That Thursday morning, we all woke up to knocking at the front door. To my surprise, Kyle was the first to respond. He was fully dressed, outside of sneakers. He wore a long-sleeve white T-shirt and black shorts. I followed him quietly, as I tried to wake up from the dreamless sleep.
"Whoizzit?" I asked mid-yawn. I stumbled down the steps, as Kyle led the way.
"Should be Arren. He said he was gonna be here in two days. I'm not surprised he's here early. I wonder what he needed to grab though."
As we reached the door, Kyle stopped.
"What's wrong?"
"He said he forgives me. But...he lost his first teammate. They were really close. Now I'm asking him for help again. Do I have the right to?"
"He's here because he wants to be. Open it," I stated, sitting back on my haunches. He nodded before unlocking the deadbolt and opening the door slowly. As Arren came into view, we were both surprised. A nasty scar covered his cheek. It wasn't ugly, but simple. Nonetheless, the marred skin was very visible. A single vertical line from the bottom of his eye to his jaw. His blue eyes were focused on Kyle until they noticed me.
"She's alive?"
"Yeah. Please don't attack her," Kyle pleaded, and I watched as Arren's knuckles relaxed. Had Kyle not mentioned the change in his demeanor, he would have taken me down before I had realized the threat.
"She took your arm," Arren stated tightly. The anger was written all over his visible features. The hoodie only obscured his hair. I looked him over again, noting his clothing. He had a large black gym bag hanging over his shoulder, filled seam to seam. He wore a black hoodie and denim blue jeans. His hands retreated into the pockets, as he looked to me.
"Arren-"
"Why?" he demanded. The accusation and emotional turmoil in his tone reached to my heart. It wasn't emotional anger, but righteous fury. I had wronged his friend, and he needed to know what defense I had for my actions.
"Rose was only-" Kyle tried again, but I shook my head.
"He doesn't want you to answer. He's asking me," I stated. I met his firm gaze unafraid. I lived with the guilt of my actions daily. I had been staring at the empty sleeve all the way down the stairs. Each step hurt like a hammer strike to my heart.
"To save my friend's life."
He stared at me for a minute, before asking the question I expected following it.
"You hated him. What changed?"
"He was the only one to ever have protected me. My action was the final result of me doing the same," I replied.
Silence permeated as he appraised me before I watched his physical demeanor relax.
"I suspected something more had occurred that day. I want to hear the full story when you are ready," he said. I bowed my head to show acceptance of his proposition. I wanted to appease him, and more importantly, prove my loyalty.
"Also, I saw Lucario on my way in. He wanted me to pass on a message. He would train you at night time. The moon apparently has a noticeable effect on Aura."
"Sounds good to me. Come on in. I'll get breakfast started," Kyle said stepping aside. "The guest room is open and cleaned. Unfortunately, we'll have to fend for ourselves over the next couple of days. Mom said that work has been chaotic without her, so she had to stay at work. She'll keep us supplied with funds and contact via communicator. I hope you don't mind," Kyle said, stopping at the fridge.
"I can cook," he started to protest, but I shook my head. Kyle needed to feel self-sufficient. I wanted to assist as well but knew that doing so might awaken his anger. I remained silent, watching as he moved from ingredient to ingredient. I knew chopping was out of his depth, but at this point, he wasn't asking for help so I was content to watch.
"Story?"
I knew what Arren was asking, and I contemplated explaining what happened to him. Kyle met my gaze and nodded giving me permission to do so. I considered where to start before I started narrating what happened in the forest with Mewtwo. The kitchen and dining room filled with the scent of cooking eggs and bacon, as Kyle worked carefully to prepare a simple breakfast. Arren remained silent throughout my recollection. His silence worried me as I didn't know what to expect from him. Was he judging me silently? Was he even listening? Did he have questions? As I started retelling my time with Barb and Rob, Kyle served us each a plate of eggs and bacon with a glass of orange juice. I took a sip of mine and continued to speak heavily about my…desire to end my life. I spared him no detail as I wanted to appease his thoughts on the situation. As I came to the conclusion, I realized an hour and a half had passed. We had finished our meal and drinks towards the end, and now we all sat full and happy.
Arren looked at me and then at Kyle. I expected him to try and crack holes in my story or attack me. Instead, he shifted his weight and sighed.
"Quite a story," he mumbled and it let me know he had been listening to the entire tale. "I see why Kyle let you stay. You also heard Eon's conversation with us. Why didn't you warn him?"
