Greyscale World (1x1 RP with WolfInNight and Celestial)

Hazel slumped over her desk, tired. It had been a long and boring day, full of lessons on math, reading, the usual... The teacher rapped her desk with a ruler and Hazel sat up. "Hazel, pay attention." The Lucario teacher continued to teach the class. Hazel didn't even know what Mrs. Spell was talking about. Hazel wasn't usually like this. The thirteen year old Eevee always has decent grades printed on her report card, all As and Bs. Today, though, her brain felt completely fried. Hazel wondered if she would be able to drag herself home after this...
Hazel let her mind wander as Mrs. Spell droned on and on about the Parliament. Probably how great it was and how LUCKY we were to have them... Hazel didn't care about that kind of thing. She wondered what color looked like. All her life, she has known grey, black, and white. She heard of a few names of colors before... Like "red". What a strange word. It seemed alien-like. A friend had told her that it was probably a color of fire in another world, if there was another world. How strange. Fire is grey, with flickering black. She couldn't imagine it in any other way...

((Because I like to make my characters for my own future reference: ))

Kit, a small male Vulpix, sat outside, under the gray sky with white lighting. He had read books and stories about the grass being green and the sky being blue with a yellow sun, but he had never seen it. He hadn't ever seen color at all. He even heard that his own species was orange and red while his evolution was supposed to be a pretty blond with golden tipped tails. Again, though, he didn't know what any of that meant. He only knew that his paws were a dark gray while his main body was a light gray with a white belly. Even his eyes were a burnt gray color. He sighed as he tried to grasp the real concept of a world with color.

After all, contemplating this was better than sitting through another boring lecture about how the world everyone lived in was so perfect. Even better than the time when there used to be humans, but at that time there were also the colors. Even something could be seen across the sky that was called a rainbow. Shame that they would never see it, since anything to do with colors was illegal, unless you were lucky enough to know where to look just to read the black words on white books about them.


He rolled to his paws and looked at the clock over the door.
"Should be about time for class to be over," he said to himself in a voice that could be mistaken for a female. He shivered when he heard it, since he couldn't keep up with how many times he had been treated like a girl, even after he cut the fur curls off of his forehead.

Finally the bell rang, a shrill sound to Hazel's ears, and she inwardly winced. She was glad to finally be free from the lecture, though. Mrs. Spell was nice enough, but she just can't spice up her lessons. Hazel stumbled out the doorway and padded down the black and white tiles, her bookbag slung over her shoulder. She slipped through the open door and started walking home. Usually, she would wait for her friends to catch up, but her mind just felt unfocused today. Hazel wondered why color was so "dangerous". Has it killed anyone before?

"How was school, Hazel?" Like always, Hazel was greeted with this casual question as she pushed open the door. "It was fine." Hazel mumbled. "Can I go to sleep?" Hazel's mother padded over. The Leafeon looked slightly worried as she placed a paw on her forehead. "You don't look well. Yes, you should get some sleep. Call me if you need any medicine!" Hazel nodded and dragged herself upstairs. What was wrong with her today? Hazel flopped onto her bed but kept her eyes open. She wasn't physically tired, but mentally. Hazel looked at her quilt that she used as a cover for her bed. It had squares knitted onto it, with little designs of trees and Beautiflies and Butterfrees and all sorts of happy stuff. What color would these patterns on the quilt be? Hazel wondered why she could think about color, but not about anything else.

The loud bell sounding for the end of the day rang through the campus. Kit pinned his ears, then got properly to his paws and started to pad home. He slowed, though when he saw a distracted Eevee walk out of the school and seem to be in a daze as she made her way along. He vaguely remembered her, but never really had a reason to talk to her. However, how she was acting seemed.... off, he guessed.

The Vulpix followed Hazel at a safe distance, convincing himself that he just wanted to make sure she got home safely, though he knew he was more curious as to what had her so distracted. Something about it seemed familiar with how distant she was, then it clicked. It was wonder and confusion. The same kind of distance he got when he was trying to imagine what colors looked like and where they would be.

He hoped he was right as he watched her enter a house, that he assumed was her home. He figured he might as well see if she was willing to talk.

