Thank u to all my friends who helped with this update.
###
Winning Vote:
[X] Skiddle
[X] Adorn Skiddo with it. Capella surely has the equipment to make it fit either on her horn or in her pelt.
[X] Ruby, they're a bit shy. You don't think they have ever looked you in the eye when speaking in all the years you've crossed paths. All you know is that in the earlier years when you still studied at the normal school their test results were always above everyone else's. Their partner is a Buneary.
[X] Lissy, who has a rivalry with Capella. You don't know what the rivalry is about or who started with what, but she is always seen butting heads with her. She's one of the better physical fighters among the aspirants. Her partner is a Scraggy.
####
The group you find yourself with can not be more different. Being the first to ask let you choose the ones you wanted to take on the task with, and now you have teamed up with Ruby and Lissy.
Ruby is short. No, that's not quite accurate. They're average, when compared to you. As tall as you means average, right? That's how measurements work. But Ruby makes themselves small. In their heart, they lack courage to face the world, and you can sympathize with that. The world is full of things that scare you, full of things that make no sense, and full of people who carry no kindness in their heart.
"T-thank you," they say, stuttering just for a moment before gathering themselves. "For partnering up with me."
You open your mouth to say that you don't require thanks for something like this, but Skiddle has already grabbed a mouthful of your cloak. You settle on a short
"You're welcome".
Red hair and red eyes. Their parents weren't that creative when picking their name, but somehow you can't imagine someone with such striking features having another name. For a moment you want to ask if there are other gemstones in their family.
They smile, and you find yourself smiling back.
In stark contrast, the girl that stands at the edge of the arena makes for a grim sight.
Lissy is possibly one of the tallest members of the aspirants. She towers over you by a solid head, her uniform modified slightly in ways you know most other knights look down on. She needs 'the freedom of movement' she says, 'to kick ass and take names'.
You don't know what names she wants to take, but so far you know she kicks a lot of ass. The practice swords are heavy, but she swings the two-handed one like it's made of parchment.
And you realize, though you've spent so much time with all kinds of different aspirants, that you barely know each other. You don't know why, if it's the focus on your own tasks and improvement, or if you've failed to develop an interest in people that aren't Drake and Capella—
But there's nothing stopping you now. These are people you will fight side by side with. Lissy approaches, her ponytail bouncing left and right as she adjusts the weight of her training sword over her shoulder.
"Hey, favorite child," Lissy calls out. You blink, tilting your head. "Yeah, I mean you. Why'd you pick me?"
"I'll answer that if you answer my question first," you say, keeping your voice even.. "
Favorite child?"
"You're one of Commander Drake's, right?" Lissy asks. You can tell she means nothing by it. To her, it's not an insult, or some sort of spiteful remark. It's a matter of fact, and you cannot really deny it. "One of the two, the favorite child."
"He is the one responsible for me, yes," you say. "And I was taken in by him with Capella, but I don't know if that makes us his favorites. He's stern and fair."
Lissy shrugs. "Whatever you say, I know Pelly gets real mad when I say this, but I guess you're a bit more coolheaded."
Pelly, of course. Capella hates every nickname, any attempt to shorten her name is met with a fight-and-fight reflex. Lissy is strong, and there's no doubt in your mind that fights with her do not end well.
"I can't agree or disagree," you say, crossing your arms. Ruby looks ready to jump behind a dummy to hide when Lissy spoke up, but has calmed down when you didn't rise to her challenge. "Commander Drake is my benefactor. He helped me when I was in a bad place, and I work every day to repay the debt I owe him."
Lissy thinks for a moment, then grins. Her teeth look dangerous. "I think we'll get along well, favorite child."
"Aria," you say, raising your hand. You try to smile as well, but it feels stiff and wrong to force it. She takes it, giving you a nod. "Please take care of me."
Ruby's hand joins on top of the handshake. You turn to them, giving a nod when you notice they're about to pull back.
