There was no real sense in dragging my feet. Either way, our last destination remained the same: The Lucario Kingdom.
We make it there within the following day, carving our way through the countryside. On the map, the location is extremely rural, locked within a high valley and set apart from any of the main roads. Even still, we manage to find it with ease—not with our eyes, but with our aura.
It matches what I felt in the vision I got of this place from Darkrai. Just like in Rota, here, aura channels through the environment in such a raw state that we can practically feel everything around us for kilometers! It all feels so alive that, despite the long trip, I feel rejuvenated as soon as we're within range. It almost makes me forget my fit of nerves. Ri acts the same, drawing in the crisp mountain air.
Not only does it feel amazing, but it's absolutely gorgeous! At this point in the season, fall has completely settled in. Over the next couple of weeks, we'll get to look out over wave upon wave of red, purple, and gold trees. Quiet streams twist and bend through the valley, and at its heart—in an open stretch of land covered by smaller hills—sits a cluster of civilization that we can see from afar. And somewhere among them is the place my mother called home…
Now that we've actually made it, it doesn't seem real. I could very well be dreaming or having another vision and not know the difference. More importantly, as much as I protested, I can't really describe how I personally feel except anxious.
It's my partner that gives me the heart to continue drawing closer with each step. I get carried away by his quick pace through the fallen leaves, him never leaving my side to make sure that I don't retreat. He beams at me, "You can't say you regret coming now that you've seen this place!"
I reply with a smirk, "The verdict's still out, but I'll let you know if I have a total change of heart."
"You're still unsure about seeing your grandparents for the first time."
I cast my eyes to the ground, "It's hard not to be angry at them…" After all, they as good as abandoned me. I had more family than I ever thought I knew and they never once bothered to show up in my life even after my parents disappeared. In the Dark Future, it made more sense, but not in this timeline. I don't know what all happened between them and my mom, but I don't know how to let any of that go yet.
Ri goes silent for a moment, then offers, "I still think you should see them at least once, but you don't have to. We could just sneak in their house one day to search for clues."
I snort good-naturedly at the idea, "Chances are, they're aura users like us. We'd be found out in a heartbeat."
Nevermind whatever Pokemon live here, who knows how many of the locals might be able to tap into their aura in some way. That will make any kind of subtly difficult to manage. Of course, being direct won't be much of an option either. We'll just have to play things safe and take whatever opportunities come our way.
As surreal as being here is, the one thing that keeps me firmly grappled to reality is when we see that things aren't as picturesque as they looked from far off. Although they do well to keep their distance from the town itself, members of Upsilon crowd this place too. They camp out in the surrounding forests or on cliffsides in small groups, out of vans or temporary bases, and we have to be careful to avoid them.
The more we spot, the more I start to notice how select their hideouts are: Generally out of sight from unaware passersby, but at the same time perfectly in view of the Lucario Kingdom and any routes in and out of the valley. They aren't welcome here: They're spying on the place.
"If security's tight, at least it should keep them out…" I mumble under my breath. I can't believe we ran into Team Upsilon again this soon! How much of a foothold can they have in the region to be this spread out, enough to waste so many people and resources when they're supposed to be helping during a crisis?
Will the rest of our team have trouble reaching us? Would these crooks go after them too, and will Grovyle and the others know how to get around them? I try not to stress over it. This is my brother and Dusknoir we're talking about, both who've slipped out of tighter spots and can spot danger a mile away. Celebi's a master escape artist and Azalea will be fine too as long as she stays close to the Gripper.
"If they aren't allowed inside the town, then that means they shouldn't give us much trouble either," Ri agrees, "We can keep an eye on them too."
A few more minutes into a near thirty-minute hike later and we come to the edge of the woods, staring at our first patch of cultivated land. Larger farms and ranches circle the border of the rural town. Beyond them are some of the dirt roads I saw in my vision. There are a few people and Pokemon working the harvest, but whether because they don't sense us or because we blend in, none of them notice as we step out into the open.
What homes I can spot from here are just as simple in design as I remember them. Taking the time to see everything with my own eyes in the daylight though, I notice a lot more detail. They tend to have a concrete or vinyl exterior and are rarely taller than a single level. However, even the houses that don't have their own gardens have a decent plot of land around them. Many of the buildings also have steeples or turrets fashioned into their sides, with what little decoration they have mimicking those of small castles or fortified towers.
