[PXRWC] Heartwarming Story Contest

[EmeraldSky]

https://i.imgur.com/Gcys23i.png

It's the holiday season, and you know what that means--family, friends, festivities, and countless TV specials and movies about the "true" meaning of your winter holiday of choice.

So why not contribute by writing a heartwarming story yourself?

Your challenge is to write a heartwarming Pokemon story. How exactly you go about this is up to you--the anime cast throwing a Christmas party, a choir of Pokemon caroling, Pokemonizing a fairy tale or folk tale (or writing something inspired by folklore)--you name it!

Keep the following in mind, however:

--All forum rules apply
--While you can touch on tough themes, the overall mood should be happy, celebratory and/or inspirational
--Try to aim for at least 1000 words.

If you choose to go the Pokemonized folktale/inspired by folklore route and need ideas, Googling "folktales" is a nice starting point.

If you have any questions or concerns, let me know!

Good luck!

Your story is due by JANUARY 14TH 2018.

All participants will receive 200 coins for entering, with the possibility of up to 100 bonus coins for quality and originality.

[Cleobel]

Happy New Year everybody! Here is my story :

Here is a story about two friends : a Buizel and a Popplio. It was December and the weather was very cold in Buizel’s region.
"I feel so cold, while it’s summer on the Southern Island, where Popplio lives", Buizel thought. "I wish I could spend the holiday season on the Southern Island with her... Anyway, it would be nice to speak with her soon."
Then, the aquatic weasel checked her waterproof watch : "It’s 5 PM, so my friend must be asleep right now. I will call her when it’s the morning in her timezone".

A few hours later, Buizel turned her Pokégear on and called her friend :
-Hello, who is calling?
-Hi Popplio, it’s Buizel calling!
-Hey Buizel! How are you?
-I feel cold, but aside from that, I’m doing well, thanks. How are you?
-Great, thank you! The summer has arrived here on the Southern Island and I’m very excited about it!
-I wish I could go to the Southern Island and spend the holiday season with you...
-It would be fantastic if you came here for the holidays! I will stay at home during the whole holiday season and I would really like to have you here. To go to the Southern Island, you can take a Latias&Latios Airways flight. It’s a direct flight, so don’t worry about having to change planes.
-Super! Thank you very much, Popplio! I will send you a message on your Pokégear as soon as I have booked my flight.
-Thanks! I look forward to seeing you soon!
-Me too! It’s quite late in my timezone now, so I’m about to go to bed. Have a nice day! Once again, thank you very much and see you soon!
-No worries, Buizel! Goodnight, sweet dreams and see you soon!

The next morning, Buizel booked her flight and sent a message to Popplio to tell her the details of the flight.
A few days later, she went to the shopping center and bought a Christmas present for her friend. After that, she started preparing for her trip to the Southern Island. Meanwhile, on the Southern Island, Popplio bought a Christmas present for her friend and cleaned the house. They were both very excited about spending the holiday season together!

On December 22, Buizel had to wake up very early for her flight. However, it was not a problem for her, because she was too excited to sleep anyway. As soon as she boarded the plane, a Flygon started speaking : "Dear passengers, this is your captain speaking. Welcome on this Latias&Latios Airways direct flight to the Southern Island. Our company was named Latias&Latios Airways after the legendary Pokemon who protect the Southern Island". Then, Flygon explained the safety instructions and wished the passengers a nice flight. After that, the plane took off.
During the flight, Buizel read a book, played some video games, watched a movie and enjoyed her food. She also made sure she stayed hydrated, she stood up to walk in the plane every now and then and she took frequent trips to the bathroom. However, she couldn’t sleep much due to her excitement and the noise in the plane.
The plane landed on the Southern Island in the afternoon of December 23. After coming out of the plane, Buizel sent a message to Popplio and started looking for her. Soon after that, they managed to find each other :
-Season’s greetings, Popplio!
-Season’s greetings, Buizel! How was your flight?
-It was a nice flight, but now I’m very tired and jet-lagged. I’m really happy to see you, though!
-I’m really happy to see you too!
They kissed and hugged each other, then they went to Popplio’s house. When they arrived, Buizel put her luggage in the bedroom, went to the bathroom, took a shower, brushed her teeth and went immediately to bed. After all, she was really tired and she had to be in top shape for Christmas Eve.

