PokeSync - Requiem and Hope

[MegaAbsol]

So this is the solo work spinoff? of an RP, longdead, but beloved enough to be dragged unceremoniously through its grave. Credits to the original RP thread creator, Kyuukestu, not tagging you cause then you'd get spammed with notifs, and AuthorSME, the original author of the novel that birthed this concept.

Link to the RP Discussion Thread, complete with all resources: https://forums.pokecharms.com/threads/pokesync-discussion-thread.25402/ (Ask to Join - PokéSync: Discussion Thread)

Want any link? It's in there, the link to the RP thread, the link to the Google Sheets, the link to the original novel.

For the uninitiated, who just stumbled upon this and weren't a part of the RP; here's the downlow. This is the solo continuation of my character's journey through the world of PokeSync, because I like the premise and not even the death of a thread will stand in the way of her development. This is planned to be a solo written work, but friends and past acquaintances from the original PokeSync are welcome to hop in as and when they are required/requested. The structure of it starts out as me documenting (read: copy and pasting) my old posts from the thread, and slowly writing in new ones in terms of development, events and more, as the time arises.

As always, enjoy the read~

 

[MegaAbsol]

Trainer BIOS Sheet

Name: Maribelle Glory Everleigh
Gender: Female
Age: 17
Trainer Class : Backpacker
Physical Appearance: Born and raised in what would barely qualify as civilization, Mari grew up an extremely robust and active little girl. Tanned skin, toned muscles and a lithe build, she is always up and on the go. She sports the same dark hair and eyes that she got from her father, and has a smattering of silvery white scars across her body, most prominently on her hands and knees from an active and playful lifestyle. She also has more serious (and often painful in the winter) scars across her back and midriff that have healed unevenly and expose long tearing streaks of glazed over pink flesh. They are no longer painful to the touch, but especially dry bouts of weather do cause her skin to crust painfully.

Clothing: When under shelter, she is not particular about what she wears, often opting for some of her favourite (and therefore faded) loose shirts and shorts, but she has several pairs of full, heavy clothes geared to take on the brunt of winter. She owns two pairs of heavy hiking gear, complete with many layers of fur and wool to keep her warm, covered with suede leather and a pair of goggles and a mask to protect against the biting wind. Mittens and boots included, and she is especially fond of the heavy bottomed leather boots, often opting to wear it to less serious expeditions. She possesses a fiddle and a harmonica, both of which she plays with great skill and gusto. (“Enthusiasm’s half the show!”)

Personality: Rambunctious. Pugnacious. Outgoing. Mari is keenly aware that she’s not like the mainland children. Growing up in a society largely disconnected from technology or even basic amenities like running water and electricity, she is unwillingly sheltered from the outside world, and yearns to know more. Within the community she is a natural leader and often pied pipers the other young boys and girls to her call, but in unknown territory she becomes timid and meek. Raised shy of any kind of bureaucracy and in a community that relied on communication for survival, she is used to blistering honesty and speaks her mind as such. She is quick to anger but equally quick to forgive and move on, and holding a grudge is practically unknown to her. She gets along well with children, and participates actively in upkeeping the community that made themselves family to her.

She is always willing to try new things, and raving to join the expeditions that embark every now and then. She holds a certain awe and healthy respect for the King of the Mountain, and is equally fascinated with Jacket, her clan leaders’ Aggron. Despite her clan’s deep wariness of pokemon, Mari recognizes that accepting their partnership and combining strengths is the way forward, which is considered quite the hot take in her community. While not one to fear judgement, she is self aware enough to feel embarrassment when necessary, and as such is distrustful of city folk. She has exceptionally keen instinct for wild pokemon, even among her mates of the Darkest Day, and has proved invaluable in avoiding more than one potentially deadly encounter. She doesn’t shy away from centring attention on herself and often breaks into silly song and dance to ease tensions and evoke laughter. While being aware of her strong country accent, she has never had reason to doubt it and be embarrassed as long as she was surrounded by like-minded folks. She does, however, deeply detest the system that let her and her family down. Not many seek to travel like Mari does, but the girl is set on a goal and there’s no stopping her.

Backstory: It all began on the Darkest Day. Well, not really. Mari was born as the only child in her small family of father, mother and grandmother. Her community was small, but all members participated equally in caregiving and she found herself several partners of various ages to play with. She never knew loneliness and learnt to welcome the pokemon that wandered in and out of their village. Her hometown, such that it is, itself wasn’t recognized by the league, being classified as a band of gypsies that wandered from location to location, while in reality they had semi permanent settlements up as the seasons allowed. Mari grew up used to frequent travel, and was even handed her tiny little knapsack as soon as she could walk unaided, filled with one stuffed toy and like five sweets to carry and contribute as a clan member. She had never felt more important!

By the age of seven, Maribelle was a grizzled veteran of the mountains. She knew every inch of the two settlements they alternated between. The summer home was obviously her favourite, higher up on the mountains past a tenuous hike, where the wind was crisp and clear and the average temperature was usually well below zero. It was a tiny collection of huts perched on the precipice of a cliff, just enough to house her community, and certainly no more. Mari was always the first to volunteer to head down to the nearest lake, regardless of temperature while the others hesitated, knowing they would have to break the ice to carry back the much coveted water. More than once, she had been too eager to break the thick crust of ice and had fallen through to the murky depths of the freezing lake. Those were tense times, but she’d lived, hadn’t she? Well, not before the clan members nearly killed her for her hubris.

Winter was when the weather was too harsh and unpredictable to stay there anymore, and the annual trek back to the base of the mountains began, a tenuous trip with often no breaks in between that had to be prepared for months in advance. It was usually the children skipping ahead, nary a worry in the world, with the adults slowly bringing up the rear with all manner of important items that couldn’t be left behind. Perishable food, clothing and mattresses, necessary utensils and such. The children quickly learnt to pull their weight and were often laden with sacks that made them stagger. The staggering didn’t last long either, once they discovered how slippery the floor was under a weighted foot, and soon they learnt the slow, steady march of their elders. In the early days, Mari reminisces, they were often accompanied up or down the path with the various strays that had learnt to make friends of the settlers. Stray Cleffa and Geodude would hover along, carefully out of reach, while the more domestic ones like Teddiursa or Magby would stick close to their owners and partners. Pokemon battling wasn’t a very sought after hobby when all your spare energy went towards survival in the wild. Maribelle had often considered why they didn’t leave the inhospitable mountains and make their way to civilization, but the more she got to know of the outside world, the more she realized that the world had no place for them.

It was then as it is now. Jacket was the biggest pokemon visible – then a Lairon, he and the clan leader always tagged along at the end, Jacket either hitched to a cart or tasked with carrying some of the older members who couldn’t make the trek anymore. Mari’s grandmother was one of them, and sometimes as a treat, Jacket would allow her to slip on and get a free ride – until one of the adults saw her, scolded her and wrung an ear or two and let her off. The spirit of a seven year old is indomitable, and she would soon be back to try and sneak another ride on the cloth clad Lairon. Jacket himself did not mind; he was fond of children, and would often try to nuzzle up to newborn babies, unceremoniously pushing his way past the crowd with the strength that belied his gentle taps on the baby.

The Darkest Day struck during summer, which sounds ideal at first. The weather was warm, and suddenly the air was full of screams. Giant pokemon rampaged through the weakly built structures, snapping houses and people alike under their feet like toothpicks. None of the domesticated pokemon held a bond long enough or strong enough to defend against the wild pokemon – the best they could do was spare their owner and run off into the mists. Only one monolith stood between them and destruction. Jacket rose to the occasion and met tooth with claw as a newly evolved Aggron, earning every dent in his armor as a medal, a laurel to his bravery. But alas, even the toughest of pokemon cannot save everyone, and the dead outnumbered the survivors when the dust settled. The sprawling landscape, a Mecca of madness and morbidity. Fear ran rank through the living, and suspicious eyes were turned upon Jacket, now a towering monstrosity in the eyes of man. Mist and blood dropped to the ground alike, like rain in the forest.

The losses were everyones, but some people never recovered from them. Mari and several other children lost their parents, siblings, loved ones… they alone lived on. The clan head was quick to take charge again, rallying the survivors and reinstating order… all the while never turning his back to Jacket. Not anymore. She remembers, they were explicitly forbidden to clamber over his tail or lounge on his warm back, rising and falling with his every breath anymore. The only defendant, the savior was treated the same as the traitor that murdered them as they slept.

They never returned to the summer abode anymore. They returned, steps and hearts heavy, up the mountain, where they prayed it would be safer. They prayed they weren’t followed. They prayed that help would come; surely the League would spare no expense when it came to their own people? But the help never arrived. They buried their dead alone, and alone they returned home, such that it is.

Years followed, the stillness in the air rose. The winters were harsher than ever, with no warming Pokemon at their hearth. The years were harsh, as the small band of survivors struggled to keep the young children well and engaged. The unspoken mantle of parenthood passed to every adult, and they carried it with dignity and fervour. Mari does not remember a single instance of feeling unloved or forgotten; and never will she forget the warmth and compassion she received in the time of need. Hunger, hunger she remembers well. The days they got by with chewing on a piece of leather, forbidden from eating the snow no matter how thirsty they may have been. Ten of them sharing a single smoked fish, picking the bones clean and cracking it for the marrow until it wasn’t even fit for the earth. The tears they wept in shame and disgrace as they had to strip the dead for the clothing they needed, for survival was the struggle of the ones whose toil had not ended yet.

The first winter came punishingly quick, crushing life like a newborn sapling. It is not the way of the Wild to like movement. Life is an offence to it, for life is movement; and the Wild aims always to destroy movement. It freezes the water to prevent it running to the sea; it drives the sap out of the trees till they are frozen to their mighty hearts; and most ferociously and terribly of all does the Wild harry and crush into submission man--man who is the most restless of life, ever in revolt against the dictum that all movement must in the end come to the cessation of movement. But still Mari toiled on, for they were not dead yet.

