It has been four long years since I've written for Pokémon, but I have returned!

Hello there, and thank you for checking out my story. I've noticed that Cynthia (best girl) isn't written about as much as some of the other Pokémon characters, so I thought I'd help to change that. Pairing her with Lucas seems even rarer, which I don't totally understand since Lucas is a blank slate of a character. Anyway, I guess this pairing is called Jocastashipping? I'm a bit rusty on my shipping nomenclature, so if I'm wrong, please forgive me!

Some quick notes- This is an AU that takes place somewhere between the anime and games, with an independent timeline. This won't be as plot-centric as my other stories, as I wanted to write something more... I dunno, fun and lighthearted? Not that there won't be plot, but I'm not going to weave anything too elaborate. The main focus of this fic will revolve around Lucas and Cynthia's relationship. Rated M just in case!

Italics - thoughts

'Italics in apostrophes' - telepathic communication

I won't linger on backstory too much in the first chapter, since I'd like to get straight into the thick of things.

With all that said, please enjoy chapter 1 of Pokémon: A Champion's Favor!

The rock flung from his hand, coasting over the smooth surface of the lake before finally skimming the water. The result was a successful skip- the first of a long chain as the stone hopped about atop the water, sending small ripples about in every direction before finally sinking below the surface.

Lucas' deep grey eyes watched the pebble disappear into the pinks and oranges of the lake's reflection. It was sunset, after all, and the sight of the sky being mirrored by the water created a magnificent sight. Any other day he would have marveled at the sheer beauty of his favorite getaway… But not after what happened today.

The young man sighed and muttered under his breath as he bent down for another projectile. Normally he would scour the shore for the perfect shape and weight, looking to maximize the distance of his throw. Now, however, he simply didn't care enough to do so. He grabbed the first pebble his fingertips grazed and immediately got into position to hurl it. With a grunt of exertion he launched the object, watching with an unamused expression as it splooshed into the water without much of a show.

He stared at the small wake that he had made in the water as he let out a long exhale through his nose. It was nice to be here in this clearing, this sanctuary on the outskirts of his hometown. Few people knew about the pond, and even fewer cared to visit it. After all, Twinleaf Town was famous for bordering one of Sinnoh's great lakes. Why, then, would anyone bother with a place like this?

Lucas fell into a sit while still staring out over the pond. The kricketune were weeping with beautifully somber melodies while their young contributed their own songs. Starly and staravia called out to one another from the trees above, and the occasional sound of a magikarp splashing made the clearing a very serene place to be. Whenever he was stressed out or had some thinking to do, the young man always found himself back here.

A cool evening breeze fanned across the lake, sending a shiver up his arms as he pulled his blue jacket closer to his body. This minor discomfort was hardly noticed, though- his thoughts were elsewhere.

Today was the day that the youth of his village were given their starter pokemon, an invaluable partner that would help make their dreams of becoming a trainer a reality. Lucas, like everyone else in his village, was eager to begin his pokemon journey. It was a right of passage of sorts for kids in the Sinnoh region, after all. With it, they were given their very own pokemon and the freedom to explore the world. It was an incredibly exciting time…

Unless you weren't chosen.

Generally you were given your first pokemon at the age of ten. However, with Twinleaf being as small as it was, the inhabitants and local professor decided to wait until all the kids within a reasonable age group hit that milestone, then send them all off at once. Even Lucas was unsure as to why they would go about things this way, though if he had to guess it had to do with the idea of safety in numbers. Sending a lot of new trainers out at once meant that they could rely on each other, at least until they had enough strength or experience to watch out for themselves.

There were around a dozen kids from the village who were now old enough to embark on their own journeys. Lucas was among the oldest, as he had recently turned sixteen, and the youngest were naturally ten. It was shaping up to be a promising start to his career as a pokemon trainer- until the bad news came.

Apparently it had been a rough year for breeders across the Sinnoh region. Egg yields were low and demand was high as pokemon training was a highly popular profession. Most of the starter pokemon from these breeders were sent to places with the highest population; big cities like Jubilife, Oreburgh, and Veilstone. From there the remaining pokemon were distributed amongst the other villages and towns scattered across the region. Unfortunately, in what was a rare and extremely disheartening turn of events, there simply weren't enough starters to go around.

Lucas' name had been pulled out of a hat, though it was anything but lucky. That draw was to determine the one kid from Twinleaf who wouldn't be starting their adventure this year. When the mayor of his hometown read out his name in front of the locals, Lucas felt his heart drop. He had waited six long years to meet his starter, to leave his town, to begin his life as a trainer, and now it seemed that even more waiting was in store. He was devastated.

The trouble didn't end there, though. While everyone at his school had been showing off their starters with pride, Lucas was forced to watch from the sidelines. His two best friends, Dawn and Barry, had been sympathetic and let Lucas play with their pokemon for a bit. It was a nice gesture, but somehow it didn't make him feel better.

Of course, wherever there is a yin there is also a yang. Lucas, like just about any person growing up, also had his fair share of bullies. When they had flaunted their new partners in front of him he had tried to walk away- only to be forcibly stopped and confronted. Lucas wasn't the argumentative type, and always thought that the only type of fighting that should be used to settle a dispute was through a pokemon battle. His bullies, however, didn't share the same sentiment.

