Aerodactyl

[Khaoscontrol]

This story is called Aerodactyl, about a trainer and his fight for life and the meaning of it. Aerodactyl is the one that guides him across his life from when he leaves Eterna City to his deathbed. (PG-PG13: Violence, light cursing.)
I tried to keep it a kid's book, though it is compared to reality, so it may become hard to understand.
VIEW POST NUMBER 10 FOR LINKS TO CHAPTERS TO HELP FIND THEM.

The Egg​

If you don’t know me, my life’s goal is to become the best Pokemon trainer. Who doesn’t want to be? I want to become better than Cynthia herself. I’m a small town boy, so that chance is virtually zero, even if I manage to get a Pokemon. Hopes and dreams are said to come true, but try that on the first man you see. He would rather receive a lecture from his underpaid co-worker than be told this crap.

I am fifteen years old. Fifteen years of little education and high pay. I am five feet and four inches tall, maybe another inch with my baseball cap. I always wear my lucky green cap. Maybe just for the feeling of hope, but now it is dissolving. My wardrobe is a black t-shirt, and denim jeans. I’m no fashion freak. My face always displays a serious expression, especially in these hard times.

I am watering the garden in grand Eterna City. Eterna City isn’t so grand any more. All the plants are drying up and dying. We had a very dry summer, and now just as dry a winter. Don’t believe that it isn’t cold though. People always pray they won’t be forced along the treacherous path to Snowpoint City. Nobody could make it without a Pokemon, and often can’t make it with one.

Because of the dry season, crop harvesting is low, and because of little crops, economy is down. Then it continues down the ladder to how much people get paid, higher house payment, etc. Our family is digging deeper and deeper yet into debt to the city, and we’re very aware we may be moving out soon. I guess they haven’t yet out of pity for us. We’ve always been poor.

Eterna City is a green city, but lately has been rather brown. It is more often than not dense with foliage and undergrowth. Everyone always envisions vacationing in Flourama Town, but that requires traveling through Eterna Forest, which is teeming with wild Pokemon. It would be unintelligent to set out there, even if you completed it. There is awfully little employment.

“Rob! We’ve got a letter!”
My mom is leaning out of the doorway of our run-down house. Since our house is two in one, you could call it an apartment if you like. We rent the left part of the house, and help pay the owner with our garden. I hate gardening, but I know we need to. It is a dirt-brown house with a flat roof. It may be painted on top, but I can’t see it from the ground. Most of the wood is decaying and damp, to the point it is news the house is still standing.

My mom has an expression of fear. We already know what it says. I stagger forward with a feeling of horror. I tear open the letter.

Letter From The Eterna City Eternal Bank.

Dear Malsim family,

We have received notice that you have not repaid the required amount of money to the landlord of this household. It is past due for 2 monthly payments. We are sorry to say you have been evicted from this household. May fate serve you well.

-The Eterna City Eternal Bank

I read the letter over again. And again. We’ve been dispossessed. We’ll have to journey to Snowpoint city. I look up to Mom. She is looking away. To break the silence I say:
“We best get going while it’s still daybreak.”
“I know.”
There was a long silence.
“We better pack our stuff.” Mom croaks.

I grab a few suitcases and hurl my attire into it. Mom slowly clutches a suitcase and places some clothing in it. I jam mine shut. I am hardly able to latch it closed. I grab my knapsack from school when I was younger. It’s large enough. I put my suitcase into the large back pouch. I stride to the kitchen and bundle as much storable food that will fit in the final suitcase.

I wish dad was here. He has business plans in Saffron City, and that’s all the way in the Kanto region. That’s rather a ways from Sinnoh. He typically sends money to aid when he’s absent. He must be cut off from postal service. Why now, though?

I grab the suitcase sitting on the coarse log table and lug it back to my bedroom. My bedroom wasn’t anything special either. A wooden board substitute for a door and my wooded frame mattress. Iron wasn’t used in Eterna City in respect of Eterna Forest. Funny thing is is that the wood honoring Eterna Forest is what is killing Eterna Forest. I am going to miss my bed soon.

There I leave it for one final pass around Eterna. I hated this hell, but it is where I grew up. I thud out the door with melancholy. The green summers, the winters just as beautiful. I never noticed up until this point. I pass our yard picket fence gate onto the dirt path. No concrete either I guess. There is no need for it anyway. Cars were abandoned to keep the Pokemon healthy.

I continue. The bike shop, neighboring houses, the grocer, and other buildings, all with memories. My fourth birthday, when I got a tricycle from the bike shop. I was so happy then. Buying brownies to celebrate Christmas. Friends as they come and go. All of it is gone now. It has been nearly an hour. I should turn back home.

I stumble back into the front yard with my knapsack slung over my shoulder, now with food and clothes for the trip. Mom nods, and we start to meander out of Eterna City. We walk past the steps to the Gym. Long have I dreamed of climbing those steps. But that dream is no more.

We leave behind the houses of neighbors and friends. I suppose Luce has left as well. Everyone does. Soon after, we pass the wood-cutting plant, signaling the border of Eterna City. We walked for no less than an hour before we began to see thin blankets of snow. The sun was approaching the midpoint of the sky. It must be late morning.

As we lurched ahead, the snow grew deeper, and deeper, in anticipation of a blizzard, up to our chins in snow. Soon we reached the blizzard. It wasn’t as bad as you might presume. It was a tunnel dug through the snow to who knows where. As long as it’s going north, we’re going the right way. After maybe a mile in the tunnels we found what appears to be a cave-in.

“I guess we are forced to dig.” I mutter.

Mom and I dig with our exposed hands for what seemed like perpetuity. After it was large enough to edge through, Mom pried herself through it. I kept digging for some reason. I may never know why I dug today. Maybe fate is serving me well. I found a spot with less compacted snow. After five more minutes of digging, I found it.

A Pokemon egg was encased inside the snow. It was pure white dotted with light auburn spots. I held it tight. I could still feel warmth. It was still alive! I cradled it the remainder of the way.
After about an additional fifteen minutes crawling throughout the channel we reached a segment of slight snow near a lodge. We will be able to heat up. I am astonished we made it this far devoid of a Pokemon attack. The blizzard perhaps kept them at bay.

The undersized cabin appears to have much temporary housing for visitors or immigrants. It is impossible to make it to Snowpoint City within a day. Even with a bike, the snow will stop you. The cabin is painted bright red, probably so it stands out in a blizzard. Such a bright color isn’t seen in Eterna. Everything there is brown.

I wrench open the entry with wholesome joy of warmth. Two other families are inside. One is familiar. The Carida family. We met the Carida family in Eterna City, but they were too evicted from their house, just days before. Luce was always my friend throughout school, so I am overjoyed to see them. Mom begins a chat with the Mom while I approach Luce.

Luce is a fairly striking girl my age that had the same dream of becoming a Pokemon trainer. At least she got a Pokemon. Her dad gifted her Staryu when she was thirteen, so she could work to realize her dream. It has been two years and she is to the point of defeating a wild Pokemon. She frequently wears an olive turtleneck and a plaid skirt, which regularly changes color.

Luce’s mother has the same facial construction. Determined. She always sports a white dress that hugs her body closely. Her husband, the Pokemon egg professor, generally wears a forest green t-shirt with a brown vest. He sports short black hair with a pair of black-framed glasses to match. He has a hobby, if you would call it that, for searching for differently colored Pokemon.

“Hi.” I say unthinkingly.

She leaps up and hugs me, nearly tumbling us backwards. I throw my arms up.

“We haven’t seen each other in a long while, but still no hugs.” I smile my typical teasing smile. She laughs her typical laugh.

The rest of the night is everyone snacking and more conversation. Luce and her parents introduce us to the Valk family, who continue to glare at us, probably for good reason. (We have completely ignored then for the past two hours.)

