Nestled in a lush, secluded area, a cluster of wooden houses in a smooth, hazel hue blended seamlessly with the surrounding overgrowth, shielding the small village from any prying eyes above. Meandering through the man-made roads that snaked into this hidden enclave, several individuals went about their day, reinforcing the sense that this settlement remained obscured from the outside world.
The small village was populated by people with tanned or dark skin, many adorned with an array of colorful tattoos. Amid the crowd, a young boy of around 15 years old stood out. His round, youthful face still retained hints of baby fat. Striking emerald eyes with reptilian slits peered out from beneath his jet-black hair, which was gathered into a small, high ponytail with green tips. Intricate silver tattoos traced a path from under his eyes down to his jaw.
The boy walked through the village bare-chested, like the other men. He wore loose pants with a fur lining around the middle, a wrap around his waist, and an apron-like cloth over his pants. On his feet were a pair of brown, toe-loop sandals.
This was Nanuq, and he was currently on his way to the village's training ground. Today was a special day, and his green eyes shined with excitement.
After a few minutes, Nanuq reached an open field with several other children, those a year or two older and several a year younger. At the age of 10, the children of the village are given their tattoos based on what family they come from, determining their worth and how beneficial they would be to the village.
This was one of many villages of dragons named Anguis. It housed a minor branch of the dragon clan, with most of the new generation showing extreme promise to change the tides in the dragon clan rankings.
And Nanuq was one of those flowers showing such promise.
A gruff-looking man with a rigid, oval face, long wild hair, and a scar on the right side of his jaw addressed the group, "Good, you're all here. Today is the day you all become men and women!" The man was bare-chested, wearing a pair of loose blue pants and tied-toed sandals.
"After years of dedicated preparation and perseverance through immense hardship, you have arrived at this pivotal moment. However, do not become complacent. The world, as we have taught you, is unforgiving, only the victors reach the summit. Take the champion, Alder, for example! He didn't get to that spot by being weak. He had to train day and night, overcoming trials that would push anyone to the brink."
Raising a hand, one of the kids spoke. "But, Mr. Calix, what if we don't find our partner?"
Calix paused briefly, then erupted into boisterous laughter, startling the nearby Pokemon. "There's only one answer to that—you've failed!" he declared.
The kid seemed to visibly shrink, while other kids all wore differing expressions. Failure wasn't an option for them; they had to pass this test no matter what. This wasn't a simple test to find a partner Pokemon, but a test to prove themselves to the clans higher up, and not only that but a way to move up from their current status. Although not a terrible factor, being able to move up the chain in the clan meant better benefits.
Most of the kids here were low in status, and this test was a last resort. If they failed here, it would take a long time to recover enough merits. For Nanuq, he had no choice but to win, just like everyone else here. He took a moment to gaze at the other kids, finding most of them preparing themselves for the test.
After all, their partners would be a dragon type, if they showed weakness in front of them, not only would they be unworthy, it would be a heavy blow to their accumulated merit. And for this minor branch, merit was everything!
"I won't give you any false hopes or anything like that, about 90% of you will fail this rite of passage," Calix let his words marinate in the teenagers' minds. "As such, failure will certainly be your outcome. Only those who can pass this rite of passage this year will immediately be able to take one of the vacant seats in the council."
The teenagers grasped the momentous opportunity. Joining the prestigious council immediately would secure a life of success for the individual and their family. This prospect, however, provoked a sudden and inexplicable surge of ferocity, causing Calix's eyes to flash dangerously. Nanuq sensed the air thicken with an oppressive tension.
Calix's booming voice shook the ground as he shouted, "That's the spirit! Only those with unwavering fury can truly harness the indestructible power of the Dragon-Type. Now, get out there and show us the fruits of your training!"
"YEAH!" The teenagers shouted in unison.
…
Nanuq walked through the deep woods surrounding his home with a cautious gaze. He understood why most of the teenagers taking this rite of passage may end up failing. It was because they might've ended up never returning to the village due to…being attacked by the wild Pokemon.
