EVERYONE: Luceat Lux Vestra

[silurica]

Chapter 17: Under the Statue​

"Oh, you're still here."

Luca looks up from their sketchbook. Daiya is standing next to them, blocking the sunlight. The painter sighs before asking, "Not going to the Underground today?"

"I told you, I'm taking a break. I promised him I will," answers Daiya. "He— Roark has returned to Oreburgh too. Father went to sleep again after making sure there is no other Plate in this city, and now I have nothing to do."

"So…?"

"Look, I'm bored, okay? Entertain me."

Before Luca can protest, Daiya sits on the bench without disturbing the assortment of tools placed by the painter's side – a dirty pouch of stationery, a small palette of primary and secondary colors, brushes of varying sizes laid down on tissues, and two paper cups filled with water. A Cyndaquil sits close to Luca's feet, chewing on berries in the sunlight.

The bench faces the hill where Eterna City's treasured dragon statue stands, towering over the aged buildings around the hill. In the distance, Mt. Coronet continues on, defining the horizon with rough and sharp shapes. This scenery is reproduced in Luca's sketchbook with precise lines and loose colors.

"You draw well," he comments.

"Thanks," replies Luca. And they could have done this sooner if they weren't stuck in darkness for a week.

Let's see, brown would be good to use next for defining the statue. They mix orange and blue together in a free space on the lid of their palette to create the shade they desire. Today is warm, if a little windy. The sunlight is reflected on the bronze in a gentle way, following the curves of the ancient deity's heavy armor plates and wings—

Their hand stops, and once again their attention shifts from their work to Daiya. Pointing at the statue, they ask, "Hey, is that you?"

"I was hoping you won't ask me that," replies Daiya with a half-smile. The painter keeps staring at him. He pulls the tip of his hair and curls his mouth. They are still staring. Shrinking, he says, "Oh, fine. Yes and no. The people in this area used to believe that me and my siblings were one, their stories about our true forms became mixed up, and this was the end result."

"Huh, that explains the overcomplicated look."

He snorts. "Tiana said that too. Oh, and she also said it's ugly, but it grew on me since it's proof that what we do is appreciated."

It must be nice to be appreciated. The statue may have too many details for its own good, but there is still strength in its stance and how it overlooks the city – or at least the old buildings around it. They look back at their painting and try to imagine what such a position could mean; the image of someone on a bright podium – silver eyes gleaming under the light – forms in their mind. Something lurches in their chest.

"I've read that there are supposed to be inscriptions on the base of the statue," says Luca, tracing their thoughts back to the present, "but when I checked there's nothing of the like."

"Ah, that." Daiya scratches his head. "Team Galactic stole the plates with the inscriptions and we never managed to retrieve them."

Luca pouts. "Team Galactic again…."

"I think I will commission new plates for the statue. The old inscriptions were already faded and hard to read anyway. It's a good excuse to replace them, and if I'm lucky maybe this time I can get support to bring back the third plate too."

"The third plate?"

"Oh, right. There used to be a third plate, but…." He glances about – there is nobody beside the two of them and the Cyndaquil. "Well, there was an incident and opinions on Giratina haven't improved since. Have you heard the stories?"

Giratina, the third, oft-forgotten dragon that governs the universe alongside Dialga and Palkia. Luca has only learned of its existence from reading about the triangular Mystri Stage, each of its corners representing a dragon. The Mystri Stage, and obscure folktales about….

"About how Giratina is violent and was banished for it?" asks Luca.

"Exaggerations and bogus," says Daiya with a huff. "That Giratina… they said they don't mind the reputation since they never leave their domain that often anyway, but it's still not right. Giratina was just… clumsy."

"Clumsy? Wait, what happened?"

"Uh, this and that. It's kind of embarrassing." He waves his hand, dismissing the memory. "You should ask Giratina if you ever meet them…. Actually you probably will, knowing how Father works."

They will, huh? Just how far will Alfa bring them along for his quest, they cannot tell. Judging from the number of his Plates, there is still a while to go. Perhaps that's fine. That's more time they can spend without having to worry about returning to Johto. More time they can spend drawing in peace, when nothing strange is happening. They dip their brush in, picking up the brown they have mixed, and trace a fine line on the paper.

"You know, you are surprisingly blase about all these. Almost apathetic, even," remarks Daiya. "Is it Father's influence rubbing off on you?"

"Apathetic?" asks Luca, eyes focused on the trajectory of their brush.

"I mean, you're helping Father collect his Plates like it's completely normal."

Luca furrows their brow, and their hand halts again. This is normal, isn't it? This is how it went when they traveled with Professor Linden: assisting the locals, fetching artifacts from places, and drawing illustrations of ancient relics. "I just don't want to disappoint my mentor if I can't learn anything from your father. Also things have happened since, so…."

Daiya tilts his head, waiting, but nothing more comes from Luca. He scratches his head again. "So… you said Father proved he's not human by entering a Poké Ball."

"Yeah. Yeah, he did. So did you do that too?" asks Luca, now swirling and swirling their brush, struggling to blend the brown with the yellow they applied earlier. Damn. They were distracted for too long.

Daiya glares at the painter. "Hell, no. Not in a thousand years. Not ever. I don't know what Father thought of—" He shakes his head and clarifies, "I mean, was that really all it took to convince you that he's… you know, the Arceus?"