He looked around the house, glancing through the windows he could see, then smiled when he saw someone in the upstairs room. He hoped it was her as he crouched and jumped to try and make it up to the window. He just barely caught the outside lip and dangled as he fought to get a grip. He then gently pulled himself up a little and knocked on the window, hoping the Eevee wouldn't get scared and call for someone else to help.

Hazel was slumped on her bed when she heard a knocking. Probably at the door, right? No... The window! But why would there be knocking on the window?! Hazel hopped off her bed and nearly collapsed on the ground. Yep, there's something wrong with her today. Maybe she should get some medicine. Shaking her head, the Eevee padded to the window and peered down from the glass. She early fell over when she saw a Vulpix dangling from the window.

Was she hallucinating? No, this was real. There was a Vulpx dangling on her windowsill. Hazel turned a latch on the windowsill and pulled the window panes up. "Come inside, but don't make too much noise." Hazel said quietly. What would her mom think if she had an uninvited visitor inside her room? Hazel was a bit dazed. It's not everyday you see a Vulpix hanging outside on a window...

"Thanks, and sorry for the intrusion," he said as he pulled himself up with difficulty, though it was much easier once he got his hind paws against the wall to shove himself the rest of the way up and in.

"You're... Um..." he said digging through his brain for the right name for her.
"Cream, right?" he asked, picking another Eevee's name from a different class he was in, since he didn't really associate very well with any of them. He seemed to read something when he said that as he looked down at the floor as he landed in the room.

"Sorry, wrong name? I don't really know anyone else. I'm Kit," he said, before giving her a chance to speak.

"Er, I'm Hazel. Umm, just a question. Why were you dangling on my windowsill?" What an awkward question. Most Pokémon probably went through their life without experiencing that question.
(Sorry this was short, but I don't feel creative today >.<)

((That's fine, as they are now talking. Plus, we all have days like that.))

Kit blushed a darker shade of gray at her question.
"Well, I saw you distracted on your way out from our school... I think you looked like I do when I try to imagine colors, so... well... weird as this may seem, I wanted to know if that is what you were thinking about."

"Oh. Actually, yes, I was. Also the fact that my mind just feels fried today, and the only thing I can really think of was color, strangely enough. I mean, why is it illegal? It can't be that dangerous..." Or could it? Hazel couldn't imagine color being dangerous. Then again, she couldn't even imagine what color looked like.

Just then, Hazel felt the sudden urge to go into the depths of the Forbidden Forest. Hazel almost toppled over. The Forbidden Forest? It was, well, forbidden! She will be prosecuted if she was caught!

IF she was caught....

I must be going crazy... Hazel thought. Why am I thinking about this stuff? But if the rumors were true, if there was really color in the forest, if the mystery could truly be solved...

If, if, if. So many "ifs". It's all probably rubbish, anyways. Right?... Hazel wasn't sure. What secrets are the Parilament hiding?

"If it were so dangerous, I don't think our ancestors would have had it for so long. So, I don't think that it is as dangerous as they say... But, there is only one way to know for sure... But it's a way that if it's dangerous, there would be no turning back. After all, the punishment for going into the Forbidden Forest is death. Then again, who would know? How would they know? I've been curious about colors for years, but the urge to find out about it has only gotten stronger. Especially with the tabs the government keeps on them. Why is it illegal? Why do they not teach us about it for real, instead of just telling us it's forbidden. Why only treat it like it's nothing more than a pointless kit's dream?" he asked, then sighed when he remembered that his name was the same term used for the young children of his species.

The gray Vulpix shifted his weight on his paws some, then glanced towards the door. His ears twitched as he thought he heard something, but shrugged when he figured it was just his imagination. After all, he was trying to be careful to not get too loud.

Hazel nodded in agreement. "I don't know... I had a sudden pull to go to the Forbidden Forest just a moment ago, but... You know, there's probably security cameras and stuff.. But nobody's been there before except for the members of the Parliament, so it's possible that nobody would notice of we went inside..." We. Hazel didn't even know this Vulpix, and here they were chattering away about color and the forest.

"Everything I think is in black, grey, and white. Is it possible to think in color, or do you think we can only see color?" Hazel wondered out loud. Now that was a mystery. Thinking in colors, colorful pictures floating around in your mind... What was it like?

"Well, if it's anything like how we live right now, it should be possible to think in color as well... At least I would think so."

