Like much in my life, there are few things that fill me with more annoyance than my odd sense of well, justice. Morals. I can be utterly and completely lazy one day, then the next go out of my way to help someone who I really should just ignore. Everything related directly to myself I am utterly and completely selfish. If I'm alone, I want to stay alone and forget about everything but whatever pleases me. Whether games, books, media, whatever. Once I'm outside and forced to be sociable its as if I am a puppy with a waggly tail, ready to do anything that is asked or directed to me. True, this is an asset at work and such, but it also means I almost never stood up for myself. Just smiled, turned the other cheek and let myself weather someone being a downright ass to me to avoid more confrontation.
So many stereotypes fit me as a typical geek/gamer that it is very, very odd that I've come to this. To a moment of actual bravery. The moment of my death. So much of my life was….Boring. Sedate. A few things hit their mark though. Reading so many books about chivalry and anime amazing. Seeing my parents rush headlong into charity work throughout the various disasters that hit my state as I grew up and even if it wasn't consciously, pushing a bit of that into being nicer to those around me. As if that was anything close to their real effort. But perhaps it mattered a bit going on in my afterlife. My pets loving me for no reason and showing me what joy a simple furry snuggle in my lap could be. Artwork that told stories through pixels and inspired me to imagine more than I could ever think possible.
All these little things that make me more me. Concepts that create the person who is about to end. Surreal shit I really don't know I want to be thinking of as I see fire and whatever this building is made of about to crush me. I don't have time for regrets just the idea of me being lost and a sense of sadness of what could have been.
But here, now, as this building is crashing down on me. As the girl I'm about to die for, a bit cute, but really rather plain is screaming while I push her out of the way, its blurry. How shit is that? Crying for myself even as I save someone? I can feel good about this right? That I'm not worthless. That my sin of sloth won't make me a footnote. She'll remember me. Yeah. We'll skip on past this now, apart from the brief, staggering bit of pain and into the whiteness that I didn't expect. Life after death really didn't interest me, truly, but now that I'm here its very much a thing of peace. Its funny how it changes immediately. How my identity was anime and pets and family and now I'm just at peace. Anxiety and despair are gone for the moment. Just curiosity and a sense of anticipation.
Why? Because I'm just nowhere. Empty and without color or every color. I was a person but now its just a bit of anticipation. Truly I've asc-
"So. Hrm. Why are you here? Seriously. You weren't supposed to fucking do that moron. She would have been miraculously spared in the exact spot you pushed her from. It would have inspired her to live her life to the fullest and deve-you know what forget it. You done fucked up. In a good way. Still a hassle." Oh. Right. Of course my first moment of true clarity and understanding is interrupted. See? This is why I was so slothful and happily alone.
Now, there is no turning in this wherever place, as I don't have a body, really. My consciousness more or less affixes...Rotates? Turns to this voice which, oddly enough, had a sarcastic, grating voice of a woman in her thirties or so. And in a flash there is just a room. A simple, stupid room that takes away any of my lingering enjoyment of the brief moment I had of something I'm absolutely sure monks would kill for after meditating years on top of a mountain. The being in front of me was disappointingly human, even if breathtakingly beautiful. At least for a moment. Going from a dark-haired, tall woman of exceeding elegance to a hag (very much broomsticks and boils), then to a small girl in a few instants. Which of course, is exceedingly unnerving. Which I'm only really thinking about because I don't -feel- it. I should be panicking right? Even if I'm dead I'm sure I should be panicking.
"What do you think? Of course you're dead. Yes. I can read your mind. Just. Stop. No more trying to figure it out. You'll explode your mind and I don't want your thoughts mucking up my space for eons. Its so hard to get mortal issues out of my headspace without some distance." None of this is adding to any sort of calm. The now deathly pale skinned woman just snorts idly and shows me how much she cares about my thoughts by steamrolling into her continued splurge of talking.
"I'll give you the info-dump. And for my sake just accept this place as proof of what I say."Before I can even think about snarking that said boring room is pretty pathetic as proof, the flow of the place changes like watercolors, leaking itself into a meadow of sunflowers in a full moon night. Then to a city I've never seen at sunset to a clubhouse with music that slams my not there body with some sort of beat that chatters my also absent heart with feelings of excitement. Which actually has us back in the very boring room as the now little girl across from me blushes a bit, waving at the air.
"That emotion is on me. Ahem. I am Fate. Or as close to it as you can get. There are a bunch of different aspects that affect humanity and they aren't easily labeled but you can guess some. Destiny. Death. Nature. Its not important. What is important is that you kind of, irked me. In this universe we're shaped by humanity, so we are fairly fickle, especially these days. And I could do without your thoughts about how useless you feel such concepts are without tangible benefits in the world you lived in thank you." Cue frowny deity person? She's a rather large and fit gal now so its actually more intimidating even past my lack of fear going on. Which is nice?
Regardless, I'm not known for my intelligence on abstract concepts, and judging by the deep frown on the now teenage girl with bright pink hair, I'm not pleasing her orders of 'stop thinking that way'. Regardless, I tried to speak or think at her or whatever, but again, its not to be. Wow. She really wants me to listen. Shutting up.
Ignoring my stray thoughts, the small toddler spoke with the same adult voice, freaking me out just a tad. "Look. I and my fellows are born of humans." Repeating yourself there. Cue blush, which is adorable despite everything and on she goes ignoring me.
"Essentially we are created by all that you are and the energy driven by all your lives. There's a power in inspiration that is heightened by hitting at the right time." Totally agree. Holy shit was the music in FF14 amazing when it hit the Emet-Selch fight in Ama- Okay she's growling at me before a deep breath followed, as if she were pumping her older, soccer mom body for a shock. "In actuality, I am fallible, just as a human would be. When you saved that girl, not only did you shift your destiny into something admirable from dreadfully average, but you also made hers that much more driven. Previously she would have done great things. Now? Its likely she's going to run a company that will cure...A lot of issues. Given that she'll dedicate much and inspire even past what was possible, its a gain of immense karma to put it into something you'll understand."
Her voice, still that rich timber I can't properly describe, flows over me with -weight-. Which considering the lack of body, is super impressive.
"...usually these things get more gravitas. Anyway. I can't let you go without a reward. And you'll get three. One for saving her life, even if she wasn't going to die. It is the action that counts. A second for saving yourself because you truly did change. And that's beyond worthy." At this, this deity, whatever, does smile at me, eyes lighting up in actual satisfaction of what it was I did.
"The third you get because you weren't supposed to die...Which is more about me feeling guilty than anything else so don't ask for a lot on that one. You can choose a world to go to for free. The place and time as well as origin for your first reward. Then something about that world that you wish to have that is going to happen but nothing crazy and there are consequences for asking a -lot-. Like being in the right spot to join Commander Shepard's team before the suicide mission. Or being in a place to finding a major plot point. And then some sort of personal powerup. I know you've read all sorts of stories about min-maxing things but if I don't set some limits you'll be here forever. More forever."
Wow she really is made from us! She wants to be lazy too! Oh. There's the glare again. She pauses then, back to a different, more normal teenage girls with rabid acne across her otherwise pretty face. Once more she looks a bit guilty.
"...take your time but keep in mind if you pick a different universe that I won't be there. I can only negotiate a bit with the concepts or actual deities there for so much. Even with infinite universes in some of such realities."
'Looking' at Fate, so many things could have pushed me to ask about or choose. So many worlds where I could be utterly selfish. Where I could have harems or rule the world. If I was reading this right, anything within the power of literally god, or goddess rather, could be mine within reason. Which to any good munchkin like myself means a -ton- even despite her restrictions.
But. But. That last moment of my life came back to me. Where I didn't know my path other than this woman would live no matter what happened to me. To Fate's smile of pride that in that single bit of time I changed. So, I did something smart for once. Even with her begrudging guilty statement. I asked politely for a bit of time to consider. Fate just smiled at me something warm and pleased
"Yell when you're ready." And with a pop, she was gone. Well not really, but its nice to imagine.
As if this whole thing wasn't introspective enough I now had what I think is eternity to choose where I would go. Just worlds that could be. Really, some of them were quite pathetic and downright stupid. Let's skip past some silly things. No need to linger.
As much as I was trying to remake myself here, already dead, I should have stuck to my strengths. Strengths that while in our world were rather useless to everyday, important life, could be amazing in a world of fantasy no longer fantasy. I'm not sure how long I thought there, turning my one true skill into a ruthless bid to gain a huge amount of power (but not being greedy) into my not yet existent hands but it was a while. Excitement filled me. Utterly. Such joy and emotion that I could both do something amazingly…..cool and at the same time do so much good for others especially with foreknowledge.
Did I just pollute her area? Oops. But its nice to feel something that I didn't feel often in life.
Yelling out her name felt good, so driven by what was offered. As if Fate was now what led me here as opposed to the distant idea that she could make a mistake. No. Not her mistake. My true and good choice. Without me noticing, suddenly she was there, now in the form of a very old and tiny woman covered in wrinkles that spoke of a good long life.
"I see you have an idea. Yes, you can go to the pokémon world. Every idea ever is a world someplace. Any dream every dreamed is a new universe. Now let's see what you're asking for." A brief pause occurs as another shift comes, curiously back to the pink haired girl from before.
"Born into the pokémon anime world ten years before Ash Ketchum is born and you into the Blackthorn clan. A good choice there and also accepted." How do you know that? Gasp! Fate is a pokémon fan! No glare this time? Its true! And even more so as she looks left, then right and whispers behind her hand. "Don't tell anyone but my favorite type is dragon. So I really like your choice."
Not knowing if she's fucking with me, I hastily continue as she doesn't interrupt, sensing that I want some clarification.
