Replies to guest reviews:
Guest– Yep! It was Hoopa that helped him find the gym.
Guestt– We shall find out next chapter.
Chapter Ten
"Kindle, which one of these is the shampoo?" Ash asked uncertainly, staring at the dozens of products resting on the counter, the Kalosian words on the bottles foreign to him. The fancy bathroom was dimly lit, what made made it even worse for Ash as he tried to get ready for the day. A tiredness hung about him, having only woke up not long before.
Despite having felt so on edge last night, he had still slept like a rock– his exhaustion having knocked him out the entire night. He had been awoken by a gentle knocking on his door, an unknown voice on the other side having informed him that he would be having breakfast with Lysandre within the hour. Ash would have rather stayed in bed for another hour, but had grudgingly gotten up anyways.
The fire type yawned as she trotted into the bathroom, looking at Ash with a slightly annoyed look. She jumped up onto the counter, golden eyes sweeping over the many containers resting on the counter. She sniffed several of the bottles, and Ash watched as she nudged several of them forward. She sat down, watching him as he stared at the bottles.
"Are all of these shampoo?" Ash asked quietly, and the fox nodded. "Why are there five different bottles? Who needs five different kinds of shampoo?!"
Kindle let out another yawn, nose twitching– showing that she either didn't know or didn't care– and shoved one of the bottles forward. Ash picked it up, staring at the strange words, before letting out a sigh. Kindle slipped out of the room, the fox stretching tiredly as she did so. Ever since they had arrived at Lysandre's estate she had been much calmer, especially compared to Ash and the rest of the team. She seemed right at home with the fanciness of the place, while Ash was still unsure what to make of it all.
The shower was nice though, he had to admit, and he spent a bit longer in there than he had intended. The shampoo made him smell faintly of Pecha berries as he stepped out of the bedroom, but he had a feeling that no matter what products he would have used they would have all been scented. Kindle was laying on the bed, ears back in annoyance.
Nami and Amber were running and flying about the room, the small Riolu chasing the Vivillon in what appeared to be a game of tag. The Riolu pounced on the bed, trying to use the momentum to reached the flying type. Her paws grasped at empty air, falling back onto the mattress. She had a small smile on her face, bouncing slightly as she landed. Kindle let out a groan, paws over her head as Nami began to bounce higher.
Fun! Nami declared happily as Ash approached them, picking up the canine before Kindle got tempted to shoot an Ember. The Riolu looked up at him, blinking her ruby eyes. Ash was glad to see she was calmer than she had been yesterday, at least around him and the rest of the team.
"I'm glad to see you're having some fun," Ash said, and right on cue Amber dipped down and landed on his head. "I'm not sure how much longer we're going to be in here, but make sure you guys don't knock anything over while you play, okay?"
He set Nami onto the ground, who became a blur of blue as she sped across the room. Ash sat down on the bed next to Kindle, and Amber was back up into the air, diving after Nami with a happy chur. She flared her wings open, her left one quivering slightly from where the tear had been, and Kindle grumbled unhappily.
"They're just playing," Ash said, scratching her on the head, her fur warmer than usual, probably resulting from her frustration. "You can join them, you know? It might be good for you."
"Kin!" She snapped, turning her nose up at the idea. She however pressed her head closer to Ash's hand as he stroked her, clearly enjoying the sensation. He ran his hand down her back, switching hands when the heat of her fur became too intense, but as she slowly relaxed the temperature around her dropped.
Ash watched her, before glancing around the room, hesitating. He didn't want to bring it up– but he had promised Kindle that if she wanted to stay with Lysandre he wouldn't stop her. And seeing how content she had been since they had arrived here only reminded him of that promise... he was afraid that was what she'd choose. Leaving Kindle here was one of the last things he wanted to do.
Ash was pulled from his thought as he heard a knocking at the door. Kindle's ears flicked up, while Amber and Nami paused from their game of chase. Ash sat up slightly, calling out. "Er, yes?"
"Monsieur Lysandre is ready to see you and your Pokemon now," A voice said from the otherside of the door, and Ash stood up. Kindle hopped off the bed, trotting at his heels.
He hesitated as he reached for the knob, wondering if it would be locked as it had been last night. However before he could test it the door swung open, a man standing in the doorway, wearing a red suit. He bowed to Ash, who shifted uncertainly at the gesture, but guessed he was a butler of some kind. He gave the man a small smile as he rose, but the man's expression stayed stoic.
