A/N: For some reason, the website is being weird and the server keeps going down when I'm trying to look over the chapter. I had to keep re-editing what I already fixed, which was mildly irritating. I would have uploaded up earlier in the morning if it wasn't for the server failing.
Here's the next chapter. We see what Aurora is up to. Not really much else to say. Enjoy~
Certain things to note:
"..."- This denotes regular speech or thoughts in flashbacks.
"..." This denotes thoughts, flashback or telepathy when stated directly.
"..." This denotes a Pokemon's speech or Pokemon thoughts in flashbacks.
"..." This denotes a Pokemon's thoughts, telepathy or Pokemon speech in flashbacks when stated directly.
"(...)" (This denotes a Pokemon speaking, but only select characters like Ash or Aurora can understand it.)
Disclaimer: Pokemon is owned by Game Freak. This story is, of course, mine.
Onward to the story!
"It is they who are stupid and wrongly take gentleness and fairness for weakness. There are many more predators in this world, so I want you to be made of silk. You are silk." -C. JoyBell C
Chapter 13: Rekindling Visit
Chi-Chi and Aurora were enveloped in a bright light as they arrived at Aurora's desired destination. They stood outside the proximity of town, yet could still see it from the distance. Aurora was standing on a tall hill with Chi-Chi sitting at her side. It wasn't particularly windy, it was enough for the lush grass to sway about naturally. Aurora subconsciously rubbed her electric type's head as she took a deep breath of the air.
It was clean. It was refreshing. Just like she remembered.
Chi-Chi got up on the ground, stayed on all fours and followed her trainer down the hill to go to the main hub. She looked as if she was Aurora's pet that liked to follow her around. As Aurora began to inspect her surroundings, she quickly realized how much she missed this place. She missed the place where she considered her hometown, Shingetsu Town. Chi-Chi could feel her trainer's excitement from a mile away but could also feel her melancholy. They weren't there only to view the scenery. They were there to prepare for the road ahead. The road to the next master guardian.
Shingetsu Town was a hilly town located on a low plateau. It looked like a hidden village; not many people knew where it was nor visited it. Unlike cities such as Castelia and Lumiose, Shingetsu didn't have really modern tourist traps that it would hook people into it. There weren't really any places of interest other than the regional Pokémon Lab. The main things that set it apart from other cities were its abundance of berry trees. It was very traditional. It made Aurora want to cry. Not too many cities in Hokori still looked this lush.
She hadn't been in this place for a specific reason: to protect some of the last things she held dear.
Everywhere Aurora went, because of the Zurui, there was a chance of destruction. She wanted to prevent that before it started. That was the reason why Aurora decided to come here now out of all times. She needed to do what she wanted to do as discreetly as possible. She knew the Zurui didn't expect her to be back so soon and she would use that to her advantage. She put on her black cloak and covered her face. She didn't want to alarm some of the people living in the town, but at the same time, she didn't want to cause unnecessary attention. From beneath the hood, Aurora activated her aura vision. Since Aurora was very skillful with her aura, her eyes did not glow; she was able to weakly see the aura in the area. She picked up on the two auras she sought after instantly. With a deep breath, the duo descended the hill and entered the tranquil town.
Shingetsu was just as she remembered it. Surrounding the settlement was a natural barrier of trees that brought out the nostalgic feeling of hearth for Aurora. Everyone was living out their lives the best they could. Everyone had small houses and was practical. This was truly a place of humble beginnings. Most people here were farmers. They knew how to use the land to their advantage. It was that reason that Aurora loved to use berry trees. One could find a berry tree right outside most people's houses. It was this sort of peace Aurora wanted to keep sacred. She passed by some of the local shops. The clerks looked at her quizzically, but decided to ignore her. Chi-Chi didn't look like she was unhappy or evil to them, so they figured the hooded person was nice. They continued to sell goods like before.
Aurora soon passed by the Pokémon Lab. She wondered if she should visit the Professor, but decided against it. She knew she could do that at a later time. Still, she wondered how the Professor was doing; she hadn't seen her in ages. Since she was at the Pokémon Lab, she knew she didn't have too much farther to go. Aurora and Chi-Chi continued to walk through the city. Eventually, they approached a somewhat secluded sepia house near the edge of Shingetsu and the beginning of a dense forest. It looked older than any of the other houses in the town. That's how she knew she was near the right place. The aura signatures of the two she wanted to talk to grew stronger. One of them was an intense red aura. It was withered, but it still showed vibrancy. The other showed a serene green. It was calm, gentle, but had a little fiery spirit in it.
Aurora made her eyes go back to normal. She looked down at Chi-Chi with a solemn smile. Chi-Chi looked up at her with reassurance. She could tell that Aurora was hesitant and didn't want her to be. She understood why she felt nervous, but knew she shouldn't feel this way. Chi-Chi gave her a little nudge towards the door. Aurora gasped in surprise, but looked slightly annoyed. Chi-Chi merely snickered and winked at her. Aurora sweat-dropped, but knew what Chi-Chi wanted her to do. With a shaky hand, she knocked on the door. The sound reverberated ceaselessly in the distance. Aurora stepped back in anticipation.
A deep voice bellowed from the inside, "State your purpose. Why are you here?"
"I wish to speak with Alice and Gordon Ketchum."
"You flaunt off our identities as if they are nothing. How do you know our names?"
Aurora sighed. She could tell that the deep booming voice wanted her to say something specific, but she didn't want to say it. "You already know who I am. Please, just open the door…"
"Not until you do the thing."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, I know you know what I mean."
"I most definitely do not know what you are referring to."
"Yes, you do. C'mon, do the thing! I'm not lettin' ya in, otherwise."
"But-"
"Just do it." It came out like a command. Failure to abide by those words was a consequence Aurora did not want to face.
"Fine," Aurora finally conceded. Chi-Chi looked up and snickered at her trainer. She was annoyed at both the man and the cat. She decided if this was the one thing to give her access, she would do what she needed to do. She clasped her hands together and fluttered her eyelashes together as if she was a little girl asking for something she wanted. "I, Aurora Ketchum, is your adorable little pumpkin and always will be. I will always love love love you veeerrrry much, Daddy." Aurora frowned and crossed her arms, "Now, can I come in? I'm not a little kid anymore, Dad."
"Heheheheh. That's my girl! I'm surprised you said it so easily. Something must be bothering you." The man opened the door and revealed he had short and spiky graying mahogany hair with 'z' shaped marks on his face and fair skin. He had salient, but daunting yellow eyes and somewhat of a militant look to him. For his age, he had visible muscles that showed his daily workouts. He wore a simple white tee-shirt and blue pajamas bottoms with Charizards on them, but didn't look tidy at all. He had stains on his shirt and a small goofy expression on his face.
Aurora giggled at her father. She took off her hood and revealed her face. Her hair was still out and just as spiky as her father's. Her father was very harsh with other people, but a bit softer with her and his wife. She liked yet hated that. It made him think of her weaker than she really was. The elder man grinned and patted her head roughly. Then, the elder Ketchum wrapped his arm around his child's neck and started to nuggie her. Aurora laughed slightly at her father doing this. He used to this all the time when she was younger. It used to irritate her, but now that she was older, she didn't mind it one bit. Chi-Chi, however, did. Even though the cat knew Aurora's father meant well, she didn't want Aurora getting hurt. Electricity came out from her claws in warning. The mahogany haired man noticed this and stopped. He didn't want to get scratched or electrocuted by being scratched.
Her father's voice boomed to call someone else out. "Alice! Guess who's here?"
Alice's humming echoed from the kitchen. They both could see that she was washing some plates from the sink and looking rather annoyed. Aurora looked down at her dad's shirt and messy face, then looked at her working mother. Yep, things didn't change, all right. Alice called out, "Gordo, I don't care if it's another guardian or psychic. We kick them all out, anyway! You probably don't need my help to get rid of another intruder."
"I know that, honey. Alice, look up and stop being mad at me for five seconds." Gordo pleaded.
"Why the hell should I look up at a pig! You really need to learn how to clean up. Man up to your chores!" Alice growled at her husband. He tapped his fingers slightly and sweat-dropped. She did have a point. He never wanted to make his wife upset at him, but he wished it wasn't now of all times.
"Alice, this is really important! Just look up for two seconds! Shadow, can you help me?" Gordo asked.
