Tiresome Journey

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Just days before the darkness had arrived upon the world. A lone golden riolu had been traveling for some time. Having just recently run away from the only place it had called home. Despite the fact that it was a moving home. After all, his clan was nomadic, depending no the situation they were in. They would move to new locations every so often.

However, all that is now in the past. Ever since he had believed he had failed his trials and had lost his master. He feared the effects of it within the clan. He hasn't heard of such an event that has ever happened before with another. So he informed them what had happened, as his master's wish. However, he ran away afterwords. They didn't even bother to stop him.

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Now, just passing near the town of Rainfront town. The golden riolu had been walking slowly across the sandy beach along the coast. Looking off towards the ocean. The orange glow of the sunset in the distance.

He had been traveling non-stop ever since he had left his clan. The path being endless for him. He was worn and tired. More so than what his trial had entailed for him. After looking at the sunset, he figured that this would be an alright location to rest. Sensing little to no other presences with his ability to sense aura. The only presence that was actually somewhat distinguishable was something in the water in the distance. It was quite possible that it was heading towards the beach area.

As Raul had watched the mudkip for only a moment, he didn’t quite see her subtle gesture of acknowledgement. However, he did sense it… as his abilities to sense aura were very keen. Raul looked back towards the figure in his paws and turned it around a few times, stopping each time as the small gem that sat on the figures paws faced him. Each time, keeping it still for a longer period of time for every turn. As he was in the middle of the second turn. The mudkip asked him how he would start a fire, which had him pause. “Friction” he responded. However, after a moment of thought he decided to give a bit more information on it, “I rub the sticks together long enough, it produces heat for fire.” he added, just before he continued to rotate his figurine.

Finally after the sixth turn, he kept it facing him. The very small bits of tears forming on the side of his eyes. However, he never fully broke out during the time he stared at it. After a small bit of time, he wiped his eyes, not realizing the amount of time he spent staring at the figure. It was probably over a few minutes, all the while he remained silent.

Breeze blinked in confusion, having never heard of such a thing before. Still, she supposed it didn't matter, as long as it worked for the riolu and he didn't hurt himself. She yawned loudly, blinking sleepily. "Well, 'night," she murmured before laying her head down. She was curled up in her nest of moss, warm as anything. She fell asleep to the warmth of companionship, a comfort she had feared she would never have again.

Raul looked towards the mudkip as she spoke once more. Looking towards his trinket once more just after responding back. “Night…”. He stared at his trinket a bit more before mentioning quietly “Thank-you…”. He probably didn’t realize it, but being with Breeze seemed to give him more comfort… especially after the whole incident that had occurred near home. She was the first person he had come into contact with that seemed to care about others.

The decision up to him now, was whether or not to remain with this the mudkip. Although he probably didn’t realize it just yet. He had just made a valuable friend, one that both parties can mutually benefit from each other. His survival skills, along with her knowledge with socialization.

Raul sat against the side wall with his feet hanging in the bed that was provided to him by Breeze. He continued to stare out into the open space just outside the shelter. The temperatures from outside seemed to remain stable, and it wasn’t too cold. It didn’t look like a fire was needed for the night so he remained where he was for the next hour. The thoughts of that day’s events ran through his head. He slowly pieced each piece together, and how he can improve on what he had available at those times.

It was something he did almost every day when something bothered him. He found solace in the routines he did. He would use the events from the day, and find what could have been done better as to learn for the future. This one routine though, was one that he was given after each passing time he was training with his Theynin. It was something that could be done at any point in time, as long as one had the time to do so.

After recounting the day’s events, he found that there wasn’t much that he could have done better. He truly felt that there wasn’t any other solution other than to leave his home.

The golden riolu slid down into the bed that was made, continuing to remain in a sitting position as he felt comfortable resting in that position.

Breeze was dreaming.

"Breeze! Come quickly, Fallen Leaves has twisted his paw while training!"