"You said Pokemon too, right?" Ash asked uncertainly, trying to break the silence.
"Correct," The man said, face still expressionless. "I am here to guide you to the main dining room."
Main? Well, the idea of this place having more than one dining room shouldn't really be surprising. Ash shifted uncertainly, but turned to face the other two Pokemon– to find only Amber hovering in the center of the room– while Nami had dove under the covers the moment the door had opened.
"Hey Nami, we're going to go and eat now," Ash said quietly, looking at the quivering mass under the blankets. "You're hungry, aren't you?"
...Yes. Her telepathy was a bit fainter than before, the Pokemon still cowering under the covers. Ash slowly pulled back the blanket, placing a hand on Nami's back. She didn't look up at him. Ash sighed, reaching down and scooping up the Riolu, not wanting to keep the butler waiting. She twisted in his arms, burying her face into his shirt.
Amber came and fluttered down onto Ash's head– her favorite perch.
The man cleared his throat as he stood in the doorway, clearing wanting to get moving, or perhaps simply not wanting to keep Lysandre waiting. Ash shifted Nami in his arms to make sure she was secured, then he swiftly hurried back to the door. The butler waited until he and Kindle had exited before shutting it behind them, then he bowed to them once more.
"If you would follow me, Monsieur Lysandre is waiting for you," He said, before rising and starting down the hall. Ash followed after him, eyes sweeping the place around him, but not much had changed since he had been lead through here last night. The floor was made of sleek mahogany, while the walls were a dark gray. Much like his room red seemed to be a favored color– various shades of it highlighting the artwork in the hall.
There were several doors in his same hallway, leading to what Ash expected to be more 'guest rooms', thought it honestly felt like a high end hotel. The halls were dimly lit, which made Ash squint as they were lead into a bigger corridor– the lighting suddenly becoming much more bright.
It was hard to keep track of where they went from there– the whole building feeling like a maze, and there was simply too much calling for his attention to stay focused. There was a hallway that was completely a mural– floor, walls, and ceiling painted to look as if one were underwater. Alcoves featuring towering statues, and open doors that lead to rooms just as interesting. There was such a beauty to the place, but Ash had no time to truly look at anything in order to stay caught up with the butler.
The butler finally came to a stop outside a pair of giant black doors, bowing to Ash once he had opened one. "Right through here."
"Um, thank you," Ash said, slowly approaching the room. The door was shut behind him, causing Ash to flinch, but soon the room took up his focus.
Like many of the hallways, it was dimly lit, taking Ash a moment for his eyes to adjust. It was easily one of the larger rooms– a ceiling stretched out high above him, a gorgeous black chandelier hanging from the center of the room. Carved woodwork curved out from the molding and onto the walls, multiple fleur-de-lis patterns cropping up around the room. There were no windows, suggesting they were somewhere in the center of the building, but large paintings hung on the walls instead. Of all the images in the paintings, the only one that held something Ash recognized was the one that featured a Pyroar.
"Hello, Ash," A gentle voice said, drawing Ash's attention away from the decor, and to the large table that took up most of the room. It could easily sit two dozen, if not more– but at the moment there were only two figures sitting at the table. Lysandre sat at the head, who nodded as Ash's gaze turned towards him. At his right side sat the Pyroar, who was seated on a seat that seemed to be just designed for the fire type.
It was a bit strange to see a lion seated at the table, but yet the proud fire type clearly belonged, his fiery gaze locked on Ash. His expression seemed to just be daring Ash to mock him, tail flicking in the silence.
"Hello," Ash said uncertainly, shifting as he stood near the doors.
"Come," Lysandre said, motioning to the chair to his left. "Have a seat, your Pokemon as well– breakfast will be served shortly."
Kindle had already trotted forward, leaping up onto a chair next to Ares. Like for the Pyroar the seat seemed to be made for a Pokemon, the chair placing her right at table level. Ash slowly stepped forward, not realizing how nervous he felt until now. The others had said that Lysandre was a well-known businessman here in Kalos, and the gift of the Holo Caster seemed to confirm that... but now that he had seen this man's home, and the sheer expense of everything around him he was clearly much more than 'rich'. Ash wasn't even quite sure why this man had taken an interest in him, and was afraid of doing something stupid.
