Little Lizard's Library of Tales (Update 12/22 Now with more Christmas)

**FedoraChar** · 12-12-2013, 12:17 AM

KINGDOM 2 COME
PART II

My legs burned as I crashed through the undergrowth. Afraid of stopping, I kept racing even after I no longer heard the shouts of the soldiers. Beside me, Sniper easily kept pace; in fact, he probably had an easier time maneuvering his limbless body through the trees and shrubs then I did. The Grass-type was in his element—I wasn’t.

Eventually, we reached a dead end: sheer cliffs that caged us into the forest. I had to tilt my head back to see the rim of the impressive wall, but when I did so my knees gave out. I skidded on the dirt and fell on my back. With my skin freshly scraped, and my sides screaming at me, I stayed in place, panting until my breath caught up with me. Sniper watched me in concern at my side before gingerly laying his head on my stomach. He tried to comfort me by trilling in the back of his throat.

“What am I going to do?” I moaned, rubbing my face with one hand while resting the other on my Pokémon’s head. “We must be a thousand years in the past, but… How is that even possible?”

Sniper silently opened an eye.

“Or… or maybe this is just a dream. Yeah, a dream—a really horrible nightmare,” I concluded, figuring I was close to the truth. It made sense, too. None of this could be real. Maybe I did knock my head against that rock last night, and all of this was mere delusions. “I’ll just close my eyes, and wake up. Then everything will be as it should be.”

My Serperior lifted his head a few inches, cocking it in puzzlement. I ignored him and squeezed my eyes shut. Let this be a dream, just a dream, I repeated a self-invented mantra, crossing my fingers. None of this is real. It isn’t happening. I’m still back in the year 2011…

Placing all my hope in this silent plea, I sat up and re-opened my eyes.

And I came face to face with the dead end of an arrow.

Sensing my alarm, Sniper whirled his body around. He let out a sharp hiss as he tensed his muscles, preparing to strike once again.

“Move, and I shoot,” the arrow’s unshaken owner threatened, keeping the projectile aimed straight at me. He was close enough that I could neither dodge nor deflect—if I could do even that in my disheveled state.

I stared aghast at the archer, a young man looking only a year or two older than me. He appeared as rugged as the soldiers I met before, with a regal air that made him seem princely. His sharply angled face stared back fiercely at mine through sea-green eyes that would have made even a Watchog glance away in shame. I didn’t doubt for a second that he wouldn’t execute his intentions, if provoked.

“Down, Sniper,” I whispered to my Pokémon. The Serperior lit out another low hiss, but reluctantly recoiled.

“Who are you?” the young man demanded with a commander’s strict tone. I got the feeling that he was hardly ever disobeyed.

“Zayna… White.”

“Who are you working with?” he didn’t blink for a second.

I strained my brain to try to understand, “I… what? I’m not working with anyone.”

The archer pulled his bow farther back, unconvinced. “Who?”

“Look, guy, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” my hands flew up in the air. He was crazy!

“Tell the truth,” he narrowed his eyes. “Or take your last breath…”

I wanted to cry, but I tried to hold myself together. “Fine, then,” I took in a deep breath. “I’ll tell you the truth: I’m lost, okay? I woke up on the wrong side of the universe this morning, and not long after a group of men tried killing my dog and kidnapping me. I only just escaped, having run a million miles through the jungle, so can you back off some?”

Okay, maybe I got a little out of hand with that last part. The kid was intimidating, but it seemed easier to face one man instead of several well-armed soldiers. Kind of. Besides, I was getting tired of this life-endangerment business. After the second time someone points a weapon at your face, it gets old. Can I go home, now please?

“You expect me to believe that?” his voice was devoid of humor, only tipped with ice.

“Will you relax, brother?” a new voice entered the scene.

I turned my head to see another young man emerging from the woods. He favored a leg, I noticed, but waved cheerfully to the three of us. Up close, I saw the remarkable resemblance he shared with the archer—the same, sharp face, sea-green eyes, and regal air. Yet instead of having white-blonde hair, the newcomer had a darker tone of brown. His eyes sparkled with mischief, and I liked him immediately. So far, he was the only stranger I met who didn’t want to attack me. I couldn’t help but hope that he was here to save me from these crazies.

“You’ll have to excuse my brother,” his mouth curled into a genuine smile, a goofy yet charming grin. “He’s always been the type to jump to hasty conclusions.”

“Zekarus,” the light-haired archer muttered in a warning tone, glancing distrustfully my way. “Stay your tongue. We know nothing about this girl.”

“Remish, just trust me on this one,” Zekarus stepped aside to argue, tossing me an apologetic look.

“But how do we know we can trust her?” the archer, apparently named Remish, growled back in agitation.

How could I trust them? I wondered at the same time. Grateful that Sniper backed me up, I continued to evaluate the boys.

“Faith, brother. Besides, just look at her. I do not think that she will harm anyone. She looks rather lost.”

Remish narrowed his eyes. “She looks like a witch to me. Look how that Beast obeys her whim.”

Zekarus’ expression turned grim as he replied, “Then are we any different from her?”

I watched as Remish suddenly backed down, averting his eyes almost shamefully. His brother rested a hand on his shoulder, adding so softly that I almost couldn’t hear him, “I think she can help us.”

Help them? I blinked in curiosity. What could I do to help them?

A smile sprouting on his face again, the dark-haired brother turned back to me. “My apologies,” he bowed like a prince. “He just needed some reassuring. My name is Zekarus, son of Rhoan, and my brother is Remish. I’m afraid I didn’t catch your name, however.”

“Um, it’s Zayna… Zayna White,” I repeated, exchanging an uncertain glance with Sniper. The Serperior had quietly observed them, but I couldn’t tell what he thought of these young men. I wasn’t even sure what I thought.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Zayna,” he gallantly took my hand, kissing it. A blush involuntarily found its way to my cheeks. He finished with a coy smile, “Though I wish it could have been under better… circumstances.”

“Uh, yeah… Nice to meet you too?” Gosh, I sounded like an idiot.

“We should not stay out in the open for too much longer,” Remish declared, slinging his bow across his shoulder. “The armies are not far from here.”

“You show much wisdom, brother,” the brown-haired teen agreed, and then asked me, “Will you come with us?”

Do I have much choice? I glanced over my shoulder, thinking of the men who had kidnapped me. I didn’t know if they were hunting for me, but I didn’t want to stick around to find out. Also, I still had no clue where I was. If these boys were offering some assistance, then maybe I should take advantage of that. If they weren’t a threat, that is.

Sniper softly hissed again, still glaring at Remish. Obviously, he felt some distrust as well. I’m not sure if we can trust them, I thought to myself, examining them closely. But sometimes, you need to take a leap of faith. They were just two boys—maybe my team could handle them if they did prove to be dangerous. And Zekarus seemed nice…

“Yes, if that would be okay,” I caved, offering a cautious smile.

“Of course,” Zekarus turned aside, offering his arm.

Yeah, I’m not doing the whole medieval courtesy game, I laughed inside myself. Instead of taking his arm, I patted it and followed behind Remish, leaving Zekarus with a baffled expression.

*****

We traveled south down along the cliff walls, skirting them until we came to a ravine with a gentle climb. Remish led us up them, casting furtive glances in all directions. He seemed more high-strung and cautious than his laid-back brother, as if expecting an attack at any second. The archer never said much, only giving vague grunts whenever Zekarus asked him a question. On the other hand, Zekarus was as talkative as a songbird. I filled him in on my adventures here—though I didn’t dare mention anything about time travel—and in turn he shared a few of his own. From the sound of it, Zekarus was very mischievous, having an affinity with trouble. Yet I liked his easy-going nature, and it put me at ease. Even Sniper, who followed dejectedly behind, seemed to relax a little after Zek released the third peal of laughter from me.

Feeling more comfortable with the boys, I braved more questions. “So… what exactly is going on in this, er, land?”

Zekarus’ energy dimmed a bit, but offered a sad smile. “War, Zayna. I’m afraid you picked the wrong time to visit.”

“War?” I blinked, unable to comprehend the word.

“Yes,” Zekarus’ eyes took on a far-away look. “The Southern Kingdom is rising against the Northern Kingdom, and all the places in between are in utter chaos.” He grew silent for some time, reflective, but then turned thoughtful. “Zayna? How much do you know about the kingdoms in this land?”