Before we knew it, it was eleven. I took the room next to Luce, and Mom takes the room on the end. This was similar to our old house, but in much better shape. The wood is supported with iron, and isn’t prepared to collapse onto itself.

I lay on the mattress with my egg sitting alongside me, and I spent the rest of the night observing it. It had transfixed my gaze, and I couldn’t glance away, nor slumber. Before I knew it, I awoke with an intense light in my eyes. Luce had turned the light on. The egg was tucked in my arm once more, as you would hold a football.

I wiped my watery eyes away from my snooze. Luce was leaning into the doorway, grinning.


“What time is it?” I groaned.
“Morning. Don’t you want to reach Snowpoint City? I can come with.” She cheerfully replied.
“Just because I don’t have a Pokemon doesn’t mean I can’t handle it myself.” I yawn.
“What if you are attacked by a Pokemon? The blizzard is over you must realize.”
“I’ll have a Pokemon soon enough.” I reveal the egg under my arm. It is as tall as from my hand to my elbow. Luce gasps.

Before I knew it, the egg was sitting in the middle of the table and everyone was observing it. Nobody could figure out the Pokemon inside the egg. Luce’s Dad, the Pokemon egg professor, said it appears like a Starly’s egg, but it couldn’t possibly live being obscured in the snow for as extensive as it may have.

Professor Carida looks me in the eye and says:
“You may keep the egg if you follow your responsibilities.”

That threw me off. He would by no means let Luce keep an egg. Then again, I have discovered this one myself, and I was inescapably attached to it. Before long everyone was prepared to depart, and left the Valk family behind in the dust. I’m sure they hate us even more for that.

We continued to journey onward. As Luce had said, the blizzard had stopped, making the way that much easier. After another hour we reached tall grass, so we all felt for someone and followed them. After reaching the other end, we hear a repetitive thumping sound. We impede and listen. Just subsequently a Piloswine shot out of the grass and knocked Luce flipside a few feet.

She flips onto her backside and whips a pokeball into the air. Her dad drops one on the ground simultaneously, and they reveal a Charmeleon and a Staryu.

Mr. Carida’s Charmeleon appears rather dragon-like. It is a shade of maroon with a yellow underside. It releases a determined “Char!” Staryu remains silent. Staryu is that like a metallic gold starfish, with a signature crimson ruby. Very exceptional it is for it to have a sapphire. Framing the ruby is a yellow star with minute barbs all the way around it.

Charmeleon charges forward for a blind swipe. Staryu raises a radius of snow around it that rapidly forms into a sphere of water. Piloswine begins to scrape at the earth beneath it, brushing off Charmeleon’s blows. The Piloswine burrowed down past Charmeleon’s reach before much longer. It was absent from vision before any reaction could occur.

Suddenly, it sprang up in the front of me, knocking me onto my back, where I slid several feet. My egg flew from my arms and landed sideways on the ice. What? It surely would have shattered from a blow like that. It is almost as if it… had a body of rock.

Staryu’s sphere of water enfolded around the Piloswine, encasing it. Charmeleon sprinted back, the snow dissolving where his feet contacted soil. He stops a few feet back to release a stream of flame, scorching the attacker. Staryu releases the sphere from the Piloswine, followed by Piloswine squealing and running back from whence he came.

Luce and her father re-open their pokeballs, and in a flash of red light, the Pokemon were gone. I’ve always pondered what is inside a pokeball. I recollect my egg from the ice. Luce nods and we move on.

Despite the immediate Pokemon attack, the moms start yet another conversation. The remainder of us just looks on. From the time of the attack we have spotted Pokemon, but they stayed at a distance. They were afraid of us.

The rest of the hike to Snowpoint City was just that: watching for aggressive Pokemon. By about noon, they had gotten famished. Everyone arranged for lunch. I snacked on saltine crackers. I wasn’t hungry.

Time didn’t matter anymore. My feet were numb from the cold and I was hungry. I should’ve eaten further. All I could see was white, and all I could hear is mindless chatter. It was all drowned out. My life was ruined.

A building was entering my view. That was news. Our big happy family seemed to become even cheerier. They must have forgotten why we are even here. As we inched closer, I read the name aloud.
“Snowshoe Ironworks.” I stated blankly.

The name seemed to emit heat. Ironworks. It was a diminutive building, with nothing but the red of the rust and the charcoal gray for design. It could be compared to a hut. Even the steel was rusting and ready to snap. Back to Eterna all over again. How old was this place? Steam and smoke billowed from many chimneys.

There must be fire there. The doorknob was hot to the touch. I jerked the heavy metal door open. Instant summertime. I could imagine somebody dreaming of cold in a heat like this. The inside was the same as the outside. Bleak and miserable. A man was pouring liquid iron into molds, for some kind of building.
“What are you ‘ere for?” He shouted over the crackling fire. His accent was so heavy I could barely make sense of it. I couldn’t recognize it.
“Well? May I ‘elp you?” His voice echoes around the room.
“Yeah. Where are we?” When Mom finally regains her senses.
“Well, you’re in ‘owshoe Ironworks ma’am.”
He is pretty polite for his rough appearance. He was bald-headed and very muscular. He wore a maroon t-shirt and jean shorts.
“No, what route?” She questions.
“This is no ‘oute. You’re on the ‘order of Snowpoint ‘ity.”

I stare in disbelief. We made it to Snowpoint City. My mind dissipated and time seemed to stop. I start running. I run out of the ironworks and into the cold night. My mind willed to stop but my legs wouldn’t stop.

I bring myself to sudden stop at the sign. Snowpoint City: Population 80. It was a diminutive settlement where the largest element is people who necessitate an employment that makes them decent cash. Quite a few of them think that if they became a Pokemon trainer they could evade bankruptcy. What a pathetic assumption.

A couple of minutes afterward the remainder of the family draws near. We are situated at the town gate. We all pause, with an exception of Luce, who keeps pacing forward. Her father releases a sigh in disapproval of her impatience.

I do not know why they call it Snowpoint City. It is more like Snowpoint Street. Very small. All the houses are identical, with a soft brown paint over a slab of steel. At least it is well-built. It is incredibly similar to our house back in Eterna City. A gym is easily seen perched on a stairway behind the housing.

Though we have no home, we have found a home. We will have to endure the wintry darkness and produce sufficient money to purchase an abode. Primarily we have to find employment.

Luce points out the visitor center to the far left. It is painted white with a green stripe around the edge of the rooftop with words painted in white: VISITOR CENTER. Who paints a visitor center white on the snowiest place on earth?

Inside the visitor center is many steel office desks and filing cabinets. People sit behind the desks. They appear depressed. Only the help desk is working. Many people are lined up. We pass the filing cabinets alphabetically, and soon enough, we find E, Employment.

We search for someone hiring. Anything to scrape up hard cash. A garden would be worth a fortune up here, but it is fruitless to sprout in the everlasting snow. The professor remarks the ironworks is open. He claims he can last it. I assume he’ll only survive a week.

Everyone pitches in to shun the cold as swiftly as it is feasible. Despite his physical limit, Mr. Carida signs up for Snowshoe Ironworks. Both of the moms become office data typists to track the economy of Snowpoint. I bet it has increased by three thousand percent in the last week. Eterna is dead.

I join Luce’s father in the ironworks, and Luce strikes an agreement with a cultivator. Good luck with your corn. After signing the rules and regulations, we decide to see work early to receive that modest extra. The automatic doors slide open as we step out. I look back and watch, where Mr. Carida has to shake me back to reality. We don’t have those in Eterna.

After another fifteen minute journey we are back at Snowshoe Ironworks.
“Your not going to run off on me again, is ya?” Mr. Carida jokes. I ignore him. The doorknob is cooler this time. The furnace must be low. As we amble in, we spot the rough old man.

