fic: pokemon: Trails in the Valley of Youth, Chapter One
Title: Trails in the Valley of Youth, Chapter One
Word Count: 1873 words
Verse: Gameverse, Gen 5
Characters/Pairings: Alder/Cheren, appearances from Black and N
Rating: PG
Warnings: A bit of violence in later chapters.
Summary: Cheren has spent five years under Alder's teachings, becoming a full time apprentice in learning what it means to be the strongest trainer in Unova. Now he's 23, and while he has learned so much, he is becoming increasingly frustrated with where he stands, both with his mentor and his place in the Champion's pinnacle.
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Five years ago
"Hm. Aren’t you being a little judgmental?"
Alder rubbed his chin, studying the much shorter, skinny teenager in front of him. He looked around 18 years old, though the almost sour look on his youthful face made him look much older. He had glasses, and short dark hair - inconspicuous looking, for the most part. He looked like a lot of other young Pokémon trainers he’d met, save for one thing - the immediate smart comment that had come out of his mouth upon greeting him.
The boy crossed his arms in front of his chest, evenly matching his gaze. The taller, brown-haired boy next to him looked fairly uncomfortable, as he looked back and forth from his friend to Alder.
"I do my best." He said finally, and the brown-haired boy, who Alder already knew as Black, gave a just audible sigh of relief.
Alder's face broke out in a grin despite himself. "What's your name?"
"Cheren." The boy responded flatly, raising his eyebrows.
Though Cheren did not ask for his name in return, he offered it anyway, much more enthusiastically than his new friend. "My name is Alder. I'm not just fooling around, like you said,” He said to Cheren, referencing the smart comment he had just previously received. “I'm on a journey."
"A journey to where?" Black asked. Cheren looked at his friend, still looking far from happy at the halt in his training Alder’s appearance had caused.
"Nowhere in particular. I'm the Champion of Unova. I know every corner, every path, every rock and river. There is not much left for me to discover... so I just wander instead.”
Alder saw Cheren's eyes light up when he spoke his title, and was a little taken aback by it. It gave a new energy to his whole face, making him look like someone completely different.
"Oh really? I want to be the Champion someday." Cheren said, his voice sounding lighter, less monotonous.
"Is that right?" Alder replied, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "An honorable following. But I assume you know will take many years of training and commitment."
Cheren nodded, his expression so comically determined it made Black smirk a little, which he tried to hide by covering his mouth with a hand.
A slow smile spread across Alder’s face. He was amazed this young man had gone from being coldly indifferent to Alder to completely interested in him. He looked him over again, his whole body seeming to be quivered with his dreams of being Champion. He was so eager, so young.
"If you'd like, I could teach you a few things." Alder said after a pause.
Cheren leaned back a little, sliding his fingers into his pockets. He looked pleased, and attempted to look calm, but Alder could see the excitement in his eyes.
"Sure."
-------
Present Day
The sun was coming up.
The early morning light painted shades of orange and red against the high rocks of Victory Road, and the air was chilled with mist, dancing against the sharp shards of the stone layers. At times like these, it almost seemed like time was standing still. One could feel like they were part of the grand scheme of nature itself.
And the sounds! It was like music to those who knew how to listen to it, knew how to close their eyes and let the sounds of their surroundings fill their subconscious and surround them like water. A harmony of nature at its purest form, just when it was awakening.
Alder knew how to listen, of course. He leaned back against the granite shelf, and closed his eyes. The sensations around him suddenly magnified; the chirping of Rufflet babies in a nearby evergreen tree, the distant piercing call of their Braviary mother as she returned from the hunt. The smell of the crisp air and the dirt and the trees. All mixing together to create the sensation that Alder craved every morning.
He was jolted back to reality with the sound of someone clearing their throat, in a purposefully annoyed fashion. It would appear he was the only one enjoying the morning.
"I can see my breath out here." A clear, young voice cut through the chilly air, disturbing the zen Alder had built for himself..
Alder exhaled shortly through his nose, opening his eyes again. Looking down, he made a dark head of head below him, his companion sitting curled up into himself. He looked fairly aggravated and seemed to be shivering in the crisp morning air, despite having his arms wrapped around himself. He looked up at Alder and grimaced.
His expression brought an amused smile to Alder's face. "Would you rather us go to Twist Mountain? Perhaps do some stamina exercises?" He asked, his voice alluding there might be more to the story than just a suggestion of a trip to a snowy mountain.
"You're not funny." Cheren deadpanned, looking out at the valley again.
Alder chuckled. "On the contrary, Cheren, I think I'm fairly amusing at times."