Remish suddenly stopped, turning to fix his severe gaze on his brother. Both engaged in an intense staring contest, neither side giving in to the other. I stood by in bafflement, wondering if I had missed something. Finally, Zekarus spoke in a soft undertone.

“I know what I am doing.”

Remish narrowed his eyes, replying coldly, “I hope you do.”

With that he turned his back on us again, leaving a chill in the air. Only after he put a little distance between us did I dare ask Zekarus, “What was that about?”

Zekarus sighed, “Nothing. Don’t worry about it. So, want a history lesson?”

I glanced up at Remish tentatively. “Sure?”

The young man grinned, not even hesitating for a second as he started his story:

“A long time ago, our ancestors settled Unova, establishing tiny, scattered villages across the face of the land. For ages, the villages lived separate lives from one another, unconcerned with the matters outside their secluded worlds, until an adventurous governor set out to establish trade. In time, the villages united, forming one thriving kingdom that spread from the oceans down south, to the mountains in the north. However, the day came when the sole monarch died of an ill disease, and a usurper rose to the throne. The usurper introduced new ideas, and ruled with an iron fist. Some parts of the land grew to like his ideas, but the northern regions objected his tyranny.

“They broke away from the south, forming their own kingdom with the one true heir to the crown. The usurper, enraged by their rebellion, brought forth armies to bring the new kingdom back under his dominion. However, the resistance they met overwhelmed their forces, and they retreated back to their kingdom in the southern desert. Though bitter about their defeat, they left the new Northern Kingdom alone for a time, until another ambitious man rose to command. Decades had passed, and both kingdoms had attained an era of peace and wealth. Yet the new commander of the Southern Kingdom wanted to regain the lands that his Kingdom had lost. He was hungry for power and control. He didn’t want a kingdom; he wanted an empire.

“Another war began, though one this time that would last for a hundred years. In time, the Kingdoms began to decay from the inside, out. The wealth and splendor of the old ages were burned to the ground as our land was ravished. Both Kingdoms tried pulling everything they could to gain ground against the enemy, but never did they realize that they were destroying themselves.”

Zekarus’ expression grew weary as he finished his tale, “In the past year, corruption was sown in the Northern Kingdom. The true King was assassinated upon his own throne, and his heirs, two twin brothers barely of age, were forced to flee from their home. Now a pretender sits upon the throne, mercilessly playing the war game until we have lost all we gained.”

The young man fell silent, the brightness of his character leaving his face. He suddenly looked older to me, like a man who had seen too much sorrow in his young life. I slowly absorbed his story, still sorting through all the details. I had never taken a history class, and regrettably I didn’t know as much as I should about Unova’s roots. But I felt like I had heard a story like this before. I just couldn’t put my thumb on when and where. When I glanced up from my thoughts, I met Zekarus’ solemn eyes. Then I knew.

“You’re… you’re the brothers from the story,” I uttered, looking between the two. “You’re princes…”

“We were,” Remish stopped.

He had brought us to the opening of a cave, where the remains of a fire rested before its maw. Little evidences of a camp were scattered across the rocky ground: a pile of neatly stacked wood by the fireside, a line of rope leading from one cliff wall to the other that held dead animals (ew) or clothes. A pair of logs rested near the blackened fire pit, looking like they had been used as seats.

“Welcome to our camp, Miss White,” Zekarus welcomed, livening up once again. “It’s not much, but it’s been our home for the past little while.”

“It’s…,” I started, but trailed off as unexpected noise met my ears. I could have sworn it sounded like barking. Dog-like barking. As I turned my head towards the source of the sound, a familiar face emerged from the cave with her stumpy tail wagging. “Lilly!”

I ran to her, words not even describing my joy. As soon as we met, I wrapped my arms around her wooly neck and held her tight. She squirmed in my hold until she could lick the tears off my cheeks, whimpering happily all the while. I didn’t notice until I finally pulled back that a bandage had been wrapped around her thigh, clean and white.

“Ah, so she’s yours, then?” Zekarus’ eyes glinted as he laughed.

“Zekarus, what is this?” Remish sighed, shaking his head.

“I found her out in the woods, trying to follow some North Kingdom troops,” Zekarus sheepishly answered, ducking his head. “The poor thing was bleeding, and… well, I couldn’t help it. I had to help her out. I was on my way to tell you, but I think we both got a little sidetracked…”

Wiping the tears from my face, I finally released my Stoutland—then turned and hugged Zekarus. His body stiffened in surprise, cutting his chuckle off short, but gently he lowered his arms around me.

“Thank you so much, Zek,” I whispered, ever grateful.

“You’re very welcome,” Zekarus chuckled, holding me tighter before quickly pulling away. Clearing his throat, he added, “Er, but you should be a little more careful—the people of this land aren’t very… kind to Beasts.”

I wiped at my dampened cheek, tittering, “I think I figured that out long ago.”

Remish had quietly watched us for some time before suddenly speaking up, “Are you a witch?”

“No, of course not,” I rolled my eyes, exasperated. “Why does everyone keep accusing me of that?”

Remish and Zekarus exchanged glances.

“That is what they call those who bond with the Beasts,” Remish offered an explanation.

I frowned, turning to Sniper and Lilly. I had figured that they called Pokémon Beasts in this time period, but was the relationship between the two races really that different here? “Is that such a bad thing?” I asked them honestly. “Where I am from, people and Pok—people and Beasts live together in harmony.”

“Is that true?” Remish’s eyebrows lifted in doubt. “Can that be so?”

Zekarus smiled. “How ideal would that be?”

I stared. My head buzzed, trying to tell me that I was missing something immensely important. No way. There was no way…

“Perhaps… you can help us, then,” Remish’s stony masked softened some, and I could sense that he was lowering his guard some. Maybe he still didn’t trust me, but at least he was giving me a chance to prove myself.

“Help with what?” I blinked. I overheard them before, mentioning this, but what did they mean? How could I be of any service to them? They’ve already helped me more than I could repay them, I suppose.

“We, er, actually wondered if you might be able to help our friend,” Zekarus again turned sheepish, glancing cagily towards the cave. When I furrowed my brows, he took my hand. “Come with me.”

I didn’t object, though I continued to wonder why these two acted so elusively. Zekarus pulled me through their humble camp, towards the gateway into the cliff face. I felt apprehensive approaching the cave, given my adventures earlier that day. That didn’t slow Zekarus down, but he did squeeze my hand reassuringly with an added wink.

“Um, I should warn you. Our ‘friend’ might be a little… surprising,” Zekarus clued me in as we stepped inside, sounding uncharacteristically nervous.

“Surprising?”

“You’ll see.”

My question answered itself when a gust of wind suddenly blew my hair back. Rustling filled the darkness as something massive shifted against the rock. Rumbling rattled my bones before the shadows in front of me moved. I tensed, automatically expecting an attack. Soon, I was staring into the golden eyes of a dragon.

“Zayna, this is our friend, Shachor,” Zekarus introduced us, enjoying my astonishment.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw more of his “friend.” The dragon was massive, taking up the whole back part of the cave. Wary, slitted eyes watched me from a horse-shaped head, striped with shades of black and white. The long neck that held it sported a main of silvery feathers, as fine as down. It lay on its side, over long limbs that ended in sharp talons. Only when I got over its majesty did I notice its misery. Every breath came out in slow, wheezing gusts—its broad chest rising and falling in a sickly rhythm.

Zekarus moved by its side, placing a hand on one of its ivory horns. The dragon didn’t strike; instead, it closed its eyes and rumbled again. Very timidly, I walked up to the creature as well, marveling at its size. The only Pokémon that I could compare it to… was N’s Legendary. Was this a Legendary Pokémon as well? I worried that it might not be so friendly to me, but Shachor only eyed me through a narrowed lid, showing no ire.

“He’s… magnificent,” I breathed. “But… what’s wrong with him?”

“He is ill,” came Zekarus’ soft reply. “And we are not sure how to…”

I met his eyes, knowing what he meant. Braving the last few feet that distanced me from Shachor, I knelt and placed my hand on its cheek. The scaly hide felt warm beneath my hand.

“Can you help him?” Zekarus asked hopefully.

Shachor’s golden eyes opened again, and up close I could see into its depths. Staring into them felt like standing and peering over the edge of a bottomless canyon. Ancient, timeless… familiar. But sadness; so much sadness in those eyes.

“Zayna?”

I started, shaking from the spell.

