The first thing that surprised him as he woke was just that. He was awake, and thusly, he was alive. He felt tired as hell, and his whole body ached, but that didn't matter. He was alive. A swift feeling of 'I shouldn't be alive' swept over him, but he was too tired to care even about that, not currently being able to remember why he felt this way. He was alive, and he was awake. Never before had he been so grateful to see the light of day as he rolled over onto his back and looked up at the sky.
What did I do last night? He subconsciously asked himself this, as the memories flooded his mind, walking him through the evening, from the moon, to the staircase, to the cops on the roof, then the battle and finally…
He jolted up to his hind paws as the thought of falling off the building hit him. The jackal blinked his eyes until he was fully awake, determined to find out where he was. Maybe I'm just on the grass outside the hotel. Or perhaps a Pokemon Center? Maybe somehow I got dragged off into the wild…He stood up, and could tell that he wasn't standing on grass without even looking down. The ground was too soft. Nor could he be inside, for as he gazed up, he could make out the sun, shining gallantly in the cloudless sky.
The Lucario looked down, and with a gasp of horror realized where he was. The sea of clouds that usually inhabited the sky was now holding him up. There was no doubt now that the small fear he had as he woke up was true. I'm dead. I'm really dead. He stood there for a while, not moving except for occasionally checking out his body, as he slowly started to accept this nightmare as reality.
Huh. Never thought it would be like this. I always imagined a gate or something. And a line of dead 'mons waiting to get in. This is just too… empty. There's gotta be more Pokemon up here. But all he saw were clouds on all sides. Perhaps he was alone. It seemed no one else with him in here, and, just to confirm this theory, he opened his mind and searched for other auras. As he expected, he found none.
Still, something didn't quite seem right. If he really was dead, and this really was some sort of afterlife, then shouldn't there be some sort of god? He had heard stories of a large white dog-like creature named Arceus when he was young, who was said to have been the first being to ever have existed, and shaped the world and all of its inhabitants. But he didn't see anything of the sort.
"Hello?" He shouted out, hoping there would be someone or something to hear him. After the words left his mouth, a curious thought entered his mind: What will I say if someone does answer my call? Are there any answers I need? Maybe where I am, but I'm confident I already know that. What do I do here? Maybe… Is there anything I need or need done? Maybe some food for later, but I don't think dead guys need food. Hmm. The only thing that I need is… life.
As he had finished that train of thought, out of nowhere, as though there were an invisible portal, walked a large canine with a golden radial extension out of its torso. The being walked with a majestic stride, its white fur seemingly blowing in a nonexistent wind. The Lucario's gaze was drawn to the being's green eyes, and without a doubt, he was sure that this was the legendary Arceus, even though he had only heard of it few times. As they looked at each other, the aura Pokemon seemed humbled, as the massive being stared down at him. Finally, it spoke.
"You are the one they call Atheos, correct?" It had been a while since he had been called that name, but he nodded in affirmation, as it continued to speak. "You seem relatively calm for someone who has just entered this place before their time. Are you truly satisfied with your fate?"
"No," responded Atheos, keeping his eyes locked on Arceus's, "but my Guardian always told me that worry never improves bad situations." This statement made the Alpha Pokemon add a hint of confusion to his demeanor.
"Your Guardian?"
"The person who took care of me during my childhood. But you probably already know that, being all knowing and stuff," said Atheos, somewhat cynically.
"Many people's and Pokemon's lives I see, this is true. But yours is different. It is shrouded in a veil of…" the canine searched its verbal repertoire for a word that could explain its point accurately, but after a couple of seconds it settled for a decent word and continued. "Darkness, of sorts. To me, your entire life is a mystery. Yet it seems your life is also one of great importance, more so than most. Which brings us to a predicament. When normal souls meet me, I can tell whether their soul needs to resolve some issues back in the land of the mortals, deserves a life of glory, or, as is usually the case, needs rest. However, I have no way of judging for you."
The Lucario stayed quiet, as he presumed Arceus intended on continuing his point, but thought silently to himself He said something about issues back in the living world. Perhaps there is still a way. He then resumed listening. "So, as it would seem you have nothing else that requires your attention in this desolate sky, I propose you tell me your life story."
"If I do tell you, is there a chance that I can go back?" He asked, hopeful on the inside but keeping the same stern expression on the outside.
