Trial of the Blade
Spring, a time that many had come to enjoy in this little town. A time when countless Sakura trees would bloom, releasing their bright pink petals to dance and swirl across the gentle wind as a romantic scent blesses the noses of lovers. It was also at this time many pokemon would be out and about, running errands or just taking walks as the sun slowly hid itself behind the earth. Over to the left of the town a great ring of the beautiful trees stood tall, and small grunts of exertion could be heard. The maker of these sounds was a young quilava, dressed in a traditional Japanese gi, which consisted of a heavy, quilted cotton shirt with sleeves that go just past his elbows, and and a pleated, black, divided skirt that hid his feet from view. In his hands he held a wooden katana, which he swung by bringing it directly above his head and swinging it down vertically, letting out small grunts or a yell as he did so. After a few more of these strikes that many of the sweet smelling petals had accumulated around him, and so he swung his sword out horizontally, stirring them up into a majestic cyclone of pink. He then held out his paw and let a single petal fall into it, smiling as it touches his soft pink pad. "The sakura trees are especially happy today. Their crying more joyous tears then they ever have before."
"Axel."
The voice that broke the peaceful silence was none other than his grandfather and master, Koji Zohon. As he turned to his beloved grandfather and mentor he bowed, showing the up most respect to the elderly gallade.
"Welcome home grandfather. I hope your journey was a successful one.''
The wise old pokemon rose his hand, signaling Axel to to raise his head before being spoken to. As he spoke his voice was small and cracked, but expressed an amount of wisdom that only someone that has lived 79 years of age could bring.
"It seems that while I was gone the trees have bloomed. What a shame. And I hope your training has been going well in my absence."
The small fire type gave a soft nod, and then sheathed his wooden weapon in a small strap at his waist.
"Yes senpai. I have preformed every task you have assigned to me."
Axel walks to the house and grabs a log, returning only to place it before Koji. With a deep breath he unsheathed his katana, and got into a stance where he held the handle of his weapon with both hands, and spread his legs a flash he slashed the log into the air, following it seconds later only to slash and X into it and then flip forward, slamming his heel into the log, sending it toward the ground. Before it could reach the ground though, he repeated the process on his sword, sending it into the log, penetrating it as the sword stuck in the ground before his elder. As Axel landed his grandfather's expression changed to one filled with pride for his grandson, the moves he just preformed being extremely hard to pull of in a sequence.
"Very well executed child, excellent form, and overwhelming power."
Axel smile a bright happy smile which he had not done for who knows how long. Hearing his grandfather praise his technique was the highlight of his day. He bowed gratefully to his master, Koji doing the same before Axel's smile faded.
"Grandfather, I have been training nonstop, iv'e gotten faster, stronger, and smarter than a quilava could ever hope to be. So, I think I am ready."
Koji looks upon the young badger, with curiousity lacing his voice.
"Ready for what my child?"
Axel never for a second broke his eye contact with his grandfather. Those ruby pools held in them a sense of seriousness and determination only shown in a true warrier, something Axel rarely shows.
"I'm ready for a real sword.''
His grandfather's gaze rose from the blade pierced log to him, his eyes keeping their calmness as he stood.
"My child, like I have told you a million times.."
"I know I know! I'm not yet ready to wield a real blade. Thats what you tell me every time I say this."
The sudden outburst from the fire type took the elderly phychic by surprise, but his word did not falter.
"I know what you have told me, but I have been training for so long, I know and can preform even the most difficult of moves without even breaking a sweat."
The very air around the quilava began to distort, showcasing his frustration about the current matter, but his elder stood stalwart and unfazed.
"No."
At that instant Axel's head and rear ports burst to life, the petals around him being changed from a bright pink to a dead black by his flames. As he spoke his voice was filled with anger and confusion.
"But grandfather!"
"Enough!"
Koji rose up his cane and slammed its bottom upon the ground, this action causing a wave of ethereal energy to spread outward in a ring, once again sending the colorful petals into a flurry, but instead of a gentle twister, a violent hurricane of two shades of pink. Axel's flames died down almost instantaneously, fear jammed into his heart by his master's explosion of rage.
"Now I will hear nothing more on the matter, understand?"
With a slight glance up from the ground to his grandfather he fully submitted, not wanting to feel his wrath.
"Yes senpai."
With a bow from his student his smile returned as if nothing had happened.
"Now, I need you to run an errand for me. You will be picking up a package I had delivered to that small shop in town we sometimes go to."
