Nuzlocke: Hearts of Gold and Souls of Silver

Blackburn and Violet had just arrived on Cianwood. It was the middle of the night and both of them were really tired from the long trip they had. Hours ago they left their friend Atlas behind because he was injured. They went on together to try and find some medicine for him, who was back at Olivine city. One of them would have stayed, but Atlas noticed they had something for one another long ago. He took the chance to let both his friends have some time to spend together, by themselves only. Blackburn didn't want to accept it at first, but he trusted Atlas.

The boat stopped and ponies were allowed to disembark it. Blackburn went on first, and Violet followed. Both were carrying their saddlebags with all the things they needed. Now there was only one thing left to do for today, and that was to find somewhere to stay for the night. Maybe getting a boat at night wasn't the best idea they ever had, but it was the fastest one if they meant to get back to Atlas and also enjoy a day around.

As they traveled through Johto, they became more aware of buildings that could be inns. Cianwood was a tropical, small city. building were now more similar to the usual ones they would see on smaller towns in Equestria, except they were still not quite the same. Houses here were decorated festively and their roofs were blue, although they all looked the same, just in different sizes.

The inn was comfortable, just like the others. Blackburn didn't care much, he knew it was better than camping outside town. Violet loved a comfy bed, and wouldn't trade it for anything else when it came to a good night of sleep. After renting the room for the night, both of them went inside the room and started setting their things down for their stay.

“It really feels different without Atlas, doesn't it?” Violet asked.

“Considering we started together, now that he is not here, it feels different.” Blackburn said, thinking about his friend, whose body was trying to recover some energy during the night, but wasn't succeeding in any way. “Nonetheless, I'm happy you came with me.” He smiled at Violet.

Violet was thinking about Atlas and how he was doing. “I'm glad you enjoy my company, but we should go to sleep.” She reminded him. “We need to get Atlas his medicine, and we better hurry.”

Blackburn only nodded. The two of them got into their beds after setting up and went to sleep.

“You guys don't tell me much about yourselves.” Violet said while they walked outside, a great morning outside. “Tell me more about yourself Blackburn.” She demanded.

“Well, there is nothing else to add to what you already know.” Blackburn started. “I'm just a pegasus whose family has a business at weaponry and I like to hunt. Other than that, I'm just like another pony.”

“I wasn't talking about what you do!” Violet laughed and pushed Blackburn. “I want to know more about who you are!”

“I don't get it.” Blackburn said, only this time it was a joke. “All right, I will tell you more. Well, you can already tell I have a pretty big sense of humor, but only because I like to make jokes about everything, doesn't mean I don't care. It's just me. In the worst of situations, I'm pretty likely going to stick with my friends, although this is not one of those, and I'm also going to help with all I can, probably making unnecessary jokes and comments sometimes. I might not worry enough about things because I know things are gonna be alright in the end. It helps to keep me calm, but I end up worrying a little about somethings sometimes.”

“My friendship with Atlas resumes well how my living style.” He explained. “I like to tease him, make jokes about stuff he failed in, or somewhat devaluing his hard work. That may seem like bullying, but in reality it's just how we interact with each other. He does the same with me, very rarely, but he does. Sure, it's strange, but we try to make a laugh out of the worst situations because we know we are together in this.” He paused. “Yeah, I don't know how to explain it, it just works.”

Violet burst out in laughter. “I know what you mean. It's just one way of you guys having fun.” She kept giggling after a while. “What about Atlas? He seems to know more than he usually lets out.”

“Atlas is like that.” Blackburn said. “He is more of a serious type, but not so different than me. He takes things with calm and determination, and try his best at not failing at something, sometimes letting his objective get over his head. Although, he fails a lot and we just laugh at it like little colts trying to prank somepony and failing. He might be serious, but he has a soul worth of all the silver you can find, and a truly pure heart.”

“You and Atlas are a lot different from each other, you know?” Violet commented. “That doesn't appear to change your friendship in any way”

“I think we just had a few things in common as children. In that age, we just kinda stick around and learn to accept the differences from each other, you know?” Blackburn looked to the sky, and later overseas, while searching his mind for memories he share with Atlas. “We both loved games, were bullied by the same guy, did stupid things together, just like any friends are, and if it weren't for that we probably wouldn't be friends to this day. I don't know. Friendship isn't all about having things in common.”

Looking over the horizon, Blackburn stopped and took a moment to inspect the weather over the land beyond the sea. He didn't give any time for Violet to keep going with the topic before talking again. “Looks like there is a rain closing up to Olivine.”

