Lucca Episode 1: Reason and Strength

“I hate this, I hate this, I hate this I hate this I hate this!” Lucca shouted. The young Popplio was trying to hold a sword that was twice his height, but he couldn’t stay upright for more than a second. With a growl and a roar, he gave up and threw the weapon down. It clanged on the hard, red ground.

“This is stupid. If I’m going to be a hero, then why am I using a sword? Who gives a Popplio a sword?” he shouted at the top of his voice.

The silence of the mountains answered him. Hollow wind, a grumbling lava flow in the distance, and the rumble of his stomach. Everything had a nasty, wine-red colour besides the valleys and holes littered all over the place, where streams of lava could be seen. This lava was blue, and even sent blue embers into the steamy air.

Tall mountains to his sides shielded him from the easy view, but if he went any further, he would go out into an open wasteland where barely a dead tree could be seen. Out there, predators wouldn’t hesitate to strike. He took a deep breath and crossed his flippers.

“It’s cold, there’s been no sign of anything, this is taking long, and I’m so hungry,” he groaned as he sat back. “Stupid Dad, stupid weapon, stupid training, stupid—”

A few pebbles crumbled beside him, and he flinched. He shut right up and his heart began to race, but he forced himself to focus. He spun to stand up straight and used the handle of his sword to balance. If he held it straight down, he could stand on his tail flippers and not fall over.

He kept silent as he slowly stepped around his sword to scan the area. Nothing moved but the wind and the greyish red clouds above. He looked to where the rocks could have fallen from, and focused his sight on that ledge.

Alright you. I know you’re there. No point hiding from me now, he growled in his mind.

Moments passed, yet nothing moved. He knew better than to give in to impatience during a situation like this. He was being watched, and the moment he showed a sign of weakness, his stalker would attack. He needed to get out of here, or at least be ready for their attack.

Just as he began to edge his way back up the slope, a strong breeze hit, chilly enough to stop him in place. He shielded his face as he searched for the source, though he found nothing, still. After it stopped, he turned to the left, then the right, then behind him, and back up the slope. He couldn’t spot anyone.

He held his breath. The thing he was looking for had drifted right in front of him so casually that he didn’t notice right away. The papery body of a Kartana, blades bared and folds stretched out, floated out of reach above him. It remained silent, so perhaps it hadn’t realised that he’d seen it. It brought both blades together, pointed them forward, and then dove towards him.

“No you don’t!” Lucca growled. With a shout and a cry, he spun to build momentum and swung his sword, and just barely managed to clash with the Kartana. The impact jolted them both back and his sword flew out of his flippers. He fell on his back, but kept his eyes on the Kartana the whole time.

“Shoot,” he whispered. Kartana opened out, screeched at him, and swung its blades through the air as if to intimidate. Okay Lucca, don’t panic.

He glanced down the slope to see his sword stabbed into the ground. Good, rolling distance. Just dodge, get it back, and take that thing out.

He rolled onto his front to await its next move, his body tense. Curiously, the Kartana repeatedly stretched its blades out. Huh? Is it… trying to use Leaf Blade?

Whatever it was trying to do, nothing came of it. He contemplated making a break for his sword, but before he could, Kartana slapped its blades together and flew towards him again.

He was ready. Just before Kartana hit, he deftly rolled to his side to dodge and then dove for his sword. However, Kartana was fast. By the time he had a flipper on his weapon, Kartana was in front of him. It hacked away at him, but he dodged each slash with desperate movements. With a flipper on his sword to keep his body upright, he bent his body to the left to dodge a stab, then leaned to the right to avoid a horizontal slash, where he then let go to perform a backflip. His tail flippers kicked the Kartana away. It screeched at him wildly.

Alright, I can do this. He concentrated. Kartana was back to stretching and screeching at him, so he pulled his sword and held it tight in both flippers. His eyes never diverted from Kartana. “What’s the matter, Fartana? Had enough already?”

