Warning: Possible triggers, mentions of suicide, and psychological images created by my OC's mind.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon, nor do I own any other OC appearing in the story outside of Alita.
Chapter 3
A loud mixture of clanging and ringing echoed throughout the clearing, pulling Alita from her bliss as she yelped in fear, tripping over herself as she tried to jump and run. Pyrrha squeaked in surprise, suddenly squished under Alita's overlarge jacket. Matilda snorted in amusement, putting down the dinner bell by her backpack and gracefully walking over.
Crouching down, she held a hand out to the tiny rookie. "Need a hand there?"
Timidly nodding, she hesitantly put her hand within the elder's, squeaking at the sudden tug. Matilda didn't look surprised at her own strength, easily catching her.
"Dinner's ready if you want to eat." Matilda stated, amused. "Might wanna hurry if you want to beat Cleo to the stew." Blinking, Alita looked at the pot, noting the Espeon hungrily eyeing it. As if perfectly timed, her stomach grumbled like thunder, eliciting another surprised squeak.
Matilda snorted. "Yep, you're definitely yearning for that stew. C'mon, you need to get some meat on those fishbones!" Alita hesitantly nodded.
"O-o-ok…"
Matilda beamed, striding over to the iron pot sitting over the dying embers of the fire, one of the few sources of light in the quickly darkening area. Matilda's team lazed around the open space, each obviously having grabbed bowls for their own share of the food. Pyrrha let out a muffled yip, bounding over with two bowls in her mouth.
The Fennekin stopped before her, fluffy tail wagging and eyes bright as she set down one and continued to hold the other in her mouth. Alita blinked. "I-is th-that f-for me?"
Her partner nodded, another muffled yip letting loose behind the wooden bowl. Alita, letting out a shy smile, carefully crouched down and picked it up, cradling it within her hands. She let out a small smile.
"Th-thank y-you…"
Pyrrha gave as much as a grin as possible, padding over to her side and nudging her leg. Alita let out a shy giggle, walking over towards the pot. She felt a soft tug at her heart, but ignored it like she had before, cautiously walking forward to the pot. The fire fox walked alongside her, Matilda's own Pokemon starting to get up for the food.
Said Trainer's grin broadened, the tips of her blonde hair and bronze skin like molten gold in the last dying light of the fire as the silvery moonlight started to peek through the dark clouds. The light also illuminated the steam steadily rising from the stew, curling up and twisting before softly fading away. Alita let out a brief cough as the remnants of smoke drifted in her nose with one breeze, the uncomfortable heat pressing against her exposed skin.
Matilda casually scooped up the handle of the ladle lazily sitting in the iron pot, the rich, creamy stew within pleasantly sitting within. With a gesture of her hand, Alita shyly held out her wooden bowl, steadily held between both her hands. The elder gave a casual smile, leaning the ladle. Alita nearly stumbled, she didn't anticipate the amount that had actually been within.
A chuckle broke the silence of the night. "Next!" Matilda called out. Before Pyrrha could step forward and take her share as Alita stepped aside, Cleo raced forward, split tail twitching in the air with excitement as her purple eyes gleamed with greed. The elder Trainer snorted and calmly pushed the Espeon to the side. "Not so fast, cutting means you gotta go to the back."
Amber snorted from her place at the back of the line, her mane like the sun in the darkness of the night. Matilda tutted and shook her head jokingly as her Pokemon shifted in seemingly annoyance.
"Honestly, you all should be used to Cleo's antics by now." Matilda playfully scolded, turning back to face tiny little Pyrrha. "Do you still want some?"
The Fennekin's eyes lit up and she nodded happily, holding up her bowl. Matilda's eyes subtly softened and she grinned cheerfully as she poured less than what Alita had received, making it easier for the tiny fox to trot over and set her bowl beside her equally tiny Trainer. Alita gave a shy smile from where she sat a little further from the group, setting the bowl stably on her lap and her left hand crept out to gently pet her starter's head.