For a few moments, nothing changed. Alice was still cleaning up and fuming at Gordo. Then, a giant purple ghost with large red eyes appeared right beside Aurora and licked her in the face. Aurora was slightly grossed out, but happy of the gesture. Shadow snickered slightly after that. The ghost then floated over to his guardian partner and tugged her arm. Alice really wasn't in the mood to get bothered. Shadow continued to pull on Alice. Alice was getting more and more angry to the point that red aura surrounded her. They all looked at her in alarm. She had an explosive temper when pushed far enough.
"Uh… Alice? Before you blast me into smithereens only for me to reform again, it seems your lovely, but indolent husband has a point. Look at the door. I'm sure you'd absolutely love this surprise…" Shadow cackled eerily before disappearing into thin air again. Gordo smiled at the compliment, but then frowned when he realized Shadow also insulted him.
Alice sighed. This better be a good reason to interrupt her. She looked up and all traces of anger vanished. She stood, frozen at the sight of her daughter. She immediately turned off the sink and slowly approached the visiting Ketchum. Gordo moved from the door to give Alice better access to her daughter. Alice, with a shaky hand, caressed her daughter's cheek. Alice studied her eyes for a few seconds. Once older woman found what she was looking for, she gave her a huge hug. Aurora smiled as she returned it happily. Even though the last time Aurora visited was four years ago, it felt like an eternity for the older female. The hug lingered; she didn't want to let go of her precious little angel. Aurora made a small grunt, letting her know she'd been hugging too long. Once they broke apart, Chi-Chi started to purr and rub her body against Alice. Alice giggled, got on her knees and scratched Chi-Chi behind her left ear. Chi-Chi sighed with content. Chi-Chi hurried inside to get reacquainted with Shadow and Champ.
"Please, come in Aurora. We have much to catch up." Alice welcomed her into her house. Alice had graying black hair that flowed down to her knees. It wasn't nearly as unkempt like Aurora's or Gordo's, but instead was smooth and wavy. Unlike her daughter, she didn't mind it being out. She had stormy gray eyes. She was wearing a simple purple polka-dotted nightgown with a matching apron surprised her that Aurora had her hair out, actually. She preferred her daughter looking like this instead of wearing a braid or bun.
"And much to discuss. I can tell something is bothering you. You can't hide it from us. Step inside." Gordo gestured inside the house. Aurora obliged. Gordo looked out the door and darted his eyes around at the perimeter of the house. Once he knew everything was safe, he closed the door softly and followed everyone else to the living room.
The living room of Alice and Gordo was somewhat messy. They had two couches that were leather black and a one-person chair. The longest couch was located parallel to the TV while the shorter couch was located perpendicular from it. The one-man couch was in an angle between the two couches. They also had a coffee table right in front of the longest couch. They also had a china cabinet full of pictures of when Alice, Gordo, and Aurora were younger. Their floor was wooden, but there was a lot of trash on the ground. Alice looked embarrassed while Gordo looked apathetic. He belched as he sat down on his favorite chair. Aurora sweat-dropped in surprise. However, she remembered that her father was messy, so it didn't surprise her too much. She decided to help her mother clean up.
Aurora spent the first several hours just helping out her parents. She helped her mother out with some of the household duties delegated to Gordo. Even Gordo's guardian partner, a Machamp, helped out more than his trainer did. Aurora knew that once Gordo was on his chair, there wasn't any moving him, but Alice wasn't going to have any of it. Alice snapped her fingers. Gordo had been sleeping when Alice raised him up and trapped him in her aura grip. He increasingly became more and more uncomfortable until Alice's aura signature became too unbearable to ignore while sleeping. He woke up wide-eyed to a testy Alice tapping her foot on the ground.
"Care to explain what you were doing just now?" Alice asked with accusation.
"Me? Uh. Oh, I was just… uh… I was just telepathically supervisin' m'boy Champ!" Gordo explained. Champ didn't look amused.
"Bruh. That's bullcrap and we all know it. Dude, stop shirkin' on ya responsibilities." Champ immediately denied. The Machamp continued to pick up trash off the ground. He gave the Pokémon a death stare, but as he had been used to it, Champ wasn't phased in the slightest. He increasingly became more and more afraid of his wife.
"Gordon Ketchum, come on already! Aurora is our guest. Do you know how rude it is to let her do your work?" Alice berated him.
"She's our daughter. I'm sure she doesn't mind; don't you honey?" Gordo asked Aurora. Aurora hadn't really been paying attention to her parents' small argument. She knew there really wasn't that much to worry about. Her father was just being lazy. Sure, she found it a little annoying, but she didn't mind doing chores, especially since she had not seen her parents in a few years. She would do anything to help out her parents. Heck, she was sweeping the floor when Gordo interrupted her. He had to ask the question again in order for Aurora to properly respond.
"Huh? I don't mind. I love to help." Aurora answered him immediately after she heard him.
"See?" Gordo tried to justify himself.
"Look, I love you to death, you big lug, but that's not the point. The point is you need to move your lazy ass and actually do your share. I don't care how well you protect this house from invaders; it's not enough! They don't come by as often as they used to." Alice argued.
"Yes, dear…" Gordo nodded furiously. He wanted to do anything to placate his wife's anger at him. Alice roughly made Gordo fall on the ground hard. He fell on his stomach and Alice handed him a broom. He got up, grabbed it reluctantly and grumbled. Alice smirked, "Good. You can get started now."
"Mom… Sorry to break it to you, but Chi-Chi, Shadow, Champ and I just finished cleaning up the house. All we needed to do was pick up some leftover dust." Aurora giggled as she pointed their attention to the living room. The design was very ornate. Many of the knickknacks were neatly dusted. The floor was swept beautifully. There wasn't a spot on the wooden floor. The TV was wiped down. Everything looked spiffy in a manner that had Alice at a loss of words.
"Your own daughter bailed out…. Now isn't this just the saddest thing?" Shadow leaned against Gordo in mock boredom and snickered. Gordo attempted to grab the Gengar, but Shadow made himself intangible and Gordo once again fell on the floor. The ghost type snickered at the aging male guardian. Aurora herself had to stifle a laugh. Alice just shook her head and focused her attention on Aurora again.
"Wow… this is one of the few times I wish you weren't so meticulous…" Alice expressed shocked at her daughter's housework. She wanted her husband to help out with the cleaning, not let her daughter do all the work. She complimented, but expressed regret, "This is amazing… You shouldn't have done this…"
"Mom… it's no problem at all. I hated chores when I was young and you often had to force me to work. I just wish I helped out more when I was smaller." Aurora bowed a little in respect. She rubbed her head a little bashfully.
"My, you've grown more responsible. I like that. Now that you've worked hard cleaning up, it's time for you to rest. I'm glad you visited, but I know you need to tell us something. You may try to hide your aura, but you can never completely cover it up from me. I know you too well. Sit down on the couch and get everything off your chest." Alice pointed to the long couch. Aurora shrugged her shoulders and sat in the middle. Alice and Gordo sat on either side of their child and looked at her expectantly.
"All right… Did you watch the Kalos League recently on TV?" Aurora asked. Alice and Gordo looked at each other, then shook their heads 'no'. Aurora continued, "You see, I recently won the Kalos League."
"It doesn't surprise us. All the other regions are wimps compared to Hokori. This is especially true to you since you're the Champion here. You destroyed everyone in the competition, 6-0 right?" Gordo asked seriously. Aurora nodded. Gordo laughed heartily, proud of her actions. Alice smiled. They loved Aurora very much and it filled their hearts with happiness to see Aurora succeeding in battling still. Aurora sweat-dropped slightly. She always felt pressure to perform well and beyond what she needed to do because of her parents; it seemed that didn't change with her father. Her parents could tell that it was a tentative nod, though.
"Well… except for one." Aurora finished. Gordo perked his eyebrow in surprise. It had been years since one of Aurora's Aspects fainted in a Pokémon battle. He wondered who has enough talent to make any dent to Aurora's partners.
"Ah… so someone defeated one of your partners? Who fainted and who was responsible?" Gordo perked up an eyebrow.
"Chi-Chi fainted to a Pikachu and the one responsible… well… he's someone really special…."
