Chapter 51
The Sun Gazer: Part 2
Alex awoke to Koh's house being empty, and sure enough when he looked outside Koh was at his usual spot staring at the horizon, the first rays of light peeking over the canyon
After eating a plate of berries Koh had left out for him, the Fraxure walked out to Koh's spot and tapped the Xatu on the shoulder.
Koh slowly turned around and asked, "Are you ready to begin?"
"I….am" Alex stated firmly.
Koh nodded and motioned for Alex to follow, after a short walk they came to a cave carved in the side of the canyon, it was cold and empty, all that could be heard was the occasional drop of water echoing through the cavern.
Alex saw a stone in the center, looking like a pedestal. After a motion from Koh, Alex sat down on the stone. The rock was cold against his scales, but he felt as if there was something in this cave, nothing visible, but as if a sense of calm hung in the very air.
Koh noticed his look of pondering and said "This cave is full of spiritual energy, it is where I first meditated. As the most peaceful location on this continent, it is the perfect place to train"
"So, what exactly do I need to do to access this power?" Alex questioned.
"White matter is tied to positive emotions, you will need to be in a state of pure serenity and emotionlessness. Only when you are completely calm can you allow the white matter to take over and funnel its power to you" Koh explained.
"Um...ok" Alex replied, slightly unsure of how he could train towards this.
Koh turned his back to Alex and said "two things are holding you back from this state of mind, once those blocks are gone, it will be simple"
Alex cocked his head to the side and asked "what two things…."
Koh shook his head and replied "first and foremost, your guilt"
"What? What should I be guilty about?" Alex demanded, to anyone else, his tone was convincing and calm, but the centuries-old Xatu could tell the slightest hint of denial in his voice.
Koh turned back around and looked his student dead in the eyes with "You know exactly what you're guilty about"
Alex turned to the side slightly and countered with "You said you can't read my mind, how are you sure…"
"I don't need to read your mind, It's all over your eyes when you reflect on your past" Koh scoffed.
"I just….feel like I don't deserve to live on sometimes" Alex forced out the words
"And why is that?" Koh questioned.
Alex sighed and revealed "I made my choice at Temporal Tower….to save the world knowing full well what would happen if I succeed….Nigel and Celebi made that choice too. While I am grateful that Dialga brought me back, I feel like I cheated Nigel and Celebi getting to live on, they made the sacrifices too but in the end, I get to live on…...and they die for good"
Koh stared at Alex for a long time as he hung his head in shame, tears flowing from his eyes as he finally let his pent up sadness out.
Koh placed his wing on Alex's shoulder and said "your feelings are not unfounded, but you must answer three questions when faced with these emotions"
Alex's tears slowed down as he replied "and what are those?"
Koh removed his wing and stared Alex in the eyes again saying "did you respect what Nigel and Celebi fought for and the choices they made?"
"Yes," Alex replied without hesitation.
"Do you think they would do anything differently if they could choose again?" Koh asked.
"No" Alex answered with a slight pause.
Finally, Koh asked, "do you think that if they knew you had the opportunity to live on with Blaze, would they be happy for you?"
Alex stopped and pondered for a solid minute before answering "yes"
Koh's eyes glowed blue as he said "well done, now close your eyes and empty your mind."
Alex compiled and sat cross-legged at Koh's words soothed his worries.
"Nigel and Celebi may be gone, but what they fought for and their memory lives on with you. You overcame your sadness and completed the mission at Temporal Town. You can mourn for them and miss them, as it is only natural, but in the end, it is up to you to live on in their stead. Now, overcome these feelings and be free" Koh said in his usual monotone voice that was oddly soothing for the former human.
Alex felt as if a weight suddenly lifted off his shoulders, Koh was right, and the Xatu's words had eased his mind perfectly.
"I feel...good" Alex stated bluntly, unable to find any other words.
Koh's beak curled into a small smile as he said "You have overcome the first block, we will remove the second one tomorrow, and then the light within you will reveal itself"
Far away on the Water Continent, deep within an underground mine, a dimensional hole opened, from it emerged a shadowy figure.
A Pokémon wearing a black cloak with glowing red eyes arrived. It apparently stood on two legs, but the entirety of his body was concealed in the cloak.
He gave a bow to his master before saying "excavation here and on the Grass Continent is on schedule, but much like at Mount Freeze the rock is getting thicker…..we will stall soon if I don't gain more support"
"I need proof of success before I can grant you that" the shadowy figure admitted.
"Of course my lord, here you are," the cloaked Pokémon said as he sat a glowing purple crystal on the ground.
The shadowy figure picked up the crystal and after examining it for a moment, crushed it in his hand, energy akin to black smoke flowed into its body.
"Pure Aetherium crystals, well done Lupin. Luckily one of my newer allies has graciously provided some raw muscle, they will serve you well" The figure explained as he motioned to the portal.
On cue, dozens of Pokémon emerged from the Dimensional hole, all of them were large steel, rock, and fighting types, ranging from Hariyamas to Metagrosses and even Tyranitars. The one thing in common though was their eyes being black with no pupils.
Lupin chuckled and said "thank you, master, rest assured that we will have all the crystals you require"
The shadowy figure smirked and replied "Good, I will see to it that Kazumi is well supplied as well…..I am nearly ready for the next phase of my plan, this world will be mine, and that former human will wish he had died at Temporal Tower!"
Author's note- And there you have it! Up next will be the Finale of the Sun Gazer
1. After the Sun Gazer ends, there will be "The Two Mountains Arc" and then I need to finish 12 hours which is a much shorter story so here's an early Hiatus warning
3. Aside from obvious story mystery there is an actual reason Lupin keeps his body hidden...hehe
4. Leave a review, it makes my day!
