Can you guess what the Pokémon is in Cynthia's Egg? I'm pretty sure you won't get it. Try to prove me otherwise though.
Response to reviews:
Mark Andrew: You'll get happy chapters too! But you don't just recover from a scary incident in the blink of an eye. You take time to heal the wounds. About their Moms, every mother wants their children to be safe. Same about them. The only reason you're not liking them is because they have separated our protagonists.
UltimateCCC: Who said they love each other?
Guest: Thanks a lot bro for the insight! Appreciate it XD!
Uchiha cat: I cannot tell you what I'm planning but don't worry, it'll be worth it.
Xxx
Bonding.
"Ember now!" Braixen roared and unleashed her fiery pellets. The opposing Bellsprout, already staggering from her previous hits, was unable to dodge.
"You're pretty strong." Her opponent admitted grudgingly. Cynthia smiled cheekily, accepting her prize money. "Where did you get her though?"
"She's my starter." Cynthia replied. The girl walked away, accepting her defeat. "You're guys are getting pretty strong though. No lies." Cynthia commented. Braixen blushed a bit at the praise.
It was true. Just now, Buizel finished off two pokémon on its own. Cynthia switched for Braixen because Buizel was a bit tired. The blonde's team had won battles left and right.
Cynthia had yet to meet a match. Either they were getting too strong from the hard training they underwent daily or she was having a lucky week.
Well, you can't say the blonde didn't deserve it, given the stuff that occurred not too long ago…
"The sun's about to set." Cynthia murmured. "My team's tired too. Let's call it a day." Cynthia decided to call it a day. The blonde quickly found a spot and made herself comfortable in it.
"Eat up guys." She told her team, serving them their food. They dug in, enjoying a well-deserved meal after a day full of battles. Cynthia sometimes felt guilty of forcing them to battle for her.
Shaking off that thought, Cynthia pulled out the unknown egg for its daily grooming. Every night, Cynthia would talk to it and cuddle it, sleeping with the egg in her embrace. A bit careless but the blonde had no doubt her team could handle any intruder or thief.
"Rest up today." She informed her team. "We'll continue training tomorrow." Her pokémon cheered at that, though Buizel seemed a bit put off by that.
Oh well, the blonde couldn't blame him. She'll feel put off if someone cancelled her favorite sport too.
Night flashed by and the sun arrived, carrying a brand new day along with it.
The next morning was also full of battles. Cynthia didn't mind. She actually wanted to battle all day. It helped ease her frustrations and anger.
"I should capture a Flying Type." Cynthia told Squirtle idly. She had the turtle out to have some one-on-one time. "It'll help in scouting for new additions to our team and to spot someone."
Squirtle nodded, sunglasses glinting in the sunlight. When she first saw the turtle, she couldn't help but burst into laughter at the accessory he liked to wear.
Apparently, he thought he looked cool.
"What's your rivalry with Buizel though?" The blonde questioned her latest capture. Squirtle grumbled in annoyance at the mention. "If it's something big, you can tell me."
Squirtle shook his head. He can settle score with that overgrown weasel himself no thank you! Cynthia shrugged. "No problem Squirtle. Your wish."
They could use a bit of healthy rivalry anyway. If it stayed small, she wouldn't intervene. But, if it begins to turn out of control, she'll intervene.
"Mind telling me your backstory Squirtle?" Cynthia asked. She saw the turtle stiffen slightly at the mention. "Only if you're comfortable sharing. No pressure." She assured him.
Squirtle nodded and chose not to respond. The blonde took that as a cue to change the topic. "Moving on," She carried on. "Do you have a crush on Braixen?"
Squirtle stared at her in shock and turned bright red. Cynthia barely withheld her chuckle at his reaction. "I saw your interaction with her last night."
Last night…
"Eat up guys." Cynthia told her team. They all dug into their food, tired and exhausted from the training and battling. Cynthia began the daily grooming of her egg, leaving them to their devices.
Naturally, our blue turtle took that as an opportunity. He picked his bowl and skipped near Braixen, sitting next to her. Braixen stared at him a bit wearily but resumed eating.
Squirtle cleared his throat, gaining her attention again, and tried to strike up a conversation. Braixen, trying to be polite, replied. Squirtle questioned as to why she was feeling so awkward which Braixen tried to play off.
