Title: Saving Heart, Part One
P.O.V.: Aezel
Rating: T; contains some swearing and violence/gore
Approx. Word Count: 4k
Summary: "Follow the tale of a shiny Semfera Magikarp named Aezel, as he unfolds his life before he joined Sentinel Haven..."
Author's Comments: I personally liked how this one turned out. I might write up part two someday down the road. Or, I may just leave this as is. Who knows? I tried to keep it as non-violent as possible, but no such luck. I was just so into the groove, and the violence happened. Well, stop reading this and get to it! Chop, chop!

Word-of-the-Day: zither \ ZITH-er, ZITH- \ , noun;
1. a musical instrument, consisting of a flat sounding box with numerous strings stretched over it, that is placed on a horizontal surface and played with a plectrum and the fingertips.

I don't remember much from when I was little. The furthest back I could remember was when a human tossed me into a tank filled with water and sealed off the top of it, so I couldn't get out. The tank was decorated with plastic props, and the bottom had filthy, rough black sand. I remembered a bright light entering my container as curtains opened to reveal me, and there were shouts and cheers. There was a lot of noise, a lot of clapping. Then the faces would emerge, staring at me. I remembered being on display for humans, but why, I didn't know. I didn't like it. I wanted to escape from their tapping fingers and chattering, noisy voices. There was nowhere to hide. I was exposed for their viewing pleasure.

I remembered this went on for some time. When I wasn't in the display tank, I was in the holding tank. It was bigger, and contained Pokemon not like myself. I mean, I knew I was one of them, but not quite so. I could understand their speech, and they understood mine. We were the same, yet so different. They told me that I was infected, but because of my rare color, the humans kept me alive. I didn't understand. Infected? Wasn't I one of them? Sure, I had human-like webbed hands and feet. Maybe even a human face as I had seen in my reflections, but I could breathe in the water. I knew myself to be a Magikarp with a rare color. I knew I was only alive because of this color alone. What did it mean that I was "infected?" I would come to know what that meant later in life.

Fast forward a couple of years. The human man who owned me wanted me to do tricks in my display tank. I didn't know any better. I did what he wanted me to, jumping through hoops and such. He had me dressed in strange flowy cloths, stating that I'd attract more customers if I "dressed more like a mermaid." I didn't know what that meant. For a while, I performed tricks for the man and it earned him profits. As long as he was getting his profits, I got to live another day. If you could call that living.

One night, I remember being yanked out of my holding tank. Startled, I tried to call out, but I was tossed into murky water. I couldn't see anything and it was hard to breathe. I had to go up to the surface to get air. I was met with metal bars as I took in gulps of fresh air. The new tank I was in was moving. I couldn't see anything besides the sky above me. The tank I was in was covered, and the night sky was moonless, providing me without any light. I was scared and confused.

I didn't know what was happening. I could hear human voices, but they were too muffled to make out the words. I seemed to have been on a bumpy road, upon a moving vehicle. Where was I being taken? Who were these people that just nabbed me out of my holding tank? I wanted to be back at the holding tank, where I was at least surrounded by other water Pokemon. I didn't want to be isolated, especially not in that moving tank.

I couldn't sleep. It was hard to when I couldn't breathe under that stagnant water. It mustn't been a few hours and I could see the horizon lighting up with the dawning sun. I was drifting between sleep and wakefulness. I was so tired, but I couldn't breathe under that water. I just wanted to sleep, and as I closed my eyes, I began to sink to the bottom. I didn't care anymore. I didn't even want to be there in the first place. My small world would fall into the depths of darkness and maybe then, I would rest easy.

The vehicle came to a sudden halt and I found myself floundered out on the dirt trail. I coughed and sputtered as the filthy water and muddy dirt washed over me. Something had happened and I could hear the humans shouting in panic. Their vehicle with the tank I was in toppled over, and I was on the ground, disoriented and dazed.

As I collected myself enough to realize I was no longer in that tank, I gazed up to see a boy who was like me, spitting fire on the other vehicles. I knew he was a Pokemon, too, but he had features like I did. He was fighting fiercely, making the humans scatter and run from the area. By him was a girl who was just like me, too. They were like me.

Human-shaped, but not human. Speaking and understanding the Pokemon language, yet not truly Pokemon.

The girl saw me first and tapped the boy with the wild, flame-colored hair. He motioned for her to approach me while he kept the humans at bay. She was taller than me, which was fine. Probably meant she was older than me.

"Are you okay?" her voice was very sweet and caring as she extended her small hand to me. I took it and she helped me up from the sloppy mud. I gave a small, shy nod. She smiled at me, glad that I was fine. "That's good. My name's Drasena. What's yours?"

"Ae.. Aezel..." I could barely find my own voice.

