=Chapter 2, To the Forest of Eternal Twilight!=
*Jacob to Arky*
*Arky, after I woke up yesterday with Sara, we broke camp and began making our way to Petalburg City. It turns out that I was agonizingly slow yesterday, mostly because I forgot which direction Petalburg was, and I forgot to check the map before we got on the road. Sara was a little confused about many things about me, such as why I carried a heavy backpack and so many things wherever I went. It took me some time but eventually I explained that because I was traveling and wouldn't stay in one place for too long, I needed to carry everything I and any Pokemon I was caring for would need to live out in the wilderness. This included food and other supplies.*
*After we got going again however, it became clear that my lack of directions was one skill you and I never worked on in our lessons. Still after a few questions to some passing by trainers, we got going in the right direction. A few trainer battles later and Harold had definitely become stronger. I can see now why many trainers, especially Karen, loved to battle their Pokemon. Whenever Harold was faced with the prospect of a trainer battle, he just seemed eager to take on whoever our opponents were. It also seemed like every trainer we met was eager for a battle, as there was never a shortage of trainers no matter how long we walked.*
*Many of our battles were a mix of victories and defeats, and while I didn't like seeing Harold get injured, he never held any of my mistakes against me. This only makes me want to learn more about Pokemon so I never let him get too hurt again, like what happened in my battle against Jessy.*
*In any case, there is a bit of good news that happened yesterday. Halfway to Petalburg City, a wild Poochyena came across me, Harold, and Sara. Sara was able to translate what the Poochyena was saying, and apparently he had been watching my battles that day. He challenged me and Harold to a battle, saying he wanted a strong trainer to be his pack leader, and would accept nothing less than the best. While I didn't enjoy or mind the prospect of being called a 'pack leader' all the time by him, he didn't give me much choice but to accept his challenge.*
*His and Harold's fight was a long ten minutes, since neither of them were willing to surrender until they were thoroughly exhausted. I managed to capture him in a Pokeball, and after setting up camp, treating his wounds as best I could, and treating them all to lunch I decided to name him Ivan. He seemed to like the name, and happily repaid me for capturing him and naming him by licking my face after we ate.*
*We're now in Petalburg City, just stocking up on supplies and having everyone checked up at the Pokecenter before we make our way toward the Petalburg Woods.*
=The City of Blending Natures=
"Thank you very much Nurse Joy." Jacob said as she handed him two Pokeballs. "Also I'm sorry that Sara doesn't want to go into a Pokeball, she just doesn't feel very comfortable about them."
"Oh I completely understand, this isn't the first time I've met a Pokemon that decides to travel with a trainer and doesn't want to be officially captured." She said as Sara waddled toward him on the counter and jumped into his arms. "I must say it's a rare treat to see a Ralts come in here. It's not every day I get to see one, even if it's captured or wild, I just never get to see one nowadays."
"Why not?" Jacob asked curiously, according to his Pokedex Ralts was only ever known to be found near Petalburg City on Route 102.
"I don't know, I just never see any trainers nowadays that have them." She said with a disappointed smile. "Perhaps they just head back to Oldale Town to heal them, or maybe they just don't bother coming in here, but Ralts are quite a rarity now. They were hard to find before, but it almost seem like there aren't any around here. Perhaps it's just me, but that's just how it feels to me."
(I… just… prefer… being… with… Jacob!) Sara said to Jacob in his mind, only using her telepathy with him. (You… felt… nicer… than… those… other… humans!)
"She says she just prefers being with me instead of the other trainers she felt on the path." He said to Nurse Joy. "When I first met her she was alone and starving, but I think any of those other trainers would have taken care of her like I did."
"I wouldn't think so, she obviously trusts you a lot more than any other human." Nurse Joy said with a smile. "She wouldn't let me anywhere near her unless you were there; it took all my persuasion to finally give her a checkup. In any case, take good care of her and your other Pokemon; they are all in perfect health. Also, I should tell you that if you plan on having her battle for you, because she is still technically wild, the only way you can use her in a Gym battle is with her consent."
