Liltwick
Just your Sleepy FIzzy Mod
A/N: First fan fic in quite a long while. I hope you all enjoy.
It all started on a dark, gloomy day... A day where the sky was black and the ground was white. The snow fell like spilt sugar, coming down from the sky furiously. It seemed the clouds kept on whipping up more of the dastardly concoction, littering it around the streets and buildings of Castelia City. The wind carried it with such ferocity that the inhabitants were stuck inside whatever building they had been in when the snow started to fall. When time started to fall. When life started to fall. When all started to fall into the depths of melancholy.
Compared to the desolate winter wasteland outside, the cafe was warm and quaint. Melodies from ages past filled all who entered the small cafe, and the smell of hearty meats filled the air. A boy sat nestled in one of the corners in the cafe, messing around with his PokeNav. The invention from Devon Corp. proved to be a worldwide best seller, and practically everyone in the cafe was using one. The boy looked around while flipping the BuzzNav function off, patiently awaiting the food he ordered. He had been close to the cafe when the snow started to fall, so he had made a quick jolt towards the door before the winter storm started coming down heavily.
Seeing the general nonchalant air within the cafe, the boy returned to his device. He takes a look at himself for a minute, and fixed his brunet hair before shifting the device. His almond shaped eyes analytically recorded any new information showing up on the snowstorm, but also any new messages that come up from people he knows. The bright screen is reflected in his icy blue eyes, the information almost freezing from the coldness. His skin was similar to that of an ice sculpture... pale to the point of partial-albinism. Once again he fixed his hair, and then the boy looked up to see a cup in front of him. Remembering he ordered some tea, he takes a sip before setting the cup back down.
The cafe continues its dance, repeating the same motions again and again, for a few minutes. The brunet silently takes his place, casually sipping his tea as he looked over the weather. He was supposed to head towards Nimbasa today, but this snow seems to have locked the city shut in an icy tomb. Since he wasn’t a trainer yet, he couldn’t freely roam the region of Unova. Instead, like most ordinary citizens, he needed to take buses or trains from city to city most of the timer take the public route that doesn’t intertwine with any potential wild Pokemon. Regardless, he was stuck here, since he would prefer to not tread in the blizzard outside.
As he finished his tea, the door to the cafe slammed open. Setting the cup down and quickly jolting up, he watched two snow-encrusted figures hurry inside. The large, oaken door was closed with a loud thud, and the two figures walked towards him. Taking off their outer layers, the two stared at him, one with burning passion, and the other with a cowardly heart. The fiery eyed one grabbed something from within her jacket, a capsule of three eggs, and sat it down on the table. She then took to the right side of the boy, while the meek one took the left.
“What the hell, man? Why weren’t you responding?” She berated the boy, obviously not happy.
“Maybe because communication signals were cut?” He responded nonchalantly, with a hint of annoyance.
“N-now, we don’t need to be fighting again...” The meek one sighed, his voice quivering.
“He’s right, Izzy, I’m tired of arguing with you,” the blue-eyed boy complied.
“Damn it when you’re right, Quint. Oh well, Quintin, Xavier... Today’s finally the day!” Izzy yelled out with excitement, causing attention from the rest of the cafe. The girl apologized quickly before returning to the matter at hand. Grabbing the capsule, she opens the hatch to reveal three eggs.
One of the eggs seemed to have the design of a dog on it, with small ears and a pink nose. The second had ringlets on it with circles, colored in various shades of blue. The last one was a beautiful yet rocky egg, colored pure white. Grabbing the eggs, she hands the one with rings on it to Xavier, and the white one to Quintin.
Xavier examines his egg with great care. It seems to be that of a Tympole’s, but the ringlets make him consider. He feels the hard exterior, like that of an exoskeleton. It’s a bug type, that’s obvious. Perhaps it’s a Venipede variant? Izzy did tell him and Quintin that she would get special eggs for them when the day came. Xavier continued to examine his egg as Izzy spoke, blocking out whatever she was saying. He snapped back to reality after a punch on his shoulder.
