Guardian Solaris
Ages:
Ash-17
Serena (OC) - 9
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"Speech"
'Thoughts'
(Authors' notes)
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I do not own Pokémon. This is a fan work, without the objective of any profit to be made out of it.
Chapter 2- The Dragon awakens
The sun slowly made its way down, setting as it had always done. Leaving a pallet of colours in the sky from exotic violets to deep reds. Those that had once came to the land of Hoenn would have said that the sun had clearly favoured this place, in comparison to the arctic wastes of Sinnoh or the wastelands of Kanto where they had come from to this sun kissed paradise.
Yet for another who had travelled so far this place had bought nothing, home was where the heart was, and his heart was not invested in any piece of dirt. No matter how much the sun may have blessed it.
That figure stood on top a hill, the sun in its final act of the day setting to his left. He stood upright and solitary, looking down to the green meadows below him, and the stone cobbled paths that divided the lush green land. Mans restrictive control order in natures beautiful chaos.
His figure stood tall but not a unusual size for a normal adult. When you notice him the first thing that you would look at the figure was his white trainers. Like when a child would look to an adult, they would start with the shoes and slowly move up. When it came to him, no matter how much someone would try they would always start from the bottom up. You would slowly scan up to his dark blue leans, an un-zipped hooded jacket with long sleeves covering his arms, a white jacket except for a black stripe that stretched through the chest; in between the un-zipped jacket his T-shirt was shown; nothing but a black shirt with a glistening golden stripe through the middle. On top of his head lay his dark black hair, it was longer than usual but he didn't require any head-gear because he had discovered that the hood on his jacket would prove far more suitable to the character that he had become, from the naive child that he once had been.
He stood wearing the mask that came upon his face as natural as hair growing upon his head. A dark aura surrounding him. An aura that would cause a sense of fear to penetrate many people that would dare to face him.
Suddenly a small Pikachu rushed up to him from behind, climbing up his shoulder, saying "PikaPi" although the figure wasn't in the least bit startled by the presence of his old friend.
"Hi Pikachu." He said in a clear soft voice that betrayed the mask he wore. Speaking in a tone reserved only for those close to him.
"Pika." The Pokémon replied with a cheery expression.
"So, she's alright?" he asked his faithful partner. He had been travelling with a young girl for a while now: long white hair, white trainers, and light blue jeans with a white T-shirt. A red and gold piece of cloth wrapped around her head, the ends trailing off into her hair. That and a smile that said that she was happy with the way things were and with travelling with him.
"Ash" he heard someone calling his name in the distance.
"Ash!" she called out, as a mild piece of worry within the boy was put at ease. "How long are you going to stand there? I'd be surprised if you have been standing there all this time?"
"I'd be surprised if you were looking for me all this time." He retorted, at which the young girl huffed in response.
"More like looking for Pikachu. Ash, teach Pikachu to understand words. Slow down does not mean run faster." She replied, a comment at which Pikachu lightly chuckled. Slowly she moved over to Ash's side, looking down at the land underneath them, "You know, the sunset is on the other side?"
Ash just shrugged.
"So you nervous? This is the big one, where you prove to me that Trainers are this and that and everything else." She paused, a small smirk placed upon her face, "or are you scared? That you're going to looooose?" she teased.
"w-w-." He began to stutter, "I'm not sure, they're big and scary and they all are going to go and think that just because they dress like they're in a carnival. They think that carnivals can beat me. Because Carnivals have clowns and, and." He rambled with a false fear of the upcoming challenge.
"Hah. I knew it." She said triumphantly, not so big and mighty now, I bet you're shaking in your boots."
"Y-Y-yeah." Ash said continuing the charade.
"If you wore boots." She corrected.
"If I wore boots." He repeated in his normal tone of voice as the young girl chuckled.
Pikachu was confused, wondering why Ash had somehow become nervous about things, and how in the world it was a good thing. "Pika?" the creature asked, trying to comfort its trainer.
"Don't worry Pikachu, don't worry." Ash said when he realised that Pikachu took his act seriously, "We'll win this one, no doubt." He continued in a reassuring tone.
"Ya sure?" She interrupted, "This isn't another league battle, and these people are some of the best in the world at what they do."
