a/n: Hello there B)
Wow, okay, I haven't written anything about Pokémon in ages, but then again, this entire story did branch out from all my other fandoms and kind of clashed into one, so technically, it's not all Pokémon ideas, but that's the main thing here. Meaning, the story is about Pokémon, but the ideas were from... Okay, forget it, I'll just stop.
Nothing belongs to me except the character concept and story .
ℭhapter 1
The drowning sun painted a reddish, pink and yellow streak across the sky, clouds wafting about, what was left of the sunlight filtering through the boughs of the trees that stretched their leafy limbs over the small white fox asleep under the large oak. The Vulpix blinked, rousing from her slumber, struggling to open her eyes as she looked about her, finding herself in an unfamiliar field of green.
"Nngh-" she forced herself upwards, struggling onto her paws and finally able to support herself with her hind legs fully as she looked around. Her legs, paws and muscles ached, but there was not much she could do about it. Her eyes scanned the scenery – despite her current state – calmly. She cleaned the dirt and leaves from her fur as she looked about, frowning slightly as she tried to remember what she had been doing before, how and why she had woken up in a field she had never seen before.
But nothing came into her mind. She walked away from the cover of the tree, pacing up and down the field, trailing along the tall grass, but still she could not remember anything, who she was, where she came from, or anybody she remembered. As she pawed down past the orange crumbling leaves down the small hill, her blue eyes immediately caught sight of a figure seated atop the branches of a tree.
"An Absol," she stated without hint of distress, "have you come to warn me about a coming disaster?"
The quadruped creature regarded her calmly before closing its eyes and sighing "No." He said, opening them again as he looked down at her. "The disaster I had sensed is now long over. I am much too old to be wandering everywhere and climbing up trees. But here I am… No, the disaster I sensed before has long passed. It has happened, in a world far beyond our reach, yet still part of this realm. It should not matter to you, young kit… But if I may ask, why are you white?"
The Vulpix looked down at her coat of fur, which, unlike most Vulpix, glowed pure white. "I do not know." She said. "Nor do I remember. There is nothing I remember, I'm afraid. I just woke up by the tree there, so I have nothing to do but to head to the nearest sheltered area, I can take care of myself there."
The Absol chuckled slightly, "So you can remember little about yourself, then – you are a young independent kit. You are very brave… Not a single sense of distress. You wake up, not knowing who you are and you simply disregard this fact and head towards an unknown destination?"
She shrugged. "I do not see the sense to make a fuss – it seems to be like what all amnesia-stricken protagonists in stories do."
"You are wise for one so young." He nodded, tired eyes looking down at her. "I wish you luck wherever you head. I must return to my own burrow, but before that… Surely, you must remember your own name?"
"Yes," she said as a frown creased her face, now looking rather unsure of herself, "I believe it was M-" but before she finished she was interrupted by a loud screech, and a flock of chattering Woobat swept towards them, hovering and hooting over her head. One of them flew right into her, knocking her backwards, but it zipped back up into the air before she could close her tired jaws around its wings.
"Hee-Hee! Funny Vulpix!" One of them grinned, exposing its elongated fangs. "Funny Vulpix! White Vulpix! Ghost Vulpix!" It jeered again, and this time the rest of the flock began cheering it along, a chorus of "Ghost Vulpix!" filling the area.
The Absol rose unsteadily to its feet, as did she, but he was too old, and she was still seemingly damaged from whatever had happened before she had awoken. "Stay back," he barked, "I have a better advantage over them."
But the Woobat only laughed harder. "Hehehehehe! Old Absol after us! Heeehehehee! Old Absol can't do nothin'!"
The Absol leapt to the ground next to the Vulpix, fur gleaming in proud triumph and victory despite his old age and situation as he readied an attack "Back off. I may be aged but that does not mean I cannot fight!" Gracefully slinging the ball of dark energy towards one of the Woobat, it hit it directly in the nose, sending it crashing to the ground. The Vulpix watched as he slung another, but with each attack she could tell he was growing weaker, more tired, his body unable to handle the use of so much energy.
