Fire and Ice

Chapter 1: Liberation? ​

Spoiler

"Well, this isn't what I expected at all," Arianna Black said under her breath. Her Umbreon moaned in agreement. They both were used to the vast rolling hills, dense forestlands, and the icy wind of Iccirus City, mostly because that's where they were from. She was now in Accumula Town, a small Town put on the map because beginner trainers flocked here. It was nothing like Icirrus City. She didn't fit in very well. Most people in Accumula Town wore preppy schoolkid outfits with polo shirts and plaid skirts, while Arianna had pitch black tank top, faded and torn jean shorts with black leggings underneath them, and black knee-high lace-up military boots, but she didn't care. She was proud of looking different.​

Suddenly, she saw Umbreon look towards a raised cobblestone plaza, where a tall man was about to speak. Without thinking, Arianna walked over to listen to the speech.​

"My name is Ghetsis," the man said, his voice scrachy but loud. Everyone in the crowd immediately shut up and listened to Ghetsis, as if they were drawn by a spell. Arianna rolled her eyes and forced herself to listen to his speech.​

"I represent Team Plasma, and I'm here to talk to you about Pokémon Liberation," he continued. Arianna straightened up. Pokémon Liberation? Who is this guy to tell us about Pokémon Liberation?! she thought to herself. Well, she was wondering about Team Plasma entirely! She kept her mouth shut as Ghetsis kept talking.​

"I'm sure you all believe we are brought together bacause we work together...because we want and need each other...but is that really the truth? Perhaps we humans only...assume...that is the truth?" he said to the crowd, who was now frozen like a horde of statues.​

"OH, BULLSHIT!" Arianna shouted out from the crowd.​

Ghetsis stopped cold and looked straight at her. Several people in the crowd agreed with Arianna, shouting she's right and Ghetsis doesn't hasve the right to say such things.​

"Who said that?!" Ghetsis demended. Arianna dared to step out from the crowd in front of Ghetsis.​

"Who are you to tell us to release our Pokémon, some sort of Pokémon Psychic?! Are you even aware of Pokémon's feelings in this?!" she told him off. People in the crowd went 'ooh!' as Ghetsis stepped off the plaza and stopped right in front of her. Ghetsis was around 6 feet tall, about 5 inches taller than Arianna, but everyone was surprised to see this girl stand her ground in front of a man with such a merciless look in his eyes Arianna wouldn't be surprised if Ghetsis killed her right then and there.​

"I will crush you, little girl," Ghetsis hissed, quiet enough for only Arianna to hear. Umbreon hissed at him. Arianna was officially freaked out, but she didn't show it. How has someone not punched him yet?!​

"I'm not afraid of you, old man," Arianna hissed right back right after Ghesis threatened her. Her strong Scottish accent made it sound more insulting, and she knew it. Ghetsis was stunned. Arianna fought back the impulse to shy away, fearing to be struck, but she succeeded in overpowering it and stood her ground. Ghetsis retreated beck to the plaza. People laughed at him, calling him a coward. and a few people even patting her on the back. He had such a murderous look in his eyes Arianna soon became afraid she'd drop dead by just his glare.​

"Anyone else want to say another word?!" Ghetsis said, obviously forcing himself to stay calm, but he was fuming. He shot a look at Arianna, who made the choice to keep her mouth shut. If looks could kill, Arianna would have dropped dead right then and there. After he calmed down a little, he resumed his speech.​

"Now, Pokémon are different from Humans. They are living beings that contain unknown potential. We have much to learn from them. Tell me, what is our responsibility towards these being called Pokémon?" he asked. Arianna held her breath, hoping not to hear the word 'Liberation,' but there was one question arising from the crowd, even those who agreed with Arianna said, "Liberation?"​

"That's right! We must liberate the Pokémon! Then, and only then, will Pokémon and people truly be equals! I implore you to consider your relationship with your Pokémon," Ghetsis said, looking right at Arianna. He quickly left, watching Arianna pout of the corner of his eye. A chill shot up her spine.​

Arianna laughed. "Well, he deserved it," she said to herself. Umbreon chirped in agreement.​

"Your Pokémon...it just spoke," a voice said. Arianna whirled around to see a boy several inches taller than her with wild green hair and unnatural blue eyes standing there. Umbreon looked at him funny.​

