January 28th, First Year
The creature stood tersely on the bank, fixing her with a cold glare. It gave a final huff before vanishing, taking its searing heat with it. Jakucho waited for the light of its mane to vanish into the trees before she turned to swim away, her limbs numb and purple.
Thank the gods the current was gentle and slow. Jakucho treaded water over toward a gap in the ice and broke through it, slowly crawling out of the river and onto the pebbly bank. She heaved, vomiting up all the river water she could until she was panting and dizzy on the glossy river-washed stones. Nausea pulled at her insides and the cold was now so unbearable that she could hardly think. She tried to make out her surroundings but all she could see was the setting sun on the far horizon and the darkening clouds.
The river bank was quiet. That was good. Jakucho slowly rose and dragged herself farther up the bank, her limbs weighing like stone pillars until she found shelter under a jagged rock. There were Buizels but they were too spooked from the cry of the goliath to come out of hiding. She unclipped her belt and tossed it aside before pulling off her water-soaked clothes. She trembled viciously and laid down on her side, knees tucked into her chest as she shut her eyes against the chill.
The sun was down and her pokémon were gone. Her beloved pokémon had been thrown clear in her mad dash to the river. She lay naked and trembling in a dark cave with no food and no water and most importantly, no cover. The sharp needles of winter now had no difficulty piercing through her skin and freezing the hair along her scalp and arms solid. Not only had she failed her trial, but now she was lost in a place she did not know. She huddled back as far as she could under the rock.
She had no more strength. No more anything. She would have to wait to die. She would have to wait for that serene warmth to set in so that her last moments might be comfortable. That, or pray that by some divine intervention, that she be saved. Funny, that if she were to freeze to death, the person that found her would find her frozen husk or that the summer warmth might rot her flesh for some starving pokémon to find.
If she survived and still managed to catch a Ponyta, would they take pity on her and take her in? Would they understand if she told them about what happened with the large creature-
"R-r-rapidash." The name of the large equine tumbled from her lips. Rapidash, the evolution of Ponyta. Also a fire type. Fiercely protective of their young. But it was freakishly large. Rapidashes weren't supposed to be over twelve feet tall and their eyes weren't supposed to glow a bloody red.
Jakucho lost herself in her thoughts, her consciousness wavering as the storm worsened. Only a small pitiful squeak broke through the haze. She froze. She heard the sound of grass parting and the squeaking grew loud and fretful. A spurt of flames shot up from the grass.
"C-c-yndaq-quil?"
The noise stopped. Jakucho found herself regretting making noise when she was this alone and defenseless. But that was before Cyndaquil came peeling out of the grass and into her arms, shivering and squealing and… happy? It forced itself into the space between her thighs and chest, huddling closer for warmth. It was dry.
The Buizel and Shinx came next, the Shinx looking worse for wear as it shivered against her side while the Buizel looked not-at-all-bothered. It gave her a squeak before handing over her belt clip and the various other things she'd lost under the ice.
Warm tears cascaded down her face and into the dirt. "T-thanks b-b-buddy. I owe you o-one. You t-t-too, Shinx." She then gathered Cyndaquil into her arms. "Sorry b-b-buddy. All my c-clothes are soaked through-and-t-through." She reached into the pockets of her pants and pulled out a slightly-squashed berry. "I s-still have these if you n-need them."
Cyndaquil took the berry in its small hands and devoured it quickly, nosing into her pockets to fish out another one. She idly pet the creature, hoping that if she didn't make it, that the little Cyndaquil would be alright. It didn't ask to get dragged out here. She shut her eyes and rested her head on her knees. She was okay with this. At least it would be a comfortable death.
She flinched as Cyndaquil nosed its way back into her arms. Its flames, which were completely put out before, flickered painfully around her arms and legs. She only noticed then how warm the undercrop had become and hugged the small creature closer, wincing from the pain of the heat chipping away at her frostbite.