"Can I you get your old saved pokémon as your actual partners? That's a bit of pushing compared to a single or couple instances but then again pokémon isn't a ridiculously world ending place." This is what I was excited about. My one gift is going -hard- here. Min maxing and breaking games to create a team or strategy to destroy my opposition. Single player games were my bread and butter. And while the pokémon world is very much pvp in theory, I had a lot of ideas on teams. So, I'd pick twelve pokémon total from my files that I'd bred to perfection and gotten all my ideal egg moves on. She's born of humans. She has to know I'd take advantage of this. Without a blink suddenly my cherry colored 3DS is there, already on and in my pokébank. Perhaps its odd but I adored starting over various pokémon games multiple times even with very similar teams. Constant hours were spent getting shiny pokémon starter teams bred to perfection for my next adventure into the rich worlds of pokémon.
Perhaps Fate enjoyed the honest pleasure I had in looking over my pocket monsters as she didn't say a thing, just smiled gently as she felt myself pick and choose carefully. I guess I get to do it! Some of my choices were easy. Blackthorn meant a dragon starter and the one I picked had a very special addendum that she allowed me with a slight nod the second it entered my brain. Pokémon choice two and five were both my two and only shiny even if there were -so- many in my bank. Honestly, anyone would want to have at least one shiny on their team and I was planning on the relative safety of the city of dragons keeping my rare pokémon safe until they were strong enough to defend themselves and me. Two would both give me an in with a very important character and to help protect my mind early on. Five would be for a bit of transportation (though one could do that too, five was just likely faster), eventually and as a childhood dream and preference.
Number four was meant to help me deal with my dragon's weakness more in developing a resistance, as was six. I couldn't help but notice that one through five were all quite common in terms of popularity but fuck it. If this was my new life I was going to make sure I came about with my favorites. My seventh member was to correct a glaring weakness in my team's coverage as well as to give me someone to help train electric moves to number six. Eight would be quite possibly the most important member to my team in regards to security and information. Really, if my plan worked as I wished, number eight would be able to beat all but my last pokémon with guile. But mostly it was the possibilities with pokémon moves and abilities not being game mechanics that made the choice so tasty.
Nine would end up being helpful with transportation in a different way and one of the two team medics alongside three but very much more heavy on the healing that three's limited options. Three would help me more with diplomacy and my own personal growth. Ten I worried a bit about being too late in the list to truly grow stronger, but on the other hand with how dangerous they typing of this pokémon its probably better the rest of my team could wreck him if needed. Regardless, I needed ten desperately for number twelve if I didn't have any mega stones potentially or if I wasn't super op by the time I encountered twelve. Eleven would become another tank for the team, as only really two and maaaaybe six up until this point were clearly beefy more than fast and powerful. Also, another form of possible transformation.
And finally twelve. Every choice before now are decidedly strong and pretty stereotypical choices for pokémon fans. Twelve would be a test. As well as one of my favorite mons. A legendary. The only legendary on my list. Twisting my desire to its fullest, I assigned each pokémon their chosen moves, natures and abilities, along with another smirk at the question if they could have multiple abilities if I desired. Perhaps Fate enjoys fanfiction too? Turning my mind from that I noted down the first of my choices for emphasis.
Gible the Land Shark
Nature: Adamant (King)
Ability: Sand Veil and the hidden ability Rough Skin
Moves: Dragon Breath, Sand Tomb, Scary Face, Iron Head, Rock Climb.
Oh did I have practical uses for Rock Climb. Five moves. Could I use five moves? A look of utter annoyance at the stupidity of that thought from the now over six foot basketball player looking woman that is Fate gives me another grin as I go to amend some of my other entries. The King's nature was to give me a giant head start on power. I would need it in droves to affect the change I wished in the world at large. Because that's the goal going forward.
The change. I became this because I saved someone. And I liked doing it. Even if I wouldn't see my family or world again. They are distant regrets and if I could side eye the deity lady I would. Pretty sure she's pushing away all the sadness I would have at my lost life.
Patiently Fate continues to watch me (not reacting to my thought save for a small, soft smile), ever changing as she waits for my boon to be complete. Eventually everything was done. My choices made and the lists prepared. The first six would show up from my third birthday until my ninth, one in each year so I'd have a year or so to train each before the next. Also, my first two were slow evolving pokémon who would need the time to reach their peak. How I would justify having six pokémon before my trainer journey would be helped immensely by my last power up. Which should come as no surprise to anyone who is a fan of the series.
"I could feel your determination for it from my duties in the world twice over. I haven't peeked at it yet." Mentally gulping, I decided to be a bit more careful and thought before I 'spoke'. Seriously, this all will be so much more easy when I have a body again.
I always struggled with bettering myself. About being more than you were a moment before. My choice ties into what I want my ultimate destiny to be besides just a Blackthorn clan member. I wish to be an Aura Guardian. And not like Riley. As far as I know he just...Shows up and goes away never to be seen again. Admittedly I haven't seen much of the anime in ages. Much of my knowledge is from random wiki searches, fanfiction and odd youtube videos. As far as I know Aura in the word I wish to go to requires sacrifice, dedication and hard work to truly work for you. Its a superpower, yes, but it requires a pure heart and honest care for the world around you. I don't just want it to be...Power. Someday I wish to pass it on, to grow a positive force for good for pokémon and people alike.
Is this way, way different than the me from before? Absolutely. But I want it. To be something new.
And really, how many 'Teams' show up to ruin the world? And what stops them besides the league and G-Men? Do they even really make a difference when some snot-nosed idiot kid with massive good luck stops them at every turn? If I have my way Ash is definitely going to get trained in aura by Riley or myself. Then my new group of Guardians are going to be proactive against assholes and disasters. The passion must come through in my thoughts because Fate just beams at me as if I got five stars on my first grade homework. Its uplifting but also a bit condescending somehow.
"You've a wonderful idea there. And while yes you are stretching the boons more than I expected, they all fall within the spirit of what you pushed to earn the rewards with. Yes. It will be both a reward and a duty. I approve immensely. Especially since I don't have to deal with the consequences. Now. Are you ready to begin your new life?" Almost as if hoping for me to say no, her eyes gleam from blue to brown to green and back, seeking my consent. Here is where I almost wish I'd said yes. However, with the success of my gamer instincts working out so far, they screamed to ask for one more thing, but with a caveat.
You're made from us, right? Then can I ask for one more boon with a cost? So much of how we view divine beings is as fickle at times. This was a bit of a gamble, obviously. And I'd been given a lot already, but I was quite willing to give a bit of hardship for a chance to make my first years more productive. Change something of me that doesn't destroy my plans, merely makes them harder or shifts something in my life I don't exactly want...Something to amuse the deity perhaps? And in return give me all the practical knowledge I need for the pokémon I've chosen. Really, with some of my choices I really needed this. I wasn't going to be a single type master at all. Generalists require so much more help and while I got a lot of ideas of moves they can use, being able to provide actual care for them is an amazing idea.
Thus, while I was horrendously worried at the bright-joyous smirk Fate gave me, ultimately, I was content that she just nodded at my request even if it was with a grin that threatened to split the heavens.
"Well, since that's all, I do hope you enjoy your next life. My counterpart in that universe is going to enjoy seeing how you change things. It was a pleasure being wrong about you. So I won't make your detriment a true one. Just….an amusing one as you hoped." A slow wink and then I was gone, being sucked through the ether like the mother of all drunken amusement park rides. If I could throw up in my...spirit? Whatever I was. I would have. Moments later though, I was greeted by large people who seemed very happy to see me crying my eyes out and flailing my decidedly weak as hell limbs. And thus my new life began.
Three Years Later
Ella
Reflecting on things as a toddler is weird. Am I a toddler at almost four still? Or like...A kid? Whatever. Today I can -just- about escape the house. Anticipation is priming my small body because I'm certain I know what is going to happen soon. Today or tomorrow or surely not more than a week. But spoilers. First. The reflection. Before I came here I was three inches over six feet (that would have been way helpful in fleeing to the outside), somewhat chubby and decidedly male. It took me a few weeks when not freaking out about being a baby to realize I was female in this life, as mother (Hannah) and father (Rickard) spoke gibberish at me quite a lot until I realized what name they were calling me.
That's right. I am now Ella Mita of the Blackthorn Clan. Its very odd that the language here is so different but all the names are very Western European sounding for the most part. Whatever the case, after hearing my female name so often, I squirmed around to make sure the anatomy was as feared. Keep in mind that as a newborn I really slept far too much and when active it was to desperately learn the language and very carefully ignore someone wiping up after my uncontrollable messes. Move on brain.
First off, my mother is the older sister of Clair, and thus Lance is a first cousin of mine, the asshole kid that he is right now. Seriously, I'm a well behaved three year old and he adores teasing the hell out of me. Grandpa and grandma Wataru had my mom waaaaay earlier than Clair so she's only a few years older than me and Lance is a big butt head of a five year old right now. I don't know when Lance becomes Champion, but in seventeen or so years from now Ash will set out on his journey, I have those years to get myself up to Lance's level or beyond to help all the shit that will go down then. Assuming I don't forget it all by then. Hrm. I'll need to write this all down in English as opposed to Kantonese before my brain lets go of my memories of before.
Which...is odd. Even if I remember things from before its like they were another person. Whomever he was. I'm Ella. Probably a good thing really. The dissonance would be...Rough, I think. Again brain, move on.
Lance. Yeah. Lance right now is just a punk who thinks how serious I am is hilarious. The bastard.