"Thank you Nurse Joy." Jacob said, putting Sara on his shoulder as he turned and left the Pokecenter, just as a pair of trainers entered it.
As he left the Pokecenter he looked around Petalburg City before heading in the direction of the Pokemart to get some more food for his pack. The city was larger than Littleroot and Oldale town had been, but it was still tiny in comparison to the larger cities that he had heard of. This was probably because the city was well known for having a lot of trees among the buildings, as though the town had been built with the trees in mind. He had found it very nice being able to walk around with familiar buildings around him, while at the same time he felt a sense of peace because of all the nature he was surrounded by.
(I like… this… place… Jacob.) Sara said to him as she looked around at the town. (It feels… nice… here!)
"Yea I know what you mean; it really is pretty nice here." Jacob said as he spotted the Pokemart's blue roof. "Well in any case let's get our supplies and get going."
He had wanted to check out the Petalburg Gym, but there was a notice at the front door of the gym stating that it was closed. An older notice below that one stated that the requirement to battle in that gym was a minimum of four gym badges. He had never heard of a gym that required you to have a certain number of badges before you could battle there, but apparently there were some things that Arky had not covered in his lessons.
Either that, or like Arky told him, there were some things he would have to learn on his own.
As they entered the Pokemart, Jacob looked around at the merchandise available. This Pokemart was similar to the one in Oldale town, but there was a wider selection in this store when it came to Pokemon medicine. Knowing that his supply of antidotes and potions was still moderately fresh and would remain so for at least two more weeks, he went over to the food and with Sara's help picked some food that the four of them would like.
(Why… do they… have… so much… food here… Jacob?) Sara asked him as she eyed the food along the shelves and in the refrigerators.
"This is where most trainers buy their food Sara, so that's why they have so much." Jacob answered as he carried the food under his arm to the counter.
(Why… do you… buy… food here?) Sara asked curiously. (Don't they… know… you'd starve… if you… can't… buy it?)
"Well I'm sure they do, but I'm afraid that in order to get anything you need to pay for it." Jacob said as he passed by a shelf which was featuring several Pokeballs for sale. "Huh, what's this?"
He paused by the shelf that had Pokeballs for sale, and according to the price tag next to the box, they were having a three for one sale. Yet next to the Pokeballs box there was an empty box in which the price tag for whatever was supposed to be inside it was crossed out five times, so that the current price was now one thousand nine hundred Pokedollars.
"If you're looking for any Great Balls I'm sorry to say we're out of stock." The store clerk said, noticing Jacob eyeing the box.
"Great Balls?" Jacob asked as he turned back to the clerk and handed over the food he wanted to buy. "What are Great Balls?"
"Oh you never heard of Great Balls?" The clerk asked as he rang up the items for Jacob. "Well while I wrap these up for ya, here's what one looks like. It's just a depowered sample of a Great Ball, so it's not for sale."
The store clerk pulled out a blue Pokeball that had red lines on top of its upper half. "This is a Great Ball?" Jacob asked as Sara looked at the ball with apprehension.
"Yes, you see Great Balls are more advanced Poke Balls that are more capable of capturing Pokemon." The clerk said. "Great Balls are really effective at capturing stronger Pokemon, which is why most trainers use them. Normally we have a large stock of these and they aren't normally purchased in such large quantities, but about one week ago people just started buying up every single Great Ball we had."
(Why… so… many?) Sara asked Jacob.
"The reason why trainers buy them is because they are more reliable for capturing any Pokemon then a regular Pokeball." The Clerk said after Jacob repeated Sara's question. "Normally trainers buy a few in case they come across that one Pokemon that's resilient. I've never run out of stock of them before in all my years working here, because each trainer at most buys maybe three, four at max. But, well look at that price tag and you'll understand my shock."
"Who has that kind of money?" Jacob asked. "I mean… they started at six hundred Pokedollars and now they're nineteen hundred? Is that why you raised the price so high?"