"I didn't think Arceus was real, so…." Luca trails off. The thought of shooing Daiya away so they can focus on their painting crosses their mind, but they dip their brush into one of the cups of water – the water is dark and muddled – before placing it down. They continue, "Well, there was a lot I didn't believe at first, but then he started doing more weird things like descending from Mt. Coronet very fast and absorbing the Flame Plate."

"You know, he could've been a powerful psychic," suggests Daiya.

Luca taps on their sketchbook. "Can you do all of that with psychic power…? Huh. I've… I've never thought of that. But that wouldn't explain why he was at the Spear Pillar…." They push up their glasses to rub their eyes. "Anyway, I started to believe him a little when he saved me and Celia."

"And Celia is…?"

"Ah. This Cyndaquil here is Celia." Luca gestures at the Pokémon curling by their feet. The berries are now gone, and the temperature is perfect for a nap.

"Huh, funny," remarks Daiya, his eyes now fixed at Celia. "She smells a little like Father, now you mention it."

Luca raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Not literally, but it's the best way I can say it." He leans forward, wrapping his hands around the Cyndaquil. As he puts her in his lap – the small Pokémon looks at Luca and coos in confusion – he adds, "Yup, it's an old scent. Did Father lend her a piece of himself?"

Luca gives their partner a scratch on her head to calm her down. As they do so, they trace their memory back to figure out the answer to Daiya's question. A piece of Alfa? That's vague. Lending a piece of… lending… wait, could that be?

Once it clicks, the memory of it grows vivid: the warm touch from the man in white, grazing their skin; a brilliant orange hue eradicating the dark; the little spring in Celia's steps; their own breath, taken away.

Their hand has stopped moving. With a quiet voice, they ask, "He boosted her firepower by touching her head, is that what you mean?"

"That sounds like it," says Daiya, rubbing the Cyndaquil's head. "Lucky little one, aren'tcha?"

"It didn't last more than one day though."

"Nah, it usually doesn't."

Luca gives the Cyndaquil another scratch and runs their fingers on her back, feeling the warm red spots where her flame can burn the brightest. She turns around in her place and nuzzles their hand.

Celia, probably, was changed by that contact. Or at least, something about her changed – something that can be sensed only by someone like Daiya even after time has passed. If Celia had changed in a notable way, they should have noticed by now. After all, the two of them have been together for years, through good and bad times.

Now the question of what will remain in their mind. Perhaps they should ask Alfa about it, but Daiya's demeanor gives them no impression that it should be something to worry about.

What they know for sure is how this thought will distract them from finishing their painting for the rest of the day.

 

[System Error]

- I would laugh if the plate turned out to be in a different section of the underground
- Aha, explaining the messed up statue
- I kind of forgot Luca is a painter specifically rather than an artst. Oh well, not that it matters too much for my reference
- Petty theft? Galactic was getting desperate it seems
- Hm, maybe my theory about Giratina isn't going to turn out, unless of course these distortions were caused by clumsiness
- Luca is just so used to weird stuff nothing phases them anymore
- Muddy water will happen when painting. Just make sure your pets don't try to drink from it
- Hmhm, curious. Seems there may be more to Celia than meets the eye. Or there was a lingering blessing but hey can't rule that out either
- Rip getting stuff done tho because of thoughts

Moving along with a lighter chapter here. We'll see what happens never!

 

[Welkamo]

I think I left off on Chapter 11, but I could be wrong.

The most recent books that they can find are dated around twenty years ago; could it be that was when the mansion became abandoned?

Assuming this takes place in Pokémon 202X, damn, I feel old.

Luca knows what to do now: "Celia, use Flamethrower!"

By my calculations, Celia is around Level 40. Heck yeah. Though this does raise the question: If Celia evolves, will she evolve into Johtonian or Hisuian Typhlosion?

They only stop when they hear a voice filled with urgency calling for them, "Hey! Over here!"

The comma should maybe probably be a colon, since the dialogue... tag... thing (idk what it's called specifically) could work as its own sentence.

When Luca turns toward the voice, they recognize the green braid and green dress in front of them. "Miss Cheryl!"

Cheryl!!!!!!!!! My favorite of the stat trainers!

"Mira…. Oh, I really made her worry, didn't I?" She shakes her head. "I only wanted to take shelter for a night, but there was a lonely little girl. I realized she's a ghost, but I still felt pity for her. I thought it wouldn't hurt to entertain her for a bit, and before I knew it…. Well, here I am now."

Cheryl... Cheryl I love you.

"Just to be clear," Cheryl whispers, "I only have Chansey with me. Her attacks are ineffective against ghosts. It's… part of why I've been stuck here."

..Cheryl I love you, but please teach your Chansey Psychic or Ice Beam or something.

BANG. The door opens wide: it's the same serpentine shadow as before. "Let's play… Let's play…" Is it just their feeling, or did the shadow grow larger? It now has arms – wings? – spanning across the room. No matter. Luca shouts, "Again, Celia! Flamethrower!"

Oh shoot.

A familiar, mysterious wave of power emanates from the flute. Golden light fills the room and everything, and it shall repel all malice. Nothing shall be beyond His gaze. Nothing shall be beyond His reach. Nothing shall—

All shall be well!!

Downstairs, they can see Alfa with his hair down.

Yo, he took out his ponytail.

"Imitators." His tone is unchanged, yet there is a weight to it that Luca has never felt before. "I shan't forgive that arrogance of yours. Begone!"

