A Journey of Plural Heroes

Poke. Poke, poke.

"Cherubi, stop it."

Poke.

Nicoletta looked down at her Pokémon and best friend whom she had raised since she hatched. Cherubi was poking her trainer's chest with ingenuous curiosity, and it made Nicoletta want to flick her Pokémon's forehead for being such a nuisance. Of course, she would never do that to her own friend, so Nicoletta let out a throughly amused sigh. Taking a Pokéball out of her messenger bag, the auburn-haired girl tapped Cherubi, a red light making her disappear into the round gadget.

She had left her birthplace, Hearthome City, just yesterday to complete a newfound dream. A newfound dream to become a successful and pro Coordinator. Now she was, just to put it simple, in a particularly large patch of tall grass, and she was trying her hardest to find at least a Pokémon. "Well, you can't enter a contest with just one Pokémon," she'd explained to Cherubi earlier after the cherry Pokémon had a discontent look on her face.

Everywhere, Nicoletta heard a rustle in the wind. Please, please, please, be a Pokémon, she prayed, stalking around the grass that blended in with her beret. She took out Cherubi's Pokéball quietly, careful not to scare any future friends.

While Nicoletta was silently preparing to capture a Pokemon she got within her sights, Hakudoshi was walking alongside his slithering mother, Milotic. He affectionately stroked her head, his arms wrapped around her as he walked with her. The socially awkward wild boy walked with a confident stride in his steps, fully prepared and willing to take on anything and anyone that comes his way. With the strategy he had in mind when facing all of the challengers, he was more than ready to take on any challenge that crossed his path.

As Nicoletta dove further into the grass, a boy appeared right out of the corner of her determined, brown eyes. Standing straight and on her tiptoes, she saw him happily walking alongside his Milotic, arms wrapped around it as if the Milotic was his own mother. The cocky grin she always wore faded away slowly as she realized: She couldn't possibly beat that Milotic in battle.

First of all, that Milotic was grand. A true beauty, just to put it short. Her parents rarley bred any Feebas to evolve into Milotic as Feebas was a pretty drab Pokémon. Nicoletta couldn't possibly hurt such a beautiful creature. Second, Cherubi was, and she'd hate to say it, weak, and would still need more training if she ever dreamed of doing damage to the other Pokémon.

Watching him, Nicoletta dared to call out with an arrogant gleam in her eyes. "Hey, pretty boy!" she laughed, one arm on her hip. "What'cha doing here, flaunting off your Milotic?" Though, she was unaware that the boy, Hakudoshi, probably wouldn't respond the way she wanted.

Hakudoshi stopped in his tracks and blinked in confusion when he heard someone call him a pretty boy. He looked around wildly for a moment, causing his long, braided mint-green-haired ponytail to swing wildly in every direction he looked, until his eyes finally landed on the female with a small Cherubi. Unsure of how to react, the skimpy-dressed feminine boy awkwardly waved his hand at her in greeting.

"Erm, thank you, it's nice to meet you too" he said to her with a bit of a stutter as a shy blush took over his face. It was clear that he was confused by her greeting, and obviously had no idea that the term pretty boy was supposed to be an insult. The painfully socially awkward Wild Boy had rarely interacted with humans, after all.

When she brought up the Milotic by his side, he gazed at the affectionate sea serpent that had protectively wrapped itself around him. "I don't keep Mom in a Pokeball. She only has one so she can't be taken from me" he said to her with a befuddled expression, seemingly not aware of how weird it might be for a human to call a Pokemon by the term Mom.

A gaze of pure perplexity shattered Nicoletta's tough demeanor. Did this guy not know what an insult was or what?! Cocking her head to the side, making her green beret a bit crooked, she looked back from the Milotic and the boy. Nicoletta decided to put it bluntly. "It was an insult. You know what that is, right?" The spare Pokéball in her left hand was forgotten, and Cherubi's Pokéball was put back in its mini form.

Shaking her head side to side, she picked up Cherubi who had apparently escaped from her Pokéball earlier. Her ears immediately perked up at the Milotic's nickname, making Cherubi easy to escape. As Nicoletta tried to rearrange all this newfound information, Cherubi bounded over to "Mom", trying to get the Milotic's attention. "Did," she started slowly, "Did you just call your Milotic... Mom?"

The Milotic kept an eye on the female trainer that stood in front of herself and Hakudoshi, making sure to analyze the girl's every move for the hint of a threat. After the years of watching after the child she had been tasked to look after, she had grown as much fondness for the boy as he had for her. However, carefully split her attention to look at the small little Cherubi that was trying to get her attention.

Hakudoshi's expression took on a confused expression, looking at her with furrowed eyebrows. The expression of confusion had been caused by Nicoletta asking him if he even knew what an insult was. Then, she confused him even more when she asked him if he called Mom what he did. He looked at Mom for a moment, before turning to look back at her. "Well, yes, I did call her Mom, because that's what she is, my Mom. Why else would I call her that?" he said, the Wild Boy sounding and looking just as confused as she did.

Taking light steps toward the boy, and being careful to pay attention at the Milotic who seemed to be glaring at her, Nicoletta was now at a simple few feet away from him. She gave him a skeptical look, eyes narrowed. "That can't be. She's a Pokémon, and you're a human. Unless you were raised by her, which is a nice possibility-" Nicoletta stopped, still trying to take in the sudden burst of confusing information.

Shaking her head, she walked over to sit down near her Cherubi, who in return didn't pay attention and daringly tried to climb up the serpent-like Pokémon. Nicoletta looked up at the long-haired boy, and squinted her brown eyes at him. "My name's Nicoletta. Nicoletta Casey. And you are?" It seemed she had completely given up on Hakudoshi's odd perks, which was a bit too rare.

When Nicoletta said that Mom couldn't be his mother, because she is a Pokemon, and he is a human, he did concede to that with a nod. However, when she said that there was the possibility that Mom raised him, he spoke up. "That is correct. That is how she is my mother" the Wild Boy said to her with a smile as he hugged the Milotic  again.

Mom proceeded to let the Cherubi try and climb onto her, not at all concerned about it in the slightest. When Nicoletta introduced herself, Hakudoshi let a shy smile appear on his face as another shy blush gave his cheeks a dash of pink. "My name is Hakudoshi, pleasure to meet you Nicoletta" he said to her as his shy smile took on a more pleasant look.

(Exiting topic due to my now exhausted patience.