As he made his way over to the chair he found that the two seats next to him also seemed to be designed for Pokemon. A raised one for Nami, and the second more of a small perch that seemed to be for Amber. Ash had to place the formerly wild Pokemon on it himself so they understood what it was for, Nami clearly not happy to be out of Ash's arms. He was about to sit himself when he found the chair had been pulled out– a young woman dressed in red holding it for him.
"Oh, thank you," Ash said, carefully sitting, not even having heard anyone else enter the room. This whole mansion felt almost like a castle– right down to those serving in it. He had a feeling that that these maids and butlers were paid well though, but even then Ash was still a bit uneasy with the idea.
"I hope you slept well last night," Lysandre smiled at him, and like yesterday Ash found himself split between the gentleness in his eyes and the intimidation of his appearance.
"Y-yeah, it was great," Ash said, shifting. "Er, thank you for letting me stay here... this whole place is amazing."
Those icy blue eyes scanned Ash. "May I ask you what's causing your discomfort? I prefer my guests to be at ease– so if there's something bothering you then please then me."
Ash flushed slightly, hating how easily he had been read. He watched Lysandre, about to say he simply didn't know how to act in a place this fancy– but that wasn't the only thing that had made him uncomfortable in his stay here. The fact that his room had been locked from the outside was unsettling, and probably the only thing that was keeping him from completely accepting Lysandre's hospitality. He wasn't quite sure what to say about this though, but at the same time he wanted some answers.
"Well, erm..." Ash said, eyes flickering to his Pokemon as he shifted uncertainly. Nami had picked up a fork and was examining it in confusion. "Last night, I, um..." Why did he keep stuttering? Why couldn't he just talk? "Last night I, well, I couldn't help but noticed my room was locked..."
Ash trailed off, eyes flickering down to the table. The idea of being locked in was obviously wrong– but yet it sounded almost stupid when it said it outloud. His gut twisted, hoping he didn't sound like he was being accusing.
Lysandre paused, blinking, before glancing at his Pyroar. Ares snorted, and Lysandre let out what seemed to be an embarrassed chuckle. "Well, Ash, I must apologize– that was an error on my end, I'm afraid," He gave a small smile. "The security system we have in place automatically locks all unaccompanied rooms at night. I believe we forgot to mark the room we placed you in as occupied."
"Oh," Ash said– this answer surprisingly simple. "That makes sense... Um, sorry I–"
"Don't apologize, I completely understand why that would make one nervous," He sat up a bit. "I promise that shall be fixed tonight. For now though, let us eat!"
The timing with Lysandre's words was too perfect to be a coincidence– so Ash decided that the man's words had been a cue– as soon as he had finished speaking the doors burst open, servers carrying trays of food entering the room. Nami ducked under the table, while Ash looked up hungrily.
He still had no idea of how to act in such a high-end home, but the food being set before him looked absolutely delicious. Amber seemed to agree– letting out a happy chur before chugging down the liquid set in front of her. Ash guessed it was nectar, but honey was a possibility as well.
A huge platter had been placed in front of Ash– steak, quiche, toast, bacon, a stack of pancakes, a small bowl of berries swimming in cream, and hot chocolate. As much as Ash loved food he wasn't quite sure if he'd be able to finish the portion in front of him.
Ares had been given a platter of lightly toasted meat, still looking mostly raw, topped with several berries. Kindle had a plate covered in small twigs, a small drumstick and Oran berry on top. Nami had a similar dish, just with more berries and minus the wood, but the Riolu was still hiding under the table.
Ash glanced at Lysandre's dish– and was surprised to find only a single piece of toast and a cup of tea. He smiled at Ash's confused gaze, but said nothing, merely taking a sip of his tea.
Nami didn't retreat from under the table until the servers had left, and Ash was simply glad that she didn't seem as frightened as Lysandre as she did other humans. Still she cast a wary glance his way as she slunk back into the chair. She nudged the meat aside, and began nibbling on the berries.
Silence stretched through the room, and though it only felt awkward to Ash he made no effort to break it. Lysandre had said he wanted to talk, but he didn't even look at Ash as he attempted to make a dent in his large meal. Having Ares sitting across from him made it even more awkward– the lion glaring at Ash as he chewed the raw meat.
"Is the food to your liking?" Lysandre asked after several minutes of silence.
"Yes, it's very good," Ash said.
"Yesterday you made an interesting observation, with me sponsoring your journey for gym badges," Lysandre remarked. "And you're not the only one who's been surprised, as I've always been against the mistreatment of Pokemon– Augustine thought I was joking when I said I wished to become a sponsor."
