Didn't really like the ending to my first chapter... Oh well! Also, there's a hint of SinnohShipping in here... I don't own Pokemon! Now let's get started!
Chapter 2: Troublesome Finds Starly!
I was back at home now, Piplup was wandering around the first floor and my mom was making me some congratulatory hot chocolate and sandwiches while I told her about what had happened. After setting them down on the counter in front of me, I began plopping marshmallows into the mug when my mom started speaking herself. Her Glameow which used to be her favorite Contest Pokemon, now the family pet, jumped up onto the counter and I began petting her.
"Wow." She stated. "So that's what happened, huh." I silently nodded my head. "You and Jun are lucky to have met Professor Rowan. Imagine if you hadn't... I don't want to think about what could have happened out there." Thank Arceus for me that mom wasn't mad at us going so far. She was understanding like that. Jun's mother was too, but only by force because she knew that there was nothing she could do to stop Jun. "Hikari, go visit Professor Rowan and thank him properly. I have some cookies that you can take to him." I knew she wasn't asking me, I just had to do it. "You can head over to Sandgem Town tomorrow morning.
Afterwards I returned Piplup to his Pokeball, and then I went into the bathroom and brushed my teeth, then headed up through the hatch and into my room. I changed into some comfy pj's and plopped down onto my bed. Staring at Piplup's Pokeball, I had the feeling that he wasn't the Pokemon for me.
I'll ask Jun to switch with me tomorrow. I mentally added that to the to-do list in my brain. Looking up at my wall, I saw something that I hadn't notice in years, and somehow hadn't gotten buried underneath other papers. A picture I had drawn when I was a little kid. Two actually. One was a badly drawn Turtwig. The second was of me standing with a fully evolved Torterra.
Weird, I thought to myself. How could I have known that I would pick a Turtwig all the way back then. Oh yeah, I'm like, psychic or something...
It was morning. I was already dressed and had my winter garments on. I had an overnight bag packed because I assumed that I would be staying the night in Sandgem. Mom had made breakfast earlier and given me the cookies I was to take to the Professor. Piplup was already in my arms as I walked out the door into the frigid outdoors.
"Hikari!" I turned around to see my mom in sweat pants, slippers, and an apron running towards me from the house. "I almost forgot these!" She handed me a box that was unmistakable as Poke Foot shoebox.
"New shoes! What kind!?" I may be a different kind of girl, but that doesn't mean I don't love new clothing!
"Brand new pink running shoes!"
"Thanks mom!" I tackled her with a hug.
"You're so very welcome Hikari." She returned my embrace. "I'll take them home for now Hikari. I'll give them back once you return home."
"Bye mom."
"Bye Hikari. I love you."
"Love you too mom." I couldn't imagine how she felt. Her little girl that had been judged, ignored, and ridiculed her entire life, leaving home for the first time. We both knew what this would lead to. I was going to go on a journey away from home, and soon.
I made my way over to Jun's house, but Mary told me he wasn't home, so I left to Route 201. As soon as I left town I recognized the crazy blonde hair of my childhood friend.
"Too slow!" Jun grinned and ran over to me. "Hikari, I'm sick of waiting for you! So you're going to thank Professor Rowan properly too, huh?"
"Yep. You wanna walk together?"
"I was planning on running, but alright! Oh, I almost forgot!" Oh no. I mentally face palmed myself. "You know that lake where we always have played at?"
"Lake Verity?"
"Yeah. You know how they say that a legendary Pokemon lives there?" I nodded my head, recounting all of the stories and legends I'd heard about Mesprit, the Pokemon supposedly living in the lake. I'd had quite a few visions of Mesprit and the other two legendary lake Pokemon.
"Now we're going to catch that Pokemon for Professor Rowan! I'm sure that'll make him happy!" I smiled, knowing very well that we would never catch that Pokemon, at least not now. "Me and you together Hikari, we've got nothing to fear!"
"Alright Jun, let's go." We started walking to the east, where the lake was. After about fifteen minutes of talking about our new Pokemon and walking, we came across a small trail going through the woods, the entrance to Lake Verity.
"Alright, we're here! Get ready for the most awesome battle ever!" Jun grabbed my arm and started dragging me through the woods but I stopped him.
"Jun, I almost forgot! Would you mind switching Pokemon with me? I don't think Piplup and I are working out so well..."
"Sure! Turtwig's cool and all, but it just doesn't do anything." We exchanged Pokeballs and we both released the Pokemon.
"Piplup!" The prideful Piplup placed his flippers on his waist, but then looked kind of confused when he realized that he was with the wrong trainer.
