[Pokémon] The GemCraft Chronicles >x> RighteousRuby <x<

It's an interesting Pokémon, Lotad is. For most it's just a casual starting trainer's find – living on the pond near the outskirts of the ever-expanding town of Oldale, some being found in further visits throughout the region of Hoenn. For most, it's nothing. For me, it destroyed most of my life.

I have a friend – had a friend? – by the name of Lily. Lily's an interesting girl; she had already developed a tomboyish personality at a young age, which may have been one of the reasons (or the reason) why they used to pick on her. I always found her quite pretty myself, with her coconut brown hair, speckled with blonde because of the time she tried to die her hair blonde to look like some singer. She always wore the same dark yellow blazer, for no particular reason other than it was the only piece of clothing she could find with that colour, along with her knee-length black skirt, earning her the nickname of 'bumblebee' by those that used to tease her. It didn't help that she sub-consciously, without noticing it would only attract more jeers, wore yellow socks and dusty black shoes. Her eyes were a fair blue, her mouth and nose both small with the latter being curved at the tip. Her ears were almost elven, with similar curving as the nose at the tops of each.

Sadly, and when I recall the moments I know I should have reacted sooner, I used to be a part of the group that you could say bullied Lily. I never joined in – needless to say, she would never have been my friend if I had! – and whenever they did it I felt like I wanted to throw up; I could always feel the blind eyes of the 'Sage' of Petalburg somehow watching me through some sort of magic. I'll explain about the Sages later, but either way, the Sage who was and still is at Petalburg at the time was known as Rufus. He was completely blind, his eyes glossed with white – it was creepy yet intriguing, and we would dare each other to do stuff like steal his candles and things like that. I did it once. I could tell he was watching me, but I stole a Poké Ball – it was empty – and stupidly glanced back as I was leaving, only to see his normally emotionless face break into a smile, it pointing right at me. With a wave of his hands he dismissed me even though I had never been invited to enter, and I've had the Poké Ball ever since.

Regardless, when my friends began to bully Lily, I was never comfortable. I would just watch and slowly move away, till one day I stood up for her. I told them to stop; to leave her alone. It's pretty obvious why they stopped 'hanging around' with me and I ended up making better friends with Lily, probably just because of that incident. I always found Lily special – she would exaggerate a lot, but she knew how to do a lot of things I couldn't. She taught me how to cook and bake Poffins – her mother worked in the Contests and taught her daughter some skills – and in return I read my books on Pokémon with her. We would sit in her room, at the end of her bed in the moonlight glow, turning page after page while I read aloud (she was illiterate), teaching her about all the wonderful creatures of our world. Lotad was her favourite, and she vowed to catch one when she grew up. I couldn't really imagine her being a Pokémon Trainer – she seemed more of a co-ordinator type person – but she was consistent, asking me to read with her every night. Soon she began to ask if she could borrow my books, and I was amazed when I went to hers for a sleepover one night and found her reading to me.

There's a law about Pokémon trainers attacking humans – it's forbidden for a reason I probably don't have to say. The ex-friends I had slowly began to retreat from their leave-Lily-alone state and began to pick on the both of us, saying we were boyfriend and girlfriend – as much as I liked Lily, and she liked me back, we were no closer than friends – and teasing us. One time I lashed out at one of them, the oldest one, who was thirteen – two years older than me. I almost broke his nose, and his little brother, who was twelve, was having nothing of it. He grabbed the Poké Ball around his belt, threw it – a Torchic! – and commanded his Pokémon to use Ember on me. I was in the hospital for six weeks with severe burns, with nobody at my side but Lily – both my parents lived in Kanto, in a mental institute. I didn't know why they were there, nor how it had happened; I had been one or two when they'd left and I'd been put in the care of the Petalburg residents.

Either way, I can safely say that the younger brother, his name being Scott Hands, won't be getting his Torchic back for a long, long time.

Anyway, as I recovered, I grew – I was twelve now, having spent my birthday in the hospital, being showered with multiple gifts from Lily as she passed each one to me, a huge grin plastered on her face as I unwrapped the paper from each and every gift she gave me. Two Poké Balls, three books on Pokémon in each of the three other regions (excluding Kanto and replacing that with Orange Islands, as I already owned a book on Kanto) other than Hoenn. She also gave me two cards, which I laughed at both – she told me she couldn't choose which one she preferred. There was one other card, which was obviously faked, from my Mum and Dad. I had an old picture of my parents that I kept in my hotel room where I slept, with her signature on it, and it was clear from the handwriting of the card that neither of my parents had even seen the gift. I ended up crying myself to sleep that night, with Lily beside me, sharing my tears for reasons I am unsure of.

