Blues

I've always been the weakest from the moment I've hatched. My older siblings, and my younger ones were stronger, faster, better able to defend themselves. Me? I always ran away from any kind of fights. My dad was disgusted with me and my mom pitied me. So, I ran away, thinking that I could survive on my wits alone. That was a mistake. I was weak, and it didn't take long for me to be preyed on by stronger pokemon who just wanted to . . . Us surskit, well we have a weird defense mechanism. We smell delicious when threaten. Like REALLY delicious. It seems to short-circuit the mind of pokemon trying to hurt us and, well, they think with their belly. If we keep our heads about us, we're just fine. We can escape while they fight one another for the privilege of eating us.

Weird right?

Still, I was in a really bad situation. A pack of poochyena had cornered me. The problem is that with poochyenas or any other pack pokemon, is that the boss female always eat first. I was in the middle of a fairly shallow pool and I had no escape. I'd just about committed myself to meeting Arceus when She showed up. My pathetic cries had attracted her and she captured me. I was shocked. I mean, the pokeball was nice and all. Safe, cozy. I could tune out the world if I wanted to or be completely aware of what was going on. I didn't get a chance to get use to it though, this feeling of safety because she called on me really quick.

"Hi there, little one," She said with a sweet smile. "It says here that your name is Blues, is that right?"

I whimpered. I'm not going to lie. I'd heard all kind of horror stories about trainers. How they were slave drivers, abusing their pokemon for their own enjoyment and power.

"Relax, bug," the torchic said. "Eliza's not a monster. She's not going to hurt you, ever, and if I know her, she'll have me watch out for you until you can stand on your own four legs."

"Oh,"I replied lamely. "I. . . why would she want me though. I'm weak and pathetic. She'll give up on me, people always do."

"Whoa whoa, little one," She'd replied. "I can't quite understand what you're saying yet. But you're not pathetic, alright? You're adorable, and quick, I've yet to see anything dodge like you do. I think your main issue is a lack of self confidence, and we can work on that. One day, you'll be a masquerain to be reckoned with, I promise you. I'll never give up on you. At worst, you might spend a little time in the box, but only because I'm helping someone else get stronger."

And then She hugged me. I'd never been hugged before, and I kinda liked it. Still, I'm not going to lie. The training was hard, but it paid off. Eventually I was sent into battle against a whole poochyena. Not just see what Red or Shenzu were doing, but to actually fight it. She was counting on me, and I tried really really hard and it paid off. I took him down and made him and his trainer run for the hills. I was so impressed, I could have danced. Red was proud of me, and told me he'd known all along I could do it, and Rosemary was really supportive. Anyways. After that, we headed out of the forest. It took a while to get out of there, but we did manage, with some scientist guy in tow.

Rustboro though. HUGE. Even Red was speechless, for a few minutes anyways. There were so many stone nests, and some even had more than one family living in it. Still. The science guy left eventually and we headed for the pokemon center. It was nice and cozy there, and we spent the night. The next day, we woke up later than usual. Eliza apparently had decided to let us sleep in and had left to do Arceus only knew what. I knew She'd be back off course, Red was still here, and she wouldn't abandon him.

"Morning all," Red said, a few moments later.

He apparently had decided not to wait for Sym to wake up. It was a good thing I guess, or we'd have been waiting all day. She was either sleeping or eating. I'd yet to see her train seriously or get in a fight for Eliza, and our Trainer was too nice to force her to do something she didn't want to.

"As you can all see, Eliza's left already. She told me that she was going to go check out the gym, see what she we were up against, and that you guys deserved a break. Now that she's gone though, we have a rare opportunity to talk without her knowing every words we're saying."

Oh boy, that really ticked off Rosemary. She puffed herself off, glaring at him like he didn't have a type advantage over her.

"You seek to deceive our trainer? You? I thought that you adored her, that you would do anything for her. I have never misjudged someone this badly. I never thought that you would be talking behind her back like this."

"Ye-yeah!" I replied. "Why would we keep anything from Her, huh? She's the greatest thing that's happened to me and I'm not going to lie or hide anythin'" I replied.

"Calm down," Shenzu growled. "You're both newcomers so you don't know what's what yet. Just let Red finish before you jump to conclusions."

We did calmed down, and shushed. Shenzu had a point.

"As you know," he started as if he'd never been interrupted. "Our trainer is one of the Chosen, with all that it entails. When I'm done, if you don't feel up to the task ahead, just tell her that you'd rather be released, or sent away. I won't think any less of you for it, and neither will she. I'm with her until the end. Shenzu, well, she'll be leaving us soon. She has to report to Birch. . . and Lord Mew."

His next words were shocking. I was shivering by the time he was done. I understood why he wasn't telling her what Lord Mew had told this "professor". But . . . that changed everything. Sticking around would almost be a death penalty if she made just one mistake. She didn't understand. Couldn't understand what was at stakes.