"Ha! Chi-Chi lost to a furball!? Hahahaha!" Shadow interrupted. Alice's Gengar started to laugh at the Chelectsic. Chi-Chi growled as her fur started to spike up with electricity. Shadow still laughed, knowing that she couldn't attack her in the house. However, Chi-Chi found a way around this. Using her extremely fast reflexes, she touched Shadow with one of her claws instead of shooting electricity. The Gengar screamed in agony as he took the electric type move directly. He landed on the ground with a thump. Once he recovered, he was mad. Shadow was tempted to use Shadow Ball against the psychic type, but Alice wouldn't like it if the house became filthy so soon after Aurora cleaned it. He grunted as he prevented his attack. Chi-Chi smirked.
"You don't know how strong that Pikachu is. His electricity exceeds ten Raichus!" Chi-Chi explained. Shadow snorted a little.
"Yeah and my gas exceeds ten Gengars!" Shadow continued to laugh slightly at the cat. He moved to be right near Aurora, which made Chi-Chi reluctant to attack again. Shadow smirked at the cat's hesitation. He'd won that round and they both knew it.
"Stick a cork in it, Shadow. I'm serious! Battle that delicious mouse and then you'd know what I mean. I hate to admit it, but Pikachu is a one of a kind. It didn't help that he is the most well-bonded guardian partner of the kid as well. If you know from Chari, it's hard to take them down." Chi-Chi raised her nose up in annoyance. The Gengar calmed down slightly and his face grew more serious. He nodded with understanding.
Chi-Chi looked down in thought, "That little nothing grew into something in the time he got released from that jackass. Good on him. I'm glad he's happier with Ash. He'd make a pretty good rival, I hate to say."
"So you went against an aura guardian? That makes Chi-Chi's defeat more justifiable." Gordo commented and raised his eyebrow in surprise. Aurora sighed and face-palmed.
"Dad… any loss is better than a win if you learn something…. Mom taught me that." Aurora frowned, slightly annoyed. Gordo always viewed her to be perfect. He raised her to be a perfect and proficient aura guardian. Aurora credited much of what she knew and how she fought to her militant father. Still, she wasn't perfect. She wanted her father to realize that someday. If she was thinking critically, she did underestimate Pikachu's strength. She wasn't going to do that the next time they fought.
"Still, who was the aura guardian?" Alice asked. Aurora started to look down gloomily.
"Ashton…" Aurora uttered barely above a whisper. She looked away from her parents and her eyes moved to the edge of the room. Alice and Gordo immediately looked concerned. They both at a hand on her back.
"We can't hear you, dear. If you don't want to say it, we understand." Alice said, rubbing her back. Aurora looked like she was on the verge of tears. She let some out when she first saw the boy the night before the match, but let some out. She still was trying to hold in it. Her eyes were like a dam; they filled with water. Slowly and surely that dam began to break. Within minutes, Aurora started to cry. She cried out all of her frustrations. She cried out her frustration of not being able to protect Ash as a child. She's held in her feelings for so long that she couldn't take it. Alice tried to console her even more, but Gordo gave her a hard look.
"Aurora…" Alice softly spoke.
"Do not show weakness!" Gordo said in a harsh voice. She flinched immediately and straightened up, looking at him with an emotionless expression. He said it the same way she remembered hated that one sentence. It sounded, strict, strong and intense… just the way she loved to hate it.
14 years ago…
Aurora and Gordo were sparring in the back of their house in Shingetsu Town. Her parents moved constantly between the Hokori region and the Kanto regions and Aurora decided to go with them back to the Hokori region. Alice and Gordo trained with her as much as they could. They trained in the morning, in the afternoon and even at night. She barely took any breaks, but she didn't mind. Although she was a Pokémon trainer, she really didn't want to be the best trainer. She truly wanted to be a guardian great enough to prove she was a master. Punch after punch, they wouldn't let up against each other.
Alice stood in the background, watching the both of them. Ash was sitting right beside her in a stroller. Gordo and Alice took different roles as her teachers. Alice taught her about different berries, herbs, and spices. She taught her how to survive on her own with nothing but her wits. She also taught her to use emulate status moves from her aura. Gordo taught her how to fight directly and use her power to strengthen herself up. He also taught her to emulate attacking moves. Alice's calm mind helped her to clear out her own mind. Gordo's ferocity helped her not to be a pushover in the midst of battle. They both contrasted with one another and that helped to build the ultimate fighting machine: their daughter.
Sometimes, Alice would show her some new fighting techniques and sometimes Gordo would show her how to use her surroundings, just to switch things up. They wanted her to be the best she could be. Focusing on the sparring match, Alice noticed that Gordo began to pull away. He started to get ruthless with his strikes. Aurora grunted in pain, each time he punched her, but she would not get deterred. She took each hit and tried to counterattack the best way she could. Every three hits Gordo landed on her, Aurora could only land one. Since Gordo was the more experienced guardian, he found the matchup easier. At this point in time, Aurora was only a budding master guardian. Growing bored of the exchange, the elder guardian grabbed her by her shoulders and knocked her on the ground. Aurora grunted as she tried to get up, but Gordo stepped on her stomach, preventing her escape. He glared at her and she glared back.
Alice grew concerned, but she didn't move from her spot. They both had a silent agreement only to directly intervene if things get too critical. She called out, "Honey, are you alright?"
Aurora grunted while fidgeting, "Never… better. Get off me, Dad!"
"Make me." Gordo said with an arrogant smirk. Annoyance danced on her features and an urge to overcome her father arose. She tried to grab his feet, but Gordo created two bone clubs and slammed them down on Aurora's hands. Her body was completely out, as if she made a snow angel. She growled at her father. Another idea popped into her mind. Taking as deep of a breath as she could, she screamed as loud as she could. Alice had to cover Ash's ears from how powerful the Hyper Voice was. She didn't want him crying, but ended up suffering in the process. Gordo was tempted to cover his ears, but he knew he would give her what she wanted.
"Your attack means nothing! I can take anything you dish at me!" Gordo screamed.
Aurora's attack grew more in intensity upon hearing that statement. Alice groaned in agony. Even Shadow and Champ, who had been inside the house, decided to see what the commotion was about. Shadow didn't seem affected while Champ covered his ears with all four of his hands. They all wondered how much more Gordo could take. Her father couldn't help but feel proud, but he wasn't going to show it. He knew his will to take the high-pitched sound was waning, so he decided to take a different approach. Gordo summoned a surge of electricity through the bone club. Aurora yelled upon feeling the intense shock. She screamed in pain as she took the electrical attack head-on. She pleaded for her father to stop, but he wouldn't.
"No! You must be able to overcome any obstacle you face. If you can't escape me, you will always be weak, spineless and get pushed around by everyone! I'll increase the intensity for even asking such a question!" Gordo gripped his bone clubs tighter. In correspondence, the electricity grew in strength. Aurora began to wail even louder.
"Please, Dad! No more! Please!" Aurora continued to scream. Tears started to flow freely from her eyes. Gordo wouldn't let up with his attack. He seemed more enraged.
"Do not show weakness!" Gordo barked. Alice couldn't take watching any more of this. She advanced towards her husband, but Gordo anticipated her approach. With his eyes glowing red, he stopped her in her tracks. Alice struggled to be rid of his grip and floated in the air, annoyed.
"Gordo, this isn't teaching her to be strong; this is torture! Stop it already!" Alice puffed. Gordo turned his head slightly to regard his wife.
"Let me do what I was born to do. I was born to continue on the Ketchum legacy and this young'un needs to learn how harsh life truly is." Gordo said while glaring at Aurora. Aurora summoned enough strength to resist the electricity long enough to speak.
"You don't have to do this by shocking me this badly! If I'm just some tool, count me out of your so called legacy! You can't force me to!" Aurora screamed at her father. She continued to cry, but she made no signs of whimpering. Her tears were salty and angry.
"You have to. You have no choice. It's never been your choice. All of this was already predetermined. You were born as a servant of Lady Mew. You carry out her will." Gordo replied apathetically.
"Lady Mew is awesome, yeah, but at the same time, you're taking it way too far. I didn't ask to be born in place of my sister and I will not take this crap any longer!" Aurora looked the angriest Gordo had ever seen her. She stopped crying, clenched her teeth and made a war cry in rage. Aurora suddenly grabbed the bone clubs at their tips the best she could. Fire circled around the clubs and spread until they reached contact with Gordo. Gordo wailed in pain as the fire consumed his body. He let up his grip on the Bone Rush emulation as his concentration snapped. Alice was released from his aura grip while Aurora no longer felt any electricity. Gordo was still stepping on her, though. Curling her fists tightly, she shot out a pure wave of energy, resembling a dragon. The force was enough to push Gordo back on the ground. She stood back up with steam coming from her hands.
