(Disclaimer, I do not own Pokémon, or any of its…stuff. I own only my characters. Enjoy!)
"You are worthless." He thought to himself, staring in the mirror before him. He was twelve years old, and only a year had passed since the death of his parents. Not a moment passed when he didn't think about what he could have done to save them, and he would never truly recover from it either. He lightly touched the large scar on his right eye, a reminder of what had happened that day that would stay with him his entire life.
He sighed quietly, and the mirror changed the reflection from a young boy, to an older, tired looking teenager. He had large bags under his eyes, and his skin was paler. The scar was still just as visible as the day he had gotten it, as if it were a cruel reminder from Arceus to never forget what had happened to them. Behind his reflection he saw Blaze, nuzzling his hand, and Jakus was placing a hand on his shoulder. Further back there was a figure, covered in shadow. He strained to see just who it was, turning around as the figures disappeared into a cloud of smoke.
His eyes slowly opened as he sat up from his bed. The ship was slightly rocking, but it didn't bother him all that much. Blaze was curled up at the other end, his head rising to see his master awaken.
"I'm going for a walk Blaze, "The teen started, lifting himself out of bed to get dressed, "Can you stay here and watch the room?" he asked, looking for a response from his friend.
"Phlo" he nodded, laying his head back down as Zekiev finished tying his boots.
"Thanks buddy." He replied, making his way out of the room, into the red-carpeted halls. –What did that dream mean? - He thought to himself, only half paying attention to his path. –and who was that figure?-
It was very early, but he decided to make his way to the dining room to see if breakfast was ready. He hadn't eaten much yesterday, so he wanted to have the energy for when they arrived at the academy. He was more excited than he would ever let on, and he seemed to be in a better mood than usual. It seemed as if his luck had turned for the better, and he was going to make the very best of it.
He entered the large, red room, and noticed it was empty, aside from the workers in the kitchen. He could hear the clanging of pots and pans as a worker came out to greet him with a broad smile. He looked to be in his sixties, with graying hair and an apron that hung down to his knees.
"Well hello my boy!" he welcomed, extending a hand out to Zekiev.
"Uh…hi." Zekiev replied, shaking the man's hand. He had a surprisingly firm grip, from years of work in and out of a kitchen. The man's eyes held years of experience, and were full of life, despite his old age. He looked as if he could go another sixty years without a problem, and Zekiev seemed comfortable around him already.
"Would you happen to be Zekiev?" he asked, a playful tone is his voice.
"Yeah, actually…how did you know that?" Zekiev responded, curious as to how a man he had never met before knew his name.
"Fantastic!" he exclaimed, smiling widely, "Oh, but how rude of me! My name is Edward d'Arc! You may not know me, but I have already heard a few things about you from my granddaughter…You know Joan, correct? He asked, a glint of playful mischief in his eyes.
"Yeah, we talked quite a bit yesterday," Zekiev started, a slight blush coming across his face. "She seems like a really cool person." He finished, scratching the back of his head nervously.
"Ah, that she is!" he continued, laughing a bit, "She is every bit like her dear mother, Arceus rest her soul..." he finished, a hint of pain flashing before his eyes, disappearing as soon as Zekiev noticed. "But, enough of that! She has taken quite a liking to you, and I hope you two become good friends! I can already tell that you are a very nice boy, and I feel as if adventure lies in every step you take!" he finished, shaking the boys hand again.
"Thanks, I hope so too," Zekiev answered, nodding at the old man.
"Take care of my dear Joan Zekiev, "Edward began again, taking on an air of seriousness, "she has been through an awful lot, and has few friends. I would appreciate it greatly if you could watch over her while I cannot. She seems to have taken to you quicker than others, and that is no small feat."
Zekiev nodded again at the man, putting a hand on his shoulder, "You have my word, Mr. d'Arc." He finished, before the old man nodded in agreement.
"Thank you. I may not look it, but I'm older than I once was, and watching after that girl sure is a chore!" he joked, earning a small laugh from Zekiev."We will catch up again one day, Zekiev. And I hope you have a few stories to tell this old man. Now go eat breakfast, we arrive at the Island in a few hours!" he finished, rushing back into the kitchen.
-A couple hours later, approaching the academy islands-
They stood on the deck of the boat, watching as the islands finally came into view. It had only been a two day trip, but the trainers on-board were ready to get off of the cruise-liner and on to solid ground.
"Hey guys!" Joan exclaimed, rushing to meet Zekiev and Blaze, her friend following behind her.
"Hey Joan," Zekiev answered, as Blaze lifted to his hind legs and licked her face. Jean seemed momentarily shocked as the Typhlosion stood, but wiped the look from her face quickly.
"Hey Blaze!" Joan laughed, petting the fire type as he sat back down.
"Well, it looks like we can finally look forward to getting off of this boat." Jakus said queasily, he hated boats, and this was no exception. He was just ready to get on some solid, dry land.
"About time, too." Zekiev agreed, as Joan placed herself beside him.
"Zekiev, Jakus, this is my friend Jean!" Joan explained, introducing the girl to the group, "I thought I would bring her along to meet you guys!" she finished, smiling at everyone.
"Oh, please, you practically had to drag me out here. You know how I am with boats." Jean complained, grabbing a railing as the boat rocked a bit harder. "But it's a pleasure to meet you both, nonetheless." She said slowly, before steadying herself.
"You too." Zekiev and Jakus responded, trying to stay out of the way if she decided to throw up.
"We are preparing to dock on the Academy Island, if you would please gather any belongings and gather on the deck, we will arrive shortly" a feminine voice announced over the intercom.
"Well, let's get to it." Zekiev said, as Joan smiled at him. They had finally arrived, and he was ready to begin a new adventure.
(I had to re-write this a couple times, I couldn't seem to get a good idea in my head until now. I'm not sure if it's good or bad, but I hope you guys like it! Please review and tell me how you think I'm doing, it helps a ton when I'm trying to write a new chapter!)