"Scales of Fate"
A tiny ginger fanfiction
Chapter 1: Retribution
Darius's POV
There is a dull rhythmic noise all around me. I can hear everything like static. Everything is a blur around me. I can't even entirely grasp what is going on, other than that minutes before I was smashed in a car accident, slipping into what I can only imagine this to be—a coma. I want so desperately to open my eyes, to tell my family that everything is alright. Except, my body will not respond. It is as though I am floating in darkness.
My soul suddenly turns in this astral dark realm as a glowing light emanates before me. I don't understand what's going on. It's then that the figure in the glowing light takes form, a giant centaur-like creature with a golden cross-like wheel sprouting from its back. It lowers its head at me and I'm swimming with confusion.
"W-What are you?" I ask as I blink in the light.
"I am a god if you will. I am here to offer you some retribution to compensate for everything that has happened to you." The creature speaks, but its mouth doesn't move.
"Do you have a name?" Why is this the most important question I can think of in the presence of a god?
"Yes. My name is Arceus. I come from a world away from yours, but I can offer you to come to this world. A world that is full of peace and happiness."
I blink hesitantly. "What's in it for me?"
"You'll be alive." I feel like I see some kind of twisted emotion in the creatures eyes for a split second, but I shrug it off.
"If I can escape this dark void, then surely it is worth it to do as you say and take this chance for retribution. Alright, I accept."
"Easy as that?"
"Easy as that." I nod my head, feeling confidant in my decision.
"Alright. I will inform you that this world is full of creatures like me. Some are powerful gods like me, others are weaker creatures. In the world there is ultimately one goal among the humans: to become a champion. The only problem is that the Pokémon as they are called, can die at the hands of these human trainers. Your goal will be to reach the Pokémon league and challenge the champion to claim your place as a champion." The creature grins at me and I'm suddenly uneasy.
"Wait, can I take that back? I'm starting to like this world a little better now. You know, just me and the dark void."
Arceus shakes its head and laughs. "You've made your decision. It is time to act upon it."
"W-Wait!"
The darkness and the light fade away and everything goes numb.
-_ –
[ ]
Grass tickles my cheek and I groan. I stretch out my limbs and am shocked to feel whole. I place my hand in front of my face and get to my feet excitedly. My body is responding to me. Maybe what that Arceus said wasn't such a bad thing. I mean, he seems seriously powerful and he's granted me a second chance. I couldn't be happier if I tried.
It's then that I take notice of the backpack to my side and the red and white sphere attached to my waist on a little ball and chain. I touch the sphere and can feel coolness pulsing through it. My hand tingles as I grasp it in my hands. I observe the sphere in curiosity, before pushing a small button on the center. The ball expands and I throw it in confusion.
I shield my eyes as the sphere lights up and a small blue and white creature that resembles a penguin chick from my world appears. It rubs its flippers against its eyes and blinks up at me yawning.
"So, what are you?" I ask as I poke the small creature in the side of the head.
"Piplup." It yawns at me. It then reaches into my backpack and pulls out a strange red device. "Lup." It hands me the device with its flippers outstretched and I take it hesitantly.
"Um... thanks." I turn the device over in my hands, trying to understand it.
I press a small green button and the device begins talking in a mechanical voice. "I am Dexter. I am the Pokédex belonging to trainer Darius Holden: Age 16. Hair color: dark brown. Eye color: amber. Pokémon: 1: Napoleon the male Piplup. For further help, tap the left button twice."
My head is reeling. What the heck. How does it know so much about me and apparently my—what is it—Pokémon? I tap the left button twice and it springs to life once more... except this time it isn't Dexter that's talking.
"Welcome to the world of Pokémon Darius. That there Pokédex can help you out a lot. Here, let me clue you in on what you've missed out on here in the Pokémon world. In this world, you have no family. Your only "family" is Napoleon there. You received him from a professor a couple weeks ago. He's used to your colorful moments of "amnesia". I've explained to him a lot about you."
"Arceus." I whisper as the voice continues. It is as though time itself is standing still. Nothing around me is moving. The only thing that I am sure of in this moment is the voice of Arceus coming from the device in which it should not be emanating.