"Piplup, you're going to stay with Jun for a while, kay?" The blue penguin nodded his head. "Hi Turtwig!" I smiled at the quiet grass type, and she smiled back. If you asked my how I knew that it was a girl, I wouldn't know. I could just tell. I picked her up and we started heading down the trail. We had to stop a lot though because Piplup kept tripping, him and Jun weren't a good match either. Jun was fast and impatient. Piplup was far too slow for him... At this point Jun had returned the water type to his Pokeball. Jun would probably end up taking Chimchar. I liked Turtwig. Finally, we could see light and a clearing up ahead.
"We're really here!" Jun raced ahead of me, and into the bright light. I myself came off of the trail. It had been a while since we'd been to Lake Verity, and it was gorgeous as ever. The clear blue water looked so pure! "What the?" I looked at Jun, wondering what he was talking about and he pointed ahead of us.
With his back to us, a man wearing a really weird outfit and blue spiky hair was staring out across the lake. Then he started talking. I don't think Jun heard him, he was almost whispering, but I heard clear as day. As if I was supposed to hear it. As if I had too. Those words he spoke that day are forever imprinted in my mind.
"...The flowing time..." Oh no, I thought. My vision was getting blurry. An image flashed in my eyes, preventing me from seeing anything else. It looked like some kind of huge blue Pokemon. "...The expanding space..." Another image. This time a large white and pink Pokemon. I was beginning to shake. Turtwig looked up at me, slightly concerned. "I will make it all mine one day... Cyrus is my name." Suddenly several images sped through my mind, terrible images causing me to whimper. Nightmares of a horrible, scary man. "Remember it..." I took a step back. "Until then, sleep while you can, legendary Pokemon of the lake bed..." Suddenly the images stopped. I was still shaking, sweating, holding my head. I'd had another vision. I hated them with all my heart. I hadn't noticed the man walking towards us.
"Allow me to pass. Step aside." He was asking us to move out of the way to leave. I looked up, then realization hit me like a ton of bricks. I know him. I couldn't place it, but I'd seen this guy before. And I didn't like him. He stared at me. His eyes were cold, heartless, black.
"Hikari, move." Jun whispered to me. My hands fell to my side, and I stepped aside, looking down at the ground so the man couldn't see my eyes. Finally he left.
"What was that about? Huh, weird guy." I nodded my head, still shaking and sweating, despite the freezing weather.
"Y-yeah, weird guy." I managed to stammer out, trying to shake off the effects of my vision. One of the few things that I didn't like about Jun was that he rarely noticed when I had my visions. Though he can sometimes make me feel better by making me laugh afterwards, it bugs me sometimes...
"Whatever, let's go catch that legendary Pokemon Hikari!"
"Kyauuuun!" A strange cry interrupted us both. And we looked around in surprise. Jun run ahead a few feet to look around before running back.
"Did you hear that Hikari!? That must've been the legendary Pokemon! This is our chance!" I couldn't believe it, was it actually here? Was Mesprit actually here?! "CRAP! WE DON'T HAVE ANY POKEBALLS!" While Jun frantically searched his messenger bag, I saw a disturbance in the water. I looked to see what it was, and saw a strange translucent being hovering over water. I couldn't tell exactly what it was, and before I knew it, it had flown away.
"Man, I guess we lost it, huh? Hey Hikari, do you think if we asked Professor Rowan he'd give us some Pokeballs?" I wasn't paying attention, just staring out at the lake. "You remember what he said, don't you?"
"Huh, uh, yeah." I replied.
"He said to visit him at his lab if we needed anything." Jun wasn't even talking to me anymore, he was talking to himself. I looked down at Turtwig who smiled sweetly at me. "Alright Hikari! First one to the Professor's lab in Sandgem Town rules!" And with that Jun was gone, already racing towards Rowan's lab.
Still carrying Turtwig, I left Lake Verity and started heading towards Sandgem Town. Eventually I got to the point where I wanted a snack, so I left the main path and began looking into bushes and trees searching for berries or fruits.
"How hard is it to find fruit in a tree?" I mumbled to myself after ten minutes of searching, I mean, it was only February, but come on! Suddenly Turtwig jumped down from my arms and started walking further into the forest. "Turtwig?" I followed her and five minutes later I stumbled into a small clearing, and in the middle was an island in a stream. And on that little island was a huge tree. Ancient almost.
"Wow." I stared at it as Turtwig drank from the stream, her leaf almost getting greener and healthier as I watched. The tree was full of fruits and berries. The Pokemon here seemed okay too. I could see some Bidoof and others all around, there were probably more around during summer. As I began to walk across the small ice dotted stream, I reached down and pet Turtwig's moist shell. "Thanks girl."
Thank Arceus my boots were waterproof, cause when I reached down to feel the water it was freezing. Like more freezing than normal winter water...