Pyrrha let out a squeak of content, helping herself to the stew as she took her first bite. Her ruby eyes lit up in obvious awe and joy before she heartily helped herself to the food. Alita stared down at her own bowl, the untouched stew still barely steaming. She stared blankly at the swirling ingredients within, mind racing as she tuned out the world in her indecisiveness of what to do. Thoughts floated about as inward panic set in at realization. How would she pay Matilda back? Should she eat such a large proportion? Did she really deserve it?
Her trance was broken by the loud claps of steps beating against the earth and the flicker of flames, a wave of heat pressing against the skin unprotected by the large folds of her enormous jacket. She looked up, looking into the flickering red eyes of Amber. The Rapidash stood there unwavering, before, to her shock, laid down, putting down her own bowl while staring at her expectantly.
Alita blinked in confusion before realization hit her and she unsteadily looked down. "Sh-should I…" She nervously looked back at the equine-like Pokemon, eyes wide with fear and confusion. Amber nodded patiently, before her head slowly drifted down and took a simple sip. She rose back up and looked her at expectantly.
Alita picked up the simple little spoon that sat there, still uncertain before her mind became resolute. Closing her eyes, she quickly scooped a bite and bit down. The warm, wonderful sensation of flavor hit her tongue, perfectly thick with rich spice and meaty flavor. A shiver of warmth trickled down her spine, humming softly in appreciation as she scrunched her eyes shut.
She missed the looks exchanged between Pyrrha and Amber, the Rapidash's own of amusement and the Fennekin's of happiness. The tiny little fox then proceeded to yip cheerfully, nuzzling her muzzle against Alita's leg. Her eyes slowly opened from her bliss, her visible green eye dazed and confused from being pulled from the wonderful sensation. She blinked before realization set in and she blushed in embarrassment, eyes flicking down to the ground as she shrunk in on herself.
Amber looked at her with a look of satisfaction, nodding to the tiny Trainer in respect. She then turned back to her own meal, snout practically buried in the bowl.
Alita's eyes flickered to the rest of the group, where Matilda's team cheerfully were eating away. Said Trainer noticed the younger of the two looking their way and shot her a cheerful grin, beckoning her over with her hand. The tinier of the two shrunk in on herself, shyly twiddling fingers as she looked away.
Once again, she missed the look of legitimate concern sent her way, the sad look in her partner's eyes as one accomplishment was washed away by another obstacle.
Lily the Lilligant looked at the newest member of the group and back to the warm pot of remaining stew. With a rare resolution, the Grass-type graceful glided over to Alita, blue leaf-like 'arms' tied together in worry, pink flower-crowned head lowered in silent sign of submission as her grassy hair hung around her frame.
The tiny teen blinked, slowly withdrawing into the grey folds of her jacket as she stared at the new arrival. Lily nodded shyly to her before stepping aside and sitting down next to Alita. She blinked in confusion at the Grass type, slowly peeking out of the hood.
Matilda and her team, understanding what Lily was doing, slowly rose up and moved to individual spots around the tiniest human there. The older Trainer herself swung her form down to beside Alita, not even blinking as she dug into her soup. Cleo's lithe form could momentarily be felt pressing against her jacket before she lazily laid down, a loud purr escaping her throat as she stayed there on her back with belly exposed to the world.
Phoebe calmly looped around the near entirety of the group, head laying to rest upon the soft grass patch that conveniently growing there. The other Pokemon started drifting off around her, Amber's mane faintly dimming as her head merely laid limp. The remaining heat provided comforting warmth all around, the Pokemon with full bellies slowly drifting off.
She looked down at her soup, still uncertain. The wooden surface barely felt warm against her numb fingers, the soup starting to look not as appetizing as before. Her eyes started to drift shut, ears barely catching the soft sigh to her left and the missing feeling of wood against the palms of her hands as she fell asleep.
Alita blinked, hair shifting in the breeze as she overlooked a brilliant blue sea, sun high in the sky as the world felt quiet. The comforts of her jacket were gone, but that didn't really matter as the pure sereneness of the scene loosened the tension in her entire form. The cries of Wingull echoed through the quiet cliff side, grass tickling her bare feet as she looked out happily.
But that sudden long call of an Absol turned her blood cold as it streamed down her back, body tensing and shrinking in herself as she knew what would happen next.