“Back so ‘oon, eh?”
His voice is starting to annoy me. This will be a long day.

He explains how to hold the kettle over the flame properly, and why the bellows are important.
“Ya must ‘old da kettle where the flames ‘ick the bottom of it. If it is too ‘ow, the flame will ‘ake da kettle away. Da flames cannot go too ‘old or da metal will quickly ‘arden. You must ‘ump the ‘ellows to keep the metal ‘ot.”

I can hardly decipher his slurred lecture. I couldn’t tell if he was either mentally ill or drunk. Maybe both. I don’t plan on saying that to his face. To my surprise, the professor decided to manage the kettle. I suppose the bellows may be too repetitious.

I impel the bellows, which causes bursts of air to escape into the flame. The flames jump in response. Mr. Carida suspends the kettle by a pair of durable pincers. After about a barrel full of metal is melted, Mr. Carida is wiping sweat from his brow. Another few barrels and he is back to the old professor. He uses an old rubber bike tire and rope to craft a winch for the kettle. Ingenious.

The pulley is functioning grand. He can simply knot the rope on a pole and retie it every five minutes. Soon the kindling is running low, so I depart the room for more firewood. It’s been three or four hours since we started. This job isn’t that bad. Unquestionably tiresome, but otherwise, straightforward. Mr. Carida adds additional slack on the rope so the kettle is suspended low.

I return with a heap of timber. I place it on the slate concrete flooring near the fire door. The fire door is drastically rusted shut. How does he replace the fire’s fuel with the door that rusted? I reach with my dominant hand. The instant my hand contacted the ancient handle my skin seared.

I quickly grab a strip of cloth and lean against the wall. I wipe the sweat from my face and start wrapping the burn. Injured on the first day. What a great worker I am, huh? I fashion my left hand with a thick oven mitt. I tug the door several times until it swings open with a squeak and a grind. I lazily toss the timber into the hot coals, close the fire door, and return to the air pump.

Just one pump and the fire flares up and catches the kettle. The rope instantly sparks fireworks. The professor panics and snatches at the declining kettle, resulting in a burn. I swiftly scoop up the cloth roll and drop the mitt, and bring it to him, where I wrap his right hand with another strip of cloth. We have matching hands. Yay.

We fill a makeshift pail with tap water from the sink and dump it into the blazing fire. After a few trips the fire smolders. There sits the kettle in the ashes. We pour some more water down into the ashes to cool them. I replace the mitt on my left hand and re-open the fire door. I reach over the now cool burned firewood and grab the kettle.

At first we thought the liquid metal had disintegrated. Metal doesn’t disintegrate. Soon we found that the metal had welded to the kettle. I was startlingly apparent. Why we couldn’t notice, I don’t know. How long would it take you to find out why the kettle is three times the size it was before? It must have been one hot fire.

As soon as we explained it to the owner, now known as Mr. Smilt, he begins to scold us. Mr. Carida, that is.
“Now why in da ‘orld would ya use an ‘ammable material to ‘ang da kettle? Why did ya ‘eed to ‘ang it anyhow?” He exclaims. The professor was definitely in professor mode now. He is trying to explain why rather than shut up.
“You see, the rope would suspend the kettle so it would take much less time and effort to hold the kettle with the tongs.” Mr. Carida reasons.
“’ut up! Ya ‘eed ta do da ‘ork or ya‘ll ‘et ‘ired!” I swear his speech is worse when he is mad. This is what I heard:
“Shut up! You need to do the work or ya’ll get tired!”
I’m pretty sure that isn’t what he said. It is rather backwards. He shouts for us to leave for the day while he cleans up the fire chamber. He shouldn’t be quite so harsh. We finished at least five barrels.
When we step into the cold my body is in instant relief. I ask for the time. Mr. Carida tells me it is seven. How am I going to pass two hours? Mr. Smilt threw us out with fifty dollars. He deducted ten. Hopefully everybody turns out enough for a small hotel.

Mr. Carida notifies me I can check out the town. I wander. This place is a maze, with only the gym and the visitor center to refer to. I knew everything was identical, but this is just ridiculous. The city was a quadrangle about fifteen by twenty houses. The lone hotel is also indistinguishable, but is the extent of three or so houses, with only a company signpost to point it out.

I realize it must have been at slightest an hour when I am back to my right mind. I keep walking to my left, with only my instinct to guide me, but I find myself at the opposite end of town. I return right and soon enough I can see the visitor center.

I reenter the camouflaged building, to see the entire Carida family and my mom. When we pool all of our money together, we have over one-hundred ninety dollars. That should definitely be enough for a few rooms at the abstract hotel.

We all stroll back to the miniscule hotel I spotted during my walk. The inside is rather drab, but warm. Not hot like the ironworks either. A man in a tux sits at the front desk, reading a book titled How Pokemon Came To Be. What an interesting and hopeless topic. Nobody knows nor ever will know.

He looks up.
“Would you like to rent a room. It’s forty a night.” He mumbles. “We would like to rent two rooms for the night.” My mom replies, almost as if it were a question. We walk down a thin hallway with many photos to brighten the gray of steel. Mom unlocks the door to the room on the end. In less than five minutes, I was out.

​

 

[DarumakkaImposter]

i like this story. its a really good one. its longer than what mine is but i might just combine the two to make itlonger. how long did this make you to take?

continue! this is great

 

[Rediamond]

*cough* first post must contain part of the story *cough*

I honestly don't care, as the second post of the story more than made up for that. I found the first part in Eterna a bit rushed, and kind of undescriptive. This is bad, as that is the first impression readers will get. After that, I found the plot compelling enough to make up for the initial issues with description, and the Ironworks sequence was a very interesting read. I still have a question though- why does Snowpoint have jobs? You may have addressed this, but it seems like a pretty major point in the plot... It did seem a little bit rushed until Snowpoint, and the plot moved very, very quickly across the entire story. It's not a bad thing, but it does allow for less character development and description. Overall, it was a very good start, and I will continue to read.

 

[Vis_Mage]

Good to see you put this up!

My story I wrote (And will be putting up) isn't nearly as good. I guess you just have a nich for the lingiral arts.

 

[Khaoscontrol]

To Rediamond, the beginning was supposed to be a rush. They had just been evicted and the main story took place in Snowpoint City. It was mostly just to show my character Rob's backround. I will edit in a bit more of the leaving of Eterna to show more attachment to it, as little as it may be. Rob, if you noticed, is more of a pessimist. EDIT: I did edit in a few more paragraphs in Eterna to add a more stuctured leave.

I expect chapter two to be done by the end of the week, but it is difficult with school hours.
EDIT: Major breakthrough/plot twist. It is finished.

 

[: <> :]

I like this story. I can't wait to see how awesome the Aerodactyl will be.

 

[Khaoscontrol]

This is chapter two of my book. I hope you enjoy it. No spoilers.

Hatching​

I awaken to my egg. It is starting to tremble. A flourish of delight overtakes me in my expectation. Is it going to hatch? It trembles again, then discontinues. It appears to not be hatching, but it may soon now. I inspect the vicinity. I’m in the hotel. The bedroom is steel, but painted to appear like wood. All wood is welded together, correct?

I am lying on a steel framework with no mattress. I must have been exhausted. The egg is resting on my arm. That thing is heavy. My arm is numb. I rise. I place the egg on a small steel table. It’s excruciating for me to move. I’m ravenous.

I stand entirely up and reach my arms outwards. My shoulders snap into place. My knapsack is sitting in the far corner. Mom must have brought it here. I had forgotten it in the ironworks. What time is it? I need a wristwatch. My mind races over many subjects. Where am I? How did I get here? Etcetera Etcetera. Why didn’t it appear to me back in the cabin?

