Story Notes:
This was, originally, a dream I had, and I've made it flesh. There will be a couple of other chapters coming, but I'm working multiple jobs, and my production is slow.Anyways, read and enjoy.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Haunting Finale
Alden led Dusana to the front door of the old, abandoned house. Wood creaked and concrete groaned as the cooling weather made them shift and swell. Alden opened the heavy wooden front door and stepped out into the night, stopping and turning to the purple Pokemon following him who had stopped at the front door. He stretched out his hand to her.
"C'mon." He said encouragingly "There is nothing to be afraid of. I'll be by your side the whole way."
She nodded, allowing herself be gently pulled from the threshold and into the open world. Her eyes were shut tight, worried that the curse would strike and fling her back into the house as it had once done, but when she eventually opened her eyes, all she saw was Alden's smiling face. She smiled back, and he pulled her into his arms and carried her as he walked, blocking the house from her view completley. He didn't want her to have to look at the prison she had been confined to for over three hundred years, she didn't need to see it anymore. He walked down to the corner of the street, where he found his colleagues standing about with scared faces. They half-stared at him as he approached them, double taking when they saw Dusana in his arms.
"Alden..? Where did..?" One of them, Terrence, asked.
Alden gave a chuckle, coming up with an excuse. "She's a Ghost type." He said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Naturally she was attracted to the old house. She's in a bit of a state, so if you guys don't mind, I'm taking her to the Pokemon Centre. You can come, if you want, she's very friendly."
The trio shook their heads, explaining that it was late enough, and they had to get home while the streets were still being patrolled by parents. Alden, agreeing that he should probably call his parents when he got to the hospital, walked on.
Dusana found the sensation very comfortable. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she was sharing the warmth of another. Already she was growing attatched to Alden; he had proven himself back at the house, not turning back when she had clearly frightened him, and going out of his way to help her. She nuzzled affectionately into his jacket; a gesture that was not lost on the teenager, who smiled to himself as he walked.
They rounded another corner, and the Pokemon Center came into view. It was, compared to some, only a small building, and Alden had no trouble walking right up to the counter. Pokemon injuries were uncommon in their cozy little town, and more often than not the only real afflictions would be colds or light injuries afflicted from friendly combat. The resident Nurse Joy, who seemed to have clones in every town, was waiting for him behind the counter.
"Hello, Alden." She said sweetly in the tone she used with everyone. "What seems to be the trouble?"
"Oh, no trouble Miss Joy." He replied politely. "I've just recently aquainted myself with this little darling and I thought she could have a checkup while I go and get some things from the customisation shop before they close." He handed Dusana over the counter to the pink haired woman, who took her gently.
"Of course." Joy said. "Is there anything in particular I should be looking for, or is this just a routine?"
Alden shrugged. "Stress, depression; make sure she's not starved..."
"Routine then." Joy quickly said, nodding and stepping from behind the counter. "I'll be done in twenty minutes."
"Thanks." Alden said, leaning in to Dusana. "Be good, Nurse Joy is a friend. Just do what she tells you to do and we can get you home."
She nodded. 'A-alright, Alden.' She said. 'Please be careful.'
"Of course." Alden said, turning to the door. "I'll be back for you in twenty minutes."
After stepping out of the sliding glass doors and rounding the corner, Alden propped himself up on the concrete side of the hospital panting heavily. That had been harder than it should have been, and it almost broke him to leave her there. He knew he was going to return, but he really hadn't wanted to leave in the first place. He shook himself, recovering his composure, and strode to the customisation shop, a few buildings down. Absent-mindedly he flicked his mobile phone from his pocket and dialled home. His mother answered.
"Hello?" She asked.
"Hey, mum."
"Alden! Where are you! Are you alright? Do you know what time it is?!"
"I'm fine mum, I'm just heading to the customise shop. I've got myself a Pokemon, she's at the Center now. We'll be home in about half an hour, alright?"
She seemed to consider this. "Alright, as long as you come home safely. Be careful, alright?"
"Yep, I'll see you then." He finished, closing the phone with a click. He noticed movement out of the corner of his eye, and he looked down to see a Growlithe walking on one side of him. There was a little badge on the collar and, without breaking his direction, he turned to Officer Jenny. "Good evening, Jen. Everything alright?"
"Of course." She said. "It's very late, and I noticed you alone. The streets can be dangerous at this time of night, so I thought I'd keep my eye on you."
Alden chuckled. "Thanks, I guess." He said, walking up to the customise shop's front door and stepping in. "I'll be heading back to the center after this, if you want to keep escourting me places." He said sarcastically.
She chuckeld to his retreating back. "Yeah, I think I will."
Due to the time, Alden had no trouble walking right up to the counter and ordering a custom Poke Ball for a female Mismagius. He wanted several seals on it, and he had them added to the design. They told him to wait roughly fifteen minutes, and he paid for the service before turning around and looking through the shelves. Here there was quite a vast range of items that enhanced a Pokemon's performance, from Charcoal all the way to extremely rare and difficult to aquire items such as Dragon Fangs. A Master Ball was high on a shelf in a glass case, supposedly it contained a legendary Pokemon that the shop owner could not care for himself, and so he was willing to sell it for the right price to the right customer. Many wealthy people had come to claim it, but were always turned down. The store owner said that 'the Pokemon within' would deny them, that they were not pure enough. Often when here Alden would be unable to get near it, other youngsters crowding around to get a better look at such a trophy, but the store was empty and he found himself standing directly infront of it. He gave a halfhearted chuckle.
"Legendary Pokemon, yeah right." He mumbled. "Something like that in this quiet little town? That's a laugh." He sighed. "I'll wager that it's just an empty Poke Ball with a monstrous pricetag because of what it can do."
'Not many share your scepticism.' A young sounding male voice said within his head. 'I find it refreshing.'
Alden gave a start, looking around to make sure that there was no-one playing tricks on him.
