Chapter 17- Castelia City First Day

Author's Note: I am leaving the poll open for one more chapter! White, Hilda, or Touko? So far, I have three votes for White. If any do not want that name to be used in the story. (Note that if you voted before I opened the actual poll, I lost those votes. I am sorry. Wait…are they in the reviews? I will go hunting after the chapter.) This is your last chance!

Sophie: Is White going to win in a landslide?

Key:

Eevee/Sophie speaking

Psychic speaking

XxXxX- change of point of view

xXxXx- simple line break

On to the story!

xXxXx

The sun was setting by the time we reach the other side of the Skyarrow Bridge. All of us were so exhausted by the day we'd had that we were drooping.

We were glad to see the Poke Center as soon as we entered the City. Less than a block from where the bridge ended, it was perfectly placed for the weary Trainers that arrived from the long bridge.

We made our way to the Center, and as they rested our Pokémon, we asked about getting a couple of rooms.

"Oh, there are no rooms in this Poke Center." Nurse Joy said.

"What?" T asked, sure that she had misheard what the nurse had said.

"All Trainers who need a room go to the building just around the corner. There, you can get a free room for a least a week." Nurse Joy told them. "It's a skyscraper, like so many buildings in the city, so it's got plenty of room. You can each probably get your own room! Here, you Pokémon's health is fine now, but you should let them rest for the night."

"Resting is all we plan on doing tonight. Thank you for telling us about the hotel." Tim told her with the rest of us nodding in agreement.

"Um, Nurse? Why don't you house the Trainers here like all the other Poke Centers?" I ask as I refastened my poke balls to my belt.

"There are just so many Trainers that pass through the city daily, that there wouldn't be enough room to have them stay here comfortably."

Understanding, we thanked her again and left to find the hotel. When we went around the side of the Poke Center, we spotted a sign outside of a skyscraper that read 'Trainer Hotel'.

As we entered the tall building, we saw many Trainers in the lobby. Some were checking in, some were checking out. We approached the front desk to check in.

A harried looking secretary stood on the other side of the desk. When she glanced up from the computer, she did a quick head count of our group. "Four? Okay, we have four rooms next to each other open on floor 11. Room numbers on the key cards, have a nice stay!" And with that she turned to the next group of people wanting her attention.

We look at each other as we shuffle into a slightly more out of the way area.

"Well, at least there's an elevator, cause I am not climbing any stairs." T states, glancing around at the mass of people that keep the lobby noisy.

"I agree. If there wasn't an elevator then I would just be sleeping in the lobby." Jen steadied me as I started to sway. "Now, I think we had better get up to our rooms before we all collapse. Sophie? Can you make it to your room, or does one of us need to carry you?"

"I'm fine~~~!" The last syllable is drawn out as my eyelids drop again

XxXxX

I couldn't help but smile as the tiny girl fell asleep in Jennifer's arms. The exhaustion that had stained her face despite the way she had tried to hide it faded away as she started to slumber.

"I'll take the kid. Tim has his Egg, so Jen, why don't you get the doors?"

Timothy closed his mouth on his protest when I reminded him of how his hands were already full.

Jennifer carefully passed the kid to me and took the key cards from my hand.

We wormed our way through the crowd to the elevator, managing to get there just as a group was disembarking. Somehow securing the elevator for solely our group, we start up to floor 11.

I look at the kid- no, the child- slumbering quietly in my arms. "She was so tired she forgot she wasn't talking to us."

Jennifer laughed. "You're right."

Timothy leaned against the side of the elevator and sighed. "I suppose that we can just figure out what we're doing tomorrow, tomorrow. I think we're all dead on our feet."

"Agreed." Jennifer said around a yawn. "Who's going to put Sophie to bed?"

"I'll make sure that the kid's comfortable. I'll just need help getting her in her room."

"Let's put her in Room 1107. Tim, you okay with Room 1108?" Jennifer flipped through the key cards and examined the numbers written on them.

"Yeah, that's fine." Timothy blinked sleepily at her.

"T, you okay with Room 1106? I'm fine with either, but 5 is a lucky number for me." She focused her gaze on me.

"Whatever. It'll be nice to not have to go far after I get her to bed." I shrug, not caring what room I had.

"Oh yeah, we need to make sure that Sophie's Xtransceiver is at least charging." Timothy rubbed his eyes to fight sleep off for a little longer.

"Why?"

