Being exposed to the soaking grass turned out to be a non-issue for Fen, as Ryu led them almost immediately into steep, drier mountains. Their sheer rockiness and lack of any path meant that much of their morning was spent scrambling rather than walking. The persistent fog made it difficult to see ahead, too, meaning they came almost face to face with a couple of Aron, the first Pokémon they'd seen that day.
The two Steel 'mon instantly lunged at them in attack, but their density made them slow through the air, and Fen easily evaded his attacker before firing embers at it. Ryu responded to the second Aron in similar fashion with a force palm. The Aron were tiny even for Fen, and let out weak cries as they went down. He guessed that they were young, but before he could ask there was a rumbling from a rock wall to their right.
A Pokémon burst out of an opening and rose to its full, monstrous height in front of them, at least four times Fen's own. It was covered in steel and rock armour like the Aron, but this looked impenetrably thick on the larger 'mon. One of its limbs looked big enough on its own to stomp Fen into the ground.
The Aggron glanced at the Aron that were lying in pain, then turned its attention to Fen and Ryu, humming a low growl.
"Get out," it said forcefully, standing protectively over the Aron. Its voice sounded like two stones being crushed together.
Ryu seemed surprised, taking a step back. "Hey… the Aron attacked us first, 'mon. We're only passing through here anyway…"
The Aggron didn't take kindly to him, roaring a titanic cry that must have woken half the Pokémon in the mountain range. It took two stomps towards them as they took two back. "Get out of our territory!" it ordered, lowering its head threateningly.
Fen looked nervously at Ryu, hoping he would see sense. Surely they couldn't win a battle against this thing? The Aggron wasn't even blocking their route; they only needed to do what it was asking and they'd be safe. As long as they didn't try and fight it... please, Ryu?
Ryu looked back at him, and for a moment there was a wild look in his eyes, one he'd had in previous fights. But then the wildness evaporated, and Ryu scurried away from the Aggron, leaving Fen to follow.
"Did you know that Aggron was going to appear?" Fen asked, once they had slowed down.
"Of course not," Ryu replied agitatedly. "I don't understand why… they were the ones that attacked us! It's not like that was some crazy wild; the Aron were its children, and they clearly had a home. I've never been threatened like that, and I've been around this area all my life. But… it feels off today. Unwelcoming, somehow."
"It must be the storm," Fen said. Ryu gave him a quizzical look. "What else could it be? The storm at Hidden Wood did strange things too, making those Ghosts appear."
"Mm," Ryu sounded edgy at just the mention of Ghosts. He scratched his ear as he considered. "I'm not sure. But if you're right, we could be in for plenty of fights today."
"But we don't have to fight anyone," Fen said. "You said so the other day."
"That is true," Ryu said. "And I don't want to sidetrack our main goal any longer than needed." He thought for a second, then nodded firmly. "Okay. Today, let's avoid fights wherever possible. That way we should still get to Mt. Aura by nightfall."
He glanced at Fen. "You should walk on all-fours; I'll do the same. Keep your senses alert for any signs of 'mon, and don't let them see you. In this weather it's difficult to be seen, anyway."
"Alright." Fen paused. "You can walk on all-fours?"
Ryu shrugged. "'Course I can." He dropped his upper body and put his arms down underneath him in one smooth movement. His walking pace didn't drop as his arms and legs alternated steps. Fen noted how his own walk, by contrast, was more of a pull forwards with his front legs.
"This is what I did as a hatchling, before I could stand up properly," Ryu said, somewhat wistfully. "It makes a change, though it's a bit too close to the ground."
Fen agreed; he felt small enough standing on two feet.
Regardless, they went solely four-legged for the rest of the day. Despite the unfavourable conditions and the extra need to be stealthy, Fen still found he loved the experience of mountaineering, for reasons he couldn't quite put into words. The mountains just felt right. But if Ryu shared his opinion, he didn't let it show, getting progressively quieter and tenser as time went on. When they passed over one peak in the late evening, getting a fresh if slightly hazy view of the horizon, Ryu froze.