“Hey, were you even listening, Xavier? Ugh, most likely not. Anyways, these eggs are about to hatch. Give it a few moments or so...” Izzy said, sitting back down and asking for a menu. Xavier looked over at Quint, who was silently observing the two of them. He made a motion towards Xavier, but the other boy quickly denied what it meant.
As drinks arrived for his two friends, Xavier looked over the eggs once more. Something seemed different about his then the others, and he instinctively grabbed it. Holding it close, he felt it cracking beneath him. The hard exterior crumbles onto his hands into a gossamer substance, filmy and silky. His two friends looked at him in awe, and the three teens watched as the first of the three eggs hatched in front of them.
Emerged from the egg was a slimy, long figure. Its back was low, but still was higher than the rest of its body. The bug was light, and smaller than what Xavier had been expecting. He looked at the small, long, and thin Venipede and recognized it instantly. The cloudy blue eyes and blue-black color scheme gave it away. A Cloud Forest Venipede, native to the jungles of the Hoenn region. Its poison is a deadly neurotoxin as blue as its shell. Their lithe bodies were built for speed and hard hit and run tactics, compared to the more bulkier Common Venipede. Considered one of the two battle varieties, next to the Common, the Cloud Forest is a very potent and deadly threat.
The bug starts to curl up within Xavier’s arm, obviously happy with the choice of trainer. However, its actions seem to suggest it being of the Jolly nature, due to the general happiness emitting from the bug type. His starter’s actions make Xavier give a small smirk, before returning to caring for his new Pokemon. Grabbing his DexNav, the boy starts to fill out his trainer card registration.
As he does that, the other two eggs start to hatch. Quint’s egg hatches first, revealing a pure white, smooth rock. It has a straight protrusion coming out of its head, with fancy engravings carved into it. The Marble Roggenrola is known for its beauty and strength, and is considered a domestic breed due to its prowess in battles and contests. Xavier quickly scans over it, and deems it to be of the quiet nature. The rock type and its trainer quickly start bonding, in their meek and non-talkative ways.
Meanwhile, Izzy hatches a Norfolk Lillipup. Compared to the more common variety, Norfolk are a bit hairier, but their fur is considered purer and more beautiful. As such, these are a more contest oriented breed, compared to Quint’s balanced and Xavier’s battle-oriented breeds. Xavier looks over the pup, and observes it for a second. The dog is playful and tricky, but it seemed a bit naughty as well. Certainly a handful of a Pokemon, and a challenge as well. However, Xavier already notices a strong bond between the pup and her trainer.
As the three finish their trainer registration, trainer cards are printed out from their BuzzNav, and a badge app appears on the screen. The app will record gym wins and save badges within it, so the trainer doesn’t have to worry about losing the regular badge. The DexNav feature also became available, and the AreaNav updated with trainer functions. Xavier flipped through the areas before deciding to close the app and decide on a name for his Pokemon.
“Sirius.” Xavier looks at his Venipede, who looks at him with curious eyes.
“What?” Asks Izzy with an inquisitive tone.
“That’s what I’m naming him. Sirius. I think it’s a name that fits him... Just something about it fits this little guy,” the boy responds while rubbing his Pokemon’s head.
“Y-You're right... I think it does...” Quint chips in meekly, before returning to his rock.
“What are you naming him, Quint?” Izzy questions.
“Most likely Marvin. I like the name... Marvin. Yeah, that’s it!” Quint exclaims, stars within his eyes.
“And you, Izzy?” Xavier inquires calmly to the last of the trio.
“I think I’ll name her Thalia. It’s weird, I know, but I think it works. Especially for contests...” She responds to the inquiry before returning to petting her Pokemon.
The trio continue to groom their Pokemon before hearing the door open again. A man comes in, and says that the storm has started to clear up. Excited, the three of them run out, holding their Pokemon bundled in their hands. Heading through alleyways, they manage to reach a small alcove with a huge tree in the middle. An opening within the trunk is their goal, and they head underground. Within the roots of a tree is a spacious secret base that managed to escape most of the storm.
“Glad it didn’t cave in,” Xavier mutters as he lets Sirius down.