Breeze looked up from sorting herbs in her den to see a young piplup waddling towards her, crying out desperately. Breeze put down the herbs she was carrying, walking towards the piplup calmly. Dew Drops on Petals, the piplup who was crying out, always was the nervous pokemon, freaking out over every little thing.

"I'm sure he'll be fine, Dew," Breeze said calmly. "Now, why don't you bring him to my den and I'll take a look at his paw?"

"But...! He can't walk on three paws, Breeze!" the piplup whined. "Why don't you just come with me and see him at the training center?"

Breeze paused suspiciously. She didn't want to doubt her tribe-mates, but this wasn't the first time they'd wasted her time on pranks. "Until I see his paw, I won't know what herbs he needs, and I'd rather not waste time going back and forth from my den to the training center. Walking on three paws is awkward but not impossible. Fallen Leaves will just have to make do, or do without," she said sternly.

"Some medicine pokemon you are!" Dew sneered. "You don't even care, do you?"

Breeze snarled at the disrespect in the piplup's tone. "I'm not treating Fallen Leaves any differently than I would treat any of my patients. Now, are you going to stop wasting my time with an obvious prank, Dew, or do I have to talk to Boulder about your disrespect?"

"Like he'd believe you over me," Dew huffed. Still, she walked away, now that her prank hadn't worked.

"These pokemon... no respect these days," Breeze muttered to herself in irritation, returning to her herbs.

She paused, looking at the scattered herbs across the den floor. "Now, how did that happen?" she wondered. No wind had blown through her den to scatter them. The pattern that the herbs made across the den floor reminded her of something... a face was apparent -a face that looked familiar but she couldn't place it. "What are you trying to tell me?" She wondered aloud. Her ancestors were giving her some sort of warning or message, it was clear. What was not clear was the message.

She began to pick up the herbs, pondering on what the message could possibly mean. Perhaps this predicted a new face in her life, though why her ancestors would choose to share an unfamiliar pokemon to her was unclear.

Breeze awoke with a start from the dream-memory. She hadn't thought of the face in the herbs for quite a long time. But she remembered the face now... it had been that of Raul's! What did that mean? Her ancestors had shown that sign to her long, long ago, before anything had happened to make her want to leave the Tribes. Yet, it seemed they had known she would leave them even all the way back then. It made no sense to the mudkip. But she knew she ought to trust in her ancestors, as they had never led her astray before.

She looked over at the sleeping, golden-furred riolu. He was destined to be a part of her life, this much was clear. How important he would be, she was unsure of. But for now, it calmed her that her ancestors were clearly still looking out for her, if they had foretold this meeting so long ago.

Dream state of Raul..

The sky was dark as Raul traversed across the forest in the direction of a mountain. Another mon just lingering behind him as it observes. Although dark, the sky had an eerie dark blue hue to it. Just as the riolu makes another turn, the scene quickly changes to that of a cliff side.

Raul looked over the edge to see the immense fall down below. This seems familiar… How did I get here? Raul thought to himself, unaware that he was in a dream. The only thing that was off about the environment was the lingering aura he felt near him but couldn’t see its source. No matter where he had moved, it was the same distance and position from him.

Raul turned around to view the lucario that was watching him. Only to nod as he continued to walk along the path he had chosen on the mountainside. There wasn’t many foes along the way. The ones that he did encounter, he managed to detect and avoid early. However, he only did it if necessary when a conflict was avoidable.

Scene flashing again, not realizing that it had been shifting this entire time. He was now at the peak of the mountain. The peak had too much for him, as he realized exactly where he was now… Raul quickly turned around to see the Pokémon starting to surround him and his observer. I won’t let it happen! No! he mentally screamed. He attempted to attack them now, before they had the chance to do anything. However, his body didn’t listen to his commands. The scene now seemed to replay from a third perspective to him as the events from his past replayed.

Him and his Theynin had been surrounded and had nowhere to go. Hearing the command once again to leave the second there was an opening. After which, he heard a voice that was too familiar state that it didn’t want to leave. N-no! I-I want to stay!! he shouted mentally, but the voice was never heard. ”You will obey your Theynin’s commands! Leave when you get a chance! That is an order!” the voice responded back in a more aggressive tone.

