And here is the next chapter everyone! In this chapter, the protagonist is going to be Maylene as she remembers the first day she met her Lucario, but it will be that the last thing she is going to remember? (Note: I don't know if her past with Lucario was revealed in the anime, but I felt it was interesting to try at least). Read and review with the next world to be saved!
Chapter 25: The mysterious Valley of the Aura!
Veilstone City
Pokémon Center
"Ok Maylene, you can stop hugging my Lucario now." Chris said tapping Maylene's shoulder.
"I don't want to!" She said.
Chris's eyes widened when he saw the face of his Pokémon turning into the purple color "I mean it! You're choking him!"
"I...can't...breath..." Chris's Lucario said, Maylene looked at him and she realesed him from her arms.
"I'm so sorry! Please, forgive me!" She said bending.
His face returned to his usual blue color and he sighed "It's fine...for now."
"Finally," Chris sighed, then he looked at Cynthia "You said your Lucario was missing too?"
She nodded "That is correct, not only that, I've heard in all the region that all the wild Lucario disappeared too"
"All?" Riley asked. Cynthia nodded "There must be some kind of event going on in Sinnoh then..." Riley got in a thinking position.
"That's why I called a expert for this job." Cynthia said.
"Who?" Maylene asked.
Just then, the doors of the Pokémon Center opened, and a man with a white beard, white hair, wearing brown coat and under it there was a lab coat and he was holding a briefcase in his right hand came stepping inside.
"Ah Cynthia, you're here already," The man said.
"Professor Rowan, how is your investigation about the evolution of the Pokémon going?" Cynthia asked.
"It's going well, but I was interested about your problem."
"I'm glad you took your time to help me."
Professor Rowan looked at Riley, his Lucario, Maylene, Chris and his Lucario "And are they your friends?"
"Yes." She said.
"Good, now let's have a seat over that table." He pointed to an empty table with a couch, all of them sat on the couch (except for the 2 Lucarios, who remained stood).
"What's this all about the disappearance of the wild Lucarios?" Chris asked, Rowan opened his briefcase and he took out a map, he placed it on the table so everyone could see.
"See the circled points?" Rowan asked pointing to red circles on the map, everyone nodded "Those are the locations of where the wild Lucarios had been roaming, but," He pointed to a big circle on the map "They have been spotted running to this location."
"It's near Mt. Coronet" Riley said.
"That's right, I've heard from many sources that they have been climbing into a hidden valley near Mt Coronet." Rowan said.
"A hidden valley?" Maylene asked.
"Yes, a hidden valley that it's almost impossible to enter, the valley is surrounded by high cliffs and pits, his geography could be only matched with Mt. Coronet's geography."
"So, we need to enter the valley then?" Chris asked.
"That is the hard part, many have tried to enter, but when they're close, they suddenly are attacked by Aura Spheres coming from nowhere, after that, they fall unconscious to the ground, the next thing they see it's the point where they started to go through."
"It sounds very weird to be attacked by Aura Spheres from nowhere..." Cynthia said.
"That's because there are Lucarios living there!" Riley said in surprise.
"Do you mean they live there and they attack any traveler who wants to pass?" Maylene asked.
Riley nodded "If they don't want any person inside their valley, it's because they are hiding something very valuable."
"But what could it be?" Maylene asked.
"I don't know for sure."
"That's where you 6-" Rowan was interrupted.
"7 if you count Pichu." Chris said pointing to Pichu.
"That's where you 7 enter, your mission is to infiltrate the valley and find what is going on with the Lucarios, it won't be easy, so I suggest to be prepared if you dare to go." Rowan said.
"What do you think Lucario?" Chris asked to his Lucario.
"I'm ready if you are." He said.
"Same for me if Riley wants to go." Riley's Lucario said looking at Riley.
"I'm good to go, this mystery is really intriguing me." Riley said.
"I'm ready too, I want to find my Lucario and I won't give up so easily." Maylene said (she was putting her shoes on).
