A/N: Oh, wow, this took far longer than I would have hoped to get put up. But, at least, it's here now, I guess? Yeah, there's really no excuse for taking this long to do this, so from now on I'll work to get more chapters out as quickly as possible.
Truth and Ideals - Chapter 4
White stood in the middle of the square, watching as Black turned and ran to the gate, an expression on his face she couldn't decipher. But before she could follow him he was long gone, and White stayed with feet like weights planted heavily on the ground, despite her efforts to move herself. Barely moments passed, although it felt like hours to her, and eventually she shakily turned away, wiping tear stains from her face.
But as she reached the pokémon centre to heal her pokémon, a familiar face snapped her back to reality. "White? Oh wow... whatever happened?" Cheren asked, taking in the shaky stance and puffy eyes of his close friend, which she tried to disguise.
"No... It doesn't matter," she said sternly, regaining her composure. Even in the worst circumstances, White made sure she was always in control of the situation. "I just, met Black, that's all."
"What- Black? You should've said!" Cheren seemed startled, as he immediately started looking around. "Where is he?"
"Gone." White replied bluntly, sighing in frustration. "Don't worry though; I'm sure he won't have gone far... Cheren," White started, looking up into his eyes with a strange seriousness. "Black said... that he was going to become Champion of Unova."
Cheren snorted in surprise, not even bothering to hide the condescending undertone in his voice. "Oh really? Hah... That's my dream, you know, to become Champion."
"So... you don't think he can do it?"
"Honestly, no. Face it White, you're much more cut out to be a pokémon trainer, okay? Even if he is your brother, don't take him too seriously." Cheren hesitated for a moment. "Oh, sorry, that sounded harsh, didn't it? Well just so you know, I'm here if ever you need any help, White."
White nodded slowly and thanked Cheren. He turned to leave, when he suddenly stopped, as if remembering something. "White... Do you have a dream?" he asked, almost bemused as he turned to face White again.
"Ah?" White exclaimed, caught off guard by the question. "It depends what you mean by that, but I guess... not."
"Hah, I guess that makes sense, with someone as down to earth as you. Well, see you around..." he added, as they exchanged goodbyes and parted ways, White being left alone in her thoughts.
Running away – that was something I seemed to be doing a lot lately. I sat on the ground by the edge of the trees on Route 2, leaning on a large boulder as I processed what had just happened.
I knew that I shouldn't have just run away from White like that, but part of me knew that I wouldn't have been able to face her, not there, not then. Deep down I felt that everything she had said was true – but I couldn't just give up to her like that! I had made my decisions in running away in the first place, so I would stick by that no matter what.
Just... why did I feel like such a coward in doing so? I closed my eyes tightly, leaving the world behind, with thoughts of before gradually growing dimmer. I could just about hear the cries of trainers further down on the Route, who I couldn't face without an awake pokémon.
But then, just as I was drifting off, zoning out the world around, I felt it – the presence of something in front of me. I could feel its raspy breath on my face, so I warily opened my eyes to find two huge yellow eyes glaring malevolently back at me.
"Huh?!"
I jumped up, startled to see the huge bull, what I could only assume was some kind of strange pokémon I'd never seen before. Its fixed glaring eyes matched its appearance, huge horns protruded from an afro-like hairstyle on its head as it stomped its feet on the ground in agitation. Clearly I must have looked shocked to death, as another figure – its trainer? – emerged from behind the huge pokémon and began apologising.
"Ah- sorry about that! Don't mind Bouffalant, he may look intimidating, but he's a real softie really." I looked back on the bouffalant, which seemed to me like it could be anything but a "softie", as he had put it. Heck, right now it was headbutting the strange trainer, in some kind of aggressive playfight. But the man was still smiling cheerfully, his red and orange hair growing wildly in all directions.
Strange guy, I thought as I took in his unusual attire of a weird looking poncho, with six poké balls hanging on a string around his neck. He seemed like a far stronger trainer than anything found on Route 2, the menacing bouffalant standing evidence for that, so I was suspicious about it.
"Umm..." I began, unsure of what to say.
"Oh, that's right!" he exclaimed, as if he had forgotten I was standing there. "I think Bouffalant was just checking you were okay. So, off to Striaton I take it?"
"Uhh, well I guess so..." I answered uneasily. I looked at fainted Zorua again, wondering what I was going to do with her. However, it seemed he caught onto this and rushed over in concern.
