~Corona! I want to play!~ I swish my purple braid to the side, and hold up the wicker basket towards the colt Pokémon.

"Can't, Keldeo. Not until I get enough berries. If you'd help, I'd finish faster." Keldeo pouts.

~You're no fun!~ Then he trots off. I shake my head; that Keldeo can be so immature sometimes. Virizion asked me to pick some berries for this evening. Cobalion and Terrakion are coming to Pinwheel Forest to see us, and it wouldn't be right to not have anything for them-

Bam!

A sudden jolt to my side knocks me on the ground, spilling the berries everywhere. "Keldeo!" I groan. "That's it! You're helping me get them back in the basket!" Snickering, the pony Pokemon trots off. Seeing the mess before me, I sigh. Back to square one.

After recollecting the food, I add the final berries to the basket, filling it, and go back to my tree. Strapping the basket to my back, I climb carefully up the extremely thick tree. It's both tall and has a wide diameter. At the top, I set the basket down.

I'm about 17 years old. I've never been far beyond the trees of this forest. To venture too far would put me in danger, I'm told. I'm getting ahead of myself now though, aren't I?

I was raised by Unova's legendary Pokémon; they are my family. Virizion, the grass/fighting female legend; she's the one who took care of me the most. The kind, grassland Pokemon may as well be my mother.

Keldeo is essentially my brother. For as lo as I can remember, we've played together. When we were young, I would ride on his back, hugging his neck tightly. Now, I'm far too big for such nonsense, so I scout the forest by his side.

From time to time, I've seen others like me. Human. I've seen them terrorizing Pokemon when things don't go their way, kicking, shouting, and sometimes even beating. I can't respect my own species; how can I when I've heard little lillipups and patrats crying as their Trainers hit them and call them weak after losing a battle. Some even managed to love their Trainer, only to be called weak and then released or abandoned. It's heart breaking to me.

Many of them actually care about their Trainer, but to the Trainer, a Pokémon is disposable. That's why I don't like people, and why I despise Trainers. Perhaps I feel an empathetic link to them due to the circumstances of my own rescue. These pokémon are my friends, my family... I have to take care of them. Like Cobalion said:

~Humans are cruel, power hungry, and secretive beings, Corona. They will use you to meet their own ends, then dispose of you. Not just to Pokémon, but friends of their own species. If humans have no loyalty to one another, just what makes you think they will care about us?~

Terrakion and Virizion have different views on the topic, but the shared agreement was that humans couldn't be trusted. Keldeo generally stays silent on the topic. However, according to Terrakion, it was Keldeo who argued with Cobalion, and was willing to fight to take me in. Virizion and Terrakion then helped Keldeo convince Cobalion that I would be different than other humans. That I would be better. I hope I am.

The three senior legendaries dislike humans because of a war that happened years ago. Many Pokémon were killed when they lit fire to a forest. Since then, they've become protectors of pokémon.

Keldeo was one of the survivors of that fire. Maybe that was why he rescued me, because he understood. Anyways, his parents were both killed by that fire, and while he doesn't hate humans like the others, or even dislike them as Virizion does; its a difficult topic for the younger ledgendary. Speaking of which...

Crunch, crunch. I whip around and face the water/fighting type. Wait, how did he get up here?

"Keldeo! How'd you get up here?" He smirks.

~Duh. I jumped.~ I roll my eyes.

"If you're going to be mean to me, I won't play with you."

~I'm sorry! I'll be nice!~ I have to grin.

"See you at the bottom then!" Keldeo nods, and jumps off the branch; landing perfectly on his feet. It's all I can do to climb down as quickly as possible. When I am within a few feet of the earth, I leap off, landing lightly on my feet.

"So you want to play?" I ask the blue pokémon.

~Of course. You're going down, Corona! ~

"Bring it on," I challenge. I grab my weathered staff that has been lying on the ground. "Begin!" I shout, and Keldeo charges forward. I shove him away with the staff, then jump into the air and land a solid kick to his hindquarters. He grunts in surprise, then rears, knocking me down. The wind is knocked out of me when I hit the ground. Keldeo lifts a hoof and sprayed water at me before lightly resting the hoof on my chest. He grins.

~I win again!~

"No fair! You have water at your disposal!"

~That's your loss.~ Several footsteps come closer. The outlines of three pokémon can be seen. One green, one brown, and one deep blue.

~Ahem,~ the goat-like one coughs. I smile.