With that the fiery badger returned to the house, changing out of his practice uniform and into a snow white hoodie over a black t-shirt and a pair of tan cargo shorts with two large pockets on either leg. Once dressed he headed east, which led to a path that would take him straight to town. Upon arriving at the small bustling town he walked along the sidewalk, his eyes locked on his destination, when a single petal of the many trees landed on his nose, giving him an idea.
"If a single petal touches me before I reach the shop, I stop and do one hundred push ups."
With this embedded in his mind he he took off, bursting into an all four run, quickly moving left and right to dodge and that got in his way. It one point small children ran along the road, kicking up a wave of petals tward Axel. "Gahh!" He leaped forward, going into a roll before bouncing into a cartwheel to just barely avoid more that began to fall. With a final leap he stood in front of the tiny building, a large sign that spelled out "Kogoshi's corner shop." A light push was all it took to open the wooden door, a calming wave of sound resonating throughout the air as as the cool breeze from the outside tickled the bells of small chimeco shaped wind chimes that hung from the ceiling. He quickly made his way to the counter, his paws sinking into the soft light brown carpeting, his sensitive pads telling him how soft it was. Reaching said counter he rang the service bell, looking left and right for the two that worked there.
"Hello? Anybody here?"
His question was promptly answered by the pitter patter of feet, and he was soon greeted by the multicolored eyes of a luxio. As their eyes met a blush spread across the quilava's face like a wildfire. The luxio wore a Kimono, its fabric an elegant pink coloring, adorned with many bright pink sakura petal designs. A large red ribbon had been wrapped around her waist, and tied into a large loop upon her back. With matching sandals and her already feminine figure she was a being of perfection in the eyes of the fire type.
"Hello Axel."
The luxio's smile was warm and inviting, and her voice was of the softest silk. Axel had to bite his tongue to keep himself in check, and with a quick shake of his head he resumed his normal attitude.
"Hey Haru. I'm here to pick up my grandfathers package."
Axel said, trying hard to keep his eyes off of the luxio's body.
"Oh then you came at just the right time. It just arrived minutes ago."
Haru turned, walking over to a few boxes that had been stacked up behind the counter and lifting up a long, dark red box on which a golden ribbon had been intricately wrapped. She walked back, and as she handed the box to him their paws touched, causing Axel to look right into her eyes. After about six seconds of this Haru decided to break the awkward silence, her soft chuckles making Axel's ear twitch.
"Shouldn't you be getting home now Axel?"
Those words snapped the quilava out of his stupor, and he quickly took the box and ran for the door.
"Oh right! See ya later Haru!"
Box in hand, he waved back to Haru as he exited the shop, receiving a wave of the paw from her in return, followed by a giggle. After a few minutes of running he decided to take a break, finding a bench to sit and catch his breath while looking up at the bright blue sky. He peacefully watched the fluffy clouds role by, the gentle breeze flowing through his fur. But then his eyes wandered to the package given to him to bring to his grandfather. It was pretty long, that golden ribbon shining in the light that poured down from the warm sun overhead. His eyes now rested on the box, his imagination at work trying to think of what could possibly be inside. Minutes pass and slight curiousity turns into a nagging pain in the back of his head. With his mind clouded with mystery, he quickly untied the ribbon, letting it fall onto the bench, before lifting the top. His eyes widened, and his heart felt as if it had stopped within his chest at viewing the contents of the package. It was a sword, its sheathe a glistening jet black with a cherry red cloth decorated with Chinese symbols and images of dragons wrapped around its exterior. The hilt was of the oval shape, small serpents branded into the golden material while the handle was wrapped in a black rubber, much like the handle for a motorcycle. He slowly took it from the box, grabbing its sheathe with one hand and its handle with the other, slowly releasing the magnificent weapon from its protective holder. But their was something odd about this blade. Instead of steel, it looked like glass. It was somewhat transparent, with a glorious red tint to it. He moved it front of him, admiring the sharpness and angle of the blades cutting edge, the reflective blade refracting light into his eye. There was no denying it. This was the greatest sword he had ever seen. He quickly sheathes it and runs into a group of nearby trees, sliding to a stop and bringing the blade out once again, the sheathe carelessly tossed aside. He gripped the bladed weapon with both hands, facing one of the many trees that dotted the landscape, and ran forward swinging the blade. It seemed as if it had fazed completely through the tree, until seconds later the top half of the mighty pink bearer slid before falling over. Axel couldn't believe his eyes. With one swing he had sliced down one of the powerful and hard barked trees without so much as a bit of resistance. He looked to the blade, its majesty unfazed by the tree it just cleaved through.