Violet looked the same direction Blackburn was looking at and took a few seconds to look it over. “Do you think Atlas will be all right?”

“I do.” Blackburn answered with certainty. “I don't see a reason for him to leave and at this point I'm think he can't even move.”

“...You think we are going to be able to help him in time?” Violet asked. “I mean, when we left him, he was still very strong, but the infection could advance up to his heart.”

“Violet, look, calm down.” Blackburn now held Violet with his right hoof. “You're panicking. We can't do anything but get Atlas a remedy, and that is what we are going to do.” He stopped holding Violet and gave the mare some space to breath. He asked after a while. “Are you ready to go?”

Violet nodded and the two friends started making their way to the building known for the making of special remedies.

“Violet?”

“Yes?” Violet asked.

“Before we go, thanks for snapping me out of this panic.” Blackburn said.

“Black?” Now it was Violet asking for his attention.

“Yes?”

“For a while now, I have been thinking of telling you this, and before I say it, I want you to know that you don't need to say the same and-”

Blackburn interrupted her. “I love you too, Violet.” His voice surprised her. She wasn't expecting for him to say it since it was her heart speaking. Blackburn had also been wanting to say it back, now being the moment both of them let this out. “Will you be my marefriend?”

Violet felt the weight on her heart suddenly disappear. She had never dreamed of her moment, but the mare had had feelings for the stallion by her for a while. Both were looking on each other's eyes without moving. They had stopped walking and focused fully on themselves.

“So?” Blackburn sounded a little nervous.

“Of course Black!” Violet sounded excited. “I just don't know how to react, this is just a dream!” She jumped on him, hugging him immediately, Blackburn hugging her back. The two stopped, looking at each other Violet leaned forward and brought Blackburn into a quick, but passionate, kiss. “Come on, we need to get going.” She smiled at him and he smiled back, then they kept walking.

The two ponies entered the building. The bell placed next to the door ringed as the door swing past it, calling the attention of the supposedly pony responsible for taking care of the shop. The desk, on the other hand, was empty. No pony around to be seen and talk to. Blackburn and Violet were on an empty room standing before a desk that separated them from a wild selection of remedies tagged with the name of a bunch of diseases that were both known and unknown to the two ponies. The names all seemed very strange and Blackburn assumed they weren't from Equestria, he assumed they were either from this world or from the lands out of the Equestrian border.

The inside was simple. The building seemed to be composed of two rooms: The main room, made out of wood and very simplistic, with a desk cutting the room in half, where from behind the desk was a cashier, a small computer, and a big glass cabinet containing all the remedies. From behind the desk, there was a door, that would lead to the second room. There was no way Blackburn or Violet could see what was in it, the door was closed. Blackburn compared the space from the inside to the size of the building from outside and came to a conclusion the other room wasn't very big, and was all that was left to this building.

Both ponies waited. Violet started getting nervous again and sweat a bit, she was starting to panic. Blackburn noticed and held Violet, snapping her out of what had caught her mind. He smiled at her, and she returned the smile moments later, assured by his reminder. Minutes later, a striped figure came out of the door. It was a female zebra, which immediately cleared all the doubts about the existence of such remedies, zebras were known for their knowledge on magic and potion making. Although, Blackburn did nothing more than to try catching a glimpse of what was on the room beyond the door, and failing. He then noticed the zebra, and came to the same conclusions as Violet, although his knowledge about zebras came from another source than books. He came to know a zebra who lived inside the Everfree Forest named Zecora, which he stumbled across when on one of his hunts. Zecora taught him about creatures in the forest and about some survival techniques, although he chose not to keep hunting on the forest and rather hunt on different places around Equestria, forest not as wild as Everfree.

“Hello, how may I help you today?” The zebra spoke, now standing behind the desk, waiting for the request Violet and Blackburn had.

“Hello, we were looking for a remedy to poison.” Violet walked forward and faced the zebra. “Our friend is in need for remedy that can stop and cure the infection caused from the sting of a ...” Violet paused, trying to remember the name of the pokemon that had attacked Atlas. “a Beedrill.”

“Hm... That can be easily cured by using and Antidote or one of my herbs.” The zebra backed and started looking at the remedies behind the glass panel. Blackburn was somewhat uncomfortable for he had been used to hear Zecora talk in rhymes most of the time, and seeing a zebra without the same touch disturbed him a little.

“To a pokemon, maybe.” Blackburn said. “We are talking about another pony here, and we know herbs and antidotes made specifically for pokemon won't work. That is why we ask if you would have something that would help us.”

The zebra looked back and forth at the panel, searching for a remedy, but turned. “I do not have something like that at the moment. You ask me for a special brew. I would have to take the entire afternoon to make enough. How far is the infection?”