After a rapid modification of clothes I sling my knapsack over my shoulder, and I nearly stumble backwards. It’s heavy. I disregarded that I still have food. I drop the knapsack from my shoulders and unzip it. I pry the russet suitcase open, revealing saltine crackers, bread, and various other canned foods.

I seize a can opener and a can packed with peaches. I need something sweet to stimulate my brain. My intellect is great enough to do that at least. I don’t have a spoon, so I slurp the juice, and pry the peach slices out with my fingers. They’re slippery.

After my meal I am still hungry, but I hold myself back. I swap the can in my hand for the egg. The egg seems to quake to the warmth. I leave the room to find everyone in the entrance. I must have overslept. They don’t say anything.

Mr. Carida and I make our way back to the ironworks. Everyone else leaves elsewhere. In the ironworks, Mr.Smilt repeats his lecture to us, a tad more calmly this time. He says he will pay us ten dollars for a barrel to be finished. Not bad.

We spend four or five hours in the old room. We melt about nine scrap metal barrels. Ninety. Nice. Somehow Mr. Carida doesn’t show to hurt, lifting the hefty tongs with his burned hand. When we are finished, Mr. Smilt presents us ninety dollars. Each. We must have done a fine job. I still hate that guy.

This time it is nine when we return. My egg is shaking quite a large bit now. The ironworks must be excellent for it. Snowpoint City isn’t that awful after all. The ironworks is an easy job with high pay. It is just exceptionally warm.

Everyone is at the hotel this time. We pool our money again. We comprise a grand total of three hundred dollars. Everyone was stunned when Mr. Carida and I draw out one hundred eighty dollars. We unaided have further than half the entirety.

We reserve the rooms this time, so we can pay daily for them. While mom joins the Carida family, I fetch some food from my knapsack. I pop the lid off a can of tomato soup, empty it into a bowl, and heat it in the entrance microwave.

After slurping down the hot soup, my egg seems to start shaking even more than this morning. I depart into the Carida’s room. I ask Mr. Carida how extensive on standard it takes for the egg to hatch. He jumps when he experiences the eggs movement. He wasn’t expecting that.
“This one is almost ready to hatch! I didn’t believe your egg was going to hatch within the week! You must have found it near the hatching period. Just be prepared to spend some of your payment on food for it.” He lectures. I don’t mind though.
“I know.” I guess that the egg is going to hatch exceedingly soon. This loads me with the feeling from this morning. Happiness. With that thought, I return to my room, situate the mattress on its frame, (I still don’t know how I didn’t notice yesterday), and lay down. Millions of questions revisit, this instant about the egg. A couple of minutes later I am sleeping, my egg once more slipped beneath my arm.

Once again I awaken to my egg. It is shaking violently. Can’t I get one full rest without an interruption? There are cracks formed at the tip of the egg. It’s going to hatch! The egg shakes a few more times as the cracks grow larger. Soon pieces start chipping off. Finally, the roof of the egg tears off, revealing some sort of bird.

I am currently in the Carida room. They shout at me when I stir them, but now they are transfixed. Everyone stares at the small bird. Mr. Carida is back to professor mode.
“Bat-like wing design, birdlike beak, unusual pink color. What is this creature?” He asks himself.

On the table sits a small amethyst… pterodactyl? It is a dull amethyst color with royal blue bat-like wings. It stumbles around, towards me. It opens its odd beak and releases a screech. I sprint to my room, and return with some saltine crackers. When I lay them on the tabletop, the bird nips at them, taking small bites of the crackers. Everyone’s eyes are twice the size they were before.

“You do realize that it will be eating more than crackers soon, right?” Asks Mr. Carida. I nod as I watch the Pokemon. I don’t think he saw me. It starts flapping its wings and hopping. I imagine it wants to be raised. I lift it, where it hops onto my shoulder. Surprisingly, the talons fold perfectly around my shoulder.

“Don’t get me wrong here, but I believe that may be a rare fossil Pokemon.” Mr. Carida comments. Soon everyone is staring at him in disbelief. “It has the hard exoskeleton, and fossil eggs have been dated all the way back before the Triassic period, when the fossils were dated after the cretaceous. It’s very possible he picked up a very late fossil egg.” Mr. Carida explains. It makes sense to me. “If it is in fact a fossil Pokemon, the only possible Pokemon it can be is Aerodactyl, and it fits the description.” He reasons.

“Aerodactyl....” I state aloud. It is perfect.

Soon it is time to go to the ironworks. This time I carry my knapsack with me. The hotel manager is dead silent in awe as I pace by with my Aerodactyl. In the ironworks, I meet with Mr. Smilt. He has the same reaction.

“Could I keep Aerodactyl with me? I have food for him and he will stay out of trouble.” I ask. Mr. Smilt blinks a few times, recollecting his senses. “I don’t ‘ee why not. Just be sure to clean after ‘im.” He answers. With that, I leave to work.

Mr. Carida is already starting the fire. I pull up a chair near the air pump and drop my knapsack down beside me. I pull out a few crackers and feed them to Aerodactyl. After another five minutes, the flame is started and I leave Aerodactyl with a few more saltines on the ground with my knapsack.

We work for five hours or more this time. We showed up early. Aerodactyl has eaten all the saltine crackers and was warming near the fire chamber. We finished ten barrels. He throws in a bonus of twenty dollars. I sling my knapsack over my shoulder, and replace Aerodactyl perched on my left shoulder. I sweep the cracker crumbs into the dying fire, and cut the air to put it out.

When we return to the hotel, we pool our money to find a total of two hundred twenty for the day, and a grand total of three hundred sixty after paying the hotel fee. The remainder of the week was like this, working with Aerodactyl then pooling our money, and after three weeks we had over three thousand dollars.

As time passed, Aerodactyl grew. After another month he couldn’t be balanced on my shoulder, and he would march alongside me. He is about a foot tall now. Now I am feeding him sandwiches I prepare. In that month we reached five thousand. We were ready to purchase a house.

We were back in the visitor center. Because all the houses are identical, it wasn’t hard choosing. The far south-west corner house wasn’t under ownership, so we chose that one. It cost about four and a half thousand dollars, so we were nearly back where we started. At least we have a house.

The inside of the house was about the same as the hotel. At least it was bigger. I don’t know if it was worth the cost, but I was happy with it. After another week of working, we had it repainted. Next was furniture. Heating was included, thankfully.

I am nearly sixteen, and Luce is sixteen. Aerodactyl is nearly two feet tall now, which is surprising, because he is only about three months old. After another month he was at a standstill. At least he is still only eating sandwiches. Especially BLTs.

After working with Mr. Smilt for awhile, I see that he is not such a bad guy. He just has a short temper. A very short temper. He often gives us bonuses. He even gave us a raise. It is spring now, so the snow has lessened, to Aerodactyl’s benefit.

I stir from my sleep. Aerodactyl is still sleeping peacefully in my lap. I carefully slide out from underneath him. I flinch as he raises his head and yawns, but he lies back down. It must be about two a.m. I plop myself in the steel chair. I lean over the crude desk. Is Aerodactyl ready to become a battle Pokemon? And more importantly, am I ready to become a trainer? I think this over carefully, but pass out without coming to a decision.

I re-open my eyes. It is bright out. Aerodactyl is nipping at my sleeve. I ascend to prepare him a sandwich. I don’t believe I work today. Good. My arm is aching. Aerodactyl comes back for more food. I had forgotten how much he has grown. I don’t recognize where I am. I am in a daze. I think I made the sandwich. No, I didn’t. I stumble over to the countertop in the kitchen.

Oven, refrigerator, microwave, check. Everything is in order. I smear the shaken sleep from my eyes. I heave open the refrigerator door to gather the sandwich materials. I merge the ingredients to form a BLT. Aerodactyl’s favorite. I am still cross eyed. The palette is too grouped. Everything blurs together.

