Chapter 21 – Percival's Reason

A/N: This is a original Pokemon Fan Game, made by Amethyst. if you wish to check it out and play the game download it at Reborn Evolved. search for it on your web browser if you want to get to the website.

Time: 21:25

Location: Opal Ward

It has been a long day, Percival and Lucille who were on the original quest of finding the key to Byxbysion Wasteland. Had turned to a whole new adventure, first as they met with the person who had the key, Cain. He was reluctant in wanting to give them the key, requested that it would be won if Percival could beat him. Though right after Percival's victory, Cain became distracted in finding a girl named Heather.

Heather a girl who had just recently ran away from home, and lost her father. Cain who had gone through similar things, wanted to try to help her. Though Heather didn't want help, which caused her running into the worst person she could have met. A possibly mad Doctor, known as Sigmund Connell. Through, the power of being the Cities only keeper of the Orphanage took her in by force, and it was not only her. But Percival as well.

Percival Jeramiah von Decibel Leonardo De Whitehall III, the second son of the Whitehall family. A family of powerful and skilled trainers. Though in the family Percival was ridiculed for being the weakest one. Often being forced to go through tougher training then his siblings. And also, being ridiculed and tormented by his siblings as well. As this angered Percival, so he attempted to show everyone that he was stronger than everyone else. Knowing that his father never was able to beat the Reborn League, Percival saw this as his target. Though, he would never been able to leave without their permission. So, he ran away without telling them, though because of his actions, his family used it as a way to disown him. From that, the doctor as with Heather was able to capture him.

Though Heather's and Percival's capture was soon remedied by Cain, Lucille, and the Lapis Ward Gym Leader Shelly. Who once they started their plan to break out Percival and Heather, quickly finding themselves striking a deal with other Orphanage kids? The deal was in exchange for their help, they would take the kids too. The kids who help were none other than Anna, Noel, and Charlotte.

With freeing of everyone, it was known that this was a crime. So, they soon found them on the run. While dodging officers that were out on the streets, the kids all found themselves under Opal Bridge, making their way to the Chrysolia region of Reborn. As Charlotte and Cain took the lead, followed by Anna, Noel, Heather, and Shelly. Though in rear guard were Percival and Lucille. Where the two of them found it difficult in what to say.

"So…" Percival said with a depressed tone in his voice.

"So?" Lucille responded in a calm tone. Trying not to push the matter too much.

"I feel like you want me to explain. Don't you…" Percival said worried for whatever Lucille was thinking.

Though the kind blonde girl Lucille, still didn't know what to make of what was happening with Percival. The side of him, she knew… was always a strong, and happy person. Someone that she never though would have run away from home or be disowned. "… We've barely known each other for about two… three weeks. And… I know I've never asked you about your past… kind of how you never asked mine." [A/N: I don't really think about time too much between chapters… so, it might actually be less than that]

"So… you feel that this doesn't owe an explanation?" Percival asked. He was quite surprised. "Even after what just happened? You know you've just became a criminal for my sake."

"Even if you weren't captured, I still would have done it to help heather." Lucille answered. She didn't even hesitate in saying that. "Besides, even though I haven't known you for long. I trust that you have a good reason for keeping quite."

"…" Percival looked down, wondering if his reason was good. "I—"

Lucille noticed his hesitation and stopped him. "Look. If you want to tell me, then I'll listen. But, if you don't, I'll wait."

"I… *sigh*." Percival sighed, feeling like he should say something. "I'm not going to go into full detail… Maybe another time. But I'll tell at least why I ran away."

"all right." Lucille gave Percival a gentle smile, ready to listen to his story.

"Where to start…" Percival said, wondering at which point in his life to start. "How about… *Breath*. I know, I've said that my family has a history of being great trainers, and that I'm the second oldest out of five."

"Right. You've said that on the Train" Lucille nodded along.

"Yes. But one trait is known through my family, is strength. And out of the five, I'm denoted as the weakest." Percival stated, which was a surprise to Lucille. Percival had always seemed so strong. "Which… because of that, compared to my siblings. My life, treatment, and even training has been harsh. My siblings had even mocked me for being weak."

"Percival…" Lucille reached out to comfort him.

"It… wasn't all bad." Percival said, though with the next few sentences changed with disdain. "strength may have been what is known in my family. but the meaning of strength was changed by my father. Father only saw victory as a merit in strength."

"What do you mean?" Lucille asked, ponder what that meaning once was.

"Strength as you know has many different meanings. Before my father became the head of the family. It ranged from how your skills were honed, how well you are after a defeat, even when you've fallen how you get back up." Percival smiled thinking of that, remembering a time he spent with his grandfather. "All matches were of pure fun. Meant to challenge each other to get better. Making bonds with your Pokémon, siblings, and even friends. That's how it was before. Even when my grandfather was in charge."

"sounds like a great man." Lucille said in fondness of how that was.

"He was." Percival smiled. "He taught me more, than my father ever did. Phoebe and Steel were two Pokémon that he gave me. both as eggs, that came from his Pokémon."

"that sounds familiar…" Lucille nodded in agreement.

