This was actually written in 2012 and I forgot to post it? Oops. I wanted to tell a story from the perspective of a place rather than of a character - hope you enjoy!
There was one spot outside the city where the flowers bloomed. High above the smog-covered landscape, protected only because it was unknown, a single, isolated hilltop burst with life. Sheer walls of dirt one three sides and brambles on the other staved off unwanted visitors, and so the grass grew strong and bright with no feet to trample it. Bobbing their heads to a rhythm hidden from human ears, hundreds of thousands of flowers seemed to welcome the day with their colors, each one whispering "thank you" to the morning sun.
Giggling sounded from just out of sight, and a pair of mischievous eyes peered above the crest of the hill, long, black hair batting around them in the wind. The little girl gasped in awe, struck into a rare silence as she saw the sunlight making the stalks in front of her glow like a golden river. Slowly, she stood up, struck anew by the vibrant flowers themselves. For a moment, this place was hers, an inspiration just for her. Turning in a slow circle, arms spread wide, the girl's face lit in a grin so large it seemed her happiness would split her along her seams in order to stretch itself out.
"Toby!" she called, whooping with pure joy. "Toby, hurry! You gotta see what's up here!"
Loose gravel tumbled down the hill, and a similarly-sized boy with messy brown hair and a cautious frown appeared. But then he too was stunned, caught in the beauty of the morning sun and the flowers in the wind. "Angie, how did you -?"
The girl laughed, running over to the boy and tackling him with a whoop of joy. They tussled, invigorated by the life all around them. Soon, however, they both flopped on their backs, content to watch the colors dance above their heads. "I told you the adults were silly for not coming up here," the girl said, reaching a hand out towards the sky. "We've found this spot all by ourselves, and now it's ours."
"Nn," the boy agreed. "They'll never find us here. Let's sneak out every day to meet here."
"Not every day!" objected the girl, turning to face the boy and blowing a lock of hair out of her bright green eyes.
"Why not?" he asked, also turning towards her, puzzlement clearly scrawled across his face. "The girl's area is closer to the fence, anyway, so it'll be easy for you."
"'Cause, silly! If we come too often, the adults will know something's up and report us to the elders!"
"Fine, I guess. Every week then."
"It's a promise." She reached over to him, pinkie outstretched.
"Yeah," he agreed, looping her pinkie with his own.
They played until distant bells could be heard, then, scampering off, they waved good-bye at the flowers, who politely waved back. Murmuring to each other, the wind teased the flowers, gently passing by, then suddenly rushing through, only to come back even more tender, as if in apology. The sun was now firmly above the horizon, and stately continued on its journey across the sky. As the sun climbed, the petals down below turned in rhythm to keep their faces as sun-kissed as possible.
There was a scream of delight, the sound of feet scrabbling on the hillside, quick laughter, and a scuffle as the boy and the girl ran out to the flowers. Panting, the two shoved each other good-naturedly, laughing and trying to catch their breaths. Their legs were longer now, and they found joy in running ever farther and faster, but nothing beat this special place of theirs.
"So," the girl began, her eyes twinkling in amusement. "Who'd you choose as your starter?"
"Cyndaquil, duh," the boy grinned, running his hand through his hair to get it out of his face. "You?"
"Totodile!" cried the girl, punching the air as if boxing. "I'm so excited to finally start our Pokémon journeys!"
"Yeah." Looking wistful for a moment, the boy shook his head, light and laughter returning to his eyes. "Hey, how 'bout a quick battle? Y'know, just for fun."
"I was waiting for you to ask me, Toby!" Tossing her pokéball high in the air, the girl cried, "Totodile, come on out!"
"Let's do this, Cyndaquil!"
The two Pokémon emerged in flashes of red light, the flowers bobbing respectfully around them. A breath stole across the hill, brushing the cheeks of the two new trainers in turn, serving only to whet their anticipation.
"Totodile, scratch!" the girl called, overlapping the boy's shout of, "Smokescreen, Cyndaquil!"
A laugh escaped the girl's lips, her face shining with delight. "Try again, Totodile!"
