----------------------------------------

Chapter 17 - The Story Of Us — Part I

Viridi stared out at the ‘park’ as Hive Leader had called it, observing while she ate her breakfast. A collection of Cheri and Oran Berries cut up with leafy, if slightly bitter greens that towered above her head. Though, in her excitement, Hive Leader had to stop her from eating the white ‘sty-row-foam’ that Hive Leader said wasn’t food despite how it crunched…

This is why Viridi followed Hive Leader — she never got food like this in her old hive. He’s kind even when still healing!

Nevertheless, Viridi ate slowly and looked out among the younger humans in the park running about, or on their knees. The ones that caught her curiosity were the ones on their knees, holding some sort of colored stick and dragging it against the ground.

“Hive Leader.” She started after finishing her current bite, turning her whole body around to face him as he ate his own stack of some sort of ‘warm’ food he called a pancake. “What small humans doing? With colored stick?”

Hive Leader swallowed his own food, and took a drink of water to wash it down before glancing out at the playground to see what Viridi was referring to. “Ah, they’re drawing, using chalk.”

“What is chalk? Is chalk food?”

“No, it would probably hurt to eat chalk. Please don’t try…” He laughed before pausing. “Hm, you can probably make a painting with berry juice like chalk though…” Hive Leader muttered, before turning to Charon, who laid on the ground behind the tree they were under.

He was staying out of sight from most Trainers while two cups of the steaming liquid lay in front of him that Lena Wini Red was also drinking. That Hive Leader would turn to Charon at all though, Viridi feel… confusion.

She saw how Hive Leader would look to Charon for more information before giving it to Ronin or Viridi, or ask an in-depth question. She saw her old Hive Master do similar, but that was with Pokémon, not from another human, a Trainer.

The voices of the forest often said that a Trainer’s voice is the law among their ‘Hive’. A Trainer had access to techniques and knowledge that went beyond what anyone in the forest may know or learn without the guidance of a human hand.

Her new Hive Leader, and even Lena Wini Red, of the other Hive, didn’t… match her expectations.

She asked why Hive Leader would ask Charon questions about training, back a moon ago when he was preparing to sleep in that fluffy human nest…

“Charon helps me fill in the gaps between what I don’t know… he gives me advice on what I should do or say when I dunno how best to answer or move forward.”

“Charon. He your Hive Leader? Is why you ask him?”

“In a sense, I guess… but he… guides me. That’s why I came up with the name Charon for him. Though I, as well as he, can disagree if we feel differently about something.”

“Why disagree? Trainer Hives listen to Hive Leader Trainer. No matter what. If Hive needs defense. Hive focus on defense.”

Hive Leader looked concerned while shifting up slightly from where he was laying and looking at Viridi. “What… gives you that idea?”

“Forest Pokémon. In Other Hives. Word of Trainers travel.”

Hive Leader’s expression relaxed. “Ah… well, maybe for some Trainers, but… you have as much of a voice in the Team — er, Hive, as Ronin or Charon… I don’t want to force any of you to do anything, and I don’t… I don’t wanna make a wrong decision.”

“Viridi not understand. Trainer Hives decide. Trainer Hive follows.”

Hive Leader played with his cover for a moment before speaking. “Do… Do you think your Hive Leader knew how to be a Hive Leader when they were a Venipede?”

“Hive Leader not Venipede. Venipede not know how to be Hive Leader. Hive Leader is Scolipede.” Viridi stated, her head tilting in confusion at the idea of a Venipede being a Hive Leader, the idea silly to think about!

Hive Leader nodded. “Right… I'm closer to… Venipede, maybe Whirlipede, then a Scolipede. Charon however, can and has more experience battling or using moves than… well, anyone in our group does.”

“Even those from Lena Wini Red?”

“That’s not her… you know what, close enough, but yeah. Charon hasn't fought in… a while, but he has more practical experience… I may have ideas as the Trainer, but Charon can help put those ideas into workable methods with advice.”

