Chapter 6: An enigmatic encounter
In the heart-dropping descent, each passing second felt like an eternity. The air rushed past with a deafening roar, drowning out all semblance of normalcy. Colors merged into a kaleidoscopic blur, and the ground loomed larger with an ominous embrace.
Panic clawed at Juliana and Sprigatito's chest, the fear of the inevitable collision painting the fall with hues of desperation and a primal yearning for salvation.
Beside the fractured edge of the cliff, Nemona stood frozen, her eyes widening in the horrified realization that the girl she was supposed to watch over was now falling to a surely demise.
A guttural scream erupted from Nemona's throat for the new student. Her scream, born from the depths of her being, tore through the stillness of the surroundings like a primal force unleashed.
"JULIANAHHHH!" The girl screamed, watching as Juliana and Sprigatito were rapidly reaching the ground.
As both Trainer and Pokémon plummeted, Juliana reached for her grass type clutching Sprigatito tightly in her arms, their bodies entwined in a desperate embrace. The Grass Cat Pokémon, wide-eyed and feline grace momentarily suspended, mirrored the shared terror in their descent.
In that haunting moment, Juliana's soul seemed to splinter as the weight of despair pressed upon her. Thoughts of an irrevocable end cast a suffocating shadow, and a chilling realization whispered that life, as they knew it, was slipping away.
Little did she know, the Pokémon in her arms had the key to survival. With the Grass Cat's eyes shining with a radiant emerald glow emanating from within, a flurry of vibrant leaves formed around the two, twirling and swirling.
As the leaves brushed against the ground, a cushion of nature's magic softened their fall, transforming their imminent crash into a gentler, leaf laden descent. They had landed back on the beach where they had done battle previously.
Gasping for air, Juliana lay sprawled on the ground, chest heavy with a mixture of shock and relief. Each breath felt like a desperate reclaiming of life, the lingering adrenaline and the weight of the recent ordeal making each inhale and exhale a tangible testimony to her survival.
Bounding with sudden joy, Sprigatito leaped into Juliana's arms. The grass type's fur, touched by nature's magic, gleamed in the sunlight. Juliana squeezed her Pokémon, never wanting to let go ever again.
"T-thank you... Sprigatito." Juliana began stuttering over herself. "For a moment I thought... I thought."
"Sprigatito!" The grass type cried out, hushing her Trainer. Words weren't necessary, as in that instance, both Trainer and Pokémon were truly one. They both knew how the other felt. Their moment however cut short, as they heard a voice calling her name from back up the hillside.
The girl looked upwards to see Nemona, who atop the broken hillside peered below her. "Don't go anywhere! I'll be down there in a second!" She shouted across the expanse, her voice carrying a blend of worry and relief.
"Yeah... thanks," Juliana responded under her breath, her tired voice reflecting her exhaustion. She just sat on the beach, holding Sprigatito in her arms
Time passed slowly as Juliana waited on the beach. Never once did she release Sprigatito from her hold. She simply remained still, staring at the sky. The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a warm glow on the sand.
After about 10 minutes, the girl's ears caught the sound of approaching footsteps on the beach. Turning her gaze to her right, there stood Nemona, standing there with her arms crossed.
"You don't realize how lucky you are, you've got to be more careful next time." Nemona began, not that Juliana really cared to hear it. "If you had died there, the director might've got angry with me and removed me from the student council, so, if possible, try not to."
Juliana, bewildered, almost couldn't believe what the girl had said. "Well, thanks for caring about me so much... don't worry, I'll try not to." She uttered, more anger bubbling up inside her.
Sprigatito, mirroring her Trainer's disdain, gave a snarl at Nemona, who ignored it.
"I think that's enough excitement for now, you should save some for once we reach the school." Nemona continued walking away from Juliana before she stopped and turned her head. "Can you walk?"
"...Yeah, I'll be fine." Juliana said with a head nod. It was a miracle that Sprigatito had been with her during that fall, otherwise, it wouldn't have been very pretty.
Nemona turned her back once more before facing back towards the girl who was still hugging her partner Pokémon in her arms for dear life. Even if she was no longer falling. "Look, you're alright now. So there's no use in sitting there looking all sad. They'll be a lot more hardships once you start your journey, soon enough, this will all be a distant memory, entendido?"