Squirtle offered to give her some personal place if she desired. Braixen nodded and the turtle left. She sighed and continued to eat her food in peace.
Unknown to them, Cynthia was watching both with an amused look gracing her face.
Flashback End…
"I suggest you give her some personal space." The blonde advised her turtle. "She's feeling queasy." Squirtle nodded, swallowing the tidbit of information.
He suddenly gained a mischievous idea and tugged her pants. "Yeah?" The blonde asked. Squirtle made a couple of gestures which Cynthia roughly translated. "Ash?" He nodded. "What about him?"
Squirtle wiggled his eyebrows (Did he even have that? Just imagine) in response and nudged her with a wink. Cynthia's cheeks flared up just a bit at that.
"What are you suggesting?" She asked innocently. Squirtle made a couple of vaguely lewd gestures making her turn bright red. "What?!" She exclaimed. "How- what-" Cynthia covered her face with her hands.
Squirtle burst into laughter at that. Cynthia exhaled deeply to recover herself. "What the hell Squirtle?" She chided face red. "I'm still ten. You shouldn't crack such jokes!"
Squirtle shrugged and responded that if she could travel the world alone, than she's mature enough for such chats. "You're unbelievable." Cynthia murmured, shaking her head. The turtle shrugged innocently, saying it was her who understood.
"One more joke like this and I'll return you back to your pokéball." The blonde warned. Squirtle gave her a cheeky grin. The blonde looked straight ahead, trying to regain what little dignity she had left.
Squirtle adjusted his sunglasses smugly, winning their little bout. Cynthia spotted it and mentally vowed to get back at him later. Squirtle tugged at her pants again.
"What is it now?" The blonde asked. Squirtle gave her a serious look and gestured again. Cynthia, again, managed to translate it. "A serious question?" He nodded. "What is it?" She asked, curious.
Her face turned bright red at the question. "Squirtle!" The turtle only chuckled in response.
Xxx
"Vine Whip now!" Ash commanded. Snivy unleashed her vines towards Zeus who quickly repelled them with Iron Tail. He dashed towards them with Quick Attack, using Double Team simultaneously. "Counter Shield!"
Snivy jumped in the air, vines ready, and spun not unlike the way she used against Luxray. Her vines struck all around her, blowing away the copies and striking Zeus hard too.
"Now use Leaf Blade!" Snivy let gravity take control of her, positioning her sharpened tail against Zeus. Zeus quickly recovered and retaliated with Feint.
Ash was battling with Snivy to better understand her way of combat. The Grass Snake was still bitter of her loss against Paul's Electabuzz. Ash figured that he could use it to better fight with the snake.
"Stop!" Ash ordered as Snivy hit the ground hard in front of him, panting hard. "Great job guys!" Ash praised, kneeling in front of Snivy and helping her up.
Zeus dashed up his shoulder, nuzzling his cheek. Ash chuckled as a few stray sparks tickled him. "Epic as always Zeus. You're getting stronger boy." Ash told his first capture.
He turned to Snivy who was busy regaining her breathe. "You too Snivy." He began. "Keep it up and you'll catch up to the team in no time!" Snivy acknowledged him with a nod. "Take some rest guys. Zeus, you practice on your discharge, just like I told you after that. Snivy, you meet me after a little while for move tutoring."
He left them to their devices, moving to Oceanus and Skylar. The Seadra was trying to shoot down the avian through Water Gun while the Pidgeotto practiced dodging them.
So far, Oceanus had yet to hit her. Skylar was a pretty fast flier for her standards, and her evasive skills had all but increased from Viridian Forest. Oceanus's aim was pretty nice, but he could use some betterment.
Plus, discharging so much water could help him get ready for Hydro Pump. He could use Water Gun to its best, and Scald was utilized pretty nicely too, but the real deal was Hydro Pump.
Ash couldn't help but get goose bumps when he imagined the Seadra shooting down powerful adversaries like a Gyarados with his raw power.
The Seadra had a long way to go, but he was patient. The reward was worth the wait.
"Keep it up guys!" Ash hollered at the two. He walked to the last pair, Eevee and Bulbasaur. Eevee was currently doing her best to learn Take Down while Bulbasaur withstood her attacks.
Ash hadn't really given the Grass Starter's training much thought. At the moment, he was working on strengthening his defenses. Not known for their speed, Bulbasaur could use it.
