We walked quietly across the shores. My eyes frantically searched for a light, anything that could lead us to help. Eclipse had the Eevee on his back as I walked ahead.
"I see something," I say, pointing to a dim light in the distance. Our footsteps quickened, and we eventually led ourselves to a town of some sort.
The town consisted of only twenty buildings in total, all made with oak wood (from what I could tell) which made them look like cabins. Of these buildings, there was a small Pokemon Center, a grocery store, and a meeting hall. The rest appeared to be two-story houses. Midway through the town, the sand stopped and a grassland began. It was neat and clean, structured into a rectangle, with the meeting hall at the top.
We quickly made our way to the Pokemon Center, but it was in vain. The door only shuddered and whined as I tugged on the handles. The "Closed" sign swung gently in the breeze, taunting me.
"You there, what are you doing outside at this hour," a voice asked me, a tinge of annoyance evident. "Who are you anyways? You don't look familiar, and you're sopping wet too!"
A woman, in her sixties, came hobbling towards me, cane in hand. She had stunning white hair that was curled into a bun, and light doe eyes. Large, silver hoop earrings lightly fell on her cheeks, and a locket settled on her chest. She was skinny and lean, wearing a crisp white blouse and stern black slacks. Her slippers were worn out, and her nails hooked onto the wood of her supporter.
"I'm sorry. I'm just trying to get some help for this Pokemon." I picked up the Eevee, showing her. She looked perplexed at first, but soon offered a soft smile.
"You three come with me. I was a nurse in my younger years, but I'm still good for it." Her cane stabbed the earth before she began walking to a nearby house, with us at her heels. "You're lucky I was out for my nightly stroll. That place is never open this late."
"I know this might sound like an odd question, but where am I?"
"What do you mean?"
"As in, region." The woman came to a halt seconds before her door.
"You really aren't from around here, are ya?" She looked at me with a shocked twinkle in her eyes. "Now you really should come inside."
The home was simple and cozy. The front door led into a round living room with white walls with green leaf designs. The couch matched the wall, and sat behind a glass coffee table. There was a single staircase off to the side, and a small archway brought the kitchen/dining room into view. Carpet as dark as coal lined the floor until the archway, and then became glistening tile.
"Come in here and set that poor thing on the table," the woman orders from the kitchen. "You look like you were dragged in from the ocean. Go upstairs and take a shower, and give that one a bath." She gestures to Eclipse after I set the Eevee down.
Nodding numbly, we trudge upstairs. Without much thought, I washed Eclipse first. His fur was matted in mud and who-knows-what-else, making it difficult to brush out. By the end, the bath water was a murky black.
"Head back downstairs. I won't be too long," I say after drying him off.
Once he was downstairs, I jumped into the shower after peeling off my clothes. Not really bothering to worry about them at that moment with the warm water easing my tense shoulders. Time escaped me, and I got out once I got my bearings back, not wanting to overuse what had been offered to me.
When I stepped out and dried myself off with a fresh towel, I found a set of clothes waiting for me on the counter. It appeared some of my clothes had managed to stay dry, but the shirt was not mine. It was a bit baggy and red, but very comfy. A pair of slippers also were waiting for me.
"Oh, that was my oldest friend," the woman said from downstairs, catching my attention. Slipping down the steps, I saw her talking happily to Eclipse while they looked at an Urn. "He was a Stoutland that had gotten for my tenth birthday. Well, he was a Lillipup at the time, but he was always adorable. He passed away a year ago, broke my heart." The floorboards creaked beneath my feet. "Do you feel better?" She had turned to me, but I could still see a fond look in her eyes from when she had been talking.
"Yes. I can't tell you how grateful I am," I breathed, feeling slightly embarrassed. So far, this "journey" had become a nightmare.
"It's no problem, sweetie. I don't have many visitors aside from the neighbors these days." She tapped her cain on the mantle where the Urn sat. "This boy had been my only true company, besides my grandson."
"What was his name?"
"Who? The devil or the pokemon?" She chuckled lightly at her joke. "The Stoutland was Stewart, and my grandson was Crow. Well, Crow was what he liked to be called. Never liked his actual name."
"Why not?"
"He was an…. odd child. Oh! Here I am, going on about names, and I haven't even told you mine! Addie, Addie Miller."
"Rose Sterling."
"What a lovely name, and it suits your hair! Now then, that Eevee should be waking up soon. She was severely dehydrated, but the cuts weren't too deep. She might be out for the count for a few weeks though." We walked back into the kitchen, where I saw the Eevee fidget in a small cardboard box on the counter. "It might be a little warm in here, poor thing must be uncomfortable. I'll open a window."
I stopped. It was warm. Warm.
It was supposed to be winter.
"You still haven't answered my question," I murmured as I stroked the Eevee's fur. Her eyes fluttered open, and she tensed ever so slightly. "Where I come from, it's supposed to be the middle of winter."
Addie paused a moment, her hands gripping the curtains. Slowly, she sighed and looked to a framed photo by her sink. Taking it off the wall, she made her way to one of the chairs I was standing next to. She placed the the photo down, only for me to realize it was actually a map. Confused at first, it soon came into vision.
A land mass, not huge but not small either, under Kalos. I had never seen or noticed it before on other maps, which led me to think it was a fake one. It was shaped normally; rough edges, looking more like a blob than anything. But it seemed to be seperated into four parts; the upper left part was white, the upper right was orange, the lower right was pink, and the lower left was red.
