Pride of Your Soul
Interlude: For the Curious Souls
AN: So I dunno if this is happening to anyone else, but apparently Fanfiction isn't letting me upload the docx files of the chapters, which is kinda fucking annoying. Thankfully the option of copy-n-pasting the entire document still works, so until the problem is fixed, I'm gonna have to rely on that. Someone tell me if this is happening to anyone else or if the site just hates me.
I'll reply to reviews submitted from the last chapter, and any reviews that come on this update in the next chapter, seeing as this isn't an actual chapter, but the question and answers segment that I promised. If you submitted a question before the 13th, then odds are it's gonna be answered here as brutally and bluntly by Nate as possible. Also like I said, there's another guest to answer the questions with Nate.
You've been warned.
A white void.
A white void that stretches out as far as the eye can see.
No one knows exactly where this is. No one can even comprehend where this place is.
However, in the entire universe, only one person can enter this mysterious void at free will.
"-Milady, the tea is ready.-"
"Mm, thank you, Gallade."
Said person was sitting at a tea table, enjoying freshly brewed jasmine tea prepared by her shiny gallade. The woman was rather beautiful; with long navy blue hair, wearing a black coat over a dark blue shirt and a light gray skirt. A giant torterra was resting besides her peacefully as the woman petted him on the head.
She glanced over to you, noticing how you were wondering what was going on.
"Oh, hello there," the woman greeted you, setting down her tea cup. "I didn't notice you there. I'm Dawn Berlitz. May I ask what brings you to this realm?"
... ... ...
"? You wish to know where we are?" the woman asked. "Why, this is the Hall of Origin. Or at least one interpretation of it. I enjoy coming here to relax from time to time."
... ... ...?
"Why are you here?" Dawn asked. "Well, according to the author, you're here for a Q&A panel. Yes, if I do recall, someone was supposed to be accompanying me in this. He and I are to answer questions that you readers have submitted. Now, where is he? Gira! Giratina!"
From out of nowhere, a large centipede-like gray serpent with six shadowy appendages emerged from shadows, lowering itself to Dawn's level, awaiting for her command.
"Would you be so kind as to retrieve our co-host?" Dawn asked the dragon.
Giratina nodded in response, before creating a shadowy portal and shooting his appendages into it.
... ... ...
... … ...!?
After some fidgeting and rummaging, Giratina finally pulled out his appendages, revealing one Nate Warren, ensnared by said appendages against his own free will.
"GAH!? The fuck is this?!" Nate yelled, desperately trying to break free.
"Hello there," Dawn greeted Nate with a coy smile.
"Who the fuck are you?!" Nate growled, before Giratina tightened the grip he had, making Nate suffocate a little.
"Oh my, where are my manners?" Dawn giggled. "I am Dawn. And you must be Nate Warren. This story's little villainous star, teetering on the fence of morality and cruelty. Oh yes, I've heard a lot about you. You are quite interesting."
...
Nate leered at the woman, before glancing around. He noticed the giant dragon keeping him prisoner, along with Shiny Gallade and the torterra, and how they were both glaring murderously at him. Nate tried to feel himself, but found that he had no pokéballs on him. So he didn't have his party with him at the moment. Not that he could release them in his current state even if he had them on him.
"...Could you at least tell me what's going on?" Nate asked, deciding not to sound threatening and to not provoke the dragon that was keeping him on a tight grip.
"Well, the author had some...misfortunate accidents during the last few months," Dawn explained. "So, as condolences, he opened up a queue, where the viewers can submit questions about you and your little story, where you and I answer them to the best of our abilities."
"What...? Author? Viewers? What the hell're you talking about?" Nate asked, clearly confused.
...
"Oh, it's nothing you need to worry about," Dawn giggled to herself. "Simply answer the questions as honestly as you can, and you'll be free and on your way."
Nate glanced at dawn skeptically, still confused as to what the woman was talking about. But if it meant to get out of this situation...
"Fine," Nate huffed. "So, can we just start already?"
"Why of course," Dawn said as she snapped her fingers, where Shiny Gallade presented a stack of post cards. "Let's see here..."
From Anonymous Trainer: 'So Schwarz and Weiss are the good guys now?'
"Who the fuck is Weiss?" Nate asked. "And you mean 'Schwartzer' or whatever his name is...? Weird ass name..."
"Oh yes, you don't know because you weren't there when your bun-haired friend met up with her on her own time," Dawn said.
"Bun-haired...Rosa...?" Nate mumbled. "Oh whatever. I dunno, maybe? Pretty sure they're not evil, if my hunch is right..."
