A New Home (ZaWarudo and Inspirit)

[ZaWarudo]

A nameless boy ran through the forest. He didn't know how long he'd been sprinting, or where exactly he was even going. Yet he ran as fast he could, even as his legs slowly turned to jelly and his lungs burned fiercely. Above the moon pierced through the foliage above, illuminating a faint path before him. Twisting trees, bushes and other foliage sprawled out before him like a haphazard obstacle course. He'd lost count of the number of times he'd stumbled over his own two feet, or slammed headfirst in an overhanging branch. He'd done this before, more times than he could count. They'd forced him to run the obstacle courses back at home countless times before, all apart of an attempt to hone his abilities. The overseers had always been strict, going a second above the record would result in a beating. More than that and then there'd be no food for the next couple of days. This wasn't all that different now that he thought about it. Run as quick as you could, or fall behind and get punished.

Yet, he grimly realized, punishment this time around will be far worse than a couple knocks to the head.

He had been seen as nothing than an 'asset' to those bastards at Team Rocket. He and the others were treated like puzzles, a bundle of potential that just needed to be unlocked. He'd been under their watch for as long as he could remember, his name and his parents having been lost to the annals of history. To the scientists assigned to watch over him he was naught more than 'Experiment #13'. A part of the mysterious 'Shalour Project', the trials he and the others were forced to go through each day were immense. Trials of agility, of fighting ability. The expectations were high, and those who proved to be a disappointment were either punished harshly or disposed of entirely. There were other days spent simply strapped to an operating table being poked, prodded, and injected. For him those days had always been the worse. With the trials he was at least capable of doing something, but during the operating table days he could do little more than stare daggers at the scientists looming above him.

No more though.

No more games, no more restraints. The uprising they'd attempted had been an utter disaster for the most part, and yet it had allowed at least a few to make their escape. He was one of the lucky ones, and for the sake of those who had given their lives he would savor his newly-found freedom. All he had to do first was find some way to escape his pursuers. He could still hear them thundering behind him, branches snapping as they gave not a single care to being subtle. Maybe he could fight them, he'd always done well in the combat exams, but the Lucario had little doubt that they were alone. One would be easy enough, two a challenge, and three or more nearly impossible. If battle did happen how long would it take the reinforcements to arrive as well? The rebellion had sent the faculty in a complete and utter uproar, the azure-haired young man having little doubt that they were using all their forces to sweep the surrounding areas. If he stopped to attack then there'd probably be even more upon him before he could even off those currently pursuing him. All he could do now was flee and just hope that there'd be someway to lose them.

"Huh?" A small, breathless gasp escaped his lips as he saw what awaited up ahead. The trees seemed to part ahead into a clearing, and glance at the night sky would show shimmering lights. A town? That was just what he needed. The idea of being stuck around so many humans made his skin crawl, but if it'd allow him to escape those chasing him the Lucario was willing to ignore the discomfort. Forcing his ailing limbs to move faster and trying his best to ignore the fiery pain in his chest he'd quicken his pace as best he could. Ducking beneath a branch and shifting to the side to avoid a tree he'd close the distance he himself and the forest's edge within a matter of seconds.

Dammit!

Only to emerge at the edge of a cliff. Those lights had most certainly belonged to a town, and yet it was much farther than the Lucario had thought. Nestled near the bottom of the cliff, it shined like a bright beacon in the night. The place stood at the mouth of a massive lake, several rivers feeding into it. One of them actually ran through the area just beneath the cliff, though the idea of making him leap all way down there and into the water made his stomach squirm fiercely. As far as the Lucario was concerned this was a dead-end.

The cracking of wood came behind him, ground trembling as massive footsteps echoed out from the forest's edge.

This is it.

