The Longest Journey
Gem Archipelago
Chapter 27: Mt. Ruby
"So this is Mt. Ruby, huh?" Alex murmured as they got out of the transport after a drive of about 5 minutes.
The dead volcano was large, that much was clear. It seemed to be easy enough to scale, though there were also lifts that went all the way up to the city. There was a distinct lack of greenery on the desert side, but several 100 meters away to either side, they could see the trees that were growing from the volcano's side.
"Yeah guess its kinda nice" The girl muttered, partly hopping onto Alex's back suddenly as they got off the 'ship'. "Gymy time!"
"Gah!"
"Ket, we have to get up there, first," Hiiro laughed, before turning to Rallen and Jeena. "Thanks again for giving us a ride."
"Heh. No problem," Rallen said with a big grin on his face. "You just hang tough, alright?"
"Will do."
Jeena smiled a little with a shake of her head. Obviously she seemed to remember that it wouldn't do her much good to lecture Rallen on how they weren't a ferry. Hiiro had a feeling she must've had to do that over a dozen times already.
"Thanks again, and hope you get to kick those creeps butts for what they did to Geo and Ony."
"That makes two of us," Rallen said with a nod, moving to go back inside. "Good luck on your trip!"
"Thank you! And good luck to you with catching those guys!" Alex called out as the two officers went inside, closing the door behind them, before they took off again, just as fast as Rallen had driven them there. "That guy's a speed addict, I'll bet," the Unova Trainer chuckled out.
Looking to Alex in question, the girl frowned. "What's wrong with speed…"
"Oh, nothing, just-"
"Waaaaah!" came a familiar yelp, only moments before Haru came to a full stop a little beside them from where she'd been sliding down the mountain's side. "Darns…"
"…Haru?" Hiiro questioned in surprise.
The girl in question blinked and turned to face the small group. "Huh? Oh! Hiiro's! Ketty!"
"Harus? What are you doing here?" Ketlin blinked out, quickly hopping off the Unova boy's back.
"Trainings!" the girl chirped as Angie slid down the mountain as well to coil around Haru's shoulders again. It was then that she seemed to notice Alex and blinked curiously. "Huh? Who're yous?"
Hiiro laughed. "Haru, this is Alex. He's traveling along with us for a while."
Alex smiled and nodded, holding out his hand to the girl. "Nice to meet you, Haru."
Haru smiled brightly and shook the boy's hand. "Nice to meet you too's!"
"Him an Angie should get along well their both draggy heads," the Kanto girl giggled, reaching over to playfully ruffle the serpent dragon's ear fins.
Angie mewled happily at the attention, her tail tip wagging about, making Haru giggle. "Angie! That tickles!"
"Oh? So you kids were here?" asked another familiar voice, causing them to look up the mountain side.
Vent stood upon one of the nearby rocks, hands in his pockets casually, before he kicked off and easily scaled down the mountain with almost no difficulty.
"Ah! Sir Vent!"
"Hey there," the man said with a small nod.
"Guess you were gonna be here to huh?" Ketlin giggled with a wave. "Well guess some parents gonna be around…"
"Ketlin, Haru's still too young to journey, remember?" Hiiro pointed out.
"Ya ya," Ketlin sighed out waving, giving a hiss as she rubbed her back. "Ouch, I think I'm making a pearl back here…"
"You alright?" Vent asked in slight worry.
"Ketty?"
The girl shook it off, shrugging as she rubbed a little past her shoulders. "Just small cuts its nothing"
Haru blinked a few times, but before she could ask… "Aren't you going up, Haru?"
"Meep! I'm going I'm going!" she called out, and started hurrying up the mountain side, yelping when she nearly slipped again.
"Wouldn't the lifts be easier?" Ketlin asked.
"Nuh-uh! I gotta trains to be a good Trainers!" Haru called out, scampering up the mountain, with Angie right behind her, making Vent laugh.
The man chuckled, before pointing out: "Plus, if you don't scale the mountain, you're not allowed to challenge Nikita."
"Seriously?" Alex choked out.
"Don't tell me that's why she said…ugh," the girl growled, rubbing her face, obviously irritated to no ends. Shaking it off, she began to stretch her legs out, limbering herself up with a glare so determined it was a wonder the mountain wasn't being knocked down. "Right let's go."
Hiiro allowed a nod and started scaling the mountainside, trying to avoid any loose rocks he came across. Alex gave a sigh and followed after a moment longer.
