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Cygnus was your average teen. One who had big dreams and ambitions just like any other. So after years of extensive studying and preparing, he finally earned the opportunity to receive a starter and start his journey!
After a fumble that nearly costed his starter at the professor's lab, he sets out on an adventure of a lifetime! Ready to meet new friends, fight foes and enemies alike, and take down any evil that crawled up.
And he steps out, ready to take on the world by storm–
Then the next day, he died in a brutal tragedy.
But whether by his sheer determination or a mysterious hand at play, he wakes up once more. Back in his bed. Back in the beginning, and ready to start anew once more.
Hopefully, this time he'll stop failing.
Hello and welcome to another fic that has been brewing on my mind!
As the summary entails and implies, this is a Nuzlocke fic with a twist being that along with the trainer's Pokémon, he will also died and as such, every death will reset the trainer back to a specific point in time (essentially time-looping). This will take place in an AU version of Pokémon Platinum where things will feel and look the same until the curtains begin to unravel...
Anywho, the Content Warnings for this fic will be: Deaths (both human and Pokémon), Gore, Suffering, Heavy themes like Depression and Suicidal thoughts, Loneliness and Trauma. (If you know Re:Zero then this story will be pretty similar to that)
And while this is a Nuzlocke fic. It's not exactly based on any Nuzlocke runs I've done since I have a horrible track record of completing them. Instead, it'll be mostly based around my experience with failing multiple Nuzlocke runs 'cause I suck at nuzlocking romhacks. Likewise, the rules for it will mostly be uncovered as the story goes on because I like keeping things a mystery.
So yeah! Enjoy your time reading this and prepare for a wild ride!
Any and all feedback will be greatly appreciated! So let me know what you think!
White hot pain laced across my mind, scattering my thoughts and spinning the world around me. My vision dimmed and muted, sounds grew muffled and distant..
Somebody…
My eyes trailed onto the graying world around me.
Please…
I still had so much I wanted to do.
Darkness crawled at the edges of my vision. The shadows writhed, dim reality coiling slowly, slowly, seizing me like a prized relic.
Help…
My body was trembling but I couldn't feel it. I couldn't feel my arms nor my legs. Warmth fled my body a long time ago, leaving the hard and cold concrete to chill me down to my very bones.
I was so tired… so… so…
Someone…
I tried to cry out.
But no one replied.
There were sirens, muffled screams and tears.
Everything felt hollow, empty.
And slowly, slowly…
… my consciousness slipped away into the darkness…
My alarm clock blared with a roar of a thousand howls.
I awoke with a startled yelp, panic gripping my heart as I flailed my arms and legs. Unfortunately, the blanket covering me did an amazing job in trapping my limbs and I performed an excellent tumble onto the firm wood that was the floor.
“Ow…” I winced, a dull ache pounding my head relentlessly despite the blanket breaking my fall. With a groan, I threw the blanket back onto the bed, rubbing a hand against the bump in my head as I got up. “My head…”
My mind was still groggy but the pain kept my focus from slipping back into the foggy recesses of sleep. I found myself sitting there on the floor, thoughts still reeling from that… that dream? I mean, what else was there to call that? But that dream felt so vivid, so real in a sense that was hard to describe. I swore I could still feel myself laying there on the cold concrete, a tingly sensation seizing my body and ridding me of feeling anything but fog and numbness. I was pretty sure I also heard something that sounded like crying…
A sharp sting punctured my attempts at remembering and I winced, silencing the alarm clock. But even without that incessant shrill, I couldn't get a grip on anything but the barest of fragments.
I shuddered, feeling cold despite the morning sun shining from my window. Even with only the vaguest of details, I couldn't get over how… real everything felt. Like I was still laying there, cold, alone, dying…
Tearing my head away from the dream, I looked around. To my left was a window, and for some stupid reason, I seemed to have left the curtains open, leading to the brilliant sun practically blinding me wherever I turned. My bed was messy, my blanket and pillows scattered and strewn about after my panicked wake up. The ticking of my alarm clock followed my every motion, the time flashing innocently under my gaze.
… Wait.
Wait a second…
I blinked, once, twice. But the number was still the same, still the bright red lights showing–
Oh no. Oh no no no.
It was eight.
Eight freaking thirty.
Oh crap oh crap!
I was late!
So incredibly late!
How? Why did my alarm clock wake me up so late? I thought I'd set it to ring at six! Aaaahh, this was bad. This was really bad.
I rushed into the bathroom, speeding through the process of cleaning myself. I didn't have time to waste here, I was late for my starter!
Amidst the panic, a stray thought crept onto my mind. My rival, Terra, must've gotten her starter already. We were talking about this day for the better half of the month, even agreeing to meet up before heading to the lab. If she knew the reason why I wasn't there, she'd never let me live this down.
After combing down the Rattata’s nest that was my shaggy brown hair into something respectable, I put on a simple red T-shirt and a pair of brown trousers… or well, tried to. It was admittedly hard to do so when I was running down the stairs. And like an idiot, I promptly lost my balance and fell straight down.
Thankfully, my back broke my fall.
Unfortunately, my back was now in pain.
“Are you okay, dear?” my mom shouted from the kitchen, concerned.
“I'm fine, mom!” I couldn't stop now. Standing back up, I successfully wrestled my leg down my pants and grabbed my bag hanging on the railing.
“Well, come and get breakfast, Cygnus. It's gonna get cold if you–”
“Sorry, Mom!” I shouted back, a hand reaching for the door just a few steps away. “But I gotta go! I'm already late for my starter! Bye, Mom!”
“Cygnus–”
Slamming the door behind me, I sprinted towards my destination. Knowing my mom, she’d find a way to convince me to stay but I needed my starter. I couldn't be late!
The morning air was dry and fresh, luckily we lived somewhere deeper in Sandgem so I didn't have to trudge through sand whenever I decided to go outside. People mingled about in the streets but thankfully as the day was still young, I didn't have a lot of people I had to worry about. “Sorry! Excuse me! Coming through!” I waded through, finding my opportunity to slip past the steady stream of people and into an alleyway.
I lived in Sandgem Town for practically my entire life so I knew the ins and outs of the place, and the fastest routes to reach the lab. I just had to get through this alleyway, past the park, and I'd be at the Pokémon center where–
Something stopped me dead still, my momentum ramming straight into and down onto the ground. I winced at the stinging pain in my nose as I fell right onto my butt. “Ow…”
What hit me? There wasn't supposed to be anyone in this alleyway, not with all the trash and gunk. I got back up, a hand rubbing my sore behind as I gave whoever stood in my way a glare.
The man who stared back with a pinched expression froze me right into my roots. He was tall, taller than the professor by half a head and practically twice my height. My breath hitched. The man looked dead, pale as a corpse. His cheeks were sunken, his eyes surrounded by dark rings like he hadn't slept in weeks. Despite his height, he was a skinny and lanky person, more bone than flesh with how his skin-tight suit stretched into his skin.
The sun cast an ominous shadow over him, and his eyes gleamed like silver under the dim lighting. His glare was intense, harshly fierce like he was inspecting a particularly pesky bug.
I took a step back. Who-who was this? Did I just find a ghost? The guy didn't look real. How could a man have bleached blue hair while having skin paler than even Mom? Not to mention the weird outfit like he was trying to cosplay a really weird astronaut.
The man was quiet, unnaturally still like a broken down machine. I could feel my heart racing as the nerves shook my body. “I–I’m sorry, sir,” I stammered out. “I wasn't looking at where I was going and I uh…”
What should I say? What could I say? I didn't even know if he was going to kill me, eat my brain or… or… His glare didn't diminish in its intensity. And it was horrifying how expressionless his face looked, like he actually was a corpse that somehow retained consciousness.
After what felt like hours of being examined like a lab rat, he finally nodded, leaving without a word and not a single one of his steps making a sound.
When he got out of my sight, I flopped over and fell onto my knees. My heart was racing, my breaths laboured and heavy. “O-okay, scary ghosts in jumpsuits are a thing now.” I joked, more out of habit than anything humourous. My eyes glanced over to where the man vanished into and I stamped down the part of my mind that was curious about who that was.
Though oddly I couldn't help but feel like there was something familiar about the man. Like I had met him before.
I shook my head. No! I was not going down a spooky alleyway, chasing after a shady skeleton man. That sounded like a horrible idea.
Taking in deep, calming breaths, I let the nerves run through its course before returning to the task at hand. I had to keep going. I still had a starter to get.
A lot slower though. Who knew if there were any more scary jumpsuit ghosts out there.
I… made it.
Professor Rowan’s lab! I reached it!
“Ah…” I panted, pushing open the door. “I'm… I'm here!”
My exhausted shout drew the attention of everyone towards me. The lab assistants chatting to each other, the janitor cleaning in the corner and more notably, Professor Rowan and Lucas turned away from their conversation to look at me, neither of whom bothered to hide their surprise.
My lungs felt like they were on fire as my legs dragged me across the room. I really shouldn't have skipped gym class. Ugh, I regretted everything!
“I'm… I'm not too late, right?”
Rowan and Lucas glanced at one another. The professor’s fuzzy eyebrows furrowed in displeasure or well… It was honestly a little hard to gauge his reaction since his default expression looked like he was always displeased about everything.
Lucas, though, was a lot more expressive. An uncomfortable frown lining his face as he turned. “Well, you are over two hours later than expected.” He forced out a chuckle. “We didn't think you’d even show up.”
“And I did! I’m right here, aren't I?” I panted. “Please please please please tell me you have a starter left!”
Lucas turned to the professor, his eyes asking for help that his mouth was too afraid to voice.
The professor sighed, stepping forward with a stern glare. “You were late.”
Receiving his full attention, I stepped back, feeling the words stuck in my throat. “It-it wasn't on purpose, Professor! I was just so excited to start my journey that I couldn't sleep and–and my alarm clock didn't wake me up even though I was sure I set it and–”
He held up a hand. “I'm sorry, Cygnus. I handed out the last of my starters over an hour ago.”
Wh-what?
“No… this can't be...” I must've heard him wrong. He couldn't be out, he couldn't!
“Cygnus. You were nearly three hours late,” he said, body unmoving like a statue. “Now I understand what it's like to receive your first Pokémon, let alone something as rare as a regional starter and while I could excuse being a bit later than the planned meet up.” He sighed. “I cannot excuse someone for being later than an hour, let alone three. And you should know that I am a very busy man, I don't have time to waste merely standing around.”
I could hardly hear the end of his speech over the raging denials swirling in my head. This couldn't be real. It just couldn't be. All that time spent waiting, all that hard work and effort spent studying to even get a chance at this, all my plans and dreams. All of it was going to waste because I couldn't wake up.
I…
Tears welled up in my eyes but I dropped my head to hide them. Now wasn't the time nor place. I couldn't let them see me like this.
“Yeah… I guess…” I managed to make it not sound like I was about to break apart.
The professor took in a breath, his voice softening, his gruffy expression somehow seeming less gruff. . “Look, boy. I could try asking for another batch but I can't guarantee it'll be here before next week.”
Next week? I hid the grimace behind a sigh. I'd be so far behind but it was better than nothing. Professor Rowan was giving me a chance here.
I bowed low, a textbook perfect ninety degrees angle and showing my sincerest gratitude to the professor. “Thank you.”
With those quiet words, I took my leave with hurried steps, only slowing down after I was a couple of blocks away from the lab. My vision was blurry with tears but I didn't need to see properly to keep walking.
“Damn it.”
I clenched a fist, the despair quickly turning into rage as I rounded into an alleyway. My feet collided with a piece of trash and that broke down my self-control as I kicked a nearby bin. Nrgh! I was mad, so damn pissed at myself for being such an idiot.
If I hadn't stayed up so late, if I had set my alarm properly, if I hadn't woken up so late! I would've gotten my starter already and beaten my rival to the curb! What was wrong with me? I knew today was gonna be the greatest day of my life and yet–
“Aaaaahhh!”
I didn't know how long I'd spent venting my frustrations on the poor things here. But I was tired and hungry, my stomach protesting my poor decisions as I left the alleyway. I wasn't looking forward to my mom’s scolding but I didn't have a choice. She’d get worse if I spent more time out here without anything to show for.
“...!”
I sighed, dragging my feet into slow and dejected steps. My mom was going to kill me when I got back. I mean, I slammed the door, cut her off and practically just ditched her. And that wasn't even mentioning the fact that I couldn't even get a starter. It took a lot to earn her trust to let me handle things myself again and yet, not even a month had passed and I let her down.
“...ey!”
I groaned. This was gonna suck so much.
“Hey, Cygnus!”
My head perked up. Huh? Did someone just say my name? I looked around, turning my head left and right until I saw him.
Lucas, the professor’s assistant, was running at me. Lugging a briefcase in his hands and waving it recklessly. I opened my mouth to say something but after he nearly hit a nearby pedestrian a second time, I was afraid it would be me next.
He came to a stop, huffing and puffing. For a minute, I let him catch his breath before speaking. “What do you want?”
… that came out harsher than I'd like.
Thankfully, Lucas didn't look offended by my tone or maybe he just didn't notice it, he was clumsy like that. He propped up the briefcase, popping it open. “I just remembered that we had one left, Cygnus. A starter.”
My heart skipped a beat. Was I hearing him right?
“Y-you do?”
B-but I thought they said–no, questioning things might make this second chance disappear. I blinked, letting my gaze settle on the single pokéball inside, glee fluttering in my stomach.
“Yeah.” He took it out and handed it to me. “It might not be what you wanted but–”
“I'll take it!” I snatched the ball off of his hands. This was perfect! I had a starter! I finally had a starter! I was so happy I was bouncing on the soles of my feet, practically squeeing in joy.
Lucas chuckled softly, he was a lot less animated than he usually was but I was too distracted by the fact that I had my starter! “Well, I'm glad you're happy. But make sure to take good care of the little guy, alright?”
“Heh, who do you think I am? Of course I'll take good care of ‘em!” I shuffled my feet, pointing a finger to the sky. “‘cause you're looking at the next biggest thing! You hear me? I'll become one of the best there is! Even better than Cynthia herself!”
“Hah, sure.” His lips lifted slightly as he threw one last glance at the pokéball and he nodded. “Okay, I better head back now. The professor has plans for a big trip later and I'll have to finish some paperwork before we leave.”
“Okay, see ya!” I waved goodbye to the boy. Taking in a breath, I turned my attention back to the ball in my hand, feeling the smooth and hard surface. I couldn't believe it but the weight was real.
I had a starter.
My very own regional starter! Years of blood, sweat and tears put into this very moment!
Hopefully, Mom wouldn't be too mad once she learns about this.
“...and another thing!”
Mom turned around with eyes red with rage, her long brown hair trailing down to her shoulders like a serpent on the hunt.
I wilted under her fierce glare, my face paling further as her lecture continued. I knew she'd be mad but I didn't think she’d somehow stretch it into something that lasted for nearly an hour. At this rate, it’d take me until tomorrow to finally start my journey.
“... now, what do you have to say for yourself?”
“I'm sorry.”
“And?”
“I shouldn't slam doors in a hurry nor should I leave without finishing my food.” Her eyebrow was still raised. “And I should go to sleep early if I have to do something in the morning.”
“Good.” She nodded with a satisfied look. “Now, I hope you're fine with having reheated bacon and pancakes because that's what you'll be having after running off like that.”
I held back a sigh. “Okay, mom.” It wasn't the end of the world but it still felt unfair. It wasn't like I wanted to wake up late.
She tapped me on the shoulder, drawing my attention. Her gaze was soft, fond and comforting.
“Look, sweetie. I know how much you've been looking forward to this day and I'm happy you got your starter.” A gentle smile creased her features. “It’s just… next time, try and stay with me a little longer before running off like that, okay?”
Her eyes shimmered with genuine pride and– Argh, this wasn't fair. I couldn't continue to mope around with the sincerity thrown my way.
“Yeah, okay.” A small but genuine smile graced my face as she led me into the kitchen.
It was just past noon when I found myself looking over the field around me.
Route 202.
I’d been here before; for camping trips, survival training. Heck, I'd even snuck out from time to time with Terra to look at some Pokémon.
But today felt different.
Today, I stood out here as a trainer, alone on a path with only my starter to accompany me.
The pokéball in my hand gleamed under the sun’s rays as I threw it open.
Sun, my Chimchar, came out with a roar of his name, planting his fists deep into the dirt. He gave his surroundings a quick scan and after finding nothing of note, he turned to me with a puzzled expression. “Char?”
“Okay, Sun. As the starter of the up and coming future champion of Sinnoh–no the whole world! I am going to train you to be the very best! And that means we'll be spending every moment of our lives getting stronger! And to do so, we must first do what every famous trainer does when they're on a route.” I looked around, a smile stretching my cheeks as I pointed at our first opponent.
Out in the distance, in a clear field of patched dirt, there was a Starly pecking away at the ground.
I turned to Sun and relayed my plan. It was a simple one: hide in the bush and attack. Surely, I couldn't mess up an easy strategy.
My starter let out an affirmative cry, nodding along with my idea as he got into position.
Alright! Let's do this! I watched as Sun snuck up on it, hiding in the tall grass and slowly moving through until–
My Chimchar burst out of the grass and with a swift swing of his arm, slashed glowing claws across the Starly's face.
“Star!” the Starly cried out in pain, reeling away with a large flap of its wings.
It recovered in the air, wings fighting itself but instead of running away. It glared at Sun, eyes filled with a vengeful pride. Charging forward with a battle cry, its body glowed a fierce white, disappearing in a streak of light.
It's fast. I didn't have the chance to react before it struck my Chimchar hard, sending him flying into the dirt. It pressed on, body glowing and not wasting a single second as it readied another Tackle.
“Sun, Scratch it when it gets close!”
Sun got back up, jumping to his feet and claws glowing in a blind swing. The Starly was swifter however, reacting just in time to stop its momentum and flapping its wings to stay out of reach.
I clicked my tongue. Okay, a frontal attack wasn't working. It was just going to play keep away. Need to try something else.
“Leer! Then pin it when it's distracted!”
Sun’s eyes narrowed into slits, a dark shadow crossing his face. The Starly froze, an uncertainty marring the bird's confidence. My starter rushed forwards, lunging high, his arms locking the Starly’s wings and pinning it down.
I didn't hesitate as Sun slammed his head against it. My hand unclipped a free pokéball, throwing it forward as the Starly cried out in pain.
It connected, taking in the bird and letting Sun fall down onto the grass.
Then it shook.
Once. Twice and… yes!