"Dodge, then use tackle!" the boy exclaimed, actually jumping in excitement.
The battle continued as such, and somehow the trainers themselves entered the fray, wrestling each other as their Pokémon danced around their feet. Eventually, they all fell into a tangled heap, laughing so hard that it was hard to breathe. Calling a truce, the four of them collapsed on the ground, smiling at the sky. The girl plopped the boy's Cyndaquil on her stomach, and the boy watched as it rose up and down with her breathing. He laughed, causing her to giggle and the Pokémon to fall off, happy to just watch her and be with her.
"Hey, Angie," the boy said after a while, ignoring her Totodile nibbling his hair.
"Hmm?" The girl was playing with his Cyndaquil, flying it above her like an airplane, with her arms out straight.
"Promise me we'll keep in touch. Even though, you know…"
"Of course! How could you doubt it?" the girl exclaimed indignantly. The boy rolled onto his back, grinning, as she continued, "It's so unfair of them. I can't believe we can't travel together! Why do the elders have to be so strict?"
Shrugging the boy replied, "I dunno. But it's not like we're the only ones. The whole point is that they want us to survive alone."
"I know, I know. They want to see who'll survive and produce the next generation, or whatever," the girl grumbled, sitting up and letting the Cyndaquil tumble into her lap, "But it's still unfair." She sat for a minute, pouting. "Hey, I know!"
"Mm?"
"How about we promise to meet here once every year?"
"Yeah!" agreed the boy excitedly, "They can't take that from us – once we're travelers, we're allowed to go wherever we like!"
"Right! So it's a promise, then."
"Promise."
The smell of food wafting up from the city below reminded the two guiltily of their good-bye feast, and they bolted, Pokémon safe on their belts, their hearts tattooed with the image of sunlight in the flowers.
After they left, the flowers were quiet. White wisps were swept across the sky, their tendrils dissipating into space. The dry tree branches rustled below, and the wind helped the hilltop rustle back. Small bugs flew in loops from flower to flower, attracted by the bright colors, wings warmed by the noon-day sun, and inadvertently spreading pollen as shadows appeared amongst the greenery.
"H-hey! That's cheating!" The girl's voice rang clearly up the hill, then dissolved into peals of laughter.
"All's fair," retorted the boy, his voice deeper and with a hint of maturity. The girl screamed, and dull thuds sounded as she laughed, still protesting and pounding his back as he carried her up the hill.
"Put me do-o-own!" she complained, grinning wickedly.
Smirking, the boy dumped her in the flowers, and shook his head at her swearing. "Now, what would the elders say about your language?"
"They can all go to hell, for all I care." Suddenly, her good-humor was gone, replaced by a grim determination.
Trying to fix his mistake, the boy wheedled, "C'mon, Angela. I was only joking." No response. Undeterred, the boy sat next to the girl, bumping his shoulder against his. "Hey, I'm sorry about… Look, it could be worse."
"Worse, Tobias?" Wrong move. In an instant, the girl was standing again, furious. "They've ruined our lives! Those phony, old codgers act like they've got a Pineco stuck up their ass, trying to dictate everyone's life down to the very second. 'Please, sir, can I eat? Please, sir, can I fart? Oh, breathing's okay, too? 'Cause I wouldn't want to do that without your permission, you know, in case it isn't safe.'"
The boy laughed, and even the girl had to crack a smile.
"No, really, Tobias – they're taking over the continent. They've even finished 'negotiating' with the Elite Four, so there's nothing standing in their way anymore!"
"I know, I know," the boy relented, holding his hands up in defense. "But what can we do about it? I mean, we're just two teenagers."
The girl scowled, baring her teeth. "I don't care! I won't let them take my Pokémon away from me! I'll fight them all, it doesn't matter how many there are!"
"I thought you'd say that," the boy commented, smiling and standing up. "I've got a secret for you."
"Really?" asked the girl, blinking in surprise, momentarily thrown. "What?"
"Well, these past few years, a couple buddies of mine started a kind of resistance group when word got around that the elders were starting to restrict Pokémon ownership. You remember, back with those first rallies about how Pokémon would die out due to the number of trainers-"
"—so people were restricted to catching only one Pokémon max per route, yeah, I remember," the girl interrupted. "Go on."