Vent allowed a chuckle and casually started walking up the mountain's side, keeping up to the madly scampering Haru and Angie.
As they trudged ahead, the Shonen girl growled, gritting her teeth as she quickly dug her feet for a better grip after a near slip up. "Meerr, my mask for a freaking pack of Mankey!"
"Need some help, Ket?" Hiiro called out, coming up beside her.
"No, just not a mountain climber. Tree climbing heck yeah." The girl frowned, shrugging as she continued on. "Mountains not so much. Ugh all times I'd want to feral up."
Alex chuckled softly, following after them.
Hiiro allowed a smile as he climbed after, watching as Haru yelped when she nearly fell again, but this time she scampered right back up. The small girl was clearly doing her best to get up the mountain on her own.
And Vent was just casually walking up the side of the mountain, apparently not the least bit affected by the steepness of the mountain.
"This reminds me you still owe me something 'really special' tonight, Hiiry," the girl grinned out suddenly.
"Are we still going on about that?" Hiiro sighed out, reaching for another rock.
"Just reminding you, good thing papa's not here anymore," she retorted, managing to hop up a good foot or two ahead.
"He'll probably figure out one way or another, though, Kets," Alex called out as he finally caught up.
"Probably…" Hiiro murmured softly.
Ketlin grumbled as they w ent on to climbing, before she blinked, looking around quickly before giving a slight squeak. "Arbok!"
Hiiro and Alex immediately snapped their heads up, letting out a gasp and cry respectively, as the large-larger than normal, even-purple snake rose up from behind a rock, its neck pattern resembling that of a vicious glare. Its forked tongue flicked out as it rose up to its full height, hissing dangerously at the group.
"Meep! Daddy!" Haru called out in fright, making Vent look up in slight surprise.
"Sh-shit…!" Hiiro hissed, trying to reach for one of his Pokéballs without skidding down the mountainside.
"Hey calm down its not attacking yet is it?" the Shonen girl responded, giving a look up to the serpent curiously. "Must be a healthy eater the size its at…"
"Not yet, but it's going to in about-"
Before Hiiro could finish, the Arbok let out a loud hiss and lunged toward the group.
"…Stop."
Immediately, the Pokémon stilled and backed up, a startled expression on its face. Vent was glaring up at the snake, his entire stance indicating he was not pleased, and if he had been a Pokémon as well, one could've argued that he was ready to lunge. The Arbok seemed to notice this as well and shrunk back, forked tongue flicking out once more, before it rapidly slithered away.
"…Wowie! Daddy that was awesomes!" Haru chirped out, scampering up the hold onto her father's leg.
"…How did you…?" Alex asked slowly.
"Intention." Ketlin blinked, her head quickly shaking as she went back to climbing "Kinda impressive most humans can't get that out to Pokémon."
Vent allowed a small smile as he turned to the small group. "Well… shall we keep going?"
"Yeah! Le's go le's go!" Haru chirped, picking up her pace and continuing to scramble up the mountain again.
"You're the ones taking your time!" the older girl giggled out
It took the small group at least an hour and a half to get all the way to the top, and by the time they did, at least half of them were exhausted.
"Ugh… that… was tiring…" Alex managed to get out.
"Yeah…don't move" Ketlin said, suddenly dropping over the Unova boy's back in a limp. "Need a pillow."
Hiiro exhaled and dropped back onto the ground, panting for breath. "Urgh… I'm not… too anxious to do that again…"
"Why not it was still fun," the wary girl called over, giving a confused gaze to Hiiro.
"I'll pass next time…" the other boy mumbled, moving his cap over his eyes.
"Suit yourself."
Haru, on the other, was giggling happily, even though she was panting as much as the rest of them. "See, Daddy? I told yous I could do its!"
"Heh. So you did," Vent chuckled.
Sighing a bit, Ketlin gave her joints a rough snap, pulling herself back to a proper sitting position. "Mew, wonder if that was how orange islands are supost to be like…"
"Hm? The Orange Islands have something similar?" Alex asked curiously.
"Donno personally, Papa told me it had challenges for Trainers and their Pokémon like obstacle courses or dancing or racing…"
"Heh… Maybe I'll go there when I have the time, then…" the Unova Trainer chuckled out.
Haru sat up properly, Angie around her shoulders, and looked to the group. "Hey, are you gonna go for the Gyms now?