"There's my home," he muttered, pointing ahead.
The grey mountain was smaller than Fen expected, and had nothing visually unique from those they'd already seen. Its location was what stood out more; a small woodland, complete with a water stream, was located in a neat ring around the mountain's base. Convenient as it was for food and water, the woodland starkly separated the mountain from those surrounding it.
"It looks a pretty isolated place," Fen observed.
"Huh," Ryu said with a hint of amusement. "I agree, but none of the others seem to care. I think my parents like the solitude of this mountain, so they can be sure our family's safe and stuff. But I definitely would've lived in a place like Sanguin Town if I had the chance."
The actual location of Ryu's 'home' was obvious; even in the fog Fen could see a sizable opening in the rock, at about two-thirds of the mountain's height. It was hard to make out how far the crevice extended, but there was a path carved from its entrance that wound downwards towards the foot of the mountain.
"Are your family the only ones that live here?" Fen asked.
Ryu nodded. "That's why we call it Mt. Aura. It doesn't really have a proper name."
Fen frowned back. "What is this 'aura' you talk about? How does it relate to you? You mentioned it yesterday, but I didn't ask."
"You… don't know about aura?"
"I can't remember anything."
"Right. I should've expected that," Ryu said apologetically. "I'll try and explain."
He clicked his wrist bumps together as he thought. "Think of aura as the pure energy you live on, that you survive with. Everyone has it, but most 'mon can't see and utilise this energy; it just exists for them. Lucario are one of the few species that can see aura, hence the mountain name. If you're aware of aura it gives you all kinds of abilities: you can transfer it into attacks, create protective barriers, use it as light sources… even do some telepathic things with it."
Fen blinked. "'Telepathic things'... you mean, sensing the thoughts and feelings of others?"
"Uh… I guess that's part of it…"
"But, Ryu!" Fen exclaimed. "Haven't you done this with me before? Sensing my thoughts?"
For a moment Ryu stared at him like he'd been transformed back into a human. "I've done what?" he barked. "Are you crazy?"
Fen was just as surprised as him. Ryu sounded almost accusatory. "Well… there's been a number of times where you've picked up on what I've been thinking, based off very little. Like at Mt. Horizon, when I felt down about not knowing my family, and you knew something was bothering me. Then yesterday, when you barely looked at me but knew that I was thinking of getting to the shelter… I feel like this has happened too much to just be coincidence. I don't know if you even realise you're doing it, but–"
"Fen." Ryu looked at him disbelievingly. "I can't do it. I… look, y'see these?" He pointed to the black appendages hanging loosely off the sides of his head. For the first time, Fen noticed how much they stood out for something with no clear purpose.
"These are my aura sensors," Ryu said. "Once they're fully developed, I'm supposed to be able to use aura like Lucario can. But they don't develop fully until I evolve, so right now they're useless. I can't do anything with aura, which means I can't do any telepathic stuff. However you got this idea that I'm reading your thoughts… it's not possible."
Fen paused. It is strange for Ryu to be doing something supposedly beyond his current form. But Ryu doesn't know the secret to his own evolution; what if there are other properties of his species that he's unaware of, like this?
"You've never felt like you've been reading my thoughts, or anything?" Fen asked.
"No," Ryu said tersely. He shook his head and turned back towards Mt. Aura. "We can talk about this later. I need to get everything here resolved tonight, while it's quiet. I don't feel like creating a huge scene by turning up in the morning."
Fen could understand Ryu's urgency, but he glanced doubtfully at the sky, which was rapidly darkening. His body seemed hard-wired to become sleepy as soon as darkness fell, and the fatigue from travelling all day was becoming apparent.
"Even if we're quick," he said, "to climb down this cliff and then ascend Aura would take a couple hours at least…"
"However long two hours is, I've already planned for it," Ryu replied brusquely. "You're not gonna fall asleep, trust me."