“Um, yeah,” I finally replied, feeling a little dizzy. “I think I might have some medicine in my—”

I stopped as I became painfully aware of the absence one of my belongings: my bag. “Crap,” I cursed.

“Something wrong?”

“My bag,” I winced. “It was confiscated by those soldiers. They still have it.”

“What?”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, letting out a moan. “I can’t believe that I lost it. It has everything—all of my stuff. And… medicine, and… Ugh, this is bad.”

“That is not the only ‘bad’ development,” Remish’s voice suddenly called from the entrance. Zekarus and I turned to see him outlined against the light outside. “Soldiers are traveling up the ravine.”

“How many?” his twin brother whirled around, sounding alarmed.

“Thirty, and all armed to the teeth.”

“We can’t let them find us!”

Remish nodded grimly. “If they find Shachor…”

I glanced between the two twins, sensing the fear that stiffened them both. I realized something then: they had bonded with Shachor. Two brothers, two twins—one dragon…

“We have to fight,” I stood, clenching my fists in determination.

They looked at me in surprise.

“What?” I shrugged, but they kept staring. Shaking my head, I continued, “Look, we can’t let them get to this cave, right?”

“But there’s only two of us,” Remish lowered his head, growing ancient.

I raised an eyebrow. “’cuse me?”

“Okay… then three of us,” Zekarus tried to repair his brother’s damage.

I smiled, “Still not close. I can add six others to our team.”

The brothers exchanged confused glances.

Remish, still doubtful, ventured to ask, “What do you mean?”

Right on cue, Sniper and Lilly poked their heads into the cave. I whistled to them, and the two joined us in the cave, ogling at the giant within.

“Lilly can’t fight, but Sniper can,” I started to explain, reaching for the Poke Balls at my belt. “And I got five others right here.”

Ripping them from their placing, I threw the capsules one at a time. The cave lit up with each consecutive flash, momentarily illuminating the expressions of total shock on the faces of the twins. First came Kiki, my ever quirky Simipour with her glowing smile. She was followed by my Darmanitan, Rascal, and Terra the Scrafty. Last of all, Rouge the Krookodile and Archie the Archeops.

“What sorcery is this?” Remish recoiled, fear mixing with his amazement.

Rouge narrowed his eyes at the prince, crossing his arms with immediate dislike. Still grinning, I rested my elbow on the crocodile’s shoulder. “It’s not sorcery, guys. It’s science—technology.”

“Science?” Zekarus scrunched his nose. “This is the strangest piece of science I have ever seen.”

“Don’t worry too much about it,” I laughed. “It’s beside the point. Now, I got six fighters here—what’s the plan?”

Remish released a sigh, shaking his head. “We’re still outnumbered. I don’t see how we can stand a chance.”

“Wait…” Zekarus mused, examining my team. “I think… I might have an idea.”

“Throw it at me,” I grinned, hoping he would say that.

END PART II
-->Part III

**FedoraChar** · 02-05-2014, 02:27 AM

KINGDOM 2 COME
PART III

QUICK NOTE---This section includes parts of the original ending to this story. When I attempted to novelize this, I changed quite a few parts of this battle. I thought that this version I had saved on my back-up files was the edited version, but looks like I'm wrong. I'm hoping I can find the edited version, because it turned out a lot better, but I'm not sure I'll find it. Still, I'll keep an eye out, and if I find it I will post it as well :)

Minutes of preparation later, Remish and I hiked to the top of ravine. The day had grown hot and dry; the ravine had little vegetation to offer in shade or relief. We army-crawled our way to the edge, where we could spy on the soldiers. They filed through the ravine in a long train, since the walls allowed only one or two to pass through. True to Remish’s word, they were dangerously armed with swords, pikes, and shields.

“Are you sure about this?” the light-haired archer asked for the umpteenth time, watching the procession dourly.

“Sure as I’ll ever be,” I muttered back. I followed the procession with my eyes to the front, where a rider led the troops on the back of a horse. My eyes widened as I recognized him—and the bag resting on the saddle. “That’s him!”

“Who?” Remish leaned in, trying to follow my gaze.

“That’s the man who tried to kidnap me,” I answered, never tearing my eyes from the rider. “And he has my bag!”

Remish finally found the man I was talking about, but then returned his regal eyes to me. “What do you want to do?”

I bit my lip, wondering what I could do. The plan was already laid down—all they needed was a simple signal. But if I could grab the bag, I might be able to help Shachor…

“I think I might have an idea,” I nodded without much confidence.

Remish snorted and shook his head. “You and Zek with your ideas…”

“You’re free to add some input, you know,” I retreated from the edge of the ravine. Once I was far enough, I stood and started back towards the cave.

“What are you thinking, Zayna?” Remish called as loud as he dared.

“Go ahead and give the signal when you’re ready.”

“Zayna!” he hissed, but I ignored him. Soon I left him in the dust, my thoughts whirling as I tried to refine my plan. It wasn’t much; most of it consisted of winging it. As I traveled beside the ravine, I could see where my Pokémon were stationed, patiently waiting for their part in defending the cave.

“Zayna?”

I turned to see Zekarus pulling out of his hiding spot—an alcove set into the ravine wall. Rascal’s fiery eyebrows peered over the rock as well, curious but excited.

“Don’t worry, everything’s fine,” I hurried to assure him. Letting out a shrill whistle, I called for my flyer, Archie. The prehistoric bird appeared in a flurry of feathers, flying from his perch on the opposite side of the ravine.

“What is going on?” Zekarus pressed, unsatisfied with my vague reply.

“Fly, Archie,” I ordered, and obediently the raptor flapped behind me, grabbing my arms just below the shoulder. Giving Zekarus a grin, I shouted, “I found my bag,” before Archie lifted me from the ground.

“Zayna, wait!” Zekarus started climbing out of the alcove, but I was gone before he could stop me.

I had Archie fly me back down the ravine, but landed just before the place where I knew Rouge waited. There, we crouched close to the edge of the cliff, and waited.

Remish, I pleaded, please just stick with the plan.

Down below us, I could see two black points resting in the ground. Strangers might have mistaken them for rocks, but I knew what they were: Rouge’s eyes. They were the only part of his body that remained above ground, the rest of him lurking below the earth like a crocodile waiting in water. I marveled at his immense patience as he remained frozen in place, not even blinking as the wind stirred the dirt. Eventually, the ravine filled with the sound of tromping footsteps. Soon, the first of the men appeared around the corner.

The soldiers stomped on through, oblivious to the Pokémon buried in the earth as they passed. I tightened my hold on the lip of the canyon, straining my ears for the sound I prayed would come.

And come it did: the bugle of Remish’s hunting horn.

Rouge exploded from the dirt, eyes glinting hungrily as he startled the men closest to him. Before they could strike, the Krookodile raised his arms and commenced his part of the plan. The ground beneath the troop suddenly thinned, sinking as it turned into sand. The men at the front suddenly found themselves buried knee-deep into a Sand Tomb they could not escape from. The horse had been trapped as well, flinging its rider from its saddle as it struggled desperately.

Rouge grinned toothily as he reveled in the chaos he had created.

“The Beast!” the rider barked, scrambling to his feet. “Kill it! Kill it!”

The soldiers who weren’t trapped pulled out their weapons and started towards my Pokémon. I tensed, but Rouge sneered, waiting for them to come. Just as they reached him, the crocodile dived into the ground, escaping them as he dug through the earth to safety.

“After it!” the rider roared, looking outraged.

Six men had been trapped in the sand, but the others surged forward. Their footsteps churned the sand, slowing them down some before they reached firm earth once again. With nowhere else to turn to, they went deeper into the ravine, and deeper into our trap. I stood up and walked with Archie down to our next checkpoint: now it was time for Terra to shine. The Scrafty had been positioned on the other side of the ravine, but when men started passing through her turf, she crawled out from her hiding spot.

The men never noticed her as she lifted a boulder several times her size. With her incredible strength, she threw the boulder at my wall. I braced myself as the wall shook with the incredible force. Below, I heard the shouts of men as the rocks rained down on them. The ravine rumbled as a rockslide brought down part of the wall, and if it weren’t for Archie support me, I would have lost my balance. When the chaos stopped, I peered over the edge again. The troop had been separated by the rockslide, half on one side, the rest trapped on the other side.

Now, Kiki would do her part. The Simipour appeared next to Terra, looking absolutely thrilled. Before the men could begin to scale the rock, she deftly climbed her way down the cliff, landing right on the peak of the rock pile.