"Hm, you seem to have your own theories in mind," Dawn noted. "Although for the time being, we can confirm that those two aren't villainous, or as you can call it, 'are the good guys'. For now at least. We still don't know much about them as of now, anyways. Now then, onto the next question."
From Guest (Jun 10): If FRLG & HGSS kinda confirm, where do oras lie?
"Ah yes, this universe's history," Dawn giggled. "Allow me to educate all you readers about the timeline of the author's version of this parodied continuity."
Dawn snapped her fingers, where Shiny Gallade brought a chalkboard and some chalk.
"Where did he get that...?" Nate asked in utter confusion.
Dawn merely ignored Nate as she approached the board. Shiny Gallade graciously handed his trainer a piece of chalk, where Dawn began to write up a chart.
"Alright then, class is in session," Dawn said.
"A very long time ago, Arceus was bored. He wished to create a universe out of sheer whim and curiosity. And thus, he created an egg. From said egg, Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina were born; each assigned to govern time, space and antimatter respectively. And many other things happened, I'm bored now...so let's just skip to when humans were more relevant."
"Wait, you're just gonna skip like, the majority of this universe's history just because you're bored?!" Nate blurted.
"But of course," Dawn scoffed. "That would be spoilers.
"Anyways, approximately 10 years ago, in the Kanto Region, three trainers, Red Ketchum, Leaf Green, and Blue Oak, were set out by Professor Oak to complete the pokédex. They explored the Kanto Region, fought Team Rocket, and eventually Red won the Pokémon League against his rival Blue, becoming the region's first ever Pokémon Master ever since Lance. History doesn't seem to pay attention to Leaf, a shame, but once Red disappeared to Mt. Silver and Blue became the champion once more, she herself went through the Pokémon League and defeated Blue, making her the current champion of Kanto, since Red ignored his responsibilities for reasons unknown. This would be the 'FRLG' story. Due to the exhibited dangers it was to put twelve year olds in the wild, the Pokémon League increased the trainer age limit, from twelve to fourteen. More focus of basic Pokémon knowledge and survival skills have been emphasized ever since.
"A year later, a trainer by the name of Brendan Maple obtained his pokédex and explored the Hoenn region, facing off against Team Magma and Team Aqua, while having to deal with the machinations of another, outside antagonizing force that threatened to destroy the world while utilizing the new 'Mega Evolutions'. Eventually Brendan became the champion of Hoenn. This would be the 'ORAS' story.
"Two years after that, in the region of Johto which neighbored Kanto, a new trainer by the name of 'Ethan Gold' got his Pokémon and pokédex and explored the Johto region in hopes of becoming a trainer of legend like Red, while facing the remnants of Team Rocket and their plans to take over both Johto and Kanto in hopes of bringing their leader back. Eventually Ethan would become the champion of Johto, before climbing up Mt. Silver to challenge Red. This would be the 'HGSS' story.
"A year after that, in the region of Sinnoh, my childhood friend Barry and I obtained our pokédexes and starter Pokémon through, questionable and idiotic means, before we ventured through Sinnoh. That is the 'Pt' story, or 'Platinum Witch'."
"Huh, doesn't that seem to be shorter than the other abridged versions?" Nate asked, pointing out how she explained the story of Sinnoh even more vaguely than the other three.
"But of course silly," Dawn giggled. "My story is still underway, and is still in the early stages at this moment in time. I wish to avoid as much spoilers as possible. Now moving on.
"Two years later, in the previously isolated region of Unova, three trainers, Hilbert Warren, Bianca Belle, and Cheren Heilian, were selected from the quaint town of Nuvema to obtain starter Pokémon and pokédexes before going through the region of Unova."
Nate perked up as she went on about the explanation of the Unovan story.
"The trio ventured throughout Unova, while encountering the mysterious trainer 'N', who is later revealed to be the king of the Pokémon liberation front, Team Plasma, spreading propaganda about how Pokémon should be liberated from humanity. Hmph, what ridiculous and foolish heresy. Pokémon and humanity have reached their prosperity side by side. To separate such a bond would mean regression; humanity and Pokémon would stop moving forward.
"Of course that would later turn out to be a flat out lie made by the true leader of Team Plasma, one Ghetsis Harmonia. He wished for N to obtain the legendary Dragon of Truth, 'Reshiram' to enforce his rule and act as a puppet leader, so that he may be the only one with power. Unfortunately for him, Hilbert turned out to have been chosen by the other legendary Dragon of Ideals, 'Zekrom'. After a grueling fight, Hilbert and Zekrom reigned victorious, went on to defeat Ghetsis with the help of his friends, and stopped Team Plasma from their heinous and idiotic plans. Of course, the boy would later go on to face Cynthia, and even myself later on. That is the 'BW' story, or 'Color of Your Soul'."