"I'm getting there," the boy chided playfully, "So anyways, they started gathering a bunch of like-minded people, invited me in, and basically, we're all in it to overthrow the elders and their messed up government. Woah!" he exclaimed as he toppled over, the girl having launched herself at him.
"Oh, Toby, I want in! I want to fight! How could you have kept this a secret from me?"
The light fell through the girl's hair – dark and straight, it tickled the boy's nose until she pushed it behind her ear. Her eyes were practically shining with excitement, making them look like a pure emerald. The flower petals around them tinged her skin various colors, making it look like she was surrounded by dancing lights. "What?" she giggled, self-conscious at the look he was giving her.
"I just never fully realized how beautiful you were." The moment felt so right, and he dared raise his head and kiss her, gently pulling against her lips. She blushed, and lightly gasped when he pulled away, then threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back, knocking them both backwards so that they rested on the ground.
The sunlight seemed to freeze the moment into an eternity, and only when time moved normally again did the two break apart. The girl rested with her head on the boy's chest, content to listen to his steady breathing. He sighed happily, filled with the simple joy of being in this special place with the one he loved and was loved by in return.
"Angie?"
"Hmm?"
"Is it alright if I want to spend the rest of my life with you?"
"Of course! I wouldn't forgive you if you didn't."
He grinned, tracing the side of her face with his hand. "Then, I promise you that when we are through with this whole mess, and we rewrite the laws, I'll marry you right and proper."
The girl shivered with delight, wanting to melt into his chocolaty-brown eyes forever. "I'll hold you to that," she whispered, grinning impishly.
When they finally left, leaving behind their imprints that the waving flowers hid for them, they did so hand-in-hand. Happiness had long lived on that hilltop, and the flowers were more content than ever to live exactly as they were. The clouds skated across the sky, huge fluffy mammoths that cast patterned shadows below. Impatient and not wanting to be forgotten, the wind gleefully chased after them, darting down every now and then to play with the flowers before spiraling back into the sky.
The rays of light elongated as the sun progressed, shadows sinking into the hearts of the flowers and staining their roots. No longer playful, the wind circled the hilltop, searching frantically as it ruthlessly pushed the flowers out of its way, the clouds grumbling as they gathered in conference. Slowly, the girl trudged into view, her footsteps masked by the turbulent skies around her. Bowing their heads to the side, the flowers moved out of her way, allowing the girl to walk unhindered to the opposite edge, where she collapsed on her knees. The land was spread before her like an old map, covered in lines and blemishes. The city below, its buildings tall, dark arrows thrust into ground and stretching greedily into the air, covered in smog, the fires still roaring. Ironically, it looked no uglier after she had finished with it than when she had lived in it.
Confronted by the image of her hometown, although the place had brought her no joy, the girl found herself crying, the tears falling thick and fast although her face was still. She began absentmindedly picking the dried blood off her pants, wiping her hands in the grass when her fingers skid in still-wet patches. After she had escaped, she was told that her Feraligatr fought to return to her, killing as many as she had in order to be reunited. But it hadn't helped. She was a human, and was held in a prison while they argued her execution date, but he was a Pokémon, and was immediately taken out back and -– !
A sob wracked her body. "Damn it! Damn it all to hell!" she whispered vehemently, clenching her fists, unable to forget her screams when she had found the body. Although she knew crying would do her no good, she couldn't help it. It just hurt too much.
"Toby, where are you?" She couldn't do this, not alone. If he were here, things would be different – everything would turn out okay. "Toby!" she called, letting her head fall back as she screamed, "Tobias! TO-O-OBY-Y-Y!" She wouldn't stop calling his name, couldn't stop, because if she did, then she would be admitting that he, too, was gone.
Rain started to fall, a light shower that mixed with her tears to try and choke her. Sobbing, her calls turned into a wordless roar of anger and pain. On and on, lost in her despair, she bellowed at the world below, foolishly hoping to blow them all away with her voice alone, wishing that they would finally leave her alone.