With a deep breath he turned about, eyes falling upon his pursuers for the first time. There were three, more than he would've liked. At the forefront of the trio was a Pokeboy dressed in black and red, a pair of massive horns sprouting from his long raven hair. Cloak billowing in the gentle night-breeze, the Lucario was quick to recognize him as one of the faculty's favorite hunting dogs. The look on the Houndoom's face was one of bitter annoyance, the man raising a hand and making a small gesture. The two massive Pokeboys flanking him would give a small nod before moving forward. Both were covered in blue chitin-like armor, leaving only the upper-half of their faces exposed. A massive horn formed out of their forehead, the sharpened tip gleaming in the moonlight. Both were Heracross, and Lucario knew almost immediately that being hit even once would result in his loss.

"We have orders to take you alive." The Houndoom spoke calmly, the look of disdain in his eyes nearly palpable. "Return the stone and come willing, and just maybe your punishment will be lessened."

He was met with naught but silence, a faint sigh escaping the dark-haired man's lips. "I'm hardly surprised. Well then, don't say I didn't warn you." With a snap of the fingers the two Heracross would lunge forward, moving surprisingly quickly despite their size.

"Fine then, let's go!" He wouldn't give up his freedom so easily!

--

"Ugh."

The river carried his bruised and battered body at a soothing pace, his eyes only partly open as pain addled his mind. The whole thing had been an absolute blur, and try as he could the Lucario could only recall the basics. Try as he might he was match for the two at once. Maybe if he'd been in good shape, but after hours of running through the woods exhaustion had hindered him severely. Broken bones, bruised ribs, his entire being hurt. Through a stroke of luck one of their blows had sent him flying back, and right off the cliff into the river below. He didn't know how long it'd be until they found him, but the Lucario knew it was only a matter of time. With his last remnants of strength he'd raise his right arm, hand slowly opening as he glanced at the stone he'd been holding this entire time. Sphere-shaped and amber colored, a swirling red and blue helix could be seen within. At least he'd denied them this.

The life slowly losing his light blue eyes, he'd give the stars above final glance before closing them for what seemed like for good.

Sorry...everyone...

 

[Asbel]

Occasionally, when circumstances were just right and the planets aligned, there were fewer tourists and ambitious tamers about, which usually meant less gym battles in a day. Less gym battles meant free time, and free time was rare to come upon, even to enjoy the simple, menial activities in life like collecting oddly colored pebbles along the riverbank. Even swimming in the river was like a vacation for the gym leader's Pokémon team that rarely dunked their feet anywhere else but in the gym's battle pool.

Today was one of those days that the bustling city was not-so-bustling for once, and the gym leader, Riven, closed the gym for maintenance. Two of her Pokégirls, a Milotic and Floatzel, were freed from the stuffy confines of their PokéBalls to take a dip in the river, collect pebbles, and whatever their hearts desired. Arm in arm, the two Pokégirls set off, reaching their favorite bend of the river in a place few tamers and feral Pokémon ventured or even dared to roam due to the hazardous terrain. But, for the two Pokégirls, the formation of boulders that formed along the riverbank and the freshwater pool that collected at the mouth was a playground that didn't come short of paradise.

Once the riverbank was in view, the Floatzel broke free of her older companion and leaped gracefully into the water with an overexcited squeal, barely wetting the Milotic's feet as she also slipped into the water with less of a flashy performance. It wasn't long, however, before the tranquility of playtime shattered, and the Floatzel resurfaced with a perplexed expression on her face. "You hear that?" she asked her teammate, wading over to the Milotic. "I heard a splash. A big one."

"Probably a belly-flopper, love," the Milotic reassured as she took her usual spot by a smooth boulder to comb her silky tresses.

"Huh, you think so? I don't know, Nami, my gut's telling me something else," the Floatzel retorted, scrunching up her nose at the possible outcome of her gut telling her it was Team Rocket. She and her companions had plenty of run-ins with those thieves before, although the grunts and weak Pokéboys hardly put up a worthy fight against the gym leader's Pokégirls. Still, Riven had warned them to be careful of their evil ploys, especially if they were too far from the city to be rescued should Team Rocket ambush in overwhelming numbers. Strength had never been the crime organization's forte, but they always had other cowardly methods of cheating the fight.