His accusation was straightforward. If I knew Kyle was being manipulated why hadn't I deemed it necessary to warn him away?
"The same reason you didn't. I thought we could change the outcome," I replied. "I regret that I couldn't."
"Rose. You did more than enough. I'm satisfied. Kyle. How do you feel about this?" Arren asked turning to our friend. The boy shuffled under his intense gaze before sighing.
"I-I'm happy she's home. Yesterday brought with it a bunch of…issues but we are trying to sort through."
"You mean sorted, Kyle," I corrected. He seemed surprised by how long it had taken for me and Lula to come to a concession after the events of yesterday.
"Oh."
"So…are you in love with Kyle?"
Arren's ability to see through my story and find the most pertinent information was uncanny. I knew the answer but also knew that discussions about Pokephilia were highly frowned upon.
"He doesn't judge Rose. Be honest," Kyle urged, and I glanced back at him. Embarrassment filled my cheeks but I decided to follow through.
"Yes," I said solemnly.
"I'm sure that's led to arguments between Lula and her. Are these the issues you were referring to?"
This male continued to astonish me. He hadn't even been in the room for the past couple of days, and yet he knew exactly what had occurred during this time.
"Yes. According to Rose, it's squashed but I don't know what the outcome of that discussion was."
Both of the boys turned to me, and I let out a low sigh. While I could tell them what Lula and I had agreed on, I felt that it was a private conversation that I shouldn't break the confidentiality on.
"The outcome is she and I are fine. It won't happen again," I stated, my temper flaring slightly.
"I see," Arren stated. "What I really am curious about is your waiver."
"Waiver?" I spoke up glancing at Arren.
"Diantha doesn't just allow exceptions into her school. She made it clear that for Kyle to attend, he has to reach level 55. That's strange."
"I'm sure she just wants me overprepared for the schoolhouse as I'll be at a handicap. Quite literally," Kyle replied.
"That's not it though. If that were the case why not 60? Or 70? Why 55? Why so specific?" Arren asked. I could sense that there was some greater point behind the question, but couldn't figure out what it was.
"Kyle needs to be stronger for the school," I said in his defense.
"That's not it though. If he fails to reach those levels, he won't be able to attend. It's been bothering me this whole trip. You also brought up the fact that you could die during attendance and you are not allowed to sue. This is the first time I've ever heard of a provision like this. Some things just aren't adding up. I'm worried for you bud," Arren said.
Looking to Kyle, I could see that Arren's words troubled him. It alluded me to why that would be the case but I decided to throw my own two senses into the ring.
"We all know Rangers are the epitome of skill. Combat. Healing. Problem-solving. So it would only make sense their training would push the limits of every person to the point of breaking," I replied.
"Yes. But why the secrecy and the high failure rate? Something doesn't add up."
"Why would Diantha send Sarah to urge me to attend? She just lost someone precious," Kyle asked, as they started brainstorming.
"Sarah IS a Ranger! Of course, she would send someone you know to assure you it's the right choice to make," I said, growing angrier with each passing moment.
"But she didn't. She told me about Elaina's death. Like Arren said something just isn't adding up," Kyle spoke.
I remained silent as I realized I wasn't providing the insight they wanted to hear. And then insight hit me as I considered something they weren't.
"Why even allow Kyle to attend if he goes against the rules?" I asked aloud. Kyle and Arren turned to me, as I tried to find the answer out for myself. "Unless he's going to fail, there isn't a reason to have him attend."
Arren placed a hand on his chin for a minute as my words swam in the air. They were heavy but he didn't have a response ready for it. We sat there deep in concentration when Lula and Delilah emerged.
"Such heavy thoughts. Instead of worrying about the future, focus on today. Kyle needs to train. Besides, if Diantha wants him to attend, then there may be no secret agenda. She told me herself that things would be fine. I trust her. She seems genuinely curious as to what he is capable of," Delilah said, as she glided over to plant a kiss on both our heads.
"That smells amazing Master!"
"I didn't know you were awake! I can make you a portion," Kyle exclaimed, but Lula shook her head.
"No. I don't think that will be necessary. Like Mom Number 2 said, you should get to physical training. The weather is great for it. According to the Castform last night, it should be windy with a steady temperature of 72°F. "
"Mom number 2?" the psychic type questioned, and I couldn't help but chuckle at the apparent sass in her voice.