For Eevee, Ash had made the decision after the battle with Paul. She could seriously use some attack power after the pummeling given by Turtwig.
The raven-haired boy still had trouble believing his loss. For one moment, he had honestly thought he had the battle in the bag. Eevee had given it her all too. But somehow, someway, Paul and his Turtwig took them down.
Maybe he should've used Oceanus or Zeus against his Turtwig than Eevee. Eevee was more of a hit-and-run battler. Her main power relied in wearing the opponent down and then finishing it off. Turtwig would've fell victim to that had he not used Mega Drain.
Zeus relied on the same strategy, but at least he would've shocked Turtwig back when he used Mega Drain and paralyzed him, sealing their win. And Oceanus had his raw power, unmatched by anyone currently in their team.
Eevee wasn't suitable for battling against such adversaries. Until she evolves, Ash had to train her as an all-rounder. Her evolutions all had their specialties.
Jolteon, Flareon, and Vaporeon were all elemental fighters. Vaporeon could dissolve into water and evade attacks; Jolteon could shock the opponent in submission or stun them with her fast speed while Flareon could brutally cook the opponent alive.
Umbreon was a defensive hunter, capable of withstanding hard blows and deliver back twice as much with Foul Play. She was perfect for battles in the dark due to her form, and her rings could turn tables with Confuse Ray.
Espeon was more of glass cannon, capable of dishing but not tanking. Her psychic capabilities, however, were more than enough to make up for that. Coupled with their loyalty and potential, they were just as strong.
Glaceon and Leafeon were similar to Eevee's current strategy. Wearing the opponent down and finishing them off. Ash didn't know much about them since they were comparatively more common in Sinnoh than Kanto, a land far from his current one.
Same about Sylveon. Ash didn't know anything at all about Kalos and its Pokémon. He'll have to ask his friend about that. He had met her during a Summer Camp and the two had bonded pretty nice over the course of said activity.
He wondered just what she'll be doing at the moment. She sure was old enough to start her Pokémon journey. Maybe she was also roaming Kalos?
Ash was pulled out of his thoughts from Bulbasaur's grunt. He felt a bit guilty at the look on Eevee's face, strained and tired. Bulbasaur himself was pretty bruised from Eevee's repeated attempted Take Downs.
"How's it going?" Ash asked them. Eevee gave a light yip in response while Bulbasaur grunted. "Tired?" He questioned. Bulbasaur nodded while Eevee shook her head. "Eevee, I know you're riled up from the defeat against Paul but don't strain yourself so bad."
Eevee shook her head at that. She'll take a break after she learns Take Down! Ash sighed and rubbed her head. "Easy girl, easy." He sighed. Ash heard Snivy call for him and turned around. "Ready already?" She nodded.
Ash inwardly sighed a bit. Both of them were taking the loss a bit too hard. Eevee was relentlessly training for Take Down, not caring about the recoil while Snivy was pushing her diet plans.
Well, Bulbasaur was there to stop his starter is she pushed too hard. And Snivy was going to learn a few moves anyway. That reminded him,
"Eevee, mind teaching Snivy Iron Tail?" Ash questioned. Eevee looked at him. "She could use a bit coverage and variety in her moves. And Bulbasaur, can you help her with Mega Drain?"
After seeing Paul's skillful use of Mega Drain, Ash wanted his pokémon to learn it too. Snivy could use some power and since Bulbasaur already knew how to use it, he could teach Snivy.
They nodded. Ash smiled at Snivy. "You go learn these moves while I plan further training. Kay?" She inclined her head. Ash got up and walked off, letting them train.
'I'll check up on them later.'
Xxx
Snivy stared off in the night sky, resting under a tree in an effort to calm her aching body. She had made a bit of progress with Iron Tail and got the basic idea of Mega Drain down. With enough practice, she'll be capable of using them too.
The Grass Snake was deep in thought. Thoughts about her past life, her traumatic upbringing, and stages of life. At least she was in a better phase at the moment.
The Grass Snake mentally chided herself. No need to jinx it. The last time she felt peace, that poacher crushed them. Snivy snarled at his memory, clenching her fist.
She heard someone call for her and looked at her side. She spotted Zeus looking at her with a casual look. Snivy quickly adjusted herself and asked him what he wanted.
Zeus shrugged, replying that he just wanted to check up on her. Snivy replied that she was just fine. The Electric Mouse nodded, standing there a bit awkwardly.