The Venipede starts to inquisitively explore the area, and manages to land himself in a bundle of stuffed toys. He starts to squeak as he messes around with the toys, moving them around and jumping all over them. Thalia curiously comes over and starts to bite a stuffed bear, and starts to shake it. Marvin quickly joins the group, happily sitting bundled while watching his hatchmates.
“Well, they seem to like each other,” Izzy comments nonchalantly before taking off her jacket. He curly, orange hair flows from her pink cap, almost reaching her shoulders. Her skin is an olivine color, and is accompanied by emerald green eyes. She is in the middle of the group height wise, being shorter than Xavier and taller than Quint.
Quint nods in agreement and starts to get more comfortable. He adjusts his glasses and brushes his blonde hair. His eyes are a deep mahogany brown, which is offsetting his rather bright blonde hair. His freckles literally cover him, and his skin is paler than snow. Quint generally pales in comparison to his friends, but they love him all the same.
Xavier sits down, tired and a bit exhausted. Slumping next to Quint, he starts to watch his Pokemon. As he watches them play, he gets an idea that causes him to jump up, startling his friend and grabbing the others’ attention. The two give him two very different looks, but both have an inquisitive nature to it. The taller boy looks over his friends for a second before clearing his throat.
“Alright, since we’re trainers now, why don’t we have some battles? It’ll be fun, and I’m sure that our Pokemon would like it, too. What do you say?” Xavier asks his friends in his same cold, monotonous tone that he always has. However, his voice doesn’t sound as distant as it usually does. A small smile sprawls across his face, something rare of the tall boy.
“Hmm... I think that’s a great idea! I’m just getting pumped thinking about it!” Izzy howls, already looking fired up and ready to roll. Quint simply nods in agreement, despite his worried look for his Pokemon. The Roggenrola is fine, however, as it continues to sit in the pile of toys.
“Alright then, perfect. I think it would be the best for Izzy and I to go first, since this will be an interesting fight. Come on, Sirius... you may be a newborn but you’re still a Pokemon!” Xavier calls out to his Venipede, who instinctively takes battle position.
“Alright Thalia, let’s dance!” Yells Izzy, and the two proceed to battle stations. The two quickly check their DexNav for their Pokemon’s moves before they begin.
As the battle begins, Xavier studies Izzy’s movements. He knows she’ll most likely go for an all out attack, so some defensive play is necessary. He orders Sirius to use defense curl, and the bug responds by rolling up his lithe body. The bug turned ball rolls around a bit, before tightening itself and letting go. A green aura surrounds the bug as his defense rises to the roof, and he lets out a small squeak.
Xavier, studying Izzy, predicted correctly as she orders a tackle for Thalia. The dog rushes towards Sirius and rams into the bug’s body. The blue bug type curls up into a defensive ball, obviously trying to buffer some of the damage. THe attack, however, lands at full power and sends the bug type flying across the base. He lands on some of the stuffed toys from earlier, and easily rises up from the pile of toys. Marvin quickly looks at Sirius before running away, a bit worried for his own safety.
Xavier grits his teeth as he orders a rollout. The boy watches as his bug turns into a blue bouncy ball, and starts to roll towards the dog. Sirius quickly gains traction as he rolls over Thalia, almost crushing her. The dog picks herself up and barks, obviously ready to continue fighting. The two keep on exchanging blows, but the dog continues to get more and more hurt. Eventually, the bug’s trainer notices Izzy run towards the match, as if out of desperation. Sighing, Xavier commands his bug to stop and looks at the girl.
“Is something the matter, Izzy?” Xavier asks in an annoyed tone.
“I-I’m sorry, but I can’t deal with seeing Thalia this hurt. If this is what it means to be a trainer... I don’t think I can do it. We can fight and fight, but it will always pain me to see her hurt, or any of my friends become hurt...” She responds distraught, obviously pained by whatever dilemma she was currently going through.
“Battling isn’t all it means to be a Pokemon Trainer, Izzy... There’s breeders, contest stars, collectors, and so much more! I-It doesn’t matter what we do with our Pokemon, the point is that we have them,” Quint speaks up, something rare of the small one.
Izzy gives him a sound look, and nods in agreement. She wipes her face before looking down at her Lillipup, who has returned back to its regular state. Xavier notes that she has decided on something, but he can’t really tell what it is. Perhaps she wants to train in another way? He shakes his head, not knowing what will exactly happen.