"T-t-thanks buddy." She gave it a scratch under its chin. "T-tomorrow, we'll catch a Ponyta a-and then I'll t-take you home where you c-can get some actual rest."
Cyndaquil nodded and closed its eyes, huffing softly into her belly. The Shinx came closer, tucking itself into the crook of her elbow next to her face as it curled around Cyndaquil's other side. She just might survive… Might.
"But before t-that, c-c-could you help me dry my c-clothes?"
January 29th, First Year
The next day came slowly but surely. Jakucho roused herself from her dozing and stretched, carrying Cyndaquil leisurely in her arms. By some miracle, all of her captured pokémon had stepped up to keep her alive. Cyndaquil had dried her clothes and items, clearing the undercrop of snow and ice. Buizel had gone in pursuit of tinder to make a fire, finding a better, more suitable cave for the four of them to take shelter in that night. Shinx, with its superb vision, had kept watch for any hostile pokémon, allowing them all to get some much-needed rest.
But now, all of the berries and rations had been devoured and she needed to get back to Aspiration Hill. She needed water but she'd lost her own waterskin during her tumble into the river. Buizel hadn't managed to find it. She'd have to risk getting sick if she wanted to get Cyndaquil back to the camp.
The four made their way back towards the river, beating the Buizel there into submission as they found their way around using a bridge that had been constructed a little further up the bank. Soon, they were back at the plains where another Ponyta was grazing alone. She knew better than to repeat the actions of the day before, taking care to shush her three followers as they fell in behind her.
Just as the sun began to crest over the hills, she held aloft a pokéball holding a freshly caught Ponyta. The warmth inside the pokéball was nearly searing against the thin fabric of her pants. She checked her belt thrice; a Shinx, a Buizel, and a Ponyta. Cyndaquil climbed her jacket sleeves and perched atop her shoulder squeaking victory. She then released the Ponyta from its ball and signaled it to follow. Finally, her trial was over.
Soon, her legs carried them back to the very hill they had started down the day before. The sun peaked up behind thick clouds as gentle birdsong echoed muffled along the valley. Snowmelt dripped from the trees. No wind lashed at the snow. It was silent. Completely and utterly silent.
Had they left her behind? Jakucho found herself frowning as she struggled up the slope, Ponyta helping melt the snow as they ascended. They were just cresting the hill when Jakucho began to hear it: voices, firm and loud. The settlement folk were back. They had not abandoned her.
"Nothing yet?"
"No. The scouts reported that they hadn't seen anything yesterday. The other candidate disappeared completely. Probably froze to death in last night's storm. Poor bastard."
"How can that be? Those two set out at the exact same time. They had the exact same supplies and I'm certain she took the fire-type with her."
"Miss Akari reported that the other candidate was heading toward the Horseshoe Plains and that they weren't seen again after. Our scouts didn't find anything there either."
"Except for the tracks of that alpha? That large scorched area east of the bridge?"
"Professor, you know the scouts don't go that way due to that thing. Mauled one of our men to death a few weeks ago. It's expressly forbidden by Captain Cyllene to encroach upon its territory. Maybe that scorch mark is all that's left of-"
"Please, don't. I don't want to hear it. I understand that they're missing, but surely we…"
Jakucho crept past the horizon and stood, exhausted, overlooking the camp. She didn't want to hear them talk about her any longer. Cyndaquil gave a loud squeak, sending up a spray of fire and sparks as Jakucho moved closer, dragging her feet through the snow.
The two men whipped around to stare at her. The professor paused and stared as she made her way toward the pitched tents, her gaggle of pokémon tagging along at her heels. He eyed the beasts behind her and then came forward to greet her.
"There you are, my girl!" he exclaimed. " You're okay! Welcome back!" He came a few paces away before going ramrod straight, his eyes nervously watching as her Shinx sniffed at his feet. "And you caught your pokémon!"
Jakucho was at least glad that the professor was treating her kindly. The professor reached forward to clasp her shoulders, eyes shining with triumph. "Are you quite alright?"