Violet took a moment to remember how it was the last time she saw it. She saw it exposed back in Ecruteak City. “The infection is likely half way from the end of the hoof to the start of the leg.”

“When was the last time you checked on it?” The zebra continued. “If you don't mind me asking.”

“Yesterday, and by evening, he could barely walk with it, the pain was too much.” Violet replied and added even more information that could be of use by the zebra.

“I'm afraid that by now the hoof is nearly unusable for walking purposes, although the pain relieved a little.” The zebra said. “It won't be long before it hits the heart, but we should have a few days. I can get the remedy done by the end of the afternoon.”

“Thank you” Violet said. “We really appreciate the fact that you are putting your time for this.”

“There is no need for thanks.” The zebra replied. “For this cost, the only thing I'll be doing is business.”

“What do you mean?” Blackburn asked. He wasn't really understanding the point of the zebra, but had his own worries of what she meant.

“For the remedy to be ready by tonight, I'll be having to use very expensive herbs to speed the process that would take five days usually. Of course, the request you made come with a price.” The zebra explained.

“And what would it be?”

“30 thousand bits.” The zebra said.

Violet made a sudden move as she was startled by the reply from the zebra. Blackburn's eyes widened and he frowned, getting somewhat scared since what he had in mind was confirmed by the zebra. They both knew they didn't have that much money, not even if Atlas had given them what he had been left behind with. If they couldn't pay for the medicine, then Atlas' health was at risk.

“V-Violet, can I talk with you for just a m-moment?” Blackburn called for Violet, who only moved again once she had listened her name being called. She walked back slowly and turned to see Blackburn.

“Black, we don't have this money” She whispered into his ear. “What do we do?”

“I was going to ask you the same thing.” Blackburn replied. He stood there thinking for a few moments, but finally went back to Violet. “Hang on, I've got a plan.”

Walking up to the zebra, Blackburn said, nodding. “Start mixing the remedy, we will pay after the product is done.”

“I want part of the value as an entry.” The zebra replied. “Just in case you decide to leave your friend to die.” He had an emphasis on "die", which sounded pretty cold in the perspective of Blackburn and Violet, specially when he could have use another word or expression to mean death. Not that it would change much of the situation.

“I accept your condition.” Blackburn said, using his gadget to separate all the money they had in a small bag. “17 thousand. That is more than a half.”

“I'll take it.”

Blackburn opened the saddlebag under his left wing and placed over the table a small bag filled with bits. The sound of coins clicking each other echoed across the room.

“I'll send someone to inform you when the remedy is ready.”

“So what is your plan anyway?” Violent asked. Both of them were now outside, walking, Blackburn leading the way.

“We will beat the gym. I just hope we gain enough for the remedy and the tickets for the back trip.” Blackburn said.

“Beating the gym? Right now?” Violet looked surprised at Blackburn

“We ain't got much of a choice. How else will we get enough money.” Blackburn replied.

Their pacing was quick. They quickly arrived at the gym. Blackburn pulled his fear back and walked forward faster and with courage. He wasn't paying attention to much of anything, not even to what was ahead of him. He was on his mind coming up with a plan to what possibly awaited. He was only interrupted by Violet's voice.

“Black, watch out!”

Blackburn looked back at her but did not stopped walking. Violet only looked to what was in front of Blackburn. Blackburn bumped in something, rather someone as it felt like another pony, and fell. An earth pony mare with a very pale yellow coat and a dark blue long mane had bumped into him and fell along him. She had a gaming controller as a cutie mark. She was just getting out of the gym.

“Oh, excuse me ma'am I-” Blackburn had started, but was interrupted.

“It's alright. There is no need for apologies, I should have gotten out of the way.” The mare had a soft voice. She got up and cleaned herself from the sand that composed the ground of the small city.

“Wait, I know you...” Violet looked closely, inspecting the mare. The mare looked surprised to be recognized by some strangers she never seen before. “You were on a pokeathlon sometime ago, weren't you?”

“Oh yes, I was. Did you watch it?” Her voice had a more cheerful tone now. “It's a shame that I ended up losing up that one. I could have used the rewards.” She giggled.

“Oh, you were one of Atlas' opponents?” Blackburn asked, getting up just now.

“Yes, I even shared a conversation with him without realizing it was him.” She went on. “After I realized, I hurried up to get out of that place.” She giggled once again.

“Why is that?” Violet asked curiously.

“Well, it's a bit of a story.” She started. “Why don't we share this story over a cup of coffee on the Pokemon Center?”