When I left the hospital, I had my own problems to worry about – Lily's birthday was the coming Friday! She had looked after me so well, it would seem wrong not to do so in return. I had the perfect idea of what to get her, and while it would take some work, I would refuse to back down. I was going to catch my friend a Lotad!

I've read your story a few days ago and I keep coming back to see no one has commented on it... I am not a very good reviewer or a critic, but I really don't want you to feel your fic has been ignored, because it hasn't. I read it and I liked it, and I think it's sweet. I really like the relation between the narrator and Lily. I'm sorry I don't have any harsh things to say, I'm a very Paula Abdul kind of person (/judge, or whatever) when it comes to this. But I wanted to say that I liked the first chapter/prologue and I'm looking forward to more. ^^

Yeah, for as each good story that get showered with praise there's at least two that get ignored. :C

Anyway, I don't really have very much to pick on either - though I am wondering whether this takes place before or after Brendan/May's trek through Hoenn. If so, could that Scott Hands dude possibly be the Scott in the sunglasses and Hawaiian shirt who keeps stalking Trainers? xD I don't see any other reason why you would give his name in a Hoenn-based story and not his older brother's.

Anyway, even from the get-go I knew this was going to be a cool story. Not many stories kick off with people singing their praises about Lotad. The 'parents in a mental institute' has me worried slightly; from the end of the prologue, the narrator squirms around a bit due to his lack of parental fondness. I hope this isn't going to snowball into a regular occurrence where he is constantly mourning his Kanto-bound parents and how little he knew them and all that sympathetic hooblah. Not many readers enjoy that very much.

Anyway, keep goin'. If you expected something longer with more nitpickery, sorry, but it's too early for that. xD

Comments, it can't be! Actual comments! xD

Ichi-chan said:

I've read your story a few days ago and I keep coming back to see no one has commented on it... I am not a very good reviewer or a critic, but I really don't want you to feel your fic has been ignored, because it hasn't. I read it and I liked it, and I think it's sweet. I really like the relation between the narrator and Lily. I'm sorry I don't have any harsh things to say, I'm a very Paula Abdul kind of person (/judge, or whatever) when it comes to this. But I wanted to say that I liked the first chapter/prologue and I'm looking forward to more. ^^

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As I said, even comments are fine, as I appreciate response even as little as a few sentences. I'm hoping to get time to write the next bit sometime this week, hopefully.

Giratina of Never-Turn-Back said:

Yeah, for as each good story that get showered with praise there's at least two that get ignored. :C

Anyway, I don't really have very much to pick on either - though I am wondering whether this takes place before or after Brendan/May's trek through Hoenn. If so, could that Scott Hands dude possibly be the Scott in the sunglasses and Hawaiian shirt who keeps stalking Trainers? xD I don't see any other reason why you would give his name in a Hoenn-based story and not his older brother's.

Anyway, even from the get-go I knew this was going to be a cool story. Not many stories kick off with people singing their praises about Lotad. The 'parents in a mental institute' has me worried slightly; from the end of the prologue, the narrator squirms around a bit due to his lack of parental fondness. I hope this isn't going to snowball into a regular occurrence where he is constantly mourning his Kanto-bound parents and how little he knew them and all that sympathetic hooblah. Not many readers enjoy that very much.

Anyway, keep goin'. If you expected something longer with more nitpickery, sorry, but it's too early for that. xD

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I forgot about Scott of Emerald. o_o

I'm leaning towards the future, considering that the Scott wasn't meant to be that Scott. Or any known Scott at all for that matter. Either way, the reason I gave his name is because it's necessary for future plotness, where his brother, for the moment, isn't.

Anyway, I'm hoping not for the mourning thing. It was just kind of the 'photocopy-style' card that he received which set him off because it was sort of the institute somewhat saying that they didn't care about him. Hopefully there will be no snowballing (avalanching? xD) and it'll come out good. But anyway, as said above, next chapter soon. Hopefully. >_<

Giratina of Never-Turn-Back said:

Yeah, for as each good story that get showered with praise there's at least two that get ignored. :C

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I think that I am one of the two latter stories that get ignored. lol.

ANYWAY, I didn't know that you wrote too, .patch. You're really talented. Your story has a flow to it that is amazing. :) Keep it up man. I can't wait for the next chapters.

I really apologise for the delay guys. I've been having serious internet problems, and only now have I got it going again. Anyway, next chapter now:

It had finally noticed me, giving me a look of pure wide-eyed curiosity. Of course, Lotad's were always wide-eyed, so it could have just been staring. Either way, once its eyes moved to the Pokéball gripped tightly in my hand, it knew what to expect, and immediately it gave a leap that I presumed was meant to be intimidating or to 'scare me off'. Not that that was happening any time soon.