On December 24, in the morning, Buizel and Popplio went to the beach. They played with Popplio’s ball, they built a big sand castle, they covered themselves with sand and they had an epic Water Gun fight. Then, they decided to go for a swim and they played several games in the water.
In the afternoon, they got back to Popplio’s house and they prepared for the evening. A few hours later, they had a huge Christmas Eve dinner. During that evening, they also turned on some Christmas music, they sang along with it and they danced on it. When midnight came, they wished each other a Marill Christmas and they exchanged the Christmas presents :
-Here is your Christmas present, Buizel!
-Wow, this scarf is so beautiful! Thank you very much, Popplio!
-No worries! Thank you for coming to the Southern Island and for being an awesome friend! I thought you would like this scarf, as it’s beautiful and you are sensitive to cold.
-You guessed right, as always! Here is your Christmas present, Popplio!
-Wow, I really like this waterproof watch! Thank you very much, Buizel!
-No worries! Thank you for being a fantastic friend and for inviting me here! I thought you would like this watch, as it’s waterproof and it’s the same model as mine.
-As always, your guess was right! Now, I’m quite tired, so I will go to bed soon.
-I’m tired as well and I’m about to go to bed. Goodnight and sweet dreams, Popplio!
-Goodnight and sweet dreams, Buizel!

On Christmas Day, in the morning, Popplio and Buizel played cards and video games together, while wearing their brand new Christmas presents. Then, they had a delicious Christmas Day lunch. In the afternoon, they went to the city and they looked at all the beautiful Christmas decorations. They had lots of fun together on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the next days.

On December 31, in the morning, Buizel and Popplio went to the park. They enjoyed being together in this peaceful atmosphere. In the afternoon, they got back to Popplio’s house and they prepared for the last evening of the year. In the evening, they ate lots of delicious food for New Year’s Eve dinner. During that evening, they also remembered their best memories of the year and they said them to each other.
A few minutes before midnight, they turned on "The Final Countdown" song and they listened to it. After that, they did the countdown to the new year together : "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, Hoppip New Year!!!".
-Thank you for always being such an awesome friend, Popplio!
-Thank you for always being such a fantastic friend, Buizel!
They kissed and hugged each other, then they went to bed because they were very tired. The previous year had been concluded very well for them and the new year also started very well for them.

[Fate]

Instead of writing just a Pokemon story, I wrote a Pokemon Crossroads story. Because I love you guys. You peeps I talk to are in the story. If you're not, sorry--I still love you, though. Anyhoo, enjoy:

It was one of those common winter nights—you know: long, cold…dark. Well, duh. Of course it’s dark. And this is one of those story openings—dull, uninspired, a clear product of someone who has no idea what he’s typing and is just lazy enough to not care about the backspace. Anyway, this is a story of a boy and his friends and what it means to be together. Find yourself lost looking for the true meaning of the holidays? Well, this is it.

The boy’s name was Fate. He was…something, all right. (Aren’t we all?) He sat alone in a small room that, like this story, was quite unspectacular. In fact, there was nothing in there. Nothing at all. Well, except for Fate, who we agreed is something. And a door. That is, there is a door in the room, not that Fate is a door in addition to being something. His gaze was fixed on that door, as though he was expecting an entrance soon. And so there came to be one.

In walked Xanthe, who did so backwards and on her hands because everything is opposite and upside-down in Australia. They’re weird like that. She tumbled down next to Fate and took a second to adjust herself to the workings of the northern hemisphere. When she had composed herself, she took a curious glance at him and started: “You called?” she said.

“Yes,” he answered, still quite amused by the show he had just witnessed. “Thanks for coming.”

“So why am I here?” she pressed.

“I’ll tell you when everyone else gets here. They’re all gonna ask the same thing.”

“Oh, there are others coming? I thought I was special.”

And she was. Don’t forget that we’re all special little snowflakes. But at that, two more figures came through the door. They sported matching outfits and did this shtick where they’d take turns speaking sentences while forcing them to rhyme.

“The Pika pair are here at last!” Eric-chu started. “Only here because we were asked!” Gemma finished. Both Fate and Xanthe gave disapproving looks that went largely unnoticed. “What is it that you want, Fate?” Gemma started this time. “I hope that we aren’t too late,” Eric-chu completed.

“No, no,” Fate said. “I’ll explain later. Just sit down and stop rhyming, please.”