“I think... I think I know what I’d like to do,” Izzy sighed, obviously not happy with her decision. The fire that usually sits within her eyes starts to wither away, and her usual demeanor ebbs.
“What?” Quint asks nervously, obviously taken aback. Xavier shares the same weariness that his friend has for their other friend. It is generally odd for Izzy to be acting the way she is.
“I’ll become a contest star. It’s not what I’d like to do, but I can’t bear seeing my Pokemon hurt. It’s what I can do to keep them safe and sound, while still feeling like a trainer. I don’t know, but I feel like it’ll eventually become fun enough. And, if all goes well, I might expand into movies or musicals! Besides, I guess I’ve always wanted to do it anyways,” she responded with a solemn smile, the fire returning to her eyes.
The two boys simply nodded in agreement before looking at each other. Communicating with their eyes, Xavier recognized that Quint didn’t really want to battle either, leaving the harmless suggestion out of the window. The taller one slumped down into the pile of stuffed toys, casually playing with his Venipede. He looked over the small place that hosted most of the three’s childhood memories. They were leaving soon. Leaving towards their own adventure. However, night was falling, so today would not be a good day for them to go and set out.
“Hey, should we just go home and meet up here tomorrow?” Xavier asked his two friends.
“That actually sounds good, yeah,” Izzy responded while yawning.
“A-agreed.”
“Alright then, night guys. See you here tomorrow.” Xavier waved goodbye before motioning to Sirius that they were leaving. The Venipede looked sad to leave his playthings, but quickly adopted a happy demeanor. Xavier and his Pokemon left the small base, and started to trudge through the heavy snow. The sky was clear, and the beautiful night sky was upon them. It was a new moon that night, only making Xavier wanting to get home faster.
“This is his domain...” Xavier muttered worryingly as he picked up Sirius. The Venipede fought and contested being held, his blue body writhing within his trainer’s arms. However, sensing the fear from his trainer, he quickly complied to being held in wanting to help his trainer. Xavier frantically ran through the snow, feeling rapid crunching underneath his feet. He saw a black blur run across the sky, and that only caused him to keep on running. It could be anything, but the boy did not want to risk anything.
He eventually managed to get home, and the warm smells of dinner caressed his nostrils. The smell of fresh cooked meat and herbs permeated the air, and a mixture of savory and spicy berries accompanied it. A heartiness was associated with the smell, and the house seemed to wrap itself around Xavier and Sirius to give them a welcoming hug. A stout woman appeared from the kitchen door, and her face lit up with happiness. The smells of food followed her as she ran over towards her son and gave him a hig. She looked down at his new friend and gave him a pat, her motherly nature extending to the bug.
“So today was finally the day... My baby is finally all grown up! I am surprised by your choice in starter, but it fits you, deary. Oh, if only your father was still with us... You should visit his grave with your new friend, honey. I’m sure his spirit will appreciate that,” his mother first welcomed before adding in nostalgic comments. Xavier returned her hug and simply nodded as her sweet words osmosed into his mind. His father died in a mining accident a few years ago, leaving the small family in ruins. His mother runs a bakery nestled within the main avenue of Castelia. Luckily enough, her products were able to keep the family afloat.
“Yeah, I will, mom. I’m sure that dad would approve of Sirius,” the boy responded before looking down at his starter, who was playfully batting at its trainer’s leg. His lithe body wrapped around the leg of his trainer. “Anyways, dinner smells great. Should we have some?”
“Well, you just got home in time. Let’s eat, honey... I have some leftover berries for your Venipede as well!”
And with that, the small family proceeded to feast that night. Xavier loved the warmth from the entirety of the dinner, and it brought him an unexplained happiness. It was then he realized that this was the traditional good-bye dinner. Was his mother really accepting him leaving so soon? Perhaps she was ready to finally see him grow up. Finishing his plate, he gave his mother a small smile before cleaning himself up. Grabbing his Venipede, he tells his mother good night before heading upstairs and taking off his pants. Settling into bed, and feeling Sirius curl up beside him, the boy falls asleep. However, he doesn’t realize the nightmares coming ahead.