"Did you just say Umbreon spoke?" Arianna asked him, unable to help a small laugh. He nodded. "Yes...it's talking," the boy looked Arianna in the eye. "My name is N," he finally said, looking her in the eye. N was almost the exact opposite of Arianna. She had a darker outfit and while N's hair was almost neon green, hers was a deep blue; almost black, but not quite. Not to mention her eyes were an odd metallic silver, which N seemed to be captivated by them. "I'm Arianna, but you can call me Ari," she replied, crossing her arms. She didn't trust N. Umbreon didn't either. "You're not from around here, are you?" N asked her.​

"No, I'm from Icirrus City."​

"Does everyone there sound Scottish?"​

"You have a problem with that?!" Arianna said that without thinking.​

N just pulled off a heart-melting smile at Arianna, and she had to force herself to look away. "I didn't say that, now did I?" N asked her. That shut her up. N then looked down at her Umbreon. "I've never seen an Umbreon like that before," he said, taking a step closer to Arianna. She immediately took a step back. She hated it when people were close to her.​

"She's a shiny Umbreon," Arainna said, Umbreon jumping into her arms. N was right. Most Umbreon are midnight black with yellow rings all around its body. But Arianna's Umbreon, instead of yellow rings, the rings around its body were blue. Arianna never cared about the face she was a shiny Umbreon. It didn't make her different than all the other Umbreon, and she wouldn't treat a normal Umbreon any diffrerent.​

N smiled. "You care about Umbreon, don't you?" he asked her. She nodded, her metallic eyes catching the light just right, making them appear to glow. N knew she was telling the truth, Arianna always did. "Of course I care about Umbreon! How could you ask me anything like that?" she asked him. Her question shut him up.​

"I'm a trainer too, but I can't help but wonder...are Pokémon really happy that way?" N asked, looking her in the eye. Arianna smiled at him. "If Pokémon wanted to leave, they would. If Umbreon wanted to leave, if it wasn't happy, she would've run off, right, Umbreon?" Arianna asked Umbreon. It nodded and chirped, jumping out of Arianna's arms and looking right at N. He nodded. He heard Umbreon agree with Arianna. "You mean Umbreon likes being confined inside a Pokéball?" he asked. Arianna looked at N in the eye.​

"Umbreon doesn't have a Pokéball," she growled. He was purely shocked. "Really?"​

"I don't even carry PokeBalls with me!"​

"Now, how would I have known that?"​

"Uh, you've got a head, don't you? Why don't you use it?" Arianna immediately shut her mouth. Impulsively, she braced herself to be hit. If he were her parents, they'd smack her on the spot. She waited for the impact, but it never came. Instead, N tipped the bill of his hat down to Arianna, then turned and walked off.​

Arianna began to walk away, when she looked back at N, now several hundred feet away. He seemed to stop, look back at her for a few seconds, then turn and keep walking again. This stunned her. Did he really look back at her? Why would he? She was just an ordinary girl. What about her made him look back at her? Why didn't he just keep walking? Arianna didn't realize she was holding her breath.​

"Umbreon, do you happen to know the way to Straiton Ciy?" she asked her. It nodded and began to run. Arianna followed, keeping the thought of N in the back of her mind.​

Chapter 2: She's no Ordinary Girl

Spoiler

"The girl has bright lavender eyes and is white as Reshiram, how the hell did she just dissapear like that?!" N said, frustrated. He'd been standing next to her moments ago and she somehow vanished without a trace. "Are you sure she went this way, Purrloin?" N asked the cat Pokémon perched on his shoulder. It nodded. I'm sure of it. I heard her ask Umbreon if it knew where Straiton City was, and this is Straiton City, dammit! Purrloin jumped down to the ground and looked around, then spotted something. Look! Over there! it yelled. N looked, and sure enough, there was a Team Plasma Grunt running, out of breath, looking over his shoulder. Purrloin stopped in front of an opening in a dense forestline. Acreus have mercy on that Grunt, she chased him in the Dreamyard! Purrloin cried, immediately darting in just in time to see the Grunt run past a stone wall.

Soon, there was an Umbreon cautiously walking into N's sight. It looked back and barked a noise, as if to get someone's attention. Arianna! Over here! it yepled. A mere skeleton of a girl walked in. A girl with deep blue, almost black, hair down to her waist, eyes like lavender, deathly pale skin, and a mask of freckles covering her high cheekbones. She looked so thin she could've probably gotten in through a crack in the side of the wall.

Arianna.

N knew she couldn't see the Grunt, but from where he was, he saw him perfectly. Purrloin stepped on a twig, and Arianna immediately ducked behing the remains of a stone wall. She looked over, then slowly stood and walked towards an opening. He followed her gaze to see a small pink Pokémon hovering a few feet off the ground. I've seen that Pokémon in one of your books. Damn...what was it...Munna, isn't that its name? Purrloin asked, forgetting to keep its voice down. N silenced it , but Ari heard it.