"Well...I mean...Master help!" Lula begged looking at Kyle. We all laughed in unison as the Primarina proceeded to flush the color of a Tamato Berry. Taking this as his queue, I followed Kyle to the backdoor. Arren gathered his belongings and followed suit. His hands immediately shoved themselves into the deep pockets of his hoodie. Despite the obvious simple act, I couldn't help but notice the dexterous movements happening under the cloth. Kyle led the way to the old training field.
"What are you doing?" I asked as I noticed Arren's brow was furrowed. He glanced at me and pulled out a box. It was multicolored and appeared to have 7 rows by 7 rows.
"A Rubix cube. I mix it up every morning and by mid-afternoon I have it solved."
"Without looking at it?" I asked, watching as it went back into his pocket.
"That's nothing," Kyle called out over his shoulder. "When we were growing up, there were so many challenges we did to try and see if there was a limit to his memorization. I made a five-page maze with only one exit. Before I showed it to him, I gave him a ten-minute timer. He solved it in a minute and thirty-seven seconds."
His intelligence was off the charts. I was highly impressed. A newfound respect for Kyle's friends grew in my chest.
"Does Pene have any special talents?" I asked, growing more curious by the minute.
"Hehehe. Oh yeah, she does. I'm the least interesting in the group. Following a silly dream," Kyle said a little disheartened.
"She makes weapons," Arren elaborated, pulling out two pieces of metal. They appeared to be brass knuckles but there was a bar underneath. Leaning down, he showed me a single tiny black switch. It read ON or OFF.
"That doesn't…"
His thumb flicked the switch, and I immediately hopped back. I could hear the things crackle and sizzle with hidden energy. Looking to the top of it I could now see the electricity which buzzed through them. His hand manipulated the switch again, and it shut off as he returned the tools to his pockets.
"Amp, my Ampharos, helps me charge them monthly. He was my first Pokemon. I found her among a group of Mareep. Lula was paralyzed for three hours straight after Kyle helped me catch him."
"It was two hours," Kyle corrected to which the other male inclined his head slightly. As we arrived at the dirt field, I shook out the loose dirt which had made it into my fur. Sitting down, I decided that my only use for this would be observation.
"Wait for us!"
Glancing back I noticed that Lula and Delilah were running. In hand were two steaming hot breakfast sandwiches. I smirked that it hadn't taken the two long to catch up to us.
"That's good. I'll need a hand," Arren stated. Looking at him quizically I watched his hand dive into the bag.
Delilah sidled up behind the male slowly. I watched intrigued by the proceedings as his hands came out with a thick rope. He handed it to the Psychic-type who proceeded to wind it around his body in intricate loops. As she finished knotting it, she took a step back.
"It's ready. Hand?"
On cue, Arren took both hands out of his pockets and stared at them for a moment before reaching behind his back with his right arm. On cue, the rope shifted and his arm was secured in place by three loops.
"Wait a minute! Is this necessary?" Kyle exclaimed, yet the idea made sense.
"I've trained with either both or no hands. While the latter is very doable, we need to get you a style that flows with how you fight. Unlike me, you are very emotionally driven. Your passion and aggression are naturally part of you. We saw what happens when your anger gets out of hand."
I watched as Kyle turned a bright shade of red, but Arren continued despite his embarrassment.
"It's good that you have it."
"Why?" Kyle asked.
"Ask her."
Arren put me on the spot, but I understood what he was getting at.
"Anger makes pain fade into the background. I've walked in quite a few traps, and my anger has helped me get out."
Kyle nodded, and I looked to Arren.
"However it can also be a weakness. Your emotions make you easily manipulated," Arren stated.
Kyle was silent, only for Arren to do one thing I knew Kyle wasn't ready for.
"Katherine was weak. She deserved to die," Arren stated.
Kyle's temper flared, and I could see the results prior to the actual engagement. As Kyle's fist came forward, I could see how sloppy it was. As his strike came within inches of Arren, he had already, redirected the attack, rolling my friend over his own wrist flipping him onto his back. Kyle groaned out in pain, as he lay on the dirt. Reaching down Arren helped pick him up. Kyle's expression was pained and I sensed his anguish was related to my sister.
"See what I mean?"
"Did you really have to push that button?" Kyle expressed. The loss pained him but I sensed that maybe he had come to terms with her sacrifice.
"Yes. You shouldn't allow your emotions to get so out of hand, that you put yourself at risk. Come on."