"That makes one of us, then," Cheren replied, his tone as monotonous as ever, but Alder could see the way the corners of his mouth twitch upward, betraying his thoughts. Over time, Cheren's emotions and expressions had become easier and easier to interpret, and spot through his body language and the way he spoke.
For instance, there was of course the classic ‘things aren’t going my way’ annoyed, easy to spot based the creased brow and a set jaw. And then there was, ‘I’m tired of listening to you, old man’ annoyed, set apart by the twitching eyelid and nail biting. There was also content, and amused, which are distinguished by the angle of the corners of his mouth. It genuinely happy or sad that Alder always had trouble spotting. Cheren was like a map with areas that still had yet to be explored and drawn.
Meanwhile, though Cheren had spent many years with Alder, he was disturbed to find his mentor could easily read him. He was torn between slightly unnerved that someone had been studying him and memorizing his mannerisms so diligently, and somewhat touched that someone had actually taken the time to do so.
Cheren paused, moving his frozen hands into the sleeves of his jacket, suppressing a shiver. Supposedly Alder came here every morning, when he was not traveling. Every morning at the crack of dawn. When normal people should be sleeping.
He stifled a yawn against his wrist before he spoke again. "So, is this exercise supposed to be teaching me something other than how uncomfortable it is to fall asleep against cold rocks?"
Alder shook his head, giving his apprentice a slightly sour, disapproving look, not even bothering to open his eyes. "Maybe you'd understand better if you'd keep quiet for a little while."
Cheren groused, folding his arms even tighter. "Oh, come off of it. Of all the tests you've given me, ones that tested me, I mean, really tested me - the year long pilgrimage across Unova I took last year?" Cheren hesitated, the memories of the look of pride on Alder's face when he returned from that journey flashing in his mind. It was one of his favorite memories... but this was no time to get distracted. He was trying to prove his point. "Those meant something. This? I’m not so sure it’s doing anything to make me stronger."
Alder sighed and ran a hand across his face, across his hewn features. So much for the peaceful atmosphere.
A few years ago in the same situation, Cheren would've at least tried to understand the reason why Alder did what he did, why he made Cheren go through certain exercises, trials and tests. But since he'd come back from his jaunt across Unova, about a year ago, he'd become more and more independent, more questioning, impatient. He challenged Alder's methods on a regular basis. And though Alder would agree some questioning was good, it was becoming more and more frequent, and could be tiring.
But Alder knew that though his pupil was getting older, and stronger, and he was worlds ahead of what he had been when he first took him under his wing. He was... beyond pleased with the progress Cheren had made in the past few years. Cheren had such determination and focus; he was bound and determined to eventually take Alder's place as Champion, and Alder knew without a doubt that someday he would get there. He wasn't a kid anymore, now at 23 years old, he was a man. He was formidable force in his own right, and Alder was vastly proud of him.
But he wasn't ready. Not yet. There were things he had yet to learn, experiences he had yet to endure.
"This is supposed to be tightening your focus and teaching you to let go of that vice grip you have on the small problems of reality." Alder said, his voice smooth and earthy, as it always was when he was explaining something.
Cheren made a noise in his throat, bringing his legs even closer to his body, craving warmth. He paused for a moment and at least tried to shut down his mind, to try and let his soul drift away from his body. This wasn’t the first time he’d meditated; Alder was quite fond of it, after all. But he found he could not halt his thoughts racing through his mind, he couldn't keep from fidgeting.
He groaned and leaned back sharply, knocking his head intentionally on the stone behind him. "I still understand. I’ve meditated enough, don’t you think?"
When Alder didn’t answer right away, he looked up, amd Alder was looking at him. Though his face, to most, seemed blank; Cheren could tell he wasn't happy with him. At all.
"Go do your rounds then," He said, his voice curt. He promptly turned back to face out towards the valley again.
Cheren felt his stomach sink, as if he were a child that just got scolded. But Alder’s approval was important to him, more than it had been when they had first started his training. Though he questioned Alder, he admitted (only to himself) that he did not like Alder’s disapproval. He lifted his head, keeping his chin held high as he got up and walked off, his hands in his pockets. He didn't look back.
Alder watched him go discreetly, then shook his head when he was out of sight. Cheren had always been a kid with a fiery disposition. Not so much a kid anymore, actually, but the belligerence was still there. And lately, it just seemed like he lived to argue with him.
Something had changed between them. And Alder knew Cheren wasn't going to wait around to figure out the details, combing over the many small, intricate technicalities that could be contributed to why they acted towards each other the way they did.
Cheren wasn’t like that. He would act on his instincts, just like he always has. That much Alder could count on.
