I have returned! :D

Chapter Two: Ebon and Night

Richard stood in front of the lab again, three years later. He was taller, and more toned. No one would remember him for the kid that had his ribs broken, before when the only near-murder happened in the quiet town of Littleroot. This is it. I will become a Trainer today. He winced and then hissed as his ribs twinged again. Damnit... That guy did a number on me. I may be fully healed but according to my doctor I can no longer do anything strenuous.

Richard stared at the doors ahead of him, willing them to open and ease his suffering. He looked at his watch, and groaned. "Another fifteen minutes."

"Excuse me sir, but aren't you too old to be getting a starter?" Asked a young girl from behind Richard.

"Hush child. He's able to get one as well as you." Scolded a woman with her, obviously her mother.

Richard looked back and smiled. "I've been waiting for this day for years now. My parents never would let me get one until now."

"Oh I see. A late bloomer then huh?" Asked the woman, smiling at Richard. "Any ideas on what starter you want?"

"Torchic." Richard smiled happily. "Cute, fluffy, and warm. Not to mention quite feisty in battle."

"Ah I see." The woman smiled again as the doors opened.

"Alright everyone. Come on in." Announced Professor Birch, stepping aside to allow the people to enter. "Choose wisely."

Richard walked quickly to the pedestal and picked up the Pokéball containing Torchic, and then felt a tug on his arm. "Huh?" He looked to the side and barely avoided the fist coming his way by ducking. "Whoa!"

"You again." Growled the same kid from before, sparking anger in Richard as he saw him again.

"YOU!"

"Boys, please leave if you're going to misbehave." Ordered Birch, growling.

Richard stood up and glared at the man who nearly murdered him and put his best friend into a deep coma. "What are you doing here?" He asked, a brittle tone in his voice.

"Taking this." He held up the pokeball Richard had. "Because I deserve it more than a weakling like yourself. Now leave and never come back, unless you want to die."

Richard breathed calmly and brought his arms up, crossing them and settling his feet slightly apart. "No."

"You sealed your fate." The unknown kid charged at Richard, who moved quickly and grabbed him by the sides of his head. "The hell?!"

"Can't move can you?" Richard asked, clinching the kids head. "I've learned a few things since you attacked me three years ago."

"Bastard! Let me go so I can kill you!"

Richard responded by swinging his leg and spinning on it, bringing the kid down onto the ground and reentering the stance in a smooth motion. "This is a style of Karate that has almost died out. My family happens to know a master who teaches this style."

The kid stood back up and attempted to charge again.

Richard ducked and went forwards, catching the kid under the arms and lifting up, flipping him around and causing him to land on his back outside the open doors. He sidled out himself, keeping in his stance and obeying Birch who was about to call the police.

The man grunted as he stood back up again, growling dangerously. "Bastard." He entered into a stance similar to Richards. "However I know Martial Arts too."

Richard ignored the twinge in his side. Crap. I am at a disadvantage right now. He probably knows about my injuries based on what he did before. I have to finish this fight soon.

"By the way. You can call me Ebon." The man moved faster than Richard could visibly track and only his experience in fighting saved him as he blocked a dual-pronged attack to his sides. "You weren't kidding. You definitely received training from a master if you reacted that way."

Richard smirked. "And you fell into my trap." Only way I can defeat him... He clipped his heel against Ebon's foot and spiraled to the ground, landing on top of him.

"Agh!"

Is to use this! "Jiu-jitsu. Throws and grapples." Richard stood up and jumped back quickly as Ebon attempted to grab his foot.

"Fuck you!" Ebon growled, standing up quickly. "You know multiple styles huh?"

Richard shrugged, entering the Muay Thai stance. "Care to test it out?"

"M-Muay Thai?"

"Nope. Look closer."

Ebon squinted and then visibly blanched. "N-no! Muay Borat!"

"Correct." Richard stayed in place. "I refuse to attack though, so come at me if you wish."

Ebon growled. "You're taunting me. Big mistake."

Richard was prepared for Ebon, who had ran forward at a medium pace. Twin Spears Uplifting Stance? Basic, but powerful. He pivoted as if on a leg he didn't have and kneed Ebon in the side, and another twinge of pain spread through his sides. FUCK! He collapsed to the ground, holding his side as Ebon only jerked from the hit.

"I knew it. You're still feeling the kick from a few years ago." Ebon reached down and picked Richard up by the throat. "Now, you will die and I will make sure you do." He clenched his fist before a howl sounded through the area, causing him to look around. "Or I could leave you for the Mightyena." He dropped Richard and walked off. "Cya loser. That is, IF you survive."