Hive Leader shrunk into himself, rubbing his shoulder. “I don't know how to train Pokémon, and I want to make sure I do the best I can for you and Ronin… but I may not listen to him all the time, because of personal differences or feelings, but I can recognize that what he went through helped shape his view. Hopefully, we can come up with something that works—”

“—chi Berries though would be a mess to clean up, especially if it was warm and humid… hey. Viridi. Bossy bug.” Charon’s voice brought Viridi's attention out of her own memory and towards the Typhlosion, who stared at her with a raised eyebrow. After a second he let out a huff and turned to Hive Leader. “William, were there any Hopo Berries in her food? She’s spacey.”

“Viridi not spacey. Viridi is ‘Comfrey Bugg’!” She protested, vibrating in place and making Hive Leader sigh, before poking Charon in the face. The old Fire Type blinked in surprise and then looked at Hive Leader with a flat expression.

“Charon, no antagonizing.” Hive Leader stated, making Charon roll his eyes and settle back down. Viridi feel a bit of satisfaction, and… warmth, seeing the interaction, like the Cheri Berries in her breakfast.

The scene was reminiscent of Old Hive Master scolding another Venipede back in her forest. Back in her old home… granted, with the ages reversed.

Her new Hive acted similar to her old, even though Ronin was not a Venipede, he still acts like one would. Looking up to Hive Leader or Charon, someone above their ‘job’, seeing if they can do something or if what they are doing is right…

And of course, like her old Hive, names held a significant importance. She had heard that not all Trainers name their team; the notion confusing to even think about. She felt worried when Hive Leader said ‘Comfrey Bugg’ was not her name, but when Hive Leader named her ‘Viridi’, the almost vibrating warmth that filled her body nearly made her vibrate out of her exoskeleton.

Yet… the differences still confused her. Reminded her she didn’t understand Trainer Hives outside of the limited information she would get from Pokémon of the forest, or of Old Hive Master’s encounters.

She nibbled on the leafy part of her food, her mind spinning as she turned back to Charon who had resumed laying down as if taking a nap, yet his mugs were now empty of the bitter liquid.

She understands Charon's role of ‘guide’ for Hive Leader, and that Hive Leader was a long, long way from home… but would Hive not break down if every member felt different on what to focus on? Even when Hive Master would get advice, he would make the final decision, and the Hive would follow.

Why were they traveling with another Hive? Hives in the forest never combined… worked together, yes, but never combined. A group too big was easy picking… easy prey…

If a decision for any member of the Hive came not from Hive Master, Hive would fall… like Hive Master fell.

Viridi stopped mid-bite for a moment, her entire body shivering as a bubbling toxin lay in her stomach. She couldn’t think about that. Not while she had to focus on her new Hive.

Turning to Red Fighting Lady… Lena Wini Red, Viridi narrowed her eyes slightly as she thought about how she had even said that ‘bad people’ might want to hurt William because she traveled with them. She was clearly the leader of her Hive, with Big Yellow Aunty Oshawott Rina, and Trickster Dark Knight Arthur always deferring to her orders or instructions.

Yet… she was like her Hive Leader, letting her Hive members have input, choose… Rina seemed really close to Ronin, almost akin to the adult Scolipede in old Hive. Even now, she was giving the young Oshawott advice on certain moves as they shared the same Type as they ate. If Viridi didn’t know beforehand, she could have mistaken Rina for a part of her own Hive.

Arthur appeared much more comfortable staying closer to his Hive Leader as he ate. Viridi knew that Pokémon like Trickster Dark Knight are sneaky, yet deathly loyal to their own Hive Leader. It is why she called him Blue Walking Herdier, how he would stay close to Lena Wini Red no matter the time.

Even then, he would seemingly… scold Lena for drinking the bitter liquid. Even Hive Leader agreed with Arthur’s declaration that Ronin could have none of it, despite Charon grumbling about them being ‘sugar-addicts’.

There were too many questions she had, too little she understood…

Yet, she remembered when the Little Yellow Human tried to help the Scolipede, despite clearly not knowing how or what to do, and how Little Yellow Human grabbed her and pulled her away from the angry invader.

She also remembers how she couldn’t do anything to stop Little Yellow Human from getting hit, and could only watch and warn him as he tried to help Lena Wini Red who had pulled him away before.

Even then he still got grazed, and had to get help from the funny smelling building and the Old Fairy Healer.

Despite that… Little Yellow Human looked at her, and gave her a name, a place in his Hive when she had lost her own.