"Her family- well, her big brother really- is fairly protective. It died at the beginning of her journey and he was frantic when she finally called." A half-smile appeared on Timothy's face. "He's around fifteen years older than her and used to be Champion."

"Sophie doesn't want to follow in his footsteps, though they're both Breeders. Anyway, it's probably best to just make sure that her Xtransceiver is always charged." Jennifer yawns again as she speaks.

The elevator finally reaches our floor, and we find it thankfully empty of other Trainers. We head towards the kid's room first, where Jennifer opens the door and Timothy brings the kid's bag into the simple room.

I place the kid on the bed as Timothy fixes her Xtransceiver into the hotel provided charger. Jennifer roots around in the kid's bag and pulls out a set of pajamas. She then chases Timothy out and helps me change the slumbering girl. Once the kid was changed, Jennifer bid me good night and left to find her own room.

I considered just tucking the kid under the blanket and heading off, but my eyes landed on her belt. Shrugging, I brought it back over to the bed and let the Eevees out. I then carefully withdrew the Egg from its pouch and placed it next to the kid.

The kid automatically curled around it in her sleep. Avon and Dusk cam and curled up next to the kid and the Egg, while Ivy and Jolt curled up on other parts of the bed. Dawn spread out above the kid's head to sleep. Smiling at the sight unconsciously, I left the room after turning out the lights.

I went across the hall to the room where I would be sleeping. Identical to the kid's, all it contained was a bed, a dresser, a chair, and a door to a bathroom with a shower, toilet, and sink. There was also a few large pillows, a perch for bird Pokémon, and an aquarium for Pokémon that wanted to remain in water. The bare essentials.

I slip Sky's poke ball out of my pocket and gently place it on the pillow before releasing the rest.

Saphronia is a good child. Sky spoke from her poke ball.

Using her full name? She's just a kid, Sky. Sorry I can't let you out for a bit. I reply as I began to change.

So? It is a pretty name. Sky replies, amusement coloring her voice and I'm fine in here. It's quite comfy.

I guess. I sit down and watch as my Pokémon explore. She's said there's a store where we can get your chain fixed. We'll try to find it tomorrow.

Apatite quickly climbed up onto the bed and went to sleep below Sky's poke ball. Disaster, my Absol swiftly carried my Horsea Azure to the aquarium before curling up in the chair while Elegant the Swablu teased my Minun with the largest pillow. Lightning finally came crying to me to get the pillow.

After settling Lightning on the pillow and Elegant on the perch, I went to sleep myself.

XxXxX

Apatite woke with the dawn as always. When he saw that everyone else was sleeping he pouted. Then he noticed the key card to the girl with the Egg's room. His Trainer had held onto it so that it wouldn't get lost before the girl woke up.

Apatite grabbed the card and quietly went across the hall. Hopefully the girl wouldn't mind if he stroked the Egg. It was so smooth and shiny. He could hardly believe that there was another Pokémon growing in it.

As he quietly entered the room, he turned to look for the Egg. What he saw made him freeze. He quickly, but still quietly left the room.

He went back across the hall to get his Trainer. When the door he knocked on finally opened, it was not his Trainer, but the boy that they were now travelling with.

At the point of just needing someone, Apatite tugged the boy over to the girl's room and opened the door.

XxXxX

When T's Munchlax had pulled me over to Sophie's room, I had not known what to expect.

It wasn't this, though. Never this.

Lying on her side, curled in a half circle, Sophie was still deep asleep. Lying draped over her legs was Jolt, light sparks jumping from spike to spike as she dreamed. Ivy was curled against her back while Dawn sprawled above her head. Dusk was curled in front of her, rings glowing faintly. Avon was draped across her stomach.

What was most surprising was the sixth Pokémon that was curled nose to nose with Sophie, sleeping soundly in her arms.

Quietly I leave the room to wake T and Jen. Maybe one of them has a camera.

XxXxX

A flash wakes me up.

Grumbling slightly, I try to rub my eyes, but something warm is holding my arms down. I sit up and send Eevees tumbling.

"Wha's going on?" My voice is still slurred by sleep.

"Sophie, look at your lap." My foggy mind is not sure who spoke.

I rub my eyes and look down. I rub my eyes again. And again.

"Why are there two Avons?"

My mind slowly waking up, I hear T snort. "Your Egg hatched kiddo. And I am so glad that Jen had that camera."

"Never travel without it!"

"We need to make a ton of copies of those pics." Tim commented. "How many did we take?"

"Fifteen before she woke up." Another flash. "This is just too cute."