Years passed, and the children grew, in time, to take the place of those they had lost. Life waited for no one, and soon they had their hands full with new arrivals to the clan. Always human, never pokemon anymore. And poor Jacket, he never got to hold another baby in his arms again.

Mari could sense it, a change in the lands, a shift in the air. Jacket emanated a new power. Strength, fortitude. One that rang loud and clear in the air… but there were others. More like him, all around. She could sense pokemon and the power they held. Others seemed to be able to do it as well, but none with the precision that Mari could. From her hut, swaddled in sheets, she could sense Jacket arising before anybody else, she could follow, in her mind’s eye, the Noivern that flapped past, paying no heed to the village below. The Cubone that burrowed deep beneath the soil. The Golem stirring in their earthy beds. The world was alive, and her fingers thrummed with its heartbeat.

A new threat made itself apparent, outside the wild pokemon that hungered for any flesh that they could find. A being, known only as The King of the Mountain. A towering beast, big, bigger than Jacket, bigger than perhaps the mountain itself. When it walked, the earth shook, and it roared with the knowledge that it had no challengers. A giant dragon, with glowing eyes and heat pluming at its mouth. It is said that a swipe of its tail would be enough to change the landform of the region forever. Mari had seen it. Yes, she had seen it, once, from afar. A form, rising regally with glowing blue eyes. A tyrant without challenge, a king of death. But as quickly as he rose, he trundled back into the mists, leaving behind only a little girl who had had her world revolutionized. For the King… she could not feel him. She could not sense him. Awe crushed her and palpable fear washed over, but she could not recognize him.

Slowly the music around firesides returned, slowly life sprung anew. The winter will not last forever, and the hunt begins anew. Whether in the city or in the mountains, alone in the woods or tunnels, survival is the same. Prepare, persist, and overcome. Expeditions for food and water were now armed with weapon and tool in place of the familiar guard dog and hunting falcon. They were alone, and nature itself seemed to frown upon them, pressing in from each side like wolves that caught the scent of blood. Life was difficult, and not one they were given the time to fully understand, but Mari had a budding idea.

Many fall in the face of chaos, but not this one. Not today.

She had heard of the Bronze League, once. Once, by a travelling merchant who had the misfortune to trap himself in the unforgiving mountains. The rescued were always in a great hurry to leave, past the profuse gratitude for being saved, but Maribelle had heard enough before he left. A challenge, a test of mettle. Mari could do it. She was strong, fast, determined. If only just a little, a little attention was all she needed, just someone to pay attention, someone to listen to her so she could get her community, her family the help they needed. Supplies, shelter, safety, anything to get them by another day more safely than the last. Anything to ensure the children could grow up with parents. Anything to make sure that someday, perhaps not today or tomorrow, someday they would live in peace, seeing not the poisonous cold around them, but light and warmth. Hearing not the voices of the people they lost along the way, but the sounds of laughter. No more mourning, no more carnage and tears, no more fleeing. There was but one sound that rang in her ears, as she packed her bag full to leave, and it was the sound of rain. Rain in the forest.




Pokemon BIOS Sheet


Name: Avery
Species: Hoothoot
Gender: Male
Ability: Keen Eye
Nature: Timid
Characteristic: Alert to sounds
Appearance: A regular Hoothoot, somewhat small due to its young age. It’s wings appear to be tattered and stunted
Moves: Tackle, Growl, Foresight

 

[MegaAbsol]

“Awright, looks like the sun’s lettin’ out. I’ll be awn my way then, pappy,” Mari slung her bag only her shoulder, slightly swaying from the weight of it before she got a grip and stood strong and steady. “Jessie, Maple, see you birds lat’r then, awight?” She nodded with a smile at the two girls nearly reduced to tears, standing at the forefront of the crowd that had come to bid her farewell. “You’ll send word, won’tchu?” Mari grinned toothily at them; none of them knew how to read or write well, except the town elder who had taught them what little he could in the lack of a formal education. “Even better, sugar. If I have my druthers, well I just might could get y’all a regular postal service. May even get those fancy signal to’ors. Get us one of those new telefoons,” She pulled them close into a rough hug as the two broke into wet giggles. The clan elder watched this fondly, waiting his turn to say his goodbyes. “Pappy,” Mari whispered, holding back tears as she let her girlfriends go and walked into his waiting arms; finally letting the tears fall that she couldn’t shed in her friends’ arms. “There, now, Maribelle. You be good, yeah? You hear me? You be safe and happy and you come back any time you need, yeah?”

“Y- yeah… I’ll watch my own. I’ll come back, promise,” She sniffled, wiping her face in his shirt before pulling away, putting on a stoic smile again. She turned to meet more of her friends, elbowing her best pal Hunter in the ribs as he came closer. “Aye, so she says, but watch wh’n she gets to the mainland and forgets about us awl,” He guffawed, much to Mari’s offence. “Aw, push off, ya brat. I ain’t forget you guys, I won’t!” She corrected herself hastily as the elder glared at her worsening slang. “Ye, ye, so you say until you find some better cheeks and bevs down there, yeah?” Hunter leaned closer with a grin, and Mari grabbed him by the collar threateningly. “Ya want me to knock some sense in that dense skull?” He backed up at that, hands raised in surrender. “Naw, naw, damn little bird, ya better nawt be makin’ frends like that down there. They might not be takin’ too kindly to this behavoor,” Mari was the most vicious of fighters among them all, able to take down the tallest of the boys when grappling. Height and weight advantage didn’t stand a chance before her sheer ferocity and force of will. Hunter had once been able to hold her in a bind for a few seconds, and that crowning achievement had earned the insufferable boy a place in her books.

“Shut up, Hunter. Mari, come,” One of the women stepped closer, the closest to a maternal figure that Mari had. The elder woman was especially fond of the pugnacious little child and the village were amused to no end at her antics. She had once gotten a boy stuck in a pot, somehow, and everybody remembered to laugh at the boy running around blindly around the village before someone came to his rescue. Of course, once he turned around to blame his accuser, the girl had slyly snuck off to hide until his anger tided over. Mari gratefully walked into her open embrace, feeling moistness well up in her eyes again but she kept them tightly shut, savouring the warmth of the hug for the last time in hopefully many a day.

“Come, Mari, time to leave if you want to make it before nightfall.” The elder had graciously offered to escort her down to the nearest town, a half day’s hike at their brisk pace. It meant the elder was out of commission for a full day, an offer that was more than generous by their little community’s standards. As she turned to leave, she heard Hunter call out one last time, as though in mocking, “Maribelle Glory Everleigh! We ain’t forget you so you better ain’t forget us! Ain’t matter if you busier than a moth in a mitten, you better ain’t forget us!” which was met with a series of goodbye calls from the village, and a few sobs from Jessie. “Jacket,” Mari called up with a smile at the towering Aggron.

“Aye, he’s been hankering for a walk anyway. And he’d have been madder than a wet hen if he didn’t get to walk you down,” The elder smiled briefly as Jacket rumbled in pleasure. They had taken to briefly chaining the Aggron in the early days after the Darkest Day, fearful of the strength he had shown when fighting off the titans. But the docile Aggron had slowly won over their trust, and while most other children wouldn’t wander near the giant Steel type idly chewing on a rock, Mari was adamant in not letting him have a meal alone and was always sneaking away to him. Thus there was really no other child the elder would have trusted with Jacket than her. Really though, she was always pushing her limits… he rubbed his temples in silent stress as she lightly clambered up the towering pokemon, hands and feet agile and sure, and the weight of the backpack nearly non-existent as she finally settled into a deep groove in his shoulders. “Hehe, onwards~” She called, excitedly kicking her feet in the air, elated at being able to feel his deep heavy breaths and his solid, strong heartbeats for the last time.

The walk down was brisk, the elder travelling surefootedly down the steep mountainside while Jacket rumbled on, taking the rear. He may appear slow as they slowly shambled down the path, but both of them knew that none reacted faster than him when it came to avoiding a stumble, a misstep, a fall. Mari continued rocking herself in her seat, animatedly chatting to any who would care to listen. How she hoped the world would be, what she expected out of the challenge, her starter pokemon, what she would do first, who would come to deliver her package. The elder listened for the most part with a smile, occasionally asking a question or two. “Look at you, Maribelle. You started out no bigger than knee-high to a Kricketot, and now you’re goin’ to be the finest trainer this side of Route 13,” He chuckled appreciatively, eliciting a few giggles from the girl.

“Aye! Jus’ wish one o’ tha girls would’ve come with. Wouldn’ have been quite as lonely,” She smiled sadly, feeling Jacket rumble in response. She patted him hard, knowing he wouldn’t feel it through his metallic armour, and only the loud clanks in the air could convey her appreciation to him. “You’ll be alright, Mari. Remember, you’re Glory’s child after all. Honestly I’m not surprised you’re the one raring to go among us all,” His tone dropped to a thoughtful muse at the end, though Mari could hear the smile in his voice still. “Aw, pappy! Jus’ you wait’n’see! I’ll make some frends and speed through faster’n two shakes of a Wooloo’s tail! Y’all hardly notice I was gawn before I get back!” She laughed heartily, and the elder joined in with a few fond chuckles.

---

“Alright now, watch yourself down there, yeah? And keep yourself in check, you brat you. You’d make a preacher cuss!” The elder patted Mari’s head, and let go with a rough ruffle of her hair. “Well well then they’ll have somethin’ to take notice of, yea?” She grinned, but paused when she saw the older man’s face grow concerned.

“No, really, Mari. People can be… wary of the ones they don’t know. Not everyone is as welcoming as, well, us. They might not want to help you if they don’t know you. And don’t go about making a ruckus. Look, Mari,” He paused, reaching out to put his hand under her chin and pull her face back towards him, only to be met with an unconvinced teenager. “Listen to me, Mari. We’ve managed all these years and we’ll manage a bit more, yeah? Don’t go about taking it all on yourself. Just… have fun and be careful, yeah?” The girl frowned, letting out a slow exhale, as they walked slowly into town. Jacket was left behind out of eyesight, but Mari could still feel his comforting warm aura from afar. She hoped he could sense her too.

