Sunlight shone down in slashes of gold through the forest as the earth rose from the clinging folds of night. Small bird Pokémon stretched their wings and shook themselves, shaking away the clinging droplets of dew that had collected on their wings during the night.

The peace was then shattered as two forms shot through a clearing, leaping into the trees and hopping from branch to branch.

One of the forms was human. The other, a Pokémon. A Lucario, in fact.

Hunter, his eyes closed and his Aura pulsing through his veins, kept one eye on his student, Taren, while keeping the other eye on the path in front of him. He winced reflexively as Taren nearly collided with a tree branch that would have knocked him to the ground below. Concentrate, Taren. he admonished. Feel, don't think. Use your instincts and your Aura.

I'm trying, Master.

They continued their exercises, speeding through the trees almost faster than the eye could follow. Pokémon living in the trees sent up a raucous clamor, angry at being disturbed while still half-asleep.

Eventually, Hunter spotted the house they were heading towards. We're almost there. Race you.

He sped up, Taren following close behind. As they neared the edge of the trees, Taren's attention was suddenly distracted. What's that?

He veered off, leaving Hunter to divert his attention to him for one second. Taren! Blast it… He narrowly avoided a collision with a tree and then jumped from the branches to land on the ground at the foot of the hill that led up to their house.

Taren, get back here. If you want to investigate, wait for me.

I'll be back, Master. I promise. I don't think it'll take that long.

It'd better not. You have half an hour. If you're not back by then, I'm coming after you.

I'll be there, Master. Calm down.

I'd be plenty calm if you weren't doing this!

Taren didn't answer. Grumbling under his breath, Hunter walked up the hill into his house. Entering, he scratched his Buizel behind the ears, murmuring a low good morning to the still sleepy Pokémon.

Entering the kitchen, he got a bagel and walked back into the house, brushing sweat from his forehead with one hand and holding his bagel with the other. Walking to a window and past Buizel, who had now gone back to sleep, he looking out over the forest that his house overlooked.

You'd better come back soon, Taren. For your sake, I hope you know what you're doing.

Taren was walking along the forest floor, having abandoned the tree branches a while ago. He had seen a form wreathed in Aura, flitting through the trees a short distance away from the path he and Hunter had been taking. He had spent most of his half-hour following it.

Taren opened his eyes. In front of him stood a stand of bushes at least a head taller than he was. Pushing them apart, he stepped into the clearing, then stopped short as he saw what the form had been.

In the clearing, where the light was cast in an emerald green pattern that reduced the sunlight to shattered emeralds, a female Lucario danced between trees, twirling among the beams of sunlight. She spun a few more times before finally spotting Taren, and when she did, she stopped.

They stood, staring, at one another for a time before Taren finally spoke. Tell me your name.

That depends. Who are you?

My name is Taren. Now, you answer me. What's your name?

My old trainer used to call me Mara. Tell me, Taren. Do you have a trainer?

Yes. He's… Taren suddenly realized. I've been out here for more than half an hour! He'll be coming!

Mara cocked her head. Is there something wrong?

My trainer will be looking for me. I have to get back.

Mara grabbed his arm as he turned to leave. Wait. Can't you stay?

Maybe some other time. Nice meeting you.

He ran out of the clearing, leaving a very perplexed wild Lucario in his wake.

Taren met Hunter at the edge of the forest as he was about to go in. Hunter crossed his arms. "I was about to come in after you. What did you find?

It took me a while. It was nothing. Most likely just residue from something else.

"Really? That seems highly unlikely."

Well, Aura is an unlikely thing, isn't it?

Hunter rolled his eyes. "Get inside. Get something to eat."

Taren walked past Hunter. His trainer stayed out a while longer, looking at the forest. Residue Aura? Maylene and her Lucario don't come this far out except to visit us. And they never train here. He's hiding something.

He shrugged and walked back towards the house.

Storm clouds had set in by that night, sending rain slashing against the house's windows. Hunter, standing in the kitchen, shut the blinds. "Well, the weatherman said it was supposed to be nice all day. I guess I should know better."

Taren, reclining on the couch in the living room, looked at his owner out of the corner of his eye. I could have told you that, Master.

Hunter smiled and took a pair of mugs out of the microwave. Taking them into the living room, he handed one to Taren. Sipping at his own, he looked at his student. "So, what did you find in the forest?"

I told you, already.

"But I have the distinct feeling that you're lying to me."

Taren was silent for far longer than he needed to be. I…I met another Lucario.

Hunter lifted his eyebrows in surprise. "Really? Tell me more."

It was a female. She said she used to have a trainer that called her Mara. I'm…somewhat worried about her, out there alone in this.

Hunter shut his eyes. He then opened them again. "I'll go and find her. She could do well from living somewhere instead of wandering around."

Taren smiled.

A few minutes later, clad in rain gear, Hunter stepped out of the house and went into the forest, his eyes shut. It was not long before he found out Mara's location.

When he reached it, the Lucario was crouching in the lee side of a tree, soaking wet and shivering. Hunter stood up. Taren, start a fire.

Kneeling down again, he reached out his hand. "It's alright. My name's Hunter. I'm Taren's trainer."

Mara looked up, then cocked her head. Why are you here?

"You can't stay out here all night. Come on. I'll take you back to our place."

She hesitantly took his hand, and Hunter picked her up and walked back to the house with her.

Note: There's not going to be a big fight in the end, this is mostly going to be about the bond between Taren and Hunter. R and R anyway!