Chapter 5 - Back Home

Alph5AlphChapter 5: Back Home“Mom!” Cleffa burst through the door, panting. Pi was perched on her head contentedly. In on hand, Cleffa waved the tablet she had found in the tree. She brushed her bangs from her face with her free hand. The basket of apples was looped on her elbow.“Hm?” The older woman looked up from a piece of parchment she was scribbling on with a charcoal stick. As a scholar, Belossom was always studying, writing things down.“What is it, Cleffa?”Cleffa thrust the tablet to her mother, grinning proudly. “I found it when I was picking apples.” ::She fell from the tree while getting it, too.:: “Shoosh, Pi.”Belossom took the smooth tablet from her beaming daughter and eyed it curiously. “You found this when you were picking apples? Where on earth was it?” “It was in a tree!” Cleffa announced brightly, pointing upwards for emphasis. Belossom raised a quizzical eyebrow, then turned back to the tablet. “Really. It was never there before... I know; Just yesterday I had to climb that tree to get you down from it.” The woman smiled slyly. “In any case, I’m afraid I can’t help you with this. From what I can see, it’s written in the ancient Ecruteak language.”Cleffa looked crushed for a moment. “Oh.. Really? Do you know anyone who could translate it for me?”“I’m afraid not,” Belossom began, “I don’t know of anyone that knows this language... Oh! Perhaps you could ask the Chief if he knows anyone. These are the sorts of things he keeps records of...”Cleffa stared at her mother like she was insane. “You expect me to go see the CHIEF!? The head guy of the tribe? But, but, I’m just a FARMER’S DAUGHTER~! I can’t just waltz in there and ask him to tell me about the other members of the tr--” The ranting little girl was stopped as her mother placed a hand on her head. “Tell her that Belossom sent you. He’s helped me with my research before. Just tell him that you’re playing messenger.”Cleffa looked at the ground in thought for a moment. “.... Okay. Gotcha. I’ll be back in time for dinner, Mom. Hopefully.” Cleffa placed the basket of apples on the rough wooden table and scooped up the tablet. ::Let’s go, Cleffa. I have never seen the Chief’s home before.:: Pi mused, sliding down to Cleffa’s shoulder.As Cleffa skipped out the door, Belossom turned back to her work, chuckling to herself.||*||::Knock, Cleffa.:: “It’s not that easy, Pi~! This is the MAIN LEADERMAN of the entire TRIBE.” Cleffa whined, hand resting on the door. ::If you won’t, theeeen /I/ will!:: Pi hopped off of Cleffa’s shoulder and body slammed the door. It swung open on it’s hinges and slammed into the wall with a thud.“.... Who’s there?” The chief’s voice came from the room, a slight hint of anger detectable in his tone.Cleffa poked her head around the door, sweatdropping frantically. “I’m SO sorry about that.... I’m Cleffa. Mom-- Belossom sent me. I need your help with something.”“.. Very well then. Come on in.”Cleffa took a sigh of relief before casually striding into the room. The Chief was seated at a low table which was stacked with parchment covered in charcoal, most of which was relatively smudged. Cleffa sat down at the other side.“What is it, then, Cleffa?” He asked, leaning forward in a businesslike fashion. “... Er, um, I found this when I was picking apples.. It wasn’t there before, and it was really weird, so I brought it to my mo-- Belossom. She said it was written in ancient Ecruteak language, and that she couldn’t read it. She told me to come here and ask if you knew of anyone in the tribe who could translate it.”The Chief scratched his beard in thought. He stood up and walked to a shelf in the room, where even more stacks of parchment were. He sweatdropped, an odd thing to see on someone of such high status. “.. Well, these are the records or everyone in Alph. It lists things like their family, birthdates, languages, and other important things like that. Unfortunately, over time, it’s gotten a bit.... Unorganized, let’s say.” He turned back to Cleffa. “I’ll arrange for my guards to transport the files somewhere where you could sort through them.”Cleffa stared blankly at the shelf of parchment. “... That’d take hours upon hours, though! ... Er, I mean, can I request the help of my friends..?”The Chieftain (A/N: x.x Wow, this is sounding redundant. His name is Zapdos, So I’ll start calling him that...) chuckled. “Hahah, of course. I’ll have my chefs bring lunch to you, too. Where would you like to sit?” Cleffa had blurted out the answer without even thinking. “The orchards! .... Um, well, that was where I found the tablet in the first place, so I thought maybe it would be a good idea to sit there to study and stuff..” Cleffa stammered, poking the tips of her index fingers together.Zapdos nodded. “Alright then. You may gather your friends to help you. I’ll have my guards bring the papers to the orchard, and order my chefs to prepare you lunch to eat there while you work. Does that sound good?”Cleffa stood up and bowed. “Yes, very. Thank you very much, sir!” Cleffa smiled and picked up Pi, then hurried out the door.