"HELL YEAH!"" Ketlin hollered, hopping to her feet with renewed vigor at the primary reminder of their visit. "I'M GETTEN THAT FIGHT TODAY IF I GOTTA TEAR HER WHOLE GYM DOWN PIECE BY PIECE!"
At that, both boys laughed, and Vent allowed a chuckle of his own, before saying: "Well, why are you still sitting here, then? It's going to be night soon."
The father barely finished the statement, the girl was already rushing ahead towards the Gym without any show of hesitation. "HURRY UP ALREADY SLOWPOKES!"
Alex and Hiiro shook their heads, wearily climbing to their feet. Once they were sure they could walk normally, they started after Ketlin.
However the girl got her energy back was anyone's guess, but she managed to beeline quite a few times, causing the boys to dart through paths that would obviously not be needed. Finally though 'Kamen Trainer' dug her heels into the ground as she forced herself to stop in front of the mountain's Gym.
However, as she attempted to open the door, it refused the budge.
Struggling with everything she had, the girl began to yowl and hiss, kicking at the door and its handles in a renewed rage. "Aw come on!"
"Ketlin, calm down," Hiiro called out. "There's probably already a challenger inside."
Hearing her name, the masked girl gave a glare to the local islander. "'Who'?"
Hiiro chose wisely not to respond to the girl's glare, and instead put his hand in his pocket as Alex reached them.
"…So this is the Gym, huh?" Alex murmured, looking up to the, strangely small, building.
It was a lot smaller than other Gyms, and from the outside, it wasn't sure if it could even fit a battlefield. Which would mean the actual field had to be underground. Though how far, that had yet to be seen.
Before any of the others could say anything though, there was a click from the door and it was opened from inside.
"Hm? Oh? New challengers?" asked a calm, casual voice.
"LEADER OF RUBY'S GYM, KAMEN TRAINER IS HERE TO CHALLENGE YOU FOR YOUR GYM BADGE!"
"I'm afraid Nikita's still inside, little lady," the young man said with a chuckle as he twirled a strand of his light blonde hair with his finger. He was a young man around Hiiro's age with short blonde hair that was slightly curled, and mysterious amethyst eyes. He was dressed in some simple clothes that hardly seemed fit for a Pokémon journey. "She also said she's not taking any more challenges today."
"…Ouch," Hiiro murmured softly.
Hearing the news, the masked girl gave a vissible twitch. Anyone nearby would have sworn the mountain was about to erupt again. "…"
The young man sighed and raised his hands in a shrug. "She said she wasn't feeling up to it right now. Possibly because she's had so many challengers already, today. Well, anyway, please excuse me."
With a simple wave of his hand, the young man walked away with a small, cheeky smile on his face.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGH!"
Hiiro and Alex remained silent as they watched Ketlin vent, knowing well enough to not speak lest she aim that frustration at either of them.
It took a bit of time, not to mention some noticeable cracks within the building walls, but finally, the girl gave a sigh of frustration. "Daaammnniiiit"
Hiiro sighed, before he moved over to her. "Hey, let's go to the center. We can take the challenge first thing tomorrow."
"Agreed… we'll have to all go at the same time though, right? Since Nikita works with Triple Battles."
"Yeah, she does."
"Fine, but not the center!"
"Huh?"
Removing her mask and jacket, the girl frowned snatching onto the nearest boy, being the unfortunate Gem islanders wrist, tugging him along. "Trees, lotta trees. Hiiry owens and I need it!"
"Gah! Ketlin, take it easy!" Hiiro called out as he staggered afterward.
Alex shook his head with a chuckle as he followed them.
"Maybe the park the trees there might be big enough hmm."
Before long, they reached what Ketlin called 'the park'. It was, as said, a park filled with trees, but the leaves of the trees were a deep ash gray and the bark was a dark black. There were also several normal trees around, but the majority of them were still the black and gray trees. Several Tropius were walking around the area, searching the trees for their favorite fruits, sometimes stopping to munch on one when they found them.
"Huh…dino tree…" The girl blinked out, looking to the grass /flying types in small awe
"You've seen these before at Laria's Gym, haven't you? Why do you sound so surprised?" Hiiro asked in slight confusion.
"The dancen routines distracted me a little"
"Dancing was with Alexia, not Laria."
