Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Before the Journey ❯ Chapter 0.4: Leads to ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter 0.4: Leads to

 

 

 

After giving life to Sharma I found I had little energy to continue with creating my children. It might have been because it was so hard to force the reflective thing she had been to hold the light, it could just be that the repairs on my spine took more out of me than I thought, but more likely it had to do with Brother Sun's gradual descent.

 

The hairs on my skin, as I mentioned, are transparent though they seem white when you look at them. My actual skin, however, is black. The blessing my Father gave me (or rather, one blessing I know of) is my unique ability to absorb Brother Sun's rays and convert the sunlight into energy. I suppose the simplest way to put it is that I can take in sunlight much like plants can. Normally the setting of Brother Sun doesn't affect me as Sister Moon reflects his rays (albeit much weaker) and I can still get energy from those or use energy I had gathered during the day to function properly at night. However, what with avoiding Bronte, running around, creating children, and fixing my spine, I had used up most of my energy and was feeling rather light headed.

 

“Mother?” Sharma's voice held a hint of concern. “Are you quite well?”

 

“I'm fine, Sharma.” I turned my head upward, scenting the breeze. Shit. Even if I hopped to the top most of the branches, I still wouldn't be able to get enough light to do me much good. The air already smelled like night. “We need to head to where the others are.”

 

“Yes, Mother.”

 

She laced her arm with mine and, though I had given her no hint that anything was wrong with me, she helped support me as we walked. I felt indignant that she, my child, had to help me when I ought to be the one to help her but, at the same time, I was pleased with my child's intelligence and caring demeanor. If the rest of my children were even one fourth as bright and kind I would count myself lucky. Heh, I'd like to see what Bronte thought of me now!

 

“Disappointing.”

 

The low grumble made a snarl appear on my face and my tails bristled. “No one asked you, Agni.”

 

My sibling padded closer, making his way past some trees and shrubs. It is amazing that one as large he can move so inaudibly... then again, Hadi had snuck up on me earlier today so perhaps it was my hearing that was impaired…

 

Agni tossed his head, his thick mane of hair rippling behind him as he leisurely moved closer, my shoulders tensing as I watched his movements. It was hard to make him out with the trees as a background, his brown fur coloring helping him blend in and make his shape harder to distinguish save for the mask he wore over his face, I'm not sure if he was born with it or he found it but at any rate he has one and it seemed to fit with the thick, black circlets he wore around his arms and legs.

 

Bronte made no qualms in regards to his hatred for me, attacking so frequently that I was always prepared, expecting his lightening bolts to come snapping at my tails or having a blinding flash of light strike my eyes in midst of a difficult leap from tree to tree… Agni was different. He would either taunt or attack, never having a pattern so I didn't know what to expect…

 

Other than his flames were much more painful to heal from than Bronte's lightening.

 

“This is what you created?” His golden eyes glanced over my daughter, examining her, but she showed no fear.

 

Remaining at my side, my daughter lightly touched my shoulder and ignored Agni.

 

“Shall we continue, Mother?”

 

“Mother?” Agni's lips curled in a mocking sneer, showing his sharp canines as he began to circle. I refused to turn my head and watch him but my ears followed his movement, waiting for his strike… if he chose to make one. But where would it come from? What would it be? Hands or flames? Both?

 

“She is my mother,” Sharma's tail gave a small twitch which I took to indicate she was annoyed with Agni's behavior. “Do your children not call you father? Or does their shame prevent this?”

 

“Insolent bitch!”

 

I heard his movement, his feet pushing off against the dirt and leaves as he leapt for us, and whirled. My claws were curled as I tried to anticipate where he would land and strike, my spine protesting my sudden movement due to its just healed state. The pain along my back wouldn't prevent me from protecting my daughter though, weak as I was.