Living here is everything I hoped. Dragons are everywhere and they fucking love me. No seriously. Wanna know how good a choice Aura was? Well. Lets just say that every single day of my pathetic first three years of baby time was spent focusing my will into understanding pokémon and helping them understand me. To show how utterly committed to this world I am. I knew dragons would be tough to befriend, but apparently most species, especially ones at Blackthorn, have great respect for hatchlings as they view us little pink baby trainers. In the wild its different. Trainers trump instinct and tradition is Blackthorn proper indoctrination. Well, for most species. There are outliers. Only when pokémon become threats or are proper annoying do they get smacked down.
I thus used said traditions to ruthlessly to endear myself to any and all dragons in my sight, both by taking my stupidly cute baby face along with the dreaded small growlithe eyes jutsu as well as stubbornly escaping my suffering parents rapidly more elaborate ways of trying to keep me away from the mass destruction monsters for these last three years. The thing about pokémon is that they know that trainers can make them utterly destructive and powerful. That something about us bonds with them. Increases their aptitude and ability past what they can achieve in most of the wilds. Without an Elder of their particular species or type its often impossible for a wild pokémon to match those trained.
Thus Blackthorn. Most dragons here from the vibrava to the dragonite give out their children in the hope they return home with their trainers with more power than their parents.
How does this work? True, humans tend to be much smarter than the majority of pokémon in one big regard. Adaptability. We can work with just about anything and find a way to survive. Such methods put towards training. Well. I stated the outcome already. This leads to my theory about Aura though. Lifeforce. So many Legendaries have aura or close to aura like moves. Aeroblast. Pure flying energy. Sacred Flame. Fire incarnate. Fusion Bolt. On and on the moves come. All considerably more powerful than normal moves of the type associated. I always though it was because of the sheer presence of the Legendaries and boy was I right.
Aura Guardians were always seemingly universally trusted as if Aura couldn't lie. The riolu line is a perfect example as everyone seems to agree they are just good. Whatever the case, three years of constant meditation and concentration in every spare moment have unlocked a good part of my spiritual aura. I'm positive I will be somewhat superhuman when I grow older in physical ways, but for now I'm just enjoying the fact that I can truly understand pokémon in a tangible way.
By the way, aura is very, very easy to use. Which I'm somewhat convinced happened because I'm a child. I know from my previous life that kids pick up things far, far faster than adults. Add that to my absolute desire in an anime world to be better and its made it shockingly easy to get the basics.
Thus, the dragons adore me, as aura means I am very easily trusted and that pokémon seem to get stronger around it. Not just in the physical sense either. Maybe some species in the past who were exposed to a lot of aura evolved into legendaries? Whatever the case, I am pretty sure that the giant egg that momma garchomp just laid is my starter. The blue-black egg warms to my touch and even shifts a little even if its clear it has another month or so before it hatches. The caretakers here are very interested in it as its more or less twice the normal size. Each of the dragon types here keep to themselves for the most part, but momma garchomp (as she's the biggest and baddest of the species) is known only to take a mate who defeats her in battle.
Do note I say caretakers but they aren't really. They're more like early warning scouts in case any of the Elder pokémon are in need of a fight. So its super hilarious seeing them panic at me just walking up to all the mountain monsters without a care.
I'm not sure who the father is yet though, but he must have been a bad ass to take on my starter's mother. I'm the only clan member who can approach Momma (I'm going to call her that from now on) which drives my parents nuts as Momma isn't tamed any longer. She's been here for four or so human generations when a former Champion died and left her someplace she adored in the past. While trained, she is not tamed. A few caretakers were mauled or close to for getting to close to her last batches ahead of when she wanted and one cocky ass hydreigon lost a head thinking he could take her as a mate.
Me though? She treats me like I'm her favorite daughter. Someday I hope I can actually talk with words to my pokémon like lucario seem to do with Aura, but for now I get emotions and general concepts. Hunger. Anger. Want to scratch. Etc. Learning her favorite foods and showing her how I can take care of myself even if I'm so little have gone a long way to showing her I'm worthy of her notice. Even as babies dragons are deadly and hard to deal with. From the way she is amused at my utter lack of fear of her to how frustrated and afraid my parents get for me have made her very, very interested to see if I can train her child to her level. The level she gained from her beloved lost master. Cause even if she's obviously very, very wild now, she remembers how she grew so strong.
Don't get me wrong. Momma is a fearsome, scary as shit creature that could destroy much of the city, as could all of the elder dragons here, but she knows how safe it is with the clan and honestly she doesn't see the point of fighting anything that isn't a proper challenge. As a dragon should be.
I've been glossing over them really, but my parents are...Good. They just aren't my original parents who, despite not understanding me, were extremely decent people who I loved. The first year of life was spent mourning them (once whatever bull shit Fate did wore off on my emotions) and my other family on Earth when I wasn't driven to learn my new language and harness aura. That being said, Hannah and Rickard Mita are some of the greatest people I've ever met. They deal with a lot. While Hannah was a former trainer who quit along her journey to train to become the Blackthorn Gym Leader in earnest, Rickard, my father….Well. He's nuts. Fantastic, but nuts.
Let me explain. First off, my last name isn't a Blackthorn name. There are a few famous ones. Lance Wataru for instance. (Read: Asshat) But Mita is my father's name and he's a normal type trainer who well, if he ever cheats on mom someday I fully expect Clemont in Kalos to be my much, much younger brother. Of course dad would die immediately as you don't cross dragons or their trainers. While Bill, Devon and Silph will always be the more well known geniuses who create some of the super technology in the world, my father is responsible for making a lot of it affordable.
Need a backpack that can store months of food for giant beasts of destruction to cost less than a car? Call Rickard Mita to make folding tech that small. Want the power to transport one of said monsters in a small little ball across the world for less energy than keeping your light on for half an hour? Get my old man to figure out a new way to make it cheaper. My father specializes in efficiency. And idiocy. If an idea gets in his head he won't stop until he's got it out of his head. It drives my mother spare and is probably responsible for her having a Lt. Surge reputation for violence all the damn time. God forbid that- Pardon. Arceus forbid that he misses date night. I'm pretty sure his absent minded nature is giving birth to the move frustration being created.
This leads to another bit of Fate being a bitch. I'm a young girl with bright blonde hair and purple eyes. If all goes well I'm going to have a massive garchomp as my starter someday. That fucking goddess took my admiration of Cynthia and made me into a chibi one. True, Cynthia is probably not much older than me right now but still! I don't actually know if she has violet eyes but the idea is stuck in my head. I am -so- dying my hair black later. Maybe. Also I'm not going to be thinking about my female parts anymore for a while. Day to day aspects suck right now. Not in….a bad way. Just different and weird.
But mom. She's scary, destructive and focused. And much like Momma, quite kind with me. Its safe to say that Lance, Clair and I are called prodigies from how quick we've progressed. Myself much more than the other two but that's to be expected. I'm much older than I appear after all. Mom has taken it the best. She grew up with dragons. She knows strength in small forms from birth and even if I wasn't expected to be this way she's done everything to support me, minus liking me hanging out with Momma as much as I have.
Random thought. While I am me from Earth I have noticed that I've picked up a lot from my parents here. If I have an idea I can't stop from seeing it through like my dad but like my mom I go about it very definitively and with a clear goal and methods to get there. Dragons might be all bout power and awe but my mother is absolutely more a tactical thinker. Frankly I don't know how dad snagged her. She's utterly beautiful and confident. Then again some of the ways he's made her life easier in simple, subtle ways tells me a lot. It helps that he is not at all intimidated by her or her pokémon. Oh! Their pokémon are great.
Mom has two dragonite, a hydreigon, a few of the flygon line that mostly just keep to themselves and my favorite, her starter, a truly awesome kingdra. Not because he's utterly powerful, which he is, but because he lets me ride him around like a jet ski without giving a fuck what my mother thinks. He recognizes me as a dragon hatchling already. The fifth or so time she caught us doing that was the point where she started pushing me to go further. She saw her daughter as what I really was, or at least what I was becoming. She has quite a few more lower leveled pokémon for gym battles, mostly offspring of her main team, but none of them are meant to stay with her. Eventually they'll be given to clan members or released into the Dragon's Den or the nearby area that hold the less aquatic dragons like Momma.
I suppose I should at least describe kingdra a bit more. Most of mom's partners are rather aloof save the hydreigon who is very fixated on my hair and the three heads tend to fight to tug on it. It'd be amusing if I hadn't seen the same dragon break apart boulders in a rage due to its food being late. Seriously. Kingdra though is a bit over half as big as the average of its species. More or less a seahorse on crack, its giant armored form can pretty much float anywhere. Its built for speed in the water and a tank on land. Honestly, he's quite the bad ass. The only bleh aspect is that one of his antennae was injured years ago and mother told me it took them the better part of the year after to compensate.
Father's pokémon are much more….Practical? I'm not sure what to call them. He's got two lab assistants that are an ambipom and lolpunny. A girafarig rounds out the last of his pokémon. All are trained to help him move things as well as delicate maneuvers with his various devices. The girafarig, Earnest, is easily my favorite as appears to be a theme, let me ride him quite a bit when I was younger. This was approved though, as Earnest would just take me around the house or so and entertain me with various psychic displays.
Oh and for reference, ambipom is a multi armed goof of a monkey and lolpunny is a very large and pretty puffball of a rabbit. Who walks on two legs. And is oddly elegant. Yeah okay I don't get it but eh. Earnest is basically a giraffe with two heads and insane psychic powahs! He can also be bribed with apples.
Before catching the science bug father was a coordinator oddly enough. I haven't yet asked to see any sort of routine but based on how flashy Earnest can be I would imagine they were impressive. Plus dad's personality would lead to some very unique ideas. Its not clear if he had more pokémon than just three but then again it gets expensive to have more. Maybe that's why I the games you so rarely go six versus six in trainer battles?