Kit sighed, then looked out the window.
"Maybe we can get a plan together for sneaking to the Forbidden forest... We can work it out during or after school tomorrow. Sound good? Since I don't want you to get in trouble for me being in your room like this."

Hazel just stared at him. "S-Sneaking... Into the Forbidden Forest?!" But how else could this mystery be solved?

"Well, alright. Wait here." Hazel got up and opened the door, then padded out. "Mom!!" she called. The Leafeon bustled upstairs, and Hazel closed the bedroom door, hiding Kit inside. "Are you feeling better?" "Err, kind of. I'll just stay in my room for a bit longer, though. Don't go in, I don't want to be disturbed. Can I go to my friend's house tomorrow after school?" Hazel's mother nodded. "Well, alright. You're not busy tomorrow, it should be fine. Call me tomorrow when you want me to pick you up, hmm?" Hazel's heart leaped. "Yeah! Thanks!" The Leafeon padded downstairs. As soon as she was out of sight, Hazel turned around and went back into her bedroom.

"So I convinced my mom to let me go for tomorrow." Hazel said, closing the door behind her. She was a little guilty for lying, but at least her mother thought she was going to be safe and sound. Which probably might not be true...

"I heard. I'll make plans with my family to be away for a while as well. So, After school, in front of the flag? That sound like a good meeting place?" he asked with a smile as he made his way to the open window.

Hazel nodded, and she couldn't help but smile back. "Alright. Bye." Hazel's mind felt clear now, and Hazel opened the door and made her way downstairs. Her father, an Umbreon, had come home from work. "Hazel! Are you okay? Need medicine?" Hazel smiled. "No, I'm fine now, Dad." Her father nodded and continued reading his book.

With her saying bye, Kit smiled, then jumped through the window and landed almost without a sound on the ground. He felt a small twinge of pain in his front left paw from landing wrong, but he shook himself out and just ignored it for the time being.

He slowly made his way off of Hazel's yard, still worried about being caught, then glanced around and made a dash to make it home. He slowed his pace from the dash to a slow trot when he was almost to the edge of where the houses ended. He glanced around, then ducked under a bush and through a yard. On the far side of this yard was a small den, well, more of a wooden shed than a den, but still... It still stood that this little building looked far too small for his family.

He walked inside and smiled when he saw his mother laying down curled up. She was a lightly scaled Growlithe, a shiny, he vaguely remembered her type being called. After all, she was much lighter in grays than any other Growlithe he had seen before. His being a Vulpix came from his Ninetales father, which was unusal and rare in itself.
"Hey mom," he greeted her and moved to lay beside her. He hadn't seen his father in a long time, so he had gotten used to his small family. There was only one 'mon missing, and that was his older Growlithe sister who pretended to not know him when they were in public.


"Hey, sweetie," the Growlithe greeted him in reply with a smile.
"Your sister's staying at a friend's place for the night, so it's just the two of us."

Kit sighed. His sister usually used that excuse when she was spending the night with her boyfriend. He wasn't going to tell his mother that, since he didn't need her to worry about more than needed.

"Well, about that. Tomorrow a friend and myself plan to take a trip. The plan is to be gone for a few weeks with the Eevee's family," he lied with ease to her. After all, he knew she hadn't been feeling all that well lately, and that's part of the reason he was so curious about colors. If it was something to be forbidden, did that mean there were uses of color that they didn't want known? He wanted to know for his own curiosity and for the sake of possibly helping her out.


"That's fine," his mother replied with a nod, then rested her head on her paws to go back to sleep.
"Rest well, mom."

---

The next day, Kit packed his bag with things other than just the school books. A little rope, a bottle of water, a first aid kit. Things that they might need on the trip to the Forbidden Forest. His mother helped him with the packing, thinking it was just for a trip with a friend.

All day at school, his thoughts were on the plans for after school. And the moment the bell for the end of the day rang, he went running to where the flag waved in the wind to wait for Hazel to show up. He hoped she was prepared for this as he was looking forward to seeing the mystery to this color thing.

Hazel ran to the flag pole, panting with excitement. Her bookbag was also filled with needed items for their "trip". The Eevee finally reached the metallic gray pole. What color were flag poles back then, if they were colored? Is there such thing as glack, grey, and white in the world of color? "Are you ready?" she asked. Hazel didn't know if she was ready, but she knew that she would be doing it anyways, no matter what. Nothing was going to change her mind.

