Standing before the Milotic, whose neck arched up after the low bow she gave, the Lucario returned the gesture. He knelt onto one knee and lowered his head, ears perking up as he did so. "It has been a while, Graceful One." Raising his head, his eyes flicked in the direction of Kairi, flicking his ears. "I hate to intrude, but I couldn't help but hear something here while standing outside."
Blinking, Milotic felt flustered at this notion. "Perceptive as always. I wouldn't expect anything less from you." Her coils shifted inside of the pool of water, directing her attention to Kairi. Speaking to her softly, Milotic tried her best to be gentle. "Now come on out. This is a friend of mine."
Having attempted to hide out of reaction, Kairi quickly found herself rising out of the warm water, wrapped from the waist up in her mistress's scales. Cool air circled around her as she was set onto her feet, water dripping from her bare skin as the coils receded back. Even in the dim light of the cave, she noticed quickly that this visitor had been the same one that she was describing earlier.
Averting his gaze from Kairi, Lucario instead kept his eyes on his friend, who stared back at him with a stern gesture. "When did you begin adopting humans? Were they too much of a hassle on their own?" When he mustered up the courage to look her over, his ears perked up even more, realizing that this was the same girl who was being attacked by the Swellow.
Sensing his surprise, Milotic shifted her fins out of the water, pushing Kairi to get closer to the Lucario. "She is my loyal servant and obeys my commands willingly." Smirking, she allowed her voice to be heard by both. "Please introduce yourself to our guest."
Shivering, still staring at the guest with a sense of awe, Kairi lowered her head while she raised her voice. "H-Hello! My name is Kairi. I-I am… my mistress's servant-" Her words wavered as the Lucario stepped forward, observing her closer. She stepped back out of reaction, a part of her wanting to jump back into the pool as quickly as she could.
As soon as Kairi had stepped back, Lucario paused, staying in his position as he looked the nude human over. It was an unusual sight, but there had to be a reason for it. He saw how her skin and hair was colored, no doubt from berry baths in an effort to make Kairi beautiful. Realizing that he may have been intimidating her, Lucario rose his voice in her mind. "I am a Lucario, but I have no name. You may call me Fierce One, however."
Before Kairi could say anything more, a splash rang through the cave, directing her attention back to to the pool. Noticing her mistress's pleased expression, she was at a loss of words. What was she to say to him?
Glancing in his friend's direction, Lucario crossed his arms, shutting his eyes. "This is unusual of you to adopt a human. Might I ask what caused you to consider such an option?"
"Later. When Kairi is asleep." Shifting her coils more, exposing a section of the pool, her attention shifted back to her servant. "Kairi, please come back into the water. It is warmer in here." Watching as her servant quickly scurried back into the pool, slipping it and releasing a sigh of relief at the warmth, she couldn't help but feel a nice, calming sensation wash over her. Raising her fin, motioning to the Lucario, she piped up. "You can join us as well. You are always welcome in my waters."
"If you insist. I can't refuse a good bath." Steadily, he climbed into the pool, sinking in as the warm water engulfed him. Catharsis flooded him as he made himself comfortable while Milotic wrapped around Kairi's chest and shoulders, resuming their massage as if nothing had happened. His eyes met with his friend's, seeing her coils draped around the human girl that sat before him. Shifting in the pleasant waters, his thoughts were interrupted by Milotic.
"So, what brings you back to this island? The last time we met, you left shortly afterwards. I didn't expect to see you back after such a long time."
His gaze settled on Kairi, observing the human girl within his friend's scales as she asked this question. Truth be told, he didn't really know why he had come back. It was a question he asked himself many times over as he searched the island up and down for his friend. The real questions were the ones that were quickly forming in his mind concerning her decision to have a human in her grasp.
Adjusting himself in the pool of water, he attended to his friend's questions with an astute alertness. "Just missing my old friend. I will admit, you are rather difficult to track. Is that intentional, or…" A moment passed. No answer came from her. Hesitating, he sucked in a sharp breath and sighed. "Truth be told, your servant caught my eye. I've been following her since rescuing her from the Swellow earlier."