Richard hissed as he attempted to stand backup. Their fight had ended up with them a fair distance from Littleroot, which he was regretting as he coughed blood. Crap... Over did it... I should've stuck with Jiu-jitsu. He clenched his side as he struggled to his feet. "I am sorry Arthur..." He went down to one knee as a pack of Mightyena approached, growling at him.

Richard didn't dare move quickly, knowing what they could do to him even if he was technically above Disciple Class in many Martial Arts. He froze as the largest of the Mightyena slowly approached him, sniffing his collar and sides.

The Alpha looked deep into Richard's eyes. It licked his face slowly, and helped him up with the rest of the pack, bringing the confused teenager back to his feet and surrounding him protectively.

"Are... Are you going to help me?" Richard asked carefully, staring at the Alpha male specifically.

The Mightyena nodded, and turned to start walking. Richard walked too, keeping his hand on his side as the others stayed by him in case he fell.

They walked for about twenty minutes, which made Richard wonder just how long he had fought against Ebon as he stepped into the small town of Odale. He noticed the Mightyena had left him then just before his vision started darkening. Just before consciousness left him, Richard heard someone shouting out that they needed an ambulance right away when the darkness enveloped him.

Richard groaned as he opened his eyes, blurry shapes filling his sight as he looked around. He sat up slowly, reaching for his side where he felt bandages wrapped around his torso. "Where am I?" He wondered, his mind processing his location slower than normal.

"Chansey!" Shouted a high-pitched voice near the door, and Richard saw a pinkish shape excitedly rush out of the room.

Chansey? He wondered before it finally clicked in his mind. "The Pokémon Center."

"Richard? How are you feeling?" Asked Nurse Joy as she walked in, Richard's vision clearing.

"I'm fine Joy." Richard smiled. "Just feeling slightly out of it today."

"I can certainly understand why. You've been out for about a week now."

Richard's eyes snapped wide open as he bolted upright. "Huh?! A week?!" He exclaimed.

"Yes a week. Now lay down." Joy pushed Richard back into a laying position. "I need to make certain that you are completely okay before we release you."

Richard flinched as a cold object touched his chest under the bandages when Joy placed a stethoscope there. He breathed calmly, drawing upon the meditation technique he learned from his Master.

"Well your heart rate is fine. I just got your X-Rays back so let me go check those." Joy walked away from the bed and opened a yellow folder to place the photos up on the lightboard, turning it on after placing the last one up. "Your fractures to the second and fifth ribs on the right side have re-opened themselves and the seventh rib of your left side has the same signs. What did you do?"

Richard grimaced, having sat back up to stare over at where Joy was looking at his X-Rays. "Got in a fight." He answered, deciding against lying about it.

"Now that wasn't very smart. I'll call your parents and tell them you are awake and ready for pickup. Just take it easy from now on okay?"

Richard nodded. "Yes Nurse Joy."

"Good boy. Wait here." Joy left the room, leaving Richard in the room again.

Great... Mom is going to yell my ear off when she gets here. Richard thought to himself as he laid back down, staring up at the ceiling. He closed his eyes and the fight with Ebon went through his head again, slowed down in his mind. No wonder why I lost... I got cocky and overworked myself. He is years ahead of me with his Martial Arts. And he was calmer than me now that I think back on it...

Fifty minutes after Richard had closed his eyes, calmly breathing in, a knock from his door reached his ears. "Come in."

"Well, it happened again huh?" Asked a soft voice, resonating strongly and with a source of power Richard easily recognized.

"Seth." Richard smiled as he sat up, seeing his older brother standing in the doorway to close the door. "Where's mom?"

"I told her I'd come. And tell you her piece, which be glad I am not. It was a wonder I even convinced her to let me come instead." Seth had a look of concern on his face, and Richard did a double take as something caused Seth's eyes to dull a bit. "Nurse says you're good enough to take home now. C'mon little man, let's get you home."

"You know you're the only one who can call me that right?" Richard said slightly annoyed.

"Its because you love me." Seth walked over to the bed and pulled the IV slowly out of Richard's arm, and wrapped it in a bandage to stop any bleeding quickly. He turned off the machines next to the bed and took the heart rate monitors off of Richard's chest. "Now lets go."

Richard swung around and stood up from the bed, walking to the closet to pull his shirt and coat back on.