Before long things got violent, as Lucas shoved a kid away who had been severely violating his personal space. The result was a three-on-one fight, as two boys held Lucas down while the third took to repeatedly hitting him. Most of the punches were gut shots, though he did receive one firm blow to his left cheek. Somehow that wasn't enough. It was only when the head bully released his pokemon from its pokeball that Lucas realized how dire the situation was.

Luckily, just before things could escalate any further, Dawn and Barry had come running with a teacher in tow. The group that had antagonized Lucas all claimed that he had started it and, seeing as there were no witnesses to see how the commotion began, everyone was let off with a warning- a bruised Lucas included.

Normally under these circumstances there would be someone in the victim's corner. His parents would speak with the bullies' parents, or even escalate matters to the schoolboard if need be. At the very least they would provide a place for him to vent his frustrations or receive advice from. Unfortunately for Lucas, though, he had no such resource.

He was an orphan.

It happened when he was eight years old. His parents, who had been archeology buffs, had gone off with some friends from the trade to investigate a new dig site near the west side of Mt. Coronet. Lucas had stayed with Dawn and her mother, Johanna, who was a very close friend to his own parents. It was a few days after they left that a man had appeared at Johanna's doorstep, a somber look on his face.

He told them about an incident that had taken place at the dig site. A terrorist organization going by the name of Team Galactic had attacked the party amid their investigations. According to the man they were after an artifact that had been found at the site, a strange orb that tied into ancient Sinnoh mythology. Their orders were to retrieve the orb without hurting anyone, but… Something had gone wrong.

Amid the casualties, Lucas' parents had died during the struggle.

The young man stared out over the lake with an expression that saddened when he remembered his mother and father. They were wise, kind people who had always encouraged his dreams of becoming a pokemon trainer. Of course he grieved over their deaths for a very long time, and to this day missed them often. However, they had always taught him not to let the negativity in life ruin his worldview. They had often said that life was a beautiful thing, something to be cherished and learned from. Although it was difficult to hold that view after they had passed, he still tried very hard to keep a positive outlook.

Things could certainly be worse. Johanna had taken him under her wing after the incident with Team Galactic, and tried very hard to raise him as if he were her own. Dawn was like a sister to him, and even Barry's parents were often around for Lucas. It warmed his heart, but somehow it could never replace his parents. Not that he ever told anyone in his town that, but it was true nonetheless.

Before he knew it, the young man had stood up again and hastily grabbed another rock. He chucked it out over the lake as hard as he could, grunting in exertion as he did so. Once it had sunk, he grabbed another. Then another.

He wasn't ungrateful, nor was he the type to wallow in self-pity. However, it just felt like the misfortune, the disappointment, the pain was continuously piling up on his shoulders. He studied hard and tried to be nice to everyone. He did extra chores around the house to pay Johanna back for taking care of him, and wanted nothing more than to make everyone proud by becoming a world-class trainer. Despite how hard he tried, however, it seemed there was always something in his way. He didn't want to rob someone else from their chance to begin their adventure, but why was it that his name had to be drawn? Why was he the one that the bullies liked to pick on? Why did his parents have to die?

With a pained expression Lucas lobbed more and more rocks into the calm water, each one larger than the last.

Focus on the good.

I want to, but it's just-

Don't let negativity ruin your worldview.

I'm trying, I really am!

Life is a beautiful thing.

How can you say that-

"-When everything is so unfair!?"

As the last word tore from his throat in a pained cry, he chucked the largest rock he could lift into the lake. Between his sudden shouting and the giant splash that resulted from the action, every pokemon in the area fell silent. All that remained was the echoing of what he had said as it bounced back from the woods that surrounded him.

Lucas stood there for several moments, his shoulders heaving with ragged breaths as he stared at the small waves that now lapped at his feet. Before long a series of light dinks joined the sound of the wash as hot tears converged on his chin before detaching and falling into the lake water below.

It was just a bad day, not a bad life. He knew that, but he had to get these feelings out somehow. At that moment Lucas was just happy that he had a secluded place where he could be completely alone.

With one last sigh Lucas figured he should start heading back home. He had come to the lake directly after school, after all, and by now Dawn had probably told Johanna all about the scuffle he had with the bullies earlier. She would be worried about him, no doubt. With that as his motive he turned and began walking back toward the woods in the direction of a nearby trail. He made it a few steps with his eyes trained on the ground before him before he looked up. No sooner had he done so, he practically jumped out of his skin.

There was a woman in the clearing with him, her back leaning against a tree as her arms were crossed in his direction. One of her knees was raised so that the sole of her foot could also rest against the tree, giving her an incredibly casual appearance. She wore all black, her outfit comprising of a flowing black overcoat with dark fur on the cuffs, neck, and tail, along with two grey buttons over her breasts. Beneath the coat she wore a tight V-neck along with dark dress pants and black shoes. The outfit was so monotone that it risked going overboard, though she made it work for her.

