Chapter 3: Sweet Irony

Disclaimer: Pokemon? Yeah, I own it. Like, five versions! No I don't own the franchise. Sorry.

~o~

The first goal Indigo had was to discover strength.

Nivalis had been intentionally obscure as to what this could mean. She had spoken of human nature. How laughable…that she had turned him into a Lucario to learn how to be human! Indigo found he did not appreciate the joke.

But despite having the distinct and unsettling feeling he was grasping at mist in the shadows with his quest, when it came to strength, he knew of only one place to begin.

Indigo trained in battle, until his new limbs were as familiar to him as the ones he'd been born with. He stopped noticing he could hear the voices of Pokémon. In fact, it was the voices of people that began to make him jump. He felt disconnected from humanity in a way he'd never before experienced, even back when he'd been committing crimes for the King of Fire. Many days he abandoned the idea of speaking altogether.

He grew strong on the victories and losses against the wild Pokémon and wandering trainers who strayed too far into the territory which quickly became known as his. As time went on, the losses came farther apart. He had found power in his new form, and with it came strength and stamina the likes of which he had never experienced as a human.

But by far the greatest perk of his curse was in his eyes.

He had nearly fallen over from shock the first time he'd managed to use his new ability. He had broken the connection immediately, of course, and it was days before he managed to repeat the fluke. Indigo had a splitting headache from the effort, but he didn't care in the slightest.

Because he had a second sight, that let him see the life force of the earth itself. Veins of silvery light connected the earth to the trees, and even the wind. Living beings shone brilliant blue to his new eyes, beacons of emotion that could be seen in fog or darkness…or even through solid objects. The world spun into grey and blue, and he could see in every direction at once. He could even direct his vision farther, and see ahead for miles.

All Indigo had to do was close his eyes, and he could see everything.

But some lessons were learned the difficult way. Sometimes, it was better not to see.

He had been in the future nearly a month before he discovered just how far he'd been thrown. Indigo had been exploring the reaches of the mountainous region he'd found himself in, half wondering if he would ever find a city at all, when he was nearly run down by a car.

His new reflexes saved him. Indigo had stepped onto the road without thought, and only barely leapt out of the way as the hulking metal monstrosity came roaring around the blind curve. The driver yelled obscenities out the window as he hurtled away. Shaken didn't come close to describing what Indigo felt. And now that he'd glimpsed it, it seemed there were new horrors wherever he looked…

The strange, high tech Poké Balls the wandering trainers used. The silver creations streaking across the sky, belching clouds in their wake. Even the stars were dimmer than they had been at home. He hadn't thought anything of it, had barely even noticed, until he saw his first city since being cursed.

Lights shone from every corner, and blazed from the windows of clean cut homes. Neon signs glared from storefronts, and people stared at shining devices in their hands. The whole city seemed to be a beacon, and the pollution from the constant hum of electricity was dimming the heavens. People were everywhere, wearing strange clothes, and using new words he'd never heard, like 'laptop', and 'donut'. The metal vehicles spat poison into the air, which went unnoticed by all.

Indigo had retreated to the forest on the mountainside, badly traumatized by the extreme changes to the world. No one seemed to be in fear either. It was as though the entire war he had devoted his life to fighting and his struggle to defeat an evil king had never even happened. It was as though he didn't exist. Like none of it had ever existed.

Like he was chasing a dream of a forgotten land, and a story no one remembered, its characters all long dead. Except, it seemed, for him.

It had taken a long time to get past. Indigo found he could only stave off the depression with one thing. He trained like his very existence depended on it, his mind focused on one thing, and one thing alone.

He would get stronger. He would break this curse, and return to the world he knew as home. Though he might be living in this time, he would never truly belong to it. He would not be staying. The thought brought him comfort.

Sometimes, trainers sought him out, intending to capture him. Indigo fought them all off, filled with the proud knowledge that only the strongest would be able to succeed. The more he won, the stronger the trainers who came for him became. This suited Indigo just fine.

One day, he told himself, he would meet a trainer who was truly the best. Surely that person could teach him strength beyond what he could learn by himself. And though he didn't particularly want to belong to another person, if it meant returning to his reality, Indigo would do anything.

The nightmares of his final battle continued every time he slept, and he dreamed he was drowning in blood and fire.

It was an excellent motivator.

A year passed, while Indigo burned slowly from the inside out, in a world he didn't recognize or understand.

