Author's Note: Wow, look at me! I'm busting out chapters left and right. I'm betting it's the reviews. Don't have an enormous amount, but the quality of the one's I've received have been great! Thank you to my followers who have reviewed, not just once, but twice! Keep it up guys! And thanks for voting in the poll, too. Didn't pull in a ton of votes, but we did determine which Pokémon Anwyn would catch for her team first. I'll be doing lots of polls like that, so keep on voting!
In other news, not exactly story related, just learned about the Black and White 2 news yesterday! No idea how excited I was to hear it, especially when it was pointed out that it seems to be a direct sequel rather than a remake. I love Black and White's story, so that really just struck me as epic that they're actually making a sequel to a set of their mainsteam games, first in history. You never know! Depending on this story's success, the new games may spark a sequel.
With that, next chapter is awaiting your reading eyes! It's not a very exciting chapter, I'll admit. Still, I like to focus more on the development of the characters than the action itself.
Rekindled Values
Since the incident in Accumula, Anwyn's behavior had become uncharacteristically forlorn. Professor Juniper had been the first to notice it. Her final lessons before releasing them into the unknowns of Unova had been on the importance of Pokémon Centers, items, and other such travel aids for young Trainers. However, Anwyn had spaced out during each one of her lectures. Debatably, the only times she'd paid even a sliver of attention had been when Nurse Joy had asked her about Oz's condition and when she'd taken advantage of the opportunity to get a new Pokédex entry on her assisting Audino. After that, nothing. Her busy mind had gone off to another world.
The Pokémon expert had bid them a fond farewell soon after the end of her advice, but she did so worriedly, as Anwyn had barely spoken a goodbye. Neither she nor Cheren had told the woman about their encounter with N, though they did tell Bianca once they were out traveling on their own again.
"He sounds really weird..." the blonde deducted, spinning on a heel to walk backwards. "But if that speech was really such a low blow to Pokémon lovers, it could've just bothered him enough to provoke a conversation with you guys or something..."
"It wasn't like that. He had this odd air about him that you don't get when you're around normal people," Cheren explained, pausing momentarily to clean his glasses.
"You did say he was older than us, right?"
"He looked to be, but not by much... I don't even think it's his age that made me think that. He stood so close to Anwyn in order to look at Oz that it was just awkward... He didn't even seem to understand why she protested to it, and it took him a good ten minutes to figure out she was uncomfortable."
"It wasn't deliberate...?"
"No, I don't think so. Invasion of space is foreign concept to the guy."
"Mm, that's... Yeah, that's pretty weird..." Bianca looked to her sluggish friend, concerned. "It's not still bothering you, is it Anwyn...?"
The girl remained silent, the indifferent breath of nature playing with her bangs as she continued to roam along Route 2 with her friends. She brushed back the swaying locks of hair, a far-away look on her face. "Mm... Sorry. Just thinking really hard, that's all."
"Thinking isn't exactly your forte," Cheren quipped, trying to lighten the mood. "If you don't cheer up soon, we'll be at Striaton before you get the chance to enjoy the scenery around here."
The brunette laughed a little, though that in itself was very weak. Oz trotted by her leg with a troubled expression, attempting to keep his paw on it since he wasn't tall enough to hold her hand. Occasionally, he nuzzled his head against her, hoping she would carry him, but she never did; her conflicting thoughts were too distracting.
Bianca stopped moving when they reached a wide area of unoccupied space, pulling out Lillipup's Poké Ball. "I think we should take a break..."
"Bianca, we don't have time for a break," Cheren said irritably. "We're already bordering on the late of the afternoon, and if we don't reach Striaton soon, we'll have to stop and camp. It's going to take at least another hour."
Bianca let her puppy Pokémon out of his container, sitting and running the flat of her hand over both him and Tepig. "Well, I want to rest a bit... Once we finish our business in Striaton, we'll be going our separate ways for a little while," she reminded, darting her eyes at Anwyn.
Cheren groaned, until he realized what she was getting at. Studying Anwyn himself, he sighed and resigned to her suggestion, deciding to give Purrloin some fresh air as well. "Fine... But only for a little while..."
Anwyn observed Cheren and Bianca wistfully as they cared for their two Pokémon, Lillipup chasing Purrloin playfully through the grass and Tepig and Snivy resting in their Trainer's laps. She smiled softly, the sight soothing after such hectic contemplation. Still, it couldn't banish the haunting words from her mind completely...
