Here's chapter eleven. Thank you LeTantris, Antex-The Legendary Zoroark, Y-ko, and jordanobx for reviewing last chapter!

Chapter Eleven: Trials

Eris's mother sat on a bench in Lumiose City. She played back her daughter's message again. I know you said you're alright, but the college hasn't seen you. That, combined with her being unable to reach Eris since, had left her very worried. She'd contacted the police, and they'd sent out a 'missing persons' bulletin, but at the moment, there seemed to be nothing else they could do.

Eris's mother shook herself. I can't sit around doing nothing. I have to find her.

Her phone rang as she stood. "Hello?"

"Rachel, darling! I didn't know you were in Kalos."

Rachel sighed. She talked while walking. "My daughter's supposed to be going to college here."

"Oh, how nice. Well, since you're here, maybe we could have you come and do a speech."

Rachel debated a moment then sighed. "That'd be lovely, I suppose."

"Excellent! When can we-"

Rachel's attention snapped away from the speaker when she caught sight of a newspaper heading. 'GEOSENGE ATTACKED' ran in big, bold letters across the top. She lifted it. "Did you hear anything about an attack?"

"Hmm? Oh, the one in Geosenge? Yes, dreadful, isn't it? I hope that no one's getting the idea that we'll have another war."

"Another war?"

"Yes, of course. Kalos has been war-free for centuries."

"So has the rest of the world."

"Except Unova, with that whole 'Plasma' thing. I wonder if someone's going to try and imitate them?"

Rachel finished scanning the article and examined the picture. Though blurry, she could still make out the form of a human.

"Rachel, dear?"

"I have to go."

-Yveltal landed in the same clearing Eon had brought her to train. He hunched, wheezing. Eris released his leg, giving him a concerned look. "I'm fine." His coughing subsided and he stood taller. His milky eyes locked on something. "There. Do you see that?"

Eris followed his gaze. "A gogoat?"

"Watch. And stand back."

Eris eyed him, but obeyed. She moved back until she'd reached the tree line before Yveltal finally nodded approvingly. An aura of darkness surrounded him. He beat his wings, lifting.

The gogoat noticed him and seemed alarmed. It started to run.

Yveltal dove. The red and black tendrils surrounded him. He crashed into the ground. Eris gripped a tree, closing her eyes and praying she wouldn't be swept away. Honedge removed its sheath and sunk its blade into the bark.

When the shockwaves from the collision died down, Eris released her hold. Honedge pulled itself out and Eris helped it to re-sheath its blade.

"Miss Eris. I trust that you are alright?"

Eris nodded, staring wide-eyed around the clearing. "The grass is dead."

"And that is not all." Yveltal slid an emaciated, mangled body towards her.

She recognized it as the gogoat and tried not to gag. She looked away, regardless.

"You find the destruction distasteful, do you not?"

She nodded.

"Good."

Eris blinked, whipping around to stare at the avian.

He seemed amused. "Miss Eris, none should take pleasure in ending the life of another. However, the act is sometimes necessary. By taking the energy from the grass and the gogoat, I was able to restore some of my own." He clawed a hole in the ground with one foot. He rolled the gogoat's body inside, then buried it. "Sometimes a species will overpopulate. Sometimes there will be those who cause more harm then good. Sometimes change is simply needed. Regardless, some force needs to act to correct the balance."

"And that force is you?'

"And now, you."

Eris swallowed. She thought she'd understood what he'd meant when she'd first agreed; now, she was having doubts.

"I understand it's less-than appealing. But, Miss Eris, it has to be done. You may not have the stomach for it yet, but you'll need to learn." Something flashed in his eyes. "Better that a natural disaster cause the destruction than another human or pokemon. If a force of nature destroys things, then no one has blood on their hands, no?"

"But I'm human."

"Not when I Marked you." She could see his patience thinning. "Miss Eris, that Mark gives you power that no normal human or pokemon could attain. I pray I did not make a bad choice. If ever you are to misuse your Mark, or it gets too out of control, I will be obliged to kill you."

Eris took a step back.

Yveltal reared. "Now, then. Are you willing to prove you have the strength of character for this?"

Eris swallowed. She looked at Honedge. "Y-yes."

"Good." He gestured. "Out in the forest, two graveler have been running amuck. They've cause significant damage to the landscape and distress to the native pokemon. Your task is to end them."

She bit back her startled cry of 'end them' and simply nodded.

Honedge began quivering.

"I expect you to return to this clearing once you've finished. I will send Eon to check periodically." He beat his wings, stirring dust. He flew back towards the mountain.