~o~

It was morning in Pewter City. Light broke over the silhouette of Mount Moon on the horizon, spilling a fresh palette of colors over the waking city. Rock Pokémon rumbled irritably, shaking off the morning dew as though it were abhorrent; living statues coming to life in the dawn. Pidgey chased each other across the sky, greeting the new day.

It would have been peaceful, if it weren't for the commotion at the local Pokémon Center.

"Did you hear?"

"I heard he's a legend."

"Coming to Pewter any minute now…"

Groups of trainers of all ages stood in the chilled autumn morning, huddled into groups, chatting animatedly with each other. Their breath misted the air, and more than one person was wearing a coat, arms crossed against the cold. And yet, no one seemed bothered by the temperature, or the hour of the morning.

"Didn't he save an entire town from a rampaging Dragonite?" a blonde girl in a pink, tasseled hat whispered to her friend, cheeks flushed with cold. "He did it single-handedly to boot!"

"We don't get celebrities passing through often," her friend, an auburn haired girl in a dark leather jacket agreed. "It's always newbies fresh out of Viridian Forest. But this guy, he has some serious power. I don't think there's a single person here who can match him."

"What about Terry? Weren't you telling me last week he was the strongest trainer you'd ever met?" the blonde girl demanded, as though personally offended. Her eyes were a startling shade of fuchsia.

"Come off it, Bells, we both know Terry's good. But we have to face the facts, and admit pure talent is no match for the experience this guy has. I mean, you know what he is, right? He's a hero, travelling around the Kanto and Johto regions, hunting down powerful Pokémon who are threatening people. He's probably locked away more psychopathic Pokémon than the police!"

"But why's he coming here?" Isabella demanded. "There aren't any rogue Pokémon, right? He could be in the Seafoam caves hunting down that mysterious Froslass, or searching for the powerful Gengar rumored to be in Lavender town. It just doesn't make sense, Rachel!"

"Maybe he's after the Lucario in the mountains," Rachel said seriously. "The one no one's been able to catch. He probably needs strong partners, since he's always taking down rogue monsters…funny thing, too, I heard that Lucario can talk."

"No way," Isabella protested, smacking her friends arm. "I definitely would have heard that one! Last I heard, it could shoot lasers out of its eyes and fly!"

"Bells, you're an idiot," Rachel said finally, in response to her friend's passionate speech. Murmuring broke out among the assembled trainers. Both girls looked up, as a lone trainer made his way towards the Pokémon Center. The whispering ceased when the man looked up.

The newcomer was built strong, all lean muscle, and long limbs. His skin was surprisingly pale, considering the rumors of his extensive travel, and his mussed hair was blond. He looked quite surprised to see the large group of people staring so intently at him. The skin of his arm was scarred in three stripes, as though he had once been slashed by a massive claw.

"Hello," the proclaimed hero said awkwardly, his orange eyes widening with surprise. "It's…nice to meet you all?"

"Karo Asuna," Isabella breathed in reverence. "In the flesh!"

No one spoke. Everyone, it seemed, was too busy staring at the trainer who had just entered the city. "Right then," he said after a beat. "I guess I'll just…"

Not a single person moved as he walked past them, towards the doors of the Pokémon center. "Hey!" a voice broke out from the crowd. "Hang on a sec."

Isabella and Rachel turned at the voice. A boy had detached himself from the crowd. His spiked black hair was instantly recognizable, as was the flash in his eyes. He walked past the hushed onlookers, and held out his hand. "Terry Slade," he introduced himself, not bothering with a preamble. "I already know who you are."

"A pleasure," Karo said, a little surprised. He took the boys hand, shaking it firmly. The two regarded each other for what seemed like a long time, before Terry dropped his hand. He walked back to his small group of friends, which consisted of three taller boys, a girl with a shock of red hair, and a pretty blunette. The tension in the air seemed to break then, and it seemed like everyone wanted to talk to Karo.

"Can I get an autograph?" Isabella called, but there were too many people in front of her, all clambering to introduce themselves and ask for the same.

It took quite a while for the hubbub to die down. The man of the hour, Karo Asuna, seemed a little abashed at all the attention he was receiving. He had been asked for a handshake at least twenty times, following the example set by Terry, and the lobby of the Pokémon Center was filled with chattering trainers, as they moved inside.

Finally, Nurse Joy had had enough.