“But this is what we do!’

“Yup, yup—you know that’s true!”

“Hey, guys,” Xanthe directed at the Pika pair. “I forget: What color is a shiny Metapod?”

“I’m pretty sure it’s orange!” one of the pair replied. And then their eyes widened in alarm and a wonderful silence followed, broken shortly after by a whispered “Thank you” from Fate to Xanthe.

Just then Neo glided into the room, his arms outstretched and his feet very much on the ground. He zipped around the room several times before settling down, facing the others. “Okay, I’m here,” he said. “Why—”

“Wha, I think that’s thunder!” Gemma shouted.

“Is there a storm, I wonder!” Eric-chu added, and Fate and Xanthe breathed a defeated sigh.

“No,” Xanthe said. “It’s just Neo talking. Go on.”

“Why am I here?” Neo completed. “I got the message but there wasn’t a reason given.”

“Fate said we’ll know once everyone else gets here,” Xanthe said.

“How many are coming?”

“Not too many more,” Fate said. “Don’t worry—you’ll all know soon. On that note, here comes another right now.”

Eric-saur entered the room, bringing with him a guitar that had seen much use. “Blah blah blah, blah blah blah blah.” he said, and everyone just slowly nodded. “Blah, blah blah blah blah, blah blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah, blah blah blah blah.”

After a while, Fate finally asked: “Okay, can someone please translate? Whenever he talks, all I hear are blahs.”

“It’s just a regional dialect thing from New Jersey,” Neo said. “It’s okay. I’ll translate. He said that he’s here but doesn’t know why, just like the rest of us. And that he has a special surprise for us.”

Eric-saur nodded. He added, “Blah blah blah blah. Blah blah. Blah, blah blah blah, blah blah. Blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah!”

Neo translated: “He says that he has a new song that he’s been working on and he’d like to play it for us. And that if we like it, we can listen to it again—as well as many other songs of his—for free online.”

“Well, we’d love to hear,” Fate said and everyone agreed. All eyes were on Eric-saur as he shared with the room his music. During his performance, Shruikan—known to Fate as Shu—joined the room and quietly sat himself in a corner, taking out his mobile phone and losing himself in some games. When Eric-saur’s song finished, they all applauded before jumping at the notice of Shu sitting in the corner.

“Woah, when did you get here?” Xanthe questioned him.

“Couple minutes ago,” he replied. “Don’t mind me.” And he got back to his device.

“Sorry I’m late,” a voice spoke up from outside the room. Sloane came in carrying a large journal and a pen. “I would have been here much earlier, but there were so many sights along the way. I just had to stop and jot down some things every now and then. Everything’s so inspirational, you know?”

“Hey, Sloane,” Fate greeted. “Thanks for coming.”

“Yeah—what do you want, Benedict Arnold?” she said.

“Oh, you’ll see. In the meantime, why not fill out that journal more?”

Sloane gave the room a quick survey. “There’s nothing here,” she said. “Well, that’s okay. I’m a writer. I can be inspired by anything. Or by nothing, in this case.” And she continued her work.

At that moment raucous laughter echoed through the room. The voice was unmistakable and quickly discerned by all: It was Speedy. Well, if she was Speedy in her current state. She bumbled into the room, made her way over to poor Shu in the corner, and accidentally kicked his phone out of his hands. “Oops, sorry!” she said. Shu picked up his phone and scurried to the opposite corner.

“Speedy, you look beat!” Eric-chu said.

“You should have a seat!” Gemma followed.

Speedy complied and explained her situation: “When I got the invitation from Fate, I thought, ‘Hoo, boy, it’s some Fate event. I’m gonna need to prepare myself for this.’ So I did. But don’t worry, I’m still good!”

“Blah blah blah,” Eric-saur said, “Blah blah blah blah?”

Neo knew his task: “He said that that’s a smart idea that we all should have thought of. Do you have any left on you?”

“Oh, sorry, afraid not,” Speedy answered. She turned her head to look around the room and stopped on Shu, whom she had driven from his previous location. “Hey, you in the corner: Wanna hear a funny joke?”

“Uhm, no thanks,” Shu replied.

“Okay, so there was this guy and he walks into a bar,” Speedy began, anyway. “And there were these two hot ladies in there. And the guy walked up to them and said—”

“Speedy!” a thunderous voice boomed from the heavens. “You are not to tell that joke here!”

