sparksbynightfall

[sparksbynightfall]

[ Ask Intermission ]

"I'm telling you, Favi. You should've seen me while I was training with Lucia!"

Dusk had settled in at Jubilife Park. The sky was a dark orange hue with a few dark clouds here and there. Elaina is seem sitting by the park bench talking to Favonius, who was eagerly listening to her story. Quite a few people were out and about yet the pair seemed to be unbothered that it's going to be evening soon.

[ Elaina and Favonius are now open for asks! ]

[sparksbynightfall]

C1 - Episode 1 : After Hours

Stars, stars everywhere ... as far as the eye can see.

I was lying on the grass under what looked like an endless night sky, and everywhere I turned, there was nothing but stars. Although my dreams had taken a different turn ... this time, I welcomed the change of pace and just enjoyed it for what it was. The grass beneath me felt soft and comforting, like a warm blanket.

I decided to get up, not knowing what else to do but stare. Maybe I could find something else if I went elsewhere. Surely, I thought to myself, there’s more than the sky here considering what I’ve been through in my previous dreams. 

I started to walk through the grassy field, not sure where it would take me but anything’s better than sitting around. Even though I appreciated how peaceful this dream was, I still wanted to wake up eventually. Only the sounds of my feet grazing against the grass and the occasional heartbeats. It was starting to creep me out a little …

After what seemed like a long walk around, I finally saw something that wasn’t grass. It was a beacon … or what I thought was one as it stood still. There was no wind to stir it, but despite its stillness, I ran towards it, eager to discover what it was.

That’s when I saw her, a Cresselia, an actual Cresselia was there, just standing by the grass with what looked like fireflies dancing around her. I was seeing multi-colored fireflies which was pretty mesmerizing. 

As I drew closer, more details of her form became visible. She wasn't responding as I came face to face with her though. She stood as stiff as a statue, her eyes closed as if she was peacefully sleeping while standing up.

Some of the fireflies seemed to notice me as a few of them appeared around me, dancing around with their tiny wings. I was about to sit down when I felt someone shift. 

The Cresselia opened her eyes, most of the glow that was covering her before disappeared revealing what she really looked like. The details were a bit blurry but I can still see what she was. 

She wore a white dress, not too long but it made her look almost like an angel. There was a pink gem attached to her chest which looked ... broken? At least that's what I thought I saw as it looked like it was broken from the inside yet there was still a pink glow coming out of it. 

Her wings didn't look like the ones typical for a Cresselia as it roughly looked like a Vivillion's wings made of glass. They seemed as if they could break easily at the slightest touch.

"Protect her... for me..." the Cresselia spoke, her voice fragile and fading, the light in her chest formed a large hole, slowly melting into the colors of the night sky. Her voice was fading away like she was being pulled back. "Bring ... her back ..." 

I didn't know why but I had the instinct to reach out, stretching out my paw towards her. I didn't even realize that my legs were making me go to her. I could only call out as she was literally fading into the night. 

"Hey, are you okay-"

Suddenly, everything went silent. The stars above seemed to multiply, the grassy ground beneath me turning into a swirl of more stars, some crashing into each other forming bigger stars. My outstretched paw met only empty air as the grass disappeared, leaving me floating in the sea of stars.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So ... who exactly is the First Star?" 

Class is finally over and it's the start of the weekend for most of us at Sinnoh High. It would be a perfect time to relax after a long week but apparently, Lucia had other plans because of the whole Star Guardian thing. She left a not-so-subtle note on my locker as I was about to head out of the campus.

Favonius, my Shaymin companion, and I were walking down towards the Jubilife TV station when I asked a question to him. It's been something that's been weighing on my mind for a while.

"Ah yes, the First Star! The one who started it all!" I can tell he was pretty excited when I asked that. I guess they're someone who's pretty important. 

"A long time ago, back when the world was dark … there was a spark of light. Fearing that she would never be seen, she glowed as brightly as she could. Eventually, more like her would join in, slowly filling the once dark sky with them …

... as the first star who appeared all those eons ago, she was determined to make sure all of the other stars would shine for all eternity. So she took out some of her own light and scattered it across the universe. That's where the Star Guardians come in … each and every one of them holds a small piece of the First Star's light." 

There was a short pause from Favonius before turning to look at me. "And that's pretty much all I know. It's the same old story that's been passed around."

I have to admit, I was touched by the story. Now I was even more curious after hearing the First Star. Who knew it would be this important? I wonder if there's more Guardians out there … 

We reached the rooftop of the TV station where Lucia and her Azelf companion Mai had been waiting. The rooftop doubled as a popular hangout spot, offering a panoramic view of the city. It was one of the tallest buildings around, and if you ask me, I'm still not used to being in high places. Nevertheless, it's pretty cool that they let people use this rooftop as a place to hang out.

"Hey, you've arrived! Sorry for the short notice there. This was the only time I was available." Lucia was in her usual cheery self with Mai silently waving at us.