Her skin, unlike her choice in clothing, was so light that it nearly glowed in the evening sun. The one eye of hers that Lucas could see was a steely grey color, far lighter than his own eyes. The other was concealed behind her blonde hair, which covered the left side of her face before curling forward at the base of her neck. The rest of her hair tumbled down her back in a slightly unkempt wave, though it was kept strikingly neat near the top. This could have been due to the four teardrop-shaped ornaments that adorned her head, two of them behind each of her ears. Like her outfit, these were also jet black- in fact, the only part of her ensemble that wasn't completely dark was the large teardrop-shaped stone that hung from a loose chain around her neck.

Overall she had a very fair face, and her physique was fitting of a supermodel: relatively tall and slender. For a brief moment Lucas couldn't help but wonder what someone like her was doing in the middle of the woods.

His eyes met her own as she gave him a coy smile, her gaze friendly and relaxed.

A small blush spread across the young man's cheeks as he realized that she very well could have witnessed his outburst. Quickly raising a fist and wiping his face clear of tears, he gave her a polite smile and nod as he meant to walk by. However, he couldn't pass her before she stopped him with a word.

"Wait,"

Lucas froze in place and turned to her. "Can I help you with something, miss?"

She brought a finger to her chin in thought as she eyed him carefully. "Maybe. Would you happen to be from around here?"

Her voice was inviting and calm, with a layer of maturity even though the mannerisms were a bit girlish. Overall, if Lucas had to describe it with words, he would call it "warm".

"Uh- yeah. I live in Twinleaf, just down the road a ways."

Her eyes lit up as her smile grew. "Perfect! I'm on my way to lake Verity and could use some help finding my way. I'm not from around here, and it's getting a tad dark out. Would you care to escort me?"

Lucas immediately nodded, though he didn't know why. Usually if a stranger you met in the woods asked you to go somewhere with them, it would warrant a bit of forethought. This woman, however… Something about her just exuded trustworthiness. She seemed earnest and confident, and for some reason also had this powerful presence about her- a type of aura that Lucas had yet to encounter.

Her eyes closed as she tilted her head at him. "Well then, let's get going, shall we?"

"Right…"

With that Lucas led the woman through the woods until they met the aforementioned trail. The whole while they walked, Lucas pondered how she wound up in the clearing with him. After all, if she was on her way to lake Verity then this path would pretty much lead her straight there. Not to mention, her clothes didn't show any signs of being disturbed by the foliage. That ruled out the possibility that she just happened to be hiking by…

"You're probably wondering how I found you, is that it?" She suddenly asked, smiling as she walked beside him.

Lucas was surprised for a moment, but nodded. "Yeah… Usually nobody else goes out there but me."

"That's a shame, it was a lovely spot." She replied, "Though it's certainly nice to have a place where you can be alone."

He nodded again. "So how did you wind up there if you were on your way to the lake?"

Once again she raised a finger to her chin. "I suppose it was just being in the right place at the right time. I was following this path when I heard splashing coming from the woods. I was curious, so I took a slight detour. What I found… Was you."

His face grew pink again. Now it was certain that she had witnessed his outburst.

"So, do you have a name?" She asked casually, as if she hadn't seen him screaming into the woods like a maniac. In a way he actually appreciated that.

"Yeah, I'm Lucas." He answered.

"Lucas from Twinleaf Town, huh?" She asked before giggling, "That has a nice ring to it!"

He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Thanks. How about you?"

"Oh, right. I'm Cynthia," She began before winking at him, "I was raised in Celestic Town, but don't ask me where I live now. It's a secret."

He gave her a mischievous grin. "Somehow that makes me want to know even more."

She giggled but shook her head. "Nuh uh. It would be wise to give up now."

Lucas sighed. "Fine. Dawn always told me that girls should be allowed to have their secrets."

"Dawn sounds like a very smart girl," Cynthia answered with a wink, "Is she your girlfriend?"

The question caught Lucas so off guard that he nearly choked on his own spit. As he was sputtering and coughing with a spreading blush, Cynthia laughed.

"I guess not, then."

"Yeah, definitely not," Lucas said once he had calmed down, "She's like a sister to me… I mean, I guess she is my sister in a way."

"How so?"

"Well…" Lucas again brought his hand to the back of his neck and averted his eyes from Cynthia.

She was a total stranger to him and yet, somehow, he felt the urge to tell her more about himself. Was this the power of beautiful women? No… It was more than that. She just seemed like a good listener, someone you could really open up to. Not to mention, she looked like she was older than him. Maybe she could relate to his troubles on some level, or at least understand them.

"My parents… Aren't around anymore. I mean, they died eight years ago."

Her relaxed eyes widened a bit, but he continued before she could say anything.

"They were out on an expedition when Team Galactic showed up… Anyway, Dawn's mom was really close friends with my parents. She took me in immediately, so Dawn and I have been living under the same roof for half my life."

"I see…" Cynthia replied, "I'm very sorry to hear about that."

Lucas let out a dry chuckle, forcing himself to smile at her. "It's okay. I mean, that was a long time ago, right? And Johanna takes good care of me, so I can't complain."

Cynthia hummed before turning to face the path in front of them.

"You might not believe me," She began, "But I don't see my parents anymore either."

Now it was Lucas' turn to be surprised. "Really? Why not?"

Her steely eyes turned serious. "We don't know. They were investigating a place called Sendoff Spring, far to the east. For one reason or another they never came back."

"Sendoff Spring…" Lucas echoed, "I've never heard of that place."