It turned out that one of the fruits growing in the neighbouring woodland was a hard, pink-and-blue berry called a chesto, which had a side-effect that Ryu called 'increased wakefulness'. Though Fen wasn't sure what to expect after eating one, he found the energy rush equivalent to drinking about four cups of coffee in one. It staved off sleep, all right; he wondered if he'd ever feel like sleeping again.
They had to fight off a couple of wild Bugs inside the woodland, but the rest of the journey passed quickly in their energised states, until the opening to Mt. Aura stood in front of them. They both stopped.
Although Ryu was shivering slightly, he had a look on his face so hardened that he might have been choosing to walk to his death, rather than his old home. Fen hoped that wasn't an indicator for what would happen to them.
"You ready?" Fen ready.
Ryu's paws were white from being clenched so hard, but he nodded them onwards into the gap, which was wide enough to fit them both. Though Fen's tail was their only light source, Ryu's surefootedness suggested he'd trodden the path a thousand times before. Fen was surprised at how long the passage stretched for, and at how smooth the whole structure was. It felt like a place very well cared for.
Ryu stopped where the path forked right around a chunk of rock. A few metres ahead it was blocked entirely by a circular boulder.
"Wait on this corner so you aren't seen. Keep yourself hidden," Ryu whispered. He looked down briefly, fiddling with his paws, before glancing up again. "And thanks for sticking with me," he added, offering the slightest of smiles.
Fen pushed himself up against the rock wall, trying to cover his tail light as best as he could. He watched as Ryu walked up to the boulder and hit it three times in a rhythm with the backs of his paws, the metallic sound echoing harshly through the tunnel. Almost immediately, the side facing away from them was illuminated in a blue glow. Then the boulder itself was rolled aside.
Fen could only peek around the corner at the creature standing before Ryu, but he could immediately tell it was his evolved form. The Lucario's body was the same combination of sapphire blue and jet black colours, with the exception of its yellow-furred torso. Its face had similar black markings around the eyes, and it had two, rather than one, larger aura sensors either side of its head. Its snout, ears and tail were longer and thicker than Ryu's, and the metal bumps on its paws were pointier, at least an inch in length. Fen was surprised at how slim the Lucario was, though its muscles were impressively defined.
In its hand floated a blue ball of energy, the source of the glow. It was so bright that had it been any larger than its candle flame size, Fen thought he would have been lit up too. He found himself almost inexorably drawn towards the light, such was its wonder to him. It had to be the aura Ryu described.
The Lucario looked at Ryu with an almost apologetic expression. If it was surprised to see him, the emotion was well hidden.
"Mother," Ryu greeted shakily, sounding unusually formal.
The Lucario continued to stare at him. "Rycaro," she said. "Come."
She turned and led Ryu deeper into the cavern beyond. Fen could only make out their voices from his position, grateful his hearing was so acute.
A different, deeper voice murmured the same word as before. "Rycaro."
Then, its tone suddenly turned harsh. "Why have you returned? Before you ran away, you told me that we were worthless to you, that you were better off without us. You attacked me yourself. So what could bring you back here?"
Ryu started to stutter something, but the deeper voice intervened.
"In fact, before you explain, hand the bag over."
"W-what?" Ryu managed to squeak. "But I've always carried this bag… whenever I was collecting food, or–"
"Must I tell you again?" The voice was so fierce that Fen winced at the sound. "It is not your bag, Rycaro. You know our rules. The slashes inscribed in this bag were made using aura, and you cannot be entrusted with it until you can harness the same power as its maker. You stole it from here, and I expect it returned."
After a momentary hesitation, Fen heard the bag being slid from Ryu's back. Ryu hadn't mentioned that it wasn't strictly his, and panic began rushing through Fen as he realised how fatal an oversight that could be. The bag contained so much of importance; directions, food, Scout's items, his water protection… if they left here without it, they might as well give up their journey. He couldn't believe how easily Ryu had forfeited it.
