A Frosty Reunion and Memories Gained

I don't know... Artemis replied in her own mind, hoping Suicune could hear it. But this is where I woke up without any memories. I think it has something to do with that. She turned toward the collector. "I actually think you're the ameture collector. You can't even make your own Pokemon loyal to you. I'd like to see you release your Zekrom and that Suicune, if they stay by you, then I'll call you a true collector. Otherwise, you're just a phony." She smirked, knowing this man was easily baited.

The collector looked at Artemis annoyed. "I'll show you," he yelled, releasing the two and letting them stand where they were for a moment. The zekrom, despite wanting to go to Artemis, stayed at his owner's side as the suicune walked over to her. "Thank you," is all it said to her in her head, the collector looking at Artemis annoyed.

Artemis smirked. "I find it amusing that Suicune is more loyal to a stranger than its own master. I've made my point, you can leave." Don't mention it, Artemis replied, though I'd get out of here before he tries anything. If you need to talk with me, it can wait until you're safe from him. A childish curiosity washed over her. She wanted to know how the Pokemon knew her name, and what it wanted. All in good time. she thought.

The suicune looked at Artemis. "I was planning on putting you to a test and letting you capture me, if you're strong enough," it said to her, her opponent collector snarling before flying off on zekrom.

Artemis gave a sarcastic salute as the collector flew away. "Arceus bless you, good sir!" she called after him, just to get on his nerve slightly. She then turned back toward Suicune, speaking aloud now. "I'm up for a test, if it means I gain your allegiance. Put me through anything, I'll succeed." Beating the collector seemed to have given her quite the confidence booster, as she started to get a bit cocky.

"Alright," the suicune told her, picking her up with her tails. "I want you to swim to the other side of the lake and back and answer this riddle..." She set Artemis at the edge of the lake. "And you are unable to receive assistance from your pokemon unless it becomes life threatening. The riddle is... I am pure, yet I am dirty. What am I?"

Artemis nodded. She really didn't know if she could swim or not, but she would do everything she could to prove herself. She returned Lykouleon and Tinlet to their balls, and removed her heavy jacket and shoes. Having them on while she swam would just weigh her down. "Okay, I'll do it," she said, stepping onto the sandy shores. She dipped one foot in the water, and discovered it was oddly warm for such a cold place. Here goes nothing...

She dove into the water, and started swimming with odd ease. Her body easily adjusted to the shifting current, and she seemed to not be controlling herself, but instead relied upon her own instincts. It's almost like I've swam in this water before, but I can't remember. And why does this water give me such a feeling of dread and longing? I'll have to figure that out later, I must focus on the riddle.

She continued her swim with ease, focusing more on the riddle than her effortless paddles.

The suicune watched, and when she came back, it looked at her. "Do you have an answer? I am pure, yet I am dirty... What am I?"

Artemis crawled out of the water, and immediately began shivering as the cold air came into contact with her soaked skin and clothes. She looked at Suicune, and sighed. "I don't think I'm correct, but my guess is...you. You are the embodiment of Auroras and the North Wind. As such, you work to purify everything you come into contact with, but just like the wind, when you cleanse something, you carry the dirt in yourself, at least for a while. So that would make you both pure and dirty." She smiled, and waited to see Suicune's reaction.

Suicune chuckled, looking at Artemis. "Not many people would guess that answer, but you were quite close. However, your answer is slightly wrong. I'll give yo uanother chance though, since you seem intelligent."

Artemis nodded, and tossed some other options in her head before finally picking the most likely. "Was the swim just a hint toward the answer?" she asked, but didn't wait for a response, "Because my next answer is water. You do specialize in purifying it, and it is both things. Over time it switches from pure to dirty, and always carries a hint of the other."

Suicune looked at Artemis. "You are correct," it said to her, sitting down and looking at her as if it [suicune herself/himself] were a god.

Pokemon: Suicune
Nickname:
Level: 75
Gender: Genderless
Moves:
Bite
BubbleBream
Gust
Aurora Beam
Ice Fang
Extrasensory
Hydro Pump
Blizzard
Leer
Rain Dance
Mist
Mirror Coat
Twilwind
Calm Mind
Personality: Intelligent, calm, collected
Experience: 0

(I'll refero Suicune as a she, just to be different than the majority of 'he's the team has)

Artemis took a Pokeball from her pocket and offered it to Suicune. "I'll call you Cesia, if you're all right with it," she said. Just then, Rune once again burst out of her own ball. A new friend! She said happily, floating and zooming all around Suicune. She then dive-bombed and landed on Artemis's head. I like it here instead of that ball, she huffed.