"I am not some puppet to be controlled nor am I some sort of pawn!" Aurora yelled. "You will never break me!"
From her hands, she created a stream of fire towards the older Ketchum. Gordo, now recovering from his initial shock, rolled out of the way easily. As he got up, he went back on the offensive, summoning another bone club while approaching Aurora. Aurora was quick to see this as she formed her own bone club to parry his strike. When wielding her Bone Rush emulation, Gordo noticed her attacks were a lot crisper than before. She wasn't struggling as much as before. They were fighting on equal ground.
It is known to both parents that Aurora prefers to use her bone club in a head-on assault and is more skillful with her bone club in battle, but will fight with fists at first, even if it puts her at a disadvantage. Only when the person she's facing an opponent who wasn't that honorable to her, has more skill or has the ability to wield a similar weapon, she would use her bone club. Alice liked that she is honorable, but Gordo thought it is showing weakness.
Gordo and Aurora clashed head-on. They both got into a rhythm of attacking. Strike, strike, parry, counterattack. Strike, strike, parry, counterattack.
Gordo grew very frustrated. He started to get pushed back by Aurora. He wondered, "How in the world is she doing so well now? I'm the more experienced fighter. I know she's exceptional with Bone Rush, but she should not be doing this well against me as a budding master. Is… is she using her anger against me?" He smirked as he realized that was exactly why. He looked at her proudly, "Her stubbornness is helping her, but her impatience will be her undoing. If that's the case, I need to step up the pace. Master on master."
On the inside, Gordo was the proudest father in the world. On the outside, he looked like he could murder something from how angry he appeared. Alice wanted to intervene, but she knew one of them would prevent her from entering. They both were too prideful to accept any help and they both wanted to overtake the other. When a Ketchum got into their warrior mindset, it was hard to stop it. Alice was glad Aurora wasn't getting hurt as much as she did before and that's was what mattered to her. Ash was clapping blissfully in his seat, cheering for both of them.
Aurora herself was getting tired of the stalemate. She soon got what she wanted when she noticed her father beginning to become even more aggressive and quick. Aurora was fast herself, but Gordo proved to be even faster. He stepped on the pace with his strikes. Gordo forced Aurora on the defensive and slowly pushed her back towards the intertwining forest. Eventually, Gordo even started to land direct hits on Aurora. Gordo looked decisively to end this and baited her into making a mistake.
Aurora noticed his movements were starting to get sloppy and his technique was off, but she didn't care. She took it as him tiring out and sought to end the confrontation. Gordo inwardly smirked as he noted her change in movement. She had accommodated for Gordo's sudden change in tact... just like he wanted. When Aurora went in for a thrust, Gordo's eyes grew predatory. He grabbed the bone club and crushed it. It disintegrated into tiny particles. Using Aurora's surprise as a weapon, he bumped into her and knocked her into the ground again. He pointed his bone club at her and it was a few inches from her face. Gordo smiled with triumph. Both of them knew it was over. Aurora snorted, closed her eyes and turned her head to the side with irritation. After a few moments, when she opened her eyes, she gasped in surprise when she noticed her father's hand. She looked up and noticed that he was beaming warmly. The younger guardian hesistantly accepted his hand and he helped her up.
Gordo grabbed her by the neck and gave her a nuggie. Aurora shrieked to get him off of her while Gordo laughed emphatically. He didn't realize how hard he was rubbing on her head until he noticed Alice tapping her feet on the ground, not amused. Now that the sparring was over, Gordo grew nervous at his wife's expression. She snapped her fingers and separated the both of them using her aura grip. Alice grabbed Aurora's shoulders and inspected her.
"Dear, are you alright?" Alice said worriedly.
"I'm fine Mom," Aurora assured her.
Alice made a sigh of relief. Then, she glared at her husband, "What the hell were you thinking? I noticed you trying against her. I thought you were only sparring. She's not ready for that." Gordo stiffened slightly in guilt and rubbed behind his head.
"You… actually tried against me?" Aurora asked him. Aurora sounded shocked because Gordo usually didn't try against her, but still knocked her down or unarmed her fairly easily. It was a surprise to her that she pushed him to treat her as an equal.
"Yep. Kiddo, you've gotten a lot stronger. I had to step up the intensity to keep up. Alice may not agree with me, but I think you're ready to try out the really fun stuff. To be honest, you've been ready for more advanced things for a couple of years now. You've certainly done some of the techniques."
"Really?!" Aurora said with sparkles in her eyes.
"No, she's not." Alice crossed her arms. Aurora sighed with disappointment. "I was watching her movements, too. She's way too impatient. That's why you managed to disarm her a lot more easily than if she had waited. In order to succeed, a master guardian needs to be vigilant, not too antsy to end it earlier than you're ready to. That impatience can cost her everything in battle."
"Sure, she's impatient and a bit of a hothead." Gordo acknowledged. Gordo continued and turned to her, "But hey, it works. I thought egging you on would make you more predictable, but it was actually the opposite. You fought better when I acted like I only thought of you as a pawn to Mew… which is not what I think at all. You're always your own person. Your anger… it's weird… but I like it. It may help you in the future."
"We both have to be in agreement to see if you can progress in your studies. I say yeah." Gordo declared. Aurora became giddy with excitement. She looked at her mother and awaited her response.
"I say no." Alice shook her head. Aurora huffed with a bit of frustration, but didn't show any other emotion. This wasn't the first time Alice rejected progressing her teachings further, but it didn't irritate the younger guardian any less.
Alice explained, "You are a master in your own right, dear. For years, you've done advanced things like transforming into aura or allowing your partners to speak aloud continuously, but that isn't the point. You need to be mentally aware, not only physically aware. Besides, you have all the time in the world to learn more. After all, you're only twenty-one. Who knows? I may change my mind, but I haven't been convinced yet. Now that Ashton's been born, I will need to do this with you as well. You know the tradition our family has. In case there are siblings, the parents have to choose the child most capable of training the next generation. Although your older sister is already a master, Gordo and I chose you to train Ashton because you are purer of heart. That's why he's with you now. I need to be convinced that you are ready to proceed. I know you've learned some of the advanced things on your own, but… I want to make sure you're the best you can be."
"Aww… I thought I was close this time! Can I try to do gain clearance to train with more advanced techniques tomorrow? I know young guardians begin to use their aura at five so I need to move a little faster. Ashton did just turn two. The most I've shown him is a few karate moves." Aurora asked.
"You can, but the same thing may happen again, kiddo. Are you prepared for that?" Gordo asked.
"That I am. I'll keep trying to become even better than I am now. The sky's the limit when it comes to being a guardian." Aurora said with conviction. She whispered under her breath, "Maybe you can stop being a dick afterward…"
"What was that?" Gordo frowned.
"Uh… Nothing important. Can you stop being so harsh, though? I understand not to show weakness and such, but your definition of weakness seems to be wide-ranged. Showing mercy or being honorable is not weakness." Aurora crossed her arms.
"Do not be disrespectful to me, young lady. You may think you know everything, but you don't. I heard what you said. I am not a dick."
"I…. Sorry, Dad." Aurora looked down in remorse.
"And it is weakness when your opponent uses it against you. You need to be mindful of not only your tactics, but your opponent's as well. I need to show you how harsh your opponent can be. Don't expect sympathy if they see you struggle. You must realize that. Alice will show sympathy, but I will not. If you ever face a psychic in battle and that shows you just as little sympathy as I, you will fall. Sometimes, you will need to show no empathy to avoid further strife. I understand you don't want to do that, but if you don't, you will be walked all over." Gordo also crossed his arms, but said strictly. Aurora didn't have a proper response to him, but didn't know if what he was saying was true. His words resonated with her somewhat and she hoped there wouldn't a time where his words did come true.
She wanted to shake away her troubling thoughts. Aurora walked over to Ash and picked him up from the stroller. She raised him high in the air and he giggled slightly. She smiled herself. She started to float in the air slightly while she was carrying him and it entertained the young boy.
"Higher! Faster, Ruru!" Ash pleaded.
"Not now, little one. Enjoy the breeze for now." Aurora said in a soothing voice. Ash huffed slightly in annoyance, but chose to enjoy being in his guardian's arms. Aurora floated slowly around in circles and they both enjoyed it. Alice walked over to Gordo and giggled.