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| Chapter Two >>
Word Count: 1873 words
Verse: Gameverse, Gen 5
Characters/Pairings: Alder/Cheren, appearances from Black and N
Rating: PG
Warnings: A bit of violence in later chapters.
Summary: Cheren has spent five years under Alder's teachings, becoming a full time apprentice in learning what it means to be the strongest trainer in Unova. Now he's 23, and while he has learned so much, he is becoming increasingly frustrated with where he stands, both with his mentor and his place in the Champion's pinnacle.
----------------------------------------
Five years ago
"Hm. Aren’t you being a little judgmental?"
Alder rubbed his chin, studying the much shorter, skinny teenager in front of him. He looked around 18 years old, though the almost sour look on his youthful face made him look much older. He had glasses, and short dark hair - inconspicuous looking, for the most part. He looked like a lot of other young Pokémon trainers he’d met, save for one thing - the immediate smart comment that had come out of his mouth upon greeting him.
The boy crossed his arms in front of his chest, evenly matching his gaze. The taller, brown-haired boy next to him looked fairly uncomfortable, as he looked back and forth from his friend to Alder.
"I do my best." He said finally, and the brown-haired boy, who Alder already knew as Black, gave a just audible sigh of relief.
Alder's face broke out in a grin despite himself. "What's your name?"
"Cheren." The boy responded flatly, raising his eyebrows.
Though Cheren did not ask for his name in return, he offered it anyway, much more enthusiastically than his new friend. "My name is Alder. I'm not just fooling around, like you said,” He said to Cheren, referencing the smart comment he had just previously received. “I'm on a journey."
"A journey to where?" Black asked. Cheren looked at his friend, still looking far from happy at the halt in his training Alder’s appearance had caused.
"Nowhere in particular. I'm the Champion of Unova. I know every corner, every path, every rock and river. There is not much left for me to discover... so I just wander instead.”
Alder saw Cheren's eyes light up when he spoke his title, and was a little taken aback by it. It gave a new energy to his whole face, making him look like someone completely different.
"Oh really? I want to be the Champion someday." Cheren said, his voice sounding lighter, less monotonous.
"Is that right?" Alder replied, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "An honorable following. But I assume you know will take many years of training and commitment."
Cheren nodded, his expression so comically determined it made Black smirk a little, which he tried to hide by covering his mouth with a hand.
A slow smile spread across Alder’s face. He was amazed this young man had gone from being coldly indifferent to Alder to completely interested in him. He looked him over again, his whole body seeming to be quivered with his dreams of being Champion. He was so eager, so young.
"If you'd like, I could teach you a few things." Alder said after a pause.
Cheren leaned back a little, sliding his fingers into his pockets. He looked pleased, and attempted to look calm, but Alder could see the excitement in his eyes.
"Sure."
-------
Present Day
The sun was coming up.
The early morning light painted shades of orange and red against the high rocks of Victory Road, and the air was chilled with mist, dancing against the sharp shards of the stone layers. At times like these, it almost seemed like time was standing still. One could feel like they were part of the grand scheme of nature itself.
And the sounds! It was like music to those who knew how to listen to it, knew how to close their eyes and let the sounds of their surroundings fill their subconscious and surround them like water. A harmony of nature at its purest form, just when it was awakening.
Alder knew how to listen, of course. He leaned back against the granite shelf, and closed his eyes. The sensations around him suddenly magnified; the chirping of Rufflet babies in a nearby evergreen tree, the distant piercing call of their Braviary mother as she returned from the hunt. The smell of the crisp air and the dirt and the trees. All mixing together to create the sensation that Alder craved every morning.
He was jolted back to reality with the sound of someone clearing their throat, in a purposefully annoyed fashion. It would appear he was the only one enjoying the morning.
"I can see my breath out here." A clear, young voice cut through the chilly air, disturbing the zen Alder had built for himself..
Alder exhaled shortly through his nose, opening his eyes again. Looking down, he made a dark head of head below him, his companion sitting curled up into himself. He looked fairly aggravated and seemed to be shivering in the crisp morning air, despite having his arms wrapped around himself. He looked up at Alder and grimaced.
His expression brought an amused smile to Alder's face. "Would you rather us go to Twist Mountain? Perhaps do some stamina exercises?" He asked, his voice alluding there might be more to the story than just a suggestion of a trip to a snowy mountain.
"You're not funny." Cheren deadpanned, looking out at the valley again.
Alder chuckled. "On the contrary, Cheren, I think I'm fairly amusing at times."