"I'm a Trainer, too, but I can't help wondering... Are Pokémon really happy that way?"
Why does it bother me so much...? she wondered, a frown dominating her smile once more. Is it because of how genuine his concern was? Nothing Ghetsis said convinced me, but him...
Anwyn turned the other way, needing some space. She called out over her shoulder, "I'm going to go for a walk... I'll be back in a little bit."
"Don't go too far. We won't be staying long and wild Pokémon could show up at any time," she heard Cheren warn her, to which she yelled a reassuring statement back. As she began to trudge away, some footsteps other than her own crunched into the forest floor, and she looked to see Oz following her.
"No, Oz. Stay here."
"Osha...?" He slowed down, a bit hurt.
"Stay."
The Water-type halted, the nubs of his ears drooping sadly at her command. She kept her pace and left him behind, though inwardly smacked herself. What am I doing? I'm acting stupid...!
Once she was far enough alone in the tranquil forest, she stopped and sat, leaning her back against the trunk of a tree. She peered up at the sky through the breaks in the leaves, her fingers fiddling with a few blades of grass. With her other hand, she removed her hat, throwing it in frustration off past a few bushes.
I know I'm being dumb, but I can't help it. This awful feeling won't leave me alone, she thought, drawing up her knees. She hit her forehead repeatedly on them. I just became a Trainer, yet I'm already this unsure about it because of one stupid idiot like N... Great job, Anwyn. You're just like all those people who fell for Ghetsis' dribble... You're such a hypocrite...
"Osha..."
"...Huh?"
She slowly raised her head and found Oz, cutely disobedient, there with her hat, obviously having followed her despite her insistence. She shook her head, constantly amazed by his loyalty. "Somebody's not a very good listener..."
"Osha!" He held her hat higher, flipper wagging with a grin.
She took it from him and fit it back on her head, lowering her legs. "Thank you, Oz," she said quietly.
"Oshhaa..."
She trailed her gaze over the tiny otter, observing his mannerisms, his expression... Despite what N claimed, she knew Pokémon without telekinetic abilities had no way to communicate with people. Still...
"Oz... Are you... happy being with me...?
The Oshawott blinked, surprised, and looked up at her questioningly.
"I mean..." She organized her words carefully, wanting to approach in the best way possible. "I know we haven't been with each other for very long... Maybe it's hard for me to tell how you feel, because I can't hear you... But, you're not just a Pokémon... Something I own... I want to be friends... with all my Pokémon..."
Oz stared at her, and all she could do was meet his stare with her own. His warm black eyes were like pools, reflecting hints of his feelings, and even the words he wished to say. Much to her dismay, however, he spun around and ran, disappearing through the bushes. Her arm froze, a hand held out after him.
"Oz..." she spoke fretfully, trembling a bit. Have... Have I already driven you away...?
That notion shattered when the otter returned, crashing through the branches of the bushes holding him back. The sound of it made Anwyn recoil, though when she dared to glance at him again, her eyes widened in shock. He had a bushel of beautiful cerulean flowers in his paws, the tips of their petals tinted a slight purple.
He trotted over to her, cheeks rosy, and offered the gift to his Trainer. "Oshhhaaaa...~"
She took them after remembering how to operate her body, completely blown away by his actions. Though she wouldn't admit it, being somewhat of a tomboy, she loved flowers a lot— to the point where she'd gone as far as to study them. "This is a hydrangea," she clarified, lifting the flora close to her nose. "What a sweet scent..."
Oz sat in front of her. "Wott."
"In the language of flowers, a hydrangea means: 'Thank you for understanding'..." Her eyes began to swell and liquify, their glassy surfaces threatening to form tears, much to Anwyn's embarrassment. It was probably a coincidence that he happened to bring her a flower with such a meaning, but pretending he'd done it knowing what it meant cleared the fog of doubt in her mind, renewing her sense of purpose. Who knows? Perhaps he had known somehow...
"T-thank you, Oz..." she whispered, pulling the otter into a tight hug. "Thank you..."
He snuggled into her, pleased with himself. "Oshawott..."
Bonding with Pokémon... Anwyn mused, calmed as though washed over by the tides of relief. There's nothing more wonderful...
After a few more solitary moments of peace, the now familiar rustling of wild Pokémon met their ears. Carefully tucking the flowers into a space in her bag where they'd be safe, Anwyn let go of her partner and stood ready, eyes peeled for the Pokémon making the noise.
