Eight Steps to Bravery

Chapter Four

    "I still don't understand how you did it," Kouen grumbled, flashing his glaring golden eyes at me. "I've seen trainers much more skilled and experienced unable to do what you did today."
    I pursed my lips. "Lugia and I are more powerful that you all thought, I suppose."
    Kouen shook his head, ruffling tufts of his ginger hair. "Don't be so sure. Viené probably recruited you because you show potential, but you still have a lot to learn. You and Lugia need to learn how to work as a team, and you also need to recognize when your Pokémon is no longer able to fight." He glanced down Lugia's exhausted, but conscious figure walking beside me. "Accepting defeat is far better than facing the consequences of arrogance."
    Guilt overcame me, and I was unable to look down at my partner beside me. He's absolutely right, I thought as we walked on in silence.
    I stopped suddenly, causing Kouen to turn around to face me with a puzzled expression. "What's up, shorty?"
    "Just what side is Aquacorde Town on in this battle?" Please don't let them be a part of the Crimson Army.
    Kouen snorted. "Well, we aren't a part of the Crimson Army, if that's what your small, ignorant head is thinking, nor are we a part of the opposing team, Orumni. We stand on our own, against both armies." Kouen moved forward, leaning his back on the building beside us. "As you must already know, the Crimson Army is lead by the king of the Kalos region. Their goal is to take over all regions beyond Kalos as their own, and they intend on slaughtering anyone who stands in their way, or in the king's words, 'anyone who doesn't deserve to live in such an imperial nation'. Orumni is against them, wanting to stop the Crimson Army's conquering plans, but while doing so, they wish to also take over all regions of land in order to protect the people from the Crimson Army. And there are many towns and cities, like our own, who are against both armies, and only wish to be free from war and the conquering hand that is grasped around them." Kouen stared at me, his fiery golden eyes burning into mine like a laser, until I was unable to meet his gaze any longer. "All we want is freedom," he said firmly. "We will fight for it, even if it means being slaughtered."
    I nodded briskly, feeling pleased with his answer, but I could not stop the shivers that were now wracking my body.
    Kouen stepped forward, placing a hand on my shoulder, and for the first time, I saw him smile.
    "And that, Veerium, is why we need you."