Richard walked slowly up a hill east of Fortree City alone. He had to sneak away, because if Officer Jenny spotted him leaving without a pokemon for protection she'd give him an earful and call his mom, and he didn't need that. Not now, not after what happened today.

Today was his sixteenth birthday, but everything went wrong. First Seth had to leave on official league business even he couldn't prevent. His Father blew up his new present, a 'standard' issue Master Ball that wasn't properly tested. His mother invited his ex girlfriend, trying to set them up again.

Richard walked and walked, until he thought he was far enough away from the City. When he stood alone on top of a hill, looking up at the sky tears streamed down his face. He thought of what had caused him to come onto the hill and more tears began to slide down his cheek. "Damn it! Why did this have to happen! Why does everything have to go wrong around me?!" He sat down on the ground and buried his face in his arms, heavy sobs heaving from him as he cried.

"Absol?" Asked a questioning voice from behind Richard, causing him to jump with surprise. He turned and gasped at what he saw. In front of him stood an Absol, one of the most beautiful pokemon to exist in his opinion. He stumbled back, a little scared, until he saw the thin gash running along the creatures side with bright crimson blood coating the surrounding fur.

Richard shakily got back to his feet and started to slowly approach the Disaster Pokemon, unafraid of its reputation as a 'killer' in the eyes of the populace of his hometown of Fortree. The Absol watched him wearily as he came to its side and examined the gash. "You don't look so good... Mind if I help out?" He asked softly, looking into the Crimson eyes of the creature he was standing next to. He saw the Absol nod and looked back at the gash. Richard stood on his knees as he reached into his bag and pulled out a Hyper Potion he kept on him in case of these things happening. He looked back at the Absol. "This is going to hurt..." He whispered as he turned the nozzle into the open position and started to spray it along the Absol's side along the gash.

The Absol gritted its teeth to keep from groaning in pain, closing its eyes as it stood there allowing the Human to tend to its wound. Shortly after, the Absol's eyes opened when it longer felt the pain of the gash. It looked over its shoulder and examined its side. Sure the blood was still there, but the gash had been repaired back to how it was before.

Richard smiled at the Absol as he took a step back. "There we go... Does that feel much better?" He asked softly.

The Absol looked at Richard, staring deep into his eyes for a while. And then, without warning, pounced on top of him to pin him down.

Richard gulped as he stared up at the Absol that was simply looking down at him, scared out of his wits and wondering what it was going to do.

The Absol leaned its head down and licked his cheek softly. "Thank you, human." It said in a female voice, stepping off of him.

Richard was taken aback. "You - You - You can talk?" He asked incredulously.

The Absol smiled coyly as it, well she, sat down. "Yes I can. And because you helped me without any thought of having anything expected in return I am now your Guardian."

"Wha? What do you mean by Guardian?" Asked Richard, slightly confused.

The Absol giggled. "Oh my... You humans have certainly forgotten much. A Pokemon Guardian such as myself wanders the countryside looking for those who are pure of heart and..." She paused to look at Richard. "And who deserve to have a better life for themselves." She watched as Richard developed a look of shock across his face. And I think he can wait to hear what happens between a Guardian and their chosen... "Well? Hard to digest?" She asked softly.

Richard nodded dumbly. A Pokemon Guardian! Wow... This is interesting...

The Absol chuckled. "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Night."

Richard blinked. "My name is Richard. It's very nice to meet you Night."

Night smiled. "Good... Do you happen to have a Pokeball on you? I may be a Guardian but I am still a Pokemon and can be caught by others."

Richard nodded. "Yes, I do. I keep one on me at all times." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small sphere. He pressed the button and it expanded. The top half of the ball was a blue color while the bottom was white. On two sides of the top part of the ball were red ridges. "Here it is." He said, showing it to Night.

Night nodded and she walked over to sit in front of Richard. "Well? Press the button to my forehead to capture me."

Richard nodded and brought the device down and tapped the button gently onto the Absol's forehead.

Immediately the device absorbed the Absol into the device and 'dinged' signaling an instant capture.

Richard let Night out and smiled at her. "Well guess what Night."

Night cocked her head to the side. "What?" She asked curiously.

Richard smirked. "You are the first pokemon I ever captured."

Veloran is back baby, but I am afraid Trema has been permanently discontinued for all I know. Hyato's Author hasn't gotten back to me for an update on well, Hyato. Sadly, I have to let Trema go. BUT I'll keep it up if I ever convince him to give me the rights to Hyato, Lydia, and all his plans for that side of things. You may notice some changes to the flashback. They overide that you saw in Trema.

~Veloran Darkfyre