The first ten chapters lay out the groundwork. Now we'll focus on another eon whose actions will definitely affect what happens with Tsunami and Lily and the others…
Chapter 11
"Master Palkia… this is the future as I see it."
The dragon type narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure you couldn't have seen something else instead, Mesprit?"
"No. I am certain my lord. Have I ever failed you before?" The small pink pokemon floated in the air in front of him.
"I-I suppose not… if that is so…"
She frowned. "Something is bothering you… what is it?"
He was silent for awhile, before speaking again. "Something happened there… Zapdos was stopped. He didn't look injured, but he didn't want to talk about whatever had happened." He huffed. "Zapdos is a capable legendary. For something to have made him fail his mission…" He shook his head before walking out of the room.
Mesprit blinked. Could… no… it couldn't be… but… only… could it be the others? Could they be receiving help from the fallen legendaries? No… of course not… their cause is hopeless… yet if they are… that will affect my visions… She shivered.
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"And that class, is how to generate the most propulsion behind a hydro pump."
"BORING!" shouted someone from the back of the class.
Azura sighed. She turned to Luna, her friend who sat next to her. "Even though that was mean thing to say, I think Ms. Ronel could make class more fun…"
The Umbreon twitched her ears. "Tell me about it. Sitting here forever…"
Azura herself was a Glaceon, having just celebrated her 17th birthday.
"Class is dismissed. You! Come see me right now…" The teacher called to the student who interrupted, but Ms. Ronel's voice was drowned by the bustling students grabbing their books and running out of the door. Azura and Luna both followed the mob of students running out.
They stepped outside onto the stone walkway and looked up at the surface. "Have you ever wanted to leave the city?"
Luna shrugged. "Not really. We don't really know what's out there. The mountains seem kind of scary as well, don't you think?"
"Yeah… a big ball of sand…" Azura sighed. "What should we do?"
They were both residents of Undira, a city that was built below the sea. Kyogre, a benevolent legendary, had built it for them. They had stone buildings built along the seafloor. Occasionally, fish Pokemon would swim in, which was always rather unfortunate. Typically, most residents were water types in this forgotten city, aside from themselves and a few others. Azura arrived home after bidding Luna goodnight.
"Hey mom…"
"Hi sweetie." Her mother gave her a kiss on the cheek. Her mother was also a rare non-water type; a Sylveon. "How was school? Oh dear, look, the sun is setting already!"
"Where's daddy?"
Her mother sighed. "He's still out working… your dad said that he'll be home as soon as possible." Under her breath, the Sylveon added, "Whenever that is…"
"Alright…" Azura's dad was another non-water type citizen; he was actually a Luxray. "Hey mom, do you need help washing the clothes?"
"Oh, that'd be nice… thanks sweetie." The two of them began scrubbing their dresses. "So… have you been thinking about what we've been discussing?"
"Yes mom… I still don't feel ready…" A month back, they had received a letter from a wealthy family. Arranged marriages were common, but that didn't mean Azura had to agree with it. Still, her parents were busy, and sending her to school was expensive. Her mother worked as a lampmaker while her dad was a spokesperson of Kyogre.
Her mother gently added, "I was your age when I married your father. Our marriage worked out well."
"Mom… I know you and dad are struggling, and I'll try to be open to this… but he's just not my type…"
"Eh? He seems nice and…"
"Mom! He's 14! I can't marry a kid!"
"Well, I mean…"
Azura sighed. "Come on mom. At least you and dad are close in age."
"Age doesn't matter…"
"Of course it does! He's probably really immature! I mean, guys are all babies, so if you marry an older one, it's not as bad as marrying a baby! You even said that dad can be a whiner sometimes!"
"Well… your dad is a good husband. He takes care of us all."
"I'm not questioning dad. But what if he's not like dad?"
"What if he's bett-"
THUD.
Both females turned to the door. "It's probably your dad," huffed the Sylveon. She opened the door, then stumbled backwards after seeing who it was. "Ah! It- I mean, my god!"
Azura looked to see who it was, and screamed. Lying outside their door was a bloody Pokemon, so badly mauled they couldn't even tell what kind it was. "H-h-help… p-please… nghh…"
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Even after washing up the Pokemon, they could barely tell what kind it was. He was handsome, yet… they just couldn't tell. He wore a tattered, blood soaked robe. Her mother was getting some towels for the Pokemon, whom they agreed was a guy, though neither of them checked. Azura narrowed her eyes when she saw a broken chain around his foot, digging into his skin. Along the metal was the number, 2789. What could that mean? "Mom?"
"Yes?" Her mom turned around.
"What do you think this means? A tag on a chain that says 2789… it's like he's the 2789th Pokemon…"
"I don't know…" They had found a bow and some arrows strapped onto his back, but there wasn't much else on him, aside from a few coins. He bore a strange burn mark right where his heart would be, where the tissue looked almost burnt.
"Who are you?" asked Azura, half to herself.
"Maybe you can ask him when or if he wakes up…"
"Yeah…"
She looked at his arrows longingly. She was good in school, but if there was one thing she was really skilled at, it was archery. Some of her friends said that she should become a protector of the city, since she could fashion her own icicle arrows. But she knew what her parents wanted from her, and that was to gave a nice, solid job with a rich husband. She didn't blame them. Still, something kept pushing her towards arrows and archery… instinct or whatever.
