Side Story 2: An Ember of Hope

It was just a regular day. A day of childhood energy passing by. Yet... from this day onwards, the destiny of a child has been set ahead of him.

Static ran through his head while a silhouette turned around as some strange monster attacked their home. It was instant, nothing could escape as the silhouette died. He didn't know what happened next but now he was running. He was running. He didn't know why, but he had to run. Away from the house he used to stay. The village ruined and hearing the screams of its inhabitants being devoured. Fear shook him, leaving them to their fate while he saved his own skin.

Iggy bent forward as he took a few breaths to try and calm his rapidly beating heart. Along with feeling that weight on his heart that was merged with that mysterious crystal. Why was everything around him growing dark? Why is it that he only can recall himself?

He opened an eye and looked around himself... Rocky walls belonging to mountains... And the towering mountain range in front of him... What was it called again? Mt. Coronet? He couldn't see the top through the thick mist of clouds surrounding it... However, he felt his chest add some weight. It was calling for something underneath all those clouds.

The small Chimchar looked around again, spotting an entrance closeby, leading into the mountains. He looked back at the mountain walls. He could climb them, but he doubt he could climb all the way upwards without anywhere reliable to rest. He heard something coming from behind him... Something... this feeling... Was it after him?

Iggy looked around the rocky environment. It was silent, dark, and cold. All alone, like the world of oblivion. He had never once went into this place, but the feeling calls for him upwards... Some of the ledges that lead higher... he could use them. Iggy backed a few steps and he dashed, jumping to the walls and gripping onto them. His limbs got to work as he scaled the rocky walls up to the top of the ledges.

Despite his age, his species allowed him the skill to climb up these rocks easily. However, the journey was long and he didn't know how long he would last. His chest, on the other hand, gave some weight that Iggy felt he could continue on.

He continued on, his flame somehow not dying from the cold winds that blew him against him.

He reached the edge of the ledge, pulling himself up and looking at the upwards slope. It'd lead upwards... And that's where this feeling is drawing him to.

Iggy heard more thumping sounds, making him do a quick glance from where he was. He could see a shadow of something emerge from the light shining from the entrance ahead of him.

Black feathers rained around him. Like the angel of death, came to accept when Iggy felt he was getting numb from all the cold after the pain of his chest go out and his flame can no longer cool him down.

His eyes were narrowing as a large shadow towers above him. Like a reaper.

It was no use... his eyes... getting... heavy...

"..."

"..."

...What's this...? Something... on his nose? He felt moist over it but it helped him breathe easier than before. He also heard something beeping periodically to indicate something stable. His eyes reopened slowly after a few attempts of forcing his eyelids open at one go. A... ceiling... and bright lights up there...

"Commander, the child is waking up." a voice called. "I see...I will go and greet him formally then."

Who... who... are they? Those voices... He... never heard of them before... but they sound rather aged... He took a look... The double-jointed purple starfish with a jewel at the center... a Starmie...

...But the other one...what was that? Not a native from this region but from another... Inky black feathers surrounding his body, metallic like design, piercing red eyes with black sclera surrounding it... A bringer of death...But if he was one, why did he save him?

"..." He couldn't say anything as the starfish approached him.

"...All of your vitals are fine," he spoke. "Dynacrystal made you go this far."

"...Dy...Dyna...crystal...?" Iggy mumbles tiredly. Was it that...? He felt a sharp pain in his chest when he had the thoughts, shutting his eyes in response.

"I see...It is located there."

"Nnn...nnn..." Iggy opened an eye and looked at his chest.

"...It's alright, we'll help you get comfortable with that power..." he assured. "You aren't alone." He looked at the others around the room and nodded. "Grandpa Bird will be taking care of you now, I have others who need my help."

"Grandpa... Bird?"

The Starmie didn't reply but left his side and urged for the large raven to take his place. This was the one he talked about?

"...Ah..." He leaned back onto the bedding as that raven looked at him.

"...How are you feeling?" The raven asked in a reassuring tone.

"...Um...T...Tired... But... I...Okay..." Iggy mumbles between pauses.

"It was a long journey and...I am sorry that we were unable to be there on time."

"..." Iggy looked down. "...I... Was I alone at... where I lived?"

"You were never alone." the raven clarified.

"I'm... not?"

"You had loving parents." he continued, his voice shaking but he tried to hide it. "I've seen it on the pictures of one of the houses there. You don't remember them because of the Dynacrystal."

"...Because... of this...?" Iggy looked back at himself. "I... really had parents? I don't... I don't remember..."

He felt the raven's wings cover him up and pulled him to his chest. They were warm and he felt safe from them. He needed these now so he let his pride go and sniffled as tears welled his eyes. He cried pathetically but the raven let him do so to release the pain. "Waaah... Aaahhhh...!" He held the fluffy chest, sobbing every second he could use to let it all out.

"It's alright little one," the raven cooed. "You are safe now and I am here to protect and guide you." Protect and guide...What a father and mother would do, the responsibilities of parents, this raven will do it for him. Parents...Formerly close to him, forgotten. He would never know who they were. He sniffles loudly and presses his head into the chest... feeling through the fluff of feathers...

The raven flinched when he accidentally touched something but didn't show it to comfort the crying child. The child sniffles and opens his eyes once again to look up at the towering raven.Despite having no facial muscles, the raven managed a smile a reassuring smile to know that he was safe. The terrifying appearance now held an aura of comfort. Iggy sniffled a bit.

"Gardious Galecita." the raven introduced. "You may call me with what you like."

"Gar...Gard...Guard..." Iggy mumbles after hearing it. That was such a tough name to say...Then he got into what the Starmie called him once while he helped the other patients in the room. "...Grandpa... Bird..."