'No, I am indeed in the Poke Ball before you.' The voice assured. 'I do not often talk with anyone other than the master of this establishment. Usually their heads are filled with selfish thoughts of posessing me for their own ego.'
Alden looked apologetically towards the ball. "I... I guess I'm sorry that I doubted you were there."
The voice gave a chortle. 'You need not be apologetic. The word of my current owner is all that stands to inform that I am here, scepticism is refreshing because most believe that I am a godlike being. I am much like yourself, only with some extra features, nowhere near as powerful as Arceus, but I could be pretty close with the right training.'
Alden stayed silent, he wasn't really focusing on conversing with this unknown being; his mind was miles away thinking only of Dusana.
'You're an interesting one, you are.' The voice commented. 'She's a lovely lady, this Dusana of yours.'
Now he ws slightly miffed that this Pokemon could read him like a book, and it showed on his face. "I.. I want to get her something, but I'm unsure of what." He mumbled dejectedly. "I'm not much of a Pokemon buff."
'Ah, a casual trainer, you are fresh to the field.' The voice commented kindly. 'I know the perfect things, you should purchace a Twisted Spoon and a Spell Tag. I shall talk with the manager, choose as high a quality as you wish, the price shall be fair.'
Alden blushed. "I.. I couldn't take such hospitality, it's unfair on others.."
'Nonsense.' Came the reply. 'A conversation is a rare pleasure these days, I would like to thank you for your time.'
"Thank you..." Alden mumbled. ".. I could make it a regular thing if you'd like?" He offered.
The voice stayed quiet for a minute or two. 'I appreciate the offer.' It said. 'I shall give it some thought.' Then the mental airways went dead, and Alden realised that the Pokemon had, indeed, severed the connection.
He took a moment to collect himself before stepping over and selecting a Spell Tag. It was, for paper with scribbles on it, high quality. Laminated with a hole in one end for threading a collar or necklace through, and according to the information on the packaging, the enchant and scripting were more powerful than regular Spell Tags. He was unsure of this, being sceptical of such things as magic, but he shrugged it off and moved to the huge selection of Twisted Spoons. There were dozens, stainless steel, surgical steel, wooden, plastic... He continued looking along the rows until he found one that was practically full. These spoons were expensive, he could see. Roughly seven thousand Pokedollars each, they were made of platinum and had a golden Poke Ball embedded on the end of the handle, right below a real silver necklace which hooped through a hole. He picked it up, finding it only slightly heavy, and carried his items to the counter, where he discovered the manager of the store watching him patiently.
"I.." Alden began, before the man held up a hand.
"So." He began. "You have conversed with the Pokemon within." He said calmly. Alden nodded sheepishly. "He says that you were, if anything, honest with him, not to mention of a frame of mind that he finds interesting. He's requested that I give you a special discount, and I'm afraid to say that I'll be unable to accept anything more, or less, than five hundred for the two of those items."
Alden was shocked. What he held in his arms was worth at least ten thousand all up, and he was being told that he only need pay but a fraction of the price? He was dragged from his shocked reprieve by aseries of beeps and the sound of the cashier opening.
"Come now, you cannot have them free." The manager said patiently.
Alden fumbled for his wallet, pulling out five hundred Pokedollars, a fair amount of his current pocket money, and handed it over. In return, he was handed a paper bag with a slight amount of weight to it.
"This is your requested Poke Ball." The manager informed him. "Be careful with it."
"Th-thank you." Alden replied, taking his bought items and leaving out the door.
Over in the corner, the Pokemon within was crying.
Alden walked back to the Pokemon Center in a half-daze. He knew that Jenny was following him, he could hear her Growlithe barking at every little shadow, daring it to show itself, not to mention her half-assed attempts to scold it into being quiet. A strange feeling of sadness fllowed him, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. He eventually reached the Pokemon Center doors, and he shook himself, bringing himself back to his senses before entering. Again, the center was empty except from Joy behind the counter, and as soon as the doors closed he was tackled by a large mass of purple.
'Alden!' Dusana cheered, nuzzling against him happily.
"Heheh, hello again, Dusana." He said, muffled by her fabric like arm. "Are you ready to go home?" She nodded furiously, still smiling wide. "Before we do, I'd like to give you something." Alden said, stepping over to one of the large soft couches and sitting down. He reached into the paper bag and lifted out a Poke Ball.
The top half was purple, the bottom a bright lavendar. The activator was black, like coal, and the ring around the center pulsed gently in a purple colour. It had once been a Hyper Ball, and the two nodes on the top half were red and glassy like the beads on her necklace, and Dusana swooned at the sphere in his hand.
'Is that for me?!' She asked, shocked. He nodded his reply, and she stared at the ball. 'No way, that can't be for me!'
"It is, Dusana." Alden mumbled. "If you'd like to be with me forever, that is."
She appeared to be thoughtful, before pushing the activator and vanishing into the ball in a golden flash of light. The purple sphere shook twice, went silent, and clicked. Alden smiled at the sphere before pushing the activator and throwing it gently into the air. Black light erupted from within, and large puffs of black smoke filled the air, the ball whipping back into his hand. Dusana eventually was cleared of the smoke, and she was smiling from ear to ear.
'That's impressive.' She said.
"That's not all." Alden said, pulling the Spell Tag and Twisted Spoon from his pocket. "These, also, are for you."
He removed the Spell Tag from its packaging and threaded it onto the silver necklace before clipping it around her neck. She looked down at the powerful charms in a mixture of shock and awe.
'H-how did..?'
"I talked with a friend, the price went down dramatically after that." He said. "C'mon, let's go home. I have school in the morning."
She nodded and followed him through the doors.
The walk home was quiet. Jenny wasn't following him now that he had the protection of his own Pokemon, and they had time to chat. By time they got to Alden's house, they had gone over most of his daily life, and what she was looking forward to. He politely opened the door for her, following her in and closing it tight behind himself. It was about this time that Alden's mother, Marie, decided to yell at him.
"Young man, where have you been?!" She angrily bellowed. "Do you have any idea what time it is, or how much trouble you're in?! Do you?!"