"It's cool, but are you really sure this is the best place? It's way high up off the ground..." I did voice my concern, eyeing the rooftop with a bit of unease. I hadn't imagined my first training session as a Star Guardian would take place on such a high perch, but Lucia had insisted we start right after Friday class. So much for a relaxing evening, I guess. 

Lucia shrugged, with her aura of confidence as always. "It'll be fine, trust me! That reminds me that I should teach you Cosmic Flight next time. Flying's much better than walking if you ask me. Just have to do it one step at a time!"

Despite Lucia's reassurances, my stomach fluttered nervously. Flying? That sounded both breathtaking and terrifying at the same time. I hoped Lucia knew what she was doing.

"Wouldn't it be better for us to do this at the park? Usually, there's only a few people at this time," I suggested to her, eyeing the rooftop's edge.

"The folks at the park wouldn't be too happy having a stray star destroying the place now, would they? I don't want anyone finding out too soon." Lucia made a hushing motion when she said that. 

"Right right I forgot to tell you that … best if we lay low for the meantime. We wouldn't want to attract a bad crowd." Favonius added, before jumping over to a nearby bench. "Speaking of laying low … I'll get some shuteye while you do your thing. Cafè work is tiring I tell you." 

Just like that, Favonius was now curled up and took a nap. It's a good thing he got a job at the local cafè that way he'd have something to do while I was away at school. 

We both transformed into our Guardian forms, and I have to admit, I'm still getting used to it. The sensation of starlight enveloping me was strange yet oddly comforting, like being wrapped in a gentle, cosmic embrace. My clothes dissolved into shimmering particles, replaced by an outfit that materialized from whatever light was nearby.

The dress that appeared on me was elegant but not too fancy, with hues of bright pink and mint green weaving together in intricate designs. It fit snugly but comfortably as if it had been tailored just for me. Whoever granted us these powers seemed to know exactly what we needed, down to the smallest detail. 

I gripped my staff as it appeared before me, I felt its weight and how solid it was in my hands. The staff was simple yet beautiful, it reminded me of those scepters that queens always had with them. The tip of the staff was an elegantly designed crescent moon put right in the middle of a bright pink heart. Beside me, Lucia stood with her bracelets adorned with lavender gems that matched the accents on her Guardian attire, somehow she looked even more confident like that. 

"Looking great! Alright, let's get this started. I've got some basic moves we can try out," Lucia said with an encouraging smile, her tone was reassuring and I could tell she was very excited about this.

I never really considered myself a fighter. That was more Cipher's thing. Pokemon moves are already challenging enough, but Starlit Moves were on a different level. Stars aren't the easiest thing to control and I had been warned of the potential dangers if you're not careful.

The rooftop was bathed in the warm glow of the late afternoon sun, casting long shadows as Lucia and I faced each other. I adjusted my grip on the staff, feeling its weight in my hands. 

"Ready?" Lucia's voice rang through the quiet air, her tone daring and motivating at the same time.

I nodded, swallowing my nerves. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Lucia grinned, her bracelets shimmering just as she was about to enter combat. "Good. Let's begin."

With that, we launched into our training session. Despite my anxiety, I managed to use Stellar Swift, summoning 3 bright pinks with a flick of my staff and flinging them at Lucia . Lucia, positioned opposite to me, raised her arms, her bracelets showing arcs of lavender energy that crackled through the air as she effortlessly deflected my attack.

With each exchange, I focused on deflecting Lucia's attacks with my staff, feeling myself strain a bit. Her techniques were as accurate as it was powerful, each burst of energy challenging me to think and react fast. The rooftop echoed with the sound of our movements.

It was a small victory when I managed to deflect a powerful Astral Sphere from Lucia, the energy scattering into the now orange sky. Despite how extreme the training was, it felt nice to see progress, even if it was just a few techniques learned in this last minute session. The hours had passed by, each moment filled with new challenges and a few surprises, it felt like an entire day had passed by despite only training for a few short hours.

"Looks like we're making progress! Stellar Swift is really easy to master once you get the hang of it, but we might need to work on the rest," Lucia remarked with a smile, turning back into her usual form. Mai, still lost in her thoughts, stared up at the sky before Lucia nudged her gently. "Anything to add, Mai?"

"Hmm? Oh! Uhh ... you did great!" Mai replied absentmindedly, a small smile spreading across her face. 

I wonder what she was thinking about. That might just be something I'll know when she talks about it ...

Favonius was fast asleep while all of this was going on. He must have been a heavy sleeper as he didn't seem to stir a bit. 

"I guess we can call it a day. It's getting pretty late and I have things to do back home." Lucia did a little stretching and dusted herself off. "We can continue some other time. For now, just enjoy the weekend."  

"Yeah, I-" 

I reached for my staff as I was replying, however, I clumsily grabbed it the wrong way, causing a burst of stray starlight to shoot unexpectedly toward Lucia. She barely had time to react before it struck her arm, and she gasped in surprise.

"Oh no ... I'm so sorry ... are you hurt?" I quickly ran to her with my staff in tow. Thoughts were running through my head as Mai also had a look of deep concern. 