With a ding to signify my success, I finally did it! I got my first capture!
Yes! My first official win as a trainer!
I whooped in joy and excitement, running forward and scooping up my starter by the arms. I twirled him around, spinning and laughing in celebration. “We did it, Sun! The start of our path to victory!”
If every battle went as smoothly as this, nobody would ever call me a loser anymore!
I set my starter down and picked up the ball. Time to make a new friend!
“Come on out!” Out came my newly-caught Starly and it immediately dived straight for me.
A yelp escaped me and I narrowly avoided a peck. I gritted my teeth, bringing my hands up to cover my face when I tripped. Luckily, Sun was quick to respond, subduing the Starly as it continued to fruitlessly peck and scratch me.
“Chimchar!” my starter growled out.
It struggled in my starter's grip, eyes glaring with rage. “Star! Star! Ly!” the Starly shouted, pointing at me with an accusatory talon.
“Char! Chim chim!” he shouted back, tightening his grip.
“Ly! Star!” It stopped attacking, fully committing all of its attention into the argument.
The two shouted at each other back and forth. Their argument grew more and more animated the longer it went. At this point, I already got back on my feet and was no closer to deciphering their speech than when I was on my back.
It eventually died down and Sun said something that managed to calm it down as he let go. He looked a lot more tired than he was after fighting.
I stood there, awkwardly looking down at the pouting Starly. “Uh, mind telling me what that was about?”
“Starly!” It puffed out its chest, crossing its wings and looking away with a huff.
“Um… yeah I've no clue what you just said.” I glanced at my starter who sighed and proceeded to mime out their argument.
He took on a boxer’s stance and threw a couple jabs.
“A fight?” He nodded, pointing at the Starly. “It wants to fight? No, something else? Fight something? No…” He pointed at the pokéball in my palm. Um... it wanted to fight my pokéball? No, that definitely wasn't it? But it had something to do with–
“Oh! It didn't want to be caught?”
“Starly!” It flew into my face, chirping loudly with an offended expression. It pointed at the pokéball and gestured to itself.
“You’re okay with being caught? Just not during a fight?” I tilted my head. “So what's the problem exactly?”
“Starly star!”
“Chim chim char.”
The two of them cried out in sync, and I could only stand there and watch as they tried their best to convey their needs.
Okay… This wasn't quite what I had in mind for my first day.
Alright.
As it turned out, the Starly just wanted a fight. That was mainly the reason why she had been standing out in the open to begin with.
And because I interfered in her fight against Sun by catching her, she got super mad at me.
At least that's what I thought. I was still a little unsure despite their attempts at translating but I guess the specifics weren't that important. Especially since I managed to convince her to forgive me in exchange for sending her out to fight a couple of battles.
After a quick little break and pondering, I decided to name my new friend, Klick, after a slang for measuring distances. Because like how Sun and I were going to be the brightest star in the world, Klick and I were going to go far!
Klick certainly lived up to her namesake. She was fast, agile, tough, and a real adrenaline junkie. Even after five battles, she was still raring to go. Currently, I was leading her against a Shinx. It was going surprisingly well, I didn't know what I expected when I threw her against an Electric-type but she was a lot more competent than I initially believed. Even without my commands, she was able to dodge and weave through its electric attacks, striking back at just the perfect moment to minimise the damage taken.
Up in the sky, her body glowed a sleeker stream of white, and she dived down, practically disappearing with how fast she moved.
Woah! My eyes lost track of her as she struck the Shinx, knocking it out cold. She landed beside me, holding her head high. “That was an awesome Quick Attack! All we need to do is to practice with it some more and nothing will ever hit you again.”
Klick puffed her chest out, letting out a prideful laugh.
“So, do you forgive me now?” I popped the question.
She made a ‘so-so’ motion with her wing but I took what I could get.
“Alright, now I'm gonna switch you out for Sun. I want him to get a little stronger before we head to the city.”
Hopefully, he could learn Ember before we leave for the city. It'd be a real drag if Scratch was the only move Sun had on him.
I retrieved Klick without any problems and sent Sun out, receiving a determined nod from him as we marched onward.
Hours went by with dozens of beaten Pokémon under my belt. Unfortunately, Sun hadn't quite figured out Ember but he somehow managed Taunt. I bit back the frustration, usually a Chimchar would learn Ember before anything else. I heaved a sigh as I made the tough call to start leaving for the city.
The Sun was slowly disappearing behind the horizon, painting the sky in a wide array of oranges and yellow. The city was slowly creeping into my vision and although it was still relatively bright out, the city was slowly lighting up. People and Pokémon of various sizes and shapes mingled under the evening sun with not a care in the world.
The smell hit my sinuses and I grimaced. Yup, that's Jubilife City for ya. Smoky and crisp with a tinge of charred tarmac. Nothing like the salty and ripe air of Sandgem.
Taking a minute to acclimate to the smell, I reached into my bag to pull out a notebook, flipping it open to reveal a checklist. Top priority, of course, was to go find the Pokémon center and register for the gym circuit. After that, I had to write down and double check the things I had to buy before heading for Oreburgh. Mostly potions, more pokéballs, and other miscellaneous utensils.
Probably need a plan for Roark too. A Starly and a Chimchar weren't the best picks for a Rock-type gym but I was sure I'd figure something out later. I flipped through the pages, landing on a small list of suitable encounters near Jubilife. A Budew would work swimmingly if I can find one, or maybe I could go the easy route and train up a Bidoof into Bibarel…
I jotted down the beginnings of a plan as I walked down the streets. The scratching of my pencil grounded me from being dragged around by the city’s noise, and it was always a nice feeling writing down my thoughts.
“Ohohoho! Do my eyes deceive me?”
My hands froze and as my mind fully processed the familiar voice, I tried to reign in my reactions, acting like I didn't hear it. My legs carried me onward, my steps hurrying, maybe if I acted natural she wouldn't–
“Ack!”
An arm wrung around my neck, bringing my head close to an annoyingly familiar warmth. “Cygnie, it is you! I was wondering where you've been. Thought ya forgot what day it was when I didn't see you at the professor earlier!”
I shuffled out of her grasp, glaring with as much irritation as I could possibly muster at the grinning redhead. “Terra.”
“Cygnus,” she said, not at all phased as she copied my annoyed tone with that cheeky smirk.
Terra was a girl, an annoying redhead with long straight hair that hung down to the middle of her back. Her face held her signature smirk, infuriatingly smug and joyous. Her outfit today was… cute, a pretty blue dress that complimented her dainty and delicate figure. It could do without the comically large sunhat though, it made her look like she was more ready for a picnic than a journey.
A sigh escaped my lips. “What do you want?”
“Whaaat? Why do I need something from you to check up on my favouritest rival?” Terra tried to wrap her arm around my neck again but I dodged, leaning away as she continued speaking, undeterred by the attempt. “Y’know, I really did think you weren't gonna make it. Like, you even missed out on our meet-up! And that wasn't mentioning how you flaked on our first rival battle too! You know it's tradition to have your first fight be your rival!”
Was it tradition to have a clingy girl always following him around? But… I guess I did promise something like that. I clenched my fist, pointing a finger at her. “Alright, fine! Let's go then!”
She gasped, her smile somehow became even brighter as she suddenly clasped my hand, her eyelashes fluttering. “Great! Come on, I'll even buy you dinner after I win!”
My traitorous heart skipped a beat at the contact and warmth crept onto my cheeks. “Af-after I win!” I shouted, shoving down that weird warm feeling down the recesses of my mind and trying to regain some face.
“That's the spirit!” She laughed, dragging me by the arm.
I bristled at the contact. “He-hey, I can walk myself!” I tried to pull away but she was a lot stronger than she looked.
“I know.” Her voice was smug and I sputtered out a protest.
In the end, I resigned myself to the ball of energy that was my friend rival. The two of us walked down the streets, hands clasped together as Terra gestured and pointed to the various stores and places around them, talking about how we should check them out after we were done with the battle.
Eventually, we made our way to a stadium of sorts. There were trainers everywhere, some were battling, training, even a few talking about trading but the majority were just chatting and talking about nothing in particular. Though I could somewhat make out important bits and pieces here and there. Battle plans, advice, complimenting each other’s team, most of it generally about how excited they were to finally begin their journey.
I couldn't focus on much on the important parts though when Terra let go of my hand, jumping and waving.
“Yoohoo, Rachel! Over here!”
A blonde girl, she looked a bit older than us, probably a year or so. Though it could also be because of her height, she was a noticeable head taller than me… not that I was jealous of something as stupid as that. My eyes glanced over to Terra, noting that she was still a few inches taller.
Definitely not.
Rachel looked over to us in surprise before she schooled her expression into a composed smile. She walked on over, her stride as confident and cool as the outfit she wore. A leather jacket draped over a black shirt that showed off her midriff and a pair of short jeans. “Yo, Terra! You back for more?”
“Nope. Not this time. Let me introduce you to my bestest and coolest rival! Cygnus Plein!”
I flinched when Rachel turned her gaze towards me. Suddenly I was back in school again, remembering how Terra dragged me in front of class to introduce myself, the judging gazes, the cruel gleam in their smiles– Snap out of it! This is different. She's a person that knows nothing about you! Come on, think of a cool introduction!
“Uh… hi.”
The words came out as stiff as the hand I waved at her. The grin I forced on my face was brittle but it sufficed to distract for the utter cringe my thoughts were swimming in.
Aaaaahh! Really? That was the best I could come up with? Seriously? Am I trying to make her think I'm an idiot that doesn't know how to talk? Aaaaaaahhhh...
“Hi to you too, little dude,” she said, completely unaware of my internal struggles. Rachel winked at me, quiet understanding dancing in her blue eyes as if to say she knew what it was like to be dragged by the whirlwind that was Terra.
And speaking of said whirlwind, Terra diverted our attention with a loud clap of her hands. “Alright! Now that we're all acquainted, you mind playing ref for us, Rachel? It's our first rival battle and well, you know how it is.”
Rachel mulled over the question for a bit, shrugging as she said, “Sure, got nothing better to do.”
Mysterious and cool jacket-rocking girl as referee? Now I couldn't afford to lose.
“Awesome!” Terra turned to me, pulling out a pokéball. “Let's go, standard 1v1 ruleset, capiche?”
I nodded as she dragged me to one of the fields. With a quiet staredown, a spark fizzled between our gaze as an unheard agreement was shared between us.
We took our positions as Rachel stood by the field, arm raised.
“Three.”
My fingers hovered over my starter's ball.
“Two.”
Terra grinned, bouncing with untethered energy.
“And begin!”
Rachel swung her arm down, signalling the start of our battle.
I unclipped my pokéball and we tossed out our starters at the same time.
“Let's do this, Sun!”
“Time to drown ‘em, Bubbles!”
My Chimchar slammed his fists on the ground at the same time her Piplup sprung into battle, a determined gleam in both their eyes.
A Piplup. Of course, she'd pick a Piplup. Whatever. Type advantage wouldn't matter if I planned this smartly.
“Leer!”
“Nuh uh, Growl!” She chuckled, shaking her finger at me. “No debuffs for you!”
I grimaced, one step ahead as usual. Fine, we were at a standstill and she had a bigger advantage over me anyway. “Taunt and then another Leer!”
Sun cocked a grin, mouthing off what I imagined must be the mother of all insults with how red the Piplup’s face was becoming. Bubbles looked absolutely livid and it was a little weird seeing such an unusually aggressive expression on its cutesy face.
“Ooh!” Terra’s smile widened as if she’d received a welcoming surprise. She snapped her fingers, pumping her hands in the air. “Bubbles, try and hold that righteous wrath in, okay? We'll be doing your specialty real soon, Pound!”
“Scratch!”
Sun reared low, claws glowing as Bubbles rushed forwards in a burst of rage, swinging with aggression that belied its cute appearance. My starter struck back, parrying each blow without giving Bubbles an inch.
With an angry shout, Bubbles hastened his swings and Sun responded in earnest. I tried to think of something but aside from telling him to keep Scratching, there wasn't much I could think of as Leer was an easy way to let Sun get overwhelmed.
Terra hollered, mimicking a boxer as she hopped back and forth. “Alright, why don't we kick it up a notch? Bubbles Bubble him!”
My breath hitched as I hissed out a curse. It already knew Bubble? Are you kidding me?!
“Jump back to avoid it and then get back in when it stops!”
“Dual wield! Go go, Bubbles! Don't let him get another hit!”
Dual wield? The hell does that even mean?
Sun leapt away, managing to evade the oncoming bubbles. He rushed in, claws glowing but before he could even land a hit, Bubbles struck back with a Pound, knocking him away and continuing its bubbling assault.
Although Sun was quicker on his feet, being able to dodge a majority of Bubbles’ attacks. Bubbles simply did too much damage for him to handle. Each landed hit from Sun resulted in him getting scraped, grazed by either a glowing flipper or an exploding bubble.
I didn't have many options and Leer was too risky with all those bubbles. Sun was getting exhausted, visibly heaving and body shaking. It didn't take long before he made a misstep, and Bubbles didn't even hesitate to punish him, knocking out my starter in an instant.
As Sun fell to the ground, I returned my starter with a grumble. Another loss. I didn't know why I expected things to be different when we got our starters but it seemed like Terra was still several steps ahead of me.
It stung as badly as the rest. I hated this feeling. The bitter taste of defeat lingered on my tongue. But I didn't let myself succumb to it, I couldn't let it get to me. I just had to try harder next time.
“Cygnus’ Chimchar has been defeated. Victory goes to Terra!” Rachel announced, bringing me back to reality.
“And another flawless victory for Terra the Terrific!” Terra shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth. “And the crowd goes wild! Haa! Haa! Woo! That was fun! You’re a lot stronger than I expected.”
She was posing, her Piplup also joined in as well. They moved in sync like they practiced this routine dozens of times before. Knowing her, she probably did.
Terra walked up to me. It wasn't for money, she vehemently despised taking money for a win. But the mischievous grin on her face told me she was scheming something as she held up a hand. “Give me five!”
I stared at her hand and back to her face.
She stared back, unflinching but deep down, I recognised the mischievous glint barely showing in her eyes. Terra was planning something.
For a second our eyes met, her amber gaze meeting my green glare. I'd like to say that I stood my ground, and was as unflinching as she was. But as I stared into those pretty innocent eyes, my composure crumbled and I raised a reluctant hand.
“Got you!”
It was a trap! I couldn't retract my hand in time before she wrapped her hand around it. I stumbled back but she held me steady before planting a fist on my head as I struggled in her grasp.
After what felt like an excruciating hour of embarrassment, she relented with a cheeky grin, hand still clasped on mine.
“Ahem, now what do we say after battling?” She lowered my arm, intertwining her fingers around mine. Her eyes locked onto mine, gleaming under the twilight sky with a mischievous yet kind twinkle. Her pearl white teeth baring in a grin that bore a teasing joy.
She's so close.
Warmth rushed to my cheeks as I pushed that thought away, focusing on anything but the softness around my hand. “Good game?”
My rival beamed, looking satisfied with my answer as she raised her free hand. “Bye Rachel! I'll see you tomorrow!” She turned back to me, dragging me by the arm. “Come on, I know a place that has the absolute bestest curry!”
Before I could protest, my stomach grumbled, stymying the words before they could form as a different type of warmth crept to my cheeks. Resigning myself to the hurricane in human form, I cast one last pleading glance towards Rachel, mouthing silent words of help.
But the cruel blonde only watched with a delighted smile as if this whole thing was a play and I was starring as the unfortunate protagonist.
Heya, sorry for running late, though I’m here for Catnip. Though I see you have a fresh story, which is apparently a Nuzlocke/death loop narrative. That’s certainly different from what I’m used to from you, so let’s just hop in and see how things are going here:
Chapter 1
Everything hurts.
White hot pain laced across my mind, scattering my thoughts and spinning the world around me. My vision dimmed and muted, sounds grew muffled and distant..
Yeah, I figured. Though if I had a nickel for every story I’ve read from you that had its protagonist die and then come back in literally the first chapter, I’d have two nickels.
Darkness crawled at the edges of my vision, coiling slowly, slowly, seizing me like a prized possession.
I’m not really feeling the underlined as a point of comparison. I wonder if it’d have been more impactful if you rolled something that was more “visual” as a comparison.
My body was trembling but I couldn't feel it. I couldn't feel my arms nor my legs. Warmth fled my body a long time ago, leaving the hard and cold concrete to chill me down to my very bones.
Damn son, just what sort of mess did you get yourself into before kicking the bucket? And here I thought you were bleeding out in the boonies or something.
I do wonder if it’d have been worth tipping your hand a bit more as to where Cygnus is and what’s going on with him for context if it’s not a giant spoiler, since I’ll admit that things are a bit vague for how we got here at the moment.
Everything felt hollow, empty.
And slowly, slowly…
… my consciousness slipped away into the darkness…
My alarm clock blared with a roar of a thousand howls.
Getting some prime PMMM EP 1 vibes here. Even if I doubt there’s going to be a whole harvesting souls to stave off cosmic entropy angle to this story, I do wonder what’s causing this in-setting.
I awoke with a startled yelp, panic gripping my heart as I flailed my arms and legs. Unfortunately, the blanket covering me did an amazing job in trapping my limbs and I performed an excellent tumble onto the firm wood that was the floor.
“Ow…” I winced, a dull ache pounding my head relentlessly despite the blanket breaking my fall. With a groan, I threw the blanket back onto the bed, rubbing a hand against the bump in my head as I got up. “My head…”
My mind was still groggy but the pain kept my focus from slipping back into the foggy recesses of sleep. I found myself sitting there on the floor, thoughts still reeling from that… that dream? I mean, what else was there to call that? But that dream felt so vivid, so real in a sense that was hard to describe. I swore I could still feel myself laying there on the cold concrete, a tingly sensation seizing my body and ridding me of feeling anything but fog and numbness. I was pretty sure I also heard something that sounded like crying…
Though I wonder if that means that Cygnus died at the first gym in his last loop for this journey.
A sharp sting punctured my attempts at remembering and I winced, silencing the alarm clock. But even without that incessant shrill, I couldn't get a grip on anything but the barest of fragments.
I shuddered, feeling cold despite the morning sun shining from my window. Even with only the vaguest of details, I couldn't get over how… real everything felt. Like I was still laying there, cold, alone, dying…
Cygnus: “Boy it sure would be nice if I could’ve remembered where I died in my dream, since that was some Final Destination-tier stuff going on there.”