Just as she opened her mouth to comment on what the elder had said, a not-so-quite whisper floated to her ears. “Ugh, these country bozos. They’re like bad weather… a pain when they come down and a relief when they go back up…” Anger blazing in her heart, she whirled around, quivering. “Hey! What’s yar problem, huh? Ya got somethin’ to say?!” She roared, rage channelling her voice across the lanes. The woman who had taken no special care to keep her voice lowered looked taken aback, before quickly gathering her effects and shooting a knowing glance at her companion, scurried back indoors.

“Mari, enough,” The elder growled, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her back. The girl was surprised by the violent jolt of energy she felt, and not for the first time she was reminded that despite his age, this man had singlehandedly taken care of an entire village, children included, by himself, in a dangerous territory teeming with powerful wildlife. It was easy to forget under the elder’s smiling visage, but now anger marred his gentle features, and Mari stopped struggling, wilting under his fierce gaze.

“Silence, do you really see yourself going anywhere if you pick a fight with every person who badmouths you?” He rumbled in a furious whisper.

“But she-“

“I know what she said!” His whisper rose to a loud remark.

The two regarded each other silently, as the man struggled to control himself, and lowered his voice again. “I’m sorry to have yelled at you. I know what she said. An’ fact of the matter is we need this town’s support and connections to survive. Without them, yes, without them all, you wouldn’t have been leaving for this journey. So hold your tongue, bird, before you ruin everything that has led to this and more.”

Mari looked like she had more to say, but she swallowed hard, nodded and turned her eyes down again. The two stood there in silence for a bit, as the girl toed the dust, dwarfed by her large backpack.

“Come, you better not tarry. Your package must be here.” With a sweep of his hand, the elder diffused the situation and turned to walk away. Mari glanced aside, eyes half lidded, and followed after him in silent contemplation. She had been prepared, of course. She had been prepared to face some ridicule, some stigma, some sneers and some condescending glances. But she hadn’t prepared for the cruelty of men, the gossip of women, the subtle mind games of half-truths and whole lies of society and the delicate song and dance of diplomacy.

---

An hour later saw Mari sitting at a bench next to the post office, swinging her legs and humming to herself as she watched the world go by. She had to bid farewell to the Elder or he wouldn’t have made it home by nightfall – and night fell very quick this high up. The girl clutched her backpack to herself like a Komala clinging to a piece of wood – it was rather unwieldy, and weighed as much as the girl herself, but she didn’t really notice the weight. She was practicing dialects to herself while keeping her ears perked to the sounds around her.

“Hi, nice to meet’cha. No, you fool! Nice to… meeeet… you… My… my name- my name is Maribelle. Mari- Marie- Marieeebelle…”

She mumbled away to herself as her eyes idly followed the people around her. Women in skirts and men in suspenders loitered past, either engrossed in work or shooting her curious – and scornful – glances. Her hands were busy, fingers drifting and going over and over the name that was carefully stitched onto her backpack by one of the village women. It said ‘Maribelle Glory Everleigh’ and the memory of the bumps under her fingers was etched into her mind like braille. She couldn’t read too well, and would occasionally glance at the post office to see if the letters made any more sense than they did five minutes ago. No, they really didn’t. But now she’d recognize the symbols for post office, at least.

Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair, ruffling the tousled locks, and rested her chin on the bag, once again idly watching people as she savoured the last of the sun rays, dipping behind the mountain peaks now. Pappy and Jacket must be back home by now… or close to atleast… hope they got by safely… Mari yawned widely, eliciting a few disgusted glances from the passerbys and a few murmurs about no decorum, but the girl was feeling especially apathetic and paid them no mind. It was something she would have to hear often… or change… She pursed her lips, running her nails lightly along the bag’s sturdy fabric out of boredom. The package had been delayed, no small surprise in a town as distant as this, but there was still plenty to see.

Hmm… if nothing else… I can stay the night and get back tomorrow morning… if the package isn’t here today… She mused, resting her head on her palm, smushing her eye closed with her cheek. She let out another yawn, before perking up suddenly. Was that the flap of wings? Her eyes wandered to the skies, where just above the solitary electricity tower descended a gigantic Staraptor, it’s sleek black wings flashing in the scant sunlight. The measured but powerful flapping knocked a few feathers loose, one drifting close enough for Mari to snatch out of the sky. Unable to tear away her admiring eyes from the spectacle, she marveled at the beauty of the well-kept Predator pokemon while her hands caressed the feather, feeling how the pokemon might have on a close up. Starly and Staravia were common everywhere, even the farthest reaches of the region like this, but the final evolution was rare, as it was rumored to leave its flock after evolution due to its aggressive tendencies. Predator birds had a tendency to hunt down prey larger than itself, but the pokemon before it made her wonder what prey could outgrow the massive falcon.

She watched as the pokemon landed heavily in the town clearing, attracting more attention from the residents of the sleepy little town. It allowed her to get a better look at the powerful pokemon, rippling with muscle and strength. Hmm, yes, she could feel it, the strength it emanated. It felt similar to Jacket, but somehow so different. She supposed they were as different as… the sky and the earth. She allowed herself an amused huff and watched, wondering what such a well behaved Staraptor was doing here. It showed no signs of aggression and landed very carefully, making sure not to hurt anybody or anything. So engrossed was she in observation that she nearly missed the man slipping off the bird’s back.

He stood out just as much as the large bird did in the dull light. Where the massive pokemon dominated the area with strength and sheer presence, the man was dressed extremely eye-catchingly, in a… very bright blue. Mari had to blink a couple of times and then quickly avert her wide-eyed gaze. While she certainly wasn’t the only one staring at him with her mouth open, a strange sense of awkwardness and self-awareness had washed over her. Something had said ‘this is a man well-traveled, this is a man not native to this tiny little backyard in beyond,’ at the back of her head.

Keeping her eyes trained on the ground, she heard the man walk away from the Staraptor – ah, his bonded partner? A very fine choice for travel indeed. Not many would challenge a Staraptor’s flight, and the robust bird was well suited for long distances, even at night, she bet. She watched with some wistful longing at the large bird, who had begun preening but she noticed it kept a watchful eye over its human. Its eyes sifted over warily around town, and it seemed to glance upwards often, as though expecting something to fall. Rain? It wasn’t quite the right season for it. And in this agrarian little hub, rain in this weather… the crops would never survive the cold.

She followed the man’s path into the post office, taking note of the bag slung over his shoulder. Was he a delivery man? Or had he come to take something? Maybe he was the one expecting? Maybe he was sent from the League to…. I don’t know, check whether all is in working order. Mari had never seen a postman in person, it was usually the adults who headed down the mountain to pick up any special deliveries, like the time where Cecil’s medicine had finally arrived after a fortnight of burning fever. He recovered well, but for a time he was lethargic and subdued, as though the illness had taken something out of him. The other children had had to tiptoe around the quiet child, and Kayla had volunteered to keep watch by his bedside. The two had grown close and were now the talk of the town with their upcoming bethrothal. The memory made her smile, remembering the older children of her family, and her heart ached to see them again, even though it had been less than a day since she’d last spoken to-

“Maribelle? Is there a Maribelle Everleigh here?”

---

Mari jumped to her feet, slinging her bag back onto her shoulders as she scurried closer to the door. The man in blue was just beginning to exit the office again, and she moved to avoid him and enter when she saw him hold a package in his hands with a familiar name on it. He called out again "Maribelle? Maribelle Everleigh, you have a package for-“

“Yes! That’s me!”

The man looked taken aback, stepping away as though recoiling from surprise, as the girl excitedly spoke up beside him. Kids these days, so exciteable. But he supposed it was just the regular response to starting your journey; she certainly wasn’t the first one today.

“Er, Ah mean, yes, that- that’s me, Maribelle. Maribelle Glory Everleigh,” She swallowed hard, reining in her excitement and stepped back, slipping her arms through both straps of the bag. The carefully crafted sentence with perfect local dialect had slipped off in her excitement, and her thick accent had made itself comfortable again, but she had no time to kick herself for it. Was this it? Was it for her? Was it from the League?

“Ah, yes. Sign here please.” The curt request saw the girl practically snatch the clipboard from him and scrawl on the loose, messy ‘Mari’ that passed for a signature from the illiterate girl, and practically trembling from excitement, she accepted the carefully wrapped package from his hands.

“Right,” He glanced down at the details on the notepad, peeling it away to reveal a second page behind that she hadn’t noticed. It was full of tiny text, and just seeing it made her feel dizzy, so she focused on ripping apart the paper wrappings. “It says here that you applied for financial aid, so there should be 5,000 pokedollars inside. I shall stay and verify,” He mumbled, signing off on a declaration form while eyeing the girl’s messy signature, “Your tickets should arrive in a few days after selection, but please expect delays as the weather is frequently… bad…”

He trailed off as both their gazes dropped to what Mari was holding in her hand uncertainly. “…Can I… help you?” The man ventured, hovering closer while reflecting that while she was no make-up laden teenager, she certainly seemed to have problems of her own. “Er, well, see, sir,” Mari blushed deeply, holding the device awry in her hands, fingers crookedly gripping it as though she wasn’t really sure if it was meant to be touched in the first place. “Well, ah, ya the money’s all there, but, eh, what’s this thingamajig?” She held up the pale blue rectangular device, the shiny side towards the man, reflecting his astonished face.

“That’s… your Rotom phone. League sanctioned.”

“Oh! Ohhh a foon! Aye I hear’ of em! Wowee, real pretty, yeah? How’s it work?” She grinned up at his baffled face, and he rubbed his temple in disbelief, exchanging glances with his Staraptor. Today was going to be a long day.

---

 

[MegaAbsol]

“Gee, sir! Thanks en awful lawt for the ride, mister! Carn diggity, it sure is cold’n up ‘ere! How do you-“ Mari continued to holler in the poor man’s ear as her hands held him tightly to herself, offering the cursed mailman no escape. Her hair whipped into her face in an excited frenzy, and her heart beat in a merry staccato to the rhythm of the wind in her ears. The Staraptor practically radiated with sympathy and pity, but it did nothing to allude the man’s misery. “What?! I can’t hear you over the wind!” He yelled back, wishing she would shut up and keep the talking to when their feet were on terra firma, but Mari seemed to take it as a challenge and bellowed at the top of her lungs. “I SAID, THANKS EN AWFUL LAWT FOR THE RIDE, MISTER! IT SURE IS COLD-“

The man nearly wept. Staraptor flapped his wings hard and tried to go faster.