Viridi felt a hand touch her, shivering as she turned her head, seeing her new Hive Leader with a small smile and petting her as he had finished his breakfast. As she glanced around, she noticed most of the other Hive had already finished their food as well, cleaning up their space and getting ready to leave.

She turned back to her Hive Leader, her eyes staring up at own warm expression. She may not understand how a Trainer’s Hive, or even her Hive Leader’s Hive works yet, but she would get stronger in it. She will live up to her name of Viridi, and her job of ‘Comfrey Bugg’. No matter how many things she’ll have to learn or adjust to.

----------------------------------------

The morning sun felt different from the day before. The sun yesterday was a gentle warmth that bled through the shade as they ate their special breakfast, and Rina recalled it being like a calming blanket for an equally quiet day.

The sun directly beamed down on them like a warm, welcoming hug as they walked up to the famous Aspertia City lookout. It was as if the clear blue sky and warmth of the sun was telling them ‘we welcome you to this world’. Rina felt even more warmth bubbling inside her heart at seeing Ronin’s expression and eyes grow wide looking out, most likely having been in a lab for most of his time before joining their group.

Today, however? The sun energized her, making her insides jitter like an Elekid in a thunderstorm. Rina kept bouncing on her heels as they headed towards a private training spot Lena scouted out earlier.

‘Maybe Lena is right to call Arthur and I battle junkies… I know she enjoys it just as much as well though, heh.’

The sound of William’s Poké Balls opening woke her up from her daydreaming. Ronin and Viridi instantly started looking around at their surroundings, while Charon stretched to his full height with a pop of his back, taking stock of the area.

“Alright, now that everyone’s here,” Lena’s voice cut in, “There’s a couple things we can work on today. First and foremost, William…”

“Y-Yes?”

“You need practice issuing commands and improvising in battles. So you’re gonna partner up with Rina today and spar with me and Arthur.”

Rina immediately shot Arthur a competitive grin, which he returned with equal excitement. Lena cleared her throat before Rina could even begin a playful pre-battle taunt. “I won’t be using any aura communication with Arthur, so you don’t have to worry about that, but I want you to get used to issuing commands verbally. It kinda seems to me like you’ve developed some bad habits with Charon.”

William seemed a bit hurt but acknowledged it with a nod.

“Rina, follow his directions directly; don’t interpret or improvise. If he misspeaks, follow what he says exactly. For better and for worse.”

“Don’t rush in with Ice Punch into a Solar Beam again, is what she’s saying.” Arthur teased.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Yeah, and don’t show off either with Detect.” Rina quickly countered back.

Charon interjected before anyone else could continue. “While you’re doing that, I’m going to put these two through their paces, then. It’s high time they learn some fundamentals.”

Lena frowned and was about to comment, but William interjected. “W-We talked about it before we came here… It’s nothing bad or anything... just some basic exercises and fundamental move techniques...”

“Well… if you talked about it, that’s fine. There should be another clearing through the trees…” Lena said, but not without shooting a slight side eye between Charon and William.

The old ghost only huffed, crossing his own arms before staring down at Viridi and Ronin. “Alright, you two. Follow me, and I’ll explain what you'll be doing once we get there.”

‘Aww… I’m not gonna be able to help Ronin! He just learned Water Gun too…’ Rina couldn’t help but think to herself with a twinge of disappointment as the Typhlosion walked through the trees and leaves with the two smaller Pokémon in toe.

Lena turned back to Rina and William. “Now, I know you haven’t partnered with Rina before, so I’m going to give you twenty minutes of prep time on the other side of the field. Do whatever you want, but once that time is up, you’re gonna be facing me and Arthur.”

William looked a tad nervous at Lena’s serious expression, but nodded and tapped at his Xtransceiver to set a timer. “Alright… I guess we should get started then…” William said before turning to Rina and making a motion to the other side of the field with his head.

As Rina followed him, she already started raising her arms up, letting her muscles strain slightly as she stretched. “So… where do you want to—” She let out a breath as she released the stretch, moving her arm across her chest and pulling. “—start then…? We can talk about moves first.”