Now on the small island I looked up at the ancient tree. It was amazing how it still had ripe fruit on it. I started climbing, and finally got close enough to see that it was full of Magost berries. Magost berries are very sweet and super delicious! I was careful to keep a firm grip while I reached for one of the berries. Finally, I grabbed it, then placed it into my bag. I continued to take berries for myself and Turtwig until I noticed a small Starly watching me in the tree.
"Um, hi there little guy! You want a berry?" I reached out my hand with a berry in my palm, gesturing for the flying and normal type to take it. Then that flying rat let out an ear-splitting shriek right in my freaking face! "Stupid Starly..." I mumbled, trying to keep my cool while climbing down the tree.
That's when my dumb luck ran out. I glanced up only to see a humongous flock of Starly, hundreds of them, along with a few Staravia and one Staraptor flying out of the tree and straight towards me. I practically flew to the bottom of the tree, dropping several berries as I went and splashing across the stream and grabbing Turtwig.
"Time to go Turtwig!" All of the Pokemon around scattered and I realized that I had no idea of where we were. So I just started running in some random direction, hearing the flapping of hundreds of wings above me. Suddenly tons of the Starly started using fury attack straight into the forest, almost hitting me many times. Arceus were they mad. Needless to say, when they starting doing that I started screaming. Then, of course I had to run into a clearing and a dead end. The dead end was a cliff and over the edge was, you guessed it! The ocean!
I started backing away from the edge, but the huge flock was right there. The Staraptor appeared flying up from below the cliff.
"Raaptooor!" I clenched Turtwig tighter in my arms, stepping back. The Staraptor opened it's beak and was getting ready for an unmistakable move. My eyes widened and I frantically looked around for an exit. Turtwig was scared too, I could feel her shaking. Suddenly a bag of something flew in front us, landing between me and Staraptor. It distracted it enough so it stopped it's Hyper Beam attack. Then it exploded in a dark green mist that smelled like freaking rotting egg shit. The flying type Pokemon quickly dispersed, and left me coughing, trying to get the hell out of there.
My eyes were watering, and I couldn't see anything. My foot slipped just then, and I realized that I was falling off of the cliff. But before I could scream, something roughly pulled me up. Roughly enough to almost dislocate my shoulder... So much for my savior, right? Then I was doused in some kind of liquid that was not water. Turtwig just stood on the ground next to me staring in shock. I did the same, my dark blue eyes wide in shock at the ground, on all fours.
"You can get up now." A male's voice harshly told me. I slowly looked up, and could see the silhouette of someone, the sun was blocking my vision. Squinting my eyes, I put my hand up to block out the sun. He was tall, taller than me, though most guys I know are. He was wearing a blue and black jacket with the collar up. His hands were jammed into the pockets of his grey pants. His tennis shoes matched his jacket, blue and black. He had plum colored hair and his eyes were a dark onyx color.
"What the hell was that!?" I jumped up and confronted the guy. He raised an eyebrow at me.
"I just saved your life." Now I was pissed off.
"Yeah, by throwing a stink bomb at me and dousing me in, in, whatever the hell that was!" He narrowed his eyes at me.
"It was an antidote to the stink bomb that makes you smell not like shit. You're lucky I even bothered to use it." I suddenly felt kind of stupid. I blushed a little, embarrassed, then rubbed my arm and looked at the ground. Finally I decided to say something else after crossing my arms.
"Well, can I at least know your name so I can say-" I sighed. "Thank you?" He raised an eyebrow at me again, then closed his eyes and started to turn around, but before he did he replied.
"No."
"What kind of-" I started yelling, but was interrupted by whoever the hell this guy was.
"Tch, if you weren't so troublesome then I wouldn't have had to save you from a bunch of little birds, so no little girl."
"My name is Hikari!" But he was already heading in the opposite direction. I looked beyond him and saw that Sandgem Town was that way.
Great, now I have to follow JerkyMcStinks a-lot all the way to Sandgem. I could go the long way and go back through the woods to find the road... Yeah, and meet up again with Staraptor and friends. So I picked up Turtwig, sighed, and, while still soaked, moved just behind the plum haired guy towards town. Eventually he stopped and just barely turned his head to see me walking behind me.
"Why are you following me?" If threw up my nose in protest.
"As if I was! I'm going to Sandgem Town too." He looked back in front of him and continued walking. I realized that I was freezing. I ran up besides JerkyMcStinks a-lot, with a tinge of red in my cheeks, embarrassed that I had to ask him, but I could basically feel the blue in my lips.
"H-hey, you wouldn't happen to h-have a towel, or blanket, would y-you?" I had started shivering from the cold, but managed to smile at him. He barely looked at me before quickening his pace.
"No." I stopped in shock at how cold he was.