"Now, I will ask you again," the voice said. "What could bring you back here?"
Though Ryu's voice shook, he wasn't interrupted. "Father, I… made mistakes, I know that. I wanted to evolve, and I still do, but that desire made me selfish, it made me forget about what was important. I know the responsibility I have, being the eldest sibling, and… I wasn't thinking about that when I struck you and ran away. All I can do is apologise."
Ryu's father spoke heavily. "Rycaro, your discipline always made you an outlier to your siblings; that I can tolerate. In this case, however, you have disrespected me, abandoned your duties to your family, and stolen from us. You may be sorry, but to return now, telling me that you should be forgiven, and that you want to return to this family… it is difficult to see how you deserve it."
Fen half-expected Ryu's father to order that Ryu leave there and then, but the cavern was hushed for a long time; the only sound being the scattered breathing of Pokémon. It seemed they were all waiting for Ryu to respond.
"I'm… I'm not asking if I can return to the family," Ryu eventually said.
This time the female Lucario spoke. "Then why did you come back?"
"I met someone while I was away, not long after leaving here," Ryu said. "He woke up in Cheri Forest without any memories of his past, and we're looking for a way for him to get them back. We've still got a long way to travel, and I was planning to leave after I talked to you. I don't want to argue about what I did… I know it's probably too much to ever be forgiven for. I j-just wanted to tell you that I do regret what happened, and… despite what I said then, I still love you all, and I always will."
His voice had quietened to a whisper by the end, and another pause followed. "Who is this Pokémon you met?" Ryu's father demanded. "Is he here?"
"He's just outside," Ryu said.
"Could we meet him?" his father asked, sounding less aggressive despite his bluntness of words.
Fen couldn't imagine many more terrifying situations than being in front of the Pokémon who'd already ripped his son's pleas to pieces. But he'd agreed to help Ryu however he could; if this was what that meant, then so be it.
At first, he was puzzled at why Ryu had said their journey was specifically to get his memories back, but the more he considered it, the more it made sense. Saying that he wanted to figure out the cause of recent unusual weather hadn't impressed Faoz or Savi; he figured that Ryu's family would likely have the same 'don't interfere' attitude towards it. So although Ryu hadn't lied, he had presented their goals as something more… understandable, perhaps. And that just happened to bring him into this equation.
Ryu emerged from the opening, looking oddly incomplete without his bag. He had the strength to meet Fen's eye, but he appeared as distraught as he'd sounded. He knew Fen had been listening, so they only exchanged a silent nod before Fen followed him inside the cavern.
Two Lucario stood in the centre of the room, and Fen could immediately tell Ryu's parents apart. The now male Lucario was several inches taller than the female alongside him, and everything about him was sharper; his ears and snout were more pointed and the bumps on his paws had become spikes, their white tips gleaming. He seemed to exude authority.
The cavern itself was far bigger than Fen had expected, easily spacious enough for ten or so Pokémon to live in. There were a few rocks on the walls and ceiling that glowed a faint blue, casting a mystical atmosphere over the place, though the female Lucario still held her pebble of light. Fen was again in awe of what he assumed was another work of aura.
An indentation in the ground to his left showed seven more Riolu of various sizes, all smaller than Ryu, sitting up on grass-like bedrolls. Their closeness suggested they had been asleep, but all of them were now staring wide-eyed at Fen as he walked up with Ryu. It only made him more uneasy; why on earth did Ryu's father want to meet him?
Ryu's father surprised Fen by getting on one knee to meet him closer to eye level. The Lucario's aura sensors twitched momentarily as he examined him. "Chimchar," he said, a curious hint in his voice. "You have been travelling with my son?"
"Yes," Fen answered. He hoped there wasn't a formal 'sir' he was missing.