“Oh, right. Sorry, Sarah. Forgot. This is supposed to be a PG story and all that.”

“Anyway,” Fate said with a long pause. “There’s just one more person we’re waiting on and then we can begin.”

“Who is it?” Xanthe asked.

“He goes by Sacred Fire now,” Fate said. “I think he had some other names before, but I don’t know what they are. Weird guy. I don’t know why I even invited him.”

“Oh, him,” Shu spoke from his corner. “I passed him earlier. He froze on the way here.”

“Oh, never mind him, then,” Fate said. “Let’s start. Can I have everyone’s attention, please?” They all sat politely and looked at him with great curiosity. “I’m sure you’re all wondering why I gathered you here today in this…very empty room.”

“We’ve been wondering all this time!” Eric-chu said.

“We’re almost too tired to rhyme!” Gemma added.

“If only,” Xanthe muttered under her breath. Everyone but the pair gave her a single, slight nod of utter agreement.

Fate continued: “As you guys know, this is the holiday season, and that’s the time when friends and families come together just to enjoy each other’s presence.”

“Blah blah!” Eric-saur chimed in.

“’And presents!’ is what he said,” Neo translated.

“Very funny,” Fate said. “I know giving gifts and having fancy decorations and all that stuff is fun, but there’s more to it than that, you know? This time of the year is about being together with the ones you love. That’s why there’s nothing here except us.” He stood up and slowly walked around the room to each person. To each, he gave a gentle look. He made his way back to the center of the room and continued: “The truth is, you’re all both friends and family to me. I just had to let you guys know that—how special you guys are, how much you guys mean to me.”

His lips turned to a warm smile and he glanced around the room at all his friends. But though he was expecting the same reciprocation on their faces, he found instead a row of dropped eyes and glares.

“Okay, Fate—cut the crap,” Sloane spoke up. “Tell us: Why are we really here?”

Defeated, Fate gave a short sigh and plopped to the ground. “To get me 200 coins.”
Tagging you guys who are in the story. <3

Suicune's Fire Chakramaster Chibi Altaria Neo Emolga Bulbasaur Shruikan Noblejanobii Speed-X Pokemon Trainer Sarah Sacred Fire

[Noblejanobii]

THAT BENEDICT ARNOLD REFERENCE THOUGH

[Chibi Altaria]

@Fate YOU STOPPED OUR MIRACULOUS RHYMING, HOW DARE YOU! It's totally unfair cause we're the most awesomest of Chu. 3:

That said, that story was flippin' great. xD I love it.

[Fate]

@Fate YOU STOPPED OUR MIRACULOUS RHYMING, HOW DARE YOU!

IT.
WAS.
XANTHE.

[Chibi Altaria]

IT.
WAS.
XANTHE.

Perhaps, but you instigated it by calling her there. Come to think of it, nothing rhymes with Xanthe either. xD OOH. Banshee?

[Fate]

Come to think of it, nothing rhymes with Xanthe either. xD OOH. Banshee?
Suicune's Fire

[Noblejanobii]

Perhaps, but you instigated it by calling her there. Come to think of it, nothing rhymes with Xanthe either. xD OOH. Banshee?

No no no no You’re saying it wrong. We’ve been over this. It’s pronounced, “Zay-neth”.

[Chibi Altaria]

No no no no You’re saying it wrong. We’ve been over this. It’s pronounced, “Zay-neth”.

Oh, that's right. My bad. Clay...breath?

I'm gonna hide now.

[Noblejanobii]

Oh, that's right. My bad. Clay...breath?

I'm gonna hide now.

Crystal Meth

[AD]

Fate
FROZE? BOI IM HO OH

[Fate]

Fate
FROZE? BOI IM HO OH

HO, YOU FROZE

[Kentucky Fried Torchic]

Here is my entry for the contest, Since I've No Place to Go (http://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php?16369-Since-I-ve-No-Place-to-Go-Winter-Carnival-Heartwarming-Story&p=266464#post266464).

[K'sariya]

A little rusty on the writing front. But here's my entry:


distance--



Flutter of feathers snaps brilliant yellow eyes upward, crimson nostrils flaring to suck in the scent of the approaching threat. That same air fuels the fire that begins to whisper from behind black fangs. Leathery wings pull more closely about his sleeping charge--a young woman whose head nestles into his wild mane as she sleeps. They’ve both grown used to the sharp taps of distant gunfire in the night but this, this is closer, more urgent. Eyes hone in on the small figure that swoops from the clear night sky with laser focus, a soft growl boiling up from his throat.