That got the enemy to move, and Lucca was ready to retaliate in kind. He made sure his grip was tight and his body was loose, and began to spin with all his might. His sword once again clashed against Kartana’s blades, but the impact knocked them both back. Lucca felt his balance thrown off again, and focused on not letting go of his sword. In doing so, he took his eyes off Kartana for that one moment. And that was all it took for it to surprise him.

Before he could reposition himself, Kartana was in his face with blades bared. He cried out as he scrambled into a defensive stance, but the way Kartana slashed at him, he was thrown around like a ragdoll. After three desperately blocked slashes, Kartana caught his flipper with a vertical attack. Lucca yelled at the top of his voice and reeled back.

He wanted to say something cocky, but all that came out were whimpers as he fell back and clutched that flipper. Searing pain that coursed through him as he lost control of that flipper. It hurt worse than anything he’d ever felt. Yet still, Kartana loomed over him with a triumphant screech.

“N-no, s-stop, get away!” he gasped. He let go of his wound to wave his flipper about, but flinched when Kartana shifted toward him. His breaths grew frantic as his view of everything but the Kartana blurred. It raised its blades to finish him off.

He coiled up and took in a breath to brace for the worst. But after a moment, he felt no pain besides the constant burn from his arm wound, and dared to open his eyes. Kartana had both of its blades held against the blade of a far longer, far thinner sword. He shuddered as he looked up to see a familiar Primarina stood over him, effortlessly rigid in a defensive stance.

“Krakeeek!” Kartana screeched as it swooped back for more. It threw its whole body into slash after slash after slash, but Primarina didn’t budge an inch. And when Kartana backed off in frustration, he instantly reacted with a slash in a wide arc. Kartana looked to have been cleaved in two, but was only knocked back. It let out a winded cry as its body dangled for a moment, and then it took off in a tantrum.

That was all Lucca saw before his strength started to give way. He hadn’t realised how weak he had become until he looked back at his wound, and nausea drowned his mind. He shouldn’t have looked, as the wound was worse than he thought. He let out a shuddered breath as he fell on his side, his head a daze while his body succumbed to the burning pain that coursed through it.

…

When he came to, it was apparent that hours had passed. He floated in a pool of luminous blue liquid, his body submerged while his nose, mouth, and eyes were the only parts to float above the surface. Now this was an experience he was used to, unlike that stupidly heavy sword he was expected to learn to fight with.

“Again,” he sighed.

He wasn’t relaxed. The only reason he would be here in the castle’s mystic healing pool was if he failed an objective and got hurt. This was his fourth time this week, so it was a feeling he loathed to have gotten used to.

At least it worked. He lifted his wounded flipper and stared, unamazed by its perfect state. It was hard to picture it had been sliced open before. With another sigh, he righted himself and swam to the exit, surprised to find the Primarina from before watching him.

“Dad,” he muttered.

“That’s Father to you,” the serene male replied. This Primarina lacked pearls in his hair, so it was long and straight in style. He had his sword at his side too, a tachi that was as long as he was tall when he stood on his tailfins.

Lucca growled at the remark. “Whatever, Father. That went as well as expected.”

“Do you understand why you failed, Lucca?” Father said.

“Anyone with eyes could tell. That sword is way too heavy for me. There’s no way I can take on a monster that fast when I’m lugging around that heavy piece of metal. And to top it all off, I’m so hungry I could eat a rock,” he said. Father’s eyes narrowed.

“Your reward for a successful victory is a meal. So if you cannot hunt a Kartana, then you will simply starve.” Father shook his head.

“Wait wait wait don’t be like that, there’s got to be a better way to do this!” he cried as Father turned to leave. “Maybe if you actually let me use my Pokémon attacks, I might stand a chance?”

“Don’t even try, Lucca. This training is not a joke!” Father said.

“But that leaves me at way more a disadvantage than is fair. I mean, we’re still talking about a grass type versus a water type, here. I don’t stand a chance if I can’t use bubbles or anything.” He folded his flippers.