"Can you walk?" she asked, looking concerned. She had reason to be. I was trembling quite badly and she was helping me stand.

I had never stood on dry land before. My legs were wobbly and I felt heavy overall. I had been in water nearly all my life and being weightless was something I was used to. Now, I was suddenly on dry land and feeling gravity pulling me down for the first time. I shook my head at her. Even my long golden hair (which my human master never bothered to cut) felt heavy around me, wet and splattered with mud.

Drasena, who I realized was a Dratini, looked back to the fiery boy and shouted, "Magnum! Come here!"

The boy made sure all the humans had bailed out of the area before running toward us. I noticed he had a deep crimson tail with a flame lit at the tip trailing behind him. As he got closer, I could see his brilliant beryl green eyes. He stood next to the Dratini and gazed down at me.

"What's wrong? Is she alright?" he asked. I frowned, hiding behind Drasena.

"I'm a boy..." I murmured. However, he didn't seem to hear me. Drasena did and she looked surprised.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Aezel. I thought you were a girl, too," she apologized, which then caused Magnum to look rather stunned.

"No way! She's definitely a girl!" he scoffed. I was most definitely not a girl.

"I'm not..." I tried to speak up louder so he could hear me. He smirked at me and I cowered behind the Dratini.

"Oh yeah? Then what's up with the long hair and the girly clothes you're wearing?" he teased, taking a step toward me.

"Magnum, stop being mean to him. He's just a little kid," Drasena scolded, placing her small hands on her hips. He ignored her and came toward me, towering over me. I stepped back and he tried to reach for me, but my legs buckled and I fell. The slick mud on the slanting hillside we were on led me to a river, and I slid right into it.

I couldn't say I was upset. I was back in my natural environment. The current took me downstream, but I was weightless again. I was strong in the water. I could swim against the current and beat it, if I really wanted to. On land, I was helpless. I could barely stand on my legs, let alone walk. My home was in the water, not on land.

I let the current take me as far away from that place as possible. I was free from the human master I had to serve. I was free from the tiny tank I had to share with other Pokemon who didn't want to be near me. I was free from all the noise and nosy faces looking at me.

I was free.

I had found myself in a low rocky cave beneath the water. It looked like a water Pokemon made it a home some time ago and abandoned it. I slept in it, and I hadn't slept so well in such a long time.

When I woke up, it was morning and cold. I could see many water Pokemon swimming in the lake I ended up in. Of course, due to my appearance, they mostly kept away from me. I was beginning to understand that I couldn't live with these true Pokemon.

I was one of them, but I wasn't. And I wasn't completely human, either. I can't speak their language, no matter how hard I tried to communicate with them. Humans just assumed I didn't understand them, but I did. I tried to show some signs that I did understand their speech, but it was no use.

I didn't belong anywhere.

What about the two I met the day before? They were like me, and I knew one of them was a Dratini. I've seen one before, back at that circus place. Though, he wasn't as pretty and bright as Drasena. He was old and very miserable-looking, but he was very kind. I couldn't remember a name to that old face, but he told me lots of stories and comforted me. That is, up until he passed away a couple of years ago. He was the only company I had. I don't think he even gave me a name of his...

But those two back on land were probably a little older than me. Still, what were they doing, fighting those humans? I sighed and tried not to think about it. My head was already confused enough as it was.

Well, I couldn't possible live in this lake forever. Or could I? My stomach would growl at me in hunger. I was used to being hand-fed. I didn't even know what was edible in this lake. I ate the lake-grass on the bottom, and the berries that dropped into the lake. It still wasn't enough, though. I would only be "full" by the thought of not liking the taste of lake-grass, or the gross-tasting berries that might've been over-ripened.

As the morning slipped into the afternoon, I decided to come out of the lake and sun myself. I wasn't used to the chilly lake and the sun was a welcoming warmth to my cold skin. I laid out on my stomach, basking in the sunlight.

I hadn't realized I dozed off, and when I came to, there was a human girl crouched down in front of me, staring at my face. I was startled and flopped to my feet, trying to hurry back into the lake. As I mentioned before, I was not a creature for the land. I tripped and fell (face first) into the grass and soft dirt mound.

"Oh no! Are you okay?" the human girl approached me, trying to help me up. I rubbed my face, which was now smeared with dirt.

"You poor thing," the girl took out a small white cloth and began to wipe my face clean. She smiled at me. "There. Now you're all pretty, again."

"Th-thank you..." I said meekly. Of course, I didn't expect her to understand my speech, but she smiled even bigger at me.

"Oh, you're a Semfera Magikarp! But, your hair's not red at all. It's all golden-blond and pretty... Does that mean you're a rare shiny Semfera?" she asked, sounding very astonished. I had no clue what she was talking about.