Oh my Arceus. Was my dad a cannon fodder trainer in some route for the main player?!
I need to process this. Reflection done! Time to sneak out and check on Momma. Adventure!
Hannah Mita
Life growing up for Hannah Wataru was something special. Not because she was lucky enough to be born in an ancient clan of dragon tamers. Nor was it her natural talent beyond even her likely head of clan status given how much further along she was than her generation. No, it was because she had parents so very much invested in her always. Most dragons are taught with danger and toil. To be pushed and pushed and pushed past limits as mere suggestions. Their true partners do not get luxury in any regards. And Hannah was no different save for one fact.
Her parents had been in a combat. And not just simple combat. Combat that truly was the worst any could imagine. Her world was peaceful compared to other ones in such incredible ways, not that she knew so. Thus when actual, destructive and worthless war hit a generation, things changed in ways that were dramatic and truly lasting. Only in time and generations of people and pokémon would complacency return. But not for Hannah. Her parents, die-hard subscribers to Dragon is Brutal came back with shame, relief and a new perspective that reflected the steel core of 'do not want our child to do this'. Thus they loved her. Cherished her. Taught her without the clan's usual sink or swim traditions. And because they were the leaders of many other survivors, they influenced a new way of the Clan. Hannah was just old enough to appreciate the difference and once she could truly understand it, she swore she'd pass it on to whenever she had children someday.
Azure-haired, bred from the main line of the Wataru, Hannah struck the post war Johto region by storm. Her first conference was only halted by the famous Red and even then she pushed him far, making sure the future champion didn't -just- have Samuel Oak's son Blue as a potential rival. Trips across regions led to her picking up foreign dragons that returned glory to her Clan and a husband that many didn't consider worthy until she started bringing power of a more scientific nature as well.
Names like Goodshow, Silph and Devon began to be joined by Blackthorn with wealth and influence in the business world. Most wouldn't understand why the unassuming man next to her beat out so many other suitors but like most of her clan, she cared exactly enough about a challenge. Which given she chooses her love and no one else? There was -no- challenge in her view. The shy, but determined man who refused to let her pedigree influence his desire to know more of her thoughts and dreams meant no one but Rickard would give her a future.
Even if her parents died early, lost to echoes of their enemies in that horrible, horrible war, Hannah didn't let it defeat her. Power is gained through sacrifice. And her parents fell together against something they chose to defy. Their daughter would never forget, nor let any Rocket she found live past giving up more of their ilk but she would never anything tarnish the memories of her beloved family.
They left behind her almost infant sister Claire. A precious girl who is more her daughter than sibling, even if her aunt and uncle raised her with her brat of a cousin Lance. That is the true tragedy. That Claire would never experience how their parents changed.
Is it any wonder that she would be just….A tad overprotective of her own daughter? Of Rickard's hair upon her face, scrunched up and wailing in her arms? How could she forget that moment. Of Kingdra and hydreigon stuffing four heads into the door so roughly that they had to crack the wood to get out. Of her husband's shining smile, so rare and pure. Of knowing she would be named after her mother. Ella. Of Rickard's. Greta.
Watching her grow up and becoming brave beyond her years. Dragging her hair from vibrant blue to surely greying more and more.
All this Hannah thinks of as she stares at yet another escape through the back door.
"Rick. I don't want you out of your lab until we have an Ella proof door." Her tone isn't cold as ice. Ice is evil. Instead its properly wrathful. Her husband isn't backing away from fear. No. It is admiration for her strength. Of course. To view it from further away and respect the majesty of it. Absolutely.
"What would you have me do? Our daughter isn't going to care about it. Didn't you start trying to get her to be afraid? Learn caution? Even if you had the gym psychics watching to make sure she doesn't get tossed into a well or something, you have to know what you are encouraging." Its beyond annoying that her mate makes sense when she wants things to follow her directive and nothing else. Scoffing, she trails fingers up the lock, seeing where their not even four year old managed to jiggle the bolt somehow. She suspects collusion from one of her partners. Likely hydreigon given how often he's not allowed to play with the hatchling as much as he liked. Even if he's remarkably calm for his kind, that's very, very rough compared to say, a growlithe.
"I just want her to be a kid longer. You know how training changes you." There is a pressure to it. A feeling of power that is beyond just, calling for a rock smash. While she was spared the war that shaped her life without her having to suffer it, she grew up knowing the value of feeling her family's love.
"But she's not just a kid. Even without the expectations she'll have despite your desire otherwise, you know your daughter, love. From the moment she could move she's never let her love of pokémon be anything but her first priority. She's smarter than I was and with great humbleness I would say that's incredibly impressive." Rickard's voice hushes a bit, not quite awe-filled but more introspective with a curiosity that makes him so, so cute. Not enough to distract her from her fury at him making -more- sense but he's going to get little sleep tonight for certain. She'll need to get rid of her stress she's sure. His voice draws her back from the distraction. "She's very likely got natural Aura reserves. Everyone has some, certainly. Physics say our fleshy bodies shouldn't survive pokémon even with friendly encounters. We are not more durable than rock by biology but we can take pokémon affection far more than said rock. But Ella? Skybright… Even past being your daughter, she is beyond talented at every interaction. She just knows how to treat anything and anyone she encounters. If its not Aura I'll eat my hat….If I had one."
Right, she must buy her husband a hat. Sighing, her feet shuffle as if she were about to dance, a leftover habit from when she trained dodging with her team. Nowadays they have beyond impeccable aim but striking her was quite the failure and she made sure herself to understand how much damage her partners could cause at the same time. Perhaps then she should stop letting her caution stand in the way of what she already knows. Her daughter is already ready for hardship. Even with her precautions, she's seen Ella take hits and not give out a single cry. Seen her suck up pain and understand the mistake or accident and comfort even her partners from it.
"Fine. But you're helping-oh you fled." That won't save him tonight. Nope. Idly making a mental note to get him to get in touch with their contacts in the Lucario Kingdom just in case, the bluenette reaches for her cape, becoming the Leader as she yells out for her starter. Watching him trumpet from the waterfall near their house draws a smirk across her face as she strides up the mountain. Her brat is going to be with the Monster on the hill of course. Of course.
Ella Mita
Pokémon generally don't view time as we do, especially the older living ones, and I'm here to live with them, not people. Might as well get situated like that. Ahem. So the month I thought it would be until my starter arrived? Turns out that its more like right now. My starter is coming and Momma is showing her displeasure at my parents trying to take me away. Seriously, kingdra and her are almost throwing down.
"Baby. Get away from her. You don't poke friendly nesting pokémon much less her." Nuh uh. I'm ignoring you mom! Look at this big giant pokémon that's going to love me as much as I love them!
I hadn't noticed it, but the ribbons mother has been putting in my hair apparently have a tracker my dad made up within them. Look at them. Working together. I'm sticking my tongue out at them as they try to get closer to me right now. Despite how well spoken I am and how mature I act, I can still be a kid! And kids do stupid shit all the time. Plus how long will I be able to use childishness as an excuse? Not long I say. So neeeeeeeh to them. Its their fault for not believing me when I said my starter was coming way early. Time to gaslight.
"But mommmm, Momma would never hurt her new daughter? That's me right Momma?" Hit the big monster with a grin and a pure blast of love towards her and her newly coming gible! Hah! Take that Mom. Big hammerhead pokémon between you and me! I shall apologize later. In like a decade.
Coming from their point of view I can understand this quite a bit of course. A three year old hyper intelligent child who regularly hangs out with a garchomp that could probably wipe out my mother's whole team by herself. Momma is that bad ass. Still, my mother is….Fierce. I love her to death for getting up close and yelling at Momma as she was. Time to use my ultra cute self to diffuse things. Hug the egg. Hug it well! Look at their faces.
"Mine! Stop scaring them!" Of course the egg just burns with want to come out and see the world. But I'm not done manipulating them. So your sacrifice is respected future bad ass dragon baby.
With the very gentle way Momma nudges me away to check on the egg I think mother got the idea right finally. She stops looking at me as her daughter again, much like that day with kingdra and resolved to judge me as if I were a new trainer. I think. She's cocking her head at me and does that stare all mothers have that looks straight into my heart to see what she needs to give me. That's what a mother does. Gives. And turns to glare at dad for some reason...Along with eww. I don't want to feel that from you towards dad Mom! Quite disgusting.
Moment ignored. Big X. Ignore. Oh thank Arceus. She's walking over after bowing to Momma. Who. Wow. She nodded back slowly. Fuck. She only does that in respect. Ahh! Cracks!
There aren't appropriate words here. Sure, I can look at it and see the glow. The anime moment made real. There is -power- here. Its not easy to speak of if I didn't have an outside perspective. How else could you believe that this giant shark next to me could bend the earth like it was putty? Or that kingdra often makes words in the air for fun with just his abilities? There is something sacred going on as the pokémon who will be my whole world emerges. All mouth and nubby limbs, my gible peers at the world in sureness. There is no hesitation from her, giant compared to her usual size as she bites hard on Momma's outstretched claw, taking the berries offered without even a beat.
Soooooooo coooool.
"Hungry! Give!"
What.
What the fuck.
"She's hungry!" Don't look at me like that Mom. Momma. I'm not stupid. Really I'm not. "No no! She said hungry! And then give."
Wow I feel warm. So...does everything. Momma is such a furnace of steady power. Mom? Is that you? That's a lot of love. Holy crap. And dad? Hah! You're already distracted by other things. Typical dad. Oh. That's my journal….That could be bad.
