Finding You - Chapter 2

Finding You – A Pokemon Black and White Fanfiction – Chapter 2

Glare

14-year-old Luna Mond set off from small town Cherrygrove City to journey in Unova! Her goal? To find her father, Dominic Mond, who left her and her mother five years ago. After boarding the ship, Luna met a boy named Blair who helped her in capturing a runaway Teddiursa – her first ever Pokemon capture!

***
Journal of Dominic Mond, First Entry

I'm a failure. I'm such a failure. To my research, to myself, and most of all…my family. I don't know how I was able to do it – divorce Ellen, that is. It all feels so surreal, like a dream…no, a nightmare.

My dear daughter, how can I ever repent for leaving you behind? Your eyes, your beautiful blue eyes watching me as I left you on the porch…they'll always haunt me. They were filled with such sadness and betrayal…how can I ever face you again?

What's the point? What am I supposed to do now? My research? It feels pointless now. Train? Why would I? I have no interest in challenging the Pokemon League. Not anymore…

Is life really so meaningless, once you lose everything important to you? What purpose do I have left?

Oh Luna, my daughter, my baby…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for leaving you behind…


***

That evening Luna was still feeling overjoyed with her capture of Teddiursa. She sat in her room on the edge of her bed, gripping the Pokeball in hand, still wondering just how in the world she had managed to pull it off. Outside, the sun was setting, although dark clouds on the edge of the horizon indicated a coming storm.

It's all thanks to Blair, she thought happily. I still can't believe that I caught my first Pokemon before I even got to Unova!

She sat on the bed gazing happily at her Pokeball for a few moments before she suddenly realized that she should probably let the Teddiursa out. Tentatively she pressed the white button on the Pokeball.

As soon as the Teddiursa had formed on the floor next to her, the first thing it did was promptly bite her on the ankle. Hard.

"Ouch!" Luna exclaimed. It didn't let go. "Ow, OW! L-let go!" Lifting her leg (and lifting the Teddiursa with it), she gave a strong kick. The Teddiursa flew through the air and slammed into the wall across the room. Then it was still.

Oh no! Luna thought. I didn't...I didn't just kill it, did I? Oh please, God, don't let it be dead! I could never live with myself if I ended up killing a Pokemon... Nervously she hurried over to the Teddiursa, once again feeling flustered. I can't believe I messed up so soon...

"I'm so, so sorry," Luna murmured. "I'm really sorry. Please be okay!" The Teddiursa slowly opened its eyes and glared up at Luna. Luna gulped. Those eyes, those two smoldering black coals, almost seemed to pierce right through her.

Then Luna realized how much of a sap she was being. (although she was quite the sap in general). What are you doing, Luna? she thought, scolding herself sternly. It's a Pokemon! A small one at that! I shouldn't be intimidated! Get ahold of yourself!

Most of the time, when Luna reprimanded herself, it usually didn't help.

Meanwhile, as Luna was having an argument with herself inside her head, Teddiursa had gotten up and moved to the window. Nosing open the latch, it pushed the pane open and hopped out.

Luna snapped back to reality. "Oh no!" she wailed. "I can't believe I was so stupid! I should have locked the window..." She poked her head outside just in time to see Teddiursa scampering away on the deck.

I'm such an idiot, Luna thought. I guess there isn't much else I can do now. I have no choice but to go after it! Without further hesitation she quickly opened the door and ran out into the hallway of the ship.

An announcement suddenly sounded over the loudspeaker. "Attention, passengers!" boomed the masculine voice of the captain. "It seems as if we've got a storm coming ahead. It's nothing to worry about, but I advise that you all stay away from the deck – if we get some rain, it might be slippery on the deck, and the waves might get kind of rough. We don't want anyone going overboard! Well, that's it. Have a good evening, everyone."

Then the loudspeaker clicked off.

Luna stole a nervous glance out the window. If Teddiursa is still out on the deck...then...I'll just have to risk going out there. Ohh...I really don't want the staff to get mad at me...

Then Luna shook her head. But...I really don't want anything to happen to it...