"Yea, I figured if I raised the price it would dissuade those people from buying them in such large quantities, but throughout the week, that box was always empty within a few hours of opening the store. I even raised the price to higher than an Ultra Ball, and I don't even have one to compare the price with. Yet still, whoever it was keeps buying them, buys them without fail. I tried lowering the price of the Pokeballs but, almost nobody buys them. Now I'm completely out of stock now thanks to that group, they stopped shopping here after I ran out. I don't mind the extra cash I made from the sales because it goes to my pocket, but still, lots of trainers want to buy those Great Balls. It's a little unsettling to tell trainers that I have no Great Balls for sale."
Jacob paid for his food, and to cheer up the shop clerk a little bit, bought three Pokeballs for the price of one. After that they left the store and began making their way to Route 104 and the Petalburg Woods.
(I don't… like those… Great Balls.) Sara said as she rode atop his shoulder.
"You really have a thing against Pokeballs don't you?" Jacob asked Sara, and he could sense the tiny traces of anger through her psychic connection with him.
(Bad humans… captured… my parents… I don't… like… those spheres!) She said to him, eyeing the balls he had purchased with her amber eyes.
"Not all humans are bad, and I know you don't like the Pokeballs but Harold and Ivan don't seem to mind them." He said, holding up Harold's Pokeball and showing her. "They feel right at home in them, plus the Pokeballs nowadays can actually mend minor wounds while holding the Pokemon safe and sound, and even help them keep track of time and location."
(I know… all humans… are not… bad!) She said, smiling as she hugged Jacob's neck. (You were… nice to me… I'll always… remember that!)
"Thanks heh." Jacob said as they walked through Petalburg City.
-Later that day!-
After a short rest from the Pokemart Jacob packed up the food he purchased and put the spare Pokeballs in one of the backpack's empty pockets. Then he pulled out the map of Hoenn and checked to make sure they were on the right track before they headed out of the city.
The route to the next town was called Route 104, and encompassed the entirety between Rustboro and Petalburg. Halfway between the two cities were the Petalburg Woods, an enormous stretch of woods that many trainers and travelers pass through every day to go between the two cities.
It was in Rustboro that Jacob could have his first Gym battle, but before that they would have to go through the forest. This was what he was explaining to them around their campfire later that day as he cooked their dinner before bed.
"So that's where we're going next team." Jacob said as the smell of his latest creation, Oran Berry soup with the Sanctuary's Fruit and canned tomatoes for seasoning and flavor. "The journey will take us about a week to travel through, if everything goes well that is. Once we're through the Petalburg Woods it's about two full days of walking before we reach Rustboro City. We have enough food to last three full weeks, so I doubt we'll starve if we do get lost, but just to be safe we need to get through as fast as possible."
All of his Pokemon, Harold, Ivan, and Sara nodded in understanding as he showed them the map and where the woods were.
"Now according to what I've heard, the path through Petalburg Woods is quite long, and it has a bunch of twists and turns where trainers tend to get lost. It's also hard to tell time there because the trees are so clumped together and their branches spread out so far that sunlight has a hard time getting through. It's called the Forest of Eternal Twilight, and it gets quite dark in there because of how little light gets through the treetops. We can still see in there, but there won't be much light once the sun starts to go down. So once we start going through the forest we all need to work together, so you won't be spending as much time inside your balls like you normally have been. Well at least two of you anyway."
Harold and Ivan both nodded, knowing that he was referring to them.
"Once we begin the journey through the Petalburg Woods, I'll be counting on you all to help us get through. To me all the trees will look alike, but I know to you they'll each seem different. Especially you Ivan, your sense of smell will be a big help. Harold you'll be able to find your way around any forest, so I'll be counting on you to help Ivan out where he can't figure out where we've been. Sara, I know you're still not strong with your psychic powers, but would you be able to sense if any wild Pokemon try to sneak up on us? I've heard that it's full of Pokemon that attack trainers every time they drop their guard for a second."
His Pokemon nodded in understanding. "Treecko tree!" Harold said with determination.
"Arf!" Ivan said with an excited bark.
(I will… do my best.) Sara said calmly.
"Alright then, well dinner is ready, so how about we eat before we head to bed!" Jacob said, taking four bowls out of his pack.