"Ella darling. Have you always been able to talk to pokémon?" The mom tone was in full force at this. Not so much the one where I knew I was in trouble. More along the lines of hey, my kid quite possibly might be a genius in a way I didn't already know and holy shit I'm panicking about how I can relate to them about this tone. Cause starter. RIGHT. THERE. Nevermind she's wrecking the pile of food that Momma brought with single-minded need. Because I know she's mine. And she feels it too. Its just not as important as food, which is fair. She's like two minutes old.
"Mm. Yes. Almost since I could walk mother. Sort of. It was more like shadows. Something I could see part of. This was a word! Two!" Play up the innocent daughter act here. Its sorta real! Seriously. If there is one thing I am enjoying about this new existence is fucking with people. Of course right now it was all damage control, but I've been getting Lance in trouble for being a prick for a year now with this look. He pulled Clair's hair last week for the fifth or so time. Sure, Clair turns into a bad ass later, but right now she's a sweet girl who enjoys combing my hair every chance she gets. I'm the only one in the clan with blonde hair at the moment and she's fascinated by it. Her bright blue hair is so much more pretty than mine but yeah I'm probably freaking out right now cause Gible is not in my arms yet! Must hug the shark.
"Honey, I need you to be very open about this and tell me if you feel anything else when you talk to all the pokémon. Emotions? Can you hear words? Do you notice things before they...How do I say this? Do you know someone is coming before you see them?" Something must have shown in my face because while emotions and words I knew about from the lucario movie and episodes, the sensing people before I visually notice them was something I hadn't noticed but made perfect sense.
Again I can't quite explain that some things are simply natural now. I'm Ella. Not the me from before, so every instance of knowing things just makes sense. As if it was always there. Which is slightly weird if I cared more about it. Which I don't. Probably new person fuckery. But who cares! Starter! Still. Pay attention to mom.
Nodding slightly as if confirming that I was the next coming of Aaron, she shared a look that married couples have with my dad results in her trying to get closer and probably pick me up but Momma has had enough. One claw stays near her daughter as she growls hard, a warning and not true intent before her voice comes out. Is there really something magical about starters? Because I've been able to communicate with pokémon pretty much from birth but Momma's voice is so smokey and rumbly.
"Hatchling. Speak. Tell. Mine is yours. Yours is mine. Respect. Bond. Or else."
That's not ominous. Nope. Er.
"So uh. Mother. I think...Momma says that I'm hers? And that…" Hands wave at the still ravenous gible, "She's mine. I told you that but its more a uh...Warning from Momma. Big warning."
Hey, I don't need that glare Mom. I'm just being a good girl and translating. Yes.
"Very well daughter of mine. Brat. Welcome your starter to the world." There we go. Be dazzled by my smile.
I hop out of Momma's shadow to get close to mine. To see her truly. She's devoured enough that I can feel her start to appreciate the connection we share. Even past taking care of her eggs all this while, there is a cord of something between us. Family. An ache that is finally easing into new strength. My fingers move to stroke across her rough skin, not caring that it hurts as he see her eyes truly focus upon me fully.
"Zaela. Your name is Zaela."
Some Time Later
We're off to see Nurse Joy! Who is a bad ass. Of course she is if she has to live with the Clan.
The short story is that our Clan's Nurse Joy whose partner is a lucario with a scarily strong heal pulse I get to train with! Cause the aura stuff is out of the bag and I need training. Or so Mom insists.
Even though I would totally insist if it wasn't offered. Cause magic pokémon powers.
Why our Joy has a lucario rather than a chansey or blissy? She has to deal with grouchy dragons all day long. She needs something with a bit more punch and that can take a beating getting her out of dodge if things goes south. Seriously, Lucario is nearly champion level with the amount of training she does. All wise sayings and stuff that really amount to being pretty upset with me. Not upset actually. More like resigned?
Cause I guess I'm a natural. Which is unfair because I put in the effort! Its nice seeing her not treat me like a child because I definitely don't have a problem focusing but I think she may be a bit grudgingly jealous of how easy I pick up concepts. Most of what aura is, is concepts and those are something my adult brain can churn out super easy.
But! Zaela! Her! I need to stop getting distracted. This whole thing should be about her. Most gible are average just above two feet when they reach their maturity in the base evolution. They roughly double their height and triple their weight to a gabite and about 1.5 that to garchomp. But that's a normal gible. There is a bit more growing before the evolution but that's roughly the average they reside at before becoming more. My darling Zaela is taller than me at four feet and a few inches and outweighs me by….A lot. She's dense. King's Nature I'm told will slow a bit more in her later evolutions but I'm looking at an ten to twelve foot garchomp when she's fully evolved (if not bigger) which is at the very least four feet more than the regular size. Momma is about eight feet, but she doesn't have King's Nature and let me know she got this big by living as long as she has.
Here is the AMAZING though. Lucario thinks I've been channeling my starter aura the entire time she's been developing so even past the bits of regular pokémon talk that I've been getting ever since she hatched. Words flow from each of us so easily its as if I'm psychic. Its not, as it more or less is a universal translator that only tunes into Zaela….But its there. Even now she's telling me that kingdra is swimming over to our home near the Dragon's Den from visiting his mate. My sister desperately wants them to have babies so she can fight them. Currently there aren't any hatchlings around Zae's age and she's already spoiled on the idea of being the strongest Gible in the history of gibles. I…..may have explained how rare King's Nature is and it went straight into her dragon pride and inflated it past safety levels.
Given Momma's stories or rather feelings of her past (actual sentences are not easy for pokémon) I would imagine this should be expected. While not a king (or is it queen?) herself, Momma is a massively fantastic example of the garchomp line. Or is it Gible line? Which one is proper-Actually I'll just go with the final form as my preference. Standing just over seven feet and probably a half more than the usual weight, Momma is covered in scars and one of her odd jet-looking horn thingies is missing a bit of tissue from a bite from something effing massive. If I ever get down aura talking to any and all pokémon I'm going to find out how she got it. One thing not exactly shared in the games or anime is that pokémon are not all the exact same color. While not shiny really, Momma is definitely a darker blue than most garchomp I've seen. Zaela shares her coloring almost to a capital T. Momma's scales even have some odd sort of stripes that probably evolved from the environment her former trainer caught her from as she already made it clear Blackthorn was not her original home. Oh. Come to think of it there are no other gibble, gabite or garchomp here. Huh.
Moving on, a few more things to note. As I said Zaela is much bigger than me. I should not be able to control her save for the bullshit that is aura and Momma herself. Honestly, Zaela could eat me in one bite if she really tried. Imagine a three year old petite (for now hopefully) pretty girl with a newborn gible the size of most gabite running around and roughhousing without a care in the world. I worry I'm getting cocky, but only time will tell.
Zaela's voice is so warm. Not like say, as you'd imagine heat. But as if I didn't know I had a relationship that could make me feel so whole. I was alone. Now I am not. It isn't quite being a new person together (which I have experience with) This is hard. Its truly indescribable. It makes me wonder if this is why starters are so special to people even more than when she hatched. That maybe they feel a bit of what I do. Never am I so grateful I chose to be here. Zaela is everything now. She knows it too. Even now I can sense her pushing warm fluffy dragon thoughts at me. Not say, that she loves me, but that to celebrate our bond we'll kill some poor animal and feast together as sisters. Oh. Right. Pokémon don't eat pokémon here except in the wild.
The ecology (that the right word?) of this world is so strange. Obvious carnivores can eat berries like gluttons and then use energy attacks that have to come from somewhere. There are actual animals. About what you'd expect. Cattle and the odd regular birds and such. The only reason they've survived when so many pokémon exist to eat them is that other than bugs most pokémon take quite the while to mature to be a true threat compared to how utterly quick regular animals breed. Think rabbit level stereotype for anything that isn't a pokémon. To be honest I'm not going to look into this subject until I'm starting my journey. Even if I know that Zaela and I will be hunting deer and up for her food. My dragon will be trained but definitively not tamed.
The first few days after she was born were actually absent of Momma's aid. Apparently the garchomp line are very hands off with their offspring as the deserts they usually inhabit have zero natural predators for them. Dragons thrive in hardship so its actually much more beneficial for them to find their own way. Dragonite are one of the few exceptions as one can often find them in mated pairs with two to three offspring. Momma, however, is ridiculously proud of Zaela and couldn't stay away from her favorite human (Me! Yay!) and by her own admission, the strongest hatchling she's ever bore.
Ever consider that game mechanics have bearing to actual methods of life? For instance. Before exp share was around in the pokémon games you would toss your pleb new pokémon in front of your stupidly leveled one-shot everything starter and boost them like mad. It works here to an extent. In the wild dragons grow quite slow. As I said earlier, trainers bring out potential wicked fast but that's usually just base stats. At first. Once teammates learn moves its infinitely faster to teach them to new pokémon because pokémon impart understanding through battle. Its an actual sort of study. That's how new moves are brought out in battle. Sure they aren't mastered. That takes time, but spontaneously learning a new ability in fights is not rare at all. Applying it in different ways is where things get interesting.
And since I'm a munchkin, before Zaela hatched I spent a good six months trying to convince Momma of what I wanted for her daughter's life. I didn't flat out tell her that I was from another reality but remember my paid for by losing my gender knowledge. I am a garchomp line breeder and physician in all but name.
Treating her various old wounds, increasing her diet to make Momma healthier. Showing her ways that would aide her instincts to taking care of my not yet hatched starter and even showing her new paths to use her abilities to make it that much more hard for any other dragon in Blackthorn to match her convinced her. Eventually. Watching me talk to Zaela from the first magical contact to easily dealing with the snappy nature of the line as well as not being afraid to push my starter the exact amount before actual detriment? Even if its only been a few weeks? Yes, Momma was ready to help me in my plot to make Zaela a legendary in strength. Fighting against her usual instincts of old to abandon Zaela to the wild. Thus, my not so little gible started to learn every move Momma knew.