Snivy exhaled and closed her eyes, feeling her exhaustion catch up to her. An exhale of annoyance escaped her mouth as she heard Zeus call for her attention again.
She stared at him with annoyance, questioning what with barely concealed irritation. Zeus offered her an Oran Berry, saying that the blue colored berry would help ease her aching muscles.
Snivy took the berry after a moment of thought, thanking the mouse. Zeus nodded and turned around, walking away. Snivy stared at his retreating form for a moment before shaking her head.
Uttering 'males' under her breath, she began to eat the Oran Berry, savoring its taste. Finishing it quickly, she curled up, resting her head on her tail leaf, and joined the realm of sleep.
Eevee questioned Zeus about how his excursion went to which the Electric Mouse responded jovially. She told Zeus about a very interesting news that Ash was about to nickname her tomorrow morning.
Zeus congratulated her at that. The mouse yawned and informed Eevee he was off to sleep. Eevee nodded and the mouse left to sleep.
Scene Break…
Xxx
Out of all the people Cynthia expected to run into on Route 5, she didn't expect it to be her childhood associate, Gary Oak. It was a happy day, travelling and battling the trainers camping on the route, when she spotted the spiky brunette.
"Hey blondie!" Gary greeted cockily. Cynthia resisted the urge to stomp his feet at the nickname. "Pleasant surprise seeing you here!"
"What are you still doing here?" The blonde questioned. "Shouldn't you be in Saffron or Vermillion by now?"
"Nah." He replied. "I'm taking my time with the gyms. Training and capturing Pokémon. We have tons of time anyway. The League is months away."
"Oh." That made sense.
"Anyway, let's have a battle blondie. We didn't have one in Cerulean City too!" He said. Cynthia nodded, thinking over her options. "One on One. I'll go easy, don't worry." He taunted.
Cynthia's eyebrow twitched. Oh, she'll love pummeling him into the ground now.
The two made space between them, thinking over their options. Cynthia decided on Buizel. "Buizel Battle Dance!" Cynthia's Water Type came out, crossing his arms and staring at Gary's Wartotle with an arrogant look.
"Where'd you get him?" Gary questioned. Cynthia smirked.
"Got him at Cerulean Peak." She responded. Gary nodded and ordered his first move. Wartotle withdrew into his shell, spinning at a fast pace. He shot towards Buizel who calmly awaited Cynthia's command.
"Evade with Aqua Jet!" Buizel enveloped himself in water, forming it as a bullet around him, and moved out of Wartotle's path with newfound speed.
"Ice Beam his jet!" Gary ordered. Wartotle popped back out and unleashed the icy arcing beam within moments. Cynthia was pretty impressed with his reaction time.
"Sonic Boom!" Buizel ended his Aqua Jet and swung his tail towards the icy beam. The two met and exploded, leaving only smoke. Buizel slipped into his Aqua Jet, moving into the smoke and coming out at the other end.
"Protect!" Wartotle was ready and formed a barrier around him. Buizel's Aqua Jet hit it harmlessly and bounced off. "Now use Water Pulse!"
"Water Gun!" Cynthia ordered hurriedly. Buizel fired off the blast of water at the Water Pulse, slowing its moment but not slowing it down. Cynthia was surprised at the power of the Water Pulse. "Shift to Ice Beam!"
Gary raised an eyebrow as Buizel utilized the Ice Type attack, freezing the Water Pulse and shattering it. He looked at Cynthia who had already ordered a Sonic Boom. Wartotle deflected it away using Rapid Spin.
"How can Buizel use Ice Beam?" Gary questioned.
"How can your Wartotle use Protect and Ice Beam at such a young age?" Cynthia retorted.
"TMs. You're turn." He replied.
"He knew them before meeting me." Cynthia answered. Buizel and Wartotle stared at each other, awaiting the next move. Gary grinned.
"You know, I didn't expect this." He hollered at Cynthia. Cynthia stared at him in confusion.
"Expect what?" She asked. Gary gestured to the two Water Types.
"That you'll be able to match me hit for hit in a battle." He answered. Cynthia processed that for a moment before her face set in a scowl.
"Oh really?" Cynthia asked. Gary nodded cockily.
"I never really considered you as an equal competition." He added. "Being a bookworm and shy girl." Cynthia took that in. "Glad I was proven wrong. Wartotle, use Headbutt!"