"Well Turtwig, I guess w-we'll just have to ask someone else." I kept walking, on my way to Professor Rowan's lab in hopes that he'd have a blanket and dryer. After entering Sandgem Town I was happy to see that the townspeople were very kind, saying hello and pointing me in the direction of the Prof.'s lab. But then again they didn't know what I was.
Finally seeing the lab, I was about to head over, but bumped into the Professor's kid assistant. Lucas, right? And when I say 'bumped into', I mean literally bumped into him.
"Oh, so sorry!" The papers he'd been holding floated to the ground.
"Sorry." I mumbled, helping him pick them up.
"O-oh, it's you! Hikari, right?" I nodded my head, managing a small smile. Lucas' cheeks grew redder than they already were from the cold.
"And you're Lucas, the Prof.'s assistant right?" I asked.
"Y-yeah. Hey, are you alright?" I got a little confused. "You look cold. I-I mean like, colder than you should be in February here, and you're kind of wet and all..." He finished quickly, rubbing the back of his head.
"W-well, I got wet and-" I was violently shivering now.
"Here Hikari, we'll get you some dry clothes and get you warmed right up!" He smiled at, and gestured for me to take his hand. I did, and Lucas led me to a two story nice looking house right across the street.
"Lucas, you're back so- eearlyyy." An older man that I assumed was his grandfather's speech altered after he saw me walk into the house hand in hand with Lucas. "So, who's your friend there, eh Squirt?" Lucas reddened.
"Gramps, don't be like that. She's just a friend... Her name's Hikari, and she got wet so I was just going get her some dry clothes and stuff." A small girl ran downstairs to greet us as well.
"Lukie!" She ran up and hugged him. "Ooh, Grampa, Lukie has a girlfriend!" I giggled at the child's (I assumed that this was Lucas' sister) speech and nickname for Lucas.
"Come on you guys. Hikari, come on upstairs." I followed Lucas upstairs and in front of a bathroom. "You have some clothes that you could change into?"
"Yeah, I have some in my bag."
"Okay, well you get changes and I'll put your stuff in the dryer." He Lucas smiled sweetly at me with that twinge of red in his face. I went in to the bathroom and shut the door, grabbing my pajamas out of my bag.
They weren't the cutest pajamas I had, but they were comfortable and warm. It was a long, pink nightgown. I left my red leggings on, then exited the bathroom and Lucas took my clothes to put in the dryer. He came back upstairs and I was sitting on his bed.
"It'll take about half an hour. Sorry Hikari, I know you were on your way to say thank you to the Professor."
"It's alright, it's not your fault anyways Lucas." I smiled at him, and he started to blush again.
"So, um, if you don't mind me asking, how did you get all wet? I mean, i-it's not the time of year to go swimming." Lucas nervously laughed.
"Well, to make a long story short, Turtwig and I (who was in my lap) got attacked by this huge flock of Starly and Staravia and one Staraptor. Then the rudest guy appeared out of nowhere, and yeah, he saved my life, but come on! You could at least be nice about it! And then he did the kindest thing by dumping some weird liquid on me so I wouldn't smell from his ridiculous stink bomb!" Now that had really gotten me going. Lucas even looked a little scared.
"Wow, uh, what a day, huh?" He nervously laughed again.
"So Lucas, are you a Pokemon Trainer?"
"Well, I'm usually with Professor Rowan helping him out and all, but yeah! I only have one Pokemon right now though..." He looked off into space.
"Can I meet him?"
"Uh, sure!" Lucas clumsily took a Pokeball off of his belt and released it, revealing a familiar clumsy blue Pokemon.
"A Piplup!" I pet his head, it was adorable! "It's not the one that the Professor had with him though, right?"
"Right. I've had Piplup for a while now, but he never listens to anything I say." Lucas sighed.
"He will someday. I think you two will make a great pair eventually." Piplup was in my lap now, after having pushed Turtwig out, eager for attention.
"You think so?"
"Mh hm." I replied. Half an hour later I was back in my regular clothes and had on my winter stuff. I was carrying Turtwig and Lucas and I were laughing all the way to the lab. He was actually a really nice guy!
And of course, just as Lucas was opening the door a being in orange and white ran into me.
"Jun!" I practically screamed in his face from where my butt was firmly planted on the ground. Jun rubbed his head and tried to figure out what was going on.
"What the... Oh it's you Hikari! That old guy, he's not so scary as much as he is totally out there! Well, me and Chimchar are out of here!" And with that Jun was gone.
"Well..." I said. "I guess we know what Pokemon he chose..." Lucas helped me up and we went inside.
"Hikari! Glad you could make it. We'll continue in just a moment, just after-"
"Professor, I'm here for my Pokedex." I turned around to see...
"Why is he here?!" I shrieked.
"Oh, it's you Troublesome."