She must've mistaken my confused expression for fear and said, "Oh no, don't be afraid. I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm just surprised, that's all. I've never seen a shiny Semfera before."

"Katherine! Where are you?" a woman's voice called. I looked nervously around, trying to find the source of the voice.

"I'm here, mommy!" the girl called back behind her and I could see a woman. My body stiffened as the new human approached.

"Oh my," the older woman stared at me. "What do we have here, Katherine?"

"It's a Semfera Magikarp, mommy! A shiny Semfera Magikarp!" the little girl stated very proudly.

"Goodness, you're right. I wonder where she came from?" this 'mommy' questioned.

"I'm a boy," I said flatly. Well, of course they wouldn't understand me, but still.

"Well, little one. Would you like to come with us? There are others like you at my orphanage," the older woman smiled warmly at me. There were others like me? She was housing others like me?

I stared at her for a moment, then gave her a small nod. I wondered if they knew I could understand their speech. I also wondered if I could really live on land. Well, if it meant I could be with others like myself, then I could adapt. I hoped.

It seemed like she did understand me, since she clapped her hands together and exclaimed, "Wonderful!"

They helped me up to my feet and soon found out that I couldn't quite walk on my own, yet. The mommy decided to lift me up on her back, which I had to admit was a rather strange way to carry me. The girl, Katherine, said it was a "Tepiggy-back ride." How strange.

It was a short hike to this "orphanage" the mommy mentioned. I stared at the huge structure before me. It was very tall and very wide. Katherine stated it was their home. They shared it with lost and abandoned "Semferas;" which I quickly learned, that's what I was called. Not a Pokemon, but also not a human. I was a Semfera.

Once inside, they took me to a pleasant room, where a nurse came over to check on me. She made sure I was healthy. They had fed me food, which I was extremely glad to finally have in my stomach. Nice, warm food.

I couldn't say I was very picky when it came to cooked meals. I ate everything on my plate while Katherine giggled at my ravenous appetite. Once I had my fill, I wanted to sleep. Katherine could clearly see how drowsy I was.

"Oh, you must be very tired, Goldie," she smiled. Goldie? Did she really call me that? She did, and it would stick to me until I left the orphanage. That would be told later, however.

They had a huge lake in their backyard. I was surprised to see Semferas of all types here. A lot of them were young, like me. In another part of the field, there were older Semferas, possibly young adults.

As I approached the lake (with Katherine's help), I could see there were Semfera Magikarp in there. Two of them, at least. They looked up at me and greeted me happily. There were also other water-type Semferas, like Horsea and Goldeen. There was a Psyduck, too, who was just floating on the surface. I recognized most of the species present in the lake, but I was still so astounded to see them all. They weren't Pokemon, nor were they humans. They were just like me.

I was truly happy for the first time in my life. I didn't feel so alone, anymore.

I spent a couple of years at the orphanage, which was called "Julia's Saving Heart." Julia was Katherine's great-great-grandmother who passed away before Katherine was born. This used to be a ranch or resort for Pokemon back in the day. But now, Katherine's mommy turned it into an orphanage for lost and frightened Semferas, like me.

This was stuff Katherine would tell me. She enjoyed talking to me, even though I couldn't really talk back in her language. I would only nod or shake my head to respond to her. Or, I would gesture things and she'd catch on to what I was trying to say. She was very bright and easy to be around. She was never harsh with her words, nor did she ever get angry over nothing. She was my favorite human, and I had grown to love her very much.

Life at Saving Heart was peaceful. I made a lot of friends with the lake residents. Although, some still treated me like a girl, due to my small structure and long hair. I eventually got Katherine to cut it. For some reason, she didn't want to cut my hair any shorter than my mid-back. At least my hair wasn't all over the floor whenever I came on land, anymore. It was such a hassle having everyone accidentally step on it and unexpectedly yanking me backwards every time.

Katherine enjoyed playing with my hair, though. She would talk to me for hours, running her fingers through my hair and styling it however she liked. I didn't mind, though. She wasn't hurting me in the least, and I felt content just sitting in her lap, or on her bed.

When it got too cold outside, I got to sleep in Katherine's warm bed. She would hug me tightly at night and usually slept in one position. I was a restless sleeper. She'd hold me so I wouldn't fall off the bed. It's happened before, and the shock of waking up on the floor scared me so badly, that I hid in her closet and passed out on a pile of her clothes. Katherine didn't like that at all, so whenever I was allowed to sleep in her bed, she'd hug me and made sure I wouldn't fall again.

I could have lived at Saving Heart 'til I got old and grey. But, one day, something happened that would change my life forever.