Artemis chuckled, and looked up at the Jarachi. "Fine," she said, "I won't put you back in it unless you misbehave." Rune cheered enthusiastically, and started flying around Artemis and Suicune, her ribbons just small yellow blurs because of her enthusiastic speed. "The little guy is growing onto me," Artemis laughed, "who knew?"

The suicune popped into the pokeball, letting itself be caught before it popped up. "I would rather be referred to as everyone calls me," she said to Artemis, looking at her trainer.

[[I didn't add the nickname... woops]]

"Okay," Artemis replied, "I'll just call you Suicune then." Her smile widened as she noticed she had finally filled her first belt to maximum capacity. She dug into her bag, and took out a second Pokeball holding belt. "Who needs the PC, I'd much rather carry all of my Pokemon with me." Once she latched that belt on, she grabbed her four other Pokeballs from her first belt.

"Well Suicune, I think you should meet the rest of the team." With that said, she threw the balls into the air, and the rest of her Pokemon burst out of them. "This is Tinlet, Nadil, Lykouleon, Deus, and Rune," she said, pointing at her Gardevoir, Giratina, Reshiram, Druddigon, and finally Jirachi, who seemed to have tired herself out and was napping on her head. All of the Pokemon, except Druddigon who spoke outloud in Pokemon, greeted one another and spoke through telepathy, getting to know each other.

Artemis walked a short distance away, wanting to let her team bond. Looking at the clear water lapping at the shore, she drifted in thought. I have Suicune now... Why does it feel as if I still have business here?

Suicune looked at Artemis before she sighed. "Should I tell her who I am," she asked herself, remembering exactly who she was. "Had to wipe your memory when you were so young. I've drifted between bodies of water just to watch you grow up.."

"What do you mean?" Artemis asked, "You wiped my memory? Why?" she turned toward her newest teammate. "I've wondered who I am for a long time now, can you truly give me some answers?" She had a look of desperation and longing on her face, as it was something she had craved since waking up on the very shores she now sat.

Suicune looked at Artemis. She walked over, having her sit down before using telepathy to communicate Artemis's last day with her years ago.

Even with the communication, the majority of Artemis's mind felt blank. "Thank you," she said to Suicune, "But I still don't remember everything. It's better than nothing though." She smiled. "I think it's about time we get out of the cold weather." She returned all of her Pokemon except Jirachi and Suicune. "I think time will be the best to get the rest of my memories back. I think I'm going to go to town for some supplies. Suicune, could you give me a ride back there? It'll be funny if I run into boy wonder. I'd love to see the look on his face." She chuckled as she pictured his outrage.

Suicune looked at Artemis. "You'll remember with time. I practically raised you, after all," she chuckled, remembering a few different occasions before she took Artemis back to town. The other collector wasn't there, but there were a few people giving her the eye having not thought she would have captured the legendary. "What happened here," she asked Artemis, seeing a couple of destroyed buildings.

"A careless battle," Artemis replied, then groaned when she saw the destroyed building was none other than the Market. "Great, there goes the supply run." Looking at all of the curious townspeople, she began to get uncomfortable. "Mine as well get out of here and figure out my next target. Suicune, I'm going to have to return you for a while, but first, do you know of any other Legendary Pokemon? I tracked Jirachi, Reshiram, and Giratina, but the stories ran dry from there.

Her mind drifted toward the youth she had met and left, Chase, while she waited for her Pokemon to respond. She felt bad for leaving him, but he seemed like the type that could take care of himself.

Suicune looked at Artemis. "I don't have any clues at this moment," she said to her.

"I guess I can kill some time while I search for a reliable legend then," she said, returning Suicune to her ball. She sent Lykouleon out, and made sure Rune was still snoozing on her head. "The only region I haven't visited is Kanto, so that's where we'll head." Lykouleon lowered his neck so she could climb onto her back, and he took flight into the air.

As they flew, the air got warmer and warmer, and Artemis gladly removed her fleece and heavy gloves. The wind whipping seemed to have woken Rune, for the carefree Jirachi was flying alongside Lykouleon in delight, her ribbons flapping in the wind behind her.

Smiling at this, Artemis felt content for once. Maybe not knowing my life isn't too bad. Sure, having a past is nice, but I'm happy the way things are. This is my life now, and it's a pretty good one.

[TOPIC EXIT: NEXT ONE IN KANTO~]