I clutched the ball tighter, knowing what I was doing was wrong – it was very clearly stated in the Pokémon Trainer Restrictions that all Pokémon have a right to battling the Trainer before they can attempt a capture. And it really didn't look like this Lotad was just going to jump into my arms with no resent whatsoever. This was a problem, but unfortunately for the problem – and possibly the Lotad – I was smart.

I mulled over the law, trying to find some loophole. All Pokémon have a right to battling the Trainer, I thought. Did that mean that if I challenged Lotad and won, I had the right to capture it?

It was my only shot; I couldn't think of anything else. Pushing my way out of the bush, which took a few minutes because of twigs grabbing at my clothing and trying to pull me back, I stepped forwards, raising my hand so I could see it in the corner of my eye. So much for 'steady as a rock', I thought to myself, withdrawing my hand, which was shaking so much it was almost making my teeth chatter. I didn't stop walking, and the distance between me and my target slowly reduced, the Lotad watching me with its wide eyes, never blinking. If I recall correctly, that made me more nervous than anything.

I clutched the red-and-white ball tightly in my hand, the thought of just screwing the laws and throwing it at the Lotad growing looking more and more like the right thing to do every second. But no. That wasn't the way of the Trainer, and if I ever hoped to be one – I had a right to my own dreams, and a Trainer seemed the right way to go – I would have to follow them. No point getting a penalty on the Trainer Card I didn't even own.

"Lotad," I said softly. It didn't respond. I was sure it had heard me, and I grew slightly agitated. "Lotad." I repeated, saying it louder and clearer. Still it did nothing, just staring at me wide-eyed. I felt sure it hadn't even blinked once since first setting its eyes on me. I was bubbling with anger now. "Lotad!" I said again, this time not caring if it responded or not. "I challenge you to some sort of battle!" I had no idea what to do at this point – what would I battle it with? – but that didn't really bother me at the moment. I hesitated. That's where I went wrong.

I never really noticed it until then. The Lotad I was staring at suddenly flickered – I realised that in my sub-conscious I'd noticed it flickering multiple times for a second, but never took it in! – and then disappeared entirely, the space around it not altered whatsoever. That's when I received a hard push into my back, causing me to stumble forwards and land face-first in the warm grass. I pulled my head out, spitting out a few patches, before I rolled over to stare into the eyes of a Lotad which was standing behind me. It had pushed me.

Then I got it, and smirked – the Lotad had used Double Team! The copy was there to watch me whilst it observed from above. It was an incredible plan, and I'd never heard of any strategy like it. And I'd read a lot of books on Pokémon Species and their Battle Strategies.

"Alright then," I said, pushing myself off the ground, fumbling around for a few moments before eventually getting back up on my feet. "That's the way you want to play, huh? Name your challenge!" I called. The Lotad blinked – I was almost awe-struck – as though in thought, staring up at the sky, before jumping onto a tree, tiny suction cups on its feet sticking it to the bark. It stared at me again, throwing its head back once before jumping slightly higher; I understood immediately. It wants me to chase it.

And so it began. I leapt at the tree, only to find my hands pressing against bare bark of where the Lotad had been moments before, and glancing up to find it sticking its tongue out at me. I smirked again, quickly pushing my legs up and wrapping them around the cylinder that was the tree, climbing fast. I was quite good at climbing; I had done so a lot when I'd been younger.

It took me a good twenty minutes still before I had the Lotad cornered – it was on the tip of the branch, and as I slowly pushed my way across, it glanced around nervously, not having a way to go. I laughed victoriously. I had won.

I grabbed my hands on either side of the Lotad, still smirking, and it gave a small sigh. I smiled. I had won!

At least, that's what I thought.

The creak was quiet at first; I hardly noticed it. It just sounded like something further in the trees to me. Then another creak came. And before I knew it, I felt the branch bending beneath us, slowly snapping until it gave way altogether, and I looked down at the gap between me and the grassy floor which was slowly closing. I didn't even have time to gasp. No time to think. But luckily for me, someone else was doing the thinking – the Lotad.

The Lotad in question had lived a peaceful life for the most part, training with his two friends which were both Lombres. They taught him techniques and moves and how to battle well. But even so, they never prepared him for this. Not that anyone could. But somehow, he knew what to do. He knew exactly how to get out of this, as though it had happened before. But it never had; he was sure of it.

"Lotad!" came the war cry, making me snap back to Earth for a moment. Then I realised that slowly I was stopping going down, but instead moving to the right. And soon I found myself on my two feet again, the rest of the stars from the Swift attack disintegrating against the trees. The Lotad had saved me. I smiled.

My smile didn't linger for long, as soon as I heard the cry behind me. Fear welled up. Sadness welled up. I suddenly felt lost, and I had no idea what to do. All because of that cry.

"Help!" I heard. "Petalburg is on fire!"