Luna was so deep in thoughts of how she would be able to re-capture Teddiursa that she almost didn't notice Blair coming her way. She screeched to a halt just in time before running into him.

"You're in a hurry," he said with a smile.

"Y...yeah, I am," Luna said. She was anxious to hurry after Teddiursa but couldn't let Blair know that it had gotten away. I'm sure he could help, but...I don't know what he'd think of me then!

Luna noticed the newspaper under his arm. "What's that?"

"Ah, nothing really. Just a Unova newspaper."

He's still wearing those sunglasses, Luna thought, even indoors. I wonder why? Then she remembered that she had to hurry after Teddiursa before it caused more trouble like it had earlier that day.

"I'm sorry, Blair," she said apologetically, "but I'm really in a hurry right now...I'll talk to you later!" Without bothering to explain further (she probably would have ended up being even more flustered than she already was anyway) she took off running past him.

Blair stood, puzzled, for a moment before letting out a sigh of relief. I'm glad she didn't ask to see the paper, he thought. She might have recognized me. He pulled out the Unova Times and looked at the front page, with his picture imprinted on the front. I'm not quite ready to show my real identity yet...

***

"Teddiursa!"

Luna spotted the rump of the small brown Pokemon rounding the corner. She pursued it onto the deck. To her surprise, it really was dark now. The clouds had completely covered the sun and the waves were getting bigger.

She was panting from exhaustion; Luna wasn't used to running so much. "Why do you keep running from me?" she asked Teddiursa wearily. It shot her a cold look.

Luna flinched. "And why do you keep glaring at me like that?" she asked softly. "I don't know why you hate me so much...I promise, I'm not an enemy! I don't want to hurt you!" She was shaking as she said those words. For some reason she felt truly intimidated by this Pokemon that was considered hers.

Teddiursa continued to bristle hostilely at Luna, and suddenly something dawned on her. She wasn't the only one Teddiursa had directed its hateful feelings towards. It also had been causing trouble for the cook and had fled from Blair earlier that day.

Maybe this Teddiursa has had a bad experience with humans in the past, Luna thought. Maybe...maybe that's why it's being so hateful? It wasn't like Luna to jump to conclusions but at the moment it seemed like the most reasonable explanation.

"Listen, Teddiursa," Luna said, speaking softly as to not alarm it. She kneeled down. Thunder was rumbling; she thought she felt a rain drop on her cheek.

Back when her father was still around, he taught Luna that Pokemon are capable of understanding human speech, and that they should be spoken to as equals.

"I promise," she said, "I'm only here to help you." Then she added, "if you really don't want me to be your Trainer, then...I won't." She swallowed. "I'll let you go again. I don't mind. If I'm to be a Pokemon trainer, then I have to be kind to my Pokemon – and keeping them against their will is not the way to do that!"

Teddiursa pricked its ears as Luna spoke. Now a light sheet of rain was falling.

"I'm trying to find my dad," Luna continued. Despite the coming storm and the blowing wind around her, Luna felt strangely calm, as if speaking to Teddiursa like this soothed her. "He's somewhere in Unova. The whole reason I'm becoming a Trainer is so that I can find him. And...I'd really love it if you could come with me."

Teddiursa looked at her again, but this time it wasn't a glare. It seemed to recognize that Luna was being honest.

"I – w-whoa!" The waves were a lot rougher now, and the boat was rocking back and forth. Luna found herself stumbling to the side, clutching the rail desperately. Teddiursa wasn't so lucky. The violent rocking caused the Teddiursa to fly through the air. Luna ran to the other side of the boat just in time to see it land with a small splash into the gray waters.

"Teddiursa!" Luna screamed. All she could see of it now was a small brown head bobbing up and down in the water. I have to let the ship staff know, Luna thought anxiously. They'll have rescue equipment or something that they can use...

Then suddenly Luna realized this had to stop.

I've only just started my journey, but already I'm depending on others, she thought. When I was little, I always ran to my mom or dad when I needed something...even here, on the ship, I practically had to have Blair take my hand and lead me through my first Pokemon capture!

I...I need to act for myself!

