Chapter 2

A Sudden Turn of Events

Through the almighty power of Arceus, he had created a being who had been in the state of equilibrium, an absolute balance between truths and ideals, one who had seen a colorful world. And it was through his power that that very being had been separated, scarred, and shattered.

Reshiram, the Dragon of Truths. She who brought good tidings with the Flame to those who upheld morality and honesty and brought down punishment by the Flame to those who indulged in the lies of the world. Zekrom, the Dragon of Ideals. He who brought honor and triumph with the roar of Thunder to those who sought and brought upon them by the roar of Thunder failure and regret for having never dreamed or so much as even thought of reaching out for the eidolon of their hopes with their own hands.

Together, they helped guide the fates and the wills of many Pokémon, blessing those who sought for the truth. The meaning of life itself. They performed their task without fail and pleased their creator.

Reshiram and Zekrom had lived together in peace that would seem to last for an eternity. Such a wish, however, was beyond ephemeral. The balance between truths and ideals had been struck with arrogance and pride. The Vast White Dragon strived to convince the other that truth was more powerful than ideals, but the Deep Black Dragon spoke otherwise. Their altercation slowly turned into a war.

These two, who had once been one and the same, eventually turned against each other. Both had denied the possibility of truths and ideals coexisting, striving to create a better world. And it was for this reason the war had been had. Pokémon turned against fellow Pokémon, fighting for either side, living in the truth or pursuing one's ideals. The land was stained with death everywhere.

However, the Dragon of Truths and the Dragon of Ideals continued on, unceasing regardless of whether those who had fought for their causes had died or not. Blow after blow. Unrelenting. Flames from within the earth and lightning from the heavens razed the lands, and even then both stood in an endless cycle of strife. Neither won. Neither lost.

Arceus was saddened by this. And so, when the Hour of Judgment had come, its purifying light washed over them. Along with it came a tranquil breeze which had brought them back from their vicious cycle. Having returned to their senses and realized the true weight of their actions, they grieved and repented to their master.

Arceus forgave them for their wrongdoings. Their master had then promised of a day when truths and ideals would have to join forces against a new great evil that would torment the generations to come. The Dragon of Truths and the Dragon of Ideals then returned to fulfilling their task of steering the world onto a better path together, holding fast to the prophesied Promised Day.

After travelling across the Frontier for nearly the whole afternoon, night had already fallen on the road to the Amp Plains. Arux had managed to find them a small cave for shelter. Once inside, they had lit a fire to keep them warm through the rest of the night. They had eaten a light dinner from a small bowl of assorted berries, and the Luxray had taken an extra Chesto Berry before their little group had called it a night. But Soran didn't sleep and stationed himself near the entrance of the cave.

He always took up being the night's first watch ever since he was a Shinx and had camped out with Arux in the middle of one of their longer adventures across the Frontier. He would be up for more than five hours before he would pass the shift to his partner, and even then he only got at most two hours of sleep before he took over again. Tonight was no different. Soran had decided to borrow one of Annalise's books to pass the time while keeping watch. But just because he was first watch didn't necessarily mean he had to keep an eye open. His ears were just as good as his eyes. So he kept his eyes busy reading. Three hours had passed since the rest of their little group had gone to sleep.

The Luxray's ears twitched, listening intently to his surroundings for any single telltale sign that hinted of a nearby threat. He looked up from the book he was reading, an excerpt from The Tale of Creation regarding legends, and turned his head around and scanned the area to make sure they were safe. The light from the fire had died down a bit but still burned brightly from inside the cave and allowed him to see quite a few meters into the night outside the cave. The only sounds he could hear were the soft snoring of his team members and their client Eve, an Absol, and the gentle night breeze that blew past him, ruffling his fur a bit.

Once he was sure there was nothing dangerous near the area he turned his eyes back to the piece of literature he was reading. I didn't think I would get this interested in the lore. A good read from time to time isn't as bad as I thought. His tail swayed from left to right absentmindedly.

Soran continued reading the excerpt until he neared the end of the story. Their master had then promised of a day when truths and ideals would have to join forces against a new evil that would torment the generations to come. So engrossed was he in the book that he had failed to notice someone sneak up on him.