The light of the sun vanished, the afternoon sky replaced by a moonless night as the waves below became turbulent. Shivering in terror, she slowly turned, the foreboding red eyes of her mother towering over her. She knew.
The familiar screams, of how she was a disgrace, her weakness, a mistake, every true thing about her. Other voices joined in, echoing throughout her mind. Her father. Her parents' friends. The faceless people who walked by on the streets of Lumiose whom she only had minute glances of. Tears streamed down her face as Alita collapsed onto her knees.
A deep, rumbling voice broke through, soothing. Just jump, little one, and it'll all be over. She felt warm, as though wrapped in the light of the sun.
The rushing water below lured her in like a siren's call, entrancing her as she didn't even realize she stood up and took steps closer and closer to the edge. Just before her bare right foot could step on thin air, the bark of a Fennekin woke her with a jolt.
Alita nearly screamed, trembling and tears rushing down her face as the brilliant ruby eyes of Pyrrha stared at her with wide eyes. Her eyes flickered away from her partner, wildly peering all around her.
The light of dawn peeked through the trees, the dark sky lit brilliant gold with soft touches of pink blush upon the fluffy clouds sitting in the sky still. Snores broke the silence as Matilda's team continued their peaceful sleep. Pyrrha's fluffy fur rubbed against her cheek, anchoring her back to reality.
She softly sniffled, weakly moving arm to press her hand to the Fennekin's cheek. "S-s-sorry…" she whispered softly, glancing down in shame. Her partner cooed, pressing closer as Alita's heart gave a soft tug.
Carefully, she stood up, jacket sagging from the morning dew. Her hair was damp, the cool strands pressing against the skin of the left side of her face. Flicking her eyes about as she looked for the most peaceful way out of the slumbering group.
Before she moved, Alita crouched down, shyly offering her shoulder to Pyrrha. The Fennekin instantly leaped on, the gold medallion of the Amulet Coin giving a soft thump against the thick jacket. The tiny Trainer slowly rose up, avoiding the trouble of having the tiny creature on her shoulder fall off.
Taking a deep breath, trying not to tremble in anxiety, she took her first step.
The toes of her left foot softly brushed the grass by Matilda's head, the mere tips only touching as she lifted her right and gently turned to the space between Cleo and Lily. She continued her little dance out, giving one final leap as she broke free of the group.
Looking back in worry, Alita tensed in preparation for the intense scolding the older of the two Trainers would give her. Instead her face was peaceful, drool slowly streaming out of her mouth as she let a rather large snore, foot randomly twitching. Relaxing, but still tense, she carefully made her way to her abandoned bag on a log not too far from the fire pit.
The white bag had grass and dew stains along its exterior, the soft clinks of the contents inside letting her know nothing had been removed. Pyrrha quickly bounced over to her left shoulder, she shifted it onto her right and cautiously made her way back to the main path of Route 4. The slowly wilting flowers of the gift from yesterday drifted down from her unwinding braid, leaving a trail of petals in her wake that fluttered along in the wind.
The trees stood like solemn guardians between the clearing and path, skeletal branches barely covered in arms looking as though they were trying to each out to each other, desperate. Red leaves still clung to them in a few spots, like open wounds. Some drifted down with the cold wind, twisting like drops of blood as they stained the withering grass of the forest floor. The light of dawn barely touched the trees, casting long shadows that practically devoured her whole.
She shrunk in on herself, shivering as she tried to envelop herself in the protective confines of the jacket. Pyrrha pressed against her neck, the warm fur of her ears heating up the cold skin of her cheeks. Alita's grip tightened on her bag strap, pulling it closer to herself as she gripped her wrist with her open hand. Looking down, images of her dream flashed before her mind.
The rocks below, the grass upon the top of the, the shadows of all those people...
She blinked back her tears, trying not to sniffle as she looked back up. Alita was nearly there, the sight of the dirt path nearly blocked by the trees. Her pace quickened, whispers starting to echo in her mind.
Just before she reached the path, a tree root caught her foot, causing her to trip.
