Guardians of Aura Chapter 4
Ash merely stood awestruck at the sight he was seeing as opposed to answering the old man's question. He was in a gigantic and strange cave. All around the room of this chamber of the cave hung swords, paintings and other artifacts and there were several tunnels leading into similar rooms. The old man himself was also unusual in that he was wearing black and grey kimono robes. Ash had seen people where kimonos at festivals and parties but never as a part of regular dress. Unlike Ash Houndour appeared to be completely comfortable with the strange place.
"I shall ask you again. Who are you?" the old man repeated in a heavy yet understandable Japanese accent. Ash still gave no answer. He then repeated his question in Japanese as a precaution but it did not loosen Ash's tongue.
"Show some respect for your elders, answer him!" Houndour barked. Ash remained soundless.
"His name is Ash Ketchum. He's a Pokémon trainer. He lives in the town at the bottom of this hill" Houndour explained impatiently.
"How did you find this place?" the man asked once again directing to Ash in another attempt to get him to speak.
When Ash said nothing Houndour replied, "He followed me here."
"You knew you were being followed and you still came here?" the old man angrily asked.
"I lead him here on purpose" Houndour clarified.
"What possible reason could you have for brining him here?" the old man asked with a small amount of fear.
"It told me to" Houndour obediently replied motioning his paw towards the triangular prism in the old man's hand.
"Why would the Tree of Beginning command that this boy be brought here?" the old man asked hushed and with shock. Ash's eyes widened and his ears listened more closely at the mention of the Tree of Beginning.
"He has the Gift, Kamikaze" Houndour explained, finally saying the old man's name.
"Are…are you sure?!" the old man named Kamikaze nearly shouted.
"The Stone of Aura glows at his touch" Houndour elaborated pointing again towards the necklace.
"That…is impossible!" the old man exclaimed.
"That is not the most shocking part my friend. He is Satoshi's son" Houndour replied delicately.
After a long pause of unmatchable surprise the old man whispered, "That cannot be."
"Delia Ketchum is his mother" Houndour added.
"The same one?" Kamikaze asked.
"I would bet my life on it" Houndour answered.
"Then he is Satoshi's" the old man gasped.
Finally speaking Ash asked, "Wait! How do you know my father's name?"
The old man Kamikaze walked towards Ash slowly and with a gentle but bemused voice answered, "Because your father is my son. If what Houndour has told me is true then I am your grandfather."
Ash's heart began to race as his eyes opened wider than they ever had in his life and a giant lurch formed in the pit of his stomach. "You're my…my grandfather?"
"Yes. My name is Kamikaze Tajiri" the old man simply stated. Ash now noticed a resemblance between him and Kamikaze. The old man's eyes looked virtually the same as Ash's and his spiky, white hair looked as though it had been dark black in his youth like Ash's.
Ash's shock made him immediately forget about his anger as he gazed open-mouthed at his apparent grandfather. So surprised at this discovery Ash barely had enough composure to ask, "Why haven't I met you before?"
"That is a good question, but I am not sure that I should be the one to answer it" Kamikaze replied.
"The boy has a right to know" Houndour argued.
"Very well, Ash do you know why you have grown up without your father?" Kamikaze asked.
"He died" Ash replied quietly.
"It is predictable that your mother told you that, though it isn't a complete lie" Kamikaze shrugged.
"What do you mean?" Ash questioned. The old man merely sighed at some inner pain.
Houndour answered for the old man explaining, "Your father is dead but it was not his death that separated him from you. In fact he might have never died if he hadn't separated."
"What?" Ash replied startled.
"Ash don't you wonder why your last name is different from your grandfather's?" Houndour asked. Ash nodded.
"It is because your parents have never been married" Kamikaze interrupted. Ash gasped in horror.
"I don't understand" Ash breathed.
Kamikaze turned around and began pacing as he explained, "They were dating. I believe that they were in love but they were also young and naïve." He took a pause, "It was his idea. It was against her objections but he was persistent. Your mother knew it was a bad idea but...in your father's defense he did not force her and she was willing when the time came. It was for…pleasure but what they did not expect and ignored the fear of happened; your mother became pregnant. Your father couldn't handle the magnitude of what had happened and abandoned your mother, and you."
Ash stood for a minute silent at what he had heard. Finally he densely asked, "What was his idea?"
"What do you mean?" Kamikaze replied perplexed by his grandson's ignorance.
"What did they do?" Ash questioned.
Houndour interrupted, "Oh boy he doesn't even know about…eh. Ash listen for a few minutes while I explain procreation ."
A few minutes later Ash stood mortified not from what Houndour had explained but from realizing the full extent of his parents' sin.
"Now you understand?" Kamikaze asked gingerly. Ash nodded his head gauntly.