Moving to the side of the field, I watched as Arren worked on Kyle's punches, tweaking his form, and adjusting his arm. Guidance was needed to make his attacks as efficient and fluid as possible. I watched in silence, as the sun dipped low over time. Kyle was studiously refusing to take breaks when he should have. Sweat poured down his face, and he trembled with exertion. Despite wearing a heavy sweatshirt and exerting just as much effort, I noticed that Arren appeared stoic. I couldn't see any sweat pouring down, and he didn't appear exhausted from the rigorous training. As dinner time approached, Arren removed his arm from the straps and stretched slowly.
"I'm calling it."
"I can *huff* keep going…" Kyle wheezed, as he sat on his knees.
"You could. Knowing you, we'd go until you pass out. Am I right Rose?"
I nodded solemnly as I moved next to Kyle to brace him.
"I'm fine. Let's get dinner," he panted. His sweat soaked into my fur. Despite his heavy musk, I couldn't help but notice it didn't faze me as much as I thought it would. He hobbled back towards home. Kyle took another step and tripped, only for a bright blue bubble to emerge carrying our friend. Glancing up the path, I noticed Lula was watching with a broad smile. I returned it and followed obediently. As we made it inside, I inhaled the hearty scent of meat being roasted. Glancing at Delilah I noticed that she was roasting small medallions of Tauros meat. They were covered in fresh herbs and a sauce, while mashed berries sautéed in a saucepan.
"Smells good, Delilah," Arren commented, as Kyle was sat at the table.
"Thank you. Nuh-uh. Go upstairs and wash up Kyle. I can smell your sweat and I'm ten feet away. You too Arren," Delilah replied.
I watched Kyle make his way upstairs and sighed in relief.
"Rose. How did he do?" Lula asked. To my surprise, even Delilah tuned in turning to face me.
"It was…brutal. He's lost a lot of the coordination and ability to deliver strikes. He has no center point for his balance."
"I see," Delilah said. She hung her head and the air grew depressingly cold as reality set in.
"Master may not make it if things continue like this," Lula stated. Despite her lack of faith, I couldn't help but wholeheartedly agree.
"He needs to make progress. Fast. We have two more weeks, and already he's having trouble throwing a simple punch. We will be dealing with much stronger opponents including Pokemon," I whispered to myself. Lula still heard my statement and let out a resounding whimper.
"It's going to be okay, I think. Arren is dedicated to teaching and learning," Gardevoir stated, moving back to stir the pot.
"Time is of the essence though," Lula tried to debate, but I shook my head.
"Times not that important. What is, is his progress. We'll only know if he's picking things up in the coming days. For now, he needs to eat and rest. Kenzo said he would arrive tonight. He must prepare for that as well. I don't know what Lucario has planned but I will stay awake and observe."
"Rose. Can…I ask a favor?"
I didn't want to give in, but I decided to let my guard down. For once, she didn't disappoint.
"How about I watch Kyle's training during the days? That way you can observe Kenzo during the night. I won't be able to defend against anything he could try, but I want to be helpful. Also, if Arren continues to push Kyle then I can help carry him back."
"Sounds reasonable to me," Delilah stated and I couldn't help but agree. I was exhausted just from being a mere observer, and staying up tonight would be miserable. Granted this was nowhere near the cave's intensity. I had gone almost a week and a half without sleep. I had been half delusional and almost died in one of my matches from my exhaustion. Nonetheless, I had recovered due to being their "cash cow" as they put it.
"That smells amazing Delilah. Thanks for cooking," said male stated, as he came around the corner in a pair of swimming trunks and a T-shirt. My eyes flicked to his arm and then away as a sour taste filled my mouth. Each time I saw it, I was reminded that my actions had caused irreparable harm. My bad luck had followed me here.
Delilah must have seen my distress as the next sentence she spoke was directed at me.
"Hey, Rose. Please go set the coffee table."
"The coffee table? Why there?" I asked, confused.
"I think we should all sit down and watch a movie. Relax. It's getting late and I know that Kenzo will knock when he is ready for Kyle. Might as well enjoy what time we have. Besides…knowing him, he'll be passed out in the first thirty minutes after the movie."
Kyle chuckled at the statement, and I moved outside, to place the mats and coasters onto the wooden coffee table. I sat patiently and reflected deeply on today's events.
"Rose?"
Lula's voice pulled me out of my reflection.
"Yes?" I asked.
"After dinner, can we go for a walk? I'd like to just…shoot the crap? Just you and I. I promise, no funny business," she said, hastily holding her paws up in surrender. I considered the odds this was another attack but assumed she didn't want a repeat of the trouble she had been put in.