“You know exactly why you cannot do that. And even if I allowed it, the world will not permit you,” Father said. He slithered through the castle hallways like an Ekans. One flipper kept his sword at his side to stop it from dragging across the floor. “Until Bestia is restored, Pokémon attacks and abilities will never function. If you cannot learn to use a weapon, then you will never learn to defend yourself.”

“But I’ve seen you make bubbles before. That’s gotta be Bubble Beam or something, right?” he said.

“Bubbles of air are a basic body function for us, Lucca. They do not require Bestia,” Father said.

“Wait, so you’re saying I could use bubbles all this time? I-I can blow useless bubbles, but I can’t use the actual move Bubble? That doesn’t even make any sense! This blows,” he said. His stomach growled and he slumped over. “Either way, this isn’t getting done. I’m dizzy from hunger back here.”

“You need to improve on many things, Lucca. From your conduct to your ability in battle, and most importantly, your priorities,” Father said. “The rule still stands. Until you learn to use a weapon and hunt that Kartana, you will not get food.”

“But that’s like, argh, who fights on an empty stomach, and who gives a Popplio a sword? I can’t do this, Dad!” he cried. Father grumbled something as they came to a stop.

Their walk had taken them to the throne room, which overlooked the main entrance to the castle. On this upper floor were two thrones themed after scalchops and Staryu, and a thin waterway that drew a pattern across the floor of the room. Everywhere was empty, even though the red stone walls and smooth, tiled floor appeared to be well maintained. Actually, there was one Pokémon who appeared to be waiting for them. A fluffy gentleman of a Ribombee that was half the size of Primarina. Lucca frowned as Ribombee waved at the duo.

“Lucca, if there’s one thing that’s improving, it’s your volume. I could hear you from all the way back here,” Ribombee said, and laughed.

“What now, Alver?” he groaned.

“I’m here to help you this time, of course. Although this won’t guarantee success, it should at least stop you from losing your life,” Alver said, and bowed. He unveiled a wooden magic staff from behind him, topped with a, clear, crescent shaped crystal. An orb rested on the centre of the crescent. “I can only help you through talking, Pollen Puff, and any enemy that isn’t a Kartana.”

“Pollen Puff?” Lucca’s eyes brightened, and he drooled.

“Not that kind, Your Highness. These ones are to patch the skin, not to eat.” Alver smiled. “Shall we? Before your stomach starts talking for you again.”

“There’s no way I can do this, though,” he sighed.

“Our mission starts from in here, actually. Your task is to harvest the blades of a Kartana, correct? And the only way to do that is to defeat one. They’re very aggressive monsters,” Alver said. He tapped Lucca’s head with the tip of his staff. “Your attempts so far have been bold, as has your skill in battle. But you must think.”

“I’ve got the thinking part down, but thinking’s useless when it’s mission impossible.” Lucca scratched the back of his head. Alver led him downstairs while Father went to sit in one of the thrones.

“Well first of all, details. Your father said that you must learn to use a weapon, correct? But he did not say what weapon to use,” Alver said with a single arm raised. That made Lucca pay attention. “You keep using that heavy sword you forged out of Celesteela metal… but what about the shield you got from the Stakataka stones?”

“Uwa, both of them are heavy as heck, that’s why I don’t use it!” Lucca cried, smacking his head. “Besides, how can you beat a monster with just a shield? You can’t.”

“We are Pokémon, Lucca. We are the resourceful creatures that have adapted to live without our moves or abilities. We can find a way to do anything,” Alver said. “Shall we depart? Time will not wait for us.”

“I don’t want to do this,” Lucca groaned as he led the way out.

The world outside the castle was as gloomy as he felt now, and not much different to the wasteland he’d fainted in earlier. Dark, dead lands smothered by a smoky sky and a tasteless, chilly wind. Beyond the moat that ran over a river of blue lava was what was known as a field only in name. A few dead trees as grey as stone, crusty, solid soil that made the ground lumpy and obnoxious to walk on, and broken fences made entirely of rotten wood. An uncomfortable mixture of humid atmosphere and chilly wind blew wherever they went.