Oh, Zaela couldn't use them at all, no, but essentially I'm giving her a massive head start when she evolves which sadly, due to my plan, probably won't be for years. Not only do I want to squeeze every bit of training into every one of her forms to make the next stronger but I actually didn't consider that a King's Nature dragon is even slower to grown than a normal version. Whatever. When she's grown she's going to shit on Lance's whole team. Okay. No more Lance bashing unless he stays an ass after puberty. Really, he's super fucking cool in every instance I met him in the games or even the anime. I'll stop now.
Zaela is nipping at my hair now. Hah! I can use that as an excuse to keep it short!
"Me! Look! Me!" Sadly Zaela isn't the most amazing of conversationalists yet. Baby still!
"I'm always looking at you Zae. Dragon sister. Come on. Lucario might teach you steel things if we're lucky. I know you sort of know iron head but we can make it match how stubborn you are."
Look at her perk up. While she doesn't quite get what I'm saying, she is very interested in getting stronger. It doesn't take that much longer to reach Joy's house. Given how she's on call so often, she's actually got a pretty amazing location for her and her wife's home. Spacious and open, she both has to have multiple places to leave the place or allow entry. Lucario is already waiting, looking immaculate as always with obvious care given to her fur. I know for a fact that she wakes up early to both do katas and apply all the pampering with brushes that could scrape my skin off.
"Hi Lucario! I'm ready to defeat you at last!"
Deep sigh. "For the last time, we are not fated rivals. And I'm not even teaching you combat moves."
"That's not true. Katas are moves. You can't trick me with just heal pulse."
"All those kata do is help you run your aura through your body. While fighting is fantastic for pokémon, you should not adopt that towards your human sensibil-oh forget it. I know you won't listen." She's great. Because she's already getting up to guide me despite me being me.
"Okay Zaela. Let's work on making the ground like the water where Kingdra lives. I want you dipping and a diving!"
"Dip. Dive. Duck. Dodge. Remember. Wait. One more?...Forget. Plan Bite!"
Hah! You've fallen into my trap Lucario! Loyal minion Zaela has used bite and oh my starter is flying now.
It was totally worth those extra hours last night teaching Zaela how to understand there are things in the future. Not just the present. There was a lot of bribes specified that she'd get them later as things to look forward to. Which made this plan fantastic cause she learned she could look forward to a battle too!
Baggy eyes go away. Cause seeing Lucario be that grumpy is glorious.
Many months later
Time passes so, so fast but its glorious. Day to day becomes more structured. I forget things that aren't Zaela. Birthdays. Holidays. Everything is pokémon and its very, very lucky that this world is so focused on it. Regular school is half pokémon stuff and the rest is the usual. But! Given that kids are sent out at ten years old? Its hyper condensed. And kids are encouraged to test ahead. So I'm more or less done with all the schooling I would need to go on my journey even six years ahead of time. Considering Tate and Liza in Hoenn were gym leaders at some screwball age? Its not incredibly crazy that I already am that advanced. Even if Dad is giving me all sorts of side eye that I could do without thank you.
Despite how much knowledge I have of my gible it doesn't at all account for her personality, obviously and that is a bit of a hurdle. Luckily both my mother and Momma kicked our butts all over the place to get us in line. I may be four finally, but its pretty obvious to all that I'm 'special' in a good way with how much I've been letting my mouth run even past not caring about the school stuff.
Most people I would imagine would be more cautious but fuck it. If I'm going to break some skulls later in this world I've chosen to live in I can't waste time. Consequences can take a King Garchomp middle finger. And other things. After all, I am hoping to have my full team evolved before people really understand what a threat I could be.
That doesn't mean I'm not going to have fun though! Oh do I have fun. All the things that people would imagine being a pokémon trainer would be? How awesome it is? It pales to the reality so fucking much. Every day is full of harsh training, sweat, curses and tears at how difficult the next step could be….But then you see this creature who adores you and is under your sway… So cool. Its not like she's a slave or anything close to that. We're a team. We're sisters. We watch out for each other.
Training though!
Lets start with Zaela's nature. When I chose adamant it was to min-max obviously. To make her most powerful moves save draco meteor someday have the biggest stat boost. I should have questioned what it meant for her personality. Its not that its bad exactly, but that she's very, well, adamant. If she finds a goal, she's stubborn beyond arguing. Almost beyond reason. She doesn't budge. Usually its for good reason but explaining that she should wait till her scales are thick as can be in a year to learn endure? Yeah that was a month long argument. I'm never letting her watch league matches again. It wasn't even a fucking dragon that used endure. She just didn't get what happened when a machamp didn't get knocked out and I explained without thinking of the consequences. It took knocking her out for two days in a row constantly to get her into the mindset that she should become stubborn about something else for a while. Once she saw that she wasn't just hanging on like the machamp was, it got better. But I had to explain that the epic moment wasn't possible without effort she couldn't yet reach.
Its still honestly a work in progress.
Back to my training plan though. The ultimate goal for most of my pokémon is terrain control no matter where they are. Zaela hates that we go swimming every other day but I reward her with her favorite foods regularly as bribes. Sandstorm was her first taught move after her egg moves and she's not allowed to let it drop in a fight until she's nearly out. This is the basis of what I want from her. While she'll be massive someday and able to more or less bully other pokémon with simply her size I'm never going to neglect tactics first.
Power has a place, but a double team scary face swagger into dig sounds fucking nasty doesn't it? Earth power is the next move in her pool along with flamethrower. Why give her special moves when I purposefully made her weaker at? Terrain control. If I'd known what I knew then now? I may have decided things different. Actually no. I can't imagine Zaela any other way. And I don't want to.
Moves don't have to be attack-heavy to be useful. Double team, scary face, swagger into dig while a sandstorm is going on. None of those are directly attacks. Let's add earth power and sand tomb to make it even harder to get out of a biting sandstorm and then toss out a sunny day (her next move after flamethrower) to boost her flames and you are cooking her opponent in a furnace she has complete control over. She doesn't have to maintain the flamethrower then. The sandstorm above and the earth she traps them in will contain the heat and even then they need to get past her massive jaws to escape. A bastardized smack down with rock slide/stone edge is a goal for flying types later. Its nasty, nasty and she loves how dominating it is. That I'm showing her that subtle, less direct moves lead to that 'epic moment' is helping immensely.
This is why I wanted her seven years before my journey starts (assuming I don't go early like some kids are apparently allowed to). In this I was pretty lucky as her nature means she is all for becoming so strong that we can crush elite teams from the get go. Most kids right now just know pokémon are cool and they deserve cuddles. So its good that time is a bit slower for most pokémon. Humans almost never outlive the majority of stronger species. So really I can afford to be patient and so can she. Just to clarify, some of the abilities she's learned are tms. Well. My mother is a gym leader and my father is a well known inventor. Guess who is likely responsible for permanent tms in the future? Yep. Dad. Plus Momma knows a guzzlord of moves from her former Master. Yep. I'm cheating with style.
As to who we train against? Between sparring with kingdra's twins (hatchlings finally) and eventually taking on the lower level strains of dragons in the Den and Blackthorn at large, I've started letting Zaela begin making her way through the wild pokémon around the city. It doesn't happen often with me around as I am still four. Genius or not (as my parents see it), they put their foot down on a lot of things that I can't blame them for. Aura I might have, but I can't do shit for myself in defense against many things right now. I tire easily compared to an adult, even if I am so much more durable than a normal four year old.
Come to think of it, I'm a bit afraid I'm scaring them. Even if I can't tell from how their aura pulses. I spend most of the day with my starter and never do normal kid things. What are even normal kid things in Blackthorn? My other examples are Claire and Lance. They both train intensely for their age. Even if not as crazy as myself.
Then again my father is so odd in the way he thinks that I can understand how mom is the only one who shows real stress if only rarely. Still, I'm going to have to go be a good daughter for a day or so at least a day a week. I can't just hang out with mom for training, even if it is the biggest passion for us both. We're like dragons in like. Imparting through battling. Through action and intent. Urgh. Deep thoughts! Nooo!
A few more things about pokémon abilities and such to ignore boring introspection. Not just abilities like rough skin (which fucking sucked in Zaela's hyper first few weeks. All she wanted to do is cuddle. I eventually found a way to do it. Its called heavy leather clothing) but in terms of learning and what is written in the pitifully small entries in the game pokédex. I'm talking not of a species ability but what they can do. Example! Momma can indeed fly, and its glorious. If my parents ever found out how far I've actually been from home, well. Mt. Silver is cool. Lets leave it at that. However, she more or less told me it took her years to be confident enough to actually carry a passenger. Essentially the same way dragonair fly is the way garchomp fly. Dragon energy bullshit. Gyarados too hopefully!
Earth truly does part for ground types as if they were an earthbender, even if an actual move isn't used. Flying types can act as if they are fighter jets minus actual physics and lets not even get into the bullshit that are ghost types. If it weren't for type energy infused into something ghosts could literally never be harmed. Zaela is fascinated by fire. Dragonbreath is something I wanted her to have because status effects are such a clear trump card against stronger foes. Even if her dragon type fire is weak compared to her physical moves, its still something to have to cause issues for an opponent. Yet another reason she loves fire is that I finally got to meet her sire. Or the aftermath rather.
Charizard are cool. And her sire is wild. Where he came from I'm not sure, but if he could beat Momma in a fight? When he showed up to get down again, I assume, Momma for once made it very clear that I was not welcome around her den for a while. Neither was Zaela. Even if I appealed to Momma in ways that I can only call aura influenced big eye attacks, I got the feeling that dadbad was infinitely less agreeable. Volatile does not begin to describe her sire. I learned this all after the fact and from seeing the destruction of the area around Momma's den when I was allowed back. Zaela of course just saw how destructive fire is and thus her Furnace combo was born.