Chapter 1: Sweet Dreams
It all started on a dark, gloomy day... A day where the sky was black and the ground was white. The snow fell like spilt sugar, coming down from the sky furiously. It seemed the clouds kept on whipping up more of the dastardly concoction, littering it around the streets and buildings of Castelia City. The wind carried it with such ferocity that the inhabitants were stuck inside whatever building they had been in when the snow started to fall. When time started to fall. When life started to fall. When all started to fall into the depths of melancholy.
Compared to the desolate winter wasteland outside, the cafe was warm and quaint. Melodies from ages past filled all who entered the small cafe, and the smell of hearty meats filled the air. A boy sat nestled in one of the corners in the cafe, messing around with his PokeNav. The invention from Devon Corp. proved to be a worldwide best seller, and practically everyone in the cafe was using one. The boy looked around while flipping the BuzzNav function off, patiently awaiting the food he ordered. He had been close to the cafe when the snow started to fall, so he had made a quick jolt towards the door before the winter storm started coming down heavily.
Seeing the general nonchalant air within the cafe, the boy returned to his device. He takes a look at himself for a minute, and fixed his brunet hair before shifting the device. His almond shaped eyes analytically recorded any new information showing up on the snowstorm, but also any new messages that come up from people he knows. The bright screen is reflected in his icy blue eyes, the information almost freezing from the coldness. His skin was similar to that of an ice sculpture... pale to the point of partial-albinism. Once again he fixed his hair, and then the boy looked up to see a cup in front of him. Remembering he ordered some tea, he takes a sip before setting the cup back down.
The cafe continues its dance, repeating the same motions again and again, for a few minutes. The brunet silently takes his place, casually sipping his tea as he looked over the weather. He was supposed to head towards Nimbasa today, but this snow seems to have locked the city shut in an icy tomb. Since he wasn’t a trainer yet, he couldn’t freely roam the region of Unova. Instead, like most ordinary citizens, he needed to take buses or trains from city to city most of the timer take the public route that doesn’t intertwine with any potential wild Pokemon. Regardless, he was stuck here, since he would prefer to not tread in the blizzard outside.
As he finished his tea, the door to the cafe slammed open. Setting the cup down and quickly jolting up, he watched two snow-encrusted figures hurry inside. The large, oaken door was closed with a loud thud, and the two figures walked towards him. Taking off their outer layers, the two stared at him, one with burning passion, and the other with a cowardly heart. The fiery eyed one grabbed something from within her jacket, a capsule of three eggs, and sat it down on the table. She then took to the right side of the boy, while the meek one took the left.
“What the hell, man? Why weren’t you responding?” She berated the boy, obviously not happy.
“Maybe because communication signals were cut?” He responded nonchalantly, with a hint of annoyance.
“N-now, we don’t need to be fighting again...” The meek one sighed, his voice quivering.
“He’s right, Izzy, I’m tired of arguing with you,” the blue-eyed boy complied.
“Damn it when you’re right, Quint. Oh well, Quintin, Xavier... Today’s finally the day!” Izzy yelled out with excitement, causing attention from the rest of the cafe. The girl apologized quickly before returning to the matter at hand. Grabbing the capsule, she opens the hatch to reveal three eggs.
One of the eggs seemed to have the design of a dog on it, with small ears and a pink nose. The second had ringlets on it with circles, colored in various shades of blue. The last one was a beautiful yet rocky egg, colored pure white. Grabbing the eggs, she hands the one with rings on it to Xavier, and the white one to Quintin.
Xavier examines his egg with great care. It seems to be that of a Tympole’s, but the ringlets make him consider. He feels the hard exterior, like that of an exoskeleton. It’s a bug type, that’s obvious. Perhaps it’s a Venipede variant? Izzy did tell him and Quintin that she would get special eggs for them when the day came. Xavier continued to examine his egg as Izzy spoke, blocking out whatever she was saying. He snapped back to reality after a punch on his shoulder.
“Hey, were you even listening, Xavier? Ugh, most likely not. Anyways, these eggs are about to hatch. Give it a few moments or so...” Izzy said, sitting back down and asking for a menu. Xavier looked over at Quint, who was silently observing the two of them. He made a motion towards Xavier, but the other boy quickly denied what it meant.