She crashed onto the path of Route 4, the jacket taking the blunt of the loose pebbles sitting here and there, the hard-packed dirt worn over from travelers banging against her knees. Her hands, which she had thrown out to catch herself, spiked with mild pain, a few scrapes here and there. Pyrrha had thrown off with the impact, the Fennekin leaping to her feet. Vivillon and Fletchling resting in the branches above took off with the clang of the items within her bag.
She whimpered, struggling to get up as tears started to peek through. She looked up and her mind felt blank. What was she going to do now? Would she go to Santalune City? If she did, she would have to battle the Gym Leader, where she would then have to battle as many Pokemon along Route 4 as possible before she hit it. She didn't want to hurt innocent creatures. If she didn't go, the only place to go back to was Lumiose, where her parents would train her even more harshly, something she couldn't handle at it easiest.
As tears started to stream down her cheeks, a soft and unfamiliar coo echoed to her right.
Her head whipped up, taking in the sight of the tiny Pokemon shyly hiding amongst the roots of the tree beside her.
It was absolutely tiny, looking a worm with a segmented body, its brown exoskeleton contrasting with the reddish-pink nose and feet. A sharp needle stuck out of its head, with one that looked more like a hook on its tail. Black eyes looked tearful, and a bruise on its side made her twitch in realization.
"I-I-I-I'm s-s-so s-sorry!" She yelped, whimpering as her body shook, desperately reaching out. The little Pokemon flinched, hiding deeper under the roots.
Pyrrha crawled under her, ears tucked to her skull as she looked at the tiny human in worry. Alita shook with her tears, looking down as she cried.
"I-I'm s-s-sorry! P-p-please, I w-w-want to h-help y-y-you." Her voice lowered to whisper, tucking in on herself as the whispers in her mind intensify. They screamed and yelled, telling her for all she was worth.
As her mind screamed, a soft bump on her cheek scattered it to the wind.
"Wee?"
She blinked, her vision returning as Alita looked at the odd Pokemon, who bumped her cheek with its nose again. Her voice barely returned to her as she whispered hoarsely, "A-are y-y-you okay?"
The tiny Pokemon nodded, letting out a soft squeak. Pyrrha slowly walked out from under her, nose twitching as she sniffed at the other creature hesitantly.
The Pokemon tilted its head, Alita slowly sat up and drew her bag closer to her, pulling out the untouched red rectangle within.
The Pokedex opened up, blue glass whirling with lights as it scanned the Pokemon.
"Weedle, the Hairy Bug Pokemon. Often found in forests and grasslands. It has a sharp, toxic barb of around two inches on its head."
The Weedle squeaked at the sudden voice of her Dex, nearly fleeing into the trees. Alita, without even thinking, reached out and pressed her hand as carefully as she could to his cheek.
"Ssssshhhhhhh," She whispered softly. "It's okay, nothing is going to hurt you."
The Weedle whimpered, shaking a bit before relaxing into her hand. She stroked his cheek with her thumb, avoiding the barb. Soon the tiny Bug type loosened all the way, giving soft squeaks of content. Pyrrha yipped, leaping into her lap and gave her begging eyes.
Alita softly giggled and used her free hand to scratch behind the Fennekin's ear, said Pokemon squeaking in content.
A sudden buzz filled the air, and she looked up with wide eyes to Pokmon she didn't even need hr PokeDex to know.
Beedrill.
Sudden horror filled her as she realized that she had hurt one of their offspring, and thy didn't care if it was an accident or the Weedle was okay. An intruder was an intruder in their minds.
She curled in on herself as she shielded her head and neck with her arms, pulling her bag as close as possible as a fail-safe. She felt Pyrrha squirm out froom under her belly and the soft tap of paws fitting the ground before heat suddenly filled the air.
The alarmed screeching of Beedrill made her look up and Alita's eyes widened at the sight before her.
The Bug types all screeched as what looked like a meteor shower of tiny fireballs cascaded against their vulnerable exoskeletons, some retreating with burns. Pyrrha had a fierce look in her eye as she unleashed her Ember, and the Beedrill slowly trickled back into the woods in fear.
