Pokémon :: The Red String
I don't write enough Aaron & Lucario fic. T-T supercharitygo provided a lovely opportunity though, so now I grant it and $5 to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation! :D This is my prompt: "Using your skills as a writer, tell a story based on or inspired by a significant memory from your childhood. The important thing here is the source of the idea; the degree to which the story matches your actual experience is up to you. Post your response somewhere that a person following SuperCharityGo would be able to find it."
It's not everyday you get a ficlet based off real-life events of mine. These are based off places I've visited in the woods I used to visit upon Signal Mountain. And urm, what happens to Sir Aaron in the ficlet happened to me in real life too. You'll see for yourself. <.<;;; I hope the donor likes it! :o
Title: The Red String
Author: Shamanic Shaymin
Fandom: Pokémon
Genre: General
Rating: PG
Warnings: Small scene of cringe-worthy violence.
Ships/Characters: Young!Sir Aaron and Young!Lucario aka Riolu
Finished: Yes
As a child, Sir Aaron loved to leave the castle grounds to go exploring in the woods. He always brought a Pokémon with him, so there was little worry for his safety. An Aura User in training, the boy always brought his Riolu on his adventures. Bringing him to his favorite places, Aaron explained them to his Pokemon with awed enthusiasm, while Riolu nodded and listened. With his master, Riolu sat inside a small cave where moss smothered the rock ceiling and the wet soil was black as soot. There were pink flowers in the trees, on lily-pads, and an entire field of where the Gratitude Pokémon was supposed to take flight; they would spend hours waiting and would never see her, but enjoy the wind and pleasant aroma the Glacidea field blessed them with. They found a tiny colony of Corphish in a small pond, and an emerald lake with a surface as still as a wine glass. There was a ravine with a small gap under the rock just big enough for both Aaron and Riolu to crawl under; the last time they went there, a Murkrow cawed and swooped at them from the darkness, and since then they approached the place with caution. There was an island where they would cross, sit on a rock and toss stones and leaves at the gurgling stream. Sometimes Aaron brought his Pidgey with him, so it would remember the places they've been and direct them around the forest if they got lost.
Yes, the forest was beautiful. Riolu was glad his master could appreciate and hold fondness for the woods. But as a Pokémon, he learned early on that nature too had its ugly side.
It wasn't the first time Aaron took off his boots and stepped into the stream. It was cold, certainly, an icy cold, but the boy was delighted, allowing the waters to come rushing up his calves. Riolu declined to follow him; after testing the temperature with his foot, he yelped and jumped back, glancing at his master with pitiful contempt. Aaron smiled, walking alongside Riolu in the water while his Pokémon clambered after him on leaves and mossy rock. Then it happened: with a cry, the boy tumbled backwards with a frantic splash. His hands instantly became numb when they hit the water, skidding a hard and slippery surface as his fingers plunged beneath a large stone. A startled Riolu bent by Aaron's side. The Pokémon glowed an icy-aura, shivering with concern as he tried to help the boy to his feet. His crimson eyes pleaded the question as they gazed into his master's. Are you okay? Are you okay!?
"Thank you, Riolu. I'm fine..." His behind was sore and he was cold from the rush of wind once he got out of the water, but overall, Aaron felt... fine. Numb, but fine. Strange, but... fine. Drenched and shaking, Aaron sat down and tried to still his wobbling knees, breathing deeply as he began wiping off mud and moss. He peeled his gloves off and squeezed them, his hands white and wrinkled and--!
The boy's jaw fell. His azure eyes widened before switching to blank astonishment. One of his hands slipped under the rock he's sitting on, and that was why his finger felt so strange. It looked almost alien. Among the white, it had maybe traces of pink, but there was red, oh, it was berry-red. Half a shell of his nail was broken, a smeared crack of blood lightning running half-way down his nail. Yet Aaron was only half aware of the pain he should be feeling; there was a sting, but the icy-cold water from his fall reduced it considerably. He supposed he was lucky, for feeling this numb... it was just so weird. Surreal. He was too shocked to be hurt. Too fascinated and disturbed to even whimper.
Aaron knew one thing. He had to go back. Now.
"Riolu." He shivered. "W-We have to go home. Come on."