It doesn’t take long, however, for the tension in the draconic creature’s form to melt from its sleek body, and within moments, the flying creature offers his companion a waking nudge and an excited chirrup. He takes wing.

Slowly skyward draws the gaze of the Noivern’s sleepy companion. Pale face tilts upward to the light of the moon, the motion tugging thick green scarf from thin lips. A flicker of recognition washes over her features and then she, too, hops to her feet with a gasp, mouth sweeping into an excited smile. Rare giggle bursts from her. She jumps, waves, as she watches the Noivern join the long-awaited messenger in the sky.

Dark blue feathers streak across red down, snowy undersides flashing upward as the Swellow pulls up sharply from her calculated dive. Beak clacks cheerfully as the familiar, two-hundred pound, over-sized cat of a dragon sweeps up to meet her. She banks playfully down and to the beast’s right, then rises up behind him on the snapping updraft of his expanding leather wings.

Lillith watches the two play from below, watches their ducking and diving as they rehash the motions of a long-practiced dance between two best friends. The very sight seems to warm her cheeks against the biting winter chill. Moonlight casts their shadows crisply down onto the small forest clearing down below, the darkness like pitch against the footstep-pocked snow. Lillith pulls her worn, beige knit jacket a bit more tightly about her form, and then beckons toward their guest.

“Told you she’d come, Mimulnir,” the young woman giggles as the Swellow notes the gesture and alights in the moonlit snow beside her, favoring her right leg. Beak tucks to clip the tight string that binds the small letter to her leg, then passes it up to Lillith. Mimulnir alights heavily behind her, sweeping a warming and protective wing over them both. The embers of the nearby remains of an earlier fire crackle and simmer quietly a few feet away--he takes the opportunity to relight it with a carefully-aimed stream of fire.

Numbed fingers shake with difficulty as Lillith unravels the letter. Held within is a messy scrawl, one that jumps across the small paper in tiny print. Brown eyes squint as she struggles to read it, but slowly she begins to murmur aloud:

”Be home soon, baby, I promise the wait’ll be worth it. The front’s moving, the first time in months, and for once, we’re not on the losing side. I know the rations are tight, but feed Numi for me if you can. She deserves it. Remember: same stars, love, same stars. xoxo.”

She pulls the letter tightly against her chest and holds it there, against the ache of love and hope as she looks up at the clear night sky. Mimulnir and Numinex both shuffle more closely against her. Same stars, love, same stars.


***



Night sits heavy on the field, the dead silence nestled deeply into the vast expanse of snow. Not even the wind dares to disturb it, as if even it knows that the slightest of motion or sound will end the calm before the storm. Like groundhogs waiting for a day they don’t emerge in shadow, they hide in the foxholes dug down into the raised snowbanks that line the edges of the field. Behind them lie familiar, identical rows, pitted with minute holes, quiet as graves.

Numi flies low, as she’s been taught. The dark shadow of the Swellow sweeps low across the shadowed forest floor, then out across the old fronts and foxholes. She swings between their rising forms, not daring to pull above, hanging nearly low enough to dampen her breast feathers against the snow. The bird alights quietly behind the right of the front, settling down into the snow beside one of the holes. Sharp beak taps once, twice, three times on the snow outside, and after a few seconds, movement stirs within.

The first thing to emerge is black steel, a gun placed carefully by dark hand onto the snow. Dark-skinned woman carefully pulls herself only halfway from the hole, propping herself low on her right elbow. Small smile tugs at Sierra’s lips as she sees Numi.

“Hey, girl,” she whispers soft and low, extending her hand carefully out to sweep the Swellow close against her white uniform. Pale straps, colored for the snow, pull up across her shoulders, supporting the weight of the heavy ammo belt about her hips. Numi buries her beak into the heavy coat uniform’s white-furred hood, sparing a few loving pecks at the snow caught in her beloved companion’s coarse black hair.

It doesn’t take but a few moments before Sierra has freed Numi of her charge. On the back of the letter already delivered to Lilllith is another set of messy scrawl.

Same stars, love, same stars. Missing you. xoxo.

