A/N: I had a slight internet blackout in the last few days. On top of that, I have had a lot of business to take care of, and then this chapter had went through so much editing that I ended up changing the entire thing from what it was the first time. Still, this chapter was fun to write; it's one of my favorites, actually. But when we reach Castelia City...oh boy, those chapters will be even more fun to write!
Anyway, so sorry for the long wait. I know I promised to have this update a week ago, but unexpected things came up and I simply couldn't update.
Pinwheel Forest is one of the many natural wonders of Unova. Besides the fact that the forest was a huge natural maze, there was this mystical aura that could be felt the moment you stepped on its grass. It was an ideal season for the Bug and Grass type Pokemon who have made their homes here; Late spring and early summer were the ideal times for them to breed, as well as fertilizing the soil to give the trees and plants more nutrition to grow.
Despite the fact that Pinwheel was a natural maze, a straight path was made that led directly to the Skyarrow Bridge, Unova's largest and longest bridge. It was mostly famous for its view of Castelia's skyline once you cross, but it would be a long trek for those who were on foot. Unless, by some sort of luck, a Trainer would have a bike or some sort of vehicle and simply ride over the bridge, getting to Castelia in little over 30 minutes.
However, the bridge was the very least of their problems. Aciri, Indigo and their respective Pokemon teams were forced to take the long way through the forest instead of the direct path. There were Trainers and Scientists on the main road, and they could put themselves at risk of getting captured. Fortunately for them, they haven't had any problems with the Pokemon who lived here. But that didn't help their main problem...
"Oh for Arceus' sake...we're LOST!" Lara-Lee wailed. As much as they didn't want to admit it, they were indeed lost. Indigo, Lassie and Raphael have been through the Forest once before, but they only took the direct path, not the forest path. Aciri, being a rookie Trainer, has never set foot in Pinwheel. Gawain and Lancelot were new to the area as well, since both of them came form entirely different areas than a forest. Downloading directions form the Xtransceiver was out of the question; Aciri couldn't get a signal no matter where she went. Lara-Lee definitely didn't know which way to go since she has been living in Wellspring Cave her entire life, so the group was reduced to just go down any random path they came upon. Unfortunately, they made them go around in a few circles that led them back to a large moss covered rock twice, and back to a patch of wild mushrooms at least 3 or 4 times.
And it didn't help that they were losing daylight. With only a few hours to spare before nightfall, getting to Castelia seemed bleak.
The group crawled through a fallen log that allowed them to go over a gap above a small river. This was the first time they've been through it, so they were making some progress. Once everyone was through, Gawain took the opportunity to fly above the trees to see just where they were. About a minute later, Gawain came flying form above, and perched on Aciri's crest once again.
"I could see the bridge from up there," he explained after everyone gathered "but we're at least a mile or so away."
Raphael looked up towards the sky - or where he would see the sky if the trees were blocking most of it. The sky was already a deep orange color, and the sun was setting towards the east. Time was running short.
"And by the looks of it, we won't be able to get outta here until tomorrow," he said "We have no less than 2 more hours before nightfall."
"Well, we can keep going to see how far we'll get," Aciri suggested "That way, we'll have a little less ground to cover the next morning."
"Seems like the only thing we can do at the moment," Lancelot mused. He then lifted his nose into the air and sniffed it. "Hmm...I can smell salt water towards the northwest. That has to be where the bridge is, so we're going in the right direction."
"With all these thick trees in the way, it's hard to decide which way is which..." Indigo murmured "If there's sea water in the northwest...then we must be somewhere south. And by the looks of this path, we'll have to keep going south until we can go east, and then up north a little, and then to the west where the bridge is."
"Ugh, all this talk about directions is making my brain implode," Lara-Lee groaned. "Don't you humans have something that helps you navigate?"
"A compass?" Indigo said "No one uses a compass anymore, unless they're on a boat. With PokeGears, PokeNavs, Poketches and Xtranceivers, compasses are practically obsolete nowadays."
Lara-Lee pouted. "Well that sucks..."
Aciri and Indigo led their teams through some tall grass, passed some hollow stumps, and crossed another log-bridge before they noticed that the sun was just about gone. The sky was changing from orange to deep blue, along with some starts becoming visible. Time was definitely not on their side.