"Ice Punch!" Cynthia retaliated with renewed vigor. Buizel reared back his fist, icy energy coating it, and slammed it into the approaching Wartotle's head.
Wartotle gasped in pain, staggering backwards at the cold sensation, and Buizel delivered another Ice Punch to his face. "Withdraw!" Wartotle escaped into his shell, narrowly missing another punch.
"Scald!" Cynthia pulled her wild card. Buizel opened his mouth and sprayed steaming water on Wartotle's shell, aiming for the opening. Gary's face lit up in alarm.
"Rapid Spin Wartotle!" Wartotle began to spin at high speeds, deflecting the boiling water away, and rammed into Buizel's stomach. Buizel momentarily stopped his Scald, giving Wartotle a large enough window of opportunity to escape.
"Gr." Cynthia growled. Her scowl turned into a smile as Wartotle suffered from the Burn Ailment.
"Clever." Gary grunted. He stared at Cynthia's cocky look with a scowl. "No need to celebrate so fast blondie! The battle isn't over yet!"
"Someone's pissed." Cynthia teased. "Buizel, use Aqua Jet!" Buizel shot towards the suffering Wartotle again.
"Ice Beam! Freeze that jet!" Gary ordered. Wartotle inhaled and unleashed his arcing beam straight at Buizel. Cynthia's cocky look didn't waver, remembering their first meeting.
"Move!" Buizel moved his Aqua Jet and slammed into Wartotle, throwing him on his back. Gary looked on in stunned silence at the move. "Now use Vacuum Wave!"
"Water Gun!" Wartotle tried but Buizel used his move faster, slamming and damaging Wartotle nicely. "End this with Ice Beam!"
"Protect!" Gary ordered aggressively. Cynthia raised an eyebrow at his sudden anger, wondering just what had possessed him. The arcing beam struck the barrier, arcing away on the surface, and Buizel landed down.
"Wait Buizel." Cynthia uttered. Buizel stood calmly in front of the blonde, staring at the turtle with arms crossed. Wartotle got up, suffering again from the Burn Ailment.
"Return Wartotle." Gary called out. He returned his starter, pocketing the pokéball. Cynthia raised an eyebrow at his call. "Burn ailment weakens a Pokémon's attack power. There's no way Wartotle could beat your Buizel right now. Plus, he was pretty spent too."
"Great job Buizel." Cynthia said, patting his back just like he liked. "Return for now." She returned her Weasel Pokémon, looking at Gary with a cheeky smile.
"You've improved a lot." He admitted grudgingly. "Way better from the blondie that left Pallet Town."
"I try." Cynthia replied, her cocky look turning to a genuine look. "Hey, you tried hard too!" She said, trying to cheer her least favorite friend up. "Wartotle has nice reaction time."
"Trying to sweeten up my loss eh?" Gary asked with a sly smile. Cynthia shrugged innocently. "Where's Ash?" He asked suddenly. Cynthia's face darkened at the mention. "Something happened between you?"
"Well…" She bit her bottom lip. The blonde recounted the incident. Gary was her childhood friend, he deserved to know. "Sit down, this'll take a while."
Xxx
"Are you insane?!" Gary exclaimed in anger. Cynthia had reached the point where they had hit the poacher with a rock. Cynthia felt nervous inside. They hadn't even reached the worst part.
"The worst part is yet to come." She muttered timidly. Gary stared at her before burying his face in his hands.
"I swear to God…" He moaned in his palms. Cynthia wondered what his reaction was about. While she knew his reaction wouldn't be pretty, this was pushing it.
"Ok, let's just say that the ambush didn't go as planned." She continued. "Ash got hit by a Lairon's Iron Head." She winced at Gary's look. "He had broken ribs and mild PTSD." She stopped.
"And?" Gary prompted.
"And what?" Cynthia tried to avoid the question.
"And what else?" He continued. "Tell me Cynthia Carolina." Cynthia pursed her lips.
"I may have gotten injured too." She replied in a small voice. Seeing Gary's look, she raised the hand that had gotten broken. "It broke." Gary's face turned a bit relieved. "And I-" She choked back a sob.
Gary's face softened at that. "What happened?" He asked. "Tell me, Cynthia. C'mon." Cynthia replayed the memory in her head, feeling tears rush to her eyes. "Tell me Cynthia goddammit!" Gary cursed.