Tearing my head away from the dream, I looked around. To my left was a window, and for some stupid reason, I seemed to have left the curtains open, leading to the brilliant sun practically blinding me wherever I turned. My bed was messy, my blanket and pillows scattered and strewn about after my panicked wake up. The ticking of my alarm clock followed my every motion, the time flashing innocently under my gaze.
… Wait.
Wait a second…
I blinked, once, twice. But the number was still the same, still the bright red lights showing–
I take it that Cygnus has pulled an Ash here. Though I do wonder if it’d have made sense to just say what the time was before his whole panicking reaction here.
So, is he also going to get stuck with a Pikachu by the local Professor.
Amidst the panic, a stray thought crept onto my mind. My rival, Terra, must've gotten her starter already. We were talking about this day for the better half of the month, even agreeing to meet up before heading to the lab. If she knew the reason why I wasn't there, she'd never let me live this down.
Ah yes, I see we’re doing all the Ash parallels right now. I take it that we’re going to get some pretty cruel subversions down the road given that this story’s apparently a Nuzlocke tale.
After combing down the Rattata’s nest that was my shaggy brown hair into something respectable, I put on a simple red T-shirt and a pair of brown trousers… or well, tried to. It was admittedly hard to do so when I was running down the stairs. And like an idiot, I promptly lost my balance and fell straight down.
Boy, that must’ve been particularly cursed in the last loop given that that might’ve very well been the last words Cygnus got out before keeling over.
“Cygnus–”
Slamming the door behind me, I sprinted towards my destination. Knowing my mom, she’d find a way to convince me to stay but I needed my starter. I couldn't be late!
I… think it might have been worth being a bit clearer about how far Cygnus had to go to get out the door. Like I take it that the house’s stairs end right next to the door from how quickly he dips out afterwards, but it’d have been nice to have that described a bit more explicitly.
The morning air was dry and fresh, luckily we lived somewhere deeper in Sandgem so I didn't have to trudge through sand whenever I decided to go outside. People mingled about in the streets but thankfully as the day was still young, I didn't have a lot of people I had to worry about. “Sorry! Excuse me! Coming through!” I waded through, finding my opportunity to slip past the steady stream of people and into an alleyway.
I lived in Sandgem Town for practically my entire life so I knew the ins and outs of the place, and the fastest routes to reach the lab. I just had to get through this alleyway, past the park, and I'd be at the Pokémon center where–
Ah, so this is a Sinnoh story. I suppose that explains the “Lost in Distortions” title.
Something stopped me dead still, my momentum ramming straight into and down onto the ground. I winced at the stinging pain in my nose as I fell right onto my butt. “Ow…”
What hit me? There wasn't supposed to be anyone in this alleyway, not with all the trash and gunk. I got back up, a hand rubbing my sore behind as I gave whoever stood in my way a glare.
The man who stared back with a pinched expression froze me right into my roots. He was tall, taller than the professor by half a head and practically twice my height. My breath hitched. The man looked dead, pale as a corpse. His cheeks were sunken, his eyes surrounded by dark rings like he hadn't slept in weeks. Despite his height, he was a skinny and lanky person, more bone than flesh with how his skin-tight suit stretched into his skin.
The sun cast an ominous shadow over him, and his eyes gleamed like silver under the dim lighting. His glare was intense, harshly fierce like he was inspecting a particularly pesky bug.
I took a step back. Who-who was this? Did I just find a ghost? The guy didn't look real. How could a man have bleached blue hair while having skin paler than even Mom? Not to mention the weird outfit like he was trying to cosplay a really weird astronaut.
Oh, it’s Cyrus. Boy is that an ominous way to kick off one’s Pokémon journey. Even if I’m starting to wonder if Cygnus had some divine intervention with that rewinding of time he apparently went through.
The man was quiet, unnaturally still like a broken down machine. I could feel my heart racing as the nerves shook my body. “I–I’m sorry, sir,” I stammered out. “I wasn't looking at where I was going and I uh…”
What should I say? What could I say? I didn't even know if he was going to kill me, eat my brain or… or… His glare didn't diminish in its intensity. And it was horrifying how expressionless his face looked, like he actually was a corpse that somehow retained consciousness.
And yet he managed to max out his Crobat’s friendship stat… somehow.
After what felt like hours of being examined like a lab rat, he finally nodded, leaving without a word and not a single one of his steps making a sound.
Cygnus: “Thank goodness I’m never going to see that creep again.”
When he got out of my sight, I flopped over and fell onto my knees. My heart was racing, my breaths laboured and heavy. “O-okay, scary ghosts in jumpsuits are a thing now.” I joked, more out of habit than anything humourous. My eyes glanced over to where the man vanished into and I stamped down the part of my mind that was curious about who that was.
Though oddly I couldn't help but feel like there was something familiar about the man. Like I had met him before.
Oh, so that’s how Cygnus’ last death went, huh? Though given that he heard sirens, I’m guessing that he didn’t make it anywhere close to Mount Coronet before he bit it.
I shook my head. No! I was not going down a spooky alleyway, chasing after a shady skeleton man. That sounded like a horrible idea.
And how considering that you’re very, very much not prepared to take on Cyrus at the moment. ^^;
Taking in deep, calming breaths, I let the nerves run through its course before returning to the task at hand. I had to keep going. I still had a starter to get.
A lot slower though. Who knew if there were any more scary jumpsuit ghosts out there.
My exhausted shout drew the attention of everyone towards me. The lab assistants chatting to each other, the janitor cleaning in the corner and more notably, Professor Rowan and Lucas turned away from their conversation to look at me, neither of whom bothered to hide their surprise.
Oh, so Lucas is Rowan’s assistant in this continuity, huh? I wonder if there’s also a Dawn or not.
My lungs felt like they were on fire as my legs dragged me across the room. I really shouldn't have skipped gym class. Ugh, I regretted everything!
“I'm… I'm not too late, right?”
Rowan and Lucas glanced at one another. The professor’s fuzzy eyebrows furrowed in displeasure or well… It was honestly a little hard to gauge his reaction since his default expression looked like he was always displeased about everything.
Shots fired. Though at least he looks less perpetually angry than the likes of Drayden? ^^;
Lucas, though, was a lot more expressive. An uncomfortable frown lining his face as he turned. “Well, you are over two hours later than expected.” He forced out a chuckle. “We didn't think you’d even show up.”
“And I did! I’m right here, aren't I?” I panted. “Please please please please tell me you have a starter left!”
Receiving his full attention, I stepped back, feeling the words stuck in my throat. “It-it wasn't on purpose, Professor! I was just so excited to start my journey that I couldn't sleep and–and my alarm clock didn't wake me up even though I was sure I set it and–”
He held up a hand. “I'm sorry, Cygnus. I handed out the last of my starters over an hour ago.”
“No… this can't be...” I must've heard him wrong. He couldn't be out, he couldn't!
“Cygnus. You were nearly three hours late,” he said, body unmoving like a statue. “Now I understand what it's like to receive your first Pokémon, let alone something as rare as a regional starter and while I could excuse being a bit later than the planned meet up.” He sighed. “I cannot excuse someone for being later than an hour, let alone three. And you should know that I am a very busy man, I don't have time to waste merely standing around.”
Harsh, but he’s not wrong. Especially when in life, you’re lucky to get people waiting for you for 30 minutes for anything related to a business or commercial transaction.
I could hardly hear the end of his speech over the raging denials swirling in my head. This couldn't be real. It just couldn't be. All that time spent waiting, all that hard work and effort spent studying to even get a chance at this, all my plans and dreams. All of it was going to waste because I couldn't wake up.
I…
Tears welled up in my eyes but I dropped my head to hide them. Now wasn't the time nor place. I couldn't let them see me like this.
Wait, wait, wait. How old is Cygnus anyways? Since just saying, most schoolkids I can think of would pretty openly cry about getting their dreams smashed like this.
“Yeah… I guess…” I managed to make it not sound like I was about to break apart.
The professor took in a breath, his voice softening. [ ]
“Look, boy. I could try asking for another batch but I can't guarantee it'll be here before next week.”
Next week? I hid the grimace behind a sigh. I'd be so far behind but it was better than nothing. Professor Rowan was giving me a chance here.
I feel like it makes sense to expand on Rowan’s reaction here. Though I suppose that’s one sign that Cygnus is definitely a young’un, since being delayed by a week is significantly less of an inherent “world is ending” thing once you’re getting up into adulthood, but I can buy it seeming that way to a kid.
I bowed low, a textbook perfect ninety degrees angle and showing my sincerest gratitude to the professor. “Thank you.”
With those quiet words, I took my leave with hurried steps, only slowing down after I was a couple of blocks away from the lab. My vision was blurry with tears but I didn't need to see properly to keep walking.
Whelp, looks like you’re going to be going straight back home and doing homework and watching cartoons for a week. Or at least you would be if your author didn’t have anything to say about it, even if I wonder how on earth you’ll get out of this one here.
I clenched a fist, the despair quickly turning into rage as I rounded into an alleyway. My feet collided with a piece of trash and that broke down my self-control as I kicked a nearby bin. Nrgh! I was mad, so damn pissed at myself for being such an idiot.
If I hadn't stayed up so late, if I had set my alarm properly, if I hadn't woken up so late! I would've gotten my starter already and beaten my rival to the curb! What was wrong with me? I knew today was gonna be the greatest day of my life and yet–
I didn't know how long I'd spent venting my frustrations on the poor things here. But I was tired and hungry, my stomach protesting my poor decisions as I left the alleyway. I wasn't looking forward to my mom’s scolding but I didn't have a choice. She’d get worse if I spent more time out here without anything to show for.
“...!”
I sighed, dragging my feet into slow and dejected steps. My mom was going to kill me when I got back. I mean, I slammed the door, cut her off and practically just ditched her. And that wasn't even mentioning the fact that I couldn't even get a starter. It took a lot to earn her trust to let me handle things myself again and yet, not even a month had passed and I let her down.
Lucas, the professor’s assistant, was running at me. Lugging a briefcase in his hands and waving it recklessly. I opened my mouth to say something but after he nearly hit a nearby pedestrian a second time, I was afraid it would be me next.
He came to a stop, huffing and puffing. For a minute, I let him catch his breath before speaking. “What do you want?”
Oh, Cygnus is going to wind up getting a starter after all, huh? Since I recognize that briefcase.
Thankfully, Lucas didn't look offended by my tone or maybe he just didn't notice it, he was clumsy like that. He propped up the briefcase, popping it open. “I just remembered that we had one left, Cygnus. A starter.”
I think that it probably would’ve been worth showing off a bit more of Cygnus’ thought process here since he’s getting a very abrupt positive surprise that he wasn’t expecting and it’d have been interesting to see the cogs turn in his head a bit more.
Though wait, was there really another starter waiting around all this time, or is this just the leftover from the batch that Dawn and Barry went through?
Huh? But I thought they said–no, questioning things might make this second chance disappear. I blinked, letting my gaze settle on the single pokéball inside, glee fluttering in my stomach.
“Yeah.” He took it out and handed it to me. “It might not be what you wanted but–”
“I'll take it!” I snatched the ball off of his hands. This was perfect! I had a starter! I finally had a starter! I was so happy I was bouncing on the soles of my feet, practically squeeing in joy.
Lucas chuckled softly, he was a lot less animated than he usually was but I was too distracted by the fact that I had my starter! “Well, I'm glad you're happy. But make sure to take good care of the little guy, alright?”
Okay, yeah, this is totally that starter that Dawn and Barry didn’t take. Even if that kinda sucks for Lucas given that that means that now he’s without a Pokémon unless he caught something on top of whoever this is since then.
“Heh, who do you think I am? Of course I'll take good care of ‘em!” I shuffled my feet, pointing a finger to the sky. “‘cause you're looking at the next biggest thing! You hear me? I'll become one of the best there is! Even better than Cynthia herself!”
“Hah, sure.” His lips lifted slightly as he threw one last glance at the pokéball and he nodded. “Okay, I better head back now. The professor has plans for a big trip later and I'll have to finish some paperwork before we leave.”
Oh boy must that have sucked for Lucas in the last loop. Give away your Pokémon to the late kid, who just turns around and gets it and himself killed the very next day.
“Okay, see ya!” I waved goodbye to the boy. Taking in a breath, I turned my attention back to the ball in my hand, feeling the smooth and hard surface. I couldn't believe it but the weight was real.
I had a starter.
My very own… [ ]
Hopefully, Mom wouldn't be too mad once she learns about this.
I wilted under her fierce glare, my face paling further as her lecture continued. I knew she'd be mad but I didn't think she’d somehow stretch it into something that lasted for nearly an hour. At this rate, it’d take me until tomorrow to finally start my journey.
Though I do wonder if it’d have been worth using the narration to elaborate a bit on what exactly the general topic of Cygnus’ mom’s lecture was about, since it’s admittedly a bit vague ATM.
“I shouldn't slam doors in a hurry nor should I leave without finishing my food.” Her eyebrow was still raised. “And I should go to sleep early if I have to do something in the morning.”
“Good.” She nodded with a satisfied look. “Now, I hope you're fine with having reheated bacon and pancakes because that's what you'll be having after running off like that.”
Not really feeling the inline comment there. I would recommend at minimum moving the “It wasn’t the end of the world” part after the line from Cygnus there.
She tapped me on the shoulder, drawing my attention. [ ]
“Look, sweetie. I know how much you've been looking forward to this day and I'm happy you got your starter.” A gentle smile creased her features. “It’s just… next time, try and stay with me a little longer before running off like that, okay?”
So, just how quickly are things going to become a disaster given how quickly Cygnus’ last attempt at being a trainer went sideways?
Today, I stood out here as a trainer, alone on a path with only my starter to accompany me.
The pokéball in my hand gleamed under the sun’s rays as I threw it open.
Sun, my Chimchar, came out with a roar of his name, planting his fists deep into the dirt. He gave his surroundings a quick scan and after finding nothing of note, he turned to me with a puzzled expression. “Char?”
I wonder if Chimchar’s mannerisms will be obvious enough for it to become apparent that he’s used to taking orders from a very different face. Not that Cygnus is likely to realize that until much later on.
“Okay, Sun. As the starter of the up and coming future champion of Sinnoh–no the whole world! I am going to train you to be the very best! And that means we'll be spending every moment of our lives getting stronger! And to do so, we must first do what every famous trainer does when they're on a route.” I looked around, a smile stretching my cheeks as I pointed at our first opponent.
Is that supposed to be Cygnus’ nickname for Chimchar, there? If so, it probably makes sense to establish in narration before this that that’s what Cygnus was doing and a bit of his thought process behind the name choice.
Out in the distance, in a clear field of patched dirt, there was a Starly pecking away at the ground.
I turned to Sun and relayed my plan.
My starter let out an affirmative cry, nodding along with my strategy.
Which was…? Like I get that it doesn’t make sense to go into super detail about a strategy here before it executes, but I do wonder if there should’ve been at least a general description either in the narration or via Cygnus’ dialogue.
Alright! Let's do this! I watched as Sun snuck up on it, using the tall grass to his advantage until–
“Star!” The Starly cried out in pain, reeling away as Sun clawed it across its face.
It recovered fast from the surprise attack, but instead of running away. It glared at Sun, eyes filled with a vengeful pride. Charging forward with a battle cry, its body glowed a fierce white.
I feel like some of the underlined should’ve come a bit earlier, even if it was in an “immediately after the Starly’s cry” capacity, since I’m not sure if I’m feeling the implicit reveal that Sun snuck up on the Starly in the present dialogue.
It's fast. I didn't have the chance to react before it struck my Chimchar hard, sending him flying into the dirt. It pressed on, not wasting its opportunity as it readied another Tackle.
“Sun, Scratch it when it gets close!”
Sun stood back up, trying to retaliate but the Starly was swifter, evading his swings and staying back.
I clicked my tongue. A frontal attack wasn't working. Need to try something else.
I feel like we’re not really getting a good enough visualization of how this is playing out, since it feels very high-level and summarized at the moment.
“Leer! Then pin it when it's distracted!”
Sun’s eyes narrowed into slits, a dark look crossing his face. The Starly froze, an uncertainty marring the bird’s confidence. My starter took the opportunity to rush forward, arms locking the Starly’s wings and pinning it down.
I didn't hesitate as Sun slammed his head against it. My hand unclipped a free pokéball, throwing it forward as the Starly cried out in pain.
It connected, taking in the bird and letting Sun fall down onto the grass.
Oh, so the Pokéballs in this setting make the same chime that they do in PokéAni. I suppose that would definitely be a bit easier to hear from a distance than the “click” noise they do in the games.
Yes! My first official win as a trainer!
I whooped in joy and excitement, running forward and scooping up my starter by the arms. I twirled him around, spinning and laughing in celebration. “We did it, Sun! The start of our path to victory!”
If every battle went as smoothly as this, nobody would ever call me a loser anymore!
A yelp escaped me and I narrowly avoided a peck. I gritted my teeth, bringing my hands up to cover my face when I tripped. Luckily, Sun was quick to respond, subduing the Starly as it continued to fruitlessly peck and scratch me.
Yeeeeeeeah, should’ve waited a bit more for that bird to calm down, Cygnus. Though per the rules of Nuzlockes, congratulations on your second party member.
[ ]
“Star! Star! Ly!” the Starly shouted, pointing at me with an accusatory talon.
“Char! Chim chim!” he shouted back, tightening his grip.
“Ly! Star!” It stopped attacking, fully committing all of its attention into the argument.
Wait, the Starly is doing this in the middle of attempting to peck and scratch Cygnus? Or is it calming down and backing off? Since something about this feels like it’s missing a transition here.
The two shouted at each other back and forth. Their argument grew more and more animated the longer it went. At this point, I already got back on my feet and was no closer to deciphering their speech than when I was on my back.
I think that Cygnus’ thought process here should be a bit more of a process since he zeroes in very abruptly on “oh, it didn’t want to be caught” in spite of starting out fairly distant from that conclusion at the beginning.
“Starly!” It flew into my face, chirping loudly with an offended expression. It pointed at the pokéball and gestured to itself.
“You’re okay with being caught? Just not during a fight?” I tilted my head. “So what's the problem exactly?”
“Starly star!”
“Chim chim char.”
The two of them cried out in sync, and I could only stand there and watch as they tried their best to convey their needs.
Okay… This wasn't quite what I had in mind for my first day.
Cygnus: “Um… I don’t suppose you two could try drawing things out for clarity? Since I’m not sure the readers will really get what’s going on either.” ^^;
Alright.