"That makes one of us, then," Cheren replied, his tone as monotonous as ever, but Alder could see the way the corners of his mouth twitch upward, betraying his thoughts. Over time, Cheren's emotions and expressions had become easier and easier to interpret, and spot through his body language and the way he spoke.
For instance, there was of course the classic ‘things aren’t going my way’ annoyed, easy to spot based the creased brow and a set jaw. And then there was, ‘I’m tired of listening to you, old man’ annoyed, set apart by the twitching eyelid and nail biting. There was also content, and amused, which are distinguished by the angle of the corners of his mouth. It genuinely happy or sad that Alder always had trouble spotting. Cheren was like a map with areas that still had yet to be explored and drawn.
Meanwhile, though Cheren had spent many years with Alder, he was disturbed to find his mentor could easily read him. He was torn between slightly unnerved that someone had been studying him and memorizing his mannerisms so diligently, and somewhat touched that someone had actually taken the time to do so.
Cheren paused, moving his frozen hands into the sleeves of his jacket, suppressing a shiver. Supposedly Alder came here every morning, when he was not traveling. Every morning at the crack of dawn. When normal people should be sleeping.
He stifled a yawn against his wrist before he spoke again. "So, is this exercise supposed to be teaching me something other than how uncomfortable it is to fall asleep against cold rocks?"
Alder shook his head, giving his apprentice a slightly sour, disapproving look, not even bothering to open his eyes. "Maybe you'd understand better if you'd keep quiet for a little while."
Cheren groused, folding his arms even tighter. "Oh, come off of it. Of all the tests you've given me, ones that tested me, I mean, really tested me - the year long pilgrimage across Unova I took last year?" Cheren hesitated, the memories of the look of pride on Alder's face when he returned from that journey flashing in his mind. It was one of his favorite memories... but this was no time to get distracted. He was trying to prove his point. "Those meant something. This? I’m not so sure it’s doing anything to make me stronger."
Alder sighed and ran a hand across his face, across his hewn features. So much for the peaceful atmosphere.
A few years ago in the same situation, Cheren would've at least tried to understand the reason why Alder did what he did, why he made Cheren go through certain exercises, trials and tests. But since he'd come back from his jaunt across Unova, about a year ago, he'd become more and more independent, more questioning, impatient. He challenged Alder's methods on a regular basis. And though Alder would agree some questioning was good, it was becoming more and more frequent, and could be tiring.
But Alder knew that though his pupil was getting older, and stronger, and he was worlds ahead of what he had been when he first took him under his wing. He was... beyond pleased with the progress Cheren had made in the past few years. Cheren had such determination and focus; he was bound and determined to eventually take Alder's place as Champion, and Alder knew without a doubt that someday he would get there. He wasn't a kid anymore, now at 23 years old, he was a man. He was formidable force in his own right, and Alder was vastly proud of him.
But he wasn't ready. Not yet. There were things he had yet to learn, experiences he had yet to endure.
"This is supposed to be tightening your focus and teaching you to let go of that vice grip you have on the small problems of reality." Alder said, his voice smooth and earthy, as it always was when he was explaining something.
Cheren made a noise in his throat, bringing his legs even closer to his body, craving warmth. He paused for a moment and at least tried to shut down his mind, to try and let his soul drift away from his body. This wasn’t the first time he’d meditated; Alder was quite fond of it, after all. But he found he could not halt his thoughts racing through his mind, he couldn't keep from fidgeting.
He groaned and leaned back sharply, knocking his head intentionally on the stone behind him. "I still understand. I’ve meditated enough, don’t you think?"
When Alder didn’t answer right away, he looked up, amd Alder was looking at him. Though his face, to most, seemed blank; Cheren could tell he wasn't happy with him. At all.
"Go do your rounds then," He said, his voice curt. He promptly turned back to face out towards the valley again.
Cheren felt his stomach sink, as if he were a child that just got scolded. But Alder’s approval was important to him, more than it had been when they had first started his training. Though he questioned Alder, he admitted (only to himself) that he did not like Alder’s disapproval. He lifted his head, keeping his chin held high as he got up and walked off, his hands in his pockets. He didn't look back.
Alder watched him go discreetly, then shook his head when he was out of sight. Cheren had always been a kid with a fiery disposition. Not so much a kid anymore, actually, but the belligerence was still there. And lately, it just seemed like he lived to argue with him.
Something had changed between them. And Alder knew Cheren wasn't going to wait around to figure out the details, combing over the many small, intricate technicalities that could be contributed to why they acted towards each other the way they did.
Cheren wasn’t like that. He would act on his instincts, just like he always has. That much Alder could count on.
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| Chapter Two >>