"Ack! Hey, it's alright ... No harm done ..." Lucia managed a small, strained laugh despite clutching her arm and struggling to stand. "It's just a Stellar Focus Blast..."

I instinctively held her arm, thinking of something I could do to fix this. I needed to help somehow even when Lucia wasn't bothered by what happened. As soon as I touched her with the tip of my paw, I felt a warm glow.

Wait, this is ... this seems familiar ... could it be ...?

An orange light began to glow, looking like a tiny campfire. It stayed there for a bit before Gracidea petals danced around it and vanished as suddenly as they appeared. I stared at Lucia's arm for a moment and noticed that the scratch had healed completely as if it had never even been there. 

When I looked back at Lucia, I saw her staring at her arm in disbelief before she looked up at me. I could hear Mai breathing a sigh of relief as she realized what had happened. 

"This is ... incredible! A healer isn't easy to come by. Looks like we got one more lesson after all." Lucia stood up though she didn't transform this time which was her go-to when we started our training earlier. She was still determined from before as she gave Mai another light nudge.  "Mai? Hit me with your best Dazzling Gleam if you will!" 

"What!?!" Both me and Mai gave each other a look of disbelief. Of course, Mai had to know what she was up to when she decided that out of nowhere. "Lucia, do you hear yourself? You've just been hit earlier with an attack ..." 

There was a pause for a bit before Lucia gave her confident smile. "I did say I was going to find new guardians whatever it takes. This is our chance to prove we still have it in us! I’ll be fine, Mai. You know that, right?" Mai nodded her head with a little bit of hesitation, readying an attack. 

Lucia turned back to me as I got up. "Ready yourself, Elle. Just keep your paw where it is, alright?" I hesitantly held out my paw towards her and just nodded. I was also as hesitant as Mai and was hoping Lucia knew exactly what she was doing with this. 

With that Mai unleashed her attack, and a bright pink beam of stardust shot out into Lucia's direction. I concentrated hard as the orange glow started back up again, covering her as she stood there. Despite the attack being directed at her, she didn’t even flinch. 

There was silence for a bit before Lucia finally spoke up. She managed to tough it out but I noticed a few scratches here and there. She smiled back at me again and let out a tired sigh. 

"Well, that was pretty close. It's a good thing you were there to heal me up, Elle. Great work today!" Mai had to heal her up back to full before giving me a thumbs up. As reckless as Lucia was, she had her ways of training me from the looks of it. "I think I'll have to really call it a day here. Keep up the good work, Elle. I mean it when I say you did great. See you at our next training session"

"Well ... it's nothing really. I mean, I still have a lot to learn after all." I let out a nervous laugh as I picked up Favonius, who was still sleeping by the bench. A bummer that he missed whatever happened here but oh well, I can always tell him when he wakes up. 

"Thanks for today, Lucia … Mai. I guess I have something to work on." I smiled back and gave them a wave goodbye.

"It's part of the job after all. Come on Mai … guess we also gotta keep going. See you next time, Elle." Lucia smiled before turning the other way with Mai hovering behind her. Mai gave me a wink before they both flew off. 

[ Mod's Note: Woooo finally done with this after a while! Might be a bit rusty with my writing skills but hey hope you can get a good read out of this!]

[sparksbynightfall]

[Chapter 1 - While The City Sleeps]

"Last one in's a slimy Goodra!"

"Hey, no fair! You just ran before me!"

"Hah! Look, we made it to the top again. Just in time for the shiny lights."

"Come on, I know it's your favorite time of the day ... you never get tired of it."

"It's always the best part! Besides, you're always here with me when I do come here."

"Yeah yeah, it's nice I know. Why do you like it though?"

"Because it's what I wanna be."

"You wanna fly up there?"

"Something like that ... I wanna join them someday. Wanna come with me when I do?"

"I don't know ... Mom's probably not gonna like me going far away ..."

"When we grow big and strong then! Promise me you'll be there with me, alright? Paw promise?"

"Fine ... I paw promise. As long as we have fun."

"Yay! Right, we should be going then. Mom's gonna be worried sick. See you again after school tomorrow?"

"Sure. I should head back too. See you!"

[sparksbynightfall]

Stories Masterlist

PROLOGUE

Prologue 1 : A Fresh Start

Prologue 2 :  A New Acquaintance

[sparksbynightfall]

Rules & General Info

Stories and asks take time so no spamming and pestering for a reply.

As usual, no asks with NSFW themes (sexual and overly graphic ones). There will be slight violence that I can allow within reason.

No ask spamming.

Muses from other blogs that will interact with the characters in this AU will be treated as if they are part of the AU.

Interactions and relationships from the main story blog won't be ignored. If our muses have interacted before, they will still recognize them in this AU. Though some interactions will behave a bit differently

Above all else, have fun :)

[sparksbynightfall]

Welcome to @/sparksbynightfall , a text-based Pokemon ask blog that is an Alternate Universe (AU) of my main askblog @/themeowsticvigilante. The story follows Elaina and Cipher as they use their newfound powers as Star Guardians to protect Jubilife City from enemies of cosmic proportions. [As stated in my main blog, this blog is my way of practicing and sharing my writing skills. I post at inconsistent times but I usually post stories when it's done and post asks as soon as possible. 

