"And for a time, it all worked out. Everyone got along, and that was how I had planned it. But the world below had it's own problems, and more and more evil happenings arised. It turns out, the legendaries that I placed on the earth, Kyogre, Groudon, Palkia, Dialgia. They all ended up hating each other. Trying to do whatever it took to kill each other. I could have made another if they perished, but...there was something different. Someone actually managed to stop them from destroying my world without me having to intervene. I was interested."
She floated over to the side of the mountain, looking down to the crystal clear water and saw all the different water pokemon swimming through the water. A Dratini leapt up and jumped through her, landing back in the water and continuing to swim away. She smiled and moved her paw over a bit, the water changing from water to a grassy plain. There were dark patches with bright white lights flashing through the sky.
"It seemed that when I created the normal species, I got careless at one time. Even I needed sleep, and while I was dreaming, I had this image. To create a being that could keep the world in check without having to re-create the same species. The legendaries I placed, they were there to keep the population in line if it got out of hand, but at some point it was -they- who had gotten out of hand. I needed to create the species from scratch again if this continued. But one night, I created a being of immense power, that could stop the legendaries I had created from getting out of control. Though, this would require them to give their life to stop them."
She flew down a bit and landed on the grass, walking around. She leaned down and picked up a flower, examining it. "But what I didn't count on, was genetics. It would have seemed the being I had created, had found someone to pair with during a mating season. I had thought that genetics wouldn't copy over to an offspring, but I was wrong. Strange, isn't it? So now, time has passed. And once more, I can feel the population getting out of check, and the legendaries will reawaken and do their part to get it back down. But...I don't need to make another being, for one has been made for me. He seems to have already taken the first few steps towards his goal. Yet something feels...different. I'm not sure what, but only time will tell. There are three of them, but I have seperated the one that holds his father's traits, while the other two are kept together. With luck, they won't know of each other."
She flew back up, and looked to the stars. She smiled and then back down to the earth, seeing all of the different types of pokemon getting along. The clouds rolled over and blotted out what she saw, and she looked to the moon. The light cast from it seemed to make her blue coat shine and she closed her eyes, seeming to vanish.
"But as I know, luck is something that hardly exists in my world."
The waves of the water splashed up on the shore of the earth. The sun cast out a light that reflected off the water, making it shimmer with a serene essence. The water was a crystal blue that allowed anyone to see through it as if it were glass. The waves weren't too frequent, but had enough force to push back someone who wasn't braced for them. The wind carried the scent of salt from the ocean, and a mix of a few of the resturants not too far from the beach shores. There was even a cookout happening, and it was a day for peace. A day to just relax. Everyone got along well and shared what they brought, or even shared what they had seen or heard. Anything and everything was given for everyone to take a part of.
I sat away from the crowds, on a secluded spot above the ocean. I overlooked all of the water and smiled. There was still a riverside next to me that fed into the ocean, and there were sever water-types that swam within it. I shifted around a bit and looked at myself once more, for all I could see. My arms, legs, chest, were all sleek white. My paws, my tail and my ears were black as night. The pouches on my cheeks were a bright yellow, and somehow, it seemed to fit me. My name was Snow. I was a Raichu, who grew up by myself. I thought the world was a harsh place, but actually, I helped whoever I could. No matter what, I tried to help everyone. And somehow, even those I couldn't help, they still thanked me for trying. I guess it was because deep down, they know that just one person can't do everything they're asked to do. It hurt to just watch that one child, or that family walk away, knowing that I couldn't help them for a cause they already knew the answer to.
"Hey, mister!" a voice called
I blinked my eyes, getting back to reality. I turned my head and saw a Marill walking up to me, holding a berry in her paws. It was blue with small black spots on it. An Oran Berry. The Marill came and sat next to me, smiling. She offered out the berry to me, and I smiled back, taking it from her.
"Thanks. Where'd you find this?"
"My mom and I brought a huge picnic basket. There's lots of other pokemon down there, and I saw you up here sitting all by yourself! Why aren't you down there with everyone else to enjoy the day with?"
I chuckled a bit. She was innocent, I'll give her that. "Well, I dunno. I just like being by myself some of the time."
The Marill looked at me, and her eyes widened a bit. I heard her gasp a bit and I looked around. "What? See something?"
"You! You're the Raichu my mommy talked about!"
"And just who's your Mother, kid?"
"Snow!"
I turned my head and stood up, dusting myself off a bit. The Marill stood up as well, and jumped into my arms. It was unexpected, but I caught her quickly and held her up like a child. She smiled and waved at an approaching figure with her arms, giggling. Walking towards me, was an Azumarill. I smiled and nodded to her. Once the Azumarill was close enough, the Marill giggled a bit more and jumped from my arms to hers.
"Lily, is that you?"
"Would I miss this day?"
"My god, it's been, what? Two years?"
"Three, actually. Don't think you're getting younger on me."
I laughed a bit. "Who's this? I don't remember her."
"This is Aqua." Lily said, the Marill waving her arms. "She's my little girl."
"And why didn't I get a letter saying you had a kid?" I asked
"Please. You're always busy, you don't have to check on me every day now."
I smiled, and Lily set Aqua down on the ground. Lily then came and gave me a hug. "So, what've you been up to? Honestly." Lily said to me
"Just...you know. Helping out. The usual." I said
"Right...still wearing that same orange bandana I gave you, eh?"
I nodded my head. "Hey, it looks good on me. Besides...it's all I've got left from you, now isn't it?"
Lily laughed and the two of us looked at each other. Then Lily turned her head to Aqua, who was at the river side, poking a Magikarp with a stick. The Magikarp just ignored her and kept swimming on, and Aqua chased after it. But she knew when to stop and that was at the hill's edge. I saw Lily worry a little and I put my paw on her shoulder. She looked at me and I smirked.