Regardless of the threat, the two Pokégirls played without another care in the world; the Floatzel swimming and the Milotic grooming herself. The silence didn't last long, however, before the Floatzel rushed to the Milotic's side, seizing her arm in a bruising grip. "Nami, Nami! There's a dead body over there!" the Floatzel frantically pointed to the opposite way the current flowed, and there it was: a dead body. There had been a few drowning incidents in the past but none that were recent, since Pokémon that couldn't swim strayed from the riverbank. Despite her gruesome discovery, the Floatzel seemed more curious than she was terrified, and soon detached herself from the Milotic to wade over and examine the corpse at a closer distance. "I think he's still alive, he doesn't look like a freakishly pale dead thing," she even prodded the slowly drifting Pokéboy with a piece of driftwood and grabbed the hem of the Lucario's shirt, much to her teammate's disdain.

"Goodness, Rin, get your hands off of that thing, it might be infected!" the Milotic scolded, although her chastising did little to prevent the Floatzel from dragging the drifter ashore.

Immediately, the Floatzel pressed her ear to his chest and heard a steady heartbeat, although it was too slow for it to be a positive sign. "Nami, he's alive, we should bring him back to Riven," Rin suggested with a pout. "Help me carry him." The Milotic hesitantly helped her partner load the unconscious Lucario onto the Floatzel's back, just before the two heard shouting and branches snapping nearby. Something, or someone, was chasing them, and the two knew better than to wait for whatever danger lurked beyond the foliage.

"Go on," the Milotic whispered, guarding the Floatzel's flank as they wove their way through the familiar off-road path. "I'll keep an eye out."

When the two Pokégirls brought the injured Lucario to Riven, the gym leader immediately brought him under her intensive treatment, nursing him for hours in the comforts of her own bedroom. It was odd, according to her knowledge of indigenous Pokémon, to spot a Lucario living so far from his natural habitation. His injuries showed signs of a ruthless battle, which explained why such a fighter must have been too exhausted to swim against the river's current. Otherwise, the Lucario couldn't have drowned itself, just because. The gym leader was surprisingly calm when her Pokégirls explained the splash and their hidden perpetrators, finishing the ribbon of the last bandage. Nearly half of the Pokéboy's body and face was covered in some kind of ointment or bandage, most of them burns that she had healed with the few Burn Heals she kept in supply. When injured Pokémon were denied at the PokéCenter simply for being unowned, Riven opened the doors to her own bedroom to nurse the unwanted strays back to optimal health. This Lucario, on the other hand, did he have a tamer?

"Did you find anything else on him, Rin?" Riven asked her Floatzel. "An identification card? A tracking bracelet? A collar?"

The Floatzel stood awkwardly at the door with the most uncomfortable smile on her face, rapidly shaking her head to Riven's prying question. "N-No, of course not! Just him. Yup, just this guy, floating down the river... hehe..."

"Rin."

Rin sighed and opened her hand to reveal the Mega Stone. "He dropped this shiny pebble. Can I keep it, pleaaaaase?" the Floatzel pleaded, only to have the stone confiscated and returned to the unconscious Lucario's hand. She puffed out her cheeks in defeat. That pebble was the prettiest she saw yet, and somehow, someway, she was going to have it for her collection!

 

[ZaWarudo]

The Lucario wouldn't even stir as he was fished out of the river, the battered figure offering no resistance as he was dragged back into the town. It would be obvious even from a glance that the last couple hours had not been kind to the Pokeboy. His clothing was torn and frayed, his body covered in an array of bruises and burns. What little breath he drew was ragged, and his heart seemed only moments from stopping altogether. In the hands of the gym leader how it wouldn't be long until improvements could be seen. After several hours had passed and his were both cleaned and bandaged the Lucario would look almost peaceful to an extent, chest gently rising and falling as he laid sprawled upon her bed.

The dreams he dreamt during the healing process were chaotic, holding little rhyme or reason. The escape replayed itself by what felt like a thousand times, each time resulting in failure. Sometimes he wouldn't even get past the faculty's wall, other times they'd catch up with him in the forest and strike the Pokeboy right in the back. The worst were when he though he'd escaped, when his pursuers had long since fallen behind and sanctuary was only a couple of yards ahead. Even in those fate was cruel, his hopes always being dashed at the very last instant.