Yes yes YES. Protective Alfa protected the Child of Light.

"There was a distortion in this building," explains Alfa after the barrage of complaints has stopped.

Oh those are fun. Sometimes. Unless were talking about different distortions.

"And your playing of my flute mended it for now, just like in Jubilife City."

Question on the Azure Flute in this world: what's the range of the instrument? Could I play anything on it, or does it have to be the fluttery Flute/Sinnoh motif?

"I'm sorry, Child of Light."

"Huh?"

Alfa's unexpected words brought them back to the present. Sorry? What for? As they wonder about that, they feel a weakness in their legs and fall to their knees – fatigue? Their vision wavers, but they see one thing: Alfa's pale hand, offered to them.

This made me feel emotions in a good way.

"Luca? Are you okay?" asks Mira, with Cheryl following right behind her.

Luca takes Alfa's hand and gets back to their feet. It should be fine if they keep holding on to his arm for now. "I'm just tired, I think. Don't worry about it."

"That's right, we had quite an adventure," says Cheryl. "Why don't we find someplace to rest and have dinner together? I have a few Chansey eggs I can share."

At the mention of dinner and eggs, Mira raises her hand. "Oh! Oh! Leave dinner to Mira! Mira will make something tasty!" She exclaims, "And then as promised, Mira will give you the stone tablet from the forest, Mister!"

Found family! Yes!

I love Luca and Alfa's dynamic. It's just....... good stuff. Can't wait to read more.

 

[OrionTheAbsol]

Tired and off work, but I'm here to return the favor.

Spoiler: My Commentary

Chapter 1: The Man in White

• "The painter scratches the backside of the fire mouse Pokémon's neck" - I legit almost thought the painter was scratching a Cyndaquil's butt, lol (until I saw 'neck'). 'Nape' might be a better word here.
• I wonder how Luca got ahold of an Azure Flute.
• lol, Arceus just straight up entering someone's Poké Ball. Funnily enough, that's not too outlandish.
• The way Arceus made his descent on Mt. Coronet is a pretty neat image.

Chapter 2: A Museum and a Professor

• Arceus, not all-knowing? Heresy! Heresy, I say!
• lol, Arceus angry at heresy. Something about that is hilarious to me.
• Azure Flute question answered.

Chapter 3: The Flame in the Dark

• Damn, getting Luca's backstory in a paragraph. A deep-seated fear of failure.

I'll stop here for now. The premise is interesting, and I see it as an alternate approach to a journey fic in a way; instead of going the usual Pokémon journey, the creation god chose an artist to assist him.

I wonder what he plans to do once he has all the plates, though. Something about a 'disturbance' but I guess it's something too much that his base powers won't be able to overcome. On the surface, he doesn't seem malicious at all, though he does view humans with disdain. Considering that he wasn't terrible toward Luca, I'm guessing his disdain extends only as far as annoyance. And I'm guessing his 'children' are Dialga, Palkia and Giratina. The way he speaks of them comes across as fatherly.

Despite his mannerisms, I see him as potentially caring for Luca as a close friend. A possible conflict in the story could involve him valuing Luca for their role as a guide across Sinnoh rather than seeing Luca as a valuable partner. Some room for character development there.

I'll see if I can pick up more chapters later in the week. Keep up the good work!

 

[AetherX]

Hey there. I just got up through Chapter 7 and decided this was a good time to pause and leave a review.

I like the concept a lot. Humans interacting with not-quite-humans is always a fun topic and character dynamic to play around with. It's also a great setup for a journey fic (or at least a "wander around the region" fic).

I will admit I had a hard time with the prose. A lot of the way things are described is very passive and almost... disengaged? It's hard to explain. Like this bit:

They nonchalantly wonder, "Do you think we will die? No? I know this kind of thing happens to trainers, but I wasn't expecting it in a place like this…. Ah, it was an alright life…."

Nonchalantly? Really? Does Luca not care they're going to die? If your characters don't care, then I have a hard time caring myself. I don't know if you meant to use a different word there, but it is the clearest example of a certain passivity with which events that should be exciting are described (and often brushed past as if they weren't that big of a deal). It makes it hard to get immersed and really start getting invested in the characters and the events of the story.

Also there have been a couple scenes that ended with Luca falling unconscious, seemingly out of nowhere. I know it makes for a neat transition without having to describe or explain anything, but both times it didn't really make sense and was kind of jarring.

The last couple chapters have been really solid. It's great to get more in depth with Luca and a little backstory for Alfa. Luca especially has needed a little love in the characterization department. I think ideally it would have been nice to get some depth on their background and the way they view the world before Alfa showed up and the plot got going? But I understand you want to keep some things under wraps for the sake of mystery. Just make sure that eventual cool revelations don't get in the way of interesting characters and plot in the current moment. I say this having made that mistake many many times myself. But I digress. Like I said, the last couple chapters were nice and a good example of what is fun about this fic (lore and character interaction).

Keep it up!

 

[Welkamo]

Noticing these chapters are short and friend sized, perfect for when I’m too busy/stressed to try and tackle a longer fic. I would review more chapters, but brain sad and unfocused.

The workshop that Daiya spoke of is one of the few businesses lingering in the quiet street. Above its door hangs a sign saying: Paley's Watch & Clock. The bell at the door chimes when it opens. Just as the sign suggests, clocks of many shapes and sizes adorn the walls of the workshop. The shelves contain watches and small mechanical parts. "I'm a horologist – you know, clockmaker and watchmaker – though I also dabble in contraptions of other kinds," he explains. "Say, are you a gym challenger?"