"So then why are you?" Ash asked.
Lysandre smiled. "To be honest, I had no intentions of sponsoring anyone when I sent Kindle off as a starter. I simply sent her to... to see what young trainers were like, but I gave her clear instructions to discourage anyone from picking her."
Ash glanced at Kindle, who was watching Lysandre.
"You see, Ash, champions have a lot of influence on the region. Champions bring change, the problem is the only ones that become champions are the ones that don't care if innocent Pokemon die to earn that title."
"So they won't change anything," Ash finished.
"Correct," Lysandre said with a nod. "I could never take on the league myself and put my Pokemon at risk. I would be more than willing to sponsor someone that wanted to change the league for the better– but I was convinced that there was no one like that who would take on the league."
Ash's heart was thumping– it had been clear that Lysandre cared for Pokemon– but this proved that Lysandre saw them the same way Ash did. As intelligent creatures that should be protected, and not pitted into these fights as they were.
"So you can imagine my surprise when I met you," He said with a small chuckle. "A young trainer who seemed to have a heart for Pokemon– one that also was signed up for a gym battle," Lysandre set down his cup of tea. "Seeing how you treat your Pokemon only confirms that– you are a trainer that cares deeply for their Pokemon. A combination I thought I would never encounter," His sharp eyes settled onto Ash. "So tell me, do you intend on taking the league challenge always way up to the Elite Four?"
Ash swallowed– he honestly did not want to do another gym battle– but he also didn't have a choice either. Yveltal had nearly killed Kindle, and now that he had more Pokemon with him...
"That seems to be my plan..." Ash said, shifting in his seat.
"I want to create a world that's better for Pokemon," Lysandre said, his soft gaze going serious. "A trainer that's willing to bring change is someone I am willing to sponsor."
Ash hesitated, considering the man's worlds. The mere thought of fighting more gyms, of fighting the champion in a battle to the death... it sounded horrible. He honestly didn't even know if he could make it that far... but at the same time, the idea of change to this horrible world raised his spirits slightly. This journey had made him feel nothing but selfish, putting other Pokemon into a death match for his sake. But if he could have another goal, something else to put as a motivation for this journey, then perhaps it would make it that much easier.
Not that this would be easy.
"Honestly there's nothing more I'd like to do than tear this whole system of battles to the death apart," Ash said.
Lysandre smiled. "Then it seems we just might have somewhat of a common goal, Ash," He tilted his head. "Though, I am very interested on your reasoning for taking on this journey."
Ash hesitated, eyes flickering towards Kindle. The fox gave a small nod, but when he opened his mouth he just couldn't bring himself to explain Yveltal. He doubted that Lysandre would believe him... and he didn't want to lose the trust of perhaps the only sane person in this world.
"I hope you understand, Mr. Lysandre," Ash said softly, looking down at his plate. "But my reasons are kind of personal."
"I understand," He replied, much to Ash's relief. "Everyone has things they don't wish to talk about, and I will not push you. Are you finished eating?"
Ash looked down at the meal he had only gotten halfway through. "Heh... I don't think I could eat another bite."
Lysandre pushed himself to his feet. "That is just fine. Follow me if you would– the Pokemon may stay here and finish their meals. Kindle, lead the rest of Ash's team up to the training room once you are all done."
"Fenn!" Kindle chirped, nodding.
Ash frowned, pausing to look at Kindle. "Um, Mr. Lysandre– you said you didn't intend for Kindle to go to a trainer, right?"
"That wasn't part of my original plans."
Ash swallowed. "Then... then she probably was never expecting to be put in gym battles and... And I don't want to put a Pokemon into gym matches unless they're willing to."
The older man paused, lips pressed together, and his eyes swept over to Kindle. The fox was watching them, her gaze unreadable as she sat there. "Well, I can always provide another Pokemon to be your companion if she does not wish to continue this journey. Do you wish to continue your assignment, Kindle?"
Ash's heart tightened as he saw the hesitation in Kindle's eyes, but he kept quiet. He couldn't force her to stay, and he would never force her into a gym battle. She clearly was happy here, and would be safe. The little fox pawed at her chair, looking down at the ground, before looking back up at Lysandre. The Fennekin swallowed– and then nodded.
"Very well, you shall continue training with Ash then," Lysandre said.