"And two years later, here we are now," Nate muttered.
"Why yes, that's correct," Dawn smiled. "Two years later, you, a girl named Rosa Echoes, and a boy named Hugh Matis, would obtain your pokédexes and starter Pokémon, before venturing off to Unova to explore the region now that it has been inhabited by Pokémon outside of Unova. Which is the 'BW2' story, or 'Pride of Your Soul'.
"And thus, ORAS lies within a year after FRLG, but at the same time two years before HGSS. I do hope that was a sufficient enough of an answer."
... ... ...
"Y'know, the guy simply asked for where this 'oras' shit was in the time line," Nate commented. "Pretty sure he didn't ask for a goddamn history lesson."
"Well yes, but where's the fun in that?" Dawn asked. "Regardless of what they all think, the author gave full control over to me and you. Thus, I can do whatever I please, including expanding on answers..."
Nate rolled his eyes, which earned him a reprimanding glare from her Pokémon.
"Now then, onto the next question," Dawn said.
From StoryLover04: My question is about Fidelity. Will there more Mega battles? Cause in XY I found that to be lacking even though it was one of the main features of the game.
"Okay, what the hell is 'Fidelity'?" Nate asked. "And this 'XY' shit?"
...
"Oh, it would appear this reader is referring to a story that has yet to take place as of this timeline. A story of the future, as many would put it," Dawn replied. "While neither my host and I know the answer to this question, the author as prided himself in the 'expansion of canon', so I would assume if canon was lacking such a feature, then the author will expand on it. So most likely, you will get to see more 'Mega battles'."
"Who the hell are you talking to anyways?" Nate asked.
"Why, the reader of course," Dawn simply smiled as she glanced to you with her sharp platinum-colored eyes. "This Q&A is for them after all."
Nate glanced around, but saw no one.
"I don't see anyone," Nate muttered.
"Oh don't worry about it," Dawn giggled. "Now then, onto the next question."
From Unpropro: To-spike head: what are your opinions on your companions (Nate, Rosa, Yancy) and their interactions?
"Spike-head? Wait Hugh?" Nate asked.
"Oh my, it would seem that we have a question regarding someone not here," Dawn commented. "Gira. If you would be so kind?"
Giratina nodded in response, hurled Nate at Torterra, who opened his jaws and caught the boy in between them, before dipping his appendages back into the portal. After a short while, Giratina pulled his appendages up to reveal Hugh, now ensnared like how Nate was just a few seconds ago.
"What the hell?!" Hugh blurted, confused as to what just happened.
"Hey there buddy, welcome to the club," Nate smiled.
"Nate?! What the hell's going on?!" Hugh yelled, before noticing Dawn. "And who's the lady?"
"Hello there, I'm Dawn," she greeted Hugh. "We're currently holding a Q&A. And the current question regards your opinions on your traveling companions."
"What?" Hugh asked. "Wait I'm confused, where are we?"
"Just answer the question," Nate grumbled. "It's better than questioning all this shit."
"Okay then..." Hugh muttered. "So...Nate, Rosa and Yancy?"
"Yes, that would be the case," Dawn nodded. "And be honest. Nate won't hurt you, or else Torterra will have a snack."
Nate paled at his current situation, remembering that he was stuck between the jaws of the giant turtle.
"Well...at first I didn't really think much of Nate," Hugh shrugged. "He broke into our school a month ago or so looking for food, ended up getting caught after Rosa practically cracked his head open after he groped her–."
"Hey that was an accident!" Nate objected.
"Regardless," Hugh rolled his eyes. "Afterwards, he ended up fighting Professor Cheren for his freedom...and that battle was amazing...it opened my and Rosa's eyes to the bigger picture of things. We never knew Professor Cheren was that good. And Nate still beat him. Although the professor blindsided him and forced him to go on the journey anyways."
"Oh yeah," Nate remarked, remembering that event. "I need to go kick his ass later."
"Anyways," Hugh went on. "After traveling with him...well, he's grown on me. He's offered some pretty good advice about battling, helped Rosa and I go through the harder gym battles, and well, helped me with my own personal problems...and well...now I can consider him a good friend. For better or for worse."
"Huh, that's nice," Nate muttered. "Now if you could do me a solid and get me out of here before the giant turtle over here decides that he wants a little snack..."