"Aurora has a lot of promise to do great things, even though I denied her again. I want to make sure she's ready, but I can tell she is ready with one thing: duty. She and Ashton already look inseparable. Look at how happy they are. When he turns five, things will be more interesting. Ashton already looks eager to learn." Alice gestured to the floating Aurora and Ash.
"I can't deny that, but things aren't always going to be fluffy and happy. She needs to be taught that life won't always be this way." Gordo said while looking at Aurora. He sighed when he noticed her twirling around with Ash. He was tempted to stop it, but Alice stopped him.
"She also needs to have some fun. We have been training her hard lately. Cut her some slack. To be fair, Aurora is a little right. You can too harsh from time to time." Alice whispered in his ear.
"Hey!" Gordo frowned. His frown turned upside-down when she gave him a small kiss on his cheek. Gordo had a goofy expression on his face while Alice giggled slightly.
"To think I've been with you for twenty-seven years and I still have that effect on you. You know I love you, you big lug. You being strict is one of the many reasons." Alice smiled. They both started to look at Aurora again. Aurora held Ash in her arms while blushing slightly at the two of them. She had landed on the ground. They were still her parents, but it felt weird to see public displays of affection from them. She focused her attention on Ash again.
"Little Ashton… when I get the chance to learn the cooler stuff, I know you'll be there with me! When I become a full master, I'll teach you everything I know. You'll be even better than I am." Aurora brought him down and held him lovingly. Ash gave her a small hug. Alice smiled and Gordo tried to hide his smirk. They all went back inside to recover some of their strength before continuing to train later.
"Well, Dad was right. It took me a while to accept it, but he was right. I shouldn't have shown weakness when the Zurui were pursuing Ash and I. Despite all of what they've done to me… will I be able to do the deed myself? It… still doesn't feel right." Aurora turned her head to the side in thought.
Upon recovering, Aurora immediately sat up and took a deep breath. Alice had an annoyed face and she punched Gordo hard on his arm, but the male guardian didn't flinch. His bicep flexed slightly. It was as if it wanted to get punched again. Gordo eyed Aurora as she snapped herself back into composure. She made sure she wouldn't cry any longer. Gordo sighed and softened up slightly, "Sorry, daughter. You really don't have to say anything if you're not ready."
"No, no … I want to. I've been having this on my chest ever since that night I met him for the first time in years. I saw him…. I saw my young one. I fought against him and won. I couldn't show weakness otherwise everyone would get suspicious." Aurora said gloomily. She didn't care that she won. She cared about her young one.
"No way… Ashton? You battled Ashton? How in Arceus's name…?" Alice questioned. Aurora immediately nodded.
"I tracked him down, but I didn't expect to fight him in the finals. I just feel blessed that I got to battle him. He's gotten quite strong, but not Hokori strong. Ashton refers to himself as 'Ash' now, which I found weird initially because that used to be his counterbalance's name. Seems like they switched names. It doesn't matter. He's one in the same." Aurora responded.
"He acted like you were a total stranger… right?" Gordo figured.
"He doesn't even know who I am anymore nor does he seem to know of his guardian self. His identity was stolen and replaced partially with a new one." Aurora looked off to the side in sadness. That was the answer he had been expecting. Gordo clenched his teeth and a fiery red aura erupted from his fists. Alice and Aurora looked at him in alarm. "Those bastards! I hated the Zurui before, but now… that hatred is through the roof! How dare they do that to my kin! To our kin!"
"Gordo, calm down!" Alice cried. Her pleas were not answered.
"I will not calm down! They've caused my daughter so much suffering! Ashton… was such a great kid. He's living under false pretenses and I'm not going to stand for it! I'm going to find Ash myself." The red aura in Gordo's hand intensified. Aurora sighed as she snapped her fingers. Gordo felt an invisible tug and that was enough to catch him off guard.
"Dad… you don't need to do that." Aurora said, getting his attention.
"Oh and why not?" Gordo growled.
"After all this time, I've managed to find him and gather enough courage to talk to him. I know where he is and will meet up with him later today at the Santalune Pokémon Center."
"Santalune City? You've found him and yet you make no move?"
"I am… but slowly. I've been traveling with him for the last few days. He's starting to care about me again. Happy sensed it. I've been moving slowly towards making him remember me, but it isn't easy. The same roadblocks that were in me are in him." Aurora said sadly. Alice nodded with understanding. When Aurora didn't remember Ash, she created barriers of denial. Alice understood why Aurora was hesitant on taking action. Gordo did not. He was always abrasive; he didn't care about others' feelings and would say rude things from time to time.
"Why won't you outright tell him the complete truth?" Gordo questioned his daughter's motives. He was starting to calm down a little, but he was still mad. His hands stopped glowing red in the process.
"Don't you remember when I was in the same state four years ago? I had a feeling I knew Ash, but I couldn't place my finger from where. I imagine Ash is in the same predicament. When you first told me I knew a younger Ketchum in the first place, I scoffed at the idea. I thought I was the youngest living Ketchum. My mind set up a version of reality to fill up the space that had been taken away from me. I didn't really believe you until Aru started to attack in rage. I had to rekindle my relationships with my partners spiritually to prepare for now. Believe me when I say I want to tell Ash everything. I want to show him how much I really love him, but I can't… at least not completely. I don't want him to be in denial of the truth. That will make it much harder for him to accept it and remember who I am… and who he was," Aurora explained her reasoning.
"Please tell me you still keep the time flower Alice gave to you in case you ever met Ash again," Gordo said. Aurora nodded and took out the item he referred to. It looked like a very ornate bud that was going to bloom into a flower, but stayed in such a perpetual state. It was multicolored under different shades of light, but overall had a pale dark blue color scheme. Aurora held it very close to her and hugged it. It started to respond to her aura and open up, but Aurora quickly stopped producing aura. It proceeded to close in response.
"That time flower looks the same as when I gave it to you four years ago. When will you use it to show Ash what happened?" Alice asked.
"When we reach Viridian Forest, that's when I'll show him. I'll go to the exact spot. I'll show him everything, but right now, I'm trying to be respectful of his wishes. He wants to be with his friends and spend some time with them before he goes to Kanto. I have no right to just whisk him away while he's on his journey… no matter how badly I want him to know the truth. I've been waiting this long to show him… I can wait a little longer." Aurora told them of her plans.
"Wait… does this mean Ash is in conflict with himself like you were?" Gordo inquired. Aurora's gaze distanced itself to the side again. That was enough to answer his question. He nodded grimly.
"I see… Did his counterbalance attack anyone?" Gordo pressed further.
"Yes. It was this morning. I don't know the details of the attack, but his friends were messed up pretty badly. I had Rio and Chi-Chi help me heal them up afterward, but they seem more accepting than most people would." Aurora stated. Alice and Gordo were glad of this. They figured Ash's friends to be true friends if this was the case.
"Yeah. She forced me to save the very Pikachu I want to eat." Chi-Chi interrupted. Shadow continued to chuckle at the cat while Champ just shrugged his shoulders. He didn't know why Shadow insisted on teasing Chi-Chi, but didn't really care. He guessed the ghost type would milk it for what it was worth.
"His friends… he's traveling with the Lumiose City gym leader, the leader's sister and his girlfriend. His girlfriend is very special. She has the bond of a guardian and a psychic. It's so awesome to see someone like that in real life!" Aurora continued. Alice and Gordo looked at her quizzically. They couldn't believe what they'd just heard.
"Excuse me?" Alice widened her eyes incredulously.
"What the hell?" Gordo looked equally surprised, but unamused. They both looked like if they had water in their mouths, they would spit it out. Aura guardians and psychics didn't always see eye to eye, so it surprised them to find out Aurora was traveling with the spawn of two of them. They were much less accepting of psychics than Aurora was and looked bothered.
"Yes… their strength… it's increasing with every moment they breathe now that they know they are aura guardians. It's both frightening and beautiful at the same time," Aurora smiled and clasped her hands together.
"You know as well as I that it is forbidden for aura guardians and psychics to do such a thing. They cannot date. I have nothing against the aura guardian and psychic child, but think of the prophecy," Gordo reminded her. Aurora folded her arms. She knew of the rule, but that didn't mean she liked it. She thought of the rule as another way to separate two already hostile rivals, but Alice and Gordo didn't think about it that way.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. The lines of the old prophecy and yaddy yaddy yadda. I know that aura guardians and psychics agreed not to intermingle because of the third and fourth lines, but I find their relationship to be adorable. Ash and Serena were made for each other. I can tell when their aura combined to form an aurora. You can't just do that from your aura normally; the dancing sky of my namesake shows a special bond with someone. I've… only been able to do that with one other person. My special one. Those two… they're pure. I don't want past relationships of other guardians and psychics to get to them. They can show everyone how things change!" Aurora felt a need to defend Ash and Serena's relationship, but she didn't know why. Alice and Gordo still looked disapproving.
