The Time the Sky was Dark

The Chosen Ones

"What's... going on?" she turned to him. "the sky is pink!" She looked back from him to the window in excited bursts, the sky reflecting off her eyes, and illuminated them into tiny gems. Rise felt confused as he stared at her withought a word. 

Why is she so excited? It's just a sunrise.... It happens every morning.

"What do you MEAN? It's the SUNRISE!" Loudred voice Rise's thoughts aloud, and Crystal immediately looked embarrassed. She looked down and carefully got back on all fours, away from the sunrise, which was already changing from red to pink to gold. The day had begun. Loudred sighed. "Well, I'll wake the others now." he mumbled, and walked off, leaving Rise and Crystal alone. 

"Crystal...?" Rise ventured. Crystal looked back at the window longingly. 

"Rise... I know this will sound strange to you... but I feel like... I feel like this is the first time I've ever watched the sun rise... It's so beautiful..." Crystal watched the window, hardly moving save for her tiny breaths, as if taking in more than a whisper would break the sun beyond repair, and forever erase the sight. Rise stared a moment, and then realized, 

Oh that's right! She lost her memory! She must not have any memory of anything... Crystal... Rise walked over to her. 

"Rise... I hope the sun rise never goes away..." she mumbled.

"... huh?"

Crystal turned to him, and Rise felt a little disturbed. She was not being her usual self. She barely reprimanded Loudred for waking them up early. She wasn't angry at him for some reason or another. She seemed as distant as a star, as different from her usual self as orange is different as purple. She seemed much older for some reason. 

"I remember you telling me about time being weird... And recently, time's been stopping altogether... Will the sun just... fail to rise, one day?" she asked. "Will half the world end in darkness, and half burn in light?" 

"Crystal...?" 

"It's... nothing. Forget I said anything." 

"Uh... okay..."

- - - -

Everyone was assembled in front of Chatot and Wigglytuff, as usual, except that this was no usual day, this was no usual assembly. Today, they would be chosen for the expedition at last. Chatot was standing in front, holding a note, undoubtedly with the names of the Pokemon going on it. Nervous glances were cast around the room. Throats swallowed. Sweat beaded on palms. Teeth grinded against teeth. The tension made the room silent.

The silence was deafening.

"Alright, everyone, its the moment we've all been waiting for. We will now announce who will be going on the expedition!" Chatot let that single sentence hang in the air. 

"Loudred."  Loud shouts of victory were heard to the point of everyone covering their ears as Loudred went up front.

"Sunflora." An ecstatic scream of delight filled the room, and a dancing flower skipped in front next to Loudred. 

"Chimecho." A cry of shock rang across the room in gentle whispers. The owner of the voice floated over, grinning from one side to the other, seeing as she didn't have proper ears. 

"Dugtrio." Silence, glee in the atmosphere. The two ground-types calmly took their place in front. 

"And finally..." Silence, heavy silence. 

 "Bidoof." 

"Golly, me?" The beaver gasped, and waddled his way forward. Everyone who was not going instantly deflated, although they did cheer. None of the rest were going.

"Ahem, if you are quite finished..." Chatot said, and the cheering quieted down. "These are the pokemon chosen by our guild master to attend the expedition, now if you'll excuse me-" he paused. He looked down at the list. What was this? There were more scribbles at the bottom, but they were so hard to make out!

"Erm, pause! Cease! Desist!" he yelled out. "There will be some others going as well... Let's see... um... Diglett... and uh..... Croagunk... and... corphish..." He struggled to make out the last two words.

"Rise... and Crystal! But wait... Guildmaster, isn't this...?" 

"Everyone! I wanted all my friends to go on the expedition!" Wigglytuff answered. And there they had it. Everyone was going on the expedition. There was a chorus of cheering, and then they got down to business by assigning teams. Much to Wigglytuff's dismay, he went alone with Chatot. Loudred and Sunflora were a pair (but chimecho ended up going with them). Corphish went with Dugtrio and son. Of course, Team Skull went together. Team Sapphire was accompanied by none other than Bidoof, much to Crystal's dismay, and after a little preparation...

"Are we ready?" Rise asked, carrying the bag with their necessary items.

"Hey guys!" Rise groaned inwardly.

anyone but-

"Aaron!" Crystal exclaimed. Bidoof looked from Crystal to the Treeko, who was running up with a skitty at his heels. 

"Hey there, gorgeous." Aaron said, immediately hugging Crystal. "Heard you were on an expedition. Thought me and my partner would come say goodbye." He turned to the skitty, who was now talking with Bidoof. 

"This is my partner, Sarah." he explained. "Now, before you leave, I'd-"

"We'd love to stay and chat, but we have an expedition and we have to go." Rise declared, and started pulling Crystal and Bidoof away. "Nice seeing you, bye!"

"I'll talk to you later~!" Crystal yelled.

"You too, sweetheart." Aaron blew a kiss in her direction. Rise was fighting every nerve in his body not to go beat Aaron's brains out. And with that, they started on the journey that would spark a fire to light up a world lost in darkness...

- - - 

Finally done. Dagnabbit me and my procrastination. 

Aaron, you're such a flirt. 

Bidoof, keep thy paws off of Sarah. 

Rise. Do not hesitate to punch him. 

Rise: I can do that? I thought-

Me: *muffles words* Hehehe, Merry Christmas! (What a lovely Christmas present you get, guys!)