"We don't have long to really get to know each other, the carriages will pick us up tomorrow," Lissy says. She lets go of your hand, turning to her own partner. "Perseus, come here and introduce yourself.
Perseus the Scraggy walks up with slow steps. His eyes are not on you, but on Skiddle, giving her a once over. Skiddle, in return, meets his gaze without trepidation. Perseus looks like the typical Scraggy, yellow all over and with a red belly. His eyes, however, matched the dark blue of Lissy. After a moment of thought, he reaches out his own hand much like you did to Lissy earlier.
Skiddle meets him with her horn.
Then, he turns to the Buneary that is hiding behind Ruby.
"Opal," Ruby says quietly. "These are our friends, you can say hello."
Opal the Buneary dares to reveal herself. She takes a few steps forward, red eyes shining in the sunlight. Though her fur is the typical brown, you notice that her ears have small streaks of blue and green in the yellow fluff.
Opal hides its face behind the ears, but still reaches out with her paws to greet Skiddle and Perseus. Skiddle bah's happily. Scraggy grunts in approval. It seems there's not going to be much of an issue on that front. Though Ruby and Lissy are practically opposites, you have the feeling this choice was a good one. If not for personalities, then the way your partners get along.
"For me, there's only one way to get to know someone else," Lissy says, the sword on her shoulders twitching as she flexes her arm. "Aria, let's spar!"
Trainers usually have to fight it out with each other while their Pokemon fight, and whoever loses will certainly lose the Pokemon battle as well, unable to observe the fight from the outside and give commands.
You don't refuse. Even if you want to, your legs have already carried you to the side of the arena in front of the practice weapons. You want to match her, and your hand grasps the two-handed practice blade. It is heavy in your hand—
[ ] … but not unfamiliar. It's your weapon of choice as well, for all the advantages and disadvantages it brings. To wait for the right moment, a single miscalculation could lose you a fight. It is the weapon Drake held when he found you in that ditch.
[ ] … not quite what you're used to. You prefer the normal longsword, switching grips, either one or two handed. The longsword is the weapon of the brave and strong, to face one's enemy takes a Pyroar's heart. It is the weapon you held when Drake found you in that ditch.
[ ] … not really your cup of tea. Your second hand is for a shield. The other wields a short blade that makes up for its lack in range with speed and dexterity. Capella was carrying these back when you traveled together to the Caer.
You shake your head. All aspirants study every weapon, though of course everyone has their preferences. Though you know Lissy is by far the strongest in your group, she's not fighting you as a show of force.
To someone like her, a fight is a conversation.
Ruby and the three Pokemon go to the side. Skiddle bah's in encouragement. Perseus says something, and she turns to him and bah's right in his ear. He grunts back, and she bah's louder.
There's little reason to delay. You raise the sword, and watch as she does the same. Your forms are mirrors, and so are the first movements. With two steps, you both cross the distance toward each other. With a single swing, the swords meet in the middle with such a loud crack, it makes Ruby shout in surprise. Your hands are numb.
But she does not relent. While the swords are knocked away from each other, her grip tightens, her right foot sliding over the ground as her upper body adjusts for another swing. You can't do the same, squaring up and spreading your feet apart, lowering your center of gravity—
You raise the sword just time. She swings with a force that makes you wonder if she's even human, kicking up dust and whipping the air around her into a frenzy. You block with the broad side of the blade.
Fat lot of good that did. You grunt as you're forced back, your entire body sliding
meters away as your arms shake from the impact.
"You good?" she asks. You shake your right arm, feeling the numbness give way to pain as the cold air touches the new bruises on your hands.
"Never been better," you say. You close your eyes for a second, taking a deep breath. You remember the Murkrow. You remember the joy of winning a fight,
truly winning something so much more important than a spar.
And somehow you would
hate to lose right now when Skiddle did such a great job fighting for you.
You open your eyes when you hear her steps, dirt kicking up behind her. You don't raise the sword to defend with this time, you wait for the right moment, you wait for her to overextend in the ways you know Capella is prone to.