"Not the dancing in the fight the dancing the Pokémon in the garden were doing" Ketlin grumbled
"Okay, okay…" Hiiro sighed, adjusting his bag. "So what do you want to do here?"
"Camp here till morning time remember" the girl frowned out, giving a sniff to the air a little as she caught the scent of some of the large pokemons fruits "Hmm"
Alex walked over calmly, looking around. "Huh… what's with these trees?" Alex asked, running his hand along the bark of the black trees.
"Those are Ash Trees," Hiiro explained. "This is the only place in the Archipelago they can grow. No one's really sure why or how they grow."
The girl frowned a bit, tilting her head one way and the other, taking in the sight of the 'ash trees' apparently in deep thought. "Hmm…"
Hiiro looked about to say something else, but instead, he choked and tensed sharply. '…Ray?'
…he's here.
"…Yeah, thought so," Hiiro hissed out, his face twisting into a frown. Without another word, he hurried off.
"Huh? Hey, Hiiro!" Alex called out, hurrying after the boy.
"Eh, hey get back here!"" Ketlin growled giving chase
However, Hiiro didn't stop and kept going until he stopped when he turned a corner, just as a Tropius hit the ground with a cry of pain. And in the next moment, a Pokéball slammed against its hide, drawing it in before it dropped to the ground. The ball wriggled for a few moments, then gave a silent ding and bounced over into the hand of the person who had originally thrown it.
"Nick!"
"…" Said boy looked up wordlessly, still holding the Pokéball in his left hand as Shenleon stood by his side.
"Awww double nerts…" Ketlin hissed out spotting the boy as she skid beside Hiiro, quickly reaching for her Pokéballs ready to call out her team
"Ah you gotta be…" Alex grumbled.
"…"
"What are you doing here?" Hiiro hissed out.
"…"
Gritting her teeth, the girl repeated out: "Well? Why are you here what do those Aether creeps want from Ruby?"
"…"
"…Why are we even trying this?" Alex murmured softly, rubbing his temples.
"I'm partly hoping that if being a shadow removes his heart maybe it'll smash some logic in his face," Ketlin muttered.
"Nick… do you even know what you did to Rachel back in Opal?" Hiiro demanded.
"…she was in the way…" Nick said solemnly. "…it was her own fault…"
"You damn well nearly broke her spine, you idiot!" Hiiro shouted out. "If you're fighting with Pokémon, you're supposed to leave the Trainers OUT of it!"
"…"
"Uh, yeah," Ketlin mumbled, scratching her ear quickly, things considered, she hardly could argue out of that statement if Hiiro brought her into it.
"What the hell is wrong with you!" Hiiro suddenly demanded. "You have all these people worrying about you and trying to help you and all you can think about is your own problems? You're not the only one with troubles, you know!"
"…it doesn't matter…"
"Doesn't… matter?" Hiiro snarled dangerously, his eyes flashing blue. "Both Rachel and Prometheus were willing to do everything in their power to help you but you merely shoved them away! You're never going to solve anything if you keep doing that!"
"…"
"Forget it Hiiry…"
"Hell no!" Hiiro hissed out, reaching up and spinning his cap around 180 degrees. "I promised Rachel we'd drag you back to Diamond by your hair if need be and I intend to keep that promise!" he snarled, taking one of his Pokéballs in hand.
"…you're free to try…" Nick said solemnly as Shenleon leaped over in front of him with a snarl.
"Um… is it just me or does Hiiro seem more fired up than normal?" Alex asked softly.
However, as the dragon Eeveelution took his stance into Alex's question, something bound off its forehead, before a pair of feet gave a sudden crash into the 'shadowed' boy's face. Flipping back, Ketlin landed with a growl, glaring up to Nick as she hissed "If you couldn't talk sense into him when his heart was still his Hiiry, then only action is to beat him to a pulp and drag him back as a ghost he's become now."
The kick to his face made Nick stagger back - and also split the mask he wore clean in half. The two halves fell to the ground and clattered along the rocky ground before they stilled.
"…"
However, Nick didn't even bother to look at the two halves and looked up to the group silently, his expression empty. After a moment of silence, however…
"…If you want to fight against us both…" he said simply, before he fell into a battle stance of his own. "…that is fine…"
"Why do I feel like this is a bad idea?" Alex mumbled softly under his breath.
"If I gotta smash you to pieces again personally to fix you, no problem!" Ketlin hissed out, getting ready.