I figure a shower would be best. I rub my eyes again as I inch into the door. I clasp my head with one hand as I open the door. After a shower and an adjustment of attire, I can see straight again. I assume it is the water that helps.

Sluggishly walking out of the bathroom, I walk directly into Luce. She jumps back with no expectation of it. I peer up. “Sorry.” I mutter. Before she can say anything, I stagger back into my room and drop onto my bed in immediate sleep, where I don’t awaken until afternoon.

When I do rise, Aerodactyl is bouncing off the walls. He needs excitement, and maybe food. I offer him some saltine crackers, which he downs in a split second, yet he doesn’t appear hungry. Then I remember. “Come Aerodactyl.” I cheerfully command. Now to see his proficiency in battle.

We meander out of Snowpoint City, to where the tall grass starts. I grab handfuls of snow and pitch it into the grass. Maybe I can hit something. I am throwing snow for about fifteen minutes, until I finally give up. Maybe another day. Aerodactyl most likely isn’t ready anyway.

When we arrive at the house, approximately at four, Luce is waiting. We never talked much, even with all that is happening. “Hi?” She asks, but I don’t think it was meant to be a question. “Where have you been?” She asks again.
“Taking Aerodactyl for a walk.”
“I already know why you left. You want to become a trainer.”
“....”
“Come on! I can help.”

She releases Staryu from her only Pokeball. I hesitate, and then follow her back to the tall grass south of the city. I think Aerodactyl is ready. Before we leave town she redirects us to the Poke’ Mart. There she buys me a few potions. Safe is smart. When we do reach the tall grass, she whispers something to me. “Tell your Aerodactyl to screech. It intimidates the wild Pokemon. I do what she tells me.

Aerodactyl screeches similar to when it tries to get my attention, but louder. I hear a vivid Pokemon call. A Snover charges out of the grass. It is colored like that of a snowy tree. It is about the size of Aerodactyl and Staryu, and has a lot of fur. I can’t find any feet or hands under the fur. Its head is capped with what almost looks like miniature mountaintops.

“Don’t command your Pokemon yet. Let it do what it wants.” Luce states. Snover fires a repetitive beam of ice from its small mouth, directed at Staryu. Luce’s Staryu spins, where the beams pass it’s limbs. It then, still spinning, charges at the Snover and knocks it back. “You have to see the moves it knows first, like Staryu’s rapid spin.” Luce clarifies.

Aerodactyl releases a stream of flame, similar to Charmeleon, which singes the fur of the Snover and blackens it. Staryu rushes in with a swift tackle into the Snover. “Aerodactyl just used flamethrower, and then Staryu used quick attack. Quick attack always attacks first.” Luce chimes in.

The Snover glances at Staryu, then Aerodactyl and back again. It then speeds back into the tall grass. “You just defeated your first Pokemon! It is unusual your Aerodactyl knows flamethrower. I have never heard of that. Meet with my dad later.” She is talking too fast. Her words are running together.

I then sprint over to Aerodactyl. No need for a potion. He is just drained. I supply him one of my spare saltines. He leaps onto my dominant arm. He is heavy. Luce returns Staryu to it’s Pokeball. From there, we head home.

At home, me and Luce tell the family about the battle. Everyone celebrates. I remember what Luce told me, and approach Mr. Carida. I then explain my Aerodactyl using flamethrower. He is taken aback. “Are you sure?” He exclaims.

“Both Luce and I saw it. It can’t be wrong.”
“You’re right. That was indeed a rare egg. Cherish your Pokemon well.” He pauses. “I suppose the reason his first attack is fire based it the excessive time in extreme heat. He does enjoy it, you know.” He trails on. Back to professor mode.

Aerodactyl and I enjoyed the exciting night of celebration filled with food and play. Soon we were stuffed and asleep. The remainder of the month is like this. Working weeks with Aerodactyl, battle practice with Luce, etcetera. He has revealed several attacks in practice: screech, flamethrower, extremespeed, rock slide, and bite. Aerodactyl is a true battler, but I don’t become a true trainer until I obtain my first gym badge.

I woke up on April 4, 2011. I turned sixteen today. It was my usual morning routine. Breakfast for Aerodactyl and I, shower, work, and train with Luce. I have just finished training when Luce says:
“I think you are ready to challenge the gym leader here.”

“Huh?” I ask. She repeats herself.
“But my dad should teach you about type advantages and disadvantages first.” I am still stunned. We return home once more, and while I have the chance, I ask Mr. Carida about type advantages and disadvantages.

“A type advantage is when a Pokemon’s type is more powerful than the other, like water to fire, or fire to grass. It can also be when you deal ordinary damage with your attacks, but receive reduced damage from your opponent’s moves. A type disadvantage is the opposite of advantages, when you are weaker to your opponent’s type, or do reduced damage to your opponents.”

Good old professor. Aerodactyl has a weakness to ice, being rock and flying, so the gym will be a challenge. This is a strange situation. Ice is super effective to my Aerodactyl, but Aerodactyl can do ridiculous damage to ice. The battle can go either way.

After some more support from Luce, I am living my dream, climbing the steps to the gym. It consumes about five minutes of my time just to climb the steep steps. The gym is decorated with a brown roof, coated with the white of snow. The walls are white with a red stripe through them. Definitely more notable than the visitor center.

The doors anticipate my entry, sliding open. When I step in I see two enormous statues of strange creatures. I recognize them from school. They are Palkia and Dialga. They are said to be the controllers of time and space. Dialga is ruler of time. He stands as tall as the stairway up to the gym, about thirty feet. He has a signature seven sided star on it’s chest, with the orb of it’s power held fast by it. He has more around his waist and neck, and his head appears to have been stretched backward.

Palkia is no different than a dragon, but with no bat-like wings. He has the same orb on his chest, but appears much less majestic, and is said to be ruler of space. The colors are unknown. Never mind that. I slowly slip forward. The floor is coated in ice. How do people get around in here?

Another Pokemon trainer looks up from the ice. She slides her way over to me. She is dressed in a thick hot pink coat, and is wearing ear muffs in matching color. I am absentminded. My first Pokemon battle and I lose my head? No!

“It’s a battle you want, right?” Aerodactyl claws pointlessly at the ice, sliding into me. “Yeah.... You new?” She asks innocently. “Yeah. No amateur though. Aerodactyl!” I shout for my partner.
“Not bad. I think I can top that!” She competitively challenges.

She firmly grasps the pokeball as it opens wide. A Glalie fades in from the light of the pokeball. It is a body simply of rock, coated in ice. Two eyes somehow find room in the ice, as well as a pair of horns. Awfully gray. And it floats. Cool.

Aerodactyl simply glides past the shards of ice blasted at him, then closes in for a short swipe. Glalie easily falls to Aerodactyl after a short amount of time. The girl appears quite disappointed. Nothing happened. I slide my way down the ice.

I am enjoying the breeze while I skate until I hit a rock. That’s right. A rock. What kind of idiot leaves a gigantic rock in the middle of the path in the ice. I rub the pain off my nose as I scrape my way around it, grasping the rock to stay upright. The rock is... vibrating? It turns. I see a giant nose, nothing else. What is this thing anyway? It is obviously shaking now, and a pair of dull eyes open halfway. Okay, so nobody left a rock, but who leaves a wild Pokemon in their gym? Nosepass. Great.

The Nosepass is that of a blue rock, with a colossal red nose. Two eyebrows are formed in the rock, and it’s eyes are hardly noticeable until they open. A mouth is unapparent.

Aerodactyl once more steps in in a comical manner of crashing into me, but this time I crash into the Nosepass, forming a chain reaction. I don’t think it cares. At the very least it wasn’t my face this time, just my arm.

