Pokemon Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Destiny Of The Stars. ❯ Chapter 6

©H. Falcon. 2000-2003

--I opened my eyes. It seemed I had drifted into some deep thinking. Not sleep, but more than just sitting there with my eyes closed. A kind of deep mental state, of absorbed thinking. I looked around, and looked down at the water. It wasn't as cold anymore; at least it didn't feel as cold. Either my body had adjusted to it, or the warmth of my body had changed the water temperature somewhat. Either way, it was not as cool against my skin. So I stood up and placed my hand on the edge and jumped out of the water. I looked around more, and then up at the dome… still nighttime. I stared up into the sky. The last few days, no… the last few weeks, had all been beautiful clear nights. A nice surprise, since clear nights were the perfect thing to gaze upon the stars by. I started thinking about the mountain again... what was going on? I had to go see, but right now… I would not. I would go later; it would still be there. I hoped that my answers would be, too. I watched the stars shining in the calm night sky, thinking about the thoughts running through my mind. As I did I felt a noise in my belly. My eyes shifted and I looked down. I realized I was hungry. I needed something to eat. It had been awhile... Yes, that is right. In my tale I have not mentioned to you about eating, except for my little part when I was talking about my teeth. I did not eat 3 times a day like you humans; sometimes I didn't eat for days. Sometimes I ate once or twice a day. I ate when I needed to. If I had a lot one particular day when I was hungry, I might not have to for a few days after that. I did not eat to enjoy food. I ate because all living things must eat. That's not to say I didn't enjoy some foods. I did, I simply did not eat if I did not need to. I looked over at the far wall and walked to it. As I got closer it opened up and I walked through. I kept it open this time, and continued walking into another place at the far side of the castle. This was what you could say was a kitchen, although that would be a rough term since I did not cook anything. My diet, as you would call it, consisted mostly of fruit, berries and the like. I did eat meat, but usually couldn't be bothered with the hassle of acquiring it. So I ate food from nature. Apples, berries, and such. I moved over to my refrigerator, which was not your standard little household refrigerator. This was a refrigerator of older times, for castles like this. It was a stone room that was kept cold. I had done several things to it to keep it cold. I will not go into details on this simple fact as it is not really necessary. Needless to say I had this huge room that was cold, one like you humans use to store large meat. I went into the back, the heavy door closing behind me as I did. No, do not worry. The door did not lock. I had no need for such a thing. I continued walking to the back until I was at a section with bundles of fruit under a tarp-like material. I selected a bunch of berries and the like and ate them. I then ate some apples as well. I selected one last apple and headed out, holding it in my right hand. I moved out of the refrigerator area let the door close behind me again and continued out of the kitchen area. The kitchen area was at the far side and back of the castle; I headed to the front, passing the open wall to my arena area, and kept going.

--I went right up to the front gate, and with a gesture of my hand it opened. Now I told you I lived in a castle, but just because it was a castle does not mean you need to assume everything was castle-like. The doors were large doors, but there was no drawbridge-type gate; just doors. I had no moat, as I had no need for one, and therefore no need for a drawbridge. I moved out into the night, looking up at the sky as I did, still holding the apple. I headed into the woods that where ahead of my castle. The woods were ahead, and the ocean was to the back and sides. I walked in my normal stride, not one to ever really run. Wherever I was always heading would still be there... regardless of if I moved faster or not. I headed into the beginning of the forest where it started to get thicker and I stopped. I turned to a rock, and moved to it. I looked into the woods, and stared there for a minute. ~Ember...~ I waited. ~Ember... I am here. There is no need to be afraid.~ I heard some of the tall grass shake nearby and turned my gaze to that spot. ~Ember... it is OK. Come out.~ The grass rustled more and Ember emerged and approached me. I knelt down. ~Hello, Ember... are you well?~ "Vul...Vul..." replied Ember. I smiled slightly ~That's good... I am glad to hear you are well.~ I ran my left hand over Ember's back. ~I have something for you, Ember.~ I placed my right hand out in front of her and offered the apple to her. "Vul! Vulpix!!" she said and munched on it from my hand. ~You're welcome, Ember.~ I said to her softly.

--As you have most likely already guessed, Ember was a Vulpix. A female Vulpix, and a young one at that. Her parents lived with her in the woods not far from my castle, and there is a tale of its own to tell. But regarding how that tale goes, I only know what was told to me by Ember's father. You see, Ember's father is a young, mature Ninetails, and he had a great trainer… or so he tells me. Ember's father's name is Firestorm; it was the name given to him by his trainer. I suppose we must all be given names. It is a rather nice one, I think. Well, Firestorm's trainer was a young boy, but he took great care of him. I would assume that Firestorm was his favorite and most beloved Pokémon and they always went everywhere together. But one time, where they went together seemed like it would be their last… as the boy disappeared and Firestorm found himself without a trainer and without his friend. He told me the place they had gone to was a bad one and that he searched and searched for days looking for the boy… but never found him. He did find someone though... he found Blaze. And that is Ember's mother, and Firestorm's mate. It seems that Blaze was under the same predicament. She had been with her own trainer and had been in a similar area, only to lose her master and never see her again. The two of them together searched and searched... but to no avail. They never did find their masters. They never saw them again. To this day, they still never have. A sad tale indeed. But not completely. For even in loss… there can be hope. Firestorm and Blaze stayed together since then. And now they have a daughter. So you see... out of bad… can come good. Out of loss can come hope. Out of one end… can come new beginnings.