Dialogue should maybe be a separate paragraph from the description.

Daiya clenches his fists. "I am ashamed that my power was used to make such an ugly building…"

This got a good laugh out of me.

A crack appears on the Draco Plate. It grows longer, wider, covering all surfaces until finally the Plate can no longer hold its form and turns into dust. The Adamant Orb now glows with a fresh azure radiance.

Colors return to Daiya's face as he receives the renewed Adamant Orb. He can look at his father's face again at last.

Oh no. Better call Saul. Or go to the Underground. Does this mean time is fixed?

When he does, the light in Alfa's eyes goes out and the man in white collapses to the floor.

Oh no. Creation Dad is unconscious.

Wasn’t expecting to quote because I’m on mobile, but I had to for a grammatical thing and then just said “screw it”. Good stuff in this chapter. The creations god trying lemonade for the first time was a highlight, as was Dad!Alfa. Can he be my dad.

Also why Paley?

 

[silurica]

Henlo henlo, thank you for the reviews! Sorry for not replying sooner, I wanted to wait until the event ends so I can respond to everyone in one post but ended up getting lost in other things instead (PL:A research in particular is taking a lot of brainspace).

Spoiler: Torchic

Assuming this takes place in Pokémon 202X, damn, I feel old.

Set in 200X equivalent actually! Because DPPt.

..Cheryl I love you, but please teach your Chansey Psychic or Ice Beam or something.

Real reason in my headcanon why Cheryl wanted somebody to accompany her through Eterna Forest: poor move coverage. (I based this on her DPPt Eterna Forest moveset, and in BDSP they actually gave her coverage. I pretended I didn't see.)

Oh those are fun. Sometimes. Unless were talking about different distortions.

One thing that the PL:A's distortion and LLV's distortion have in common: the wild Pokemon try to kill you.

Question on the Azure Flute in this world: what's the range of the instrument? Could I play anything on it, or does it have to be the fluttery Flute/Sinnoh motif?

Enough range to play Never Gonna Give You Up.

More seriously, I don't think I have enough knowledge about wind instruments to say. It seems to be a type of vessel flute, so maybe like ocarina but weird.

This got a good laugh out of me.

Thank goodness I'm not the only one who thought it was funny.

Oh no. Better call Saul. Or go to the Underground. Does this mean time is fixed?

:nyehehe:

Can he be my dad.

Are you lost in life? Between this and Niente, Alfa may have a habit of getting involved with children who are lost in life.

Also why Paley?

Referring to his pale look, but also a small reference to the watchmaker analogy.

Spoiler: Orion

Arceus, not all-knowing? Heresy! Heresy, I say!

What is that sound? That's the sound of someone trying to make Arceus work as a part of a polytheistic system and sticking with it damn it. (Stares at PL:A)

The premise is interesting, and I see it as an alternate approach to a journey fic in a way; instead of going the usual Pokémon journey, the creation god chose an artist to assist him.

Oh, this reminded me, I was reconsidering whether this counted as a journeyfic since, as you said, it's not taking on the usual mold. There may be familiar elements, so I think it's probably not entirely wrong to think of it as one, but... hm. Genres can be so difficult. (I don't know what genre this story would fall under either outside of pokefic lingo like journeyfic.)

Spoiler: AetherX

I will admit I had a hard time with the prose. A lot of the way things are described is very passive and almost... disengaged? It's hard to explain.

Luca... Luca is a difficult character, yeah. Their low presence is intentional to some degree for story reason, it takes a while for the pieces to come together, and I feel if I changed their beginning state or changed the primary protagonist it won't be the same story anymore. Now I can't promise that I will be able to execute it well enough because that's for the readers to decide and not me, and I can only try, but yeah.

If the later chapters are better, I will take that as something working right.

 

[silurica]

Chapter 18: A Crowned Meeting​

"How… are you… so nimble…?" asks Luca in between gasps for breath.

Ahead, Alfa gazes at them from on top of a large rock, neither the cold morning air nor his heeled boots hinder his movement.

This is Route 211, the route connecting Eterna City and Celestic Town through one of Mt. Coronet's tunnels. The entrance of the tunnel is just ahead. Looking back from this height, they can see the sprawling city and the dragon statue as a vague bronze thing on top of a hill.

After Luca had their fill of the city, it was decided they would continue their journey. They don't have their own mode of transportation, and bus tickets would eat into their budget, so taking the more direct route to Hearthome City through Route 207 by Oreburgh City was out of the question.

When they decided on the route, Luca only thought of how they wanted to go to Celestic at some point, and making it a part of the trip seemed efficient. Here they are now, trekking through Mt. Coronet's rocky pathway again and running out of breath, unable to keep up with their companion's pace. Even Celia is pawing on them with pity.

Despite difficulties, they finally reach the tunnel entrance. The path ahead is lit by bioluminescent lanterns. Luca breathes a sigh of relief; after the rocky pathway, they have feared the path to the remote Celestic Town would lack in lighting compared to the path connecting Oreburgh City and Hearthome City. This means they get to reserve the battery of their flashlight and Celia can relax.

"In the past," says Alfa, "people would use torches for passages often used by merchants. How interesting it is to see that this custom hasn't gone through many changes."