Almost feeling as if something else had taken over her body, Luna let go of the railing and then, without warning, recklessly jumped off the edge of the ship.

"Cold" does not even begin to describe how the water felt. Luna's mind felt blank for a moment as her senses tried to comprehend such shock. She remembered to start treading water just before she started to go under the surface.

"Teddiursa!" she shouted. "W-where are you?" Already she was starting to shiver violently. It may have been the beginning of spring, but winter's chill had not yet left the ocean, where the deep depths made it difficult for the sun to warm the water.

Teddiursa had been flailing desperately for a bit but it was a naturally land-oriented Pokemon; despite its efforts it began to sink into the waves.

Luna swam over to it and scooped it into her arms. For a moment Teddiursa struck out and scratched her neck with its sharp little claws; but then, as if knowing it had no other choice but to trust Luna, it relaxed.

Luna and Teddiursa sat there in the water for what felt like forever, but in reality it was only a couple of minutes, as moments later lights shone down on them from the ship and a rescue team in a small lifeboat came to rescue them.

How did they know we were down here? Luna thought, but already she was becoming tired. By the time the rescue team had gotten her back on the boat, she and Teddiursa had both fallen asleep.

***

The ship nurse stepped outside of the room. Blair was waiting for her.

"Is Luna okay?" he asked.

"Yes, she's fine," the nurse said with a smile. "As is her Pokemon. I have no idea how they both ended up overboard though...oh well." She winked. "Is she your girlfriend?"

"Oh no, nothing like that," Blair assured her. "I just met her today."

"Well, she'll be fine. She and the Teddiursa just need a good rest." The nurse walked away.

The truth of the matter was that Blair had followed Luna to the deck and watched her exchange with Teddiursa; when he saw her go overboard, he was the one who ran to alert the crew.

He was surprised. Right off the bat she had come across as a quiet girl; he would never have anticipated her to try anything like that.

But I guess she's like me, Blair thought, in that we'll both do anything for Pokemon. He smiled to himself and headed back to his room. Maybe she'll be a better Trainer than I thought.

***

Two days later Luna stepped off the boat, taking in the fresh air of Unova. Something about this place felt different from Johto, besides it being much larger. Just the very atmosphere about it felt fresher, newer.

She stretched and turned to Blair. She had hung out with him for most of the boat ride, and while she was there she learned that he was sixteen years old and he had a lot of other Pokémon besides Snivy – but that was it.

He taught her a lot about the Unova and the Pokémon in the region while she was on the boat. Luna was surprised that he knew so much about Pokémon, even though he had only apparently been a Trainer for a little while. One thing that puzzled her was that the whole time, she never saw him take off those large sunglasses. I wonder why...

Luna looked down at the Teddiursa in her arms. She had decided to name him Chewy, since that's all he ever seemed to do – chew things. Whether it was some sort of material object like her shoes or something more painful, such as her ankles, Chewy always tried to get his teeth on anything he could manage – although Luna didn't mind. They had formed a mutual relationship of respect towards each other, and Luna hoped to keep it that way.

"Wow, this place is huge!" Luna murmured. "I hope I don't get lost." I'm a little bit nervous now... She turned to Blair.

"I-it was nice meeting you, Blair," she said, suddenly feeling shy again. "I had a lot of fun on the boat ride. Where are you going now?"

He shrugged. "I'm not exactly sure. I might go back and visit my mom or something."

"Well, I'm off to Nuvema Town," Luna said. "I'm meeting Professor Juniper there. I'll probably see you later –"

She cut herself off when she noticed about three men in dark suits hurrying up to Blair. They were all fairly big and she felt small as they stood beside him.

"Mr. Touya, sir," one of them said, "you can't just go running off anywhere you like; Trainers have been waiting to challenge you. You're the Champion of the region, sir! Please take more responsibility with your job!"

Luna stared at Blair – Touya – dumbfounded. He sighed and took off his sunglasses. She suddenly recognized him from all the Unova newspapers she had read and subscribed to back in Johto – he hadn't been recognizable before.

"What?" she exclaimed. "You're...Touya Black, Pokémon League Champion of Unova?!"

To be continued...