--I watched as Ember chewed on the red apple, taking small bites as she hungrily ate it. I smiled, but inside I did not feel like smiling. It was not right, this was not right at all. You see, Ember's parents had both been trained Pokémon, not wild. And although they could survive on their own, it was harder for them. It always was. It's always harder when you're on your own. So they where able to survive... but at what cost? How many times did they have to go hungry? How many times did they not eat so their child could? And how many times then did they not have even food for her? I wanted to help more. And I told them they could stay with me, and that I could find them new trainers. I had with my clones. But they didn't want to; they said they never wanted other trainers again. You see… it wasn't like they had bad feeling towards trainers. Not at all. It was that they were holding out for their trainers. Always hoping they would return, that they would find them. And they refused my help in those matters. Who was I to tell them what they should do and what they shouldn't? What they should believe in and what they shouldn't? No... I would not. So I helped them in the ways that I could. I gave them food whenever I could. I wish it would have been everyday, but they did not come to me everyday. It was as if their honor was hurt because they had to accept help from me. It seemed to affect Firestorm the most though... His pride was damaged… I saw it in his eyes. The time he came to me when I was outside standing on the cliff edge looking over into the stars above and the sea below, when he came to me and pleaded with me to give him and his family food. I saw it in his eyes how he felt ashamed to be asking for such a thing. I myself looked at him. I asked him why had he not come to me sooner, that I would gladly have helped him. But he only looked at me with those soft eyes. I gave them my whole stock of food I had in my fridge that time. And since that time, I have seen less and less of Firestorm and Blaze... only Ember do I seem to see these days. Oh, I know they are fine; I have seen them, running in the woods on a clear night when I fly overhead, but they keep their distance. Only Ember now still comes to me.

--I watched as Ember finished the apple. "Vul-Pix!" She said and nuzzled against my hand I smiled again ~You're welcome, Ember.~ I ran my left hand over her back, petting her. ~Ember? Where are your parents?~ "Vul--vul--pix- vulpix. Vul." ~I see.~ I nodded. They where out searching for food. I moved my hand to her head and scratched behind her ears. She nuzzled against me and then I heard him. "NIIIIINNNNEEEE" ""NIIIINNNNEEEE" Ember's ears twitched and I turned my head to the sound. ~Your parents are calling you, Ember. Go to them.~ "Vul... pix" ~Goodbye for now, my friend.~ I watched as she scurried off into the thickness of the forest. I waited until I heard the rustling stop, until I heard no more than the trees blowing in the wind and the distance sound of the waves hitting against the cliffs behind my castle. I stood up and walked back towards the castle but did not head for the front doors. I headed to the side; the side that ended up going to the edge I went to when I did not fee like staying inside my castle. A place I came to often... A place to stand… to gaze out into the sea and, yes, of course, the stars above. This was the spot I felt closer than anywhere else to her... Even closer than in my window. For here, it was as if I could not only feel her watching over me, but feel her all around me as well. The sound of the sea below me, and the silence of the sky above. I stopped for a moment and looked over my shoulder towards the woods again... ~I hope you are well, Firestorm… Blaze… and Ember. Understand that I am here... and please be safe.~ You might be saying to me how nice it was of me to care for them, to give that apple to Ember. Like I said, I was not a cold creature. I had feelings… I had emotions… even if others did not see them, they where still there. I started walking again to this edge… to my spot.

--I stood at the edge, looking up to the stars. The night was clear and cool; the wind gently blowing and not a cloud in the sky. I looked to the stars, shifting my gaze from one cluster to the next, and then shifted my eyes… gazing at that one star. ~Ai... Ai… I miss you so much.~ I closed my eyes. ~I miss you... so much.~ I felt the cool wind that seemed to come from the sea brush against me, hitting me, flowing over my skin as if soothing me. ~Ai... why must it be like this? I miss you so much... Why must I be alone...~ The wind blew against me. "Mewtwo... I'm here, Mewtwo... You not alone..." My eyes darted open. That… voice… That wind... that... ~A-Ai?~ I stepped back slightly, shocked. I looked up to the star. ~Ai?~ I psychically yelled into nothingness. ~Ai, is that you? Ai... please… answer me…~ I closed my eyes again. Nothing... silence. Only the sound of the waves hitting the cliffside. I opened my eyes looking at the star. ~Ai...~ Great, just what in the hell was happening? Now I was hearing things… but, no… that sounded so real… felt so real. It was… so real. I just looked up at the star and stood there for so long. Just stood there, still, not moving, looking at it, until the stars started to fade away, the night sky being replaced with the familiar glow of the sun approaching on the horizon. I turned and headed back to my castle. I had things to get ready for. I would not be sleeping this day.

©H. Falcon. 2000-2003