As it turned out, the Starly just wanted a fight. That was mainly the reason why she had been standing out in the open to begin with.
And because I interfered in her fight against Sun by catching her, she got super mad at me.
Starly: “*So… are you going to let me go, or…?*” >v>;
At least that's what I thought. I was still a little unsure despite their attempts at translating but I guess the specifics weren't that important. Especially since I managed to convince her to forgive me in exchange for sending her out to fight a couple of battles.
After a quick little break and pondering, I decided to name my new friend, Klick, after a slang for measuring distances. Because like how Sun and I were going to be the brightest star in the world, Klick and I were going to go far!
Priorities™! Though at least it was handy for smoothing over that rocky start there.
Klick certainly lived up to her namesake. She was fast, agile, tough, and a real adrenaline junkie. Even after five battles, she was still raring to go. Currently, I was leading her against a Shinx. It was going surprisingly well, I didn't know what I expected when I threw her against an Electric-type but she was a lot more competent than I initially believed. Even without my commands, she was able to dodge and weave through its electric attacks, striking back at just the perfect moment to minimise the damage taken.
Okay, yeah, given that this is a Nuzlocke-themed story, I can already tell that Klick won’t be long for this world.
I do wonder if the flow of battle here feels a bit too “summarized” at the moment and if we’d have been better off seeing more of the actual flow of the battle play out.
Up in the sky, her body glowed an elegant white, and she dived down, disappearing into a white blur.
Woah! My eyes lost track of her as she struck the Shinx, knocking it out cold. She landed beside me, holding her head high.
“That was an awesome Quick Attack! All we need to do is to practice with it some more and nothing will ever hit you again.”
Ditto here. Though don’t make me bust out that one Bender gif I use every now and then, Cygnus, since there’s only so far that Quick Attack goes in the metagame.
Klick puffed her chest out, letting out a prideful laugh.
“So, do you forgive me now?” I popped the question.
She made a ‘so-so’ motion with her wing but I took what I could get.
I think that this section probably would’ve made sense to give a bit more acknowledgement of what, if any, progress Sun has been making here.
I retrieved Klick without any problems and sent Sun out, receiving a determined nod from him as we marched onward.
The day went by pretty fast as we fought our way through. Unfortunately, even though we fought a decent bunch of wild Pokémon, Sun hadn't quite figured out Ember but he somehow managed Taunt. I bit back the frustration, usually a Chimchar would learn Ember before anything else. I heaved a sigh as I made the tough call to start leaving for the city.
The Sun was slowly disappearing behind the horizon, painting the sky in a wide array of oranges and yellow. The city was slowly creeping into my vision and although it was still relatively bright out, the city was slowly lighting up. People and Pokémon of various sizes and shapes mingled under the evening sun with not a care in the world.
I’m not sure if I’m really feeling this abrupt skipahead in time here, since “The day went by pretty fast” part admittedly doesn’t really sell a good sense of time passing. Dunno if it’d work better with an extension, or else with a hard scene cut.
The smell hit my sinuses and I grimaced. Yup, that's Jubilife City for ya. Smoky and crisp with a tinge of charred tarmac.
[ ] I reached into my bag to pull out a notebook, flipping it open to reveal a checklist. Top priority, of course, was to go find the Pokémon center and register for the gym circuit. After that, I had to write down and double check the things I had to buy before heading for Oreburgh. Mostly potions, more pokéballs, and other miscellaneous utensils.
I think that it probably makes sense to have Cygnus react a bit more to the “ew”-ness of the smell before he continues on. Though I take it that he’s not used to air that isn’t constantly super fresh and unpolluted, huh?
Probably need a plan for Roark too. A Starly and a Chimchar weren't the best picks for a Rock-type gym but I was sure I'd figure something out later. I flipped through the pages, landing on a small list of suitable encounters near Jubilife. A Budew would work swimmingly if I can find one, or maybe I could go the easy route and train up a Bidoof into Bibarel…
I think that you should focus more on getting good at training your existing Pokémon given that Klick still hasn’t fully forgiven you over the circumstances of her capture.
I jotted down the beginnings of a plan as I walked down the streets. The scratching of my pencil grounded me from being dragged around by the city’s noise, and it was always a nice feeling writing down my thoughts.
My hands froze and as my mind fully processed the familiar voice, I tried to reign in my reactions, acting like I didn't hear it. My legs carried me onward, my steps hurrying, maybe if I acted natural she wouldn't–
“Ack!”
An arm wrung around my neck, bringing my head close to an annoyingly familiar warmth. “Cygnie, it is you! I was wondering where you've been. Thought ya forgot what day it was when I didn't see you at the professor earlier!”
Yeah, I figured. Though I see that Terra’s cut from the “friendly rival” mold kinda like Barry.
I shuffled out of her grasp, glaring with as much irritation as I could possibly muster at the grinning redhead. “Terra.”
“Cygnus,” she said, not at all phased as she copied my annoyed tone with that cheeky smirk.
Terra was a girl, an annoying redhead with long straight hair that hung down to the middle of her back. Her face held her signature smirk, infuriatingly smug and joyous. Her outfit today was… cute, a pretty blue dress that complimented her dainty and delicate figure. It could do without the comically large sunhat though, it made her look like she was more ready for a picnic than a journey.
“Whaaat? Why do I need something from you to check up on my favouritest rival?” Terra tried to wrap her arm around my neck again but I dodged, leaning away as she continued speaking, undeterred by the attempt. “Y’know, I really did think you weren't gonna make it. Like, you even missed out on our meet-up! And that wasn't mentioning how you flaked on our first rival battle too! You know it's tradition to have your first fight be your rival!”
Was it tradition to have a clingy girl always following him around? But… I guess I did promise something like that. I clenched my fist, pointing a finger at her.
Though this was how Cygnus bit it last time, wasn’t it?
She gasped, her smile somehow became even brighter as she suddenly clasped my hand, her eyelashes fluttering. “Great! Come on, I'll even buy you dinner after I win!”
My traitorous heart skipped a beat at the contact and warmth crept onto my cheeks. “Af-after I win!” I shouted, shoving down that weird warm feeling down the recesses of my mind and trying to regain some face.
“That's the spirit!” She laughed, dragging me by the arm.
Whelp, time to see just how much of a disaster this will be, since Cygnus didn’t exactly give me strong vibes of being really ready for serious battles right now. [copyka2]
[ ]
“He-hey, I can walk myself!” I tried to pull away but she was a lot stronger than she looked.
“I know.” Her voice was smug and I sputtered out a protest.
In the end, I resigned myself to the ball of energy that was my friend rival. The two of us walked down the streets, hands clasped together as Terra gestured and pointed to the various stores and places around them, talking about how we should check them out after we were done with the battle.
See, she is doing the ‘friendly rival’ shtick. Even if I saw a moment where it probably would’ve made sense to expand on Cygnus’ thought process a bit more than you presently do.
Eventually, we made our way to a stadium of sorts. There were trainers everywhere, some were battling, training, even a few talking about trading but the majority were just chatting and talking about nothing in particular. Though I could somewhat make out important bits and pieces here and there. Battle plans, advice, complimenting each other’s team, most of it generally about how excited they were to finally begin their journey.
I couldn't focus on much on the important parts though when Terra let go of my hand, jumping and waving.
“Yoohoo, Rachel! Over here!”
A blonde girl, she looked a bit older than us, probably a year or so. Though it could also be because of her height, she was a noticeable head taller than me… not that I was jealous of something as stupid as that. My eyes glanced over to Terra, noting that she was still a few inches taller.
Oh, hello, that’s a new face there. Though Cygnus is totally jealous right now, don’t even try to deny it, buddy. >:V
Rachel looked over to us in surprise before she schooled her expression into a composed smile. She walked on over, her stride as confident and cool as the outfit she wore. A leather jacket draped over a black shirt that showed off her midriff and a pair of short jeans.
“Yo, Terra! You back for more?”
“Nope. Not this time. Let me introduce you to my bestest and coolest rival! Cygnus Plein!”
Rachel: “... I think you can do better, honestly.” ^^;
I flinched when Rachel turned her gaze towards me. Suddenly I was back in school again, remembering how Terra dragged me in front of class to introduce myself, the judging gazes, the cruel gleam in their smiles– Snap out of it! This is different. She's a person that knows nothing about you! Come on, think of a cool introduction!
“Uh… hi.”
[ ]
Great choice of words. Wow, I've no idea how I came up with that.
Another spot where IMO, it probably makes sense to have a bit more of Cygnus’ indirect thoughts before he pipes up with his direct ones.
“Hi to you too, little dude,” she said, winking at me in quiet understanding as if to say she knew what it was like to be dragged by the whirlwind that was Terra. [ ]
“Alright!” Terra clapped. “Now that we're all acquainted, you mind playing ref for us, Rachel? It's our first rival battle and well, you know how it is.”
Something about your transition back to Terra feels very abrupt here. It might have been worth showing off some of Cygnus’ reaction before he notices Terra drawing his attention or something.
Rachel mulled over the question for a bit, shrugging as she said, “Sure, got nothing better to do.”
[ ]
“Awesome!” Terra turned to me, pulling out a pokéball. “Let's go, standard 1v1 ruleset, capiche?”
No reaction from Cygnus about how he feels about Rachel agreeing to this or else him trying to mentally prepare himself for battle?
I nodded as she dragged me to one of the fields. With a quiet staredown, a spark fizzled between our gaze as an unheard agreement was shared between us.
We took our positions as Rachel stood by the field, arm raised.
Whelp, time to see whether we get our first nasty surprise in the story here given all the content warnings for this story. Since I can’t tell if this is going to stay a cute moment or take a hard swerve into
in about a minute.
Rachel swung her arm down, signalling the start of our battle.
I unclipped my pokéball and we tossed out our starters at the same time.
“Let's do this, Sun!”
“Time to drown ‘em, Bubbles!”
[ ] A Piplup. Of course, she'd pick a Piplup. Whatever. Type advantage wouldn't matter if I planned this smartly.
It will if she out-trained you, just saying. Though I feel that it probably would’ve made sense to describe more of seeing the actual process of Bubbles coming out onto the field there.
“Leer!”
“Nuh uh, Growl!” She chuckled. “No debuffs for you!”
I grimaced, one step ahead as usual. Fine, we were at a standstill and she had a bigger advantage over me anyway. “Taunt and then another Leer!”
Sun cocked a grin, mouthing off what I imagined must be the mother of all insults with how red the Piplup’s face was becoming. Bubbles looked absolutely livid and it was a little weird seeing such an unusually aggressive expression on its cutesy face.
So, more or less weird than the various faces that Iris’ Dragonite makes in the anime? ^^;
“Ooh!” Terra’s smile widened as if she’d received a welcoming surprise. “Bubbles, try and hold that righteous wrath in, okay? We'll be doing your specialty real soon, Pound!”
“Scratch!”
Sun and Bubbles engaged each other. Bubbles striking with glowing flippers as Sun parried and countered with glowing claws. Despite Bubbles’ weakened defense, they were roughly equal. Neither one seemed to hold too much of an advantage over the other.
Also not really feeling this battle description at the moment. I think the primary issue that I see with it is that it doesn’t really sell a firm sense of motion and relative location between these two.
[ ]
“Alright, why don't we kick it up a notch? Bubbles, Bubble him!”
Another spot where it probably makes sense to show a bit more of Cygnus’ thoughts here.
“Dual wield! Go go, Bubbles! Don't let him get another hit!”
Dual wield? The hell does that even mean?
Sun leapt away, managing to evade the oncoming bubbles. He rushed in, claws glowing but before he could even land a hit, Bubbles struck back with a Pound, knocking him away and continuing its bubbling assault.
Although Sun was quicker on his feet, being able to dodge a majority of Bubbles’ attacks. Bubbles simply did too much damage for him to handle. Each landed hit from Sun resulted in him getting scraped, grazed by either a glowing flipper or an exploding bubble.
I didn't have many options and Leer was too risky with all those bubbles. Sun was getting exhausted, visibly heaving and body shaking. It didn't take long before he made a misstep, and Bubbles didn't even hesitate to punish him, knocking out my starter in an instant.
As Sun fell to the ground, I returned my starter with a grumble. Another loss. I didn't know why I expected things to be different when we got our starters but it seemed like Terra was still several steps ahead of me.
Is Sun ever going to get back up again given that this is a Nuzlocke fic? Though does this mean that Cygnus managed to get Lucas' Chimchar killed in literal hours after being gifted him?
It stung as badly as the rest. I hated this feeling. The bitter taste of defeat lingered on my tongue. But I didn't let myself succumb to it, I couldn't let it get to me. I just had to try harder next time.
Wait, so is Cygnus going to straight up die again in the first chapter, or-?
“Cygnus’ Chimchar has been defeated. Victory goes to Terra!” Rachel announced, bringing me back to reality.
“And another flawless victory for Terra the Terrific!” Terra shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth. “And the crowd goes wild! Haa! Haa! Woo! That was fun! You’re a lot stronger than I expected.”
Oh, well. Guess Cygnus staves off the Reaper for another day.
She was posing, her Piplup also joined in as well. They moved in sync like they practiced this routine dozens of times before. Knowing her, she probably did.
Terra walked up to me. It wasn't for money, she vehemently despised taking money for a win. But the mischievous grin on her face told me she was scheming something as she held up a hand. “Give me five!”
I think that you should describe a bit more of what’s going on in this part for the sort of “trap” that Terra is subjecting Cygnus to, since it’s a bit unclear to me at the moment.
“Ahem, now what do we say after battling?” She lowered my arm, intertwining her fingers around mine. Her eyes locked onto mine, gleaming under the twilight sky with a mischievous yet kind twinkle. Her pearl white teeth baring in a grin that bore a teasing joy.
My rival beamed, looking satisfied with my answer as she raised her free hand. “Bye Rachel! I'll see you tomorrow!” She turned back to me, dragging me by the arm. “Come on, I know a place that has the absolute bestest curry!”
The protest died in my throat before I could even manage the words. Resigning myself to the hurricane in human form, I cast one last pleading glance towards Rachel, mouthing silent words of help.
But the cruel blonde only watched with a delighted smile as if this whole thing was a play and I was starring as the unfortunate protagonist.
I mean… you kinda are even if you don’t realize it just yet, Cygnus. Even if that makes me wonder if Sun will wind up coming back in the next chapter unlike a normal Nuzlocke or not, since that sure felt really friendly and chipper for a moment where in a Nuzlocke, Sun would just be dead right now.
Alright, made it to the end. I thought that you had a pretty neat concept for a story here for a Nuzlocke in which the human is affected as well, and failure is not the end of things but the beginning of something new. The opening I thought was particularly strong since it did a good job of selling the sense of “life through the eyes of a dying kid”, along with the subsequent panic the next day of Cygnus pulling an Ash and making a mad rush to try and get his starter. I thought the characters in the story established themselves pretty well, both the OCs and also Cyrus, who pulls off a deeply unsettling vibe in the narrow window where we run into him.
That said, I did notice a couple things that stood out to me as issues. First and foremost was that there were parts of this story that felt a bit underdescribed, and as such, made some moments feel like they transitioned abruptly and others a bit hard to gauge what was going on. I admittedly feel that the depicted battles in the chapter were one of the more affected portions, since they admittedly felt more summarized than “actively unfolding” at times, which I think sucked a bit of the excitement out from watching them unfold. I do wonder if you had a bit of a missed opportunity not establishing “yeah, this is a Nuzlocke” at the very end of your opening chapter by something like Cygnus going to the local Pokécenter and getting a nasty shock or else even hinting that something was very wrong, since the ending admittedly felt like it would’ve been right at home in a conventional and more lighthearted story, which felt a little at odds with the opening and the description in the summary.
I’ll leave it to you to decide which of my recommendations you’ll action on, if any. But I feel that on balance, that this was a respectable opening chapter @ShiniGojira , and I’ll be looking forward to seeing where you go with this concept.
Sunlight rained down on the land of Sinnoh, drowning it in its warmth and brilliance, indiscriminate and imposing. Unfortunately, that meant it also found its way through the window and past the tiny speck of distance between the curtains to blast my face with the concentrated warmth of a billion campfires. I covered myself with a groggy groan but the sun had already done its job and it would take a damn near miracle for me to get back to sleep.
I reluctantly got up and stretched my joints, groaning with the sounds of popping and loosening knots in my back.
Like always it was a struggle for me to get up, my mind foggy from the last remnants of sleep. It was only when I made my way to the bathroom did the memories of last night come back to me.
…
Terra…
My eyes hardened into a glare as I made my way over to the bathroom, splashing myself awake.
I tried not to think about her, not her little laugh, not her pretty amber eyes, not her–
Ah! Stop it! Weird thoughts, get out of my head. In my desperation, I banged my head against the sink, glaring into the mirror.
Terra was my rival, that was plain and clear. We were supposed to be angry and mean to each other, and every time we talked, it should be with jabs and insults meant to drive ourselves further!
The mirror reflected my green eyes, lighting up with a fierce flame. Clearly, my reflection agreed with what I was talking about from how it nodded at my thoughts.
That's right! We weren't supposed to be friendly with each other and hold-holding hands–
*Ahem*
So the day started like any other day, and ignoring the crawling warmth on my cheeks, I cooled myself off in the shower.
After getting dressed, I left my room and went to get breakfast for me and my team. I was so incredibly lucky that there were still rooms vacant in the pokécenter. Usually, at the start of a League season, there wouldn't be enough rooms to accommodate the sudden wave of new trainers, especially in a city as big as Jubilife.
While I didn't plan on staying in the city for long, it was still so much better to live in someplace free instead of renting out a motel or something. My monthly stipend could only handle so many expenses.
Potential financial issues aside, the free food from the center’s cafe was also surprisingly good. The waffles and pancakes were amazing, they even had nutritional pokéchow for my team, each specifically made to bring out their fullest potential and improve their health… or something. I sorta tuned out the canteen lady because of how hungry I was. Though, I should head back and ask her where I could purchase some chow for my team. Nutrition’s like a super important thing Pokémon needed to become truly strong after all.
After I was done with breakfast and noting down the advice the canteen lady happily provided. I made my way over to the stadium. Last night, I went over my notes on the few training tips I could gather in the center’s miniature library and jotted down what potential things I should train.
Ember for Sun was an obvious choice. The battle with Terra showed me that I needed a range option. Melee was good and all but it wasn't good enough if the opponent could just knock Sun out before he got close, and while I could circumvent that issue by training Sun to be faster in closing the distance... There were going to be times where Sun just couldn't reach his opponent. Case in point, Psychic and Flying-types.
