//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: Like Night and Day // by DuqFedora //------------------------------// “The universe is big. It’s vast and complicated and ridiculous. And sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles.” ~The 11th Doctor, Matt Smith. ===== “Raise your hands up in the air where I can see them!” What a wonderful way to wake up. Ever since I was sent in this underground lair, screaming always was my alarm clock and my bedtime story. It’s incredible how you get used to such an annoying sound in a single week. I opened my eyes and stretched. When I saw that I was actually stretching in the arms of my savior and that we were attacked by some of those red-dressing weirdoes. Seeing, in his hand, the same device he used to attack my parents, I shrunk back his the palms of the women whom I owed my life. “Okay. Just get out of your Pokemon et battons-nous!” The man beside me said to the machine wearing freak. He pointed the device at the man and lifted a switch on it before laughing loudly. “Oh, I would, Augustine Sycamore, but I am sure that, whatever I would do, I would lose.” He pressed on a button and a part of the device fell in his other hand. After a second of looking at the plastic part, he placed it back in the device and pulled the top. He smiled as it made a clicking noise. “D-Don’t you dare use it against us or you’ll have the police up after you… and the Chateaublanc family.” The girl holding me said, shaking from fear. Was that device able to injure humans along with Pokemon? If she was shaking like a frail tree, that thing must be really dangerous. “Oh, I don’t think they’ll find me.” He started laughing maniacally. “Seeing that my boss wants you alive, Sycamore, I shall only sliiightly injure your good friend here.” He then pointed it to us. I curled into a ball, scared of what would come next. I definitely heard a bang and some pain, but from somewhere I wasn’t expecting. I opened my eyes, only to see the bad guy on the floor, a foot on his face. Standing atop him was a strange man with a long coat and a tie. “Am I late, Professor Sycamore?” He asked before grabbing two metal circles and placing them around the guy’s hands. When my savior came back to her senses after her fear took over, she looked at me and gasped. “Oh no! The man got him with the gun!” She shouted. So… that device was called a gun and was aimed at us. I tried to look where she was pointing and saw where the pain came from. There was a small, perfectly U shaped hole on top of my ear. It may have made a hole through it, but what would have happened if the ‘gun’ was aimed at a body? I seriously didn’t want to know. “Bah, don’t worry. It could have been worst.” The human capturer said to the girl while pulling the gunner by his attached arms. “If I hadn’t been there, that hole could be somewhere else.” Then I was right. This ‘gun’ is an invention straight from Giratina’s dimension of pain and suffering. “Anyway, we should get out of here before we get interrupted again.” My savior proposed. Everyone nodded and they started to run. “Don’t worry, little one. I will take care of you even if I can’t bring you home.” I didn’t understand what that last part meant, but I took her words like truth. ===== “Hey. Are you with me?” Why did everyday had to start by fainting? Even if it was actually sunset right now. Well, I was not sure that it was the same day, but the voice looked like it just started talking. “Yeah, I am fine. Just some bruises, that’s all.” I answered, unsure if the other was pony, Ponytas without the power to speak with others, or Pokemon. I heard some leaves rustling and a relieved sigh. “Magnifique, I was sure that the fall you took would be your end, but seems like falling on my leaves helped. Guess I was wrong.” Whoever was around me said with a slight accent telling me that it wasn’t a native. Plus, it understood me, which only meant one thing. I opened my eyes and saw… a tree. I couldn’t say I was surprised since I’ve crash landed in a forest. Yet, that tree had something weird going on about it. Maybe it was the dark markings all over its body where bark was non-existent. It could also be the leaves on top of his head having the form of a proper hairstyle. Or maybe it’s the all-seeing eyes on the upper section of its body. My eyes shot open and I quickly backed off what I assumed was a Pokemon I’ve never seen before. It looked at me with a face telling me that I shouldn’t trust whatever it was. Then, to my surprise, it showed sadness and he backed off too, leaning on another tree. “Oh great. Another one scared of me. Dare I say I was handsome back when I was human. Now I’m only a shadow of my own self. Kind of fitting since I’m a ghost Pokemon.” He sighed before rooting himself and closing his eyes. I could see a tear flowing down his bark. Seeing this, I could only feel bad about it. He was a human stuck in this world and inside a Pokemon