"Unless you all have Pokémon to be healed, or need to book a room, you can go outside!" she said forcefully, her hands on her hips. There was quite a bit of grumbling, but finally, the majority of the group filtered away. A few of the more stubborn trainers stayed, mutinously sitting in armchairs, but keeping their voices down at least.

"Honestly!" the magenta haired Nurse said with exasperation. "You'd think the Champion of Kanto had come to visit! I hope nobody gave you too much trouble?" She was addressing the man with orange eyes.

"Oh, no really, it's fine," Karo said, waving off the concerns of the healer. "I get this sometimes, ever since my name made it on television. I'm not anything special. I just deal with the more difficult cases sometimes."

"I wouldn't say that," Nurse Joy said, softening a little in response to this humble attitude. "I heard a lot about what happened in Blackthorn City. Lots of people got hurt by the rogue Dragonite. It was a good thing you showed up and locked that menace away. It's always so sad when a Pokémon goes wild like that, but we don't have much choice when it does. Pokémon who are a danger to people need to be dealt with, like it or not."

"My partner, Alakazam, did the hard work," Karo said gently, with a self-conscious smile. "I don't know where I'd be without him. If you don't mind, Miss Joy…could I book a room for a few nights?"

Of course, there were still some trainers looking at him. Some were more subtle than others. The blonde Isabella was peering suspiciously over the edge of a couch, her eyes just peeking over the fabric. The other girl, Rachel, was sitting on the couch normally, ignoring her friend's antics.

"I just have one question," she said, facing the other direction as though determined to prove she was more normal than the girl next to her. "How on earth did everyone in Pewter seem to know Karo Asuna was coming to town? It's a little creepy if you ask me."

"Ben's older sister in Celadon knows everything," Isabella explained, never taking her eyes off her target. "She tracks celebrities or something. I think her name is Allison. Ah! He's coming this way!"

The eyes of every person remaining in the lobby turned as Karo approached. Even Terry looked up, ignoring the blue haired girl who appeared to be telling him a story. He did blink a few times when he saw the girl glaring distrustfully at him over the edge of a couch, but didn't comment.

"I suppose a few of you have figured out why I'm here," the blond trainer said hesitantly. Up close he looked like a lead of television show, with rumpled hair and a boyish face. His appearance would have been complete with a set of glasses. "In fact, I just wanted to be clear on that matter, so I don't step on anyone's toes. I came following rumors of a rogue Lucario in the mountains. From what I've heard, it fights like every battle is a life or death situation…and so far, no trainer has been able to capture it. I'm here to try."

Murmurs broke out after this speech. Terry didn't react, other than to stare at Karo coldly.

"Wait!" Isabella exclaimed, popping up from her supposed hiding place, pointing a finger at the surprised celebrity. "Wh-what if someone else wanted to catch it first? Maybe someone has been wanting to for a while! And besides, that person might be stronger than you are!"

Karo blinked. "Are you talking about yourself, young lady?" Rachel sniggered at this, and Isabella blushed.

"Well no," she admitted, feeling the weight of all the eyes in the room. She rallied herself, regaining her train of thought. "Terry does though! And he could definitely beat you, no matter what!"

Absolute silence fell in the wake of Isabella's passionate words. Tension hung thick in the air, and it seemed like everyone held their breath as Karo faced Terry once more.

"Is this true?" he asked simply.

Terry glared as though considering refusing to answer. "And if it is?" he said at last, dark eyes flashing.

Karo laughed, and more than one person jumped at the sound after the tense atmosphere. "That's perfect," he said, genuinely. "Absolutely wonderful. In fact, I was just about to ask if someone else wanted to try first."

"I've travelled every corner of this continent, searching for powerful Pokémon. As such, I always enjoy seeing the powerful partners of local trainers. I'm willing to stand back and wait, while any local who wants to capture this Lucario attempts to do so. I will take my turn only after everyone who thinks they're up to the challenge has tried."

"And if one of use catches it?" Terry asked, leaning forward despite himself.

Karo smiled.

"If someone succeeds in capturing the Lucario, they will have a choice. They can either keep the Lucario for themselves…or, they can trade it to me, for any one of my own Pokémon, with the exception of my Alakazam."

Speculative whispers broke out in the lobby, which was slowly filling up with people again as the ones who had left smuggled themselves back inside. "Seems too good to be true," Rachel commented, suspiciously. "What's in this bet for you?"