Alden sighed exasperatedly. "Mum, I told you over the phone, I've been caring for a new Pokemon. You told me you'd give me a break if I was home within half an hour, and I am." Dusana was cowering behind him, trying not to be seen by the ornery woman. "Mum, you're scaring Dusana."
Marie calmed down, exhaling to relieve stress before putting on a friendly face. "Hello, Dusana." She said, trying to sound as friendly as possible. "I'm Marie, it's nice to meet you."
Dusana didn't come out of hiding, shivering slightly while pressed up against Alden's back tightly. He turned around and plucked her from the air, holding her in his arms so that his mother could see her.
"Dusana, this is my mother." He said calmly. "You've nothing to be afraid of, c'mon."
Reluctantly she lifted her head so that his mother could see her face. She gave a timid little smile, still slightly shaking. 'H-hello...' She said.
"Well, hello there." Marie replied, lifting the brim of Dusana's hat slightly so that she could see her better. "You know, for a Ghost type, you're cute. Alden, where'd you get this little darling?"
"She was in that old, abandoned house on Cove street." He said. "She was in quite a state, so I thought I'd bring her along with me."
"What were you doing in that house in the first place?!" His mother snapped.
Alden groaned. "Mum, it was a dare! C'mon, give me a break!" He gave a sigh and took Dusana into his arms. "I'm going to bed. Dusana, you should too, if you're going to accompany me to school tomorrow you'll need some sleep."
She sheepishly nodded, allowing herself to be taken upstairs and into a small bedroom. There was a single bed in one corner, and a computer in another, a large soft chair occupied much of the centre of the floor, facing towards a television, something she had never seen before, much like the computer. She was released, and Alden quickly changed into his pyjamas, all the while making sure she wasn't watching him. She was too transfixed on the computer, inspecting it from every angle and even pushing a button or two to see how they worked. When he was changed, Alden chuckled and plucked her from the air again.
"If you'd like, I can show you how it works tomorrow." He said.
She nodded furiously, eager to learn this strange new contraption before yawning wide. She was sleepier than she thought. She was put into the chair, which was wide enough for her to comfortably curl up in with plenty of space, and Alden put a small pillow below her head before covering her in a small, but thick, blanket.
"I'll see you in the morning, alright?" Alden said, climbing into his own bed.
'Alright, Alden. Have a good sleep.' Her echoing voice replied sleepily.
"You too."
Alden was asleep within minutes, exhausted from his day, but Dusana found herself unable to sleep for roughly an hour. She listened to Alden's breaths, deep and slow like any sleeping beings', and she gave a sigh. In less than five hours, she had gone from loner to loved companion, and she couldn't tell where it had all changed. Her three hundred year old curse had been broken, and she was as free as the day she had hatched, but something just didn't feel right, like she had a task to perform which she had not done. The feeling, however, eventually passed, and she slipped into a peaceful slumber.
Dusana was awoken the next day at dawn. If she was reading the digital clock on Alden's desk properly, it was roughly seven in the morning, and Alden was fully dressed for school. He nudged her playfully, and she whined at him petulantly, wanting more sleep, and she was answered with another nudge. She didn't budge from her spot, and Alden physically lifted her from the chair, wrapping his arms around her to keep her warm. She nuzzled into his sleeves.
"My, you're a sleepy Pokemon." He said toyishly. "I guess that comes from being your own boss for so long." She grumbled, moving her head so that the brim of her hat-like hair sheltered her eyes from the bright morning sun. "Alright, I'll carry you, then." Alden said, giving a sigh as he opened his bedroom door and slung his backpack over his shoulder. He headed downstairs with her in his arms, opened the front door and headed out into the sunlit morning.
It didn't take long for him to reach school, only about five minutes, and when he entered his homeroom he put Dusana on his desk as he sat down. The tabletop was cold and hard, and she slowly woke, her eyes snapping open when a stranger's voice yelled nearby.
"Got yourself a Pokemon, do you Alden?" It yelled over the din. "My, it looks pathetic!"
Slowly she floated up onto Alden's shoulder, sleepily looking at the teenaged girl who had yelled the insult.
"Can it, Becky." Alden grumbled.
Becky humphed. "No doubt you brought it along to challenge my position as school champion! Recess time on the oval! Be there!"
Alden was taken aback, and Dusana merely sighed.
'She will call you a coward if we do not challenge her.' She said. 'Clearly her ego is the most important thing in her life. I'm no judge on human beauty, but her personality reeks.'
Alden sighed and nodded. "I hope you're at least strong enough to fight." He said, fishing a small packet from his bag. He opened it and pulled out a piece of food, which he offered to Dusana. "Here." He said. She sniffed at it critically. "It's Pokemon food, mixed up with nutrients, fibre and other beneficial ingredients."
'... What's it made of..?'
"Crushed berries mainly, with a few little additives. C'mon, eat, you'll need your strength."
Reluctantly she let him put the piece of food into her mouth, closing around it and chewing as the delightful flavour spread across her tongue.
'That's not bad.' She commented. '...Is there more?'
Alden chuckled and fished out a little bit more for her.
The first lesson Alden had was History, and he had walked up to the teacher with Dusana on his shoulder and told him of her history, not to mention her lengthy life span.
"Prove it." He had said.
Dusana stayed silent for a minute, apparently in thought. 'Pick a date from history, roughly three hundred years ago.' She said. 'And I shall tell you what happened on that date.'
"June fourth, 1789."
'The invention of the first Hyper Ball, by Hyusu Newatt.'
"April fifteenth, 1827."
'Discovery of the Gardevoir evolutionary tree and the first recorded incident of a Suicune. Please, don't insult my intelligence, give me a hard one!'
"Okay, Antidotes were first invented on August twenty-seventh, 1890."
'Your date is wrong, try June thirteenth, 1891.'
The teacher stayed silent, mulling this over for a minute.
