Talking To The Moon.

"The brightest flame casts the darkest shadow." ― George R.R. Martin

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"Woah…" I breathed in awe at the impressive expanse of the garden once I reached the iron gates. Trees soared overhead. Bushes were laden with flowers and fruits of all varieties. Even the sound of water whispered and gurgled through the foliage. "How big is this place?" I wondered to myself to no one in particular. 'Only one way to find out' and I stepped into the gardens. Following the gravel path, it led me to an impressive set of white stone steps that descended down to a beautiful clear pool of water. From here I could see Wooper pokemon having fun playing hide and seek between the lily pads and lotus flowers.

"This place is exquisite." I said to the breeze as I walked down the steps watching Beautifly,Yanma and Combee darting through the air.

Once I reached the bottom, I couldn't resist venturing in deeper, the profound urge to explore just taking over completely. The Wooper pokemon paid me no mind and continued with their game. Even the odd Azurill and Murill joined in the fun as I walked along the water's edge as a school of Remoraid skimmed the surface of the water, basking in the warm sun.

The foliage grew thicker and less sunlight filtered through as I ventured down another path through the gardens. Parting the leaves of low hanging branches and vines, the garden opened up again flanked by a huge wall of rock, tapering down to the edge of the cliffs ahead where the lake encircled the town and the mountains stood proudly against the horizon.

Suddenly, the bushes ahead on my right ruffled. Alert, I watched intently as something black shifted behind the leaves. The Pidgey in the branches of the trees above whatever it was, grew silent and hopped higher into the safety of the trees to hide. I stared as all too suddenly… a black pokemon sure enough, stalked out from the bushes. Growling.

"Luuux…rrrayyyy…" the red and yellow-eyed blue and black pokemon growled lower, fur bristling.

I blinked, surprised at the pokemon's blatant warning show towards me. I'm not even a trainer, so I couldn't have posed that much of a threat towards it. Unless…

I backed off, "I- I'm sorry… I didn't mean to tread on your territory, Luxray." I started.
The Luxray bowed its head and its fur started to crackle with an impending electric attack.
Clearly losing my nerve, I backed off further. I didn't want to get fried at all but my heel caught on a rock and I stumbled backwards and landed painfully on my backside. I cringed as my satchel popped open on contact with the ground and my sketchpad jumped out with one of my pencils. The pad fell open on the ground.

I grumbled in annoyance and from the sudden pain and picked myself up. "Ok, I get it, Luxray. I'll go away. Just down fry my already sore hide!" I muttered in defence and the Luxray thankfully, dropped its' attack, probably thinking better not to 'kick' me while I'm down.

I sighed and started to gather my things.

"Luxray?"

That sounded curious. I glanced over at the Luxray as it padded over to sniff my sketchpad and then stare in wonder at a picture of a Chikorita I had done a while back.

"I'm an artist." I told it and the Luxray looked up to stare in wonder at me. "I like to sketch pokemon wherever I go."

I watched the Luxray close its mouth and then nudged the pad towards me with a paw. I got that as a clear invitation to approach and collect it. As I did so, the Luxray turned its head and barked towards the bushes from which it came. Looking up I saw what I assumed to be its' family emerge from the cover of the leaves.
"Ohhh." I realized as it really dawned on me. "You were only looking out for your family."

"Lux!"

"Sorry to scare you like that." I said as I held the pad in my arms. I'll assume by now that this Luxray is a male if such actions were anything to go by.

"Ray-ray." And he shook his head as if to say, 'Don't worry about it.'

"I know." I started, turning the pad over in my hands. "How about a do a neat portrait of you? Fair trade I guess for not giving me a good zapping!" I exclaimed, chuckling slightly.

The Luxray blinked up at me and clearly blushed and looked away to locate his mate by the edge of a small bubbling brook taking a sip of water. He looked back up at me and tilted his head. 'Ray-Luxray!' he said nodding.

I chuckled and followed him to the brook's edge and sat down in the sweet, lush grass.

I watched the Luxray pad over and sit down about two meters in front of me. A little unsure of himself of how I was expecting him to behave.

I smiled. "Well…I get the just that you are a proud, fiercely loyal creature and will do anything to look out for the ones you hold dear. You're a real little hero! Show me what a hero you are!" I prompted.

The Luxray beamed and shuffled around so I got a slight profile of him sitting on his hindquarters and lift his nose into the air. Perfect!
His mate said something a little ways from me and he barked back, slightly embarrassed. She must have cracked a joke at his expense and I chuckled as he sat there rooted to the spot with his nose still in the air, the breeze combing his mane back in rolling waves of long black fur.

Flipping over a crisp clean sheet of paper, I pencilled in the basic shapes of his features. Time meant nothing to me whenever I was focused on my art, so there was no telling how much time flew by. The word travelled like feathers in the breeze and soon enough, I had one heck of a pokemon audience watching me sketch a Luxray!

A Marill hopped on my shoulder and smiled at me as we looked at each other. I laughed happily and returned to the task at hand. Adding the final shading techniques to the fur of his face, I sighed with gratified approval of my latest masterpiece and nodded, turning the pad over.

"So…what do you think." I directed over to him, giving the electric feline the cue to relax from his unwavering pose. He padded over to inspect my work and gasped a "Luuuuux." in awe and clear praise.
"I'm glad you like it!" and I offered the sketch to him. He shuck his head and lifted a paw to gently nudge the paper away. "Lux- ray-ray. Lux-ray." he said with clear gratitude evident in his intense amber eyes.
"Oh…" I started, "want me to look after it?"
He nodded, "Lux!"
"Okay." I said smiling and the Marill on my shoulder leaped off and hopped in front of me, clearly excited.

I laughed, "Want me to draw you too?"

"Rill! Rill! Rill!"

If that wasn't a resounding 'Yes' then I don't know what is. I watched the Marill call for its other friend, also a Marill and they struck a friendly pose together in front of me. I giggled, delighted to be enjoying my time like this and making new friends out in the garden.

A/N: Hahaha! Bet you thought that 'black pokemon' was 'you-know-who' XD. So here we get some 'everyday' life for Shade. Be warned though, that very last sentence is sort of like a hint about her life. It's going to get very interesting from here…