"Hey, I'm going to win this, and I'm going to prove to you that what this Alice says in not all true. Then I'm going to win this dare."
"When did I say the word dare?" she asked.
"When you said the words, I dare you to be a co-ordinator and I dare you to win the grand festival." He quoted as the young girl huffed.
"I don't remember saying the word dare." She teased the trainer.
"Just there, you said it." He replied with a feeling of self satisfaction filling him, as she sighed shaking her head lightly.
"You have one of the biggest Ego's in the world."
"I don't" he replied, pretending to be offended by her statement, although either side knew that it was just a joke. "I don't. Maybe a little bit. My ego isn't THAT big." He rambled as Pikachu let out a giggle causing Ash to grumble at how he had lost his only ally.
"Com'on Mr Arrogant" she asked Ash, "let's go and have something to eat" she said, as Ash perked up at the mention of food.
"Food?"
"Yeah." she said.
"Even donuts?"
"Even donuts."
"YEAH!" he roared, rushing up to the young girl and grabbing her up and carrying her upon his shoulder, running towards one of the many Pokémon centres there to cater for the grand festival.
Serena was her name. She and Ash had been together through thick and thin. It was now at a point where it would be hard to split the two of them up. They knew each other inside out, and were close to inseparable, like a brother and sister that weren't related to each other.
They stuck to each other like glue. The reason? Possibly because of some twist of fate. Or because they were the last thing in the world that the other had.
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By the time that the two had reached the Pokémon centre the sun had set and the first stars had begun to come out.
Ash had let Serena down a while ago after she shouted and kicked him repeatedly, "shouldn't you concentrate on your training." on their journey.
During their journey down towards the Pokémon centre the trio saw Co-ordinators in the distance practicing with their Pokémon. The planned composition of manoeuvre inspiring Serena to see that the same attacks that Ash had used to knock out his opponent could be used in such a way. To create something like that.
"I'll not train today like them. I'd rather get some food." Ash said, noticing how Serena had taken a great interest in the practicing co-ordinators.
Serena gave out a sigh, "Still as big an ego as ever." with Pikachu nodding in agreement.
"Well." Ash retorted, "I didn't win those five ribbons for nothing."
"You just went in the easy contests." She huffed.
"It's not my fault they were easy."
"Then you just finished the battle round as fast as you could."
"Well I am a champion in that. I'd rather end it quickly."
"Your cold." She said with a sigh.
"Well, it's not as if it would be better if I did it any other way."
"Well." A beat, "I guess you did well for someone who is not used to contests." She admitted as Ash felt a light weight lifted off of his shoulders, wrapping one arm around the young girl's shoulders and pulling her close.
"I'm hungry, you want to go in?" he asked.
"Yeah." And the two went into the Pokémon centre.
"Pika" the Pokémon agreed, as they walked through the automatic doors and Ash let go of Serena, straightening himself as Pikachu dropped down to his side. Whilst Ash made sure the hood was placed high upon his head to shadow his face.
The place was empty of wondering trainers, all probably asleep for the competition tomorrow. Finding the Nurse Joy he marched forward with his two companions choosing to remain behind as he acquired the room that they would be staying in.
He focused on the nurse who worked busily filling out what looked to be a load of paper work, and hoped that this could be sorted out as quickly as possible, "Nurse." He stated in a hard and clear voice in an attempt to get her attention.
"Nurse." He stated once more, his voice becoming slightly louder with a hint of irritation laced within it. The nurse took a glance upwards to the boy, returning to her work then realising what she had just seen. She looked to the boy, his face hidden in shadow, something about him, something she couldn't pinpoint sending a shiver down her spine.
"Y-" she tried to say but couldn't let out.
"A room?" he stated once more, in a tone more relaxed than before.
Her hands acted on their own finding a key and passing it over to the trainer, as he took it. "Where would the food be?" and she pointed to a door with the sign Cafeteria above of it, and with that he walked in to find some donuts, leaving behind a stunned Nurse Joy.
Putting the keys into one of his pockets the person beckoned Serena and Pikachu to eat with him, as the two began to walk, slightly put down by Ash's sudden change in attitude as they had seen time and time again, wondering if he would ever change.
Nurse Joy watched group, wondering if that fearsome figure was the one taking care of that young child.