"Who's there?!" she cried, slowly walking towards where N was behind the wall. But to his luck, the Munna suddenly cried out, catching Umbreon's attention. Ari, look, Umbreon said brushing against Ari's leg to get her attention. She listened and looked ahead. Who are you? Munna asked in a quiet voice. Ari bowed her head to the Pokémon, and this surprised N. Usually people walk right up to a Pokémon, not caring wether or not the Pokémon want to be left alone, but this girl bowed her head, a sign of respect. She raised her head, but she had a zen look on her face. Arianna didn't dare walk a step closer until Munna bowed its head back to her. Even then, she only took a few step closer.

Did she just BOW her head to Munna?! Purrloin asked, this time remembering to keep its voice down. It was as surprised as N was. Bowing your head to a Pokémon is a sign of respect, and most humans just take them for granted, assume you can just walk up to them like you can another human. Munna suddenly cried out, startling Ari. Thinking she did something wrong, she took several steps back.

No, Ari, it wasn't you! It was them! Umbreon cried, facing a corner where, seconds later, two Grunts had tried to surround Munna. "Come on, Munna, spit out some Dream Mist!" the Grunt said, rearing back and kicking Munna. Ari took a step forwards, her Umbreon growling and snarling at the Grunt. Oh, you're gonna be in some trouble now! it said, but to Ari, it sounded like a series of growls.

"You're kicking a Pokémon to get it to make something for you?!" Ari cried, stopping in front of the Grunt. One of them tried to punch her, but she caught his hand, twisted it, and hamerlocked him. Just seeing this made N cringe. Purrloin was just surprised. Did you see that?! it cried. The Grunt she held was strugling to free himself from her grip, but she held both arms behind him. Now N was surprised. This girl was literally a skeleton, yet she held the Grunt in a hammerlock and even managed to make him afraid of him. Arceus, help him. Ari's much stronger than she looks! Purloin remarked. N bit back a laugh. Purrloin was right about that,

"Now then, leave Munna alone, and this one can go with you unharmed...," she started, tightening her grip on the Grunt. He tried to get away again. Ari pressed three fingers against a pressure point near the Grunt's shoulder, making him yelp and drop to his knees. "...any more than he already is," she added with a grin. The other Grunt was still kicking Munna. "Umbreon, watch this Grunt, will you?" she asked it. With immense pleasure, it said. The Grunt tried to stand, but pressed himself against the wall when Umbreon walked closer to it. "You Team Plasma Grunts say you want to help Pokémon, yet you're kicking poor Munna to get it to force it to make something for you," she hissed. The Grunt Ari temporarily stunned, held his shoulder as he reached for his belt. N's first impulse was to warn Ari, bbut he kept his mouth shut when he remembered she didn't even know he was there. N kept his mouth shut, knowing both Ari would notive he'd try something and he knew whet the Grunt would try to do.

"Never!" he said, pulling out a gun, cocking it, a shell falling to the ground. Quicker than a Persian, Ari lept behind him, smacked his gun away, and landed a punch, catching him right at the underside of his jawbone, a loud CRACK echoed through the area. Arianna! Are you alright?! Umbreon cried, running towards her. Arianna noded and stroked Umbreon's head.

Both Grunts scrambled to ther feet. But then, the area entered a dream-like state, and Ghetsis appeared. N was watching Ari's reactions, and her reaction to 'Ghetsis' threatening the Grunts, she seemed both happy at their punishment and disbelieving of her own eyes at the same time. 'Ghetsis' said something inaduible, then a second Ghetsis appeaer. Ari's lavender eyes widened, N couldn't tell if from fear, surprise, or maybe even both. He said something inaudible again, then both threatened the Grunts. At that instant, both of them disappeared. The Grunts looked at each other, knowing they should go before they were punished, then looked at Ari and Umbreon, who were standing 15 feet away. She lunged forwards, pretending to charge them (though she only took a step closer,) and they yelped and ran away. "Works every time," she smiled.

Is Munna alright? Umbreon asked. N knew Ari couldn't hear Umbreon, but the way she was watching Umbreon's actions, it was as if she'd learned to watch its actions to figure out what it was trying to say. Ari looked over at Munna. "Munna, are you alright? Did those Grunts hurt you?" she asked it. I am fine, thank you, Munna said, but then snapping its attention over to the wall N was hiding.