"Does it look like I can do anything?" Hugh retorted, glancing down to how Giratina was still holding him.
"And the other two?" Dawn asked.
"Rosa's been my childhood friend ever since we were little," Hugh explained. "We've been through thick and thin. She accepted all my good and bad traits, and I accepted all her good and bad traits."
"You make it sound like you two are lowkey dating," Nate snickered.
"No way," Hugh scoffed. "We're practically like siblings. I can't really think of her of anything outside of my best friend and little sister of sorts. And it'd be weird dating someone whom you think of as siblings."
"You don't say..." Nate said, thinking back to a certain duo in his mind.
"But regardless, no matter what, we always have each other's back," Hugh said. "And that won't change, no matter what."
"Hm, how precious," Dawn smiled. "Just like Barry and I...albeit probably much more innocent...what about this 'Yancy' person?"
"Yancy? Well I can't really say much," Hugh shrugged. "We haven't really talked too much. Don't get me wrong, she's nice and all, but she seems more interested in Nate: like waaay more than the rest of us, or anyone else for that matter. Plus we don't even know why she even wanted to join our group to begin with. Well I guess when she opens up to the rest of us we can figure all that out."
"Uh huh..." Nate muttered.
"Well then, thank you for answering," Dawn smiled. "Now I do believe I wasted enough of your time."
Without any warning, Giratina dropped Hugh into the portal below him, ridding him from the scene. Torterra then hurled Nate back at Giratina, who ensnared the boy with his appendages.
"GAH!?" Nate yelped.
"Now then," Dawn said as she moved onto the next question.
From ANIMEFORDAYSXD: Are Hilbert and Hilda still alive or dead?
"What a creative username," Nate drawled sarcastically.
"Now, now, be nice, the reader is important after all," Dawn scolded lightly. "But care to enlighten this reader on the answer they seek?"
"...They're still alive," Nate confirmed.
"Oh? And you're sure about this?" Dawn asked, genuinely curious.
"Yeah..." Nate muttered. "They won't die so easily. They're alive. I just know it. They have to be alive..."
Nate's glare hardened as he lowered it down to the white ground. The boy was sure his elder siblings were still alive. That was one of the few hopes he clung onto. Otherwise all his efforts and dreams would be for naught.
"...The bond of siblings, the bond of family..." Dawn commented. "Truly something worthy of praise. Although whether this is the case, or something completely different, something more, malevolent, is an entirely different story, now isn't it, little maverick?"
Nate glared at Dawn, who merely glanced back with her usual coy smile.
This woman is dangerous.
"Moving on," Dawn said, ignoring the tension in the void. "Oh my, this one has a lot of questions. Fortunately, they have already discussed with the author, and compromised with one question, seeing as how it would be somewhat unfair if all the questions were just his. Oh...oh my...he asked quite a few interesting ones. He inquired about your past."
"Go fuck off," Nate snarled.
"Now, now, be nice," Dawn chided, lightly smacking him on the head. "Of course, this can all be classified as 'spoilers', so there's not much of a point dwelling on them now. So let's go with this one."
From TheDarkMaster4000: Are you really prepared, especially when you seemed to have soften up so much, AND with how many strong opponents you've run into or seen in action so far?
"So they ask," Dawn said, glancing to the questioned.
"What kind of question is that?" Nate scoffed. "Of course I'm prepared. If I wasn't, then I wouldn't have gotten this far. Keh, stupid ass question."
"What this person seems to be inquiring is whether or not you're truly prepared for what is to come in the future," Dawn said.
"...What're you trying to say?" Nate hissed.
"This person pointed out that you've seem to have gotten soft, sympathetic," Dawn said. "Who's to say whether or not you're prepared to throw all that to the side to fulfill your ambitions? Do you think you're strong enough to overcome the odds of the future? Do you think you're strong enough to sacrifice the friends you made to accomplish your ideals?"
Nate hesitated, simply glaring at the now-smirking witch.
"Do you have what it takes to sacrifice the bonds you made, simply to satisfy your thirst for ambitions?" Dawn challenged. "Do you even have the strength to overcome the worst that the future has to offer? Or will you fold, admitting defeat to the ever-changing society after seeing it beyond the rose-tinted lens?"
"Are you willing to throw your friends into damnation because of your selfish anger?"
"...Who the hell do you think you are?" Nate snarled. "If I wasn't prepared, then WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THIS STUPID JOURNEY?! WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN THE POINT OF ALL THE EFFORT, ALL THE STRUGGLING I WENT THROUGH THEN?! HUH?!"
