Chapter 11: A new path?
'Fletchling, The Tiny Robin Pokemon
These friendly Pokémon send signals to one another with beautiful chirps and tail-feather movements. Despite the beauty of its lilting voice, it's merciless to intruders that enter its territory. Its body is always warm. Trainers who live in cold areas apparently sleep with it in their beds.
Type: Normal/Flying'
Having recovered from the experience, Serana scans her new partner with her pokedex, registering it and gaining some insight into the pokemon.
"That was pretty good for your first time battling with a Pokemon, let alone your first wild battle with your Chespin, Serana!" Tierno gives the embarassed blonde his praise for having been able to capture her first Pokemon without the assistance of the others. "Normally it takes beginners a bit longer to adapt to it all since there's a big difference between seeing it as a spectator and actually being the one giving the commands."
Well, that's not wrong per se. Many people can think that doing a task is easy when they've only watched it from afar, but once they're confronted with the task upfront, they have all their dilusions crushed in that realization that without the proper mindset, you will have simply overestimated your own abilities.
"Thanks Tierno! I was actually really nervous about being able to do it by myself, and if I'm being honest, that last Vine Whip was more improvised than an actual plan. I figured that Cheshire wouldn't be able to keep up with a flying Pokemon even if he had a long-range move, so I needed to find a way to make an opening for him. Of course it all worked out fine since now I have a new partner in Fletchy here!"
"Hmm? Cheshire and Fletchy? You've decided to give them nicknames, Serena?" Hearing the new names, I turn to the blonde girl with a curious expression while also gaining the attention of Fennekin, whom I've been holding in my arms this whole time since, admittedly, I find her fur very soft to hug as I've taken to brushing her often, and her warmth that she naturally radiates is comforting during cool nights.
"Mmm, I thought that it would make me feel closer to my Pokemon and help narrow any barriers that we may have towards each other." I'm still new to this, so I wanted to have a family-like bond with them since we'll be together for a long time!" She gives an affirmative nod and explains to me how she came up with their names.
"Closer bonds, is it?" I mutter, looking down at the Fox in my arms, who cutely tilts her own head up to look into my eyes with a hint of expectation upon hearing the other girl's explanation. "Do you wish to have a new name too, perhaps?"
'YES YES!' liking the idea far more than I had anticipated, she practically radiated her excitement at having closer bonds with me, which in turn made me smile before I released both Dratini and Gible in a flash of light, earning each other's attention.
"Hey you two, I know it's a bit sudden, but I thought that I should get your opinions on something." Making sure that I had their firm attention, I eased my way into the topic that'd suddenly come about thanks to Serana and Fennekin. "Umm, so I was wondering if perhaps you two wanted a nickname? Serana decided to name her partners because she wanted to feel like family, so she thought, Maybe you would want the same since we're also family."
I never thought about it that way before. I mean, sure, I'd heard of trainers naming their Pokemon, but it'd always been to throw off their opponents during battles or to add appeal during contests. I hadn't considered that they did it to build a closer bond with their Pokemon. Thinking of it in that sense, I found myself wanting to grow closer with my own kids, and seeing how onboard Fennekin is, I may have gotten a bit excited myself.
'New names?' Being slightly confused by my question, Dratini expresses her and Gible's confusion by both tilting their heads in a similar fashion to how I do sometimes.
'Would that make us closer to Mama?" Gible voices her own question with a rather adorable innocence.
"Of course it would, and I'd really like to be closer with you three. But I won't force you to do anything or be part of something that you don't wish to be, so what do you think? Your sister here is all for it, and admittedly, I like the sound of it too if it means we're closer." I give my appraisal of the idea now that I've mulled over it.
After listening to my offer, I let the two decide for themselves if they wanted to get a new name or not since they had to willingly accept it or this whole thing would be pointless. After waiting a couple moments for them to think things through, they both turn to me, having come to a decision.
''LET'S DO IT!'' with as much vigor and anticipation as they can muster, both dragons replied positively to the idea before going over to Fennekin and looking at me with expectant eyes.
Happy that they want to do this as well, I smile back at the three, relieved that they are so eager to be named by me, before putting on a thoughtful expression and trying to think up names for them, not wanting to give them names that would seem thoughtless or unfitting to each of them.
'Dratini was my first partner and has obviously been with me the longest. She hatched from the egg Big Sis gave me back in the dragon village and has always been there to cheer me up whenever I would feel down or doubt myself over my own indecisiveness. She's always been strong for me when I've needed her to be childish yet also elegant in her own way. I think Hollies also represented strength in the language of flowers, if I'm not wrong.'
'Gible was the second to join me after a found her egg during a visit to Celestic in Sinnoh on a trip with mom to learn more about Dialga and Palkia. She's always been energetic and eager to prove her strength and determination, never turning back on a challenge, having firm belief in her resolve, and showing unwavering trust in me. Such steadfastness is hard to come by, even in people. Wisterias also resonate with her in terms of that meaning.'
'Fennekin although she has just joined me has shown to be such an easily motivated child and although the youngest has shown a lot of maturity when she doesn't think i'm looking at her. i've also seen her practicing Psybeam by herself showing that even though she hasn't evolved she wants to master her psychic abilities and when she does so she looks almost mystical like a spellcaster which is fitting considering an ability she can obtain is called Magician if i recall correctly. Thinking back, wasn't there a famous magician named Merlin in some stories? She'd no doubt fit that perfectly in the future if she keeps growing at this rate. Would it be too presumptuous to name her after that fairytale figure?'
