Author's comment: Another Pokepasta :D Leave comments please! I'd greatly appreciate it. Tell me if there's any Pokemon story you want me to write on! Enjoy.
"Stop it, Alan!" Alexandria screamed at the younger boy next to her. But he merely smirked, ignoring his elder sister's cry.
"Why do you care? It's not like they can do anything to us." The young boy sneered, and continued his act of kicking the Cascoons scattered over the forest floor. The Cascoon flew with the impact and struck a nearby tree, hard. Its anger is evident as it glared at the male trainer with its red-rimmed eyes.
"We're Pokemon trainers, not tormentors!" The girl scolded as she dragged her brother away from the writhing Cascoon. Alan struggled and jumped a few paces away from her.
"Yea, yea. Whatever." He snorted. "Sis, when are we going to Rustboro City? I'm dying to get my first Badge."
"As soon as we get out from Petalburg Woods. Man, this place is huge…I wouldn't want to get lost in here." She fished out the Map she'd obtained from her mother back in Dewford Town, trying to navigate to the correct directions.
This trainer duo of a brother and sister team was born and raised in their hometown of Dewford. Currently they are on their way to Rustboro City to challenge the Gym Leader so as to kick start their journey of Pokemon trainers.
"I'm bored. We've been walking for so long." The young boy grumbled as they walked deeper into the woods. The afternoon sun shone a million rays through the foliage of the trees, and the wind carried the gentle cries of some Taillows living in the forest. Sensing no response from his sister, he groaned and looked around casually. He saw several woodland Pokemons eyeing them suspiciously, cautiously, but made no attempt no attack. Perhaps they're just waiting for the danger that is us to pass, he grinned at the thought. As they moved, 2 Shroomish scurried back to their burrows. A Slakoth yawned while hanging on a tree branch.
Just then, Alan noticed a big, ancient tree to the left of the grassy path.
"Hey sis, stop." His eyes sparked with delight as he saw a whole colony of Cascoons hanging from the tree branches, hiding behind the thick growth. But nothing could hide from the keen eyes of a Trainer as he reached for his Pokeballs.
"Alan! What do you think you're doing?" Alexandria scowled.
"Might as well do some training here, and Cascoons who can do nothing but Harden and shoot String Shots are no harms to my Pokemons" Alan's face lit up with excitement. "Go Rocko! Go Zuby!" A bright light shot out from the thrown Pokeballs, and out came a Geodude and Zubat.
Alexandria knew that when her brother is in a battle rage, she could do nothing to stop him until one party is down. She glanced at the powerless Cascoons as they squirmed anxiously on their support. Some Hardened their coats, hoping to minimize the impact as Alan's Geodude used Rock Throw to strike them down. Others continued their attempts to slow their adversaries down with String Shot, but the Zubat did not yield, and sank its fangs into their skin.
The outcome was decided swiftly as the trainer's Pokemons overpowered the Cocoon Pokemons, as the Cascoons lay defeated on the ground. Some were still writhing, most were motionless. But without any doubt, all of them were glaring at their attackers were such scorn that sent a shiver down Alexandria's spine.
"Let's go, Alan. We're reaching the end of the forest soon." She shuddered for once and hurried her brother along. Content, Alan trotted along with her happily, failing to see the hateful red eyes following them.
"Wow, so this is Rustboro? This place is massive!" Alan bounced along the tiled pavement as the duo entered the vast city. "Sis, did you see that? Dewford is nothing compared to here!" She too, was in awe at the advancements of this City, especially the renowned Devon Corporation. But her mind was occupied with finding the Pokemon Centre to rest their tired companions.
And those eyes which have managed to inked themselves so deeply into her.
She looked up, and the sky is darkening. The setting sun cast a cloak of red over the silver town as people rushed to their home. The crimson poured over Petalburg Woods, dyeing the foliage a haunting scarlet. Like the Cascoons' eyes. She thought, and then quickly dismissed the notion. Why am I so jumpy about this matter? It's not like the Cascoons can do anything like what Alan has said. Even though she tried to comfort herself, she knew there was something she had missed. But what?