 

Agni's leap brought him a foot from us, my claws just barely raking his chest as his fist came flying down. He struck my shoulder hard and I felt it snap as the force caused my knees to buckle. I tried to move out of the way but I just didn't have the energy to fight back. Maybe I could get one good attack out and Sharma could flee…

 

A sudden flare of light made my head lift. Agni's hands were glowing gold and crimson with flames, the lights flickering as darkness began to take over the land. The lights over his features made him seem fearsome, more so than I could ever remember.

 

“Sharma!” I wanted to tell her to run, to get away. Whatever Agni did to me, I could heal from… eventually. I think. I'd never been so drained before. I could only hope his attack wouldn't kill me.

 

The flames launched from his hands towards me and seemed to move slowly as they closed the distance. I brought my arms up to shield myself as best I could but I knew it was going to hurt either way.

 

Just as I was closing my eyes, not wanting to see the flames lick upon my skin, I saw Sharma move in front of the way. I tried to scream out her name but I think it just came out a scream as my daughter spread her wings to shield me from the blast of flames. I was sure, so sure, that he'd killed her. That my brother had killed one of my children…

 

So I was shocked to find her still standing.

 

“Are you alright, mother?”

 

She didn't turn around as she asked, keeping her eyes on Agni. I could hear him shuffling around, his four paws skirting around. It seemed that my brother was nervous, who could blame him? I'm sure he was as shocked as I that my daughter had withstood a blast that would have brought me, even full powered, down to my knees in minutes.

 

“Mother?”

 

“I'm fine, Sharma.” As fine as I could be with a broken collarbone but it was slowly, painfully healing.

 

Sharma's wings lowered and she caped them about herself. She held herself regally, poised in case he attacked again, showing no outward signs of irritation or anger other than the twitching and lashing of her tail.

 

“My mother and I will be leaving now.” Sharma firmly stated, still not moving just yet. “If you pursue this, it will end poorly for you.”

 

With Sharma's wings down, I could just make out Agni's face. It seemed stuck between admiration and aggravation. He wasn't as bad as Bronte when it came to pride but he was still bad about it. Agni debated attacking or not before giving a slight bow of his head to my daughter and casting me a look I'd never seen before. Like he was actually looking at me instead of just me as someone to beat around when he was bored. It was… unnerving.

 

With that, he was gone, several loud crunches of foliage marking his passing.

 

Danger now gone, Sharma turned towards me and reached a hand to help me up. I cannot begin to explain the helplessness I felt in enlisting my daughter's help to walk back to where my children were, nor can I fully explain how each step towards our destination made me feel as though stones were tied to my feet. I was use to leaping amongst the trees, not dragging my feet in the soil!

 

And yet… I felt so happy that I had finally done something right, something that Agni had acknowledged me for.

 

My daughter. My children.

 

 

 

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I honestly had to admit, I thought the voice had been imagined and that once I came back, the voice would be gone. It made sense, in a way, that the only one who would be nice to me was a voice in my head, but my fears were quickly alleviated.

 

[You're hurt.] The voice swiftly entered my head, not exactly unexpected but still a surprise to find I hadn't been hallucinating. It held a hint of concern that I found strange but oddly pleasant. It was nice to know someone, something, cared.

 

“It's nothing,” I tried to brush aside, keeping my voice low.

 

“Are you alright, mother?” Sharma examined me, seeming perplexed.

 

“I'm fine,” I assured her, moving slowly to sit at the water's edge. The walk had allowed enough time to heal my collarbone but I was now thoroughly exhausted. It seemed most of my children were lying nearby, sleeping or softly conversing with themselves. Some were actively playing but otherwise it was quiet save for the whisper of the wind and the rush of the water.

 

[She can't hear me] the voice sighed, seeming disappointed by this. [None of them can… only you.]

 

“Sharma, why don't you go rest?”

 

My daughter seemed reluctant but finally nodded. “I will be near if you need me, mother,” she relented, going towards a small cluster of still awake children.

 

When I was sure she was out of hearing distance I turned my attention to the water. For some reason, it was easier to stare at the water when I was talking to the voice as opposed to some empty space.

 

“Why can I hear you and they can't?”

 

[I do not know. Perhaps you just need me and they don't.]

