Pokémon Darkness
Part 1: Unova
Chapter 3: A Midair Chat
"So, Claire, what kinds of Pokémon do you have?"
In the light of Reshiram's bright red aura, White saw that the young girl looked nothing short of terrified at being so directly addressed. She glanced around rapidly, as if looking for some possible escape route. Finding none, she evidently realized she had no real choice but to answer White's question.
"I've got…" she began timidly, speaking in the faintest of whispers. "I've got Zweilous…"
And, still not facing White, she immediately pulled a Pokéball from her bag and released her Zweilous into her lap. White couldn't decide which surprised her more: the fact that a girl as small and quiet as Claire would have as savage a Pokémon as a Zweilous, or the fact that she had just released a Pokémon nearly as big as she was while flying through the air on the back of a dragon. Claire, however, didn't seem to think anything of it. She absentmindedly stroked each of Zweilous's heads, visibly calming down. After a few minutes in which White decided to say nothing and let her calm herself, Claire turned around to face White's direction. As she stared at her Zweilous, both of the dragon's heads glared intently at White, its expressions unfathomable. Claire glanced momentarily up at White, but promptly returned her gaze to her Zweilous. White took this as an indication to speak again.
"Wow, a Zweilous! How'd you catch one, Claire? I thought they were only found wild in Unova. Is it a boy or girl?" White bit her lip to prevent herself bombarding Claire with any more questions, feeling that this would frighten her away again. It was several more seconds before Claire spoke, staring intently at the small two-headed dragon in her lap.
"She's… a girl," Claire muttered the slightest bit more loudly. "And… I got her… from the Professor… in Pallet Town… in Kanto… m-my hometown... He got her to study… and gave her to me as my starter… She was a Deino then…"
White couldn't help but be thoroughly impressed with this timid girl. The first Pokémon she had ever gotten was a savage Deino, and yet here she sat, petting her as though she were a Lilipup. Voicing this praise, she decided, would no doubt be a good way to boost her confidence.
"That's very remarkable, Claire. Not many seasoned trainers can befriend a Deino; they're just naturally bitter and resentful towards humans. But your first Pokémon friend ever was one, and now you two clearly get along perfectly! You're going to be a great trainer, Claire, I can tell."
But far from making her more relaxed and open to conversation, this commendation seemed to only mortify Claire. She flushed furiously red and spun back around where she sat without a word. White grimaced at her counterproductivity in allaying Claire's nerves, and silently wondered what she could say to undo the damage. Before she had even decided where to begin, however, Claire turned back, and, still staring at the dragon she was petting in her lap, spoke again.
"Th-thank you White. You're… nice…"
She trailed off and fell silent again, but, as she did not turn away from White again, White decided she could safely resume the conversation.
"It's true, Claire, I mean it," she assured her, causing her to blush again. "So what other Pokémon do you have? Who was the first Pokémon you ever caught?"
As White had come to expect, Claire took a few seconds to respond:
"The first Pokémon I caught," she began, with notable emphasis on the word. "…was Geodude. But he's a Graveler now…" she murmured, and, to White's only slight surprise, recalled Zweilous and sent out Graveler onto Reshiram.
In an instant, White was thrown backwards, nearly toppling off of Reshiram. Before she could fall, though, she was crushed from all sides, and dragged back to her initial spot. After a moment of shock recovery, she realized that Claire's Graveler was squeezing the life out of her.
"No! Graveler, stop! This is no place to be rolling around!" Claire's voice was entirely unlike the tone she assumed when addressing humans. It was stern, admonishing, even powerful. Immediately, her Graveler's crushing hug ended, and he slowly walked back to Claire's lap, looking ashamed. His trainer looked at him firmly for a moment before her expression softened.
"I know you like meeting new people, Grav, but you could have knocked her off. If you want to stay out here you need to be more careful. Can you do that for me?"