If we’re trying for a new weapon, maybe the village is the better choice. Maybe I can harvest something there, Lucca thought. “Why are we doing all this, Alver?”

“I believe only you can answer that, Your Highness. Do you not want to?” Alver replied.

“Of course not. I’d way rather sit in the castle and read more. Instead I’m out here trying to get stronger to fight… or something like that. I don’t know why I’m training and stuff. Dad – I mean Father – mentioned something about becoming a hero, but I haven’t the slightest clue what he’s on about,” he said.

“To tell you the exact truth, we were going to make you a new set of swords out of Kartana arms. Observing you, I do believe those would be your best weapon,” Alver said, a sneaky smile on his face.

“You’d make me a new sword? Out of those things? Okay that sounds awesome, but is it really worth the work? I’m literally killing myself over this stuff,” he said.

Alver began to slow. “I’ve not heard you so discouraged before.”

“Because I’m really not enjoying this anymore. I know I’ve gotta listen to Dad and—”

“Father, Lucca. You got it right earlier. Practice your conduct,” Alver said. Lucca sighed.

“I know I have to listen to Father, but I just don’t know why I’m doing all this anymore. Making weapons, getting stronger, trying to play this ‘hero’ role he wants me to play. Hero of what? We’re the only Pokémon in the whole world besides those monsters,” he said, throwing his flippers up as he rambled.

“I may get into trouble for saying this, but… there’s something very important we’re keeping from you,” Alver said. Lucca froze. “You’ll just have to trust me when I tell you that this is all for a very good reason. It’ll pay off, and when it does, I’m sure you’ll be one of the happiest Pokémon in the world.”

“Not a very high bar to beat. There’s only three of us,” he said, and resumed his walk through the field. “I’m probably already the happiest Pokémon in Reverie. Not like you and Da- er, Father, not like you and Father smile very much.”

“I wish I could tell you right now. You sound like you need a booster,” Alver said. He habitually swung his staff side to side, but stopped when he nearly bumped into Lucca.

“Maybe you can. Why can’t you tell me?” Lucca said with half-lidded eyes. There was a long pause. “We’re friends, right? Just make it a secret.”

“More like master and servant, or retainer and crown prince if I’m being specific. But regardless, king’s orders. You wouldn’t understand the gravity of the situation if I was to dump everything on you now.” Alver folded his arms.

“Oh yeah, sure. Let me guess, it’s because I’m not old enough.” Lucca folded his flippers, too.

“Bullseye, Lord Lucca.”

“Oh come on! Fourteen is double digits. Numbers don’t go much higher than that,” he said.

“… They go far higher than that, Lord Lucca,” Alver sighed, resuming their trip.

“So what if they do? It doesn’t matter. None of this stuff matters!” he cried. “We’re the only Pokémon in the world, and you two just keep making me read these old books and fight all those monsters and stuff. There’s just like, no reason for it anymore.”

“Then why did you partake in all this in the first place?” Alver asked.

“Because it was fun. And I used to think that you two were super smart because you’re older, so I did everything you told me to do without question. But none of this makes any sense anymore. I’m suffering, and it doesn’t look like you’re enjoying that,” he said.

“Suffering isn’t really the right word, is it?” Alver slumped to his side.

“I haven’t eaten a thing since yesterday! Seriously, I’m gonna turn inside out if I don’t get fed soon. That’s suffering!” he cried.

“Hmm. Well, we can’t have that, can we? But I believe I can leave a hint. Something that tells you to think outside the box when it comes to your problems,” Alver said.

“Think outside the box? What the heck does that mean? Actually, forget it. Instead, just tell me,” he said. Alver cleared his throat.

“You spent a year or so reading those books, didn’t you? And you found that fun?” Alver asked.

“Yes? Reading is kinda fun, still. But what about it?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Do you remember what those books were about?”