“Chee, whiz! It were’n colder ‘en a witch’s tit in a brass bra, yessir! Y’all League mailmen tougher thawn we thought, ye!” Mari grinned, rubbing her arms to warm up quickly under her thick winter coat. She still spoke rather loudly, probably struggling to adjust from the wind still ringing in her ears. “Yeah, yeah, no problem. So, um, let’s see, the League centre…” The man hurried to slide off the Staraptor, who even obligingly bent to let him escape the girl faster, but she held him in a vicegrip. The man had seen much in his years of experience and travel, but this girl holding him from the back scared him. “Aye, we here? Swan, that was a hellava ride! Do ya do this awften?” Her accent was slipping further and further in her excitement, and he struggled to comprehend her words while his hands struggled to loosen the lithe little girl’s arms around his waist. Why was she so strong?! Why won’t she let go?! Staraptor crowed and puffed up, eliciting a giggle from the elated girl.

“Aye, what’m I sayin’, yer a mailmain, o’course you do this awften! Hehe, Pappy always used to say, ‘a dense one, she is. If she had an idea, it would die of loneliness’ an’ then he’d laugh. I ken gots no clue what he was on about, do ye know wot he meant?” Mari rattled on and on, happily chattering and seemingly oblivious to the mailman’s vain tries to free himself from his self-inflicted prison. Why, oh why had he offered this accursed child a ride to the nearest hub?

“Ayn an’ this place sure’s huge, mister! What’s it called? We’n never really gon’ any further’n the village at the foot’n o’ th’mounten, eh,” She seemed to slow down from her giddy rush of flying through the sky, taking a minute to survey her surroundings and finally letting the cold rush of the atmospheric journey get to her, clacking her teeth together in a low but audible chatter. “Yeah, yeah, it’s a great little town, could you let me go, please?” The man squeezed out in desperation, gripping on to Staraptor’s feathers a tad too tightly for the bird’s liking. “Aye, ooh, sorry sir, my hands’n jus kinda froze, aye!” She exclaimed, throwing her arms open and letting the man slither unceremoniously to the cobblestoned road. Staraptor ruffled itself once again and glanced disdainfully at its rider and the girl who continued to sit comfortably on him. The pack she was carrying was getting real heavy too.

“Er, yeah, no problem. Well, you sit there and be safe for a bit, alright? Yeah, yeah, get comfortable, uh, get yourself a little, well, sorted, out,” He paused hesitantly, vaguely gesturing to the girl’s dishevelled hair and clothes, and hurried resumed when Mari touched a hand to her head inquisitively, “Yeah, and um, I’ll, just go inside and have a word real quick. The ladies inside will get you sorted out,” And with an apologetic glance and a psychic whisper to his partner pokemon, he scurried off in record speeds to the League Centre, feeling the cold glare of his Staraptor burrowing into his skull.

“Git sorted oot? What’n he say? Wot’s wrong wit’ how I look?” Mari spoke aloud to nobody in particular, eyes straying into the sky as her hands busily combed through her crazed hair, deftly untangling any knots and burrs in the thick locks, but doing little in the way of actually making her any more presentable. She pulled her shoulders in close, rubbing her face against the warm inner layer of her coat, which was beginning to wear rather heavily on her now that they had landed. She hadn’t paid too much attention to which way they were going, in her newfound elation at flying through the air, but wherever they were was significantly warmer than what she was accustomed to. She unzipped the top half of her coat and much to her steed’s disappointment, continued to sit there, idly waving her feet and watching the city go by.

This was definitely a lot of firsts for Mari. Her first day alone, her first day away from her clan, her first ride on a flying pokemon, her first visit to a city, and gee, look at those skyscrapers. To Mari, they seemed to stretch on forever, high into the sky as though challenging nature to outdo it, to outgrow and overtake if it can. She pursed her lips, squinting up against the sun to marvel at the towering architectural marvels. So noticeable, so densely packed… life was very different in an urban setting, and she would have much to learn. So far it was certainly living up to every story she had heard of the world outside her mountain.

It wasn’t all good, of course. Within minutes, Mari was wrinkling her nose at this strange… thick smell. What was that? It smelled rancid, it smelt foul. It smelt like something had been left to burn for three days, the suffocating pungent scent of smoke that hung heavy in the air. And it was all-pervading, it was everywhere. A far cry from the crisp clean air of the craggy heights she grew up in, and not a change that was very welcome. She grumbled, burying her chin and mouth deep in her coat’s pocket, watching the little dust particles drift by, and squinted around with far more scepticism this time. Dust, fleeting dust like little snowflakes.

People dressed differently, in short, vibrant clothes, and Mari found herself ogling wonderingly at a lady dressed particularly skimpily. Certainly, the weather allowed it, but… and none of the passerby’s stopped other than to give the Staraptor a fleeting glance. There weren’t many pokemon she could sense around herself, and even fewer outclassed or matched the beast that she rode upon. That cheered Mari up a bit, trying to ignore the pangs of loneliness as her hands sunk into the Staraptor’s back, feeling the soft downy feathers instead of rough, cold steel. She forced a smile on and quickly slid off, taking a moment to train her gaze on the floor before looking around again.

Pappy and Jesse would have loved this city… Mari bit her lip, wistfully falling into silence. Pappy spoke of what little he knew of the outside world, and Jesse was always the more experimentative of the lot with her appearance, her demeanour, the way she presented herself to the others, her small little world. She would have… enjoyed it. Fit right in, perhaps. Felt happy that there were others like her. Found like-minded friends… perhaps have had more fun with them. Perhaps it was best she didn’t come after all…

“Alright, looks like you’re set!” Mari snapped out of it, staring at the man wide-eyed. What had she just been thinking? “Um, the ladies inside say they’ll get you ready up to meet your partner pokemon. Uh, I bet they’ll show you how to use the Rotom phone too,” The man hadn’t made eye contact yet, instead he was busily setting up the rider saddle on his Staraptor, who seemed relieved to finally move on from this terrible day. Mari stood there for just a little too long, stock still; the man finally mustered enough courage from his curiosity to look up at the wide-eyed girl. “Can I help y- er, er. I mean, what’s wrong?” Not making that mistake again!

“N- nothin’, nothin’. Just thinkin’ of home,” Home. Mari managed a watery smile, blinking innocently at the man, who didn’t seem convinced but neither did he seem keen on pursuing the matter. “Well, alright then. Be safe, and good luck on your journeys,” He gave a little tip of his hat, waved and mounted the Staraptor. Mari hurried up alongside to give the bird a few goodbye pets. “Aye, an’ thank yew mister! I ain’t forget this! You been real good an’ real nice to me today! You done me a real good turn, sir.” She solemnly said, eagerly looking up at the man. He was duly baffled for a second before bursting into laughter. “Yeah, no problem, kid. My pleasure. Now go on, git,” He waved kindly at the girl and watched her step away from the Staraptor. “Despite everything, she’s a good kid,” He weakly offered to the Staraptor, who silently ruffled himself in response and with a few powerful flaps, was off in the air.

Mari watched them disappear into a speck in the distance before suddenly feeling very alone. The reality of being alone in a metropolitan city for the first time sunk in, and she shrunk in on herself, feeling very small and lost. She missed Pappy, and Maple, and she even missed Hunter, just a little bit. And… she wished they were here. She really did. Dern’ tootin’ if they have more fun in the city than they do with her. That’s what it’s there for, ain’t it?! Mari angrily ground a pebble under her heel, silently fuming by the side of the road.

“Um, excuse me,” A light, feminine voice spoke up, snapping Mari’s attention and head upwards at the source. The condescending tone didn’t sink in until she saw the lady who had spoken sneer at her, eyeing her up and down before resuming, “you’re blocking the way, honey. Why don’t you find something to do instead of dilly-dallying around?” And just like that, she was gone. Mari blinked after her, mouth ajar in confusion and hesitant anger. Were all city folk like this? She consciously passed her fingers over her many different accessories, made from shells and crystals; things that practically screamed she was not a native to the city. The most noticeable one was a jadeite clip she wore to keep her hair out of her eyes; an inexpensive but attractive material that was mostly localised around the mountains. The tanned girl hesitated, before unclipping and pocketing the adornment, taking care to slowly and carefully fold her clothes over her other characteristic signs. Her necklace, her earrings, her tattoos, and her skin, as much of it as she could.

The heat began building quick under her completely covered body, and the relentless day spurred her into action. There was so much she wanted to do, so much she wanted to see and explore. The prospect of a new life was dampened by the fact that she’d have to maneuver through it alone…. Or perhaps she didn’t. Perhaps she could find a partner first to find her way with.

---

‘Ayn, pull yerself together, bird!’ Mari shook herself up, pacing up and down a small corner, hands clenching and unclenching as she mustered the courage to take the step forward. Who knew that given a new territory, her confidence would slip off like a false mask, a bravado. She grit her teeth, pausing to take a breath; she barely felt the weight of her pack, but the crushing scenario settled on her being, and she was only moderately certain that the weight on her chest might actually have been the rancid city air.

Get it together! It ain’t about whether I c’n make it back or nawt! Issabout the journey ahead! C’mon Mari, you were so excited for this! Her brow furrowed, and she slipped off one gloves to lightly run her fingers up the seam of the other glove. Well-sewed together, tightly bound and sturdy; the village had spared no effort in giving her the best of their resources. Everybody was rooting for her, and suddenly what drove her to start didn’t seem so far away after all. And while none would blame her if she were to chicken out and return, she had to atleast give it a real good try.

But… she never got to look back and see her home for the last time.