"He… he… nearly raped me." Cynthia wheezed to breath. Gary stared at her silently. "I'm also suffering from PTSD. That's all." She finished weakly. Cynthia stared at the ground, clenching her eyes close tightly so no tears would spill.
The two sat in awkward silence for a few moments, Gary thinking on what to say, Cynthia trying hard to control her tears. "Cynthia?" Gary said at last. "I'm sorry."
Cynthia took a shaky breathe, nodding to show its okay. "It's not your fault." She replied. Gary got up, offering her a hand. Cynthia took it and stood up.
"Where's Ash?" He asked. "That still doesn't explain why you both went separate ways."
"Our parents." Cynthia replied. "They made us do it. Ash took the blame on himself resulting in him getting scolded by both Delia and Mom." Cynthia told Gary. "They said that I would be better off alone than with him. That's the scope."
"Oh." Gary uttered. "How's your wrist now?" He grabbed it tenderly, looking over it.
"I'm fine now." Cynthia assured him. "Just PTSD and nightmares." She added, wilting under Gary's look.
"Where are you headed to?" Gary asked.
"Saffron City. Why?" The blonde asked although she had pretty much predicted the answer.
"I'm coming with you." Gary told him.
"You don't have to-"
"I want to." Gary told him. Seeing her look, he sighed. "Look, I know what you're thinking and all but…" He trailed off. "You're my friend. I cannot leave you alone in your time of need."
Cynthia stayed silent. She stared at the person she least expected to be there for her, wanting to travel with her just to make sure she was alright.
"Okay then." Cynthia conceded. "It's time for lunch anyway. Let's eat up and then we'll continue." Gary nodded.
'Nice twist Arceus. Nice twist.' Cynthia thought in her mind.
Xxx
As it turned out, Gary's company wasn't half bad.
After taking lunch, the duo was on the road again. Gary and Cynthia decided to take turns taking on the trainers, similar to what she did with Ash.
The reason she didn't like Gary was because of his egoistical attitude and persona. Deep down, she knew the brunette wasn't like it. But it was hard to bear when he was constantly downgrading someone.
As much as she would loathe admitting it, she needed someone for support. With Ash separated from her, Cynthia was alone in this vast world with only her pokémon. At least with Gary, she could be easy.
"Where's Leaf?" Cynthia asked Gary.
"How am I supposed to know that?" He questioned.
"Did she start her journey?" Gary nodded. "Good, that's what I wanted to hear."
"Could've said so." Cynthia gave him a glance at that before focusing on the road.
"Did you talk to Daisy?" She asked. Gary shook his head. "The last time I spoke to her was on your 8th Birthday. Where is she?"
"She's busy with her academics." Gary responded. "She's in Hoenn if you're wondering." Cynthia nodded.
"I still can't believe it." Cynthia began. "You said that you didn't expect competition from me. What did you mean by that?"
"That I didn't expect it. That's all." Gary defended. Seeing Cynthia's scowl, he quickly added. "At least I'm honest!" Cynthia looked away from him. "Look, when you came to Pallet, you were so withdrawn and shy, my complete opposite, so how the hell am I supposed to know that you'll be so skilled?"
"Language." Cynthia chided. Gary snorted at that. "And second, looks can be deceiving."
"You're sure are." He muttered under his breath. Cynthia stared at him, not properly catching that.
"Can you repeat that?" The blonde asked. Gary looked at her coyly.
"Nope." Cynthia shrugged.
"Your wish." Cynthia spotted another trainer approaching them.
"This one is mine." Gary told her. "Watch and learn kiddo."
"Sure. Maybe I'll defeat you much soundly next time." Cynthia cracked a smile at his eyebrow twitch.
It felt good to pay him back.
Xxx
"To be honest, I never considered you giving me company." Cynthia told Gary as they decided to settle for the night. Gary looked at her with a questioning look.
"You hate me that much?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. Cynthia held up her hands innocently. "Same here blondie." He said.
"Learning new things these days." Cynthia muttered. She had her egg in her lap, grooming it and rubbing it as usual. Food had been served, everyone was tired from the battles, and half were already asleep.
Gary had a lot of Pokémon. The brunette had said that he preferred to have multiple options and opted to catch every new species he came across.
"Do you have nightmares?" He questioned after a while. Cynthia paused at the question.
