Secrets of the Night
DISCLAIMER: I Do NOT own Pokemon!
Chapter 8: The Mysterious Blade Wielder
Lumiose City, Kalos
Faye Lin was now heading to Route 13, otherwise known as Lumiose Badlands. In her arms was a small grey cat with round amethyst eyes that seemed to always be staring into space. The store owner didn't know why she wanted a creepy-looking pokemon, but nonetheless, he was glad that it was out of his store and in the hands of a sweet-looking trainer. The girl smiled as she cuddled the furry creature. "From this day forth, you shall be known as Freya."
The Espurr didn't make a peep and kept a steady gaze in front.
Isis, who was still walking beside her, was on the side of the store owner. She couldn't put a paw on what her trainer was thinking taking an Espurr. Sure they needed a psychic-type, but why that one in particular? It was really creeping the Fennekin out.
"My sister will be thrilled when she sees you. She loves cat pokemon," Faye Lin daydreamed about her elder sister's initial reaction when she'll finally see her. She couldn't quite picture her face after being separated for years, but she recalled her hair, her aqua eyes and that smile. "I can't wait to see her again. Certainly, she misses me as much as I miss her."
Isis nodded in agreement.
Route 13 a.k.a Lumiose Badlands
After making her way up the sandy slopes, she arrived. The land was brick-red with clouds of dust blowing around. Most of the surface was arid and barren. Not a single tree or shrub grew. There were only piles of boulders and shallow cliffs, surrounding the red desert. With the sun nearing the peak of the sky, her world just became dry and hot.
Paying no heed to prickling heat, Faye Lin clung to the Espurr in her arms and took a deep breath. She wasn't going to back down from this. Not now. The young heiress was no longer in the safety of the city. She was about to set foot into the dangers of a pokemon journey.
Isis didn't like the idea of touching weird looking sand. She shuddered at the thought of her silky fur covered in it. If her trainer wasn't holding another pokemon, she'd definitely ask to be carried. She shot a glance up at the Espurr and threw away any idea of taking the spot in the girl's arms. She understood the importance of her new teammate as well as the value of this whole undertaking to her trainer.
After a tense moment, Faye Lin mustered her courage and stepped forward. As she did, a stillness enveloped her surroundings, like a calm before a storm. All was quiet but the air remained tense and heavy. What was the cause of it was yet to be seen. With eyes panning every corner, she continued on.
Isis felt the uneasiness as well and walked closely beside her trainer, ready to fend off any attackers to the best of her abilities.
"Puurrrr…." Freya slowly extended a paw upfront, alerting her two companions.
Faye Lin directed her attention to where the gray kitten was pointing at and saw a portion of the red earth rise. It was probably one of those mounds that stalk around before suddenly bursting an assault. The girl took precaution and moved the other direction while maintaining the goal of reaching the other end of the badlands.
Faye Lin kept going. All the while, Freya pointed to more and more mounds rising from the dirt. The girl quickened her pace as did her Fennekin. They did their best to outrun the mysterious moving dunes. But halfway through, they found themselves surrounded.
The largest pile of dirt was first to burst open with a Graveler, readying a Rollout. Faye Lin refused to give in to fear. Taking the reality of her first battle, she cued her Fennekin, "Isis, use Ember!"
As quickly as her trainer commanded, the yellow fox shot balls of fire from her mouth directly at the Graveler that was slowly rolling into a ball. The flames dispersed immediately. The attack had little effect, making Faye Lin and Isis gasp with worry. The enemy was rapidly advancing in a rotating ball of rugged rock.
Suddenly, a girl jumped out of nowhere and dealt a swift kick to the Graveler, redirecting its rollout away from the Fennekin and its two companions. The round rock pokemon crashed into a mound and knocked a Trapinch out of its hiding.
The impact startled the rest of the advancing wild pokemon. They shot out of the ground and lunged for the closest enemy. There were at least three, excluding the Graveler and Trapinch: a couple of Gible and a Slugma.
The mysterious girl stood in front of Faye Lin who was at a loss of rapid events transpiring before her. She smirked and placed a hand on the hilt of a sword strapped to her waist.
In that moment, another figure darted through the air in a series of Slashes. One by one, the wild pokemon fell to the ground, groaning in pain. Then as by mere coincidence, the rolling Graveler ran through them like a bulldozer, knocking them further away. But now the course of the rock-type's onslaught was heading towards the two girls.
Unfazed, the sword wielder unsheathed her black blade. The dark color gleamed in contrast to the bright sunlight. Faye Lin gazed at the weapon. It was narrow in width but long like a Katana. But unlike a Katana, it was a double-edged sword. The hilt was silvery white with more black edgings.
The taller female aimed her blade at the incoming Graveler. It was moment filled with suspense. Faye Lin couldn't believe she was going to fight the rock pokemon with a sword. Could her weapon really stand up against a spinning boulder? There was one way to find out.
The Graveler closed in, a couple of feet away. In that second, the sword wield planted her ebony blade in the ground and halted the enemy from advancing. But the Graveler continued to roll steadfastly. The clash released a piercing screech of rock grinding against metal. Faye Lin held her breath, fearing that the sword would soon break.