"That's my name. Don't wear it out. A lot of trainers tend to do so once they come to par with the knowledge of my existence. Quite honestly, not many people do. Anyway, here's something very important for you to know Darius. Pokémon engage in things called battles. They pit themselves against other Pokémon via the commands of trainers like yourself, or as in the case of wild Pokémon, on their own. If your Pokémon gets wiped out by another Pokémon in battle, it will die. Make sure you use healing items on them as much as possible. I have made it so that you cannot buy revives due to the black marketing of them and the fact that they turn your Pokémon into zombies.
"The last thing I need is to rule a world with zombie Pokémon." His voice is hollow, almost mocking.
"The other thing, you are only permitted to catch the first Pokémon you see on each route. If you kill it, well then no other Pokémon from that route for you. Those are the rules in which I want you to abide. You can store your excess Pokémon in a PC box. Consider that your saving grace, Pokémon that are with you must fight by your side. Pokémon that are in the PC box are considered free beings. They do not have to engage in battle unless you choose to make them.
"Also, I want you to gain a deep bond with the Pokémon you embark on this journey with, so do give them all nicknames so you can be familiar with them. Over time I will grant you the ability to speak with these creatures and understand them thoroughly. Treat them as though they are your family. Your goal is to save as many as you can without them dying."
I can almost here the snideness in his voice and I feel like I'm choking. I can't help but wonder if it's the pressure of all that is happening to me. I wonder if this is like some kind of dream or reality. I pinch myself and it sure feels like reality, but the last thing I knew I was in a coma. You don't just come out of those. That's something short of a miracle.
"Alright." I nod my head and reality comes rushing back. Dexter is silent in my hands and Napoleon is grooming himself with a flipper.
"So, Napoleon, what all do you know about me?" I ask as I tilt my head at the little penguin.
He puts a flipper to his cheek and then begins spouting a bunch of "pip"s and "lup"s. I just stare awkwardly at him, scratching the back of my head in disdain. There is obviously a huge language barrier between us.
"I'm sorry, but I don't understand a word you are saying. So I guess what I have to ask is what do we do now?"
The Pokémon points its flipper around the route and I take notice of several other Pokémon in various places doing their own little things. He then digs in my bag and pulls out a ball like the one he came out of. He pretends to throw it and then pretends like he is getting hit by it.
"We... catch a Pokémon? Is that what we do?" He nods his head, brimming with pride.
"How do you not know what to do? Are you having another bout of idiocy?" A trainer with blond hair, tan skin, and peach colored eyes mocks me with his arms crossed.
"Excuse me, do I know you?" I stare him up and down and he huffs before smirking.
"Of course you do. I'm your rival, Gavin. Best of the best don't you know?"
I figure I don't like this asshole and look down at Napoleon.
"Let's ditch him and carry on." Napoleon makes a noise like a laugh before nodding his head and following me.
"Hey, get back here. You owe me a battle Darius."
Now that I can presume that the trainer does know me and very well is my rival by the bitterness in his voice when he spits out my name, I turn toward Napoleon, Dexter still in hand, and do the only thing that comes to mind—pout.
"I don't want to battle you."
"You can't decline a battle. When you look a trainer in the eyes there is no declining a battle from them." Gavin snaps.
I look down at Napoleon and he nods his head in dismay. Well fine then, I guess I'll just have to learn as we go. Napoleon takes waddles in front of me, his flippers flapping at his sides.
"Lup."
Gavin tosses a sphere and a green and brown turtle comes flying out. It smirks at Napoleon and bobs the little leaf atop its head. I'm beginning to think these creatures are like "aliens" from our world.
The Turtwig as it is called, begins tucking into a ball as Dexter calls out Napoleon's attacks. Several Withdraws from Turtwig and Pounds from Piplup later—the battle ends. I find myself to be a pretty good trainer as Piplup only took one Tackle in the time it took him to overkill on Withdraws.
Given that he barely had any damage, I was brimming with confidence. That would show Gavin. Surprisingly, to my utmost surprise, his Turtwig did not die in battle, it just got back up and shook itself off before being returned to the capsule.
Gavin eyes me warily before shrugging his shoulders and calling out a "See you later".
My head still reeling, I point the Pokédex at Napoleon, having learned during the battle with Gavin that this gives a more detailed description of the Pokémon that are captured. It begins spouting out that Napoleon has a lonely nature. I blink as tears suddenly come to my eyes at the thought that my Pokémon I can catch can and will die if I don't take good care of them. I do not wish to let anything happen, much less to Napoleon.