"You seem confused. As expected," Addie said, resting her palms on her cane. "This region is glazed over in history, hardly remembered. Only the natives truly remember. You see, this place is shrouded in mystery. Well, not quite mystery, per se. It's as if it's not truly real. It's very rare for us to have an "outsider" here. We hardly even know much about this place, aside from our ancestors and wars that lived and happened here. How this place came to be is lost to us."
"So, is it difficult to get to and from here?" I humored the idea I was somewhere as crazy as this for a moment. Even if I was expecting to wake up, gasping on Uncle Carl's boat after falling into a railing.
"Not hard at all. The only difficult part is that people don't remember we exist. Otherwise, it would be a simple trip south from Kalos." Addie gazed down at the Eevee, looking deep in thought. Said creature merely looked at us quizzically, getting over her initial shock. "This is the region of Shizun. Otherwise known as, "The land of seasons"."
"Why?"
"Well, as you can see, the region is separated into fourths. For four seasons. With each season taking place at once, just in different areas. Each area is known for its own things; such as Winter for ice sculptures, Autumn for camping and hiking mountains, Summer for water parks and the like, and Spring for breeding. Its a beautiful place, but it's almost like we're a ghost to the world."
"Do you have a phone I can use," I blurt out. I was freaking out by that point. "My pokegear got wet and I really need to call my sister."
"I'm afraid only big Pokemon Centers have phones that can reach out of this region. Not even our town has one." I physically deflated, my knees had begun to shake. If my sister had been there…. "But, there is a city close by. Not even a day's walk. I'm sure they have a phone that you can use. Though, I do suggest taking a rest. I have your clothes in the wash, and they should be done in the morning."
"Thank you. Thats very kind." I looked at her, hoping to get just how grateful I was across. It was rare, at times, to find people so willing to help others. "I'll leave in the morning. I don't want to overstay my welcome."
"Oh, you're fine, hun. Sometimes I wish people would stay a bit longer. Ever since my daughter left- Anyways, you can take my grandson's old room. Its almost midnight, and I'll be damned if I don't get my beauty sleep! The room is the first door on the left." And with that, Addie exited the kitchen and climbed up the stairs.
Sighing and turning my attention to the pokemon on the table, I found myself being looked at with small, blue eyes. Bandages wrapped around her body, making her look like a mummy. Her head and tail poked out of the bandages, rather comically as well.
"You should get some rest too. You were pretty beat up," I whisper to the Eevee. She tilter her head -or tried- from where she was laying down. "I wonder what happened to you."
The only answer I received was an exhaling of breath and her eyes closing again.
The next morning came slowly. My body seemed to make time slow around it in its sleeping state. And when I woke up the next morning, I felt refreshed and ready, even if it was six in the morning.
The room I had slept in looked like a kid my age would have. Comic books, posters, and a few other things. The bed had light blue sheets, and there was a small closet next to it. 'How old is her grandson?'
Dismissing the thought for now, I walked down to the kitchen, where Addie was playing with the Eevee and cooking breakfast. The Eevee spotted me and chirped a greeting, looking a little better. She was sitting on the counter, but she still looked pained when she moved.
"Good morning, Rose. I hope you slept well." Addie went over and put two plates on the table, then went back to pick up the Eevee. "Shes a sweet girl. I forgot to ask, where did you find her?"
I was sitting at the table when she asked me. An uneasy feeling set in, remembering what had happened last night, and a set of red eyes snuck their way into my memory. Taking in a deep breath, I explained in the best way I could. The cave, the Milotic, and any other detail I could think of. All the while, Addie sat there patiently, listening to my words.
Once I was through, I felt a little at ease. Perhaps I would find out what that place had been, and why I had been there. Addie nodded slowly, absorbing the information.
"Theres an old legend my father used to tell me about the Veil of Silence. It was a place undisturbed by people, and it looked like just what you described. It goes by many names, but I never thought it was real. Its said that it could manipulate time and bring happiness to those who are lucky enough to enter. Are you sure you weren't dreaming?" Addie took a sip from her coffee, looking at me over the rim. The Eevee sat on her lap, watching me intently.
"I doubt it. Especially since I'm sitting here right now." I looked at the clock. It was seven thirty. "We need to head out. I need to get to a phone as soon as possible. Thank you so much for helping us." Looking over at the Eevee, and then the house, I turned back to Addie. "Would you mind doing me one more favor?"
"As long as it doesn't involve felony or a dead body." Her laugh echoed through the house.
"Can you look after her for me?" The two of them looked surprised, tilting their heads in unison. "I already have Eclipse, and she needs to recover. Besides, its good to have a roommate." Addie sighed happily, petting the Eevee's head.
"I wouldn't mind that at all."
Smiling, me and Eclipse gathered our things, and with a hug and a goodbye to Addie and the little one, we set off. I clutched a map in my hand as we entered the grassland, seeing a dirt road lead over a few small hills. A clear sky laid out above, welcoming us.
Take your petals,
take your leaves~
What? Those words at the end mean nothing. Pretend they don't even exist.
Anyways, I think this is where our story picks up. Perhaps that Eevee will come into play again. Maybe I just wanted another cliche to add at the beginning. (Not that I was doing that on purpose mind you. That would be crazy!) Also, are new regions cliches? Its been forever since I read a pokemon fanfic, so I wouldn't really remember. Hopefully that was a bit of a surprise.
I'm pretty excited about the next chapter. That'll be interesting. :)