"Your mother was so kind and innocent I never thought that…And as for your father I thought that I had raised him to have better judgment" Kamikaze sighed. "I always thought that their dating was so innocent and harmless, I even thought that they were going to get married" he added as he shook his head with tears forming in but not escaping from his eyes.
"Why didn't you help my mom raise me?" Ash asked when his distress wore off enough for him to speak.
"I wanted to help you Ash, believe me. But when it happened I lost contact with Satoshi and Delia's parents were so ashamed of her they made her move and broke all ties with her. I searched this entire island looking for you but I made the idiots' mistake of looking for you only under your father's name!" Kamikaze replied nearly weeping. The old man walked over to Ash and placed his hands on his shoulders. His hands were surprisingly warm and strong for one as old as him. Warmly he told Ash, "I never thought that you would be living this close to me."
With a small amount of happiness Kamikaze said, "So I guess that my grandson has the Gift."
"What is the Gift?" Ash asked his sadness also diminishing.
"You have the ability to control and influence the power of your Aura do you not?" his grandfather asked.
"I do" Ash replied astonished.
"How is that? In order for the stone to tell of your power you would have to have already journeyed to the Tree of Beginning and used it" Kamikaze inquired.
"I have" Ash stated simply.
"Oh, my, that is…interesting" the old man replied astonished.
"He must be trained" Houndour said after an awkward pause.
"What?" Kamikaze replied.
"The boy has no father. It is your duty to…" Houndour began.
"My duty, I do not see what you mean" Kamikaze replied defensively.
"With Satoshi dead you two are the only Aura users still living, if he is not trained then the ways will die out" Houndour argued.
"You can use Aura?" Ash asked wondorously. His grandfather nodded.
"This is not the time of the samurai my old friend it is not as if we need trained Guardians of Aura ready for battle at a moments notice" Kamikaze protested.
"The samurai are remembered in spirit by their legacy and through the marital artists who practice their traditions and learn the Way of the Warrior. If you allow the teachings of the Guardians to die with you they will not enjoy the same afterlife" Houndour protested.
"I do not see how this is my responsibility I…" Kamikaze began.
"Houndour interrupted, "As the last fully trained Guardian of Aura alive it is your job to keep the ways of the Guardians alive. 'Each generation must pass on what they know to the next, it is how we survive', you know this Guardian saying your father swore by it!"
Kamikaze still argued, "He is too old to begin training. Before he can be trained as a Guardian he must be trained as a samurai and samurai training must start at birth."
"Many of the greatest most powerful Daimyo were self-proclaimed samurai who rose to great power without being of noble birth or beginning their training as soon as they could walk" Houndour pointed out.
Houndour then turned to Ash and said, "Look at this boy Kamikaze. He is all that is left of the Guardians, your legacy and your family. Is he not worth giving a chance?"
"I can't do what you are asking of me" Kamikaze gauntly answered.
"Why can't you?" Houndour inquired.
"I have proven myself a failure as a father and a teacher once; I cannot go through that again" the old man replied decrepitly.
"What Satoshi did is not your fault" Houndour argued.
Kamikaze hollowly replied, "Yes it was. I was his father it was my job to teach him the difference between right and wrong and to choose right."
"Well then, I guess this is your chance to redeem yourself" Houndour started. "Even if you don't train him you can still offer this boy the wisdom and guidance that he never received from his father. Do not punish him for his parents' sin by denying him a grandfather after he has already been denied a father" he finished.
Sighing defeated Kamikaze turned to Ash and said, "Ash I cannot choose this for you but I do have a duty to you as your grandfather so if you want this I'll give it to you." He paused and in a compassionate voice asked, "Do you want me to train you to be a Guardian of Aura?"
Ash stood still for a few instances taking in what he had heard. "I don't know" he answered hesitantly.
"I understand. You need to think about this. You're dealing with so much all at once. But know this; we are family and I am here if you need me. I won't try to take the place of your father and I won't give help without being asked. I realize that you must be accustomed to your life the way it is. I won't seek you out but you can come back here if you ever want to" Ash's grandfather explained. After a pause he sympathetically said, "I will understand if you never do."
"I'll visit" Ash decided.
"Well, that is nice. Do you have any questions about your family?" Kamikaze asked tentatively.
"Where is my grandmother?" Ash asked.
"Dead; of natural cause" his grandfather answered. Reminiscently he added, "Too bad you couldn't meet her. No woman has ever been truer, braver, kinder or more beautiful."
When Ash didn't respond Kamikaze asked, "Is that all?" Ash nodded.
"Well then you should get home. I wouldn't want you mother to worry" Kamikaze completed casually.
Ash raised an eyebrow and stated, "You don't seem as mad at my mother as at my father from the way you talk about them."