Raul only remained silent after that, feeling hurt that he was essentially abandoning his teacher. However, he couldn’t disobey him either. As his emotions flowed and a lucario lowering its paw in front of his vision. ”Take this, and go back to the clan.” the lucario said in a much calmer voice.

Raul looked up towards his Theynin... to see a light smile on its face that brought him hope. “But what abo-“ ”Another time.”
Raul frowned slightly but nodded before blocking an attack alongside his Theynin. “You will come?” he asked however the only response he got was to leave. Stating to leave now just after a blast of aura occurred.

The vision fading just before he was blinded by a soft blue light.

End Dream

Raul suddenly woke up with tears streaming down his face. “Theynin!!” he practically shouted as he covered his face as he wept. The familiar aura he felt during the dream was now present once more, Breeze’s aura…

Breeze was just about to fall asleep again, her eyelids drooping in tiredness, when a sudden scream jerked her awake again. She startled right out of her warm nest, away from the suddenly sobbing riolu in the nest next to hers.

"Huh?" she managed to mumble incoherently as she stared blearily at the crying Raul. Where had this suddenly come from? He was screaming some name into the sky -theyneen or something of the sort.

Breeze shook her head, trying to rid herself of the fuzzies of sleep. She pushed her feet under her and stumbled over to the riolu and sat down next to the riolu, giving him a hug, with her tiny paws wrapped halfway around him. "Shhhh, it's alright," she murmured to the sobbing riolu. "Nothing can hurt you now, hush now..."

She began to hum a quiet tune that she barely remembered from her long-ago childhood, when she'd still had the comfort of her mother's voice. "Hush now, quiet now, it's time to go to bed... Hush now, quiet now, it's time to lay your sleepy head.♫" She sung lowly and quietly, just trying to calm down the scared and tearful Raul.

Raul continued to whimper in his arms just before Breeze wrapped around him hushing him, stating everything was alright. He was a bit stiff over the situation he was now in. Some Pokémon, namely breeze was now hugging him, which he wasn’t quite used to. Despite being friendly thus far, and the amount of help she has been. The actions left him slightly uncomfortable until a certain point.

As the mudkip had tried to calm him down through song, he didn’t quite take it to mind on the words. He was too focused on his immediate sense of loss he felt, similar to the day he had lost his teacher. He quickly remember the trinket he was given and pulled it out of its pouch. He left the pouch tied to his wrist as he did so as he just wanted to feel closer to his teacher at the very second.

A small bit of time passed before the mudkip had begun singing before Raul loosened from this new contact. All he knew was that the action wasn’t hostile.

He couldn’t get the words to describe his feelings. He didn’t know what to say at all, but just sit there. Whether or not the song had worked or just the company. Raul slowly calmed down, and remained still. He still couldn’t get his words out after calming down. He would question why he had to relive that whole scene…

Breeze could feel the riolu in her embrace slowly begin to calm down. It in turn calmed her down as well. She was grateful that Raul wasn't screaming or sobbing anymore, that always made her feel uncomfortable around other pokemon when they were upset. She wanted to make everything bad go away and keep her friends happy.

She uncurled herself from her embrace around Raul to look at him in the eyes. "Do you want to talk about it, sweetie?" she asked calmly. "It sounds like you had an awful nightmare..." She hoped that by staying calm, she would keep him calm and that maybe talking about it would lend itself to healing his mind. Herbs could only do so much to grief and shock, after all.

As breeze asked if he wanted to talk about what had just happened. Raul remained silent for another minute as he stared back into Breeze’s eyes. Eventually he broke eye contact and looked out towards the ocean. “J-just reliving my nightmare…” raul stated quietly as he watched the waves splash across the beach side. The ocean was bathed in the early morning light.