Eris watched, then took a deep breath. "Well, let's go, Honedge."

The sword pokemon pulled back. "Hone."

"Honedge, we don't have much choice."

"Hone!"

"You don't have to stay attached to me, you know."

The pokemon quieted.

Eris took a steadying breath, then began into the forest.

-Absol's horn began tingling. His head lifted. Something else? He felt worn, dejected, and, at the moment, just wanted to sleep. Let someone else take care of it for once.

He remembered hearing that phrase repeated before. He cringed. I'm not like them. How can I turn my back? Slowly, reluctantly, he turned, hating himself for going, hating himself for wanting not to.

-"Lysandre, there you are!"

Lysandre sighed, rubbing his aching head. "Yes? Did you need me for something?"

A grunt said, "Where are we heading to next?"

Lysandre sighed, looking over Geonsenge's wreckage. "I don't know. This was our best lead." He snapped to attention. "The weapon was here. That, at the very least, counts for something. And Miss Eris had a nasty reaction from touching it."

"Oh. That's what happened."

"Yes." He cupped his chin. "But she stopped. What caused that?"

"I, um, don't know?"

"Gather some other grunts. Have them search around Geosenge."

"Yes, sir!"

When he left, Lysandre wondered, Now, then, what other places have historical significance with the war? The castle, perhaps? Yes, that would work. Provided he didn't run into the wandering king. A sneer curled his features. I will fix the mistakes you have made.

"Dragoooon!"

A dragonite soared overhead. It landed amidst the wreckage, stirring dust and scattering people. A well-dressed woman with blond hair slid from its back. "Thank you, Garcia." The dragonite crooned. The woman returned it to its pokeball.

"A dragonite," Lysandre said. "Not a common pokemon in Kalos."

The woman eyed him. "No. It's not." She examined the town. Her eyes expression became unreadable. "I heard this place got hit by something."

"Yes. I was here for it."

"You were?" The woman suddenly seemed frantic. "You didn't see a young girl around here, did you?"

Lysandre considered her. "Yes. But you'll have to be more specific. There are many young girls I could have seen."

"She looks similar to me, but in baggier clothes. Her eyes are brown instead of gray."

"Ah." He paused, weighing his options. "Yes, I believe I've seen this girl."

"You have? Is she okay?"

"Yes. At least, she was, the last I'd seen her. Eris is her name, yes?"

"Yes! That's her! What was she doing here?"

"She was here for the ruins. An assignment from a professor, I believe."

"Oh?" The woman suddenly seemed suspicious. "The college said she never arrived."

"Well, perhaps they misinformed you." He bowed. "Forgive me, but I don't believe I've introduced myself. I am Lysandre. And you, my lady?"

"Rachel."

"It is an honor to meet you, Miss Rachel." He rose.

Rachel appeared un-flattered and unmoved. "Do you know where Eris went?"

"I'm afraid I can't give that information out on a whim, miss."

"You already know that I know her."

"I presume you do. However, the facts remain that I do not know you well enough to confirm." He smiled kindly. "Perhaps you should return to Lumiose. Professor Sycamore may know more than I. If you go to the lab and give him my name, he'd be incline to help."

"How'd you know the college was in Lumiose?"

"I met her when she arrived."

Rachel seemed less than comfortable. She lifted a pokeball.

Lysandre chuckled. "My lady, I'm afraid that would be a mistake."

"Are you saying you're a trainer?"

"Of a sort. But I can assure you, my companions will have no need of battling."

She seemed to realize what he was implying and lowered her pokeball.

"Now, then. I have some clean up to do. Feel free to do what you like." He bowed again, then walked past her.

A pokeball opened, and wing beats scattered the air. Lysandre couldn't help feeling relieved the woman had taken his advice and left. But she could prove troublesome. The dragonite appeared as a speck in the sky. At least Sycamore should keep her busy.


That's it for chapter eleven! Review responses:

LeTantris: Yeah, Absol's probably going to have some issues with that. As for Eris finding out, well…I guess only time will tell. But she probably has a slight idea, at least.

Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: Yay!

Y-ko: I thought you were reviewing the latest chapter and was very confused for a moment. ^^; But thanks for letting me know! I'll see if I can avoid making the same mistake in future chapters.

jordanobx: I'm glad you like it so far! As for other legendaries…I don't really expect them to appear (well, in-person [pokemon?] at least), but then again, my stories tend to surprise me more often than not, so there is a slight possibility.

Like anything about this chapter? Hate something about it? Let me know by typing it in that little box down there!