It's been so nice to get back into the flow of writing again, I've really missed doing these chapters over the last year or so. Fortunately, I still had all my ideas and notes for this story written down in a separate document, and I had a lot of ideas written down before I took my hiatus, so I've been able to pretty easily jump back in. I hope you all will enjoy seeing where this story is heading!
Leave a review if you can, it's always great to hear what my readers think!
The War of Shadows
Chapter 5
Progression
? Region
With the unconscious Volkner thrown over his massive shoulder, the large man jumped off the boat on to a nearby beach. A large grin split his face as he began walking towards a forest that sat a few meters further in land. "Oi, guys! Make sure you bring every crate into the base! Don't forgot a single one!" He bellowed, calling back to where his men were disembarking themselves.
"Yes, Commander!" Came back the synchronised reply from his underlings. He knew none of them would fuck it up. He had personally scouted and recruited each of them into his team, so he could count on their competency. The ones who failed his tests didn't get a second chance.
Whistling as he walked, he used his free arm to push aside the large leaves and branches that blocked his route along a small, muddy path leading further inland. Due to his massive size, he often found that what classified as a cleared path for the vast majority of people still had elements which impeded him. They simply don't make things in this world for monsters like me. He thought to himself with a grin. He loved being huge. It was one of the many sources of his enormous confidence.
A sharp pain suddenly jabbed him in his side, causing him to grimace. He didn't even need to look down to see the cause. It was hardly the first time she had assaulted him. "Ow! Oi! Caitlin! Was that really necessary?!"
The Unovan Elite Four member sighed, looking away from him in what appeared to be disgust. "I didn't like that smirk on your face."
"Oh yeah? Well your dumb hair is too long." He snapped back, a part of his lip pulling upwards in a snarl.
She whacked him again, this time with more force, almost sending him stumbling off of the path. Her fist was illuminated with the tell-tale purple glow of psychic energy. "Fuck off Bruno. You really need to learn how to talk to girls."
He laughed. "You're hardly a normal girl, you crazy bitch!"
"If you weren't carrying a hostage, I think I might've killed you." She said whilst casually yawning, holding one hand before her mouth. "Was he out the entire journey?"
"Like a light!" Bruno laughed heartily. "I thought he'd wake up at some point, but he even started snoring! Lucky bastard. I wish I could have slept on the way back, too."
"Well, with how little of your brain you use, you're basically sleeping constantly, anyway, right?"
He burst out laughing at that. "Hah! Fuck you bitch! You know me too god damn well!"
"Of course I do…" She said with a smile. "Even though you're a meathead, I couldn't imagine going back to the tedium of everyday life without you."
They carried on along the dirt path, pushing through the dense, tropical terrain. Their spirits remained high as they continued to trade verbal blows with one another, truly enjoying the company. Behind them a line of their men and woman trailed along, carrying an arrangement of boxes and crates. It was all the stuff they had managed to loot from the World Government black site. It was filled to the brim with powerful artefacts and secrets.
But there was only one item amongst them that they truly cared about.
Eventually the path terminated at a strange metal building. It jutted up from the soil and stone, a single door its only feature, plain and unassuming. As they neared, Bruno tapped his knuckles in a specified sequence against its metallic surface, the sound of which echoed outwards. After he was done he stood back, and the pair waited there for a few seconds. Sure enough, the sound of locks uncoupling resounded out from within the structure, and the door swung inward on creaking hinges.
They entered, leaving the tropical heat outside for the cool, filtered air of their secret base. The long line of their people that had accompanied them on their mission following. After entering, they climbed down a ladder which lead down a vertical tunnel, leading into the base proper.
By contrast to its unassuming exterior, the base was modern, high-tech, and massive. A cavernous room opened up before them, lit up by ceiling lights. A flurry of activity dominated the main floor, with countless members scurrying about, all wearing the same white cloaked uniform. They were either working away at a computer terminal or marking down information on written documents. Several large screens took up the far side wall, showing an in-depth, large, virtual map of the multiple regions, along with several highlighted key points. The majority of those currently working here glanced up at the return of their comrades.
"The Commanders are back!" Came a shout from below, and rapturous cheers erupted from the many gathered throats.
Basking in the glory, Bruno shoved one meaty fist into the air and grinned. He proudly displayed Volkner's unconscious form like a prized trophy. "We're one step closer to freedom!" He roared back.