Still, they pressed on, trekking through tall grass, over fallen logs, through weeds, bushes and all kinds of other plants and vegetation. They stayed close to the river, figuring that since it flowed under the bridge on the straight path, it would lead them to a faster route out. They had just climbed over a ledge via 2 more logs when a thick fog rolled in, covering the entire forest with a blanket of mist.
"Well this is perfect!" Indigo growled "I can barely see my own hand in front of my face!"
"Where did this fog even come form?" Lassie wondered out loud "It seems so weird how it just rolled in out of nowhere..."
"It does seem farfetched," Lancelot agreed "And I can't sense any change in the weather to make it come in. Something's not right..."
"Um...I don't have good eyesight as it is," Lara-Lee murmured "and there's no way I'll be able to navigate through a fog this thick!"
"Well we gotta keep going regardless," Aciri urged, now beginning to walk ahead. "We will need to find a place for us to rest in safety since we'll be spending the night out here. We'll just have to remain vigilant."
It was too bad, but she was right. Night had already came, but the fog just added insult to injury. Since it was so thick, there was no way they would be able to navigate through it without getting lost or hurt. The trek to Castelia will have to wait until tomorrow after a good night of rest, and after the fog cleared up.
To ensure no one would get separated, the group held each other's hand or paw (or in Lassie's case, tail) as they tried to navigate through the fog. No one said anything to each other, so it was mostly quiet unless you didn't count the various cries from the wild Pokemon who lived in the forest. It wasn't long before the sun eventually disappeared over the horizon and it was now nighttime. Though, this was no surprise; they knew they wouldn't have made it to the bridge today. With the events that happened previously, and with the fact they gotten lost on more than one occasion, they were wasting the rest of the day away without much progress. The only thing they could do now was look for a safe place to rest before continuing the next morning.
They continued to walk, each of them making note that the fog only got thicker as they kept walking. It was then when Lancelot noticed that they were no more trees in their path; just tall grass, mushrooms...and stone stairs?
"What the...Guys, hold on a sec."
Aciri paused, causing the rest of the group to stop as well.
"What's up, Lance?" Indigo asked.
"Look." Lancelot waved his paw in front of him, gesturing to the change of scenery. "There are no trees in this area. On top of that, we're near a stair case and a pond that was never there before. We were following the river."
"Odd..." Aciri hummed "How did we get here?"
"The fog makes it difficult for us to see where we're going," Lassie noted "but it is weird that the river suddenly disappeared and we didn't notice until now."
"The air feels weird too," Lara-Lee murmured "Don't you feel it? It's like the air around us...shifted somehow." Everyone went quiet, and it wasn't long before they realized Lara-Lee was right. There was something different about the air around them. But it wasn't "shifted." More like...mythical, as if they were in an area that was unknown of to other humans. The air was very light, despite that fact that it was blanketed in a thick fog in a dense forest. And the little pond next to them was crystal clear, with the only thing in it were the small lily pads on its surface.
"We're still in Pinwheel Forest," Gawain cooed "but I'm starting to believe we've wandered into a part of it we weren't supposed to go..."
Indigo raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?" Gawain said nothing, almost as he was keeping something from them. But it wasn't just Gawain; the other Pokemon were acting the same way. Lancelot seemed uneasy, Raphael was showing signs of anxiety, Lassie was trying to hide whimpers, and Lara-Lee was looking towards the north, as if she could see something they couldn't. On top of that, the Pokemon have been eerily quiet. Yes, it was night out, but there were also nocturnal Pokemon like Venipede and Purrloin that liked to come out during this time, so you could still hear the cries of Pokemon. But now...it was almost like they were waiting, but for what? The only ones who left out of the loop were Aciri and Indigo, but that was obvious since they weren't Pokemon in the first place.
"Is there anyway we can get back to the main path?" Aciri asked, trying to somewhat change the subject.
"I don't think so," Lassie replied "I don't think we can go back at this point...we'll have to keep going forward."
"But which way is forward?" Indigo mumbled "I can barely tell my left from my right with this fog!"
"We can try this way," Lara-Lee said as she suddenly took the lead. She was heading towards the north - the same direction she was looking in that had the stone staircase. Oddly enough. the other Pokemon followed behind her without question, as if they knew where she was going. It was only to two humans who were skeptical about it, and suspicious about their Pokemon keeping something form them.