"U-um," a timid sounding voice called from behind him, "Soran, sir, are you alright staying by yourself here?" The Luxray turned his head around and saw their client a few strides away, her crimson eyes filled with a mild hint of worry. He didn't respond but simply looked at her. Eve bashfully went near him and sat down. "U-um, don't you feel cold?"

"Not really," he replied tersely. He closed the book with a paw and faced the Absol. "I'm rather used to these kinds of conditions, being an explorer and whatnot," Soran added.

"You seem a lot different from other explorers like your friend, Arux was it? From what I've seen of you, y-you seem to always have some serious aura around you. You're always guarded. A-are you perhaps m-mad?"

"Is that the impression you have of me?" he asked the Absol. "Well," he turned his head to look at the night sky outside. It was a moonless night and only a scarce amount of stars could be seen in the sky. "I'm not mad and you're not really wrong about me being serious. Even Arux calls me a stuck-up prick at times, but I don't deny being one. I actually wish to be as laid back as him but after all I've gone through in this life, I don't think I can." He heaved a sigh.

"What do you mean? Did some bad things happen in the past?" The Luxray noticed she stared at him wide-eyed with curiosity.

He was reluctant about talking about the past. Thinking about what could have happened was bad enough, especially when he and Arux had assisted the legendary Cresselia in hunting down Darkrai, going as far as the depths of the Dark Crater. They had almost lost their lives to the evil Pokémon in that last face off within the burning chasm. But they had somehow prevailed. When Soran had found it was Darkrai's fault that he had lost the memories of his life as a human…

The Luxray shook his head lightly at the previous question. "Nothing too serious," he lied. "I'm just a bit fed up with the recent rise in criminal activity. I absolutely dislike the way how some Pokémon would do anything to please themselves, even at the cost of others." It was a truth that compensated for the lie. He paused for a short while before continuing, "So? What's wrong? What's keeping you awake at this hour?" He noticed that she had a frown plastered on her face.

Eve fidgeted in place, seemingly not knowing how to start. "I-I'm not sure why," she stuttered. "Sometimes I'd hear a voice calling out to me in the night. It's a bit terrifying, e-especially since we're in the middle of nowhere. I-I'm also scared that… b-bandits would come again." The Absol's last words were but a soft whisper. Soran saw her tearing up and sniffling.

An awkward silence descended on them and it made Soran quite uncomfortable, seeing a lady on the verge crying. So he decided to do what he could to calm the Absol down. "There's no need to worry, miss," the Luxray assured her. "We're here to protect you. Everything will be alright."

"Despite how stern you look, you're actually kind and soft-hearted, aren't you?" she said as she wiped away some of her tears. Eve gave Soran a soft smile before looking down at her paws. "Thank you."

After the Absol had calmed down the pair stayed silent for a while, listening to the soft snores of Arux and Annalise from within the cave. A few minutes passed. Then an hour. Eve slowly got up from where she was and said a soft "Goodnight" to him before she went back to sleep. Soran continued to keep watch for another hour before Arux woke up to take second watch.

"You should get some sleep while you still can," he yawned to his partner as he rubbed the sleep away from his eyes. The Lucario sat himself beside Soran and nudged him to take a break. The Luxray complied without any complaints.

When he slept, Soran had a dreamless night.

Team Guardian and their client had left the cave at sunrise in order to get to their destination early the following day. They had eaten some apples along the way to keep their stamina up. The luscious green trees and grass that they were travelling on slowly disappeared and were replaced by a desolate looking wasteland with a few patches of dried grass and dead trees.

Soran's conversation with Eve the previous night left his mind thinking back on the past events of when he was still a Shinx, whether he liked to or not. Both good and bad memories, Soran tried not to think too much about them, but to no avail he failed. I have to focus. But why do they keep coming back? Travelling to the Hidden Land. The fight against Dusknoir and losing Grovyle. The battle against Primal Dialga at the pinnacle of Temporal Tower. All of it, up to the final encounter with-

"Hello. Earth to Soran. You in there, buddy?" Arux's voice pulled him back from his reverie. "What's gotten into you? I know you're the type to think deeply, but it's rare to see you space out like that." Beside him, the Lucario looked at him with a smirk. He didn't notice they were already in the wastelands, withered up trees and dried grass becoming more prominent as they continued along the dirt road. He could even see large rocks and boulders lining the rugged path. He and Arux lagged behind Eve and Annalise who were chatting idly.