'The first recorded case of the Pokerus was on May fifteenth, 1901 by a Dr. Yoshi Hamasawi; his prize Snubull had contracted the disease, which led him on to discover what it was.' Dusana said. 'Is there any further proof you need, or do I need to be a little more trivial?'
"No... I don't think that you need to provide any further evidence..." He said. "Just... Sit down over there and we'll talk later, alright?"
The lesson went smoothly enough. Dusana gave tips and advice on things that the teacher was talking about, even going so far as to correct him at one point, and by time they left she was practically the classes new celebrity, being asked questions out of the blue about things that only someone who had been there would know. She had been in that old, deshevilled house for most of her life, and the newspapers had simply piled up. With nothing better to do, she had begun reading. This was how she had learned much of the world's history. Eventually Recess came and they left the classroom, heading towards the oval. Becky was already here, waiting with a smug look on her face which didn't falter when they approached.
"Huh, I figured you'd chicken out." She said down her nose at them. "Guess you've less brains and more guts than I gave you credit for, but this is where it all comes to an end!"
She threw a Pokeball at the ground, and after the bright flash of light, a large Garchomp stood between Alden and Becky, staring down at them mercilessly.
'He does, indeed, look powerful.' Dusana commented. 'Even for me this will not be easy.'
"Take them down!" Becky yelled.
The Garchomp's mouth split into an evil grin, and he roared before lumbering towards them. Alden leapt out of his way, and Dusana simply levitated above him as he thundered past.
Now the battle was on.
Dusana barely dodged a Crunch as she moved across the grassy field, letting the Garchomp chase after her. Alden and Becky ran nearby, keeping up with them as best they could. The Garchomp swung and snapped at Dusana, missing her small and nimble frame. Dusana's eyes went black, and she fired a Dark Pulse at her opponent, the attack practically rolling off of his strong frame. Another few misses, and she used Magical Leaf, which also didn't phaze him.
The Garchomp was growing tired of this overly nimble and difficult to hit target, his anger growing with each miss. Another dodged Crunch later, and he was fed up with her, roaring once again and switching targets to Alden; after all, all he had been told was to 'take them down'. In a flash, he used Giga Impact,
Alden never saw it coming.
The sheer concussive force threw him onto the road outside the school borders, but what hurt the most was the car that struck him. The driver had been speeding, and even his brakes failed to slow him enough to lessen the impact of flesh on steel. Alden was partically thrown through the driver's windscreen before being tossed down the road, bones breaking and his skin tearing along the bitumen. Dusana watched this horrific spectacle unfold, and her scream rang out through the yard like a banshee's. Teachers came running, the driver untangled himself from the wreckage, Becky withdrew her Garchomp, and Dusana sped to Alden's side. He coughed, blood hitting his chin and nose from within. Dusana looked teary-eyed into his eyes, watching the last of his body's life leech away. He lifted his hand up to her cheek and brushed a tear away.
"Please don't... cry..." He mumbled. "Makes... me sad... Dusana. I love... you..."
His arm fell to his side, and his eyes closed slowly. Dusana cried louder and harder than she had cried in years, a crowd of teachers and students all around. There was nothing she could think of to bring him back. Nothing. Once again, she was all alone, and she had only tasted the freedom that Alden had promised her.
Suddenly her mind struck an idea, and she fished a Pokeball from his backpack. She placed it on Alden's side, safely in the crook of his arm, closed her eyes and concentrated.
As far as she knew, this had never been done before. The sheer strength required was beyond most Legendary Pokemon.
As far as she knew, this wouldn't work. Curses didn't work that way.
She had no other options.
Dark tendrils of energy swirled around her, quickly turning the bright pulsing colour of Psychic energy as they poured into Alden. He glowed powerfully, his blood seeming to evaporate from around him, and a bright white glow came from his chest, right above his heart. The Pokeball reacted, catching this energy within. It shook twice, before growing silent and clicking to signify that it had, indeed, caught something. Alden's body shone like the sun and slowly vanished, the only evidence of his being there in the first place being his clothes and his backpack.
Carefully, Dusana lifted the Pokeball. It was glowing as if it were red hot, and she could feel the power within working its magic. Eventually it cooled, and she held it up to a teacher.
'Please, tell me the owner.' She said. 'Please...'
He nodded, and held his Pokedex out to the little ball. It beeped twice.
"Pokemon level fifteen." The teacher said. "The owner is Alden."
Dusana smiled and opened the ball in a bright flash of white light.
The light condenced and became a solid form, which slowly opened its eyes and looked upon the people around it. Dusana's smile became wide, and she practically leapt on it.
'Alden!' she cheered. 'It worked, I can't believe it worked!'
He didn't talk, his mouth not yet functioning properly, and simply returned the hug gently. Dusana gave him a kind look.
'Communicate by projecting your thoughts.' She said, giving him the sensation he should have been aiming for. 'Like this.'
Another few seconds passed before Alden spoke. 'Dusana..?' He managed. 'I... I thought I was dead...'
'You were.' She said. 'But I saved you. Look down at yourself.'
He followed her instructions, and almost leapt out of his skin, jumping back. Bright blue fur covered his small frame, which floated gently over the ground.
'I'm a..!' He started, before his voicebox found itself working and finished for him. "Mew!" He chimed, his voice now high pitched and cute.
Dusana floated closer, holding his Pokeball out for him. 'This is yours.' She said.
He took it gingerly before his history teacher took it from his little paws.
"I think-" he started, "that you will be needing one of these."
He carefully affixed a lock to the Pokeball, covering the activator. The ball shrunk down to its smaller, compact size, and the lock held it tightly. He affixed a strand around it and put it around Alden's neck.
"There we go." He said. "Now you cannot be stolen."
Alden looked up at him distantly. 'S.. sir?'
"You two are to go home." He said. "I'll handle everything on this end. You need to learn to use your psychic powers, not to mention tell your mother what has happened."
Alden and Dusana nodded gingerly. Alden lifted his bag, now with all of his clothes in it and managing to carry it despite his small frame, and they quickly floated off towards his home.
