Chapter 18: Castelia Day 2
Author's Note: The name has been decided! White won by a landslide with 6 ½ votes. Hilda was second with two votes, with Touko coming in last with ½ a vote.
I made some mistakes! The sewers don't show up in Castelia until Black/White 2! And it's not called the Battle Tower, but the Battle Company. And it also isn't Liberty Island, it is Liberty Garden. My biggest apologies! Also, the hotel, jewelry store and the first café mentioned in this chapter do not actually exist in the game. But it's a city. I took some liberties.
Some quick Guest Review Replies:
Guest on ch.19: Noooo! Not a Mary Sue! People! Give me tips on how to keep her from becoming one!
noname on ch.20: Ah. That makes sense. I understand now.
noname on ch.21: Yay! Reviews!
noname on ch.21: Yay! My story is cuter! The reason that all the names end in lace, is cause I think it is pretty. So, no real reason.
noname on ch.22: Yes. It is the reason.
Nnoname on ch.23: Yay! A Pokémon OC.
A quick note about my stories. They will not be overrun with Shiny or Legendary Pokémon. DO NOT SEND ME A WHOLE BUNCH OF SHINIES. In this story, there are only TWO Shinies in 'Evolution of a Whisper'. I have already had a Shiny Eevee sent into me. Shiny Pokémon are RARE people! Okay. Rant done.
OC forms are on my bio.
Key:
Eevee/Sophie speaking
Psychic speaking
XxXxX- change of point of view
xXxXx- simple line break
On with the story!
xXxXx
The sun was barely over the unseen horizon when I woke up. I quickly got dressed and ready for the day.
As I quietly left my room to go start training, a voice called out.
"So, you're just gonna sneak off before we all woke up."
I glanced across the hall and saw T standing in the doorway of her room.
She had a small smile on her face. "The others are probably still asleep. My Pokémon just decided that I should wake up, and I heard you leaving. I'll make sure that the other two know you already left when they wake up."
"Thanks. I really want to go do some training. I'll see you all later!" I toss over my shoulder as I run over to the elevator.
After I left the hotel, I went over to the café that was across the street and got a quick breakfast for my six Eevees and me. Ivy, still a little nervous about being back with a Trainer, requested that she stay out of her poke ball. Ember, awake but sleepy, also stayed out.
I carried Ember while Ivy stayed close to my feet as we walked around the town, looking for a good place to train. We finally reached the center of the city, finding a square featuring a beautiful fountain. Only a couple other people were there, a dancer and an older man. With all the open space, it was a great place for training.
I chose an area and let Avon out so that he could help Ember train. Allowing the father to train the son, I simply sat and watched, throwing out occasional pointers.
It was about an hour later that another person showed up in the square.
A girl with long wavy brown hair pulled back into a ponytail under a ball cap came and talked to the dancer. After a few minutes, she left again. Putting it out of my mind, I focus back on the training.
Avon was getting tired, so I let Dusk have her turn with their kit. Dawn disguised Dusk's rings while her sister trained the youngest of the group. Dawn chatted with Ivy while they both watched.
Two more dancers entered the square over the next hour. A little while later, the girl returned. The dancers loudly thanked her and gave her an Amulet Coin. Then the three dancers then began to start dancing. The girl watches for a while, before glancing around and spotting me.
She walks over and kneels down to watch Dusk and Ember train. "I've never seen Pokémon like these. And my Pokédex isn't telling me anything. What kind are they?"
Dawn padded over to her and let the girl stroke her fur.
I smiled. "That's Dawnlace. She's an Espeon. Dusklace and Emberdream are Umbreon and Flareon, respectively. Ivylace is a Leafeon. None of them are native to Unova."
"Oh. They're adorable. Training?" She scratched Dawn's chin, eliciting a loud purr from the small Pokémon.
"I plan on challenging the Gym tomorrow. If the Leader is back, that is."
"The Gym Leader returned late last night." The girl looked me over. "I'm planning to challenge him later today, but I wanted to get a bit more training done myself." She chewed her lip for a moment before continuing. "Would you like to train together? Not battle, just…"
"Help each other?" I look her in the face and think for a moment before holding out my hand. "I'm Sophie."
"My name's White." She released three Pokémon. "This is my Dewott, Marina; my Herdier, Lillian; and my Swadloon, Delavi."
"My last Pokémon is an Eevee. His name is Avon."
xXxXx
We had trained, until noon before we finally took a break for lunch.
"I still want to do some more training, but I also want to see what the Gym is like. Will you come with me?" White asked as we munched on sweet berries. Lillian was panting happily at her feet.