"…" Percival stared wondering if she listened to his conversation with Victoria from before, but decided not to press. "Though… My siblings didn't like the good fortune that our Grandfather bestowed to me. The youngest, Solace, wasn't born yet so if he has any quandaries about it… I'll probably never know. Moving onto my youngest sister, Marie, she was still young, no memory of our grandfather. But the problems lied in Ari, and Kuro. The second Daughter, and the oldest son. Ari was quite jealous of my ability to get a Milotic, she tried to steal her from me. But Phoebe preferred me to her, which caused quite a bit of distain from her. Though I can easily ignore that. The problem though…"

"Your brother… Kuro?" Lucille asked.

"I've too many bad things to say… in sum he's Fern times a hundred." That was the best way Percival could describe his older brother. "though… What he did is why I swear I will surpass him."

The anger was clear in Percival's throat. Lucille was surprised to see Percival hating someone, his own brother, even. Though curious in what happened Lucille asked. "What happened?"

"Cain's noticed this before… majority of my team are Psychic types." Percival said. "What I've talked to Vee about, we agreed that she would evolve into an Espeon… though as you can see, she isn't. Kuro, with his ego and need to prove himself superior to me at every step. Forced her to evolve into a Leafeon."

"is that really bad?" Lucille asked.

"I know he did it just so that his Flareon would have an edge over me. I could care less about that." Percival said. "What makes me hate him so much… is just remembering how horrified and scared Vee was, when she evolved. After evolving she didn't eat, for two weeks. Watching that… I was so scared of losing her."

"…" Lucille couldn't believe what she heard…

"That was the last straw, though." Percival said. "I was not going to be the weak member of the family. I knew they willingly let me leave for a journey, so I ran away. I believe if I could do something that my father couldn't, then…"

"Then?" Lucille questioned.

"Well, since I'm disowned… I don't think my reasons matter anymore." Percival then smiled. "For the first time… I actually feel free."

"…" Lucille looked at the smile Percival had, though she still saw some sadness in it. She saw that his smile had a calm beauty to it, pure. "That's good then."
"Though… I think if I can, I'll still face the gym Leaders." Percival continued. "I'm not about to give up halfway."

"And, I'll be there to support you then." Lucille smiled back.

"Ugh…" Charlotte groaned "Can you two please stop flirting."

"Oh my~ How bold Lucy." Cain gave them a sly smile.

"What?!" Lucille Blushed screaming at Cain.

"Ah… to think that I'm…" Shelly also listened in to Percival's tale. Though it also wasn't just her…

"For a bad life you still seem to glow very bright!" Anna stated, "But still not as bright at Lucy. More like a heated piece of metal."

"Thanks?" Percival wondered if that was a compliment or not.

"…" Heather was silent, ever since she was rescued, she never said a word. Though she still looked at Percival. But it was impossible to tell what she thought. Whether she pitied, or held some sort of sympathy, she did not say.

The group continued through the Underground Rail Net. Eventually they reached the farthest that they could go. As currently they were blocked by a giant metal door. Charlotte found a computer trying to fiddle around with it in an attempt to make it work. Until she started to kick it. "Oh, come on! Turn on, already! You stupid—"

"Um… I don't think that getting angry will help." Cain said in an attempt to try to calm her.

"you should be angry too!" Charlotte shouted back. "The only way through passes through this door, and the computer won't even turn on to open it."

"Um, I-I think I know…" Shelly raised her hand seeing the problem. "I think it's the basement of the old Yureyu building. I read that they used it to import resources via the rail, so they had it run right through their HQ. They used to be the economic center of Reborn, but um, then… the earthquakes happened, and they were hit so hard they had to close. They also managed the City's electricity… so that went down, too. And then the entire city shut down until Ame restored it…. Right?"

Noel nodded in affirmation to Shelly. "So, then it won't open because it's probably still hooked to the old Power Plant."

"Old Power Plant? Wait a second!" Anna said in surprise, realizing something. "That's where Mr. Shadow lives! I bet if someone went up there and asked him to turn it back on, he would!"

"Mr. Shadow?" Percival and Lucille asked in curiosity.

"W-wait, you mean Shade?" Shelly responded with her own question. "The creepy looking—um… is… is he even, um, human?"

"Who knows!" anna cheered, uncaring whether Shade was human or not. "He's really super nice, though!"

"He never speaks." Noel said, "How would you know?"

"I just do." Anna said looking back at her brother, before looking over to Percival. "Hey, he's also a Reborn Gym Leader. Percy, Percy, Percy! I know! You should go up to the old Power Plant and ask Mr. Shadow to turn it back on and then fight him!"

"Ohhh, that's the place across Beryl Bridge, right?" Cain asked in curiosity.

"Right!" Anna smiled. "I'll have Nostra tell him to unlock the door, so go quickly, okay~"

"then I'll—" Lucille offered to join.

"No, the city is looking for us, as criminals. Going in a group would be dangerous." Percival said. "Stay here and keep watch."

"B-but!" Lucille tried to persuade him to her side but was interrupted by Charlotte.

"Percy is right. Groups in the open streets are dangerous." Charlotte said, "And it's not like either of you have a Zoura or Zoroark."

"…Okay." Lucille sighed, knowing that she wouldn't be able to come.

"Then it's settled," Percival said, readying his team. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Well, it's not like we can move anywhere so, do it fast." Charlotte said as he left.