"You deserve this." Cynthia stared wide eyed as the haunting figure held up a bloody knife. She was five years old again, staring in horror as the figure decided to kill her.
"Please don't kill me." The small blonde wept. The figure's hand came down-
-And Cynthia woke up with a start, panting heavily. Nidorino was up in an instant, rubbing against her arm comfortingly.
"Yeah." Cynthia admitted. She clenched the egg more tightly, pressing it against her chest for physical comfort.
"If you need anything, I'll be here." Gary informed her. "Okay?" Cynthia stared at the brunette.
"I'm not a defenseless young girl anymore Gary." Cynthia told him. "Stop treating me like that."
"I'm not!" Gary protested. "I'm just taking care of you." Cynthia rolled her eyes at that.
"I noticed what you were doing Gary." She retaliated. "Staying close to me protectively, keeping me busy in chats, avoiding any dark topics. Seriously, you're treating me like a fragile piece of glass and I don't like it."
"What else am I supposed to do then Carolina?!" Gary snarled suddenly. Cynthia was taken aback at his sudden outburst. Nidorino watched Gary carefully, not making a move. He had learnt his lesson with Ash not too long ago.
"I meet my childhood friend Cynthia Carolina on Route 5, alone, with a strange look in her eyes, battle her, find her personality a bit different, and then find out that she was attacked, injured, and still hasn't recovered. And then you say that I'm treating you specially." Gary glared at her. "I may not look like I care about you, but I do." He admitted.
Cynthia stayed silent, considering all that. She was acting strangely? The blonde knew she was a bit affected from the scene but it changed her this much?
"Oh." Cynthia said at last. "Alright. Good night Gary." Cynthia told him, looking away from him.
"Good night."
Xxx
"So Eevee," Ash began. "What name do you like more? Artemis, Ophelia, or Mystic?" Eevee considered the names. "Artemis is a Greek Goddess who excels in Archery. She's the twin sister of Apollo and represents the moon. Ophelia means Helper. And Mystic means someone who is mysterious. Thought you'll like one of these."
Eevee thought about the three names. To be honest, all three names were interesting and had a nice meaning behind them. Artemis and Ophelia had a nice ring to them. But, the meaning didn't exactly suit her.
Ophelia meant Helper and Eevee didn't consider herself as that much of a helper. Sure, she helped her teammates and Ash every now and then but it just didn't suit her personality.
Artemis was a nice option. And would really suit her if she wished to evolve into an Umbreon. However, it would also contradict with her if she evolved into any of the other evolutions, especially with Espeon. Plus, she didn't know anything about archery.
That left the last option, Mystic. It was a mysterious name, one she liked. She liked the mysterious tone it held. Plus, Mystic had a nice ring to it. It also wouldn't come in the way for her future plans.
Eevee pondered for a few more moments before making her decision. She yipped at Ash, gesturing him to repeat the moves. "Artemis?" She shook her head. "Ophelia?" Again, a shake of her head. "Mystic?" Eevee nodded.
Ash smiled. "Then Mystic it is!" Eevee, or rather, Mystic, cheered and fired off a Shadow Ball in the air to celebrate. Ash pulled Mystic into a hug. "Congratulations Mystic. It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" Mystic nodded.
"Go tell everyone. Then we're beginning our journey." Mystic nodded and jumped off Ash, running to their team and telling them enthusiastically.
Skylar shrieked her congratulations while Zeus nuzzled the Evolution Pokémon. Mystic approached Oceanus who rumbled in response. Zeus joked that his pranks on Mystic would bring bad luck to him. They shared a laugh at that.
Mystic asked them about Bulbasaur and Snivy's whereabouts. Zeus gestured to the side and Mystic yipped thanks. She approached the two Grass Types, both engaged in idle chit chat, and told them about her nickname.
Snivy simply nodded while Bulbasaur gave her a confused look. He asked Mystic what a nickname meant. Mystic replied that a nickname meant having a separate name that verified your identity. Bulbasaur asked whether it was necessary to have one.
Mystic shook her head. She replied that if you desired, you could get one. But if you don't, no pressure. She added Cynthia's example, telling him that she didn't nickname her Pokémon either.
Bulbasaur asked why to which Mystic shrugged. That was the blonde's mentality. She asked whether Bulbasaur wanted a nickname. Bulbasaur frowned in thought.