William thought for a moment, his eyes turning back to Lena and Arthur, seeing them do their own stretches and pre-spare workouts. With a bit of hesitation, he mirrored Rina’s pose, pulling his right arm across his chest… “W-Well… hm… I’m… not sure, we could do moves or… even how Arthur fights…”

“Well, Arthur’s straightforward…” Rina started, an eyebrow raising as she watched William try his best to mimic her. “He’s good with maneuvering, nimble, and can block a move with his Aura staff… but that’s not gonna really help in the end. I know how he fights already, and he knows how I fight.”

“R-Right, but… ah… I’m not sure how either of you fight… I know you were holding back s-slightly…” William paused as he shifted, mirroring Rina’s pose as she bent to touch her toes. “...D-During the battle with Charon — fuck…”

It was clear he was straining himself beyond what he recovered. Rina held her pose, but glanced over at him. “Hey now, you don’t need to mirror me… you’re still healing. Lena only let you off ‘house arrest’ because you insisted to her you were fine.”

“I-I… am… just need to—damn hamstrings…!”

William finally managed to reach his toes. He started to push himself up, but stopped to take a breath with his hands on his knee, letting him glance over to see Rina’s expression. “I am fine… I’m not going to get any better just sitting around… plus… Ronin was getting anxious about training, so didn’t want to sit about any longer…”

Rina felt the déjà vu hit like a wave from Surf. ‘Not going to get better just sitting around… where have I heard that before… even his expression is—’

WHOOSH!

Rina yanked her head across the field at the sound of rushing air, where Arthur flew through his warmups with his Aura Staff. His eyes focused forward in a state of Zen. Throughout it, Lena would nod, or glance over to Arthur, indicating she was clearly communicating with him silently.

Finally, the ringing Chingling struck her. “Arthur! That’s who you’re reminding me of!”

William turned to her, confusion written all over his face. “W-What?”

“Sorry, you’re just acting similar to Arthur after Lena and I pulled him out of the Mt. Coronet avalanche…you would have mistaken him for a sugar-addicted Spoink with how he acted right after. Almost like a newborn Riolu pup even though he was closer to my age…” Rina clarified before thinking a bit more. “Though, you’re more… you’re serious, but I’m not sure what the right word would be…”

“Thoughtful? Broody?” William supplanted.

“You said it, not me.” Rina snarked.

William rolled his eyes with a smile as Rina continued. “The day after we pulled him out we were registering him to Lena to join us, but he could barely sit still long enough to get a proper look over… though, he did mellow out as time went on…”

“Age and experience tends to do that…” William murmured with a nod, before glancing over at Arthur as his expression started to turn… “I’m… maybe I’m assuming, but aren’t Lucario packs rare in Sinnoh nowadays? Did that avalanche…?”

The way William’s voice turned quieter, softer, instantly clued Rina into his own thoughts. ‘Ah. Way to go Rina, you forgot that William’s too perceptive.’

Instead of shying away… her own voice matched William’s tone. “...Yeah, we couldn’t find his pack. That’s why we took him in.”

Rina mulled over her thoughts as the memories of that time began to rise. . A light internal debate started within herself about if she should bring it up, but… since she already started…

“It was one of Lena’s first official Missions when she graduated, I was still a Buizel myself.” Rina mussed while glancing over to Lena, her face looking younger for a brief moment. “We were just supposed to be backup support, so… we didn’t expect to find a Riolu’s paw sticking out of the snow while we were delivering supplies to the main Rangers and Ace Trainers.”

“We dug him out and warmed him up back at the base camp, but as I said, he ran off while also dragging Lena along…” Rina shivered, the echo of frost biting her once again as she remembered seeing her partner drifting into the cold, harsh, landscape by a young Riolu. She was trying to comfort some young Shinx herself, but bolted out to follow them once she noticed her partner’s voice trailing away.

And then, he stopped and grabbed Lena and Rina directly and… “He showed us his own Aura sight, which was a shock, especially for Lena but… we could see the people and Pokémon under the snow with it.” Like lanterns in the snow, the weight of life and snow pressing down against them. “Then, we shifted from being seen as extra Rangers to one of the main groups locating people to get them help. Despite that…”

“We couldn’t find a trace of his pack whatsoever.” Rina stated, remembering discussing the topic with Lena after that day, when Arthur had finally tired himself out using his Aura enough to sleep. Even after the exhausting Mission, neither Rina or Lena could find it in themselves to rest with their thoughts swirling.