The fog of sleep finally clears from my head and I understand what has happened.

I look down at the Eevee in my lap. Avon and Dusk are busy sniffing and examining their first child while Dawn bounces around us. Ivy and Jolt are off to the side, still mostly asleep.

As I start my own examination of the new born, a new voice enters my head.

Sleepy… The young, male voice clearly belonged to the one curling up in my lap about to go back to sleep.

It seems like all you've been doing is sleeping. I'm glad I finally heard your voice. I silently speak to him as I run my hands over his sleek fur. On his left hip is a mark that looks like a small flame. You're definitely going to be a Flareon then.

Speaking aloud, I decide on his name. "Emberdream. Welcome to the world."

xXxXx

"All righty. Now we just have to figure out where that shop is." T kept her hand in her pocket, not wanting to risk the chance of a pick pocket getting Mew.

I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you the other day. Tourmaline named me Sky. The Mew in T's pocket spoke to me.

Sky? Cute. Well, let's go get that chain fixed so she can relax some. I looked around the street we were on. "I think it's on the next street."

Please. Mew's voice faded as we moved farther into the city.

"Where did Tim and Jen go again?" I ask T as we make our way over to the next street.

"Um, I think Tim was gonna go see if the Gym Leader was at the Gym. Apparently the Leader often wanders off looking for inspiration. After he checks on that, he's gonna hunt up the camera shop and get those pictures developed. Jen said she was gonna go look for those Castelicones or something. We're meeting them back at the hotel in the afternoon." T said, scratching the back of her neck. "Disaster, don't' go too far. We don't want any of us to get lost."

The Absol came back to T's side, gently nudging her leg.

"Apatite too tired to walk around today?" I ask, giving Disaster a scratch under the chin.

"He's in shock over his discovery this morning. Unless we wanted a super hyper Munchlax on our hands, it's best that he remains in his poke ball." T had a half smile on her face as she spoke.

I laugh at the image of the happy Pokémon running around.

T sighs. "I need the chain fixed but…"

"You're worried about Sky being seen." I say, laughter fading from my voice.

"She's been talking to you huh? Yeah. I am." Worry flashes quickly before disappearing under her mask again.

"Don't." I continue the rest silently. Dawn and I already planned on making it seem like she was a ditto instead. That okay?

…Actually, could you use a blue Pokémon instead? T asks.

Um, hello? I could just transform myself! Mew interrupted us.

No. I don't think that would be a good idea. On an island nearby here is rumored to be another legendary. I mention.

Really? Which one? The curiosity in Mew's voice was so eager.

Victini. I look up at the sky for a moment.

Tourmaline, can we go see? I haven't see Victini in such a long time! Sky pleaded with T.

I don't know… T sounded unsure.

Not many people are allowed to go to the island. You have to have a special pass. I mentioned helpfully.

Why do I get the feeling that you have a special pass, kid? A smile spread across her face for a second.

Well…Because you are sharp. I got it from my mom. She said that she never got a chance to go though. I explain.

… In Sky's silence we heard the loudest begging.

Fine! We'll go after we get the chain fixed and Sophie's collars! T said, completely exasperated.

Dawn says she can disguise Sky as a Cryogonal. Will that work? I say after a quick discussion with my smallest.

Yeah… That will do fine. Thanks. T sighs, mentally exhausted by the Psychic conversation.

"Oh. I think that's the store!" I start to run across the street, but T pulled me back.

A man rushes past. "Watch where you're going, you brats!"

"You watch where you're going!" T shouted.

"Pests!" The man shouted back.

"Jerk!" T returned, ignoring the rest of the insults the man hurled our way. "You okay?"

"Yeah, thanks. I am not used to there being so many people around. The town I'm from isn't a small one, but it's certainly not a huge one." The pounding of my heart slowly subsided.

"Shall we cross more carefully?" T said, unable to keep the amusement from her voice.

"Yes please." I look up at her as we swiftly cross the street during a break in the foot traffic. "You seem to know your way about a city."

T's gaze flickered down to me and back up to watching the crowd of people on the street. "I'm from the biggest city in the Kanto region. So I'm used to it, but…"

"Even to someone from another big city, Castelia is overwhelming?" I guessed.

"Yup." Was all T said as we finally entered the shop.

"Welcome to Martin's Jewelers. The best place to get collars for your Pokémon." The man at the counter was a friendly 40-year old. "I'm Martin. How may I help you?"

"She needs a chain fixed and I'm looking for some collars." I stand on my tiptoes to see the top of the counter.