Alita then realized the Weedle hadn't left, his shivering frame tucked close into her side as it tried to burrow its head into her jacket. But she ignored the tiny Pokemon as she stared with wide eyes what had been there before.
Did Pyrrha willingly hurt Pokemon to save her?
The Fox Pokemon slowly crept back to her lap, looking up at her with innocent eyes. She looked down, and ruby eyes lit up and the Fennekin's tail started to wag.
She blinked back tears and she slowly tilted her head, Alita whispered, "I-i-is i-it r-r-really o-o-okay?"
Pyrrha tilted her head in confusion, blinking up at Alita.
"T-t-to b-battle? T-t-to h-h-hurt o-other P-P-Pokemon?"
The Fennekin perked up in realization, ears up in alert as she slowly nodded. Alita looked to the side, the wide expanse of forest that she knew goes on for miles and miles. The trees and earth were filled with Pokemon. Were they as aggressive as the Beedrill? Or as kind as the Pokemon who played with her?
Alita shook her head, scattering her thoughts. No one liked a philosophical girl.
She scooped the two Pokemon up, Pyrrha giving a mere yip of surprise before settling down and Weedle squeaking. Careful of the barb, Alita walked over to the tree that the bug had been hiding in the roots of and placed him down on the lowest branch she could reach (and she had to jump).
Weedle squeaked, tilting its head in obvious confusion. Alita gave a hesitant and forced smile.
"Th-this i-is wh-wh-where y-you l-live, r-right?" She asked softly, twiddling her fingers as her fox partner looked up. "I-I-I th-thought y-you'd l-like t-t-to b-be b-back in y-your t-tree b-b-before I-I left..."
Weedle squeaked before hopping back down, landing on her head. Although he didn't even really weigh anything, Alita blinked in surprise before looking up.
"W-w-was th-that n-not y-you're h-home?"
Weedle nodded and she frowned in confusion. "I-i-if th-that's y-your h-home, then wh-why?"
Weedle squeaked, curling up on her head and thumping his head down on hers. She blinked, confused. Why did the little Pokemon fall asleep on her head?
Pyrrha let out a small giggle and she looked down, tilting her head at the fox while she frowned in confusion. "Why are you laughing?"
That just prompted the fox to giggle even harder, evolving into full-blown laughter. Alita blushed in embarrassment.
"D-did I d-do s-something wr-rong?"
Her mind fluttered about as she tried to figure out what she did, the Weedle asleep on her head while her Fennekin was sprawled across her shoulders laughing. Suddenly a thought fluttered in.
"Sh-should w-we g-give h-h-him a n-name?"
Pyrrha perked up and yipped excitedly, fluffy tail wagging. Maybe she was getting onto the right track after all...
She frowned as different ideas for names raced about. Sting, Atropa, Apotoxin, Kronos, Aris-.
She tensed before slowly looking up at the Weedle. "Wh-what if w-w-we c-call h-him Aristaeus?"
Pyrrha tilted her head, ears twitching at the name. Alita blushed.
"I-it's l-like y-your n-n-name, i-it's fr-from an old st-story I r-read." She explained softly. "Aristaeus w-was th-the B-B-Beedrill and C-Combee-keeper of th-the L-Legendaries..."
Her partner squeaked and nodded approvingly. Alita gave a shy smile. "I-I-I m-might c-call h-him Ari f-for sh-short..."
Pyrrha smiled back and looked up at her head. She looked back up too and realized the newly-christened Ari had woken up with sparkling eyes. She blushed even brighter, a small squeak of embarrassment escaping her lips.
"Er-r-rrr, h-hello?" She offered shyly.
Ari squeaked happily, jumping down onto her shoulder and nuzzling her cheek. Alita remembered what a name entailed.
"I-if I-I-I c-call y-you Ari, th-th-that means y-you'll h-have t-to c-c-come a-along," She murmured, breaking the moment. She turned her gaze to Ari, uncertain. "D-d-do y-you w-want t-to c-c-come along?"
Aristaeus squeaked happily, nodding vigorously. Alita softly smiled and grabbed her bag, pulling it close as she dug through the contents before bringing out a shining red Pokeball.