Aerodactyl prepares for a battle and opens it’s monstrous jaws. The Nosepass isn’t reacting. It just stares at us. Creepy. I continue my way around it, as does Aerodactyl. Now we attempt to pick up speed with what little traction we have. So many people. Where is the gym leader in here?

I trip up and nearly fall over when I grind at the end of the ice. Stairs. I’m already sick of these after the way up. There she is. Gym leader Candice. Does anyone notice yet that this is the seventh badge?

“Let me guess... ya wanna battle me, right?” She asks impatiently. She has her black hair split into pigtails, wearing a blue coat and camouflage jeans. She has too much makeup, and her facial construction make her to appear angry at me. I hope she isn’t, because if looks could kill... I’m not sure if she’s actually angry though.

“One on one.” I request. “Good old one on one? All right.”
She takes her time saying this. Impatience and now I am getting impatient. Rather spontaneous of her. “Yeah. Aerodactyl versus your choice.” I confirm confidently. She selects a pokeball from a small zipper bag. The pokeball is black. Out comes an Abomasnow. Whoa, that thing is big!

Aerodactyl prepares the same strategy as with Glalie. Dodge, then attack. Abomasnow fires a quick draw Ice Beam, and Aerodactyl dodges, but just then, Candice’s Abomasnow charges forward against Aerodactyl and chomps him, spraying mist and frost around. Ice Fang. Aerodactyl swerves away and falls. Mind he can’t fly, it didn’t do him much good. Abomasnow then fires another Ice Beam directly into Aerodactyl, where he faints.

I sprint to him all choked up. I check for a pulse. No pulse.

 

[: <> :]

You said Palkia was the ruler of time. Might wanna fix that.

And Aerodactyl needs serious attention...Gah! If only he had used Flamethrower! Abomasnow would have been LONG GONE. That's what a smart trainer would do.

 

[Khaoscontrol]

To :<>:, Aerodactyl is but only a year old, not an ancient and wise master of them all. Not to be rude, just stressing my point. Chapter 3 will take longer than chapter 2, but I DO have some ideas forming in my head.

EDIT: And also, I fixed the Palkia mistake.

 

[Khaoscontrol]

I am going to make a list of planned chapters, but I don't know how to change them into links. EDIT: Figured it out.
1: The Egg http://www.serebiiforums.com/showpost.php?p=12043485&postcount=1
2: Hatching http://www.serebiiforums.com/showpost.php?p=12062456&postcount=7
3: Flight http://www.serebiiforums.com/showpost.php?p=12103315&postcount=17
4: My Leave
5: The Relic
6: Training
7: Collection
8: Sinjoh
9: Mt. Coronet
10: Jhoto
11: Arrival in Kanto
12: Viridian Forest
13: Team Rocket
14: The Grunt
15: Breaking In
16: The Beasts
17: The Origin of Pokemon
18: Celebi
19: Temporal Tower
20: Life

 

[Zercker]

Really really good!! Keep it up please!

 

[: <> :]

Come on, you have a plethora of people waiting.

WE NEED AERODACTYL!

 

[DarumakkaImposter]

yay! shiny areodactyl!
Edit: nope. not a shiny areodactyl

 

[Rediamond]

Okay, I'm actually going to try to give a somewhat conventional review over a few sub-topics:
-Pace: You slowed down the pace somewhat, but it is really, really fast. There was a lot of stuff that happened in that chapter, and it could have been much longer and much more detailed. For example, here's a run down of what happened in this chapter: Aerodactyl hatches, Aerodactyl grows up, the family moves into a new house, Aerodactyl starts to battle, first gym match.

This is a lot of stuff, and it does occur very quickly with only a little detail put in. It's not that it's bad, it's just that you waste a lot of potential when you move that quickly without much elaboration. It also get's annoying when combined with

-Present Tense: Once again, not a bad thing, but pretty wierd. Most writers work in past tense (said, did, ran over says does, runs), but this fic is written in present. When you span three months in the present tense, things can get really strange when trying to do an in-depth analysis. While a normal reading wouldn't bring this too light, very critical readers might get somewhat annoyed when you combine very large amounts of time and events with present-tense first person.

-Sentance structure: You use a lot of fairly simple sentances or fragments. As such, your sentances tend to suffer from little detail,. For example, you're average sentance has less than ten words. While some of your longer sentances have more, they get pretty repetitive. If you could try to create more elaborate sentances here and there, detail would improve, the plot would slow down, and most of your problems are solved. It is literally a matter of the most basic level of the story.

-Detail: It's pretty much non-existant. Longer sentances and a slower pace would force you to tell more about emotions, people, etc. No, I'm wrong. It would allow you to show readers the mood and details. Currently you rely on telling readers what is happening. If you could show them what you want them to see, paint a picture of words per se, than you could make this story immeasurably better.

-Plotline: I'm on to good things now. I like the idea you've presented, and I expect it to develop more fully. The background combined with the plot you've already presented are definately original, and a rather creative way to handle a trainer fic. Wait, a creative trainer fic... is this even possible? If you could only slow down and elaborate, it would be much better.

-Characterization: Once again, your moving way to fast to actually get much in. However, the amount you've put in is nice. I still think you're still too reliant on showing over telling, but most new authors and even students in my honors english class have this problem, so it's not like it's an uncommon problem that only you have. It can always be fixed in the future, but it requires practice and an entirely different mindset. Back on track, the way you've developed Mr. Smilt and others with only a few lines devoted to them is pretty good, but it could be excellent with more time spent on it.

In short:
SLOW DOWN!!!
Use more intracate sentances.
Show, don't tell.

If you need me to clarify, say so and I'll do my best to elaborate.

 

[: <> :]

I can't wait to see the "Celebi" Chapter. That sounds interesting.

 

[Psychic]

11) The following posts are considered SPAM and will get you into trouble with the Mods:
–Posts that say nothing about the fic itself such as: “I like this fic!” “That was awesome!” “You’re a great writer!” These kinds of posts can be posted for ANY fic and doesn’t show that the person even read the story at all. If a writer put in the effort to write a fic, the least you can do it type up a few lines’ reply.

–Posts asking about fic updates: “When will the next chapter be up?” “Are you almost done the next chapter?” They are rude, period.

I won't name names, but you guys should be aware of these things while posting in fic threads. Posts saying "you're better than me" or "we're waiting for an update" aren't really appropriate, and if it doesn't stop infractions may be given in the future.

Just please remember to respect the writer and try to be more constructive in your comments. Instead of "this was good," explain what you liked most, and even what you may have disliked, so the writer knows what they're doing well and where they could do better. Writer, please do listen to what your reviewers tell you, too! ^^

~Psychic

 

[Khaoscontrol]

I'm sorry, I was gone for a period of time. For rediamond, I know it is fast. They will be edited in the future. My first draft is only going to be a little over one hundred pages to begin with. Right now, there is just enough writing for a story. This is my first book. Everything else I have written are short stories and poems. If I don't become a writer, I'm going to be a poet, if that is the official name. While I was gone, I finished chapter three and began chapter four. It does have the mention of blood, but does a nosebleed count? If so, please tell me so I can edit it in.

Here is my story, chapter three. This is my shortest chapter, but I'm averaging over ten pages in word. Rediamond, in word, my word per sentence average is 8.7, and I have so many fragments it is very close to ten. The chapters will just be longer.

Flight​

Candice and I are running through a path cut through a forest. I don’t discern where she is taking me. The others aren’t here. No time. We are sprinting through snow that is knee high, so it holds us back to the point we have to bound from one place to the other to go anywhere.

Aerodactyl still has no pulsation, and CPR isn’t doing anything. Candice actually looks worried, not mad. This is definitely serious. Soon I see a white building with a maroon rooftop. It is labeled as a Pokemon Center, with a pokeball splitting the words. A transparent indigo automatic door opens in expectancy.