Juliana took her eyes off Sprigatito meeting eyes with Nemona. Who for once didn't seem angry with her or disdainful. It was almost weird seeing her like this. Juliana wasn't sure how to respond, she just sat there in silence before uttering something. "...Do you ever shut up?" She said, repeating the earlier words of the senior Trainer.
Nemona actually cracked a smile hearing this. "I'm going to take that as you feeling better. Come on, let's get out of here."
"Sure." Juliana replied getting off the floor. Still clutching her little grass type in her arms for comfort, not ready to let Sprigatito go yet.
Nemona slowly strolled back towards her house, Juliana and Sprigatito walking behind her. The waves' rhythmic melody accompanied their steps as they simply walked in almost complete silence.
As they walked, Sprigatito remained in her Trainer's arms. The Pokémon just as calm and serene as the two others on the beach.
Until something changed as something felt off. The Pokémon's small nose began twitching as it detected an intriguing scent on the salty breeze. With delicate sniffs, it inhaled deeply, its nostrils flaring. Captivated by the alluring scent, Sprigatito, with a sudden burst of energy, leaped out of Juliana's arms which caught the girl off-guard.
"Sprigatito! What're you!?" Juliana asked surprised with Nemona turning back to see what was going on.
"Tito, Ti, Ti!" The grass type began yapping before turning her back from the two Trainers. The Grass Cat Pokémon raced off into the distance, leaving a trail of excitement in its wake. Juliana, momentarily astonished, watched as her Pokémon vanished along the shoreline,
"Darn, I guess you should've chosen Fuecoco." Nemona joked, not getting a laugh from Juliana.
"I guess you should've chosen Fuecoco." Juliana repeated in a mocking tone before running forth towards the distance following the dust of her Pokémon. "You coming or not!?" She yelled to Nemona as she ran. The senior Trainer simply gave a head nod and followed after Juliana.
They must've run behind Sprigatito for about a minute or so. Still no idea what the heck they were running towards, but it didn't matter. Juliana trusted her Pokémon's intuition. And as for Nemona, well, she was just in for the ride.
Not after long, they caught up to Sprigatito, who was standing in front of what she wanted to show to Juliana and Nemona. Both girls simply stood there in a daze.
Shock gripped Juliana as she stood on the beach, her eyes wide, and her features frozen in disbelief.
"¡Guau!" Juliana simply exclaimed, in disbelief of what she was staring at. She turned over to Nemona who shared a similar expression to her.
"That's..." Nemona uttered, not sure what she was looking at.
Stretching on the sun-kissed sand, a mysterious looking beast-like Pokémon neither of the girls had ever laid eyes on before. A large reptilian creature, most of its body was scarlet in color, with white accents on its cheeks, abdomen, legs and tail. Its head featured a large plume and a pair of long, thin, twisted antennae; its rear having a similar, much larger plume. These plumes and antennae were white in color and bluish-purple at the base. It had webbed feat, with blue features on its elbows and shoulders, as well as blue frills running down its neck. The weirdest part however, on its chest, a large circular protrusion that kind of resembled a rubber tire.
The colossal beast lay sprawled on the beach, its massive form creating a surreal scene against the sandy backdrop. A thick haze surrounded it, and drool dripped from its formidable jaws.
"Tito, Sprigatito!" The grass starter cried, indicating this is what she had run off towards.
"D-do you think it's alive?" Juliana asked looking over to Nemona who simply shrugged.
"Don't look at me, I'm just as clueless as you here!" The girl replied, still taken aback.
"Um... well, what should we do?" Juliana, asking another question. "S-should we bring Mr. Clavell over here?"
"He's a director, not a Pokémon professor. What would he know?" Nemona replied crossing her arms. "I-it kind of looks like... a Cyclizar?"
Juliana tilted her head in confusion. "Cyclizar? I don't think I've heard of that one."
Nemona turned her head over to Juliana completely dumbfounded. "Y-you don't know what Cyclizar is? You'd better stay in school, kid." She said. As her words lingered in the air, the tall beast Pokémon, seemingly stirred by their presence, rumbled to life. Its massive form unfurled from the sand with a slow, deliberate grace, reclaiming an upright layer of majesty to the already surreal scene.