It was a day like any other. The sun was shining brightly outside and we were just going on about our day, as usual. But then, strange men in these odd uniforms came to visit Katherine and her mommy. They weren't here for them, though. They wanted us, the Semferas. Katherine's mommy tried to get rid of them, but she was struck by a tall man in a sharp suit. The older Semferas got very angry at the sight of our caretaker being hit, and they started to attack the men.

You would think, with the older Semferas and their powers, we'd save Katherine and her mommy. Unfortunately, we were outmatched by these humans. They had strange machines and contraptions to capture and restrain the older Semferas. The younger ones, such as myself, couldn't do anything but huddle together in fear. What chance did we have against those men? Our own powers hadn't even developed yet. All we could do was bite and scratch, but they didn't get close enough for such primitive attacks.

And then, to all of our horror, these men were slaughtering some of the older Semferas. They just walked up to the helpless, bound Semferas and slit their throats. They had bled them out. There was so much blood coating the lush green grass. Then those men, with the blood covered wicked blades, started coming toward us. We began to scatter, some trying to head for the lake while others tried to run to the forests.

Those who were caught had their necks snapped. It was horrid. I watched a Semfera Nidoran get caught, and she shrieked and struggled to get free. Her shriek was shortly silenced after the 'crack' when the man reached her small and fragile neck. I was petrified, unable to move from where I stood. I was suddenly grabbed from behind by another man. I couldn't even cry out as the human stared down at me with cold, dark eyes.

"Hey, lookit this!" he called out to one of his comrades.

"Holy shit! That's a shiny Semfera!" his friend exclaimed. Several men nearby came to inspect me, all gawking at me like I'm some kind of rare treasure they just dug up.

"You know, we're supposed to kill every last of 'em... But, damn, I've never seen a shiny Semfera before," one of the men stated. "She could sell pretty damn high in the underground trade. Hell, we can even auction her!"

"Or we could just hand her over to the boss and let him decided, you friggin idiot," another scowled.

At any other time, I'd be irked for being called a female, but right then I was too frightened. Why were they killing us? I couldn't comprehend anything anymore. I was scared and confused. I just wanted to be back in Katherine's arms, where it was safe and warm...

"Let me go!" I finally cried out, struggling in the man's grasp. I didn't care if they couldn't understand my language. I wanted to be released. I wanted to be with Katherine.

"Shit, she's getting riled up!" he cursed, gripping me tighter.

It hurt having this human squeeze my arms so hard. I tried to kick, but another pair of hands grabbed at my ankles. I cried out when my hair was pulled as I struggled to be free. I was beginning to lose my stamina, trying to fight these humans off. I couldn't keep it up and I gave up, slumping into the first man's grasp. I shut my eyes as tight as I could. I didn't want to see this world of death anymore.

It was pointless. No, it was stupid. I was going to be spared because of my color. Again. All my friends... They were getting slaughter, while I... I was going to be spared again, because of this damn color I was born with!

Was this really my fate? To be seen as some collector's prize? To be trapped in a cage and shown off? To please and entertain these filthy humans? If that was the case, than I'd rather be dead! I'd rather join those who I've grown to love and care for! I'd rather— I'd rather—!

I could suddenly hear the humans shouting in panic, followed by a loud explosion. I was dropped rather unexpectedly. I supported myself with my arms, and looked up to see what was happening.

Fire.

There was fire blazing around the ranch. The machines that had entrapped us were ablaze. The humans in their strange uniforms scattered, trying to quell the flames. As they tried, a sudden tidal wave appeared seemingly out of nowhere, washing away the humans. They were scooped up in the mobile water, like a giant blue serpent devouring small mice. It changed in form, like a tornado, and spat the humans far into the distance.

I watched in awe as this unbelievable turn-of-events unfolded before me. Everything was happening too fast, yet at the same time, everything was moving in slow motion. When the remaining men scattered and disappeared into the distance, the torrent of mobile water fell into the lake. It was then that I realized that was actually the lake water.

By that very lake, I saw the most beautiful Semfera. Standing next to her was the Dratini and the boy of fire I met years ago. I remembered them. They had grown taller, but I still remembered them.

The beautiful Semfera sighted me first and she started walking toward me. As she drew closer, I felt a calm and divine aura about her. She had a motherly feel. She knelt down to me, reaching over to touch my face with the warmest smile I've ever seen.

"Are you alright, little one?" her voice was lyrical. Angelic. I couldn't even describe it. It was as if everything bad that just happened was nothing more than a fading dream.

I crawled up into her lap and sobbed into her embracing arms. I wanted it all to be just a bad dream. I wanted to wake up and find myself safe in Katherine's arms. I wanted to open my eyes and see that none of my friends were hurt or killed.

But most of all, I just wanted to sleep, and never wake up again...

~To be continued~