“What the--?” I overheard a soldier cry as they paused in surprise. Kiki happily screeched, dancing in place until she threw her arms out. For a minute, nothing happened; then, the walls on either side of her exploded. A deluge of brown water flowed from the holes, flowing down towards the startled soldiers. They screamed and started retreating, but their efforts were futile. Kiki’s Surf washed them away, back down the ravine and far from the other men. Kiki laughed, sliding down the now-empty side of the ravine and sticking her tongue out offensively.

“So far, so good,” I muttered, counting up the men we still had to deal with. They had gone to thirty strong, to a mere dozen men.

The rider glared at the rock wall, accusing it of stealing his troops. I spied from atop the ledge, barely hearing the men mutter amongst themselves.

“We should just turn back, Cap’n,” one braved, turning to his leader with care.

“No,” the man’s stubborn voice echoed off the walls. “We’ll keep moving.”

He spun around, fixing his men his men with a determined expression. “The exiled princes are here—I know it. I saw them conspiring with the witch with my own eyes.”

The captain raised my pink bag in emphasis, shaking it before the men’s faces.

I narrowed my eyes. These men weren’t just here for me—they were here for Rem and Zek. The prize for capturing a pair of exiled princes must be tempting, especially for a rank-seeking Captain, I would think. But I wasn’t going to let him find them. I had to stop him.

The men wordlessly continued down the ravine. I followed along the rim of the ravine with them, staying just as silent. Archie, however, was growing anxious. He had no idea what I had in store for him, nor did he understand why I had pulled him from his checkpoint. But he would see, soon enough. Next was Sniper’s turn to shine.

As the men rounded another bend, they suddenly stopped short. I hurried over to the next viewpoint just in time to see what had given them pause: several whirlwinds stirred the dirt ahead, swirling with razor-sharp leaves. The minute the men came into view, Sniper—from his unseen perch—sent the Leaf Tornadoes raging towards them. The continual attacks from my Pokémon had unsettled the soldiers, and for some this was the last straw. While others braved forward, others fell back and began to retreat.

“Stand your ground!” the captain ordered, but even his bellow couldn’t stop their retreat. Apparently, he didn’t have as much of a hold over his men as I had thought—or perhaps their fear for Beasts far outweighed their fear for him. Those who stood with him, however, were soon caught up in the tornadoes, the blades cutting into their armor and skin.

I saw my opportunity.

While the soldiers occupied themselves with fighting the razor-sharp whirlwinds, I stood up and nodded to Archie. The raptor cawed uncertainly, but reluctantly wrapped his talons around my upper arms. Together, we dove from the top of the ravine, heading straight for one man: the captain. He shouted at his men, trying to regain control of the situation, and it was too late when he noticed my approach. The minute he glanced up at us, I landed a kick right to his face.

We both tumbled to the ground. The landing jarred me more than I thought it would, but I glanced around, looking for my bag. There! Just ahead! I started crawling towards it, only to be grabbed from behind. A strong arm abruptly yanked me backwards, throwing me on my back. The face of the Captain seethed down at me.

“You!” he growled wrathfully, his face twisted in such rage that I felt afraid for my life.

“Yeah, nice to meet you again, too,” I spat, and then kicked at his leg. In half a second, I regretted that. His legs had metal shin-guards, and ended up hurting my foot more than his shin. Giving that up, I tried to squirm away. My efforts ceased when he kicked me in the side.

I cried out in pain; he had hit me where I was bruised. As I curled into a pathetic ball, the Captain reached down and secured a strangle hold on my neck, lifting me high into the air.

“You would steal my victory,” he tightened his hold, cutting off the air to my lungs. I gasped, my vision starting to blur before me. “Witch! Spawn of the Demon!”

I guess… I hadn’t thought this through enough. Being strangled to death wasn’t part of the plan. As I tried clawing at his gauntlets, I heard familiar shouting—then a rancorous squawk. Feathers brushed against my face as Archie attacked the captain, claws scratching at his face and armor. The man cried out in pain, losing his grip on me and stumbling backward. I fell to the earth, gasping desperately for air. I slowly lifted my eyes—and found the bag once more.

Light-headed, I crawled towards it as Archie continued battling the captain. I couldn’t see much beyond my narrow goal, but as soon as I wrapped my hand around its strap, I realized that the other soldiers were retreating. Turning around, I found out why: Rascal was coming, tucked into a fiery Rollout with several flaming boulders following after him. Just behind him, Zekarus raced down the ravine.

“Zayna, get out of there!” the dark-haired twin shouted on the top of his lungs.

I glanced back at Rascal, who continued tumbling down the ravine. From the looks of it, the Darmanitan wouldn’t be able to stop easily. Once he was in a Rollout, he stayed until he lost his momentum.

Heart racing, I called out, “Archie!”

The raptor made a final, powerful kick that sent the captain falling onto his back. After giving one last hiss, he flapped back over to me. Catching me around the arms again, we prepared for another flight. I started running, helping the Archeops to get some momentum, and little by little we gained altitude.

Then a hand grabbed my ankle.

We were yanked back to the ground, back into the hands of the vengeful captain. I spun around, holding my screaming ribs, and watched as the man pulled the sword from his hilt. He raised it, aiming right for my skull. Archie squawked, and would have lunged if I hadn’t held him back. No! I couldn’t let him get hurt! Not like Lilly… I wrapped my arms around my Archeops, squeezing my eyes as I expected the blade to pierce through my flesh.

The ground rumbled. I opened my eyes as the first flaming rock careened past—then Rascal. Curled into a tight ball, he rolled right towards us. I watched as he bounced right before us, leaping into the air and catching the captain mid-swing. I didn’t see what happened to the man after he was knocked off his feet; instead, I became preoccupied with the other rocks that rushed towards us.

Grimacing, I sat up and whispered a command: “Ancient Power.”

As soon as I released him, the Archeops turned and sharpened his focus on the incoming avalanche of stone. Spreading out his wings, the raptor cawed. Like soldiers obeying his command, the rocks immediately before us slowed to a stop, letting others harmlessly barrel past us. When they passed, the ravine returned to an ear-piercing silence.

Letting out a sigh of relief, I fell onto my back. My throat felt sore, and my bruised ribs burned with pain, but I was alive. I survived. And I had done it. I had stopped the army, retrieved my bag, and saved two very special twins.

“Zayna!” I heard footsteps approaching.

Speak of the devil, I weakly chuckled. I didn’t try to call back, or even sit up to greet him. I stared up at the blue skies overhead, reveling in our victory. Archie, however, soon blocked my view, and so did the anxious face of Zekarus.

“Hey, Zek,” I smiled. “How ya doing?”

Zekarus shook his head, either stricken, amused, or relieved. Maybe all of the above.

“Are you all right?” he asked, letting concern take over.

“I’ll be fine.” To prove so, I finally sat up—though my grimaces probably didn’t convince them thoroughly enough. Grinning impishly, I held up the bag and said, “Got it.”

Zekarus heaved a frustrated sigh. “Why did you do that? What on earth were you thinking?”

“What? I had to get my bag back. We need the medicine for Shachor.”

He blinked, opening and closing his mouth as he tried to think of something in return. Apparently, he wasn’t use to being the one giving the scolding. “You didn’t… But… That was… Just… don’t go scaring me like that again, Zayna.”

“I can’t make any promises,” I laughed.

“Zekarus! Zayna!” a voice shouted from above. The three of us, including Archie, glanced up to the source, finding Remish calling from the lip of the ravine. “The soldiers are retreating. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, just peachy,” I answered before Zekarus could, though the burst of air stung my lungs and side.

“Zayna has been hurt,” Zekarus couldn’t stand my honesty.

“What? What happened?”

“I will explain later,” the dark-haired twin replied. “We should head back to camp.”

*****

END PART III
Final Part Coming soon!

**FedoraChar** · 05-25-2014, 11:48 PM

KINGDOM 2 COME
PART FINALE

QUICK NOTE---Well, I'm rather disappointed that I didn't find the edited version of this story's ending. Either it's sitting in some dusty notebook somewhere or it got lost when I had to wipe my computer. It's upsetting because that version was much better, featuring a battle between the captain and Zekarus... But meh. I haven't updated this thread in the longest time, and it doesn't feel right leaving this unfinished, so... Here's the original version. Meh

“Zayna, you should rest.”