Upon reaching thier home, they opened the door, put Alden's bag on the floor behind the door.
'Mum?' Alden called. 'Could you come out here please? I've something I'd like to show you...'Chapter End Notes:Glad that's done, any comments would be great, good or bad
"C'mon." He said encouragingly "There is nothing to be afraid of. I'll be by your side the whole way."
She nodded, allowing herself be gently pulled from the threshold and into the open world. Her eyes were shut tight, worried that the curse would strike and fling her back into the house as it had once done, but when she eventually opened her eyes, all she saw was Alden's smiling face. She smiled back, and he pulled her into his arms and carried her as he walked, blocking the house from her view completley. He didn't want her to have to look at the prison she had been confined to for over three hundred years, she didn't need to see it anymore. He walked down to the corner of the street, where he found his colleagues standing about with scared faces. They half-stared at him as he approached them, double taking when they saw Dusana in his arms.
"Alden..? Where did..?" One of them, Terrence, asked.
Alden gave a chuckle, coming up with an excuse. "She's a Ghost type." He said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Naturally she was attracted to the old house. She's in a bit of a state, so if you guys don't mind, I'm taking her to the Pokemon Centre. You can come, if you want, she's very friendly."
The trio shook their heads, explaining that it was late enough, and they had to get home while the streets were still being patrolled by parents. Alden, agreeing that he should probably call his parents when he got to the hospital, walked on.
Dusana found the sensation very comfortable. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she was sharing the warmth of another. Already she was growing attatched to Alden; he had proven himself back at the house, not turning back when she had clearly frightened him, and going out of his way to help her. She nuzzled affectionately into his jacket; a gesture that was not lost on the teenager, who smiled to himself as he walked.
They rounded another corner, and the Pokemon Center came into view. It was, compared to some, only a small building, and Alden had no trouble walking right up to the counter. Pokemon injuries were uncommon in their cozy little town, and more often than not the only real afflictions would be colds or light injuries afflicted from friendly combat. The resident Nurse Joy, who seemed to have clones in every town, was waiting for him behind the counter.
"Hello, Alden." She said sweetly in the tone she used with everyone. "What seems to be the trouble?"
"Oh, no trouble Miss Joy." He replied politely. "I've just recently aquainted myself with this little darling and I thought she could have a checkup while I go and get some things from the customisation shop before they close." He handed Dusana over the counter to the pink haired woman, who took her gently.
"Of course." Joy said. "Is there anything in particular I should be looking for, or is this just a routine?"
Alden shrugged. "Stress, depression; make sure she's not starved..."
"Routine then." Joy quickly said, nodding and stepping from behind the counter. "I'll be done in twenty minutes."
"Thanks." Alden said, leaning in to Dusana. "Be good, Nurse Joy is a friend. Just do what she tells you to do and we can get you home."
She nodded. 'A-alright, Alden.' She said. 'Please be careful.'
"Of course." Alden said, turning to the door. "I'll be back for you in twenty minutes."
After stepping out of the sliding glass doors and rounding the corner, Alden propped himself up on the concrete side of the hospital panting heavily. That had been harder than it should have been, and it almost broke him to leave her there. He knew he was going to return, but he really hadn't wanted to leave in the first place. He shook himself, recovering his composure, and strode to the customisation shop, a few buildings down. Absent-mindedly he flicked his mobile phone from his pocket and dialled home. His mother answered.
"Hello?" She asked.
"Hey, mum."
"Alden! Where are you! Are you alright? Do you know what time it is?!"
"I'm fine mum, I'm just heading to the customise shop. I've got myself a Pokemon, she's at the Center now. We'll be home in about half an hour, alright?"
She seemed to consider this. "Alright, as long as you come home safely. Be careful, alright?"
"Yep, I'll see you then." He finished, closing the phone with a click. He noticed movement out of the corner of his eye, and he looked down to see a Growlithe walking on one side of him. There was a little badge on the collar and, without breaking his direction, he turned to Officer Jenny. "Good evening, Jen. Everything alright?"
"Of course." She said. "It's very late, and I noticed you alone. The streets can be dangerous at this time of night, so I thought I'd keep my eye on you."
Alden chuckled. "Thanks, I guess." He said, walking up to the customise shop's front door and stepping in. "I'll be heading back to the center after this, if you want to keep escourting me places." He said sarcastically.
She chuckeld to his retreating back. "Yeah, I think I will."
Due to the time, Alden had no trouble walking right up to the counter and ordering a custom Poke Ball for a female Mismagius. He wanted several seals on it, and he had them added to the design. They told him to wait roughly fifteen minutes, and he paid for the service before turning around and looking through the shelves. Here there was quite a vast range of items that enhanced a Pokemon's performance, from Charcoal all the way to extremely rare and difficult to aquire items such as Dragon Fangs. A Master Ball was high on a shelf in a glass case, supposedly it contained a legendary Pokemon that the shop owner could not care for himself, and so he was willing to sell it for the right price to the right customer. Many wealthy people had come to claim it, but were always turned down. The store owner said that 'the Pokemon within' would deny them, that they were not pure enough. Often when here Alden would be unable to get near it, other youngsters crowding around to get a better look at such a trophy, but the store was empty and he found himself standing directly infront of it. He gave a halfhearted chuckle.
"Legendary Pokemon, yeah right." He mumbled. "Something like that in this quiet little town? That's a laugh." He sighed. "I'll wager that it's just an empty Poke Ball with a monstrous pricetag because of what it can do."
'Not many share your scepticism.' A young sounding male voice said within his head. 'I find it refreshing.'
Alden gave a start, looking around to make sure that there was no-one playing tricks on him.
'No, I am indeed in the Poke Ball before you.' The voice assured. 'I do not often talk with anyone other than the master of this establishment. Usually their heads are filled with selfish thoughts of posessing me for their own ego.'
Alden looked apologetically towards the ball. "I... I guess I'm sorry that I doubted you were there."