Sierra rereads the words. No matter how many times she heard them, they still offered her that same sense of elation, of ease. Body lowers to the snow, rolling slowly from her elbow to her back. Brown eyes stare up at the clear sky, at the milky moon and the smattering of trillions of tiny, brilliant stars. It helped to know that they looked at the same sky. Sierra pulls cold steel of the weapon to rest on her chest. Numi settles warmly against the side of her neck.


--makes the heart fonder.

[Suicune's Fire]

A little rusty on the writing front. But here's my entry:


distance--



Flutter of feathers snaps brilliant yellow eyes upward, crimson nostrils flaring to suck in the scent of the approaching threat. That same air fuels the fire that begins to whisper from behind black fangs. Leathery wings pull more closely about his sleeping charge--a young woman whose head nestles into his wild mane as she sleeps. They’ve both grown used to the sharp taps of distant gunfire in the night but this, this is closer, more urgent. Eyes hone in on the small figure that swoops from the clear night sky with laser focus, a soft growl boiling up from his throat.

It doesn’t take long, however, for the tension in the draconic creature’s form to melt from its sleek body, and within moments, the flying creature offers his companion a waking nudge and an excited chirrup. He takes wing.

Slowly skyward draws the gaze of the Noivern’s sleepy companion. Pale face tilts upward to the light of the moon, the motion tugging thick green scarf from thin lips. A flicker of recognition washes over her features and then she, too, hops to her feet with a gasp, mouth sweeping into an excited smile. Rare giggle bursts from her. She jumps, waves, as she watches the Noivern join the long-awaited messenger in the sky.

Dark blue feathers streak across red down, snowy undersides flashing upward as the Swellow pulls up sharply from her calculated dive. Beak clacks cheerfully as the familiar, two-hundred pound, over-sized cat of a dragon sweeps up to meet her. She banks playfully down and to the beast’s right, then rises up behind him on the snapping updraft of his expanding leather wings.

Lillith watches the two play from below, watches their ducking and diving as they rehash the motions of a long-practiced dance between two best friends. The very sight seems to warm her cheeks against the biting winter chill. Moonlight casts their shadows crisply down onto the small forest clearing down below, the darkness like pitch against the footstep-pocked snow. Lillith pulls her worn, beige knit jacket a bit more tightly about her form, and then beckons toward their guest.

“Told you she’d come, Mimulnir,” the young woman giggles as the Swellow notes the gesture and alights in the moonlit snow beside her, favoring her right leg. Beak tucks to clip the tight string that binds the small letter to her leg, then passes it up to Lillith. Mimulnir alights heavily behind her, sweeping a warming and protective wing over them both. The embers of the nearby remains of an earlier fire crackle and simmer quietly a few feet away--he takes the opportunity to relight it with a carefully-aimed stream of fire.

Numbed fingers shake with difficulty as Lillith unravels the letter. Held within is a messy scrawl, one that jumps across the small paper in tiny print. Brown eyes squint as she struggles to read it, but slowly she begins to murmur aloud:

”Be home soon, baby, I promise the wait’ll be worth it. The front’s moving, the first time in months, and for once, we’re not on the losing side. I know the rations are tight, but feed Numi for me if you can. She deserves it. Remember: same stars, love, same stars. xoxo.”

She pulls the letter tightly against her chest and holds it there, against the ache of love and hope as she looks up at the clear night sky. Mimulnir and Numinex both shuffle more closely against her. Same stars, love, same stars.


***



Night sits heavy on the field, the dead silence nestled deeply into the vast expanse of snow. Not even the wind dares to disturb it, as if even it knows that the slightest of motion or sound will end the calm before the storm. Like groundhogs waiting for a day they don’t emerge in shadow, they hide in the foxholes dug down into the raised snowbanks that line the edges of the field. Behind them lie familiar, identical rows, pitted with minute holes, quiet as graves.

Numi flies low, as she’s been taught. The dark shadow of the Swellow sweeps low across the shadowed forest floor, then out across the old fronts and foxholes. She swings between their rising forms, not daring to pull above, hanging nearly low enough to dampen her breast feathers against the snow. The bird alights quietly behind the right of the front, settling down into the snow beside one of the holes. Sharp beak taps once, twice, three times on the snow outside, and after a few seconds, movement stirs within.