"I'm definitely curious about how the Gym looks." I pop the last of my berries in my mouth as Ivy finishes hers. "Do you want to go now?"
"Yup!" White jumped up, grabbed my hand and started pulling me along with Lillian and Ivy running to catch up. "Let's go!"
xXxXx
We stood in front of the Gym, about to go in , when Burgh, the Gym Leader came out and spotted White.
"Oh! You're the girl that helped against Team Plasma in Pinwheel Forest. I think you could help again. They've taken some girl's Pokémon." He said, barely stopping before quickly going off to try and catch the criminals.
White glanced at me and I smiled. "Go and help. I'll just wait here."
"Um, okay." Was all she said before running to catch up.
I leaned back against the wall of the Gym.
Why didn't you go? Ivy looked up at me from where she rested near my feet.
I don't want to chase after Team Plasma. They leave me alone and I will leave them alone. I glanced down at her before lokking up and watching the clouds crawl across the sky.
Sophie? Did you notice? About White? Dusk spoke up from inside her poke ball.
What? That she's a completely honest, friendly person who believes strongly in her morals? Avon piped up.
And she has a Pokédex. Dusk added.
…Carp, she's a Pokédex Kid isn't she? Avon realized what Dusk had been getting at.
Wait, what's a Pokédex Kid? Ivy asked, confusion rolling off of her, Jolt, and Ember.
It's what my brother calls all the kids who have beaten the Teams of other regions. They all start out in the town where the region's Professor lives and are given a starter and a Pokédex before starting their journey with a couple other people. I explained to my Pokémon that hadn't met my family.
And White fits all of those criteria? Ivy processed all that was said quickly.
That's what I was thinking. And… I trailed off as thoughts formed in my head.
Oh, great. Sophie has an idea. Dusk said, able to convey a sigh through her mental thoughts.
What's that supposed to mean Dusk? I raise an eyebrow at the tone.
It means that you are up to something. Her tone was flat when she replied.
… There wasn't much to say to that, as ideas were forming rapidly in my head.
Ha! No denial! Dawn exclaimed.
Well— I start before a person comes barreling down the street.
The man was wearing the outfit of a Team Plasma Grunt. He ran past me and into a building farther down the street. When Burgh and White came chasing after him a few minutes later I pointed them to the right building. Two girls came running up behind them and followed them into the building.
It was a while later when a group of people, some dressed as Plasma Grunts, the others in fancy coats and one in a fancy cloak. They didn't look around to check whether or not anyone was observing them. They simply left.
The two girls came out and disappeared down the street a little bit later. Burgh came out soon after and returned to his Gym. As he passed by me, he thanked me for my help.
After a few minutes, White came out and came over to where I was.
I looked her over. "You look troubled. You ok?"
She sighed. "I'm fine, it's just…"
"Whatever was said is making you think?"
"Yeah." She looked up at the Gym.
I grab her hand and start dragging her away. "We can check the Gym out later. I want to show you something."
xXxXx
We got off the boat and saw all the other visitors to Liberty Garden gathered in one place.
Team Plasma Grunts kept the visitors from moving about the small island. The visitors kept the Grunts attention occupied, allowing White and I to sneak around most of them.
When one heard them as they snuck around the decorative bushes, we froze.
"Meow~~!" White called out, somehow convincing the Grunt that they were just a Pokémon.
"Meow?" I asked her in a whisper as we continued on our way.
"It's something I saw in a game. I didn't think it would actually work."
We finally reached the lighthouse doors and I quickly directed her to the door leading downstairs.
There, another Grunt stood guard.
Quietly, I let Dawn out. "Dawn, use Yawn to put him to sleep."
A few minutes later the guard was sleeping peacefully on the floor.
I looked up at White. "I think you should go see what's on the other side of the door. It may help you later on in your journey."
She looked at me for a moment before nodding. "You're going to stay out here and keep a look out?"
"Yup."
"Alright." She squared her shoulders and entered the room.
I sat down to wait behind one of the partitions along the stairs and listened as the sounds of battle drifted from the room.
You put the characteristics of the person you wanted as a trainer in my head, didn't you? I sent out, knowing that Victini was listening.
I knew that you would meet them. I wanted to make sure that they found their way to me. Thank you for bringing them. The gratitude in Victini's thoughts was completely genuine.
Her name is White. You do realize that if you go with her, you will be taking on Team Plasma. I needed to make sure that Victini understood what he was getting into.
She herself does not yet realize it, but yes, I will. Do you have Psychic abilities? Victini asked, curiosity lining his voice.