Hiiro merely snarled and threw his Pokéball forward. The Pokémon coming from it, was none other than Ray, and the Pokémon was most definitely not going to back down, since he fell into position immediately.
Shenleon frowned darkly, snarling, before kicking off from the ground without another word and rushing straight for Ray.
The girl of the group took a deep, slow breath, letting it out, Ketlin's heels began to dig into the ground before she launched herself for Nick, letting loose a series of wild punches and kicks for the boy.
However, Nick deflected the hits almost easily, sidestepping whenever needed before he snagged her by her arm and spun her around to smash back first into the ground.
Ray snorted, his eyes flaring blue as he threw an orb of psychic energy at the charging Pokémon. Of course, that was avoided, and then the Pokémon leaped up - which was what Ray wanted, as it allowed him to stop the Shadow Pokémon in midair and then toss him aside.
Yowling out, hissing as she nearly felt her back snap, the Shonen girls fingers clamped down, snatching onto Nick's wrist "Co…unter…" Kicking into his midsection, the girl managed to spring off from the tree, pulling nick into the air as she began to dance and spiral about, before smashing his head for the same tree in kind. "Shield!"
Nick merely hissed slightly at the hit, before he looked to Ketlin silently - and then lunged forward and buried his left fist into Ketlin's gut.
Shenleon landed on its feet and glared at Ray, before unleashing a burst of Dragonbreath, forcing the Mewtwo to back up out of range.
"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" the girl yowled, staggering as she began to spit up bits of blood an bile from the attack, hissing as she squinted to the boys fist "Gah…wha…raht?
"…is that all?" Nick asked solemnly, shaking his fist and flexing the fingers - and if you paid attention you could hear the slight clinking of metal coming from beneath the clothes he wore.
Ray solemnly jumped back from Shenleon, before he snorted and prepared another orb of energy. However, before he could throw it, the Dragon type was right in his face and bit down on his arm, the force causing the Mewtwo to yowl in agony.
"Ray!"
"Hru…Hardly" The girl snarled, staggering to her feet again as she flexed her fingers, holding back the wince as her insides began to scream "Ghosts don't die from iron claw, idiot"
"…that so?" Nick murmured softly, just as something in his pocket beeped. "…" Wordlessly, the redhead pulled out a dark purple cell phone and brought it to his ear without a word.
Ketlin's brow quirked, looking the boy over as she focused trying to hear the other end of what was being said on the phone, being ready though still to bring up anything when he moved again
However, the one-sided conversation was over in a flash, ending when Nick almost dropped his phone as his right hand spasmed sharply. "…ah." Grabbing his phone with his left hand, Nick looked down at his right hand - and the countdown that had begun ticking on his 'glove'.
Blinking, the Shonen girl rushed over, taking Nicks wrist and looking to the numbers in shock. "What in arcs…"
However, before Ketlin could get a good look at it, Nick fisted his hand and spun on his heel, dragging Ketlin along and tossing her aside. "…Playtime is over…" With those words, Nick kicked off from the ground, dashing away as fast as he had in the Opal Mines, Shenleon rushing after him shortly after.
"Ah shit!"
Hmph… fast little brat…
"Nrgh" the girl hissed, rubbing her sides as she hit the ground. "Ow…why'd I have to be a Ghost with nerves…"
Hiiro sighed in annoyance and hurried over to Ketlin. "Ket, you okay?"
"Yeah…he had those metal knuckle things or somethen," she coughed, spitting up a new bubble of bile from her lips before pulling herself up with a loud hiss. "I'll…be alright."
"Maybe we should get you to a hospital, just to be sure…" Alex said as he walked over. "Or at least the Pokémon Center…"
…you almost stepped on something.
"No way were camping…eh?" The girl blinked, looking over to Ray curiously
"Huh?" Blinking, Alex looked over, noticing that he had indeed barely missed stepping on something. Upon picking it up, it revealed itself to be a tiny Persian windup toy. "Where did this come from?"
"Let me see," Hiiro called out, taking the small toy from Alex. "…Oh, I remember these things. Used to be all the rage around here about 10 years ago. All the kids were rushing around trying to get every Pokémon toy back then."
"Toy Pokémon?" Ketlin blinked out, giving a glance to the toy with a frown "What was so special 'bout em?"
"Watch." Carefully, Hiiro wound up the toy, then pulled the key from it and set it down.
As he did, the Pokémon actually blinked and looked around, then give a very good Persian-sounding mewl, starting to walk around the ground.