Beside him, Caitlin merely smiled back and waved politely. Truth be told she hated being put under such a spotlight but understood that keeping the morale of their workers high was an important key to success.
A man with a small black badge on the collar of his cloak approached the Unovan Elite Four member and whispered in her ear. She nodded her understanding back and he bowed before quickly leaving. She nudged her companion and gave him a look, to which he immediately sobered, and the two of them began working their way through the base towards the main offices at the back.
The boss was waiting.
He had returned before them and wanted an update. It didn't matter what they were doing, whenever he asked for their presence, they dropped everything and made all effort to put themselves before him.
They entered the executive lounge at the back of the base. It was resplendent with luxury, with black leather chairs and settees arranged in formal patterns. They walked over rich mahogany and high-tech computer terminals with every modern accessory stood in each of their offices. Walking past both of these and through the main court, they made their way through to the back where a separate room was located behind a special door. It had a circular symbol engraved into its centre, with three other circles within it, interlocking one another like enlarged commas. The sounds of the many machines and cheering staffers outside had immediately vanished the moment they entered the lounge, leaving them in almost complete silence as they made their way down the long corridor toward the strange door.
Standing next to one another before it, they hesitated briefly, straightening themselves up and taking a deep breath of air. Finding their normally overflowing confidence, they knocked in the same manner they did to enter the base. After a tense pause, the door unlocked, swinging open. Waiting just inside the room was the third member of their rank.
"He's waiting." Said a tall woman with pitch-black hair and sharp, cerulean eyes. Her beautiful face looked as serious as ever, and the tell-tale marks of her family were as ever visible upon her cheeks. She was clad head to toe in a customised version of their organisation's uniform, the white cloak hung from her shoulders, an armless white top clung to her chest and stomach, creating a contrast. A short white skirt sat above knee-high, metal, white boots with several technological enhancements built into them. The emblem of their group hung from a thin chain around her neck. Her dark hair spilling out over such a field of white exemplified her beauty and also brought your focus to her piercing eyes. Everything about her was weaponised, and neither Bruno nor Caitlin found themselves comfortable in her presence.
"Here's the prize, Achillia." Bruno said, handing over Volkner's unconscious body to the First Commander. "May Ember burn bright!"
"May Ember burn bright!" Caitlin said, echoing the motto of their organisation. She mimicked the chest-pounding salute of her colleague to her superior officer.
"Good job out there." Achillia said as she walked out the room and back down the corridor with the Gym Leader. She carried him over her shoulder easier than the giant man that she'd taken him from, as though he weighed little more than a feather.
Bruno suppressed a shudder as he watched her leave. "Scary."
Caitlin whacked him in the side. "Shut up!" She whispered seriously. "Don't let her hear you! Aura enhances the senses!"
"My bad, my bad!" He protested as they quickly made their way down a small corridor where a large desk was waiting at the end.
As they reached it, they immediately dropped down on one knee, their heads lowered in respect. "We've returned successfully, sir!"
The man stood behind the desk turned from the computer screens he had been monitoring on the back wall and cast his gaze down on his subordinates. "Welcome home, my children." He said in a deep, raspy tone. His voice had a slight metallic hint to it, thanks to the complicated mask that covered his entire head. Several pipes fed into the sockets around his lower jaw and neck, as little puffs of air were vented out from specialized grills fixed on the sides. Power radiated from him in dangerous waves, and his voice carried with it an authority that commanded absolute authority. "You did well today."
"Thank you, sir!" They both echoed, keeping their faces trained on the floor.
"Rise," He said, taking his seat in the black leather chair behind the desk. "There has been a development."
Doing as they were bid, the second and third commanders of Ember rose to their feet.
"What's happened?" Caitlin asked.
"The World Government is making moves," He said, handing over an electronic pad. On it was several news reports and photographs of hidden documents which the two of them scanned through. "They've been busy whilst we made our move, although I doubt they'll ignore us for much longer."
"It was great that they decided to try and wipe out Ash and May when they did." Bruno mused, flicking through the images. "They left themselves wide open."
"They thought Volkner would be enough," The man corrected. "They weren't prepared for a full assault. They wrongly assumed that we were working with the Aura Guardian Settlement and would assist them in the attack. Fortunately for us, they both played into our hands."