She does, though the tip of her sword manages to catch your shoulder on the way down as you twist out of the way. You stab forward, the sword's length catching Lissy in the stomach. She turns, also barely inconvenienced by the attack.
"Pelly once said you have a heart twice the size of mine," Lissy said. The exchange of blows has given way to a stalemate. A moment to catch your breath. "I'm inclined to agree."
"She also said," you say, stopping to cough for a second, "that you have nothing in your head but swords."
"Yeah, and?" she asks, unapologetic and almost
proud of that summary. "I want to become a legend, Aria. And I will not stand here and apologize for wanting that!"
You snort. "To the next Kael then."
She takes a few steps back, the distance between you allowing both of you to recover. Skiddle and Perseus are cheering from the side, their cries growing louder and louder. Even Opal joins in. Ruby is still looking worried. You notice that some of the knights on the other training grounds have started to watch the spar. You swear you catch a glimpse of green hair in a window.
But you have to focus.
"The Sunsinger will call my name in the Elysian fields!" Lissy boasts. Somehow, with the cold sun above you shining those blue rays through frosted clouds, it does not seem so farfetched. "So come, Aria, this might be your only chance to face a future legend!"
You can't help it. When you see that joy on her face, your earlier forced smile is already forgotten. You smile back, showing just as many teeth.
You hear the words of the teacher clearly.
You change your grip. You aren't sure if this kind of move would even be possible with a real sword, but you force your body to obey. You force the sword to obey.
You drag the sword across the ground with both hands, running up to her. She swings again, but this time you're able to dodge. The blunt blade passes to your side, the tip sinking into the dirt, forcing her to move out of the way as you swing up diagonally. For just one moment, you let go of the sword—
—Skiddle uses a crooked tree as leverage.
Her attempt to dodge leaves the flat of the blade toward you, still low enough to the ground as she tries to raise it.
You step onto her sword. The audacity of the movement stuns Lissy for just a moment. Jumping up, you reach out and change your grip once again.
You stop the blade's ascent and whip it down. She can't dodge this time, forced to block just as you were moments ago. She lifts the sword in that short moment, for once holding it up with both hands. The momentum and angle help, her footing not quite as solid as she wants it to be. The blades meet again, and a crack like thunder echoes over the entire arena. She's forced to her knees to avoid eating dirt. You find yourself unable to hold the grip on the sword, watching helplessly as it flies through the air and lands behind you.
You land on the ground again, ready to receive the finishing blow. Lissy starts laughing, throwing her sword to the side.
"Holy shit," she says, laughing even louder. "My arms are
numb, you're a menace."
She lies. You know if she really wants to, she can keep going, but this wasn't a fight. It was just sparring, and she has achieved her purpose.
You collapse onto your knees as well, your vision blurring. There's not enough air in your lungs, and trying to steady your breathing is a herculean task. Ruby rushes over, flasks of water in their hands. You try to take it, but your fingers won't keep hold of it.
Attempts of saying 'thank you' come out garbled. Lissy laughs at you, and you can't help but join in. It starts slow and becomes a disgusting mix of coughs and giggles. Ruby looks lost for a moment, but there must be something in the air, because they join in later.
Skiddle bah's, and Perseus shrugs his shoulders.
###
With that out of the way, Ruby invites you two to the kitchens. They help out there a lot, they say, and that means they also have a key to enter after the normal hours.
It doesn't take that long to whip up a meal. It's impressive, for someone who seems so maladjusted to fighting, their ability to wield a knife compares to that of your—
You shake your head. Skiddle looks very excited at the prospect of
more food. You know from your own studies about her species that she doesn't actually need to eat that much as long as there's sunlight and water around, but Skiddle likes to eat for the sake of eating.
Not that you're unfamiliar with that. The smell of spices makes your stomach growl much harder than usual. Lissy has been passing time by letting Perseus punch her hands, then swiping at him to force him to dodge.