I will also try to post an ask call every other week to help any of you who are in need of some interactions and such. ] With that being said, hope you enjoy the content here!

Important Links (for mobile users) :

Rules || Character Pages || Story Masterlist ||

Primary Tags:

#equinox echoes - Any posts that aren’t asks/stories (i.e. mun ramblings , blog updates , answered asks from other blogs)

#answered ask - For of course, asks that have been answered

#ask call - Keep an eye out for this if you want an ask and such.

[sparksbynightfall]

Prologue 2 : A New Acquaintance

The cafeteria here is different , most cafeterias in Kalos would have more than one when there's too many students. Here in Jubilife though, it's a large room about the size of two and half classrooms. 

Pokemon were bustling about minding their own business, a very usual thing. It's not too noisy either, it's just my ideal type of atmosphere. 

I seemed to notice Lexida shying away while Cipher was scouting to find the rest of the group. I decided to give her some small talk. 

"So, Lex … how was Sinnoh High so far?" I asked, turning towards her.

Lexida managed a small smile as she took a deep icy breath. "It's been … pretty okay. People sure are nice here … both of you included." 

 "That's so sweet of you, Lex. Wait 'til you get to meet our other friends! I'm sure they'll be pretty happy to meet you." Cipher chimed in and squinted. "If only we can find them …"

Just as I was about to comment, I heard a bubbly voice call out to us from behind. "Ellie! Over here!" Spica exclaimed as I turned around, waving at us to get our attention. 

"Looks like I found her first, Cipher …" I giggled as I led the way. Lexida seemed to be a bit nervous as we walked towards them. 

In the table I can see Spica and the twins. Pollux gave me a friendly nod as he saw us approaching. Castor, on the other hand, gave his usual toothy grin as he leaped from his seat towards us. 

"Hey you two! Been a while~" Castor greeted us in his usual charismatic energy. The Dusk Lycanroc was wearing his ochre colored Solrock shirt and yellow pants. He had his sunrise colored jacket hanging from his shoulder. 

"Hey there dude! Long time no see." Cipher exclaimed as he and Castor bumped their fists together. 

"Hello, Castor … yeah it has been a while. How was summer?" I gave him a wave. "I'm guessing you had fun." 

"Ohh it was! Both a tragedy and a comedy for good ol' me." Castor nodded to himself in agreement. "Theme parks and such are fun and all … but it could've been more if I had a sweetheart right now." He faked a broken hearted gesture as he said that.

"Seems like you and our dear fox have yet to have one, right Ellie?" Spica chimed in. I hate to admit it but it did make me slightly flustered now that I think about it. 

"Now putting that aside." He pointed towards Lexida who was just quietly staring, dumbfounded about all of this. "Who's the new kid?" 

I noticed Lexida shyly look away. She doesn't seem to like being the center of interest but I'll just try to keep her moxie up. 

"Ohh right … guys meet Lexida. A freshman who just moved here from Snowpoint City. Please go easy on her, she's a bit of a shy type." 

Lexida nodded in agreement. "Yes, Elaina is right but … it's really nice getting to meet all of you. I hope we can … get along quite well." 

"Well it sure is quite nice meeting you too, Lex!" Castor offered a hand towards her to which Lexida reluctantly shook. "Name's Castor and this over here is my twin bro." He nodded and pulled Pollux towards him, who gave her a nervous wave. They both felt awkward at Castor's split second introduction but they didn't seem to mind it much.

"Hello there, Lex. Seems Elaina just made another friend … pretty new for her." Spica smiled at her and giggled. "Anyways name's Spica, Ellie's best buddy!  actually no … Cipher and Castor too of course. But you are always welcome to be one too." 

"Now what are we waiting for? Lunch ain't going to fix itself. Let's get going!" Castor immediately jumped up from his seat. "Yes … I think we should have some lunch." Pollux followed soon after him. 

"Yes I think we should all grab some lunch. Again, you are welcome to join us Lex. I can show you around the cafeteria if you want." Cipher looked towards Lexida and managed a small smile. "Sure … please lead the way." 

