Temporal Triumphs - Prologue and Chapter I: A Storm at Sea

Temporal Triumphs - Prologue and Chapter I

Prologue

Lightning struck like crazy all around the two of them. As they were crossing the sea, the first said to the second, "Whoa! Wh-wh-whoa!"

The second replied, "Are... Are you OK?"

The first responded, "No! Don't let go! Just a little longer... Come on! Hang on!"

Strained and losing his grip on the first, the second yelled, "N-N-No! I can't... hold on...!" Suddenly, without warning, the second was struck seemingly by a wicked bolt of lightning. "AAAAAAHHHH!!!!" screamed the second, and for him, it all went black...

***

Chapter I: A Storm At Sea

The storm continued all through that night. Somewhere on an island known as the Grass Continent, there sat a beach on the western shore. To the south, a cave lay. To the north, a bluff protruding from the cliff towered over the beach, with the land continuing to hug the coast northwestwards. To the east, a cobblestone path led up the cliff to a bustling settlement known as Treasure Town, though no one was there due to the storm ravaging the area through the night.

The next day, all was calm... but the second was unconscious. I am the second. I moaned in pain and thought to myself, Where... Where am I? As I started to lose my sense of consciousness, I thought, I can't... Drifting off... and everything went black again.

That evening, atop the cliff, and atop the stairs to the north of Treasure Town, a Vulpix paced back and forth by the entrance to a strange place. "Hmmm..." said the Vulpix, and she faced the entrance. "...No. I cannot be paralyzed by this any longer! I have to be brave today." She stepped on the grate in front of the entrance.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a young male voice shouted upwards at the Vulpix. "Pokémon detected! Pokémon detected!"

A much louder, different male voice answered. "Whose footprint? Whose footprint?"
The young male responded, "The footprint is Vulpix's! The footprint is Vulpix's!"

"Aaaah!" shouted the Vulpix as she jumped backwards. "That startled me! Whew...." The Vulpix breathed out a sigh of relief and looked down. "I... I can't bring myself to go in. I swore that today was the day, but..." She placed down a strange rock. Staring at it, the Vulpix said to herself, "I thought that holding on to my personal treasure would help..." The Vulpix picked the rock back up. "I just can't do it... I'm such a coward... This is so discouraging..." Sad, the Vulpix turned back and headed down the stairs.

From hiding, two poison-type Pokémon emerged once the Vulpix was gone. Said one to the other, "Hey, Zubat. Did you get a load of that?" The other, obviously Zubat, replied, "Heh heh heh. You bet, Koffing. That pipsqueak pacing right there... had something good, right?" Koffing said, "Yeah. It seemed to be a kind of treasure."

Zubat turned to Koffing and said, "Do we chase after it?" Koffing turned back to Zubat and responded, "Yep." The two of them went down the stone stairs after the Vulpix.

***

Through town and down the cliff path the Vulpix went. Once she emerged on the beach, her eyes sparkled as she exclaimed, "Wow! What a beautiful sight!" She pondered the scene. It was sunset, and the water appeared golden from the setting sun's rays. Not only that, some Krabby were blowing bubbles which floated out over the sea. The Vulpix remarked, "When the weather's good, the Krabby come out at sundown to blow bubbles. All those bubbles, reflecting the setting sun off the waves... it's always beautiful." She took in the view for a few minutes, and said to herself, "This is where I always come when I'm feeling down on myself. But it makes me feel good to be here, like always. Coming here heals my spirits."