The voice gave a chortle. 'You need not be apologetic. The word of my current owner is all that stands to inform that I am here, scepticism is refreshing because most believe that I am a godlike being. I am much like yourself, only with some extra features, nowhere near as powerful as Arceus, but I could be pretty close with the right training.'
Alden stayed silent, he wasn't really focusing on conversing with this unknown being; his mind was miles away thinking only of Dusana.
'You're an interesting one, you are.' The voice commented. 'She's a lovely lady, this Dusana of yours.'
Now he ws slightly miffed that this Pokemon could read him like a book, and it showed on his face. "I.. I want to get her something, but I'm unsure of what." He mumbled dejectedly. "I'm not much of a Pokemon buff."
'Ah, a casual trainer, you are fresh to the field.' The voice commented kindly. 'I know the perfect things, you should purchace a Twisted Spoon and a Spell Tag. I shall talk with the manager, choose as high a quality as you wish, the price shall be fair.'
Alden blushed. "I.. I couldn't take such hospitality, it's unfair on others.."
'Nonsense.' Came the reply. 'A conversation is a rare pleasure these days, I would like to thank you for your time.'
"Thank you..." Alden mumbled. ".. I could make it a regular thing if you'd like?" He offered.
The voice stayed quiet for a minute or two. 'I appreciate the offer.' It said. 'I shall give it some thought.' Then the mental airways went dead, and Alden realised that the Pokemon had, indeed, severed the connection.
He took a moment to collect himself before stepping over and selecting a Spell Tag. It was, for paper with scribbles on it, high quality. Laminated with a hole in one end for threading a collar or necklace through, and according to the information on the packaging, the enchant and scripting were more powerful than regular Spell Tags. He was unsure of this, being sceptical of such things as magic, but he shrugged it off and moved to the huge selection of Twisted Spoons. There were dozens, stainless steel, surgical steel, wooden, plastic... He continued looking along the rows until he found one that was practically full. These spoons were expensive, he could see. Roughly seven thousand Pokedollars each, they were made of platinum and had a golden Poke Ball embedded on the end of the handle, right below a real silver necklace which hooped through a hole. He picked it up, finding it only slightly heavy, and carried his items to the counter, where he discovered the manager of the store watching him patiently.
"I.." Alden began, before the man held up a hand.
"So." He began. "You have conversed with the Pokemon within." He said calmly. Alden nodded sheepishly. "He says that you were, if anything, honest with him, not to mention of a frame of mind that he finds interesting. He's requested that I give you a special discount, and I'm afraid to say that I'll be unable to accept anything more, or less, than five hundred for the two of those items."
Alden was shocked. What he held in his arms was worth at least ten thousand all up, and he was being told that he only need pay but a fraction of the price? He was dragged from his shocked reprieve by aseries of beeps and the sound of the cashier opening.
"Come now, you cannot have them free." The manager said patiently.
Alden fumbled for his wallet, pulling out five hundred Pokedollars, a fair amount of his current pocket money, and handed it over. In return, he was handed a paper bag with a slight amount of weight to it.
"This is your requested Poke Ball." The manager informed him. "Be careful with it."
"Th-thank you." Alden replied, taking his bought items and leaving out the door.
Over in the corner, the Pokemon within was crying.
Alden walked back to the Pokemon Center in a half-daze. He knew that Jenny was following him, he could hear her Growlithe barking at every little shadow, daring it to show itself, not to mention her half-assed attempts to scold it into being quiet. A strange feeling of sadness fllowed him, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. He eventually reached the Pokemon Center doors, and he shook himself, bringing himself back to his senses before entering. Again, the center was empty except from Joy behind the counter, and as soon as the doors closed he was tackled by a large mass of purple.
'Alden!' Dusana cheered, nuzzling against him happily.
"Heheh, hello again, Dusana." He said, muffled by her fabric like arm. "Are you ready to go home?" She nodded furiously, still smiling wide. "Before we do, I'd like to give you something." Alden said, stepping over to one of the large soft couches and sitting down. He reached into the paper bag and lifted out a Poke Ball.
The top half was purple, the bottom a bright lavendar. The activator was black, like coal, and the ring around the center pulsed gently in a purple colour. It had once been a Hyper Ball, and the two nodes on the top half were red and glassy like the beads on her necklace, and Dusana swooned at the sphere in his hand.
'Is that for me?!' She asked, shocked. He nodded his reply, and she stared at the ball. 'No way, that can't be for me!'
"It is, Dusana." Alden mumbled. "If you'd like to be with me forever, that is."
She appeared to be thoughtful, before pushing the activator and vanishing into the ball in a golden flash of light. The purple sphere shook twice, went silent, and clicked. Alden smiled at the sphere before pushing the activator and throwing it gently into the air. Black light erupted from within, and large puffs of black smoke filled the air, the ball whipping back into his hand. Dusana eventually was cleared of the smoke, and she was smiling from ear to ear.
'That's impressive.' She said.
"That's not all." Alden said, pulling the Spell Tag and Twisted Spoon from his pocket. "These, also, are for you."
He removed the Spell Tag from its packaging and threaded it onto the silver necklace before clipping it around her neck. She looked down at the powerful charms in a mixture of shock and awe.
'H-how did..?'
"I talked with a friend, the price went down dramatically after that." He said. "C'mon, let's go home. I have school in the morning."
She nodded and followed him through the doors.
The walk home was quiet. Jenny wasn't following him now that he had the protection of his own Pokemon, and they had time to chat. By time they got to Alden's house, they had gone over most of his daily life, and what she was looking forward to. He politely opened the door for her, following her in and closing it tight behind himself. It was about this time that Alden's mother, Marie, decided to yell at him.
"Young man, where have you been?!" She angrily bellowed. "Do you have any idea what time it is, or how much trouble you're in?! Do you?!"
Alden sighed exasperatedly. "Mum, I told you over the phone, I've been caring for a new Pokemon. You told me you'd give me a break if I was home within half an hour, and I am." Dusana was cowering behind him, trying not to be seen by the ornery woman. "Mum, you're scaring Dusana."