"L-l-last ch-chance." She squeaked in an attempt of warning. Ari disregarded it, booping his nose to the white button before turning to red light and being sucked within. Her heart seemed to freeze as she refused to breath, the Pokeball wobbling in the palm of her hand as the button flashed red.
As though a millenia later, sparks erupted from the button, the Pokeball clicking shut all the way as it stood still. A large smile spread across her cheeks. She tapped the button.
"C-come on o-out, Ari!"
The Weedle happily popped out in an arc of white light, materializing on her shoulder. He squeaked happily and her smile stayed in place instead of melting away. Pyrrha yipped happily in welcome, giving a big toothy grin.
"W-w-welcome t-to th-the t-t-team, I-I-I g-guess I sh-sould s-say..." Alita said softly. Ari squeaked, nuzzling her cheek. "D-do y-y-you w-want t-to st-stay out or i-inside y-your P-p-pokeball?"
Ari blinked before cuddling closer to her neck, his barb accidentally inches from her neck as he looked at her innocently, squeaking.
"O-outside th-then?"
The bug nodded cheerfully, the rest of his body curling around her neck as Pyrrha shifted to give him a little room. Alita's smile turned shaky for a split second before she laughed softly.
"I-I-I'l t-take th-that as a y-yes."
Pyrrha giggled and Ari gave a soft squeak before settling down. She looked to her fox partner, voice low and soft. "D-d-did h-he f-fall asleep a-again?"
The Fennekin nodded, tail brushing her long pink hair and Alita gave a small wince as it caught on a tangled knot.
"I-it's o-okay." Alita reassured before Pyrrha could yelp out an apology, untangling the fluffy tail from the strand of her hair. "I-i-it's n-not y-your f-f-fault th-that I-I d-din't b-brush m-my hair."
The Fennekin still frowned in concern, a spark of realization flickered to life.
"O-oh!" She exclaimed aloud, before she harshly lowered her voice in a fearful whisper. "S-sorry. I-I j-j-just r-realized I-I-I l-left m-my b-brush a-at h-h-home..."
The Fennekin's eyes widened in realization before her ears lowered, a sad frown across her face. Alita gave a sad smile.
"I-it's o-okay," She murmured gently. "I-I-I c-can b-buy us each a-a-a b-brush i-in S-S-Santalune C-ity..."
Her eyes widened and her heart froze, blood running cold as a voice called out. "Alita! Hey, where are you?! Alita!"
She had totally forgotten about Matilda.
Without even thinking she ran into the trees on the opposite side of the Route, Pyrrha yelping as Ari slept on, Alita holding her bag close to her side as she tried to convince her partner without words to hide in her hood. Pyrrha stubbornly held onto her shoulder, claws she didn't know the Fire Type had digging into her jacket and sliding uncomfortably against her skin.
Thuds followed after her, clearly Matilda on foot. She ran even faster, fear taking her mind as she just ran.
She didn't even know how long she did so, her thuds like drums as the wind carried creaking leaves, the snap of loose twigs underfoot and the scampering of the tiny local Bug Pokemon rushing for cover, the flutter of wings. A melody played in her head, quick and long, her body numb to the world.
The song was broken by the touch of long arms wrapping under her own arms, letting out mixture of a squeak and gasp as her body was lifted up.
Pyrrha yelped, claws desperately grabbing for a hold as she nearly slipped off her Trainer's shoulder. Alita winced and Ari let out a squeak of confusion followed by a yawn, the Weedle poking his head out of her hair as he blinked at the concentrated Matilda before registering the 'threat'.
Matilda yelped as suddenly her face was assaulted by a wave of String Shot, nearly dropping Alita as the younger of the two flailed her feet in fear.
The elder realized how terrified the younger was and set her down, worry etched across her face. "Alita, it's okay! Please, calm down, I'm not going to hurt you!"
The other whimpered, eyes wide as she shook and silent tears started to stream down her face.
Matilda lowered her voice, taking on a soothing tone. "Sssshhhhh, it's okay. Nothing's wrong, I'm not mad at you, can you at least explain why you have a Weedle in your hair?"