 

It was not a very satisfying answer but in an odd way it made sense. Out of all my siblings and the children on Sister Earth, I was perhaps the only one who lacked a companion. Granted, I now had my children but… my children would never be my equal and would never be more to me than my children.

 

[You are hurt.] The voice persisted. [You should rest.]

 

“I'm fine.” My ears flicked back, annoyed. Did it think I was weak too?

 

[We all need rest. You have had a long day.] There was a soft pause before it added, almost fearfully. [I don't want to lose the only person who can hear me.]

 

Casting my gaze down, I decided to relent. NOT because I was hurt mind you. I just ached a little and was a tad drowse. That's all.

 

I curled up on the grass, still keeping my eyes on the water as my tails curled towards me, the tips covering my nose to keep it warm in the cool air. My spine was still a sore but better than it had been. Hopefully an hour or two of sunbathing would have it perfectly healed.

 

[Better?]

 

“A little,” I grumbled, not wanting to admit how nice it felt to curl up like this and how hard it was to keep my eyes open.

 

The voice refrained from speaking for a while and I was worried that it'd gone somewhere. Which was funny because I distinctly remember it mention that it couldn't go anywhere. And yet…

 

“Still there?” Shit. I hope my voice didn't sound as pleading as I thought it did.

 

The voice chuckled but not in a way that sounded like it was making fun of me, more like it was pleased with my concern.

 

[Still here] it soothed.

 

I relaxed again, closing my eyes for a moment as I rested. Just a moment, I thought to myself. Then I can give the voice its name…

 

 

 

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I awoke with a start, not having even been aware of falling asleep. Disoriented, my nails dug into the ground and my fur bristled as I tried to become aware of my surroundings.

 

[Relax, you're safe.]

 

My eyes darted for the source of the voice before I realized who was “speaking.” Casting my gaze to the sky, I noticed Brother Sun was already at his peak in the sky. Somehow, I'd slept for half the day already.

 

[You were tired.] The voice said simply, as though anticipating my thoughts on why I'd slept so long.

 

I was going to ask something else, I think, but Sharma came up to me with another of my children, one of whom had been born from the green crystals and had hair made of grass and long ears protruding from the top of her head, and stilled my voice with her statement.

 

“Mother, someone is coming.”

 

“Coming?” Bronte? So soon? Agni again? I bit my lip while evaluating the condition my body was in. My spine and shoulder were fully healed now and the sunbathing I'd gotten while asleep had replenished me. With the sun up, I could heal myself if I had to fight them but I hoped it wouldn't come to that.

 

“Mother?” The other's voice was softer than Sharma's and she looked at me with deep brown eyes, waiting to speak. When I met her gaze, she lowered hers before hesitantly speaking. “They're coming fast, from that direction.” She paused before her ears twitched. “Really fast,” she added.

 

I gaze to where she gestured and saw no one coming. I could not hear anything either and turned my attention back to my children.

 

“Are you sure, Felda?” The name, like Sharma's slipped from my lips before I realized it.

 

My daughter's long ears perked up at the name and she bobbed her head, apparently very certain.

 

I wanted to believe that my siblings would not harm my children, desperately I wanted to believe it, but at the same time, I would not take the risk. Bronte might out of spite, Agni might on accident, and the others might or might not depending on their mood. I did not see their reasoning behind it (as they did not, for the most part, harm their children) but perhaps because my children were, well, mine, that made it different to them.

 

“Stay here, Sharma. Make sure the others stay near and keep safe.” Sharma had already proven she could stand up to Agni's powers, perhaps she could also stand up to the others. I did not wish to test this theory but it made me safer thinking one of my children would be of aid to the others if something rendered me unable to. “Felda, stay with Sharma. I'm going to see who is coming. If we come together, all is well. If you hear only one coming, hide somewhere safe till you know it's me.”

 

I took off before I could hear Sharma or Felda's reply, knowing only one of my siblings that could travel as fast as Felda seemed to think. This one was… unpredictable, more so than Agni but yet… I feared him less. When he was in a good mood, he was very jovial, even to me. Yet, when he was in a bad mood… well, he made Bronte seem kind.

