Hey everyone. Sorry for the very, very late update. I had a bit of problems real-life, but no author's block, alright? Also, I had to reassess this story's plot, and after a bit of brainstorming, I can say that I am back in business. :D

This chapter is a bit too short, but only because I was in a hurry to post this. I can't keep you all waiting forever now, can I? That would be unfair. Despite the fact that I didn't like so
much how this chapter had turned out, I hope it will be bearable for you, my readers. I promise, the next chapter will be much, much better.

Anyways, without further ado, here we go!

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. It belongs to its respective owners.


Terrene


Chapter 8: Reiji


He woke up in an instant. Despite the fact that he was now in his room, he wasn't calmed by it. Rather, he was angry. "Who brought me here?" he asked angrily to no one in particular. It wasn't possible that he had been magically placed on his bed.

Also, why was he in bed?

He did not need this right now!

He needed to chase after the summoner!

Before he could even manage to turn away the heavy blanket that draped over him, someone had spoken.

"That would have to be me."

That voice…

It was the summoner's mother.

A blue-haired woman whose thick hair reached her nape and shaped her face came forward towards the side of his bed and did a curtsy. "You Imperial and Royal Majesty." The woman said, giving him a reserved smile when she straightened up. Ayako wore an outfit that easily fitted her in the housewife category: a white long-sleeved short, pants that reached just below the knees and a red apron tied to her waist. "I apologize for my improper appearance. I had to rush as soon as I heard that you were injured."

The man in bed frowned at the action. "Ayako-san, you need not do that." The Kaiser informed her, referring to the curtsy that she had just made. "And you need not apologize for your appearance."

The woman nodded her head and went on with what she was about to say to him. "My daughter… what has she done wrong now?" her eyes stared intently at the young ruler of Sinnoh. "I have heard from the guards that she had caused this. What has she done?" Ayako asked again.

The young man sighed before replying. "… Used Extrasensory on me."

Ayako took a deep breath and shook her head, trying to control the rage that was shooting up in her body. "That child of mine…" the older woman stated, clenching her fists in anger upon hearing the news. "What does she want to do now?"

The purple-haired monarch shook his head. "I do not even know what the foolish girl wants to achieve in her life, much less what she is planning." There was a hint of bitterness in his tone. "That face of hers can fool even a cunning person. Is it because of the gods that live inside her that made her such?"

Ayako shook her head. "Though I may be her mother, I do not even know my own child. She… Hikari has been forcefully taken from me by the priestesses of Snowpoint when she had been a child of eight years. They hurt her when resisted… slapping her and calling her a 'witch' if she wasn't to be set straight…

"Despite the fact that I complied with their wishes, the priestesses forbade me to see her, saying that I would be a nuisance to her training, and that I would at fault if she strays from the path planned out by them. What kind of person would dissuade the mother of the summoner from seeing her daughter? Have I done something wrong to the gods that they punish me?"

The Kaiser shook his head to keep himself from falling asleep yet again, as well as to say that he was disappointed. The headache was distracting him. "You have not. It is just because those old hags are too greedy. They know of—" he stopped suddenly.

"Know what? Please tell me."

The Kaiser knew the secret had to be let out soon enough. "It concerns her… and everyone in Sinnoh."


Hikari raised an eyebrow at the name.

Shinji?

Was it possible that he was the same man who had given her some spare change during her flight from the castle? The blue-eyed summoner knew that such a possibility was low, but it didn't hurt if she had asked, right…?

"Would you mind if I ask you a question, Shinji-san…?"

"What is it?"

"Would you have happened to remember me? I mean… there was one time when I ended up in a Pokémon Center, then someone named Shinji had given me a bit of money… that wouldn't happen to be you, would it…?"

As soon as she saw him shake his head, she knew that he was not the person who had helped her. Nevertheless, the summoner had a lot of questions in her mind, which she had asked him almost immediately.

"Why are you helping me? You are a member of the army. Why?"

The man named Shinji sighed and said, "I am not a member of the Kaiser's Imperial Army. That was a disguise. I wouldn't be able to infiltrate the castle without it, right, summoner?" he gave her a sardonic look.

Hikari suddenly felt stupid.

"I-I'm sorry for that… stupid question but…"

"Don't mind it. Anyways, we're going back to Veilstone." He announced.

She suddenly stopped on her tracks.

What the…?!

Was her hero not what he seems to be…?!

"W-what? You want me to go back to that… that place where I had been held in prison and tortured?!" she nearly shrieked, causing some Starly, sitting atop the nest, to fly away in fright. "What are you planning?!" suddenly, her eyes turned amber, ready to strike him with a psychic blast.

He held up a hand, frowning at her. "I am not as stupid as you think I am by handing you back to the Kaiser. We are taking shelter in the home of Lady Veilstone." He said. "It would be less suspicious that way."

"… Are you so eager to get that Lady Veilstone into trouble? If they find me, she'll be charged with treason, you know." She stated.

"I am aware of that." He snapped irritably, surprising even himself. He was known as a calm person, but really… this girl was getting on his nerves. "My wife will not get into trouble easily just because of you. She's far smarter than that."

Hikari raised an eyebrow. "I see." So he was married to someone very important, namely the overlord of Veilstone City. "If that's the case, then shouldn't she be on the Kaiser's side? I mean, she IS the overlord of his city."

