Pocket-Hime
Author's Note, this began as a part of my Splices of Life series, but it grew in my mind and demanded I continue it beyond that. So...enjoy.
Chapter I:
Shizuru sighed as she walked along the path that led ever further from her home in Pallet Town. Her penchant for being calm and relaxed had finally caught up to her. She'd arrived late to the Child Center where all of the other prospective Hime had generated their prospective Child already. Her longtime rival, Haruka Suzushiro had apparently generated a strange electrical yellow mouse that she called Pikachu.
"They've all got quite the head start on you," Professor Oak had informed her. She waited patiently as the Professor had hooked her up to the machine which would create her Child, a creature based on her inner self, to do battle with the other trainers and achieve the rank of Master. What Shizuru generated was something that had never been seen or classified before. Most Child creations fit some sort of template in the Hime-dex. This creature, which now slithered along with her, was something no one had ever seen before. It was a large behemoth of a beast with a metallic purple luster, the body of an octopus, and six writhing tentacles with serpentine heads. "Kiyohime," was how it identified itself.
Now, a few hours walk later, and Shizuru came to a fork in the road, trying to figure out where to go, Kiyohime at her side.
"Hmm," Shizuru pondered, "To the left or to the right? Which would you choose, Kiyohime?"
Two of Kiyohime's heads pointed to the left. Two of them pointed to the right. And the remaining two pointed back in the direction from which they'd come.
"You're of many minds about things, I see," Shizuru sighed, "Well, so am I. However, in this instance, I believe that we will fall back on an older method."
Shizuru picked up a stick and held it between the two paths. She let the stick fall, and it leaned to the right-hand side.
"That is our path," She said. She began to walk along when she sensed a presence near her. Wild Orphans, then? Orphans were regularly collected and processed at Child Centers, where they would adapt to the trainer most suited to them. Indeed, a trainer was expected to capture as many wild Orphans as possible and turn them in to the Child Centers to make money for their travels.
"Kiyohime, defend," Shizuru said as she sensed something moving towards them in the tall grass beside the road.
Kiyohime reared up, three of her heads spraying a scalding hot steaming venom from their mouths that scorched the grass where they sprayed. There was a horrific screech, and a huge form reared up out of the grass. It was immense, and it was birdlike and powerful.
"A Yatagarasu!" Shizuru marveled, "I've only ever read about these things. They supposedly have…"
There was a blinding streak of light, and the ground behind Shizuru and Kiyohime erupted in flames.
"…laser breath," Shizuru concluded with a sweatdrop running down her face, "Kiyohime, your ChildOrb, now!"
Kiyohime was not fast enough to outrun a flying opponent, and she presented too large a target for a creature that could spit laser beams at them. Kiyohime had already expressed disdain for the red and white ChildOrb, but she was an obedient Child, and vanished in a burst of red light into the Orb. Shizuru then ran, dodging and bobbing and weaving, hoping she didn't give the Yatagarasu any sort of a pattern to figure out. Nevertheless, the winged monster gave chase, and it wasn't alone. Others of its kind rallied to its initial cry of alarm.
"My first day as a Child trainer, and it might be my last," Shizuru muttered, "I would give anything for a decent cup of tea, right now."
~~*~~
Natsuki Kuga was enjoying a restful day fishing by the river. Her sisters, Alyssa and Miyu, were watching over the Child Gym in Cerulean City. She'd taken advantage of the lull to ride her motorcycle as far out into the boonies as she could with her rod and reel. She kicked back, closing her eyes, listening to music. She was wearing a yellow crop top, red suspenders, and a pair of denim shorts, her sneakers on the rock beside her as she dipped her feet in the water. Her Ducati DR.III was parked just off the road behind her.
Her tranquility was shattered by the sounds of several creatures nearby cawing angrily, and sudden bursts of flame and light in the woods nearby. Natsuki stood up quickly, slipping into her sneakers and began reeling in her line as the sounds got closer. She growled obscenities under her breath as she had to cut her leisure short, but it was better than having her life unexpectedly cut short. She also made sure her ChildOrb was at her side, ready to go in case she needed it.
She was rather surprised to find a tawny-haired young woman with crimson eyes snagged on her line in the river. She quickly pulled out a knife and cut the fishing line, then ran to the water's edge to help pull the young woman to safety.
"Thank you," the young woman sputtered, "I almost didn't make it. The Yatagarasu…They're coming!"
"Yatagarasu?" Natsuki looked alarmed, and then saw the darkening sky, and heard the clamor of angry Orphans.
"Step back," Natsuki said, "Come forth, Duran!"
"Duran! Duran!" the ice-type Child pronounced as he sprang from his ChildOrb.
The first Yatagarasu rounded the corner in the river, it's scarlet eyes taking notice of the group gathered on the riverbank. It opened its mouth, a bright light building in the open throat.
"Duran, load Chrome Cartridge!" Natsuki commanded, "Fire!"
Duran obeyed without hesitation, and two shells flew from the cannons on the Child's flanks. Duran's aim was true, and they hit the Yatagarasu head on, dropping him unceremoniously in the river. Before Natsuki could celebrate her victory, however, five more Yatagarasu came around the river bend. All of them opened fire at once. Their beams went wide, and Natsuki heard the explosion, before she turned to see her motorcycle, or what was left of it, now a twisted scrap of molten metal on the side of the road.
Natsuki drew a pair of six shooters from her hip holsters, "That tears it. Duran, fire at will."
Natsukie fired from one gun, then the other, intermittently, aiming for the Yatagarasu's eyes. Duran, in the meanwhile, was unloading shell after shell on them. Before long, all of the Yatagarasu had fallen.
The young woman she'd pulled from the river approached her.
"I'm so terribly sorry about your bike. I was being followed by Orphans, and my Child managed to irritate them before I knew what they were. I can have my family send me the money to buy you a new bike, Miss…"
"Natsuki," she said, "Natsuki Kuga, and you are?"
"Shizuru Fujino," She curtsied.
"Well, Shizuru, nearest town is Veridian City, 'bout three hours that way," Natsuki nodded down the road, "But the nearest motorcycle dealership is in Pewter City. If we're hoofin' it, that's two weeks away. So…I guess we're gonna be spending a lot of time together."
"Again, I am sorry about your motorcycle."
Natsuki waved her hand, "Don't worry. It wasn't anything I was super sentimental about. But it was a time saver. And a foot saver, too. We'd better start walking."
Shizuru nodded, "After you."
They started their long trek to Viridian City, walking side by side. Natsuki kept Duran out, just in case other Orphans had any further ideas.