A smile broke over Ash's face, and Kindle glanced at him. The little Fennekin offered him a smile as well, but she swiftly looked away. He hesitated, hoping that she wasn't regretting her decision, but before Ash could say a word Lysandre cleared his throat. He glanced over his shoulder and found that the man was waiting for him, and he quickly stood up. He reminded himself that he could speak with Kindle later, and followed Lysandre out the door.
"Your primary focus should be on training," He said as he lead Ash down the hall. "Each gym match gets harder with each badge you earn, and you'll find that gym leaders aren't keen on losing."
"...There's a gym here in Lumiose..." Ash said slowly, and suddenly he realized that his next match would be here. His heart pounded, knowing that he was nowhere near ready for another battle.
"You will not be taking on the Lumiose gym," Lysandre said, his tone much sharper than before. Ash couldn't help but flinch, but more out of surprise than anything else.
"I... I don't think I should wait though," Ash began, even though waiting was the very thing he wanted to do.
"The Lumiose gym is an electric type gym," Lysandre said solemnly. "One of the most dangerous types in melee battles, right alongside dragon and fire. Electric Pokemon are usually swift, and it doesn't take much for a powerful surge of electricity to kill. If you had a ground type with you this would be a different matter– but marching into that gym now would be death for your team."
Lysandre was right– Nami wasn't trained, and Amber was weak to electricity– which only left Kindle as a safe option against the gym.
"Not to mention paralysis," Lysandre continued. "Which could cripple even a capable Pokemon. Most electric types struggle to take multiple blows, but if they can paralyze a challenger then that weakness is gone as well."
"So if not the Lumiose gym," Ash said. "Then where should I go next?"
Lysandre came to a pause in front of a seemingly random door, pushing it open. He glanced at Ash as a signal for him to enter, before closing the door behind them. The lights flickered on as they entered, and Ash found that the room featured several paintings and stone carvings within a display case– looking as if they had just walked into a museum. Lysandre headed towards a stand in the center of the room, which seemed to be his reason for coming in here, tapping a few buttons on the electronic screen on top.
A blue holographic screen popped up, an image of a Kalos map hovering in the air. Ash stepped forward, eyes scanning the map curiously. Lumiose was simple to find– with it being right in the center of the map.
"You have several options," Lysandre said, pointing at the map. "You just came from Santalune, which is here, and the next closest gym would be Coumarine City– grass type gym. That would give you the type advantage, though you'd need to pass through route 13, which is a harsher route."
"Grass type gym doesn't sound too bad," Ash said uncertainly.
"Another close gym would be Laverre City with a fairy type gym," Lysandre continued, pointing to the top of the map. "But that would offer you no advantage with your current team. You could go through Dendemille to get to Anistar... but it'd be more effective to go to Laverre first to cover more gyms. Your final option would to head through Camphrier Town– it would be a longer trip to the next gym, but this route would take you pass three gyms before looping you back to Lumiose City, and give you plenty of time to build a team."
Time sounded good– anything to give him more distance between gyms fights. "What type of gym would that be?"
"...That would be Cyllage City," He said after a moment of thought, tapping the city on the map. "Which would be rock type. Not a good matchup for you now, but if you were to train the Riolu it would be very effective."
"I don't know if Nami should be in gym battles..." Ash said uncertainly, frowning at the glowing map.
"Fighting type have a natural desire to fight– though not as brutally as the gyms make it to be," Lysandre said. "Perhaps I could have her meet my Mienfoo, Artemis, and she could teach her a few things,"
"I think... I think I will head towards the rock type gym then, and train up my team some more... and stuff..."
Honestly, the only reason why he chose that gym was because it was one of the ones that was farther away. He couldn't take on another gym match, not this soon, and to have time to train up his team would only be better for them. They needed to be as strong as they could be– for their own sakes. Ash hated how quickly everything happened here. Pokemon simply being handed to him like their were items, a gym battles being a fearful task rather than a challenge to enjoy. The most he could do was just take what was thrown at him, and try to make sense of everything the moment he was alone.
"I will assist you in preparing you for your next match," He replied.
Ash turned away from Lysandre and the map, staring up at the paintings instead, more to calm his thoughts than to actually look at them. The image of a beautiful blue doe stared down at him, antlers of what seemed to be made of crystal stretching up from her head. Silence crept into the room, and he could feel Lysandre watching him.
"...What Pokemon is that?" Ash asked quietly, trying to both break the silence and change the topic away from gym battles.