"Far from it, summoner. The Kaiser has hated her ever since she had taken her place as both the Gym Leader and the Lady of Veilstone City. The hatred worsen when she stood up for you during a meeting with the other Lords and Ladies of Sinnoh." Shinji explained. "So now… Maylene decided that she'd rather protect you than give you up to the Kaiser."

Hikari shook her head. Why was everyone risking their life for her? She was merely a summoner. Added to that, the Kaiser, whose mother was a summoner like her, wanted to have her killed. "I still don't understand why he wants to have me killed…" she told her companion, hoping that he would answer her question.

"… You'll understand it sooner, rather than later. For now, just concentrate on surviving tonight. We might never know what will happen tonight."

Hikari was not surprised.

With all the uproar she had done since Day 1 of her imprisonment, she would not be surprised if the Kaiser sent out his whole army just to get her, drag her back to the dungeons and tortured her to her death. Someone was risking their lives to shelter her from her death. She would just have to cooperate with them…

"Alright." She nodded at him. "Please take me to the Lady of Veilstone's mansion."


"… What becomes of my daughter?"

"As long as she does not make contact with Mesprit, she will be safe." Shinji told her.

"W-what can we do to prevent such a… catastrophe?"

"I have commissioned the Pokétch Company in Jubilife City to make me an exclusive watch to track down the other gods. And I am not talking about those Pokétch that the trainers have." He stated. "It will be a one-of-a-kind application that will update me on the status of the gods, whether it is sleeping or playing, as well as where it is exactly located. Also, it will tell me if it has made contact with the summoner."

Ayako nodded thoughtfully. "I understand. So… somehow, you can always tell me where Hikari would be."

"It will only be the case when she comes into contact with a god. Or if she becomes the host of the god."

The summoner's mother nodded her head. "I understand."

"Also, I have to inform you of something very much important…"

"Yes?"

"… Are you aware that your daughter has three paths to choose?" as soon as he saw the puzzled face of the blue-haired woman, he continued, "That girl has three paths to choose from: either she is a witch, a summoner… or a sorceress."

"A… witch." Suddenly, she was reminded of what the priestesses told her about Hikari becoming a 'witch'. "I have a vague idea about it."

"For what I have heard, the path she will choose will depend on how she would handle situations, as well as her emotions. From what I remember, my mother used to tell me that there are other forms for a summoner to choose from. It will all depend as to what path she will take using her emotions." He said. "Please do not worry. I shall research more on the subject matter. I will not let anything harm her."

"Thank you very much." She bowed in gratitude.

As soon as the woman bowed waist-deep, a knock on the door was heard. "Excuse me, Reiji-sama. The physician is here to check up on you. And you cannot object to this, Your Imperial and Royal Majesty. We have to ensure that our ruler is physically and mentally fit." said the royal valet, seeing the dark look on his lord's face.

"Fine." He said sharply. "Make it quick. I have to do something else, other than lie down in bed."

Ayako sweatdropped. "Errr… R-Reiji-sama, you shouldn't hurry yourself… if your body gives in to stress, it'll take a longer time for you to recover. You wouldn't want the summoner to get ahead now, right?" she said, hoping that he'll take the bait. For many years now, Ayako was aware that anything that was connected with Hikari, the Kaiser had always taken seriously, or with a challenge. As much as she did not want to admit it, the young man was obsessed with her daughter.

Not that she was allowing it… but as long as he kept his hands to himself and not molest Hikari, she was fine with his… obsession.

"Fine." He gave in, much to the delight of the valet, who was used to his lord resisting any chance of a check up by the royal physician.

Shinji nodded numbly, signaling that he was ready. The valet nodded his head and left the room to fetch the physician.

Ayako chose this time to leave as well, leaving the ruler of Sinnoh completely alone in his bedroom, thinking about his next plan, but not before curtsying and saying, "Please excuse me, Reiji-sama." before leaving the room.

'What are you planning to do next?' Darkrai asked, appearing by his bedside as soon as Ayako had left the room.

"… I will find Mesprit. The summoner is not anymore important. No sense in keeping her alive." His eyes darkened suddenly.

"I will end her life."


"I know that it is much too late in the evening, but we can't waste anymore time."

Damn right! A foul word entered Hikari's mind as she found herself standing on the ground, barefoot, wearing a karate gi. A few minutes ago, she had arrived at the home of the Lady of Veilstone, and as soon as she had stepped a foot on the dojo-like manor, she had been handed a gi by Shinji, telling her to wear it and to go out in the back of the manor as soon as she was done wearing it.

She was greeted by the sight of a garden, and as soon as she had stepped on the grass, someone had said, "Please take off your shoes first. It would be better if we work out with no shoes on."

A pink-haired lady wearing a predominantly blue with black designed top and jogging pants had appeared from the shadows. "Welcome, summoner. I am the overlord of Veilstone City, Maylene." She bowed. "First thing's first."

Without warning, the lady in front of her suddenly disappeared…

… only to appear again in front of her to deliver a punch at Hikari's gut.

In an instant, Hikari was knocked out.

Maylene blinked and laughed nervously. "Oh… I think I punched a bit too hard… and I thought she would at least, you know, dodge it…" she scratched her head.

Her husband sighed exasperatedly.

This was going to be tough.


Oh, I hope the chapter was alright. D: Please do review and tell me what you think!

And yes, probably many of you are confused right now. XD;;; gomen nasai.