Her Graveler looked deeply sorry as he slowly nodded. Claire smiled contentedly and patted him gently on the head. She glanced back up and seemed momentarily startled to find White sitting there. She then blushed, if possible, more deeply than ever, and returned to patting Graveler. After watching them for a moment, White burst out laughing.
"Wow… You're Graveler is certainly friendly!" she gasped through her laughter. "Is he like this to everyone?"
Claire, staring white-faced and horrified at Graveler, gave a barely perceptible nod. Realizing she was humiliating the young trainer, White quickly desisted her chortling and began encouraging her again.
"Claire, you've got no reason to be embarrassed at all! You've just shown that you're a both responsible and caring trainer. You should be proud of that! The way you can make an impression without coming across as unduly angry, that's very important in a trainer, and rare in one as young as you. I can really see the bond you have with your Pokémon."
White looked closely at Claire as she spoke, trying to detect hints of her mood. Color seemed to flow back into her cheeks as White spoke, continuing past her normal hue and settling on a slight shade of vermilion. After well over a full minute of silence, Claire slowly whispered at her Graveler.
"I… I'm not that good… I've… I've let them get… get hurt bad before…" She fell silent, and, after a moment of wordless recollection in which her pale pallor returned, she glanced up at White for the longest time yet, her eyes just barely swimming with tears, tacitly begging White for reassurance, which White wasted no time in supplying.
"Claire, it's just not realistic to expect your Pokémon to never sustain an injury. It's not even practical to expect them to never faint. That doesn't mean you're a bad trainer, it just means you're a trainer. If the fight was friendly, they were never in any real danger. If it was more serious, well, the fact that your Pokémon are willing risk themselves to protect you proves that you are a good trainer."
Claire slowly looked back at Graveler again, but in a caring way that seemed to ask for affirmation of White's words, not the shy way she had previously used to simply avoid looking at White. Graveler gazed back at her, his concern patent across his face, giving her the confirmation she sought. Claire gently wiped the few tears she had betrayed off of his head, whispered a soft thank you to him, and returned her eyes to White, teary-eyed yet smiling. As they held eye contact for a moment, some unspoken understanding seemed to pass between them.
"Y-you're right, White… Thank you s-so much," she shakily whispered.
"It's no problem, Claire," White happily responded, very glad that she had connected with the small girl. "I'm here for you."
A few seconds passed without another word, as White deliberated on how to move their conversation forward, but it was Claire who broke the silence.
"I… I also have Seel… She's the newest member of the team…" she said in a whisper much louder and more confident than any she had yet employed. As she spoke, she patted Graveler once more and withdrew him, and sent out an unusually small Seel with a scar across the left side of her face where her fur had not regrown. She let out a fierce bark and glared at White with malice startling for one her size, though she did not move from Claire's lap. White watched her apprehensively, wondering whether she too might attack, albeit in a less friendly manner. Claire seemed to realize what she was thinking, for she stroked Seel absentmindedly and spoke to her soothingly.
"Don't worry, Seel, she's a friend. N trusts her, and… so do I. We can trust her," she assured her. Seel regarded White for a moment before grunting and putting her head down, still stealing glances at the stranger. Claire sighed in an amused yet affectionate sort of way before looking up at White.
"S-sorry about Seel; she's not very trusting of people... I just saved her from… from being attacked… so she trusts me…" she explained slowly. "B-but I'm sure she'll like you when she gets to know you…"
White noticed that she seemed hesitant to elaborate on her past or how she had met her Pokémon, and opted not to press for further information, instead choosing to move on to her next Pokémon.
"So, is that all of your team, or do you have some more Pokémon?" she asked.
Claire said nothing for just a moment, seeming to come to a decision before she answered.