"You were like that when you were a kid, you know. At least, that's what you told me."
"Yeah...but I dunno Snow. You've got you to look out for and that's it. Me? I've got her."
"Hey. Don't go there, Lily." I said, kneeling down and picking up Aqua from the ground. She stroked at my fur, and I smiled at Lily. A reasurring smile.
"I think she likes you."
"Mister?" Aqua asked
"Hm?"
"Are you a Rescue Ranger?"
I looked at Lily. I saw a small red line form on her nose, then she went away a little bit, coming back with a large basket. That must've been the fruit basket, I thought. I turned and carried Aqua to the edge of the hill, over looking the ocean.
"Now, where'd you hear a term like that, Aqua?"
"My mommy used to tell me stories. She said, that Rescue Rangers were a group of pokemon who all worked together to save others, no matter what. They would help anyone in need, even if their payment was small to none. She also said that they always wore a type of bandana, or some peice of clothing to represent themselves as such." Aqua said, pointing at my bandana. "You've got an orange one! Did you used to be a Ranger?"
I smiled and made a small laugh. I was hesitant to answer her, but she looked at me in a way I couldn't help but not answer. I thought back to all that I'd done, all that I'd helped. And all I really did, was just do what others could've done with some effort. They were just lazy. Or they didn't care about who was in trouble. This city was a dark place, but I felt that I'd made it brighter. I looked at Aqua and poked her stomach, who giggled and wiggled her paws.
"You could say that. Say, how old are you?"
"I'm six years old! My mommy says I'm smarter than most for my age though." Aqua said, whispering the last part
"I can agree with her. Lemme tell you, Aqua. Your mom's something special. Believe it or not, -she- used to be a Rescue Ranger too..."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Don't tell her I told you though. Promise?"
"I promise!"
I knelt back down and she ran off, going to Lily and digging through the basket. I nodded at Lily, who came back over, along with Aqua and basket in tow, and we both sat next to one another. She told me of how after I left her care, that was when the egg containing Aqua began to hatch. I listened all the way through, and Aqua even added in some parts here or there. I couldn't tell if that was her being cute, or it actually happend. It turned out, Lily's husband left her after learning he was a father. I shook my head and placed a paw around Lily, telling her I was there if she needed me. The day passed past that, and Lily and I just spent it catching up after not seeing each other for three years. I told her I was still doing odd jobs here and there, and had actually found an old ranger base to call my own. I didn't use it as a base, more or less as a home. But for some reason, some pokemon came and placed requests for me to help them. I took them, of course. Lily just listend and at the end, she stood up and scooped Aqua in her arms.
"Well, Snow. It's been fun catching up with you. I'm sorry we fell out of contact, just...I thought you moved on."
"Lily, you remember the day you found me? Right over there?" I asked, pointing with a paw. She nodded her head. "You took me in. A complete stranger, that couldn't remember anything about himself. Heck, I still don't. But look at me now. You basically gave me another chance. A new life. And, in all honesty. If I didn't know better, you're one of my best friends. I couldn't forget you even if I tried now."
She let out a puff of a laugh and smiled at me. "Well. If you need anything, I'm still where I used to live."
I nodded my head. "Yeah, sure."
We both walked down the hillside and looked out to the shore of the ocean. There were several dark clouds, lightning lighting them up in a series of flashes. It looked actually peaceful, but I turned to Lily and gave her a hug good-bye. Aqua leaned in and gave me a small kiss good-bye, giggling at the end. I smiled and patted her head. I then watched her leave and turned back to the ocean, going to it's edge and looking into the water. I ran a paw through my fur and sighed. I felt the same question come to my mind that I asked myself everyday. But I never once found an answer, nor was I closer to finding it.
"Who am I?" I asked myself
I sat back down on the shore of the beach and watched the clouds over the water drift closer and closer. When they were close enough for me to hear the thunder, I got up and went headed back to where I had come from that morning. It wasn't much, but just an oval building that dug into the ground, I guess to give it a more solid structure. I even managed to get some Mankey and other pokemon such as Squirtle, Machamp and Charmeleon to help me fix it up. It was going pretty well, and they all did it because I helped them in the past. It didn't look like much on the outside, but it was my home. I went inside and followed down the path of steps that lead into a giant chamber, littered with several scraps of paper, money, food, or whatever else I had gotten from helping others. I walked past them and looked onto the built-in board on the wall. There was a new letter there, a sheet of paper that seemed to be golden. I went over and picked it off the board, looking at it and reading it. I set the paper down, and walked off to my room, laying down and starting to think a bit. I went back and got the letter, reading it.
"Dear Snow, it's been sometime since I've seen you. I've heard of your actions and good deeds all the way out here. I'm still as impressed as ever. Knowing you and how you used to act, you'll be reading this letter and wonder who's it from. Well, I'm sorry, but I cannot tell you these things by letter. If you would like to learn more about who sent this letter, then I would suggest you visit the Arcturus Archives, located south of Mistrian City. I'll be waiting there. Oh yes, before you set out for the Archives, do go see the local store owner. She has something for you. But do this all tomorrow, for I know this letter will reach you by night. Do have a good rest, and I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow. Signed, a Friend."
I set the letter down and looked out the window. The moon cut through the clouds, but the rain still splashed against the glass and ground. I thought for bit, trying to remember who could possibly have sent me this letter. But like all the times I tried to remember, I couldn't. So I set the letter down and went to bed, laying there and still thinking. Eventually, I felt my eyes growing a bit heavier with each blink, and I eventually slipped off to sleep...