"There is a chance," said Arceus, in a matter-of-fact tone.
"And if I refuse?"
The Alpha Pokemon gave a short smile at this, but Atheos was unsure if it was for him asking or what would happen if he did say no. "Then I leave you here until you do tell me. And if you do for some reason choose not to tell me now, I feel I should inform you that in this plane of reality, time stands still. So take as long as you need, for the world you know can wait."
They both continued to stare each other down, as the Lucario thought this over. I have no real reason not to tell him, do I? And if it means that I can get my life back, I might finally be able to get revenge on him. Still, why couldn't he see my life? He said something about me being surrounded by darkness…What could that mean? He thought about it for a second, not thinking about what could be causing the 'veil of darkness', but about what else could be causing it. It's the only explanation. But how will he react if I tell him? He might not let me go back. Can't let that happen, so I guess I just won't tell him. "Fair enough then. When do you want me to start?"
"At the beginning, please." They both took a seat on the ground, as neither felt like standing for the whole story.
"I was born somewhere in the western Sinnoh region, although the exact location I was never really told. My mother died during childbirth, and seeing as she had no close relatives, I was left alone to die in the wild."
"What of your father?" interrupted Arceus. Atheos seemed annoyed by the question, but still proceeded to answer it.
"I have no father... My mother was raped during her sleep one night."
For a short while, an awkward silence fell. "I see. How unfortunate." He solemnly said, knowing that no matter the answer, some questions had to be asked.
"Yeah. So I was just left there, out in the wild to fend for myself. And as you may suspect, newborns aren't really that good at that. After two days, I was ready to die. But luck was on my side, and I was found by the person whom I previously referred to as my Guardian. She took me with her to a cave where she lived, and treated me like I was her son. She cared for me, fed me, even taught me to use the aura after I evolved. I lived with her until I was ten years old, the normal age when a Lucario is said to come of age, and from then on, I lived back in the wild."
"Hold on. You just skipped ten years of your life," stated Arceus, intent on getting the most information on this guy's life as possible. "Anything happen in those years?"
"Nothing worth mentioning." Arceus glared heavily at him, still wanting more, but Atheos returned the glare, set on making him believe that there was, in fact, nothing more worth mentioning. When Arceus was convinced that he was telling the truth, he continued. "Now, when I returned to the wild, my life really began…"
Sounds of the bustling Jubilife city could be heard even from where Atheos stood, at least two miles away. Most of the view of the city was lost beyond the treeline, but he could occasionally make out a glimpse of the Poketch company's headquarters. But that didn't matter, as he was traveling to Driftveil. Now that he was on his own and free to do what he wanted, he figured that he'd travel to the Johto region. He had heard rumors of a Mountain where both Pokemon and Humans go to train themselves, of a city that was said to rival Veilstone in size, and of a lake said to be home of the mythical red Gyarados.
He thought about this plan as he walked out into a small clearing. The clearing was mostly empty, save for a couple small Pokemon that scattered at the sight of him. He dropped his satchel on the ground, which contained mostly berries, some money, and a crudely drawn map of the region; all he really needed. Wondering what time it was, he looked to the sky and saw that the sun was well past its zenith. Lunchtime.
He reached into his bag, grabbing for a handful of berries, his usual meal. He managed to pull together a good six or seven after blindly searching the bag, but concluded that those were his last. Gotta go out gathering soon. Bummer. He sat on the ground, and ate his lunch slowly, in part because he wasn't quite eager to go look for berries, partially because the berries he had weren't very good, as he put off having to eat them for as long as possible.
As he ate his lunch, the relative silence around him reminded him once again that he was alone out here. Wow, traveling can get lonely. I can't wait until I get onto the ship; that place is going to be packed with others. Maybe I can find some friends there.
At last he got up and walked back into the surrounding forest. The forest had seemed normal for the most part, with the occasional Starly flying above head, sometimes a wild Shinx or Buneary scampering around, looking for who knows what, and in the background, he could hear Kricketots chirping. He found a few trees quickly, mostly Oran. He decided not to take too many of them, for they took up space that could be used for a more filling berry. For a while, he saw nothing that appealed to him, until he saw a large Chople tree. Lucky find. Better stock up on these. He walked up to the tree, and started scavenging some fallen berries from the ground.