The wind, already jumpy, tried to quiet her, stuffing her hair in her mouth as an ineffective gag. Grumbling in disapproval, the clouds increased the downpour, and the flowers suffered. Pushed about, their petals flattened, the flowers waved about in distress, begging for help. The girl ignored them all, numb to the world. She sat in silence, not bothering to try and calm her tears. It was all so pointless – everything was. So why not end it, then?
Laughing bitterly, the girl wiped her eyes, staggering to her feet. "Sorry, Tobias," she whispered with a shaky attempt at a smile, quickly covered by new sobs. "I'm not the fighter you thought I was. I need you." This side of the hill was appropriately steep, and the girl could feel the wind tugging at her clothes, whether in egging her on or trying to hold her back, she couldn't tell. It wouldn't take long, she promised herself, pitching forward into nothingness.
Her body hit the ground below with a dull thud. The flowers shivered, and the insects reported back that she lay in a pool of her own blood, broken and wondering how long it would take her to die.
The clouds opened up, and the wind dashed back and forth from the girl to the flowers, desperate to do something, but not knowing what. Slowly, unbearably so, the shadows began to run together, the bright tops of the flowers turning to ambiguous grey as the sun finally set. As the rain moved on, the wind calmed down, leaving the hilltop strewn with broken stems and disembodied blossoms.
It took another eternity for the stars to appear – first one, then many – shining their light on a changed world below. An uneven tread warned the remaining flowers of the boy's return, although now he was hardly a boy. The war had made a man out of him, and enough years had passed, that his body felt as old as his soul.
Dragging his busted leg at every step, he finally crested the top of the hill. He grimaced at the great swaths of earth – scars from when he first found her dead, trying to staunch his pain by destroying anything he could lay his hands on. Only a few flowers remained, and they were limp and silver in the starlight. Walking over to the edge, he looked down at where his beloved had spent her final moments. How terrible, to die in utter loneliness, feeling your life dribble away with every pump of your heart.
Choking back a sob, the man threw the flowers he carried into the air, watching as the spiraled slowly down to rest where she had, covering the ground in a gentle carpet. But it wasn't the same. Life would never be the same. He had been captured first, and no one had known even if he was dead or alive. But he was kept very much alive, alive so that he could be tortured for information and used as leverage. The government had known that he was a key part in the resistance, and they tried to brainwash him (amongst many, many other things) to use him to their benefit.
He had held out, determined not to betray the resistance. But still, there had been moments of weakness when he was too addled to prevent the truth from escaping him, and all he could do was hope that his friends would know better than to try and rescue him and that he would die quickly. As fate would have it, they launched a successful rescue mission instead, the same day that she had died, thousands of miles away.
It had taken him months to even partially recover, and as soon as he could control his body again, he had tried to come back here, to their special place. Now his special place.
Smiling sadly, the man reached into his pocket, pulling out a small bundle. "I brought some seeds, Angie. I thought I'd try to replace the ones I… Well, anyways, I still wasn't able to find the exact same ones, but I think these'll take root." Rubbing his eyes, the man started prepping the earth. The stars sat in silence, and the remaining flowers had no strength left to lift their heads to watch. After a while, the only sound the man's labored grunts as he moved awkwardly with only one working leg, the man completed his few straight rows of little holes, perfect for holding seeds.
Opening his bundle with the utmost care, pulling out a few seeds to sprinkle in the holes, the man's face twisted with sorrow. The seeds felt dry and lifeless under his fingers, unlikely to produce any flowers. Trying to pretend that he wasn't crying, the man solemnly buried the seeds, patting the earth tenderly over them when he was done. A breath that all the flowers seemed to have been holding was released in disappointment, and the wind gently tried to caress the man's face.
"We won, Angie," the man whispered, staring at his earth-covered hands, unable to see them as anything else but blood-stained. "We won the war, and everything was supposed to grow! Angela, why didn't you wait for me? I would have gone with you – anywhere."
He stared up at the sky, but the sun was long gone, and even the moon had disappeared. As he watched, even the stars winked out, lost to the clouds, one by one.