And speaking of Flying-types, I decided that Wing Attack was perfect for Klick. It was a simple and easy choice, and I already wrote down several ideas for how to incorporate it into her fighting style. Starly also learned the move naturally so it’d be pretty easy for her to get it going. Once she mastered it, it would lead nicely into Aerial Ace.
My eyes wandered around the stadium as I arrived, there were a couple of trainers around already. Though aside from a couple of brief glances, none of them gave me any trouble as they continued on with their training. I shook my head to gather myself when I saw a few of them currently battling. No time for distractions, it was time for training.
I found a nice secluded place with a big open field near the outskirts of the stadium where there were only one or two trainers around. Putting my backpack down, I sent out my team, receiving determined and happy cries in return.
With a smile plastered on my face, I crouched down and relayed my plans. “Alright, Sun. Here's the deal. We're gonna be teaching you how to use Ember.”
“Char.” He nodded with a serious look.
“Now, I know you had a little trouble with getting that flame on.” Sun looked a little somber at the reminder. “Which is why I've come up with a plan! First, we're gonna try increasing your body temperature through rigorous exercise! Having a higher heat point should make it easier for you to let that fire out. So, go run some laps and get some sweat on ya. Once you're done, we can try and see if that'll help.”
“Chimchar.” Sun nodded and proceeded to run laps.
“As for you.” I pointed at my Starly who mockingly saluted me. “Wing Attack will be a nice basic move to teach you. It'll help you segue into Aerial Ace when you become faster. Though I'm not too sure how we'll be teaching you that but I'm sure it'll come easy to you. We'll start with simple flight manoeuvres, try and see if you can weave around the trees without slowing down, that might help you get a feel of that Flying-type energy.”
Klick let out a smug chirp as if to say something like that was far beneath her before she took off.
I looked back at my Chimchar, keeping track of how many laps he ran. After the tenth lap and seeing him panting slightly, I called him back. “Alright. How do you feel? Do you feel the burn? The fire?”
“Chim… char…” His flame burned brighter in response.
I grinned. “Well, give it a shot. Look within yourself and set that grass on fire!”
He inhaled deeply, his tail flame flaring hotter and bigger as he… spat out a small spark. The little thing barely crackled before it fell, leaving the grass completely unaffected.
The grin on my face wobbled at the sight and I took a deep breath. “Alright, again!”
Another spark, this time it fizzled away before it even touched the grass.
Come on, this isn't anywhere near as strong as Terra’s…
“Again!” I shouted, frowning.
Another dud. Did it get smaller this time? How was that even possible?
“Again!”
Another fail. Another. Then again and again and…
My frustration was mounting with each attempt. My fists clenched as I snarled in irritation. How was I supposed to beat her if Sun couldn't even learn something this basic?
A growl tore out of my throat. “Come on, buddy. How hard is it to use Ember? You're a Fire-type! This should be easy for you!”
“Chim char chim!” He talked back, sending a tired but angry glare my way.
I scoffed. “I bet Klick could do her own move first try!” Cupping my mouth and shouting, “Hey Klick!”
Almost as soon as I finished speaking, Klick came flying in, a confused look on her face.
“Why don't you try using Wing Attack on that tree over there? Someone doesn’t believe that you can do it first try.”
Klick gasped dramatically, bringing a wing to her chest and harrumphing. “Starly. Star!”
My frown stretched into a grin. She looked so certain of herself. “Yeah, that's right! Let's go, Wing Attack that tree!”
She flew over, head held high and hovering just a few inches away. With a powerful battlecry, she raised her wing, her body glowing. “Staaaar–”
She struck.
“–Ly!”
And cried out in pain as her unprotected wing struck the tree with a painful sound.
Oh no…
“Oh no no no.” I ran over to her, my legs practically skipping over as I looked all over her. “Please don't tell me I… craap, I didn't think this would happen…”
I glanced around, eyes darting left and right. Where was my bag? Where was it? I needed a potion, a berry, something to help her.
In the corner of my eyes, I saw it. Sun was lifting my bag but before I could react, he launched it at me, smacking me in the face.
“Oof!”
I fell over with a groan. My hands pushing it off of me. It didn't really hurt but I just laid there, drowning under my team’s laughter. It was a prank and I fell for it.
I sat upright, glaring at the two. “Haha, real funny, guys.”
The two of them must've found my expression hilarious as they only laughed harder. I tried to stay mad at them, I really did but it was hard to stifle the shaking of my shoulders. “You two really did a number on me, huh?” I chuckled and that was the droplet that burst the dam as I let myself go, joining in all the laughing.
It felt oddly satisfying, uplifting in a way that I wasn't used to. The tension in my shoulders loosened up as I let out a tired sigh.
I really was acting like a stuck-up, huh?
The loss against Terra must've been hitting me a lot harder than I thought. Ugh, it was just so irritating. Here I was struggling and trying so hard to beat her but like always, she took me on without worry like I was just a small stepping stone in her journey.
I felt two bodies nuzzling up against me, their soft warmth breaking me away from my self-deprecating thoughts. It was a comfortable feeling, soothing and warm. A small smile wormed up my face as I turned to face them. “Thanks, guys.”
The two chirped at me as I patted their heads. “I'm sorry about yelling at you, Sun. I guess I was just frustrated and I let that loss get to my head. It's just… a little tiring, y’know? Terra’s perfect, she’s smart, strong, has friends... She never second guesses herself and she always knows what to do. And I'm just… me, boring ‘ol weak Cygnus.”
“Chimchar chim.” Sun looked up at me, his eyes shining with determination.
“Star Starly!” Klick chirped loudly, her wing pointing at my chest and back to her own.
Even without words, I knew what they were saying. We were in this together. I stood up with a vigorous bounce, a bright grin on my face. “Alright then! Why don't we try something else for a change? You two up to fight some trainers?”
They nodded, letting out excited cries.
“Then let's do this!”
The morning made way for noon as I walked down the streets, hands occupied with jotting down ideas and plans for my future. I made a decent bit of cash from my short bout of battling though no luck in learning the moves I wanted. I figured I should head to the local library or Trainer School to brush up on my foundations. I must be missing something if neither Sun nor Klick could figure out their own typings.
My stomach rumbled, derailing my thoughts and reminding me why I was out here in the first place. I closed my notebook, shoving it into my bag as I looked around. People were starting to trickle in, it wouldn't be a surprise if the streets became flooded soon.
And while Sinnoh wasn't a particularly hot region, the afternoon sun was scorching. Must be a world record with how hot it was. I hastened my pace. I did not want to spend half an hour standing in the blazing heat. No, thank you.
Luckily, I managed to find a nice roomy restaurant that sold both Pokémon food and regular food. The restaurant was quiet and cosy, calm blue decor, clean and organised in a way that pleased the mind, it was a nice lull before lunch hour would undoubtedly drive it into insanity.
I placed my order, taking one of the booth seats by the corner. It was surprisingly comfy, a lot more than what I expected from a place that looked like it got a maximum of thirty customers a day. Taking out my notebook, I laid it out, exposing my plans and shopping list to the world. There was the usual stuff: pokéballs, potions, y’know things the average trainer needed. Of course, there were other necessities but aside from food, my mom pretty much bought anything I needed. She was really adamant about me having a good sleeping bag to match with the tent I got from Terra as a gift.
Hm… maybe I should get more notebooks, this one is pretty filled already…
My eyes wandered around the place as I pondered about things to buy, absentmindedly tapping the pencil against the table. I mean, I don't really need more pens, I already have a whole bundle of them… but you can never go wrong with more.
People were starting to fill the place; a tired man walked in, looking dead to the world, a couple was holding hands and chatting, and a pink-haired kid was dragging her grandma to the counter.
I should also get some treats for my team. They deserve it for putting up with someone like me.
“Hey,” a familiar voice said, snapping me out of my notes. “Mind if I sit here?”
I looked up with surprise. A familiar blonde was leaning against the seat. Racehl was wearing a different outfit from yesterday, her black shirt swapped out for a red shirt with fire patterns stretching to her sleeves. She was wearing an orange skirt this time that reached down to her shins, still keeping that leather jacket draped over her shoulders. There was a cocky smirk on her face, her eyes gleaming with a confidence that I could never achieve.
Rachel? Is… is she talking to me? No, that's ridiculous. We barely said anything to each other. Why would she–
She snapped her fingers. “You alive there, Cygnie?”
I gasped in shocked embarrassment, dropping my pencil as warmth flooded my cheeks. “It-it’s Cygnus, n-not…” I shook my head. “Terra’s the one that came up with that weird nickname. Yo-you can just call me Cygnus.”
Damn it, Terra. She must've put Rachel up to this.
She nodded, shrugging. “It's fine if I sit, right? The place’s packed and I don't know about you but I don't exactly like being stranded under the sun surrounded by a bunch of hungry and sweaty folks. Like honestly, it's like the sun’s trying for a new record or something. Must be like forty degrees out there.”
“Ye-yeah, you’d think Moltres’s doing a fly-by or something,” I joked, chuckling nervously as I gestured for her to sit.
Gah, stop stuttering! You're acting like a fool in front of such a mature and composed gal!
Like, just look at that posture! The way she held her head high, the way her blue eyes travelled in quick and meaningful strokes, and how her short hair managed to capture that feral look without being too wild. She was practically radiating confidence and coolness. I wouldn't be surprised if she had a couple badges already, she looked old enough to have gotten at least two or three!
“Hah! Yeah, could you imagine if it was some weirdo summoning Groudon to turn up the heater or some crap?” Rachel giggled, leaning back and practically sinking into her seat. Letting out a sigh of relief, she leaned down, massaging her right leg. “Man, my leg's been such a pain. I got a cramp a few days ago and it's still killing me even now. Can't even do more than half an hour of strenuous activity before it acts up.”
“Oh, huh, really? I uh, never would've guessed…” I trailed off, unsure of what to say but I didn't want to end it on an awkward note. “I don't exactly do a… uh, lot of exercise so I guess I wouldn't understand what that's like.”
She snorted as if hearing a funny joke.
Realisation shot me in the neck as an embarrassed warmth crept to my cheeks. I just implied I was a shut-in loser, didn't I? Damn it! I wanted to bash my head into the table so much right now but that would accomplish the exact opposite of what I wanted.
An amused smile crossed her face. “Well, here's some advice from an expert. If you ever feel like you're about to reach your limit, take a good fifteen minute break before resuming your exercise. Taking breaks in between rigorous training is essential for a healthy mind and body.”
I blinked. That was genuinely helpful. I'd expected a laugh, a joke at my expense, not this. My mouth opened but no words came out and I shut it so fast that I doubted she noticed. I didn't know what to say or how to navigate this or anything. Terra and Lucas were like the only people who had ever helped me with stuff.
Should I say thanks? Or a witty remark? I should at least say something instead of staring at her like a weirdo. But the thought of doing even that was making my heart beat, anxious of what she would say at such a sublime response.
Thankfully, before I could spiral even further into a nervous wreck, my order came just in the nick of time, saving my bum from burning in awkward silence.
My order was simple, a plate of steaming fried rice with sweet and sour chicken as the side dish. The scent was absolutely amazing and the herbal tea complimented it so well. While I wouldn't verbally admit it, lest she teased me about it, Terra’s recommendations hadn't led me astray so far.
I took another bite, the food practically melting in my mouth. Ah, this was the life.
“Woah, are these all yours?”
My veins turned cold and my eyes darted to her. Rachel was looking through my notes, her eyes widened in surprise. Crap, I forgot all about them.
My mouth flapped opened uselessly, my mind firing off in an attempt to salvage the situation, to say or do something that wouldn't let her know I was a loser that just knew a lot of random Pokémon trivia–
“Approximate stages of when a Pokémon will learn a specific move, detailed lists of what they can do and what they can learn, comprehensive facts and–” Rachel coughed and shook her head, a small blush on her face as she gathered up all the notes and passed them to me with a sheepish chuckle. “Sorry, I got ahead of myself there. Got a bit curious and couldn't hold myself back. Really sorry about that, I know how protective people can get about their notes and uh–”
“It's… fine. I don't really mind.” I said, taking my notes back with a nervous smile.
Rachel let out a sigh of relief. “Okay, good.” She patted her chest before throwing me a couple finger guns. “But seriously though, those are some incredibly detailed notes though. I don't think I've ever seen half of what you've written or at least not so neatly. You must've put in a lot of effort in researching this stuff, huh?”
I pushed the blush down, trying to keep cool from how genuine her compliments sounded. “It's… it's not that big a deal, really.” The chuckle that came out was uncertain and awkward. “I just volunteer for Professor Rowan a bunch of times and things just sorta stuck, y’know. Anyone could do what I did if they wanted to. I'm not… special…”
Not like Terra.
The thought gripped my brain but I didn't let it fester, instead taking in a deep breath and letting the emotions recede. I did it fast and never once showed a hint of what I felt on my face, settling my expression into a neutral look with practiced ease.
Rachel’s smile froze for a second, tugging downward before she shook her head, the grin still plastered on her features. “Ah, that's right. Terra did say something like that.” She thumbed her chin in thought. “Honestly, you're not quite what I expected. I would've thought being the professor’s assistants would make you guys act a little… stuck-up, y’know. Being tied to a big shot like Professor Rowan and all that. Makes a girl a tad happy to know that isn't the case with all of you.”
I chewed on her words along with my meal. She's met other assistants before? Well, I guessed it made sense. Lucas and I weren't the first, and I never did bother to ask Lucas about any of the previous helpers.
“So how did the two of you meet?” I blinked at that and she clarified further. “Terra, I mean, you two seemed pretty close. And based on her words, you two made quite the team together.”
The food went down my throat in a sharp inhale and I slammed my hands on the table. “Whatever she’s been saying about me is false, you got that! I did not blow up that classroom nor set that schoolyard on fire!”
She blinked, caught off guard by the sudden outburst. Recovering with a smirk, a glimmer sparkled in her eyes. “Oh hoh, What's this about blowing stuff up? Do tell, Mr Cygnus.”
I froze up, realising I said too much and recoiled back into my seat, a mortified blush on my face. “Nothing happened!” I squeaked out at her amused giggles.
Taking a moment to breathe, I coughed into my hand, crossing my arms and looking away with a huff. “Terra and I aren't close, by the way. Like I'd ever become friends with that loudmouth. She just constantly drags me around, forces me to do stuff that would cut into my studying time and has like no respect for personal space. We're rivals, got that? Not besties, not super duper terrific best buds or whatever adjectives she likes to use to describe our relationship. We're not friends, and certainly not close.”
Rachel blinked with an incredulous look and then she had the gall to laugh, acting like my conviction was the funniest joke she'd ever heard.
I grumbled, my lips tugging into a frown as I stabbed another piece of my meal. The one time I talk to someone and this is what I get.
The waiter finally arrived with both hers and my team’s orders. I let them out and after they gave a brief glance to Rachel, they immediately began to gorge themselves like there was no tomorrow.
I chuckled at the sight. “No one’s gonna take your food, y’know. You guys can slow down and enjoy it.”
“Starm lymm!” Klick poked her head out of her bowl, food in her mouth. She pointed a wing at my nearly empty plate and gave me a look.
My cheeks stretched into a sheepish grin. “Well, I… I just eat fast, okay? It's different.”
Klick scoffed and went back to her meal with the same vigour as Sun looked up to shake his head at me.
“Don’t look at me like that! I don't see you slowing down either.” I scowled, watching as my Chimchar proceeded to slowly and deliberately eat his food like he was covered in molasses.
A sigh escaped my lips but the smile on my face belied my supposed ire.
“So you two really did get your starters from the professor, huh?” I froze at the question, turning my head back to her. She had her head propped on a hand, her bright blue eyes now dimmed with an emotion that was difficult to describe. She was picking at her food with a fork, her body slumped in on itself like she was reminiscing on something but the look on her face suggested it wasn't a pleasant memory.
Was it something I said?
An uncomfortable, tense silence swept over us with only the occasional background chatter sliding in to prevent it from becoming too unbearable. I picked away at the scraps on my plate, struggling to think of something to say. Why was talking so hard?
Desperate to break the ice, I spoke up. “Well, yeah… uh how about your team, Rachel? What's your starter like?” I internally screamed at myself at how stupid those words were. She was already showing distress at my starter, why the heck did I think asking about hers would be better?
Quick, I had to think of something!
I coughed, rubbing the nape of my neck. “Ahem, I… uh, I'm sure… someone like you must have an awesome team. You're what? A year or two older than me? I bet you even have tons of badges to show off.”
To her credit, she took the topic change with plenty of grace. Her confident stance returning as she answered though a bit more stiff like she wasn't quite used to speaking about this, “More or less. I started off with my Ralts and–”
“You have a Ralts?” She hesitated a nod. “Can you show me? I've never seen one in person before!”
Whether compelled by my genuine glee or perturbed by it, she made a move for her pokéball before pausing. “Actually, if you wanna get a peek of her, why don't you do me a little favour first?”
“I'll do anything!” I wasn't letting this opportunity slip by me. Being able to analyse and see a Psychic-type at work would be incredible! And if I was able to convince Rachel to show me some moves… it could be a huge benefit to me as well!
She snorted. “Anything, you say?”
A chill went down my spine. That smile. It reminded me way too much of Terra when she spotted prime blackmail material.
I looked around frantically, looking for an escape but every single outlet was blocked by people!
Curse you, lunch hour!
I didn't know how I got out of there alive. That was so much worse than anything I'd ever experienced… by Arceus…
…
Okay, okay, enough being dramatic.
The ‘favour’ was honestly pretty simple, and I think it actually benefited me more than it did Rachel. We exchanged tips and ideas for both training and our teams. She was incredibly insightful. I didn't even know there could be that many different layers in a Pokémon’s nutritional diet. Like, did you know that apparently bird Pokémon like Klick needed a specific type of nutrient to keep their bodies clean and pristine? She even came up with a diet plan for me and my team on the spot.
She was seriously cool.
Though her training tips were a bit on the weird side, a lot of them focused on making the moves look flashy and… ambush-y I guess was the correct word for it. She must've been like a sneaky attacker or trickster during battle. While I wasn't planning on relying on tricks, I could appreciate the stylish and cool ways I could potentially use my team’s moves.
Of course, I shared some of my ideas and plans too, telling her all sorts of Pokémon-related things, like my battling plans, training, and how to make sure they were all bright and happy.
It was really nice being able to just talk to someone about all of this without being looked at like a weirdo–Terra didn't count.
