The dust cloud was already gone, making it possible to see the results of the end of the battle. In the air, though, that unexplanable scent, that carried with it so many different feelings - agony, pain, chaos, destruction, jealousy, pride, victory - could still be smelled. Oh, yes, victory. For it, we would do anything, we had done everything. The vivid red blood of the enemy splattered all over the floor was a proof that we had gone to war, and we won. After so many years, so much money and time vested in the creation of the most beautiful and powerful weapon ever built by man kind; there she was, glorious, the only one left standing among the wreckage. Even after liberating all of her power, bringing pride to her creators, her turbines were still spinning. Sparks sorrounded her, remembering everyone that she was now the most powerful creature on Earth; no longer were those brats, whose bodies were scattered all around. Those who thought were strong and skilled enough to defeat us, those who challenged us so many times. They were wrong; and how wrong were they! They had just lost the war, as expected. They did have special abilities and were indeed very strong, but not like us. No creature would ever be better than us. No one could ever beat our intelligence and bravery. We were the best, we are the best and will always be. We can never be stopped. Ever.
-I never quite understood how it all began. -murmured the horse, shaking his head in a rapid movement. Enlightened by the sunlight, that was especially radiant and gorgeous that afternoon, the blue firy mane of the pokémon looked even more vivid. Without stopping, he stomped the ground lightly with his four hooves to adjust his metal leg-protectors. Along side his trainer, he walked through one of the most beautiful places he had seen ever since they left home; although it was undeniable that the view was nothing compared to the farm were he had grown up in Rainbow Valley. The day was also perfect; warm, not a single cloud in the sky - just the sun shining the green field with it's golden rays.
The girl giggled. She found it funny the way her buddy made such indirect questions; in her opinion, it would be much easier to just get to the point - but that wasn't the only difference between the two. Actually, little did they have in common apart from the way both liked to spend most of their time alone. After a few seconds elaborating an answer, she started to retell the speech she had been told when she was still a little child. Since she han't yet been born by the time the war started, little did Caroline know about it's main causes; she based her arguments in the stories her mother told her and her own point of view. The greed and ambition of mankind led them to make what was necessary to stay on top, carrying their title of "The Most Powerful Creatures", which had never been taken from then, once every single time another creature was considered a threat to them, it was completely wiped out - it had always been that way, and it hadn't been different when it came to pokémon.
-The humans didn't want to be left behind. They were jealous of pokémon, that carried so much power. They were afraid of being degraded. So they build this weapon, and that's whow they managed to drive the species extinct. Well, save for a few, that suffered some mutations - they're the responsibles for you being able to comunicate with me, Fire. -explained the girl, making a few pauses every now and then and petting her Ponyta.
-Pokémon didn't speak back then? Unbelievable. -he shook his head once more, sceptic, astounded by what he had just heard. -But what about the relationship between trainers and pokémon? And the trust? If they couldn't understand each other, how could they possibly fight alongside each other? -asked the horse. So many questions crossed his mind, and he had always been one of the curious kind.
-Trust isn't set by words; it is won as the time passes. The friendship between trainer and pokémon is built and, once it starts growing stronger and stroger, it can't ever be destroyed. Well, at least that's what it was like before the war. -she shrugged, thoughtfull and disturbed by the events that separated such a balanced world into two that were falling apart. -After it's "end" -she used a gesture as she spoke the last word, as if making quotation marks with her hand, to indicate that the war wasn't really over yet; in fact, it wasn't even close to it. -the government started to create crazy rigid rules, with rigorous penalities to those who dared breaking them, trying to stop any and every contect between the two species. Fortunately, some - even if not many, compared to the huge number of people who were against their attitudes -, were willing to risk everything they had to take care of the remaining pokémon. And that's how ilegal meeting places were the two races could coexist in harmony were born. That's the reason why my mom came to Unova in first place; she fought to keep her Rapidashes and brought me with her so I could grow up alongside pokémon. -once again, she made a little pause, sighing. -Still, I'd like the world to get back to being what it was before the war. -the fact that she hadn't had the chance of tasting that wonderful place that the world was before the battle, of which she had only heard about in stories, always made her sad.
-Hm... -he stopped with the questions, now searching for a way to bring joy to her trainer again. He would sometimes forget that some questions could sadden her, but always managed to distract her and make her happy again. -But what about that place where we're headed? Are we close yet?
The lady promptly put one of her hands above her eyes, trying but not suceeding to block the sunlight so she could see better, but she could see nothing apart from the gorgeuous violet flowers speckled all around the praire they were crossing. It was a little funny, though not surprising at all, that they hadn't found a single pokémon wandering about ever since they left home; after all, they had been traveling for quite some time and, even though she didn't have great expectations of walking across one of those rare creatures, she certainly had hoped to bump into at least one of them. Remembering the question she had been asked, she turned to the help of an old map of Unova, which was given to her by her mother, to answer it, fastly finding their location.
-I think so. But it's kind of hard to tell, since we're taking a route that's out of the map, far from the roads and 'civilization'... -she was still looking at the map, sometimes lifting her head to glance at what was in front of her, but got no sight of the city.
-And what exactly are we going to do once we arrive? -said the pokémon, coming closer so he could take a look at the map as well.
-I'm not sure. -the girl paused for a brief time, but shortly after went on, with a radiant, determined smile across her face -Isn't that why we're here? For the unknown? The emotion of not knowing what is waiting for us on the other side; that's what moves me.
The Ponyta snorted, shaking his head in disapproval, but smiling; he couldn't deny that the adventirous spirit of his friend also motivated him to stand by her side, always heading straight. And between laughs and talks, trainer and pokémon went on while the sunt set; one more day was gone and they knew that they were getting closer and closer to their destination, what kept them excited all along. Even though Firestarter would mostly show his protective side, he was as anxious for what was coming as Caroline. However, they didn't know that their jorney would get dangerous; they were about to walk into a dead end road, with no going back, of which they wouldn't get out unharmed.