||*||The afternoon was warmer in Alph than it was in the woods. The sun was bright and there were no winds. Cleffa lead her friends to the orchard, where she sat down on a blanket. Piles upon piles of parchment lay next to her. “Cynder, Lithe, come!”The first one to join Cleffa on the blanket was a girl about a year younger than Squirt- she was 12. Her light brown hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail. The ends of her bangs and hair were a natural blue. Her emerald eyes were wide and bright with curiosity. A cyndaquil waddled behind her. This one was Cynder, and her pokemon was names Quilda.The next one was the same age as Cynder, but a bit more mischevious-looking. Her brown hair reached about mid-back, and was tied loosely at the bottom. Her soft brown eyes stared in dumb shock at the stacks of parchment. A growlithe playfully hopped around next to her. “We have to go through all that!?” This would be Lithe and her pokemon, Gard.Cleffa sweatdropped and nodded. “Yeah, but... at least we get food!”Lithe sighed and sat down between Cynder and Cleffa. “Yeah....” Cynder smirked and held up a piece of parchment, scanning it. “And, we get to read all about everyone at Alph.”Lunch was brought to the three shortly afterwards. Cleffa, Cynder and Lithe happily dove in to warm bread, crisp salad, and tomato soup as they skimmed over each of the pieces of parchment.By dusk, they had sorted a little more than half of the papers. Cynder had gotten bored long before, but pressed on. Lithe was taking the oppurtunity to complain loudly. Gard and Quilda, accompanied by Pi, had taken a break from their ongoing game of tag to help sort through the papers.“I got it!” Lithe held up a piece of parchment triumphantly. “Some girl named Onyta. Apparently, she lived in Ecruteak for most of her life, but when they waged war against Alph, she moved here. Says she was against the war, but mostly supported the Alph point of view,” Lithe explained, reading about it, “So, she can read the ancient Ecruteak language. Okay then, we gotta find this Onyta person.” Lithe handed the parchment to Cynder, who folded it and stuffed it in her skirt pocket. “But where would we find her?” She questioned, standing up and dusting off her knees.Cleffa stood up as well. “Well, we can ask the chief where to find her... No doubt he’ll know. He’d probably be keeping a close eye on someone from who we’re fighting against.” Lithe nodded, and Cynder turned to the guards who were relaxing under a peach tree. “Can you carry these parchments back to the Chief when you have the chance? Thanks!” The guards sullenly tossed aside the peaches they were munching on and each grabbed an armload of parchment.“Onyta, hm? Yes, I’ve heard of her. I can faintly remember being told where she lives. I believe she’s currenly residing south of the Town Square. You can’t miss her house, though; it’s a ranch of Ponyta and Rapidash.” Zapdos mused, stroking his beard thoughtfully. Lithe nodded. “Mmh, I see. Ponytas, Rapidash, got it. Thanks. Bye!” Lithe storde casually out the door, followed by Cleffa. Cynder bowed to the Chief respectfully, then quickly followed her friends.“... Well, here’s the town square. Um, Cynder, Lithe?” “Mmh?” “Yeah?” “... which way is south?” Cleffa asked, looking around at the Town Square. “Well, since it’s dusk,” Cynder pointed out, “and the sun sets in the west, it should be..... That way. South is that way.” Cleffa followed where Cynder’s finger was pointing. Lithe walked in front, backwards, so she could converse with the others. “So, I wonder what this Onyta lady is like?” “She’s probably old and wise and stuff!” Cleffa exclaimed happily, flailing her arms. Lithe chuckled, and turned around. “Hey, look! I can see the Ponyta’s and Rapidash’s flames from here!” Lithe broke into a jog over to the door. Cynder quickly stumbled to follow, and Cleffa skipped after them.... running right into them and sending the three colliding through the hole in the stone walls that served as a door.“.... Hello?” A voice called out through the house, and an older girl stepped up to the pile of the three girls. Her hair brushed against her shoulders, and curled slightly inwards. Her vivid green eyes eyes the three like they were crazy. She seemed to be about 16. “.... Can I help you?” Cynder quickly jumped up and dusted herself off. “YES. Are you Onyta?”“That’s right, I’m Onyta.” Onyta smiled and leaned down, helping up Cleffa from under Lithe, who quickly stood. “What is it that you need me for?”Cleffa waved the tablet in onyta’s face. “Help us translate this! You speak the ancient Ecruteak language, right?” The older girl nodded. “Yes...”Cynder’s eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands together. “Oh, so you’ll help us?” Lithe raised a fist in determination. “Help us translate, help us translate!”Onyta tilted her head and stared at them. “Um... okay. This is a little strange, though... Where did you find that?”Cleffa sweatdropped. “Well... Sit down, and I’ll explain...”

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