But they didn't know which way to go themselves. When your sight is obscured by thick fog, you can easily get lost in a huge forest that is famously known for being a maze. Besides, Pokemon have better senses than humans (besides psychics) since there are things they can see, feel, hear and detect things they could not. Perhaps they were over thinking it. Plus, it would be better to follow the Pokemon instead of standing there lost. They needed a safe place to stay for the night, and they were exposed out in the open.
Aciri and Indigo exchanged a quick glance before hurrying after their teams, wondering exactly where they were leading them. They passed the pond and went another small flight of stone steps, that seemed to have been faded away be erosion, now had moss and grass growing on them. As Aciri climbed the steps, she couldn't help but to feel as though she - or rather, them - were being watched. She turned, only to see the eyes of the forest Pokemon watching them with curious interest. This unsettled her, since the glow of theirs eyes make them look like something from a horror based survival movie she once saw. Now spooked, Aciri nearly ran up the stairs and unintentionally bumped into Indigo in the process. He was about to ask what was wrong, then changed his mind when he too saw the Pokemon watching them. Now nervous, he hurried after the other Pokemon.
"Where are we going?" Indigo asked, trying to hide the uneasiness in his voice.
"There." Lara-Lee replied, pointing towards an entrance into a clearing. The fog seemed to have cleared up just a bit here, but when they looked back, the fog is still just as thick as if it was never beginning to let up in the first place.
"Why in there?" Aciri asked out of genuine curiosity.
"Because someone wishes to see you both," someone hummed calmly. A Serperior slithered his way through the thicket and fog and towards the group of Pokemon. Though it didn't show any apprehensive emotions towards them, they all tensed when they met Serperior's sharp eyes. Still, as intimidating as it was, it was very elegant with its movements, and lived up to his title of being the Regal Pokemon.
"Excuse me?" Indigo asked as politely as he could, trying to hide his astonishment.
"You will soon be in the presence of one of the knights who were our saviors centuries ago," Serperior went on, almost gliding past them towards the clearing. "She was also one of the many who served under the and White King back when Unova was still in medieval times."
"White King..." Aciri echoed "You mean Reshiram, right?"
Indigo gave her a look of confusion. "Who?"
"You don't know about the legendary Pokemon Reshiram? The Vast White dragon? One of the founding kings of Unova?" Aciri asked, almost appalled.
Indigo held his hands up in defense. "Whoa, I came form Kanto, remember? The only legendaries I know of are Ho-oh, Mew and the three elemental birds."
"Reshiram is the white dragon of truth," Aciri went on and explain while they followed Serperior "He is one of the three dragons who created Unova."
"Three?" Indigo asked. "There's more?"
Aciri nodded. "Yes. He is only one of the Tao Trio. Along side him are Zekrom, the dragon of ideals and Kyurem."
Indigo thought it over. "So if Reshiram is the dragon of truth, and Zekrom is the dragon of ideals, then what's Kyurem?"
"Many say that he's the dragon of destruction," Aciri replied "and also known to be the monster that lives in the Giant Chasm near Lacunosa Town, reason being why there's that custom to never go out at night there. They said that if you do, you'll be taken away and eaten by Kyurem if you're ever caught. However, I have read in a few books that says Kyurem nearly froze over the entire region in order to rid it of its evil and corruption. And then there are others that says that it's actually an extraterrestrial Pokemon that came from a meteor, due to its type and the fact it's body resembles a rock.
"However, the legend says that all three were all once the same being, but they split into the main 2 dragons when two brothers caused a conflicted all over Unova. The brothers were both kings, but 1 of them sought truths while the other sought out ideals. Their Pokemon, which was the great dragon Pokemon of both, couldn't decide whose side to take since it was loyal to both brothers, so it split into the white dragon of truth Reshiram, and the black dragon of ideals, Zekrom.
"The brothers' conflict soon turn into an all out war. Reshiram's fire spread all over the land, scorching it until it was close to dead, while Zekrom's electricity reigned violent thunderstorms on the land and did just as much damage. Many were lost in the war - both humans and Pokemon - and the two dragons literally fought themselves to death, using up all their power and they went into a deep hibernation, turning their bodies into stones. The brothers, now realizing their mistakes, hid the stones away once the war was over to prevent anything like that to happen ever again. So Reshiram and Zekrom went into eternal sleep.