Though, by the time we were finished, it was already getting late. I couldn't believe I let time slip by me that fast. Like, how was it even five right now? Sure, we spent a while checking out our Pokémon and sharing notes at the park but really? Four hours?
What waa next? Was Terra gonna jump me from out of nowhere and waste my night again? I had better things to do than hanging out with her.
Like… uh… wait what was I trying to do again?
…
Oh right, shopping! It was already getting late so why not? I took out my checklist, looking through the various items I needed and nodded. Alright, time to go grocery shopping.
Potions, pokéballs, rope, repels and so much more. Getting the items was easy enough with my extensive list, but actually paying for them though? I looked at the massive line of people queuing to get their purchases and sighed.
Why did I think doing this on the second day of the League start was a good idea? I groaned internally, lamenting over my poor life decisions. Should've waited until tomorrow.
By the time I checked out and paid, it was already night. I walked down the streets, counting and making sure I didn't miss something. Drat, all that and I still need to get treats. It wasn't a necessity but there'd be something seriously wrong with me if I didn't give my team a gift for dealing with me.
So I then scoured the city for another hour. No, I didn't ask people for directions. How could you tell?
Sun and Klick looked pleasantly surprised when I brought them there, even more so when I gave them a sample to see what they’d like. Klick loved the spicy ones so I got a batch of them along with a bunch of dry snacks since Sun practically inhaled his treat when he got them.
Overall, today was productive. I got some training done, made a new friend (I think?) and did some shopping. I should be good to go, though perhaps I should visit the library as well, cover my bases, that kind of stuff. ‘cause as useful as Rachel’s insight was, it could never go wrong with more knowledge.
The calm night reflected my relaxed thoughts. There weren't a lot of people around as it was getting quite late. There was a family walking their Houndour, talking and chatting with happy faces. There was an old lady being walked around by a teen boy who sounded exasperated by what was no doubt his grandmother’s teasing. And there was the moon high above, shining brightly and full. I could even spot a few stars despite the city’s lights.
Say what you will about Jubilife City but there was something special about walking down a nearly-empty street with the city’s ambience reduced to a quiet discordant harmony. It was relaxing.
A screech for help shattered the peace like a bullet.
I stood there for a second, for two then I burst into a sprint towards the direction of the cry with only a single thought in my head.
I have to help them.
After a few blocks of running, I found them, in a street that was nearly empty with only two people. Under the streetlight, there was a little girl with a pink ponytail along with someone familiar crouching beside her.
The little girl was crying, completely unresponsive as the person, Rachel tried to console her with little success.
“Rachel? What happened?” I looked down at the girl, my heart wrenching at the sight.
Rache jolted in surprise, looking up at me. “Cygnus?” She bit her lip and shook her head. “Terra and I found her like this… apparently someone stole her Pokémon.”
Stole her… My fists clenched and my body trembled, a sharp breath seething through my teeth. A Pokémon thief…
My eyes lingered on the girl crying before me, she was whimpering, crying out, “Daisy…”
It was happening again. Right in front of me, someone had their friend, their family taken away from them.
It was a long time ago but I still remembered the day it happened. When my mom came back home, she tried to hide it. But even when I was six, I noticed. Her eyes didn't shine as bright as they used to, her smile was fragile, forced, and her movements dragged like every waking day was a living nightmare. She was unconsolable at times and–
I shook my head. Rachel was informing me that the cops were coming, telling me that I should stay here, that the police could handle it and subsequently, she was trying to console the girl, but it was clear she was lost on what she was doing.
But – I gritted my teeth – by the time they arrived, it would be too late. I knew they'd be.
So with my decision made, I took a deep breath and kneeled down, keeping my voice soft and steady. “Hey, it's gonna be okay.”
She didn't respond but that was fine.
“It’s gonna be okay. Your Pokémon… Daisy, she's going to be fine. Don't you worry about your pretty little head. The police and big sister Rachel, they're all going to do their best to save her.”
Her shaking quelled, not quite gone but she at least didn't look like she'd be blown away by a simple whisper.
“You're a strong girl. Stronger than even most adults, I'd say. If I were in your shoes, I don't think I would even stop crying until I passed out. I know what losing a friend could do to people… and I don't think even Cynthia could handle having one of her friends gone… ” I chuckled lowly. This was a very familiar situation. I pushed away the painful thoughts and brought out my greatest smile, putting a hand on her head and giving her a comforting pat. “What's your name?
The little girl sniffled. For a moment, it sounded like she wasn't going to answer but her voice came out, trembling and low. “Charlotte.”
“Charlotte, huh? That's a cute name for a pretty little lady.” I rubbed her head delicately, smoothing out the wild strands of her hair. Her trembling was slowly ceasing. “My name is Cygnus Plein. And yes, it's a pretty ridiculous sounding name. My mom was really fond of the stars, you see.”
Charlotte let out a timid giggle, her head slowly rising to fixate me with big teary eyes.
I leaned in, wiping her tears away with a gentle smile on my face. “Hey, you wanna know a little secret?” Her cute little mouth pursed up in a curious expression. “You're looking at the next and greatest champion of the whole world. The future champion of every region ever!”
With a graceful flourish, I performed a bow. “And as future champion of the world, I hereby promise that I'll get your Pokémon back for you, no matter what. Daisy won't be all alone and worried about her trainer for long if I'm on the case!”
She sniffled but tears no longer streamed down her cheeks. The girl smiled shyly as she murmured, “Daisy’s not a girl, he's a boy…”
But she didn't pull away as I stood up and shrugged.
“Well, being future champion still means I've a lot to learn. And–” I rummaged through my bag, taking a notebook. This one had a Clefable on the cover, smiling and waving in a cute manner. “–here, consider it a gift from the future champion of the world. In here are the secrets and techniques to all you'll ever need to become a great trainer.”
My smile widened when I saw her flipping through the pages. Her gaze lingered a few seconds longer on certain pages. Likely, seeing the silly little illustrations I'd drawn from years bygone. This notebook was something I'd spent years going over, the amount of effort and research I went through, it hurt a little to part away with something I'd poured my heart into but at the same time, seeing the genuine awe on her face made it all worth it.
I pulled away, turning around to see Rachel staring at me with disbelief.
“What?” I asked.
My words jerked her out of her trance. “N-nothing. I'm just… surprised,” she said. “I didn't take you for someone good with kids.”
“That's not–” I shook away the denial forming on my tongue. I didn't have time to waste. “Rachel, can you stay here and tell me where that thief went?”
She didn't immediately respond, looking a little uncomfortable.
“Rachel?”
She blinked, breathing through her teeth. “I’m sorry but I… I can't stay here, Terra’s–I’m not good at handling these types of situations. I can't deal with kids.”
“You don't have to do anything, Rachel. Just stay here, keep little Charlotte safe and wait for the police to show up. I can't waste any more time standing here. That thief could be anywhere in the city by now!”
Her calm eyes faltered. “But I–”
“Rachel! Just tell me where he ran off to!” I snapped, taking a step forward before pausing. With a deep breath, I briefly glanced behind me, relieved that the little girl was too distracted to hear me.
“Fine! Fine! I saw them running that way, okay?” She pointed with a shaking finger. “Terra… she chased after them and… I'm just worried for her, okay? Someone like her wouldn't know how dangerous being alone in the night can be and she… she might…”
She rubbed her arms, her eyes narrowed as if remembering a nasty memory. The cool persona I came to know crumbled for a brief moment, revealing a scared girl worried for her friend’s safety.
The anger fled my body and in came an underlying understanding. She really does care, huh?
“Rachel,” I said. “Don't worry about her. Terra… she's a lot stronger than you think. If I know her as well as I do, then nobody could ever take her down when she's serious.”
My legs carried me forward and I stepped out of the light. “And even if she couldn't, there's always gonna be someone she could count on. Someone who will always be right behind her.” I chuckled, legs spread apart in a dramatic stance and my arms forming a pose. “After all, I'm gonna become the greatest champion in the world. It wouldn't look good for me if my rival goes down to a petty thief!”
And with that, I was off.
I took twists and turns, taking paths through the grossest, shadiest alleys around. But even after a couple of minutes of searching, I still came short of finding that crook. It didn't help that I ran off before remembering to ask for the thief’s appearance and… well, I wasn't that familiar with the city’s layout so I understandably got lost.
But I had to keep going, for that little girl’s sake, for Rachel and… for Terra.
Despite what I said to Rachel, I couldn't say I wasn't a little worried about Terra. I knew how hot-headed and impulsive she could be, and the trouble she constantly attracted.
I turned a corner and after a quick mental debate, sent out my Starly. Having a bird’s eye view would certainly help. “Klick, I need you to help me look around. If you spot any shady men, come down and show me the way, okay?”
She nodded with a serious look before taking off as I continued searching. I just had to find someone acting like a suspicious man, how hard could it be?
After ten minutes of unproductive ground searching, Klick came to me with more intel. She guided me through a labyrinth of alleyways, apparently she saw a masked person running in circles around here. I couldn't believe my luck. What kind of thief got lost in a city they lived in?
As I entered the alleyway, I caught a glimpse of the man behind the theft and immediately began the chase. He was trying to shake me off, taking sharp twists and turns but Klick steered me true. Eventually, we reached a dead-end and I saw the man.
It was a guy, a normal plain-looking man. Short, black hair, average height, average features covered by a face mask that didn't hide his identity as well as he thought it did. But he was so average-looking that if it wasn't for his weird astronaut cosplay, it would've been impossible to recognise the man. Though strangely, the guy did look somewhat familiar, like I’d seen someone wearing that outfit before.
The man clicked his tongue as he neared the dead end. “Ah.”
I rounded the corner with my Starly, shooting a glare that could melt concrete at the man. “Give it up, thief. Hand over her Pokémon!”
He turned around, scoffing. “A kid? That's who found me?” His hand reached into his pockets to pull out… a cyan wig? “Run away, brat. I don't have time to deal with someone like you.”
Shaking off the confusion, I expanded my second pokéball and threw it down.
“Fine, don't say I didn't warn you.” Donning the new hairdo, the man sent out his own Pokémon: a Budew and a Zubat. “Stun Spore and Bite. Take down that Chimchar!”
“Taunt! Stop that Budew and Klick, push that Zubat away!”
The Budew took in a breath, its body glowing a sickly yellow but Sun ran at it, raging up a stream of insults. My Starly flew over in the blink of an eye, a white blur slamming into the Zubat and crashing it into a wall.
The thief groaned. “Fine! Attack! Budew, Poison Sting! Zubat, stop lying around and do something!”
“Sun, dodge it and get close! Klick, keep that Zubat down!”
Needles launched out of the little bud Pokémon’s body but Sun was quick enough to react, kicking off against the ground and leaping over the needles before using his momentum to strike hard on the Budew. Klick continued her attacks, moving faster and faster as she continuously slammed her body into the Zubat, keeping it from getting up.
Usually, I wouldn't be resorting to unsporting tactics like attacking someone while they were down but criminals didn't deserve such niceties.
The thief gritted his teeth, snarling in visible frustration and shouting out commands.
Budew was down, Sun had it pinned to the ground, slashing it with his claws and making sure it couldn't fight back. Klick kept disappearing from view, becoming nothing but a white blur as she struck the Zubat over and over.
I was doing it. I was winning. I couldn't help the grin as the man snarled. I just had to keep this momentum up then I could get them back for her. “Finish them, guys! We can’t waste any more time on this scum–”
“Enough!” The man growled, cursing out as he unclipped another pokéball, ignoring his downed Budew. “Useless! Can't even finish off a damn beginner! Fine! You asked for this, kid. Scyther! Quick Attack and take out that Chimchar!”
My heart dropped like a stone. A Scyther? How on earth did someone like him have a–I sucked in a gasp. No time to gawk.
“Move away, Sun. To your right!”
My eyes followed the trajectory of the ball as it landed and in a flash of light, a Scyther stood there, its wings buzzed with the sound of a hundred blades. In the second it took for my eyes to process the Pokémon, it was already gone.
Sun couldn't even shout before he fell.
“Sun!” No, no no no, my starter was fine, wasn't he? That red, that… that couldn't be–I shook my head, I had to stay focused, think of something before it was too late. “Klick!”
Her wings were glowing. Wing Attack? No, I couldn't lose focus. Please, please, please! I fumbled for my pokéball, a potion, anything I could get to turn the tides.
Klick went in, wings shining brightly as she fought. The Scyther reached her in an instant, slicing across her chest meanwhile the Zubat used the opportunity presented to recover, hurrying to help with glowing fangs. My Starly, using her new move, parried the slashes but every time she did so, the Zubat bit down on her hard, redirecting her focus to the Poison-type which again allowed the Scyther to sneak in a blow.
It was a terrible sight to witness.
Klick was trying her best, she was trying so so damn hard and I-I couldn't do anything!
But by the time I fished out a potion, it was already too late.
The world crawled to a standstill, my eyes could fully see it coming, the glowing green scythe, the horror and pain on my Starly’s face, the cruel grin on that criminal’s ugly mug.
I blinked.
And everything went to hell.
The scythe came down, cutting through her with little resistance. Blood gushed out of her as my Starly collapsed, laying limply on the ground, her right wing landing uselessly beside her, her once proud expression twisting into one of pain and agony.
“No…” Tears welled up in my eyes and I ran, tried to run, tried to hold onto my dying Pokémon. My feet stomped into the tarmac, my mind racing a million miles an hour. This couldn't be happening, this couldn't–
My body broke down and everything burned.
I couldn't move, I couldn't lift a muscle, I couldn't think under the overwhelming pain. My eyes narrowed, my vision blurry as I glanced down at the source of the pain. I couldn't hold back the scream.
My-my arm! It was gone, my right arm! There was a lump, revealing cleanly-sliced bones from what remained of my shoulder.
It hurt it hurt it hurt.
My nerves were on fire, my chest writhed in pain. I couldn't breathe. My lungs felt heavy, my skin raw and stiff.
Everything hurts.
My vision was dimming, my hearing muted. White hot pain laced across my body, melting my arm, my limbs. My mind was scattered, my thoughts were a jumbled mess.
I screamed and screamed and screamed until I could no longer utter a whisper.
It was quiet. The warmth leaving my body, the wet slushy feeling of my blood pooling beneath me. My chest felt scorching, a fire so hot I could barely describe it even if my mind didn't feel so numb.
Was this really how it ended?
It's cold. It's so cold.
My mind was shivering, despite the heat, despite the intense fire, despite how warm I felt. My body was cold. Numb.
Feeling left me first; my arms, my legs, I couldn't feel the cold concrete under me. My breathing slowed. Every gasp was heavy, raspy, and tired, like my lungs were filled with lead. I was so damn exhausted.
But at least it wasn't hot anymore.
Darkness crawled at the edges of my vision, shadows coiling just beyond what I could barely make out but close enough that I knew it was lurking, waiting to seize me up like a prized relic.
Help me…
It was so cold. I was scared. Was I going to die?
“Help…”
It took everything from me to cry out.
No one replied.
No one was there.
I was going to die alone in a cold dark alley.
I'm scared.
I still had so much to live for. My dream, my ambition to be Sinnoh’s next champion, my promise to that little girl.
I don’t wanna die.
Tears welled up in my eyes.
Mom… Terra… Rachel…
Somebody help me…
I was hearing things, muffled, looping and in the distance. There were sirens, there was screaming. The world was blurring, the shining red and blue lights coalescing and dimming.
I could see… something. Red hair? I felt something grabbing me. Was someone holding me? Were they saying something?
Wetness touched my cheeks and a familiar warmth enveloped me. “Cyg-Cygnus…”
I could barely feel, barely see, barely hear.
But even I knew who was holding me.
Terra…
I smiled, mustering up my final dredges of strength to move my hand and said,
“Heh… so, you're not perfect after all… I'm…gl…”
I wiped her tears.
And then I slipped…
… slowly and slowly into the darkness…
The last thing I heard were the agonised cries of my frie…
My alarm clock blared with a thunderous roar.
I awoke with a strangled gasp, my only arm instantly moving to grasp at my missing… missing arm?
I could feel it, my fingers, the flesh, the skin. What should’ve been a stump of cut bone and tissues was instead a fully functional and healthy arm. I took off my pyjamas in a daze, the numbing pain and sharp heat was still on my mind as I looked down at my chest and saw…
Nothing.
Not even a blemish or a scar.
My eyes glanced around, taking note of the familiar layout of the room. A poster of every regional champion hanging on the walls, my messy table littered with scattered notes, books and Pokémon figurines, and my regional starter Pokémon patterned blanket on the floor.
I was in my bed?
How… what happened?
I dragged myself off my bed, my mind was groggy, still reeling from the experience, the memory, the dream? My eyes wandered, finally settling on my still roaring alarm clock.
Unhealthy amount of suppressing grief, guilt and a near mental breakdown
Beta-read by Tango
Is this… How… how am I here?
I was home. Back in my room. Sprinting out into the familiar hallway, and down the firm and solid wooden steps with hurried gasps.
Was this… was this a dream?
I was in the living room, my eyes trailing from one side of the room to the other, slowly, methodically. I scanned through the furniture of the living room, eyes lingering on each item for a second longer than I normally would've. There was the TV hanging on the comforting beige walls, the couches and sofas facing it, there was the coffee table in the middle, the same blue curtains all tied up that I barely gave a second glance when I left.
I looked down at my hands and flexed my fingers, my muscles tensing. The chill of the AC ran through my digits and arms. Yet despite the cold, I could feel sweat forming beneath my brows. This was real… wasn't it?
I pinched myself, hard enough for me to wince.
I could remember it. The burning pain. The numb dread of blood leaving my body. The crushing cold creeping into my skin and bones as my body desperately struggled to hold in the warmth. The horror I felt as everything dimmed and blurred into a mesh of shapes. I remembered it as vividly as it'd happened.
That criminal, my starter, that little girl, Rachel, the pain. The world was spinning. My breathing grew laboured. My heart pounding like a set of drums in a concert. What happened? How did this happen? How was I here? How was I…
… alive?
My stomach churned, bile burning my throat.
Terra…
I remembered her face, the tears streaming down her cheeks, her crimson hair that once shone as bright as the sun, had hung off her head like a thread of torn silk. Her eyes burning with a bitter cocktail of grief, despair and wrath.
I shook my head, tearing myself out of my mind. The bile still lingered in my throat but the smell coming from the kitchen reminded me of reality, grounding me back to life. There was the scent of something crispy, meaty, along with a warmth tasting like sweets embracing me. It helped push back the horror of a life that was gone and I couldn't help the smile painting my face.