Without waiting for an answer, Hazel marched off towards the direction of the tall treetops and the barbed wire. Hazel stopped. Barbed wire? She forgot about that. Oh well, maybe they could dig under it or something. She kept going, satisfied with this answer.

"Y-yeah," Kit mumbled as the Eevee was already taking off ahead of him.
"Hey, wait!" He called out as he jumped and moved to catch up with her. Unlike her, he already had a plan for the barbed wire. Nothing a little ember couldn't soften up to make a fair opening out of, right? At least he hoped that was the case.

"To the life of colors to see what is truly held," he said with a smile as he kept his eyes on their goal.

Hazel's heart pounded as the pair went near the barbed wire. As she approached, she could see that the wire was rusted and cracking. That means nobody has been here in awhile! Hazel pawed the ground. The ground was practically rock. So much for digging their way inside.

Hazel turned to Kit. "So, how do we get in?" she asked. "We certainly can't dig in this ground."

Once they had made it to the wire, Kit looked along it to see if there were any holes already rusted through. Not seeing any, he stepped closer and gently touched his paw to it to see if it was still sturdy. Not surprisingly, it was still holding strong, he noted as he pulled back his paw and set it on the ground to hide the small cut his inspection had caused.

"Well, I only hope this metal doesn't have a high melting point," he replied, then took a deep breath. He felt the heat from within his body focus in his chest as it slowly made its way up to his mouth. He exhaled his held breath, and with it flew small flames as he released his Ember attack. He watched the gray and black flames flicker for a moment before repeating the process to melt the barrier.

The rusted metal was starting to droop like a melted flower. "It's working! Keep doing it!" Hazel exclaimed excitedly. Hazel just stood there and encouraged Kit, since Hazel isn't a Flareon. Hazel always wondered what evolution she should be. The Eevee shrugged off the thought for now and concentrated on the half-melted obstacle before the pair.

Kit released a few more Embers, then panted a little as he was out of breath.
"Well... Darn," he muttered when he saw it drooping so far, but there wasn't an opening just yet. Getting impatient, much like his kind was known for, Kit glared at it, then jumped forward and tore through the weakened metal.

"There, opening made," he said with a large grin at managing to do what he wanted, kind of.

Hazel smiled. "Well, let's go in." Hazel took a deep breath and squeezed through the opening, landing safely on the grass at the other side of the forest.

Then it hit her. She was in the Forbidden Forest! For Arceus's sake, she might DIE here! If not by the Parliament, then maybe by color, if it's so dangerous. Hazel felt certain that there was color in the forest. She was sure of it.

Kit brushed alongside the Eevee and gave a smile. If he was feeling fear, it was not showing on his face or in his body language.

"Yeah, are you sure you're ready for this? I'm looking forward to the possibilities that lay just ahead," he said, then bounded into the forest without waiting for the Eevee. He was looking around as he entered the Forbidden Forest, hoping to see signs of this powerful color soon. However, what he hadn't noticed was that as he made his way more into the forest, there was a gentle pull that seemed to not want to allow him to leave and the shades of gray were slowly no longer being gray.

He slowed to a stop and looked around as he could see some bland greens from the leaves and the grass. There were browns mixed in from the trunks of the trees. As he looked up, he saw the sky was still gray, with gray clouds in it, but it didn't seem as gray. These foreign sensations took a moment to sink in, then he gave a smirk.

"Looks like it's not as powerful as everyone says, but it's certainly not gray," he said as he flicked his ears, then turned to see if Hazel had followed him, just now realizing he hadn't even bothered to make sure she had kept up.

Hazel panted as she burst through the foliage to his side. She looked around as well. "You're right. It's grey, but it's not grey. And the grass... It's different! It's color, but it's so... Boring. There must be more to it than that. And the bark of the tree trunks... Brown, I think it's called. It's pretty bland, too."
Hazel was disappointed. "Is this it? Is this seriously all there is?"

She sighed. "Well, maybe this isn't as bright as color can get." Hazel started padding deeper into the forest, marveling at the strange brown and green. "It's just so... Different!" Hazel started to pick up her pace. "Wow. This is so cool." Suddenly it wasn't so disappointing anymore. There was color. Sure, it wasn't strong, it wasn't much, but it wasn't grey. Which is something hard to believe in this shaded world.