"But then, the brothers' sons started the conflict again years later. The oldest son was chosen by Reshiram since he sought truths, while Zekrom took the younger son's side since he sought ideals. The war started again, and Unova was - once again - nearly reduced to a burned and barren waste land. When Reshiram and Zekrom exhausted themselves into hibernation the second time, the sons hide them away again once they realized their mistakes. This time they didn't tell anywhere where, like their fathers did. They were feeling awfully guilty about the chaos they had caused for the people and the Pokemon, and they decided that they were not true heroes, even though they were able to bring Reshiram and Zekrom back. Since then, the two have been in deep hibernation, waiting for two more heroes to come by.
"Kyurem, however, had been watching both wars from within the Chasm. Infuriated by how the humans 'corrupted' his siblings and nearly destroyed the people and Pokemon, Kyurem covered the entire region in snow and ice, where blizzards blew everyday and froze over everything. Many froze to death or were forced to leave because the winter was so harsh and long, that there was nearly a time it lasted an entire year! Many people went to Kyurem's Chasm to ask him for its forgiveness so their suffering would end, but Kyurem had became too hostile, and those who sought him out never returned. Many say he ate them as punishment, but that has yet to be determined. Eventually, Kyurem himself tired himself out in order to keep the ice and snow going, and he too, turned into a stone and went into a deep slumber. It was then when the harsh winter finally ended, and the founding of Unova came afterwards. Thus, ending the legend that has been passed down for centuries."
"Wow," Indigo whistled.
"Indeed," Serperior nodded "Though, it is quite remarkable that someone like you can recite the legend so well."
"Something like that actually happened?" Indigo exclaimed.
"Of course!" Lancelot said "Why else would we address Zekrom and Reshiram as the Black and White Kings? Our ancestors served under them when war wasn't even thought of."
"And my kind were known to be seen with Reshiram when he took to the skies!" Gawain added with pride "We acted as his personal guards."
They had made it into the clearing, which was a perfect circle inside the trees. A fallen log and a stump were on the east and west sides, and many Pokemon from the forest were gathering within the trees. The fog was completely gone too; the quarter and a half moon could be seen up above, along with with star-filled night sky.
Serperior suddenly stopped - causing the group behind him to stop - before he looked around, slither forward, and bowed his head respectively.
"M'lady Virizion, I have brought them to you," he murmured. There was a silence for a few seconds, in the clearing, with the exception of silent whispering a mumbling coming from the other Pokemon. But it wasn't long before a silhouette of a deer-like Pokemon could be seen before them. It approached them, and Serperior moved the side so the Pokemon could get through. It stepped into the moonlight, revealing a green antelope Pokemon. She had horns with dull tips, a pink tipped leaf "scarf" on the sides of its neck, and she had pointed ends of fur on her back and a medium-long tail. Its legs resembled knee-high boots with pointed hooves that were black at the tip, and at the joints of her knees were pink highlights. Behind it were were a Leavanny, Lilligant, and Simisage that their their own pink tipped leaf scarves around their necks. The Pokemon of the forest, along with Aciri and Indigo's own Pokemon, bowed their heads in respect. Aciri did the same to be polite, and Indigo did so too, since he got the feeling he was in the presence of a legendary.
"Thank you, Serperior," Virzion said, before looking over at the group before her. She looked over each of them, before her gaze rested on Aciri and Indigo. "You two of altered shape, please step forward."
The two Scrafty exchanged looks before they stood up and took a few steps towards the legendary antelope. Virizion went up to them, lowered her head until she was at their height and looked them each dead in the eye. She released an amused hum before she stood back up straight, and actually smiled.
"Yes, these are the ones we have been seeking," she hummed "I welcome you all. This is Rumination Field, our humble adobe."
"It's an honor to meet you, Virizion," Aciri said, bowing again. "But what do you mean that we were the ones you were looking for?"
More of the Pokemon who were hiding in the trees began to come out. The bird and flying Pokemon rested on the branches while those who stayed on the ground were sitting or lying on the ground. Leavanny and Lilligant stayed at Virizion's side, but Simisage decided to perch in the tree that was above the one Serperior was under.
"As you may not know," Virizion began "There has been a number of disturbances in the natural order that many of us have felt recently. And you two are part of it." Aciri and Indigo's eyes widen in fear. "You have no need to be alarmed. You two were unintentionally brought into the situation."