It ain’t matter now, she told herself, swallowing hard and heading for the nearby door – glass, shiny, where was its handle? Was she to push? – it ain’t matter now… it’s okay to fall. It’s okay to stumble. Jus’ gotta keep running. And the door smoothly slid open.

The blinding bright lights, the cold clinical smell so unlike anything she was used to. It smelt.. clean. Like a hospital. Well maintained. Business like. Official. The air hung heavy with authority, and Mari’s throat went dry. This was… this was like coming down the mountain to the town, but way worse. No rough talk here, no tempers and certainly no kinds of any ornery behaviour ‘round here. She curled her fingers into little fists to keep them from shaking, forcing one foot in front of the other. Her eyes darted about, taking in the room; it was a wide lobby, seemingly stretching on forever, with high walls and a clean, orderly appearance. People milled about, in significantly lesser numbers than the street, and everyone seemed to be busy doing something or the other, leaving the country girl to selfconsciously make her way down to the front desk. She wasn’t entirely certain who to approach first, considering most were either absorbed in staring at some kind of glowing screen – a kompewter? Did they really have one in here? She hoped she could see one herself – or seemingly talking to themselves.

Perhaps in time she too would learn to love the city as they did. Mari hesitated, wondering once more where the thought had arisen from. The heavy polluted air, the flashing lights and noisy atmosphere, the busy roads and the silent uneasy tolerance every person had of each other when in the same living quarters. Did people love the city? Did the heartbeat of it thrum under their fingertips too? Were they glad of where they were, were they grateful of what they got? They must have been, nobody seemed to be in a big hurry to leave. Yes, the cities were as told – a glass prison to keep the people inside. Selfishly bound away in their own lives, caring not for the others, whether it be a close neighbour or a remote little village that most hadn’t heard of. People here looked the same and walked the same, but the language they spoke was not as one. Were love and hate the same word?

“Yes, dear? Can I help you?” Mari was interrupted yet again by the brisk pace of life in a city. Her dark eyes flashed upwards to meet the gentle gaze of an older woman behind a desk, one who she had unconsciously drifted close to. And, well, naturally… Mari panicked.

“Ooh, er, Muk, em, ya’see, maam, eh, I-“ She stuttered out, sweating profusely, not from the warmth of the clothes. She fixated her eyes on the floor – carpet? – and ceased her babbling, face burning in embarrassment. There was a long, unbearable silence, and Mari felt herself trembling head to toe. How embarrassing, she winced, as her eyes squeezed shut, holding back tears of shame. Keep runnin’, she says to herself, but all she was was a flower that bloomed too early, doomed to wither and die. A branch that reached out for the sun, reaching out with all its strength even as it runs dry. Petals, dry flower petals that crumble under fingertips. Keep runnin’, she says, for that is all she knew how to do.

…

“Oh! You must be Maribelle, yes?” The kind voice piped up again, now distinctly softer and more knowledgeable, and the Mari in question hazarded a meek glance up, to be met with a glowing smile and a knowing nod. She gulped hard, nodding for words wouldn’t escape her. “Ah, yes yes, the mail official told me about you. Come, dear. He did mention you might need some help. Right from the farthest areas of the region, aren’t we?” Before she knew what was happening, the lady had vacated her position and swept the quivering girl away to an area swathe with soft velveteen couches and the scent of flowers. “Yes, dear, starting out on the Bronze League too, are we? My, that’s mighty fine of you! Have you voted for the region yet? I hear it’s all the rage among young children like you,” She chuckled fondly, somehow managing to seat the girl, hand her a cup of warm coffee and pull out a sheaf of papers before Mari could even comprehend what was happening or where the conversation was going.

“Yes, the man didn’t say much, but he did seem quite insistent that you would have questions. So, honey, what can I help you with?” Mari stared at the lady in wonder, mouth opening and closing in silent surprise, mind boggled and words jumbled. Her mind raced to catch up with what happened; life was moving a little too fast for her liking. “I- eh- aye I ken’ knae what to do, maam,” She blurted out. Silence pervaded the air again, and Mari violently got to her feet, only making it halfway there before her knees collided painfully against the table, pushing the heavy wooden furniture back noisily and attracting more than a few curious stares.

“Oh, oh, there now,” The lady rose as well, steadying Mari’s hand with the coffee in it; Mari hissed in pain as the scalding liquid splashed onto her hand, and fearful of dropping some on the woman as well, jerked her hand away, losing her balance and sullenly falling back onto the encompassingly soft couch. “Now, now, child. Slow down and tell me all,” The lady soothed, resting a gentle hand on Mari’s thigh. The girl looked helplessly at the lady, still smiling, still mukin’ smiling, and she wanted to cry.

And she began to tell her all. Voices low, gazes downcast, Mari poured her heart out to this lady who she had meant but minutes ago, about how excited she was to see the big city, how scared she felt now that she was here, how lonely and lost she was out of her element, how tied up with societal niceties and technology, how she couldn’t find the courage to talk to anyone anymore. How much she missed her family back home, ones she remembered cloaked in snow as this city was cloaked in dust. She missed them. She missed them, she missed them, she missed them. It had been less than a day but she missed the quips, the conversations, the community she knew she would be leaving behind for the better part of a year when she knew nothing of what she was leaving them for. And simply saying she missed them made her miss them more. And how in all this grief she buried her excitement to meet her first pokemon and all that she had prepared to tango with the beauracracy and paperwork.

The woman listened quietly, nodding or hmm’ing as the conversation required, and edging in a question or two, but for the most part – she listened. Leaving behind family could be hard, and if what the girl said was true, then this wasn’t the first time she had to leave her familia behind. If this was true, then the girl didn’t have a family in the traditional sense.

“Aye, ‘n, ‘n, ‘n I’m so sad, ‘n I feel so helpless, like we ken do ‘nymore’n jus’ runnin’, you know,” Mari sniffled, wiping her nose into her sleeve. “We always rannin’. We ran that day too, an’ they ain’t been real nice to Jacket since, an’ I don’ wanna run anymooooore-“ Mari’s voice quivered and broke off, as the girl took a deep shuddering breath. The woman affectionately patted her knee, smiling supportively when Mari sneaked shy glances at her, but not saying much else.

“It’ll be alright, dearie. I can’t imagine what you’ve been through, dear me, but all I can assure you is perhaps you’ll find what you’re looking for in this journey. You’ve been very brave to come this far, and you have had and will have friends to help you along. Oh yes,” She nodded as Mari glanced up again curiously at the mention of friends, “You’ll meet plenty of people along the way, and perhaps you’ll be left a little richer for the experience? It’s a whole world out there, honey, and it can be daunting, but all you need to remember is, you have today.” Mari hummed uncertainly, not any more consoled than before, but certainly calmer having talked it all out with a kind face and a listening ear. “Now, then, if you’re still sure you want to do this, shall we get on with it?” The lady asked with a smile, and if just a little by little, Mari began feeling better.

---

“Right, then, and this is how you get back to the Home Screen,” The lady, Clara, finished, glancing back at Mari to see if she understood. The child was deep in concentration, looking as though she was going over the controls in her head. “Aye, oolright, I thin’ I got’em. So that’s foor calls, that’s foor messages, er, textin’? Whatchu call ‘em?” Receiving positive feedback, she continued, “An’ that’s fer checkin’ news, aye, understood. I think. Might take’n a while, maam,” She grinned sheepishly, taking the Rotom Phone from Clara far more confidently now. She still couldn’t read too well, but thankfully the device came equipped with large visual icons to symbolize each function, and with a little help from Clara, she was able to customize the icons to symbols she was familiar with.

“Aye, of course, good goin’, Mari, you picked it up quick!” Clara beamed, and Mari reflected the appreciation with her own bright smile. She pocketed the blue coloured gadget and expectantly eyed the papers lying untouched before them. “Alright, ready to move on? I’ll read out everything and all you have to do is sign at the end. Then you can go meet your pokemon,” The two sat in silence for a bit, and the girl nodded, breathing out slowly and pulling her bag closer to herself.

Clara cleared her throat and began:

“United Pokemon League Announcement

Congratulations on your first step into the world of Pokemon Trainers! Almost every child dreams at one point to begin their own journey with pokemon, but these journeys can be perilous and rife with danger. The Bronze League serves to ensure that anyone with the ambition to snatch fame from the jaws of danger actually has the competency to satisfy those ambitions. This announcement serves to introduce you to the Bronze League and a few of its conditions:



1. Trainers must sign a warranty that outlines the dangerous nature of the Bronze League; although we, the UPL, have done our best to regulate these dangers, you could end up dead at any time; this warrantee serves to inform the trainer of these risk and obtain their knowing consent to this life-threatening competition. It also voids the UPL of responsibility if you, the Trainer, die for any reason other than the UPL's negligence.”



“Hah! Them bastards! Is that whay they be tellin’ ‘emselves?!” Mari barked out suddenly, voice harsh and coarse, and hand tightened viciously into a tight fist around the fabric of her bag. Clara blinked, staring at the girl in confusion. “Responsibility, them says! Why, them’s lower ‘n a snake’s belly in a wagon rut! As useful as tits on a bull, aye say! No’were ta be seen when theyms needed! Convenentiolly forget when needed, ey? Nawt a peep to be heard when… The egg-suckin’ varmints….” She growled, lapsing into a furious silence. Clara opened her mouth as though to say something, met Mari’s smouldering gaze and shut it again, shrugging and resuming the rest of the contract.


2. The Bronze League can be hosted in any region in the world and the UPL will provide all trainers with the necessary travelling arrangements to make it to the host region. The host region will be decided through the use of a poll, a link to which can be found below. Vote results will be hidden, but feel free to express your ideas in the accompanying thread.

3. The UPL will need to stay in close contact with the trainers and will regularly send you pertinent information. As such, the UPL will provide free upgrades to any registered trainer's Poke-Gadget: Poketch, Pokegear, X-transceiver etc. If the trainer does not possess one, the UPL will provide one. The UPL will be updated your gear to a special Rotom or Porygon Variant responsible for moderating and regulating the trainers. The Pokemon in these phones are under the purview of the UPL's operators and will be responsible for being the UPL's liaison with trainers in the field.