"Oh no! What happened?" he asked, but cut in before I could answer. "But don't worry! I have the perfect thing for a time like this!"
"What?" I muttered under my breath as he reached into his bag and produced a small diamond-shaped gold pill, well, that was what it looked like. Before I could say anymore, to my shock he swiped Zorua from my arms and pushed it into her mouth. "What do you think you're doing?" I demanded, concerned about Zorua. This guy irritated me...thinking he could just come out of nowhere and do whatever he liked.
But the man just chuckled and looked straight back at me. "What, you've never seen a revive before?" he asked in slight disbelief, as to my surprise and annoyance, Zorua's eyes opened and she leaped from his arms, very much awake.
"Eh... thanks?"I muttered in bewilderment, as I went over to pick Zorua up. However, instead of obligingly running up me as I expected, she stayed right where she was and growled, in a menacing action. "Zorua..." I began, sighing slightly. "I guess you're probably upset because we lost that battle, but that might not have happened if you have just listened to me. No... I mean, I promise that we won't lose the next one if we work together," I vowed, as I crouched on the ground and extended an arm towards Zorua.
But as Zorua hesitated and stared straight back at me, still with a hostile glare, I knew I had messed up. I lowered my arm, and as I looked down I knew I couldn't blame it on Zorua, when really it was all my fault, and I just didn't want to admit it.
However, before I could say anymore the man, still close by, spoke up for me. "Y'know..." he started, crouching down and patting Zorua's head warily, even as she growled at him in agitation. "I think it would be best for you to stick with this trainer. Despite everything he, uh, means well, and I think he shows promise as a trainer." He smiled brightly at Zorua, as she hesitated, eyeing up the strange man, before slowly walking back towards me.
"Ah... Thank you," I said, both at Zorua and the man, who seemed to have a strange connection with pokémon. "And, um..." I began, almost afraid to ask. "Do you really believe that? That I could be a good trainer?" I asked him, as Zorua jumped up and snuggled into my shoulder, a friendly gesture.
"Sure I do!" he replied, as he got to feet once more. "I think anyone can be a good trainer if they put their heart and soul into it."
"Oh, right, I see..." I chuckled weakly, assuming he was just saying that to make me feel better about myself. And besides, what did that mean anyway? Putting your 'heart and soul' into training Pokémon...? I still didn't understand this guy.
"Hmm... I don't know though, it seems a bit more prominent with you. It feels like you're destined for bigger things. Who knows, maybe one day you'll become champion of the Pokémon league!" he proclaimed, roaring with laughter, and I couldn't understand why. What, was he laughing at my dream? No, that couldn't be it, after all, I'd only just met the guy and he didn't know what I'd said to White. White... I shook my head, trying not to remember the events of earlier that day.
"Actually," he began, as if remembering something and interrupting my thoughts. "I'm all for doing things on whims, so... here!" he exclaimed, tugging a large object from his bag, which resembled... an egg?
"Umm, what is that?" I asked.
"Why, it's a pokémon egg of course!" Oh, so I was right, I thought, but feeling stupid since I had to ask.
"Do you mind keeping a hold of this for me? I was going to give it to the Day-care near the next town, but I think now it would be wiser to give it to an actual trainer like you!"
Slightly overwhelmed and not sure what to say, I reluctantly took the egg and agreed- it's not like I could say no. "What's it gonna hatch into?" I asked.
But the man just laughed and avoided the question. "Well, you'll find that out yourself, won't you?"
And with that, he turned to walk away, much to my surprise.
"Wait- you can't just leave after all that! I still don't even know who you are!" The guy's weird easy-going personality both irritated and intrigued me, but I still thought I should at least know his name.
"Oh?" He turned back around, as if introducing himself had never occurred to him. "You can call me Alder! And you are?" he asked, as an afterthought.
"Black..."
"Well Black, it was a pleasure meeting you. I'm sure I'll be seeing you around in the future- Oh, and good luck at the Striaton gym!"he exclaimed, reminding me of where I was going to, the first gym in the next town.
"Uh, yeah, thanks..." I muttered, as he walked off, his huge bouffalant still trailing behind him.
I looked down at the egg in arms in bewilderment, and as I watched the man – Alder – walking off I couldn't help but wondering – Why is always me who meets all the weirdos?
