hard outside the cave now.
"Oh no."
"Sis, I'm really cold."
Iris looked over at Aster and saw he was rubbing his arms. His skin was starting to become the slightest bit chalky from the cold.
"We can't leave until the snow lets up."
"Yeah…" Aster nodded.
Iris looked back at her little brother and frowned. She walked up to him and pulled him to the side of the cave and sat down with him.
"We'll have to wait and keep each other warm. It's going to be okay, Aster."
"Okay." Aster nodded and buried his head under Iris' chin.
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The snow didn't let up and the sun was very close to setting. Iris had mostly been the one talking, saying, even though they'd be in trouble, their parents had to know they were missing now and were coming. Aster would only nod his head in response. The wind howled and the snow started to float into the cave from the outside. Time passed and eventually Iris noticed that Aster wasn't nodding as frequently to her voice. She had wanted to take a nap a few times but had kept herself awake. Aster though was starting to doze off.
Iris didn't know much about being in the mountains, but she did know that you couldn't sleep if you were cold.
"Aster. Aster! Aster, wake up!" Iris shook him and his drowsy eyes looked back at her.
"Iris I am awake… You were talking about talking about about the a Drilbur."
"Aster, you're not making any sense!"
"Where's momma and pappa?"
"They're coming. I promise they're coming," Iris whispered.
"Okay…"
She watched him lean against her again and stare out into the falling snow. She started to rub him and try to pull him closer to her for his and her sake. She was starting to get colder and sleepier. She wished she could sleep.
It was only another thirty minutes later that she tried to wake him again. He had stopped listening to her slurred words.
"Aster. Come on… Stop being such a little kid and wake up!"
Iris grabbed his shirt and was shaking him a tiny bit when she froze. She brought him closer and placed her ear to his chest. Nothing.
"Aster?" Iris whispered and leaned away, "Aster? ASTER!" Iris yelled after she'd laid him on the floor. She took a long look at his chalky skin and blue lips and started to sob. Her cheeks started to sting after the trails of her tears, froze. She laid over his body and wrapped her arms about his neck and cried. Her body was wracked with tremors from the cold inside and out. After a while she just rocked him in her arms. She leaned against the cold stone wall of the cave with him in her arms and to the sounds of the angry winds, Iris fell asleep and dreamed of Aster and the pokemon of her village.
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She didn't remember much after that. Except one thing. She could remember seeing the great dragon. His gold and seemingly hateful eyes boring into hers. His icy claws wrapped about her body. Then the morning came.
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The villagers, who had been searching, found Iris on the outside of the village the next morning. It took several days for her to heal and get well after her cold night in the mountains. During that time she learned that Aster hadn't been found. Her mother no longer smiled even after Iris had healed. She ate less and less and one day she didn't wake up. Her father stayed for quite some time, though he never smiled either. His son was gone. His legacy, in his eyes, had extinguished. One day he left her with the Elder, telling her to follow her dreams and grow strong. Iris knew his words were not fully heartfelt though. He left the village and traveled. She hadn't heard from him since.
A few years later she was sent to the academy in Opelucid since the Elder was certain she had a gift with dragon pokemon. She ended up leaving and returning to the old woman, who in her eyes seemed to be the only person who still praised her for her work and tried to guide her in life. Aster, a boy with promise had been taken from the village because of her; only the Elder and a few others seemed to forgive her for that. Iris learned to simply shoulder her worries and not let them weight on her heart too much. She never felt more free from her troubles than when the Elder had gifted her with Axew. She left and tried to forget as much as she could. She would never favor the cold again nor not frown at a young child's laughter. She had not slept the night that came after she'd called Ash a little kid for the first time. She had even considered leaving and not staying with him and Cilan just because it was too painful to be near someone that was so like Aster, even if Aster wasn't as rash as Ash. Then, she had not even noticed when she started to heal some. Ash and Cilan praised her when she did well and encouraged her when she was down. The human interaction and unconditional companionship that had eluded her since that fateful night, was before her and she never wanted to let go.
As she ran through the snow as best she could and tried to avoid Cilan, she knew she had to protect Aster this time. She had to protect the people she cared about most now. She wouldn't fail again, she couldn't. The pieces of herself wouldn't come back together this time otherwise.
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So what'd ya think? Sad, right? But at least now we understand Iris.
Tell me what your thoughts are about my take on Iris.