Alita let out a keening whine, still shaking before her voice stuttered out, uneasy and higher in pitch. "I-I-I... I-I-I a-a-accidentally h-hurt h-h-him w-when I-I-I l-left a-and I t-t-tried t-to h-h-help..." She gasped for breath, eyes half-glazed in fear. "Th-th-there w-were B-B-Beedrill a-a-and P-P-Pyrrha d-drove th-th-them o-o-off a-a-and I-I-I c-c-caught A-A-Ari, h-h-he w-want t-to ride o-on m-my sh-shoulders..."
Matilda relaxed as the younger calmed down, the tears barely poking out of her eyes as the tear tracks dried, her body barely shaking. The elder gave Alita a soft grin, Pyrrha relaxing onto her now stable shoulder as Ari popped up onto her head.
"I-I'm s-sorry," Alita whispered softly, head lowering in shame. "I-I sh-shouldn't have w-wandered o-off..."
Alita blinked when a chuckle escaped Matilda's lips. She turned, lifting her head up and frowning in confusion as the elder looked on in
"Who would've thought you'd be able to run this far and be barely out of breath!" Matilda exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. "Most beginners don't have endurance like that."
Blood rushed to her cheeks, her eyes flickering to her ground as she buried the bottom half of her face in her jacket.
"Apology accepted by the way," Matilda piped up. "Even though there really isn't any reason to. You're a Trainer, the entire reason you're out here is to explore after all. Just lemme know if you plan on heading out before I start racing about trying to find you while Amber is huffing and puffing and the rest of the team are whining for food."
Alita gave a hesitant smile, squeaking out. "Sh-should w-we h-head b-b-back t-to y-y-your c-camp?"
Matilda grinned and shook her head. "Nah, I packed up anyways before I started the search and besides," She pointed behind her to something in the distance. "Why go back when you got this far?"
Alita turned around, her eyes widening at the sight before her eyes.
Santalune City sat across an open field, the thin path of Route 4 stretching straight through as the golden grass shimmered in the noon sunlight. Short buildings stretched around, and she could see a fountain sitting in the square even from there. Her smile nearly faded as she remembered what lay ahead.
She didn't want to battle. But what did she have to go back to?
Author's Note:
Aaaahhhhh, isn't the smell of a new chapter great? Surprise!
I'm so sorry for not updating since May, my laptop broke, I got it fixed but it only worked for ten minutes because someone forgot to plug in the cord for the cooling fan! So please, if you have lost interest in the story after all this time? Always reread and find why you found it so interesting.
Apologies also if it seems terrible, I've been writing this chapter when I've found bouts of inspiration, but I DO have basic summaries for each Arc of the story, which will be different parts of the story (kind of like the anime Fairy Tail, where each Arc contributed to every stretch of their journey). We are currently in the Introduction Arc (as I refer to it), and Chapter 3 is either the final chapter or second-to-last before I start the Santalune City Arc. There will be Arcs for every city/town, although I might combine some like Ambrette Town and Cyllage City or Geosenge Town and Shalour City. As for the chapter itself, I feel as though I haven't pegged Alita's character right, or if she stutters too much.
Also, welcome Alita's first new addition, Aristaeus the Weedle! I was so excited to introduce him, he's based on an actual Beedrill I raised up in a rerun of my Pokemon X game and one of my best partners. And before anyone points out Weedle can only be captured over in Santalune Forest and Route 3, I'd like to point out that this is a mixture of the games and anime. Therefore Weedle are most likely to be found in regular forest environments. And another thing, keep eyes open for the rest of her planned team!
Question of the Chapter: What are your predictions for Alita's future team, based on her personality and the story itself?
Leave a Review to let me know how I'm doing and what I can correct, a Favorite if you enjoy the story, and a Follow to get notifications for whenever I update! And thank you for all your patience and the reviews you have left me!
Special thanks to this chapter go to SomeoftheFame, Shiny Eeveee, The Awkward Trumpet, Charon the Red, CalzoneCannon, and The 6th Spectral King!
Matilda belongs to Quake Shatterfist.
~Oly In Flight