"What collars are you looking for?"

"Flareon, Leafeon and Jolteon. I'd also like to look at the ones you have for Vaporeon and Glaceon."

"Eevees, huh? Well, I sort my collars and ribbons by colors, so you might as well just start in that corner over there."

"Thank you!" I run over to the corner, letting my Eevees out so that they can help me choose.

T watched me start to examine before she turned and handed the broken chain over to the store's owner.

He frowned at the chain, not even glancing at the poke ball attached to it. "This chain is no good. It is much too weak. Give me a second and I will find you a better one."

He handed the poke ball back to T and disappeared into the back room. T wandered over to look at the collars I was examining.

"What kind of collars are you looking for anyway?" T reached over my head and fiddled with a couple of the collars.

A rainbow of colors lined the wall. Collars and ribbons were decorated with varieties of stones and beads.

"I'm looking for ones that will just look good, or that catch my…eye." I reach up and pull a dark red collar from its place on the wall. A beautiful garnet stone was fastened on it. "This one is Ember's."

T looks at it. "Seems just right."

I lay it over my shoulder as I look for the other collars. My eyes glance over the green collars but move on to the ribbons. I spot a satin forest green ribbon with a pale jade bead stung on it. "What do you think of this one, Ivy?" I hold it down for my Leafeon to examine. When I saw her eyes widen, I draped the ribbon over my shoulder with the red collar.

Moving on to the section of yellow collars and ribbons, I search for one for Jolt.

"What about one of these vivid yellow ones?" T points to some of the collars.

"No, they seem too bright. Maybe that one…" I reach out and take a ribbon of its hook. The yellow onyx stone was fastened to the middle of a pale yellow ribbon. "Jolt, what do you think? Do you like this one?"

Jolt looked the ribbon over and tried to snatch it out of my hand.

Laughing, I pull it back and take the other two off my shoulder. "I'll get these three. I do want to look at those blue ones over there."

We start to go over to the blue section, but a white ribbon catches my eye. Stopping I examine the ribbon. Pure white, there are around a dozen tiny sapphires fastened to it in the pattern of a snowflake.

"You'll be getting a Glaceon eventually, right?" T asked, continuing once I nodded. "I think you should go ahead and get that collar then. It would be perfect."

I smile at her and we continue on our way to the blues.

Once we get there, we start looking at the many collars and ribbons. I pulled a deep blue ribbon off the wall and hold it out for T to see.

A grin spreads freely across her face. "Get it. It will be perfect for your Vaporeon."

I look at the rain drop shaped stone attached to the ribbon. It was a blue tourmaline, similar to the one that is on T's wrist band. Smiling, I add it to my pile of collars.

We continue looking, Disaster pointing out a few collars and ribbons that T decides to buy for her own Pokémon.

I notice a couple of ribbons. I pull them off their hooks and turn to ask Martin, who had come up behind us while we looked what kind of Pokémon they were designed for.

He took the two from my hands and examined them. "This one is for an Altaria, it's designed specifically for their long necks, though I suppose it could also work for a Swanna." The ribbon was long and a dusky sky blue. Hanging off of it was a silver charm of a music note. After handing it back to me, he looks over the other ribbon I had pulled off the wall. "This is out of place. It should be over in the legendary section."

T perks up. "The legendary section?"

"I designed these collars and ribbons for legendary Pokémon. Some people buy them because they plan on going out and catching those Pokémon, and others buy them to put on plush toys." He led us over to another section of the store. "This is where it is supposed to go. I designed this one for Mew." He turned to T. "This is a much better chain for you. It will hold up to travel and strain much better than what you were using before. When the two of you are done, come up to the counter to pay for your purchases." He returned to the counter and started fiddling with some ribbon and stone that were there.

We looked at the royal purple ribbon. Dangling from the middle of it was a silver charm in the shape of the Tree of Beginning.

Pretty… Sky's voice was filled with awe.

T smiled. "I think I'll get it. It really is pretty."

"Shall we check out then?" I look over the collars I had chosen. "I'm ready to go."

Can we go to that island now? Huh? Huh? Sky sounded like she was bouncing around her poke ball.

T goes to the counter, where Martin quickly fastened the poke ball to the new chain.

After we finished paying, we left and went towards the docks. We searched four docks before finding the one that had the ferry to Liberty Island.

xXxXx

"So this is Liberty Island." T looked around the small island. "There's not much here besides that lighthouse."