As we head further in, walking on a hillside along a stone fence to our right, my partner waves for me to take the lead from here. From this point, I'm the only one of the two of us with any idea where we should go next. Except I'm not, really: I just might know how to spot some familiar streets when we come to them. Even then, I only saw them once. The only thing I'm absolutely certain I'll know when I see it is my grandparents' house since it was burned into my memory.
So, I just stop, indecisive of everything all over again. Logically, we should find a place to stay first. We'll need somewhere to make camp that's big enough for when the others eventually arrive and warm enough for the cold nights ahead, maybe somewhere still on the outskirts. I could also bite the bullet and seek out my grandparents immediately—get what I'm dreading most out of the way. I look out to the horizon, as if that could give me some clarity.
"You're not normally the type to hesitate."
"This whole mess is anything but normal," I sigh, then turn the conversation around a bit, "Remember that you promised to teach me more about our species too while we're here. We're not going to focus this entire stop on my family."
His face turns slightly bashful, "You already know how to fight. I honestly don't know how much there is to teach you except maybe to have you watch other people."
I raise a brow at him. For how out-of-place I feel, Ri's never been that aggressive and—according to him—it made it hard for him to fit in with other Fighting-types. It amazes me to see him come so far from catching our first criminal to battling Darkrai and this type of setting can still make him nervous. While the stakes are insanely lower, it just makes him more likely to hold back.
Before I can tease him for it, a masculine voice breaks through our bubble of relative ease, "Iliana?!"
Hearing my mother's name alone throws me, nevermind the black and blue blur that charges toward us across the field. It skids to a halt once it's close enough for us to get a good look at each other: A Lucario with short, deep-colored fur. His tail is also shorter than average and his ears sharply rise in a way that makes him look as if he's on constant alert. Confused, garnet eyes drill into mine until the hope that was in them gives to accepted disappointment.
He flashes an embarrassed smile, already turning away, "Sorry for making a fuss! I thought one of you cubs was someone else."
He's barely turned his back when I start running, closing the gap between us. Whatever hesitation I have is overpowered by raw emotion, causing me to grab him by the arm as a desperate cry to wait tears past my lips. I regret it seconds later, discomfort practically oozing out of the dual Steel-type.
"We haven't meet before… right?"
My voice nearly fails me. It was stupid for me to chase after him: I wasn't thinking. After hearing that name, I still can't get my thoughts straight. No, I don't know this Pokemon, but he clearly knows my mom. And I don't want to let go because it would feel like I'm already giving up on an important clue that could help get her and my dad back!
Sick to my stomach, I fire a brief look at Ri, who stays behind me. He lifts his arms in a silent gesture as if to say, It's your call.
Calming myself as much as I'm able, I manage to fumble out the strange, blatant truth in a frail monotone, "I'm her daughter..."
Although they aren't physically here, the Lake Trio still manage to lend a hand. Following the plans we made in Snowpoint, Uxie was able to pass on any messages the rest of our team gave her to Azelf, to one of her followers, and then to Ri and me. Apparently, a Staravia already showed up in the Lucario Kingdom days prior to tell us that Grovyle and Celebi made it back to the mainland and were headed our way.
Rather than wait for us, the Fyling-type had given our names and species to the locals. They already knew we'd be coming, and having a Lake Guardian back up our story gave us all the credit we could've needed. It wasn't that hard to get the Lucario we met to believe us.
Not that the news is settling with him all that well… After we gave him our names, he just told us to follow him while he slowly processed everything. We obeyed and have been walking through the community in near constant silence since.
My face is hot and it's as if my heart is trying to break out of my chest. I feel ridiculous, dropping that bomb on this person! What's done is done though and it looks like that honesty has solved a lot in the end…
"Iliana's daughter…" he murmurs as if in a daze, shaking his head to himself, "How old did you say you were?"
"Seventeen," I reply, which seems to stun him even more. I can't blame him: Beyond the issue of time-travel, he's already evolved and looks like he could be about that age too—maybe closer to Grovyle's at the oldest.