from the most scary type. I slowly approached the tree and stood in front of him. “M-Mister? What was your name back on Earth?” I asked, sure that I would get a proper answer since he was a man. When he heard my voice, his eye opened, revealing what I could only call ‘being lost and sad’. “I was known as Professor Augustine Sycamore. Leader of the main Pokemon science and research team in the country of Kalos. They used to call me the ‘most handsome professor’. Sure, it did help that I was compared to Oak and Elm.” He laughed at his own joke that I didn’t understand. I didn’t know why, but his name rang a bell deep inside my memories. From a time I was forcing myself to forget. Add to that the french accent and the wonderful… leaf haircut and his current description fitted perfectly. “I know you. You helped Neige save me from the lair of team with the flame logo.” I said, hoping that it was the same man and not another scientist who speaks french. His wooden eyebrow raised, maybe in confusion or surprise. It didn’t help that I was used to reading faces with two eyebrows instead of one. “Wait, Tenebre? Oh sweet Arceus, I am so happy to see a friendly face!” He grabbed me with his arms and held me into what I assumed was a hug. I wasn’t sure since his arms couldn’t hold me tight enough and that it was uncomfortable due to his hard shell compared to a skin hug. After a few seconds, he let me go. I could see clear improvement in his limited facial features that meeting me was a good thing. He finally had someone to be with him and help. “Glad to meet you again, professor.” “Me too, Tene. Looks like Neige really liked you. You have a fur tone that fits your name. Ténèbre, darkness. She predicted it, didn’t she.” He looked around, but the sun was too low to see clearly. “Where is she anyway? I know she would never leave you.” I looked up at his now glowing eye and shrugged. “I wish I knew. Ever since Arceus sent us here, I’ve lost track of her. I wanted to look for her, but I had something else to do before.” I explained. “I have to go to a village this way and-” Before I could finish, he grabbed and placed me on his hair leaves. “We can speak about it while walking. I don’t want to be stuck in any forest at night.” Even if I knew he wouldn’t see me, I nodded. I placed my bag beside me and I curled into a ball, finding the patch of leaves incredibly comfortable. “So, why are you going to that village? Is it about Neige or something else?” He asked while I placed myself. “No, not really. I wish it was though. It’s actually an Espeon that was… badly injured. She needs special medicine from the members of that village. As a kind and polite gentle umbreon, it is my duty to help her.” I explained, almost dozing off from the excitement of the last day. “It must be a really big injury if she needs special treatment. What happened to her?” I sighed and buried my chin in my all-natural bed. I already knew that this question was coming, but I still had no clue on how to answer it. Should I soften the blow or throw the harsh truth straight on. That’s when I remembered that the person I was talking to was a man with more knowledge a normal Pokemon would learn in a lifetime. Surely gorey details wouldn’t shake that literal tree of intelligence. “Well… it started when we’ve got teleported and when I met Cresselia in my dreams…” I started to explain what happened from my strange dream to my quite stupid shadow jump I’ve invented. Even through the torture part, he didn’t flinch one bit. Well, maybe he did, but it didn’t show over his face. “...so, that’s when I compressed a shadow ball under a protect attack to get catapulted over the town. The rest, as they say, is history.” I’ve finished explaining after a good ten minutes. I knew that Heart was telling me that it would only take about 30 minutes of running, but I was too tired to go that fast and my main method of transport wasn’t the fastest thing out there. “Wow, belle histoire! Might I say, what a tale.” Before he could continue, I yawned loud enough to wake up the entire town if we were beside it. When I realised that I cutted him in the middle of what he was saying, I quickly apologised. “So, I was about to propose you to sleep a bit. I’m sure that, after all that you’ve lived in the last half-day. Don’t worry, I’ll wake you up when we’ll arrive.” His proposal looked really interesting. While I was feeling the sudden famine and thirst that came with half a day without food or drink, sleep was already taking over, placing my other needs in the dust. ===== “Ehh… Tenebre? We are surrounded.” If I would gain a pokedollar every time I was waken up by someone with a problem, I would have enough to buy a crate full of potions. This is clearly an understatement on how I was annoyed of this particular situation. Sadly, I was the kind of Umbreon that, even if I was lazy, helping people was also my thing. I opened my eyes and saw that we were indeed