No. Just observation skills my family taught me to have. By looking at the histories of the Teams that have fallen in the other regions, I think that White will be taking down Plasma. If the pattern holds true. I explain, remembering how my brother and father would go on about what was or had recently happened in the other regions.
I need to make sure that she is strong enough. The tone in Victini's voice changed, as the sounds of battle stopped.
So you will battle her. I state.
Yes. He replied swiftly.
Good luck. I quietly send out as the sounds of battle drift out of the room again.
Five minutes later, the sound of a click softly rises from the room.
A Team Plasma Grunt comes out of the room and spots me. His face pales immediately. Just then, the Grunt that Dawn had put to sleep woke up and glanced around confused. All drowsiness left him quickly, and he stood up. Together the two Grunts ran as if angry Houndooms were after them.
White stood in the doorway, Victini in her arms. "What was up with those guys?"
I blinked a few times. "I think my friends and I met them in Pinwheel Forest the other say. One of my friends MAY have traumatized them a bit."
White gave me a slightly worried look.
"You don't want to know." I said with a smile.
We quickly followed after the Grunts up the stairs and find that police have arrived to take away all of the Grunts.
As the two that had been downstairs were taken away, the one who had battled White yelled, sending terrified glances back towards where White and I were standing. "I'll go quietly, just keep me away from that tiny bitch!"
I look up at White. "I'm not sure which one of us he's talking about."
Another yell sounded. "Keep the bitch that electrified me away!"
I glance over at the Grunt. "Oh. It's the guy who was trying to take my Pokémon the other day."
Professor Juniper came up to us. "And you electrocuted him?"
"I had my Electric-type Pokémon use Thunder Wave. Does that count?" I look up at her.
She shakes her head in amusement and turns to White. "Thanks for your help White. We were able to catch them all thanks to you."
"Sophie did more than me." White protested.
"No I didn't." I stated.
"You put that guard to sleep." She pointed out.
"You meowed." I shot back.
"You what?" Professor Juniper seemed so lost.
"Never mind." We both said at the same time.
"All right. Both of you were helpful. So thank you." A policeman called out to the Professor. "I have to go. Keep up the good work White!"
We watched as the police herded all of the Grunts onto a boat and left.
White looked around the island. "Sophie, do you just want to finish our training here? There's plenty of open space, and not very many people."
"Fine by me. Have you decided on a nickname for Victini yet?" I asked as we walked a little ways away from the lighthouse.
"Hmmmm… I'm thinking… Martiro." White nodded as she made her decision. Victini looked ecstatic at his new name.
I blinked. "Did you just come up with that on the spot?"
"Yeah." White shrugged.
"Impressive." I let Emberdream out so that he and Victini- Martiro- could train together.
"Thanks." White set Martiro down and we watched as the two Fire-types trained.
xXxXx
White looked up at the entrance of the Gym. "Here I go."
"Good luck!" I reach up and pat her on the shoulder in encouragement.
She grabbed my hand. "You sure you don't want to come with me? You could challenge him right after me!" The nervousness was clear in her voice.
"You'll be fine!" I start pushing her towards the door.
"But…"
"White, I'll just distract you. Besides, you have your Pokémon with you. You have no reason to be nervous at all." I smile in an attempt to help her calm her nerves. "You haven't needed an audience to win before, have you?"
She clutched her bag that held her Pokémon tightly. "You're right. Thanks Sophie." She gave me a hug and ran into the Gym.
I rested against the wall of the Gym again.
Ivy appeared out of her poke ball. You are not going to watch?
No. I told the others that I would spend the day training. They will probably get upset if I went to the Gym without them. I slide down the wall and sit with my chin resting on my knees.
Ivy sits down and curls into a ball. You just don't feel like going in there right now do you?
You've known me for what? Three days? How can you see through me already? Irritation flashes over my face for a moment.
Cause you're a kid. Ivy yawns.
What's that supposed to mean? I look down at her and see her chest rising and falling peacefully. And she's already asleep.
xXxXx
"Oh, this is just gross. Lillian, don't lick that!"
I look up and see White coming out of the Gym. My eyes widen. "What happened?"
She looked at me, slight annoyance showing in her eyes. "You have to walk through walls of HONEY to get through the Gym. HONEY! Lillian! I said not to lick the honey! You don't know how many people have walked through those walls!"
She looked like someone had poured buckets of honey on her and then attempted to remove it without success. Giggles escape despite my attempts to keep them in.
Her annoyance grows for a moment before the giggles escape her as well. Soon we are both laughing uncontrollably, causing passer-by to give us strange looks.