He stares over his shoulder at Ri before blinking rapidly and snapping his gaze back on the path ahead, "I don't think you're her brother, are you?"
"Definitely not," my partner answers, a little shy himself.
"Iliana's daughter…" he echoes again, softer this time, "I can't really take this all in even though you said you've got a Celebi on your team. Both your scent and signature are a lot like hers though." He glances our way again, "It'd be one thing if you looked human! What happened to you?"
I raise my shoulders in an awkward shrug, "The jump to the past wasn't exactly kind, but it all worked out, really! I live at a guild with Ri and a ton of other great Pokemon."
"And… Iliana's ok with that?"
My throat tightens, "She's on her own adventure…"
That's something I absolutely can't tell him yet, or if I do, not right away. Telling him that she'll go missing will only throw him into a panic and risk drastically changing history. If saving her and dad were that easy, I'd do it, but—like we talked about with Cresselia—there are too many factors to consider.
He accepts that answer anyway, knocking his head back with a long sigh to squint up at the clouds, "That sounds like her, alright. She took off from here practically out of the blue, so it makes sense if you followed in her footsteps." For a moment, he stops in his tracks, now fully turning around to face us, "I guess I should introduce myself properly to you. Your mother called me Zen. I was her partner before she left on her Pokemon journey."
I stare back at him, unsure how to respond. My parents' teams must've been larger before they settled down, but not once do I remember my mom even mentioning having a Lucario. Since he clearly didn't join her, maybe it was because of his ties to this place that she never brought him up.
He continues, "Here, it's tradition for any human child that shows adept ability over aura to get their partner early on, so we grew up together. I stayed back to hold the fort while she's gone."
It's the early afternoon, so there are plenty of trainers outside with their teams. The sheer number of Riolu and Lucario around stand out most, but there's a lot of other Pokemon here than I thought there would be—including rare variants of some that I know don't live in this region. "Does every aura guardian partner with a Lucario?"
"Not always," turning on of the narrower trails, we start marching again, "It can depend on their strengths or roles, and there are other species that can tap into aura. Psychic-types can be popular. Some Pokemon were brought from outside of the kingdom to find a mate."
I bite the inside of my cheek, feeling my face flare up again. Beside me, Ri doesn't look any better. That entire concept is foreign to the both of us., nevermind pretty archaic in general.
Zen picks up on our flustered state and chuckles to himself, "Puppy love…"
It's taking every ounce of will not to bury my face in my hands and Ri releases a hasty cough to change subjects, "I hope no one minds that we're here. We don't want to impose: Lira just wanted to see where her mom grew up since we came this far anyway."
"That's not imposing!" Zen grins reassuringly, his initial discomfort starting to ebb, "If she's family, then she already belongs here. And if your team really has done as much for our world as Azelf claims, then we owe you a debt! You can stay as long as you want."
The relief from his words have barely sunk in before we realize that we've left the setting of more modern homes behind for another patch of forest. We cross directly through it, past the remains of ancient structures claimed by the undergrowth, to then spill out onto a training field. Beyond that rise the high walls of a real palace—tinier than Rota's and built more like a fortress, but every bit as impressive.
Whereas we saw a lot of other Pokemon in town, the field is crowded with almost solely Lucario. We've barely stepped out into the open when we become the center of their attention, each of them pausing mid-practice to look curiously our way. Even having grown up himself in a village similar to this, Ri visibly shrinks. We scoot closer to each other for support, bracing ourselves against the throng of spectators.
Meanwhile, Zen's aura sensors slightly rise as he stares at someone in the crowd. In only a minute, another Lucario walks toward us. Even with our limited abilities, I can tell all of the Fighting-types here are incredibly skilled. If so, then this new stranger stands at the very top of the pecking order. His coat is richer than Zen's and a more medium length like ours; however, his eyes are a slightly dull orange and he has a distinctive, slim build. A faded, salmon pouch hangs at his waist along a plain, brown belt. We can't shake away from the intensity of his gaze.
"Sorry to take off like I did, chief, but it looks like some of our guests finally arrived," Zen steps back, putting Ri and me between them, "Cubs, meet Alpha, our kingdom's Inheritor of the Aura."