Staraptor's Courage
It was a completely normal day. Luxray was busily sharpening her crystal white claws and teaching her children how to use powerful moves mainly crunch, spark and toxic. I could hear her words,
"You're doing a good job pulling off spark!" Luxray said happily whilst watching a new born Shinx ram into a tree stump with considerable electrical force. She smiled and let the breeze ripple through her charcoal coloured hair. She was a pretty good teacher. She faced many battles, let me tell you.
Gastrodon was lazily swimming with the other water types, mainly with the shiny Milotic that she befriended.
"So your really special ain't yah" Gastrodon drawled. Milotic whipped up her light blue hair fins and said,
"No other water pokemon is gonna go out with me. I'm exclusive and limited edition!" She cried out happily, and slammed her tail into the water causing a torrent of water to fling up in the air and then land. Gastrodon laughed with glee. She was alright too. A master of swimming and making the ground shake.
However, I was alone, perched on a large tree stump, overlooking everything. It's hard being a flying type. You always get sent out first and the powers of ice, electricity and rock cripple you. I remember most of our battles. I was the first one to be sent out. Always. I was so afraid. I only cowered in fear.
The other pokemon always say that im a proud species and that most of the flying types look up to me like I was their leader, their mentor, their teacher of sorts. The Honchkrow and Pidgeot told me that,
"You may be scary looking but you're an inspiration to us!" Chirped the Pidgeot, Honchkrow nodding in response,
"We always need a teacher to teach us to defeat the wild ones that come our way!" Honchkrow said before flying off with Pidgeot.
I'm not a proud species. I was caught at the same time as Luxray when we were a Starly and a Shinx respectively. We trained so hard. We gained so much. We lost far too much as well.
I remember a lot of bad times. For example when all our team was knocked out during that final fight. I was the last one standing, wings against the wall, staring eye to eye in a Lucario's eyes. It charged up an aura sphere and fired causing me to fall backwards. I couldn't get up, knowing that the Lucario would finish me off.
Suddenly I felt a swirl of hope within me. I knew what I had to do. I flew high in the air and dodged every single aura sphere fired. I twirled and gracefully flew until I was in sight. I dived down and clawed at the Lucario with Close Combat. A rush of adrenaline flowed through me as I saw its HP go down into the red zone. I cringed as I saw the Lucario faint before my very eyes. That was the last time I battled.
The thought never crossed my mind when the female Luxray of our party halted the training to come speak to me. I tell you, she was concerned. She had despair written on her blue face,
"What is up with you? You're always moody" She said, tail high in the air and fierce eyes glancing playfully. I only flicked up my comb to keep it from covering my eyes,
"Errrmmm, nothing. Why did you ask?" I replied. Luxray was aloof. She wasn't exactly solving anything,
"Man, your sooo boring these days. Don't you remember the times when we would be sent out together and our intimidate would cripple opponents? Don't you remember when we used to have fun training together? Can't you see?" Luxray said, her fierce eyes turning soft and sad as she heard my news,
"We have changed in many ways, Luxray. We were only teenagers when we were partners. But we've changed and grown. You have become a proud species who never gives up and allows lightning to strike, whereas I am a loner, a raptor who only kills and destroys prey, the one who is alone and breaks away from the pack" I said, comb drooping. I blew upwards to keep it above my eyes.
Luxray was about to sob, her head drooped along with her tail, paws shifting from one to the other. Seeing her cry, I flew down from my high perch and wrapped my wings around her. I let her head dig into my chest and her tears drip onto my chest feathers.
"We can't give up! Not now! We may have finished the elite four but we can't stop here!" Luxray bleated. I felt real guilty now. My training partner was crying because of me. I had to stop this.
"Listen, Luxray" I began, her head lifting upwards, eyes clotted with tears that streamed down her face "You're right, maybe we must continue. We may only be mid levels, but we can be stronger!" I said, letting go of her and folding my wings back to my sides,
"We will train together again like old times, won't we?" Luxray said, using her front paws to wipe the tears from her eyes.
"Like old times" I simply said. Luxray jumped up and down in excitement
"Let's have a poke gathering, tell the others your news?" She asked. I nodded in response.
That night the other pokemon gathered around me to hear my news.
"What's this…news of yours?" asked Absol curiously.
"What have you got to tell us hun?" said the Umbreon, body marks glowing slightly,
"Spit it out already!" said the Rapidash (Odin), flames glistening. I hopped onto the tree stump and the other pokemon gathered around it, torches set ablaze.
"Okay, I'll tell you" I began, stood on the tree stump, chest thrusted out. Taking a deep breath, I began to tell them,
"Have any of you seen me quite lonely?" I said. The other pokemon looked at each other. Some of them nodded and some of them stared at me as if expecting something good "Well, when me and my team defeated the elite four, I thought that it was it, like it was the end of things. So I lay low and stayed out of everyone's way. But with the help of Luxray…" I spread a wing out "She helped me rediscover my courage and strength that we can't give up. That we must keep going and level up more." I stopped and let the pokemon speak among them,
"Your right!" chirped Absol, scythe tail swishing.
"She's right after all!" Said Milotic, tail curling around her mate Gyarados who let out a piercing roar.
"Hurray for Staraptor!" Cheered the baby Vulpix (She's called Daisy), whilst cuddling up her mother. I was about to cry as well but Luxray hopped onto the stump and stood quite close to me. Her mane tickled a slight bit.
Motto: Sometimes in life, terrible events put us down. But with a little hope and courage, we can rise up and be who we want to be.
I LOVE THIS FANFIC ONESHOT! :D