They spent their night at a local's house, whose second floor was empty. Alan was still soaked in his excitement that he kept chattering about tomorrow's battle, but quickly, his exhaustion caught up, and he quickly fell asleep. Alexandria spent some time talking to her prized Starmie and Wingull, and she eventually fell into a deep slumber. She has a nightmare of a million red eyes directed not at her, but at the boy next to her, and they kept coming closer, and closer…
She woke in cold sweat. The sun was just rising from its horizons.
"Hello young man. What would you like to buy?"
"Whoa, check out this collection of items! Sis, this is the first time I see this, and this, and that! We don't even have a Pokemart in Dewford Town!" Alan ran amok in the store, sticking his face against the glass cabinet or picking up random items from the shelves.
Alexandria could not help but smile slightly at her younger brother. Yesterday's event seemed to have long pass, and it is most essential to ready themselves for the battle that is the Gym Challenge. She looked into her backpack, yes it is now well-stocked with potions and elixirs.
It is time.
Both of them stood steadily in front of Roxanne, the local Gym Leader. The two siblings fought the enemy Pokemon alternately.
"Wing, Water Gun!" Alexandria commanded, and her Wingull shot a stream of water at its foe. The Geodude fainted. "Your turn now, Alan!"
"You got it Sis! Zuby, Confuse Ray!" Roxanne's Nosepass seemed to lose its sense of direction. "It's your chance! Now, Bite it!" A repeated cycle of attacking, finally the last Pokemon of the Gym Leader fell. Upon congratulating them, she presented them the Badge. Alexandria has never been so happy before in her life, now that she has her first Badge.
"We did it, Alan!" She hugged her brother tightly.
"Ugh, let go!" The younger brother groaned, but could not help but smiled to that. It was their first accomplishment in their journey, after all, and they still have a long way to go.
"Young trainers, since you are here, why not stay another day here at Rustboro City and make a visit to the Devon Corporation?" The female Leader said. "I'm sure you'll find helpful things there."
And they did, acquiring a PokeNav each. Now they have a more complete Map to explore the region, Alexandria figured.
"Awh, it's turning dark." Alan mumbled. He has just bought some empty Pokeballs, and he is eager to capture new Pokemons from the nearby areas. He'd always wanted an Electrike, and he knew he can catch one here.
"I think we should stay the night, and move on tomorrow morning." Alexandria replied. "We have plenty of time." And so, they returned to their lodge, waiting for the sunrise as the prompt to continue their journey.
If only she had anticipated the event that was to come, she'd have left the city right away. But even if she did, will that change anything? It'll just prolong the terror that she will face.
Night fell, and in their comfortable beds they lied asleep.
Alexandria jerked up – she seemed to have heard a sound, like fluttering wings. Is she hearing things? No – the sound seemed to have come closer. She's slightly terrified, but curious at the same time – she has to find out the origin of the sound, whatever it might be. She's a Pokemon Trainer, right? Pokemon Trainers are brave people, they are not afraid of anything. And as the elder sister, she has to protect her only brother, who is still sleeping soundly in his bed.
Tiptoeing down the corridor with her Pokeball in her palm, she quietly investigated the darkened corners. Everything seemed fine – until she came to the staircase, and saw a shadow moved past, fast, across the window.
What? It seemed to have moved towards the direction she just came from. The bedroom.
Then a surge of horror welled up in her.
Immediately, she ran into the bedroom – not caring about making noises now. True enough, outside the bedroom window where the full moon shone brightly in the night sky, tens – not, hundreds – of a certain species of Moth Pokemon hovered. The herd of Dustox, silhouetted by the silver light, cast a mass of ominous shadows against the wall of the room.
Alexandria could see the reflections of herself and her brother in their haunted compound eyes as their mandibles seemed to stretch into a sickening grin. Their wings, fluttering in the cold night sky, released thousands of pink snow that rained down upon her sleeping brother through the open windows.
"No!" She managed a scream as she realized the truth too late – these 1.2m moths are discharging poisonous powder at her helpless sibling. But why? Dustox seldom attack a human unless provoked. She did not remember any encounters with a Dustox, let alone a whole colony, in their journey.
Then the dark truth sank onto her as she fumbled through her Pokedex. Dustox is the evolved form of Cascoon. She located the entry of the cocoon pokemon and started reading it in fear.
"Cascoon, Cocoon Pokemon. It never forgets any attack it endured while in the cocoon. After evolution, it seeks payback."
Alan moaned, and breathed his last breathe.