"We're already getting close to the Plains, so you gotta get your head back into the game." Arux had turned his head forward while looking straight ahead at the girls, his tube contraption slung on his back.

"I'm sorry. I was just thinking-"

"You don't say," Arux teased with his usual sarcastic remarks. Soran sighed at the sudden interjection.

"I was reminiscing on the past." At this the Lucario turned his head back to his partner, willing to lend an ear.

"What about it?"

"About our adventure through present and future. I rarely think about these sort of things. But going back on it, it seems like a really far away dream. We had defeated legendary Pokémon. We even went as far as to befriend them. It seems way too absurd. Several of the things we've done have left some good effects, and just as many have left some scars that will always remind me of our close tangles with death."

"But it's because we've done such things that we've come this far, right? I mean, we're still alive and kicking. And admittedly, life's gotten a bit boring since then. Sure we're explorers who have to prioritize the safety of all the innocent 'Mons out there, but such amazing things probably won't happen again. That's why I will always treasure those memories and never let them go. And to think, it all started when we met at that shore all because of a rock."

Partners exchanged glances. They stared at each other for a while before Soran chuckled in amusement at his friend's long comment. Arux got dragged along and eventually they started laughing boisterously. The girls had looked back to ask what was so funny.

"It's nothing, Anna," Arux replied as his laughter started to die down.

"W-what?" The Gardevoir was caught off guard at the nickname. Her cheeks started to flush a light red and she quickly turned around to hide it. "Sir Arux, t-that name was u-uncalled for. If you call me by s-such a name…" However she mumbled something under her breath before she started walking ahead of the group. Eve dashed to catch up with the Gardevoir.

"Ah. Annalise, wait, hold on!" Arux called out to her. Soran saw that his friend had a confused expression. "What's up with her?" he asked the Luxray.

"Ah, young love." Soran merely chuckled.

"Eh? What do you mean by that? Hey! Soran!"

The Luxray didn't let his friend finish before he dashed off laughing at his partner's obliviousness.

They continued their way until they reached the entrance to the Amp Plains. The group could already feel some of their fur standing due to the buildup in static, except for Annalise, who could project a small psychokinetic field to repel the electricity, and Soran, who was an electric type by nature. In fact, the Luxray thought that if he were a wild Pokémon, he would feel at home here the most.

"Alright team, it's time for a brief run-through regarding the mission. We're here to retrieve the stolen Absolite necklace of our client from a group of cloaked outlaws. Remember, keep an eye out for any sign of them. Stay on high alert." Soran gave Annalise a stern look. "Annalise, you will take the lead in this and I will trust your judgment on the field."

"I understand," she replied.

"Arux, I will take left guard and you will take right." The Lucario gave a nod at the order. "Our top priority is Miss Eve's safety. Miss Eve, I need you to stay behind us so that we can fend off any wild Pokémon in the vicinity." The Absol also nodded in understanding, albeit a bit shyly.

Then they all faced the entrance to the mystery dungeon. "Team Guardian, let's move."

The group trotted along cautiously along the terrain in a partially spread out formation, keeping an eye out for both wild Pokémon and their targets. Annalise grew excited and nervous. She was trying her best to prepare herself for anything that might happen to them, but she felt like a jittery. Her movements felt stiff and her mind was in a disarray.

"Alright Annalise. Calm down. You do not wish to make a mess out of this. Calm down." She looked back slightly at Arux and Soran. "How are you faring, Sir Arux? Sir Soran?" she called out to them.

"We're doing fine here. No need to worry about us," came the relaxed reply of Arux. To Annalise, he walked as if he was still strolling around in the streets back at Treasure Town.

"Everything is fine on my side." Her gaze turned to the Luxray. His stern face was on but even then he looked the same, as if nothing was wrong.