The food was separated into the four bowls and was soon in the bellies of Sara, Jacob, Harold, and Ivan. After they ate, Jacob decided he would turn in for an early night. Before he did however he wrote in the book Arky gave him, and told him of what happened, especially how crazy the price for a Great Ball was in Petalburg City.
"Hey guys, you want to get some sleep as well?" Jacob asked his Pokemon as they sat near the fire while Harold carefully tossed a few more sticks into it.
Harold shook his head, acting very energetic as he did so; Ivan gave an energetic bark as well. (With your… permission Jacob… we want… to stay up… a little longer.) Sara said to him.
"You don't need my permission guys, but if you two feel like going back in your balls whenever you're ready for bed." Jacob said, taking Harold's and Ivan's balls and putting them out for them. "Your Pokeballs are right there, just tap their little buttons and you'll be put back in."
=A Night of Memories and Talks=
(Sara's PoV)
Sara watched as her trainer curled up in his warm, mobile nest, and went to sleep, before she turned to stare at the fire that they were keeping active for a while longer.
"So Harold, care for a rematch?" Ivan said to Harold as the gecko put several sticks onto the fire.
"Not now Ivan, can't you see Jacob's asleep!" Harold said as he took his seat next to the hound. "You want a rematch wait until morning and you can ask him."
"You're just worried I might beat you this time!" Ivan declared proudly, puffing his chest and pointing his nose at the sky. "Just you wait Harold, I'll be his best Pokemon guaranteed!"
"As if you pooch, don't forget I'm his starter and that means I'll be the one he depends on the most!" Harold shot back.
"Yea we'll see about that, just you wait!" Ivan said. "When we get to the woods and we start to get lost, I'll be the one who gets us out! And when he sees how awesome I was he'll make me his best right hand Pokemon!"
"Yea right, you'll probably get us lost in the first place!" Harold said angrily. "Don't forget what he said, we only have enough food for three weeks. It will take about over a week to get to the next town; we can't afford to be taking this like a joke!"
Sara watched the two argue with each other, trying to prove who would be their trainer's 'best' Pokemon, and wondered why they were competing with each other. "Why do you two want to prove whose better?" Sara asked them. "You know Jacob treats you both with equal importance. Why do you want to compete with each other?"
They both looked at as if she were insane. "Well maybe you don't want to prove to our Pack Leader but we do!" Ivan grunted, turning to the fire. "After all, you don't even have a ball."
"What's that supposed to mean!" Sara asked.
"You know what I mean; you're still a 'wild' Ralts." Ivan grunted. "Before I met Jacob I watched dozens and dozens of battles, and I saw how tough those Pokemon were. Each and every one of them was captured by their Pack Leaders, and I saw the pride in each of their eyes as they battled for their Pack Leaders. You don't even have that pride in your eyes, so what gives you the right to say we can't prove anything to him!"
"Just because I'm wild doesn't mean I don't consider him my trainer!" Sara said nervously.
Ivan looked at her with a glare which made Sara even more nervous of the pooch. "No but that means every other Pokemon he captures will never look at you the way he does!" He barked. "You know that we'll form our hierarchy eventually. Whoever he trains and earns his trust the most will be at the top and the others who don't will be at the bottom! I don't care whether I'm at the top or near the bottom, but I will prove my loyalty to him however I can. We are his pack and he's our Pack Leader, and I follow the leader, with loyalty and trust!"
Sara backed away nervously, not realizing that Ivan was thinking so far ahead. "I never… thought about it like that."
Harold stepped between her and Ivan a second later. "Look, we are all his Pokemon and you heard what he said; he's going to be depending on all of us to make it through those woods." He said calmly. "Now why don't we get to sleep, we have a long walk ahead of us and we need to be one hundred percent ready in case of a battle. Come on Ivan; let's head back into our balls!"
"Fine." Ivan grunted as he walked over to his ball, tapped the button on it, and vanished into the ball in a flash of red light.
"Sara, please put us on Jacob's belt before you go to sleep." Harold said, tapping his own ball and vanishing just like Ivan did.