The Buizel was a bit confused about all the attention on the Riolu at first, and echoes of frustration rose as Rina remembered the insensitive questions people asked him, questions that were better fit for later.

…Once Lena explained, it made sense however. “The avalanche wasn’t the primary reason for his species' rarity in Sinnoh. Lucario and Riolu were already protected species in the Region for… eighty years, and to find one in the wild is an instant way to have questions directed at you. Rangers, conservationists, Lab Trainers, heck, even Gym Leaders at the time like Mr. Sumomo and his Lucario joined the search once news got out.”

“But… nothing, no bodies, no trace… even when the snow melted, nothing.”

“...And you think he was pushing himself to get stronger, to distract himself?” William asked, looking at Arthur now with an expression that did not fit his age.

“You know, I don’t think you’re allowed to have that level of perception. Charon isn’t here to cheat for you by looking into souls…” Rina said flatly.

Before William could protest as she saw him about to with a blush on his face, Rina realized something. “Speaking of… it's a surprise you can still understand me, considering he’s far enough away that I can’t hear him or the others…”

William froze, his train of thought derailed. “W-Well, er…”

“You don’t have to share… I’m sorry if it’s… personal, or…” Rina already started seeing the telltale sights of William clamping up and Squirtleing inward like before.

William said nothing for a moment, then two, before, to Rina’s surprise, he finally spoke. “It’s just… hard to explain… he linked to me via my soul, instead of using Aura like with Lena. I don't know the intricacies of how he does it, but it let me understand at a further range, and through Poké Balls we found out…”

“And that doesn’t strain him? Or you? Even Arthur can’t translate through Poké Balls… and Charon is old…”

William half-snorted, smiling a tad. “He’s actually apparently gotten better with age, if you can believe it… he would call himself a ‘fine Hopo Berry wine’ until I told him I saw a few grey furs.”

Rina hid her laugh behind her arm as William’s smile mirrored hers, his shoulders relaxing. “The link isn’t much more than background noise to him and he’s the one maintaining it. It… helped a lot when trying to find him when I would ah… go off Route.“

William waved his hand in a way, as if nudging something. “Once I got close enough to the ghostly field, you know, the one he put up to ward Pokémon and people away? He would just be able to… ‘push’ me the right direction to go until I got close enough to communicate through the link fully to guide me to the meetup spot. Helped also keep wild Pokémon away who tried to bother me or him…”

“Only ever happened once or twice… but they learned why not too afterwards.” He said carefully, shivering slightly before shaking his head, as if to dispel the image.

Doing her best not to dwell on that frankly concerning idea, Rina hummed… her own curiosity overtaking her about the topic. “Huh… and how long did it take you two to figure out the soul-link-whatever? I know that most other Ghost or Psychic Types usually take a year on average once they meet their Trainer, unless they’ve known them all their life…”

The hesitation came back in an instant, but William had a careful expression on his face now. “... It was actually the first couple minutes we met… thought it was more out of necessity.”

“Huh?”

“I…” William paused, his right foot barely bouncing in place for a minute. Clearly debating what to say… “Waking up in a different place, not in your own bed that you fell asleep in, surrounded by forest echoing noises that seem alien, and… other things would make anyone panic I think.”

Before Rina could process that statement, he continued with a tilt of his head towards where Charon walked off with Viridi and Ronin towards. “Add in the fact that there's now an almost nine-foot ghostly fire badger standing in front of you with red eyes, and well… I’m lucky he was the first one who found me.”

For a moment, Rina didn’t see a young Trainer standing in front of her, carefully hugging himself as he glanced over towards the forest for where he last saw the closest thing to a family. No, instead she saw a young Riolu in a similar pose, shivering slightly and looking out towards what was a mountain of snow and rocks… his own pack, his family, nowhere in sight as someone taller than them stared above like a towering monolith.

Then, she blinked, and the blue shifted to yellow, and the white of the snow turned to earthy greens and browns. William continued to stare in that direction, before turning back to notice Rina staring at him. He shifted uncomfortably before quickly speaking. “A-Anyways… just need to keep getting better as a Trainer, he’s already putting in more work than I am for training them, and… that’s not right for Viridi and Ronin. I’m their Trainer, it's my responsibility… to actually help them too.”