The Lucario spoke carefully. "I can sense an anxiety within you, so I wish to reassure that I mean you no harm. I only care to understand what brought you here with Rycaro. May I ask your name, if you should have one?"
So Ryu's father could sense his emotions, no doubt. What Fen didn't understand was: why had the Lucario had been so polite? His manner was totally different to the hostility he'd shown towards his own son. Fen assumed that most people would soften up a bit if they knew about his memory condition, as Ryu's father did. Even so… do I deserve this much respect?
"My name's Fen," he said.
The Lucario nodded. "As I go by the same name as your friend, you may simply call me Lucario."
Fen had to stop himself from gawping. He's called Rycaro too! That means he passed his name down to Ryu, his eldest child, and… did Ryu not want to use it? Maybe that's why his father's so angry with him!
Although, Ryu and Rycaro are still similar names… If Ryu had told me a completely different one, I'd assume that he wanted nothing to do with his father…
"My son tells that you have lost your memory," Rycaro continued, looking unexpectedly mournful. "Such a situation is not something I can ever recall, and you have my deepest sympathy." He paused respectfully. "Now, could you explain how you and Rycaro crossed paths?"
Leaving out his humanity, Fen recounted waking up in Cheri Forest, realising his lack of memories, then how his panic at the rain led to him and Ryu running into each other.
"I was completely lost, and felt pretty terrified because of it. Since Ry–" He hesitated over the name. "Since Rycaro was the only 'mon I'd met since waking, I asked if I could travel with him."
"And you have been with him ever since?"
"Pretty much," Fen said. He thought he might have a grasp on what the elder Rycaro was interested in. "I was really struggling at first since I couldn't remember how to fight. Rycaro fought a lot just to protect me, which I'm really glad for. Since we got to Sanguin Town I was able to remember more about myself and improve my fighting, but I doubt I would have made it at that far without him."
Ryu's father hummed, of which the implication was uncertain. "What led you both here?"
Given what Ryu's said, that's a difficult question, Fen thought. Their actual journey to figure out the natural disasters, on the face of it, didn't match up with Ryu's story at all. The biggest link between the disasters and Fen's memory were in the emotion attacks he had suffered three times now. And after Ryu had remarked what strange phenomena they were, he hadn't mentioned those to anyone but him.
Yet Rycaro, if Fen discounted how the Lucario had spoken to Ryu, seemed fairly wise and understanding. Plus, if Rycaro can sense my emotions, he'd know if I'm telling the truth… right? Either way, I'd be playing a dangerous game by lying.
So he told Rycaro about the unusual weather, and the sudden flashes of emotion that had hit him as he was falling asleep. He revealed the Absol they'd spotted – the first mention he'd made of that to anyone – and how that led him to want to find one. Then how they'd learned that Darkrai's Knot was the most likely place to find Absol, and that Ryu had agreed to go there with him. And, of course, the hope that his memories may be linked to it all.
He found it slightly worrying that Ryu didn't even attempt to add to his story, just standing quietly. The elder Rycaro listened carefully, and Fen noticed the 'mon's sensors twitch a couple more times while he recounted events.
"Your theory about the natural disasters is not something I had thought about," Rycaro murmured once Fen finished. "Whether it is correct, I could not say, but I do not doubt the truth of your experiences. Your tale is remarkable, Fen; I have heard many great myths and legends in my time, yet yours is unlike any. It does make one wonder if forces like those might be guiding your path."
Whoever's guiding me must be a pretty cruel being, then, Fen thought.
Ryu's father continued. "I understand that you have a great desire to complete this journey. And along with that, your friendship with Rycaro is equally as strong."
"Absolutely!" Fen said, with a little excessive enthusiasm. He sensed that this had to be good for Ryu's cause. "We're a team, and we need to stick together."
Rycaro turned to the female Lucario, but rather than speaking they just looked intently at each other for about 30 seconds.