"Come here little guy." I motion to my lap as I sit on the grass of the route, not caring in the least that there are wild Pokémon around and that we should probably get moving.
Napoleon clambers up into my lap, gazing up in my eyes now that I am closer to his height. I reach out and draw him into my lap. My fingerless gloves come to rest on his head and around his waist. I stroke his head fondly as I choke back a tiny sob.
"I won't let you die. No matter what." I tell my very first Pokémon.
I don't know what shocks me more, the chance for retribution, or the fact that everything in this world is as real as everything in mine. The grass is the same texture. I can smell fires burning in the distance. Like a real penguin, my Piplup feels kind of feathery and cold—almost wet—to the touch. The Piplup—my Piplup, reaches up a flipper and flicks my tears away.
"Lup. Piplup. Pip Pip Piplup." He smacks himself in the chest and waves his flippers in the air as if to inform me that there's absolutely nothing wrong. That he is strong and strong willed and will carry out his duty to the best of his ability.
I just hope I can carry out mine. We get to our feet and scan the route some more and I realize I don't have the faintest clue what I'm supposed to be doing. I suddenly keel over as Arceus seems to flash bits of information to me. Something about gym badges and a regional town map that is supposed to be in my backpack.
Fishing into my backpack, I find the map and a case to put the badges into. "Badges are the keys to the league." Arceus echoes. I frown before pocketing the badge case back into my bag and staring at the map. A sign juts out not far from me informing me that I am on Route 201.
"So, will we be able to catch a Pokémon on this route?" I ask my Piplup.
Napoleon shrugs and points all around us. He proceeds to point further down the road to a blue building in the distance. I get to my feet and shield my eyes from the sun. I can't quite make out the lettering on it, but that place must be of importance.
"So we go there first?" Piplup nods and we begin the trek to the blue building in the distance, neither of us knowing the real ideals behind the fate we are partaking in.
-_ –
[ ]
Me: Welcome to my first installment of a brand new adventure fiction/Nuzlocke. This story is not for the weak of heart as it will be very morbid, especially with the twist of fate at the end. It is essentially going to be a choose your own ending fiction. As the story starts to draw to a close you will understand just why I say this.
Meet Darius, sent to the Pokémon world from the real world by the mysterious fate of meeting Arceus. However, it is not just a coincidence that the god chose Darius to embark on this journey for a chance at retribution. Was Darius' decision a bad one or a good one? Well I guess you'll just have to read to find out. ;)
Anyway, just the slightest bit of background information into this chapter. Darius is still in a coma in the real world, his soul has just been essentially split and carried into the Pokémon world by Arceus. Darius keeps suffering from "little bouts of amnesia" because he has few memories of anything occurring in the Pokémon world before he woke up in the grass. He was even shocked at the fact that he had a Pokémon.
Napoleon is used to these "little bouts of amnesia" and tries his hardest to distract Darius from the fact that Napoleon is truly a lonely Pokémon. He cannot communicate (yet) to Darius very well, so he has to make do with a lot of gestures. In the next chapter (slight spoiler) Darius is in awe at the Pokémon Mart and comes to terms with the various items on display. His eyes land on collar-like devices that are known to translate Pokémon speech into that of humans. He shrugs his shoulders at them and informs Napoleon that he will understand him of his own accord.
Napoleon is pretty shocked by this, but feels content in the knowledge that his trainer wants to understand him on his own. Arceus stops time and informs Darius of the decision he has made, telling Darius that the minute he has a full team of Pokémon he will be able to understand them in the plainest of English. Darius cannot contain his excitement and is brimming with joy and pride at the thought of having six of these wonderful creatures.
So yup. I don't want to break out anymore spoilers, so let's just see how this goes. I'm actually doing a Nuzlocke run on my Platinum just to give this some more meaning. Obviously I didn't write out Darius and Gavin's first battle because of simply how boring it was. Gavin spammed Withdraw on his Turtwig and Darius just kept making Piplup Pound the heck out of him. I didn't even need to utter a Growl. Turtwig only got one Tackle that barely did anything in before he was down and out.
Next chapter we start catching Pokémon also and expanding on Darius' family of Pokémon. I hope you all enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it. Yet again, this story might require you to grab a box of tissues as no matter the outcome you choose, it won't entirely be a happy one. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I love you all in a friendly way. ^^
~Tiny Ginger aka Heather