Blackburn looked over Violet, unsure as he was in a hurry. Violet on the other side thought they had enough time and nodded for them to go. Blackburn rolled his eyes and followed.

“...And so, after I heard what he did to this competitor after one of his pokemon were defeated on the Bellsprout Tower, I feared something might happen to me if I won the game. He was a dedicated foe nonetheless.” She explained.

“So you feared him?” Blackburn asked, taking note of what she had to say.

“Yes. I have heard he took part of this game multiple times and almost won. I'm afraid of what he might end up doing with all his experience. Why are you two so curious about this anyway?”

“Oh...” Violet sounded nervous as if she had been hiding something. She decided to spill the beans. “We are Atlas' friends. We are a group.”

“Wait, what?!” The mare sounded startled and in fear now.

“Calm down lady.” Blackburn took over. “We were curious to why you were so afraid of him. We know about those things, but he isn't like that all the time. He isn't aggressive to anyone in any way.”

“And we are his group. We haven't been threatening with you in any way, have we?” Violet argumented.

“Well, maybe, but look at his actions. Why would he do such a thing as throwing a guy out of a building?” The mare tried to sound reasonable. “And where is him anyway?”

“He is in Olivine city, staying there until we go back. And the reason is that he was protecting his friends! We can explain, just give us a chance.”

The earth pony calmed down. “Alright, you've got one.”

Blackburn then explained everything about Freddie, and then explained that Atlas had a few bad moments sometimes and let his bad thoughts take over him, little did he know about Janus. The mare changed expressions as the explanation progressed. She had misunderstood his reasons all along and took her own speculation as truth. The news feed didn't help much with the reasoning.

“Do you see why he-” Blackburn was interrupted once again. Now by the news being played on a TV at the pokemon center.

“Breaking news! Reports show that an attack has been happening over Olivine City by a group of jacket-wearing individuals. They have been taking control of the overall are of the city, including the entrances, the port, the gym, whose gym leader is unavailable, and the pokemon center. We will now be showing the activity from above and through the heavy storm going under the town.”

“Oh shit, what about Atlas' inn?” Blackburn sounded a hell of a lot worried. “I want to know how he is doing and if he is still okay in there!”

The view zoomed in. Since it was a camera controlled by the program, it had all the control it needed. it showed a pony walking slowly out of the gym, followed by it's pokemon. The rain made it difficulty to see, but the pony was different from the gang that held the city down. He didn't have a jacket.

“The gang seems similar to Freddie's Soldiers.” The mare observed. “But that one is different. What is Atlas even doing in Olive anyway?” She sounded like she didn't trust in Atlas just yet, but she trusted his friends.

“You remember when I told you he was hit by a Beedrill? And do you remember the bandage he wore in his leg?” Violet asked and the mare nodded. “There is your why. He is way too weak to even walk, so we came here in hopes we find a cure, which we did, but money is kind of a problem.”

The camera zoomed more and showed the image of the pony and his pokemon. An Nidoking, an Pidgeotto, an Arcanine, an Umbreon, and lastly a Treecko. It was Atlas.

“Too weak to walk, you say?”

“How?!” The mare asked right after Atlas had managed to defeat the Tyranitar. “Well, it was quite a show.”

“Lucky boy.” Blackburn laughed.

“I can't believe he managed to protect the whole city.” Violet commented.

“Oh boy, look at the time, it's kind later, I better get going.” The mare said her goodbyes and started to walk away.

A zebra walked up to Violet and Blackburn. “The remedy is ready to be picked up.” He said. Blackburn realized they still didn't have the money, but stayed silent.

“Alright, thank you.” Violet said. The zebra then ran away like if had been running from a raging dragon. “We still don't have the money, and we gave him everything we had on us. What do we do?”

The mare turned around moments before leaving. “Uh, you guys need any help with that?”

Both of them looked at her, surprised. The mare that moments ago feared Atlas wanted to help. “Actually, if you can lend a hoof.”

“How much do you need?”

“We already payed 17 thousand out of the 30 thousand, so it's just 13 thousand left.” Violet replied.

“I won't allow my newer friends to run so low on money for a while.” The mare replied, taking of a bag of bits and checking her gadget for the amount. “20K, and that is about it.” And she threw the the bag on the table they shared the cup of coffee. “I want to meet this Atlas again when he is well. You two take care of him for me.”

“Wait!” Violet stopped her. “We never got your name.”

“The name is Anna.” The mare said and walked out of the door.

“Well, at least I don't have to battle the gym now.” Blackburn relaxed. “Come on, let's get the remedy and head back to Olivine.”