Then the second mysterious figure returned and dealt a Megahorn attack at the rotating Graveler from the side, slamming it against a pile of rocks and ending its Rollout assault.
And with that, the wild pokemon retreated into the ground, hurt and humiliated with defeat.
Faye Lin snapped back to her senses and gazed at the tall female before her. She had chocolate hair that dangled above her shoulders and tied back in a messed up pony-tail. Her aura exuded a sort of cool and laid-back air with her faded jeans and violet jacket over a plain grey shirt.
The unknown girl stood erect as she sheathed her black sword back into its scabbard. Then she sighed heavily and placed her hands on her waist. "That was good Kyria. Next time though, you should leave more for me. I didn't get to test this sword out fully."
Faye Lin looked at the creature that the swordswoman was talking to. It was a white four-legged pokemon with a black crescent horn growing out of the side of its head. The blonde heiress took out her pokedex and examined its data.
Absol
The Disaster Pokémon.
Absol live in steep mountainous regions, and rarely venture down into areas inhabited by humans, but should an Absol be seen by humans, it is said that catastrophe is soon to follow.
Faye Lin learned that it was native to Hoenn. It was really a rare sight to meet a pokemon all the way from another region, especially on the first day of her pokemon journey. Lucky for her, her pokedex was updated with all pokemon from each region. It was a must since she was aiming to go to Unova instead of travelling around Kalos.
The Absol shook off the red dust from its ivory-white fur and trotted over to the brunette. It was obvious that it belonged to the mysterious girl with a black sword.
Faye Lin took a quick glance at her Espurr and Fennekin before gathering enough courage to thank their savior. "Uhm… Thank y-you very much for y-your help."
"Eh?" The brunette glanced back at the young heiress with an oblivious look. It took her a couple of seconds to realize that she was the target of the wild pokemon before and her little training ended looking like a heroic rescue. That was not her intention. Whether that was the outcome or not, she really didn't care. She shrugged her shoulders and returned her attention to her Absol. "Hey, no prob."
Faye Lin smiled in admiration. She had met a really strong yet humble trainer. "My name is Faye Lin. These are my pokemon," she gestured to her pokemon one by one. First, her Fennekin who was still feeling awestruck, "Isis" and then to the pokemon who was still in her arms, "And this is Freya. I just got her recently."
The girl fully turned around and met Faye Lin's aqua-blue eyes with her auburn ones. She could tell how naïve the blonde was. And judging how she had the guts to come here of all places with a low level starter and a new pokemon, the young trainer had much to learn. But the brunette wasn't a teaching type. In fact, she was there in the badlands to pass time and skip the whole babysitting the new batch of recruits' issue.
"May I know your name?" Faye Lin asked sweetly, oblivious of the 'would you leave already' vibe the other girl was giving off.
The sword-wielder sighed. "Aspen."
"Sol." The Absol barked, following her trainer's greeting.
Consequently, Aspen thrust a thumb at her partner. "And this here's Kyria."
Faye Lin shot a smile at the Absol as well. "Pleasure to meet you."
"Fennekin!" Isis chimed in while Freya merely raised a paw.
"Is Kyria the only pokemon that you own?" Faye Lin inquired further. In her eyes, surely a strong and experienced trainer such as Aspen would be likely carrying a powerhouse team. She was eager to see more pokemon especially ones hailing from other regions.
Aspen was getting uncomfortable with the other girl's formal speech patterns. This was not how she had planned when she decided to come here. Finding a good enough excuse, she motioned her Absol and began to walk away. "It's dangerous chatting in the middle of nowhere. Better keep moving."
Faye Lin darted her eyes at the sidelines. Many mounds were slowly forming and creeping closer towards them. Knowing her own lack of experience and inability to protect herself and her pokemon, she rushed to catch up with Aspen.
Coumarine City, Kalos
The sun was now situated in the high western sky. It was the start of a warm afternoon. The duo and their pokemon made it out of Lumiose Badlands, filthy, tired (in Faye Lin's case), but alive nonetheless.
They were now in Coumarine City, where the bay and butte are bound. The change in scenery was a welcoming sight for them, after trudging through a forsaken red desert. The ground was now lush with green grass and the dry air was replaced by a refreshing smell of the sea. The city, itself, was also a sight to behold. It was serene place situated on a cliff overlooking the glistening blue ocean. It wasn't as grand and urban as Lumiose City, but it was still a bustling. It was hotspot for resorts, after all.
Faye Lin huffed heavily, sweat running down her face. She was exhausted and covered in dirt, like her two pokemon who were now walking on the ground. She dutifully dusted off as much as she could from her clothes and hair and proceeded to do the same with her pokemons' fur.
Overall, the experience was an eye opener. She found battling invigorating but excessively stressful to her and Isis, her partner. Freya, on the other hand, was not showing signs of exhaustion, not in an open manner, that is.
The blonde heiress took a minute to compose herself and recall the prior events. Aspen and Kyria were having no trouble doing their share of the work. Majority of the battles were theirs. Faye Lin battled too but struggled a lot. Who could blame her? A beginner was no match for the wild pokemon living there.
