Hey, Ya'll. Seems to update every 2 years haha. This is Sky, I reread Skaters story for him and pulled the most important plot points out. He has a bullet point summary now, and my help on editing. Our friend Tagu reminded him of this and I told skater I'd help out so here we are.
A lot has happened these past few days, it seemed like a blur. I barely feel like I even got any rest between all the crazy stuff that's happened even though I know I have, I suppose the mental strain of it all has taken a toll on me.
Yet here I am, in a seemingly relaxing place but it's oh so taxing. I float there in the darkened space which, at this point has turned into a second home for me. This darkness having a twisting purple hue keeps the mind occupied when you float in this void.
"Just going to lay there, huh?" I hear a voice finally pierce the silence in this emptiness. My head slowly tilts up almost straining to do so, my head feels heavy as I see this umbreon staring at me with those red innocent eyes of his.
With a grunt my head falls back into a more relaxed position letting this floating abyss hold it, "What else am I supposed to do, have a picnic?" I retrot back.
"Well you know I'm here, could talk to me" This floating umbreon body suddenly comes into view, upside down no less as he stares into my tired eyes, "The whole purpose of this dark place you know".
"Well yeah…" My eyes wander to the side to trying to remove him from view even if he's still in my peripheral sight, "I talk to you all the time though, not like this place is so special now"
His body keeps floating back into my view just as quickly as my eyes flick away from him, trying his very best to stay in the center of my attention, "I suppose, but you get to see me physically here" His form grows larger and larger as he approached me till his snout touches with my nose, "And feel me".
I see a smile grows across his muzzle, he's just happy I'm here with him. Don't get me wrong, I like his presence around even when I'm awake, I feel really warm. While this dark place has become home to me to rest and relax he's always been here, so it's been like a prison for him having no one else around, must get really lonely. With a sigh I twist my body around to be at his level, arms stretch out and hook around his neck as I cuddle his face to mine smiling, "Yeah you're right, it's always a nice feeling".
Next thing I know there's a wet tongue lapping at my cheek from a happy 'mon. My arms unhook and lightly push him away with a chuckle, Aeon just smiles at me with his tail not doing anything to hide his emotions. Giving him a swift pat on the head before crossing my arms across my chest. As I leaned back sighing with a little hum, his voice startled me "What's the matter now" I hear my furry friend ask.
Letting out a strong huff, tilting my head to the side as my ears flop along with it, "We're reaching Cerulean City in the morning, and with that, our next Gym battle. I just.. I don't know.." Letting out a sigh my eyes dart to Aeon with worry, "I just feel so under prepared for it, and I don't know why"
A loud chuckle fills the void making my sensitive ears ring, Aeon floats a bit closer amused "Well you've done a lot lately, I wouldn't worry about it. After all, you have those two electric types and your gym battle is with a water based trainer"
"Look.." I say exhausted, "I love those two like family, I just don't know if they're ready for a gym battle, I don't feel like I trained them enough" I admit. With all that's happened with Team Horizon and meeting new people, I've barely had time to just enjoy myself. I haven't even had time to come up with cool strategies with them.
Suddenly, I felt a light pawing at my chest as I glance down to Aeon having his way with my shirt, "What you've created with Coal is really cool, you need to give yourself more credit. I've seen you come up with cool strategies at a moments notice" His cute head tilts up to me smiling, "Even if you don't feel prepared I know with your incredible guidance you lead those two boys too greatness"
My ears bounce up listening to him, instinctively my arms uncross and reach around his body cuddling him to my chest, smiling happily, "You sound so sure about that, must be true then" I chuckled thinking back to when we first met, I'd never have thought I would get so close to him. He just feels more than just a voice in my head, He's no longer some random Pokemon that's spawned from this whole crazy experience. Now he feels more like a lost part of me, he's just like family...exactly like family actually. My hands glide up his back and scratch the back of his head, behind his ears, really anywhere I can reach was getting a good scratching. Aeon's ears swing down totally relaxing within my arms, his head nuzzles and buries itself into my chest. He now rests on me. I couldn't help but feel calm with him, even with all that went down. I could find some peace afterall in this void we call home.
The sun glaring down on me from the harsh morning rays, I twist my head back and forth to avoid the sun's rays to no avail. With a sigh of annoyance I sit up in my sleeping bag, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, "..Why haven't we invested in a tent by now".
"Because tents cost money" I hear my lovely brother chim in.
My senses pick up soft sizzling of food on a hot pan, which made my stomach growl. Lowering my hands down and giving a few slow blinks, my head turns to him sitting there preparing our meal for the day, "We must have some money for that.." Unzipping my bag I almost just roll out of it still very much tired.
He chuckles, twisting the pan quickly as I see a pancake just twist in the air and fall back down, "Sure, if you don't want to eat we can totally do that".
Letting out a grunt I shift onto my knees, "What about Tabatha, she has money" Suddenly I have a piece of bread slap my face with a loud 'shhhhh'.
"You never ask a lady for money, Sora, that's just rude" Having another slice in his hand he proceeds to take a bite of it while he finishes up the pancake, sliding it off the pan and onto a waiting plate.
"What does being a lady have to do with helping a friend out" I grumble. Crawling over to the pancake that really does smell delicious right now, taking it with one hand I cross my legs laying the plate on them ready to chow down, "Speaking of, where is Tabatha any-" before I can even finish my question a hand grabs my shoulder from behind and pulls me back.
I can't even react before a second hand comes into view, holding a fist full of my new 'diet'. Poke food gets shoved into my mouth as the hand seals shut around my mouth keeping anything from escaping. Let me just say, poke food and pancakes shouldn't be mixed. "That's not what you're supposed to eat, gotta get used to this now!" I hear Tabatha's grinding voice echo in my head. Her hand raises off my shoulder and swiftly pats my head before making its way to the plate of food on my lap.