"W-wow!
"They can also use some of the Pokémon's moves, but those are at random when you get them," Hiiro explained, watching the Persian strut over to Ketlin.
As it moved, the girl did something no one really would have expected; she shrieked and moved so fast it was a wonder if she didn't personally know 'extreme speed', suddenly finding a tall tree to latch onto a branch. "YAAAH!'
"Eh?" both boys exclaimed, looking up to Ketlin in surprise.
"Ketlin? What's wrong?" Alex called up to her.
"Keep that freaky thing away from me!"
At that, both boys exchanged a glance, before turning back to Ketlin.
"Ket, it's just a toy. Get down from there!" Hiiro called out.
Ketlin however, just kept her glare upon the toy, not at all happily at that. "Its freaky! It moves around like it's alive but it's got nothing, it's worse than shadowed things!"
Alex sighed as he picked up the toy. "Ketlin, come on, it's harmless."
"Esh… Alex, I'll keep it with me, okay?" Hiiro said solemnly.
"Yeah, sure," Alex agreed, giving the small toy to Hiiro.
Just as he handed it over, the girl was down again, though now on Alex's back clinging to him from there hissing at the item in Hiiro's hand warily. "Mrrr…"
"Gah!"
Hiiro silently removed his bag and dropped down, opening it and starting to find a good spot to hide the toy. However…
"GAH!" Hiiro yowled as he leaped back, clutching his hand. "Wha-what was that?"
"GAAH I KNEW IT!" the girl yelped nearly choking the life from Alex in surprise.
"Ketlin… I… can't…breathe… like this…"
Ray frowned in confusion as he looked over to the bag. …Something is moving inside that egg you carry… and it appears to be responding to your body heat.
Hiiro looked over to Ketlin, rolling his eyes before reaching inside and pulling out the egg he kept in it, still carefully wrapped up in a towel. "Holy… it's hot… Way hot…" Hiiro breathed, beginning to unwrap the towel.
Hearing that, her ears nearly twitching, Ketlin hopped off from Alex's back, making her way over to the egg leaning to it. "Wow, it is. Could match Natsu's heat…"
After rubbing his neck, Alex moved over and crouched down beside them. "Any chance of it hatching soon, then?"
"I'm not sure… we don't know what Pokémon is in it, so I can't say when it will hatch… but apparently it responds to body temperature," Hiiro said with a small frown, placing a hand on the shell.
The girl frowned, lightly rubbing it as she shut her eyes, trying to sense out the growing form within "Hmm…maybe a Magby? Papa said their eggs are pretty warm"
"Magby eggs would be red with yellow, Ketlin," Alex pointed out.
"Maybe this one's color blind"
Hiiro was quiet for a moment, lost in thought, but his eyes were beginning to glow slightly.
"Hiiro? You alright, man?"
"Huh, you tapping something?" the girl blinked out, tilting her head as she spotted the boy's eyes.
No sooner had she said that, or Ray frowned and crouched down as well. …it's hatching…
"Wha! Already?" Alex choked out.
As that was said, the egg began glowing a light blue hue, hovering a few inches above Hiiro's cupped hands, soft cracks resounding from the eggshell.
"Eeh! Birthday!" the girl yipped out, looking to the egg in absolute awe.
Slowly, fragments of the eggshell broke off from it, but instead of falling to the ground, they hovered upward and dissolved into soft light, leaving behind only a small, coiled up figure in its stead. And when the last of the pieces disappeared, it floated down to land upon Hiiro's hands, where it gradually lost its glow.
"…oh… wow… wha… what Pokémon is that?" Alex breathed out.
The Pokémon was tiny; it looked almost like a small kitten. In fact, it looked a lot like a tiny Mewtwo, yet not, since its coloration was light gray, and a soft bluish-green along its belly and tail. Plus, its ears were styled more like a Mew's and it had a small tuft of the same bluish-green fur along its head like hair. Its hands had five actual fingers instead of three that were tipped with a ball like Mewtwo's. It appeared to be sleeping, still, with its eyes shut lightly and breathing quietly, its tail lightly moving in the air.
"…I… I don't know…"
Ketlin blinked, sniffing the newborn curiously, before her hand reached up pulling her PokéDex along with it, flipping it on. "Hey Dexy whose this?"
"Pokémon unknown. No information available."
"Say wha…?" Alex choked out.
