We Are Reluctant Heroes (Discontinued)

Chapter 1: Home

...Let the journey begin.

This was home, two years later.

Chirping. The first thing one could hear, quite early in the dawn, were the sound of chirping birds and rustling leaves. Nature never truly sleeps. She's always watching her underlings, as they live their lives, and die with the soil.

All wings, songs, and no sense of chaos. Only peace, for the various Flying types that lived in the trees. The bird Pokemon usually awake just minutes before the bigger, normal ones do. After all, the early Fletchling gets the Caterpie, right?

Yet, today, it was different.

In the gardens, there was one Pokemon who awoke even before the birds. Tending to the plants, naturally. Some of them were recently planted, others were slowly making their way towards adulthood. From Occa Berry trees, to Tamato Berry plants, variety overcame quantity.

Despite the different plants, and their different needs, the Pokemon seemed to enjoy it, mentally smiling to herself. When she wasn't training past her limits, or looking after the very few she truly cared for, she was in there. She was a Servine, after all. Grass types naturally adore nature. 

The rare moments that she ever smiles, they never show on her face. Not anymore.

The Servine stood up, once she was finished with her morning routine. She took one last glance around her, before sighing to herself. So beautiful... She thought. If only I was allowed to stay here forever...If only we all were...

Frowning, as she normally does, she stepped away from the plants, and headed towards the exit. Back to where she came from. The training hall.

During this time of dawn, it was silent within the hall. The occasional footsteps of the higher ups who walked across the floor were muted, further insulating this notion. The Servine sighed to herself, as she made way towards her room. Breakfast would be served in an hour. Best to train a little, before-

"Cali?"

The Servine, who was known as this "Cali", immediately turned towards that voice. One of the few voices that could trigger a sense of relief in her, whenever she heard it. "Oh...Good morning, Torrent."

Torrent didn't smile back. He only ever smiles when he wants to, or when he knows his own determination. With his two scalchops at his sides, and a straight face, the Dewott crossed his arms. "I thought you didn't like the dawn? What happened to "sleeping 9 hours a day"?"

Cali flushed in embarrassment, looking away. He was the only one who could even bring her close to being embarrassed. She never admitted that she used that very same excuse to train in her room, when everyone else thought she slept early. "W-well, I...I was in the garden, that's all."

"Tsk, of course." Torrent rolled his eyes. "You Grass types are all the same." He shook his head, sighing. "Well, since you're awake, I guess it wouldn't hurt to accompany me. Come on." He gestured her to follow. Cali blinked, before walking behind him. She didn't mind at all.

Torrent was never the open type. Nor the type that liked detail. He was all about getting things done quick and dirty, ignoring whatever consequences. And then resolving those exact consequences the same way. Too blunt to realize what he does, most of the time.

Cali was much more calm, collected, and reserved than him. She used her mind first, but, like her adoptive Dewott brother, quick to jump to action. A single feeling of her loved ones in danger, and she would show no mercy. Mercy didn't exist in this world. 

The pair both arrived outside, where most of the training exercises took place. Torrent frowned, staring at the tree that had a few thousand or so gashes and deep cuts. Each one an individual scar the Water type had embedded, over the last three years. He took his training a bit too seriously.