"I-I'm okay!" Eve replied last. She sounded nervous, which was normal since she had been attacked before and is trying to be a bit more wary. However, the Absol's eyes restlessly roamed all over the place, as if she was anticipating something. Odd. Miss Eve must be feeling a bit more nervous than before.

Annalise was shocked at how composed her superiors were. Then again, they have been explorers longer than she has, which was technically a day, and have a multitude of experiences about being an explorer, which she did not, but still, it was both admirable and terrifying how they were both so calm and battle-ready at the same time.

She had to focus, find the balance between composed and aware. The Gardevoir slapped her cheeks in order to keep herself alert. Annalise signaled with a wave of her hand for the group to continue along. It is my first mission. I have to do the best that I can!

Even in a mystery dungeon, the fact that their group has yet to encounter a single enemy unnerved Soran. It felt even more desolate than usual. Where were all the other wild electric type Pokémon?

The Luxray shared a worried glance with Arux. He understood the look in his partner's face. "Hey, Annalise. Did you notice anything weird about the surrounding area?"

The Gardevoir stopped in her tracks. "Um, I've noticed that there hasn't been a single sighting of any wild Pokémon." She paused to think before she continued, "From what I have read regarding the Amp Plains, there should be an abundance of electric types, however…" Annalise put a hand under her chin. "Do you perhaps think that this is a trap by those bandits?"

"Quite likely. Soran and I had gone on a mission here a few days before you had arrived. This place still had those shockers roaming around," the Lucario said. Soran gave a small nod agreeing with his partner's statement.

"Then we should keep our guard up! Perhaps we have to lessen the space between our formations by a bit. Would that work, Sir Soran?" She turned to the Luxray with an expectant look.

"I suppose," he replied tersely.

They proceeded with their plan, traversing the rocky terrain in a less spaced out formation. The next few minutes were spent moving deeper into the dungeon, their eyes peeled open for their targets.

Suddenly, Arux stopped walking, surprising the rest of the group. "What's wrong, Sir Arux?" The four aura sensors on the back of his head rose as he closed his eyes. In that moment, an eerie silence descended on them.

They opened with a start. "Guys, something's coming." As if on cue, a series of tremors shook the ground they were standing on and the skies dimmed an unearthly gray as a sudden rush of -was that sand?- started pelting their bodies. Pebbles started shaking while large boulders started moving. The tremors grew stronger and everyone was knocked down by the sheer force. "Guh. I think I'm gonna be sick," the Lucario groaned, his face starting to pale.

"What on earth?" Annalise gasped as she looked ahead of her. Arux and Soran followed her line of sight.

A few yards away, a lone figure cloaked in black stood in the middle sauntering towards them. It was difficult to tell what kind of Pokémon it was with the sandstorm buffeting his face and the black cloak covering most of its body, but judging from what Soran could see, which wasn't much at all, it was quite tall. Much taller than him. With every step the cloaked figure took, a tremor followed suit. And it was growing quite unbearable with it coming closer to them along with the quakes.

The figure turned to Arux, then to Annalise. "Well, well, well. What do we have here?" the figure spoke in a deep masculine voice, stopping right in front of the downed Gardevoir. The tremors had halted as well. "Two 'Mons with some potential. Quite the haul." He pulled out what Soran assumed to be his arm with a single claw at the end and a rather long and sharp looking fin. He brought his claw around the chain bracelet on her left wrist and was about to yank it off, but thought otherwise upon noticing Arux glaring daggers at him.

"What's wrong, boy? Scared I might do something to the little lady?" the figure taunted.

"Leave Annalise alone!" he yelled. He tried to stand up but found himself wobbly and dizzy from the tremors and landed on his knees. The Lucario tried to right himself once more, standing a bit more firmly than before. "You lay a claw on her, outlaw, you're dead!" Arux threatened the cloaked bandit, his eyes lit with fire.

The cloaked figure wagged his claw at him. "You're more than welcome to try and stop me." Arux took on a battle stance.