"Hi Cobalion." All of the legendaries smile back, save for Cobalion. But that's normal.

~Hello Corona," Terrakion rumbles. Virizion is concerned with other things though.

~Did you get the berries like I asked?~

I nod. "Yes, Virizion." I climb back up the tree to retrieve the basket, then come down. "Here it is." She beams with pride.

~"Good, Corona! We all like those types of berries!" I keep smiling silently and Terrakion chuckles.

~See~ he tells Cobalion. ~Doesn't seeing this make you want to give humanity another chance?~ The iron-willed Pokémon shakes his head.

~It isn't that easy, Terrakion. It will take much more before I fully reinvest my faith and trust in humans.~ He glances quickly at me. ~Excluding you, Corona. You have never broken our trust, and we have faith that you never will. We don't consider you like other humans. You are better than the rest of them.~ I dip my head towards him.

"Thank you, Cobalion." For once, I think I see a smile at the corner of his mouth. Just as quickly, he turns back to his fellow legends.

~Well, Corona didn't pick those berries for nothing. Someone get the basket, and let's eat!~ Keldeo nods eagerly, grabbing the basket handle with his mouth, and runs. Virizion and Terrakion laugh lightly and follow behind him. I go to join them, but Cobalion steps in front of me.

~Not yet, Corona. I'd like to speak to you.~ We each stand to full height; Cobalion's head reaching a foot above mine.

"Yes?"

~I saw you sparring with Keldeo.~

"That?" I shake my head. "No, he said he wanted to play with me." At that, Cobalion snorts.

~Think, Corona. Keldeo may be the youngest, but he is still hundreds of years old. He doesn't play. Correction, he does play; just not like that.~ I fold my arms over my chest.

"So what was he doing?"

~Testing your strength most likely.~

"What?"

~Exactly that. Testing your strength.~ Cobalion looks straight at me. ~Corona, do you know why I dislike humans more than the others?~ I think of the war, but they were all impacted by that. So I shake my head. ~I'm glad you actually took the time to consider your answer. Anyways, I dislike humans more than the others because I was hunted the most.~ He looks at the fur over his boot-like hooves. ~Not only am I the most powerful of us four; but I am also what is called a Shiny pokémon. That's why my fur is deep blue like this. As such, I am a shiny, powerful, legendary pokémon. I am the most coveted by hunters and collectors.~ He pauses, then starts again. ~I must keep my freedom. I am the head of the Swords of Justice. Yes, so are Virizion, Terakion, and Keldeo; but the duty comes for me to protect them before my own safety.~

"I don't understand. Can't they take care of themselves?"

~Yes, they can, but no one can defend all the time. We're not tanks. Even if Terrakion comes close. They're my family.~ I have never heard him so somber, what's going on? I don't understand why he's telling me this. But he soon answers my question.

~When we took you in, I was hesitant, I admit it. But you've proven yourself time and time again; from alerting Virizion when people come too close to the Rumination Field; or just comforting wild pokémon.~ He looks right into my eyes. ~I've come to be just as fond of you as the others. That's why I'd like to train you how to fight. I saw you with Keldeo. Its not bad, but as it is, you wouldn't stand a chance against someone who used a pokémon against you.~

"I see. Will you help me?"

~Yes,I fully intend to. We'll start right now.~ Cobalion allows me to retrieve my staff, then launches a Sacred Sword attack. I raise my staff, which barely parries it. He backs up and charges. Iron head. I leap up and smack his shoulder with the staff, then kick at his fore leg. He headbutts me slightly, and I fall to the ground. He shakes his head.

~That was four minutes. We need to get you a stronger weapon. ~

"But I could hurt someone!"

~Corona, if someone attacks you, they aren't going to be nice about it. If someone attacks you, you fight to run or kill. Fight or flight; that is the only way.~ I'm silent. I've never hurt anyone; how could I be able to kill?

~I think it would be fitting that we train you as a Justice, only with modified training for a human. So I'll look around some ruins, and see if I can find a sword for you.~

"A sword, for me?"

~Well, yes. We mainly use our horns, which sometimes extend into long swords. Clearly, you don't have horns, so you'd need an actual sword.~ I can't help it. I run up to Cobalion and hug his neck. His deep blue fur brushes against my cheek.

"Thank you. For everything," I murmur into his fur.

~Corona... you're very welcome. Now come, we've kept the others waiting long enough. Let's eat.~

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
2/8/17 republished Chapter 1!!!