"Serena is the name of Ash's girlfriend, right?" Gordo asked his daughter. Aurora nodded. "If she has a drop of psychic blood in her, I think it may be enough to throw the world off balance."
"Wait a moment. Don't you think the prophecy would have started already? I mean, both me and Ash already are in conflict with our counterbalances." Aurora began to recite the prophecy aloud.
Two guardians bound by a memory lost
Sets the pace of balance being cost
The love of opposite sides proves robust
Love's final breath, world on brink to dust
A cardinal decision dictates one's creed
Ruin or rebirth, the stronger loyalty succeed
"I think the prophecy already progressed quite a bit," Aurora noted and folded her arms.
"Er… Probably. I have no idea what was in Mew and Arceus's minds when they made it. As for you and Ash… this would have happened even without the prophecy. You know our family is notorious for our 'z' marks and our counterbalances. Had this happened in another point in time, you and Ash would still be in conflict with yourselves." Gordo told her.
"Noted. Still, you two could learn to be a little less racist about psychics. Things will have to change eventually. We cannot be stuck on our animosity; it has and will only grow worse as time progresses." Aurora crossed her arms and looked at her parents disapprovingly. She felt weird talking about this kind of subject with her parents. She knew how stubborn they both were when they had their minds made up on an issue. She just wished she could sway them to be more accepting of psychics in general.
Her mother decided to change the subject. They would get into a huge argument if they continued to talk about what she considered vermin. Alice asked her, "Does Ash know that he's a guardian… considering you said he'd forgotten?"
"Yes, but I had to show him that he was."
"Why did you decide to do that? A developing Ketchum's aura will spike in power, making him an easier beacon." Alice argued.
"That's true. His aura is too much of a beacon to preying eyes. However, I rather he be a beacon than not know parts of who he is. He needs to know a little of our family's capabilities and I want him to be able to defend himself over time. I don't think he still remembers the combat lessons I taught him as a youngster and I don't have time to reteach them on the road. Based on his movements, he doesn't seem to remember, which makes me sad. That was the best part when he was smaller. Hopefully, when he gets his memories back, we can pick up where we left off." Aurora folded her arms and pouted. She quickly diverted her mind to something else, "Today, a Zurui goon impersonated a Joy to spy on myself and Ash. She vanished soon afterward to who knows where. Trust me Mom, at this point, I think it is better that Ash knows a little of his heritage than for everything to run him over like a truck. I don't want to overwhelm him."
"I understand, honey. But… what will happen if he doesn't accept the past? What will you do?" Alice asked softly. Aurora looked away. After some thought, she shook her head, clenched her fists tightly and one of her eyes turned red. Alice gasped slightly in shock and Gordo looked had an indescribable expression. Aurora looked at nothing in particular, determined.
"I… we just have to hope that… that doesn't happen. A Ketchum always has a strong will. We may be stubborn, but we always pull through. Ash means everything to me. To us. I… we will see what happens. I know he will accept himself." Aurora said with two distinct voices. Her cheeks started to glow faintly and she revealed she also had two 'z' shaped marks on her face. Alice and Gordo were shocked to see vAurora like this. They could feel a powerful aura emanating from her. They could feel the temporary peace between Aurora and Aru and their joint agreement about their feelings for Ash. It was rare to see Aurora with her marks nowadays. However, they also understood her reasons for choosing to cover it up most of the time.
"Aurora… Aru… you're going to lead people to your presence here." Gordo said. Aurora nodded her head. She closed her eyes and concentrated. The marks on her face vanished and her aura levels also started to come down again. It was almost as discreet as it was before. When she opened her eyes, however, they were completely red. She looked at her parents with a mix of confusion, disgust and other emotions they couldn't quite grasp. She looked down at her hands and formed an orange fireball in both palms. Alice and Gordo both looked guarded. They didn't know what Aru was planning, but didn't want to find out.
"Mother… Father… Now you've gone and made me feel all weird." The flames on Aru's hands started to diminish slightly.
"Weird?" Alice echoed her daughter's odd choice of words.
"Yeah. Weird." The flames started to strengthen and weaken on their own. One flame was stronger and hotter than the other while the other was more subdued. She closed her eyes. "I'm trapped by the confines of my purpose in this instance. I don't want to release my anger, but… I don't have a choice."
"You always have a choice, Aru," Alice said. Aru shook her head and scowled outwardly.
"We both know that's not true. Aurora has been linked with Ash and vice versa due to an outside force stronger than any of us… and I have a feeling I know exactly what it is. I've been able to sense the subtle signature in both of us since first meeting Ash again…. It's a very discreet, but binding aura I can't explain. It irritates me that this small binding aura puts our lives in danger, but I can't do anything about it. I can prolong the berserker stage all I want, but eventually… the claws will have to come out. I'll need to show my rage visibly… and I'm not keen to finding out the consequences of it." The flames on Aru's hands grew stronger.
"Aru… what are you talking about?" The elder female asked.
"You realize a lot of things when you're stuck in one's head, Mother. You gradually grow insane, but in that insanity, you also become enlightened on certain matters. I have to do what I need to do to preserve our lives in the long run: Attack and rage. I'm sorry, but that's how it has to be. The Beginning gave us no choice… and the End will eventually decide our fate." Aru closed her eyes in disgust. When she opened her eyes, they looked pensive and sharp.
"The ends will always justify the means, Mother and Father. The ends will always justify it. I don't know what her intention is, but I'm sticking with my gut and I'm sticking by her wishes. She wouldn't have bound us together, otherwise. If she wants me to attack to prolong our condemned lives, I'll have to trust her judgment. We all will… eventually." Aru's eyes slowly changed back to yellow in front of everyone's eyes. The fireball that formed in her hands disappeared. Aurora looked at her hands wearily, then looked at her parents. They both looked ecstatic to see her well, but Aurora looked lost. Aurora looked away from both of them.
"Aurora… are you all right?" Alice asked.
"Yes… I just have a little headache." Aurora said, pressing against her temple. She could hear Aru laughing at her and it annoyed her that she couldn't do anything about it while conflicted. "I'm trying to figure out what Aru meant myself. I've never seen her so serious… or sad… in my life. It's a bit demoralizing to share the feeling, actually."
"Well, I can't be all sarcastic and annoying all the time, now can I?" Aru popped back up in her head with a testy tone. "I have more of a deep knowledge than you on aura, even if you have more mastery by this point. It's hard to explain how I feel, Aurora. It really is."
"OK, now you're scaring me. You're never like this. Are you alright? Why are you so afraid?" Aurora asked.
"When I do properly attack, I'm afraid of… doing something to those kids that you can't fix. If I show how much anger I've held in… it really isn't pretty. I don't like to admit it, but even through all that taunting I did earlier, I have a bit of a soft spot for them as well. However small my like for them, it's enough to discourage me. Just… don't tell them I said that." Aru stated quietly.
"Aww, Aru..." Aurora said with a light voice.
"Aurora!" Aru berated. Aurora flinched slightly from the force of her voice. "This is not a gushy time! Just because I have a slight soft spot for them, that does not mean I care about them as much as you. They are still strangers to me and that won't stop me from completing what I have to do."
"What is the binding aura, anyway? How can you sense her, but I can't?" Aurora pouted.
"Mew… is a warped one to be sure. Her reasons are always so… off… at least, at first. It's so subtle that even I have a hard time sensing it. The only reason why I can sense it is because I was subdued for a long time. It was a nagging feeling I eventually picked up especially upon seeing Ash with the same signature." Aru admitted.
"I don't think you should worry about this that much." Aurora tried to placate the turbulent counterbalance's emotions, but that only served to increase Aru's annoyance of the balance.
"Aurora, we share the same body and mind. Two separate temperaments that make up one whole person. You need to be concerned about the things I will do. You know your power… and to an extent, my abilities. Your versatility is dangerous when I have access to the same abilities as you." Aru said somberly.
"You can try not to release your anger in a violent way like a normal person. I don't know why you feel you have to release your anger in a violent way." Aurora noted. Aru was getting more and more annoyed by the second.