"All right, who's there?!" Ari was getting mad this time, walking over to the wall. N, she thinks you're another Grunt! Show her you're not a damn Grunt or Arceus knows what she'll do to you! Purrloin cried. At that monent, N stood up.

"It's all right, Blaziken, it's just me," he said, holding his hands up. Ari relaxed, but Umbreon didn't. Were you watching us the whole time?! Umbreon snarled. N looked at Umbreon. "Purrloin saw her chasing the Grunt and wanted to see what they were doing," N started, but shut up when he saw the look on Ari's face. He was half afraid she'd try to punch him; She's faster than a Persian, and by the look of the Grunt, it'll hurt like hell if she manages to smack him. Umbreon slowly nodded its head up and down, giving her a 'remember yet?' look, and then Ari remembered. "Oh, I forgot you can hear Pokémon," she realized, walking over to where Muna was. There was something shiny on the ground. Ari picked up, showing it was the Grunt's gun.

"Huh, if the Grunt's gonna have a gun, he's gotta work on reaction time," she said, tossing the gun in her hands. N tensed. He never liked the idea of Grunts being able to carry guns. She looked up at N. "Don't worry, N, I'm not gonna shoot you, if that's what you're afraid of!" she laughed. Umbreon watched as the magazine fell out into her hands. N felt a little uneasy. Ari seemed unusually familiar with the gun. She put the magazine back into the gun. "Hasn't been used much," she said. Purrlion had the most confused look.

"How can you tell so much about that gun? And how are you so...," N tried to find the right word.

"...familiar...with the gun?" Ari finished for him. She grinned. "Those Grunts aren't the only ones in all of Unova who carry a gun," she said. It wasa then N noticed the gun holster on her belt, of course, with a gun in it. She started to walk away away, but stopped beside N. He tensed, part of him expecting her to punch him.

"The only difference is I know how to shoot," Ari said. "Who taught you?" N asked without thinking. She smiled at him. "Actually, I taught myself. I had to know because of fa.." Ari stopped herself. She closed her eyes and looked down, as if trying to erase a thought form her memory. Umbreon looked pitifully at her. Ari, don't say it if you don't wish...it started. Ari looked back up at N. "Let's just say I had some....issues...growing up," she finished, immediately looking away.

Umbreon stayed behind a little bit longer. It looked up at N. I know what you think of Ari, and it's not true. None of it. She's no ordinary girl, N. You should know that. She actually cares for Pokémon. it said, starting to walk away. Then, it stopped at the start of the opening that led to Straiton City. It looked at N once more. Even if she can't hear them. Umbreon warned N, a sly, smug grin on its face, then running off to find Ari.

Umbreon was right, but its friendship with Arianna confused N even more. It accepted the face she couldn't hear it, and it would let her know what it wanted from her by some signal: brushing against her leg, running towards a certain thing, anything to get Arainna to understand, and she did. Every time. If some Pokémon, Umbreon or not, wanted her for something, she'd stop and do anything she could to understand what that Pokémon wanted from her.

N looked at Purrloin, who was now on the ground, pacing back and forth. It then perked up and looked up at N. You know what I think? It asked N. He shrugged, Purrloin smiled a devoius smile. I think she may be the other hero, Purrloin said, brushing against the remains of the stone wall. N stopped, thinking it was rediculous, but the more N thought about it, the more it made sense.

He was still curious about why she hestiated about telling him where her parents were. It was like she didn't want to talk about her past, of course, he could relate to that. He had a pretty rough childhood as well. N, I've got it! She's trying to research Team Plasma! I know it! Purrloin declared. That made N straighten up.

Another person curious about Team Plasma? Another person not mezmerized by Ghetsis's speech? Now, she's trying to find out the secrets of Team Plasma? This girl is something else.

She could help you, you know, Purrloin smirked. N considered the idea. He was searching for the truth of Team Plasma, too. There was more to it than what Ghetsis had told him. There was more to it than just liberating Pokémon. There was so much more to it than hat he's been told. He had to see it from a different point of view. It may not have been a coincidence he'd been thinking of Ari as he thought this.

She might be able to help him find the truth of Team Plasma, and explain why Ghetsis never spoke of Team Plasma's history and why he was educated so much on the legendary Pokémon when he was little. He believed Team Plasma has done enough with their 'grand scheme,' and he wanted an end to it as much as Arianna did, but that was a bit hard since he was bound in the heart of their plan.

She may be able to help him finally break free of them.