A nurse rests behind an orange counter. She doesn’t smile. Who can smile attending Pokemon in pain and suffering? I rest Aerodactyl on a black mat decorated with another pokeball. The nurse wraps her arms around Aerodactyl and lifts him into her arms. She has the same features as Luce, and for some motive has pink hair. Her hair is pulled back into a ponytail.

The nurse, Joanne, speeds into a room marked EMPLOYEES ONLY. I can see a peek of a cobblestone walkway. I also distinguish some green. A simulated Pokemon environment perhaps? We look about. Behind us is the door we had come through, with a transparent indigo bench to match, just to the right. A strange man sits on it, with his uniform printed with a bold red R. He is brown haired, in interest of a magazine he presumably took from the long wooden table placed in the front of him.

The center of the floor is painted with orange and red, and a pokeball in the center. An escalator rises to the left and descends to the right wall. A PC sits just to the right of the counter we are at. It is an old boxy one, in white. An opening sits to the left end of the keyboard. Another bench is on the left of the counter.

The nurse Joanne comes back from the door which she left from. “Your Aerodactyl is healthy. He is just a bit frail.” She states bluntly. That had me perplexed. I thought he had no pulsation. “What? He had no heartbeat.” Candice asks the question we both wanted to say. “It is impossible to get a heartbeat in that manner with a rock type, due to their thick hard skin.” She says matter-of-factly. She bugs me. Candice releases the breath she has been holding since Aerodactyl fell. I’m about to cry.

“I’m happy that Aerodactyl’s okay. You should be too.” She says. I certainly don’t feel happy. No, it’s not that I don’t feel happy. I just can’t feel right now. Maybe I am happy. I nod, and then we walk up until we reach my house. Candice says farewell and I tread up to my doorway. I enter.

Mr. Carida and Luce are in the entrance/living room. “Where is Aerodactyl?” Asks Luce. I explain the situation to them both soon after everyone in the family gathers. Nobody says a word back to me, other than an “I see...” from Mr. Carida. Today is Sunday. Back to work tomorrow. It will be different without Aerodactyl with me.

When it is time for bed, I am tossing and turning. This is the first time that Aerodactyl got hurt. What will happen to him? Despite the nervous questionnaire of my own, I am capable to get a full night’s rest. I will have to see what becomes of him another day. Hopefully soon.

I spend the remainder of the week working with Mr. Carida in the ironworks and worrying about Aerodactyl. The date is June 19, 2011. Now it is Saturday. Time to see Aerodactyl. It has been less than a week, but it felt like the whole month passed. The snow has continued to melt, so we are about an inch or two of snow left.

When I return to see Aerodactyl, I am overjoyed to see him, as is he of seeing me. Aerodactyl is to my waist now, and still growing. How big do Aerodactyls get? When we return home everyone hugs Aerodactyl and I feed him some sandwiches. I bet he’s missed these.

The next day, we munch some more, as Aerodactyl regains his strength. He isn’t ready for any competitive battles, but he is sturdy enough to battle a few Snovers and such in the tall grass to the south. On Monday we are back to normal in the ironworks. He isn’t ready to battle for a month or two.

After a few weeks, Aerodactyl is battling up to his earlier strength. He waddles beside me as we travel to the tall grass south. I am carrying my knapsack with me. After we arrive, I start to launch handfuls of snowballs into the grass. Shortly, a Snover approaches. It sounds a cry of irritation, and Aerodactyl returns with his own shrill, prehistoric screech.

The Snover charges forward, Aerodactyl merely veers away, and returns the attack by biting down on the Snover. Snover prepares an Ice Beam, which is simply evaded. Aerodactyl presses in and hacks at the Snover, sending it airborne, back into the grass. Aerodactyl cries again in his triumph.

Maybe we are ready to pass the grass. Why not? I suspend my arm where Aerodactyl can perch on it and glimpse over the grass. I can see as well over if I am on my toes, yet all I see is the tips of the russet blades. In we venture.

We trek through the grass with only instinct to direct us. I have no idea why, but Aerodactyl is repeatedly hopping, rather than remaining perched. He is flapping his wings, with no success. I doubt he is going to begin flying anytime soon. It takes not nevertheless ten minutes of our time to reach the other end.

To our right is the way to the cabin. It has been further than a year from the time when we came this way. To my left is a pathway I don’t recognize. It won’t hurt to peek. The snow is still deep and bitter cold here, slowing our dumpy walk rather an amount.

The path appears to have some coating of stone, with no snow obscuring it. No snow. Outlandish. Now all I perceive is the clomping of my shoes. We are bordered by a great number of pines. Dozens of them. Maybe hundreds.

At the place where the pines open for us, there is a glistening body of water. Lake Acuity. Aerodactyl begins to hop once more, with small cries as he peers up to me. I think he wants to be lifted. I lean and hold him, and lift him. He leaps off my arms, startling me. I fall back into the snowdrift behind me.

I glance up. What!? Aerodactyl is flying! Sorta.... Aerodactyl is hovering but two inches over the ground, with his wings flapping slowly, taking his time. He leans to the left, and the rest of him follows. Return to the right. He floats to me and grips my arm with his talons. Now he flaps harder, lifting me off the ground with him.

I clamber up onto his backside. He soars from one end of the lake to the other in only seconds. I lob a previously prepared sandwich from my knapsack into the sky. Aerodactyl flips belly-up and twists backside-up again, swallowing the sandwich midair. He descends, where his talons skim the water. After twenty or so minutes, Aerodactyl tires, and he sets us back on the lakefront.

We stop and eat with the view of the lake. I cram my mouth full with the bag of saltines, leaving a handful for a snack for Aerodactyl. After our bellies are filled, Aerodactyl prods me onto his back again. He flaps with all his might and lifts us airborne. He then flies us leisurely back home.

At the house, we spot Mr. and Mrs. Carida coming home, so we remain hovering. The Caridas laugh in Aerodactyls achievement. I’m sure it looks funny with full-size me on pint-size Aerodactyl. He is still growing though. Mr. Carida manages to calm himself and calls everybody out. Luce appears to have had a heart attack, followed by beaming. So does mom.

Aerodactyl sets me down. The others are still laughing. I have a ridiculous grin. “I see you’ve had some fun!” Mr. Carida chuckles. We stream inside and wolf frozen pizzas. (Cooked of course.)

We continue flying to our battle practice and such for several months. Now, on February 24th, 2012, (Yes, it has been over a year in Snowpoint City now), It is Aerodactyl’s second birthday. He is up to my shoulders in height and has an enormous, dynamic wingspan, strong enough to hold me for hours.

He eats cake, saltines, sandwiches, pie, and all other sorts of food. We all praise him, but not as if he was a dog or cat, but as if he was a real person. We pass over battle practice today.

The next day, we are prepared to challenge Candice again. We climb those tiring steps again. We slide along the ice again. Many trainers challenge us, only to be defeated without returning a scratch on Aerodactyl. After a few hours of battling, we reach that Nosepass. I am struck by a bizarre nervousness and scoot around him.

We then glide along the stretch of ice again. Aerodactyl takes to the air with me on his back. We drop halfway up the steps. We wouldn’t want Candice to figure out, now would we? We climb those steep icy steps to Candice. Is she angry?

“Your back, huh? It’s been a long time.” She says. “I am challenging you once more if you haven’t noticed. Aerodactyl and I are ready now!” I bellow. Aerodactyl screeches in agreement. “All righty then.” She responds while she clicks open her luxury ball.

Abomasnow roars. Aerodactyl screeches. Same old. Abomasnow’s Ice Beam is dodged. Aerodactyl immediately leaps into the air, taking flight. Abomasnow crunches nothingness in surprise. Aerodactyl rapidly descends and slashes at his opponent.