"Does it have anything to do with the Confagrigus that did this to us?" Indigo asked.
Virizion nodded. "It does. Unfortunately, we do not know where a normal Pokemon like it would get such power. So, I, along with my two brothers, have sent various agents to the Desert Resort to investigate the phenomenon. Unfortunately, there are other beings - more humans like yourselves - who are messing around with the natural order as well. Though, there are two that we are worried about...Anyway, that does not concern you. You need to focus on getting your original shapes back."
"But I thought you hated humans?" Aciri asked "If I remember correctly, you, along with Cobalion and Terrakion, went into hiding away from humans because of how they made Pokemon suffer centuries ago when a fire ravaged a forest..."
Virizion closed her eyes for moment, having the memories of the burning forest, as well as the foolish humans who caused it, come back to her mind again. "I do," she murmured quietly "However...there is a 'friend' that has been telling me all about you two, especially your bonds with your Pokemon and how they have became stronger ever since you transformed. I had my doubts, but at the same time, this couldn't be left unattended. But, I will admit that your bonds with one another are something that is to be applauded. Especially for you, boy."
Indigo shifted a bit. "Why me?"
"You put your partners' wellbeing before your own, sending them away to safety when you were affected by this curse. You were willing to brave the harshness of the world in your altered form, without any real direction to go for help, especially in an unfamiliar body. Plus, you protect others in place of your own safety, which leads to rash and impulsive decisions that will get you hurt."
"But how do you..."
"Remember when I said I had a friend who has been telling me about you?" Both Scrafty nodded. "As you should know, we have various connections with other legendaries like myself and my brothers. If one of us can't watch over something, then the other will take our place. That is why each of us are placed around the world, in each region. Arceus can't keep tabs on everything that happens on this Earth, so it is our job - as his children - to take care of this world for him that he so lovingly created, and that goes for every living creature who walks on its soil...
"Also, the circumstances you two are in could not be ignored either. That fact that you two have been affected with forbidden magic is an issue that must be tended to immediately. The Confagrigus that you referred to is acting strangely, and we can feel it. But none of you shouldn't have gotten involved in the first place..."
"Um," Lancelot nervously stepped forward. "Miss Virizion? I couldn't help but to feel that we...were guided here. Do you have anything to do with that?"
"I got that feeling too," Raphael nodded "especially when that fog rolled in."
"It was the only way I would be able to lead you here in secrecy," Virizion replied "There were still humans in the area, and I had to pull the wool over their eyes somehow. But now we must discuss the reason you are here..." Now more Pokemon were out in the field, mumbling and whispering amongst themselves still. "First, I will tell you this; there is a way to get your bodies back."
"We know," Aciri nodded "We need to get to the Celestial Tower, right?"
Virizion gave them a look like they were crazy. "Whatever gave you an outlandish idea like that?"
"Indigo told us that when he was cursed, a Chandelure told him that he needed to take a pure hearted maiden to the Celestial Tower with him if he wanted his body back..." Gawain explained.
"Mmm...I'm afraid you were lied to."
Both Scrafty's hearts fell. "...What?"
"Did you two honestly believe that following a Chandelure to the Tower would help you regain your bodies?"
"W-well, it was the only lead we had!" Indigo stammered "I was scared and desperate, so I figured it was telling the truth!"
"That Chandelure was most likely going to kill you," Virizion said firmly "You should know better than to trust a Ghost type. It would've led you to the tower, stolen your souls and sent you both to Giratina! Be glad I have stopped you from losing your lives!"
Everyone in the group flinched at how Virizion had raised her voice, but she was only telling them the truth, as well as trying to get her point across.
"W-we deeply apologize," Aciri gulped "I should've known that...but like Indigo said, we were scared and desperate, and willing to do anything to reverse the affect."
"Understandable," Virizion nodded "just be more careful on who you trust next time. In the mean time...why don't you all tell me exactly who you are?"
Aciri, Indigo and their respective Pokemon spent about an hour or more explaining their identities. Aciri had told her life story on how she originally came from Johto, but was forced to move after her father death. Since then, she has been many hours in books, learning about every Pokemon in each region to keep her mind off her father. However, in the recent years, she gained a step-father, along with a step-sister, who has also started her Journey. She always wanted to be a Pokemon Trainer, but didn't know what she wanted to do with her life. The only reason she entered the League was to test her knowledge, as well as see what her battle and training style was. She even explained how much she loved Pokemon, and did all she could for Lancelot and Gawain.