"I guess it's because installing electricity would disturb the wild Pokémon population, so lanterns it is," replies Luca, imagining blazing torches in place of the lanterns. Perhaps that would have excited Celia more.

Time passes oddly in such a dark and quiet place. No sunlight, no people absorbed in their daily activities. One could get lost in the false eternity, here in the twisted maze of Mt. Coronet. It isn't without danger, but Luca finds a strange sense of comfort in being wrapped in such darkness.

Instead of people, wild Pokémon watch them curiously from behind boulders and crevices. When the group stops for rest, a few of them gather the courage to approach, but Alfa sends them away one by one with a gentle gesture. Even so, they can spot several Pokémon following them when they start moving again.

Soon their number dwindles, and the reason for it becomes clear.

In the faintly lit darkness, they catch a glimpse of white. It's a figure in white coat, on the back is a golden teardrop-shaped prism, resembling a piece of revival medicine. The figure turns around when they come closer, revealing a familiar face. "Oh! You are those two from Jubilife! Long time no see," greets Ervilia with a wide, sharp smile.

Luca freezes at once. Even in this faint light – or perhaps because of the faint light – Ervilia still cuts a beautiful figure. Consider the swish of her coat, the clicks of her boots on the hard ground, the—

"Ow!" Luca yelps. Something sharp prickled their skin. When they look down, they see Celia clinging on their leg. They whisper to the Cyndaquil, "What was that for?"

"Fancy meeting you here," says Ervilia with a giggle. "Judging from the direction you came from, I guess you two are headed to Celestic Town?" She looks at Alfa, who has trailed behind Luca for some reason. "Right?"

"That's correct…." mumbles Luca. They feel if they don't watch their words, they'd end up saying something regrettable. "How about you, Miss Ervi?"

Ervilia places one finger under her lips. "I was actually at Eterna a while ago, but I was chased away. I didn't realize a watchmaker could hate journalists so much."

Ah, Luca understands immediately: Ervilia, a journalist, had met Daiya. The horologist's rant about his celebrity sister and invasive journalists comes to their mind. Combine that with his already dismal mood, and they can see how it could have gone wrong.

"Now I'm just hanging around training Alnico here and hoping the mountain's magnetism would encourage it to evolve," Ervilia continues, gesturing at the Magneton levitating next to her. Before now, Luca didn't notice both the Magneton and the Salandit by the woman's feet.

While lifting a heavy-looking bag from the ground, Ervilia proposes, "I know, how about I come along until the exit? Alnico can fight off dangerous wild Pokémon; I'm sure that will be a good experience for it!"

"Y-Yes! Of course!"

That was close. Just now, Luca felt as if their heart would jump out of their throat. The matter of how wild Pokémon act within Alfa's presence has completely escaped their mind.

Alfa himself, meanwhile, crosses his arms and mutters, "Is this necessary, Child of Light?"

Luca winces. "What do you mean by that?"

"Aw, am I in the way?" asks Ervilia, her voice quieter than before.

"No, of course not!" declares Luca, waving their hands. They look at Alfa again and whisper, "Come on, don't be unreasonable now. There is nothing wrong with Miss Ervi. And she's got a point: there is safety in numbers."

The man in white stares down at his companion, his questioning look unchanging. Despite that, he eventually sighs and relents. "Very well. I will allow it."

Luca's heart is racing. This won't last for more than the rest of the day, but this is still a precious chance to know Ervilia better. Who knows if they will have another of such a fortunate opportunity? They have to make the most of this.

As they walk together, however, Luca's mind has become a sea of chaos, struggling to find a conversation topic. Anything! Anything to not let the atmosphere grow stale! No, not the weather, there is no weather in this cave. Anything….

Luca blurts out, "I didn't know you're a trainer too, Miss Ervi."

They want to run outside of the path outlined by the lanterns. In this day and age, who is not a Pokémon trainer? Even keeping Pokémon at home as companions requires trainer registration. Moreover, she has been accompanied by a Salandit all this time.

"Yup! It's good to see that we both like Fire-types," replies Ervilia while the Salandit climbs up to her shoulder. She makes a V-sign with her fingers and frames her mouth with it. "Some people say I look like Salandit. Do you see it?"

Luca can see how adorable she is for sure. They will burn this image into their memory.

"But I'm an adult, so I guess I'd look more like a Salazzle!" Ervilia's laughter echoes in the cave and in Luca's mind.

"I-I get something like that too sometimes." At this moment, Luca wishes they could speak more eloquently. "Apparently I look like a Cyndaquil when I'm not wearing glasses, but that's just because I can't see."

"Isn't it also because you're small and cute?" says Ervilia, laughing again.

A gasp escapes from Luca's mouth. "Small" is a difficult word for Luca, but "cute" is new to them and they have no clue how to answer it.

While Luca mumbles indistinct words in search for a response, Ervilia looks behind them and asks, "How about you?"

As typical of Alfa, he doesn't answer immediately. The length of silence this time almost gave the impression that he wouldn't answer, but he does, and with a surprisingly sensible answer too. "While I do receive help from the world, I am not what you would call a 'trainer' as I do not make a bond like what is shared between the Child of Light and their little flame."

For a few seconds, Ervilia's smile slips into a grin. Alfa scoops Celia from the ground and holds the Cyndaquil close to his chest, making her chirp in confusion.