"I'm not surprised," She continued as her eyes shifted to again look at him, "It's pretty well hidden and not many people have been there. The legend is that Sendoff Spring is where departed souls go to find the afterlife."

"Wow…"

She smiled. "Mm hm. It's an interesting place. I've been there myself countless times, but I could never find any trace of my parents. Just a camcorder that they dropped along the way."

"Sorry to hear that," Lucas said as his eyes fell to the path in front of them.

Cynthia shook her head, the adornments in her blonde hair bouncing. "I still have hope that I'll find my parents someday. And besides, I only told you that story because I want you to know that I've been there too. It's difficult to lose your parents, I know that. So please don't pretend like you're okay if you're hurting. Nobody will get upset with you for taking your time."

He slowly looked back over at her, and when he did, she closed her eyes and smiled at him. He nodded and smiled back, this time for real.

Before long the two reached the entrance to the lake. It was getting dark at this point, with only the faintest sliver of fiery sunlight cascading over the treetops. The forest was dark around them, but the water reflected a deep shade of maroon. At this point in the day any tourists or local recreationalists had gone home, leaving the duo alone.

"It's breathtaking," Cynthia breathed as she looked out over the lake with a smile, "This alone was worth the trip."

She brought a hand up to her forehead and squinted as she scanned her eyes over the lake, pausing once she saw a protruding rock formation in the distance.

"There it is, Lucas," She said as she pointed at the structure, "The Verity Cavern: one of the great wonders of the Sinnoh region."

Lucas nodded as he studied the distant cave. "A lot of people travel here just to see it. Not very many actually go inside, though."

She hummed before turning to him. "Have you?"

Lucas shook his head. "It's too far of a swim and nobody in town has a boat. Not one that I would trust with my life, anyway."

She smiled. "Would you like to?"

"Yeah, I'd like to see the inside someday." He answered, "I've lived near it all this time and always wondered what it was like."

Cynthia suddenly clapped her hands together, a close-eyed smile on her face. "Then it's settled! You'll accompany me to the island, and we'll explore it together."

Lucas stared at her in shock. "You mean… Right now?"

She nodded at him, her expression unwavering.

"But how will we get there?" He asked as he looked back and forth from the woman in front of him to her destination, "You don't have a boat, and-"

"Who said anything about a boat?" She asked with a wink, "I know a way that's even faster and more fun."

Before he could ask her what she meant, Cynthia reached into her overcoat and retrieved a pokeball. Clicking the button in the center, the marble sized device grew so that it fit snugly into the palm of her hand. Lucas stared in astonishment as she tossed the ball over the lake, though before the expensive capsule could reach the water it popped open, spewing a torrent of bright light that materialized into a pokemon. As the ball returned to Cynthia, Lucas stared in awe at the creature that had been released.

It was a large, serpentine pokemon with glistening multicolored scales. The front of the creature was a creamy tan color, while its tail alternated between plates of baby blue and magenta. The tip of its tail ended in a fan of bladelike fins, also blue and magenta in color. This in itself was stunning, though the true majesty was found on the pokemon's head. Like Cynthia's necklace, its head was a teardrop shape with long, flowing appendages that sprouted from above its large black eyes.

"No way," Lucas breathed as he stared at the gorgeous pokemon, "Is that a milotic? I've only heard of these!"

Cynthia giggled, then kneeled down and pulled the miltoic's neck into a gentle hug. As she stroked its neck the water type let out a soft coo of happiness.

"It sure is," She answered, "And this gorgeous girl is going to be our ticket to the Cavern."

Lucas had heard of water pokemon ferrying people across rivers and lakes before, but had never done so himself. He couldn't help but be a bit nervous about the whole thing, even as the two looked at him with expectant eyes.

"You ready?" Cynthia asked as she stood and planted her hands on her hips.

Lucas rubbed the back of his head as he avoided her eye contact. "Well… It's just that I didn't bring any swimming trunks, and I don't really want to get my clothes wet."

"Not a problem," Cynthia replied with a snap of her finger, "I'll let you ride on Milotic's neck above the water. I'll just hold onto her tail and let her pull me there."

Before Lucas could respond, Cynthia shed her large overcoat and set the garment neatly on the ground before reaching for the bottom of her shirt. As she began to lift the fabric, exposing her smooth white skin to the evening light, Lucas' eyes went wide and he quickly covered them, an apparent warmth spreading through his cheeks. A moment passed before Cynthia giggled.

"Silly boy. You can look, you know."

Lucas hesitantly parted the fingers over his right eye, not knowing what to expect. However, he couldn't help but feel foolish when he saw Cynthia smiling at him with a teal blue bikini on.

"I wore these under my other clothes since I knew I'd be getting in the water," She explained as she turned to look back at the lake. "It looks like the Verity Cavern is just as far out as the other caves were. That means it should only take us a few minutes to get over there."

"I-Is that so?" Lucas asked. Although he was trying to follow Cynthia's line of sight out to the island, he couldn't keep his eyes from flickering back to her body. Just as he thought, she was in very good physical shape, with flawless skin and proportions that made it seem like she belonged in a museum somewhere.

"Mm Hm," She answered before turning to face him again, "She's not the fastest aquatic pokemon out there, but she's far from being a slowpoke. So what do you say? Will you join me?"