"Why her?" Rosemary asked. "She has a heart of gold. This. . . what you're talking about . . . It could very well destroy her."

"I know," Red said softly. "It's why I'll stick around. I'll do my best to protect her, no matter what. But she can't know. Understood? Not yet."

"I won't say anything," I said. "But I'm not going anywhere. She . . . She believes in me. I'm not going to leave her just because I'm going to die and -"

"Die? Why would you ever believe that you're going to die?" Rosemary scoffed.

"I'm weak, Rosemary. Eliza is one of the Chosen. You know what happens to us when we faint. We never wake up. It's only a question of time."

"No one is going to die onmy watch," Red said, and for a moment I swear that I saw the shadow of the blaziken he would be one day and we were all silent after his statement.

Thankfully, I was prevented from answering by Eliza's return. She smiled at us all when she saw us sitting in a corner.

"Alright guys. Roxanne isn't at the gym right now. She's gone with the rangers to Petalburg Woods to investigate, see if they can find that Aqua grunt, we're not the only ones who've run into them. Which means. . ."

"Training!" Red exclaimed, looking once more like an overly eager torchic.

Had I imagined him getting all serious a moment earlier? No. I was sure I hadn't.

"Sure thing Red."

"Hmm, miss Eliza," a voice said.

We all stopped, trying to figure out who'd spoken before we realize it was Sym. I don't think I'd heard her talk until now.

"I'd rather not having anything to do with fighting if that's all the same to you. Don't want to get hurt, you know?"

"Oh. Well. I won't force any of you to fight if you don't want to," she replied, and I'd been with her long enough to see that her feelings were hurt just a little. "You want to stay here for now if you like."

"That's be nice. I can nap if the others aren't here yacking at each other, yes?"

"Sure. That's a good idea," She agreed.

There wasn't much more to say to that, and we followed Eliza. She was lost in thought for most of the way there, Red trying to cheer her up, Shenzu at her side, Rosemary and I trailing behind. We were silent for a while, each of us lost in our thought when she spoke.

"Red doesn't trust her. He thinks she's up to something fishy."

For a moment I was lost. He didn't trust Eliza? But then I realized she was talking about Sym. I hadn't realized that Red didn't trust her, but then again, I'd been feeling pretty lousy myself.

"Ah." I replied lamely. "But she's one of our team mates, right?"

"Well, yes. Of course. But she's also the only one that has yet to fight or get really involve in our training. She simply watches, or sleeps, or eat. She never tries to interact with us. It could simply be because she's just lazy but. . ."

Her voice trailed off and she didn't finish her sentence. I wanted to know more though, but kept quiet. If she wanted my opinion, she would have asked for it. Sensing that I wasn't going to say anything, she sighed.

"Remember, if you would, what Red said. Lord Mew has appeared to this "professor" and enlisted his help in getting Eliza started. I do not usually make a habit of trying to understand their minds, but I am certain that there are rules to follow. If Lord Mew was given permission to interfere, even if it was indirectly, do you not think that it means that They have done so already? Or perhaps They were preparing to do so. What better way to undermine our trainer than by sending a spy in our party?"

I shuddered at the thought. Could Rosemary be right? And whats more, what I didn't dare voice just yet was that a spy sent to undermine Eliza wouldn't be quite so obvious, right? Should I mention it? What if she was the spy? What better way to through suspicion off than by pointing out that there might be a spy? But a decision about what delayed. He came out of nowhere, blocking our path forward.

"You!" the nincada roared, "Are you the one foretold?"

"Say what?" Eliza asked. "What are you on about?"

"You cannot lie to me. No, you cannot. Send forth your champion to do battle, I must see for myself if you are worthy of my service," he demanded.

With a resigned look, Eliza chose Red. It was a short and brutal fight, the nincada no match for him. He was soon pinned under his claws.

"Very well," he gasped. "You have proven yourself worthy of my skills."

"Listen bug. I handed you your ass. You had better show Eliza more respect, cool it with the demands or you'll see what happens when I get serious."

"Red, that's enough," she said, using a pokeball to capture the nincada. "I'm sure he didn't mean to come across the way he did. Plus, you had an unfair advantage over him, don't you think? He's pretty young, and you're almost ready to evolve. It wasn't a fair fight."

"Sorry, Liz," he said, looking a bit sheepish. "I just don't like it when people -"

"NO! COME BACK YOU CROOK!"

We all turned towards the cry and saw that scientist we'd met in the wood trying to catch up to. . . the same Team Aqua grunt. He held a briefcase in his hand and a pokeball in the other. I woulda frowned if I had the muscles to do so. Hadn't Eliza said that the Rangers and the Gym leader were in Petalburg Woods? She must have realized the same thing, because it didn't take long before she realized there really was only one person that could do anything about it.

"Sorry dad," she said, before taking off and following him.