She rose back up to her feet, growling at the remaining Woobat flitting nervously in the sky, feeling the fire rise in the back of her throat. It hurt so much, her legs and muscles aching, but she had to shoot them down, at least… But before she could fire, a Pokemon came whirling out of nowhere, knocking into a Woobat mid-air and sending it plummeting to the ground. Again it took off and jumped against another Woobat, rebounding against each as one by one they were sent to the ground, and even those that were not too badly injured were sent crashing into the dirt again, hissing and snapping at the Pokemon that had attacked them. But finally, when they had all fallen, or were being dragged off in a cowardly escape by the ones with little energy remaining, the Pokemon finally slowed down, kneeling to the ground in front of the surprised Absol and Vulpix, a smile upon his snout.
"Sir," the Riolu nodded towards the Absol, and turned to the Vulpix, bowing more formally. "And the lady."
"You are alright?" The Absol turned to check if the Vulpix was free of harm, and then at once, retaliated. "And you, Riolu! Making a fool of yourself! You, a steel-type, against a group of flying and psychic-type opponents!" He roared, although the Riolu only smiled modestly. "I could take them down myself! You risked your well-being!"
He nodded and continued to smile, "Well, sir, I know you are strong, but you are soon done with your given lifespan-" he was whacked in the head by the Absol's paw. Rubbing where he had been hit sourly, he turned back to the Vulpix who was looking blankly between the two. "As you, lady, are you harmed?"
"No." She stated simply.
"Yes, good thing I saw the flock of Woobat on my way, then." He cleared his throat. "Are you travelling with her, Sir?"
"No, she appears to be what seems an amnesiac." The Absol stated, licking his paws. "But I should think I will be helping her as far as possible from here on out."
"I will take her to Cirrone," the Riolu cut in, turning to the Vulpix, "you may call me Azure. As for you?"
"...Mary." She finally nodded, peering curiously up into the Riolu's golden eyes. "Azure. Very original."
He laughed slightly, his eyes lighting up as she mentioned her name. "They did their best. Well, if you don't mind, I can help escort you to Cirrone Town, it's a day away. For your memory I'm not sure exactly how I can help, but I will see to it... And," he turned back to the Absol still smoothing his fur absently, "Zaman, sir, I think it is better you return to your den... How did you end up all the way here?"
He scoffed. "That's none of your business, child. Now come - Mary, was it?"
"Well, sir, if she's an amnesiac, I beg your pardon, and if you have come wandering out of nowhere, don't you think it would be better if we should stop by somewhere for food and rest instead of going straight to Cirrone?"
"Bah. You just want to go to Selene's, that's what all kids want."
Azure smiled. "We need food, sir,"
"You need food!"
"I've already eaten, I thought-"
"You could tempt me to pay more? Ridiculous-"
"Sir, with all due respect-"
Mary looked back and forth between the two Pokemon in front of her arguing. "Excuse me." She called out, causing the two to stop bickering. "But it is late afternoon, the sun is setting and if it is really a day to the town you mention, wouldn't it be better if we stopped somewhere to rest first?"
Azure beamed.
Zaman rolled his eyes. "Of course, why wouldn't we? I'm sure there's a closer place..."
"There's nothing but a few merchant carts and peddlers off the edges of the plains," Azure persisted, "It is better we head for Selene's."
"Yes, if that's the best." Mary nodded, turning towards the Absol, "Thank you for your help, sir. I suppose I should be on my way, if I ever were to find out who I am... Or suppose I could just start anew, yes? Azure, which way would it be?"
"North, miss." Azure smiled smugly, looking down at the Absol who was suddenly occupied in cleaning his fur. "Right, let's head off, then. We should get there before nightfall."
"Of course." She turned momentarily back to Zaman, who was already heading elsewhere.
"I'm going back!" He scoffed. "Since you seem so capable of taking care of her on your own!"
"He's a little off, isn't it?" Azure chuckled. "Well, best we head off, yes? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, thank you." Mary shook her head, dusting her fur. "Let's go, then."