"My bad, sorry sir!" Bruno said, his eyes narrowing as he enlarged one of the leaked documents on the screen. "Wait… is this…?"
"They've found it?" Caitlin added, looking up at the masked man for confirmation.
A metallic chuckle answered them. "Unfortunately for them, yes."
"The Historioglyph, huh?" Caitlin mused. "So that's why they tried to capture Ash and May…?"
"They've already tried to destroy it! Fuckers." Bruno grunted, hardly hiding his contempt. "No wonder this is the first I'm hearing of this."
"The fact that they've kept the Elite Four in the dark shows the level of secrecy they're willing to keep around this." The masked man said. "If what's written on that stone ever got out to the public then chaos would be unleashed everywhere."
"Sir, how did you managed to get your hands on these pictures?" Caitlin asked, a trickle of sweat leaking down her face.
"I have my sources." He simply said. The two commanders knew better than to press their luck when asking him questions. "However, the fact that they managed to find this now of all times works perfectly for us. This is your next task."
Placing the tablet down, Bruno grinned. "Going undercover this time?"
The masked man nodded. "Use your positions among the Elite Four to gain access to it. If push comes to shove then brute force your way in. After you make it there leak its contents to the world. Once this is done you won't need to remain a part of the government hierarchy any longer."
"We're almost at that point, then?" Caitlin asked.
"Yes. Which is why we need to act now. They cannot destroy the Historioglyph without Aura from the Great Families. We will use the turmoil it spreads to complete our plans."
"How will we decipher it to leak, sir?" Bruno asked.
"How else?" The masked man said, gesturing to the corridor behind them.
They both turned in time to see Achillia re-enter the room. She bowed as she did, followed by offering the organisation's salute. "Sir! Volkner is awake. Everything has been taken care of."
The masked man nodded and stood. "I think it's time to put our guest to good use." He said as he rose from his seat. "In the meantime, you three shall infiltrate your way to the Historioglyph by any means necessary. Leak its contents through the usual channels."
"Sir!" The three of them said in unison, standing at attention.
He then made his way from the room with his commanders in tow. "After all, it's keeping some very important secrets…"
Kanto Region – Guardian's Settlement
Ash collapsed back onto his bed, exhausted, his arms spread wide. "Aaaaaah! That was a long day!"
May joined him, falling backwards on the free part of the bed. "Ahhhh! You're telling me! My arms are so sore!"
They both glanced over at each other and laughed. When they calmed down, they stared into each other's eyes and smiled. It was good to share this time together.
Reaching a free hand up toward the ceiling, Ash scrunched his fingers together. "When I think back to how we got here, it makes my head spin. I always knew about Aura, but this is insane… To think… we've been using abilities like Pokémon for the last few days in a tower a thousand years old…"
Turning to face the ceiling herself, May smiled. "It is insane. I never imagined I'd ever be travelling with you again, let alone get caught up in more world altering events… being targeted by the League is the cherry on top of the cake! And to think! We're in a relationship!" She burst out laughing. "What the actual fuck!"
Ash joined her, laughing heartily. "It makes no sense, I know. At this point I've learned just to go with the flow."
Rolling over so she was pressed against him, May's face lit up. "Say Ash, how about some stress relief?" She said, biting her lip as seductively as she could.
He whirled on her, eyes wide. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"
Saying nothing, she continued to bite her lip and nod slowly. Her eyes said everything that needed to be communicated… and more. "After all that we've been through today… I think it would be nice…"
Feeling a rush of lust surge through his body, Ash reached out and grasped her, taking her somewhat by surprise. He brought his lips to her own as he ran his hands down her back, exploratorily. Her skin felt amazing beneath his touch, and his whole body felt hot. As naturally as breathing, everything seemed to happen on its own, his body taking control of his actions. He almost lost control, pulling her closer and closer, wrapping his arms and legs around her with gusto. His questing hands found her bra strap, and, without a second thought, he reached under her shirt, unhooking it from the back.
May laughed. "Ahhh… Allow me." She shuffled her shoulders and shimmied herself free of her bra, before grabbing it and pulling it free. She threw it to the floor, feeling a shiver of excitement run through her body now that her breasts were free from their constraints.
Ash grinned. "Glad we're on the same page!"