"Unbelievable."
His face changed to one of excitement as he took off without warning for the park, which his where his freinds are known to hang out at this time of day. As he arrived his thoughts were confirmed, his three friends among the kids that were visible. he ran up to them quickly, the look on his face obviously showing his excitement. The first of his freinds with a male zangoose named Renji, the second a female flaaffy named Fauna, and Leo the combusken. He showed them the blade, and there reactions were just as he thought they were. Renji with his uninterested
"Its a sword."
And the other two marveling at it. They admired it for a few hours before Axel thought of something that might impress them even more.
"Hey guys watch what I can do."
With a quick flip Axel was on his head, and caught his sword in his feet before spinning on his head. All was good, he was spinning on his head, friends impressed, he felt like he was unstoppable at this moment. But then, his moment of invincibility was shattered as he hit a rock, causing him to spiral out of control and come much to close to Fauna, the sharp blade slicing into her shoulder, blood splattering onto the ground as she fell back screaming in agony. Axel fell onto his side, the blade clanging onto the pavement beside him. He sits up quickly to see Leo and Renji helping up Fauna, tears streaming down her face almost as quickly as the blood from the gash given to her by Axel's reckless behavior. He wanted to help, he wanted to go over and make her feel better, but a barrier of pure shame kept him at bay. So, with nothing else to do, he quickly picked up the sword, sheathe, and box, scurrying home as fast as he could. A few hours later night had fallen, various nocturnal pokemon moving about the moonlit streets as the trees seemingly took on a redder hue, adding to the lovelyness of night. Koji was just returning home, a few games of mahjong and Chinese checkers with some freinds of his eating up his day. Pushing to the side the bamboo screen he noticed the house was quiet, which was odd because Axel would have been playing one of his video games by this time. He moved his way throughout the small domain, and upon reaching his own bedroom, saw Axel sitting on his knees with the box, closed and ribboned, on his lap. Koji smiled, and walked over to Axel, taking the package from him as he held it up.
"My package has finally arrived. That you for getting it for me Axel."
Upon seeing Axel's face his smile faltered, and he looked upon the visage of his grandson with worry. "What ever is the matter Axel?" Axel looked up to his mentor, his eyes puffy from crying.
"I disobeyed you. I...I..."
"You opened the box and hurt your friend with its contents."
Axel's eyes widened, he knew his elder was a phychic type but he would never read his mind.
"How did you know?"
"Fauna's father called me and said that you cut his daughter with a sword."
Hearing this only made Axel feel worse, knowing that he will probably never be able to hand out with the static sheep again.
"I'm sorry master. You were right. I'm nowhere near ready for a real blade."
Koji, upon seeing his only grandson and student freely admitting to his mistake brought a smile to his face. He unraveled the ribbon, opened the box, and removed the sword, taking it from its sheathe and dropping said sheathe to the floor.
"My child, my precious grandson and student, a sword, is the greatest responsibility I could ever bestow on you. A sword is a great tool, it helps you defend those you care about and spark hope in their hearts. But,"
Koji presses the blade to his palm and slides it across, the blade cutting in and causing the crimson blood within to drip down, shocking Axel.
"If you are reckless, this guarding weapon can end up hurting those you love. And although i am upset, I am glad you were able to learn this lesson first hand. And that is why I believe you are ready."
Axel's ears perked up, his face a mix of surprise and confusion. The elderly pokemon brought the blade back to its home and held it out to the quilava.
"Axel Zohon, I bestow upon you this sword, specially crafted from a special mineral found deep within the earth. Use it well, and defeat your opponents with honor and respect."
Axel, a new floodgate of tears nearly breaking free, held out his hand and proudly accepted his gift, unsheathing it and holding it to the ceiling.
"I swear upon this sword, stained with the blood of my master and my dear friend, that I will you this blade to slay evil and protect the weak forever more."
A heated pride began to well up within Axel, his dreams fulfilled. The weights of shame and regret had been lifted from his shoulders, and replaced with a new weight, responsibility and pride, which he gladly accepted upon his shoulders.
"Come my student. Lets see if you can defeat this old man."
Koji made his way out into the calm, cool night air, followed by Axel, and they distanced themselves before drawing their swords. And as a single beautiful petal fell between them, they took off, clashing and sending sparks of fire and happiness into the night.