Due to how vulnerable she is to ice, way more than fairy, we won't be starting training against it until her evolution in a few years. My second pokémon choice who should arrive in a few months, along with the third a year after will help combat those threats. I didn't seek to build a team of single fighters even if Zaela will seek to be that and test my patience. I chose to be a group that will support each other. So two and three will help her immensely against the cute ass fairies and evil, evil ice. My second pokémon is going to be another slow burn choice and will also help me keep my thoughts my own when I start making more of a name for myself.
Even now I hear whispers about me when we go about the city away from the Clan compound. It used to be mostly about how cool and bad ass my mom is but its hard to ignore the little doll of a girl who has a massive gible following her around like a puppy. Smart or not, hiding is something I refuse to do. Both dragon tamers and aura guardians do not hide from the world despite its danger. A dragon dares the world to break it. And an aura guardian stands in front of the world to protect it. While in a battle I'm going to be unfair as fuck to my opponents, never will I let my partners feel as if they have to be hidden. Given how rare some of my choices are in this world? It just means I have to be strong. Which was the goal anyway. And be proactive. Eventually.
Though. Even if I'm not hiding, I'm not exactly giving out free shows. Most of what I need and like is within walking distance of home.
The next few months will be more of the same, perfecting what Zaela is fixated on and slowly teaching her how I think. Its hard, true, but I've had a few conversations with Mom that suggest I have it way, way easy. I didn't believe her until she showed me some scars from her team that were simply because they misunderstood an order when she couldn't talk to them as well as she thought. And some explanation of dancing that I didn't quite get. Mostly cause Zaela was being cute trying to copy her movements. Wait. This is blackmail for when she grows up. Shit. Keep a camera on hand. Always.
Of course mom hasn't seen the few scars I have of fangs on my shoulder and neck from similar experiences but...Its nothing compared to hers. Some of her wounds looked so close to fatal.
I've grown so much closer to her. Awakening my aura in full just cuts out misunderstandings and shows me all that people feel. She loves me. So much. Dad is there and he adores me in his own way that really speaks to me. That he sees me as a person. Not just a child. Despite how far Mom pushes me, she still sees me first as a kid. Dad sees beyond that. Its a fantastic balance between them both.
But Mom hits different. Because dragons. All who are Clan are dragons. Pokémon or not. And my mother is fierce about me being all that I want to be. Evil tears. A weight. A power of community and belief. Even in my previous world a group of people united were impressive and scary. Here? In a world of anime? Its humbling.
Off to have fun and not let this get me thinking too deeply.
Today Zaela's training is somewhat repetitive in one aspect. She's perfecting the same moves as well as learning new ways to use it. We'll apply this to other moves later but today sand tomb at the base of the lake in our swim makes a fake of sorts whirlpool that is hilarious as a prank. Someday when she's stronger it will be a legitimate strategy.
"Okay...Okay...Now!"
"Take this drat!" Down goes the sand tomb underwater. And even if we can't hear it I can totally tell dratini's crying out in betrayal and despair as he's sucked into a mush of mud and muck. Alliteration is your downfall!
"Think Lance will be happy we gave him more practice cleaning Dratini scales for the third time in a week?" Oh the look on his face is glorious. Of course the answer is no, but speaking to Zaela is slowly improving everything about her communication skills. A big part of her education going forward is teaching her fun. Through pranks. Not going to bite me in the ass every. Nope.
I can't help it though. She was born with mischief in her veins I swear.
"No. That's why its funny. Silly sister." Hey. I thought of this. Be nice.
Oh look. He's got out finally. Oooooh. I think that's dragon dance?
"Zae. I think we're about to get splashed. Quick! Barricade!" Rocks rise up slowly. While Zaela doesn't pull out a full Furnace combo, she manages enough to get up some pretty impressive walls of rock. Well. Impressive for her age.
Its Lance's fault he didn't run along -with- dratini in her morning lap in Kingdra's training rivers. So when he shows up to the aftermath of the great battle of Zaela's Fortress we make a strategic retreat before he can get payback. Though admittedly dratini's water blasts were taking out bigger chunks of my starter's defenses.
Even more time passes as my payouts continue.
Rock climb. Muahahah. I had a theory about this place. The dragon's den. And is gold. One might say...Heart. Gold. Eh? Eh?
Right. Ahem
Why are dragons so prevalent here? What about it makes it home? Blackthorn sprung around it. Around dragons already there. Part of it was the natural aura here I think. I can feel it. Life is so full and here in such amounts that I feel like dancing. Me. I hate dancing. Even weird Mom dodge dancing. Its a really good strategy. I want my own one!
I did some exploring with my digging, rock climbing starter. The reward? Two megastones, a few evolutionary stones and what I think is the fossil of my sixth pokémon. Or at least will be a fossil I can trade for my sixth. I don't know how convoluted my pokémon showing up in my life will be but I assume this is my boon at work. I'll be searching for more over the next few years as the aura of megastones is hard to miss. The rest of the evolution stones were just lucky finds. If nothing else I'll be able to sell them for the no doubt massive food issues I'll have later in life.
Hrm. Maybe more hunting training is needed. Zaela often does so without prompting cause she's an endless stomach from what I put her through and I should go with her honestly.
Regardless, this first year is shaping up so well. Aura training is increasing though Joy's lucario refuses to spar with me yet still, stating I've some growing to do. Which of course is obvious. She didn't like me saying that.
She is however, quite happy to show me more mental aura exercises. Pokémon moves will come in time but for now I'm happy to work on fundamentals. With my next pokémon I'm certain I'll have a breakthrough in some regards...And even if not, the third will ensure it. Two months until my first shiny and the second true monster of my team. Zaela knows I am anticipating something amazing happening and its brought out her competitive side even more than normal. I think we'll be training even more to keep my mind off of it. Zaela alone makes it hard to regret how my last life ended. I've never been closer to anyone. She might be simple minded for now but watching and feeling her grow…
Its magical. Experiencing it with her. My sister who I never knew I wanted.
My journey is just over six years away. And I don't mind waiting. Because I have Zae.
This world is amazing.
Dragon Sister
Query was the one who decided this was a good present for you, sister. Our trainer. Such a simple word for what you really are. I've never truly gotten along with him as much as my mate (if that sounds weird, look at Momma and Baddad) but all of us know that Query is the closest to my sister, our trainer. Even now as he uses his mind powers to type this up on the computer I know he's translating my thoughts in ways that will make it easier for Ella to read. For you to read. We're sisters and I love you fiercely, but I realize how much Query does for your state of mind. Which is great. I'm happy because I can't be that for you.
That you are an aura guardian and can talk to us all so easily doesn't mean you understand us completely. So Query thought a perfect birthday gift for you on your twentieth birthday would be our views of you when we met. How we became family and something more. That dark butler calls it pack. The faeries think of us as beloved companions. Star mates or some nonsense. My mate is too lazy at times despite his genius to say what he truly feels. Or at least he doesn't say so to me. But it shows in the way his eyes gaze at us. Mmm. Yes, he'll be mine tonight. I hope that makes you uncomfortable Ella. Haha!
The true one and the ghost are remarkably the same about it. Both view you as their savior. The true one for being something she never expected and the ghost for giving him a new view on a life he had thought thrown away. Idiots as they both were about it.
Aurora, my best friend among us. She views you as her daughter of sorts. Look at you. Too many moms. Perhaps it is because she's so much older than us in some ways and is the slowest in nature. That she has some perspective to look after us. Fuck if I know really. Its just how she feels.
When she battles she's the only one who can truly go toe to toe with me. But at all other times she's the most observing of us and easily the most humble. So perhaps that's why she can reach you with simple things. Food or small gifts.
Thunderbug, as he loves to be called, views you in a remarkably easy way. You're his friend and nothing in this world is more important than that. You know what it meant to him to have that. I hate that it gets to me.
The sea maiden views you much the way I do. Perhaps because she carries a very draconic pride, even if she isn't a dragon, the maiden sees just how much my kind influenced the way you view the world.
And finally the legend.
Query has read all of your words in the battered diary that you carry. All those things you know about the future and what you knew of us before we met. But to keep the legend from us as our last teammate? If I didn't love you so much I would have been...Difficult. Not because claiming the legendary was boring or silly or convoluted. No it was fantastic. Epic. And I hate that I had to -wait-.
Urgh. The legend is quirky and fun. Its so odd. Not what I expected. But the promise you made at our bonding is true. Currently I can defeat the legend one on one. Someday that may not be true but for now I can match a force of nature. I am strong. Because of you. My light and sister. Read this now Ella and see what I was and how you and I raised each other.
Do you even remember the promise? If not I'm not upset. Not at all. It wasn't words. Words didn't exist for me then.
When I first hatched there was only the vague ideas of what I was before Ella. All pokémon are strong to their nature and absorb ways to power rapidly, especially while in our eggs. Hence unexpected egg moves. What I absorbed was warmth. Its sounds sappy and if the faeries were reading this they'd be insufferable. I may be mellow for a dragon but I won't be 'squeed' at. Tch. I hate that I know I'm mellow and accept it. That others affect me. Do you know how strange that is for a dragon? A dragon dictates. Dominates. Doesn't change unless forced. But I -listen- to faries. To Aurora. Giratina take me.
Much of what I was growing up became combination of you, Ella, and Momma. How appropriate was it that you viewed my mother as a second one. That is why our bond is so strong. Hatchmates even if you're three years my senior. Momma truly adopted you.
