Jabberwocky
May Contain Nuts
Pokemon: The Scales of Astrea
by Jabberwocky
Prologue
by Jabberwocky
Prologue
“Some say that humans are things of darkness. Others say humans are born of light. I will admit, of course, that there is ample evidence for both of these assertions being true. But at the same time, the existence of that parallel evidence leads credence to my own view: that humanity is defined not by darkness or light in entirety, but by both simultaneously. Within all of us there exists a balance between the two.
“This is true of all things. In society, in nature, in everything beyond. The world hinges on balance between opposing forces. Disruption of that balance either way always comes with disastrous results. In ancient times, our ancestors worshipped the goddess Astrea, who personified balance and justice with her celestial scales. When the Dragon of nature, Pinettle, and the Dragon of progress, Dragiron, began to war, it was Astrea who brought their conflict to an end and struck a balance between them. To maintain this balance, she looked to all the living creatures of the world, both Pokemon and human. Progress was not to overtake nature, and neither too was nature to be protected at the expense of progress.
“Humanity’s role - our role - then, is to do our part to maintain that balance. To maintain the balance within ourselves. And yet, to look around you it would seem that we are failing in this task. Progress and technological development are continuing at an unprecedented rate, while nature is being ravaged and destroyed to make room. To rectify this without disrupting the balance in the other direction is a daunting task indeed, but it is one we must undertake before it is too late and the scales of Astrea spill over into oblivion.
“For this reason, we observe Green Day each year not to place the environment on a pedestal, but to remove industrialization and reckless technological growth from the pedestal on which we have placed it. Its relevance is therefore inarguable, and to reject it is to become an accomplice to the problem.
“I hope you will join me in celebrating the world in which we live and working to restore the balance - to equalize the weights on the scales of Astrea. Thank you.”
Atalanta Villaverde concluded her speech. Her mouth felt dry, and the silence she received from her classmates made her stomach knot nervously. She’d worn a suit and wrangled her golden hair into a neat bun for this presentation, hoping to look professional. Now, though, she just felt absurd.
The growing urge she felt to bolt out of the classroom was cut short by an explosion of applause. Atalanta could only stand in stunned silence as several of her classmates rose for a standing ovation.
“Very well done, Ms. Villaverde,” her teacher said with a warm smile. “I knew I could depend on you to take this assignment seriously.”
Atalanta’s eyes welled up with tears. She’d done well? They’d liked it? She could hardly believe it. Everyone in class seemed to be thundering applause - everyone, that is, except for a lanky tan-skinned boy in the front row, who had his head rested on his hand, staring off into the void with a vacant expression.
“Mr. Huerta!” the teacher barked. The boy blinked and glanced around. “Huh? What?” he stammered.
The teacher rubbed his temples and sighed in frustration. “Bartholomew Huerta. Bart. what am I going to do with you? You’re never paying attention, even when your classmates are presenting the material they’ve worked so hard on. Your grades are consistently passable at best, and you seem content merely to drift through life without working at anything. Have you no aspirations?”
Bart crossed his arms angrily. “Hey, it’s not like that!” he argued. “I do so have aspirations, they just don't involve boring philosophy and all that school stuff!”
“Enlighten us, Mr. Huerte,” the teacher said with a roll of his eyes. “What, exactly, are these ‘aspirations’ you’re so ‘passionate’ about?”
Bart flashed a toothy, cocky grin. “I’m good at battling Pokemon,” he declared confidently. “I’m gonna go all around the Alta region and become the Champion! You ask me, that’s what’s really important in life, going on adventures with Pokemon and being the best you can be!”
He was being so flippant it made Atalanta’s blood boil. She glared and was about to rebuke Bart when the classroom burst into laughter. Bart looked around in confusion. “What’s so funny?” he asked.
“Champion!” one of the students hollered. “You? Yeah, right! A slacker like you is never gonna make anything of himself, let alone Champion!”
Bart looked hurt. “B-but I’m good at battling!” he protested. “I can do it if I try!”