Indigo, like Aciri, is a rookie Trainer who came over from Kanto the moment he was able to become a Trainer. However, he also comes from a wealthy family. His father's side of the family happens to be the very ones who built and founded the Indigo League in both Kanto and Johto. His father has inherited his forefathers' wealth, but he also keeps tabs on the Indigo League like Indigo's grandfather did before him, which is where Indigo's family name came from. His mother is going to medical school to become a doctor, and is close to graduating in the next year or so. Both of Indigo's parents want him to keep the family line going with him looking after the League when he becomes an adult, but he wanted to find a path for himself, and that led him to leave his home region and come to Unova. He also loves his Pokemon like another family like Aciri does, but admitted that he was dependent on them because, deep down, he was afraid of the outside world he had to face, and relied on his Pokemon for his strength and courage. It was only until now after he was cursed that he learned to rely on his own strength and support his Pokemon more.
Even their Pokemon had their chance to tell Virizion - as well as the other Pokemon - how they met their Trainers and their past lives. Lancelot and told him how he was originally born in the wild, but was rescued after his mother almost died when poachers attacked her. He doesn't know what really happened to his younger brother, but he believes he is still with their mom. Gawain also told how he was released by an irresponsible Trainer and almost killed by a predatory Pokemon, but guided Indigo to Aciri after hearing each other's plight. The only reason he became Aciri's Pokemon and not Indigo's, is because she had offered it to him. He could've said no, but when he saw how happy Lancelot was with her, he couldn't refuse.
Raphael told his life story on how he was born and taken care of my a Pokemon Breeder and his Leavanny. He was eventually sent to Professor Juniper's lab to become a starter, and it was after a month with the Professor that Indigo came along and chose him to be his first Pokemon. He will admit that Indigo has his flaws, but no one's perfect. He always saw Indigo as an older brother and a best friend, even though he was so inexperienced. It was until recently that Raphael's bond with Indigo grew, after he learned that Indigo knew his mistakes and tried to apologize. But he was loyal, and wasn't going to leave his Trainer's side for anything.
Lassie was a wild Lilipup when she met Indigo, but he had made no effort to capture her when they first met. Lassie was playing near a river on Route 1, which was the same Route Indigo was training Raphael on. Unfortunately, Lassie grew careless, and fell in a nearby river. She was practically a baby back then and didn't know how to swim, and Indigo had heard her cries an came to her rescue. He dove into the water to saved her before she drowned, and rushed her to the nearest Pokemon Center so she could be treated. Indigo didn't leave her side neither, staying by the pup's bedside until she was well enough to be released. Lassie was touched by Indigo's loyalty, and grew a fondness for him since that day. Even when Indigo took her back to Route 1, she followed him from the Route, to Accumula Town and even to Route 2 until he finally gave in and caught her. She wasn't fully aware of his faults until Raphael had brought it up to her, but still looked past them because she cared too much for Indigo.
And finally, Lara-Lee explained on how she had recently joined the group. After being coddled in Wellspring Cave for so long, she didn't know what life was out in the outside world. Of course, she had heard of humans and Pokemon being together, but wasn't sure if she should be one of them, due to a fear of being captured by a bad Trainer. It wasn't until she witnessed Indigo's bravery when they fought off Team Plasma in the cave, and suddenly had to urge to help out. It wasn't until when the Plasma Grunts almost captured them when Lara-Lre decided into intervene by using Dig right under the Grunts. After she saved them, she then learned about how both Aciri and Indigo were originally humans, and were on a quest to get their bodies back. Lara-Lee then saw this as her way out of her coddled state, as well as an opportunity to see what it was like to be with a Trainer, and see the outside world. She became Indigo's Pokemon because she was moved by how Indigo put his friends' safety before his own. she's been with the group since.
"We've just left Nacrene City a few hours ago," Aciri explained, finishing up the tale "and we were on our way to Castelia City. But a few things came up, and we ended up behind schedule. And...here we are."