"Okay. Just talking. Nothing more though," I stated. She nodded, as the rest of our family came around the corner with full plates and drinks for the group. As a steaming cut of meat was placed in front of my maw, I couldn't help but drool in excitement. I heard the click of the remote turn on and a comedy between a Seviper and Zangoose started playing.
"Delilah. If you keep this up, I don't think Mom will have a job for much longer as the cook," Kyle commented, making the Psychic-type blush hard.
"Stop it. She's a good cook too," Delilah tried to defend, however everyone around the table agreed wholeheartedly.
"Where did you stop at on the way here?" Kyle asked.
"Two places. One at my Pidgeot's tombstone. I buried him at our home. He would have wanted that. Afterward, I visited a good friend of ours. She now makes weapons, like the charged knuckles I use. She was super busy when I arrived, but she completed an order for me the same day. Didn't cost me a cent, and she was happy to provide it."
"Can I-"
"Not yet. First, we get your form and fighting style down, and then we will go from there," Arren stated. Kyle nodded, as his excitement was tempered with expectations.
We returned our attention to the movie, as I took my time to eat the meal. As the movie got towards the final act, Lula patted my paw and motioned towards the front door. We stealthily sneaked past a now sleeping Kyle, and out the front door. As the barrier shut slowly behind us, Lula took a seat on the first step and smiled at me.
"That was delicious," she said, resting on her tail.
"Agreed," I replied, still wary of the water type.
"I'm so stuffed, I couldn't fight you even if I wanted to. I just wanna snuggle up and rest. Kyle's forbidden me from sleeping in the same room as him for a week. Punishment for my stupidity. To be honest, it sucks. I know I've been sleeping downstairs but I was hoping soon enough that I'd get to join the two of you in that room. Now I'm sleeping outside. At least it'll be warm huh?"
"I guess. Kyle punished you though? That's…out of character for him," I stated, glancing over my shoulder.
"It's not actually. Before this whole situation, I only got punished when I really stepped out of line. This time…I deserve it. I'll serve my punishment without complaint. Master gets what he wants."
I nodded solemnly and glanced back to her.
"Why hasn't he punished me?" I asked.
"Because you haven't done anything to warrant it. So…here's a story. One day your sister and I decided to host a slip and slide in the backyard. I was still a small Brionne at the time. Master was okay with us goofing around that summer day. He was still in school and had homework to take care of. This was…I want to say a three years ago. Well, Kat and I took turns sliding down the hill on the bubbles I could make at the time. Unfortunately, my control over my bubbles was pretty pathetic. Suffice it to say, I accidentally went flying through someone's fence. Imagine my surprise when I came face to face with a Liepard and a Lillipup. The two chased me all the way home. The owner made Kyle pay for the repairs to the fence. Kyle grounded us for a week and we weren't allowed to have meals. We ate berries for a week to cover the money he lost."
"Ouch," I replied, mirth filled smile covering my face.
"Meh. Stupidity happens. Your sister and I got into so much trouble when we were together. One time, we locked Master in the bathroom, with a giant bubble during a school day," she said. The image filled my mind and I burst out laughing, unable to help myself.
"Oh yeah. It took him forty-five minutes to pop it," Lula said, giggling.
"That's evil," I replied, and Lula laughed harder at my comment.
"We didn't hear the end of it for weeks after. Then again Kyle got us with a cookie box trap. It was our normal routine. He pranked us and we pranked him."
"How often did you guys get away with it?" I asked genuinely curious.
"Sometimes. Okay, honestly never. He always knew it was us. There were a lot of times where we didn't get punished but other times we went a little too far. He was lenient because he loved us. I don't think I've ever seen him as angry as I did yesterday. I wasn't even scared he would hit me."
My eyes widened and I glanced to Lula to notice her eyes were extremely saddened.
"What-what did you think he would do?"
"Give me away," Lula whispered to me. Her words hit me with a jolt and I couldn't help but feel confused.
"Couldn't you just come back?" I asked, only for her to chuckle.
"That's not possible. Now that you have a Pokeball assigned to you if a Trainer releases you, the Pokeball itself creates a barrier that prevents you from returning to the trainer who released you. It's a permanent solution," Lula said shaking her muzzle.
I sighed heavily before I responded.
"He wouldn't do that. He cares-"
"He called me evil. You heard it," Lula whimpered.
I sighed. Kyle had gone too far. Her mistake hadn't warranted such harsh criticism.
"I'm sorry, Lula," I replied.
"It's fine. I didn't ask you to come out here to listen to me mope. I've had plenty of time to reflect. I wanted to build our rapport up. Hmmm…oh! Another good memory of your sister. We went to the beach for one day."