Both girls stood in complete awe of the massive Pokémon. How it towered above them. It must've been at least 8 feet tall.
The monstrous beast Pokémon loomed, its massive jaws agape. Saliva dripped menacingly from its cavernous maw, forming glistening strands that hung in the air. Its sharp, yellow eyes glimmered with an unsettling intensity.
Juliana's heart raced as an overwhelming sense of dread enveloped her. The colossal beast before her cast a shadow that seemed to swallow the light, sending shivers down her spine. Every instinct screamed danger, and her breath caught in her throat, paralyzed by the fear of the unknown.
Nemona's expression hardened. Her eyes narrowed into a focused glare, determination replacing any trace of fear. A silent strength emanated from her; she may not have had her strongest Pokémon with her, but that didn't mean she wouldn't fight if she had to.
Sprigatito leaped in front of both her Trainer and Nemona. Her small form puffing up in defiance. Despite the obvious mismatch, a fierce resolve gleamed in her eyes. With her tail held high, a courageous yowl escaped her, signaling her readiness to protect.
Juliana's breath caught; she instinctively took a cautious step back as the reptilian beast's head slowly inched towards her. Why does it want me? I'm too young to be eaten...! The girl thought as the creature was steadily getting closer to her, with its hot breath brushing against the nape of her neck. The beast close enough it could easily take a chunk out of her.
Nemona's eyes flashed with anger. Swiftly, she retrieved a Poké Ball, fiery resolve burning in her gaze. "Stay away from her, monstruo, or you're gonna get it!" She yelled, ready to battle.
Sprigatito's eyes ignited with a brilliant green glow, a telltale sign that nature's energy surged within; she was ready to attack as well.
With her eyes closed and face turned away from the beast, Juliana didn't see the creature as it reached for her backpack. In a swift and silent motion, the formidable creature seized the bag, and only when the weight lifted from her shoulders did she realize the intrusion.
She opened her eyes facing the beast, blinking twice in both a mixture of confusion and awe.
The beast Pokémon attempted to unzip the bag with its mouth. Despite its best efforts, the zipper proved to be too big an obstacle. After just a few attempts, the creature let out a defeated whimper, its frustration evident.
Juliana and Nemona exchanged surprised glances. Suddenly the menacing beast Pokémon no longer looked so menacing. Or so it seemed.
"What does it want from your bag?" Nemona couldn't help but ask. "I know it doesn't want some diary or coloring book you've got in there. Spill."
"No tengo ni idea. I've got no clue." Juliana replied with a shrug before crossing her arms. She had to give it some thought, what could some ancient-looking monstrous Pokémon want with her belongings. That was when she had a realization.
"That's it!" She cried out loud surprising both Nemona and her starter.
Juliana, with a now calm demeanor, approached the beast Pokémon which filled Nemona with shock. She gracefully knelt down, reaching for her bookbag, effortlessly unzipping it as if dealing with the creature's antics was just another ordinary task.
"Ay, ay, ay, esta chica va a ser la muerte de mí." Nemona muttered, her hand meeting her forehead with an audible thud.
The beast's face lit up with delight now that the girl's bookbag was unzipped. It lunged its head into the bag before pulling out the wrapped sandwich that Mom had packed for Juliana.
"The lunch mamá had given me earlier, I had a feeling that's what you wanted!" Juliana exclaimed; glad her hunch was correct.
Without bothering to remove the wrapper, it eagerly indulged in the unexpected culinary find. Sinking its teeth into the wrapped sandwich, the crinkling sound of the wrapper intermingling with the creature's contented munching.
"It's eating your food!? That's worse than if it tried toeat you!" Nemona muttered, still in disbelief of the situation. "And without taking off the wrapper too..."
"Sprigatito..." The Grass Cat Pokémon uttered, in agreement with Nemona.
"Hey, I'm not losing sleep over it. I hate mayonnaise anyways." Juliana responded, still knelt in front of the mysterious Pokémon. Chunks of the sandwich disappeared into its jaws; the wrapper awkwardly caught in its teeth as well.