Several occasions, Aspen had to step in for her and weaken the opponent considerably before letting the other girl have a go. As much as it exasperated her, the sword wielder had to do it, if she wanted to get to the next town quickly. She didn't show any new pokemon. But her Absol and her own sword skills were more than enough to get them through. She was wishing to really test out her black sword but it would have been bad to show it off to an outsider. It would raise unwanted questions. Plus, she was growing hungry.
Aspen laid her hands behind her head and glanced at the younger girl. "You'll treat me to lunch, right?" She asked, but it was more of a statement.
Faye Lin didn't mind. It was the least she possibly could do. She owed her a lot and she was very much aware of it. If it wasn't for Aspen, then she wouldn't have made it. Managing a smile, she looked up at Aspen. "Of course…"
Satisfied with that answer, Aspen resumed walking with her Absol following closely. Faye Lin wasn't completely recovered but she didn't want to be left behind, so she pushed through her short breaths and caught up with the other girl. Isis and Freya followed suit.
Aspen chose a restaurant with the first whiff of something mouth-watering. She followed her hunger's instincts and found a vacant table at the far-end. It wasn't too classy nor did it look cheap. It was a quaint place with a picturesque view of the sea.
Faye Lin sat across and scanned the menu. There were familiar delicacies and some not so. The expensive ones, she recalled having eaten in several occasions. She decided to try out the more unfamiliar meals. Then she ordered a cold berry milkshake to go with it. She really needed something to quench her dry throat. Aspen ordered whatever was giving off that tasty smell, that drew her there in the first place, and a cool drink. Their pokemon were also given the chance to pick out some treats in the special section of the menu. It was mostly berries, poffins and the usual pokemon food.
While waiting, Faye Lin took the chance to freshen up in the bathroom, along with her two pokemon. Aspen and Kyria stayed behind. The sword wielder yawned at the cool breeze and began cleaning her sword. It wasn't really illegal to carry a sharp blade. Heck, pokemon could do more damage if they wished. As long as she didn't point it at anybody, she was fine.
After lunch, they parted ways. Aspen took out a Skarmory and flew off, but only after Faye Lin scanned the big metallic bird with her pokedex. It was all too fascinating for the sheltered princess. She was eager to see more sights and meet new pokemon. And her destination was very promising.
Faye Lin bought sandwiches and snacks for the trip, making sure that there were enough for Freya and Isis, too. Then she made her way to the seaport. Coumarine City was not as populated and noisy as Lumiose. It was tranquil, certainly an obvious reason as to why it became a resort city.
It was another long walk, but it was worth it. Loud honks shattered the previously quiet atmosphere. Wingulls and Pelippers squawked throughout the area. It was really noisy. Sailors were also yelling nonstop to load or unload the cargo. There were a lot of huge vessels docked. Their sheer size was enough to take the girl's breath away. Even her Fennekin could hardly believe it.
Destination: Unova Region. Faye Lin repeated in her head with an eager grin. Her first day so far was nothing she could ever imagine. It was much, much more.
Scanning the ships and listening in to the Sailor's conversations, she found the vessel that she sought: A cargo ship heading to Castelia City, Unova. Where's the thrill of taking a tourist vessel? Sneaking in a cargo vessel was the whole definition of 'adventure lying in wait'. Besides, fancy cruise ships carry many famous people, not to mention wealthy people. If she was careless, someone might recognize her.
With her psychic kitty in her arms once again, Faye Lin crept past Sailors without much effort. Freya was really useful in sensing not only pokemon, but people as well. Speaking of pokemon, Faye Lin couldn't believe what cargo the vessel was carrying. There were large crates with pokemon starters across the regions: from Kanto-native Bulbasaurs to the obvious Unova trio. It was probably going to the other regions after Unova.
Faye Lin found a nice dark spot behind a containment unit full of Cyndaquils. The cage was wide enough for the fiery mice to move around, and at the same-time, fire-proof. Most of them were napping. While the others were looking at the girl and her two pokemon, with child-like wonder and curiosity. Faye Lin sat on the cold metal floor and petted a few of the Cyndaquils who squeaked in delight. Then she motioned them to keep it down which they complied after a small nod.
Isis and Freya took a gander at the unfamiliar pokemon too. The Fennekin hit off well with her fellow fire-types. She blew heat out of her ears as a Cyndaquil lit a blaze on its back, in return. Freya, on the other hand, was having a staring contest at another Cyndaquil.
Faye Lin giggled. The trip was likely going to be long, but at least she wasn't going to be bored.
End of Chapter 8
Long enough? :D
Well, here's Aspen from WrittenWhim. (You can change the weapon choice)
So far, I'm having fun portraying OCs. I hope I get them close to their personalities as possible.
Also, Aeron will be getting a starter soon. Should I still go with a Kalos starter?
I was thinking of using a grass-type from another region.
So that means, Neo (Dead Bones Sam) you can pick a water-type from any region. Don't forget the name. ;)
After the next chapter, it'll probably sink into the violent parts.