"While I sympathise with you greatly Fen, and I do not wish to call you a stranger, you are not from our blood," Rycaro said eventually. "Unfortunately, you cannot stay here even for a single night. And Rycaro, given you are his travelling partner, the same must apply to you."
"Yes, father," Ryu murmured, looking despondent.
"However," Rycaro went on, "We do not want to stand in the way of your journey; I believe completing it would be in both of your best interests. Therefore, though it is hard to forgive your stealing from our family, Rycaro…" He picked up their bag of supplies and held it out to Ryu, "you may keep this bag a little longer. I see how dearly you require it."
At first Ryu took a step back, then hesitated to even touch the bag in his shock. "T-thank you?" he gasped.
When he finally took the bag, his father spoke again. "Rycaro… despite what has passed, we do not wish to banish you from here. I urge you to leave us for now, and you should decide for yourself, when the time is right, if you want to return. Fen, though I doubt we will meet again, I pray that all can be resolved for you. Both Arcia and I give you our best wishes." The female alongside him, who had to be Arcia, bowed her head to him.
Ryu looked over at the younger Riolu, and back at his parents. "Could I say goodbye quickly?"
"Of course," Arcia said.
Ryu thanked her gratefully, and Fen watched while he went over to his siblings, exchanging hushed words and several Fighter-hugs.
Suddenly Fen felt a mental force hit his consciousness, and a voice – no, Rycaro's voice – spoke quickly inside his head. "Fen, you and Rycaro's friendship matters more than perhaps you realise. I know that Rycaro wishes to evolve, but while that secret is one that he can only learn himself, I can say that with you by his side, he is on the correct path. I hope you continue travelling together.
"Additionally… though only slightly, I noticed that your aura bears the mark of something else; a power far greater than your own. Much like your story, it is difficult to make sense of; unlike anything I have sensed before. I am sorry that I cannot help further, but I thought you should know. Good luck."
The pressure on Fen's mind retreated. He blinked a few times. Rycaro was still standing in front of him, as if nothing had happened, but his eyes had a knowing look to them. Fen wanted to reply in the same telepathic way, but even if he somehow had that ability, he had no idea how to use it, and Rycaro had only left him more confused than before.
A greater power? Either there's some humanness in my aura that Rycaro can sense, or it's something else about me… the only other thing I can think of are the emotion attacks. Rycaro did suggest that some mythical force might be guiding my path, but it was only a suggestion… he doesn't know…
"Fen? Are you ready?"
Ryu was back, and though slightly sad looking he held himself up high on his tiptoes, as if determined to act strong.
Is my aura different because I was once a human?
Fen looked at Rycaro again. Rycaro doesn't know that I was, though. I could ask him… but who knows how he'd respond? And just after getting our bag back, I'm not putting our journey in jeopardy again. Rycaro already said that he didn't understand what he'd seen in my aura… knowing I'm a human surely wouldn't help him.
Didn't Ryu say that aura was like the energy everyone lives on? Physically, there doesn't seem any difference between me and an ordinary Chimchar, and if there is, no-one's picked up on it. But if the strange aura isn't related with me being a human, what else could it be?
He sighed inwardly. The greatest mystery is how I ended up like this in the first place. Until I figure that out, I'd bet that these other questions will remain unanswerable. What I'd do to know the answers…
"Sorry. Yeah, I'm ready," he said to Ryu.
With that, Ryu re-fastened the bag around his back, and said a final goodbye to his family. He led Fen out of the cavern without a backwards glance.
Ryu kept going once outside, manoeuvring Mt. Aura with such ease that Fen had to ask him to slow down. He could barely see a thing.
"Sorry," Ryu said. "I just wanna get far enough away from here. You heard what my dad said: we shouldn't even stay on the same mountain."
Ryu's voice was steady now, but Fen still waited until they were far from the Riolu's home, under the familiar cover of a rock, before he asked any more.
"Ryu, are you… okay with what happened?" he asked.