"Maybe you should have Marina try and wash some of that off?" I say once my giggle fit had subsided some.
White freezes for a moment, then quickly pulls out her Dewott's poke ball. "Marina! Can you—Kyaa!"
White stood there dripping from the powerful Water Gun Marina had tried to clean her with. Laughter erupted from me as I looked at White's shocked expression. Soon enough, we were both in fits of laughter again.
We were only able to stop when her Xtransceiver rang.
"Hi Bianca. The gate leading to Route 4? Yeah, um, I'll see you there." White hung up and looked at me.
"Your friend that is traveling with you?" I ask, looking up at her from the ground.
"Kind of. We both started our journey at the same time as our other childhood friend. She wants to battle me at the gate to Route 4." White replied, looking back at the communication device.
"Ah. Then you should go. I need to go and meet up with my friends as well." I stood up and dusted myself off. "It was fun meeting and training with you White!" I hold out my hand for her to shake.
"Yeah! Oh, can we exchange Xtransceiver numbers? That way we can talk again!" She asked, shaking my hand and clutching the device.
"Sure." I got mine out and we swapped numbers.
"I hope that we can meet up again!" White said as she ran off to go meet with her friend.
"Well, let's head back to the hotel then." I turn and start off down the street.
xXxXx
We're lost aren't we? Ivylace spoke from where she padded beside me.
Nooooo…I drew out the word.
Maybe we should call one of the others. Dawn piped up.
…I don't have any of their numbers. I admitted.
… The resulting silence from my Eevees was loud.
I'll just find the police station or something. I muttered along our link.
…I don't think we stumbled across this street yesterday. Avon mentioned, coming out of his poke ball to walk.
Not. Helping. I gritted my teeth as I responded.
I sigh as I look around the street-which was more like a long alleyway- in hopes of figuring out which way to go.
I notice a couple of people coming out of what seemed to be a small café.
Momma, is that the guy who caught you when you fell off the ledge? Avon spoke, noticing the two people at the same time as me.
Yeah, I think it is Clint. It's kind of hard to forget someone so tall.
Think that other person is that Kevin guy? Avon crept forward, trying to get a closer look.
If it is, he looks different. The other person seemed odd somehow.
Let's see if we can get closer! Suddenly, Avon dashed forward quickly and quietly.
Avon, be careful! I warned, slowly following him.
I know, I know! He said as he hunkered down.
We hid out of their line of sight behind a trashcan, close enough to hear them.
"Kevin, have we heard anything more from 'Artemis'?"
So it is Kevin. How does he look like that? Avon carefully stuck his head out from where we were hiding.
…I remained silent.
"No. 'Serendipity' is out today, seeing if she can find 'Artemis', who seems to still be in town today." The voice that came from the other man was distorted.
"I see." Clint's low voice carried clearly across the quiet street. "Well, we should head back to the house."
Kevin sighed. "I really dislike being cooped up in the house all the time."
The two of them disappeared down the street. I sat back on my heels, relieved that they hadn't seen us, though I still didn't know why the two of them made me suspicious and uneasy.
"Little girl, how would you like to have the TM Flash?" A man's voice came from behind me, causing me to jump.
I look up and see a man wearing sunglasses. While logic said that he was a suspicious character, my instincts were saying that he was alright. Confused by the mixed signals I was receiving, I allowed Avon and Ivy to get between him and me.
"Um, sir? If you were just trying to give me a TM, then you might want to figure out a different way to do it. That was kind of creepy." I said nervously.
"Was it? That might explain why most kids ran when I offered it to them." He gives a sad smile. "I was given a lot of these TMs as a gift a while back, and I really only need one. So I thought I would give them to trainers that were just starting out. Would you like one?"
I shook my head. "My brother already gave me his." I bite my lip for a moment before deciding that it would be safe. "Um, I wonder if you could point me in the direction of the police station? It's getting late and I'm a bit lost."
A bit? Ivy asked.
Quiet you.
The man smiled a slightly happier smile. "Of course. In fact, I'll lead you there, since it really is easy to get lost here." He looked up and down the street. "Let's go this way. There's a closer station the other way, but between here and there is the hangout of a couple of fairly dangerous and creepy hoodlums. It's usually safer to go the other way."
"Alright. Please lead the way." As I spoke, Ivy and Avon drew closer to me.
xXxXx
The man held the door to the police station open for us. Once we were inside, we waited for a police officer to help us.
I noticed a few posters on the wall and went to examine them.
"At large: Waldo. White hair, gray eyes. Stands at six feet. If spotted please inform the police immediately." The first poster featured a picture of Kevin, the man who had stopped Tim's fall from the ledge on Route 2.