4. Functionalities of Rotom/Porygon enhanced Pokemon-Gadgets:

1. Normal Smart-phone functions

2. Pokédex

3. Apps

4. Tracks trainer's location at all times (this is mandatory and cannot be turned off.)

5. Emergency Alert System — if for any reason the Poke-Gadget's battery dies or is removed, or the trainer's GPS malfunctions, an emergency alert will immediately be sent to the nearest Ranger or Police Station with the trainer's last recorded location.

6. Poke Gadget acts as an online Banking assistant. Because Trainer-Related Transactions must be done using an authorized license (which is your Trainer Card) an associated bank account has been generated for each trainer which contains their starter funds, $5,000. Transactions must be done by first scanning their trainer card and then scanning the Poke-Gadget which is encoded and encrypted.

5. Poke-Gadgets will be reclaimed by the League at the end of the Bronze League. Trainers will be required to purchase their own personal devices once they reach Silver. It's recommended that every trainer catch either a Porygon or a Rotom once they reach Silver-Rank as some future transactions will require a registered Rotom or Porygon Device.

6. Bronze-Rank accounts are locked from transactions with higher ranked accounts, this is to ensure they complete the Bronze League on only their own merit or the merit of their peers.

7. Restrictions are lifted upon ascension to Silver Rank.

8. Mobile PCs can be purchased once the trainer reaches Silver-Rank

9. The Pokemon HOME application can be used to manage a trainer's Pokemon once it has been installed on their Rotom or Porygon Device and connected to their personal PC. Pokemon Related transactions can be done through these devices, including, but not limited to: placing Pokemon in PC, changing party pokemon, etc.

10. Pokemon will be be digitized/transformed into streams of energy and transferred to another location wirelessly, much like during a trade.

11. Pokemon in PC are stored in a dormant state; this minimizes their energy consumption. Trainers can only sustain 6 active Pokemon at a time without vast resources or stores of Pokemon food.

12. At Silver Rank Trainers can purchase designated zones which their Pokemon can reside and feed of the berries/herbs planted there (Oran Berries, Sitrus Berries, and Energy Herbs). These will be enough to sustain those Pokemon under the condition that they're not using moves regularly. This farm can only sustain 30 Pokemon excluding the Trainer's active 6. This will allow a trainer to comfortable own up to 36 Pokemon.

13. At Gold-Rank Trainers can purchase a larger territory, usually in an uninhabited area: an island, mountain, etc. with which they can manage to allow as many pokemon as they own to roam. No one has ever managed to catch enough pokemon to eat an island barren, the League suggests you don't try to be the first.



“And that’s the end of it,” Clara concluded, slightly out of breath from saying it all in one go. She stopped for a moment to catch her breath and Mari took the opportunity to dig her parcel out of her bagpack. “$5,000? Aye, this dosh? Ken- what it says about a- a benk account? What ken I do fer tha’?” Clara nodded, keeping a hand on her chest to signify she wasn’t done yet, before resuming, “Ah, we can deposit it for you, and henceforth all transactions must be digital. Er…” She paused, meeting Mari’s confused gaze; the lady was forced to rethink on the go, “Ah, everything… you buy… you can’t spend physical money anymore. So this paper money,” She pointed at the notes in Mari’s hand, “Wouldn’t be spent. It will happen through this,” She then pulled out her own Rotom phone and waggled it slightly, watching Mari’s gaze swap between the notes and the phone, trying to put two and two together. “It saves you the hassle of having to give exact amounts all the time. Instead, its done cashlessly and quickly,” Clara scrambled to explain, but the term ‘cashless’ seemed to aggravate the situation. “Cash…less? So they be givin’ it fer free? Ah mean, they didst give this foon fer free,” She asked with a tilt of her head, and Clara scrambled to correct her. “No, no, it’s not for free, they receive payment, and the phone isn’t free, it’s for your safety…””But how thems be getting’ payment if…” And the hushed conversation drifted through their quiet corner, swathe in soft velveteen couches and the smell of flowers.

---


Today, the moon shines especially bright… Breaths quickened and his eyes darted about, in desperate purchase around the room. I hate it, I hate this night. I want to breathe, I want to wake up, I hate this dream. Bump, bump, bump, went his heart deep in his chest, beating rapidly to the rhythm of his flailing appendages as he tried to slow himself down. He struggled, but it was all ocean with no floor. Help me, I’m falling, being swallowed by this lunatic night. Trapped, unable to get a grip on himself. Why was it so dark? Was this blood or tears? He couldn’t really tell. Could they hear him, his heartbeat calling out to them; within this childish madness, the one who relied on them for salvation? Feathers fell like snow, like snow that fell apart little by little. Fell apart like dry flower petals. Help me, I need your help, save me before I fall.

 

[MegaAbsol]

Today, the moon shines especially bright… Breaths quickened and his eyes darted about, in desperate purchase around the room. I hate it, I hate this night. I want to breathe, I want to wake up, I hate this dream. Bump, bump, bump, went his heart deep in his chest, beating rapidly to the rhythm of his flailing appendages as he tried to slow himself down. He struggled, but it was all ocean with no floor. Help me, I’m falling, being swallowed by this lunatic night. Trapped, unable to get a grip on himself. Why was it so dark? Was this blood or tears? He couldn’t really tell. Could they hear him, his heartbeat calling out to them; within this childish madness, the one who relied on them for salvation? Feathers fell like snow, like snow that fell apart little by little. Fell apart like dry flower petals. Help me, I need your help, save me before I fall.

---

I hate this night… I want to breathe…

I want to wake up, I hate this dream.


“Come now, hurry up or you’re going to miss the whole thing!” Clara scolded, leading (read, dragging) a grinning Mari by the hand to the interiors of the establishment. The building had certainly been eye-catching even amidst the overwhelmingly populated town for Mari, a giant among men, and the explanation of why was revealed as they passed through the swinging blue doors.

The part of the building visible to the newcomer as you enter the sliding glass door was only a small section of it; for here was where the remaining expanse of land went. And how it bustled with activity! The floor was carpeted and sections of it were cordoned off in tiny playpens and littered with various colourful items. The walls were painted bright, playful colours and one wall to the far right sported a suspiciously black stain, one that a lady was frantically trying to wipe off. And easily the most surprising factor of it all – Pokemon! Tens or maybe hundreds of pokemon wandered the room, either engaged in their own activities or interacting with the many people scattered around the room, likewise also busy in their own duties and responsibilities. One man seemed to be crouched over a Vulpix, swabbing inside the little fox’s mouth. Another lady was in the corner, arms spread wide over a cowering Meditite. As soon as the little pokemon made a dash for it, the lady, evidently a seasoned veteran in pokemon wrangling, lunged and scooped up the flailing baby pokemon. Still protesting, the Meditite was carted off to the front desk, where in a flurry of experienced hands it was given some medication (eye drops? She couldn’t even see, they were too fast) and then let loose, following which it promptly ran back to the same corner and proceeded to sulk.

Several pokemon noticed the entrance of Clara and Mari and approached excitedly to greet the faces, familiar and new alike. A bird flapped over, white in body with a bright orange beak, blue stripes on its wings flashing as it neared raucously, cawing the whole way for food, attention, or both. A curious metallic-blue… thing, floated over as well, ominously silent in contrast to the obnoxious gull. A little brightly-coloured fuzzball, also screeching flew by closely – oh! Mari didn’t recognize it at first but she knew what this one was! It was a Woobat! There were plenty of them back at home but this one looked so fluffy and well-kept in comparison that it was practically unrecognizable at first glance. Mari stood there wide-eyed, blinking at the wide variety of pokemon that milled around Clara, who cooed and greeted them all one by one, allowing a large red crab to grasp her skirt in its claws and picking up a small Machop in her arms – yet another pokemon Mari could barely recognize owing to its well-maintained physique and the sheer friendliness it showed. Why, the way there was no hint of aggression was enough to paint it as a completely different species in Mari’s book. Or at best, an outlier from the norm, one that certainly wouldn’t survive long in the wild the way it was.

As Clara stepped away from the throng, followed by a solitary… candle looking one, she beckoned for Mari to follow. The starstruck girl obeyed, still open-mouthed about the sheer scale of their operations. “And this, dear, is our back-end server. Most people never really need to come in here, now that we’ve shifted all our work online, so everyone just avails of it all in the comfort of their homes. Quite a marvel, technology…” Clara mused with a smile, sidestepping a fluttering mess of wings and feathers, allowing the red and gray avian creature to come to a bouncing halt on the carpet. The young girl paused to look at the dazed bird – yet another pokemon unfamiliar to her – and watched it for a couple of minutes, as it got back to its feet, unhurt, shook itself off and resumed evidently learning how to fly. “Ah, that one, yes, that Fletchling is rather young. Recently hatched, born here in the facility. A fairly popular pick for trainers, actually. Powerful fliers like Talonflame are always in demand,” Clara piped up, gently moving aside a lounging bug with proportionally giant pincers, which obligingly rolled off the table and fell to the floor. It didn’t even seem to mind, and in the same casual nature, rolled off somewhere without taking the effort to stand. Were… were every pokemon this easy going here?

Apparently not. She must have jinxed it or something, because suddenly a ruckus broke out behind her. As she turned to look, a blast of heat hit her face and forced her to scrunch her eyes closed. It was the Vulpix from before – or perhaps a different one? There were certainly more than one roaming around, but this one wasn’t as sleek as the one that had come up to Clara, now that she took a closer look. This one looked more suited to survival in the wild, fur awry and claws sharp, tail tousled and form perfectly in a battle stance as it faced off a hissing… sea creature, she presumed. She’d never seen that pokemon before, a smooth bodied slug-like beast, with a singular giant claw and some whisker-like antenna waving about threateningly. Men and women jumped in immediately to break up the fight as other pokemon watched on, some warily and some as though they were itching for a fight. Others still barely looked up from their meal, while some cowered back in fear and apprehension. One particularly fragile little bipedal pokemon tipped over into a dead faint.