Meanwhile, Luca has realized something and gathered the courage to ask: "Oh right, Miss Ervi, we met at Jubilife and both headed to Eterna, but how did you arrive first?"

"Oh, that's because I have a flying permit to take a more direct route, so to speak," answers Ervilia.

"That's amazing, Miss Ervi! I heard the classes for obtaining a permit can be difficult, so I…." Luca trails off and shakes their head. "I-It's not like I got discouraged because of that. I also have my own studies to do, and… and traveling on land allows me opportunities to learn. Sometimes I come across interesting sceneries too, and…."

Strange, their voice stops coming out. A familiar feeling stirs in them, strangling, prickling. There was no lie in their words, but they get the feeling it's nothing that should have been spoken of either. Not this way.

They pull their beret down, just enough to block their sight of everyone else. The darkness has never felt more comforting.

Before they know it, they have reached the end of the tunnel. The sky is orange from the setting sun, blending into the purple of dusk and the darkness of the night. The treacherous mountain terrain continues on ahead, and a settlement lies in the middle of it all – Celestic Town.

"It's beautiful," says Alfa, walking next to Luca. "Don't you wish to immortalize this, Child of Light? You can take your time – your little flame and I will find a place to stay for the night."

Luca's face brightens from the offer. Alfa, helping with the camp instead of doing nothing but watching them? Will the sky fall next?

…Perhaps it will. Their face sours with the realization. "You've been acting odd today. More than usual."

Alfa speaks neither a confirmation nor a denial. Nothing at all. Celia, still in his arms, coos softly.

"Well then, looks like this is where we part ways," says Ervilia with a smile.

"A-Already?" Luca stutters. Ervilia's voice still rings in their mind.

"I still want to get a little training in for Alnico. Right?" she says to the Magneton, who spins in its place in response.

Alfa takes a step forward, putting himself between Luca and Ervilia. Meanwhile, Celia jumps down to the ground and scampers to her trainer's side. Before Luca can ask what the matter is, he demands, "Answer me, human. What is it that you carry on your person?"

Luca shoots a look at their companion. Just what is he going on about?

Ervilia looks taken aback too at first. Her smile returns as she replies, "Oh my, that's a rude way of talking. Didn't expect that from you, but I guess I don't hate it."

"I find it difficult to believe that you are only waiting for your companion to grow," confesses Alfa. No, rather than that, the way he looks at her is closer to scrutinizing. "If your story is true, then you have been waiting for more than a week – as long as the period that I and the Child of Light spent with the very horologist that chased you away. Most humans aren't creatures willing to be idle for so long."

"I have a name, you know? Or would you deny me a name just like you do to that kid?" asks Ervilia. It's not a question that expects an answer. Her sharp sneer truly matches the Salandit on her shoulder.

When Alfa gives no response, Ervilia shrugs, places her bag on the ground and opens it. Inside it are shards of many colors, broken and incomplete. Luca can't make heads or tails of the curios, but they catch Alfa muttering something under his breath. What was it? Butcher?

"I didn't lie about helping Alnico evolve, but my main objective was this. Pretty, aren't they?" says Ervilia as she picks up a blue fragment. "I don't suppose you can introduce me to Eterna's watchmaker? I heard he is quite knowledgeable about this mountain…."

That was another question that expects no answer; or rather, Alfa's cold gaze is a sufficient answer by itself.

Ervilia closes her bag and stands up again. "Anyway, that was fun, wasn't it? I hope we will see each other again. Don't you agree, Luca?"

Surprised to hear their name spoken, Luca jumps a little before replying, "Y-Yeah! Let's meet again!"

With that, Ervilia waves with a pleasant smile and takes her leave, back into the depth of Mt. Coronet. Alfa, too, turns his back on the scene, making his way down the path without wasting any moment.

Later that night, the only thing he will say on the matter is that one ought to treat even broken things with respect.

 

[System Error]

- I mean from the illustrations, Luca is a pretty small nonbinary person! Longer legs help someone be more nimble!
- Slightly awkward wording to say "This is Route 211" in the narration as if it's the one talking
- If the battery is any good, it would last long enough that they don't have to worry
- Alfa unintentionally playing pied piper, sort of
- Somebody's still crushing.
- Not intrepid enough of a reporter, it seems
- Referring to her Pokemon as an it? I'm surprised Alfa didn't call her on that one. Also her wording in calling it 'a good experience,' is that supposed to be intentionally quirky/awkward?
- "So this is the emotion you humans call love. Very interesting, Child of Life. I would like to observe more of this. Do continue in your actions."
- Hm, a bit of strange worldbuilding. You need trainer registration, but it seems it's so widespread that pretty much everyone has a license.
- Luca may be a working adult, but man this is almost a childish crush. Maybe a tweenage one.
- Oh no she said the C word.
- Erivilia is surprisingly nonplussed at Alfa's answer. It's like she's seen it all.
- That feel when the world is full of red tape.
- Uh-oh, Ervilia likes being talked down to a little. That is going to be...something. Or maybe I'm just making up wild theories. Also not even being bothered by being called human.
- There aren't enough dots in the world for how hard Alfa is dot dot dotting at this right now.
- Shoutouts to colored shards? Hm, wonder if they're going to get lore behind them?

It was a chapter all right. Erivilia seems completely non-suspicious about the whole situation for a reporter. Makes me wonder her competence level. Or if there's something else to her, more than meets the eye. Wonder what'll happen after these next few chapters leave edit jail?