Karo merely held out his hands, as if to show there was no trick. "I get the opportunity to see the local talent, and witness a spectacular battle in the process. What's the downside?"

Terry stood, casually defiant. "You're on. I'll show you…how a true trainer does battle!"

~o~

The expedition to capture the wild Lucario was set to noon the next day, and there was nothing to do but wait. Word spread quickly. More than one battle broke out in the training fields throughout the city, as trainers fought to prove they were strong enough to go. It was an unspoken agreement that no weak trainers would be trying their luck in Karo's wager. No one wanted to show him anything but Pewters best. Quite a few who would have joined for the chance at one of Karo's powerful Pokémon bowed out due to defeats before it was time to leave. It seemed that people could talk of nothing else.

It was surprisingly easy, considering the hubbub, for Karo to slip out of the city to the surrounding woods later that day.

He threw a Poke Ball casually into the shaded air, catching it easily after it had released a massive winged Pokémon. He had gone farther into the woods than he normally would have for good reason. Not a soul would be around to hear.

Branches cracked above, and leaves fell to the ground like snow. Karo Asuna didn't seem to care. He sat down on the ground, completely relaxed, as the wind from the Pokémon's wings stirred the grass.

"I hope you appreciate this exercise session," Karo said conversationally, tilting his head back to catch some of the light filtering through the forest canopy. More branches snapped like gunshots, and a tree groaned as it fell to the earth. A flock of Pidgey took off, screeching wildly.

Frantic cries filled the forest. One of the Pidgey hadn't been quite fast enough. A brutal snap silenced the creature, and a single wing hit the ground by Karo's feet. Bits and pieces followed, torn rather than bitten. Karo heard the rush of wind as his partner took off once again, flying low, below the branches.

"It's not easy, hiding like this. With any luck, we'll be in Unova by next year, after we hunt down our next target. No one knows us there. I'll have to be more careful not to end up on television again." He mused this out loud, and a shadow passed over him. The earth shook as the Pokémon landed. Karo opened his orange eyes lazily.

"Isn't that right, Dragonite?"

The dragon Pokémon was immense at just over seven feet tall, plated in thick yellow hide. Teal wings that looked too small for flight snapped inward as the Dragonite lifted its head. It may have been a mental defect that made the monsters eyes so empty and cruel. Brightly colored blood stood out against the pale Pokémon's claws and hide.

There was no blood near the Dragonites jaws. It never killed to eat. Ironically, the killer enjoyed eating berries far more than flesh.

The demon of Blackthorn city roared, and Karo grinned against the pounding blast of noise. "Be patient, dear! You'll draw attention. Be good, and we may have some fun tomorrow. There will be at least a few trainers travelling into the mountains with me. It wouldn't be so strange if one of them got lost…the wilderness can be so dangerous after all."

The Dragonite flexed its wings, leaping off the ground once more. More trees fell to its crushing claws as it vented weeks of pent up energy. The crashes had driven the wild Pokémon into hiding. It was a fortunate thing, for them at least.

"I wonder if Lucario will be strong." Karo mused out loud, half to his Dragonite, half to himself. "It might be worth adding to the team. I only take the best however, and if it doesn't make the cut…well, you can have it, if that happens. We'll have to find someplace isolated. Can't have anyone hearing it die after all."

He laughed then, as his Dragonite found a Pokémon in hiding, laughed at how easily people were fooled, and how easy it was to play the hero.

Neither saw the wide eyes watching from the brush, filled with absolute bone wrenching horror, or heard the thundering heartbeat. The watcher froze, barely daring to breathe. It was only hours later, long after Karo had gone, that they were able to stand.

~o~

Fire sang in Indigo's blood. He moved so smoothly it was almost a dance, bobbing and weaving between the sporadic bursts of flames shot his way by a tiny Flareon. His breathing was labored, and his crimson eyes tightly shut. It took every ounce of focus he had to stay one step ahead of his opponent.

Aura swirled through the battlefield, moving moments before the players on it, allowing Indigo a half second to react to attacks that had not yet began. He threw his upper body backward to avoid a bursting fireball which singed his ears, and twisted into a roll to the side as the Flareon slashed at him with wicked claws.

The trainers came in groups, sometimes. It had never been a problem to him. Many trainers weren't willing to fight to the last Pokémon this high in the mountains, and on top of that, the ones who came in groups were usually weaker than the solo trainers. This time was different.

Indigo couldn't remember the last time he had been pushed this far.

