A Journey's Beginning (Mass Effect/Pokemon)

The scrapes on your hands itch. It's a completely random thought, something intrusive and a distraction you can ill afford, but its still there. Unfortunately, it is far from the only distraction pulling at your thoughts.

There is a part of you that worries about Lapis, and the fact that she is so young, there is a part of you that worries about how much bigger that Larvitar is compared to her. The sand like dust that Tempest has drawn up is digging into your skin, and scratching against your eyes.

All the while, Aston stands across from you, a scowl on his face as his eyes dance to and fro, trying to keep each of the three remaining illusionary images of Lapis in sight. You don't know what the older Shepard is thinking, but it is clear that he is getting frustrated. "Tempest!" He calls out. "Rock throw, quickly. Don't bother making it strong, just hit each of these stupid illusion things!"

The lizard chirps in response, again raising its hands over its head - focusing the dirt together to form stones. "Lapis, be careful!" You respond, doing your own best to try and pick out which of the three might be your actual Pokemon.

The Lizard throws the first of it's created stones, hitting one of Lapis's doubles straight on, the image collapsing, and vanishing away. "Disarming Voice!" You quickly instruct, and the two remaining versions of your Pokemon skid to a stop, turning to the Lizard and letting loose a very strange sound. It's very strange, and somewhat fascinating the way that each time your little Ralts has used that move that the sounds that come from it are very different.

You only have the shortest of moments to note the difference in the sound, as Tempest already had another stone in hand. It winces as the sound slams into it, and the little lizard takes a step backwards, before it's head snaps up, and the stone leaps from it's claws. Unlike the attempts before, this stone flies true, spinning through the air before clipping Lapis across the temple.

She drops like a stone to the ground, with both the sound and the illusionary copy cutting out like a light. "Lapis!" You cry, even as Ashton cheers from the other side of the field.

"Tempest! Tackle while it's down!" The Larvitar kicks off, tearing across the ground to try and get to Lapis.

"Lapis!" You start to cry out, trying to figure out what to tell her, but even as Lapis rolls over spitting dirt, the little lizard is too quick, having already covered the distance between where it was and your Ralts. You watch with wide eyes, only for Lapis's hand to snap up.

The little Psychic Pokemon's shadow deepens, changing from a mere patch of shade to an inky pool of the darkest of black. Just as her hand reaches it's zenith, the pool of shadow explodes up, a dark shadowy claw launching her into the air, before continuing it's arc, and slamming into Tempest.

You've seen that technique before, Shadow Sneak. A ghost type move. You've never seen it used like that before, but even with the dust blowing around like sand, you can see the smirk on Lapis's face as she softly floats to the ground.

"Tempest!" Ashton cries out, "Keep the heat with more Tackles! Don't let it try anything else!"

"Double Team again!" You order in response, Lapis seeming to split into four different copies as she touches down, each one moving in a different direction.

"Why the hell are you using such a useless move?" Ashton snaps, and you simply shrug at him, a smile on your face as Lapis acts on her own, repeating the action you have had her do more than once through this fight, and this time the cry comes out like something from a horror movie, a deep almost echoing hiss that even sends a shiver down your spine.

The sound hits Tempest like a brick, the Larvitar's head snapping up as it stumbles back. Even once the little lizard manages to correct its balance, the Pokemon stands there, looking unsteady, wavering on it's feet for a moment as its chest heaves mightily with each breath. Again, the Larvitar charges forward, attempting to slam into one of the replicated copies of Lapis, only to scatter the illusion apart. "Disarming Voice again!" You yell, and the two final copies of your Pokemon come to a stop on either side of Tempest, before opening their mouths and unleashing a most spine-tingling sound. The dust stops flying, dropping to the ground, and for a moment Tempest continues to stand there, eyes open but clearly unseeing, before there is a heavy Thump, as she collapses to the ground.

Ashton stares at his fallen Pokemon for a moment, everything about his posture screaming his confusion and frustration. His head snaps up, face contorts into a rictus of anger as his eyes lock onto yours. It is then, with slow, jerky movements that his hands snaps out, "Tempest, return." The words are oddly subdued, as the boy's Cherish Ball summons his Starter Pokemon back into it's ball. You feel something tugging at your shoe, and a glance down brings a smile to your face - Lapis stands there, looking tired but triumphant, and the moment your eyes meet hers she holds her hands out and up, she clearly wants you to pick her up.

「Paige!」

She says gleefully as you kneel down and lift her into your arms.

「Pr'tect」

"Yeah, you did." You whisper to her as she settles back across your shoulder, nuzzling against your cheek. Turning, you blink in surprise.

Ashton stands in front of you, and while he still looks angry, and practically radiates frustration, his hand is stuck out towards you, stiffly held straight in order to shake your own. "Good..." He starts to say, his words clipped and short, "...Fight... I guess."

[ ][Ashton] Shake his hand
[ ][Ashton] Don't shake his hand.

GAINED: ₱ 620

---

Now that both your battle with Ashton, and the very odd conversation that followed with the stranger who was watching your batle are over, you don't really have any reason to rush on your way back home, and it gives your father all the more time to wake up.

You don't begrudge your father his sleeping habits - He works as a Night Shift Coordinator for the Pokemon Ranger station halfway between Revlon Town and Alvis City. It's his job to manage and organize any Pokemon Rangers in the area if something major happens between the hours of 8 at night to 8 in the morning. Normally this means that it's nearly impossible to get him out of bed until it's at least noon, which is what makes the fact that you can see your Dad's Ladyba sitting on the fence next to your house, looking down at something in the yard.

Jogging the rest of the way up the lane, you come to a stop at the gate, when suddenly you hear your father's voice. "Oh, hey Paige. Morning." A glance over the fence confirms it. Your dad is laying in the grass, staring up at the sky.

"Dad... What are you..." The words stop, because you know exactly what he's doing there, even if you wish you didn't. "You fell out the window again, didn't you."

The man simply shrugs at you, a grin on his lips, even as he breaks into another yawn. "There was a dust storm picking up over near the Professor's house, I was trying to figure out if it was a Pokemon battle, an attack of some kind, or just weird weather." He explains, "I think it was a Pokemon battle, but I couldn't tell from the win-" Your father cuts off mid-word. "Honey... You have a Pokemon on your shoulder."

You laugh, nodding. "Oh right. Dad, this is Lapis." You say, motioning to her, "Lapis this is my dad."

「Paige」Lapis says quietly, 「Da?」

"Yeah, that's my dad." You tell her, rolling your eyes with a chuckle at the odd way that your Dad is looking at you. Then you remember that he can't hear her. "She's talking to me psychically," You start to explain, "Lapis is still really young, so she's still learning how to prop-"

「Gampa!」The little Ralts declares with cheer, waving at your dad with her little hands, even as you start coughing, face quite red.

"Aaanyways," You start quickly, "She's still learning how to project her voice." You say quickly, as you slip through the gate and step over your dad. "I'm gonna go talk to mom now. See you inside dad!"

Entering into the the house proper, you have three major options for what to do first -
Use Preference Voting (1 for the thing you want most, 2 for the thing you want second most, and 3 for the thing you want last)
[ ][House] Go into the Kitchen and introduce Lapis to your Mom
[ ][House] Grab a potion and the medkit out of the downstairs bathroom to treat your hands and the cut on Lapis's head
[ ][House] Go upstairs and get a shower to get you and Lapis clean