"Ruby," you say, ignoring the jump the mere mention of their name causes. "Are you sure you want to be a knight?"
The question is perhaps callous. Certainly, it's unexpected enough that even Lissy stops in her tracks and looks over to you, Perseus' fist in her cheek after that moment of inattention.
"I'm sorry," you say, perhaps too quickly. It's a question you have trouble answering sometimes, but in the context toward someone like Ruby, it is clear what your words are truly asking.
"There's a village," they say, and their voice neither quiet nor loud. "At the edge of the kingdom, to the west."
"Regis' Pass." You know it. Few don't. Back in the days of the Gilderan founding, the people of the lands to the west did not bow down to the first queen. The queen did not want to steal lands, so she granted them citizenship and promised her armies will never touch the mountains where they live.
Unfortunately, that agreement lasted only for three more rulers. While the modern royal family has dialed back laws and expansions, returning to the days of their founding mother to keep the peace at the western border—
Damage has been done that no amount of time can heal.
"If you're from that village, that question doesn't change, but the meaning does," you continue. "The Order may be under the Duke, but the Duke still obeys the Gilderan royal family."
"Ambitions do not end with a blade in hand." For the first time ever, you can see Ruby's eyes clearly. They reflect the candlelight, a red so deep it reminds you of an autumn sunrise. "If I become stronger than I am now, if my work becomes indispensable to the crown—"
"You'll be a noble," Lissy says, scoffing. "With land, that the crown is sworn to protect. That no other noble can exploit."
Ruby nods. Suddenly, calling Ruby fearful or jumpy feels wrong. The image in your head flips, and you come to realize, more so now than in all those years before, that there are myriad reasons to pick up the sword. Even reasons that you haven't even fathomed.
"Suddenly, my reasons feel inadequate." You don't feel much appetite anymore, but Ruby still sets the plate in front of you and you'll never refuse a free meal.
"What
are your reasons," Lissy asks, polite enough not to speak with a full mouth. "You don't really talk much with anyone that's not Pelly, so nobody knows what you're about."
There's no doubt in your mind as to your answer: "I want to repay the debt I owe Commander Drake."
"Well, that
is kinda boring," Lissy says. Ruby nods for a moment before shaking their head way too fast. "What, without ambition, you're just going through the motions? Drake's not gonna live forever—"
"Lissy!" Ruby shouts.
"So when is that debt repaid? Are you going to live for someone else the entire time?"
You draw your lips into a thin line. Again, your image of Lissy begins to shift a little. She's not quite the dumb brute that Capella presents her as, but short bursts of insights don't make a genius yet.
Nevertheless, the question is completely valid.
"I don't know," you admit. "When he brought me here, I had given up on a lot of things. I didn't expect to get this far."
"Everyone got their own reasons," Lissy says, shrugging, "but those got to be
your reasons. Did the commander ever say he expects you to follow in his footsteps?"
You shake your head. "It
is my reason, but I don't disagree. I know that there's much more out there than the Order. I want to see more of Gildera. I want to keep staying with Skiddle and winning fights. I want to make a name for myself. All of these are me."
Lissy hits the table with her fist. She smiles at you. "Well, until you find something big, that's more than enough, ain't that right, Ruby?"
"Y-yes!" Ruby says, shouting to meet Lissy's cadence. "We're g-going to protect people soon, that's one step of many!"
The three partners shout in agreement. You don't raise your voice, but you find your heart beats louder.
If you stand for nothing, Aria, what will you fall for?
###
It's already dark by the time you return to the dorms. Your arms still ache from the sparring, though Ruby's meal is far above what the kitchens usually produce and almost makes up for it again.
You open the door slowly, careful not to wake anyone. Two of the beds are empty, though, and the third—
"Did you have fun?" Capella asks, sitting on the bed. You can barely make out her face in the darkness.
"Yes," you say. That must be the wrong answer. Even in the darkness, you can see her frown. You try again. "No?"