I dismissed Zekarus with a wave, continuing to head towards the cave. When he grabbed my hand in a sterner attempt to restrain me, I replied, “No. Shachor needs medicine as soon as possible.”

I had a whole legend here to save.

Despite his touching concern, I stubbornly slipped inside Shachor’s lair with my bag in tow. Zekarus and Remish followed watchfully behind, ready to spring forward if I faltered even just a little. I took each step with care, not wanting to give them reason to stop me.

The dragon lay right where we left him, weary eyes observing the world from a distance. Ignoring my own pains, I sat next to him, running my hand through his soft mane. For his sake, I hopped the medicine would help. The herbs I bought back in Driftveil were potent, if not bitter, but would they work for a Pokémon so massive? I guess there was only one way to find out. Burrowing through my medicine bag, I wrapped my hands around a hairy root, and pulled it out.

“What is that?” Remish ventured to ask.

“An Energy Root,” I simply replied, though my mind was preoccupied with the task of fishing out a bowl.

I took little notice of the young men as they watched me work, grinding the root with a make-shift mortar and pestle.

“Water,” I ordered, holding out a hand like a surgeon working on a patient. After a moment of hesitation from the guys, I snapped my fingers impatiently. “Come on, guys, water.”

“R-right,” I heard Zekarus stammer, but he took some time getting me what I wanted. He eventually brought a crudely carved cup, which I snatched from his hands without much thanks. Concentrating, I poured a few trickles of the cool liquid into powder, then stirred the mixture until it turned into a paste.

“All right-ee, big guy,” I lifted the bowl and approached Shachor.

Those golden eyes darted from my face to the bowl before the dragon gave a disgruntled grunt. When I scooped some of the paste onto a spoon and offered it to him, he moved his head away stubbornly.

“Hey, none of that,” I scolded him, though he still refused to cooperate. “Guys, I need some help.”

“What do you want us to do?” Zekarus scratched his head, clueless.

“Both of you sit on either side of his head, and open his mouth,” I gave more orders. This time, however, they weren’t so quick to listen.

“What?” Remish staggered back, while his brother flew bit his lip uncertainly.

“No, you guys can do it,” I reached towards them, calling them back. “Come on, I can’t do it alone. Besides… he’s bonded with you.”

Again, the brothers exchanged tentative glances. For a minute, I thought that they would back away—unable to undo the teachings of a couple hundred year’s worth of beliefs. From childhood, they probably had been told over and over that Pokémon—Beasts—were creatures to be feared and hunted. But to my surprise, both of them nodded simultaneously. Wordlessly, they sat on either side of Shachor’s head, securing it so the dragon couldn’t move away. Remish and Zekarus ran their hand along the dragon’s forehead, looks of concern etched in their expressions.

For a moment, I quietly observed the trio. Here they were: the very entities of a timeless legend, in embryo. In time, one would undertake the pursuit of truth, while the other would seek after ideals. But both would be rulers, and help shape the future of Unova.

And then… I would carry their torch.

“Open wide, Shachor,” I approached with the spoon again with more gentleness. At first, the dragon resisted, but his masters patiently stroked his head, moving their hands to his snout. They forcefully opened his mouth, and though he resisted that at first, Shachor eventually submitted. I reached into the toothy maw cautiously, spreading the paste on the dragon’s tongue. After I was satisfied, I recoiled, and the twins released their hold. We held our breaths as the mouth closed, then released sighs of relief when we heard Shachor swallow.

“Will that be enough, Zayna?” Remish patted the dragon’s hide in obvious pride.

“I hope so,” I weakly smiled, feeling exhausted.

Remish smiled back—the first time I had ever seen him do so. He bowed his head in earnest humility, “Thank you. We are ever indebted to you. If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask.”

Actually, I’d appreciate it if you could help me get back home, I wanted to ask. I knew I couldn’t, however. They wouldn’t be able to help me, not in that way. I had been avoiding the thought since the attack, but now it returned to me unbidden: how would I ever get home?

“Zayna, you should get some rest,” said Zekarus, somewhat hypocritically. He looked just as exhausted as I was, even as he tried to keep up a joking smirk.

“No, I’m fine,” I told him, though not sounding as confident as I wanted to. He chuckled slightly, getting to his feet, and then offered a hand. I didn’t have the energy to argue. I took his hand, and he gently pulled me up beside him. Careful with my injuries, he guided me back outside where a happy campfire burned.

“Are you always this bossy?” I grumbled as he sat me down on a bedroll.

“Only on special occasions, miss,” he chuckled.

I wondered how I could possibly fall asleep with all the pain I felt in my ribs, but somehow, not long after Zekarus sat next to me, I ended up leaning against his shoulder, dozing dreamlessly. It felt so familiar, resting against him, with the crackling of the fire and the choir of insects in the distance. Since arriving in the past, I felt comfortable for the first time. I didn’t worry about what I would do tomorrow. It didn’t matter, not right now.

Sometime during the night, after the fire had faded to glowing embers, I woke up. Remish was nowhere to be seen, and Zekarus was peacefully sleeping with his head tilted to the stars. Color touched my face as I realized that I had been leaning against him. How did I let that happen? Quietly, I retreated, taking care not to disturb him.

But what had disturbed me?

Standing, I glanced around the campsite. For a moment, I felt a trill of fear—was it the soldiers? Had they returned for another try? Yet as I turned towards the cave, my fear was replaced with wonder.

“Shachor…” I breathed.

The dragon had emerged from his lair, holding his head high from the earth. He had gone through a miraculous recovery, no longer the sickly dragon wheezing in the cave. He stood on two powerful, thick legs, with long forelimbs folded up against his chest. His wings rested along his sides, half-feathered, half-scaled. I imagined that if he stretched them out, they would fill the gorge’s ceiling. With the lighting that came from the moon and stars, I could see the similarities—the Reshiram that hid within. But I could see something more… the other dragon, my dragon…

Shachor’s golden gaze locked into mine, and I could have sworn he spoke. Well done, thou chosen servant. I gaped at the dragon for a moment, before I glanced around like an idiot looking for the source of the sound. Only when I returned to Shachor did I realize my silly mistake. He had spoken. And I understood.

“Zayna?” Zekarus stirred from his slumber. When he saw Shachor, he started from his seat. “Shachor! You are… you are healed!”

“Yes,” I raised the corner of my mouth in a happy—yet sad—smile.

“Something wrong?” the twin joined my side, not missing the strange tone in my voice.

I turned to him, stuck between two worlds. “He… he can send me home.”

“Your… home?” The poor boy looked confused. “But… I thought…”

I shook my head. “I… I’m needed somewhere else.”

Unexpectedly, he took my hand, “Wait. Can’t you stay? Just a while longer?”

Did he have to make this difficult? Biting my lip, I slowly retracted my hands. “I don’t belong here, Zek. Never will. But… I should thank you.”

He stared at me, somewhere between sadness and bafflement.

Stepping backwards, I continued, “I was struggling for a while, wondering if I had what it took to face the enemy. Then I came here—and I fought an army. We fought an army, and we won.” Glancing up to Shachor, I added, “It made me realize that I have so much to fight for, so much to protect. But even if the numbers are piled against me… I can still win. I need to go now, and face my destiny, because if I don’t, then all is truly lost. Even if I have doubts, I’ll fight. If I lose, then at least I lost fighting for what is right.”

I don’t think he understood me, but nonetheless, Zekarus relented. Even if it hurt him. With a diminished voice, he nodded, “You should go, then.”

I smiled, then moved forward to wrap my arms around him. “Thanks, Zek.”

He hugged me tighter, whispering, “Take care, Zayna.”

After we released each other, I turned to Shachor with renewed readiness.

Take me home, Shachor, I nodded to the great dragon.

Shachor leaned over, opening his mouth. His breath stirred my hair, swirling around me in a purple cloud. I guess I could have inserted a joke about dragon’s breath right then, but honestly, I couldn’t smell anything. Soon, I couldn’t see anything. All I could see was swirling mists, and I sensed that Zekarus was no longer at my side. A bright light appeared overhead, momentarily blinding me. When I could open my eyes again, the mist was gone. I stood in a circle of rocky pillars, with a familiar cave right behind me. Birds sang, clouds rolled by, and everything went on as if nothing had changed.