Mom…
She was in the kitchen right now, humming out a tune that I recognised from her favourite musical. A cheery, happy song that held fond memories of a time that was a bit less lonely.
I steeled myself, looking at my backpack hanging on the railing. I should get going. I was going to be late. But at the same time, my feet stay rooted to the floor.
Her smile came into my mind. “...next time, try and stay with me a little longer before running off like that, okay?”
I should stay for a bit, talk with her, chat with her. Something to get my mind off of that… that…
Whatever that was.
My legs carried me into the kitchen where my mom was washing the dishes, looking all the world entrenched in her task. She was wearing a pretty pink blazer dress with a complimenting yellow apron draped over it. A wide smile was on her face and just looking at her sent a warmth through my body, soothing and comforting. Her presence alone was almost enough to make me forget about my horrific wake up.
My feet pattered against the floor as I made my way to my seat where there was already a plate of fresh made bacon and pancakes on the table.
“Good morning, Cygnus,” my mother said, turning around with a smile. The corners of her mouth curled up in amusement when she saw my pyjamas. “I knew you were excited for today. But I hope you didn't forget to change before going to the professor, I could imagine they got quite the sight with you there.”
I didn't respond to the teasing. Too busy staring at my plate as I held the fork and spoon, the cool metal in my hands chilling down to my bones. I took a bite out of my meal, savouring the taste of the juicy grease and the sweetness of the pancakes in my mouth. It was warm, comforting, and familiar.
I chewed on my food, the thoughts about my morning swirling in my head. There was something I wanted to ask her, something to truly confirm my suspicions. With a gulp, I swallowed my nerves and steeled myself. “Mom?”
My mom’s smile fell upon hearing my voice, her eyes glistening with worry as concern creased her features. Her voice came out quiet, calm of emotions like all the times she comforted me when I was down. “Yes, sweetie?”
The question rolled under my tongue. My heart was racing, my throat felt tight and the words hurt to even think about. Could I even ask her something like this? Would she think I was weird for asking?
Would she believe there was something wrong with me?
I bit my lip, second guessing, fearing. I craned my neck to look up, and the sight of her worrying eyes pulled at my heart, wringing the words out of me. “What… what day is it?”
And… do you remember anything? I managed to bite it down.
There was silence. A long, awkward and tense pause that skittered under my skin like an unpleasant itch. My mom was contemplating, setting the plate into the sink as her frown deepened. “Huh,” she murmured to herself, her eyes scrunching up in confusion. “It's Monday, isn't it? Your big day, Cygnus? I thought you already got your starter? Weren't you just taking a short nap before heading out…”
The lump in my throat felt heavy, settling inside me like a ball of lead. Yesterday was Monday. My fork tapped against the plate. I'm in the past? No. I shook my head. That's… that's not possible.
Things like time travel were myths, legends. Ones where people saved the world or solved calamities. Not… of a random kid getting in trouble way too over their head. That just wasn't possible…
…
Then maybe…
Am I psychic?
What if that whole thing was a vision, a premonition of sorts? It made some sense. I remembered watching and reading interviews of famous psychic people back when I was volunteering for Professor Rowan’s class a few years ago. I remembered seeing a video of Kanto’s Sabrina using her future vision to predict some poor unfortunate folk falling from their window and saving him with her telekinesis without so much as blinking… so perhaps future vision was something that was very vivid and involved?
Hm… I don't know. I scratched the bottom of my chin in thought. If I really was psychic, shouldn't that mean I have other powers?
Teleportation, telekinesis, barriers. They were the standard amongst any psychic, and if I really was one then that meant I could do them, no?
Okay, let's start with the basics. I glanced down at the fork in my hand. With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and channelled all of my mental strength into… the… thing…
…
Nothing happened.
Okay, so I don't have telekinesis. I set the fork down with a sigh. Ugh, I have no idea what's going on anymore.
I picked at the scraps remaining on my plate, mostly just staring at the bits getting punctured by the metal. The thoughts and questions brewed heavily in my head and to be honest, I was getting tired of thinking about them.
There was a blur of motion in the corner of my eyes, tearing me away from my thoughts. I blinked, swerving my head towards the living room. Mom? She was running up the stairs in a flurry of action, her footsteps thumping upstairs like an amateur drummer. What was she doing?
Putting my plate and utensils into the sink, I stepped out of the kitchen just in time to see my mom running downstairs with her hair ragged and eyes livid as she stared right into my soul.
I took a step back before my vision was blocked out as she threw clothes at my face.
“Get dressed! Get ready and get out! You're going to march over to Professor Rowan and explain to him why you're late! And if I see not a single Pokémon by your side when you come back, you're going to be grounded until next year!”
My heart leapt into my throat and I gulped in fear. I darted over to the kitchen, rapidly changing my clothes and running back into the living room where my mom stood, holding my bag. Her glare was sharp and livid but deep down, I knew it was because she didn't want me to lose my chances of receiving a regional starter.
Though that didn't mean I wasn't absolutely terrified of her. I took my bag off her hands, face pale in fright and bursted out the door like the wind before a storm.
Something was wrong.
Something was terribly, horribly, impossibly wrong.
This shouldn't be possible, there was no way, absolutely no way in heck this was correct.
So what could possibly be so bad that it had me pacing back and forth in my room like I was trying to drill a trench with my feet? Well…
Before meeting up with the professor, I was ecstatic, excited about reuniting with my Chimchar. Then when time came to receive him, things sorta went downhill. It was really eerie honestly. Things played out almost two for two with my vision: from their dancing around my late arrival and down to the vehement denial of my starter. Their firm denials left me feeling nervous and anxious after the umpteenth attempt of shaking them down.
For a moment, I thought that maybe I was wrong, that maybe I really did have a weird dream. I left the lab in a daze, hurt, confused and in disarray. Thankfully Lucas came in to dispel all my worries. I had never felt so relieved, so happy that I wasn't wrong, that I didn't just squander my chances of becoming a trainer, of making up with Sun.
Heat crept onto my cheeks as I remembered the moment. The part where I cried and slobbered over him like a little kid. The sheer relief I felt as the anxiety exploded out of my body.
I can never show my face to him again.
Dread crawled down my spine as I let out a long and suffering groan as another memory assaulted my mind. Why did I have to pose like that in front of him? Why can't I just be normal? Aaaaaahhh!
An-anyway, after enduring the cringe of my horrible past mistakes, I swung my eyes towards the beanbag across my room, specifically at my starter, lazing around and attempting to become one with the seat.
He was the very reason I was still in my room, having what one would normally call an ‘existential crisis’.
What seemed to be the problem? Well… there was a glaring issue with my starter, a problem that rocked me down to my core when I first released him.
And that was the fact that my starter wasn't my life partner, Sun the Chimchar.
But instead a Torchic.
A Torchic!
I had a Torchic!
How?!
How did this even happen? How did me staying back for breakfast change things so badly that my Chimchar got replaced by a Torchic? How on Earth was there even a Torchic in the first place? I remembered the special program Professor Rowan did on TV a while back where he showcased and talked about our regional starters. Never once did he ever entertain the idea that he'd be diverting things from the norm. It just didn't make sense for him to change things like that.
So what happened? How did things change so badly that my starter was different?
I looked down at the notebook in my hands. My notes looked messy, more so than they usually did. Words, ideas and theories were all sprawled over each other, with arrows pointing from and to random notes. I let out a sigh, this wasn't working. I was going in circles here.
I clicked my tongue. I should get going. Maybe I could get something from Jubilife’s library instead, see if there was anything that could explain all of this.
“Return.” I reached out with my pokéball and slung my backpack over my shoulders.
Time to get going.
It was around ten when I reached Route 202. A lot earlier than the last time I got here. But I couldn't risk getting distracted when there was so much to do. I had to get to the city quickly. That criminal was still out there, ready to prey on that unsuspecting little girl.
I trekked through the tall grass without concern nor caution, risky but I didn't want to waste time here. My mind was racing as I moved, churning out ideas and strategies to fight that criminal.
Klick was incredible during her fight against that Scyther. If I could find her and focus on teaching her Wing Attack quicker, there was a higher chance of us winning.
I tried to remember exactly where I found her, my eyes darting left and right. Trying to find any clues or trails that was familiar–
A tiny blur of blue fur attacked me.
It knocked me off my feet, sending me back first into the grass as I felt little fangs digging into my arm. Naturally, I mustered every tiny bit of training and knowledge I'd accrued over the past decade to prevail in this crisis.
“Aaaah! Get off me get off me get off me!” I struggled, I screamed, I panicked, waving my arms around like a maniac as I tried desperately to make it let go. But no matter how hard I tried, it wouldn't let go! I could feel its teeth sinking deeper. Aaahh! I had to think of something quick!
Come on. Stop panicking. Stop panicking! Think, think! What can I do? What– wait, I got it!
I held out my free arm and curled my index and middle finger, tensing my muscles before jabbing it in the stomach. It gagged, and I used the opportunity to swing it away.
“Hah!” I clambered to my feet, wincing slightly at the pain in my arm. It wasn't bleeding so I took that as a victory. “Take that! You can't sneak up on someone like–Gah!”
I leapt to the side, evading a bolt of electricity. The Shinx was glowing brightly, electricity running up its forelegs as it launched another attack. Pushing myself back onto my feet, I sprinted, screaming like my life depended on it. Bolts of lightning came at me in an endless barrage, not once giving me a moment to catch my breath.
“Gah!” One tore into the ground just ahead of me, blowing dust and smoke into my eyes. I coughed, an arm raised to rub at my eyes while I took the chance to swipe my other hand down into my belt. “G-go, Su–Torchic!”
I threw the ball with all my might, trusting my Torchic to deal with that Shinx while I caught my breath.
The cloud of dust and smoke died down after a few seconds. The attacks had also stopped. I assumed that my Torchic had…
I blinked, looking down at the pokéball still clipped on my belt. “Wait a second…” This wasn’t right. My Torchic was still with me, but then what the heck did I throw?
Then as if to answer my inquiry, I saw something glinting under the sunlight, red and white. Realisation settled under my chest as it made way for disbelief.
I caught it?
Huh?
I don't know how long I'd stayed there just staring at the pokéball. At some point, my Torchic had gotten out and started pecking my shins with a bored look. But the fact that I somehow caught a Shinx by complete accident was perplexing. How in the world did that even happen–
One quick slap to the face later, I moved forward. Though my arms and legs were still shaking with nerves even as the adrenaline wore off. Those lightning attacks were far too close for comfort and while I knew that recently caught Pokémon couldn't escape on their own until the four hour gracing period was over, I couldn't exactly quell the anxiety simmering in me.
That Shinx had been gunning for me and while most Pokémon in Route 202 could barely hurt someone, let alone kill. I couldn't shake off that fear. Getting electrocuted once was bad enough.
I shuddered at the memory that resurfaced, of that time when Terra brushed a Pikachu the wrong way…
A-anyway, I took the pokéball in my hands, gazing at it apprehensively. My Torchic was standing beside me with a serious expression that looked odd on his usually lazy face.
As I stared at the pokéball in my hand, a rather stupid idea crawled onto my mind.
I could… I could use this.
A Shinx against a Scyther and a Zubat? If I played it out correctly, I could very well beat that criminal. An Electric-type like Shinx against two Flying-types? And looking back at the fight, I'd felt a deeply unnatural fear seep into my mind. Someone as small as a Shinx wouldn't have been able to scare me that badly despite the memories associated with its typing. No, that suggested it might have Intimidate, a seriously useful ability that could be an incredible asset at my disposal–
I shook my head. This was stupid, really stupid. Was I really thinking of befriending something that tried to zap me countless of times? Was I insane?
But the memories of that vision came to mind. That criminal, the way he treated his team, the cruel gleam in that Scyther’s eyes. If they were willing to kill someone like me…
I gritted my teeth, my grip on the pokéball tightening. I wasn't going to let it or that thief hurt anyone!
“Torchic, get ready. I'm gonna let this guy out and in case it attacks, I'll need you to hold it back.”
“Torch!”
“Alright, come on out!” I braced myself for impact as a red light popped out of the ball.
The first thing the Shinx did was look around. It blinked, a puzzled expression on its face. The little guy was kinda cute when… y’know, it wasn't trying to eat me. It glanced around, brows screwing together before its gaze finally settled on me.
I took a step back, fighting down the unnatural shudder as I held eye contact. Its gaze was intense, not something you'd expect from a Pokémon as big as my wrist but thankfully, it broke away, having noticed my starter glaring daggers at it. The Shinx met his gaze, locking eyes with a tiny smirk on its face.
My Torchic didn't back down from the challenge, his feathers bristling and puffing up in an attempt to intimidate the Shinx.
The tension in the air was thick enough to be cut. For a second, I was prepared for it to lunge at me or charge up an attack. But none of that happened as the little cub was the first to break off their stare down, its smirk morphing into a wide grin as it reared its head back. I expected a roar, a growl or a hiss, something that would belie its cute appearance, but instead it laughed, guffawing like it heard a gut busting joke.
What? What was going on? I looked down, seeing my starter sharing my confusion. He had no clue what was happening either.
I opened my mouth to speak but was cut off when it suddenly leapt forward, a foreleg lifted above its head.
Was it saluting?
“Shinx! Shinx shi shinx!” it exclaimed, loudly and proudly. It brought down its paw, moving forward as if asking for a handshake.
What?
My Torchic only gave the extended paw a deadpan stare, murmuring something to the Shinx before shaking his head and laying down, nuzzling up against the dirt and grass.
The Shinx tried to get him to stand back up, posturing, gesturing and outright posing in an oddly familiar way. But nothing was working, so instead it gave up and gave me the most appalled and offended look as if I had anything to do with my starter’s behaviour.
…
This had to be a joke, right? The universe was laughing at me. There was no way I'd gone two for two with catching the weirdest Pokémon. I thought Klick was supposed to be an outlier. Why was this Shinx equally as weird as well?
I let out a groan and collapsed onto the ground. “Are all my Pokémon going to be this weird?”
It didn't take long for me to get over that dramatic little episode as I still hadn't achieved what I intended to do. Tracking down that feisty Starly.
My Shinx was rummaging around, eyes narrowed and whiskers twitching. She insisted on staying by my side after I explained to her what I was doing. At first, she looked confused at my words but after a terribly played-out game of charades and incoherent meowing, she shrugged and moved on.
I didn't question it too much. Having future vision didn't exactly mean I could understand Pokémon any better than I usually did. She probably just thought I was gonna head to the city first and was confused why I wasn't.
The field of grass around me was as dry and dull as the past five minutes of walking. The awe and wonder I had when I began my journey was fading and I couldn't fathom how my past–er future self(?) was able to do all of this exercise without getting tired.
I heaved a gasp, internally cursing myself for only doing the bare minimum in PE. If only I'd accepted my mom’s offer to run in the morning…
“Shinx! Shinx!”
My Pokémon called for my attention as she gestured around with a paw. Did she find something?
I glanced around. The area surrounding us was barren, the grass gave way to a small open patch of dirt. Yet, there was something about this place that felt oddly familiar to me. A small rocky formation near the outskirts, a little ant hill a few feet to my left and…
Wait, this was it! This was where I found her! I didn't know why it took me so long to find this place but this should be where Klick… huh.
There was no one here.
She wasn't–
This isn't right. Where is she? She's supposed to be here.
I looked left then I looked right, seeing nothing but the empty sky and dirt. I ran around, overturning every rock and pushing through the tall grass close to me.
But she wasn't here.
Was it because I was too early? Did someone already catch her? Was this another one of the changes? Did knowing my future cause things to change so badly that not even Klick was safe? I grinded my teeth in frustration.
Of course, she wasn't safe! Why would she? Sun disappeared, replaced by a Torchic! Why did I think she wouldn't be gone either?
You stupid, idiotic, imbecile!
I dropped to my knees and heaved a sigh, clutching my head. Why? Why did I have to charge head first into that situation so recklessly? If I hadn't gone after that thief, if I had asked for help, if I hadn't run off, then maybe… maybe they wouldn't have died!
My nails dug into the dirt as I choked out a cry, my fists slamming into the ground, over and over as I lost myself to the rage.
It was all my fault! All my fault! All my gods damned fault!
Because of me, everything became different! Because of me, everything was wrong! It was because of me that they died a horrible and painful death.
It was all my fault…
It was–
“–Shinx!”
Something pushed me onto my back. There was something, no someone on my chest. There was the crisp smell of smoke dangling in the air, I could feel the ends of my hair standing up, and my body tingled with a weak ache.
What happened? Why do I feel like I just stuck a fork into a socket?
“Shinx!”
My head swung up, hands wiping off the sweat trickling down my head. There was dampness on my cheeks and my vision was a little blurry. I blinked, feeling the tears prickling at the edges of my eyes. Had I been crying?
“Shin shinx!”
I winced a bit from her claws poking into my chest. Her eyes were wide, full of concern, and her lips trembled in worry and confusion. She mewed, pawing at my clothes, trying to understand what was going on.
A light chuckle escaped my lips, but the sound wasn't one of mirth. I was such a loser. Like, just look at me, crying like a little kid just because of something as silly as things not going my way. It was pathetic. I should be better than that. I had to be. My vision was just that, a vision. It wasn't real and… even if it was, I didn't even know Sun and Klick for that long, I shouldn't be crying about them like this.
I was better than this.
“I'm fine. I'm fine,” I said, pushing my lips into a reassuring smile and softening my gaze to show her there was nothing to worry about. “Sorry, I guess I was just a tiny bit disappointed with not finding a Starly. It's no big deal.”
She didn't look convinced but she got off me when I asked.
The smile on my face was as firm as always as I shrugged, acting nonchalant. “Come on, let’s get going. Jubilife City’s like a ten minute walk away. If we hurry, we can reach it in five.”
“Shiiinx.”
“I’m fine.”
Because I really was. There was no real reason to dwell on the past.
I snapped my fingers. “Oh right, there's something I forgot I have to do.”
I turned my head down, ignoring the unease in my chest. “Why don't we come up with a name for you and my starter before we reach the city? What do you think about Bolt or Watt?”
“Shinx.” She shook her head and while I knew she wanted to continue the previous topic, she reluctantly followed me as I continued to act like nothing had happened as I came up with more shocking and amazing names.
I made it to the city an hour before noon. Yet, I couldn't focus on the city and its noise. My mind was spinning. My hands were shaking, the pencil in my grip trembling. The words on my notebook were scratched, scribbled on like a toddler’s first attempt at writing a sentence.