As drinks arrived for his two friends, Xavier looked over the eggs once more. Something seemed different about his then the others, and he instinctively grabbed it. Holding it close, he felt it cracking beneath him. The hard exterior crumbles onto his hands into a gossamer substance, filmy and silky. His two friends looked at him in awe, and the three teens watched as the first of the three eggs hatched in front of them.
Emerged from the egg was a slimy, long figure. Its back was low, but still was higher than the rest of its body. The bug was light, and smaller than what Xavier had been expecting. He looked at the small, long, and thin Venipede and recognized it instantly. The cloudy blue eyes and blue-black color scheme gave it away. A Cloud Forest Venipede, native to the jungles of the Hoenn region. Its poison is a deadly neurotoxin as blue as its shell. Their lithe bodies were built for speed and hard hit and run tactics, compared to the more bulkier Common Venipede. Considered one of the two battle varieties, next to the Common, the Cloud Forest is a very potent and deadly threat.
The bug starts to curl up within Xavier’s arm, obviously happy with the choice of trainer. However, its actions seem to suggest it being of the Jolly nature, due to the general happiness emitting from the bug type. His starter’s actions make Xavier give a small smirk, before returning to caring for his new Pokemon. Grabbing his DexNav, the boy starts to fill out his trainer card registration.
As he does that, the other two eggs start to hatch. Quint’s egg hatches first, revealing a pure white, smooth rock. It has a straight protrusion coming out of its head, with fancy engravings carved into it. The Marble Roggenrola is known for its beauty and strength, and is considered a domestic breed due to its prowess in battles and contests. Xavier quickly scans over it, and deems it to be of the quiet nature. The rock type and its trainer quickly start bonding, in their meek and non-talkative ways.
Meanwhile, Izzy hatches a Norfolk Lillipup. Compared to the more common variety, Norfolk are a bit hairier, but their fur is considered purer and more beautiful. As such, these are a more contest oriented breed, compared to Quint’s balanced and Xavier’s battle-oriented breeds. Xavier looks over the pup, and observes it for a second. The dog is playful and tricky, but it seemed a bit naughty as well. Certainly a handful of a Pokemon, and a challenge as well. However, Xavier already notices a strong bond between the pup and her trainer.
As the three finish their trainer registration, trainer cards are printed out from their BuzzNav, and a badge app appears on the screen. The app will record gym wins and save badges within it, so the trainer doesn’t have to worry about losing the regular badge. The DexNav feature also became available, and the AreaNav updated with trainer functions. Xavier flipped through the areas before deciding to close the app and decide on a name for his Pokemon.
“Sirius.” Xavier looks at his Venipede, who looks at him with curious eyes.
“What?” Asks Izzy with an inquisitive tone.
“That’s what I’m naming him. Sirius. I think it’s a name that fits him... Just something about it fits this little guy,” the boy responds while rubbing his Pokemon’s head.
“Y-You're right... I think it does...” Quint chips in meekly, before returning to his rock.
“What are you naming him, Quint?” Izzy questions.
“Most likely Marvin. I like the name... Marvin. Yeah, that’s it!” Quint exclaims, stars within his eyes.
“And you, Izzy?” Xavier inquires calmly to the last of the trio.
“I think I’ll name her Thalia. It’s weird, I know, but I think it works. Especially for contests...” She responds to the inquiry before returning to petting her Pokemon.
The trio continue to groom their Pokemon before hearing the door open again. A man comes in, and says that the storm has started to clear up. Excited, the three of them run out, holding their Pokemon bundled in their hands. Heading through alleyways, they manage to reach a small alcove with a huge tree in the middle. An opening within the trunk is their goal, and they head underground. Within the roots of a tree is a spacious secret base that managed to escape most of the storm.
“Glad it didn’t cave in,” Xavier mutters as he lets Sirius down.
The Venipede starts to inquisitively explore the area, and manages to land himself in a bundle of stuffed toys. He starts to squeak as he messes around with the toys, moving them around and jumping all over them. Thalia curiously comes over and starts to bite a stuffed bear, and starts to shake it. Marvin quickly joins the group, happily sitting bundled while watching his hatchmates.