More laughter. Even the teacher was laughing now. Atalanta’s anger towards Bart turned to anger towards everyone else.
“Th-that’s enough!” she suddenly cried. The laughter died immediately, replaced by shameful silence.
“How dare you?” Atalanta said furiously, striding over to Bart’s desk. “What gives you the right to ridicule his dream when you just finished applauding mine? I won’t stand for it! Is wanting adventure and a journey with Pokemon something to laugh at? No! It’s something to be celebrated, just as much as my goals!”
She looked down at Bart, who stared back up with wide eyes. “When you go on your adventure,” she declared, “I’m coming with you. We’ll work toward our goals together, and we won’t let anyone laugh at us ever again. Does that sound good to you?”
Bart nodded dumbly.
Atalanta glowered at the others. “Let’s see you laugh at that.”
No one spoke up.
Six years later
To Marcus Allen, the smell of newsprint was nothing short of heavenly. He had been reading the newspaper since he was first able to read, and he had long ago learned about how very sublime the crisp sound of the first turn of the page was.
Marcus sat down in his comfiest chair and raised his coffee - black and bitter, just the way he liked it - to his lips as he prepared for his morning ritual.
thhrwk
Music to Marcus' ears.
"Let's see what's going on today," he chirped. Sports first, like always. Lead story today: a newcomer sweeping the competition at the Pokemon League and claiming the title of Champion. Some nobody from Venture City named Bart. Barely 20 years old.
Marcus harrumphed. "Kids," he lamented. "Trainers are getting younger all the time. What is this world coming to?"
A footnote to the article mentioned something about the new Champion getting engaged to someone or other after the match - but that sort of celebrity gossip was about as much Marcus' metier as a bowl of turnips.
Thusly, he ignored it.
24 years later
Nicolasa Huerta’s eyes fluttered open.
She yawned and stretched as she slowly awoke. Her mind booted up with a mental shudder.
Her wiry black hair was a mess. Again. She really needed to stop showering right before going to bed. On the dark skin of her hand was a patch of green - she’d forgotten to take out her gum before sleeping. Again. At least it hadn’t gotten in her hair this time. Last time she’d had to shave her head, and her locks were only just returning to an acceptable length.
Her eyes wandered to the calendar on the wall. This month the image was a Litleo playing in a field of flowers. She found today’s date, the fifteenth of the month.
The fifteenth.
The
Fif
Teenth
The thought clicked in her mind, and her eyes shot all the way open as she jolted completely awake.
“Today’s the day!” she shouted excitedly. “Today’s the day!”
She sprung out of bed and rummaged through her drawers for the perfect outfit - black jeans and a green T-shirt, just like her dad had worn when he started out on his journey, and just like her mom had worn to watch the battle that had made her dad Champion. It was a lucky outfit, obviously, and as she put it on she could feel that luck coursing through her.
Today was the day Nicolasa got her first Pokemon and began her journey. Today was the day the rest of her life began.
“Nico?” her mother called from downstairs. “Are you ready for the day?”
“Yep yep yep!” Nico shouted back eagerly. “Be down in just a second!” She grabbed a hairbrush off of her dresser and hurriedly scraped it across her hair as she bolted out of her room and down the stairs.
Nico couldn’t stop grinning.
Today was the day. And her life would never be the same.
………………………………………..
Welcome to the Alta Region! A new land of adventure, excitement, and fun! On your adventure here you will meet new Pokemon, new friends, and new enemies! We hope you’ll stick around for further installments of “The Scales of Astrea,” and continue to follow the journey of Nicolasa Huerta, as well as her friend Darwin Tapia, not to mention a host of others we’ve yet to meet!
“The Scales of Astrea” is a journey fic, and I intend to write it as if it were a novelization of a main series Pokemon game merged with elements of other Pokemon media, such as the anime and manga! I hope you will enjoy it, and I look forward to seeing what you all think!
This story was originally posted on Bulbagarden. I will be including worldbuilding information, including information about my original Pokemon, with my chapters, to keep things interesting and engaging! Stay tuned!