    The rising sun blinded me, causing me to squint, as I stood outside on an open field, shivering in the early morning cold. I could feel Lugia's hot breath on my hip through my leather pants, and brushed a hand over his sleek body next to me. He stiffened at my touch, but quickly relaxed, leaning into my hand.
    We were standing on the training field, waiting to be registered for military training. A tall, well-built woman came to pick us up that morning, and was now standing beside us as we waited to be registered. She wore a long, dark jacket that went down to her knees, and her brown hair was pulled tight into a bun, adding to her intimidating figure. However, she paid no attention to me or Lugia.
    We waited in line for an hour before we finally reached a young man sitting at a table, a pencil held behind his ear. He turned to look at me with a surprised expression, and grabbed the pencil from his ear.
    "That's the second child we have enlisted today," he remarked, scribbling something on a paper. "Okay, name?"
    "Veerium Fawning."
    His eyebrows raised as if he recognized the name, but continued to focus on writing. "Age?"
    "Thirteen."
    He scribbled down something once more. "Where were you born, Miss Fawning?"
    I frowned. "Churmin Town, Kalos Region."
    The man stiffened, looking up to meet my gaze. "But wasn't that town-"
    I cut him off. "Blown up? Eradicated? Slaughtered? Yes it was, about three days ago." I looked away from his sympathetic gaze.
    "My apologies," he murmured, his pencil moving briskly across the paper before he turned to the woman next to me. "Will she be signing up for Pokémon battle training?"
    "She will," the woman replied curtly.
    His gaze fell down to Lugia next to me, who had been motionless this whole time. "It's Lugia, right?"
    I nodded, and Lugia stood up straight beside me, as if showing himself off. I smirked at his pleased expression when he received a few startled glances.
    After our forms had been filled out, we received a quick health inspection. I received new bandages for the slowly healing wound on my back, and Lugia's burns were treated once more. I was then handed a slip of paper and a tag from the woman accompanying us after we had been checked.
    "This is to show that you have been formally registered as a part of this program," she said, clipping the tag onto my jacket. 'Veerium Fawning. Aquacorde's Military Program, Class 4C' was printed on it.
    "Class 4C is over there," she told me, pointing towards the opposite side of the field. A small shape of gathering people was visible in the area, dark clothing prominent against the emerald green grass. "You will take part in the Pokémon training program at promptly eleven o'clock, don't be late. You will be on your own from this point forward."
    "Uh, thanks for the help," I said gratefully, but the woman was already walking off, acknowledging my words with simply a wave of her hand.
    I sighed. "Alright Lugia, ready?" I met his wide crimson eyes.
    Lugia nodded, but I his shaking body told me he was more than a little nervous.
    "We'll be fine," I remarked, half to myself, as we began walking across the field, passing hordes of people who clearly knew what they were doing. Unlike me.
    "You there!" someone called around where I was heading, "are you Fawning?"
    "Um, yes!" I replied back, my voice cracking slightly as I called back. I began running towards the source of the voice with Lugia scrambling by my side, which turned out to be a muscular man with long black hair pulled back in a pony tail. Though his voice was harsh, his brown eyes were warm and friendly.
    "My name is Zach, and I am the advisor for class 4C," he said gruffly. "Please line up with the others, and we will begin shortly." He gave Lugia a questionable look, but then his eyes flashed with understanding.
    "So you're the girl that had a go with Viené," Zach remarked, laughing. "I must say I am impressed, and more than a little excited to see what you and your Pokémon are capable of." He placed a hand on Lugia's snout in greeting, and I was surprised to see Lugia lean into his touch rather than flinch away.
He's growing up. We both are.
    "However, Pokémon are not permitted to be out right now, so I'll have to ask you to return him to his pokéball."
    I exchanged an understanding look with Zach before pulling Lugia's pokéball out of my pocket. "I'll see you later," I told him, smiling, and watched as he disappeared with a bright flash.
    Returning his pokéball to my pocket, I moved briskly towards the line of other soldiers, who were all at least twice my size, and looked more than a little intimidating. I moved down the row of people, hoping to find an empty spot away from the others, though was annoyed when I found none.
    "Hey, shorty," someone called behind me. "Looking for a spot?"
    I turned around, irritating with my reoccurring nickname, but was surprised when I met the bright amber eyes of a boy about my age.
Is he the other child enrolled?
    I nervously walked forward, awkwardly standing beside him. An amused expression crossed his face as he watched me. "So who are you?"
    "Uh, my name's Veerium."
    "Veerium." The boy repeated my name multiple times, his eyes narrowing. "That's a rather odd name."
    "You can call me Vee if that's easier."
    His eyes brightened. "Alright then, Vee. If it makes you feel any better about your odd name, my name's Narcissus Fate Callum."
    I could feel my body relieving itself from its previous tense position, smiling and letting out a laugh. "What a mouthful," I remarked.
    He shrugged. "Guess we both have weird parents. You can just call me Fate, though."
    "Heh, Fate and Vee."
    "The new traveling duo," Fate said with a suggestive snicker, which I replied to with a snort.
    We were suddenly called for silence as Zach began attendance, yelling out names every few seconds. I mimicked what the others were doing: standing up tall, gazing forward, and looking respectful and focused. I straightened my back and stood on my toes slightly, but I was still at least a head shorter than Fate, and he was one of the shorter people in our class. I held back a grumbling retort, knowing I probably wouldn't hear the end of it about my height for a while.
    I grew bored after a few minutes of standing completely still, and turned slightly to look at Fate, gazing at him up and down. He had a tall, thin body, and his growing, broadening shoulders slightly visible under his dark jacket. His face was sharp and defined for a child, and his thick, golden blonde hair ruffled in the faint breeze. I found myself staring at his warm amber eyes for a while, my gaze quickly drifting down to my feet when he noticed.
    "What? Is there something on my face?" he whispered.
    "Um no, you're fine," I muttered back in reply.
    I noticed a faint smirk creeping onto his face from the corner of my eye. "Oh, I'm sure."
    I bit my lip to keep myself from snapping at him, grumbling as my face flushed.
    Eventually my name was called, in which I echoed the repeated "Here!" to signify my existence. Fate was called shortly after.
    "Alright, we will begin the basics of training today," Zach began, raising his voice. "I want everyone to do their best, and I don't want to hear of any weak ass pansies in this class."
    I was surprised with how intimidating he sounded.
    "Let's go!" he yelled, motioning for us to move forward and follow his lead. I put on a slow sprint just to keep up with Fate's jog, withholding a sigh.
     Okay, let's do this.