Lucas scratched his head in thought, but really couldn't think of any reason to reject her offer. Of course he would have to explain to Johanna why he was out so late, but that was a small price to pay if it meant he could finally see the local hotspot.

Besides, he thought, I would like to spend more time with this woman.

With a smile, he nodded at her. "Absolutely!"

She smiled back and made to hop into the water but paused before doing so. "Oh right, I shouldn't leave my belongings unguarded."

She bent over and began rifling through her coat again, finally fishing out another pokeball and tossing it into the air. The ball released its inhabitant with a flash of light, revealing a pokemon that Lucas immediately recognized.

It was a lucario, a bipedal foxlike pokemon that stood a few heads short of Cynthia. It had blue fur with black bands, along with a tan abdomen. Steel spikes jutted from its hands and chest, and its intense red eyes were immediately drawn to Lucas.

"A lucario!" Lucas couldn't help but exclaim as his eyes lit up with awe, "I can't believe you have one of these!"

Cynthia giggled and patted Lucario on the head, reassuring it that Lucas wasn't a threat. "It's true that these guys are pretty hard to come by. Luckily I have a good friend who breeds them, and he entrusted me with a riolu egg. I've raised it into the handsome pokemon you see before you."

"That's incredible," Lucas breathed, "I've heard that they can read minds- is that true?"

Cynthia giggled again as Lucario's stern expression eased into a smile. "Not quite. However, they're very in tune with aura. Within moments a lucario can judge the general power and emotional state of nearby living creatures."

As Lucas continued to fawn over the famous pokemon, Cynthia kneeled down and looked it in the eyes. "I'm taking Lucas here to the cave in the center of the lake. While I'm gone I want you to keep a close eye on my stuff, okay?"

Lucario immediately agreed, planting a hand over its chest as it bowed its head dutifully. Cynthia smiled and ruffled the space between its ears again before turning to Lucas.

"Alright, let's get going!"

Lucas nodded, and Milotic extended her neck over the shore so that he could climb on. It was clumsy and awkward at first, but before long Lucas had positioned himself comfortably on Milotic's back. Meanwhile Cynthia dove into the lake with all the grace of a swanna, surfacing a moment later and shaking the wet hair out of her face. Miraculously her hair still covered her left eye once she emerged.

In order for Milotic to propel itself, it needed the end of its tail to be free. That meant that Cynthia had to hold on to its lower back, near where Lucas was. He was a bit surprised when she wrapped one of her arms around him before giving him a warm smile.

"I hope this doesn't make you claustrophobic," She said, to which Lucas shook his head vigorously. Even if his clothes got a little damp from her arm, he was still being kept surprisingly dry.

Cynthia smiled at him, then patted Milotic's neck. "Please take us to the island, Milotic."

The gorgeous pokemon cooed in response before slowly fanning its tail, sending them on their way at a comfortable speed. As the shore receded behind them, Lucas took in his current situation. He had met a mysterious trainer who happened to have really rare, really powerful pokemon. She had offered to take him somewhere he had always wanted to visit, and now he was on the back of a milotic as the sun set on the woods around him. It was a bit chilly out, bringing into question how Cynthia was able to remain in the water without any sign of discomfort, but otherwise it was a nearly perfect moment.

"Lucas," Cynthia suddenly said, breaking him from his thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"Don't think that bruise on your cheek has gotten past me," She began as her relaxed grey eye smiled into his own, "I know it's not my business to pry, but does that injury have anything to do with why you were crying earlier?"

His eyes widened before he looked away with grit teeth. "It left a mark, huh?"

"It did."

He sighed. Deep down he had hoped that she wouldn't bring his earlier breakdown up, but somehow he was also glad that she did. Maybe this would be a good opportunity to let some of that emotion out.

"I got into it with some bullies at school earlier," He began, "There were three of them, and… Well, I was the only one who got hurt."

"I see," She murmured without looking away, "And what was this fight about?"

"It was about pokemon."

"Pokemon?" She echoed, "I thought that pokemon were for fighting beside, not about."

"I thought so too," He agreed, "But… Well, not everyone in my town could get a pokemon this year. I've been waiting to get mine for six whole years, yet everyone else got one but me. I hate it."

Silence fell over the lake. Cynthia gazed at his hurt expression for a long moment before looking away, humming to herself.

"I've heard about how breeders are struggling this year. I'm sorry to hear that you were one of those affected." When Lucas didn't answer after a moment, she continued. "Is that what you were referring to when you said that everything was unfair?"

He nodded. "I don't mean to seem ungrateful for what I have, but… I just want something to go my way for once. I thought that getting my first pokemon would be the chance to turn my luck around and make something of myself. Now I have to wait a whole year to get started, and by then everyone in my class- those bullies included- will have so much more experience than me. It just doesn't seem fair at all…"

Once he had trailed off Cynthia eyed him carefully for a second. "Lucas, what are pokemon to you?"

He quickly turned to face her again. "What do you mean?"

"A lot of people have different opinions on what pokemon are," She clarified, "Some see them as partners, while others think of them as weapons. Things to battle, to groom, or to bond with. What do you think about pokemon?"

He lowered his eyes with thought. As he did so he ran his hand over the cool, slick neck of the milotic they were riding on.