Azure nodded and walked off into the field, Mary trotting after him as they set off.
...
Soon after the two reached a large building secluded within a grove of trees, several Pokemon laughing and conversing at the tables set outside. They headed inside, where it appeared to be an inn of some sort, with a staircase leading up to where the rooms should have been.
A Ninetails and Bisharp were seated behind a counter, talking to each other as Azure approached them.
"Oh, Azure!" The Ninetails smiled as the golden-eyed Riolu placed a few coins onto the counter. "I haven't seen you in a while. Have you not planned on evolving yet?"
He grinned. "No, I'm fine with how I am now. I'll evolve when time comes... Anyway, a room for two."
"Oh!" The Bisharp turned to the white Vulpix behind him. "Now there's a pretty lady. Well, Sally, won't ya look at that. Pretty color, isn't she? Shiny?"
"No, a shiny Vulpix isn't white, I would know." She leered, then turned back to Mary with a smile. "You're a beautiful young girl. Are you travelling with Azure?"
"Yes, miss." She nodded. "We just met, actually, I woke-"
"She was attacked by a flock of Woobat." He added quickly, glancing towards her. "I was lucky to have passed her around the time."
"Poor thing," the Ninetails nodded. "I suppose you're heading to Cirrone? Germaine, be a dear and get the room keys for them."
The Bisharp waved her arm at the fox, "I know what my job is. Normal room for you two?"
"Yes," Azure said again before Mary could say a word. "Thank you. We'll see you tomorrow." Receiving the keys, he led her up towards the rooms, looking towards Mary with slight concern.
"Now," He frowned at her, "I think it is best that you do not mention that you woke up in the fields without memory - It is a strange occurrence to say the least, and what with all that's happening now, trust isn't being thrown around so easily anymore.
Mary nodded steadily. Azure thought she was taking everything remarkably well, never had he met anyone that could act so calm about things. "Very well," She said. "What do you propose I say, then, if anybody were to ask?"
He looked thoughtful. "We'll have to think something up. I should think the best idea would be to say that you are traveller as well, from out of the borders. But for now you should get some rest, it will be a long walk to Cirrone. How are you feeling?"
"Fine, I should think." She settled down on the bed, looking at her tails with vague interest before turning her eyes back to him. "But, if you do not mind me asking, the Absol - Zaman, was it? - told me that he had sensed a disaster that had already passed, and now you mentioned 'after all that is happening'. What has happened?"
"Mm. Yes." He sat down next to her, looking to the floorboards. "It's difficult to explain, but it seems like a war erupted somewhere off the coast of the borders, and there hads been some rumor spreading around that it has angered the celestial a, and that now they will bring their own wrath to us. It is better if you do not think about it. I'll go fetch something to eat, then you may rest. I still have a bit of work to do."
A little while later, after he had returned with food and their plates had been cleared, Mary looked up once again towards the Riolu, sitting by a lot candle, frowning at a book and a few papers spread out next to him. "You are a merchant, aren't you?"
His ears twitched slightly. "Yes."
"Then why did you decide to stop for me? Saving us from the Woobat was one thing, but then you decided to allow me to follow you. I'm sure it was an act of kindness and I am thankful, but why did you not let me follow Zaman? Even if he were to bring me to some other place to eat and stay, perhaps, and head to Cirrone after, why did you insist on bringing me with you?"
He chewed on the top of his pencil, still not looking at her. "I'm not sure." He admitted. "But I could not leave you out there, and Zaman is old, I would spare him the trip to Cirrone. I won't keep you with me forever, of course, but I had to help you. Until then, I will try my best to see what I can do for your memory."
Mary put her head down, curling up. "It is strange. But I am grateful for your help all the same." She closed her eyes. "Good night, Azure."
"Good night, Mary." He murmured, watching her as a gleam of hopeful recognition passed through his eyes. He blew out the candle.
a/n: Aaand that's done. Whew. Too much and too rushed and I should have given Zaman more of an explanation, but what can you do.