I looked at the next poster. "At large: Raven. Dirty blond hair, brown eyes. Stands at six foot four inches. If spotted please inform the police immediately." There was no picture on this poster, but I was sure it was Clint.
The next two posters also had no pictures. "At large: Serendipity. Red hair, grey eyes. Stands at five foot four inches. If spotted please inform the police immediately. At large: Artemis. No reliable information is available. If information is discovered, please inform the police immediately."
A police officer came over. "May I help you little girl?"
I look up at her. "Two things. One: I think I spotted 'Raven' and 'Waldo' earlier at the café on the alleyway. Two: I'm lost and need to get back to the Trainer's hotel."
"Are you sure you saw these two?" The police officer became serious immediately.
"Sure that I saw Raven." I glance at the posters again. "Why are they wanted?"
"Waldo and Raven have connections to Team Rocket. Serendipity and Artemis have connections to Raven and Waldo. As far as we can tell, Waldo and Raven are no longer affiliated with the Rockets, but they are still criminals. If you could wait here for a minute, I must inform my superiors about this sighting." She quickly went off to report.
As I waited, I examined the posters some more. I remembered the conversation I had overheard.
The officer returned with another person in tow. The man looked at me and frowned. "Are you sure this kid has reliable information?"
My anger flares. "Look, I might be a kid, but I am sure of what I saw."
"But you didn't know that those two were criminals." He stated.
"No."
"Where did you see them again?" He asked, getting a notepad out for notes.
"Coming out of the café on the street that seems more like a long alleyway."
"So they aren't there now?"
"No. but I heard them mention the names Serendipity and Artemis."
"Do you remember anything more specific?"
"It sounded like all four were in Castelia today."
"Officer, if you would please gather the officers available so that I may inform them?" He turned and looked at the officer.
"Of course Inspector, but this child is—" She began but was interrupted.
"Sophie!" Tim called out when he spotted me from the doorway.
"Tim, what—why are you laughing?" I frowned at how he nearly doubled over with laughter.
"Because you really did get lost!" he managed to say once he had finally calmed a bit.
I crossed my arms and muttered angrily to myself as he started to laugh again.
The officer placed a hand on my shoulder. "Is this a friend?"
I looked up at her. "He is someone I know. At the moment, I am not sure about considering him a friend." I smile a bit. "He will be able to help me find the hotel. Thank you for your help."
"No, thank you." She said as she and the inspector quickly went back to work.
Tim managed to gain control again and noticed how all the officers seemed in a hurry. "What's going on?"
"I spotted these two when I was lost earlier. I told them where, and I guess they are going to go see if they can find them." I said as I pointed the posters out to Tim
He frowned. "Aren't they the guys who caught us when we fell off that ledge? The ones that you felt nervous about?"
"Yup."
He fell silent for a while. "Let's get back to the hotel. T and Jen will meet us there after they check the police stations in other parts of the city."
xXxXx
"Hand over your Xtransceiver. I am going to make sure that you have my number in case you get lost again. Jen, Tim, what are yours? I'll program them in as well." T said as she fiddled with my communication device.
"It won't do any good to put mine in. I don't have it with me." Jen said with a bright smile.
"Here, what's Sophie's? I think it would be a good idea to have it as well." Tim exchanged the information with T.
"Jen, why do you not have yours?" T asked, looking like a bad headache was forming.
"I forgot it." Jen said with a shrug and a yawn. "We should all get some sleep. Sophie is gonna challenge the Gym leader tomorrow, right?"
"Yes. I trained really hard today!"
"Before you got lost." Tim mentioned.
I grabbed a pillow from the bed of T's room where we had gathered and threw it at him.
"Oi, no pillow fights. If you two are gonna act like such kids then you should go to bed." T complained.
I hop off the bed and run over towards the door. "I should probably call Tristan before I go to sleep. Night guys."
Hearing the three of them bid me good night; I closed the door and went over to my room where I released my Eevees.
Ember sleepily crawled onto the bed and curled up. The others found places to sleep as I changed and got into bed.
I gently stroked Ember's fur. "Tomorrow is your first battle. Let's get some rest."
xXxXx
Author's Note: I told someone that I would have this out last week. I AM SO SORRY! My plot bunnies were not cooperating. But it ended up being a really long chapter, so I hope that makes up for it some. I am not really all that happy with this chapter though. The next chapter is the third gym battle. It may take me a while to write it, because the bunnies are not really that interested in it. So I have no ideas for the gym battle really.
I am not a writer! I am a puppet controlled by fictional characters! (and stubborn bunnies)