Clear desire shining from the pits of their eyes, they quickly began tearing each other's clothes off, discarding them to the floor. It wasn't long before they sat opposite one another, completely naked. It was the first time they'd seen each other utterly exposed, and in the heat of the moment, they hadn't even taken a second to consider that they'd just bulldozed through that milestone at a hundred miles per hour. The self-conscious thoughts that tried to encroach into their minds didn't last long, however, being quickly replaced by pure lust and burning urges. They both hungrily drank in the sight of each other.
Questing eyes travelled up each other's bodies, until they finally met, locking onto one another with feverish intensity. For a brief moment that's all they did, panting heavily as arousal burned in both their nether regions. May's nipples were now rock solid, mirroring Ash's manhood.
Suddenly they rushed at one another in a lust filled embrace, kissing wildly. Both pairs of hands went adventurously questing the other's body in a frenzy, wanting more and more.
Unable to take it anymore, Ash pushed May backwards to the bed as he loomed over her, causing her to gasp slightly in surprise. She had a hungry smile on her face.
"One sec!" Ash quickly said, bouncing off to the side. He began quickly and franticly rummaging through the bedside table drawer, throwing everything out on the floor in his haste.
May cocked an eyebrow up watching him with slight amusement. She had a good idea what it was he was looking for, and mentally sighed in relief that he was prepared for this moment. Even if they hadn't had one, she doubted her body would have refused, despite the risks.
"Ahah!" Ash exclaimed, holding his prize aloft. "Thank Arceus I remembered to bring these with me when we fled to the settlement!"
"A part of me does wonder why you even have condoms on you, Mr. Ketchum." May said, giggling. "I never took you to be that sort!"
He laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Well, it was actually a gift from Brock for my eighteenth birthday. I've just kept them with me since… you know… just in case…"
"Well I should have known he would be behind it." She laughed, shaking her head. "Remind me to thank him when we see him again."
"Oh, don't worry! I'm going to be thanking him too!" Ash said, removing his prize from its packet and slipping it on. It's slimy and rubbery texture felt odd against his sensitive skin, but not unpleasant. If anything, it numbed the senses slightly, something he was silently grateful for. With how horny I am right now… I doubt I'd have lasted long without it…
Protection applied, Ash climbed onto the bed and slid over his girlfriend, their gazes locking once more. The burning desire easily visible in each other's eyes, May bit her lip as Ash did his best to control his breathing. "Are you ready?" He simply asked.
She simply nodded in reply, bracing for the incoming brief moment of pain. I don't know how much this will hurt… but it's gonna be worth it! She mentally told herself as she focused on not tensing her body. It was a weird feeling of anticipation and lust, but she was ready for it. She was ready for her first time.
Unable to hold back any longer, Ash directed himself to her entrance and gently pressed forward, feeling her damp warmth envelop him. It was muted heavily by the rubber barrier coating his manhood, but it felt great all the same. Despite it being the first time he'd ever experienced this, it felt right. It felt natural. Most importantly, it felt amazing.
May winced as a stinging pain shot through her vagina, making her bite down harder on her lip. She grabbed the quilt in her fists to distract herself from the discomfort. Good. It's not totally unbearable. I can do this! I want to do this! For Ash, and myself!
Noticing, Ash looked down at her in concern. "Are you okay? We can stop if you need to."
She shook her head. "No, no, it's fine. Keep going!"
Sighing in relief, Ash began slowly thrusting in and out. It was slightly awkward at first, but he soon got into a rhythm, his hips seemingly moving on their own. The pleasure was mounting by the second as he did so, even with the condom. This feels amazing! Arceus! I'd have cummed my brains out by now without protection!
It didn't take long for the pain to fade, and May soon found herself getting into it. A small sense of pleasure was beginning to build within her core and it was egging her on to move her hips in time with his, which she started to do. Without fully realising it, she had started to shift position with her bum to allow him easier entry, as if her body was willing him to go deeper. We're really doing it! Ash is inside me! This feeling of completion… it's wonderful!
"Ah, May!" Ash said, lowering his torso down to hers. He locked his lips with her own in a passionate kiss.
For the first time since they'd gotten together, their mouths instinctively opened up wider, allowing their tongues to wrestle. It only ramped up their hormone filled passion even more. May even wrapped her legs around his back, as though trying to pull him in even closer.