"Just… just one more…" she whispered very softly. "I've got… I've got Februa…"
And with that, she recalled Seel, who was still glaring at White, and sent out a Pokémon White had never seen or even heard of before. It looked like a pearly white and very short Serperior with deep magenta eyes and markings that, White noticed with a start, were the exact color of Claire's eyes. Its face was thin and pointed, its body long and narrow, roughly the length of Claire's arm. It seemed to radiate a pale white aura into the night, distinct from Reshiram's burning red glow. It did not land in Claire's lap, as the others did, but floated about foot off of Reshiram's back. For a moment it seemed that it would be left behind by the soaring dragon, but Claire quickly grabbed hold of it, petting its smooth head.
"This… This is Februa…" Claire informed White, who was watching the strange and unfamiliar Pokémon with awe. "I found him as an egg… And cared for him until he hatched… No one knew what he was exactly, but… but the Professor thought he seemed like a Pokémon from an old legend called Februa… and he responded to the name, so we decided to use it… I was on my way to some lady who specializes in legends when…"
But here she trailed off, apparently unable to go on with the story. White, mesmerized by the unique Pokémon, had to fight back the urge to ask for more information. She wanted to know where she had gotten the egg that hatched into the curious Ekans-like creature, what the Pokémon Professor had theorized about it, what legends surrounded it, and what sort of powers it had shown. As it was obviously a Legendary Pokémon, it was doubtlessly stronger than its size would suggest. However, she felt it would be rather tactless to ask Claire to recount these visibly painful memories. Instead she watched the Februa, who seemed to be looking around into the night with apprehension. He glanced at White, saw that she was looking at him, and, so like his trainer, quickly stared down at Claire's feet. White was spared having to suppress her desire for information when Claire began to speak again.
"The… the Professor thinks he's psychic/dragon type… And… it seems that TMs don't work on him… he… The Professor thinks he can't learn many moves as he is… And that that means he'll evolve… All he, I mean, all Februa knows is Confusion and Tackle… And he sometimes gets scared and runs away… The Professor tried to get other people to train him but they couldn't… No one seemed to want him once they realized those things…" she trailed off, looking fondly at Februa, and said nothing for a minute.
"But I'm not complaining about him," she went on, suddenly sounding strong and resolute, talking more to herself than to White. "He's very sweet, just shy, and he can be brave when he needs to be. I don't care if he doesn't have legendary strength; he's my Pokémon, and I love him. I wouldn't trade him for anything."
White's admiration for Claire increased tenfold as she spoke. She could easily see how she and N got along so well; there were among the few trainers who really, truly considered their Pokémon to be their friends. They didn't care how weak or strong, or ugly or pretty, or bitter or cheery they were: they were their friends, simple as that.
"Claire," she began, her voice ringing with respect. "I know I've already said it, but you are one of the greatest trainers I know. I'm not talking about mighty strength or quick wit; those will come with time, though I wouldn't be at all surprised to see that you're ahead of most trainers your age in those regards. No, I'm talking about the fact that the only trainer I know who loves and understands Pokémon nearly as much as you is N, and those are things that don't come with time. Seriously, you're going to be one of the best in the world, I promise you."
Claire's pale face glowed crimson again, but for the first time she looked more happy than embarrassed. She seemed to be trying to find the right words to say, but was on the verge of speaking when Reshiram abruptly dived down. White gave a start and looked down to see the small village of Nuvema steadily growing larger as they descended.
With a soft thud, Reshiram landed in front of White's house. White thanked him with a smile before she recalled him to allow him well-deserved rest. She glanced to the side and saw N's Altaria landing gently. N kindly rubbed Altaria's head and returned her to her Pokéball. White hurried over to him, with Claire and Februa following closely at her heels.
"How are you, White? Claire?" he greeted them, smiling. Claire's close following of White made it obvious that she was no longer as fearful around her as she had been before the flight to Nuvema Town. He stooped down to hug Claire, then stood and embraced White likewise. At that exact moment, however, the door to White's house burst open and White's mother ran up to them, her expression flickering between relief, anger, amusement, and surprise.