“Heroica, right? Where all that stuff called nature is. It’s all fantasy, but it was all written super well. Books sure do a good job of making you feel like you’re somewhere you’re not—”

“Ahem. Lucca, who do you think wrote those books?” Alver said.

Lucca raised a flipper to answer, but no words came out. Just that one question felt like he’d been hit by a punch full of knowledge. Alver’s point seemed so obvious and clear, that this was right in his face for all those years, yet he had hadn’t noticed it until now. Still, he had to make sure. “Did… Did Father write them?”

“Him? Write anything? With what? There’s a reason we haven’t taught you to write.” Alver laughed.

Lucca stopped and choked. “That- wait, then how? If there’s nothing to write with, then that means the books…”

“Go on,” Alver said. Lucca stalled for a moment, and then hung his head.

“I don’t know. Maybe they’re just super old and were written when there was stuff to write with. If that even makes any sense,” he said, going quieter at every word. He folded his flippers and looked away. Is he trying to tell me that Heroica is real? There’s no way that’s where the books came from. Reverie is the world. But if it were real, that would mean all my training so far has been so that I can go there or something. Nah, it couldn’t be.

A loud blast suddenly went off, followed by a rally of cries and a huge cloud of smoke not far in the distance. The village wasn’t far in that direction, so they both exchanged glances and then took off.

Just like the field, this area barely qualified as a village even though it had the name. It had more rotten fencing around it, dead trees, and a few small mountains that hid it from view. Its main features were a valley that ran down the centre, and a collection of giant stone streetlamps scattered all around like discarded tools. All of the lamps were unlit and engraved with ancient markings, but had weathered to the point of being unreadable. Everywhere in this village was grey and dusty, unlike the hard red rock in the rest of Reverie.

“What?” Lucca whispered, jaw dropped. Alver wasn’t much better, but posed with his staff to prepare for battle.

The village was normally the quiet home of harmless Poipole, but right now, they were screaming over a fight. The purple monsters flew around a Buzzwole and a Kartana, who both cried out as they strafed a set of much smaller foes. Lucca kept his distance until Buzzwole happened to move into a spot that let him see the enemy, and then he gasped louder than ever before.

There were three creatures he had never seen before, and all of them barked angrily at the two monsters. One of them was a tall, sleek, fox-like creature with a snow-white fur coat and a huge, bushy tail full of coils.

Wait a minute, are they Pokémon? Lucca whispered in his mind as realised that the fox resembled the smaller fox beside it. The smaller fox Pokémon had a similar white coat, only its tails were neater and separated. He counted six coiled tails, while the body was more cub-like compared to the mature form of the taller fox.

Lastly, the one that stood out the most. A teddy bear with finer fur than the others, a round, pink body, and thick brown legs. He thought its face was adorable, but right now it snarled viciously. It held a bloodstained knife in its jaw.

“I can’t believe it. How, how are there Pokémon here?” Alver whispered just loud enough for Lucca to hear him.

“What? Alver, what are they?” Lucca cried.

“Shush!” Alver hissed, but it was too late. All eyes turned to him and Alver.

In that moment, the pink Pokémon barked and charged forward at an unexpected speed. It bashed knife-first into Buzzwole’s chest with so much force that the swollen Pokémon was knocked off its legs. It crashed to the ground in a crumbling heap of dust and broken stone, and didn’t stand back up.

Kartana was luckier. It turned just in time to see the two fox Pokémon, and shifted away as they leapt up to bite it. Kartana then put its blades together and swooped down after them for a counterattack, but the fox Pokémon were quick. The two split up and dashed to the left and right as white blurs. In a flash, Kartana was surrounded by the three Pokémon.

The battle was far from won, however. All four monsters barked and shouted feral cries to each other, and then engaged in a riot of a fight. They clawed, bit, and tackled one another in a dusty moment of scrapes and shouts, all moving at a speed that was tough to make out in the grey of the area. As far as Lucca could tell, Kartana’s thin body made it difficult for the Pokémon’s attacks to land. They were cut and stung here and there, but Kartana avoided everything.