He continued holding onto Gardious' chest. He wanted to feel his warmth, a parent's warmth.

Iggy looked at where he was allowed to go outside. A playground... But now, he was situated at an orphanage where the orphans were sent to for the HQ wasn't a safe place for them. He wondered why but he wanted to train, not play.

But...why did he feel the want to train? Not to play like the other children do.

"...Huh?" He looked over at a direction. There seems to be some noise over there... a small group of Pokémon gathered in front of someone...

As he headed closer, he could see... a small blue sea lion? She was so beautiful while she sang a song a ballad to the waves. He went closer to see the gathered drawn by the music she lets out of her mouth.

"Oaahh..." he mumbles softly when he was able to see her fully. Just as she ended her song, a round of applause erupted from the children around her. Iggy looked around while this sea lion bowed. "Th... Thank you for listening..." she meekly speaks. Her face appeared to show some embarrassment. Has she never done this before?

Iggy felt mesmerised of how cutely pretty she is. Lush blue skin, a fine rounded pink nose, some sort of light blue ruff around her neck...

Who was she? Once the children left, he approached her while she placed the flute inside a case.

"H... Hello?" He calls to her.

The sea lion looked at him with a surprised look, nearly dropping the flute case she held. "Oh, um.. Hello..." she responds shyly.

He scratched his head, how does one talk to girls? "Uh, I was hearing you making some music over there..." he begins.

The sea lion caressed the case she held. She always loved making music for it was something that kept everyone having enjoyment in their lives, not just herself. She wasn't sure why she felt sad herself before coming here. "Yes... you... heard it?" She asks.

"Yes... It's really nice..."

She looked over the sea. The place she lived. "...I... used to live in the sea..." she mumbles, growing sadness in her tone.

Iggy looked at her and the sea. What had happened? Was it the same that happened to him?

"I'm... sorry..."

She shook her head, wanting to assure him that it was okay. "No, it's okay... I'm alright..." She held her flute case close. Iggy studied her slowly and decided he'd let her be in her history. "O... Okay..." He sat down beside her. "Um... Ignatius." He extended a hand. "But you can call me Iggy."

The sea lion nodded and introduced herself. "I'm Aria... Aria Sym...phonia..."

Iggy nodded and smiled. Protecting a friend...Must be the reason he trained, right? He looked at Aria then at a monkey bar. He stretched his arms and ran toward it, time to test his reflexes. He leapt from where he stopped, clutching a bar. He did a few swings before he threw himself towards the next bar. He did so with such skill and agility that everyone stopped what they were doing to watch. They were in awe and got excited that they cheered him on. Aria continue to watch him, the way he did brought excitement to the children around him.

Iggy reaches one end, swinging his body front and back until he swung himself up in the air, focusing on the ground for a landing.

He panted for a while until he heard a round of applause from the children around him. He looked to see everyone cheering for him and his impressive display of skill. He wondered before realizing that he was the only one who managed to show those skills off among them. He didn't know why he had these skills.

He scratched his head. Did he always have these talents from the start? He looked over Aria, who smiled. She was much happier than before. He couldn't help but smile back, maybe he did something to cheer her up some more, all of them needed it.

With that smile, he smiled back at her and everyone else.

Iggy looked at the open space, where he could see the children's Grandpa Bird touching down on the ground. "Grandpa Bird is back!" One of the children exclaimed excitedly and ran toward him. "Grandpa Bird!" The rest of the children followed and Gardious soon finds himself surrounded by children around him, all elated to see him.

"I apologize for being late, everyone." he apologized. "I had trouble on the mission and I've brought you all a new friend."

"A new friend?" Some wondered.

"Yes, here she is." Gardious showed someone on his back. She was a small bud-like being with two tiny legs and bulbs on her head. She was placed on some kind of platform that would prevent her from falling with the movement Gardious made as he flew and hold her place to make up the lack of arms. She looked over to the children.

"Go on, introduce yourself." Gardious encouraged.

"O-Okay, my name is Lenna...Lenna Florence." the bud introduced herself.

Iggy approached them with a smile. "Hello, Lenna!" Iggy called to her. He looked at Gardious. "Where did you find Lenna, Grandpa Bird?"

"She lived at an ally some parts away from here." he answered. "She wanted to visit this land so I let her come and live here. She may not look like it but she is an adventurous type."

"She is?" Aria asks.

"Yes," Gardious showed some kind of bottle that had a ship inside, safeguarded with the model alright and no damage done to it. "See this? She made this herself."

Lenna nodded and held it close. Wanting to protect it and stay in perfect shape. She longed to ride one.

"Wow..." the children murmurs in amazement. Iggy nodded and looked at the model with amazement. Maybe they will ride on one someday. Hope it will happen.

"We'll ride one?" Lenna asked Iggy.

"When we grow old, maybe you can take us all for a ride!" Iggy encourages.

"Th-That will be great!" Lenna jumped. "Thank you so much!"

Gardious looked at her smile. This was the first time he ever saw her do that. Was it because of this Chimchar? He had the talent and optimism to bring them hope. He nodded at this, this Chimchar...

"Ignatius Emberkin," he called out. "I want to invite you to join WINGS when you reach the certain age. I want you to bring hope to all of us and from now on, I shall teach what you should do. It is difficult and you can decline but...Do you want to take the offer?"

Iggy looked at Gardious in surprise. Join WINGS? They were always told plenty of stories of how WINGS work hard to preserve peace through the many nations. But only when he grows older, as Gardious says. And learning in advance to prep himself for the future...

After some contemplation, he nods to Gardious. "Grandpa Bird, I will join WINGS."

Gardious smiled at him and placed a wing over his head.

"Very well," he affirmed. "Give hope to all of us and for yourself."

Iggy beamed brighter. "Yeah!"