"We're ready Professor Rowan." Cynthia said.
"Good," He stood up "I'm counting on all of you, be careful." He took his briefcase and he left the Pokémon Center.
Maylene stood up and she made a fist in the air "Let's go!" She said excited. Everyone nodded and they left the Pokémon Center.
Veilstone City
Street
Just outside the Pokémon Center, there was a Ice Cream man selling Ice Cream. Cynthia said she was going to pay if they wanted, they nodded and Cynthia bought Ice Cream for everyone...except her.
"Hey Cynthia, are you going to buy one for yourself?" Maylene asked.
"Just a minute, I need to decide which flavor I want to eat." She said, thinking in front of the Ice Cream man.
"Ok, you can take your time" Chris said.
1 hour later...
"Cynthia, haven't you decided yet?" Maylene asked.
"In a second." Cynthia replied.
1 hour later...
"Cynthia, we finished with our Ice Cream, are you done yet?" Chris asked.
"Just a minute." She said.
1 hour later...
"Cynthia?" Riley asked.
"I'm almost done."
Another hour later...
"CYNTHIA!" Everyone yelled at Cynthia, then she snapped her fingers.
"I know what to choose now!" She said smiling.
"Really? What do you want?" The Ice Cream asked.
"I want Vanilla please." She said smiling. Everyone were left speechless and they fell in anime style (even both Lucarios fell in anime style).
"What's wrong with all of you?" She asked while she was licking her Ice Cream.
"Nothing Cynthia, everything is fine" Chris said sarcastically while his face was on the floor.
After that little (and annoying) event, everyone regained their compostures and walked through the exit of Veilstone City...and Cynthia didn't finished her Ice Cream too.
Route 215
"So we need to cross the Route 215 and then we follow a secret path in the Route 210 near the Cafe Cabbin right?" Maylene asked. Riley nodded.
"Wow, does this Route ever stops raining?" Chris asked as he and Pichu were getting drenched by the water.
"It's very rarely if the rain stops in this Route." Cynthia said, just then, the rain stopped and the light of the sun was coming between the clouds and Starly flew to the air.
"Finally! I was getting upset with the rain!" Maylene said.
"Pss!" Chris's Lucario sneezed a bit.
"Take this, it will clear your nose." Maylene handed over a napkin to Lucario, he took it.
"Thanks." He said as he cleared his nose, Maylene gave a little smile at him and Lucario blushed a little.
"Wait, I need to see something here." Maylene said as she searched for something behind some trees, everyone else looked at each other and they went with her.
"What is it Maylene?" Riley asked as he looked around, there were a lot of rocks destroyed on the ground and there were also destroyed spots with some destroyed trees.
"This is...where me and Lucario usually train together every day." She said.
"This place looks a little destroyed you know..." Chris said.
"Pichu Pi." Pichu said.
"I know, it's because of all the Aura Spheres my Lucario have been shooting at me."
"Wait, your Lucario shoots Aura Spheres at you? Isn't that dangerous?" Riley asked worried.
She let out a small giggle "Not at all! It's really fun!" With those words, the eyes of Riley and Chris widened, but Cynthia was just staring at Maylene.
"That's because you have been kicking them back to Lucario right?" Cynthia asked smiling.
"That's right!" Maylene answered.
"What?!" Chris said, he looked at both Lucarios "Is that even possible to do?"
"I'm not sure if that can be done." Chris's Lucario said shaking his head.
"I don't know exactly either." Riley's Lucario said shaking his head too.
"That's the way we train together! He shoots his Aura Spheres at me and I return them back to him so he can dodge them at time! We also meditate below waterfalls between many other things!" She said excited, but then, she sighed looking at the clouds "I'm really starting to miss him too..."
"You and him are so close to each other right?" Riley asked.
