Phoenix's Story - Chapter One
#20 of Sara's Story
A wrap up of what took place between Sonata's story and this one, told from the slightly biased viewpoint of this story's main character.
One of the interesting things (at least I think it's interesting) about the Pokemon games is the game mechanic of natures. This is a part of an individual Pokemon that affects its stats - a Pokemon with a 'careful' nature will have a stronger special defense against special attacks, such as most fire attacks, but dish out weaker special attacks of his own. A 'quiet' nature Pokemon will be slower than otherwise, but be much better at special attacks herself. And a rash Pokemon would be stronger with special attacks than otherwise, but be less prepared to deal with special attacks sent her way.
Those specific examples were not picked at random, and I hope I've done a good job of threading those into the character's personalities. A quiet Cherubi who doesn't say much might not react very quickly to a wave of water rushing at her, but she would be very good at 'special' abilities like filling the sky with sunlight. A careful Umbreon, worried about how what he does will affect those he cares about, might not dish out as much damage, but he's well prepared to stand in front of another Pokemon and withstand the wave of water thrown at him. And a rash Espeon, one nervous about approaching humans but listening to her stomach instead, or aware that running around in the woods is a danger but willing to dive in and fight a stronger opponent instead of fleeing, or willing to endlessly annoy a Nidoran just because the thought popped into her head, even though he might be the only company she would otherwise have - even if it was tempered over time by her trainer, that Espeon would be much stronger at using her signature attacks, but less prepared to withstand them.
When it comes to Trapinch, and Vibrava, and Flygon, the best nature you can get is an 'adamant' nature. That nature makes a Pokemon much stronger with physical attacks - of which Trapinch has plenty - but weaker with special attacks - which Trapinch has few of. But while in the game a trainer might want that nature, I've always wondered how you would deal with such a Pokemon in reality. A Pokemon so certain he was right, and unwilling to back down or listen to others; a bullheaded Pokemon willing to charge right in because he was completely certain of himself?
Sounds like it'd be an absolute nightmare of a Pokemon, and one of the worst natures to get.
Which is going to be a lot of fun for a story, isn't it? :D
My name, from the very moment I hatched, was Phoenix. Those were the first words I heard - my trainer, Sara, overjoyed that I had finally hatched and gifting me with a name from out of legends.
The name was a sign of the strong Pokemon she knew I would be. A phoenix was a giant bird of fire, and a single flap of its blazing wings could destroy a city, setting fire to forests and boiling oceans. It could fly from one end of the world to the other, without ever having to set down once to rest.
At first I hadn't understood why I had been given the name. As a Trapinch, I was nothing like a bird - I was a ground type, without any wings or fire abilities. But Sonata told me I was given the name because Sara had seen my father's heroic feats. I knew my trainer was brilliant and kind, and could obviously see I would be just as strong as him, so I knew she must have given me the legendary name for that reason, knowing I would have the same mythical strength of my father. Sonata told me the story several times, especially before bedtime.
A strong Pokemon had invaded the desert my father watched over, and had summoned an endless blizzard, one that would kill everything it touched. A water Pokemon - Kirii, a Milotic who now traveled with John - rose to fight it, summoning a storm of water that would have proved just as deadly to the desert lands my father lived in. So he rose to fight them both, calling forth a ferocious sandstorm with his wings, beating back the rain and ice.
The fighting lasted for weeks, as the three great Pokemon battled each other for control of the skies. Kirii tried to fight the blizzard head on, seeking out the Pokemon behind it directly, but the Pokemon was guarded by a vicious Sneasel who drove Kirii away and protected the blizzard.
Kirii retreated to her home, which was when my trainer found her. She helped the injured Milotic and convinced her to stop the rain. Kirii went with John - I never understood that myself, but I guess she thought Sara was too strong already, and felt sorry for John - and then together they went to stop the blizzard.
They easily defeated the Sneasel bodyguard, and John captured him. John declared the Sneasel was black, and white, and red all over, and as such would be known by the name 'Book'.
I'm glad I'm not one of John's Pokemon. From my conversations with Book, he's not too happy with the name either, but he puts up with it.
After that they tracked down the Pokemon causing the storm.
It was a Froslass, a ghost; it had come from the nearby mountain and brought its icy blizzard with it. Sara and John fought it in the very heart of its own blizzard, fighting back with rain and sun, through night and day... until they finally defeated it.
The blizzard evaporated as the Froslass fled. Sara and John were triumphant and celebrated their victory in the rapidly warming desert... but my father had died before they had arrived. The Froslass had originally wandered the desert, making it hard to pin down in the fierce blizzard, but my father's death had drawn the ghost to the place of his passing. When the storm cleared Sara saw my father's body just a few feet from where they had been battling, the heavy snow hiding him from view. Sara felt sad for him and decided to give him a burial in the sand dune he had fallen on. Her Pokemon helped, moving the freezing sand aside as they dug a hole to place his body in...
And in so doing, they found my egg.
Sara finished burying my father and took my egg with her. She wrapped my egg in the heavy parka she had worn to brave the snow with, no longer needing it now that the Froslass had been vanquished but worried that my egg was cold. John found a stunned Sandshrew nearby, capturing it and bringing it with him - he declared it would be called 'Lucky', for being fortunate enough to be discovered by him and not perishing in the snowstorm - and the two trainers left the desert.
They continued on their journey, proving their strength by defeating countless other trainers, and earning four other badges, bringing their total to six before summer ended and they had to return home for school...
And that was when I hatched.