"Good thing papas not here, he'd snatch the little guy up and not let anyone see em for ages," Ketlin blinked out, looking between her PokéDex and the new Pokémon for some moments, before shrugging it off. "Hehe congratulations Hiiry, not only you a papa but now you're a papa to a new newborn!"
Hiiro merely rolled his eyes, looking down to the small Pokémon curiously, running his thumb along its head. "Har har. Ray, can you at least tell if this is a boy or a girl?"
It's a girl.
"Ah, thanks.
"Well, one thing's for sure, she's a cutie," Alex chuckled out with a small smile.
"All babies are cuties" Ketlin pointed out
"True…"
Hiiro smiled as he stood up. "Well, would you guys mind setting up camp? I'm going to the center real quick and see if I can get something to eat for this girl," he said with a smile, even as Ray recalled himself to the Trainer's Pokéball.
"Uh sure…don't think this means you can get out of what ya owe me!"
"I know, I know. I'm just gonna get some stuff and then I'll be right back!" Hiiro said with a nod, starting on his way.
Alex chuckled. "Well, let's get started, huh?"
"Sure," the Shonen girl smiled out, starting to empty her bag beside a tree "This spots good"
"Heh…"
"So… how does that look?" Alex asked as he stepped away.
"Your sides good," the girl nodded, smiling as she jabbed a last stake to the ground to hold her own little shift up tent. "Mine?"
Alex looked over for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, looks good."
"All set then."
"Guess that only leaves mine, huh?" Hiiro said from behind Ketlin.
"Oh, hey, Hiiro."
"Got the grub?"
"Yeah, and some extra stuff, too," Hiiro said with a nod, lightly tapping the carrier bag he had strapped across his chest, keeping the small Pokémon close to him.
"Well, at least you won't lose her like that," Alex said with a small nod.
The girl shook her head. "Maybe not maybe she's a Ghost, if she goes intangible shed probably fall to the Earth's core."
"Let's hope not…" Hiiro murmured, starting to pull out some stuff to set up his own spot.
Alex merely smiled as he sat down next to his own spot. "Whew… what a day…"
The girl chuckled, taking a spot between the boys, before allowing herself to flop down along her back. "Yeah…and nothing worry 'bout Hiiry, you'd be surprised how common that is for Ghost babies."
"Hmhmm…" Hiiro murmured, keeping his focus on setting up the tent.
The Unova Trainer remained silent as he looked up to the heavens. "…Huh… there's a lot of stars out early, huh?"
"Hm?" Ketlin blinked, peeking her eye open enough to let her see up along the sky. "Huh…yeah."
"Mt. Ruby doesn't have a lot of lights during the night, and since we're so high up, it's easier to see them," Hiiro called out as he finished up. "There."
"Name."
"Huh?"
Looking over, the girl nodded simply. "Her name."
"Oh. I haven't thought of one yet…" Hiiro said as he walked over.
"Still? Eash you're already losing good papa points"
"Gimme a break…" Hiiro murmured. "I was a little preoccupied trying to learn how to take care of her, alright?"
"Besides, name of your first kid should be well thought of," Alex pointed out.
"He still needs make up points!" The girl said, holding her hand up as if authoritively, grinning, Ketlin turned to Hiiro, getting uncomfortably close to the boys face "And I have juuuust the thing"
"Hoo boy…"
"Hmmmm, this is soooo good!" the girls voice purred out, rolling down along the trunk of the tree, a small psychokinetic glow around her body holding her firm as if the tree itself was her center of gravity. "Aaa."
Alex laughed as he watched the girl "roll" about. "Having fun, Ket?"
"Aaah, it's the perfect pitch of black in the night, and this feeling, aah it's like I'm home."
Hiiro cocked his head. "What do you mean, Ket?"
"I don't know, something about this feels like home…I wonder if I'll ever find it again" The girl muttered out, much to the surprise of both boys.
"Wait… Ket, I thought you still lived with your dad and NJ…" Alex pointed out.
"Ket?" Hiiro asked in slight confusion.
"Huh, oh right. You guys don't know papas not my blood papa," the girl blurted out simply
"He's not?" both boys asked at the same time.
"Nuh uh, I don't even know where I came from, Papa just found me when I caused trouble in a town one day."
"Oh…"
Neither of the two were too sure what to say and just exchanged a look, all while Hiiro kept his hand raised and his attention focused on what he was doing.
