ITT: We are all Pokémon Trainers

I guess so.

Wow, that's a weird statment: "When I see Palkia again". Most people never see Palkia...

-Smiles-

- Chuckles -

Hehe... Yeah.

[AU] Ecruteak City

-I walk a trail to the south with Maekrite, both of us avoiding the more frequented paths such as Rt.37.-

????!Maekrite — <Silent? When you are done picking your stuff... we must come back here.>

— Back to Ecruteak? — turns to see Maekrite staring at the Tower — Why?

????!Maekrite — <Because we have to.>

— ...

-we keep walking-

— It's gonna be a heavily guarded place for a while, once news come that Ho-Oh is back. And...

— ...I fear I will soon be kinda like a wanted man.

????!Maekrite (growls) — <Still, even more reason. We must go to the summit.>

— Is this related to Ho-Oh and that reverence for him your Colony has? If it is that important to you...

????!Maekrite — <It is the second most important thing, now.> — comes to brush my leg.

<Please. I need to do this so I can keep protecting the one most important thing.>

-we keep walking. As we are about to cross to the National Park, I am about to speak, but Maekrite raises a paw-

????!Maekrite — <I wish not to speak of this for the moment. Just.. let's go home.>

Home...

-A group of Nidorina and Nidorino appears from nowhere to receive us. it is kinda a cold welcome, with Maekrite talking to the squad leader, then him asking me to follow them to the east to Rt.35.-

edited 5th Sep '11 3:47:38 PM by SilentReverence

-Every has found a book somewhere and is reading, Diesel perched next to him and occasionally asking questions, while Breeze, Salamence, and T are wandering around the villa looking for someone to talk to-

Meanwhile, at AU!Nimbasa...

-AU!Every and his team meet up in Central Nimbasa, by what was once the gym-

Any luck?

-Every's team gives various responses, all in the negative-

...Well, I don't know if they really are dead...but either way, it doesn't seem likely I'll find them again....

I wonder how myself from the other timeline's doing...probably a lot better than I am.

Nylon: <So, what are you going to do now?>

Oh right, I just remembered. Since this place is getting kind of cramped, I was going to talk to Tangent about getting someplace bigger. Which is another part of the reason why I want you guys to come with me when I go to Unova.

AU

Well, Sinnoh's much better now to my understanding, so I'm sure your mother will probably be heading back there soon enough.

-is still playing Empire Soul-

Sunny: <I think these Soulless guys are just misunderstood. You should be hugging them instead of hitting them with a giant key.>

Felis: <You've seen how many times they've killed her guy, right?>

Oh?

Huh, you mean like, our own base, or something?

- In the AU -

- Nods -

Yeah, I'm looking forward to returning to Sinnoh.

-Breeze, Salamence, and T go over to the video game screen-

Breeze: <Shiny...>

Salamence: <How do you keep up? It's moving so fast—>

That would be cool...

Felis: <She doesn't. She keeps getting killed.>

I told you, I'm out of practice, that's all.

-gets killed by another Soulless-

Gah!

Breeze: <It can't exactly help that you're fighting with a big key...>

Salamence: <Hey, maybe if we took Trainer's key we could fight with it!>

-Salamence hops around, miming swiping a key at things-

-T sweatdrops slightly and continues watching the screen-

[AU] Somewhere near Goldenrod City

Cinder: -Shivers.- <Why are we here again?>

The Nidos specifically said that they wanted to see you. You like being appreciated by them, don't you?

Cinder: <...Yeah...Of course.>

And the kits all REALLY appreciate you. That's why they insist on cuddling with you.

Cinder: <But...There's so many of them...>

-Bullet, who is following us for the time being, rolls his eyes at this comment.-

They're Nidos, Cinder. Breeding is what they do. There's probably thousands living in this colony. In fact, there's probably more nidos living here then there are people in Goldenrod city.

Cinder: <...And how is that supposed to make me feel better?!>

Hmm. I suppose it didn't help. Look, me and Bullet will do our best to make sure that they don't dog-pile you again. 'Kay?

Cinder: <...Okay...>

Good. -Looks around.- Hmm...It's gotten rather swampy all of a sudden.

Cinder: <Maybe we're off course?>

Maybe...The colony shouldn't be far from-

???: <GRRRRRR...>

...What is that?

Cinder: <It doesn't sound friendly...>

-Cinder ignites his back as he glances around for the source of the noise as Bullet does the same.-

Cinder: <WHO'S THERE? SHOW YOURSELF?!>

???: <...Alright.>

-Something big, scaly and blue emerges from a pool of swampy water just nearby. With a Big yellow jaw, large red head spikes, yellow chevron marking and bright blue scales, it's quite obvious that this creature is a Feraligatr.

The huge reptile sniffs, then suddenly seems to recognize us.-

Feraligatr: <You two...You're the ones that my trainer hated so much.>

Cinder: <Wha?>

Trainer?

...

...Was his name Silver, by any chance?