‘Oh Arceus, it’s like looking into a mirror for me too…’

Rina couldn’t hold back the memories now, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes as her own words echoed in her mind… when she was the eldest Buizel in her Mama’s nest…

‘It's my responsibility to help the youngest kits when our Mama can’t!’

Mama Floatzel needed the help, it was her responsibility, no one else…

‘Don’t worry… your big sister is here… I’ll stay with you until Mama feels well enough…’

Even if the worst didn’t happen she didn’t want them to realize… she wanted to keep them happy…

‘Come on, you can use Aqua Jet! Think of how proud Mama will be when she sees you using it!’

“—ina…? Rina? Are… are you okay?”

In an instant, Rina was pulled back to reality, finding William looking up at her with a look of concern on his face. “Oh… yeah. Yeah, fine… just thinking, you’ve reminded me of some things.”

William looked concerned, but just nodded and made a noise of acknowledgement, accepting Rina’s answer. Before he could say anything else, Rina raised a paw, getting his attention again. “Hey… William, just know it’s okay to ask for help with Ronin and Viridi, okay? I know you were kinda thrown into this whole Journey, but… you’re a good kid, despite how tight-lipped you are.”

‘Let me give you the help I would have liked.’

Her thoughts went unsaid. But that didn’t matter. William flustered at her compliment. “U-Uh, thank you… I-I know, just…I don’t want — I don’t want to be… spoiled by other help.”

Before she could protest, he continued while rubbing his left arm slightly. “I feel bad enough that I don’t really know how to train Pokémon… not something you go over in school or basic battle simulator… it was always ‘just fight’, but not the how beforehand… so flying by the seat of my pants…”

He quickly raised his hands and waved them in front of him back and forth, halting anything Rina was about to say. “N-Not that I’m not grateful! You’ve done more than you’re o-obligated to with Ronin, and I can’t thank you enough for teaching him Aqua Jet early. And I know Arthur said he wanted to show him how to stand properly with a weapon, and…”

“I just, it means a lot to me, but I need to learn how to train as well so I can be an actual Trainer too… That means getting over whatever hang ups I have, and adjusting to actually commanding and not… freezing.” He finished with a grimace.

“And you will,” Rina said with a finality, making William turn to her. “You’re a quick learner like Arthur actually, but it's okay to make mistakes… I mean, Arthur might learn quickly, but even he made mistakes…”

William glanced over to the Lucario, who Rina could see from the corner of her eye that he was doing an elaborate, effortlessly looking multi-strike ‘warm-up’ towards the open air.

‘Way to not ‘show off’ Arthur.’ Rina grumbled to herself, noting William’s expression. Instead, she lowered her voice and carefully leaned closer to William. “Here’s something Arthur wishes I would forget…. He started learning Dig half-way through the Mt. Coronet Mission, just from watching me use it to pull people out of the ground…”

“Then, two days later, he made an eight-foot hole overnight from Dug to show Lena he learned the move and used it outside her tent so she could see it when she woke up… not realizing that humans take a couple minutes to wake up sometimes.”

Rina barely held back a snicker as William’s expression shifted to one of incredulous amusement. “She barely caught herself from falling in, but you should have heard the yelp she made.”

William couldn’t hold back his own giggles even through his own fist, Rina finding herself unable to hold back as well with the memory resurfacing… ‘Oh, Arthur is going to chase me for telling that story, but it was worth —’

A loud, sharp beeping came from William’s wrist, making both of them jump. William quickly looked at his Xtransceiver and sighed. “Shoot… that was the halfway point… we’ve got fifteen minutes left before the battle…”

“I’m sorry… shouldn’t have gotten us distracted…” Rina started, shaking away the last of her giggles as she tried to refocus to be serious now… “We still need to go over moves…”

William nodded, but tapped his fingers on his Xtransceiver, his eyes narrowing in thought. “Actually… speaking of Dig… I might have an idea…”

“We don't have much time to flesh it out, so let me ask, if you use Dig, how much can you hear underground…?”

----------------------------------------

Co-Authors/Readers:

David “TheBlizWiz” R

Garmfild