"I think…" He began after a long moment, "That pokemon are unique. You could look all over the world, but I don't think you'd find two who were completely alike. I think there's a lot to learn from them, and to teach them as well. I guess that, to me, I'd think of them as partners. Irreplaceable friends. You could battle them or compete with them, but at the end of the day it's about the bond you have with them."

He rubbed the back of his head as he gave Cynthia a sheepish grin. "Though I don't have my own pokemon yet, so what do I know?"

She giggled. "I think you know more than you think. So let me ask you another question: why do you want to begin your journey as a pokemon trainer? What's the rush?"

"It's difficult to explain," He admitted, "But ever since I was young I've wanted a pokemon of my own. When I got older I thought that becoming a trainer would be a lot of fun. The idea of growing alongside a team of pokemon really excited me, and I loved seeing the passion that people battled with when I watched them compete. But there's even more to it than that… I want to explore. I want to learn new things. I want to travel around the world and meet all different kinds of pokemon and people alike. When I think about doing all of those amazing things, I just can't wait to get started."

He paused to look into Cynthia's eyes, a passionate fire raging behind his dark irises while he spoke. She recognized that fire immediately. How could she not? After all, that determined ambition had once been her own.

"Anyway, I guess that's how it is." He concluded with a chuckle.

She stared at him with slightly widened eyes for a moment before relaxing into a smile with a hum.

"I think that's a wonderful ambition," She said after a moment had passed, "No matter what life throws at you, I hope you'll hold on to that."

He nodded confidently. "I will!"

She shot him a sideways glance. "By the way, you mentioned that you like watching people compete. Do you happen to have a television?"

He nodded. "Of course. Why do you ask?"

She giggled before turning her head to face the approaching island. "No reason."

Lucas thought it was weird of her to ask such a random question, but shook it off as they had almost reached their destination. Before long Milotic sidled up along the shore of the island, allowing her passengers to step onto it.

"Thank you for your hard work," Cynthia said as she gave her pokemon an affectionate scratch, "Please wait for us here until we get back."

Milotic nodded happily, so the two turned for the cave. Despite the rock formation being relatively small, little more than a craggy beach surrounding a jutting stone structure, the entrance to the cave was surprisingly large. The duo entered the cavern without any issue, and once they had descended several yards, they were met with an empty chamber.

"Interesting… The ground is completely level here." Cynthia thought aloud as she took a sweeping look around, "It's in keeping with the other lakes… Could they have been manmade?"

With a hum she crossed to a nearby wall and began inspecting the inscriptions carved into it. While she did so Lucas took a few steps into the center of the room, trying to savor his first visit to such a historically significant location. There was just enough light from above to illuminate the area, allowing him to observe the artwork and ancient glyphs that adorned the interior as he walked.

Splash!

Lucas took a quick step back as he felt his foot sink into shallow water. He groaned when he realized that his right foot was completely soaked, drawing Cynthia's attention. She chuckled quietly to herself before turning for the wall again.

"I'm sorry, I should have warned you. These caves all have a design imprinted on the floor, and they tend to hold whatever rainwater makes its way inside."

Lucas sighed as he kicked the front of his shoe against the stone floor, trying to rid it of excess water. So much for his first memory of the place.

'Don't let something that small ruin your mood,' A small voice came from behind him.

Lucas immediately spun around, his eyes wide, but found nothing there.

That was strange, he thought after a moment of staring into space, I could have sworn that I heard someone just then…

"Say, Lucas," Cynthia began as she ran her fingers over a deep etching of what seemed to be a pokemon, "Do you know what the significance of this cave is?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, isn't this supposed to be where Mesprit lives?"

"Very good," She replied, "I guess that should be expected of someone who lives nearby. Do you know much about Mesprit?"

He nodded as he walked further into the cave, avoiding the shallow reservoirs of water that decorated the floor.

"Yeah. It's a legendary pokemon, right?"

'Aw, you're gonna make me blush…'

Again Lucas whipped around toward the sound, but once again found nothing when he did so. As he scratched his head in confusion Cynthia continued.

"That's right. Mesprit is part of a trio of pokemon that play a big role in the mythology of Sinnoh."

Shaking the voice from his thoughts, Lucas spoke up again. "Oh yeah, aren't the other two Uxie and Azelf?"

Cynthia turned from the wall to smile at him. "That's correct! You definitely know your stuff, don't you?"

He chuckled sheepishly. "I don't know about that. My parents were really into mythology and stuff, so a lot of that knowledge was handed down to me."

"I see," She replied, "So then, what else can you tell me about Mesprit?"

He hummed. "Well, it's the being of emotion."

'At your service.'

He turned his head to the left after the voice, but no luck.

"What else?"

"Oh, um… It's often depicted as a red fairy, while Uxie is yellow and Azelf is blue."

'Red always was my favorite color…'

This time the voice came from his right. He quickly looked over, but still found nothing.

'Heehee, you're fun!'

"Tell me, Lucas, are you familiar with the creation myth?" Cynthia asked as she casually walked to the next stretch of wall, ignorant to Lucas' situation.

"A little bit," He admitted while looking around relentlessly for the voice that continued to giggle in his head, "I know about how Arceus supposedly created Dialga and Palkia to form time and space, as well as a third pokemon called Giratina, but I don't know the rest."