"That is an interpretation of what Xerneas the Giver was said to look like," Lysandre replied. "Sources vary on her appearance though, but most just see her as a fabled goddess."
Ash blinked, but he remembered the legendary that had appeared in the story with Yveltal. He studied the fairy type, whose entire body was a deep blue with dazzling eyes. Her hooves were pure white, and the antlers that sprouted from her head were each a different color of gem. He stared at the Pokemon, who did look beautiful... but at the same time it simply looked off. As if something was telling him that this wasn't how she was supposed to appear.
"...In the story with Yveltal," Ash said slowly. "Didn't Xerneas die...?"
"Careful with names, Ash," Lysandre said solemnly. "They have power. If you must say Death's name then address him as Yveltal the Sentinel."
Ash gritted his teeth. "I'm not calling him by any titles."
Lysandre either didn't hear him mutter this, or acted as if he hadn't. "But yes, the Giver's physical form was stripped from this world by Kalos' ancient king. But can a deity truly die? I do not believe so– merely her body was destroyed, and her essence hasn't touched this realm since, leaving this world to the Sentinel."
"...Why is he called that, anyways? Doesn't 'sentinel' mean like guard, or something?" Ash asked, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "That doesn't seem like anything he's doing."
Lysandre turned to face another painting, and Ash's gaze turned to follow his. This second painted depicted a stormy sky, dark gray clouds covering the sky. In the center of the painting was a giant raptor, wings spread open and talons curled. The bird had pure black feathers covering it from head to wing tip, with a pair of familiar piercing blue eyes. Ash stared up at what seemed to be Yveltal's Pokemon form.
"The Sentinel is said to be a guardian of balance, a gatekeeper of death," Lysandre said. "That he ushers those whose time it is to depart this life– but yet his influence does not touch the next life."
Ash turned away from the painting, those blue eyes sending chills up his back, and turned to study some of the other objects in the room instead. Tucked away in the glass display cases were old, crumbling stones, looking as if they belonged in ancient ruins. Foreign runes covered them, so Ash found himself looking at the worn images instead. Not much was recognizable, just carvings of Pokemon and humans etched into the rock.
"I've always found it humorous how so many people are willing to shrug off the past," Lysandre said, placing a hand on Ash's shoulder, looking down at the carvings as well. "That all their stories must be myth. We work alongside Pokemon with great power– so why can't Pokemon with even greater power exist?"
"...You believe in the legendaries then?" Ash asked slowly.
"How can one not look out on this world," Lysandre asked. "And not see that it belongs to Death?"
...It was too convenient.
Him meeting someone that not only saw Pokemon the way he did– but also saw the legendaries are real as well? Someone in this world where everyone saw the opposite? Ash touched where the amulet rested under his shirt, and decided that he wouldn't mention his encounter with Yveltal, even though he was tempted. He didn't know how Lysandre would react to such a claim, and he wanted more time to see if this was someone he could trust.
"Is that carving one of Yveltal?" Ash asked without responding to his question, nodding at a stone that clearly depicted a certain bird rushing up into battle. The blocky carving showed that the legendary was flying towards a creature that resembled nothing that Ash had never seen before. The being was vaguely humanoid, six arms hovering about its body. A pointed tail was depicted in the image, lashing out against the charging Yveltal.
"These relics were taken from some ruins found buried deep in route 13," Lysandre replied. "They are roughly a thousand years old– and the image they show is known as the battle of the Sentinel and the Djinn."
"Is that a Pokemon?" Ash asked, staring at the horned creature.
"It's an unknown entity that said to have appeared above the ancient city of Dahara," Lysandre said. "A civilization that supposedly inhabited a fertile land that is now route 13– but the Sentinel was said to have turned it into a desert. He supposedly descended from the sky shortly after the Djinn appeared, engaging in a battle that ended up destroying the city and killing the Djinn."
"...Do you think the story is real?"
"That is a very good question, Ash," Lysandre said. "But I believe your Pokemon are waiting for us in the training room– come along."
Kindle's eyes lit up when she saw the Absol resting in the middle of the training room. A smile broke over her face, and she found herself racing towards the white shape. His eyes slide open as the small Pokemon bolted towards him, the Absol raising his head in time to have a Fennekin slam into him. She rubbed her head against him, and she felt a warm tongue run over her head.
'Hello, Kindle,' The Absol said with a gentle smile.
