It had been a few days seen we had the altercation with Mightyena, but I would let it damper the mood of adventure. I was almost paralyzed with excitement to be so far from everything I knew. Of course, it was also terrifying, but I was focusing on the positive side like the fact we had almost reached the end of the forest. Through the gaps of the trees you could see the peaks in the distance: tall , white, and dangerous.
Night was falling quickly, but Jack was determined to reach the forest's end before nightfall. He wanted to get an early start on the mountain so we wouldn't have to sleep on the frosty peak, It made sense.
"You seem awfully cheerful, little Violet," Jack said to me as we walked through the fading woods.
"Why wouldn't I be," I giggled. " We are on this awesome adventure, I survived death twice so far, and we haven't seen the hunters since-"
"SHHHH!," Jack interrupted me. "Don't jinx this! We've been going solid for a week without a sign, I don't want to jinx this good luck," with that he glanced behind his shoulder now stricken with paranoia.
I rolled my eyes, "Calm down! I bet they are still back at my mountain, waiting for you to appear, each day pulling their hair out with frustration." I smirked," and the best part is that Mienshao is probably wallowing in her own filth, miserable."
He snorted a laugh too," I guess we all need to look at the bright side."
The thought of my mountain gave me a twinge of guilt, I missed my family, mostly my sisters. I wish I cold talk to Jade about everything that had happened and get her opinion. Just to talk to someone who know me, who has known me all my life, Jade knew me better than I knew myself. I missed little Scarletts hugs and her laughter that rang through the air like tiny happy bells. I wonder if the miss me? I bet Jade does sometimes, and maybe sometimes Scarlett asks about me! I wonder where they told her I went? Now it was my turn to glance behind us, grieving for my past. There's no point, I told myself. Someday you'll go back and show them that you made it on the outside. Someday...
Around us the trees with becoming few and far between, giving us less and less shelter against the whipping wind. The sun was falling fast, glowing brightly with the last rays of daylight before slipping under the horizon.
"We should probably find shelter for the night," Chance called to us above the wind," We wont be able to keep a fire lit and I'm already freezing!"
"He's right," Theresa said.
We all turned to Jack, whose face was stern and tight, "If we do this, there will be no complaining about getting up early! Got it?"
We all agreed and started to scour the area for a temporary shelter. I looked everywhere, all I found was a whole in a tree no bigger than my head.
"Find anything?," Chance asked.
"Nope, not unless you can climb a tree," I replied.
"I guess that means were just going to have to make some sacrifices," he sighed.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, we're going to have to snuggle through the night to keep warm. It'll be hard, but I'm willing to endure it for the night."
"I don't know," I say sarcastically," I don't think I can do it, I don't want to make things awkward, you know?"
"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean, but it's just this one time so we don't freeze."
"Ehhh... okaaay," I agree with fake reluctance," Just this ONE time."
"Yeah, it'll just be a one time thing. No big deal," he winked.
We were ready to wrap ourselves into a big leaf for the night when Theresa rushes towards us. "I found it! Come on! Look, look, look!," She shouts dragging me through the brush.
"What are you talking about!?"
"Just look," she lets go of me and smiles triumphantly. I see a pile large rocks with an opening at the base just sitting in the middle of the woods.
"I dunno, I mean, look at it!," I say trying to point out its' obviousness.
"I know!," she screams giddily," It's perfect!"
I turn to Chance," You don't think it's just a little... I don't know, a little out of place? It's a pile of giant rocks in the forest. Not just small forest rocks, these are GIANT mountain rocks."
"Maybe," he considered it," but then again, maybe not. It could be abandoned and Theresa is right: it's perfect."
Theresa squealed with delight at the praise, when Jack came through the brush. He looked a the structure u and down, "Nice, It should do for the night."
Everyone started to walk towards the entrance while I stood there in shock. Are they stupid? This is someone's home! Or even a trap!
"What if the person who lived here comes back and kills us!"
Jack stops and turns to look at me, " Don't be ridiculous, we'll be fine. If you're that scared Violet, your welcome to sleep outside." As he said it, the wind picked up, sending a chill deep within me.
"If we die, I'm blaming you, " I mumbled retreating into the den.
It was fairly large on the inside with ample room to move and stretch out. Looking around, I saw that there were no personal touches to the place. No bed, bowls, no anything; all that resided in the room was a small pile of dry wood in the corner. If someone does live here, they aren't really living.
Theresa could the worried look on my face, tried to comfort me, " Hey, don't worry. At least we'll be warm and safe AND you will get some alone time with Chance," she winked.
Yeah, okay. This is alone? " Yeah, thanks Theresa."
She smiled warmly and went to see if Jack needed any help with making a fire, in no time we had a bright flame lighting up the cave. All of us huddled around the fire laughing and joking with each other. Outside, we heard the wind howl furiously, but we didn't care we were happy, safe, and warm.
"So..," Theresa said with a sly smile, "Let's get real personal."
When she said it, I was a little off put. Did she mean like physical or just emotional? Either way I was not loving this idea.