Breaking away from the kiss, Ash grinned down at her before moving over to her erect nipples and enveloping them in his mouth. His tongue ran circles around her areola, tracing the edge of her nipple.
"Hnng!" May said, unable to help herself. The sensation of his tongue around her breasts as he was thrusting deep inside her was lighting her entire body on fire. It was starting to feel really good and she wanted more. Her right hand found itself moving down toward her clit, and she began rubbing it in a slow, steady rhythm. It only added to the sensations and she could feel her mouth filling with saliva. "Ash… Ash!"
"May!" He called back. In truth he was doing everything within his power to hold back from exploding inside her. The more she was getting into the action the tighter her inner walls were gripping his dick. I've already slowed down to stop myself from finishing… but Arceus help me if this isn't the hardest thing I've ever done! Hold it in Ash! Hold! It! In!
Moving her hips and trying to find the best spot, May eventually felt it. She found herself at just the right angle where his manhood was hitting the best spot. Oh yeah, that's the spot! Seeing as her breasts were currently unattended and just bouncing back and forth in tune with her boyfriend's thrusting, she used her free left hand to twist and fiddle with the tips of her nipples. Combined with Ash's dick, her clit rubbing and the whole combined experience, she felt something building deep within her. It was incredibly intoxicating. "Ah! Ash! This feels amazing! Keep going! Deeper!"
"I'm… at my limit!" Was all he could reply with. Ash's mind had basically gone blank. His entire focus was currently directed at holding back the tidal wave of pleasure threatening to overwhelm him at any moment. The dam was breaking and with every movement May was making, the crack in his defences getting wider and wider. "I can't… hold it!"
Despite knowing that she was building to her own climax slowly, May grinned at her boyfriend's strangely pained face. It was clear how hard he was trying to keep going for her
sake. You're always so thoughtful Ash… that's why I love you… "It's okay. You can finish." She said.
With those words uttered, it was the last breach in Ash's mental wall. With a few more quick thrusts, he slammed deep within her and stiffened as pleasure exploded throughout his body and mind. He brought himself into a deep hug with his girlfriend as he did so, holding her tightly within his toned arms. "May!"
"Ash!" She squealed back. Even with the condom, she could still feel his hot seed being dumped deep within her. It felt really good. I wonder how it would feel for real…
The two of them stayed there in that position for a couple of minutes, panting heavily and covered in sweat. Big grins spread up both of their faces. Finally, Ash pulled himself out of her, glancing down at the white liquid that had filled up the tip of the condom.
He raised his eyebrows in slight concern when he noticed that his manhood was covered in a thin smearing of blood, and as he looked closer, saw that a small trickle had leaked out of May's vulva and onto the bedsheets. "May, are you alright?"
"Don't worry, I'm fine." She said, bringing herself up to a sitting position to assess the damage. "This is normal for the first time. You broke through my hymen, is all, it's nothing to worry about so go clean yourself up."
"Oh good!" Ash said with a sigh of relief. He hopped up off the bed and made his way towards the bathroom to clean himself up and discard of the condom. "I was worried I'd damaged you or something for a moment there!"
May giggled. "Nah, this is a good thing! Next time it shouldn't bleed, and it shouldn't hurt so much to start with either." She cast a guilty glance down towards the blood stains spattered across the bedsheets. In her horny haste she'd forgotten to put a covering over them to protect them from any spilled fluids. "Although we really should have used a towel…"
"Ah yeah…" Ash said, smiling sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "Whoops!" He opened the door to the bathroom and noticed a yellow blur whip out, open the door to their room with a skilful jump, and immediately exit.
Ash stood there for a moment in stunned silence. I'd forgotten all about Pikachu! He glanced over at May who also had an embarrassed look on her face. "Uhhh… I guess we forgot about Pikachu as well…"
"Yeah…" She said awkwardly from the bed.
Sighing, Ash burst out in laughter. "No worries! I'll explain it to him later." He said, entering the bathroom.
Giggling, May hopped herself off the bed and went to join her boyfriend. The two of them jumped into the shower and cleaned up, before changing back into their underwear and lying next to one another on the bed, with Ash lovingly spooning her. His arm wrapped around her waist.
The two of them laid there like that for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's company.
"How was it?" May eventually asked, a content smile on her face.
"Honestly? Mind-blowing!" Ash said.
She giggled. "It was amazing for me too! Far better than I imagined it would be, actually. Especially for my first time."