As she faced me she mouthed the words Thank You to me. Not going to lie, it warmed my heart a bit seeing her happy. 

~~~

Classes abruptly ended as the bell rang. I eventually met up with the rest of my friends as I walked outside of my classroom. After about a few minutes of talking, we decided to call it a day. 

We went our separate ways for today as Cipher walked with me. He lived in the same apartment as me but in a different building. 

"So … your newfound friend earlier, I'd say she's good company. It would be fun to hang around with her more often, she seems cool." Cipher said as we walked. 

"Honestly, I'd think the same. It's a good thing I sort of got lost otherwise that didn't happen." I responded. "Now that you think about it, if it weren't for that, heck … I wouldn't have talked to her and introduced myself." 

"Yeah, life's funny like that sometimes." Immediately as he said that, I heard a ring coming from his jacket pocket. Cipher quickly answered it and I decided to turn somewhere else, in the distance I can see someone running towards me.

"Elaina! Thank Articuno I managed to catch up …" It was Lex, she seemed to be a little out of breath probably from all of that running. Cipher, having noticed her while on the phone waved at her to acknowledge her presence. 

"Woah, Lex … take it easy. Why were you looking for us?" I say as I lowered my head towards her. 

"I wanted to give both of you these …" She fumbled for her knapsack and fished out two snow globes. Inside was an Articuno roosting as silver snowflakes were falling on them. 

"Aww, you shouldn't have … thanks, Lex." I say as I received the two items from her. Cipher, conveniently having finished his conversation with someone has his ears perked up as he saw the snow globe. "Cool! This is a great addition to my room! Thanks a lot, Lex." 

"You're welcome … it's a souvenir from Snowpoint of our deity, Vroska." She then looked towards the distance at something. "I should be going … my ride's almost here. Again, I am so glad to meet you and your friends. It means a lot." She waved goodbye to us as she hurried towards the direction where she was looking. 

I nodded to myself as I saw her walk away. It's been awhile since I've made another friend so naturally, it was overwhelming to me. I turned towards Cipher , who was fidgeting with his new souvenir with awe. 

"Say, who called you if you don't mind me asking?" I asked with a smirk. 

"Ohh it's just Suthen. He's asking for help with some homework and I may or may not be heading to his dorm room." Cipher answered in a tone that seemed like he was hiding something. 

I nudged an elbow into his arm. "Come on now, no need to be so nervous, I already know. No use hiding it from me." 

"Anyways, I should be going … wouldn't want to keep him waiting." He carefully slid the snow globe into his bag. "Guess I'll see you around! or tomorrow." 

"Goodbye and hope you enjoy your time with Suthen." I say teasingly. 

Cipher had a slight hint of red in his cheeks as I mentioned that. He waved at me and quickly turned around. 

~~~ 

After a few minutes of walking and climbing, I finally arrived at my apartment. I breathed a sigh of relief as I sat on the couch. 

"This has been quite a day … Hmm, I should paint something … But before that, a  warm bath."

With that, I proceeded towards my evening routine.

The alleyways from between the various apartments in Jubilife are the first to go dark as the sun slowly sets on the horizon. Most of the time, it's empty save for a few runaways who take refuge from any street conflict. 

A Lucario is seen walking through one of them, she seemed to be deep in thought. Hovering beside her is an Azelf, with a look of concern. The Lucario was wearing a sleeveless midnight blue dress under a lavender shawl, it's colors blending with the alleyway's dark corners. 

"Will we ever find other Protectors, Lucia? I can already feel despair gradually taking me … " The Azelf whimpered as she focused her gaze towards the Lucario, her blue eyes forming a somber expression. 

"Please hang in there, Mai … the Emphyrean hasn't given up on us yet. We'll find them soon, don't worry. Your sisters did put their faith in you didn't they?" The Lucario responded. She looked at her silvery metal armband, revealing a Lucarionite stone, it's crystalline luster gleaming despite the dimness of where they were standing. 

"My beloved sisters … Who knows where they might be? I hope they're safe  … I fear the lurking darkness will catch them at their weakest …" The Azelf whimpered, curling up as she sat on Lucia's shoulders, her eyes on the verge of tears.

Lucia stopped for a moment to pat her on the back for comfort. She too was concerned for her, as she was concerned herself with how to find other Protectors. She looked up to the starry night sky and whispered to herself. 

"Please … if you're still out there … shine your light on us … We are the last hope of this world … Guide us … as you did to the ones before us …" 

Lucia didn't notice as tears started to flow from both of her blue eyes, as she held both of her hands toward her heart. Mai, having noticed her, wiped a tear from one side of her face.

"L-Lucia … ?" She looked towards her, one hand holding her chin. Her expression was a somber gaze toward Lucia's misty eyes. 

"I-I'm alright just … missing someone …" She forced a small smile as she wiped the remaining tear from her face and locked eyes with Mai. "We should keep going … time is almost waning for us …" The Azelf nodded as she too made a slight smile. 