“Well, they seem to like each other,” Izzy comments nonchalantly before taking off her jacket. He curly, orange hair flows from her pink cap, almost reaching her shoulders. Her skin is an olivine color, and is accompanied by emerald green eyes. She is in the middle of the group height wise, being shorter than Xavier and taller than Quint.
Quint nods in agreement and starts to get more comfortable. He adjusts his glasses and brushes his blonde hair. His eyes are a deep mahogany brown, which is offsetting his rather bright blonde hair. His freckles literally cover him, and his skin is paler than snow. Quint generally pales in comparison to his friends, but they love him all the same.
Xavier sits down, tired and a bit exhausted. Slumping next to Quint, he starts to watch his Pokemon. As he watches them play, he gets an idea that causes him to jump up, startling his friend and grabbing the others’ attention. The two give him two very different looks, but both have an inquisitive nature to it. The taller boy looks over his friends for a second before clearing his throat.
“Alright, since we’re trainers now, why don’t we have some battles? It’ll be fun, and I’m sure that our Pokemon would like it, too. What do you say?” Xavier asks his friends in his same cold, monotonous tone that he always has. However, his voice doesn’t sound as distant as it usually does. A small smile sprawls across his face, something rare of the tall boy.
“Hmm... I think that’s a great idea! I’m just getting pumped thinking about it!” Izzy howls, already looking fired up and ready to roll. Quint simply nods in agreement, despite his worried look for his Pokemon. The Roggenrola is fine, however, as it continues to sit in the pile of toys.
“Alright then, perfect. I think it would be the best for Izzy and I to go first, since this will be an interesting fight. Come on, Sirius... you may be a newborn but you’re still a Pokemon!” Xavier calls out to his Venipede, who instinctively takes battle position.
“Alright Thalia, let’s dance!” Yells Izzy, and the two proceed to battle stations. The two quickly check their DexNav for their Pokemon’s moves before they begin.
As the battle begins, Xavier studies Izzy’s movements. He knows she’ll most likely go for an all out attack, so some defensive play is necessary. He orders Sirius to use defense curl, and the bug responds by rolling up his lithe body. The bug turned ball rolls around a bit, before tightening itself and letting go. A green aura surrounds the bug as his defense rises to the roof, and he lets out a small squeak.
Xavier, studying Izzy, predicted correctly as she orders a tackle for Thalia. The dog rushes towards Sirius and rams into the bug’s body. The blue bug type curls up into a defensive ball, obviously trying to buffer some of the damage. THe attack, however, lands at full power and sends the bug type flying across the base. He lands on some of the stuffed toys from earlier, and easily rises up from the pile of toys. Marvin quickly looks at Sirius before running away, a bit worried for his own safety.
Xavier grits his teeth as he orders a rollout. The boy watches as his bug turns into a blue bouncy ball, and starts to roll towards the dog. Sirius quickly gains traction as he rolls over Thalia, almost crushing her. The dog picks herself up and barks, obviously ready to continue fighting. The two keep on exchanging blows, but the dog continues to get more and more hurt. Eventually, the bug’s trainer notices Izzy run towards the match, as if out of desperation. Sighing, Xavier commands his bug to stop and looks at the girl.
“Is something the matter, Izzy?” Xavier asks in an annoyed tone.
“I-I’m sorry, but I can’t deal with seeing Thalia this hurt. If this is what it means to be a trainer... I don’t think I can do it. We can fight and fight, but it will always pain me to see her hurt, or any of my friends become hurt...” She responds distraught, obviously pained by whatever dilemma she was currently going through.
“Battling isn’t all it means to be a Pokemon Trainer, Izzy... There’s breeders, contest stars, collectors, and so much more! I-It doesn’t matter what we do with our Pokemon, the point is that we have them,” Quint speaks up, something rare of the small one.
Izzy gives him a sound look, and nods in agreement. She wipes her face before looking down at her Lillipup, who has returned back to its regular state. Xavier notes that she has decided on something, but he can’t really tell what it is. Perhaps she wants to train in another way? He shakes his head, not knowing what will exactly happen.
