Disclaimer: Pokemon is owned by Gamefreak and Nintendo, and anyone else I may have forgotten. I just enjoy playing in the worlds that were created.
A/N: This is based on my own Nuzlocke run of Pokemon X and my reactions to various events ingame. Actual dialogue and gameplay will be stretched around a bit to fit narrative needs. Notes on individual chapters may be found at my blog. I've also borrowed a few concepts from other Pokemon stories I've done, of which one at least should be readily evident. It does get explained fairly quickly. Thanks, and enjoy!
Tales from Kalos
A New Day
Waking up always felt like the end to some beautiful dream.
It was a wonderful morning. The sun shone in her eyes, her mother called from downstairs, but she just ignored them all to roll over and pull the covers back over her head. Safe beneath her blanket, snuggled up in warmth, it was perfect as she drifted back to slumber…
WHACK!
"OW!"
Leila jumped up, holding her forehead and glaring at the pokémon sitting cheerily in front of her.
"Why do you have to wake me up like that?" she groaned.
Fletchling just cocked her head. "Because you don't get up if I don't," she sang back. "Besides, your mom wants you to wake up. You shouldn't sleep too much!"
Leila gazed blearily back. She rubbed her eyes and pulled her covers off. "Fine…"
Fletchling winked at her, then flew back out the room and downstairs. Leila followed, padding along in her bare feet and yawning all the while. She went in a daze, past her desk with her computer, past the large TV and game system, past her shelf filled with dozens of books and old family photos…
She swore she nearly fell down the stairs.
"Mom, I'm up," she called as she somehow made it safely and poked her head into the living room. "Morning!"
"Morning, Leila! All rested up from the move, huh?" her mother called back, standing in front of the stove. The woman turned, smiling, but her expression immediately changed. "Leila! You look like you just rolled out of bed! You haven't even dressed or gotten ready!" she chided.
"Well I did just wake up," she drawled back sleepily.
"Indeed you did. Thank you Fletchling!"
"You're welcome!" the pokémon called from around the corner.
Her mother glanced back at her.
"Well go get changed," she nodded with a slight smile. "Breakfast will be ready when you come back down."
"Okay…"
She ran back upstairs to change. It didn't take her long; she had washed up the night before and only needed to find something nice to wear. They had just moved to Kalos after all. She wanted to make a good impression!
What did take a while was her hair. It had grown so long over the years, and while used to how it cascaded down her back, she had recently found herself struggling to untangle it every morning.
She supposed it was a strange promise now. It had been five years since she made it. It seemed childish now, and she supposed it was now finally time for a change… with a new town came a new beginning. Maybe. She wasn't quite ready to let it go.
After unraveling the frayed ends at the end of her hair, she threw her black tresses over her shoulder to her back. Hoping she looked decent, she walked herself over to the mirror.
And there she was. Wearing her favorite black and red dress, pink hat with sunglasses, ready for the day. She brushed back the bangs from her eyes, then touched her face.
She glanced up at the family photo on the bookshelf. It had been taken many years earlier with all three of them – herself, mother, father. Her father, the proud trainer, with his dark brown face and black hair contrasting her mother's fairer complexion. He looked so happy. They all did.
Has it really been five years since…?
Leila looked back at the mirror and smiled. She saw her father in her every time she saw herself.
"Morning Dad," she spoke. "I miss you too. Hope you're doing well up there."
Then she drew a breath, picked up her tote bag, and wandered towards the stairs.
It was time for a new day.