Different as they might've been the message was always the same. No matter how hard he struggled there was no true escape. Cruel as it might've been there was no denying that the laboratory had been his life. Even if he did escape how could he expect to survive when he had not even a name?

Flames licked at his body now, the Lucario's legs and limbs bound by something or other. A ring of fire surrounded him now, and through the flames came a face that had dogged the Pokeboy constantly. A Houndoom, the same one that had chased him relentlessly through the forest, stood impassively over the bound Pokeboy. Though he made no noise the Pokemon's lips moved, mouthing out a single phrase over and over.

No escape. No escape. No escape. N-

"Agh...!" With a jolt the Lucario's eyes snapped open, whatever calmness he might've shown vanishing in an instant as consciousness returned. He blinked several times, watching carefully as the room around him slowly came to focus. Mind slowly managing to pull itself out of its groggy funk, he'd come to several realizations. First of all was his own state. What felt like his entire body exuded a dull ache, sweat dribbling from his brow.

Secondly, there was where he was. The thick forest had vanished, replaced instead by a room. A sharp contrast to the norm, it held a certain warmness to it that cells back at the facility very much lacked. The bed beneath him was surprisingly soft as well, the thick mattress feeling as though it was moments from swallowing him up. It was disconcerting to say the least.

Thirdly, and most importantly, was the human standing over him. Almost immediately instinct would kick in. He'd move to lunge forward, though whether it was to make a break for it or go for the human even the Lucario wasn't entirely sure. Not like it particularly mattered.

"Ow, ow, ow..." He was barely able to move even a couple of inches being a searing agony arched its way through the Lucario's form. Wincing sharply he'd fall back onto the bed with a faint thump, eyes sparkling with tears of pain as he struggled to regain himself. Slowly, but surely, sense would return.

"You're not them." His voice was weak, and the words seemed more for his own benefit than hers. Now that he said it out loud it felt almost obvious. Of course the woman wasn't Team Rocket, that was ridiculous. Not to mention-

Craning his neck to the side he'd slowly uncurl his hand, glancing at the small stone resting upon his palm. The fall hadn't created a single scratch, the gem's shine as ever. He still had his stone. The woman probably didn't know what it even was. Lucky him.

Turning his attention back towards the human, he'd fix her with a cautious look. She wasn't Team Rocket, but that didn't mean he felt much safer. "Who are you?" He'd asked, tone a bit brunt. "Where am I?"

As he spoke the Lucario maneuvered himself, using his elbow to gently prop himself up.

 

[Asbel]

For now, Riven's primary concern was nursing the injured Pokéboy back to health with what scarce medical supplies she had on hand. He would be taken care of here, instead of being neglected by the PokéCenter staff simply because he was an unowned and unidentified Pokéboy. It was often better to be invisible under those unfavorable conditions. She wasn't sure what had led the Lucario here, nor who had left him in such a miserable state, but what Riven knew was that he needed constant supervision. Someone to nurse him through the night to make sure his fever was under control and he wasn't too uncomfortable.

She expected the Lucario to be unconscious for at least a day or two, so when he jolted awake and mustered up the strength to speak regardless of the condition he was in, she was more surprised than she felt threatened. Her Milotic stood guarded behind her, prepared to knock him back to sleep, if need be. A simple Hypnosis wouldn't harm him; in fact, it would probably do him some good. "Relax," Riven coaxed him, pressing a cold towel to his forehead and gently maneuvering him back to a reclining position. "You're in safe hands."

The Milotic seemed to be the only one in the room who noticed, or was disturbed by, the fear in the Lucario's gaze. "Them?" she asked, arms folded casually over her chest. "Do you mean the people that tried chasing us?" At least, she assumed they were people but their perpetrators could have been anything so long as Nami and Rin didn't dawdle to identify the strangers.