As he was gathering these berries, he heard faint voices in the distance, although he couldn't make out words. Curious, he walked in the direction it was coming from, being careful to make as little noise as possible. Don't let them know you're here. They could be territorial, like those ruffians from Mt. Coronet. Finally, when he was in clear earshot of them, he decided to peek his head out of a bush and see who made the noise.
There was a badly bruised Machoke getting up from the ground. Looking down at him were a Bisharp, arms crossed, a Weaville, leaning up against a tree, and a Togekiss, sitting in a tree branch. The three all wore a smug look on their face, but the Bisharp's bore much more condescension than the other two's.
"Now scram! Don't come back until you can give me a challenge." The Bisharp extended an arm pointing out toward the deeper reaches of the forest, and the Machoke hastily obeyed. Atheos quickly ducked back into the bushes. Crap! They're hostile. Please don't come this way, please don't come this way...
"Good job Sharp." The Togekiss said from above. "But can we keep moving? We've got to make it there by the end of the week, otherwise we'll have to wait a month for the next boat."
"Correction: You'll have to wait a month," retorted Bisharp, turning his head to look at the Weaville. "Sammy 'n' I are in no rush to get there. Even if we do miss the boat, we can just head off to Iron Island for a while." At the sound of this, the Weaville cringed, not particularly fond of having to sleep in a cave.
"You're on your own with that one Bish." She walked under the branch where the Togekiss was perched. "There is no way I am going to Iron Island. Me and Jet are going to be on the next boat to Kanto, with or without you."
Bisharp grumbled, but decided that they'd have to get there sooner or later. Why not sooner? He walked over to where the other two were standing, and as he passed the Weaville, Jet jumped off his branch into the air, following Bisharp. They quickly realized that it was just the two of them, and turned to see Sammy standing behind them.
"Come on already!" shouted Jet, but the Weaville continued standing still. "Sammy?"
She gave him a smile, and gestured her head toward a patch of bushes to her right. "We're not done here yet." She then turned to fully face the bushes. "You can come out now!" She yelled, making Jet and Bisharp exchange concerned looks with each other.
Nothing happened, although Jet let out a small giggle. "Told you she was goin' looney, man."
Sammy hardly seemed amused, but threw on a sarcastic grin. "Yup, I'm a regular nutcase." She then walked over to the bush and gave it a swift kick. A startled Lucario jumped out, and backed a few feet away, while Jet's and Bisharp's, and even Sammy's to an extent, faces grew surprised. She started walking towards him. "Wow! Guys, check it out. A wild Lucario in these parts."
The Lucario got a little unnerved at her walking towards him, but didn't show it. Instead, he kept a stern countenance and said, "Let's be civil here. I'm not here to fight. I don't want to have to hurt you."The Bisharp chuckled at the Lucario's hubris, and walked over next to Sammy.
"Relax, kid. If you're referring to that Machoke, he challenged me. You're good." The Lucario breathed a sigh, half of relief, half of disappointment. He didn't quite think he could take on these three at once, yet part of him always was itching to fight. And somewhere in there, he felt a slight bit insulted, as the Bisharp spoke with a tone that implied he would be no match in a fight against him. The two's eyes locked.
"So whatcha doin' all the way out here?" asked Sammy, noticing the rising tension. "Your kind usually isn't seen in forests."
"Heading to the ports in Canalave. Planning on going off to Johto." His eyes never left Bisharp.
As he said this, her face lit up. "Aw yeah, another one! You should come with us."
He was shocked at this proposal, but saw no reason to turn it down. They seemed to know where they were going, and no doubt it would be safer. "Sure, why not."
The Weaville seemed excited by this, but the Bisharp passively seemed somewhat angered at this. "Come on, not another one. Especially not this one."
"You got something against me?"
"It's how we found Jet," the Weaville intervened, glancing at the Togekiss. "And he turned out to be cool."
"That was different. We're leaving without this kid. Come on, Jet, let's go." He turned around, but Sammy seemed persistent that they take him with.
"Come on, give him a chance. We need a fourth if Jet's gonna succeed in his plans."
The Bisharp paused for a second, and then, without turning to look at the Lucario, said "Well enough. If you wish to travel with us, then fight me. If you can so much as land a hit on me, then you can come with us. Else, you're on your own, kid."