Not a moment later, a scream was heard nearby alerting the two as they turned towards what they assumed was the source of the sound. Lucia immediately ran with Mai in tow as she exited the alleyway. 

~~~

"Get away! I'm warning you…" A Cubone is seen cornered into a wall holding out his bone club as protection. Three shadowy figures are in pursuit, clawing the bystander as the Cubone barely manages to parry their relentless attacks. 

Lucario had just exited the alleyway as she sensed an unnaturally disturbing presence from nearby. She scanned the area as she narrowed her eyes, trying to find where the screams came from. She finally noticed the three figures and the cowering bystander and without hesitation, rushed toward them in hot pursuit. 

"Shadows! Fragments of darkness…" Mai called out to the figures, alerting them to the pair's presence. Immediately, they rushed toward Lucia without a second thought as if not acknowledging the Cubone was even there. 

"..." Lucia's eyes glared towards the approaching danger, clutching the stone she was wearing. The gleam of the stone was brighter, almost being a miniature beacon whilst in the middle of the illuminated part of the city. 

"Spirit of Willpower … AWAKEN!" 

Mai knew exactly what to do as Lucia closed her eyes and called out, the figures now upon them as the Cubone watched in shock and awe. As for Lucia, she can feel something coursing through her from the inside as her form glowed as bright as the crystalline stone. 

Lucia felt her reflexes strengthen and strength increase, as her form gradually underwent Mega Evolution. What felt like a slow metamorphosis to her seemed like a split transformation from an outside observer. 

The dress and shawl she was wearing underwent a drastic change as with Lucia mega evolving. The shawl was still lavender, but it was now outlined with a silvery metal with an insignia in the middle. The insignia of the Emphyrean, a silhouette of the head of an Arceus positioned as if they were looking towards the sky they created. 

Lucia's midnight blue dress now turned into a shade of indigo as silver gloves materialized into her paws. On her head, a headdress almost materialized with the same insignia as her shawl. 

As the ghosts approached her, she readied an attack. "Stellar Vacuum Wave …" She shouted as the ghosts instantly disintegrated into bits of black stardust that was swiftly swept away by a night breeze. 

"There's always these monstrosities laying around …" Lucia muttered dusting herself off as she slowly transformed back to her previous self. The Cubone, who was watching the whole ordeal, immediately approached her in awe. 

"What did y-you … H-how did y-you … do that … ? I must know." He murmured, clearly awestruck at her. 

"That was nothing, just the power of starlight …" Lucia responded, smiling. "... and willpower~!" Mai, who was still sitting on Lucia's shoulder, added. 

"W-well whatever that was … thank you! A-are you a magician of some sort?" He tilted his head in confusion, scanning her. 

"Just someone doing their job … Speaking of which, I should be going elsewhere. You stay safe and be careful this time around." She shrugs, immediately turning to the opposite direction.

"Thanks, miss." He waved at her and walked off elsewhere. 

~~~

After sometime, Lucia finally arrived at her apartment and Mai immediately opened the door. The Lucario collapsed on her couch and sighed.

"Today was such a rough day … I'm so tired … " She reclined at her seat with her hands behind her head. "Feeling okay over there, Mai?" She asked without looking at her. 

"I'm a bit tired too … from that battle mostly … You did wonderful though, just like you always do." Mai jumped to the top of the couch's headrest and leaned over to Lucia, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Come on now … it took me quite a while to get used to the fighting. That was all with you guiding me along the way." She let out a yawn and stood up. "I should probably rest, I still have school tomorrow." 

"H-hey Lucia … will we ever find other Protectors? and my sisters … ?" Mai asked, the solemn expression formed on her face again as before. 

"In time, hopefully we'll have answers to both of them. For now, let's not let ourselves be worried … You still got me to help after all." Lucia gave her a wink and an okay sign. 

"I guess so … Goodnight, Lucia." 

"Goodnight, Mai." 

<featuring Suthen from @something-like-an-askblog>

[sparksbynightfall]

Prologue 1 : A Fresh Start

"Wh-where am I?" 

My voice echoes back. I am all alone  and there is nothing but darkness, silent darkness. I can almost feel the blackness on my fur. 

It's those kind of dreams again. 

"..." 

Sensing something, I looked around for a light source and a burning sensation suddenly arose within my chest. 

Wait a minute … how can I see myself? 

I look at my arm and see a vibrant orange glow on my fur. 

Strange… 

I continued walking to whatever direction my own two feet can carry me. Feeling something on my feet as I walked a few paces, I looked down.

Puddles? 

It was clear water, making concentric circles everytime I pace my feet on the surface.

I managed a few paces before a feeling of dread came over my senses. It's as if something is watching from behind me. I now find it difficult to walk as I gradually slow down. 

The water I was pacing through suddenly felt cold. As if it were a frozen lake in a blizzard only ... it wasn’t frozen solid.

Wait … the water is getting deeper … 

One step took me plunging through the icy water, I can feel myself slowly losing my breath and my fur freezing. 

Am I drowning? Please ,  not too soon … n-not too … s-soon ...

…

I awoke to find the first touches of dawn painting the sky outside my apartment, my pillow damp from sweat. With a sigh I turned my head to gaze out the brightening window, not yet willing to climb out of bed.

Numerous stars were laid out across the night sky’s blanket, providing me at least a bit of comfort after that nightmare I had. It’s not really often I get to see them from my window.

Well Cipher, guess you just made me a stargazer like you ...

I should probably rest … first day of school starts tomorrow …

As I felt my eyes being a bit heavy for some time, I closed my eyes and drifted back to sleep.

~~~ 

Today is the official start of school, my second year at Sinnoh High. The sky is significantly brighter yet the sun had barely risen leaving a lightly orange colored sky to appear outside my apartment window. 

Yawning, I glance towards my alarm clock, which hasn't gone off yet. For once I woke up earlier than my alarm.

I strain to get up and go about my morning routine in order to get ready for what is to come today. 

I changed out my tank top and pajamas for a loose shirt and a striped skirt. Funny enough, I'm already wearing a skirt as a Braixen but I have to keep my fashion sense in order. 

With that, I immediately exited my room and towards the train station.

