Anyway here's Chapter 2! It's alas also a bit scrawnier than it could be because I had writers block trying to update Rude Awakening first and decided to get this out of the way, but I hope you enjoy what's there.

Chapter 2: Initiation

The cart rattled and shook, and Aaron braced himself. He took a deep breath, and looked around at the other children, about as nervous and confused as he was. He was about to ask where exactly they were going, but got the feeling from more than just his Aura senses that most of the others didn't know either. What he could tell was that many came from far from his home, and far from theirs as well.

And then the Rapidash pulling the cart finally stopped. The kids quickly but nervously filed out. Aaron was last, and gazed up at where they had arrived.

Before them was a huge stone monastery, built into the mountain. Its spires and columns loomed over Aaron and made him feel small - not that that was a foreign feeling. He cowered slightly as they were led inside, through winding hallways, and finally into a courtyard, where the woman who had recruited him stood. Once all the children had gathered there she paced stoically before them.

"Before you kids all crawl off to your barracks and attempt to get comfy," said Polly, "I've been put in charge of giving you a rundown of what you're here for, so sit your asses tight until I'm done!"

Aaron gulped.

"She said a bad word..." whispered one of the children.

"So," said Polly. "Can any of you brats tell me what Aura is?"

A child raised their hand. "It's a kind of life force, right?"

"Correct," said Polly. "All living beings have it in some form, and in particular in combination with other forces it's what gives Pokemon their powers! Their individual Auras express themselves in tandem with the Pokemon's biology to give them their typings and attacks."

She held up her palm and conjured a pink orb. "But sometimes, certain humans, like me and all of you, can tap into those same forces. The only known ways they crop up correspond loosely to the powers of certain Fighting, Ghost, Psychic, and Dark types. Now can anyone tell me what the terms for these powers in humans are?"

Another child raised their hand. "Aura, Psychokinesis, and the two kinds of Obscura, right?"

"Correct," said Polly. "Aura is just called Aura because among most people it's thought to be the only "real" kind of Auric power. Any actual Aura Guardian or even hedge Auric knows that's bullshit."

She sighed. "Of course, we're here to educate you. But that's not all we're doing."

She brandished her staff. "We're Aura Guardians, who use our powers to defend the weak and innocent! Granted, we can't really go it alone..."

She tapped the staff on the ground. A sphere of light emerged from the crystal at its tip, growing and stretching to congeal as a Metagross. The children gasped, murmuring among each oter as the Metagross looked them over.

"This is Metagross, one of my Pokemon partners. Your powers alone won't be able to get out of every scrape. For the rest, you have your Pokemon. And they're especially helpful early on because... Hmm, well, I'll need someone to demonstrate."

She suddenly pointed to Aaron. "You, kid! Come up here, will you?"

Aaron froze in place. All the other children locked eyes with him. Slowly, surely, he forced his legs upward and forward until he reached the front.

"Now hit me," said Polly.

Aaron blinked. "H-Hit you?"

"Yes, hit me. With your powers, preferably."

Aaron hesitated, then yelled and rushed Polly, hands glowing. Polly immediately sidestepped, knocked Aaron over with the butt of her staff, then pinned him to the ground telekinetically. The Metagross observed the prone Aaron, seemingly impassive as he gave short, shocked gasps of breath.

"And that is why you brats need training! This is why you need partners!" said Polly. "Sure you could make it on your own if you got lucky, but as you are?"

She jammed the butt of her staff onto Aaron's throat.

"You'd be dead the moment you cross any human or Pokemon enough, powers or no."

The children fell into stunned silence. Aaron didn't dare move. The Metagross kept watching.

"Anyway, that is your first lesson," said Polly, removing the staff from Aaron's throat. "Go find Vince and he'll show you to your dormorotories."

She walked off. The children silently shuffled away. Aaron remained where he was a long while before realizing his invisible restraints were gone and sitting up.

It was then he noticed the Metagross was still staring at him.

"Uh... Hi?"

He almost jumped to his feet upon hearing the voice of a reply in his head.

~Hey. Are you OK, kid?~

"Uh, y-yeah, I'm OK... Wait, you can talk? But you're a Pokemon!"

~All Pokemon can talk. Just only some of them in a way most humans can understand.~

"Woah, that's so cool!" said Aaron, eyes sparkling. He paused, then looked in the direction Polly went. "Why was Polly so mean to me? She was nice before..."

~Polly's like that. I've known her since she was a child.~

"Really? You gotta tell me more!"

~Not right now, kid,~ said Metagross, starting to trudge off. ~I have things to do.~

"Wait! But there's so much I wanna know!"

~Due time, rookie, due time.~

And Metagross walked away. Aaron paused, sighed, then scurried off after the others.

In the forest, the trees swayed, the branches shook. On a clearing the Riolu stood with his father.

"Alright, then!" said Ginji. "Today I'm going to teach you some important things, things the rest of the pack would rather I not."

The Riolu shuffled nervously. "What, Dad?"

Ginji made a dramatic flourish with his claws.

"About humans!"

Riolu blinked. "What are those?"

Ginji shrugged. "On the immediately visible end, not much. Weird two-legged apes that aren't even Pokemon and only rarely even know any attacks of like... Four types. Some more cynical Pokemon say Arceus messed up some perfectly good monkey mons."

Riolu tilted his head. "Then why do I have to learn about them, Dad?"

"Because despite all that, they're special! They create things and ideas it takes ages for most Pokemon to figure out! They're masters of tactical thinking! And most importantly of all we Pokemon made a special promise to them! One of friendship!"

"A... Promise?"

Ginji grabbed a stick and started drawing in the dirt. "Long ago, humans first came to this world, and they and Pokemon were divided. Then one day, in the Sinnoh region, there was a great meeting! One where humans and Pokemon came to terms, and decided to help and not hurt one another."

By now he had drawn a circle in the dirt.

"This agreement was known as The Vow; a promise to work toward humans and Pokemon being stronger together than apart."

He drew a line through the circle, then a smaller circle in the center.

"Wow..." said Riolu.

He then noticed the top half of the bigger circle was somehow red.

"...Dad? How did you get color with a stick?"

Ginji winked. "I learned it from my old Trainer."

"Trainer?"

"That's part of the Vow, son. Human Trainers use their quick wits to coach teams of Pokemon in sporting battles and other activities! It's really fun!"

"Wow!" said Riolu.

He frowned. "Why don't you have a Trainer anymore?"

Ginji looked at him for a minute, then sighed.

"The Vow's not perfect, son. My old Trainer, he... He died trying to protect me from another Pokemon."

"Oh..." said Riolu.

He paused, then cautiously went up and hugged his dad's leg. "I'm sorry, Dad..."

Ginji smiled. "Heh, thanks, son. Now come on, we've got to go do hunting and battle practice with your mom."

"Okay dad!"

And they headed off.

Well, that's that for now. I'll hopefully get a meatier update once I finally friggin update Rude Awakening. See you then!