My mind went rampant as my memory of the beach was marred with an ugly incident with Katherine.
"She refused to go near the water, but Master fell asleep. Together we decided to bury him in about…oh I don't know. A seven-foot sandcastle."
"You didn't!" I exclaimed, watching as she chuckled.
"It gets worse," she said between giggles. "The sand we used happened to be from a nearby Pallossand. It wasn't too happy about us borrowing the sand. It took us 5 seconds to undo what took us two hours to build. Once Kyle woke up from the Hydro Pump I fired on him, he proceeded to launch me as a Brionne into the ocean and splash Katherine with water. She never explained why she was so afraid of the ocean," she said.
"One day, my mother, her, and I were running along a cliff edge after a successful berry collection. Mother was talking to us about the ocean when Kat slipped. Mom was too slow, but I jumped after her. I knew how to swim. Kat didn't. She slammed into the water and passed out from the impact. I managed to pull her up from the cold water. She woke up a minute later, screaming and trying to get free of my grasp as I pulled us towards safety. Her thrashing caused a Sharpedo to target us. Mom killed it from above. When we reached the shoreline, Mom greeted us and carried her all the way home. She never got over that incident."
"Wow…I never knew," Lula replied.
"I didn't think she remembered it. It was so long ago. Nonetheless, it was an accident," I said.
"What are you two doing outside?" Kyle asked. I whirled around to see him rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"Just talking about the past," Lula said, beaming up at him.
"Please tell me you aren't scheming another fight," Kyle groaned, but I shook my head rapidly.
"We are talking about Kat. Speaking of which, would you ever release Lula?" I asked.
"ROSE!" she screeched, flushing red, but my attention was on Kyle.
"No. What? Why would you ever consider that?" Kyle exclaimed turning to our friend. She avoided his gaze, but I decided to push forward.
"You called her evil. I think that was going too far, Kyle," I stated, letting my edge come out just a tiny bit.
"You're right. I'm sorry Lula. I just was so heated. I couldn't think straight. What can I do to make it up to you?" he pleaded. Noticing Lula's eyes were wide with shock, I took the initiative.
"Take her punishment away. Let her sleep with you in the bed tonight," I said. I watched him contemplate my words before letting out an exasperated sigh.
"Fine. I'm still upset about the incident but if you both are making up, I can let-"
He trailed off and pressure filled the air. I instinctively knew who had arrived. Without having to turn around I addressed Lucario.
"Don't try anything funny. Kyle has Vickie on speed dial and I'll be watching your training sessions every night," I stated loudly.
"I don't fight you," he replied moving to greet us. "Follow please."
Kyle patted the seal on her head as the two of us trailed behind the Lucario without a word.
We walked through brush and trees. Bug and grass types parted as the Fighting-type led us down an uneven path. The moonlight barely filtered through the canopy above us. After two miles we came to a large group of stones. In the center of the small opening sat a 10-foot tall rock. The three of us climbed to the very top of the stone. We waited patiently for Kyle who heaved himself over the lip, gasping for air. He was still under level thirty despite the work he had put in today.
"Come. Sit."
It took Kyle a moment but very soon, he sat on the flat surface of the stone cross-legged.
"Rose. Translate," he demanded. While I didn't agree with him demanding things of me, I proceeded to listen and relay the information to Kyle.
"We are going to work on drawing out your latent powers. Your Aura is a tool and a weapon in combat. I spoke with my son. Becoming a Ranger is your dream and after your care and love for him, it would be an honor to help you reach that goal. Our training won't be of your physical facilities. We will be training your emotional and mental state. This will be trying. You will get angry. That is fine. Our goal is to control that emotion. Not be controlled by it. Are you ready?"'
Kyle nodded, and I remained silent. Now I would get to learn something and watch Kyle put his anguish over her death into something meaningful.
"What is the most powerful memory you have?"
Kyle was silent as he asked the question yet I sensed the answer was right on the tip of his tongue.
"Katherine's death," he whispered.
"I see. Focus on it. Let everything fade into the background."
I stared at the area around Kyle, as it turned a bright blue.
"Embrace the feelings of that moment," Lucario spoke in a firm tone. I remained in place on the ground, watching as my friend's energy rose higher and higher with each passing moment.
"Focus on me. Do not let grief consume you," Lucario again guided him. As the energy slowly built up, I sensed something was wrong. As if on cue, his teacher grabbed his wrist, pulling Kyle out of his meditative state.