The Pokémon looked away from its food and gazed at Juliana, its eyes reflecting zero malice. Getting up with a hint of whimsy, it ambled past both Juliana and Nemona, leaving behind the half-eaten sandwich.
"Y-you're not even going to finish your food!?" Juliana cried out for the beast Pokémon who ignored her.
"It must not like mayonnaise either." Nemona said sarcastically.
The Pokémon strolled purposefully towards a distant cave with both Juliana and Nemona's eyes gazed upon its back. Suddenly, a brilliant golden aura enveloped the creature, radiant power akin to the intensity of a solar flare. The luminous glow emanated a mesmerizing energy, causing both Juliana and Nemona to shield their eyes from the dazzling brilliance.
The golden aura gracefully departed from the beast's body, shimmering with an ethereal glow. With a final, poignant glance at Juliana, the creature exuded a sense of acknowledgment and gratitude before vanishing into the depths of the cave, leaving behind a fading luminosity that echoed the mysterious power it possessed.
Juliana uncovered her eyes, amazed by what she had witnessed. "Tha-that was... I've never seen anything like that." She gasped, her eyes sparkling with excitement. A contagious energy radiating from her as she processed the unexpected turn of events. The thrill of the encounter, the creature's departure, and the mysterious shining aura leaving her visibly animated.
"No data found. Please try again later." Juliana heard, looking over to Nemona whose Rotom Phone was out, after having diligently scanned the enigmatic beast Pokémon to no avail.
"Mierda. Even the Pokédex has nothing on it!" Nemona cried with her Rotom Phone returning to her back pocket. "I've never had that happen to me before, what is going on today!? Is that thing even a Pokémon?"
Juliana's gaze shifted downward towards Sprigatito, a warm smile playing on her lips. An idea sparkled in her mind, and the camaraderie between them hinted at a plan forming as they exchanged a silent understanding.
Nemona looked over to Juliana noticing the girl's mischievous smile. "Would you quit smiling like that! What's going on in that head of yours!?"
Juliana smiled as she placed her bookbag on her back. "Why we're going to follow it of course! Did you see the look of that thing, it looked awesome!"
"What! Are you crazy!?" Nemona freaked, shock painted across her face. "Regardless of whether the Pokémon is dangerous or not, they're Pokémon in caves like that! As you are now, if they were to attack Sprigatito and you, no one would ever hear from you again!"
Juliana gave a defiant smile. "Who's the one that worries too much now? As long as I follow closely behind that red Pokémon, then no others would be crazy enough to attack either of us!"
Nemona tensed up, her expression shifting to a serious demeanor. "Listen, do not do it. Wild Pokémon can be territorial, especially the ones found in deep caves. If either of us were to go in there, then we could be in big danger. Neither of our Pokémon are strong enough to handle this right now!"
"I have to at least make sure it's going to be alright, okay?" Juliana explained walking towards the cave with Sprigatito jumping on her shoulder. "I'm not asking you to come with me, so you can go back to your place and leave us be."
Anger surged within Nemona as she witnessed Juliana disobeying her. The disapproval in her eyes was palpable, reflecting the frustration she felt. "Juliana! As president of Naranja academy's student council and a senior Trainer, I am ordering you to come back here!" She yelled with a stern, commanding voice. "Do you want me to tell Mr. Clavell what you're doing!?"
Juliana, still carelessly walking towards the cave, turned her head back to the barking Trainer behind her. "Order this!" She said cheekily sticking her tongue out while rolling down an eyelid as she disappeared into the black abyss of the dark cave.
Nemona stood there, clenching her fist tightly in anger, with her teeth grit together. After a moment, she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself as she began walking away from the cave no longer wasting energy on the girl.
Fine, do what you want, idiota. See if I care... Nemona thought to herself.
Hey guys, sorry for the long wait for this chapter, but that's it for now! Let me now if you guys think the spanish dialogue is too much by the way, I try and incorporate it since the Paldea region is based on Spain. But anyways...
Oh yeah, well, I also wanted to say it's kind of strange writing this story with Koraidon being the legendary instead of Miraidon, since I played Violet first, but I chose to write this story with Scarlet rather than Violet since I like the Naranja uniform color scheme more than Uva Academy's.
So yeah, new chapter I'm hoping by tomorrow. Stay tuned!