"I'm okay," she rasped. "A little thirsty, though. Lost my waterskin yesterday."
"Laventon," the guardsman interrupted. Jakucho looked toward him, feeling that acrid taste bloom in her throat. The man wasn't looking at the professor. He was looking straight at her.
"Hideyoshi," the professor retorted. "Come now! This girl has been out in the elements for who knows how long!" He turned, eyeing her with faint worry. "Are you injured?" He shook his head. "We need to take her back to the village."
"It's well beyond sundown, professor. It's the next day. She failed the test. She's banished from the settlement."
Jakucho knew that that was what she'd been waiting for. She shut her eyes and scowled, Cyndaquil nuzzling deeper into her neck. Right. She hadn't returned to go back herself. She carefully took Cyndaquil off of her shoulders.
"I know that. I came back to return this one." She put Cyndaquil down on the grass and almost immediately, it climbed back up her pants and made its way back to her shoulder. "I also caught these three pokémon you wanted. You can take them. They were far more trouble than they were worth but they saved my ass out there. Wouldn't have survived without them." Jakucho took a step away from the professor and held out the clip of pokéballs.
The professor shook his head. "That is wonderful, truly, but you'll be accompanying me back to the settlement." He shot the guardsman a dirty look. "After you failed to return yesterday, the Galaxy Team sent out a group of scouts to look for you. It would surely be a mistake to let you go without the commander setting eyes on you and then making his decision. After all, the commander has to make the call first-" he edged, glaring directly at Hideyoshi- "so let's get going. It's a long walk back."
Jakucho swallowed. "I- alright then. A pit of warmth settled in her gut. They had sent people to look for her. Maybe they did care just a little bit. She cleared her throat. "Can I let these guys go now or do you need to take them back to the village?"
"N-no!" he started, flinching as he rubbed the back of his head. "Ahem. No, uh- let me just- you did- you may release them. They're the right pokémon. Do you know how to reverse the catching mechanism?"
"The what- Oh. Yeah, I think so. You just have to break the pokéball, right?" Jakucho took each ball and carefully snapped them in two, a shaky red light enveloping each of her pokémon. The Shinx gently headbutted her shoe before taking off as did the Ponyta. Buizel snorted once and nipped at her socks before sliding down the hill on its belly. "Little jerk. There! That should do it."
The guardsman huffed and with a hand on the saber at his hip, began to lead the way back through the hills. Nobody else had woken up at the encampment and so the three of them set off quietly.
Jakucho was surprised when the professor slowed down to match her steps. He shot her a nervous but pitying glance, his hands tucked tightly into his pockets. "I was ever so worried when you didn't return at sundown. Looks like Cyndaquil kept you safe then?"
"I would've frozen to death if not for the little guy and the help from the others." She gave the creature a quick pet. "Once I'm banished from the settlement, he'll be staying back in that big building again, right? Somewhere safe?"
Professor Laventon nodded. "Yes. He is, in fact, one of mine who I intend to study. I didn't have a say in the matter when the commander insisted that you prove yourself, but I believed that should you have pokémon by your side, that even a trial such as the one you faced today be accomplishable."
"Okay… And thank you Professor. As long as he's safe-"
"She."
"Hmm?"
"She. Cyndaquil is a girl."
"...Oh."
"What happened out there, my girl? Akari said she lost sight of you after she saw you catch a Shinx."
"I went to catch a Buizel by the river. Fought a few Bidoofs. Went to catch a Ponyta but then I got ambushed by a… a- that giant creature. The Rapidash."
"You got attacked by an alpha?!" Laventon yelled. His eyes, once pitiful and full of sorrow, were now wide with horror. The guardsman turned to fix them with a quieting glare. Professor Laventon fixed him with an equally harsh stare.
"It didn't attack me but it ran me toward the river and I had to jump in to avoid getting torched. That's why I never made it back by sundown: I was on the other side of the river freezing to death. I had no idea the bridge was so close by."
Laventon looked like he was going to faint from secondhand shock.