A Deerling emerged from the thickets, probably searching for a nice place to frolic. The sun decorated its bright, spring fur much like the flowers surrounding it, the pink color of it delicate like petals. It bounded forward until the presence of a human froze it still, its ears pinning back.
"It's lovely..." Anwyn murmured, newfound instinct as a Trainer beckoning her Pokédex.
["Deerling, the season Pokémon. The color and scent of their fur changes to match the mountain grass. When they sense hostility, they hide in the grass."]
"Deeer..." The young fawn began to back away, either frightened by them or determining whether or not it had a chance confronting them.
Anwyn's face hardened in seriousness. Not this time... I'm not letting another one get away... Determined, she thrust a hand out for Oz. "Use Tackle!"
Either by some invisible sync or a quick change in mood, Oz reacted immediately to her freshly gained confidence. He launched himself with such concentration that even the Deerling, with all its graceful agility, was unable to avoid it. The otter hit critically, tossing the fawn into the ground.
"That's it! Now, Water Gun!"
"Wott!" Oz flipped back and sprayed a fierce torrent at the wild Pokémon, who hadn't yet gotten up. Due to that, his attack landed again, and the Deerling went rolling back a few feet.
"D...Deeeer..." it whimpered, hoisting itself up on wobbly legs.
Just as Anwyn had prepared to fling a Poké Ball, the Grass-type's body erupted in a gorgeous glow, a veil of shimmering light removing its damage. She gawked, not at all expecting that. That was Synthesis... right? That's pretty rare...
The fawn, rejuvenated, decided to stand up to Oz instead of running. It rushed and dug the hooves of its hind legs into the Water-type, and not once, but twice. He tripped painfully, and once he was down, the Deerling shot a strange seed from the flower growing from its left ear, which burst open and tangled the Oshawott in a net of vines. The clingy plant emitted a red energy and sapped its victim, causing Oz to cry out.
"Damn! Not Leech Seed!" the girl realized, a bead of sweat running down her neck. "For a Water-type, that's... Oz! You have to counter, and quick!"
"O-Osh...Osha..." The otter fought through the pain and stood, firing a couple rounds of consecutive Water Guns. Some the Deerling managed to jump over and dodge; others it did not. Oz continued to weaken, but he refused to give in and kept up the blasts, not allowing the fawn time to recover. His efforts eventually paid off, and the wild Pokémon's exhaustion caused it to sink to the ground.
"Now!" Anwyn shouted, throwing the Poké Ball.
The sphere spun out, hit the Deerling, then opened up and drew it inside. Both Anwyn and Oz held their breath as it shook, trying to keep the Pokémon contained. The Trainer's muscles tensed as she watched. C'mon... C'mon...!
With a "click", the Poké Ball sealed shut, and the vines feeding on Oz's energy retracted back into the shell of its seed, dropping harmlessly to the ground. Anwyn gawked at the Poké Ball, needing a few minutes for the capture to really sink in.
"I... caught it..." She flailed her arms, hopping up in excitement. "O-Oz! We caught it!"
Oz twirled cheerfully, tapping his scalchop in pride—perhaps more due to the fact that he'd overpowered a Pokémon he'd had a clear disadvantage against.
Giving him a small hug, Anwyn hurried over and collected the Poké Ball, admiring it and then pressing the button to open it up. The light flowed out and took the shape of the Deerling, who had settled down slightly, though still appeared a little nervous.
"Hey there!" Anwyn greeted, kneeling. "I'm Anwyn!"
The fawn tilted its head, curious. "Deer...?"
She held out her hand, palm facing up. The duel-type leaned forward, hesitant at first, and sniffed it. Seeing no hostility in her actions, it rested its head against her hand, ears flicking cutely.
"Heh heh, nice to meet you, too," Anwyn spoke kindly, brushing her fingers through its grassy fur. She could tell it wasn't entirely comfortable with her yet, but this was a good start.
Oz, though very tired, skipped over to introduce himself to his new companion. "Oshawott!"
"Deer..."
Osha... Wott..." Oz rubbed the back of his head, bowing apologetically for the battle. In response, Deerling licked his forehead, and he wagged his flipper happily at the apparent forgiveness.
Anwyn found their conversation fascinating, though realized Cheren was probably getting sick of waiting for her. Patting Deerling again, she said, "So then, you need a name... Are you are boy or a girl? Raise your right ear if you're a boy or your left if you're a girl."