He knew Riolu would be worried sick about him. But he knew it would scare him. What mattered now and all he thought about was going home and getting medical attention to his finger. Then when he was safe, he would tell Riolu. He would tell. As they trekked back to the castle, Aaron nodded to Riolu before glancing at his finger, the string of blood sealing his promise.
It's not everyday you get a ficlet based off real-life events of mine. These are based off places I've visited in the woods I used to visit upon Signal Mountain. And urm, what happens to Sir Aaron in the ficlet happened to me in real life too. You'll see for yourself. <.<;;; I hope the donor likes it! :o
Title: The Red String
Author: Shamanic Shaymin
Fandom: Pokémon
Genre: General
Rating: PG
Warnings: Small scene of cringe-worthy violence.
Ships/Characters: Young!Sir Aaron and Young!Lucario aka Riolu
Finished: Yes
As a child, Sir Aaron loved to leave the castle grounds to go exploring in the woods. He always brought a Pokémon with him, so there was little worry for his safety. An Aura User in training, the boy always brought his Riolu on his adventures. Bringing him to his favorite places, Aaron explained them to his Pokemon with awed enthusiasm, while Riolu nodded and listened. With his master, Riolu sat inside a small cave where moss smothered the rock ceiling and the wet soil was black as soot. There were pink flowers in the trees, on lily-pads, and an entire field of where the Gratitude Pokémon was supposed to take flight; they would spend hours waiting and would never see her, but enjoy the wind and pleasant aroma the Glacidea field blessed them with. They found a tiny colony of Corphish in a small pond, and an emerald lake with a surface as still as a wine glass. There was a ravine with a small gap under the rock just big enough for both Aaron and Riolu to crawl under; the last time they went there, a Murkrow cawed and swooped at them from the darkness, and since then they approached the place with caution. There was an island where they would cross, sit on a rock and toss stones and leaves at the gurgling stream. Sometimes Aaron brought his Pidgey with him, so it would remember the places they've been and direct them around the forest if they got lost.
Yes, the forest was beautiful. Riolu was glad his master could appreciate and hold fondness for the woods. But as a Pokémon, he learned early on that nature too had its ugly side.
It wasn't the first time Aaron took off his boots and stepped into the stream. It was cold, certainly, an icy cold, but the boy was delighted, allowing the waters to come rushing up his calves. Riolu declined to follow him; after testing the temperature with his foot, he yelped and jumped back, glancing at his master with pitiful contempt. Aaron smiled, walking alongside Riolu in the water while his Pokémon clambered after him on leaves and mossy rock. Then it happened: with a cry, the boy tumbled backwards with a frantic splash. His hands instantly became numb when they hit the water, skidding a hard and slippery surface as his fingers plunged beneath a large stone. A startled Riolu bent by Aaron's side. The Pokémon glowed an icy-aura, shivering with concern as he tried to help the boy to his feet. His crimson eyes pleaded the question as they gazed into his master's. Are you okay? Are you okay!?
"Thank you, Riolu. I'm fine..." His behind was sore and he was cold from the rush of wind once he got out of the water, but overall, Aaron felt... fine. Numb, but fine. Strange, but... fine. Drenched and shaking, Aaron sat down and tried to still his wobbling knees, breathing deeply as he began wiping off mud and moss. He peeled his gloves off and squeezed them, his hands white and wrinkled and--!
The boy's jaw fell. His azure eyes widened before switching to blank astonishment. One of his hands slipped under the rock he's sitting on, and that was why his finger felt so strange. It looked almost alien. Among the white, it had maybe traces of pink, but there was red, oh, it was berry-red. Half a shell of his nail was broken, a smeared crack of blood lightning running half-way down his nail. Yet Aaron was only half aware of the pain he should be feeling; there was a sting, but the icy-cold water from his fall reduced it considerably. He supposed he was lucky, for feeling this numb... it was just so weird. Surreal. He was too shocked to be hurt. Too fascinated and disturbed to even whimper.
Aaron knew one thing. He had to go back. Now.
"Riolu." He shivered. "W-We have to go home. Come on."
He knew Riolu would be worried sick about him. But he knew it would scare him. What mattered now and all he thought about was going home and getting medical attention to his finger. Then when he was safe, he would tell Riolu. He would tell. As they trekked back to the castle, Aaron nodded to Riolu before glancing at his finger, the string of blood sealing his promise.