The village was surrounded by strong dragon-type Pokemon, young and experienced. Some of the teenagers, in their greed and naivety, would try to go after the dangerous dragon types. It was always best to go after them while they were young to forge a strong bond or kinship. Nanuq understood this well and didn't go out of his way to try and play Arceus.
He was still young, after all.
The towering trees overhead cast deep shadows along the dirt path, slightly obscuring Nanuq's vision. While this didn't trouble Nanuq, others might find the diminished light an annoyance. Young dragons typically fell into two distinct temperaments–the extremely shy or the boldly brash. The shy ones tended to remain hidden, while the brash ones actively challenged others, driven to grow stronger.
Nanuq cautiously made his way through the forest. His footsteps muffled until he suddenly heard noises up ahead. Rather than rushing forward, Nanuq took cover in the bushes and silently crawled closer to the source of the sound. His eyes shone with curiosity as he peered ahead, widening in surprise when he spotted a small blue quadrupedal Pokémon. Dark fur covered its head and neck, concealing everything but its mouth. The fur around its neck was marked with six purple spots resembling bruises. A single small horn-like tuft of hair protruded from the top of its head. Its short tail appeared to be bitten or damaged. Nanuq observed that the Pokémon's body was covered in wounds.
"Deino? And not just one…but two?" Nanuq saw two Deinos fighting, butting heads with an aggressive fervor. "It's usually rare to see these quite close to the village, even so, I must be in luck."
Nanuq surveyed his surroundings, taking in the sound of a nearby waterfall that the village had aptly named Waterfall Delta. A drawbridge stood nearby, allowing the villagers to cross between their settlement and the outside world. But before Nanuq could decide his next move, the Deinos scattered–one dashing toward the bridge, the other disappearing into the forest.
Clicking his teeth, Nanuq rushed toward the individual approaching the drawbridge. He couldn't afford to miss this opportunity. Assessing his options, Nanuq decided the heavily wounded Deino would make an ideal partner–the weakened Pokémon would be easier to coerce into cooperating. While the idea seemed cruel, Nanuq's studies had shown that distressed Pokémon were more likely to accept assistance unless their pride prevented it. Given Deino's probable stubbornness, Nanuq was prepared for a fight.
As Nanuq approached the shaky wooden bridge, he slowed his pace. The intense shaking of the bridge compelled him to take cautious steps despite his desire to maintain his speed. With each step, the trembling bridge induced a sense of vertigo, causing his eyes to blur as he peered down at the waterfall below. Unsure of the reason for his disorientation, Nanuq failed to notice the countless splashes from the waterfall's base.
Nanuq's stomach suddenly churned, prompting a strong urge to vomit. His blurred vision remained fixed ahead, but he soon realized the Deino had vanished. Before he could react, Nanuq tumbled over the bridge.
…
Beneath the cascading waterfall, a Magikarp swam at the bottom, its large, luminescent white scales gleaming. The fish had vacant eyes, yellow lips, and white pectoral and tail fins. A stiff, three-peaked yellowfin resembling a crown rose from its back, mirrored by an identical fin on its underside. Long white barbels also protruded from the Magikarp's features.
Despite being widely regarded as the weakest Pokémon, this Magikarp stared up at the towering waterfall with unwavering determination. With a resolute cry, it attempted to leap up the 100-foot Waterfall Delta. Though it failed to even reach 10 feet, the peculiar Magikarp refused to give up, undaunted by its repeated failures.
The exhausted Magikarp paused its attempts when a loud creak from above drew its vacant gaze upward. There, a human figure plummeted down, casting a shadow over the startled Pokémon.
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AN: Been wanting to get this out for two years and now I'm finally doing it. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.
If you wish to read more, for this month, one-time donators and those who wish to pay for a monthly subscription can get up to 5 extra chapters for 2 dollars, meaning that up to chapter 6 is uploaded over at ko-fi.com/saurianmp4
Again that's optional, but every time I upload here, a new chapter is being uploaded over there. Expect 3-5 chapters a week, as weekends I'll leave a poll up to see which of my stories you all want to see prioritized for the following week.
See you all next time!