The fawn's right ear flicked up in response, Anwyn satisfied with his cooperation. "I see... So you're a brave little prince of the woods, huh...? Then that's what I'll call you... Amiri!"
"Deer...ling...?"
"Amiri means 'prince'," she explained. "Do you like that?"
The Deerling—now Amiri—nodded, bounding around Anwyn. She giggled, which turned into a full bout of laughter when Oz climbed up on the fawn's back and posed like a hero atop a noble steed, his scalchop drawn from his belly and held out as his sword.
"Amiri's the prince, Oz. Not you. Your name means 'valor', 'courage', and 'strength'," she clarified, picking him up off Amiri.
Oz stared at her with his eyes practically sparkling in joy. He attacked his Trainer with a hyper cuddle, which tickled Anwyn to the point where she almost died laughing.
"O-Okay, okay...! I get it! You like your name!"
"Osha! Oshawott!"
Amiri's tail wagged at their display of affection, rubbing his flank again Anwyn's leg. If she'd held onto any of her worries during the battle, they were gone now, forever buried under the love and trust she felt as a Pokémon Trainer. Her beliefs wouldn't falter again, not now, not ever... She'd fight to hold onto that resolve, as well as defend it from those who wished to change it.
"C'mon, you guys. We need to head back before Cheren blows a gasket."
The two Pokémon cried their names in understanding, Amiri frolicking next to Anwyn while she carried the more exhausted Oz in her arms. When they arrived back at the clearing where Bianca and Cheren were already set and waiting, Anwyn's rehabilitated energy stood out immediately and caused them to perk up a bit themselves.
"There you are, Anwyn!" Bianca shouted, jogging over with a wave. "Did you enjoy your walk?"
"Yeah!" she replied, gesturing at Amiri. "Look! I caught my first Pokémon!"
Bianca poked her head around at the bashful Deerling, who hid a little behind his Trainer in an instinctive reaction to new people. "Aww, he's so cute!" she cooed.
"I know, right? And he knows how to use Synthesis!"
"Wow, that's unusual. Isn't that an inherited skill for Deerling?"
"It is... That's a lucky find," Cheren praised, walking over to inspect his friend's new catch. Snivy, being abnormally social, greeted his fellow Grass-type from his trainer's shoulder, causing Amiri to wiggle his ears.
"I know he's going to be a great Pokémon," Anwyn said, giving him another pat before returning him to his Poké Ball. "But, we have to get going, right?"
"Quite," Cheren agreed curtly, going ahead as usual. "Let's get back to it."
"Ugh, Cheren!" Anwyn frowned, annoyed. "I hate it when he does that."
Bianca giggled, holding her arm as they followed him. "I'm glad you're feeling better, Anwyn. If you're yelling at Cheren, then you're definitely back to acting like yourself."
"Mm." Anwyn smiled, stroking the back of Oz's head. "Thanks to Oz..."
"Oshhaaa..."
As with Route 1, despite their unfamiliarity with it, the trio maneuvered the rest of the way through Route 2 without running into many difficulties. Occasionally, a wild Pokémon or a novice Trainer not much different from them would pull them into fights, but the three were prepared, and the encounters only served to hone their developing skills as Trainers, as well as give their Pokémon nice boosts of experience. After two hours or so, they were rewarded with their destination: Striaton City.
"This place isn't that much different from Accumula," Bianca pointed out. "Look, they even have a park!"
Cheren and Anwyn looked to the left once they reached the center square, confirming Bianca's statement. They could see a park in the distance surrounded by many hedges and pools of water. A spout of water also sprayed beyond the gate and bridge leading to it, indicating that a fountain resided somewhere within it. Otherwise, the town really wasn't much different. While certainly more urban and lively than their rural hometown, Striaton retained a quaint, relaxing environment.
"We'll have to check it out later," Anwyn said. "Like a final destination spot before we split up."
"Yeah..." Bianca murmured, somewhat saddened by the reminder of their impending separation. "Well, it's getting really dark out now... I think I'm going to go check into the Pokémon Center..."
"Me too... Oz and Amiri could really use some rest."
"You two go ahead," Cheren told them, reading over a notice posted on a nearby bulletin board. "The Gym Leader of this town is apparently giving a lecture later at the Trainer's School. I think I'm going to attend it."
"Suit yourself." Anwyn shrugged, waving over her shoulder. "C'mon, Bianca."
The blonde, making sure Tepig was energetic enough to keep up, complied and followed. "See you later, Cheren!"