 

I sorely hoped he was in a good mood.

 

If I ran fast enough, maybe I could intercept him before he reached my children and determine if he was in a good mood or a less than good mood. I was certain I could detain him or tire him out if he decided to fight but I'd prefer if it didn't come to that. I had no desire to wear myself out like yesterday. He was so fast though, he might breeze right by me.

 

Wouldn't you know it be my luck to find him waiting for me?

 

“Hello Sister!” He gave a laughing bark, grabbing me up in his arms and swinging me around till I thought I'd be sick. “Agni told me the good news, congratulations!”

 

I take it back. I liked it better when Taima was pissed.

 

“What are you doing here, Taima?!” I struggled half heartedly to get away from him, trying to get free but not wanting him to blow his temper at the fact I was.

 

He dropped me unceremoniously on the ground, bark laughing again, his yellow and black fur shimmering in the sunlight as the wind pulled on his violet mane. He, like Agni and our sister, Huyana, had four legs while all my other siblings had only two. Taima, like his brother Agni, also wore a mask. Not to mention he has wicked long fangs that poke out of his mouth even when it's closed. They reach down to about his chin, thank Father mine aren't that long!

 

“I came to see your children, of course!” His tail, paler blue than the sky with a funny spiked ball at the tip swayed to and fro. “You are going to let me see your children…” He leaned closer, voice becoming deeper as his eyes narrowed and a snarl appeared on his lips. “Aren't you?”

 

“O…of course, Taima.”

 

He was back to smiling and laughing, smacking my back hard when I stood, making me wonder if the pain from the slap was because he was pleased or if I should take it as a warning.

 

“Well then, let us see them.”

 

 

 

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Taima wasn't the only one who showed up. Agni came, bringing Huyana with him. Despite the less than favorable relationships I have with her kin brothers, Huyana actually likes me and has often gone out of her way to distract Bronte from finding me. I don't know why she does it and I choose not to ask in case she suddenly ceases having favor with me.

 

“Your children are wonderful.” Huyana's accent makes her words sound more like “Yur chilldwen ar vonderful” but the statement is still appreciated. That, and with her here I feel more comfortable allowing Agni and Taima to examine my children. She had a calming effect on the two of them, mainly because if they pissed her off she'd freeze their asses off.

 

She moved closer to me, smiling, as her tails trailed behind her. She didn't wear a mask like her kin brothers but she did have a large protrusion from her head that I cannot begin to describe (I often wondered how she kept balanced with it but figured her four legs probably kept her stable enough). Her fur was a gorgeous blue with white star like patterns and her hair was long and wavy violet hues that often glimmered as she ran across the water.

 

“T'll me, `ow did you cweate such chilldwen?” Which translated along the lines of, “Tell me, how did you create such children?”

 

I opened my mouth to say but the voice silenced me.

 

[Don't!]

 

I thought to ask it why not but doing so would look silly to my sister, who could not hear the voice. I decided the voice had not led me astray so far and I should heed it. Yet, I did not wish to lie directly to my sister who had been so kind to me.

 

“I used Brother Sun's rays,” I said simply, leaving it at that.

 

Huyana seemed to want to ask more but held her tongue when Sharma touched my shoulder.

 

“Mother, Felda says others are coming.”

 

The rest of my siblings. Shit.

 

“It tims zat news twavels vast, eh `ister?”

 

Sharma seemed to have a hard time understanding so I gave a tight reply.

 

“Yes, sister. It seems that news does travel fast.”

 

 

 

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Kalama arrived next, her wings of fire scaring many of my green crystal children. They calmed down when they saw how friendly she was with me, the only other sibling of mine who'd saved me from Bronte's wraith. Following him came Miyuki, who also brought a chill to the air and frost to the grass as she touched down. I have no quarrel with her and she has none with me and we both leave it at that.