Mari forced her wandering eyes back to the scene of interest, where the bristling little wild beast was barking and snapping at the blue crustacean, who shook its claw threateningly. “Ah, that one. Yes, that Vulpix is a recent addition. Difficult to work with, still on edge from the incident and won’t settle down,” Clara sighed, picking up a form from the table for Mari. “Wot? Wot… inciden’?” Clara looked at her sympathetically, also swiping a pen and walking away towards the centre of the room. Mari hesitated, and then followed.

“Well, you see, Mari, this is a Pokemon shelter, of sorts. It’s where nearly every rescued, newborn or… failed pokemon encounter end up. For whatever reason, these young mons,” Clara paused to pet a nearby red bipedal, who had also taken to grab her skirt, and had a very fancy hair-do, “have almost definitely had prior contact with a human. And were deemed… unwanted. These are abandoned pokemon.” She paused to bite her lip, looking up hesitantly at the young girl.

“Abandoned…?” The teenager whispered, eyes wandering but glazed, mind racing but offering only the single, simple clear picture of The Darkest Day, as one by one, each domesticated pokemon broke free of the shackles of ownership… and abandoned them all as they left. Loneliness is hardly new to the little clan; Jacket had been abandoned for years, after all, had he not? Surrounded by people and yet so, so lonely.


I’m trapped, it’s dark. Why is it so dark?

…I don’t want to be lonely. Please, help me, save me.


Why is it so dark when you’re not here? Can you hear my heartbeat? It calls out to you on its own. Please, come find me. The tiny, frightened bird’s eyes darted this way and that, taking in the bright lights, warm smell and the overwhelming presence of pokemon. Most of them seemed just like him, young, frightened pokemon stripped bare of their natural tendencies, either cowering and wishing as ardently to return to a life of normalcy as he did, or slowly crawling out of their shells and exploring around, making friends. Friends… friends… where were his friends? His… siblings? Did he have any? All he remembered was the night, rushing past in a flurry as nature took hold of his fragile life. The force of the leaves against his face, the bite of the night deep into his bones. The silence that pervaded, as though all around him held their breath, to see if Nature would spare one so young. Yes, that’s right, silence. Silence was all he remembered. The moon shone more than usual, vacant room in his memories. Swallowed by this lunatic night, in this darkness, you shine so bright…


Encouraged by Clara and a few more waitstaff, Mari had taken a seat at the centre of the room, waiting patiently to find her partner. A few pokemon came up to her curiously, including the rowdy Vulpix from earlier, and emboldened by her cheeky grin at it, it came right up to her, paws on her legs and muzzle challengingly thrust right in her face. “Aw, push off, ya runt. Ain’t n’un to pick a’ faight wif’ ‘ere,” Mari chuckled through gritted teeth, roughly running her fingers through the Vulpix’s tufts of fur and behind its ears, and pushed it off of her. The vulpine gave a few delighted barks and ran off to the next shiny thing, complacent in the same understanding that the two reached in their brief interaction – they were too alike. Not enough time to wax philosophical on the epiphany, here came along a new contender. “Wail! Why, Pappy woodve been trilled ta know they got pigs round’in ‘ere! That’s a mighty fine swine-“ Hardly had Mari finished than the ‘mighty fine swine’ did a hard pass and pointedly wandered off to greener pastures. Rude.

“Heh, they’ve all got their own distinct personalities, haven’t they?” Clara offered weakly, swiftly checking a beeping pager at her waist and scooping up the heifer. “Eh? Where’n ya takin’ ‘er?” The girl quizzically tilted her head, watching the older lady walk to the desk and withdraw the hog into a pokeball. “Well, it’s her lucky day! She got chosen! Some trainer wants to travel with her! Hope they get along well,” The people at the desk smiled encouragingly at her and the pokeball because she set it down on a glowing panel… and it simply disappeared.

“Whu- where’d’n int go? Whe-“ She sharply gasped, breath caught in her chest. Jacket. Or what he looked like, years ago atleast. A tiny shambling grey mound, with all the young innocence of a pokemon untainted by the cruelty of man. But before she could say anything, it too was cruelly snatched away by fate. Withdrawn into a pokeball and sent off into space and time, with all the crisp swiftness of yet another day, yet another delivery. And now that she noticed it, she saw that pokemon were disappearing at a rapid rate, and every so often an employee would wheel in a new batch of pokeballs and cages full of pokemon. Some pokemon were barely even released out of their confines before they were snatched up by thousands of Bronze League aspirants, just like her. She had been told that this wasn’t the only floor the pokemon were kept in, to allow each pokemon sufficient space, but this was certainly an office building through and through, and even in the back-end there always seemed to be some work left to do.

“It’s not always this bad. The rage just picks up every six months or so, whenever a new League starts,” Someone piped up, their words being met with sagely nods and one man lay his hand on a sleeping brown cub on the counter. “I think Little Red here is our oldest one up for adoption. He’s been here… what, four months now?” He looked around and was met once again with confirming nods, and without opening his eyes, Little Red flicked an ear and swished his tail affectionately around the man’s arm. But Mari had no eyes for Little Red, her gaze was darting around searching frantically for the pokemon she knew was gone already. Maybe… maybe it was still ar-

“Tha’- tha’ pokemon, who was it?” She asked, urgently tugging on Clara’s sleeve. “What? Which poke-“ “Th’ one wif’ metal plates an’ like grey armour like- like a jacket!” Her tone grew insistent, and as though in response, something in her bag beeped helpfully, as though asking for attention. “Oh, I didn’t see, but looks like your Pokedex did.” Clara chirped, mirroring the Dex’s cheery demeanour, and held the bag’s mouth open as she rummaged inside and brought out the sleek gray device. It flipped open on its own and lit up, showing the picture of… the pokemon she had seen.

“Aron, the Iron Armour pokemon”

It flashed, beeping out the data in a mechanical voice. Mari blinked once or twice, trying to adjust to the overwhelmingly busy screen, as reams of data scrolled past in an instant, but one thing was unmistakeable – the image of the “Aron” on the screen. The girl hesitated, and tapped on the image, which then reeled back out to show its evolutionary line; there he was. Jacket. This little Aron thing evolved into… “Eh… Ehg..rawn. Ehgrawn? Thas’ what Jacket is?” She awkwardly let the word roll about in her mouth for a bit.

“Ah, close enough. Aron evolves into Aggron. My, your, um, Jacket must be a big strong pokemon,” Clara smiled, peeking over Mari’s shoulder to look into the dex. The three pokemon of the evolutionary line looked back at her until the girl snapped it shut and tossed it into her bag with a resigned gesture. “Aye… aye… he were real strong. He were there fo’ us durin’… the day, y’know,” She gestured again, this time vaguely, “Th’ day it awl wen’ down. He were there fo’ us. But… We….”



Why does Arceus… make us so lonely? The little Hoothoot quivered, nervously shifting from one foot to the other. Deep in his bones, he felt the stirrings of a habit long lost… what time was it? He wanted to cry out, as he did back at home. Home… he glanced down, claws sinking into the velvety rug. He wanted to go home. Where was home? How could he get back? He could fly. He had wings. But… he can’t fly. What good are these wings… if they can’t guide me home? A fresh wave of fear and sorrow drowned out his thoughts. Home. No good. Lost. Don’t know. Alone. Scared. Don’t know. Don’t know. Don’t know.

Anger was an easier mask to wear than fear. The little bird lashed out, striking his own wing against the closest wall before fiercely biting on it and ripping out feathers. No good, no good! He was lost and alone and scared and- his angry little rampage cause other baby pokemon to jump out of his way left and right until- a dark shadow descended over him, and held him still with strong but firm hands. The murmur of voices, unlike pokemon… yes, voices, like those that he had once heard. Heard on a moonlit night. The night he fell from home, the night he was lost and cold and lonely. The night he was afraid-

“Ya’re afraid, ain’tcha?” A voice spoke, a rough but young voice, and the bird thrashed harder, trying to get loose. It was in vain, the hands held steady; practiced and accurate. “Settle dawn b’for aye pluck oot de rest o’ ye fetters,” The voice spoke again, louder this time, more assertive. More dangerous. The Hoothoot stopped immediately, falling limp in her hands, as though accepting his imminent death. Or perhaps… fearful of it too? ‘Do what you must’, spake the brave façade he wore over his quivering core. Shame Mari couldn’t read.

“Lil handful, ain’tcha. I like it, ya got spirit,” Mari paused, sitting down and loosening her grip on the owl. She’d never seen its likes before, but what she could recognize nearly immediately… was the fear it reeked of. Fear manifested in many forms, pokemon cowered in corners or nervously wet themselves or ran hither and thither to find a way to escape, a way out. But this one.. “Yer scared, and ye want ta scream, don’tcha?”

The bird trembled, feeling her coarse hand pass over his feathers, now gentle, while losing none of its firm strength. “Yer scared and ye dinnae know wha’ ta do an’ ye jus’ wanna scream and scream,” The voice went on, settling into a calming rhythmic rasp, “An’ ye got nawhere t’ go an’ nawhere to jus’- curl up and cry,”

“An’ ye miss yer family terribly and ye wonder how they doin’ without ya and if they miss ya as much as ya miss ‘em. Ya wonder what ye’r gunna do withou’ em. Alone. Afraid. Lonely.” The girl mused on and on, and the pokemon chanced a peek at her, emboldened by the hand that continually descended upon him but inflicted no hurt. Those hands… human hands grabbed and twisted and pinched and hurt. But these ones passed and came and went with no harm. In fact… it felt good. To be held, to be soothed. The warmth… reminded him of home. “Lonely, an’ knowin’ ya got en whol’ life ahead without ‘em. Knowin’… that the laife ya gotta leave behin’ is your very first death.”

To not see familiar faces, to not hear their comforting cries anymore… to never feel their warmth, or a kind touch… If Hoothoot could have cried, he would have, but as it stood, he simply buried his face into the girl’s shirt and stood still. Mourning. Knowing loss and fear and anger and sadness and enveloping darkness and knowing he would have to face it all alone from now. His body threatened to shiver and break, shatter into a million different pieces, unable to get a grip on itself.