'Dad,' Kindle whispered, a slight whimper in her tone, and she pressed closer to him.
It took her a moment to remember that Amber and Nami were with her, and Kindle slowly pulled away from her father. Still the smile on her face didn't fade, and she quickly glanced back at her teammates, who were looking about the room in awe. The large room equipped with everything a Pokemon could need to train, including a small library on the other side of the room meant for trainers. The two former wild Pokemon couldn't stop looking about, and the Absol smiled.
'Hello there, my name is Apollo,' The Absol said, approaching the Vivillon and Riolu. 'You must be Kindle's teammates– I'm her father.'
'Hello!' Amber chirped. 'You don't look anything like Kindle!'
Kindle felt her claws curling, but Apollo simply laughed. 'Kits do tend to take after their mothers. And what might your name be?'
'I'm Amber! I'm Kindle's best friend!' The Vivillon said happily, flapping her way closer to the dark type. She looked over him for a moment, before landing on his horn. 'She teaching me how to use my Protect, and how to use a psychic type move, and–'
'And training is very important for taking on gyms!' Kindle cut in, shooting a glare at Vivillon. 'Anyways, Dad– that's Amber and the one cowering over there is Nami. Lysandre asked us to come here.'
The Absol grinned. 'Well, since your trainer isn't here, I'd be more than happy to give your new team a few tips. You want to see a psychic type move, Vivillon? Hop off of my horn and I'll slow you one.'
'Ooo!' Amber said excitedly, rising up into the air and landing next to Kindle. The Absol stretched out, before turning to face one of the targets on the wall. His horn began to glow with a purple light as he swung his head around– releasing a crescent blade of psychic energy. The Psycho Cut was launched across the room, slashing right into the center of the target. Amber let out an excited cry, looking at Kindle eagerly. 'Can you do that?'
'...I don't officially know any psychic type moves,' Kindle said slowly. 'I'm simply strongly connected to the psyche.'
'Don't be modest, Kindle!' Apollo said, smiling at his daughter. 'You have a nearly perfected Future Sight! Even better than your mother's when she was your age, if I dare say... but don't tell her I said that– please.'
Kindle looked down at the ground. 'But I can't attack with it–'
'It's more than about attacking,' Apollo said, placing a clawed paw on his chest. 'My Future Sight can sense when something might go wrong– but you can sense disturbances with ease, right down to the very location! You have my intuition, but your mother's skill.'
Kindle said nothing.
'Little Riolu!' Apollo said, suddenly turning to face Nami– whose eyes widened. 'What about you, what moves are you learning?'
Nami let out a few shakily mutters, and the Absol went closer to try to hear her. This only made Nami stumble back though, the Riolu's voice becoming even quieter. However this didn't deter the Absol, who seemed determined on getting an answer. He lowered himself to the ground, while Nami covered her eyes with her paws, and Kindle sighed.
Amber giggled. 'Your Dad's strong! And cool!' She tilted her head. 'Your family has weird names. Ares. Kindle. Apollo.'
'...Lysandre names his Pokemon after powerful figures from history,' Kindle said, glancing away. 'Kindle isn't one of them though– it's just a nickname.'
'Why?'
'...Because I haven't earned my true name yet.'
'What's that?'
'...You're asking a lot of questions,' Kindle muttered under her breath, but then she let out a sigh. 'My full name is Hestia Kindle Belle– but I can't called by my true name, Hestia, until I complete my mission. So for now I'm Kindle.'
'What's your mission?'
'That's none of your business.'
'Is it the gym battles?'
'...Sure. It's the gym battles.'
'What's your dad's true name?'
Kindle sighed. 'Apollo, like he told you. He's already earned his true name.'
'What's–'
Kindle stood up, cutting off the Vivillon. 'How about we start training– okay? As soon as you master Protect I promise I'll start to teach you a psychic type move. You just need to use Protect in midair, that's all. Can you do that?'
Much to Kindle's relief, the bug type took to the topic change right away, a grin coming over her face. Amber fluttered up into the air, following Kindle out onto the training mats. The fire type let out a small sigh, stretching out before she turned to face Amber. She was hovering in the air, wings flapping as she waited for Kindle to charge.
The Fennekin tilted her head, wondering if Amber would actually use the move properly this time. She had been stubborn so far, but maybe she'd finally listen...
Kindle's ears went back as she launched an Ember– and Amber drifted down to the ground as she used a Protect.