"The people that chased you, were they Team Rocket?" Riven asked the Lucario while she tended to a muddy scratch on his arm that hadn't been disinfected nor rinsed properly. Her piercingly azure eyes observed him, mentally noting everything from the way he spoke to the way his gaze trembled because his body couldn't. She knew the work of Team Rocket too well, and how they manipulated poor Pokémon with fear to do their bidding. It explained why the Lucario's initial impulse had been to fight in his moment of weakness and vulnerability, even against those that simply wanted to help. "I'm not one of them," she reassured him, gently rubbing a thin layer of ointment over his scratches. "My name is Riven, and I'm a gym leader. Nami and Rin, my Pokégirls, found and brought you here to my gym." She didn't ramble after that, choosing only to answer the questions asked. Her curt and often stern personality made battling hundreds of tamers a week less repetitive, and certainly less tedious.

She was rumored to be quite the woman with a tough personality rivaling the stereotypical bubbly persona adopted by Water Pokémon experts from other regions. Whereas her admirers compared her dainty appearance to that of a spring shower, she was more like a destructive tsunami, and it showed as clear as daylight in battle. She certainly cared less for tamers, but Riven possessed a hidden fondness for Pokémon that people rarely saw in the brazen woman, fondness reserved for Pokéboys like the Lucario. Riven even smiled when the Pokéboy fought to sustain himself, her fingers gently stroking his hair and massaging his scalp. "Lie down. You won't recuperate enough to do whatever you're in such a rush to do if you don't rest."

The Floatzel, who had been observing her tamer and the Lucario converse, finally butted in, poking her head over the headboard to stare upside-down over the stranger's face. "Hey, you," she grinned widely. "What's your name, huh? You're really heavy, you know that? What's that weird pebble in your hand? Can I have it?"

 

[ZaWarudo]

[/size]Kind as the woman was the Lucario did not let his guard down, though he did allow her to guide him back into a more relaxing position. With his injuries the they were he didn't have much of a choice all things considered. Shivering slightly as the damp towel fell across his head he'd shift his attention elsewhere as a new voice reached his ears. Too focused on the human he hadn't noticed the Pokegirl, a Milotic if memory served. Frowning slightly at her question, he'd feel himself hesitating. He probably should've assumed that they just wouldn't leave him for dead. He knew the Houndoom as one not to take chances, and none the less they had to recover the stone anyways. He could only hope that they were quick in their escape. If they left even the slightest trail then the Lucario had no doubt that Team Rocker would find them sooner or later. They were nothing if not persistent.

The woman was able to put together the rest of the pieces, and even in his weakness a faint trace of surprise would cross the Pokeboy's face. "Very perceptive." Then again probably should've expected that she'd figure it out. Team Rocket weren't a bunch of no-names. He'd been given an intimate look at the sort of equipment they packed, the sort of people they had under their command. Subtly was not their strong suit he'd realized at an early age. If a Pokemon turned up beaten and battered there was probably a decent chance that they were behind it.

"We had our disagreements, then one thing led to another and I found myself being flung off a cliff. I guess they came down to finish the job." He wasn't going to go into every little detail in regards to his backstory. It'd be tiresome, and not to mention the less they knew the better. "I figured that you weren't apart of them. They don't make a habit of dressing the wounds of their captives." At least, not to this extent. "The lack of a uniform was pretty telltale as well."

Silence would follow as the woman continued to dress his wounds, her touch surprisingly gentle. He'd seen his fair of humans at the Rocket facility, but none so gentle. He doubted this was simple charity however. Why would they go to the trouble of fishing him out of a river? Why would they risk the ire of Team Rocket? Something told the Lucario that something else was going on here, though he didn't yet know what exactly. "Gym leader, tell me something." He opened his eyes, looking at Riven head-on. "Why are you doing this? Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful, but you do realize I have nothing to give you."

Regardless of her answer he'd close his eyes once more,

He'd find himself suddenly stirring from his stupor as yet another voice joined the fray, his eyes snapping open only to find a girl's face only inches away. Wearing a goofy grin the Floatsel wasted no time in getting straight to the point. "Uh." Just who was this?

"I..." Taking a moment to gather his bearings he'd