A small girl stood in front of a large aquarium tank, mesmerized by the creatures swimming around inside. Her white hair swung like a metronome as she watched one swim back and forth rapidly, making her giggle. Suddenly, a hand clasped her shoulder, gently yet firmly.
"You like them?" a hoarse voice asked quietly. The frail old man stood over the little girl, smiling kindly at her. She looked up at him and nodded vigorously.
"They're cute!" she exclaimed, before looking back into the tank. The old man chuckled and nodded.
"Yes, and they can be powerful too, in the hands of the right person. I understand you're Kross's little sister, right? He made a fine trainer, just like your mom was," he said. The little girl's smile changed into a scowl. She didn't like being compared to her brother all the time.
"I'm Kyrixia," she said, her words echoing her frustration. The old man chuckled again, understanding what it felt like.
"Okay then... Kyrixia it is," and he grinned. "Would you like one then?" It took a moment for the girl to understand his question, then she jumped in shock and spun around.
"Really?!" Kyrixia's bright blue eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Yes, really. You can choose any in the tank there. Go ahead," the old man said. The girl spun back to look at it for a moment, and made her decision.
"I want the Psyduck!"
Eight years after that day in Cerulean City, Kyrixia was preparing to mark her sixteenth birthday with the departure from Kanto. After conquering the eight gym leaders and the Indigo League, along with various trainers along the way, she was ready for a new adventure in Johto. Walking alongside her on the path connecting Kanto and Johto was a fellow trainer, Isaac. She had met him in Vermillion, when her Starmie was seriously injured by Lieutenant Surge's Raichu. He had had a nasty defeat at Surge's hands too, and was there to have his Mankey healed. Unlike Kyrixia, who collected Water types, Isaac liked to collect Pokemon that were physically tough. Kyrixia would often tease him that it was because Isaac himself was not physically powerful. He was small, and looked very much like a kid, even at the age of seventeen; with the brown "innocent eyes" and the slightly tousled, short, brown hair. Kyrixia was thankful, at least, that she looked her age, if not older. The snowy white hair would give one the impression that she was an old woman when viewed from behind.
Isaac was chatting away next to Kyrixia, who was paying nearly no attention to him. She did just enough to make it seem like she was. Her mind was circling around the same rumors over and over. When she had revisited Cerulean before heading out for Johto, she had heard much about her brother, Kross. It seemed that he was in charge of a gang of sorts, though it's intentions were never quite clear. It seems the gang didn't do anything typical ones would do, such as robbery. They had fallen under the simple classification of Pokemon outlaws. Kyrixia knew that Kross was always a mischeivous youth, but she'd never have imagined he'd become a criminal.
Kyrixia's cell phone interrupted her thoughts. She pulled it out of her pocket and hit the answer button.
"Hello?" she spoke into it.
"Hi, hon," it was her father, "you guys get into Johto alright?" Kyrixia almost laughed, her father was far too protective. They'd only just left Cerulean and he was already checking up on her.
"Yeah, we're nearly there. You figured something would happen between the house and here?" Kyrixia asked.
"No, no, it's not that. You see, your brother showed up looking for you just after you'd left. It worries me actually, he... well, he's travelling with a bunch of shady looking characters. I'm compelled to believe the outrageous rumors I've heard around here. Just... you and Isaac watch out for yourselves."
"Alright, dad, we will. I'll make sure to whip Kross in a battle if the rumors are true."
"Okay, well, like I said be careful. I love you."
"Love you too, dad, bye," Kyrixia said as she hung up and put the cell phone back in her pocket.
"So what's going on?" Isaac asked.
"Nothing, just problems with Kross. Nothing we can't handle, of course," Kyrixia replied.
"You mean... he's coming after us?"
"Yep, it'd be safe to assume so. Of course, he doesn't know about you, but he's definitely after me."
"And... the rumors?"
"He doesn't scare me, no matter what he is," Kyrixia said confidently. A Pokemon center was just visible in the distance, a smallish one a little off the main road.
"Think we ought to stay there for the night? It's going to get dark soon," Kyrixia said, pointing it out. Isaac simply nodded. The two stepped up their pace, and were nearly there when they stopped dead. Standing in front of the Center was Kross, looking at Kyrixia with his arms folded and a smirk on his face. He had his black hair spiked up, but his steel grey eyes were what gave him away. Kyrixia didn't know anyone else with them. He had taken his name to the next level, as a knife scarred 'X' was carved into his right cheek. Kyrixia's father had been right about the men travelling with Kross, too. The one on his right was tall and heavily muscled, with a brutish face and a few missing teeth. The other was about Kross's height. An eye patch was over his left eye, where Kyrixia could see a vicious scar peeking out of the top of it, and the rest of his face, and everything else not covered, was scarred and damaged.
"Sis..." Kross finally addressed Kyrixia after she'd had time to register everything, "how've you been?"
:He had his black hair spiked up, but his steel grey eyes were what gave him away. Kyrixia didn't know anyone else with them. He had taken his name to the next level, as a knife scarred 'X' was carved into his right cheek. Kyrixia's father had been right about the men travelling with Kross, too. The one on his right was tall and heavily muscled, with a brutish face and a few missing teeth. The other was about Kross's height. An eye patch was over his left eye, where Kyrixia could see a vicious scar peeking out of the top of it, and the rest of his face, and everything else not covered, was scarred and damaged. All three of them were dressed completely in black.
"Sis..." Kross finally addressed Kyrixia after she'd had time to register everything, "how've you been?"
"I've been fine thanks," Kyrixia said with contempt, knowing now that the rumors were true.
"Good, good," Kross began. "If you want it to stay that way, I'd suggest you turn around and go home, now."