Virizion was lying in the grass, listening intently to each of their tales. The other Pokemon were listening too, seemed to be fascinated with the new Pokemon's backgrounds. A few of them even came over to investigate them more. A Sewaddle seemed to be content with resting in Indigo's lap, while a Purrloin and Patrat sniffed at him, there was an Elgyem hovering around Aciri, a Pansear and Panpour were picking fleas out of Lancelot and Pignite's fur, Gawain was playing with a few Pidove, and Lara-Lee had a Venipede feeling around her feet.
"Seems like you all had one heck of an adventure," the Simisage chuckled, now eating an apple.
"Yeah, it's been crazy," Indigo admitted "but, it's been a learning experience at the same time. The world looks so different when you see it through the eyes of a Pokemon. It's so much bigger, scarier, and more dangerous. But at the same time, I have learned so many things about my Pokemon, and many others. And then there's the fact that I can do things I couldn't do as a human. Talking to Pokemon is a big one, followed by meeting a legendary...I wouldn't have known of your existence, or your importance, if I wasn't here right now."
"Your perspective about a lot of things change," Aciri added, allowing the Elgyem to sit in her lap "I know some of mine have in the last few days..."
Virizion hummed a little while shifting in the grass a little. "I never thought in all my years of living, I would meet a lot like you," she murmured, but in a kind, and respectful kind of way. "I always thought humans were these wicked creatures, out to hurt Arceus' children, even after he so graciously allowed them to walk on this planet with us. But you two...you're different. Very different from what I have known."
"Times have changed," Liligant said softly "though I never came in contact with any, I know a lot of humans care deeply for Pokemon, and would never hurt them."
"And that's the reason we stay by our Trainer's side," Lancelot noted "It's not because they have captured us, or claimed us as their property by using a Pokeball, but because they have earned our trust, our love, our loyalty, and our respect. I will openly admit that I didn't know what to expect when I first met Aciri, but she looked so happy to see me when I came out of my Ball...I had to see what she was like."
"That reminds me," Virizion said "I need to tell you all a few things." The Poke-group had their full attention on Virizion now. "The future holds many uncertainties and many, many twists and turns. But if you wish you follow the path of fate, then listen." They nodded firmly. "If you wish to regain your bodies back, you must find a certain Pokemon and have her heal your souls. But in order to do that, you must become stronger, as well as have other Pokemon join your ranks, and meet up with old friends. But in the mean time, you all must stay here in Rumination Field and train before you continue on. It shouldn't take long; just a few days. I, along with the other Pokemon, will assist in your training. You can't rely on your partners to fight your battles now. Since you are Pokemon, you must act like Pokemon. When those few days are up, you will continue on to the city that lies beyond the forest. There, you will meet new and possibly old allies. When that happens, you must cross the desert to the other side where you will face more challenges. The rest is up to you, I'm afraid."
Aciri and Indigo looked at each other for a brief moment while their Pokemon thought about what was just said. But since there was nothing they could really do about it right now, they just took Virizion's words to heart, to remember later.
"We appreciate all you have done for us, Virizion," Lancelot bowed "We are truly in your debt."
Virizion smiled. "Don't be. After all, we Pokemon - and humans - need to look out for one another. But the hour is late." The green musket-deer got back to her feet. "You all will have a busy day tomorrow, so you must get your rest." And with that, Virizion went back into the deeper part of the Field, where she was going to retire for the night. The other Pokemon followed begin Virizion; many were going back to their respective dens, burrows or nests to rest. Liligant and Simisage stayed to make sure the newcomers had a place to sleep before leaving as well. Each of them decided to sleep in a grass patch that was spread out through the Field. Indigo slept with his Pokemon while Aciri's Pokemon slept next to her (aside form Gawain who perched himself on a branch). The Elgyem hadn't left Aciri's side for some reason, and decided to sleep with her also. It wasn't long before the Field, and then the entire forest, went silent.
. . .
It was hard to tell what time it was; Aciri had left all of her equipment in her bag, which was resting against a tree where she was supposed to be sleeping her her Pokemon.
But she couldn't sleep.
She guessed by the positioning of the moon that it was probably a little after midnight, but she was never good at telling time without a watch. She sat there on the stump, looking up at the night sky, having a lot of things going through her mind. She wondered how her mom was doing, if she was worried after not hearing from her for the last few days. And she wondered about how Penelope was doing without her. Sure she had saw how much she had grown back in Nacrene, but that didn't mean she could take care of herself. And has she tried to contact Aciri recently? If so, was she also worried? There were so many unknowns, and there was no telling how long it was going to be before she could be human again. And what exactly did Virizion mean that they will meet new and old allies in Castelia City? Argh, thinking so hard about it was making her head hurt...