Anger fills me as my powerful tail just sways back and forth striking at her trying to get her away with my hand reaching for the plate. She looks at my tail surprised, "Wow, look at that! You can almost control that thing now" I had the overwhelming feeling to just smack her. Before I could act upon my revenge, Tom interjected.
"That's enough you two. Can't we go a few minutes without you two at each other's throats" he sighs shaking his head. I can tell he was getting pretty tired of our constant bickering. My ears went down slightly as I calmed myself for his sake, chewing my food like a good boy.
Tabatha removes her other hand that was keeping my trap shut, " Hey, With my help you're getting better at controlling that poke-instinct" she puts her hand to her chest," You should be thanking me for all my efforts!" she beamed so much my eyes felt like they were going to burn off my face. I couldn't stand her 'helping' it was not doing much but infuriate me. Feeding the flames was not going to calm things down, not in the slightest.
The distinct stomping of small paws on the grass grew louder and louder as two furry bodies slam up onto my lap all in an excited huff. In their hurriness to climb me however, they smash up all Tom's hard work in my lap. It went off into the dirt below, just hearing Tabatha whining now from losing her food was a good enough revenge, "How come you get to eat more food!" I hear Dash whine up at me, his little hands pawing at my chest.
Swiftly finishing off this large batch of food that was rudely shoved into my mouth, I swallow it down smiling, "Cause I haven't eaten yet" This was followed by a swift 'oh' from my little brother.
"Can we have more?" Pulse added, they both stare up at me with puppy dog eyes. I felt a pang in my heart seeing them like that. I glance over to Tom and he nodded getting right on replacing the soiled pancakes.
A throat gets cleared, "A new pancake for me too, please" Tabatha interjects the heart warming moment. We all enjoy our breakfast before getting ready to depart, It felt like we'd been travelling forever now. We were finally getting back to civilisation and it was strange.
We trekked down the path eager to first check out the Pokemon Center to heal up before any sort of battling. You never know with all that's gone on, gotta be extra safe nowadays.
Coming from a small home town, approaching these large cities is always so daunting for me. What's inside them? What the people like? If this place is anything like Pewter City I feel like I won't have much trouble, however since leaving the last place I sent off that scary story about me over T.V. for everyone to see, and now being back in a crowded area I fear what everyone will act like.
I quickly find out, from just walking down the streets and our quick trip to the Pokemon center that everyone is super friendly to me. A lot of people just ignore me like I was just some other kid, others give me a wave or even say hi. I'm used to the confused weird looks I would normally get from meeting new people however now everyone is just… accepting me.
Our walk through the city gets slower and slower as my steps get staggered from emotion, I tear up unable to contain said emotion. Tom and Tabatha ahead of me look back to me to watch me cry, very confused and looking between each other Tom chimes up, "..You okay there Sora? What's the matter?"
What's the matter? I'm sure to him I could be crying because I'm still not used to these large cities and just afraid, and while yes there's always some sort of unease in these large places it has nothing to do with that. I've been through so much and everyone's perspective of me has changed that I was no longer living a normal life and one of just fear and pain. Being outcasted by other people and finding safety in Pokemon, even if there has been some that have done their best to look after me, I slowly forgot that feeling.
Now however, it's just like how it always used to be just another person going on about their day with people being even more friendly to me, I'm no longer that outcast I thought I was and that feeling was just a lot for me to accept. I project just a pure happy smile with a fang poking out between my lips, head tilting up to them, "..Nothing is wrong, I'm just happy"
Tabatha crosses her arms confused, "It's a weird way to show happiness, especially randomly like" She taps her heel on the ground annoyed we stopped out progress for 'nothing', "Come on, we're getting close now let's just slow down just yet" She turns back around and heads on down the sidewalk.
Tom reaches out with a hand and lays it on my head, messing up my hair a little, smiling, "Feel better huh? That smile you got there.. I can tell some kind of weight has been lifted" He moves his hand off my head and pats my shoulder before withdrawing his hand, "Next time I see you crying and smiling will be when you win the league, alright?".
A let out a broken and soft chuckle, my paw raises up and wipes away my tears. Stepping forward I put my arm around him happy, "When WE win the league, and for that, let's nail this gym" I walk forward to follow Tabatha and with my arm around Tom he joins my stride staying by me, his arm also goes around me holding me close.
"Fine, when we win you've got permission to cry again" He tells me with authority in his voice. I just chuckle as we walk along our paths to this goal.
All calmed down and controlled my emotions we reach the next Gym. Cerulean Gym. I noticed it from afar but being close up to it really makes you wonder who designed this building. It looked like a circus top with a huge Dewgong pictured out the front of it, what a horrid colour scheme and design for a Gym and whoever likes it should have their eyes checked.
"This is amazing! You guys excited to step inside~?" I hear Tabatha exclaim all too excited. My ears flatten with a deadpan expression just staring at her silently. Yep. That makes sense her tastes in anything has always been bad no wonder she likes it.
Tom steps forward clapping his hands together in excitement, "I can't wait, we're finally here, our next challenge!" He rubs said hands together getting himself prepared for the event. I on the other hand just have my arms crossed still trying to go over things I could execute if things go poorly, knowing my Pokemon's moves I could come up with some winning strategies.
Ahead of us the glass doors push open, I couldn't help feeling excited. This was it, the next chapter of our little adventure. This was the only thing that kept me feeling close to my brother, Tom, who has been with me for what seemed like forever. This Pokemon adventure that was supposed to be a cover-up started to mean so much to me. Getting to spend some time with him like I had wanted the previous day. Here it was and it was going to be great.