surrounded. To my surprise, instead of being surrounded by ponies, we were surrounded by Zebstrikas. “More of those creatures.” One of them mumbled. “Are you friend or foe?” He asked us. I looked at him and sighed. I stood up on Mr. Sycamore and stretched. I slowly made my way down the tall tree and landed on the floor. I walked toward the one who looked like the leader and sat down in front of him. That’s when I realised that I forgot my bag. “Professor? Can you give me my bag please?” He made an approving sound and lowered my bag, allowing me to dig through it. I grabbed the letter that Heart gave me and placed it at the hooves of the leader. He looked at me, curious of my actions and grabbed the letter to read it. After a minute, he closed the piece of paper and gave it back to me. “Nyama, Okum, lead those two… creatures to Idube. Treat them as friends of the tribe and not as prisoners, please.” He ordered. Two Zebstrikas, one more black and one more white, came out of the group and started walking at a direction to our left. As we followed them, I’ve realised something important. “Wait… we’re we going in the right direction or what?” I asked to Sycamore. He glared at me, his ghostly presence causing more fear than desired. “Well, you indeed pointed this direction. Maybe your jump ruined your idea of the general direction.” He hypothesized. I nodded, glad that we met those guards. If we had missed them, we might have never came back. It took about ten minutes of walking, which made me even more glad about meeting them, before arriving at the village. On our way there, we say sights of nocturnal Pokemon resuming their lives after the teleportation. I was impatient for the moment where I could join them in their world of peace with my friends on my left and Neige in my arms… or more like me in her arms. I stopped for a seconds and realized something important. If the Professor was turned into a Pokemon, then maybe Neige had the same fate. That made searching for her harder considering that it makes humans non-existent and Pokemon plentiful. “Idube! We brought those creatures by orders from Gada! They came here with a letter asking for potions and ointments!” The guards broke my train of thought. They both said their line in perfect synchronism and in a creepy monotone voice. The Zebstrika in front of them nodded. “At rest, guards.” She smiled at us, her voice instantly calming me from the stress of entering an unknown place. “Come, you two. Don’t be afraid of those guards. They were born like that.” She approached me and whispered in my ear. “They were born with a stick up their ass.” After all that I’ve experienced, I finally broke down. Instead of breaking in tears, however, I broke down in uncontrollable laughter. It felt so good to finally have a peaceful moment in a town where no one wanted to kill me. After quite a large fit of laughter, I’ve finally managed to stand up and look at the pleased smile of the older Zebstrika. “Glad that my joke lightened the mood. Now come and follow me.” Sycamore and I nodded at each other and we made our way to Idube’s hut. When she entered her ‘house’, she immediately made her way to her desk where a paper made of birch tree bark was laying beside a stick of charcoal. “Sorry if it’s a bit dirty. I didn’t have time to clean.” She started writing something and then smiled at us again. “Now, I know that you are here for something, but I must ask you a small question.” I rolled my eyes. Don’t tell me that I must go get her something in order to make the potions! She is in danger, I don’t have time for this tomfoolery! “So, I want to make this new potion, but I need an ingredient that is quite hard to get.” Okay, that was it. I dropped my bag and growled at her, warning her that I was tired of what was happening. Sadly, she only understood ‘Umbreon’, which only lead to her laughing. “No, no. Don’t worry. In fact, I’ll show you what I need and you’ll understand.” She invited me to come toward her. When I arrived, she grabbed a pair of sharpened stones and cut a small lock of fur off my body. At first, I was surprised and shocked, but then I was curious. She went to her crucible located in the middle of her hut and started mixing ingredients that I’ve never seen before. Some green goo, a dark powder, some crushed blue flowers and more. Then, she added my fur and mixed the liquid, creature a dark green mixture that surprisingly smelled nice for what she threw in there. “Wow, that is interesting.” I looked at Sycamore who stayed silent for most of the ride here. “I never was really interested in other cultures, but seeing a ritual in action is quite impressing. I might stay here for a while to learn some new things. Well… after everything is over, of course.” I didn’t know what I was waiting for. A professor who wants to learn? How obvious! Finally, she took a cup and filled it to the brim with the liquid, drinking it in one try. Slamming the