"Huff. Huff. This is hard. Why do you want me to focus on that painful memory?" Kyle asked.
"Translate."
I relayed his next sentences taking them in for myself.
"Aura is an emotional power. The stronger the emotion the stronger the power. Lucario are not as reserved in combat or life as it may seem. Our kind feed on our own internal struggle. It's through the clarity of focusing on those emotions and coming to terms with what they mean that our true potential comes out. In this case...you need to heal and forgive. The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to reach the power to prevent it from happening again. Happiness. Sorrow. Anger. Calm. They are all sides to the same idea. Emotion. "
Looking at Kyle, I could see the profound impact this had on him. He had gone in confused, and scared. Now he looked to hone it so it would never happen again.
"Why don't most humans learn how to control their Aura like I am?" he asked.
"Most humans live in the emotion. They only care about the feeling it produces. Not only that but most humans lack a conduit. Someone to help them 'tune' in on the energy those emotions create. Bry and I are very capable of doing that. Now. Again. Focus. Silence."
Kyle followed his instructions. This time the pressure we had felt built up faster but whirled out of control.
"Kyle. Calmer!" Lucario snapped. The pressure dulled and grew more compressed. The dark blue which had been tinged with violet started to turn into a brighter and brighter blue. The hue was breathtaking and awe-inspiring. Moment after moment passed, peacefully.
"He's learning fast," the Jackal commented. I nodded silently, as I admired Kyle's growth. It seemed as though in the past thirty minutes he had gained a good amount of control.
A burst of energy sparked outwards, and my eyes widened as the blue faded. It turned back to dark and violet. It pushed Kenzo back as the Aura grew violent.
"Kyle!" the fighting type screamed, trying to push forward, but things had moved past the point of return. Things were spiraling out of control.
Kyle's strength continued to skyrocket beyond what we thought possible. As we sat on the stone it trembled and shook as though hit by an Earthquake. I stared at my friend, as fear set in. Kenzo rose up as a windstorm threatened to blow us off the stone. Dark violet energy poured off of Kyle's body in streams of smoke. It cracked like a whip. A roar screamed in the air as I heard a sound much like nails on a chalkboard. Before I could react, Kenzo had wrapped himself around me as the 10 foot stone we were all resting on was atomized before our very eyes. Pebbles and sand slammed into us, as Kenzo landed several feet away.
"What's going on?" I demanded, backing up. My heart started racing as Kyle stood up having not moved an inch from the explosion. Purple electricity crackled and distorted the air around us. Just standing so close to this energy made me fearful.
"LOOK OUT!" Lucario screamed.
My head whipped towards Kenzo, only for him to push it down. Kyle's foot whistled past my horn, as Lucario turned to face the threat. Lucario squared off against Kyle, who had his back turned to me.
"Leave this to me," Kenzo warned.
He shifted his weight, closing the distance between him and Kyle in the blink of an eye. Each strike appeared to be at light speed. I had trouble keeping up with their movements, as they battled. Hands, and feet were used in tandem, the air around them growing heated from their barrage. At first, it appeared to be an even fight. However bit by bit I could see the tide was shifting in Kyle's favor. Despite the level and experience difference, Lucario started to struggle with Kyle. Parries, blocks, and strikes occurred with very little pause between them.
"Damn. He wasn't like this before," Kenzo swore, forming a bone staff of Aura. He whirled it in numerous different patterns from strikes to thrusts and spins which Kyle weaved in and out of effortlessly. The Fighting-type took a step forward, only for Kyle's foot to slam into the center of the energy staff shattering it into two equal-length sticks. As the Fighting-type swung one, it missed entirely, and Kyle backhanded one of the tools out of the Jackal's arm. His only good arm locked around the furry muscle and snapped the blue arm out of his shoulder socket. Lucario managed to break the hold, only for a blast of purple aura point-blank to send him sliding through the earth. He rebounded up, only for Kyle to slam him back down by his head into the earth. The jackal lay motionless, as he turned to me. The pure bloodlust in his eyes froze me in place. My body refused to react as he took step by agonizing step towards my position.
This can't be happening! This isn't Kyle!
"Rose! Run!" Kenzo screamed, but I was locked in place. Indecisiveness rooted me to this moment in time.
Lucario stood back up and formed a bright gold orb of Aura. It drew Kyle's attention off of me
"AURA SPHERE!" he howled.