"What do you mean?" Chance asked.
" I mean, let's just get real. If we are all traveling together, we should get to know each other, right?," she looked around the circle.
"I guess," Jack replied glumly, also not loving the idea of getting personal.
"Okay, okay, okay!," Theresa was shaking with enthusiasm," Let's see... What's a good question?... OH, I GOT IT!," she shouted. Her voice echoed off the walls, "Opps," she giggled," Sorry."
"What's the question," I asked her, genuinely curious.
"Okay, Well it's not really a question, you just kind of go around the circle and formally introduce yourself. You know: name, type, species; but were going to take it a step farther," She beamed. "We also need to include our power level and our attack moves. I'll go first, obviously my name is Theresa and I'm a Victini. I'm a fire/ physhic type, a Victory Pokémon at level 21. I'm actually really proud of that, even though it's not too high, but I'm still traveling and working on it. Currently, my moves include: Searing Shot, Incinerate, Confusion and Endure. I'm really pumped to grow and gain new techniques and moves! It's just too bad I'll never evolve, but that wont stop me from growing," she finished, turning to Jack.
Jack cleared his throat, raising his head from the ground," I'm not going to say my name or type, we all know this. Well... I'm a Fire Horse Pokémon, my level is...Hmm, I'm a level...," he paused concentrating," Chance, I can't remember am I a level 37 or 39. It's killing me, I can't remember."
Chance tilted his head, closing one eye, I'm pretty sure your a level 39, but I may be wrong... Yeah, 39. I'm pretty positive."
"Level 39! Thank you! God, it was killing me! Okay, Whew, I'm a level 39. I'm pretty pumped about it, one more level and I can evolve into Rapidash. Right now I can do: Inferno, Fire spin, Agility and Stomp... and yeah, Violet?"
Six eyes turned to me, waiting for me to speak. "Ohh... well, I'm kind of embarrassed," I confess.
"We won't laugh," Theresa pipes up, "Come on, tell us!"
Jack shoots her a look, then nudges me, " No judging. Besides, there is nothing to be embarrassed about, everyone develops at different speeds, especially some species. Me, we develop Medium Fast," Jack looks to Chance and I follow, looking at Chance too.
"Absolutely, Growltihe's? We develop at a slow rate, it's crazy! For me to be where I am, took some serious training! And everyone starts on level 1, so how can anyone judge someone else's level status," Chance shrugged.
"Exactly!," Jack chimed in.
"I guess, " I mutter, I take a deep breath. "Well... Im Violet a Vulpix, Fox Pokémon. I-I-I'm a level 15," I look down bashfully.
"REALLY?!," Theresa asks.
I didn't look up, but I guessed that Chance and Jack gave her the dirtiest looks, because she defended herself.
"That's not what I meant! What I meant to say, was that I'm surprised, BUT NOT IN THE BAD WAY," she rushed," I mean, Violent... I've known you the longest out of everyone here. You've always been so passive and secretive, I didn't expect you to be advanced! You've lived on that mountain on ALL your life, never leaving, most pokemon who don't travel never really advance, but you... that's amazing!"
I looked up slowly," You really think so?," I whisper.
"Oh I know so, Vi. I've traveled around, but that's the only reason I've grown, if I would have stayed on Liberty Island, I would still be a level 7!," she laughed. I started to laugh, and before I knew it we were all laughing.
I looked around at my friends, It's not that bad, I tell myself. It's not like I'm stuck on level 15 for the rest of my life. "I'm a level 15 and I am embarrassed about it. To me, it's really low and I hate it! My moves are: Baby-Doll eyes, Ember, Sunny Day, and Fire Spin."
"Sunny Day?," Chance questioned
"Oh.. It was TM from my dad, a birthday present. Its just boosts my moves and then lowers my opponents, " I tell them.
"I've never heard of that before," Theresa confesses. "It's cool and its got a nice name: Sunny Day."
This time all heads turn to Chance, who chuckles nervously," Hi.." He clears his throat and begins," Chance. Fire Type. Puppy Pokémon. I'm a level 41 and I can do: Helping Hand, Retaliate, Flamethrower, and Heat wave. I can't really evolve without a fire stone, and that sucks. That's me... so, yeah."
"This was really fun," Theresa says, "I'm glad we did it!"
"Me too," I say, but not sarcastically, I meant it.
"Let's call it a night," Jack says standing up, "Were getting up early tomorrow and there will be no whining!," he retreated to a corner of the den and lied down, closing his eyes. Theresa went over to her bag and hooped inside, getting cozy before turning her head away from us.
I didn't move, I was already snuggled up to Chance, warm and drowsy. I yawned and looked up at him, "Remember, this is just a one night thing," and smiled. He chuckled and licked me on the cheek saying, "How could I forget?," before laying down beside me. I smiled, happy with my life, things couldn't get better.
I hate to mention it, but don't forget to review! :D
I don't want reviews for like a confidence boost or anything, but just to make sure my writing is still good and to make sure the story isn't going to shit. You know? So, tell me what you like AND what you hate. Sorry, but Thank You!