The boy, not that Anwyn could tell with her impatience to get to the resting facility, offered a wave back before going on his way. With a thirst for knowledge as overpowering as his, he likely wouldn't be back for awhile.
The girls located the Pokémon Center and went through the procedures they'd learned from Professor Juniper. Thankfully, there wasn't an unusually long line they had to wait in, and Nurse Joy was more than happy to see to their tired Pokémon. While they were checked out in the restoration machines, Bianca booked a room for the three of them. They waited for the trademarked jingle over the intercom, which would indicate the completion of their Pokémon's healing. Once it rang out, the two took back their Poké Balls from Nurse Joy's Audino and traversed through the halls to their room, disappearing inside.
"I'm beat..." Anwyn whined, flopping down the bottom bunk of the bed she'd be sharing with Bianca. Cheren would be sleeping on the other side of the room.
"I know what you mean," Bianca replied warily, emptying out her bag on one of the desks. "We did soooo much today. Hard to believe we've already come this far in one day..."
"Guess that's what happens when you're eager to get going," Anwyn figured, tossing her hat onto the floor and pulling the elastic from her hair. It spilled down over her shoulders in a messy fashion, and she blew at the stands that fell hung over her face, searching through her bag for a hairbrush.
Oz tapped the button on Amiri's Poké Ball, letting the fawn out into the room. The two Pokémon greeted each other with a brief exchange of their names before Oz dragged Amiri over to meet Bianca's Tepig, and then her Lillipup, which the otter also let out without permission.
"Oz is certainly adventurous," Bianca noted with amusement. "He really is a lot like you."
"Is that a good thing?" the brunette asked, fighting to defeat a snag in her hair.
"I think so. You're a natural leader."
"Huh... After the way I was acting today, surprised you'd think that."
"That didn't last too long. You're really kind, but strong too. I've always admired you for that," Bianca admitted, sitting down next to Anwyn on the bed.
She stared at her friend, unsure whether to be flattered or modestly reluctant to accept her compliment. "...I'm not the best person to admire, really. I am pretty susceptible to my emotions, even I'm able to pull through them quick."
"Better to be attuned to your emotions than dulled to them, I think... Besides, to me, it's just the kind of feeling you give off, you know? You've probably had it ever since you were born. I wish I'd been born with something like that... You're so dependable and Cheren's so brave..." Her cheeks flushed a little at the latter comment, though she curled her fingers into her beret in an attempt to ignore it. "Point is... I don't have a lot of faith in myself."
"Bianca..."
"I wonder if I'll figure out what I'm good by the end of this... That'd make me really happy."
Anwyn shook her head, putting a hand on her back. "Maybe... But I already know something you're good at..."
Her friend raised an eyebrow at her skeptically. "What?"
"Mediating."
"E-eh...?"
"If it weren't for you, Cheren and I probably would have torn each other to pieces a long time ago; you're the best kind of friend to have around when there's a lot of arguing."
Bianca blinked, and then giggled at the memories of Cheren and Anwyn fighting as kids. She gave her friend a hug. "Thanks, Anwyn..."
"It's the truth," she assured her, hugging back briefly and then retrieving her Xtransceiver. She dialed in a code and then waited as it sent out a signal. "Going to give my mother a call and let her know I'm alright..."
The reminder of calling parents sullied Bianca's mood a bit again, her uncertain gaze hedging towards her own Xtransceiver. She couldn't muster the courage to call them though, so quietly collected Tepig and Lillipup and shimmied up the ladder to her bed. Her Pokémon curled up comfortable beside her as she tucked herself in, hanging her beret on one of the corners of the wooden frame.
"C'mon, Mom... Pick up, pick up..." Anwyn muttered, shaking her leg up and down.
Finally, Venesa received the signal from the other end, her face appearing on the screen. "Hello?"
"Hey, Mom. It's me."
"Anwyn! How are you? Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, everything's fine. I've already caught a new Pokémon, and I'm all the way in Striaton," she updated, relieved to hear her mother's voice after such a long trip.
"Wow, you've made it pretty far! Congratulations."
"Thanks. What about you? How are you getting along without me at home?"
"Wonderfully, believe it or not. I don't have nearly as much to clean now—it's quite refreshing."
"M-Mom! The typical motherly response would be to say you miss me!"
"But that's no fun, dear. You know me better than that."
Anwyn pursed her lips in a pout. Sadly, she really should've known better. "Listen, Mom, there's something I wanted to ask you."
"What is it?"