Abomasnow swipes upwards, knocking Aerodactyl down. Aerodactyl lies still as Abomasnow closes in, then bites down on Abomasnow’s ankle. Candice’s Abomasnow roars again, unable to hit Aerodactyl. Aerodactyl then shoots back into the sky. He is overflowing with determination and courage.

Suddenly, his mouth lights up. We all can hear a whirring sound, which rapidly gets louder. A purely pallid beam is fired from the gaping beak of Aerodactyl, followed by an explosion. I am deafened by the tremendous noise in the air and thrown backwards.

When the massive fireball and smoke dissipate, I see Candice’s mouth moving, but can’t hear her. Aerodactyl lands alongside me. I think I know what Candice was shouting about though. I am looking down a crater in the middle of the gym, many yards deep, with Abomasnow, knocked out, in the midpoint. So that’s what Hyper Beam does, huh?

Candice shouts something and Abomasnow disappears into his pokeball. I sprint around the crater to Candice, and Aerodactyl follows. She steps back from Aerodactyl, obviously horrified by the damage he can deal. She mouths “Meet me later.”

Aerodactyl and I sit on the stairs outside the gym. I can hear again now, as long as that doesn’t occur again. All the trainers had fled when that happened. Candice reappears from the gym doors. “Come in.”

Inside, she presents the badge to me. The floor is scorched everywhere, and the walls and roof are creaking. As I saunter away, the roof collapses. I duck with my arms thrown out in reaction. Candice shouts she’s okay, and I stand upright and continue walking. The wall falls before us, so we just step through the rubble.

A horde of people are gathered at the foot of the stairs to see the commotion. They all are shocked and gawk at me as if I were some wicked deity as I pass. Let them assume what they desire. It was Aerodactyl, not me.

I receive one of those are you out of your mind lectures from mom and Mr. Carida. I don’t care. It was entertaining. Still, why are they scolding me? After that, Snowpoint City slowly returned to normal, as if nothing had happened, or obliterated.

The next day, Aerodactyl and I revisit our original agenda: flying to the grassy field, battling, visiting Acuity Lake, flying home. Weekdays never change. The ironworks aren’t really that bad though. I’ve gotten used to Mr. Smilt’s annoying accent at the very least.

It has been three days. That strange trainer is in the grass field this time. The one with the red R. I try to speak to him. “Beat it, punk.” He says. When I try again, “Don’t meddle with Team Rocket.” Rude. Who is Team Rocket? I hope it isn’t another Team Galactic. Their old building in Eterna City was replaced by a museum about Team Galactic.

But, that is a whole different story. “Ya know what, kid? I think I could use your Pokemon!” He releases a Sneasel from a strange pokeball that is purple, netted in black. I’ve never seen it before. The tint of this Sneasel’s palette seems darker, more evil.

Sneasels has a wide head, in a dark shade of purple, which almost appears green when it catches the light. It contains it’s two eyes and mouth. No nose is apparent. Two ears prick up comparable to a horse, without the fur. Sneasel’s head is held by a thin body in the same coloration, with only four spindly limbs attached. It has two claws on each limb, the arms and feet.

Aerodactyl swoops gracefully into the space before me, and floats down into the snow by extending his wings to a full extent. He then charges at the strange man’s Sneasel. Sneasel calls a confident “Snease!” A spherical barrier forms around Sneasel in pink. An energy of some sort passes through the barrier like lightning.

When it is contacted by Aerodactyl, the barrier shatters like glass, knocking Aerodactyl back. Sneasel had used protect. Sneasel charges forward. Aerodactyl attempts to counter the incoming slash, but his off-balance posture thuds him down, allowing the Sneasel to approach for an effortless strike.

Aerodactyl rolls away from the blow and leaps skyward into flight. Sneasel bounds into the air, only to be dodged and fly into the grass. Aerodactyl dives into the grass. A few seconds later, he swoops back out of the grass with Sneasel, higher and higher into the air. He then halts, allowing Sneasel to fly above him.

His mouth lights up, charging a Hyper Beam, then the stream of white light follows. With the detonation, he is thrown down, but he catches the air to stop. Sneasel has flown out of sight. The Team Rocket member gasps, looks from Aerodactyl to me, then takes off running through the grass. The blast wasn’t nearly as dreadful when I am expecting it.

Aerodactyl plummets beside me, onto his feet. I am thinking critically about Team Rocket. Aerodactyl gives me a reassuring “Scraw!” He is hunched over for me to assemble on his back and fly me home. Today, the wind in my face means nothing.

Telling the family does naught. They have no support. The man had said he was going to take Aerodactyl. My uneasiness is not going to go away, so I will just have to put up with it the next few days.

It is Monday. Back to the ironworks. I feed Aerodactyl virtually a dozen sandwiches. He will have to switch to unadorned meat soon. I wake Mr. Carida in the room next to me, careful not to wake his wife. She’s off work today. I eat a bowl of flake cereal and shower before Mr. Carida gets ready.

Luce hasn’t wakened herself yet. I step into the doorway and flick the lights. She rises. “Five more minutes.” She smiles. I make my way back to my room and wake Aerodactyl. He is happy sleeping on the floor. He can’t sleep in my lap anymore.

Mr. Carida emerges from the bathroom door, and in goes Luce. Such hurry. “Can we switch off today?” Mr. Carida asks. I nod as we head to the ironworks. It is a unspoken hike in the bitter cold. Better than December. It was much colder then.

We are greeted by the extreme heat and Mr. Smilt. Aerodactyl shuffles in following me. “He’s ‘otten bigger, ‘asn’t ‘e?” Mr. Smilt remarks. I’m holding the kettle today.

Aerodactyl presses against the steel chamber, lying on his back. He uses his talons to suffocate the flame he breathes by closing them around the diminutive fireball. I guess it entertains him.

I suspend the kettle by the hefty tongs. The first barrel appears to have bike components in it. If only I could salvage some parts and assemble my own. I heard that the bike shop in Kanto region costs ten million dollars. What a rip-off! Eterna only wanted four or five hundred. I never could afford the one I wanted. I always saved my Christmas and birthday money for it.

Wait! That’s right! I still have the money in my briefcase! I will have to remember that. Mr. Carida sits next to Aerodactyl as he works the air pump. We do this for several hours until we have finished twelve barrels. That’s a new record. Mr. Smilt awards us one hundred twenty dollars for our hard work. No, not each this time.

Mr. Carida paces home, as Aerodactyl carries me in flight beside him. I bet he’s jealous. I pat Aerodactyl on the dome of his head. He quietly screeches appreciatively. Mr. Carida looks bored out of his mind. I have a good feeling I’m back at the pump tomorrow. Oh well.

When we return home, I scuttle to my room and rummage around the briefcase with the clothing I haven’t ever worn. Why do I pack stuff I don’t use? A miniature cardboard box is under a set of clothes. I count the contents. Three hundred and forty nine dollars.

What am I going to do with this money? I go to sleep later that night without an answer. Tuesday was the same. So was Wednesday. What am I going to do with this?

Now it is Luce’s birthday, March 5th, 2012. It is only a week or so from Aerodactyl’s, so it feels like I’ve been over-partying. All the same, it is a birthday. Luce receives earrings from her mom, a watch from her dad, a ring from my mom, and a necklace from me. Can you believe that this was never planned out?

To think my birthday is just over a month. Nearly seventeen. Luce is already seventeen though. You know what? I’m moving out in a year, and I need more badges. I have over three thousand dollars total, and I am a full fledged Pokemon trainer.

I’m leaving Snowpoint City.

 

[DarumakkaImposter]

i couldnt wait for this chapter to come out! the ending:

I’m leaving Snowpoint City.

left me wanting more (as always). i can never find a good pokemon book but ill keep up with this story. ^.^

 

[Charizard2011]

one word: EPICNESS!!! the part when aerodatyl blows up the gym reminded me of when my paper hoouse got lit by a match from my brother