cup on the table, she started choking and wheezing while falling on the floor. “Oh no! Are you alright Miss. Idube!?” I asked her in fear of seeing another being injured because of me… or a part of me. After a long wait, she finally stopped coughing. “Yes, I’m alright. Thank you fo- Wait. I can understand you!” Her smile grew large while looking at me. I looked at her, impressed, but mostly confused. “Those creatures appeared out of nowhere and spoke an unknown language.” She started to explain. “So, I’ve decided to try and make a potion allowing both ponykind and… creaturekind to speak freely. Sadly, I needed something from a member of your specie to make the potion.” I nodded, impressed at her work. “By the way, they are called Pokemon.” I explained back. She apologized while writing her newest discovery and everything that I taught her. “And my name is Tenebre from the Umbreon specie.” She nodded quickly while writing furiously. I was suddenly startled by a sound looking like an angry wolf. I looked down to see my belly raging. It has been more than 12 hours since I last ate and drank, making me really weak. The walking I’ve made to get here burning my last calories. “Well, looks like someone is hungry.” She opened a window and spotted a female-looking Zebstrika passing by. “Kudla? Could you please be a dear and bring to me the most food you can bring and a sac of freshwater please?” She politely and calmy asked. “Yes mam!” She said while bowing. That made me curious on how the hierarchy of this tribe worked. Is the ‘master’ of the tribe considered the only voice of power or is the tribe more democratic. “Tenebre?” She asked. I sighed as another train of thought derailed and crashed into a nearby tree from the forest of abandoned trains. I nodded, showing that I was listening. “Do you mind if I cut a layer of your fur for the potions? It will allow me to create a huge amount and improve the relations between our people and the… Pokemons. Then, I’ll be able to take some from the friends we’ll make.” “I don’t mind…” I smirked. “..., but I want something in return. I want the order I was sent her for completely free in exchange. And maybe erase the dept my sender has here. Then, my good friend, my fur is yours, but only a layer. I still need it.” I smiled at my successful attempt at humor. “Well, give me the letter and I’ll see if it is possible.” I gave her what she wanted and she quickly read it. “Oh, it’s from Mrs. Heart and her little Sweet Leaf. I can’t say no to his little blue eyes. I accept the deal.” Right when she finished speaking, two Zebstrikas entered the room. One with a bag full of small fruits and the other with a gourd full of water. Even if I wasn’t a fan of fruits, just the sight of the bag made my belly go into a full symphony of annoying noises. “Thank you, dears. That will be all.” They nodded and left, leaving me with both treasures. Without even asking, I started swallowing a great amount of sweet and sour berries that slowly filled me with energy. After a minute, however, I remembered that I wasn’t alone. “Do any of you wants some?” I asked. Idube shook her head, claiming that she ate right before meeting us. Sycamore, on the other paw, stated that he was able to feed himself only by planting his roots in the floor. I nodded, glad that I had this feast for myself. After eating the last berry inside the huge bag, I immediately made my way for the water. I placed the drinking nozzle at my mouth and started sucking like if it was a baby bottle. I quickly chugged through the bag, leaving no drip behind. “Wow, you really were empty.” She stated. I told to her when was the last time I ate or drank, receiving a surprised sound from her. “I understand now. So, it will take time before I finish your order, so I would suggest that you take a good bath to remove the juice from your fur and take a good night of rest. Tomorrow, I will take my part of the bargain and you’ll get your potions, free of charge.” I nodded and made my way up the Treevenant who was gathering nutrients. We both made our way to the middle of the village and i quickly cleaned my face at the river that was crossing through. I then made my way up my new bed and made myself comfortable. Even if I had just slept, I was still feeling like I never even closed my eyes. I turned on my back and looked at the stars. To my surprise, I saw a shooting star. I remembered that, from what Neige told me, a shooting star could grant wishes. I never believed in such a thing, but I guess it was worth a try now. I wish that Neige is alright… actually, I wish that she is alright and, if she turned into a Pokemon, that she turned into something cute. Something the opposite of a trubbish for example. Maybe another eon, like Sylveon, or Leafeon. Maybe like…an Espeon. I closed my eyes, thinking about how it would be awesome for my trainer to be a Pokemon. No more Pokephilia, No more things in my way, No more problems.