"Is something troubling you?" Aciri turned to see Virizion walking over to her, with the Elgyem on her back. It eventually got off Virizion's back and floated over to the Scrafty, and decided to cling to her shoulders.
"Virizion?" Aciri asked "I didn't wake you up, did I?"
"No. I'm usually up this time of night, making rounds around the forest to make sure everyone is alright. I just got back, and I noticed you were up."
"Oh...well, I just can't sleep s'all..." Virizion stood next to Aciri and stayed silent for a few minutes while looking at her. She could tell that there was a lot on the girl's mind, and wanted to see if she would be open about it. But by the looks of it, she was going to keep quiet about it.
"You must have a lot on your mind," Virizion said casually. Aciri didn't say anything for a few seconds, then sighed.
"I do," she moaned "I'm worried about my little sister...and my parents...I wonder if they're wondering why I haven't contacted them in the last few days, or if they're worried about me...I don't want to get them involved, but I can't help but to feel a certain way...Like, what if I don't get my body back at all?"
"You will," Virizion said firmly "and stop thinking on the 'what if's of the near future. Nothing can determine your fate unless you take action and decide your fate for yourself. Only you can determine if you will get your body back or not, and you can't rely on an outside force to determine that for you."
"I know...I just..." Aciri twiddled her thumbs a bit "I can't help but to worry, you know? Even if I do decide what to do with my fate, the future is still unknown..."
"Then let me ask you this," Virizion went on "What will you do when you become human again?"
"I honestly don't know," Aciri replied "I only entered the League to become stronger so that I could face any challenge that might come around...But as far as what I plan on doing with my life after this, I really don't know..."
"You're too smart to not know what is it you want out of life. There must be something you can do."
Aciri laughed a little. "You sound just like my mom. She said the same thing when I was younger. But I have been thinking about what I want to do...Maybe I'll become a Pokemon Researcher or a Professor. I've always been a bookwurmple, but even though I know about all the Pokemon in existence, I know there are still things about them I have yet to find out."
"That seems nice," Virizion nodded "but may I ask a favor of you?"
Aciri looked up at the legendary, surprised by a request. "Y-yes?"
"When you return to your former self, please come back to see me." And with that, Virizion went on her way, back into the deeper parts of Rumination Field, like she did before. Aciri watched her leave, wondering why a Pokemon like her would suddenly ask such a thing to her. It only added more questions in her mind, which she decided to think about later. Elgyem, who was levitating again, pulled at Aciri's hood while pointing back over to Lancelot, who was sound asleep. Taking this as a sign that they both needed to go back to sleep, Aciri got down from the stump and went back over to the patch of grass, where she lied next to her Dewott again with Elgyem. But this time, she was able to drift off into the restful state that she needed.
E/N: I made up the "bookwurmple" term as a Pokemon counterpart to "bookworm." Wurmple is a Bug type Pokemon in Hoenn, which is just a red poisonous caterpillar. I thought it would be cute.
So, I have already decided what Aciri and Indigo's final team would be, but I'm not saying what it is quite yet. Plus, I added that part about Indigo's family having a part of founding the Indigo League and Kanto and Johto. Honestly, why else would his name be Indigo Blue? XD Also there will be a few typos and grammar mistakes here and there since it has taken me so long to edit this, and I'm pretty tired. I wanted to make up for not updating last week like I wanted to, but like I said before, unexpected complications had came up that prevented me from updating. And for that, I apologize.
This time, I won't be making any promises on when I'll update, but I'm hoping it'll be fairly soon. But, considering that I still have some business to take care of next week, I wouldn't get my hopes up. I will say that I do enjoy making the series (which I am considering about rewriting), but with the long chapters and the limited time I have on the computer for the last week, it's been tough. But I am glad there are people out there who are reading and enjoying the series. I hope you'll keep reading it until the very end! :)
P.S. If anyone's interested, I do have an Animal Crossing underway. It will have heartache, romance and maaaybe a little bit of comedy. So, if anyone's interested, look out for it.