 

[Welkamo]

Sleepy dad Alfa is good Alfa. That's all I will say.

Jk I'll say more.

I remember reading this chapter, but I don't think I reviewed it? Either way, a very cozy chapter.

Huh. That was unexpected; he isn't upset that his father is called weird. Not just that, he agreed.

I think "agrees" would work better, since the rest of the phrase is in the present tense.

"Welcome to Sinnoh's Grand Underground. It's dig or die."

HE SAID IT HE SAID THE THING—

 

[Cresselia92]

Howdy, Sil! I've been meaning to delve into your fanfic for quite some time, and what's better time to spread some love than through the love-spreading event? ;3 Legendary shenanigans have always fascinated me, so let's see what you've got in store in your story.

I'm gonna start with some reactions in a stream-of-consciousness format, before moving into a general commentary and final thoughts of the chapters.

With this said, onward we go with the story~

The Reaction Compilations

Spoiler: Chapter 1

• Ooh! Using a Fire-type to dry the paint is so clever! Nobody wants to smudge their fresh painting, after all.
• Non-binary character, huh? I kinda thought that the "they" was referring to both characters for a hot second. Gotta keep this in mind since singular them trips me up every time...
• It seems that Luca has played Celeste.
• ...No, wait. Luca is a hacker who hacked the Azure Flute in their inventory. How would they have it, otherwise? :v
• In all seriousness, I wonder how they got the flute...

• That's right. Myths are nothing more than stories, so there is no way that playing a flute will make a glass staircase appear and summon a god from some kind of heaven. Implausible.

  
  This is oddly specific.

• So the painter stands up and blows air into the flute—
  
  "Dear me, please pipe down, you are terrible."
  
  A voice. Who? Where? Oh! There is a movement from behind the altar! The painter pushes up their glasses, hoping to focus better on the figure on the other side of the historical site.
  
  It's a man. A man with long hair and a strikingly white appearance. White skin, white hair, white suit, white shoes…. The only different colors are his dark gray waistcoat, the golden details of his suit and heeled boots, and his bright red eyes.
  
  "Who… are you?" the painter blurts out without thinking. "...And why did you say I was terrible? I've only played a few notes!"
  
  "Quiet, will you? I know how that flute is supposed to sound in the right hand." The man sits himself on the altar.

  
  Luca's POV while playing the song:
  
  Spoiler
  
  The man's POV while listening to the song:
  
  Spoiler

• "You don't recognize me, ignorant human? I am Arceus, the creator deity of this world."

  
  Sorry, but aren't you supposed to be a llama stuck in a fence? :sus:
  
  

• "Such a shame, after I have taken a form easier for your kind to relate with."

  
  In all fairness, you could very well be a Ditto or a disguised Zoroark for all I care, so it's not like using a human disguise helps your case. :v
  
  

• "Give me… give me a moment to think," says the painter as they pick up the flute from the floor. "Look, let me put it this way. For all I know, you could be bluffing, tricking a poor student like me. Why should I trust you? Where is your proof that you're god?"

  
  Case in point.
  
  
• Congratulations! Luca caught Arceus!
• Aaand of course the ball acts up. But the thought of it potentially recognizing Arceus would have been an amusing or terrifying prospect, depending on how you see it, since it would have implied catching a deity at least once.
• Flurry of thoughts! Such a relatable mind.
• You could have just asked rather than bribing Luca into following you, Arceus...
• Why did you scatter your power, anyway, Arceus? What's the logic behind that?

• "What? Why me?" they protest. This is too sudden!
  
  "Why? Because you are here," he answers calmly.

  
  Foolproof reasoning.
  
  
• And now Luca is carried by god, bride-style.
• Getting Lois and Superman vibes at the end. Dunno why.

Spoiler: Chapter 2

• "I'm just… impressed. Yes, I'm impressed that humans did not destroy the world while I was asleep." He says while caressing the vent. "The opposite, in fact."

  
  Well, gee! I sure hope you won't expect mortals to have faith in you, Arceus, because you sure aren't showing the same courtesy.
  
  

• "Ah, no. I have to restock my supplies and there is someone I need to meet. Well, I'll explain about that later. You'll see. I'm definitely not abandoning you here."

  
  Arceus:
  
  
  
  
  
• Okay, the description of the museum is really cool.
• Ah, yes. Guess what, Arceus? We uncovered the secret of bringing bones back to life. Cool, huh?
• ...Well, it doesn't look like Arceus appreciated that... Though, does that imply that he is fine with generations of a species going extinct? I guess this might be the case, which would make sense. No life form would get priority or favoritism, I wager, and they all would get their fair amount of time and space in the world.
• Wanna bet that those ethical folks watched Jurassic Park?
• Okay, what's the relationship between the professor and Luca, I wonder? They seem extremely close, if the professor lent a prized artifact.
• Finally! A more concrete proof to see if Arceus is a Ditto in disguise or the real deal!
• Something tells me you can't farm Plates like in the DPPt games and they all are one of a kind...

Spoiler: Chapter 3

• Time to set a mine ablaze!
• Huh... I kinda expected something more grandiose when Arceus absorbed the Plate. I guess he isn't really a show-off.

• "Sorry, sorry. In this day and age, there are no Pokémon capable of both human disguise and speech like you, so I couldn't help it, see?"

  
  Zoroark in Unova: "I shall end this professor's career!"
  