Kamikaze replied, "I didn't raise her. Not to mention though she may have shared in your father's crime she raised you despite how hard it was. I forgave her a long time ago."
"What about my father?" Ash asked. Kamikaze couldn't bring himself to answer.
"How did he die?" Ash inquired.
"He was killed by an Ursaring, in these very mountains" Kamikaze skeletally replied.
"What?" Ash whispered.
"While I was hiking I found his body inside of a ripped-up tent and all of his food stolen. It was the first time I had seen him since he had run away and I didn't know why he was there." Kamikaze gravely replied shaking his head. "I know it was an Ursaring because of the tracks leading away from the camp."
Ash noticed the mortified expression on his grandfather's face and concluded, "I guess I'd better go." The old man nodded.
"I should too" Houndour added nervously.
"What? You aren't staying here?" Kamikaze asked.
"I have recently uh…taken up lodgings with a nice Pokémon trainer who I have been living with for two weeks now" Houndour explained. He then added, "While I was wondering around aimlessly as a stray she took me into her home and gave me food and a home."
"And she captured you in a Pokéball?" the old man inquired.
"No but I was within an inch of starvation. I owe her a life debt" Houndour elucidated.
"A debt not easily repaid. I understand old friend. But one question, if you were starving why did you not come here?" Kamikaze asked.
"I had been stricken with amnesia until very recently." Houndour answered.
"Then how did you remember this place?" Kamikaze questioned.
"The stone restored my memory so I could bring Ash here" Houndour reverently replied.
"Where did you get that Stone of Aura anyway? They aren't exactly common" the old man asked.
"Ask him, he's the one who found it" Houndour said as he nodded his head towards Ash.
"Another time, I have assaulted his mind with too much to think about already" Ash's grandfather replied as he made a motion with his hand dismissing Ash and Houndour while saying, "Good bye."
"Bye" Ash said as Houndour lead him out of the cave.
Ash and Houndour descended down the hill much slower than they had climbed up. Rather than his thoughts being on the anger that had plagued him before Ash's mind dwelled on what he had been talking about and Houndour allowed him the silence he needed. Finally on his own to no one in particular Ash said, "That was…weird. I've never thought about having family other than my mom."
Houndour calmly replied, "Kamikaze is a great man. He will make a good grandfather if you let him."
After a pause Houndour asked, "Satoshi Tajiri, the man we spoke of was indeed your father right?" Ash merely nodded. "I am sorry that you had to find out this way." Ash sighed in acknowledgement. "We aren't trying to make you grow up hating your father. He was a good person he just made an impulsive mistake." Ash just nodded.
"Will you learn the ways of Aura?" Houndour asked.
"I'm not sure" Ash quietly replied. "I am interested but I don't want to give up my Pokémon journey."
"I understand. You must do what you love" Houndour casually responded.
As Ash and Houndour descended down the hill Ash was surprised that the sun had begun to set as his house became visible in the horizon. Maneuvering through the cave and his conversation with his grandfather as well as traveling down the hill had taken longer than Ash had thought.
As they advanced on Ash's home Houndour told Ash, "You know, you really should apologize to them."
"What?" Ash replied.
"You hurt Misty's feelings and if I had to guess the feelings of your other two friends and your mother. No matter what your reasons were for being upset you had no right to unleash your anger on others. They are like Kamikaze, the problem is not their fault and they just care for your well-being" Houndour explained.
His feelings of rage and resentment having been replaced by the amazement for everything he had learned Ash was once again thinking sensibly and he sighed, "You're right."
"Well see there we all can be rational human-beings can't we?" Houndour remarked. Ash laughed shortly at this sarcastic comment. "Finally I get a smile out of you!"
When Ash and Houndour arrived at his house the door was opened partially. Ash felt embarrassed hesitation when opening the door. Apparently guessing his emotions Houndour said, "I'll go in first" as he walked through the door.
"Honey I'm home!" Houndour mockingly called as he entered the door.
Sitting on the couch with Brock and Dawn Misty replied, "It's about time Houndour. Where on earth did you go?"
"Nature walk" Houndour nonchalantly shrugged. Ash then emerged from behind the door. "Hi everyone" he quietly greeted. A scowl appeared on Misty's face when she saw Ash and everyone else appeared nervous.
"Uh…hi Ash" Dawn replied to break the silence.
As he stood at the door with his head pointed down towards the ground Ash said, "Listen everyone I'm sorry for…for how I've been acting. Just because I was mad doesn't mean I had the…the right to treat all of you like that."
Walking in from the other room Ash's mother replied warmly, "That's all right honey. We're just glad you're feeling better" as she lead him into the living room.
Misty then walked over to Houndour, who was smiling triumphantly and asked him proudly, "How on earth did you do that?"
"Oh, a Pokémon has its ways" Houndour shrugged as happy conversation began.