Instinct is heavy for pokémon at the start. How do we, so much stronger than delicate humans, submit to their will? If found as an egg we imprint hard. Most at least. Ghosts and some of the more mentally strong species can and will go on their own quickly despite humans being there from the start if respect isn't gained. Dragons are prime examples of this as well. You feel of warmth, wisdom and power. I didn't know it then until Momma instructed me but aura is sacred….And my sister has it in droves. I hope you're blushing.
Aura is life. I am only as strong as I am because of aura. Every type of pokémon uses it in various ways. My flames are almost entirely formed of draconic energy. Draconic aura. Meaning that my headstrong, infuriating sister was practically screaming to my senses that she only meant good for me. That she'd empower me to new heights and give me all that she could to protect aura. To protect life. For Momma alone this was powerful. What did you expect it would do to the small me?
That isn't to say you are perfect. Despite how close we are and were growing up, we clashed a lot. From day one you had your way for me and I had mine. Imprinting on you was as easy as stomping some one gym newbie for me (which is hilarious by the way. I don't care if the true one gets huffy about it) but it didn't mean I left my pride behind me. Dragons cannot be tamed. You knew that before I had to teach it to you and it led to the glorious beauty that is me.
The first weeks were not my best. Intelligent as pokémon might be from the start, especially if we're around humans as an egg, absorbing their language, we can still be idiots. My pride can take the hit that I hurt you more than you let on from how much I loved you. Low level tackles were my hugs. Bites were my affection to your neck and arms….And flames were my home. The charizard that is my dad influenced me almost as much as Momma and Ella then. Dreams of burning mountains and flames that hurt to gaze at dominated my nights. Flying became my goal almost as much as those skull brain bagons that I would trap in the ground for disturbing my sleep. Even if Baddad wasn't there, I could taste his ash.
As much as I love the earth, the first time I bent the sky to my will was where I knew what it was to be a true dragon. Nothing is out of my reach. Water, fire, earth and the sky are all mine. Because Ella Mita wouldn't let Momma Garchomp toss me out. I have another sibling out there with Momma now. A younger brother she's doing her best to raise as you did with me. All because my sister refused to compromise as a true dragon would. To dare the world to tell her she was wrong.
Even as he's taking this from my mind now, I think this is a good gift. Cause I hate him being in my head. What if he hears me say something decent about him? Good job Query. Most pokémon live in the moment but remembering our trainer is good. Proper. Despite our abilities she's much more frail than us and long past her death I will respect her teachings. That's to you Query, cause you'll probably outlive us all.
As much as your training and stubbornness were gifts it was the humor that truly made us connect. For some reason one of your most common curses around me is 'damned adamant nature'. Even after you've explained it a few times I don't get it fully, but it did spawn the team-wide enjoyment that is pranking. It started with double teams of myself chasing you as if you were in a panic in front of the various clan members who said it was too early for you to have a starter. It quickly went to hiding your father's tools when he did something to upset your mother and it just got worse once Query arrived and his ever bothersome questions led to seeing just how much he enjoyed being buried alive. Yes Query I know you don't need air to live but it was still fucking funny seeing your shiny ass dirty all the time.
Back on point. Every day was a joy. Is a joy. Work to become powerful is never a chore to a dragon and I knew nothing of impatience until some of the other members of our family came. There was no concept of traveling. The Den was home because Ella and Momma were there. It was my world and I was growing so strong in it. I'm only to speak of my first year of life before Query came about but here's a bit of the future.
My mate evolved fully before me and it didn't bother me. Because I am patient. Because years of training and proof that my beloved sister dragged her worn body home every night from doing her best to make us into legends ourselves meant that I could wreck my mate with all his smarts and natural talent from hard as nails, brutal training in only my second form. Oh he can give me a run now. Eventually circumstances set him into being earnest and digging out the true savagery of his line but back then he was just another punk to show what a dragon truly can be. Only now is he worthy of being my mate. Okay he was worthy before for other reasons but it sounds better this way.
And unlike Momma I don't mind settling for someone just a bit under my strength. If Ella has her way I won't ever lose anyway.
Pride and strength was my life. I didn't know jealousy until Query started taking up some of my sister's time but then the joy of learning new battling trumped that. Humans are fantastically smart. Basing almost all of their entertainment and life around making pokémon stronger in ever new ways? Yes. Sister, you taught me that quickly once Query arrived and I started being a bitch about it. Query tells me not to spoil that as its about his growth more than mine.
Well. He's not wrong. For me it was attitude. For him it was a way of battling that revolutionized mental fighting in a way I can respect. Query and I may not get along but we're the two pillars of your team for an Arceus damned reason.
Food was plentiful and I wanted for nothing. Then I learned that not all humans knew how to take care of pokémon as well as my you do. Not everyone could use aura and talk to me. It wasn't until later that when I defeated an elder with relative ease as a gabite that I realized how spoiled I was growing up. You brought me all the right things to aid me. You toiled endlessly into the day and night when I was hurt to get me back into training as soon as it was safe. Against my desires -for- me. My sister loved me in all my moods and never truly got angry with me. Sure, frustration was present on both sides but never did anything keep you from sharing your whole life with me.
I was so spoiled. I thought the entire world was perfect and it took many years for us to become better than just strong. At least the pokémon that is. You always knew what to do. Perhaps not the right thing at times. Mistakes were made as you so often says in jest, and they were spectacular. You never hid your feelings from us either. Negative or good, we were together.
Early training was against my instincts. I had a big mouth and lots of teeth. This hasn't changed of course but I wanted to bite and did. You didn't know how to get your view of making me strong into my mind until she made me fight Momma. I expected Momma to just smack me with her wing and glare me down. Instead she battered me in a sandstorm, buried me in sand that formed into rock I couldn't break and made me so mad I would hurt myself before I even got close to her. Then when I did? It was an illusion and it started all over. Days of this treatment got into my thick skull and power came in droves after I just listened.
I'll never be more grateful for this and this alone besides the love you've given me from the moment I could remember. Power is something all pokémon crave in some manner. Even the cute ones I could eat thirty of in one gulp who ride around on the shoulders' of their humans. They might simply want the power of being cute little things but it is power. You and I taught so much to each other that first year.
I never really interacted with many other humans besides your family, some of the clan and the few times I actually wanted to go out into the city. Usually if you went out I'd just train more with Momma. It was all I wanted to do, really, When I did go out though, amusement and surprise were most present. First off, my sister was pathetically small then. Even among humans her age. And all other small humans were infinitely stupid.
I was Ella's and that is all. You'd think a city with a dragon gym would know that to try and play with a dragon, no matter if my trainer was a child is folly. Only later would I realize that if I'd actually attacked the small ones I could have been taken from my sister. Luckily you watched me like a hawk and kept me from making a mistake I would regret.
Not because I wouldn't find satisfaction in educating the stupid child humans. But because I would be away from you. The kind ones in our family are Query and the faeries. People should know not to tempt monsters. And that is what we are. It is not a bad thing. You call us something like monsters of massive destruction and it is quite true. You crafted us into who we are. True, we put in the work, but my sister, you did it with our heartfelt consent.
Furnace is a fun combo. I have many more these days but taking on a massive overconfident opponent and roasting them alive until they tap out? Beautiful. There is something to say about the classics.
I am smart. I am powerful. I am titan. It took a while for me to accept this fully in that order. That before everything I am smart. You were right to not introduce me to more battling early on. Patience without knowing what it was was an excellent weapon for you to plant in my mind.
The few battles I had were always training oriented and didn't have any other prizes besides satisfaction of new strength and learning new moves. If you'd let me see more of your Gym Leader mother's top tier gym battles or even more league recordings? I'm certain I would have pushed to leave on our journey immediately. I didn't know what true battle was like until Aurora and her evil type advantages could do to me. Don't get me wrong, the first fairy was more annoying than a thousand itchy scales but she didn't have the bulk or power to truly threaten me…..And Furnace works just fine on her. Heh.
No, the sweetness of defeating Aurora the first time after being put into the dirt so many times was exactly what opened my eyes to how excited I was to see new things finally. To turning away from, yes, the fear of leaving the Den. Query is telling me that he's annoyed that he's noticed all of us have picked up Ella's tendency to ramble and go off on tangents. Psh. What's wrong with that? I speak of what I wish and that is it. All my words are important. Idiot.
Our relationship with Momma was what made this all work. To build a family that wasn't right by usual standards. What I couldn't learn from you in ways that all trainers struggle with was easily rectified by Momma. Another thing in which I boggled at later. Silly me. Apparently not every pokémon had a Champion level mother who adored their daughter and her trainer enough to train them constantly for seven years. Query is laughing at me. He forgets he hasn't won a spar with me in nearly a month. Yes I know you are writing that down. I want you to. Mmm. I feel like going to find my mate even more.
Fine. Just a bit more Query. But Ella knows how I feel. All these thoughts aren't getting to her now cause she's asleep, but you can sense it can't you? She's smiling because she knows I love her more than anything. Our bond is everything. I'd kill the world for her….And I guess you too Query. And all of us. Even the ghost. Shit that he is.
What can I say to you Ella? That you don't already feel. I beat a legendary a week ago. In a spar. Because she's your pokémon just as I am. Tears don't come to my species but the joy of that is so permeable that I can't describe how humbled I am of what we've done. A dragon humbled without a battle. And said with a smile. I know you would say we did it together and that its our duty. The goal that the true one showed us all those years ago. You say we meet your apprentice in a few weeks. The one you've been preparing one of the true one's child for. But all I can think of is the girl I could snap in two telling me she loved me and that I would become greater than my dreams. The unspoken promise that the world would bow before we would.
I have sister. Thank you. Love you.