“I think... I think I know what I’d like to do,” Izzy sighed, obviously not happy with her decision. The fire that usually sits within her eyes starts to wither away, and her usual demeanor ebbs.
“What?” Quint asks nervously, obviously taken aback. Xavier shares the same weariness that his friend has for their other friend. It is generally odd for Izzy to be acting the way she is.
“I’ll become a contest star. It’s not what I’d like to do, but I can’t bear seeing my Pokemon hurt. It’s what I can do to keep them safe and sound, while still feeling like a trainer. I don’t know, but I feel like it’ll eventually become fun enough. And, if all goes well, I might expand into movies or musicals! Besides, I guess I’ve always wanted to do it anyways,” she responded with a solemn smile, the fire returning to her eyes.
The two boys simply nodded in agreement before looking at each other. Communicating with their eyes, Xavier recognized that Quint didn’t really want to battle either, leaving the harmless suggestion out of the window. The taller one slumped down into the pile of stuffed toys, casually playing with his Venipede. He looked over the small place that hosted most of the three’s childhood memories. They were leaving soon. Leaving towards their own adventure. However, night was falling, so today would not be a good day for them to go and set out.
“Hey, should we just go home and meet up here tomorrow?” Xavier asked his two friends.
“That actually sounds good, yeah,” Izzy responded while yawning.
“A-agreed.”
“Alright then, night guys. See you here tomorrow.” Xavier waved goodbye before motioning to Sirius that they were leaving. The Venipede looked sad to leave his playthings, but quickly adopted a happy demeanor. Xavier and his Pokemon left the small base, and started to trudge through the heavy snow. The sky was clear, and the beautiful night sky was upon them. It was a new moon that night, only making Xavier wanting to get home faster.
“This is his domain...” Xavier muttered worryingly as he picked up Sirius. The Venipede fought and contested being held, his blue body writhing within his trainer’s arms. However, sensing the fear from his trainer, he quickly complied to being held in wanting to help his trainer. Xavier frantically ran through the snow, feeling rapid crunching underneath his feet. He saw a black blur run across the sky, and that only caused him to keep on running. It could be anything, but the boy did not want to risk anything.
He eventually managed to get home, and the warm smells of dinner caressed his nostrils. The smell of fresh cooked meat and herbs permeated the air, and a mixture of savory and spicy berries accompanied it. A heartiness was associated with the smell, and the house seemed to wrap itself around Xavier and Sirius to give them a welcoming hug. A stout woman appeared from the kitchen door, and her face lit up with happiness. The smells of food followed her as she ran over towards her son and gave him a hig. She looked down at his new friend and gave him a pat, her motherly nature extending to the bug.
“So today was finally the day... My baby is finally all grown up! I am surprised by your choice in starter, but it fits you, deary. Oh, if only your father was still with us... You should visit his grave with your new friend, honey. I’m sure his spirit will appreciate that,” his mother first welcomed before adding in nostalgic comments. Xavier returned her hug and simply nodded as her sweet words osmosed into his mind. His father died in a mining accident a few years ago, leaving the small family in ruins. His mother runs a bakery nestled within the main avenue of Castelia. Luckily enough, her products were able to keep the family afloat.
“Yeah, I will, mom. I’m sure that dad would approve of Sirius,” the boy responded before looking down at his starter, who was playfully batting at its trainer’s leg. His lithe body wrapped around the leg of his trainer. “Anyways, dinner smells great. Should we have some?”
“Well, you just got home in time. Let’s eat, honey... I have some leftover berries for your Venipede as well!”
And with that, the small family proceeded to feast that night. Xavier loved the warmth from the entirety of the dinner, and it brought him an unexplained happiness. It was then he realized that this was the traditional good-bye dinner. Was his mother really accepting him leaving so soon? Perhaps she was ready to finally see him grow up. Finishing his plate, he gave his mother a small smile before cleaning himself up. Grabbing his Venipede, he tells his mother good night before heading upstairs and taking off his pants. Settling into bed, and feeling Sirius curl up beside him, the boy falls asleep. However, he doesn’t realize the nightmares coming ahead.