 

Asiza was next to come, gleefully squealing at each of my children in turn as she flittered around. I found it amusing because her squeals were still no higher than a whisper. Hadi didn't seem particularly impressed though he did meet my gaze and give me a small nod, as though saying “Congratulations, you just missed getting your hide fried by Bronte.”

 

Speaking of… Bronte also came, though I think he was mostly checking to be sure that I did have children and it wasn't a lie. I think he was disappointed that he didn't get to attack me, he seemed fully charged and everything (what with the lightening zapping around him and all).

 

Dorian came and played with my blue stoned children, using his giant flipper hands to splash at them in the water. I like Dorian, he's always laughing. Edan, on the other hand, scowled the whole time, though he did talk with my red stoned children (albeit curtly) and his feathers glimmered faintly with various colors of the rainbow. Bibi, my… mother, I suppose you could call her, (as well as Hadi and Asiza's, as we were born from her blood) mingled a little with my children but seemed particularly interested in Sharma, making me feel ill at ease. I didn't know for sure if the item I used to make Sharma had been a scale from one of Bibi's children or not but I hoped it wasn't. I didn't want her to try and take Sharma from me.

 

“This one is glad to see you finally have your children, sister.”

 

This one will be glad when you remove the stick from your ass, brother, was what I was thinking but I merely smiled at Bronte.

 

“Tell this one, how are your children so similar to our children?”

 

The air stilled and the conversations around us seemed to die down as everyone, my siblings, Dorian, Edan, Bibi, and my children sensed the dangerous currents in the air. Sharma, still by my side, moved closer, almost protectively.

 

“I do not understand, brother,” I replied slowly, trying to decipher what trouble Bronte was stirring up now.

 

Bronte turned his head slightly, looking at a group of my children born from the yellow stones. “These… children of yours, they seem similar to our children. This one wonders if you created them using the methods we, your siblings, used.”

 

“I didn't!”

 

“Oh?” He lazily turned his head to face me, tilting his gaze so he was staring down at me. “Then how did you create your children?”

 

[Don't.] The voice pleaded again, words only I could hear.

 

“I used Brother Sun's rays,” I repeated, giving the same answer to Bronte that I had given to Taima. Unfortunately, this time there was no interruption to change the topic.

 

“And…?” Bronte trailed off, still looking at me.

 

I did not want to lie but I felt a great indignity at his questioning. Why should I tell him? I didn't ask them to tell me how they created their children, they boasted of it to me! (Well, except Asiza and Kalama.)

 

“I don't understand why you are asking me this, brother.” My children stirred around me, nervous. I didn't blame them. There was no way I could take on all my siblings and our, for lack of a better word, parents.

 

“This one asks because this one senses his bolts in these children.” He gestured to the children of my yellow stones. “This one wonders how this is.”

 

“Some of hers can fly,” Kalama cut in, her wings tucked behind her but still burning and crackling softly. “Would you want me to accuse her of using feathers to make her children as well?” Kalama's words were mocking for, as everyone knew, I had no feathers to speak of and no way to get any.

 

“What of these ones?” Edan grumbled, casting eye to the red stone children again. “There is fire within them…” His wings bristled and colored flames leapt from his wings. “How do you propose she did such a feat, with her hands?” Edan gave a laugh that startled everyone present save for Bronte.

 

“This one wonders why all her children are not the same.”

 

“The same? Bronte, all our children are different,” Asiza's soft voice protested.

 

“Yes and no,” Miyuki said slowly, stepping forward, away from my children and towards me. “All of our children hold one thing in common, the bond to that which we used to create them.” She used a taloned hand to point to herself. “My children all have ties to Ice, from which I created them.”

 

“Mine hold ties to the Rocks from which they came,” Taima added slowly, as though trying to understand where this was going and debating on if he was still in a good mood or about to get in a very bad one.

 

“My children have ties to Grass,” Asiza said patiently, as out of the loop as I was. “Hadi's focus on their Minds, and Agni's are from the Ground… What does this have to do with our sister?”