There were people walking by me, paying little attention to my barely concealed nerves.
After figuring out a name for both my Shinx and Torchic, which by the way were Volta and Camp respectively. I encountered a few Pokémon that didn't quite fit what I remembered. A Mareep. It was a Pokémon that wouldn't usually be found on Route 202. I'd initially dismissed it, thinking that it had probably gotten lost from like a migrating herd or something. Things like that happened from time to time.
But then the next few ambushes opened my eyes. I found a Ponyta, which was odd but again, it could be explained as a lost member of a migrating herd. An unlikely coincidence, sure. And the same could be said with the Abra I locked eyes with. Though that one was more likely to be an accidental teleport than a lost herd member as Abra were a more solitary Pokémon.
Those instances weren't exactly common per se, but it made enough sense for my mind to not linger too long on.
But then, I was ambushed by two Pokémon that weren't even native to Sinnoh.
Two Litleo.
The sight burned into my mind, the confusion and shock rocked my body. Thankfully, I was able to regain my composure and defeat those two but still…
How? Why? What did I do to cause a change this massive?
I thought my vision was a type of future vision, me seeing a potential future and not… whatever the heck was happening right now. None of the books and stories I'd read about time travel or prophecies had anything like this happened in them. So what the heck was going on?
I glanced around, watching the people around me mingling about with their day. Nobody had even made a single mention nor realised something was wrong when I asked one of them about the Litleo. Their answers were simple, answers that you'd expect from asking someone about a Route’s potential encounters.
“Oh, you've managed to find one?"
“They're pretty rare but it's not like you can't find them if you try."
“Yeah, what about it? They've been around for a while now."
A chill ran down my spine as realisation set deep in my veins. All of them were completely and utterly normal, nonchalant. Like having a Kalosian Pokémon in Sinnoh was ‘normal’.
There was a question that latched itself onto my skull then, one that I shoved deep into the recesses of my soul but lingered in the back of my mind.
Did I die and change timeli–
I didn't want to entertain this anymore.
No.
I took in a deep breath, a powerful, heavy inhale. Empty my mind. Hold for four, exhale for four and then inhale for four. In and out. In and out. Until finally my heart rate slowed, my mind felt less foggy and the tension in my shoulders relaxed a bit.
Panicking wasn't going to help me. I shouldn't focus too much on something I can't control.
I looked down at my notebook and shook my head. No, what I needed was knowledge, information about that criminal, about training. I could figure out these weird changes later. For now, I needed to prepare. Lunch could wait. I needed to get to the library. Find some books on Type Energy, history and whatever I could get my hands on for training.
I walked onward, the hustle and bustle of the city was heavy, as it should be. Today was the beginning of a lot of hopes and dreams after all. There was a lot of chatter around me. I could hear snippets about the excitement of starting their journey, parents encouraging and nagging their kids on what and how they should keep themselves safe, and the city Pokémon all chirping amongst themselves.
It was a peaceful and charming sight, one that I'd seen over the many years of wishing and hoping to be a part of. A small prideful smile wormed its way onto my face. I was one of the lucky few to be given a starter. While it wasn't exactly who I'd been expecting, I couldn't deny that my efforts and hard work weren't rewarded.
It was nearing noon and I was feeling a bit peckish but I shrugged it off with practiced ease. Satisfying my hunger could wait until after I was done researching.
I stopped in front of a stoplight, waiting for the colours to switch as eyes wandered around in boredom. That was when I spotted somebody struggling to walk, with heavy bags weighing her every step. It was an old lady with grey hair, short stature and despite her visibly struggling to walk, her posture was very firm and confident.
For a second, I debated. And then the next, I slapped myself. I couldn't believe I'd even entertain the thought of abandoning someone in need. Shoving others away to save another wasn't kindness, it was selfishness disguised as helping.
I strolled over, putting on my most charming smile. “Hi, need some help with those, miss?”
The old lady gave me a smile and shook her head. “I appreciate the offer, sonny. But these old bones of mine aren't so old that they can't hold onto a few groceries.”
A few? I raised a brow. Those look like they could feed a family of four for an entire week!
“Are you sure? I don't really have anything important I have to do at the moment… and you look like you need the help.”
There was a silence, or well as quiet as it could be in a city nearing lunch hour. The old lady was looking at me with a scrunched up expression that was supposed to be intimidating but was undermined by how her body was shaking from the exertion.
Gradually with my amazing charm, I was able to persuade her, taking her bags off her hands, and er… nearly stumbling over when I miscalculated how heavy they were.
“... kids these days have too much respect for their elders.”
Isn't that… a good… thing? I wrested the bags into a better position. Gah, just how much stuff did she buy?
“Look at you, boy. Already strugglin’. Come now, at least hand me a bag or two.”
“No, ma’am. I already said I was gonna do it… I'm not backing down from this…”
Seeing the determined gleam in my eyes, she sighed. “Kids these days… all as stubborn as Mudsdale. And here I thought my own granddaughter was an exception.”
She walked along the street, leading me to where I assume was the direction of her home. Her gait was slow though I didn't know whether it was because of her age or because she was taking pity on me.
I staggered forward, managing to catch up to her. “You have a granddaughter, miss? Is she a trainer too?” I mean, it would make sense why this old lady was carrying groceries all on her lonesome.
“A trainer?” She shook her head and chuckled as if the idea was too incredulous. “The day that’d happen would be the day Arceus falls from the sky.”
“Why's that? Are her grades really that bad?” People flunking out of their exams weren't unheard of but I couldn't really understand how someone could do so. It wasn't like the basic exams were difficult.
She didn't respond, instead glancing to the side. I followed her gaze, into the nearby park and saw a figure standing out on the brick path. The person was short, not much shorter than I was. They were holding a garbage bag in one hand and a poking stick in the other.
I glanced back at the old lady, seeing the fond recognition and smile on her face. Ah, so that means…
“Is that her?”
“Mm… always so hard working and diligent. I don't know where she gets it from, to be honest. Certainly not from me,” she muttered. “You’d think a child like Charlotte would fool around and enjoy their life like everyone else. But she always pushes herself way too hard, taking on so many odd jobs to keep herself busy…”
I tuned out the rest of the conversation, my eyes swerving and locking back onto the figure in a new light. Charlotte? Is she the same…
As if hearing my thoughts, the girl suddenly turned around, her eyes widening in surprise. Then with a quick shake of her head, she narrowed her gaze, hands tightening their hold on her equipment as she walked towards us.
As she approached, and no longer standing beneath the trees’ shadows, I got a clearer look at Charlotte. Her hair was a soft pink, tied up in a ponytail and flowing down to her shoulders like a wreath of cherry blossoms. She wore a very casual outfit, consisting of an orange tee, a blue skirt that reached down her knees, a standard issue albeit worn Silphco backpack and an ugly green pair of gloves. There was dirt and grime sticking to her hair and clothes along with sweat trickling down her head. It looked like she'd been working for a while.
My eyes trailed back up to her face, and I took a step back. Her brown eyes, once dull with pain and tears, glowed with a flame that demanded answers. She was initially set on storming to her grandmother but that stopped upon noticing me.
“Who are you?” The fierce and suspicious glare on her face shook me to my core. Was this seriously the same girl? “What are you doing with my grandma?”
“I…”
The words died in my mouth before they could form as I glanced over to her grandma, finding the old lady giving me a very amused grin and I resisted the urge to sigh.
I took in a deep breath and forced a grin onto my face. “Hey, hey, the name’s Cygnus Plein! Beginner trainer and future Champion of the whole world!” If my hands weren't occupied at the moment, I would most definitely be showing off my conviction by striking a pose. But since they were, I settled for puffing my chest out and exuding an awesome aura of confidence.
“...”
“...”
H-hey! What's with the looks?
Was it the chest thing?
Their expressions were still as blank as ever, the awkwardness that dawned on us practically told me the answer.
... it was, wasn't it? I'd probably look cooler if I had my hands free right now… I mean, all the other kids and elders thought it was cool back home...
Charlotte turned to her grandmother, not paying attention to my amazing pose. “And what are you doing here, granny? I thought I told you to stay at home until I get back! You know you shouldn't be running around at your age.”
“Ah, I ain't that old, silly girl. Certainly not old enough to not go grocery shopping.”
My eye twitched at the blatant lie. I beg to differ.
“Groceries?” Charlotte repeated, blinking in confusion. “Eh?! What do you mean ‘groceries’? You shouldn't be going out and getting groceries. That's my job!”
She spun on her heel, pointing a rather indignant finger at me. “You, weirdo!”
… I think my heart just shattered.
“Give me those bags and get lost! I don't need some… some… punk hanging out with my granny! And don't you think I can't hear you snickering, granny! You're not out of the woods. You're gonna go straight home and enjoy your elderly life doing elderly things or else!”
“And what if I want to add grocery shopping to my ‘elderly things’, dear?” If looks were a Pokémon move, Charlotte’s glare would be super effective against steel. Her grandmother sighed and made to leave. “Fine. Fine. You're no fun.”
“And you're old enough to need a cane!” Charlotte shouted at her grandmother’s retreating figure. “Lunch’s already made and in the fridge so don't you dare exert yourself!”
The old lady only brought up a hand in response, waving back without looking.
“Ugh, she’s way too energetic for someone her age.” The pinkette huffed, turning to me with a raised brow. “You're still here? I thought I told you to leave the bags and scram.”
The poking from her stick snapped me back into reality, and I took a moment to pick up the pieces of my shattered ego. “Are you sure? These bags are pretty heavy and you're not exactly…”
“What? I'm not ‘what’ exactly?” she said with a scowl that was cuter than it was intimidating. “Are you looking down on me? I'll have you know that I've been doing these things on my own for a long time and I never had any trouble!”
Honestly, it was kinda hard not to look down on her with how much she was pouting and the height difference was making it really hard to take her feisty personality seriously.
“Excuse me?”
Oops, did I say that out loud?
“You're not any taller than I am!” She snarled, pointing an accusatory finger. “You're probably not even a trainer, are you? Just a weirdo with a fake name trying to prey on unsuspecting innocent little girls. Well, I'm not buying it, bucko! So put ‘em down!”
A fake name? Weirdo? Each word pierced my heart like an arrow. Am I really that bad?
Not willing to subject myself anymore to this psychological torture, I handed her the bags, trying not to wince when she nearly fell on her face from the weight. “Hey, maybe I should–”
“No! You stay where you are… I can… I can handle this…” Her legs were shaking and her arms quivering. Surprisingly, she managed to move a couple of feet into the park… before collapsing and scattering the contents of the bags.
I rushed over to her, making sure not to step on anything and crouched down to check on her. “Are you okay?”
She pushed my hands away, not meeting my eyes as she looked at the fallen groceries and trash. “I'm fine. I don't need your help.” She made a move to get up but hesitated, letting out a pained hiss.
She tried to hide it behind a snarl but I could tell she hurt something during that fall. My eyes trailed down, noticing the rather ugly bruise that was now exposed on her knee. It was purple, black and blue with a distinct white streak across it like something had drained the blood out of her. It was Pokémon inflicted, that much I could diagnose but from what, was a mystery to me.
“Are you sure? That looks a little–”
“I don't need your pity.” Charlotte glowered, trying to push herself up and groaning when she failed.
I wasn't discouraged, instead reaching into my backpack. I pulled out a tube of ointment, one made with medicinal herbs and various berries like oran and pecha to help with recovery and pain relief. “Here, something to help with the pain. A bruise like that can cause quite the problems for you in the future, especially if you leave it untreated. And I can't imagine it to be comfortable.”
She looked at the offered item like it was a trap but between my patient smile and genuine concern shining from my eyes. Charlotte caved, taking it from me and avoiding eye contact. She was quiet, still looking uncertain while she applied the ointment, only letting out a soft hiss of pain.
As she did that, I gathered up all the fallen groceries. Honestly, it was pretty fortunate her granny bought mostly canned food, with the few non-canned stuff being bagged instead. With how much my mom complained about food prices these days, I couldn't stomach the thought of having to throw half of these away.
Charlotte had gotten up at some point, the medicine doing its job rather well as the swelling lessened and some parts of her skin returned to their normal colours. Terra sure did know her stuff, made me wonder where I could get some for myself since last I checked Sandgem’s local stores never had any that worked this fast.
Now if only she could stop throwing them at me for safekeeping because she constantly misplaced hers on a weekly basis.
The little girl kept her head down, crouching low to sweep the junk and trash into her bag. I wanted to help but a particularly fierce glare was sent my way and I didn't wanna push my luck. When she was done, she took in a deep breath and walked up to me, eyes still locked on everywhere but my face.
“Th-thank you… for… the help.” The words came out slowly, as if she wasn't used to expressing herself. I couldn't help but smile at the sight of her reddened cheeks.
Aw, she’s so cute.
“You're welcome. I'm glad I could be of use.”
The tip of her ears went red as she fumbled with the trash bag in her hands before handing me the ointment. “He-here.”
“Keep it.” I pushed her hand away as she protested. “Take it as a token of goodwill. And besides, you're still gonna need it anyway. A bruise like that will need a few days to completely heal.”
“Right…” she said, an uncertainty staining her eyes.
A bout of silence settled between us and I let my eyes wander around. The park was empty, calm and devoid of people. There was a fountain in the center, sparkling under the sunlight, it looked well maintained and pretty. Trees were all around us, oak wood looming over us like silent guardians. I even spotted a few Pidgey and Swellow making the branches their home.
It was an unfamiliar but peaceful sight. One that released some tension from my shoulders despite my knowing that Swellow and Pidgey weren't native to Jubilife.
Ignoring the thoughts that were urging me to study this strange phenomenon, I looked back at Charlotte. The little girl was fidgeting with her poking stick and she looked like she was trying to find the words to say something.
“Why don't I help you hold onto these while you work?” I said. “I'll even be nearby so you'll know I won't just skedaddle with these.”
She chewed on her lips before nodding. “Okay, just sit on one of the benches. But… if you try anything…” Her threat didn't hold as much vitriol as it previously did, she mostly just sounded bewildered.
I only smiled and made to rest my legs, sagging into the firm yet comfortable benches. Letting go of the bags, I pulled out a bottle of water from my backpack and took a swig, the refreshing water cooling my tongue and stress.
Honestly, it really was odd, wasn't it? This whole chain of events. I hadn't expected to find Charlotte after helping a random old lady. It was weird, extremely weird seeing this side of her. I never could’ve imagined her to be so feisty, so filled with gusto and fire. She sorta reminded me of an angry Growlithe pup, prickly and constantly barking to hide her timid side.
I chuckled at the mental image before the memories of last night wiped away my mirth.
Last night…
The memory came to me. The memory of her crying, unresponsive and sobbing into the concrete. My fist clenched, the pencil shaking as I forced the anger down with a heavy breath. The flame I could see burning so vividly right now. It genuinely hurt me to see her like this and knowing what would happen tomorrow.
I'll save him for you, Charlotte. Just to keep that smile on your face. I nodded to myself, nails digging into my palm and solidifying my resolve. No matter what, I won't let another person lose their loved one!
“... Daisy! I thought I told you to–oh you're done already? Great job!”
Her voice drew me back into reality. I shook the cobwebs out of my head and turned my head. What I saw froze me in complete shock.
There, in front of Charlotte, was a small green Pokémon standing on all fours. Using vines that came from its neck, it dragged a garbage bag full of junk, smartly having used another vine to tie it up to prevent the trash from spilling.
Hi, I somehow never reviewed anything of you and this fic has been catching my eye for a while so here I am for the first chapter!
A Nuzlocke fic about Platinum where the human character is caught in a death loop is... Quite interesting. I'm always a fan of timeloop stories!
This sentence feels a bit strange to me, I'm not sure the similarity works. A roar and a howl are two very different sounds in my mind, so if the alark clock is "blaring", it can't also be "roaring" and "howling" at the same time.
The man who stared back with a pinched expression froze me right into my roots. He was tall, taller than the professor by half a head and practically twice my height. My breath hitched. The man looked dead, pale as a corpse. His cheeks were sunken, his eyes surrounded by dark rings like he hadn't slept in weeks. Despite his height, he was a skinny and lanky person, more bone than flesh with how his skin-tight suit stretched into his skin.
Well isn't that ominous... I'm going to assume Cyrus is responsible for at least one death/reset.
And since you mentioned the resets will happen at "checkpoints", that should mean he died really early in his journey...
Will it actually be a regional starter? Feels a bit strange that they just randomly had one of the three laying around without having been claimed already.
Look, sweetie. I know how much you've been looking forward to this day and I'm happy you got your starter.” A gentle smile creased her features. “It’s just… next time, try and stay with me a little longer before running off like that, okay?”
Aw, mom probably also wanted to enjoy her kid's special day by having breakfast with him and seeing him off, so it must have hurt to be dismissed like that...
*such an easy strategy
Also, I was a bit surprised that the starter actually *was* a Chimchar. Not complaining because Chimchar is nice, but it's not clear if it's also the first time for Cygnus to see what's in the pokeball or if he opened it off screen.
For just having received his first Pokémon and probably dying to know what it is, it feels a bit strange that he just pops the Pokeball open a couple hours later on the route and doesn't comment on it being a Chimchar.
.... How many other clingy girls following you around do you have, Cygnus?
This was a nice introductory chapter, though knowing that this is a Nuzlocke fic, there is always a small sense of looming dread and wondering when things will go wrong, so the fact that things go... Surprisingly well kinda helps in building it up a little bit more.
(Well, except for the implied dead...)
There were a couple scenes in the fic that I felt were strangely skipped or could use a bit more fleshing out, like the very first time Cygnus opens Sun's Poké Ball. It's supposed to be a monumental moment in his life after all!
Other scenes worked quite well, like the passing encounter with Cyrus (totally not waiting to see what mess with time and space he made *this time*, since for now my theory is that the deathloop thing is kinda his fault, even as just a side effects of messing with Dialga/Palkia).
I like the dynamic that Cygnus has with his rival, Terra; she's not the kind of rival like Blue or Silver where they are more enemies than rivals, but she also isn't too friendly like Hau or Barry.
She has the right balance of being a friend (and possible love interest judging by Cygnus's reaction) but also still being someone you want to actively surpass. Even if I'm a bit disappointed she didn't pick Turtwig, so in the future they could be Terra & Torterra and even have names to match
I figured poor guy was going to lose the instant Piplup came out and he was stuck Taunting it to bring the Bubble barrage lol
At least once the starters evolve their typings should make things more even. If they make it that far...
I'll definitely come back to read more!