Cynthia hummed. "There's a lot of speculation regarding how Giratina ties into the creation, but you're right. According to ancient accounts like these, Arceus created three deities to rule over time, space, and some third plane. At some point after that it created three other pokemon; Azelf, the being of willpower- Uxie, the being of wisdom- and Mesprit, the being of emotion."

"They also came from the same egg, didn't they?" He asked.

'Come on, don't lump me in with those two~'

This time the voice had come from directly above him, and Lucas traced it so quickly that he nearly fell backward.

"That's what some believe, yes." Cynthia answered, "Fun fact: the origin of that rumor can be found in the northern stretches of Mt. Coronet, where it is written that three spirits emerged at once and departed to the furthest stretches of Sinnoh."

"Huh…" Lucas replied before turning toward her, "Hey Cynthia, do you hear… Something weird in here?"

"Whatever could you mean?" She asked as she tilted her head at an image etched into the wall.

"I mean, do you hear that voice too? Or is it just me?"

"A voice..?" She echoed before suddenly turning to face him, "Wait, you mean you're hearing something right now?"

"Well, not at this very moment," He responded while rubbing the back of his head, "But ever since we got here I've been hearing someone talking to me."

She stared at him for a moment in surprise before shaking her head. "No, it can't be..."

"What? What's going on?" He asked, growing uneasy with the knowledge that only he could hear this voice.

"It could be nothing," She replied as she turned back toward the wall, "But who knows? Some legends say that Mesprit is the most likely to interact with humans- especially if the person in question harbors strong emotions."

"Strong emotions…" He echoed, his eyes lowering as he brought a finger to his chin in thought. He briefly recalled his day up until he met Cynthia- between the disappointment of not getting his own pokemon, the pain that the bullies had caused him, and how badly he missed his parents, it had been a rough day for the young man. Could it be that-

'No, no! You're far too negative!'

He spun around like he had countless times before, and honestly didn't expect to find anything this time, either- so when he was suddenly face-to-face with a pokemon he had never seen before, Lucas cried out in surprise and fell backward onto the cave floor.

While he winced in pain the small pokemon floated until its face was inches away from his, its bright golden eyes boring into his own as they widened in surprise.

'It's okay to feel down in the dumps, Lucas, but you have to balance it out!' The voice in his head scolded, 'Think about your friends! Your ambitions! Remember each of your hopes and dreams! You can't let yourself spiral into despair!'

"U-Uh, Cynthia?" Lucas cried out as he crawled backwards away from the tiny pokemon, but stopped when his back met one of her legs. Unbeknownst to him she had walked over and was now watching the mystery pokemon with a friendly smile.

"So my hunch was correct," She spoke in a warm tone, "It's nice to meet you, Mesprit."

"Mesprit?" Lucas asked in shock as he looked back and forth from Cynthia to the levitating pokemon.

'Ah, boo. I guess I've been found out.' The voice in his head said as the pokemon shrugged, 'Oh, well. I can tell that neither of you have come here to hurt me, so I suppose it's alright.'

With a sudden backflip, the pokemon distanced itself from them by a few feet- something that Lucas appreciated, as it had been invading his personal space up until that point. From this distance he could better observe the creature.

It was an incredibly small fairylike pokemon that hovered a few feet off the ground. Its body was a bluish grey, with tiny arms and legs as well as two tails with leaflike fans on the end of them. In the center of each fan was a round red crystal, similar to the one it had between its large golden eyes. Its head was a light magenta color, with four appendages that fell to its shoulders like hair.

"I knew from experience that the lake trio were secretive pokemon who rarely show themselves to humans," Cynthia began as Lucas picked himself up an dusted his jeans off, "However, there was some evidence to show that you, Mesprit, would appear if certain conditions were met. When I was reading the runes that line this cave, it became clear to me that it was a distinct possibility you were already here with us."

Mesprit tilted its head at Cynthia, a small smile on its face. 'Oh? And might I ask how you knew that?'

"For a while I've heard rumors that you watch over the people who live near your lake," Cynthia answered, "And there were even some accounts of sightings from people who found themselves in a dark place emotionally. When Lucas told me that he had been hearing a voice, I remembered his own emotional state and realized that you were trying to connect with him. I couldn't directly tell him that, though, or else it might cheer him up and you wouldn't show yourself."

'How clever,' Mesprit mused, 'Is that why you brought Lucas here today? To bait me?'

Cynthia shook her head. "Actually, no. I was planning to explore this cave and just happened to find Lucas on my way here."

She turned and winked at him before adding: "Although I guess it's a good thing we met when we did. Otherwise I wouldn't be talking to a living legend right now."

Lucas smiled at her while Mesprit giggled. 'Fate is a funny thing sometimes. Now then, I should really return to my rest. It's a lot of work, keeping the planet emotionally balanced… Is there anything I can help you with before I go?'

"Actually, yes." Cynthia answered with a smile, "I was wondering if you could tell me anything about Giratina, or the Distortion World."

Mesprit's eyes narrowed. 'You want to know more about the Reverse World? Why would a human possibly want to know about that?'

"Other than it being inherently interesting, I have business there." Cynthia answered.