"Aurora, why do you think we have the binding aura in the first place? She knew we would eventually lose our memory. She knew that we would need some sort of clue to Ash's whereabouts. She did that specifically to force you to gain back your memory, knowing that there's a bigger event that's already set. And… she did that specifically so we will have to seek out Ash eventually. We are a card in her hand and she's taking a gamble. Don't you get it?" Aru said irascibly. Aurora had a small shiver down her spine. Realization was plastered on her face and her expression soon turned grim. "If I don't attack, our aura will drain away faster than if I do attack. All because of a small aura that doesn't even belong to us. Again, I don't quite understand the reasoning for it, but that same aura is like a latent parasite. It's a blackmail waiting to happen. I have to admit, I'm impressed with the sophistication of it, but then again, we are talking about the grandmother of all Pokémon. She gave us our power in the first place."
"How in the world was she able to implement that aura in both of us in the first place? I never even took Ash near her when he was traveling with me... well, except one time when she was testing me. I never allowed her to near him directly, though." Aurora pondered.
"That's something I'm still trying to figure out myself, Aurora. Even if I knew, I… I would still be too scared to do anything. She'd kick my ass, heal me back up and kick it again. Never mess with Mew." Aru said immediately. Aurora was nodding her head with trepidation.
"That's one thing we will always agree on. Don't want to get her mad. Ever." Aru and Aurora stated at the same time.
"Aurora?" Gordo called out.
"Hmm?" Aurora snapped out of her thoughts and regarded her parents properly.
"You kind of spaced out there. Are you alright?" He asked. Aurora nodded immediately.
"Yeah… I'm alright. After speaking with Aru, I understand the situation a little better than before. For that, I'll have to thank her." Aurora touched her heart. She heard Aru's snort, but she also felt warm and fuzzy. She smiled inwardly.
"What did she say?" Alice pressed.
"Lady Mew is meddling in my and Ash's lives and I definitely don't appreciate it," Aurora said with crossed arms. Both of her parents looked skeptical.
"Mew? I imagine you haven't seen her in a toad's age. How could she meddle in your life if you haven't visited her in years… and vice versa." Alice pointed out.
"Let's just say she left her mark on me, Mom. She probably did it as she finalized my training. Though I don't know how Ash has her residual aura. He had to have met the lady at some point in his journey for that to happen. I don't know how… but I do know that she was the one who linked Ash and myself together and is using the counterbalance conflict for some sort of gain. Though to what end, I'm not sure."
"How can you say that about her?" Alice looked slightly affronted. Gordo glanced at his wife and shook his head. Gordo didn't look surprised when he heard about Mew.
"Mew… isn't exactly a guardian angel. Yeah, she has our back and I won't deny that. That being said, she also has a tendency to use humans for a greater purpose. Tagging a small part of her aura in me and Ash forces us to do what she wants because all Ketchums are bound by her. You don't do what she wants…" Aurora started.
"And that will spell trouble to the bounded Ketchum." Alice finished. Alice had her hand on her chin in thought. "Oh dear. I see what you mean. Even I have to admit, Mew is very mischievous. Even so, what does this what to do with both counterbalances attacking?"
Aurora shrugged her shoulders, "I have no idea. She's always been an oddball… even among other legendary Pokémon. The only way to find out is to ask her herself, but I'm not willing to seek her out... not until I have Ash with me."
"Oh, my dear. My reasons apply to training Ash and you a bit further. With Ketchums, the bond with a counterbalance is integral to a stable relationship and your aura itself. A bit of a crash course goes a long way." A feminine voice chuckled in her mind. Aurora's eyes grew wide and she suddenly felt fear she hadn't felt in a long time.
"Gah, my lady?! Mew, are you here?" Aurora looked around the living room. She noticed her parents' puzzled faces.
"Honey, Mew isn't here." Alice said softly.
"I know I heard her voice just now. Am I crazy?" She couldn't see the legendary Pokémon, but she knew she definitely heard her.
"Hehehe. Gave you a bit of a scare, didn't I dear? Nice observation by Aru, by the way. You do have a tiny fragment of my aura, so I can easily listen in on you, my doubtful student." Mew giggled in Aurora's head.
"OK, Lady Mew is definitely contacting me. She just isn't physically here." She told her parents. She closed her eyes to concentrate on the psychic type only. Alice and Gordo could only wait in anticipation.
"I have plenty of reason to be doubtful, especially if Ash's and my lives are on the line. If your gamble fails, you basically doomed us. What are you thinking?" Aurora harangued the psychic type. She found herself surprised that she was speaking with Mew with such a crabby tone, but she couldn't help it. Mew didn't seem to mind the drastic change in tone from the aggravated guardian. It was like she expected it.
"I'm thinking you'll thank me later, dear. A good gambler never reveals all of her cards… and never releases her best card until the right time. I prolonged the symptoms of the conflict until you and Ash properly met again and he began to care about you again. Unfortunately for you, Ash immediately began to care again though Ashton and the symptoms accelerated. Now, Aru has to do her duty, otherwise, my aura will force both of your auras to drain faster than if she didn't strike." Mew's voice seemed to shrug. Aurora felt Aru's presence and she was even more annoyed than her balance.
"Why? You could have chosen something way less, I don't know, life threatening?" Aru said, highly irritated.
"A lesson is to be learned after your… raging exchange… with all participants. The impact may be severe, but humans tend to learn the most after bad experiences. You'll thank me in a few years. Trust me. This will make Ash's training a lot easier. You don't have as much time as you think. He needs to be a master guardian as soon as possible." Mew told her.
"When I was training him as a child, he was an advanced novice, but he reverted back to his beginning stages. How in the world do you expect me to train him in such a short time? It's just not feasible, my lady. It takes one's entire childhood, normally." Aurora chimed back in.
"Exactly my point, dear. You don't have time. Besides, Ash is not normal by any means, even for an aura guardian. I can sense his ability to adapt to pressure very quickly. This will combo into the effect of a spiritual conflict. You know the effects of a conflict afterward. If you survive it…" Mew said with a slightly lighter tone. Aurora could feel Mew's smile and had a sudden inclination to finish her statement.
"You gain a lot more strength and endurance than before you were in conflict in the first place. That's what happened with me and Aru four years ago." Aurora finished.
"See? That's what I'm banking on. I would never want to actually kill you, let alone harm you, Aurora. I wouldn't have done this if I wasn't sure that you will pull through. I know you can pull through. Your dedication to anything you commit to knows no bounds. You're a strong human, my dear. I wouldn't have entrusted this responsibility with any other person." Mew continued. Aurora was shaking her head.
"Responsibility? I don't think threatening my life is responsible." Aurora retorted.
"In the grand scheme of things, it is very responsible. Your fear of death is causing you to remain nebulous to the overall benefit. You two survive this trial I've put up and Ash will learn to use his aura much faster than normal. I will cause your aura and Ash's auras to be drained at a slower rate until you arrive at the tree. In an era where we don't have much time, it is essential that we take risks to achieve our goals. This is important for when he turns twenty-one, where a guardian's potential begins to peak." Mew reminded her.
"I don't know how to feel about this, my lady. I really don't." Aurora stated as honestly as she could.
"And I don't like that I'm forced to attack just because you want me to, even if the reward outweighs the consequences," Aru added with a hiss. Mew sighed.
"You have to trust me, dears. If you don't… well, let's not find out what would happen in that future. I can sense in your heart that despite your current skepticism, you are completely loyal and you do trust me." Mew said confidently. Aurora wanted to deny her, but found that she couldn't. "Please bear with me in the long run. The lessons you learn and experiences you share with Aru will make a difference when you start properly training your dear young one. You'll need all the advantages you can get against your psychic primordial counterparts. I love all my Ketchums very much, Aurora. Don't forget that."
"As much as I'm against being spiritually conflicted a second time, I really hope you're right, my lady. I can't stand to lose Ash a second time… nor can I lose Aru." Aurora said in a small voice. A single tear escaped her eye and she started to look down. Aru found herself surprised, but didn't show it to Aurora.
"Don't you know? I have your back... and I am thinking in the best interest in the preservation of the world. It's a win-win. It's also weird, but then again, I'm known for my unpredictability. I know we will see each again soon, my dear. This isn't the only trial I have planned for you and Ash. Hehehe… " Mew snickered as her presence diminished from Aurora's head. Aurora opened her eyes and had an indescribable expression. She didn't know how to feel what she was feeling. She rubbed her head and groaned slightly.