“I… don’t know what else to say.” he spoke softly. “It was like I was there all over again…” he spoke in a noticeably slower pace. It would seem that he truly was hurting over the loss.

Breeze nodded sympathetically as Raul explained that it was a nightmare. She remembered his sad story about his Theynin and his tribe. It was awful for him to lose the comfort of the tribe, like Breeze had lost her tribe as well.

An inkling of an idea began to tinkle at the back of Breeze's mind. Maybe, they didn't have their tribes, but they had each other... maybe there were other pokemon out there who were missing the comfort of other pokemon... and all they needed was like-minded pokemon to be with!

If Breeze were to make a tribe of her own, she could invite all pokemon who searched for something more, no matter their previous allegiances or problems. As long as one wanted to be in the tribe for the sake of the tribe, then it didn't matter. The thought cheered her up.

"Hey... I know you lost your tribe... but what if we started a different tribe together? One for lost pokemon like us?" she asked Raul hesitantly.

Raul looked down to his trinket that he seemed to be holding closely. He didn’t realize he had pulled it out of his pouch during his emotional episode from his dream. The pouch had never left his wrist in that time either.

As he sat there looking at the figure. Breeze started to speak once more, asking about making a new tribe together, one for lost Pokémon similar to them. The second she even mentioned tribe he looked up towards the mudkip, preparing to say no. However… he remained silent for a moment before responding.

“I am not lost… but.” The golden riolu started but stopped mid-sentence. He thought some more about his response. Raul looked down at his figure once more. What would Theynin do… he thought to himself. This wasn’t something he had ever dealt with before. It also was certainly not something that happened before in his tribe or fellow kin. A new experience perhaps?

“I… won’t abandon my Theynin.” he stated firmly. However, after he paused for a moment he began to speak once more “I will join you.”

Breeze had to stop herself from bursting out in a loud cheer as Raul agreed to join her in this endeavor. "Thank you!" She exclaimed, unable to stop herself from hugging the riolu.

"This tribe will be the best tribe! We'll need more members, and a territory, as well as a camp to shelter us from the weather and feral pokemon..." Breeze trailed off, thinking of all the things that needed to be done to bring the tribe together.

"But we can do this together, I'm sure! It will be a tribe of renewed life for everyone who wishes to join!" She blinked. "Hey, that's a good name... Tribe of the Renewed Life... what do you think?" She asked Raul excitedly.

Raul froze as Breeze quickly went to hug him. The movement caught him off guard slightly but it didn’t cause him to be too startled. It was an action he would get used to with little time as he learned more about his new friend.

As the mudkip continued to talk about all the things they needed to do about where they should make the tribe’s camp and finding others to join the tribe. It wasn’t a lot of stuff he would want to do himself. However, he felt he could help out with whatever was needed, especially when it comes to survival.

Once Breeze had asked about his opinions about the name she thought of. Tribe of the renewed life, it rang well but Raul wasn’t one to think of names for a group of Pokémon. To him, they were just a group and names really didn’t matter. However, if it all came down to his opinion. He supposed he liked it. As she had asked him he let out a smile and nodded.

Breeze hopped happily. Raul had nodded, signifying that he agreed with her that the name she had chosen was a good one. Now she just had to actually make the tribe happen. She was sure that the idea would give her a new purpose in life.

She looked over at Raul and noted that he seemed nervous about something. Perhaps he wasn't certain about his decision to join her tribe. Breeze's happiness died down a little at the thought but maybe she was just overthinking things.

"Raul, are you ok?" She asked in concern.

Raul looked up towards Breeze as she asked him if he was alright. He nodded lightly and looked back out towards the ocean. The thoughts on his mind were a little disorganized, whether he truly wanted to be a part of this tribe. The other end of his thoughts was what he was going to do now that he left the clan. These thoughts ran through his mind in many places, but never truly setting still for him to examine his situation.

This wasn’t something he normally had problems with. He normally had a calm, clear mind. Especially when he meditated, but ever since he had left the clan. It slowly has filled with these thoughts.