Marie calmed down, exhaling to relieve stress before putting on a friendly face. "Hello, Dusana." She said, trying to sound as friendly as possible. "I'm Marie, it's nice to meet you."
Dusana didn't come out of hiding, shivering slightly while pressed up against Alden's back tightly. He turned around and plucked her from the air, holding her in his arms so that his mother could see her.
"Dusana, this is my mother." He said calmly. "You've nothing to be afraid of, c'mon."
Reluctantly she lifted her head so that his mother could see her face. She gave a timid little smile, still slightly shaking. 'H-hello...' She said.
"Well, hello there." Marie replied, lifting the brim of Dusana's hat slightly so that she could see her better. "You know, for a Ghost type, you're cute. Alden, where'd you get this little darling?"
"She was in that old, abandoned house on Cove street." He said. "She was in quite a state, so I thought I'd bring her along with me."
"What were you doing in that house in the first place?!" His mother snapped.
Alden groaned. "Mum, it was a dare! C'mon, give me a break!" He gave a sigh and took Dusana into his arms. "I'm going to bed. Dusana, you should too, if you're going to accompany me to school tomorrow you'll need some sleep."
She sheepishly nodded, allowing herself to be taken upstairs and into a small bedroom. There was a single bed in one corner, and a computer in another, a large soft chair occupied much of the centre of the floor, facing towards a television, something she had never seen before, much like the computer. She was released, and Alden quickly changed into his pyjamas, all the while making sure she wasn't watching him. She was too transfixed on the computer, inspecting it from every angle and even pushing a button or two to see how they worked. When he was changed, Alden chuckled and plucked her from the air again.
"If you'd like, I can show you how it works tomorrow." He said.
She nodded furiously, eager to learn this strange new contraption before yawning wide. She was sleepier than she thought. She was put into the chair, which was wide enough for her to comfortably curl up in with plenty of space, and Alden put a small pillow below her head before covering her in a small, but thick, blanket.
"I'll see you in the morning, alright?" Alden said, climbing into his own bed.
'Alright, Alden. Have a good sleep.' Her echoing voice replied sleepily.
"You too."
Alden was asleep within minutes, exhausted from his day, but Dusana found herself unable to sleep for roughly an hour. She listened to Alden's breaths, deep and slow like any sleeping beings', and she gave a sigh. In less than five hours, she had gone from loner to loved companion, and she couldn't tell where it had all changed. Her three hundred year old curse had been broken, and she was as free as the day she had hatched, but something just didn't feel right, like she had a task to perform which she had not done. The feeling, however, eventually passed, and she slipped into a peaceful slumber.
Dusana was awoken the next day at dawn. If she was reading the digital clock on Alden's desk properly, it was roughly seven in the morning, and Alden was fully dressed for school. He nudged her playfully, and she whined at him petulantly, wanting more sleep, and she was answered with another nudge. She didn't budge from her spot, and Alden physically lifted her from the chair, wrapping his arms around her to keep her warm. She nuzzled into his sleeves.
"My, you're a sleepy Pokemon." He said toyishly. "I guess that comes from being your own boss for so long." She grumbled, moving her head so that the brim of her hat-like hair sheltered her eyes from the bright morning sun. "Alright, I'll carry you, then." Alden said, giving a sigh as he opened his bedroom door and slung his backpack over his shoulder. He headed downstairs with her in his arms, opened the front door and headed out into the sunlit morning.
It didn't take long for him to reach school, only about five minutes, and when he entered his homeroom he put Dusana on his desk as he sat down. The tabletop was cold and hard, and she slowly woke, her eyes snapping open when a stranger's voice yelled nearby.
"Got yourself a Pokemon, do you Alden?" It yelled over the din. "My, it looks pathetic!"
Slowly she floated up onto Alden's shoulder, sleepily looking at the teenaged girl who had yelled the insult.
"Can it, Becky." Alden grumbled.
Becky humphed. "No doubt you brought it along to challenge my position as school champion! Recess time on the oval! Be there!"
Alden was taken aback, and Dusana merely sighed.
'She will call you a coward if we do not challenge her.' She said. 'Clearly her ego is the most important thing in her life. I'm no judge on human beauty, but her personality reeks.'
Alden sighed and nodded. "I hope you're at least strong enough to fight." He said, fishing a small packet from his bag. He opened it and pulled out a piece of food, which he offered to Dusana. "Here." He said. She sniffed at it critically. "It's Pokemon food, mixed up with nutrients, fibre and other beneficial ingredients."
'... What's it made of..?'
"Crushed berries mainly, with a few little additives. C'mon, eat, you'll need your strength."
Reluctantly she let him put the piece of food into her mouth, closing around it and chewing as the delightful flavour spread across her tongue.
'That's not bad.' She commented. '...Is there more?'
Alden chuckled and fished out a little bit more for her.
The first lesson Alden had was History, and he had walked up to the teacher with Dusana on his shoulder and told him of her history, not to mention her lengthy life span.
"Prove it." He had said.
Dusana stayed silent for a minute, apparently in thought. 'Pick a date from history, roughly three hundred years ago.' She said. 'And I shall tell you what happened on that date.'
"June fourth, 1789."
'The invention of the first Hyper Ball, by Hyusu Newatt.'
"April fifteenth, 1827."
'Discovery of the Gardevoir evolutionary tree and the first recorded incident of a Suicune. Please, don't insult my intelligence, give me a hard one!'
"Okay, Antidotes were first invented on August twenty-seventh, 1890."
'Your date is wrong, try June thirteenth, 1891.'
The teacher stayed silent, mulling this over for a minute.
'The first recorded case of the Pokerus was on May fifteenth, 1901 by a Dr. Yoshi Hamasawi; his prize Snubull had contracted the disease, which led him on to discover what it was.' Dusana said. 'Is there any further proof you need, or do I need to be a little more trivial?'
"No... I don't think that you need to provide any further evidence..." He said. "Just... Sit down over there and we'll talk later, alright?"