"They're at the camp training," Capella answers the unasked question when your eyes move to the empty beds again. "So we have time to talk for once."
"For once?" you ask, tilting your head. You know that tone, and you're certain your night has barely started. "We just saw each other this morning, Capella."
"Barely," she says, standing up. She walks up to you, and you notice it. The way her skin has paled even more, the way her shoulders shake. There is anger in her every movement, and for once you do not understand anything.
People are
hard, but not Capella. Capella is easy. You know how to calm her down when she gets too excited, you know the foods that make her happy, you know the gestures that she appreciates. For four years, she's been your constant companion.
So why is that feeling in your gut telling you to
dodge.
She does not lash out, though the way her hair bounces when she turns her head away makes your teeth clench.
"I talked to Drake," she says, "before he left. I asked him… I asked him why he didn't give me a partner yet. He said it's not the time."
"That's what he always says."
"That's what he always
said," she corrects. "Until it's time for you, until he lets you do all the things we promised to do together."
You open your mouth. You close it. You think, and open it again, your hands moving up to grasp the air as if the right words will fall out of thin air. Skiddle bounces in the ball, snapping you back to the conversation.
"I don't know what I can say here that will make you happy," you admit. Capella reels back, her right hand reaching for her left arm. You want to reach out, soften her grip on her own arm as you see the nails dig deep into the fabric. She takes another step back, as if reading your mind.
"I'm not some
problem to solve, Aria," she says, and for the first time you find yourself speechless at how bitter your name sounds in her mouth. "You said you'd always be by my side, but now you're leaving me behind. Just like my family did."
Unlike you, Capella has never made a secret out of her past. A rich family, a terrible accident, and an uncle who gambled the entire inheritance away before Capella's boarding school kicked her out due to the lack of tuition.
It's a story you've heard so often, you can recite it from memory, and therein lies a difference between the two of you. Capella claws her way out of that mire and stands tall, using her history as a stepping stone to motivate herself; you run from it.
And you will keep running from those eight letters of which you retain only four.
"A day or two, a month or many, a year longer." You try to be diplomatic, but it's difficult. Capella isn't looking for a solution that you can offer, she's not even looking for words of comfort. She wants to be upset, and it is her right to feel that way. "Whether you have a partner now or later, that changes nothing between us. Drake trusts us."
"He trusts you enough to give you a partner," she says, her grip loosening enough that you breathe out in relief, "and then you are on lesson after lesson without me. Training without me. And the distance between us keeps growing, I can't even spend time with him because the second he bestows that gift on you he's
gone again."
Capella always takes it hard when Drake is gone, today is no different. Usually you find yourself being her focus for that time, but this week you can't be. This week, you have to fulfill your duty. And in that duty, you try to see the best.
"We're more than what we are to each other," you say. Capella's mouth shuts so quickly, her teeth snap together and make a sound. "I've been friendly with people around the academy, but I've never made friends. Maybe this is the time for us to meet others, expand our horizons."
"Fuck," she says, and it's by far the harshest word she curses with. "
Fuck."
Again, you don't know what to say, so you say nothing.
"What makes us different?" she asks, knowing you can't truly answer a question like that. Her broken voice. Her pleading eyes. "Why does Drake trust you and not me, even though I've been with him longer?"
You open your mouth, and close it again. You have suspicions, but without Drake here to confirm them you can't tell for certain if that behavior is born from his assumptions about your past.
You turn around, shuddering a breath as you speak up. Whatever you say now will never build trust between you, because as much as you consider Capella the closest person to your heart—
There are things you cannot share with her, just as there are things she cannot share with you.
What lie will you tell?
[ ] You used to be a maid for a family. Their son was not of good character, and when the rumors of his behavior toward servants grew so did your desire to run.
[ ] You grew up in an orphanage. There was no future for you there, so you had to leave as soon as you could walk upright.
[ ] The village you lived in was destroyed by a wild Pokemon attack. Nobody survived, and you were left fending for yourself.