Ryu let out a sigh, but it was a contented one. "Yeah, I am. I mainly wanted my family to know how sorry I feel. That's what I'd been feeling so awful about. And what I feared was for Dad to ignore that, and tell me to stay away from them forever… 'Cause like I said, I still love my family and I want to see them again sometime. I didn't expect to be totally forgiven, but I couldn't have hoped for much of a better response. And considering what nearly happened… I'd completely forgotten about the bag for a start, and if I'd lost that, then… I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself.
"I have to thank you though, Fen; you really saved my tail," Ryu added. "I'm not sure I'd have gotten the bag back if my parents hadn't taken such a liking to you. I mean, no offence, but I didn't expect them to! You heard how the rules usually are."
Fen nodded. He was pretty sure he knew why he'd been treated so kindly, but didn't think it would be right to share Rycaro's private sentiment now.
"I thought your dad was really harsh on you when you arrived," Fen said. "I get that you did some bad things, but… I don't know, he's your dad. It sounded almost like he didn't want to see you."
Ryu eyed Fen curiously. "Really? How he reacted was more or less what I expected. What would your parents have done?"
A brief pause. "Wait, Mew, forget that," Ryu said quickly. "Sorry if I–"
"Nah, it's fine." Fen smiled. "I'm hardly in a position to give parenting advice, but I just thought yours would be more forgiving, considering you'd disappeared for so long. But speaking of parents… what's with the name they called you?"
"Rycaro?" Ryu shifted uncomfortably. "My fault for not mentioning anything. It's a name that's been passed down through our family for quite a while. My siblings originally called me Ry, which worked to distinguish me from Dad, but it didn't feel like a proper name. Then I came up with adding the 'u' at the end, since it's at the end of my species name. Sharing the same name as my dad always made me a bit uncomfortable… and Rycaro just reminds me a lot of Lucario, which I'm not, obviously. That's why I've been calling myself Ryu. Good job for improvising with it, though," he added with a smirk.
Fen hummed in approval. "So what should I call you now?"
"Huh? Call me Ryu, 'mon. I ain't changing my name again."
Fen laughed. "Alright." With the chesto-caffeine wearing off, he was starting to face a power struggle with his eyelids, but he still wanted to ask questions.
"That ball of light your mother had was aura, wasn't it?"
"Mm."
"I just want to say…" He smiled at the thought of it. "It's mind-blowing, the stuff they can do with it. The lights inside the rocks as well! And your bag, I never knew about that! Does the aura do something there, too?"
Ryu didn't return his excitement. "Aura's not as amazing as you think," he said. "It only works on your body's existing energy. While I haven't done it, I know that creating enough aura to light up one of those rocks would seriously tire you out."
"Oh," Fen said, slightly deflated.
"As for the bag… another thing about aura is that it wears off over time. This bag is Relicanth age, so I doubt there's much of it left now. I never knew what the aura did to it. I think the main point is to give a reason not to take it like I did."
"The bag's… 'Relicanth age?'" Fen repeated. "It looks in really good condition, though. What if… maybe the aura's made it more durable?"
Ryu's eyes widened for a second, then he shrugged. "I hadn't thought of that, but it could be true. Anything else you wanna ask?" he added wearily.
Fen got what his tone was implying, and felt pretty tired himself. "No," he said. "I… think you deserve some rest, 'mon. It's been a long day."
Ryu nodded, satisfied, then curled himself up to sleep.
Ryu really doesn't like talking about aura, Fen reflected, and he's always downplayed it when he has done. I guess not having the ability weighs on his mind a lot.
He repeated Rycaro's words to him on Ryu's desire to evolve. "With you by his side, he is on the correct path."
Fen sighed at the ambiguity of it; the last thing he needed were more mysteries to think about. He shuffled around in the rock until he could curl up comfortably, and finally closed his eyes.
I really hope you're right, Rycaro.