No. Not alone. In this pitch darkness, she shone so bright. His sorrow, held only by hands, their warmth so, so comforting.

-

To be a black swan, figuratively, is a great privilege, and a great burden. It means to be the first of its species. Centuries ago when the first black swan was found, it was a matter of great debate. No one had ever seen before, and their existence was unheard of, much less seen. An unexpected surprise that no one saw possible. The first of its kind. The burden comes from the fear of ridicule, the fear of sticking out, of being different. Unknown, misunderstood, unnatural. But the privilege… oh, the privilege when the restraint of expectation falls away. The freedom to disregard all fears, the freedom to become what you wish and choose what you want, to set the path ahead for the rest to come. For none have existed before you, and perhaps none ever will. But all you know is you are alive and your heart beats as true as any other, black or white. To embrace who you are and find your own path.

An unexpected surprise that no one saw possible.

-

Heartbeat racing in his ears, bump, bump, bump; rapidly to the beat of his quickened breath, as he looked down at the girl, arms outstretched. He remembered this feeling, falling. Wings flailing uselessly as they struggled, but it was no use, it was all ocean with no floor. Feathers falling like snow, snow that fell apart little by little, like little specks of dust- Into the maw, he had to jump, jump, jump-!!

“Come awn, Aves! Ya can deo et! Com’awn! I’ll catch ya!”

Squeezing his eyes shut, he leaped, wings outstretched to catch the wind. Every moment becomes eternity; darker, yes I think it’s getting darker. Those hands that I chose to trust… No, just let go of me. Let my own feet carry me. But for now, for today… save me. Save me, I need your help, save me before I fall-!

“Hehe, gotcha! Told ya’ I’d catch ya, dinnae I? Good jawb, kid, reckon ya did well, now what-do say we ge’ some nosh? I hear’ we gots some real nice taters ken on the maenew…”


This road may be long and hard…


“Aye, pappy’s gunna be real ‘appy to read it, tae! Aye, o’course, an’ dun forget tah mention tha’ weird roun’ furreh thin’ we sae! Aye, th’ real mean-lookin’ feral ‘un! That’un were a real varmint, it were! All gray an’ tough-lookin’. Oh! Oh! An’ that bloo feller tae! Aye, th’un that looken like a whole-ass person’n ‘e turned oot ta be a Pokemon!” Mari briefly paused to burst into peals of laughter, holding her stomach and gripping the table to prevent herself from falling off. Clara smiled sympathetically, not understanding a single word of what she was saying but dutifully noting it all down anyway. The letter was held steady in her practiced hand, and she continued writing steadily as the girl yapped on excitedly. “Ay! An’ tha’un too, the lil feller who were’n ‘ot his knickers in’an twist. Aye, the lil snake-bellied ‘un, aye. Th’un with a real loong yapper an’ had teef ‘alf a mile lawng. Aye, looked like ‘e used to could bite en whole car righ’ en half! Oh! An’ ken forge’ tha’ nag neither! Why, tha lil brat really tho’ the sun came up to hear ‘er crow! Aye, aye, en we gotta pu’in a pickchure o’ Avery ‘ere too! Gotta show Pappy who’s comin’ along wit’me, nae? Hehe, maybe we’ll pu’in a foo’prin’ o’yers, aye, an’ mebbe Clara ‘ere gun shou us ho’tae put in a pickchure proper’, eh?”


But will you walk it with me?


She remembered back then, the days of her teens, the days they burned up when they couldn’t see an inch in front of their faces. Oh, they laughed, they cried, and life seemed so much simpler and that it would all be okay. Those days now, those moments had become memories, and here she was, cradling pieces of her heart, holding herself together as tightly as she could. Her wandering feet stuck in a rut; sinking slowly, in a trance, into an ocean with all light silenced. The fear of falling apart, the fear of being forgotten, the fear of losing her way… deeper, yeah I think it’s getting deeper. There was no helping hand to embrace her pain now, she just kept losing focus. No, just let me go. Let my own feet carry me. The gentle beat of wings in the night caused her to crack her eyes open, and she felt the gentle weight of a familiar creature land on her. Blindly, she reached out with a curious hand, and she felt the touch of warm feathers, of a familiar, comforting rise and fall of a tiny chest, so small, yet so strong. Without repulsion, the warm living creature accepted her, and she felt flush with courage and silent cheers. The sounds of the night, the glint of the stars; through the little owl, she could hear the gentle thrum of the world, to the beat of his heart, keep track of every passing second, every excruciating moment that had become a memory and every moment yet to come. Like clockwork, his heart ticked away, little mechanical beats thrummed inside the softly breathing creature. She closed her eyes, hearing the calls of critters out in the wild, hearing the gentle tinkle of glassware downstairs, hearing voices from afar, muted dialogue and the crinkling of paper. The bubble of the brook further down the wilderness, the patch of forest he so loved; the stream dipped and weaved into dark secrets of pool and cascade, and by the time it reached the workings of the city, it turned into a quiet, well-conducted little stream. She idly turned to gaze out her window, her view now specked with nodding, slender birches, greened over by a tangle of vines. She closed her eyes, and she could almost sense the air, sweet with the breath of the many pine trees that sloped away into the horizon mists of her village, and she knew Avery could see it too. In the half daylight they used to receive, birds used to sing as though it were the only day of summer in all their lives, and in her minds eye, she could see amber-hued belt of rock dunes shut in from the crystal white mountains beyond. The lake they frequented would have been a glory of many shifting hues a little later down the year – a most spiritual shading of crocus and rose and ethereal green, with other elusive tintings for which no name has ever been found. She reached into Avery’s memories, and found one such place dear to him as well; he offered the thought up willingly, and together they sat silently as though to not break the veil of exploration they shared. Above the bridge the pond ran up into fringing groves of fir and maple and lay all darkly translucent in their wavering shadows. Here and there a wild plum leaned out from the bank like a white-clad girl tip-toeing to her own reflection. From the marsh at the head of the pond came the clear, mournfully-sweet chorus of the frogs. With a sigh of rapture, Mari released a breath, suddenly not feeling so lonely anymore. Avery sat silently for a moment, before offering yet another memory to share, to bask in together and to admire. They were on the crest of a hill. The sun had set some time since, but the landscape was still clear in the mellow afterlight. To the west a dark church spire rose up against a marigold sky. Below was a little valley and beyond a long, gently-rising slope with snug farmsteads scattered along it. From one to another the child’s eyes darted, eager and wistful, watched over carefully by her avian companion. At last they lingered on one away to the left, far back from the road, dimly white with blossoming trees in the twilight of the surrounding woods. Over it, in the stainless southwest sky, a great crystal-white star was shining like a lamp of guidance and promise.

Deeper, yeah I think I’m going deeper. Just let me go, let my own feet carry me. Mari reached out and pulled the owl closer again and together they sat there, without repulsion, each accepted the other. So they sat, to greet the morning together. Let me go, let my own feet carry me. I’ll go in myself… and in the deepest depths, I saw myself. Wild waves, moments and memories, even if you pass me by, I’ll never get dragged away again. My heartbeat calls out to you at it’s own will. In this pitch black darkness, you shine so bright. But eyes wide open in the forest, I wanted to shout, I wanted to scream with ferocity. Nothing can devour me, because when I think of you, the sun comes out. Inside, in the deepest depths, I saw myself, I saw myself.


We may fall, and sometimes get hurt…


All of this is no coincidence, Avery thought, sitting and watching Mari struggle with her Pokedex (“gosh darn hot diggity goddamn piece of sh-“) If everything since the creation of the universe is predestined, then this is no coincidence. He could feel it. The world was different from yesterday, just from her joy. Is happiness meant to be? Did the universe move for them, without missing a single thing? Everytime he wanted to give up, she was there, by his side, saying ‘bastard, you can really do it’. Yeah… yeah he remembered back then, when he was fed up and lost. When he fell prey to despair, when he pushed her away. When he resented meeting her, she was firmly by his side. She didn’t have to say anything, she was there; without repulsion, she accepted him. All of this must be the providence of the universe, it has to be. As much as his heart glowed with warmth, he was worried; does the universe grow jealous of others’ happiness? Is happiness meant to be? But when he felt the warm touch of her gentle hand, he knew, he knew. She would hold him, so he wouldn’t be afraid anymore. If she was together with him, he could smile. Will you walk with me? Will you fly with me? I can feel the warmth of the hand that gently holds me. Please, feel me too, you’re not alone. I wish I could thank you, for letting me be me. For giving me wings, for helping me fly. For straightening the me who was wrinkled, for ironing them all out, for waking me from being suffocated, for waking me from a dream which was all I was living in. When I think of you, the sun comes out. I wish I could thank you.


But will you stay with me?


Thank you, for letting ‘me’ be ‘us’.

 

[MegaAbsol]

My Pokemon has a Keen Eye for berries.

In the evenings, he hops off into the underbrush and brings me back Oran berries, and sometimes their flowers. While the berries cook, I weave the flowers into his feathers while he sits and purrs like a Meowth.

But looking for berries must be hard work, because he always comes back scruffy, and a little dusty.

"Mari, look! I got new flowers!"

"He'h? What fo'r? W'y 'ave dinner awredy prehpayred today, did'ja foorge'?"

"Oh, ah, well, no reason, they were pretty..."

"Hmmm... ahh well, guess ay'll find a' use for 'em eventoolly,"

Looking for berries must be very hard work, because I always need extra time to groom him down and tease out each scrap of dirt from his feathers and get rid of the fresh wet earth smell from his body.

Good thing flowers always seem to be readily available.

-x-

My trainer has a beautiful name.

Her name consists of two flowers, or their derivatives anyway, and when we're having a slow day, I trace out the letters slowly in the dust.

"Oh? Try'na scrawl m'nayme? Very naice, what are tho'use scribbles next t'ayit?"

"Mm, nothing special,"

"They're naice. Why'enna ye drawin' 'em in th' dust though? They'll just be fadin' awae,"

The Hoothoot could not smile, but she felt the waves of emotion radiating from him.

"I certainly hope they don't,"