 

“How is it that her children are so diverse if they all came from Brother Sun?” Bronte's beak curled a little at the corner, making a wicked looking half smile. “She must have used something else, perhaps the same as us?”

 

“What would it matter if I did or didn't?” I objected, wanting to bristle but remaining still thanks to Sharma's presence. “Father said we could use whatever we wanted!”

 

“But don't you think it unfair…” Bronte drew out his words, waiting for them to sink in. “If you, sister, created your creatures the same as ours?”

 

“But I didn't!”

 

“Then tell this one how you did it.”

 

There was a murmur and I'm afraid it didn't sound very favorable for me.

 

“Mother doesn't have to tell you.”

 

“Sharma!” I turned to scold her but Bronte beat me to it, using a far stricter method than I would have. I think Agni tried to warn him but the yell was masked by the crack of Bronte's lightening racing towards my daughter.

 

I don't know what prompted his reaction. Perhaps all the lightening he had charged up on earlier had made him snappish, perhaps it was merely he hated my children to the same degree he hated me, but either way I found his act unforgiving. I would stop him.

 

The jewel on my head, it seemed to heat up for an instant and suddenly I knew how he'd done it. How he summoned lightening, that is. Stepping forward, I silently called to it, the same way I'd called to the stones but with a different melody. My fur went on end and a crackling filled my ears as lightening rushed from my hands towards the bolts Bronte had fired off. It was harder to control than I thought, raking across the ground, leaving deep trenches, but I managed to direct it and clash it with his. They didn't cancel each other out, per se, but they did cause a huge explosion when they connected. Dirt and grass was flung upward and shielded myself as best I could, hoping my children were far enough away from the blast. When the dust settled, Bronte was looming over me and boy, was he pissed.

 

“How did you steal that which is mine?” His words hissed and snapped like his lightening.

 

“I didn't steal it!”

 

“You had nothing then you stole that which was mine, did you steal from the others too?” He lashed forward with his fist, lightening formed around it. I missed being directly hit but I could feel the lightening crawl against my skin. Damage was minor and healed quickly in the sun.

 

I was surprised when a blast of flames tore between Bronte and myself. I felt my forehead jewel heat up again then return to its normal state.

 

“Bronte,” Kalama murmured, slowly putting down her hand, heat waves still radiating from her palm. “Huyana and Miyuki both can do some of the same abilities, as can you and Taima, myself and Edan. Why punish her if she can as well?”

 

For a moment, I thought Bronte was going to attack Kalama but by some miracle he contained himself.

 

“That was so cool, sister!” Asiza zipped over to my side, grabbing my hands and twirling me around while she flew.

 

If Asiza hadn't been spinning me around, I might have noticed the odd looks some of my siblings were giving me and worried a little more on my well-being.

 

 

 

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Brother Sun was almost setting by the time my siblings and our parents left. I was grateful, Bronte's display had set me on edge the rest of the night and some of my siblings seemed more withdrawn, no doubt contemplating his words and trying to figure out where my sudden burst of lightening had come from. I really didn't know, other than my jewel heating up for that brief instant. I just… I hadn't wanted him to hurt Sharma.

 

My children were all dozing, I sat a distance away at the river, waiting to hear the voice again. I didn't have to wait long.

 

[Another long day.]

 

“Yes.”

 

There was a pause. [Are you alright?]

 

“I think so.”

 

[I am glad, Zahira.]

 

My ears flickered and I tilted my head. “Zahira?”

 

[I noticed. You don't have a name either, do you?]

 

I'd have looked away from the voice had I known where it was coming from.

 

[Do you like it?]

 

“Zahira?” I repeated the name and thought about it a moment before nodding. It did sound nice and the voice was kind enough to give it to me when no one, not even Asiza had. “Yeah. I do.”

 

[Do…] It hesitated. [Do you have a name for me yet?]

 

“Yeah.”

 

Eager, it almost seemed to lean closer to me. [Yes?]

 

“Jashin.”

 

A pin prick of light appeared in the air then cut its way down, dividing the space around it as something stepped through the tear and into the world my Father had created.