Chapter 5

Part 1- Ditto's Cavern

"Are you ready?" Ditto said, holding up the orb for Lucario.

Lucario nodded.

"This might hurt a bit," Ditto warned.

"It doesn't matter."

Ditto sighed, but relented. "Unleash some Aura into the orb. You should be teleported to the living world."

Lucario's eyes widened. "The living world!"

"Yes," Ditto said. "Hariyama's sister is alive. How else are you supposed to contact her?"

Lucario raised one paw over to the orb, so it was touching. Once again, he entered his subconscious. Aura… And there it was. A flickering spark in the middle of the orb. Slowly, the spark grew until it filled the orb and cast an eerie white light on the two Pokemon's faces.

Suddenly, it seemed that a thousand needles were being jabbed into Lucario's side. Lucario winced and twitched at the pain. More needles stuck into the Pokemon's body. He held his cry in, but finally, with a last needle stuck in his sensitive tail, Lucario cried out.

The jackal-Pokemon disappeared in a flash of light. Immediately, the orb stopped glowing and Ditto was left staring at it. "Well, good luck pal."

Part 2- The Land of the Living

"Who's there?"

The old, female voice pierced through his vision. Swirling, confused colours rapidly disappeared at the onslaught of light.

"Who are you?"

It's me! He wanted to call. But somehow he couldn't. Slowly, he felt the light passing away. No, stop!

Finally, he found the strength to move his frozen jaw. But to his horror, only a hoarse whisper came out. He was strong! He could overcome this! Opening his mouth wider and wider, he shouted.

"I'm Lucario!"

Then he was free.

The elderly Hariyama sat by the stream, dipping her large feet into the cool, refreshing water. It was a sunny day, and Hariyama suspected that a friend was going to visit. There! She felt it. It was only a tiny presence, a newcomer to the After, most likely.

"Who's there?" she asked, stretching her subconscious. No answer.

"Who are you?" She tried again. After a moment of silence, her conclusion was simple. It must have been her imagination. These glitches do occur sometimes.

She was just about to pass on when she heard it. Just a faint reply, more like a whisper. She leaned closer, but was propelled back by the force of the shout.

"I'm Lucario!"

Ahh… she chuckled. A strong spirit. Reaching out with her large hands, she caught it before it could surrender to the confusion of the Between. "You're safe now…" she murmured.

Hariyama deposited her load onto the bank of the stream. It was a spirit. Hariyama cast a glance back at her children, Makuhitas who were playing happily along the muddy bank. No. They didn't notice. Of course, their time hasn't come yet.

The spirit beside her suddenly sat up. Hariyama showed no sign of seeing him. "You're awake," she said simply.

The spirit looked around. It must be his first trip. Hariyama thought, watching the spirit's awkward and ungainly actions as he struggled to readjust to the different conditions of the Living.

"What do you want here?" Hariyama asked.

The spirit stared at her for a second before he came to his senses. "Uh, you're Hariyama's sister, aren't you?"

Hariyama paused. How did he know her history? "Yes, I am."

"I am Lucario. I want to defeat your brother to find my friend and master, Sir Aaron. But your brother was supposedly undefeated in his age, and I need your advice."

Hariyama answered coolly. "You're a young un, aren't you? Why don't you think of something yourself?"

Lucario's grip tightened on the stream bank. "How do you propose I do that?"

Hariyama chuckled. "Though I may not be at the peak of my strength, I'm still a worthy match for my brother."

Lucario backed away. "You mean you want me to…"

"Yes. Fight me."

A/N And that's Chapter 5. Not too bad. Chapter 6 will be about the unofficial battle and something else... my brain is loaded to think about anything other. Ah well, I'll leave you wondering.