"Flamethrower, Pyre!"

His opponent was a teenage boy in a dark red jacket, with spiked black hair which unevenly framed his flashing eyes. His friends had called him 'Terry'. He was by far the most skilled trainer Indigo had ever faced in the future.

Indigo skipped to the side of the deadly burst of flames, barely avoiding the scorching attack. The small Flareon responsible for the inferno tensed, baring her tiny fangs in a hiss. The battlefield was covered in black scorch marks and gouges from this battle and the others Indigo had fought before.

Four trainers he had fought before Terry, four battles he had won mercilessly. And yet this trainer, with his cool demeanor and harsh fighting style was wearing him down, attack by attack, Pokémon by Pokémon. Indigo was in awe. It was all he could do to keep up.

If he followed the pattern of the others, Terry would keep one Pokémon in reserve. Which meant this one was the last Indigo had to defeat. One more blow from that fire, and he would lose. He knew it in his bones, and in the testament of the adrenaline sharpening every movement he made. If he lost, he had found the one.

Could this boy be the one to teach him 'strength'?

Smoke hung in a haze around the battlefield, and Indigo realized that had been part of the plan all along. The endless barrage of fire attacks had been a trap, tiring him out while laying the perfect trap. He was struggling to breathe. His Aura vision darkened. One way or another, this battle was nearly over. Even as he thought it, Indigo lowered his center of gravity, his right arm stretched forward in a fighting stance.

"Pyre, Fire blast!" Terry shouted. The Flareon leapt off the ground, scarlet flames spilling from the edges of her mouth as the furnace in her small body boiled over.

Indigo raised his arms into position just as the Flareon came into range, black shadows gathering in a storm around his palms. He released his Dark Pulse at the same moment the Fire Blast roared from the smoke.

The two attacks exploded in scarlet and midnight with a booming roar which blocked out all other sounds. The resulting shockwave was powerful enough to clear the smoke from the battlefield, shaking the leaves on the trees.

When the blast cleared, the Flareon lay limply on the ground, knocked back to her trainer's feet. Indigo panted heavily, his arms hanging tiredly by his side.

He straightened with a satisfied smirk, opening his eyes and breaking the connection with his Aura vision. So he wasn't the one after all.

A roar came from the group of trainers after it sank in that Terry had lost. Chaos reigned, until a man with blonde hair and an easy stride stood up from the sidelines.

"That was incredible," he said simply. "Terry, that Flareon of yours is something amazing. Lucille, your Tyranitar is nothing to sneeze at either, but the double fighting weakness…" he seemed to gather himself, addressing the group of trainers once more. "I am honored I was able to see so many talented trainers try their luck in capturing this Lucario. It is with no regrets that I take the battlefield myself…"

Murmuring broke out among the five as a dark haired girl walked forward hesitantly, her eyes turned resolutely down to the ground. Indigo hadn't even noticed her. Apparently, her presence had been all but forgotten by everyone.

Karo blinked. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name? Were you going to battle the Lucario as well?"

The girl didn't speak. She didn't even look up. Her shoulders were hunched, as though she could barely stand to be in the center of attention at all. After a long, awkward pause, Karo spoke again.

"I did say anyone could try. Go on then."

"Does she even have a Pokémon?" one girl hissed quietly, barely audible even with his enhanced hearing, as the girl hesitantly moved to the end of the battlefield. "Who let her come?" Terry said nothing in response to this, although Indigo rather thought he agreed.

He was indescribably tired. The last battle especially had taken a lot out of him. Indigo was tempted to simply leave. He studied his new opponent, his sharp crimson eyes missing nothing.

She was an average height, with light skin. She wore beat up jeans and a short sleeved white shirt. Her hair was her most distinguishing feature, as black as night, worn long over her shoulders. She carried a beat up yellow backpack which looked like it had been around for the better part of a decade. She had one Poké Ball, and one only at her belt, with strange markings.

It didn't seem worth it. He was truly tempted to leave. The girl looked up as she took her position, finally, and Indigo's heart gave a painful lurch as though someone had stabbed him.

Her eyes shone violet, the exact shade Riza's had been. As an emotion near agony ripped through him, those eyes filled with a quiet determination.

She took a deep breath, as though readying herself. When she spoke, her voice was cracked and quiet, as though with disuse.

And yet the effect her words had was incredible.

"Go, Master Ball!"

~o~