"I met my Lucario since he was a little Riolu, and I still remember that day 7 years ago, I was little and it was my birthday, my dad gave me a Pokémon Egg, he didn't knew what Pokémon was inside until..."
Flashback
"Daddy, what is this big egg?" Maylene asked looking at a Pokémon Egg in front of her.
"That is a Pokémon Egg, it holds a Pokémon inside of it, that Pokémon will be your present for your birthday." Maylene's father said.
"Really? Do you think he or she will befriend me?"
"For sure, you're such a cute little girl!"
"Daddy! Stop saying lies please!" She said smiling and giggling, then she looked at the Pokémon Egg "I hope it is a Fighting type, they're my favorite type of Pokémon because they're so strong!"
"Why do you want a Fighting type?" His father asked.
"Because I saw a fight with a Machoke againts a Hitmonlee, and the Machoke won because of his strength! I hope it is a Machop, I've heard it's the initial Pokémon to evolve into a Machoke!"
Just then, the egg was starting to shake, Maylene glanced at the egg and she smiled "It's hatching daddy! I didn't knew if would hatch so soon!"
"Let's see if you can get the type you were looking for." He said.
The top of the egg was cracking, after shaking for a while, the egg was breaking up, Maylene was getting so happy and finally, the egg hatched, but it wasn't a Machop.
Instead, another Pokémon came from the egg and he looked around confused.
"Ri?" He said placing his hand near his mouth.
Maylene stood still for a moment, that wasn't a Machop for sure to her, but it was a Riolu.
"Wow, Maylene, you just got a Riolu!" Her dad said surprised.
"A Riolu? That is his name?" She asked looking at Riolu.
"Yes, I've heard they're so rare to get, and for your luck, he is a Fighting type!"
"Ri?" He approached to Maylene. Maylene just stared at him for a minute, then she smiled and she started to hug him tightly.
"Ooouuhhhh! You're so cute!" She said pressing her face to Riolu. Riolu blinked for a moment, then he smiled and he said his name repeatedly in happiness.
"Ri! Ri! Riolu! Ri!" He said.
"See? You're already his friend, I hope you can train him well." Her dad said.
"I will daddy! And also I'm going to become a Gym Leader using Riolu! What do you say Riolu?" She looked at Riolu.
"Ri!" He said smiling.
End of flashback
"And since that day, he became my best Pokémon and best friend." She said looking at the group.
"That was a touching story," Chris said wiping a tear from his eye "But how exactly did you become a Gym Leader?"
"I become a Gym Leader by-!" She looked at the sky again, but after a moment of silence, she rubbed her head "I actually forgot how did I became a Gym Leader in the first place, silly me."
(-.-) "...I see..." Chris said.
"But let's go, I want to find him as soon as possible!" She said running away.
"She regained her energy now." Cynthia said.
"I think she was inspired when she met her Lucario." Chris said.
"AAAHHHH!!"
"Something is happening with Maylene, let's go!" Riley said running after Maylene, Chris, Cynthia and both Lucarios followed him.
When they found her, she was sat on the ground shaking her head, because she was going to be rammed by a truck that appeared on the road.
"Hey you kid! Stop appearing from nowhere!" A man said inside the truck, his hair was mysteriously light blue and he was wearing a odd looking space suit with a G on it. The same G was on the truck as the logo.
"Sorry, I wasn't looking at both sides..." Maylene said in her defense while Chris's Lucario helped her to get up, this made the man of the truck gasp.
"Oh no, oh no!" He said.
"What is it?" A girl with the same mysterious light blue hair and space suit with the G asked at the side of the man asked, when she saw the 2 Lucarios, she gasped too.
"It's something wrong sir?" Riley asked, just then, his Lucario and Chris's Lucario started to shot glares at both persons, after a second, they started to show their fangs in rage.
"Lucario, it's something wrong?" Chris asked.
"I don't like those 2 at all." He said.
"Excellent! Good bye then!" The man drove the truck at high speed out of them.