He turned to Snivy and asked if she wanted one. Snivy grunted at that and informed them that she already had one. Mystic blinked in surprise. That was new.
Mystic asked what nickname she had and Snivy responded with 'Viper'. She had originally gotten it from the Skitty she had met in the Pokémon Mill. The Grass Snake decided against the fact that Skitty had betrayed her at the time of need and was partial reason she was abused.
Mystic asked Snivy if she wanted to be called by that name. Snivy considered it. The name brought a storm of bad memories and brought out the anger welled up inside her. She could use the anger to her advantage during fights.
Snivy nodded and asked Mystic whether she could inform their trainer about it. Mystic nodded and then turned to Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur shook his head, deciding against it. He didn't want his individual identity stripped.
Mystic nodded, respecting his decision. She informed the two that they were moving and that Rock Tunnel was approaching fast. Snivy, now named Viper, nodded and got up from the leaning position against the tree.
The Eevee ran to Ash and the two Grass Types followed her slowly. Bulbasaur looked at Viper, saying that there was more to the name than she let on, and Snivy simply gave him a look. She then smirked and goaded him on, telling the Grass/Poison Type to figure it out on his own.
Bulbasaur nodded, saying that he liked mysteries and that Viper herself was one. Viper shrugged. Maybe she was. Wishing Bulbasaur good luck, she left him behind and walked faster.
Bulbasaur wondered just what went through Viper's mind most of the time. When they first battled, she had defended Ash selflessly, taking hits herself. She was also getting pretty close to him until now.
Now, she just… she was getting distant. Bulbasaur wondered if it was because she kept losing against others, first that Luxray, and now Paul, or she was feeling alone.
Even now, when they were chatting, Viper was answering vaguely and was not even interested in carrying the chat. At the Hidden Village, she was at least chatting properly.
Bulbasaur made a mental note to bring up the issue to Ash. He was her trainer; he'll be capable of helping her more. Bulbasaur finally reached Ash and the others, returning himself to his pokéball like others.
The next time he came out was against a Geodude.
Xxx
And Done! Hope you liked the take I'm doing with the characters. I thought that Gary's personality wasn't properly showcased in his debut chapter and instead used as filler so I decided to clear it here. Hopefully you'll have a better feel about him in the upcoming chapters too.
Shout out to UltimateCCC for suggesting the nicknames! The selected one was my own for a specific reason. It'll be cleared later down the road, don't worry! R&R please! It gives me motivation!
Also, regarding the COVID-19, please stay clean and safe. Not just for yourself, but for everyone. The sooner this threat is erased, the faster we can go back to our normal lives. Us Teenagers can recover against it but newborn and old people are more susceptible against it. Stay safe!
Ash's Team:
Eevee (Mystic): Quick Attack, Sand Attack, Shadow Ball. Dig. Iron Tail. Double Team, Swift, Bite. (Detect)
Pikachu (Zeus): Thunder Bolt, Nasty Plot, Thunder Wave, Iron Tail, Dig, Double Team, Feint, Nuzzle, Charge. (Volt Tackle)
Pidgeotto (Skylar): Tackle, Quick Attack, Gust, Sand Attack, Aerial Ace, Steel Wing, and Double Team. (Sky Attack)
Seadra (Oceanus): Water Gun, Water Pulse, Tackle, Smokescreen, Agility, Bubble Beam, Whirlpool, Twister, Scald.
Snivy (Viper): Vine Whip, Leer, Leaf Storm, Slam, Swords Dance, and Leaf Blade. (Grassy Terrain)
Bulbasaur: Tackle, Poison Powder, Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Energy Ball, Mega Drain, Protect.
Cynthia's Team:
Braixen: Scratch, Hypnosis, Ember, Flame Burst, Quick Attack, Flame Charge, Howl, Bite. (Heat Wave).
Nidorino:Tackle, Poison Sting, Confusion, Double Kick, Fury Attack, Peck, Focus Energy.
Roselia: Mega Drain, Growth, Poison Sting, Magical Leaf, Leech Seed, Synthesis, Energy Ball.
Buizel: Water Gun, Sonic Boom, Ice Punch, Ice Beam, Vacuum Wave, Aqua Jet, Ice Fang, Scald.
Squirtle: Water Gun, Water Pulse, Withdraw, Rapid Spin, Headbutt, Protect, Scald.