The girl blinked, looking to the pair before chuckling. "Hey it's nothing guys, Im happy. Before he found me, I was no different than a Pokémon cause my shaman powers were out of control. One day I'd wake up with a pack of Rattata and go looking for nuts, the next I'm trying to understand why I can't fly after a Caterpie." She smiled, looking to the sky above from the branch she was sitting on, or
rather under. "I don't remember where I came from beforehand, I just get this feeling in my soul about what my homeland was like, it feels a lot like this does right now."
"Hm… You know… I think I've heard something like that before… but…" Hiiro murmured, frowning for a moment.
Looking up, or down, The girl blinked looking to Hiiro silently. It was obvious that small statement had her attention in a flash
Putting his free fingers to his temple, Hiiro frowned for a moment. "…Hmm… oh, right. It kind of reminds me of the 'Distortion World'."
"Distor… OH!" Alex gasped in realization. "I've heard of that; that's where the Origin Pokémon Giratina came from, right?"
"Something like that… most of the story is still shrouded in legends and myths, however…" Hiiro murmured.
"Explains why Cynthia was into it so badly…"
"RAAWRH!" Ketlin suddenly roared out, pouncing down the boys , somehow positioning herself so not to hurt the newborn Pokémon. "Say that name again!"
Hiiro blinked in surprise, and Alex stared at her for a moment. "Um… 'Giratina'?"
Still leaning over the pair, the girl's body arched, giving a very visible shiver, despite the sign of being worried or anything the likes, she had a very visible grin on her face that was steadily growing bigger. "That name…"
"Ket…?" Hiiro started slowly, unsure if he liked the expression on the girl's face.
"That name's giving me the chills…I don't know why, but I like it. Who's this Giratina?"
Alex pulled out his PokéDex and typed in a few things. "It's not widely known… From what I heard from Cynthia, it's part of Sinnoh's legends. Ah, here we go." Turning the Dex to face Ketlin, he pressed a single button.
The image on the screen was of a menacing dragon-like Pokémon, protruding golden lines running over its back to come together at its chest, only a few inches (or feet, since the stats beside it labeled it as huge) apart. It had no legs, and instead had only six spikes coming from its slim body. Six tentacle like wings protruded from its back, and a pair of menacing red eyes looked out from what looked like a horned golden mask of some kind.
"Giratina. A Renegade Pokémon. This Pokémon is said to live in a world on the reverse side of ours, where common knowledge is distorted and strange. It was banished for its violence. It silently gazed upon the old world from the Distortion World."
Seeing the Pokémon, the girls hand shot out, snatching up the PokéDex as her eyes went wide, her fingertips grazing along the screen along the legendary's face "…this…this is…"
"Ket…? Are you… okay?" Hiiro asked, carefully placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Ketlin?" Alex called out slowly, waving his hand in front of her face.
Looking to the boys, the girl's grin continued to raise happily. "I know…this guy!"
"Really?"
"From where?"
Ketlin shook her head, looking with awe struck eyes to the PokéDex's screen silently. Before piping up "I don't know where…it had to be back before papa…I always felt safe in my mask…because something about a mask meant strength and protection to me…and looking at his mask…" She trailed off, her fingers again trailing the sharp edges of the Pokémon's face along the screen "It feels…safe."
Hiiro nodded slowly, looking down to the scren as well. "…but then where did you meet him?"
Ketlin remained silent for a time, before chuckling, shutting her eyes as she handed the PokéDex back to its owner. "I'll…have to ask him then"
"That's not so easy…" Alex murmured. "The only known way to see this guy is to bring together Space and Time and open the way to the Distortion World."
"You mean Dialga and Palkia, right?" Hiiro asked.
"Yeah, those two."
"Easy peasy," Ketlin stated, holding her fingers up in a V. "My reunion with Giratania is simple as that."
The boys looked at each other, before they chuckled. "If you say so, Ket," they said at the same time.
"Guys, think about it," the girl grinned out. "I've meet him when I was a baby…if I could do it then, then I can do it again"
Hiiro laughed and ruffled her hair. "We believe you, Ket. Though, right now, I think we should hit the hay. It's getting late."
"Uugh I'm too excited now!" the girl whined, falling into her sleeping bag and flailing about like a Magikarp out of water
Both boys laughed, before they went for their own sleeping bags.
The unknown Pokemon is copyrighted to me.