"White! Oh Arceus, I'm glad you're okay! Where have you been? I was worried sick when I got up and you had vanished. It just seemed so unlike you to not leave a note or anything. Who are these people? Friends of yours? But tell me, where have you been?"
She spoke so rapidly, in a manner that recalled White's own when she sought information, that White had no chance to answer her questions until she paused here for breath. White countered with her own barrage of questions.
"What are you talking about? You didn't get the note I left? Why are you even up yet? It's so early, isn't it? Wait, what time is it any way? But that doesn't matter; the point is that I definitely left a note. I don't know what could have-"
"Um, White?" N called out, cutting across her. White spun around to face him and saw that he looked nervous and apologetic. "I'm very sorry… I never mentioned how I found you, but I went into your house and found this note, and I… Well, I took it…" With a look of greatest regret, he withdrew from his pocket a folded piece of paper and flattened it out.
"I'm so sorry, White, I just didn't think… I thought I ought to have it to reference… I never considered…" He trailed off, and solemnly faced White's mom. "I should really apologize to you, Mrs. Shirkuro; I didn't mean to cause you such grief. I shouldn't have taken White's note, and I'm very sorry."
White's mother scrutinized him for a moment before responding.
"It's quite all right, N. You are N, right?" When N nodded, looking slightly confused, she pressed on, apparently satisfied that her daughter was safe and an explanation had been given for her unannounced absence. "Ah, well it's nice to finally meet you, N. White's told me all about you, you and your long soft green hair, she always said, so it wasn't too hard to tell."
White blushed a vibrant crimson to rival Claire's deepest shade. N looked curiously at White, evidently unsure what to make of this information. She quickly decided to end the conversation before her mother could humiliate her any further.
"Um, Mom?" she said rather pointedly. "We're all rather sleepy, especially N and Claire. They've come a long way, and they have nowhere to stay. It's fine if they stay here with us, right? At least for the night?"
"Oh, of course, it's no problem at all," she replied airily. "But I expect a full explanation of everything once you're all rested tomorrow, okay? Now," she went on, not waiting for a reply. "Claire, is it? Well dear, you can take the extra bed in White's room, all right?" Claire jumped and hid behind White at suddenly being spoken to, but White's mother merely looked at her curiously for a moment before addressing N. "And you can take my bed for tonight. Once I'm awake it's impossible for me to get back to sleep, so there's no reason why you shouldn't have it. Well, why are we all still outside?" she concluded, leading them into the house.
"My room's through that door, N," she called, gesturing to a door to the left. "And White will show you to her room, Claire. Goodnight everyone!"
She hugged White, who returned it with a quick "goodnight mom" before turning to N. N smiled his kind smile at her as he said goodnight to her and Claire, and, his weariness finally showing, turned to enter White's mom's room.
"This way, Claire," White said softly as she led the young girl up the stairs to her room. She threw back blankets on the spare bed and threw one of her own pillows to it. "You can sleep here. Just let me know if you need anything, okay?"
"Th-thank you, White," she said in a faint whisper.
White suddenly realized that Februa was still floating close beside Claire. Claire, however, made no move to recall her as she climbed into the bed. The dimly glowing Ekans-shaped Pokémon landed and curled up beside her pillow. The pure innocence of the scene touched White's heart. She placed a hand on the side of Claire's face and smiled at her.
"Goodnight, Claire," she said, feeling like this girl she had met mere hours ago had become her little sister. "And goodnight, Februa," she added, gently patting him, who flinched nervously but quickly settled down.
"Goodnight, White," Claire whispered, her eyes barely open. White smiled again and flicked off the light, walked over to her own bed and collapsed onto it. About a minute later, when sleep had almost completely stolen over her, Claire called out in the darkness.
"White?"
"Yes, Claire?"
A brief pause, then: "I think you're a great trainer."
White's heart seemed to melt. She didn't think she had ever received a compliment so plainly sincere.
"Thank you, Claire," she happily replied.
And, in that moment, sleep overtook her at last.