The beam was explosive and engulfed Kyle entirely. At first look, it appeared to be overpowering my friend. Smoke was thrown up in huge clouds only to fade away. I was worried that Kenzo had gone too far. But then I could see his face. He wasn't perturbed. This was barely an inconvenience. The dark black liquid flowed out of his eye sockets. I couldn't believe how powerful he was. He raised his right arm up and a single purple orb had formed. It was the size of a marble and completely nullified the aura blast.
"No way," I whispered. His eyes turned to lock onto mine.
He's not there. This is what Kenzo warned me about. But...I can't kill him!
"Rose. Get out of here!"
My jaw tightened, as I realized that wasn't an option. My friend needed me and I wasn't going to run. I took off, unconstrained to try and snap him out of this rage. I arrived at Kyle's blind side in a nanosecond. He was prepared as he turned to face me. My first slash was blocked, and he dodged the next three without so much as a step. He hadn't been this capable earlier today. His balance and perception were off the charts, making attempts to attack, null and void. Spinning on my front paw, I delivered a double hind leg kick which missed. He swept my front paw off the ground and slammed a small aura sphere into my chest.
No!
Activating Detect, the sphere bounced off of my body and was sent into the ground. His fist still coalesced into my chest. His knuckles cracked two of my ribs and I cried out in pain. I slammed onto my back and rolled up to avoid another small aura sphere that had been aimed at my head. I stood up and ducked as his foot missed the top of my head. His other foot came underneath flipping me up over and over again. I tried to catch my senses, only for his good arm to latch onto my leg and slam me into the ground. I coughed up blood, as my body was wracked from the impact. My eyes caught sight of Lucario striking at Kyle from behind, while I lay dazed trying to catch my breath. Kenzo's abilities were formidable but this threat was far beyond our capabilities. The best we could hope for is survival. Trying to stand up, I watched Kyle counter Lucario's punch and knock him out cold with a swift hook kick. As the Jackal collapsed, I braced myself for the worst.
"Kyle. Don't do this," I hissed, tears springing forward into my eyes. My body pushed to the limits, I gave up fighting. I needed to flee. I feinted left, and then went right at full tilt. I had barely made it four feet when he arrived in front of me. His first punch glanced off of my horn. I swung upwards with my claws, howling as he snagged my front paw and twisting the bones unnaturally. I tried to wrench myself free but his knee blocked the feeble strike. A moment passed before the heel of his foot was driven deep into my gut. The power of his strike took my breath out. I went rolling through the earth coming to a halt by the demolished stone. I started to get up, when his right foot, pulled me up to pin me against a fragment of rock. Our eyes met, as I drooled blood onto his leg. The time came to a halt as I stared at my best friend. This wasn't the person who had raised Lula and cared for Emily. This demon came from somewhere else, and I was worried as to-
Pain blossomed in my chest and my breath halted entirely. I tried to move break away, but it only made the pain worse. I followed Kyle's arm, shock radiating through my entire body.
"N-no."
Looking down my worst fears were confirmed. His right hand had plunged deep into my chest past my ribcage and grabbed at my beating heart. He squeezed and pain-filled my mind. I howled into the night unable to withstand the torture. Each howl grew louder and louder, as tears poured from my eyes. His lips twisted into a dark smile, as I continued to wail, and try to break his grasp. He squeezed once, and my wails turned into whimpers. My whimpers into gasps as my body started to fail bit by bit. My vision faded, and I felt my strength failing. I would die by his hand. No...this wasn't Kyle. My desperation turned to the one thing...the one trick I had left.
"K-kyle? Don't you love me?" I asked, in a voice all too familiar for him. It had been a long time since I had copied my sister's voice. Growing up, I had been forced to use it to cover for her shenanigans time and time again. The black goop which had been pouring down his eyes turned into clear water. I watched the purple shift into the clear emerald green I recognized. The darkness faded away, and his grasp slacked on my organ. My body responded taking in deep gulps of air, and trembling as I came back from the very brink of death.
"Where am- Rose? Who did this to you? What's going-"
I avoided his questions and gaze as the pain subsided. He held me tenderly, and I could see he recognized what had happened. His eyes watered and I knew he was fearful of what he had done. Looking to the field, the earth was seemingly scarred by this little fight. As I sat in his arms, I feared I wouldn't survive the night. Relief filled my limbs as aura surged through my body. The pain abated as I looked into Kyle's eyes.
"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. What am I becoming Rose? Why? I didn't want to hurt you," he begged, holding me closer with his bad arm. I didn't blame him. Yet all the questions I had asked earlier were not only valid but necessary to be answered now. Kyle had a dark side. An evil which nothing could have prepared me for.