In an instant, Arux rushed at the figure with blinding speed and drew back his palm. "Eat Force Palm!" The powerful blow landed without fail and its force pushed the figure back a few yards. However, the cloaked figure skidded to a stop, remaining unfazed by the damage. The Lucario looked on, calmly assessing the attack he dealt. When he noticed the figure was relatively fine he clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"That all?" the figure scoffed. "Well then. It's my turn." If Soran thought Arux had been faster than his enemy, he was sorely mistaken. The figure disappeared within the sandstorm in a split second. Arux kept himself in a guarded stance, anticipating an attack from the front. Wrong move. The figure had slammed into his back with an unseen speed and knocked the Lucario forward. But he didn't land. Another slam had hit him on his side, sending him slightly into the air. Then another came, and another. To Soran, it looked like he has being assaulted by an unseen force. When the attacks stopped, Arux landed on the ground with a painful thud. The cloaked figure reappeared beside him and held him down with a foot to the chest.

"I'm sorry. Did that hurt?" he asked in a mocking fashion. The cloaked outlaw then snickered and pulled his foot away, leaving Arux groaning in pain.

Soran tried to find some strength in his legs to get up. I have to help him! The Luxray forced himself to weather the sand and attempted to sprint to his partner's aid. However, a sudden force pushed him back down to the ground. He looked back to check what it was, only to find a glowering Absol staring down at him coldly.

"You're assistance will not be needed. After all, you're going to die here."

"You! What is the meaning of this?" Soran barked at Eve. She glared at him coldly.

"Isn't it obvious? The whole thing was a setup. A trap to capture your little group. And it looks like it worked." She brought her face up close to his until their muzzle were almost touching. "Your sad bunch is just too gullible." Soran snarled back at her.

"Let. Me. Go!" The Luxray roared and released a Discharge on the Absol, but she simply dodged backwards and retaliated with a swift Night Slash to his side. Soran grunted in pain and rolled across the dirt before hitting a nearby boulder. She strode to Soran to land another blow but was halted by the cloaked figure's call.

"Oi, Eve. Take it easy. The Luxray's no real threat. Just secure the Gardevoir's Mega Stone," the cloaked figure ordered the Absol from where he stood.

Eve turned from Soran and started walking to Annalise. However, she didn't anticipate a swift Iron Tail to her hind legs. The Luxray quickly pulled her back with his fortified tail with a roar, knocking the Absol down. "Don't turn your back on a foe." In one fluid motion, Soran raised his tail and was about to bring it down on her, but the cloaked figure appeared behind him and grabbed his tail with both his claws. He flung him towards the direction of Arux, and his body skidded to a halt beside his partner.

The Lucario forced himself to get up, ignoring the pain, and checked up on Soran. "We gotta protect Annalise," rasped Soran. Arux helped his friend up and the pair took on another battle stance. They found that said Gardevoir had rushed to them.

"Sir Arux! Sir Soran!" She brought out from her explorer pack two Oran Berries and gave it to her wounded superiors. "Take these." They complied and bit into the blue berries. Already, they felt the healing properties of the berry work.

In that moment, Arux reached for the tube slung around his back and grabbed a handle that he hadn't seen on it the first time he saw it. The Lucario drew it and held the contraption like a cannon, the vials tied to it swirling with energy. He put his right paw at the back of the tube with a roar of power and channeled his energy into it. "Witness this grand moment!" Everyone, including the outlaw and the Absol, stopped and blinked at the Lucario's outburst. "This is the drill that shall pierce the heavens!" More energy flowed into the cannon.

"Um, Sir Arux," Annalise interjected with a confused expression. "That contraption looks nothing remotely like a drill."

"Just go with it," he muttered with a smirk and took aim.

From the tip of the cannon, an immense blue beam of energy erupted and launched towards the two Pokémon opposite their side. It rushed at them and the cloaked figure stepped in front as if to take the blow directly. The explosion from the impact resulted in a blinding and searing light that even launched Arux backwards from the sheer power of the recoil. When the smoke cleared along with the sandstorm, Team Guardian saw the effects of the cannon. It razed the grounds it blasted through, smoking and charred a bit.