"Did you… uh… finish?" He asked awkwardly, feeling heat spread over his cheeks.
She shook her head. "No, not this time. It was close though, so good job there!"
"Sorry." He said. "I'll do my best to hang on longer next time."
"You did amazing hanging on as long as you did for your first time." She said. "From what I'd heard from my friends, I didn't expect you to last even a minute! Oh, and don't worry. I did enjoy myself regardless."
He laughed. "Well I am striving to be the very best, after all!"
She joined in with his laughter as they snuggled together on the bed, absorbing each other's company.
"I guess we're not virgins anymore." May said after a moment.
"Oh yeah, I guess we aren't." Ash said, sounding genuinely surprised. "I'd honestly never even thought about that."
"I didn't think that sort of thing would have bothered you." She giggled. "I'm so happy that my first time was with you, Ash."
"Yeah, same here." He replied. "It all felt so natural. Felt so right. Looking back at my life, I don't think it could have been with anyone but you, May."
I love you. She thought to herself. She dared not say it so bit her lip. It still feels too early for that. I don't want to ruin things now. I'll wait a bit before I tell him that, or unless he tells me first. The thought of Ash telling her that he loved her filled her mind and she couldn't supress the overwhelming feeling of joy that exploded from the idea. The smile on her face grew larger.
Snuggling in closer, the two of them remained embraced on top of the bed. Exhausted from their vigorous love making, they both drifted off into a peaceful slumber, content smiles on both of their faces.
The moon shone high in the night's sky, a pale ball of light illuminating the surrounding forest and grassy plains in a cool hue. Out here, deep in the Kanto wilderness, there was little to no light pollution, and the carpet of stars filled the sky for anyone fortunate enough to see them. The gentle chatter of bug Pokémon filled the air with gentle humming sounds, clicks and buzzes.
Leaf whistled into the air as she made her rounds, enjoying the tranquil scenery that made up the outskirts of the village settlement. Every several meters she would pass another concealed Waystone, its large, smooth surface sometimes half buried by the overgrowing vegetation nearby, signifying its inactivity. They marked her progress, each stone representing ten meters of ground covered. There were thousands of them in total, the last remaining glimpses of a long-lost civilisation.
"And thaaaaaaats fourty-five!" She chirped, mock saluting the silent stone slab as she walked by. To think these stones have been here all this time… silently watching the ages go by… I wonder what things looked like when the Old Empire put them here…
Night duty was something most Guardians in the settlement were roped into doing at some point, a necessary but ultimately boring duty that many tried to wiggle out from. It involved patrolling the edge of the Aura barrier, to ensure that there were no breaks or breaches. In its long history, there never had been, but they couldn't take that chance. All the lives living within the settlement were depending on it.
Leaf didn't particularly mind doing this duty, however, as it allowed her some peace and quiet. She enjoyed her own company as much as spending time with others and loved to spend time thinking deeply on the mysteries of the past. The Old Empire of the Guardians often piqued her interest, so she would mull over whatever she'd been reading about during the day on her night-time rounds. Spending time close to the Waystones was an added bonus.
"And the next one iiiiiiiiiiiisssss…" She said lazily, drawing out the last word as her eyes drifted from the heavens above to the dense thicket of dark woodland up head. Despite the glowing azure barrier to her right, this part of the forest was thick and stopped even the bright moonlight above penetrating its foliage. "In there, huh?"
A group of Caterpie suddenly shot forth from the thick grasses at the base of the trees up ahead, skittering past her. Their sudden movement made her jump, a chill running down her spine from the shock of the surprise. She whirled on their fleeing forms, angry for the sudden outburst. "Oi! That wasn't very nice! You didn't have to spook me like that, geez!"
Further rustling behind her put her immediately on edge. Her stance and presence switched immediately, her brown eyes lighting up their famous azure glow in the darkness. Her vision and senses were heightened to their limits; she corrected her stance to leave no openings. Despite the fact they were in the barrier, there were wild Pokémon here, some which were quite powerful. It wasn't unheard of to have a Charizard land here sometimes on the hunt for a meal, although she'd never seen them do it at night. Whatever spooked those Caterpie is lurking around the next Waystone. Strange… I can't sense anything with my Aura…
Slowing reaching down to the Pokeballs at her waist, she grasped hold of the closest and readied it in her palm, her narrowed, glowing vision never leaving the dark thicket ahead of her. Her heartrate had increased significantly as her eyes darted around, trying desperately to pick up on movement. Just what… is hiding here…?