"Yea… sure…" She said to nobody, feeling her fear getting the better of her as she clumsily waddled over to the two spheres and picked up Harold's.
*Why do they like these spheres?* She thought to herself as she took the ball and put it on the belt where Jacob kept them, watching as it just seemed to fasten itself without any kind of latch. *Is it some kind of honor to them to be kept in those tiny spheres?*
Sara didn't want to be captured like her mother and father were, forced to battle a hopeless fight and then taken without any trace. She barely remembered the fight, but what she did terrified her, she couldn't see anything because she was too busy hiding in fear. If this was what captured her parents, she didn't want anything to do with them. They were evil as far as she was concerned, and those who used them were almost just as bad.
At least… the bad ones who used them were to her.
After she placed Ivan's ball onto the belt she yawned and waddled over to Jacob's mobile nest. She used her small hands to pull the nest open and snuggled into her trainer's arms to sleep. No matter how long she remained with Jacob, she, Sara, would always remember him as the kind human that had saved her life and allowed her to join him. She looked into Jacob's sleeping eyes and used the pink horn on her head to sense his feelings as he dreamed.
*He's having a… really sad dream.* She thought as she felt his sadness seep through his dream into her mind. *Yet… he feels such happiness… having us.*
She could feel that he was definitely having a sad dream, yet through the sadness she could sense an inner happiness that kept it at bay, and its source was her, Harold, and Ivan.
As well as another, but she couldn't figure out who it was.
She tried using her psychic powers to try and read his feelings again, particularly the ones directed at that unknown entity keeping his sadness at bay, and she learned that while she and her fellow Pokemon on Jacob's team were having a strong impact on him, this background being from his past was the true source of his happiness. She tried to find out more however she could feel only a few traces of Jacob's feelings because he wasn't thinking about that being, but she did find a few powerful ones that were visible to her.
*Joy… hope… as well as… friendship… no there's more!* She thought as she tried to find out more, wanting to learn of her trainer's past. *He sees them as… a father… yes as a father but… they aren't his father.*
She tried to find out the identity of this mysterious figure that seemed to be a beacon of light in whatever sadness that was clouding his dreams. However the moment she tried, something seemed to block her. Whatever it was, it had created a very strong psychic barrier to keep her at bay.
She tried to touch the barrier, to understand its purpose for being there, but with her limited powers she couldn't even see the surface, let alone try to slip through or break it down. Then she felt something, something opened up in the barrier and grab her mind. She tried to get away, to break free, terrified for her safety, but its grip refused to let her go.
(I can't let you see… not yet anyway.) A voice, full of power and faintly familiar said to her. (When he is ready to know the truth… I will reveal myself… until then… I am just… Arky.)
The voice entered her mind, accessed her thoughts and memories of her trying to enter her trainer's mind, and in one second, rewrote them.
The next morning, she didn't remember anything about the entity she had felt in her trainer's feelings.
(The Sanctuary, Arceus' PoV)
He left his student's mind, having changed the memories of the little Ralts that was only doing her best to understand her trainer. He knew that having a psychic type in Jacob's presence would be tricky, especially if they started attempting to go through his mind, yet he didn't expect Sara to be trying to do anything this soon. She had only been with Jacob for two days, she may have been a feeling type Pokemon, but still she was trying to pry into his mind way too soon.
*She just felt his sadness and wanted to know why he was still happy despite that sadness, I can't blame her for thinking of Jacob.* He thought as he remembered rewriting Sara's memories. *I had to actually repair the barrier I made just to keep psychic types from discovering me in the off chance that they poked around in his mind.*
He looked down at the picture of himself again, having not really moved ever since Jacob left. (I guess four years of being linked to you has affected my better judgment. If I had been more diligent with my own awareness, and had I actually made sure all of my barriers were in place, I wouldn't have had to rewrite that poor Ralts' memories.)
He looked back into the night sky, and thought about his student. (Sorry Sara… but I'm not ready to reveal my true identity to Jacob, someday I will, but for now… he doesn't need to know me as anything else but what he knows me as. I am Arky… his teacher, and adopted father, nothing more.)