"Have you seen anything peculiar on the news since I left? Anything about 'Pokémon Liberation' or... Team Plasma?"
Venesa pondered the question, holding a hand up under her chin. "Actually, now that you mention it, I did see something about an hour ago about a speech like that that took place in Accumula Town. It's apparently not the first case that's come up."
So they really are preaching all over Unova about this... Anwyn thought, livid. "Yeah, I was there when it happened... It was really infuriating."
"I can imagine... Still, try not to let it get to you, Anwyn. It's only been a day, after all. You don't need to meddle in silly affairs like that."
"Yeah, I know, sorry... I just can't help it sometimes..."
Her mother laughed lightly. "Well, is there anything else you wanted to tell me?"
Anwyn's breath hitched. Should she tell her about N...? No... It's not like she'd ever see him again anyway... Well, she hoped not, but at the same time, she had a nagging suspicion she'd catch glimpse of him sooner rather than later. Shaking her head, she answered, "No. That's really all. Guess I just felt like checking in."
"I appreciate you keeping your promise. I'm happy you're doing so well."
"Yeah... I'll call you again when I have some more exciting news."
"Sounds good... But, you look exhausted Anwyn, so be sure to get a good night's rest."
"Mm, I will. Thanks, Mom. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Hanging up, Anwyn put the Xtransceiver back into her bag, same with her hairbrush. Before laying down to rest, she remembered the hydrangea flowers Oz had given to her and removed them from the pouch she'd tucked them in. She found a small container for water and used it as a vase, carefully placing the plant inside. She touched its soft petals with a smile.
"Oz, Amiri... Bedtime guys..."
Her Pokémon waddled over to her, Amiri helping Oz up onto the bed with a few nudges of his head. After he was secure, the fawn lowered down, curling up on the floor with a contented flick of the ears.
Oz meanwhile crawled into Anwyn's arms once she was back on the mattress, releasing a rather loud and long yawn. He scratched his scalchop, his Trainer giggling.
"Silly boy," she murmured, pulling up the covers and letting her head sink into the plush pillow beneath her head. "Goodnight, Oz..."
"Osha... wott..."
She'd expected the realm of sleep to whisk her off to a serene place where she'd then wake revitalized, but a frequent dream she'd forgotten about—yet had had on and off for a number of years—decided to remind her of its existence in her mind. Her head became filled with flashes of hot white light, a single, piercing azure eye penetrating her very heart and swallowing her soul.
She saw fire.
As always, review and vote. More importantly, have some reviewers to answer this time! Excited to shout-out to you guys.
Ashley Eon: First off, you've given really good feedback, specific too. That's the best kind. Much better than just a 'good job' or 'I like it'. Thanks a lot for that! Can't wait to hear more of your input. As for your question, I did do that truth line purposely, as this story is mainly focused on the 'Truth and Ideals' plot of Black and White, rather than the Gyms and such. Anwyn's a girl who can be very impulsive sometimes, especially when she feels false truth is being pushed on other people, which is why speeches like Ghetsis' bother her so much. Obviously this sense of truth can confuse her though, since she doesn't know it's due to the fact that she's a 'hero'. And Oz thanks you for the cute comment. :3
PiecesBaby: Again, lots of lovely feedback that's very much appreciated. Just to clarify for those who don't look at my page, Anwyn is in fact White/Hilda/Touko, I just really don't like her English name and using White as a name here just doesn't flow well to me. In case you're interested though, Anwyn is an alternate spelling of the name 'Anwen', which means: 'fair, pure, white, very beautiful'. I saw white in the name meaning and thought it was both very unique and very fitting. Her last name, Hale, is not a reference to Molly Hale from Movie 3—though I do love that movie. It means: 'a moor, a salt-water river, hero'. I thought that fit well to both her status as the Hero of Truth and the fact that she chose Oshawott. Similarly, the last names I gave Bianca and Cheren—Everett and Aderhold—also reference their starter choices. Everett means: 'strong or hard as a wild boar'. Aderhold means: 'snake infested wood'. I like to play with name meanings. It's very fun for characters. Also, thank you for the note on the N/Anwyn romance. They are the couple I intend to play with in this story, however, I do not believe Anwyn would simply fall all over him in the very few instances they meet up during the game. I plan to spread out the development of their relationship and let it grow on its own as I write it. I'll probably bring N in more than he does in the game so he and Anwyn have more time to interact, so I'll be curious as to what you think when I do come up with original scenes of my own.