Maylene looked at them confused "They were acting so weird, don't you think?" She asked.
"I remember I saw that G somewhere before." Cynthia said.
"There were a lot of eggs inside the truck." Riley's Lucario said.
"Why they were keeping those eggs inside the truck? There is a Day Care near here?" Chris asked.
"Nope, the only Day Care in Sinnoh I know about is in Solaceon Town," Maylene answered "And they were driving to Veilstone."
"Let's find the valley first, then we go back to Veilstone to search for that truck." Cynthia said, everyone nodded and they continued their way to the Route 210.
Route 210
After walking through the Route 215 and passing the Cafe Cabbin, they went inside some woods near there.
"If my memory doesn't fails, the valley should be on the other side of these woods, but after we cross, be careful to not step on a pit." Riley said.
Eventually, they crossed to the other side and they found a big cliff in front of them, it was really huge, they looked around for the pits but there wasn't any of them.
"I don't see any pit around here." Chris said.
"They must be hiding then," Cynthia walked to the cliff and she looked to the top "We need to climb this to pass to the other side."
"But I don't know if we can climb THIS one though." Maylene said.
"Even with the help of our Lucarios we won't be able to cross it." Riley said.
"Then we're going to fly to the top," Cynthia took a Pokeball and she tossed it in the air, a Salamence came from the Pokeball and he roared upon getting out "Now everyone, get on Salamence's back."
Chris, Pichu, Maylene, Cynthia and Riley along with both Lucarios went above Salamence's back, Cynthia ordered him to fly to the top, he roared in agreedment and he started to fly.
"At this rate we can reach the top in no time!" Maylene said.
Just then Riley's Lucario saw shiny blue spots coming at them from above, he gasped when he realised that they were Aura Spheres!
"THEY ARE LAUNCHING AURA SPHERES AT US!" He shouted.
"Salamence! Dodge them!" Cynthia ordered, Salamance flew avoiding the Aura Spheres, but when they passed them, they turned back and they were chasing them.
"Darn it, since they're Aura Spheres, they can't be avoided so easily, we have to do something!" Riley said.
"PICHU!" Pichu shouted in terror.
"I know!" Chris looked at both Lucarios "Use your Aura Spheres to destroy them!"
Both of them nodded and they charged their Aura Spheres, and then, they began to fire at every Aura Sphere that was going to touch them, making them explode in the process.
"They don't even stop firing at us!" Maylene said.
"No matter what they try, we are going to reach to the other side!" Chris said.
"Look! There is a cave up there!" Riley pointed to a cave above them "Fly there so we can take cover from their attacks!"
"Alright, Salamence, fly to that cave now!" Cynthia ordered, her Salamence roared again and he flew evading the Aura Spheres in the process, they eventually made it inside the cave, the rain of Aura Spheres suddenly stopped and Cynthia thanked her Salamence and she returned him to his Pokeball.
"This cave is deep." Chris said looking at the darkness of the cave.
"I dunno, but I think this cave crosses the cliff and the valley could be on the other side." Maylene said.
"But it's so dark to see, and we don't have lanterns with us."
"I know the answer for this problem." Chris's Lucario said.
"You know?" Chris asked. Just then, his Lucario started to glow and with the light of his aura he made enough light to brighten the cave to they could walk further inside.
"I wonder..." Riley's Lucario started to glow as Chris's Lucario and he made more light with his aura, the group could now advance further in the cave.
"Good idea, using the aura of both of you to shine the path through this cave." Cynthia said smiling a bit. Without any interruption, they walked deeper to the cave, it was so silent, even a little sound could make a echo.
"So if we can cross this cave, the valley will appear on the other side." Riley said.
"AAHHH!" Chris tripped on the ground, Pichu fell to the ground in the process, they stopped and his Lucario kneeled in front of him.
"Are you alright?" He asked worried.