The moment seemed so surreal that I couldn’t decide whether or not I was dreaming. The magic broke, however, when an electronic ringing sounded. It took me a minute to realize what it was: my Xtranciever, ringing from my bag that had somehow appeared next to me. Fumbling with the zippers, I burrowed through and retrieved the device, answering it just before the last ring.

“H-hello?” I stammered into the receiver.

“Zayna! There you are! Where on earth have you been?” Professor Juniper’s laughing face appeared on the screen.

I took my time to answer, pondering over my experience. With a grin, I simply answered, “Just searching my roots.”

*****

END
Or is it?

**FedoraChar** · 12-23-2014, 02:54 AM

Char's Christmas Bash

(A.K.A Let’s make everything as awkward as possible and call it a Christmas Party!)

Cast and Crew:

Spoiler:

Bianca stood back, a contemplative frown on her face as she gave the Christmas tree a critical eye. Everything had to be perfect for tonight—especially the tree. It wasn’t every day that everyone was able to get together like this, but more importantly… This would be the first time in years since they’ve seen one of her best friends. Thus, Bianca was determined to make it a reunion to remember.

“Scylla, hun? I think that green orb needs to go a little higher,” she finally determined.

The towering blue-finned dragon she addressed scowled at the order. Scylla glared at the offending green ornament, wondering if smashing it to pieces would be the better solution. The annoying ditsy human girl with the big hat had made her make stupid minor adjustments for the past hour, even after the others had finished decorating it forever ago. Just as she contemplated dropping it, a cough from a long-haired blonde sitting on the couch nearby reminded her of her place. Grudgingly, the Garchomp extracted the ball with her single claw and placed it higher in the tree.

“That perfect!” the girl with the big hat squeaked, waving her hands about giddily. Scylla resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she finally stepped away from the tree… Only to be stopped by a pair of pig-tails.

“Shly-la, Shly-la!” Meredith jumped up and down in place. Her stubby little fists clutched what appeared to be ribbons and mistletoe, and she was waving them around excitedly. “It’s dress-up time!”

The mighty dragon gave a great cry of dismay, and dashed as quickly as she could from the room, with a fearsome six-year old in hot pursuit.

Cynthia chuckled as she watched them go, taking a quick sip from her hot chocolate after. “Bianca, the tree looks gorgeous.”

The younger blonde cocked her head, giving it another look. “You think so?” she asked nervously.

The ex-Champion nodded. “All it needs is the topper, I think. But it looks like you’re one dragon short for that job.”

Allow me.

The two turned as a black and white mass of fur suddenly stirred from its resting place in the corner. How the greater dragon managed to fit in the room still baffled everyone in the building. It stood quite a bit taller than Scylla. Yet the dragon managed to navigate the room, pick up the Jirachi-shaped tree-topper delicately with its snout, and placed it on the tree.

The two women applauded, although the room’s last occupant, a young man with platinum blonde hair, remained as stoic as ever. This, however, was hardly the strangest thing about him. Even though he claimed to be in “casual” attire, the man (along with his brother) wore clothing that could have only come out of the 16th century. A long white cloak was draped over his shoulders, and beneath it was a royal red doublet covered with gold embroidery. He had had a sword with him, but everyone insisted that he leave it at the door.

“I still do not understand how you get the tree to shine like that,” the man shook his head from head to head. “Every instinct tells me it is on fire, but… There is no flame or smoke…”

Bianca offered a weak chuckle. “Well, I’m sure one day you’ll understand, Remish. Thanks, Shakor!”

T’was my pleasure, little one. The dragon grinned. Then, slowly and cautiously, it took its place back in the corner of the room.

“Well,” Bianca clapped her hands together. “That just leaves the…”

She was interrupted by a loud overdramatic sigh as a black-haired youth came into the room. “Puh-lease tell me there’s more excitement in this room. I’m so sick of Tristan and Ella making googly eyes at each other.”

“Lee, you just missed a full-grown, Hall of Fame-entered Garchomp being chased off by a six-year old,” Cynthia replied, amused.

The young man gave a full-hearted laugh at that. “For real? Ah, man, I missed out! All the cool stuff happens when I’m not around.” Striding over to the couch, he flopped onto it unceremoniously. “So what else is new? Did we teach cave man over there how electricity works yet?”

To Lee, the prince’s reaction was funnier than the actual jab. The prince puffed out his chest, his eyes flashing with offense.

“I beg your pardon?” Remish demanded, looking ready to defend his honor.

Bianca laughed uncomfortably, making an obvious attempt to diffuse the situation. Rather awkwardly, she said, “Ah, well… we just finished the tree…”

Lee glanced over at the tree, noticing it for the first time. “Oh, hey, look at that. Nice job, Bee.”

“Were you not supposed to aid in the food preparation?” Remish narrowed his eyes at Lee.

The psychic stared at the prince a moment before turning to Bianca and whispered, “Seriously, where did you get this guy?”

Her response was a mere shrug. To be honest, Bianca wasn’t sure where everyone came from. They just… came.

“Well,” Lee replied with a clipped accent as he straightened, “I was cutteth offeth shorteth from preparing the feast. Zayna’s mom kicked me out of the kitchen for whatever reason.”

“Probably because you were eating all the food,” Cynthia remarked.

“Was not!” Lee retorted with an offended frown. “She’s got plenty of help, anyway. I mean, she’s got those two Ranger kids helping her. What were their names?”

“Summer and Ben,” the ex-Champion reminded him.

“Right. Savanah and Dan. Anyway, when’s this party supposed to start?”

Bianca took in a deep breath, trying to retain her composure. “Whenever Zayna gets here.”

“And that will be… soon, I hope?” the psychic asked hopefully.

“She’ll get here when she gets here, Lee,” Cynthia spoke up for the younger blonde.

Lee heaved yet another exasperated sigh. “Fiiiiine. I’ll just sit here. And be bored.”

Remish, apparently fed up with his presence already, suddenly stood. “I am going to check on my brother, and make sure he is not overtaxing himself.”

“Good idea—Lee, why don’t you go with him?” Bianca suggested innocently enough. Yet by the reaction she got from the two, she might as well have suggested treason.

“Surely you jest?” Remish gave her a hardened look.

“Why?” Lee moaned. “I just sat down…”

Bianca glanced between them, looking helpless. Once again, Cynthia came to her defense. “You can stay,” the blonde ex-champion remarked, “if you really want to. I was just about to ask Shakor for some more history lessons.”

That got the black-haired psychic up on his feet in an instant. “All right, Robin Hood, let’s go find that other knight in shining armor.”

“I did not agree to this,” Remish complained, giving the women a hard look.

“I could ask you some questions as well, if you’d like,” smiled Cynthia slyly.

“…I will take my leave, then,” the white prince of truth gave a short bow. Turning to Lee with hardly disguised disdain, he barked, “Come, psychic.”

Lee wasn’t oblivious to his annoyance; just the opposite. Giving the prince a mock salute, he returned in a deepened voice, “At once, Your Highness.”

Bianca let out a great gust of wind after the two left the room, rubbing her temples furiously. If the night unfolded without a hitch (or without Remish impaling Lee with his sword), it would be a miracle.

*****

Meanwhile, outside the cabin, three figures could be seen emerging from the woods. The first ran before the others, kicking up snow as it dashed to and fro, barking excitedly at every little thing. The other two—a young man in a black cloak and a frail-looking boy with white hair—laughed at the black-and-grey dog’s antics. Behind them, they pulled a sled laden with fresh logs towards the cabin.

“I d-d-don’t think she’s ever seen s-snow before,” the younger boy commented between breaths. Even though the journey had not been a long one, it seemed to have taxed him a little. But the same could be said for his older companion, who tried his best to hide his own handicap: a trick leg that bugged him now and again. The bright smile he wore on his face could have fooled anyone.

“No?” he glanced down at his short companion. “I thought you said you were from the same land as I, Aidan. Is there no snow in the Kingdoms of the future?”

“No, th-there is,” the white-haired boy quickly shook his head from side to side. “B-but, um… Shasta’s from a place called Hoenn, and it never usually s-s-snows there. Its stays warm year-r-round.”

“Truly?” the dark-haired prince mused. “I have always wondered about the lands beyond our own. This Hoenn place sounds lovely.”

“It is…” Aidan bit his lip and nodded, seeming to get distracted with his own thoughts. As the boy grew silent, Zekarus gave him a long side glance. The boy had such a timid nature, and since arriving he had been uncertain around the others. Yet for some reason, he had taken quite a shine to Zekarus. The black-haired twin noticed, of course, and made no objection. All the prince of ideals wanted was to make everyone feel welcomed at this strange place.