The lesson went smoothly enough. Dusana gave tips and advice on things that the teacher was talking about, even going so far as to correct him at one point, and by time they left she was practically the classes new celebrity, being asked questions out of the blue about things that only someone who had been there would know. She had been in that old, deshevilled house for most of her life, and the newspapers had simply piled up. With nothing better to do, she had begun reading. This was how she had learned much of the world's history. Eventually Recess came and they left the classroom, heading towards the oval. Becky was already here, waiting with a smug look on her face which didn't falter when they approached.
"Huh, I figured you'd chicken out." She said down her nose at them. "Guess you've less brains and more guts than I gave you credit for, but this is where it all comes to an end!"
She threw a Pokeball at the ground, and after the bright flash of light, a large Garchomp stood between Alden and Becky, staring down at them mercilessly.
'He does, indeed, look powerful.' Dusana commented. 'Even for me this will not be easy.'
"Take them down!" Becky yelled.
The Garchomp's mouth split into an evil grin, and he roared before lumbering towards them. Alden leapt out of his way, and Dusana simply levitated above him as he thundered past.
Now the battle was on.
Dusana barely dodged a Crunch as she moved across the grassy field, letting the Garchomp chase after her. Alden and Becky ran nearby, keeping up with them as best they could. The Garchomp swung and snapped at Dusana, missing her small and nimble frame. Dusana's eyes went black, and she fired a Dark Pulse at her opponent, the attack practically rolling off of his strong frame. Another few misses, and she used Magical Leaf, which also didn't phaze him.
The Garchomp was growing tired of this overly nimble and difficult to hit target, his anger growing with each miss. Another dodged Crunch later, and he was fed up with her, roaring once again and switching targets to Alden; after all, all he had been told was to 'take them down'. In a flash, he used Giga Impact,
Alden never saw it coming.
The sheer concussive force threw him onto the road outside the school borders, but what hurt the most was the car that struck him. The driver had been speeding, and even his brakes failed to slow him enough to lessen the impact of flesh on steel. Alden was partically thrown through the driver's windscreen before being tossed down the road, bones breaking and his skin tearing along the bitumen. Dusana watched this horrific spectacle unfold, and her scream rang out through the yard like a banshee's. Teachers came running, the driver untangled himself from the wreckage, Becky withdrew her Garchomp, and Dusana sped to Alden's side. He coughed, blood hitting his chin and nose from within. Dusana looked teary-eyed into his eyes, watching the last of his body's life leech away. He lifted his hand up to her cheek and brushed a tear away.
"Please don't... cry..." He mumbled. "Makes... me sad... Dusana. I love... you..."
His arm fell to his side, and his eyes closed slowly. Dusana cried louder and harder than she had cried in years, a crowd of teachers and students all around. There was nothing she could think of to bring him back. Nothing. Once again, she was all alone, and she had only tasted the freedom that Alden had promised her.
Suddenly her mind struck an idea, and she fished a Pokeball from his backpack. She placed it on Alden's side, safely in the crook of his arm, closed her eyes and concentrated.
As far as she knew, this had never been done before. The sheer strength required was beyond most Legendary Pokemon.
As far as she knew, this wouldn't work. Curses didn't work that way.
She had no other options.
Dark tendrils of energy swirled around her, quickly turning the bright pulsing colour of Psychic energy as they poured into Alden. He glowed powerfully, his blood seeming to evaporate from around him, and a bright white glow came from his chest, right above his heart. The Pokeball reacted, catching this energy within. It shook twice, before growing silent and clicking to signify that it had, indeed, caught something. Alden's body shone like the sun and slowly vanished, the only evidence of his being there in the first place being his clothes and his backpack.
Carefully, Dusana lifted the Pokeball. It was glowing as if it were red hot, and she could feel the power within working its magic. Eventually it cooled, and she held it up to a teacher.
'Please, tell me the owner.' She said. 'Please...'
He nodded, and held his Pokedex out to the little ball. It beeped twice.
"Pokemon level fifteen." The teacher said. "The owner is Alden."
Dusana smiled and opened the ball in a bright flash of white light.
The light condenced and became a solid form, which slowly opened its eyes and looked upon the people around it. Dusana's smile became wide, and she practically leapt on it.
'Alden!' she cheered. 'It worked, I can't believe it worked!'
He didn't talk, his mouth not yet functioning properly, and simply returned the hug gently. Dusana gave him a kind look.
'Communicate by projecting your thoughts.' She said, giving him the sensation he should have been aiming for. 'Like this.'
Another few seconds passed before Alden spoke. 'Dusana..?' He managed. 'I... I thought I was dead...'
'You were.' She said. 'But I saved you. Look down at yourself.'
He followed her instructions, and almost leapt out of his skin, jumping back. Bright blue fur covered his small frame, which floated gently over the ground.
'I'm a..!' He started, before his voicebox found itself working and finished for him. "Mew!" He chimed, his voice now high pitched and cute.
Dusana floated closer, holding his Pokeball out for him. 'This is yours.' She said.
He took it gingerly before his history teacher took it from his little paws.
"I think-" he started, "that you will be needing one of these."
He carefully affixed a lock to the Pokeball, covering the activator. The ball shrunk down to its smaller, compact size, and the lock held it tightly. He affixed a strand around it and put it around Alden's neck.
"There we go." He said. "Now you cannot be stolen."
Alden looked up at him distantly. 'S.. sir?'
"You two are to go home." He said. "I'll handle everything on this end. You need to learn to use your psychic powers, not to mention tell your mother what has happened."
Alden and Dusana nodded gingerly. Alden lifted his bag, now with all of his clothes in it and managing to carry it despite his small frame, and they quickly floated off towards his home.
Upon reaching thier home, they opened the door, put Alden's bag on the floor behind the door.
'Mum?' Alden called. 'Could you come out here please? I've something I'd like to show you...'Chapter End Notes:Glad that's done, any comments would be great, good or bad