The first thing to emerge is black steel, a gun placed carefully by dark hand onto the snow. Dark-skinned woman carefully pulls herself only halfway from the hole, propping herself low on her right elbow. Small smile tugs at Sierra’s lips as she sees Numi.

“Hey, girl,” she whispers soft and low, extending her hand carefully out to sweep the Swellow close against her white uniform. Pale straps, colored for the snow, pull up across her shoulders, supporting the weight of the heavy ammo belt about her hips. Numi buries her beak into the heavy coat uniform’s white-furred hood, sparing a few loving pecks at the snow caught in her beloved companion’s coarse black hair.

It doesn’t take but a few moments before Sierra has freed Numi of her charge. On the back of the letter already delivered to Lilllith is another set of messy scrawl.

Same stars, love, same stars. Missing you. xoxo.

Sierra rereads the words. No matter how many times she heard them, they still offered her that same sense of elation, of ease. Body lowers to the snow, rolling slowly from her elbow to her back. Brown eyes stare up at the clear sky, at the milky moon and the smattering of trillions of tiny, brilliant stars. It helped to know that they looked at the same sky. Sierra pulls cold steel of the weapon to rest on her chest. Numi settles warmly against the side of her neck.


--makes the heart fonder.
Aw, what a great little story! I find your writing style really interesting; I admit, though it's quite jarring that you don't use "A" or "Her" or "The" before most of your sentences. It works for many instances ("Brown eyes stare up at the clear sky)", but for others I think it doesn't "Flutter of feathers snaps brilliant yellow eyes upward"). I could be wrong, and it could be acceptable because of the style, but I suppose I'm not used to it and it throws me off every time. xD It makes my brain think harder for sentences to make sense, if you know what I mean, so the flow of the story wasn't as smooth as it'd have been otherwise. For me, anyway. I also have no idea how to pronounce Mimulnir, though I'm guessing it's like "MIM-ool-neer."

Anyway, didn't spot any errors so nice job. :3 Pretty sad as well, but the hope and the bond is heartwarming.

[Suicune's Fire]

(Sorry for the double post.)

My story is finally done! 8D Posted in the Writer's Desk.

In the Near Future. (http://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php?16393-In-the-Near-Future-Winter-Carnival-Heartwarming-Story)

[Noblejanobii]

Aaaand here we go in the nick of time! Here's my entry (http://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php?15484-Rising-Smoke-(a-black-randomized-gijinka-storylocke)&p=266864&viewfull=1#post266864) staring the Jones brothers, Tyson and Leon, from my storylocke, Rising Smoke!

[Suicune's Fire]

EmeraldSky When will we find out if we got 50 extra coins? :) No rush, just wondering!

[EmeraldSky]

Suicune's Fire:

After I've had a chance to read all the stories and judge them.

[EmeraldSky]

After a bit of thought and reading through everyone's entries, I've decided that everyone gets 50 bonus coins, since they all were that good!

That said, you all deserve a special shout out:

Kentucky Fried Torchic

I really fell in love with the little Charmander, and want to see more starring him.

Noblejanobii

I loved Leon's and Tyson's camaraderie, and hope to see more of their adventures.

Fate

This was both genius and craziness--thumbs up for the most creative of the bunch

Suicune's Fire

This was actually very clever, not telling us this is an older trainer reflecting on her glory days until late in the story. It's not often we see older trainers, so she stands out above all the Ash clones.

Cleobel

A great first effort at writing, and I hope to see you continue to improve from here.

K'sariya

Not bad for not writing in a while! I want to know more about these characters.

Again, well done to everyone!

[Cleobel]

It's awesome that everyone gets 50 bonus coins! Thank you very much, EmeraldSky! :)

[EmeraldSky]

Cleobel

https://media.giphy.com/media/e4PkUJXi88n1C/giphy.gif

Anytime. and thank you for entering.

[Noblejanobii]

https://78.media.tumblr.com/db6f6ee3772b078cbe62e26d560459c2/tumblr_ojmxecwqcQ1qioqevo1_r2_500.gif

I'm so glad you liked them! You'll get to see more of their antics in the coming updates for Rising Smoke, I promise!

[Suicune's Fire]

Thank you, EmeraldSky! :D I really appreciate your feedback! And it was kind of you to dish our coins to everyone. ^-^

[EmeraldSky]

https://media.giphy.com/media/AFpghpBCYEAwM/giphy.gif

Anytime! Thanks for entering!