"Well, let's check it out!" I run over to where the doors are. "Which door do we choose? The one which goes up or the one that goes down?"

The one that goes down! I can sense a presence down below! Sky's excitement was highly evident when she spoke.

"Down it is!" I open the door and start down the stairs before T gets a chance to properly catch up.

"Will you wait up? You're showing off you childish side again." T called down as she started to run after me.

"So? I've always wanted to see a Victini. They're said to be really cute!" I slow down as I reach the bottom of the stairs and find a closed door. I wait for T to catch up before I open the door and go in.

Inside is a room similar to a child's playroom. T glances around and closes the door before releasing Sky from her poke ball.

Finally getting my first good look at her, I realize that she is in fact a Shiny Mew.

Sky floats forward eagerly. Victini! it's been so long!

Mew? A new voice enters our heads. From the other side of the bed a new Pokémon pops up.

I go by Sky now. Sky flew around her fellow Legendary's head in happiness.

I looked around. "Victini? Are you happy here?"

The Fire and Psychic type Legendary looked at me. I am not unhappy here but I am rather bored. I am waiting for the right Trainer to come and take me away though. I think the right one will find his or her way here soon.

T squats down in front of the small Pokémon. "Neither of us is the one huh?"

Victini shook his head.

We left the room soon after, leaving Sky to chat with Victini for a while. We went back up and relaxed in the sun just outside the door that led down to the room. When Sky finished chatting, T went back down to get her.

We left to return to the hotel after that.

XxXxX

Tim sighed. He had just gotten back to the hotel after getting the pictures developed and checking with the Gym. It turns out that they had missed Burgh by a day. He had left the city just before they arrived. It would probably be a couple of day before Burgh would be back.

XxXxX

The crowd around the shop was huge and loud. It was a complete mystery as to how two people could hear each other in it.

"Artemis, have you discovered anything?" The giant man asked.

"No Raven, but I'm traveling along with some people so I won't stand out much." A girl's voice sounded. She was hidden from the man's view by the crowd. "Tell Waldo and Serendipity to quit worrying so much."

"That's good. And I will. By the way, your Xtransceiver is hidden in one of the potted plants at the Hotel. Try not to forget it this time." The man somehow managed to fade into the crowd.

"If I wanted that thing then I would have taken it with me in the first place, idiot."

XxXxX

When all four of us arrived back at the hotel, we met up in my room. I had Emberdream evolve into a Flareon since he had finally awoken and given out the collars to my Eevees.

"So, what's our plan for tomorrow? I mean, since Sophie won't be challenging the Gym." Jen asked as she munched on a Castelicone.

We were all snacking on the cold treats, as she had gotten enough for all of us and our Pokémon, plus some.

"I think I am going to go training. I talked to a few Trainers downstairs and they told me of a few good places." I answered. "I think I'll see what the sewers are like first."

"Hmmm, I think I'll go exploring some more." T said, leaning against the bed's head board. "I want to check out the side of town the Sophie and I didn't wander into today."

"There was a side that we didn't wander into?"

Laughing, Tim settled more comfortably into the chair. "I think I'll head over to the Battle Tower. I want to see if I can make it to the top this time. What about you Jen?"

"Who knows?" She grabbed another cone. "I'll just go window shopping I guess. Probably go and get more of these tasty things."

"We should all try to make it back here by five. And all of us should try not to get lost." T glanced over at me. "Especially you, kiddo."

Huffing, I finish my cone and grab another.

Jen looks over at Tim. "You got those pics developed right?"

"They said it would take till tomorrow to get to them. Apparently they are really backed up on their orders."

"Fine, I'll make sure to pick them up tomorrow then. Maybe I'll look for some frames for them." Jen smiled.

Rolling my eyes, I chase them out of my room. "I want to get up early tomorrow so that we can get plenty of practice in. Good night."

The door was closed in their faces before they could wish me the same.

What? I was embarrassed.

xXxXx

Author's Note: This chapter turned into a monster… Do not expect me to be churning out chapters that are this long all the time. This bunny seriously evolved.

Remember, this is your last chance to vote for the name. I rechecked the reviews and there is one vote for White; half a vote each to White and Touko; and one vote for Hilda. Those are the ones that I got from the reviews. So the count at the moment is:

Hilda: 1

Touko: ½

White: 5 ½

Well. If you don't like these results, go vote! If you want to split your vote, please put it in a review.

Sophie: I learn the name next chapter, so this really is your last chance!

See you all then!

I am not a writer! I am a puppet controlled by fictional characters!