What really surprised them, though, was the cloaked figure still standing. Or perhaps not-so-cloaked figure would have fit better. The black clothing had mostly been burned off from the raw power of the cannon, and only a torn up cloth was wrapped around the figure's neck. It revealed a menacing face on what Soran would best describe as a land shark. Even from afar, the Luxray could tell that the Pokémon absolutely towered over them. He was covered in dark blue scales and had a red underbelly. He had four fins jutting out of his body, one on the side of each arm, a large fin on his back, and a fin on his tail. His head also sported two appendages that made him look even more menacing.

He snickered at the attack. "Heh. That actually stung." He turned his head behind him. "Oi, Eve. You alive?"

"For the most part, boss," came a reply from behind him.

He snickered even more before he started laughing maniacally. His bore his gaze into Arux and grinned. "I like you. I wish I could stay and finish you off, but even we're on a tight schedule." He paused before opening his mouth again. "Asher's the name. Don't forget it."

"Eve, let's get a move on. We may have failed now, but we'll get another chance at other Mega Stones." He tossed something to Eve who caught it in her mouth. He then leapt into the air and took flight, heading for what Soran assumed to be north.

The Absol walked to the side of her boss. "Understood." She looked to Annalise, then to Soran. Her eyes looked at them coldly, but otherwise said nothing else. She turned and leapt away from the field lithely, escaping. The group had no other choice but to look on.

"What the…?" When they were sure that they were gone, Arux tiredly slumped to the ground.

Annalise wrapped a bandage around Arux's chest where the enemy had stomped on in order to make sure that he hadn't suffered a fracture. It had been around two hours since the encounter with the Pokémon known as Asher and the battle. Annalise was tending to the Lucario's nicks and bruises in the entrance of a nearby cave and was trying to make sure he held still while she was treating him.

The Lucario winced in pain when she pulled on it tightly. "Yeowch! A-Annalise! The bandage is too tight! Too tight!" He squirmed at the pressure.

"It needs to be that way, Sir Arux," the Gardevoir chided. "Oran Berries help speed up recovery, but it doesn't save you immediately from a possible fracture in your body. Luckily, I had learned a thing or two from both my mother and from books on proper medical treatment, so I know just what to do."

The Lucario tried to get away from her treatment but was held down by a telekinetic force. "Curse my natural weakness to psychic type moves." He muttered under his breath. "Alright! I yield."

Soran was propped up beside the entrance of the cave, sitting down and gazing into the somewhat dim sky, arcs of lightning streaking through it from time to time. Perhaps a thunderstorm was on its way. For the most part Soran was fine, being the one who go out of the fight with lesser damage. He thought back to what the land shark said. "We may have failed now, but we'll get another chance at other Mega Stones."

Other Mega Stones? Does that mean… His thoughts were interrupted when Annalise walked up to him with his partner trailing behind.

"Sir Soran, are your bruises alright? Though you may have gotten out less badly than Sir Arux, please do not hesitate to tell me if something hurts."

The Luxray simply nodded with a grunt. "I suppose it would be best to get back to Treasure Town, considering all the things that happened." Annalise opened her mouth to say something but thought better of it. Soran noticed she was making a troubled face. "What's wrong, Annalise?"

"Um, Sir Soran, that Asher fellow… Do you perhaps know what kind of Pokémon he is?"

He exchanged a glance with Arux, who simply nodded. Soran turned to face the Gardevoir. "That land shark Pokémon is probably a native from the Northern Desert. Their species are known as Garchomp… To think we were tricked just like that." Soran scowled at the ground.

"Well, no use worrying about it now," Arux spoke up. "What's done is done. It's best we get home quick if we don't want to get caught in the storm. Right?"

"Yeah." Soran got up from where he was seated. "Come on guys, let's go. Annalise," he called out. "I'll answer any questions you might have when we get back to base."

With that, they set off.

Author's Note:

Here's the second one. This one was stuck in my document folder for a while... That aside, third chapter is coming up in about two days. As per usual, please continue to read and review. Constructive criticism is very much appreciated.

Watching: Gate-Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tataekari, Joukamachi no Dandelion

Listening: One Ok Rock