Clearing his throat, Zekarus tried to re-spark the conversation. “You know, your Beast reminds me a lot of Zayna’s. It was a lot fluffier, though—and even though it was a girl, it looked like it had this great big mustache that trailed down past its feet.”

A small grin returned to the boy’s face. “That sounds like a Stoutland.”

“I fancy your Shasta will not grow so fine a mustache as that, no?”

Aidan laughed as he couldn’t help but imagine it—a Mightyena with a thick bushel of hair on the tip of its snout. They wouldn’t be so intimidating after that. “No, no… Shasta’s a different species. They’re called Mightyena.”

Hearing her name, the wolf paused in her games and turned back to them, ears erect and tongue lolling from her mouth. Aidan moaned as he noticed all the snow matting her coat.

“Shasta… You’re going to be soaking wet after this… There’s no way Bianca’s going to let you in the house.”

Zekarus peered up as they passed beneath a spruce branch laden with snow. “She might not be the only one you should worry about,” he said casually, glancing forward as if nothing was there.

Just as Aidan was looking up at him in confusion, the prince reached up and tugged on the end of the branch. Instantly, a miniature avalanche of snow rained on the unsuspecting boy.

“H-h-hey!” objected the boy, shaking off excess snow.

Zekarus tried to contain his laughter as he started walking faster in an attempt to get away. Aidan narrowed his eyes at the prince, but he couldn’t hide the grin on his face. Retaliating, the boy scooped up a ball of snow in his hands and chucked it at his friend. His aim was surprising—he hadn’t really expected to hit Zekarus square in the shoulders.

The sled of wood was forgotten in an instant as a snowball fight erupted between the two. Shasta’s excited barking only increased as she raced between the two combatants, chasing stray snowballs or intercepting them altogether. Her outbursts were rivaled by the duo’s own laughter and shouting. In a short while they were all thoroughly pounded with snow, but neither side wanted to back down. Their sport only stopped when a harsh shout sounded out.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Zekarus and Aidan lowered their snowballs and turned to see Zekarus’ older brother glaring at them. To say he looked less than pleased would be a gross understatement. Although Zekarus was hardly bothered, Aidan quickly dropped his snowball in shame, visibly shrinking away from the other prince in shame.

“Ah, brother!” Zekarus slowly turned around with a smile, being careful with his leg. “How goes the preparations?”

Remish ignored the inquiry, his sharp eyes darting from his brother’s snow-powdered cloak to the sled laden with wood. “I thought I told you to take it easy. What were you thinking? You are going to end up injuring yourself.” The pale-haired prince opened his mouth to continue his rant, but he was abruptly cut off short as a snowball exploded on the back of his head.

The only possible culprit smiled impishly, his yellow eyes flashing. Shrugging innocently, Lee remarked, “Whoops. My hand slipped.”

A look of complete fury ignited in Remish’s expression, but just as the prince whirled around on the psychic, another snowball collided with the back of his head. This time, it seemed to have come from a certain white-haired boy’s direction.

Aidan’s eyes grew wide with terror. “I-I-it wasn’t me! I-I swear!”

Lee chuckled as the blue light faded from his eyes. “Yeah, right. You should take responsibility for your actions, kid. Didn’t they teach you that in school?”

“That is enough!” Remish roared. He looked ready to seize the psychic and throttle him with every inch of his life. Luckily for Lee, the prince didn’t have his weapons on him, but he settled for the next best thing. Taking up as much snow as he could in his arms, the prince chucked it at the upstart psychic. The snowball fight started anew as the three older teenagers chased each other around—Remish out for murder while Lee and Zekarus laughed, chucking snowballs indiscriminately. All the while Aidan watched on in complete befuddlement, trying to figure out what had just happened.

******

While their battle waged on, another visitor made their way through the wintry snow towards the cabin. His hands were burden with brown grocery sacks, carrying all the things his absent-minded friend had forgotten for the Christmas party. It was just like her, Cheren sighed, his breath forming a white cloud. Nothing stayed in that girl’s mind for very long; if she wasn’t running late, she was usually forgetting something. Still, something about this felt calculated. Cheren had to wonder if this was all just a ploy to get him to come.

The fledging gym leader paused just before the porch of the cabin. He had no idea what to expect from this unusual party, and he doubly wasn’t sure if he wanted to get caught up in it. He could think of a thousand excuses not to go; running the school and gym in Aspertia carried a lot of responsibility, and currently he had a stack of papers from the League waiting for him back in his office. Surely, they would understand if he made an early exit. Somehow, Cheren knew he wouldn’t be able to leave that easily once he crossed over that welcome mat.

Besides helping his friend Bianca, there was one other reason keeping him here. But it was also the reason why he didn’t want to come. This party was meant to be a joyful occasion, but for Cheren… it would be complicated.

Did he really want to do this?

“The door is unlocked.”

Cheren jumped as someone spoke quickly behind him; even after he recognized the voice, he remained tense. Warily, he turned to see the last person he expected—or wanted—to see.

“Hello, Cheren. It has been a while,” N nodded at him, neither smiling nor frowning. Instead, a look of wariness dominated his expression. As always, Cheren had a hard time understanding him due to how quickly the words spilled out of his mouth. Even after he had a moment to process, the gym leader wasn’t sure what to say. Prior to two years ago, they had been enemies. Now Cheren knew things about N that not many others knew. He would have felt more sympathetic to the gauche outcast, if it weren’t for… Well, it was complicated. Suffice it to say that Cheren was less than excited to see him again.

“What are you doing here?” asked Cheren shortly. He wasn’t trying to sound rude, but he wasn’t going out of his way to be nice, either.

Dressed only in his white jacket, the enigma shrugged, looking hardly bothered by the cold. “I was invited by Bianca to come to a Christmas party. I didn’t really… I never had one before. I was curious.”

Cheren growled inwardly, making a mental reminder to thank Bianca later for her thoughtfulness. “That’s nice,” returned Cheren before turning back to the door. The trainer struggled a moment, juggling the grocery sacks between his hands as reached for the knob.

N watched on, fidgeting uncomfortably. He could sense that something was off about Cheren, but he was as socially inept as ever. It had been easy watching everyone from afar, but now that he was trying to be more… personable… everything was getting more difficult. Should he offer to help, or…?

After Cheren nearly dropped a bag, the green-haired trainer finally spoke up. “Perhaps I can—”

“No,” Cheren growled, leaning up against the door. “I got it. Why don’t you—”

The door suddenly swung in, promptly causing the black-haired gym leader to fall into the entryway.

“Omigosh!” Bianca gasped, hands flying to her mouth as groceries flew everywhere. She started apologizing profusely as she dodged yams and dinner rolls. “Cheren, I am so sorry! I thought I heard someone at the door so I… Oh, N! I was wondering where you got off to.”

Cheren bit his tongue in an attempt to control his temper. As much as he would have liked to give a tongue lashing, this was not the time or place. With forced calm, he picked himself up off the ground and started cleaning up his mess.

“I am so sorry, Cheren,” Bianca repeated, kneeling down to help him. “I’m glad you made it, though! We have a really good turn-out this year! Cynthia showed up with her Garchomp and her little friend. We also had some Rangers show up from Almia and—”

“Is Zayna here yet?” he had to interrupt, knowing she would go on endlessly if he didn’t stop her.

Her face fell for a second. “No… She said the boat leaving Celestia was running a little late… But she’ll be here, doncha worry!”

Straightening up, Cheren frowned. “Why isn’t she flying?”

N entered the cabin, brushing past Cheren and earning a glare. “Isn’t Zekrom still with her?”

Bianca pressed her lips in, fidgeting uncomfortably before jumping back on her feet. “That’s… It’s a little complicated. She’ll explain when she gets here. Anyway, did you remember to buy some egg nog?”

“Egg nog?” Cheren gave her a confused look. “You didn’t mention anything about egg nog.”

Dismay dampened her bright complexion. “Did I forget to tell you? Oh, no!”

“What is egg nog?” inquired N, who was still squeezed between the entry hall’s walls and Cheren. Annoyed, Cheren took his turn to shoulder past him, forcing his way into the kitchen as Bianca struggled with a description of the holiday drink. There, he greeted by Zayna’s mother, Charlotte (better known by her nickname, Char), and the Rangers. He hardly had time to take off his scarf before Summer thrust a mixing bowl into his hands.