Mesprit eyed her carefully for a moment before telepathically sighing. 'I can sense how strongly you feel about this. It must really mean a lot to you.'

She nodded. "It does."

'Very well then,' Mesprit said with a nod, 'But I'm afraid I won't be of much help. You see, I do not know much- only that the entrance lies near Sendoff Spring. If you want to know more specifics, I encourage you to speak with Uxie in the north. They will know much more about it than me, though I must first warn you about Uxie's ability.'

"The memory erasure?" Cynthia asked.

While Lucas' eyes widened in surprise, Mesprit's lit up in recognition. 'Exactly! My, you certainly know a lot about us lake spirits. If I wasn't so flattered, I would almost find it creepy.'

Cynthia giggled. "As I said, this sort of thing is very interesting to me. Legends and mythology run in my blood."

'I see. Well then, I hope that knowledge will serve you well. If there's nothing else then I really must be going.'

Cynthia bowed, a smile still playing at the edges of her lips. "Thank you for your help, Mesprit. Sleep well."

Mesprit nodded and began to glow white, but managed to say one last thing before vanishing.

'Oh, yes. Lucas, please mind what I said earlier. You're allowed to have bad days, but don't let yourself end a day on a bad note. Enjoy life more.'

He quickly bowed to imitate Cynthia. "Thank you Mesprit. I'll remember that."

The pokemon nodded, then became enveloped in white light before disappearing in an instant.

"I see… What a clever pokemon." Cynthia said under her breath as she smirked.

"Oh, you mean how it was able to talk to us?"

"That too," She replied as she began to walk toward the exit of the cave, "Though I suppose that should be expected of a legendary pokemon. No, I was referring to that apparition."

"Apparition? You mean that wasn't the real Mesprit?"

Cynthia shook her head. "No, it was simply a projection of the real Mesprit's form. That voice we heard was the real deal, but it seems it was too cautious to appear in person. Not that I can blame it…"

Even if what he had seen was just a trick, Lucas was still wrapping his head around the fact that he had just met a real legendary pokemon, the same one his parents had taught him so much about. As they exited the cave and were met with the chilly night air, he looked up into the star-filled sky and smiled. Wherever they were, he was sure they were proud of him.

He was broken from his thoughts when Cynthia suddenly gasped and turned to look back into the cave. Lucas shot her a curious glance before doing the same, looking just in time to see two glowing golden eyes silently recede into the darkness.

After a moment had passed, Lucas turned back to Cynthia. "Do you think that was the real Mesprit?"

Cynthia was still staring into the darkness of the cave, her usually relaxed eyes widened a bit in surprise. At hearing his question, however, her eyelids lowered again and she gave him a warm smile.

"I can't be sure. Somehow, though, I think it was." She turned toward Milotic, who was watching them from where she had been waiting at the water's edge.

Once they had once again positioned themselves so that Lucas was dry and Cynthia had an arm around him for stability, they began their journey back to the shore.

"Wow, Lucas, you must be some sort of good luck charm." Cynthia began, "Your first time in a ruin and you've already met a legendary pokemon! That's an incredible honor!"

He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "It was nothing special. I just happened to meet the requirements, is all."

She shook her head at him, a smile still on her face. "That's not true. While you are one of those who Mesprit watches over, and it's certainly the case that you've had a rough day, that pokemon went through the trouble of remembering your name."

Lucas hummed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Still, it's not that big of a deal, is it?"

"Oh, but it is," She answered, staring into his eyes. "You must understand that a pokemon like Mesprit has existed since the dawn of time. Do you know how many people have visited Lake Verity since then? And out of all of those people, she knew who you were without an introduction. That's a very big deal, and something you should absolutely take pride in."

He avoided her eyes and tried to hide his blush. After a moment he remembered something and turned to face her again.

"Anyway, how did you know that Mesprit was behind us when we were leaving the cave? I noticed you seemed surprised before you turned around."

Cynthia turned her head to look back at the island that was growing smaller with distance. "Mesprit told me something very important. It was an invaluable bit of advice."

"Really? What was it?"

She giggled but shook her head. "This is one of those 'girl secret' moments. You understand, right?"

"Oh, come on! But I want to know!"

"Nuh uh."

Lucas groaned, and Cynthia's laughing echoed across the lake.

I certainly hope you've enjoyed the beginning of this new story! If I didn't make it blatantly obvious with my pen name, profile pic, bio, etc., I am a huge Pokémon fan. It was all I wrote for when I first started on this site, but I got pulled away to write other things. Oh, how I've missed this universe!

*At the risk of putting the horse in front of the carriage* every time I start a new story I get reviews and PMs telling me to go back to working on my other stuff. I don't mean to come across as mean or anything, but these comments absolutely won't be tolerated. I expect that a lot of people from my FNaF story will be upset that I'm writing something else, but please understand that I have been writing Another Side almost exclusively for FOUR YEARS. I deserve a break. I'm not abandoning my other stories, and I promise that I will go back to working on my other stuff, but for now I'm very excited about this new story. Again, any reviews not relating to this story will be ignored.

With that said, thank you so much for reading! If you have a moment to spare, please consider leaving me a review in the box below. Your input is highly appreciated!

I hope to see you next chapter ;]

-S/L