"You can go to sleep you know, Azura," said her mom without looking up. "I'll take care of him."
Azura yawned. They had been taking care of him for awhile now, and school had been tiring. "Alright then… goodnight…" She slowly lay down in her bed, but couldn't sleep. Something was in her stomach was nagging her… that Pokemon wasn't a native of the colony. The clothes he wore… the bow he wielded… it must be from the upper world. Then, of course, she began to think about the upper world; something that was occurring more often. She wanted to know what mountains looked like or how the sun looked when you weren't deep beneath the sea. And she wanted to know what snow felt like; she expected that she would like it.
She got up and looked out the window. He bedroom overlooked some other houses, and she could see the moonlight shining into Undira. "Pretty… but I want to see the moon unveiled…" She sighed. "Like that's ever going to happen…" Every so often, sailors would fall in, and eventually settle into the community. But leaving was tough; a lot of water stood between them and the surface; or so Kyogre warned.
She sighed. She probably wouldn't ever get a chance to leave this undersea prison. She tightened her nightgown, and slipped under the sheets. One day… one day…
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"You sleep well honey?" asked her father
"Yeah. Just…" She realized she had forgotten about the mysterious Pokemon. "Where'd the injured-"
"I'm here." She spun around to see the Pokemon staring at her. His eyes were intimidating, as if he were planning how he would kill her. He had flowing blond hair, and she noticed his bow was next to him again. He was sitting up, with a cloth against his chest.
"Excuse me… may I ask what species you are? I've never seen…"
"I'm a Manectric." Aside from those killer eyes and some gashes, he was pretty good looking; nothing special, but quite handsome really.
"Sir, you've still never told us your name-" started her mother before she was interrupted.
"My name doesn't matter." He turned away, as if thinking about a painful memory. "It's no more… but if you really want to know, it's Luke."
"Luke… you're not from around here… but how did you get here?"
He blinked, then sighed. "You deserve an explanation for saving me, and I'm eternally grateful. I would not like to go in depth, but I am from the upper world… may I ask where this is?"
"You're underwater," said Azura
He froze. "I'm… excuse me?" he asked, sounding confused.
"Yeah. You're in Undira… a colony under the sea, made by Kyogre, a legendary…"
He flinched at the last word. "Under the sea you say… well, the legendaries' powers are to be feared."
"So… what are you going to do?" asked Azura's dad. "Stay here?"
He shot a surprised look at the Luxray before growling. "Of course not. You have shown me utmost hospitality, but I've got unfinished business above the sea."
"What's it like?" blurted Azura.
"Excuse me?"
Ignoring the surprised glances from her parents, she added, "You know… above the water… like, how is it up there?"
"Well, Ms…."
"Azura!"
"Ms. Azura, up there is wind and more sunshine. Wind is…"
"I know what it is…"
"Come on Azura, don't bother him. He's probably tired."
The Manectric shrugged, then said, "Well, I should probably be going…"
"How do you plan to get to the surface?" asked Azura's father.
"I… haven't really thought about it…"
"If you like, I could try check with Kyogre to get you to the surface. He could create an air bubble to transport you…"
"He can do that?"
"Yeah. Here, you can come with me to work."
The Manectric picked up his bow. "That'd be great. I've got to find my friends when we get up quickly." He bit his lip. "I bet they're already looking for him again…"
"Who's him?" asked Azura, but the two electric types were already walking out the door.
"What's up with you, Azura? You seem so curious about the top…"
"I… I want to know what it's like up there… I want to feel snow on my skin."
"What?! You want to leave here?! You want to leave us?"
She realized what she was about to say. "Y-yes. I want to visit the surface."
Her mother didn't speak for awhile. "Azura… you can't leave us. We won't let you! You'll drown the moment you leave the bubble! Are you crazy?!"
"Mom. Please let me go up with Luke!"
"No!" she shrieked. "I can't lose my only baby!"
"Mom! I've already made up my mind!" She quickly grabbed her bow off of the table, and ran out of the door.
"Azura!" shouted her mother behind her, but she was already running off.
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"Dad!"
"No! You will not go into that bubble!"
"But dad-"
"NO! NO NO!" shouted her father. "You cannot leave, Azura!"
"But- no…"
Her dad was holding her back. At the last moment, she was about to run into the bubble when her father stopped her. He had got her into a lock, and she couldn't escape. Luke watched from the bubble slowly rising. He waved at her sadly. "You must stay with your parents, Azura."
Then the bubble left the air pocket, and her father let her go. Azura looked up at the bubble rising, then looked at the side of the air pocket. Could I somehow…? She ran to the side of the pocket, and heard her father yell. She took a big gulp of air and burst through the air pocket. Even though the salt water burned her eyes, she felt calm. She pushed off of the sandy seafloor, and remembered launching herself to the sunlight. In the distance, she saw the large bubble getting closer, but she was slowing. She slowly felt her lungs begin to burn as she felt herself running out of air. She tried swimming up to the bubble, but she knew it was too late. I've got no regrets… this is to feel the wind on my skin, fell the rain, feel the skin… And she felt her vision begin to fade…
Alright, a new character introduced! What role will she play in the big scheme of things? Read and review! And thanks for waiting!