*****

The afternoon waned on into the darker hours of the evening. With the preparations coming to a close, the characters gathered together in the family room. The halls were filled with laughter and warm conversation as people who ordinarily wouldn’t have had the chance interacted with each other. Scylla had finally surrendered to Meredith’s mercy, and now sported a wreath of holly over her shark-like head, with green ball ornaments hanging from her horns. But she smiled contently as the child played at her feet with some dolls Cynthia had given her.

Even some of the quieter characters were warming up to the others. Aidan grinned bashfully as he related one of his adventures from Hoenn to Zekarus, Ben, and Summer. Remish himself seemed uncharacteristically mirthful, erupting in laughter as Charlotte shared a joke. Although N tried to socialize, the recluse ended up in the back of the room with Shakor and his own Pokémon. But even there, he seemed comfortable.

Cheren also found himself at ease, catching the contagious mood of the season. Sitting here, gathered around the fire with friends old and new… It was nice. For the moment, he could forget all his worries and live in the now.

Until the doorbell rang.

All conversation stopped as all eyes turned to Bianca. The blonde giddily hopped to her feet, waving her hands excitedly.

“Oh, that must be her!” she said. “Everybody! Places, please! I’ll go get the door!”

The living room was filled with a different kind of sound as everyone got on their feet. Bianca mentally crossed her as she rushed to the front door, hoping that everything would happen as she had planned it. She paused with her hand on the handle, taking a breath before she opened the door. Even though she tried to keep collected, she couldn’t help but squeal with joy as her best friend appeared before her.

Meanwhile, the living room lights had been turned off, waiting for Bianca’s return.

“Are they coming yet?” Lee whispered impatiently, only to be hushed by someone.

“You’re stepping on my foot,” Ella hissed soon after, earning a quick apology from Zekarus.

Meredith whimpered, complaining, “I don’t like the dark…”

“Just hold on for a second, sweetie. They’ll—”

“Lee! Stop fidgeting!”

“Hey, people! We’re supposed to be quiet, here!”

Just as another hush hissed through the darkness, two shapes appeared in the entry way. In an instant, Bianca switched on the lights. After a few seconds of delay, the group shouted “Merry Christmas!” as they held up their signs, which spelt…

WELCOWE HOME!

“Lee!” Bianca snapped at the psychic incredulously.

“Whaaat?” The spiky-haired young man called back. Glancing down at his sign, he realized his mistake. “Whoops,” he sheepishly grinned as he flipped his M right-side up.

Even as Bianca slapped herself in the forehead, the room erupted in laughter. Regardless of the mistake, the young woman she had escorted into the room held her hands up to her mouth, her eyes glinting with emotion.

“Did you guys do all this for me?” Zayna blinked. “Wow, I… I don’t know what to say!”

Her mother broke from the formation, tears filling her eyes as she moved forward to embrace her. “Welcome home, sweetie,” she repeated as she threw her arms around her daughter.

Zayna had tears of her own as she returned the hug. “Thanks, Mom…”

Other characters started throwing aside their signs and made to move forward—first of most, Lee noted, three very anxious looking young men—but Bianca quickly held up her hands.

“Wait! Wait… Um… there’s something everyone needs to know before we, uh… get too far…”

“What is it?” Zekarus frowned, freezing in his steps.

Zayna parted from her mother, slowly moving her gaze across the group before her. Cheren watched her warily, sensing that something was off. When her eyes reached his, they held for a moment. He wasn’t sure what he expected to see in it. Pain? Guilt? But no, there was nothing. In fact, she looked confused.

Taking a breath, Zayna announced, “I… I kinda had an accident, and… Well, I’ve lost my memory.”

*****

Memory loss. Two years of silence, and that’s the excuse she uses. Cheren sat on the couch, staring holes into the carpet as he sorted through his thoughts. Bianca had explained everything. Sometime after her departure, Zayna crossed the seas and encountered a fierce battle between a band of treasure hunters and a powerful legendary Pokémon. She and Zekrom tried to stop the hunters, but the legendary had created a storm that wiped out everything. Zayna ended up separated from all her Pokémon and Zekrom.

She woke up on the shores of a region called Celestia with a bad case of amnesia. Cliché, but it had happened. In hopes of restoring her memory, she embarked on a new journey, raising an entirely new team from scratch. Bits of her past came back to her in small episodes along the way, until her adventure escalated in an explosive conflict with the treasure hunters. While there are still patches in her memory, she remembers where she grew up, who her friends were.

She just struggles to remember everything about her first journey. And all that came after it.

Cheren rubbed his temples, heaving a sigh. Was this a blessing, or a curse?

“Hey,” a voice interrupted his inner turmoil. The black-haired youth glanced up to see the young woman in question looking down at him with a small, uncertain smile. Cheren didn’t return the smile. He looked at her, expression impassive.

“My turn, is it?” he said. Bianca had told everyone not to crowd Zayna all at once, but that she would visit them one-on-one at her own leisure.

The former champion frowned at his response, but took the seat next to him without asking. That was just how she was, though—not bothering with formalities and preferring to get to the point. Something about her motion seemed hesitant, however. Almost awkward, which was hardly her style.

“So, Bianca told me you’re a gym leader now,” she started, crossing her legs. Cheren noticed she started bouncing her foot, a habit she had whenever she got nervous.

“Yes. In Aspertia. I also teach there,” he answered, but offered no further words.

“Wow. A teach too, huh?” She gave a short, uncomfortable laugh. “I pictured you doing something like that. You always were the smartest one out of all of us.”

“So you remember that much?” His tone was bitter, and he knew it. He should have done better to hide it, but he was tired. Tired of being at this stupid party. Tired of listening to everyone’s happy chatter. Tired of all the worry. All the anger.

Zayna’s frown deepened. A few moments of silence passed between them, making Cheren regret everything. He felt that he should apologize, but for some reason he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the floor. Finally, Zayna broke the suspense and spoke in a low tone.

“Look… There’s a lot I still don’t remember, but…” She paused, her brows furrowing as she struggled to find the right words. “But I get the feeling that I did something to upset you.”

Cheren stared at her warily. Did she remember after all?

She continued, choosing her words with obvious care. “I don’t know what it was, but I just want to say right now that whatever it was, I’m sorry.”

No, she didn’t remember. Cheren held back another sigh, one that would have been a mix of relief and grief. He glanced across the room, past all the happy guest to the few lingering in the shadows. Remish and Zekarus sat with their dragon, the younger brother looking oddly crestfallen. Beside them, talking to the legendary Beast, was N.

Two years, and Cheren had accepted what had happened. Two years, and now everything was upside down again. Old feelings he had locked away were stirring again as he sat beside his old friend, but all they brought was pain. He had to push away all the stupid thoughts that plagued him. This was not a second chance. Zayna’s memory was fickle, and could return at any time. And when it did, he would be right back where he started.

A movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned to see Bianca shooing Lee from the kitchen, who had a suspicious amount of chocolate smeared across his face. The psychic was laughing, and Cheren could tell Bianca likewise was having a hard time trying not to laugh. She had a hard time staying mad at anyone for too long, and was always eager to forgive and forget.

You are as happy as you allow yourself to be, she once said.

What was he doing? He had been so caught up with his own feelings that he had forgotten what this time of season was all about. Being with friends and family, celebrating life and counting their blessings. This was a time for thankfulness, for new beginnings. Bianca had gone through all this trouble to remind all of them of that. Who was he to drag it all down?

He should be grateful. After two years, Zayna had finally returned to them. Her memory might have been damaged, but she remembered what mattered. And now, she could make new memories to replace those she lost. This was a new beginning, Cheren realized. Not for him, but for her. If he truly was her friend, then he should be trying his best to make this Christmas memorable.

It was time to forgive, and forget.

Cheren allowed a small smile, silently thanking Bianca for yet another life lesson. Then, turning back to Zayna, he responded, “There’s nothing to forgive, Zayna. I’m glad that you’re back home safe.”

Her smile glowed. “I’m glad to be back. Thanks for being here.”

He held his grin, reaching over and lifting his mug up from the floor. “Merry Christmas, Zayna.”

Visibly relaxing, Zayna reached for her own mug and clicked it against his. “Merry Christmas, Cheren.”

Thread: Little Lizard's Library of Tales (Update 12/22 Now with more Christmas)

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