  
  
  
  

• "God has chosen you." He says with a sparkle in his eyes. "Surely you weren't thinking of handing him to me when you contacted me?"

  
  Pfft! Nooo! Of course Luca wasn't about to do that! What gave you this idea, professor?
  
  
• Well, it sure is reassuring that Luca isn't worried about Arceus and is partying a bit inside. I mean, it's not like they would need to worry because we're talking about Arceus, but still.

• That's true; they don't want their source of information to end up in peril. Although they wonder, what is the worst that can happen to a god? Waking up a cranky Rock-type and getting chased around?

  
  ...Can we actually wait for this eventuality to unfold? It sounds like such a glorious sight to behold. I'll bring some popcorn.
  
  

• A shriek resounds in the tunnels, followed by a rain of rocks. Luca and Celia run, while an Onix roars behind. The giant rock serpent darts after them, crushing anything in its path.
  
  "This is the worst! I hate, hate, hate fighting Rock-types!"

  
  I bet Celia shares your thoughts...
  
  
• Blood! How dare you betray me and the Everyone rating like this?! loud hissing and table throwing ...Nah, just kidding! But still, whoa! That Onix is really angry.
• Okay, yes, Luca is dead. End of the fanfic, everyone.
• Wow. How thoughtful of Onix to stop mid-action to let Luca and Arceus have a little chitchat. Still, though, makes me wonder if it can instinctively feel that Arceus is someone to not be messed with...
• No, I agree with Luca. Why is that Onix furious? Perhaps she is defending her nest or offspring?

• "Just need to…." Luca mumbles. Memories flash in their mind: the smallest of the herd; more successful peers; a poor performance; an empty badge case. Their hold on Celia tightens as they mutter, "Are you… are you mocking us?"

  
  Okay, this is intriguing! Does that mean that Luca is a "failed" Pokémon Trainer? Someone who probably didn't have what it takes to be a Champion or something along those lines?
  
  Though, that also brings another question to mind. If Luca and Cyndaquil are both inexperienced, then how did they climb Mt. Coronet? I recall that there was something about the mountain being so dangerous that even experienced Trainers need to be careful about. So, how did Luca reach the top without an issue?
  
  
• So, a Cyndaquil beat an Onix... I'm getting some vague Victini vibes (in the sense that it gave energy to Ash's Tepig to one-shot a Samurott with an Ember). Also, isn't that cheating? Sure, their lives were in peril, but still.
• Aww, Luca is smiling! Cute! :3
• Ah, so Luca has more Pokémon. I wonder what they have...

• This is too sudden.

  
  Mate. With all those "sudden" moments, you should know by now that Sudden is Arceus' second name.
  
  

• "Then… Alfa?" they mumble.

  
  And it was at this moment, that a character became the famous character he is today.
  
  

• An unfamiliar region and a new traveling companion. Luca never expected their journey to be a dull one when they left their home, but they would never have dreamed of this turn of events. As much as they loathe to think of the possible troubles ahead, at least it will not be boring.

  
  Sounds like potential fun! :3

Final Thoughts

Well! I'm someone who doesn't feel satisfied unless she reads 4k words worth of content, so I ended up checking out three chapters of yours, haha. Which is fine, because doing so helped me get a clearer idea of the plot as a whole.

So! This has been an enjoyable read! The prose is simple, which makes it easy to digest and get through. Also, the bite-sized chapters are good for folks with a short attention span, and that's a major plus.

Though, with brevity comes a little price to pay: there isn't much room to describe the surroundings and show the world to the reader. Sure, from the look of it, this story seems to be more character-driven than anything, and the world might take a step back compared to everything. And yet, even in that case, I feel this story would benefit a lot from being more painted and played into the reader's mind.

Mind you, this didn't detract from my enjoyment at all, but I'd say that lampshading the various scenes and sights could be beneficial. After all, we have two characters who don't know much about Sinnoh for different reasons, with Luca not being much knowledgeable and Arceus/Alfa having lost touch with the world for who knows how long. As such, since they are exploring the unknown, they would surely focus and be drawn by all the oddities they can find.

I personally feel it would allow us to better relate with the characters and let us feel and see what they’re experiencing. At least, these are my two cents on the matter.

Now, onto the characters themselves. Out of the ones introduced so far, Alfa clearly stole the show. With his defined personality as the deity of the world and the whole "fish-out-of-the-water" perspective, it's interesting to see him being intrigued by what his creations have accomplished while he was asleep. He's a really compelling character and the MVP of this fanfic, imho.

The other characters, though, are a bit blanker. For being one of the main characters, I kinda feel like Luca is a bit... vanilla as a character. There is some foreshadowing with their uncertainties and the foreshadowing of their past, but until Chapter 3 there isn't much of a selling trait for Luca, at least when compared with Alfa. Right now, they feel a lot like the sidekick with Celia being the sidekick of the sidekick. (Which may or may not be intentional and a way to make Alfa stand out, and that’s fine. Just wanted to give my first impression and reading of their character as is.)

But hey! There are still around 15 chapters, so I wanna be optimistic and believe that they got some nice character development and their backstory expanded further in future chapters! ^^

All in all, this is a sweet and easy to read story with a compelling plot, and I'm definitely looking forward to continue reading this when I'll get the chance in the future.

If you have some queries about my review, feel free to reach out to me and I can elaborate further.

This was a fun R&R session. See ya around, and best of luck with your future writing endeavors!