“They’re going to lose. Alver, we have to help them,” Lucca said, and glanced at his friend.

“That might be too dangerous. They’re—”

“Kartana will kill them if we don’t!” he raised his voice.

“You don’t have any of your weapons. What do you intend to do?” Alver said. Lucca growled and glanced at the battle, and then nodded. He ran towards them, leaving Alver with an arm hung forward and a dumb look on his face. “Lucca!”

“I’ll do something!” he called. By the time he reached them, the larger fox Pokémon was hurt and being tended to by the smaller fox, while the bear continued to take on Kartana. “Hey you, leave them alone!”

The battle stopped in an instant, and his blood turned cold as all eyes went on him. Uh oh. Bad move, Lucca.

Kartana was the first to move. It came after him with its usual method of attack, both blades slapped together to slash him. Lucca had seen this enough times to dodge it on habit, but without a weapon, he was anxious for a safe way to retaliate. He rolled and leapt about, and each of Kartana’s missed attacks left marks on the floor or the lamps.

Lucca eventually dove to create distance, but when he rolled to his front, his heart jumped. The pink bear Pokémon was charging towards them. He stuck out a flipper before the two engaged again. Kartana was already riled up from trying to kill him, so it was more than ready for the approach.

“No, don’t! Get away!” he cried.

The pink Pokémon attempted to tackle Kartana, but was knocked off-balance by a swift upward slash, barely blocked by the knife in its mouth. That wouldn’t save it from Kartana’s free arm, which easily cut right into the Pokémon’s face.

An ear-splitting howl filled the air. The pink Pokémon punched Kartana away and then stumbled around to stifle its agony. It had its front feet held over its left eye, where a wound had opened.

“No,” Lucca whispered.

His eyes glazed over and everything blurred except that wounded Pokémon. All he could hear was its pathetic cries. The blood in the grey world felt like it awakened something in his chest. He couldn’t think straight, and his fears dissipated. All he knew was he needed to do everything he could to help, and now.

A heavy woosh brought him back to reality. Kartana swooped in to finish off the Pokémon, but he wasn’t going to have it. He dashed in front of the pink Pokémon and snatched its knife which had been dropped after the hit. He drew his whole body back and slashed, where he clashed against one of Kartana’s blades.

“Lucca!” Alver cried, still at a distance.

Unlike in Lucca’s previous clashes, the knife was light enough for him to not spin around or lose his grip. He ground the blade against Kartana with a growl of increasing volume, determined not to let go. Kartana screamed and squirmed against him, but its tone sounded of triumph. A few seconds later, he felt his back begin to bend as Kartana pushed him down, and if it went on, that blade would slice him in half.

The pink Pokémon let out a confused whine behind him, and he glanced back a little. Both arms were still over its wound, but the other eye was open and wet with tears, fixated on Lucca. That look of desperation was all he needed to see for his instincts to awaken in full force.

Lucca planted his free flipper on the ground while the other tightened its grip on the knife. He snapped his tail on the ground too, and then pushed forward with a ferocious growl. Unbeknownst to him, his form began to grow at the same time. New power came to him, and he grew taller and wider to push himself out of the awkward spot. He grew fangs to grit and ruffles that flowed with the energy he exerted.

“Unbelievable,” Alver whispered. Lucca’s evolution had his eyes gleam with excitement, and the turnabout of the clash had his mouth agape. Not only did Lucca push the Kartana away, he threw himself forward to stab and tear it in two with the knife. Like a sheet of paper, the two halves of the Kartana floated down in lifeless sways in the wind.

“Alver!” Lucca shouted.

“Lucca, you evolved. And you defeated the Kartana!” Alver said.

“Forget that, we need to get them to the healing pool, now!” Lucca said, turning to look for the Pokémon. However, the white foxes were nowhere to be seen. Only the pink Pokémon was there in a shrivelled heap. He could barely hear its shivering breath. “Hold that wound. We will save you!”