~~~

It only took me a few paces before I arrive at the train station. The usual sea of pokemon were replaced with surprisingly a few passengers. Perhaps I was a little too early after all. 

I immediately stepped into the train and silently watch it’s thick glass doors open with a ding. I sat down and silently watched the world go by all while relaxing music is being played from the train radio. 

Not a moment sooner passed when I was startled by someone tapping on my shoulder. It sort of shook me out of my trance and re-introduced me back into reality.

“Ellie! Good seeing you again, you firefox …”  A loud energetic voice was what caused me to snap back to reality. 

“Spica?” I turned towards the sound of the voice to see Spica, a childhood friend. Her dandelion colored shirt and blue jeans complimenting her magenta colored fur.  "Good to see you again as well." 

"My you're up early but then again , you're always early even in class …" She said, her usual charisma beaming through her every word.

"Not really … that was just happenstance. I should be saying the same thing to you." I responded back. 

"Just got excited that's all. Speaking of which, summer sure does go by really quickly, don't you think? Feels like a weekend almost. But here we are now, another year at Sinnoh High." She put both her hands behind her head and reclined on her seat.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't at least a bit excited." 

"Same here Ellie. How was your summer? Haven't seen you the entire time… even Cipher wasn't around. Where were you?" 

"I visited my folks back at Coumarine and spent the entire summer there. I just got back about 2 days ago. Perhaps Cipher did the same thing too, visiting his father over at Lumiose." 

"Now that you mentioned it, looks like Cipher only has his father left … poor guy." 

"I think he got over that a long while ago. Speaking of summer, how was yours?" 

"It was a blast! Especially since I got to hang out with Pollux almost every single day and go to places…" Spica sighed dreamily at that thought looking upwards as if she's daydreaming. 

"That's great, where is he though … ?" 

"He had to leave a little late, he has to wait for his brother so they can both leave. You know Castor, always a snoozer." 

We both giggled as she mentioned that. I guess we both had a great summer in one way or another. 

The train stopped signaling that we have arrived near the school. We immediately got up and rushed towards the doors. I didn't notice the gradual increase of passengers as we were busy chatting amongst ourselves. 

"Hurry up Spica! We don't want to be late for our first day…" I called out to her as I made it outside.

"Relax Ellie … it's like half an hour before it starts." She says as she fast-walked over to me, skipping merrily along the way.

We cautiously walked towards the school entrance and entered. Most of the students are casually walking around to wherever they're heading while some just sat in place waiting for their class to start. 

"Woah hey!" I turned around to see Pollux, getting his eyes covered by a certain someone. I can't help but giggle at his 'predicament'. 

"Guess who?" A familiar voice giggled from behind him. 

"S-Spica? Is that you?" The Midnight Lycanroc  asked while blushing. 

"Yes, it's me! Your one and only ..." The magenta colored Espeon answered immediately, uncovering his eyes and giving him a smooch on the cheek. I noticed Pollux was quite a bit taller than her but managed to cover his eyes.

Spica happily pulled Pollux into a surprise hug to which he returned the favor by hugging her. 

"Elaina, I haven't seen you since last summer, Hi." He looked at my direction and gave me a wave. I can see he's wearing his buttoned up shirt and black slacks, his usual attire.

"Hello, Pollux. Have you seen your brother and Cipher around?" I gave him a wave back.

"My brother is renewing his membership at the Drama Club while I passed by Cipher earlier saying he has a meeting with the Astronomy Club." Pollux immediately answered back, adjusting his reading glasses. 

I just realized I haven't any club membership last year. I should perhaps be adding that for today's to-do list. 

"You two lovebirds have fun, I should be heading to my respective classroom. I'll see you later at lunch." I walk back to find my designated classroom.

"See ya, Ellie. I think we should also be going to our classroom too." I hear Spica talk to Pollux as I walk away from them. 