Feraligatr: <...Yeah. That's him. I'm his Gator. Well...was. Surely you remember me?>

Cinder: <Huh?>

Bullet: <...What.>

Cinder: -Gasps.- <YOU SPOKE! You can speak!>

Bullet: <Shush!>

...

-Steps forward, unafraid.-

Feraligatr: <So, you remember me, then?>

Remember you?

...How could I forget you...Lake.

-The Feraligatr's eyes go wide.-

Feraligatr: <...That name...Why is that name so-AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!>

edited 5th Sep '11 4:13:22 PM by Luke924

-I let go of Corona and step back-

I've given everyone else the choice, now it's your turn. Where do you want to go?

Corona: <I'll get a ride with Diana back to Johto. You don't need to take me anywhere. I won't ask you to try to top that good bye.>

All right. I'll release you here, then. Do you want to go back and say your good byes?

Corona: <I was transmitting my good byes to Masque psychically while you were talking to the others. He'll pass them on to me. There's... just one more I have to make.>

... Right. Of course. One second.

-I pull out my laptop and withdraw a Pokeball. I press the button, and a baby Cyndaquil appears at Corona's feet. She reaches down and picks it up, cradling it gently-

Corona: <Nova, sweetheart?>

Nova: <Mommy?>

Corona: <Nova, I have something to tell you...>

-I leave to let them say their good byes-

-Nods-

Yeah. We've got plenty of space in the HQ for everyone. However the board might have something to say about some non-researchers using the facility, so I'm making you all honorary researchers for the week it'll take for me to do my research.

-Smirks-

I still have to decide whether or not I'll make you all jump hoops like Luke.

AU

Well, apart from that whole fangirl thing she doesn't seem all that much different from the DS the other me knew.

What do you plan to do after that?

...Hoops?

Hmm... That's interesting.

- The AU -

- Shrugs -

I'm not really sure...

-To Anom-

You know, all the tests new guys have to do to get in, our initiation.

The AU

Well, Sinnoh still needs fixing, massive hole in reality or not. Perhaps you could assist with that.

- The AU -

- Nods -

Yeah, I think I'll probably do that.

Err...

Speaking about that...

I kinda resigned. A while ago.

-looks up from book-

Initiation? That sounds interesting. Unless it involves Ariados.

AU!Nimbasa

Well...maybe we can start over?

Nylon: <Huh?>

We'll go somewhere new. Somewhere we haven't been before.

...Maybe Johto? Or one of the Ranger Regions?

Vibra: <Ooh, that sounds fun!>

So I guess we're headed for the Space Tunnels again?

Wraith: <Yay!>

Heh...-goes north, towards the bridge to the Entralink-

-after a little while, I return and Corona sets Nova back down on the ground-

Corona: <Will you promise not to box her?>

Of course.

Well, I guess it's time.

-I pull out Corona's Pokeball and set it on the ground. She closes her eyes, then sighs at the sound of the ball breaking under my foot-

Good bye, Corona. I hope you're happy, whatever happens to you.

Corona: <Good bye, Crewe. Perhaps we'll meet again someday.>

Perhaps.

Nova: <Bye Mommy!>

Corona: -looks down at her and smiles sadly- <Bye, sweetheart.> -she turns to go, but looks over her shoulder- <Thank you. For everything.>

-she leaves before I can reply, leaving me alone with Nova-

-His memory restored, the alternate Lake collapses, panting.-

Lake: <Oh, Arceus. All of this...All these memories...Are...Are they mine?>

-Pats Lake gently.- Well...They're a different you's memories. A you that you could have been...A you that you still could be.

Lake: -Looks at me.- <No I can't...I didn't do any of these things. A different gator did.> -Sniffs.- <I'm not a hero...>

Cinder: <Don't say that!>

Lake: <???>

Cinder: <Okay, so you haven't done anything that the other Lake did, but that doesn't mean that you won't in the future! And if you're anything like the other Lake, which I'm sure you are, I know that you will be. Because that's who you are, Lake. You're a hero, and nothing can change that.>

Lake: <...Really?>

Really. Besides, hero or not...You're still our friend.

-I pet Lake gently.-

Or...You can be our friend, if you want too. Do you?

-Lake says nothing for a few seconds, overwhelmed by what's happening.

Then, he moves in close and...Gives me a hug.-

Lake: <...Of course I want to be your friend...Oh...> -To Cinder.- <You don't mind, do you?>

Cinder: <Mind?>

-Cinder pats the Feraligatr on the back.-

Cinder: <Of course I don't mind! We're friends too, aren't we?>

Lake: <...> -Smiles.- <...Yeah. We are.>

-turns her head toward the others-

What initiation?

-Sora gets killed again while she's not looking-

-in the AU-

Mercury: <So why did you come back here, boss?>

This is my city. Or at least it used to be.

Shadow: <It's likely that no one will want you governing it again.>

Well, they're free to try and stop me.

For the Project, Mezzo and Every. How do you guys feel about being honorary researchers for a week?