Having decided on their names, I turn to the three of them and glance at the others, who had each begun to wonder what I would choose for my Pokemon since I had been so unexpectedly excited at the prospect after our short conversation earlier.
Dratini, I want to give you the name Holly. You're both playful but also show unwavering strength when it's time to get serious, and the holly flower also represents that trait of yours." Starting with the oldest, I tell her the name I'd thought up for her, which earns a squeal of delight.
'YAYYY HOLLY! HOLLY!' She dances around while repeating her new name, which she finds pleasing.
Gible, you're the second oldest out of the group and have always shown a resolve that can hardly be swayed, let alone diminished, for you. I've chosen the name Wis after the Wisteria flowers, which you liked so much; it also just so happens to symbolize steadfastness."
'Wis for my resolve and Wisteria flower, huh? I like it!' Trying not to show as much excitement, the newly named Wis mulls over the name, trying to play the cool role, but you can clearly see she likes it if the slight wagging of her tiny tail is anything to go off of.
"Last but not least, Fennekin. Although you just joined me, I can clearly tell you're going to be amazingly strong in the future, and I've seen how you secretly practice your psychic powers when you think I'm not paying attention to you. I'm also aware that you'll use a wand in the future when you evolve into Braixen and Delphox, almost like a spellcaster, which reminded me of the fairytale wizard Merlin. Beyond that, you're also capable of having a secondary ability called magician when gaining a certain proficiency with your powers, so for you, I've chosen the name Leena in the belief that you'll be able to obtain that level of mastery. "
'Leena? in honor of the wizard Merlin and his mystic powers? You really think I can be that strong someday?' As if surprised by my own evaluation of her, Leena shows a genuinely shocked expression.
"Of course you can get that strong in the future. You each have so much potential that I'm sure that you'll be some crazy strong Pokemon in the future that will be able to go head-on against anyone if you put your mind to it! You've got my full support, and I know you'll support each other and help them should they falter or can't handle something on their own, so let's get stronger together." With a challenging smirk, I speak without any doubt that they'll be able to accomplish their dreams and so much more.
"So Holly, Wis, Leena. Will you three keep going along with me growing stronger and taking on tougher opponents so that we can accomplish our dreams along the way? I want to be with and support all of you, not as your trainer but as a family; after all, I already see each of you as my own kids." I don't think I'll ever be able to meet them all, but I am truly grateful to have met each of them.
Instead of receiving an answer from them, I'm suddenly tackled to the ground by the three, catching me off guard, before I'm drawn into a fit of laughter by how much they're tickling me while trying to hug me, earning smiles from the rest of my party, before I eventually calm down and can finally stand up.
"Uh, sorry about that, everyone. I guess we kind of spent a lot longer than I'd originally thought due to all my excitement." I give a wry chuckle due to having held everyone up and slowing our pace, but seeing how everyone feels at the moment, I don't think we're particularly held up by how we slowed down.
"Don't worry about it, Saya; besides, it was interesting hearing your thoughts on each of your pokemon and where their names came from." Trevor says I'm trying to downplay my embarrassment, earning nods from the others.
"Yeah, although I'm surprised that you used flower symbolism for two of them due to their characteristics." Iris makes her own observations. "I know you used to study them in the past, but I didn't think you went out of your way to learn the meanings associated with them too."
"She's right I had no idea that hollies and wisteria meant any of those things before, so it was really cool learning about that. Looking at you guys, I'm excited to give names to my own Pokemon too!" Shauna offers her own praise.
"Well, with all that, don't you guys think we should start setting up camp? It's pretty late, and we've been going at it since morning." Calem brings up how we'd been traveling for a while.
"Yeah, I was so caught up in the conversation that I didn't even realize how much time had passed." Tierno shows his shock as he pulls out his holocaster and checks the time, showing that it is almost 9 p.m.
"Then I guess we should go ahead and get the tents and fire ready." Serena states gaining nods from us before we split off, with Shauna, Serena, and Iris getting the wood, the boys setting up the tents, and me getting the ingredients prepped for dinner.
After dinner and choosing who has first watch we are preparing to go to bed before i hear something off in the distance and look to Iris to confirm if i was merely hearing things catching her also looking at me with the same unvoiced question solidifying my earlier thought. 'There's someone out there.'
Silencing everyone else who caught on to us, me and Iris both try to get a better listen to what we heard a second ago, only this time with both Trevor's Pikachu and Leena helping. After what feels like minutes, we catch what sounds like something striking wood in the distance and a low, faint buzz that slowly grows in volume. Turning in the direction, I concentrated on trying to see anything in the darkness before seeing a slight flash of light and what looked like two figures running, but that's not what draws my attention; it's the silhoettes behind them that gain my attention. Quickly glancing off to the others, I can see them also realize the situation.
"They're being chased by Beedrill."
Tyfc
Thank you for reading! totally not having to play catch up on writing or anything
okay so i'm late yes but i figured i might go ahead and illuminate a statement i made regarding Leena. so Fennekin have both Blaze being a regional starter and Magician as a hidden ability. when i stated that she could 'obtain' the secondary ability i meant it more as something she'd be able to unlock through certain means. merlin was a master of magic so she would need to gain a certain proficiency with her psychic powers. i'm treating hidden abilities like something gained through hard work or other way like Froakie being able to unlock Protean by mastering a certain amount of moves not of its original typing or Duraldon having either light metal or heavy metal depending on its diet things like that i think make the pokemon feel more alive.