With that, we immediately parted ways for now. 

~~~ 

The bell rang, which meant it was lunch time as all the students rushed out of the classroom. I just took my time to let myself outside. 

I should probably sign myself up for a club before having lunch at the cafeteria. This will hopefully last a few minutes, I did tell Spica I'll be with them.

I paced around the halls looking for the bulletin boards where you can register for a club. I feel someone tap on my shoulder. 

"E-excuse me miss … I'm looking for the club registrations … d-do you know where they happen to be …?" I turned around to see a Deino, who looks to be a freshman. She was quite unique, she was icy blue instead of the usual color scheme that a Deino should have. She's wearing some sort of teal sweater and dark blue skirt. 

I didn't pay much attention and answered her question. "I happen to be looking for it as well, perhaps you can come with me and we can both look for it." 

"Th-thank you … I was th-thinking I got lost … " She nervously responded. 

"Don't worry, it happens. Come on … let's find what we're both looking for." 

As we were walking, I couldn't help but to ask more about her being a different variant so to speak. 

"So … you're new here?" I reluctantly asked her. 

"Y-yes … I actually moved here from Snowpoint …" 

Snowpoint, the frigid part of the region. I was dreaming I could go there on vacation sometime. 

"H-have you thought of a c-club yet, Miss … ?"

"Elaina, you can call me Elaina ... or Ellie for short. I haven't actually thought of what I'll be joining yet. I'll have to see the options first." 

"S-sounds like … a good i-idea … if there's a Literature Club though that'll be swell …" 

"That's a good start." Is what I can only say in the matter.

Now where is that club registration … ?

We already passed by a few hallways with no luck of finding. I could have sworn this school is a lot bigger than last year or I am just awful at directions. 

"Umm… Elaina? A-are we lost?" The Deino said, confused. 

"No no, relax. We just need to find a certain hallway …" I said in a slightly reassuring tone. 

I am starting to feel like this school is more of a labyrinth than a building. I also don't want to disappoint a freshman. That's two things I am currently worrying about and I still haven't had lunch.

I could have sworn we passed by 3 hallways now from the time the Deino asked me whether we are lost. All of this walking is now tiring, as if I was hit by a Giga Drain. 

Three? Four? I don't even know … there's no map in sight too...

I sat on a nearby bench to catch my breath as the Deino tilted her head in confusion. 

"Please let me rest for a bit. Sorry if this was a sudden pit stop." I said in between pants. 

"It's a-alright really … just p-please relax." She said in a sweet and soft voice. 

Ok relax Elaina … I'm sure you'll find that in no time … Besides it's been 15 minutes … 

I looked up to see the Deino has vanished seemingly out of thin air. I immediately stood up and searched for him. 

"Deino?... Deino!?!" I called out in the empty hallway. I now regret asking for her name earlier. 

I sat down covered my face in despair. 

"Great …" I'm pretty sure she walked off somewhere without me and probably already found it. Perhaps this might be my worst decision today. 

I can feel myself slowly spiral down into tears. This day is slowly turning out to be one of the worst I've ever had. 

Just as a tear rolled in the corner of my eye I feel something tugging at my shirt. I quickly uncovered my face to see who it is.

"Elaina! … I've finally found someone who can help us. A-Are you okay … ?" The Deino returned slightly enthusiastic as before. 

"R-really ?" I wiped a tear from my eye and smiled back. "I-I'm fine … I just … got hit by some Haze from someone passing nearby … " 

"Elaina! Never thought I'd see you in this hallway…" A familiar voice greeted me. I feel my despair gradually being lifted from me as I knew who it was. 

"Cipher! Wh-what are you doing here? I thought you have a club meeting? I-I mean … glad to see you buddy!" I say greeting him back with a pat on his head. I noticed he's wearing his Astronomy club hoodie and has his usual blue handkerchief around his tail.  

"H-hey … !" He giggled as I did that. "I am actually on my way to renew my club membership and this Deino over here said she needed directions so I figured I'd show her the way. Then she suggested I show you the way as well." 

We then went our way towards the Registration Boards which was one hallway away from where we were earlier. All of that moping and we were actually near, it could have been worse. 

"Hello and Good Morning." A Pansear called out in the desk. Her headband looking like Victini ears as her charismatic voice greeted us. She looked to be a senior.

"You here to register for a club?" She asked, looking up at me. "Maximum of two by the way. You don't want to be overbooked."

Am I really that tall? 

"Yes, we are." I politely responded. I fumbled on the pen a bit as I searched for the club I was looking for. I immediately wrote my name under the Astronomy Club. I am still thinking whether I should sign up for another one. 

"Ohh the Astronomy Club! Looks like you're clubmates with that Meowstic over there." She says, looking at the papers. "Is that all, miss?" 

"Actually , there's one more club I'd like to register to." I said calmly as I wrote my name under the Literature Club. "There, I'm done." 

The Deino looked at me in awe as she saw what club I registered to. "Woah … I didn't know you were interested too. This is … great." She said as she excitedly wrote her name under mine. 

"Awesome! It's quite good to see a lot of you to take such an interest in clubs. Good luck and have fun on your respective choices." She waves at us as we walked towards the cafeteria. 

"You're welcome and thank you!" Cipher responded from behind us. 

"It seems this is where we part ways … ? I still have to go and have lunch …" The Deino nervously said to us as her smile sagged a little. 

"Actually, I am on my way there as well. Care to join us?" I responded, giving her a reassuring smile.

"R-really? I-Is it okay for the Meowstic if I …  joined?" 

"I can't wait to make new friends so of course!" Cipher put a hand on the Deino's shoulder.

"Ohh I haven't asked this earlier but , what is your name?" I asked, finally getting to know the Deino name after a while of meeting her.

"It's Lexida … or just Lex for short." 

"Glad to meet you, Lex. Name's Cipher by the way, Elaina here is a close friend of mine." Cipher points one of his paws toward me.

"It's always a pleasure meeting new Pokemon here, Lexida. Come on, I'm sure Spica is waiting for us there." I gave Lex a warm smile. 

We immediately headed towards the cafeteria. Perhaps this day wasn't so bad after all.