At the edge of her peripheral vision she caught the hint of sapphire light shining deep within the thicket, her Aura-enhanced vision being naturally drawn towards it. The barrier shouldn't be visible within the thicket… Wait… no… The Waystone's active? That Waystone is meant to be dormant… Nor do I remember any of us being outside the barrier right now… just what is happening here…?
Now equally curious as she was cautious, Leaf slowly edged her way towards the thicket, her thumb resting just above the activation button of her Pokeball. Her glowing eyes never stopped darting from one side to the other, constantly scanning for threats.
What happened next happened in a flash. A dark shape suddenly darted from the centre of the thicket, rushing straight towards her. Leaf's enhanced vision immediately trained on this individual, her thumb immediately going to press the release on her device. In that split second, however, the dark figure had chopped at her arm, forcing it to release its grip on the Pokeball, whilst the other hand had slammed into Leaf's neck. The invader used their forward momentum to launch themselves straight at the Guardian, knocking her backwards off her feet.
Leaf fell back, landing hard on her spine, the mysterious figure knelt upon her chest, one hand restraining Leaf's right arm, the other firmly grasping her neck. The shock from this sudden action had totally overwhelmed Leaf's ability to think, all she could do was half cough, half choke out a gasp of surprise as her glowing eyes shot wide open. Pain wracked her body from the fall and assault as her mind raced. What the fuck?! Who is this?! They move as fast as the Pillars!
The mysterious assailant was covered head to toe in a dark cloak, blending them into the darkness, their face completely hidden in shadows. They also wore dark gloves and boots, to further mask their presence. The fact that they made such little noise when moving was the strangest part, as though they'd trained for many years to move as stealthily as possible.
The only word that came to Leaf's shocked mind when thinking about such a person was assassin. In desperation the Guardian tried to claw her attacker off her chest with her free hand, however the attacker simply shifted their position in the blink of an eye, bringing their right knee down immediately upon the appendage, pinning it to the floor with immense force.
Again, Leaf tried to cry out in pain, but the hand at her throat was squeezing tightly, so she merely coughed and spluttered. This is bad! I can't breathe! At this rate… I'm gonna pass out! Her mind finally rallying from the shock of the events, she focused on the power that existed deep within her, activating it and allowing its azure power to flood through her body, granting her strength to defend herself.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Came a muffled feminine voice from her assailant.
Much to Leaf's shock, a glowing pair of azure eyes stared back at her from the shadows of the figure's hood. Aura-enhanced power slammed down onto her prone neck, overpowering the new defences she'd only just erected. Impossible… she's got more Aura than I do?! Who is this woman?! Why is she… attacking me?!
The mysterious attacker sighed as she felt Leaf summon more and more power to try and resist. "If you're not gonna go to sleep quietly, I guess I'll have to force you to. Don't say I didn't warn you."
Aura sprang up around the hand enveloping Leaf's neck, and it suddenly began seeping into her skin. Where it touched her flesh, it felt like it was being scorched by electricity, sending violently painful jolts and spasms flashing through her body and nervous system. To her growing horror, she could feel it progress up her neck and toward her brain. What is she doing?! Her Aura has gone… inside me?! Oh, Arceus it hurts! I can't let her… do this to me! I can't… let…
Her thoughts trailed off as the invasive Aura wormed its way into Leaf's brain, where it shorted out her consciousness. In a second, her protests stopped as she went limp, falling into a deep sleep.
The invader stood, sighing once more before dragging Leaf's unconscious body over to the nearby thicket where it would be out of sight of any other patrolling guards. "Typical. I teleport in just as one of their patrols is going by." She propped up the prone Guardian next to a tree, so her head was off the floor and she kept most of her dignity. "There, you shouldn't catch a cold in that position. I did warn you what would happen if you didn't play nice, so don't blame me when you wake up with a massive headache. There would have been far gentler methods to erase your memories of this, but I don't have the time to spare on you."
With the guard knocked out and the coast clear, the mysterious woman disappeared into the night, heading towards the settlement, none of her movements making a sound as she did. The little scuffle had cost her valuable minutes. She had a mission to complete.
To be continued…