"Yes...it's just a little bruise." He saw his leg bleeding a little, but it was enough to make him feel pain every time he walked using his leg. Pichu rubbed his head after he fell and he walked by his own. After a while, Chris's Lucario stopped and he grabbed Chris with his arms.
"You don't have to, really." Chris said.
"No, I can't watch you suffering from your injure, let me help me you." His Lucario said.
"(He is the same as myself.)" Maylene thought to herself, then she remembered something from a long time ago.
Flashback
"Alright Riolu, use Force Palm on that rock!" Maylene ordered, Riolu nodded and he ran to the rock to destroy it, but he tripped in the middle of his trail and Maylene gasped and she ran to him worried.
"Riolu! Are you alright?" She asked worried.
"I'm...I'm ok, you don't have to worry about me..."
"Huh? You can talk?" Maylene asked surprised.
Riolu nodded "Yes, I was a little afraid to talk to you while your father was close to us, and I choose this moment to talk to you."
Maylene looked at Riolu's leg and it was bleeding a little "We need to stop the training for today, your leg is in a bad shape!"
"N-No! I can continue! See?" He stood up, but after walking a little he stopped because he was suffering from his injure, Maylene shook her head and she grabbed him with her arms.
"You don't have to! I can train!" Riolu said.
"Don't be stubborn! You need to recover now or else you're going to worse up your leg!"
Riolu gasped after she said that to him, he looked at his leg again and it was still bleeding, then he nodded agreeding about his health.
Maylene smiled as she was walking to her house with her Riolu on her arms "Finally, you admitted it." Riolu looked away blushing a little, Maylene saw his blushing and she laughed.
"(You're so cute when you blush.)" She thought.
End of flashback
"(Don't worry Lucario, I'm going to find you no matter what happens.)" She thought with a determined face.
"Shh...I can hear something..." Cynthia wispered to everyone.
"What?" Chris asked wispering.
"It sounds like...leaves..." Riley wispered.
There was light coming in front of them, their eyes widened a little and they ran to the ligh-
"IT'S BLINDING ME!" Maylene shouted.
...As I was saying, they ran to the light, both Lucarios stopped glowing and when they made it to the other side, they found a lot of trees, bushes and grass everywhere, there was a waterfall and a river too.
?
"We finally made it to the hidden valley." Riley said. Admiring the splendor of the valley, there wasn't any Pokémon there, which was very strange.
"Isn't strange that this valley it's empty?" Maylene asked confused.
"Wait, something is coming." Cynthia said narrowing her eyes.
"Yes, I can hear something approaching too." Chris said.
"HALT! WHO DARES TO ENTER THE VALLEY OF THE AURA?!" A voice echoed coming from nowhere. Chris and Maylene were scared by the sound of the voice.
"W-we!" Maylene said.
Just then, a moment of silence came to them, after a minute, a lot of noises were coming from the trees, bushes, and in the river, the group looked at everything to be prepared for any kind of attack.
And suddenly, many figures came from everywhere jumping to anything, surrounding the group in the process, after a while, the figures stopped, revealing to be a lot, no, many Lucarios glaring at them, hundreds of them were showing their fangs to the group.
"O-ok...d-don't make any brusque move...w-we are just going to return to the cave..." Chris looked at the entrance of the cave they came from and there were a lot of Lucarios blocking the cave "...n-n-nevermind...w-w-we just wait for them to...k-k-kill us..."
Maylene blinked for a moment "W-w-wait...KILL US?!"
"GGRRRRRR!!" All the Lucarios said in unison after Maylene shouted. That made Pichu hid behind Chris's Lucario in terror.
And there was an Aura Sphere coming towards Maylene!
"MAYLENE!" Chris, Riley, Cynthia and both Lucarios shouted in unison, Maylene froze up as the Aura Sphere was coming closer to her.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Ooohhh Cliffhanger time! I need to do them more often to build up the suspence! Anyway, will they be killed by the angry Lucarios? Find out in the next chapter! Read and review please!