... ... ...
"You seem to be angry," Dawn mused.
"Of course I'm angry!" Nate kept on his angry rant. "Because you, and these other bastards or whatever are questioning my own goals! I know what I'm doing! I know what's at stakes here! And I know what I need to do! This is my life! My decision! Not yours! So just PISS OFF AND LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"My, all they asked was whether or not you were prepared for all this," Dawn said. "They could be concerned for your wellbeing is all."
"...They don't know me," Nate hissed. "So fuck off. It's not their problem."
Dawn's smile never faltered.
Nate was truly an amusing, interesting boy, just like his brother. So full of fervent spirit. And so adorably naïve to the world.
For this boy refused to seek any help. For this boy refused to accept others. Whether or not he would admit it, however, the icy cold barrier that surrounded his own heart was slowly melting.
Well, that's how she interpreted it all, before turning to you.
"Well, that's all for today," Dawn said. "Terribly sorry for my co-host's outburst, but apparently you went into sensitive topics."
"Tch!" Nate grumbled. "...Fine, I'm sorry. Now don't pry into my life again."
"Good boy," Dawn smirked. "Unfortunately that's all the questions that were given to us. Hopefully our answers were sufficient enough to quell your thirst of curiosity."
"Tch, still don't know who the fuck you're talking to," Nate pointed out. "There's no one here besides you, me, and all your Pokémon that wanna kill me."
"Oh, don't worry about it," Dawn said, giving you a wink. "Now then. I do believe I've wasted enough of your time."
Dawn sat up from her seat, before approaching Nate.
"What's your game?" Nate asked.
"Oh nothing," Dawn said. "Just a veteran in the game, enjoying her time messing with their junior. Now then, I do believe it is time for you to return to your world."
Before Nate could retort, Giratina had already dropped him into the portal that was looming under him, letting the shadowy portal consume Nate, dragging him into it, before closing up.
"With that out of the way," Dawn said, before turning to you. "Thank you for viewing this special interlude from 'Pride of Your Soul'. The actual content will resume shortly after this. Hopefully you enjoyed this social project of sorts. Simply answering questions like in the usual author's notes would be boring, so I took the liberty to make this somewhat more interesting. Well, to me at least.
"If you enjoyed this little experiment, then perhaps the author will do another one in the future. Who knows?
"Perhaps you're wondering whether or not this will affect the story in any way. Sadly no, this is all outside of canon. This place does not exist. And while you may remember all that has happened here, no one else will.
"And before you leave, make sure you give my past self some love. I do know the story doesn't update that often due to circumstances in the author's life, but if you could, that would be truly appreciated. The Platinum Witch needs as much support as she can, after all. The world, or should I say Sinnoh, is a very unforgiving place, after all.
...
"What's that? You wish to know why I know you're there, but Nate didn't? Well, that's a simple fact, really..."
Dawn stared straight into your eyes with her own, the platinum gleam staring straight into your soul. A reserved, yet mischievous, almost malevolent smile plastered onto her face.
"I am one hell of a witch, after all. Until next time."
"Huh?!"
Nate shot up from where he was sleeping, outside on a tree next to the hotel they were staying at.
"The fuck?" Nate grumbled, before looking up to see the moon. "It's still night..."
He glanced around, rubbing his head. He couldn't remember why, but he had the strangest dream. A dream that he, much to his chagrin, couldn't remember.
"It probably wasn't important," Nate muttered to himself, before getting comfortable on the large branch he was sleeping on. "It was probably just a weird dream, after all. Nothing important."
And with that, the boy fell back to sleep, wondering why he was rudely awakened from his slumber in the first place.
To be continued
AN: And there's the Q&A I promised. Once I got enough questions, making this took a fairly short amount of time, so that's a good thing. Only took like five days due to personal life issues and the aforementioned glitch-bug-whatever that Fanfiction's experiencing at this moment.
If any of you are familiar with my previous story, Color of Your Soul, then you'd know that Dawn appears as a bonus boss there, and if you're familiar with Platinum Witch, then you would know that she has supernatural powers that may or may not be involved with Giratina. And as such, since CoYS and PoYS takes place after Platinum Witch chronologically, Dawn has reached to a point where she can have tea at God's domain, and proceed to ignore the fourth wall.
And speaking of Platinum Witch, that's due to be updated next, so look forward to that if you're interested.
Hope you enjoyed it. If you did, let me know, and I might consider doing this again in the future.
Welp, that's about it. Thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoyed it, and I'll see ya next time.