They had a long way to go.
'She doesn't want to come back to the Hall,' Mew said quietly, glancing away. 'Xerny is emotionally overwhelmed right now, and she says she just wants to stay at the Tree for now...'
'I don't blame the poor thing,' Cresselia said coolly. 'Both worlds she has ever called home are being destroyed– thanks to the very creature that destroyed her connection to her world in the first place!'
'Yveltal wouldn't try to destroy his world,' Mew said, shivering as she said the name of the one that had taken her Chosen One. 'That'd mean he would have nowhere to go but the Hall of Origins– and Father would do something the moment he does.'
Cresselia ruffled her feathers. 'Not on purpose, but the moment he allowed those humans to claim Xerneas' life he destined his world to be destroyed. His aura has always been toxic– there was always something off in his world, even when Xerneas was still there. I'd hate to see how corrupt his world is now.'
'What about your world then?' Mew asked. 'You always say Darkrai's aura is corrupted too, and you share a world with him!'
Mew tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice, tensing up as Cresselia suggested that there had been something wrong with Xerneas' world when she had still been bonded to it. Sure, Xerneas' world had always seemed to be riddled with wars, but that was a struggle that all worlds faced at some point, it took humans time to find peace... Mew knew she was lucky that the humans in her world seemed to favor peace.
That's why so many other major legendaries often visited her world, knowing that there'd be peace.
'As long as Darkrai keeps to his island we have no problems,' Cresselia said, the fairy type holding her head high. 'He causes nightmares, but as long as he isn't near anyone he's harmless. Yveltal on the other wing... well, he's connected to mortal's very life force, like Xerneas. His aura is corrupted– and it touches everything.'
Mew tapped her paws nervously together. '...Do you think his aura could corrupt Ash's aura?'
'The Chosen One?' Cresselia asked, blinking. 'His aura is immortal– just like ours! The only harm Yveltal can bring to him is death, but his aura could not be turned.'
Mew looked down at her paw, summoning a burst of her green aura. She let the light flicker around her paw, throat tightening as she thought on Ash. 'If Ash dies then my world is destroyed...' She closed her eyes. 'Ash is still so young in his current life, too young to be going through what Yveltal could be doing to him. If this was one of his former lives I'd know he'd be able to hold on, but now...'
She paused mid sentence though– surprise rushing through her as she sense as burst of pink aura. She quickly extinguished her aura, spinning about to face where she had sensed Xerneas'. Her heart rose hopefully– had Xerneas decided to come back to the Hall of Origins after all? Even if no meeting was being held, perhaps there was something Arceus could do to console his broken daughter that Mew could not.
'Xerny!' Mew cried, rushing away from Cresselia and towards the pillar she had sensed Xerneas' aura from.
Confusion raced through her as she sensed a portal opening however– much quicker than Mew thought possible. She zipped around the marble pillar just in time to see a golden portal fading away– and Xerneas nowhere in sight. Mew's heart fell, confusion racing through her as she realized the fairy type had ran away.
Or perhaps Xerneas simply hadn't wanted any attention on her– and Mew had ruined that by racing over here.
A faint gleam of color caught Mew's eye, and she drifted down towards the ground. Laying right next to the pillar was a small tangle of blossoms, weaved together into a flower crown. The feline reached down, picking them up, scanning them with her aura view. She could sense the vast amount of life energy running through it, and she knew Xerneas must have been here.
Cresselia came drifting over, confusion in her eyes. 'Xerneas is here?'
'Um– nope!' Mew said swiftly, hiding the flower crown behind her back. If Xerneas didn't want others to know she had been here, then Mew would keep quiet. 'It was my mistake, I just... I've just been worried about her that I just thought... and yeah!'
Her excuse made no sense, but Cresselia slowly nodded anyways, knowing that Mew wanted the topic to be left alone. 'Alright. Just let me know if there's anything I can do for you or Xerneas though– you two are my closest friends and I don't want anything happening to your worlds.'
Mew nodded. 'Thank you, Cresselia."
Before anyone tries to correct me on calling Cresselia a fairy type, I know she's a psychic type. But in this story Cresselia is a psychic/fairy type because it just makes sense. The fairy typing would give her an advantage over Darkrai, whom she's supposed to keep in line. Fairy types are associated with the moon, just like Cresselia. It just makes sense, and I think if fairy types would have been around in gen four Cresselia would have been one.