"Aurora… how was she?" Gordo asked fondly.
"She's just as chipper as I remember her. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing. I also didn't know she was this crafty." Aurora shook her head.
"Crafty?" Alice echoed. Aurora nodded.
"With the small aura she has in me, she can keep watch on everything I say and do. It also forces my hand." Aurora narrowed her eyes pensively. "Mew, being the grandmother of all living things, is a master on all things aura. The intricacies of the aura she's put into Ash and I help and hurt us simultaneously."
"How?" The elder female asked.
"If I don't do what she wants, Ash's and my aura drains exponentially quickly. If I do what she wants, we grow exponentially quickly. If she's right, this will be perfect for training Ash to at least an intermediate before he turns twenty-one. Being spiritually conflicted makes a Ketchum stronger in the long haul, but I don't like how she's given us no choice on the matter. It's stupid because I would have done what she wanted regardless." Aurora frowned.
"But not Ash. I wanted to prevent any chance of that future happening. Besides, I needed some sort of link between you two in case you didn't recover your memory first. Everything is falling into place. Sorry for dragging you into it. Still adore you, dear." Mew responded to Aurora's statement.
"Are you gonna make a habit of popping up in my head? It's already a crowd with Aru here." Aurora blurted with exasperation.
"H-hey!" Aru said, somewhat offended.
"No, no… I'm done. I won't directly intrude in your life while you're in Kalos unless the situation absolutely demands it. I'm betting on your dedication, Aurora. Farewell for real, my dear." Mew giggled as her presence was once again gone.
"Well, all you can do is stick by her plan and hope it works. Trust me, I used to be her primary victim." Gordo joked.
"But not enough to where it's life-threatening. I'll try to listen to you, but I still don't appreciate being a pawn in Mew's plans." Aurora expressed her displeasure. Her parents didn't know how to help, but decided to not to say anything else. They've known Mew longer and understood her odd tendencies to a fault. Aurora shrugged her shoulders, "It is what it is, I guess. This wasn't why I came here. Other than visiting you, I need your help, Mom and Dad. While I'm in Kalos, can you two go to the Tree of Beginning and help Lady Mew erect a barrier preventing psychics from entering it?" Aurora asked earnestly. Alice and Gordo looked at each other, then at Aurora. They both had a small toothless smile.
"Ah… you want to create a pseudo save haven for Ash to develop his powers?" Gordo figured.
Aurora nodded eagerly. She figured the best place to train Ash with his powers was the place where guardians first came about. She also figured him seeing Mew would give him a good source of how to formulate the different elemental types in the first place. Even with Mew, she knew it was good to have multiple Ketchums training him so he could be the most versatile guardian he could be. Alice was extremely resourceful and Gordo was very passionate. She knew it was a good mix. Gordo's counterbalance, Jordon, would add even more diversity. She wanted Ash to be the most powerful of all guardians and prepare him for life in general.
"My plan exactly. Can you do it?" Aurora asked.
"Of course. Jordon and I have been looking for another victim for a long time!" Gordo beat his fist against his chest heartily. Aurora sweat-dropped as she knew that she was his old victim. Aurora gave a toothless grin and Alice sighed.
"Gordon! Ash is not a victim!" Alice said, slightly annoyed.
"Not yet, he ain't." Gordo cracked his knuckles.
At this point, Aurora's smile turned upside down and she gave her father a dirty look. She didn't mind pushing his potential, but she did mind him getting hurt. Gordo noticed and rubbed his head bashfully. He calmed his excitement down a little. Aurora cleared her throat to speak again, "Also… I want to try to train Serena… if she agrees."
Both of her parents' expressions turned sour. They both asked simultaneously, "Why?"
Aurora smiled. She had multiple reasons. She saw a spark in the girl that her parents were blind to see, as they didn't meet her yet. Serena had the potential to be very powerful, but Aurora knew she needed to do a few things before that could happen. She decided to give one reason, "Simple. Ash would want her there."
"Some things in life you need to take away for the greater good. I'm afraid Serena may need to be one of them." Alice said somberly.
"I don't think so. If I had told you she was just an aura guardian, you'd be happy to train her. Just because she's partly psychic, you aren't willing? Sounds hypocritical, if you ask me. You shouldn't separate the two of because of selfish fears." Aurora crossed her arms. She could see they weren't going to get anywhere with the subject unless they met Serena for themselves.
"Aurora…" Alice tried to placate. Aurora stayed silent, but looked at her parents, disappointed. Alice and Gordo weren't going to change their opinion and they all knew it.
"I'll train her myself, then. Although… I would need to find a psychic willing to develop her other half… maybe Mirabelle? She may be on the Elite Four, but she hates the Zurui just as much as I do. Maybe Anabel, her daughter? They'd relate more, both being young. Of course, I would need to talk to Serena's parents about this in general. I don't have any right to take her." Aurora thought deeply. Her hands started to glow white a little. Chi-Chi took notice and tugged on her shirt. Aurora looked down at Chi-Chi quizzically and pointed up at Aurora's hands. Aurora noticed the white sheen and immediately made them go to normal. She thanked Chi-Chi afterward.
Alice eyed her daughter suspiciously. She knew what that white glow meant, but decided not to say anything. She merely shook her head, but decided to say, "Aurora… in the end, I won't stop you. Once the little gears in your head turn, it's hard to make them stop."
"Things won't always be black and white, Aurora. There will always be gray patches in the mix." Gordo said to her. The younger guardian nodded.
"I know it won't be easy, Dad. I've got to try, though. For now, can you please head to the Tree of Beginning to prepare? I'm going back to Kalos to meet up with Ash. Hopefully, you'll see him with me the next time we meet. You'll also see how much he's grown up. He's already taller than Mom and he's almost taller than me. Give it another year and he'll definitely outgrow me." Aurora laughed. Aurora noticed that it was mid-afternoon, but she did say she would be back at the Pokémon Center by dusk. She didn't mind returning early.
Aurora gave Alice a hug, but Alice crushed her. The strength of an aura guardian is astounding, even from her elderly mother. Aurora struggled to breathe as she hugged her the best way she could. She heaved a little once her mother released her. After a few moments of recovery, Aurora turned to regard her father. Gordo stood up and looked down at her with an intimidating glare. Frowning, Aurora matched his glare. For the next several minutes, they just stared at each other, waiting for the other to break. Eventually, Aurora was the first to look away. Gordo smiled happily.
"Looks like the student still hasn't overtaken the master." Gordo had his hand out. Aurora smirked competitively and returned it. They both were trying to overpower each other by crushing the other's hand. This time, Gordo was the first to retract back. Aurora hummed with content.
"I've surpassed you in a few other ways, Dad." Aurora said. Gordo acknowledged that and rubbed her head roughly, but affectionately. It looked a lot messier than it was before. Aurora took a few minutes to brush her hair down, but chose to keep it out. She gave her father a small kiss on his cheek. Gordo had a goofy expression on his face as he gave her one last nuggie. Aurora and Gordo both laughed heartily while Alice sighed.
"Stay safe, dear. You know I love my little Ruru." Alice said with a small voice.
"Mom, I'm not that little anymore. I love you, too." Aurora gave her mother another hug, but this time, Alice was mindful of her strength. They both enjoyed being in each other's arms. Once they broke apart, she looked at Chi-Chi.
Chi-Chi stretched herself and waited for Aurora to make a command. Aurora nodded. She waved good-bye to her parents and Chi-Chi said goodbye to Shadow and Champ. With pinkish energy transmitted from her claws, Chi-Chi touched Aurora's head and they both vanished instantly.
A/N: I hope you got a little more insight about Aurora and her family. We can now see where her head is at. You can kinda see where she got her tendencies from~
Enter what I consider to be one of the most devious and cute Pokemon of all Pokemon: Mew. She is much more powerful than anything that has appeared in this version of the Pokemon World thus far. The only things that match her power are Arceus and a few of the mega/primal legendaries, though it does slightly favor Mew.
"How in the world is a base 600 more powerful than base 720s and 780s. Mew shouldn't be more powerful than the GOD of all Pokemon, herpaderp..." says the inevitable comment(s) I will most likely receive if I didn't say this. Why is Mew so strong? The answer will be shown when I reveal the lore of my version of the Pokemon Universe. It will be revealed in the next ten chapters.
Please rate and review :)
Next Chapter: A Crestfallen Aurora
~SPG123~