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Ceruledge looked up to the sky, eyes looking from star to star as Ceruledge connected the constellations. She was enjoying the quiet night, something she had missed for a while. She relaxed her body as the night calmed her.
Suddenly, her ears pricked up at the rustling leaves and movement in the nearby bushes. Her fiery instincts kicked in, and she swiftly rose to her feet, assuming a defensive stance with a fierce glare fixed on the source of the disturbance...
As the leaves flew out in a mess in the grass, she jumped back as a metallic Pokemon tumbled out of the bushes and in front of her with a loud thump. It was face down on the floor, pushing itself up. Its sleek, shiny surface gleamed in the light of her fire, and Ceruledge realized it was unlike any organic creature she had ever encountered.
She watched in awe as the machine moved with a natural fluidity, its movements mimicking those of a living being. The pink blades protruding from its forearms sparkled in the firelight. Her eyes looked down to the armor-like guards encasing its torso that resembled a dress. The helmet-like structure that folded under its ears added to its air of familiarity.
It reminded her of a Pokemon, but she couldn't remember which.
As the machine rose to one knee, Ceruledge stepped back, recalling that it had snuck up behind her. She continued to observe it, captivated by its unique design and lifelike movements. It stood up straight, its face a black visor split down the middle by its green helmet. She was met with a pair of pink digital eyes that seemed to lack the warmth and liveliness of a typical Pokemon. Despite its earlier natural movements, it made her uneasy and unsure whether to consider it a genuine Pokemon.
As the lights in it thickened, she noticed a slight tilt in its head and growled at it. It seemed to be examining her just like Ceruledge had done earlier. Although it looked curious, she couldn't shake off her uneasiness. She slowly backed away while the flames of her blades and plume burned stronger.
She was about to strike as she watched it move its arm, but it was watching the reflection of Ceruledge's fire on its metallic surface. She felt uncertain. Its curiosity was fascinating, but she still had a lot of questions. Why was it hiding in those bushes behind her? What caused it to stumble out of them? And why wasn't it reacting to her defensive posture? She wondered silently, her mind racing with various possibilities.
Then, its gaze rose back up to meet hers once more. Ceruledge froze, that feeling of uneasiness returning as her flames began to pick up.
"I apologize,"
The sudden speech of the machine caused Ceruledge to blink and jerk her head back in surprise.
"I did not mean to startle you. I was also coming here to watch the sky. I didn't realize somebody else was here until I had tripped."
Its voice sounded natural. Ceruledge's shoulders relaxed, her arms slowly lowering back to her sides as her fire dimmed.
"Would you mind if I joined you?"
Ceruledge looked down at its fiery blades, contemplating an answer.
It wasn't threatening her in any way, nor did it seem to have any harmful intentions. After a moment of consideration, Ceruledge finally replied.
"Okay,"
She watched as its visor switched to display two wide pink arches in what she assumed was a happy expression. As Ceruledge turned around, she kept her gaze on the other. She noticed the machine had settled a few feet away, looking up at the stars. Ceruledge shifted in her seat.
Though reluctant to take her eyes off it, Ceruledge finally tore her gaze away from it and returned to observing the beauty of the starry night sky. As Ceruledge gazed up at the starry sky, she resumed connecting the constellations. A warm feeling spread across her face as she noticed that the colors of the sky above mirrored the shades of her own flames.
"It's beautiful."
She heard it say, and Ceruledge nodded.
"I'm an Iron Valiant. I've never seen a Pokemon like you before. Can you tell me?"
Ceruledge looked over to Iron Valiant, staring for a bit before replying.
"Ceruledge"
Iron Valiant's visor displayed the same pleasant expression from earlier. Ceruledge's fiery plume flickered a bit stronger.
"Interesting. It is nice to meet you, Ceruledge."
Ceruledge slightly dug her heel into the dirt, unsure how to reply. She was still a little uncertain about Iron Valiant. It turned back to look at the sky, and she followed.
After a while, they noticed a pair of glowing objects in the sky. Ceruledge's eyes widened as she identified them as two shooting stars. In the corner of her eye, she could see Iron Valiant lean up closer to the sky as they fell through the night.
As Ceruledge's blades' flames flickered out, she closed her eyes and silently made a wish, watching the last embers of the shooting star fade.
Ceruledge felt more comfortable in Iron Valiant's presence after the stars passed. She had never shared an experience so important to her. Her ears twitched, and she turned to Iron Valiant, who was now raising its hand to what she assumed was drawing imaginary lines from each star.
Iron Valiant turned to her, smiling.
"What did you wish for?"