Sammy facepalmed, not expecting him to challenge just a random stranger. "Not what I meant, dipshit. Come on, just..."
"Atheos," The Lucario, tired of being referred to as 'kid', said. "And I gladly accept your challenge."
Sammy sighed. "Why do boys have to solve everything with fighting?"
Ignoring her comment, the two combatants walked to the side, until they had enough room. They stood about seven feet from each other, looking in each other's eyes for clues of what they were up against. All Atheos could see though was coldness. The Bisharp raised his left arm high into the air, then slashed it off to his side, to show the fight had begun. In a puzzling tone, he said, "You have until five."
Atheos cautiously started moving toward him, but to his surprise, Bisharp made no move. Stay like that, 'n' this'll be a cinch. Once he was a foot away, he unleashed a quick jab at his upper chest. With a surprising amount of ease, Bisharp deftly leaned back, dodging the punch. As Atheos withdrew his fist, the Bisharp returned upright and said, "One."
With that, he suddenly realized that Bisharp meant he had five chances to land his hit. Until what? Doesn't matter. It won't get to that... I hope. He launched another punch, this one lower, in between the two metal discs on Bisharp's stomach, a blow that he couldn't dodge in the same fashion. Yet with the same ease as before, he spun to the side. "Two."
He was down to three more hits. Still, his foe made no move to attack. Maybe a combo. Use up two of your hits at once. Just make sure to save one. He planted his left foot firm on the ground, putting the whole of his weight on it, and swept his right foot swiftly across the ground, in an attempt to trip him. As expected, his foe dodged, jumping into the air. Perfect. Right where I want him. He planted his right foot at the end of its arc, and followed up with a higher kick with his left foot. Let's see you dodge while stuck in the air, tough guy.
"Four," Bisharp said, as he leaned back, and kicked his foot off of Atheos's. How the hell did he do that so quickly? Okay. One left. Time for the aura sphere. They landed about three yards from each other. He raised his hand, and quickly conjured up an aura sphere, then threw it directly at Bisharp. Heh. This one can't miss.
As soon as Bisharp saw the attack coming at him, he ran backwards. He couldn't let it hit him. This wasn't about whether he wanted the extra traveling companion or not anymore; this was about his pride. He ran, trying to figure out how to dodge the aura sphere, when a thought hit him. If you can't dodge it, get rid of it. But how? He looked around, but all he saw was trees. Meh. They'll do. He ran behind a tree, knowing that the ball wouldn't go around, but through. As the sphere hit the tree, it started burning through the tree, but it quickly was depleted to a few scattered blue embers, dying on the tree bark.
"Five," the Bisharp said, reappearing from behind the tree. "Now it's my turn." So I had five hits until he started trying. If I couldn't hit him when he wasn't trying... This is bad. Bisharp started walking forward toward the Lucario, not making any haste. Atheos decided to not try to delay this encounter, and started walking forward as well. When they met in the middle, Bisharp backhanded him in the face, only giving him enough time to raise his arm to absorb some of the blow. Despite this, he was still knocked to the ground. He rose onto a knee, struggling to get up, but before he could, Bisharp delivered a powerful kick square to his stomach, knocking the wind out of him and sending him tumbling backwards.
This is a losing fight. One more hit, and it'll be over. Think, man, think! Maybe there's something here that'll help you win... Lying flat on the ground, he looked for anything that could help him turn the tables. As he looked behind him, he found just the thing he was looking for. Sammy.
Their eyes met, and before he could ask for her help, she gave him a faint smile and a wink. I hope she knows what she's doing. He saw his foe walking forward, faster than before. He neared Atheos, still on the ground, and raised a hand in the air. "This looks like checkmate, kid."
He expected him to bring the hand down and stab him in he stomach or something, but he just stood there, as though frozen in place. The air around him also seemed to be tinted blue. Suddenly realizing what was happening, he jumped up, and lightly punched him in the shoulder. "Thanks Sammy for the icy wind," he said, walking over to her. He then looked back at Bisharp. "I win."
"That was a dirty trick you pulled," he, now mobile, replied walking toward them. "Why'd you help him?"
"Oh come on, no physical fighter has ever beat you. I just made it fair. Now come on. 'sgo."
He grunted, but started walking with her over to Jet. When the two reached him, Bisharp looked over his shoulder at the Lucario. "Come on. Atheos."