"Spying? Fierce One, I thought you were above espionage. Has your code of honor been stripped away since the last time we met? Whatever shall we do~" Her voice had taken on a jesting tone, her coils shifting around Kairi as they sunk underneath the surface of the pool, resuming their massage along the girl's stomach. Milotic placed her head on top of Kairi's, who appeared to be content with this treatment. "But you know what I am going to ask-"
"No. There aren't any other humans on this island as far as I can tell." Lucario averted his gaze from Kairi again as the coils shifted. "Now that I know that this human is with you, I have no reason to keep an eye on her."
"That's reassuring." The massage continued as her coils rippled around Kairi, feeling her servant become looser, more relaxed. Her eyes closed briefly, and a low hum sounded from her. Always contemplating. Always thinking. After several minutes of the massage, she unwound from Kairi, letting her drift down into the water before she buoyed herself back up. "Kairi, why don't you help our guest relax with a massage?"
Reacting immediately, Lucario put up his paws, shaking them politely as he sat in the corner of the pool. "I'm fine, I assure you."
"Oh really? Might I remind you that refusing my offers hurts my poor little heart." Milotic nudged Kairi forward, who stood up in the pool, perplexed by the order. "Besides, my servant must learn how to do it one way or another."
Seeing the nude human standing up, the pool coming up to her chest, Lucario felt a pang of pity. As much as he could refuse, he hated to admit it, but his body was very sore from the sharp, brisk movements he had to do over the past two days. Even now, his shoulders ached. Lowering one paw, he motioned for Kairi to come closer. "Alright, you can come over here. But only because your mistress allows it."
Once Kairi made her way towards him, seating herself by his side, she took a moment to look him over. As much as she had been relaxing in her mistress's coils during the massage, she felt anxiety run up and down her body. His physique was similar to hers, but different all the same. What particularly caught her interest were the steel spikes that protruded from his chest and paws, which she had to avoid while sitting down. While her eyes scanned him up and down, she saw him raise his paws to pat his shoulders.
"If you must, could you get my shoulders, please? I train hard to be strong, so my shoulders must be relaxed to fight effectively." He shifted in the waters to allow her to get a better angle at it. "And don't be afraid. I'm not as scary as I look."
"R-Right." Blinking, her hands raised to touch his shoulders, noticing the soft fur he had, dampened from the moist air. Hesitating, a strange sensation ran through her as she placed her hands onto him. When her thumbs pressed into his shoulders, Kairi noticed that her motions were very natural. Her hands dug into his fur, palms moving gently alongside his muscles.
Her hands were soft. Lucario noted that; this must have been from the effect of the berry baths her friend made her take. When her hands dug into his shoulders, massaging them firmly, he already felt his muscles easing up. Perhaps it was the combination of warm water and the massage, but either way he noticed how easily it was that she found his sore spots. Shutting his eyes, he felt the tenseness abate.
"You're doing well for your first time. Are you certain you have not done this before?"
Keeping her focus on the massage, Kairi muttered out a quick, "I think so, yeah."
"You must have a natural talent for this then. It feels great." Perking up, he rolled his shoulders, catching Kairi off guard, before letting her continue. "I already feel looser."
Piping up, interrupting this little exchange of theirs, Milotic directed her voice towards her friend. "Feel free to stay in this cave for tonight, Fierce One." She noticed how at ease he must have felt at Kairi's touch, something that surprised her. Could Kairi have had some experience prior to being enslaved? Shaking the feeling off, she had other plans. "I have something to ask of you when Kairi is asleep."
Directing her attention to Kairi, her voice shifted to a more commanding tone. "Your friend will sleep on your bedding for tonight, as you will be sleeping on my scales."
"Sounds good to me-" Kairi was interrupted by Lucario suddenly shifting forward, rolling his shoulders, and raising his arms up into the air. Yawning, he looked back at her, stood up, and using his paw to ruffle up her wet hair. Somehow it felt… nice. Shutting her eyes, it was relaxing to have her hair petted like this, even if her hair clung to his paw a bit. Before she knew it, a question erupted from her that suddenly came to the forefront of her mind.
"How did you two meet?"
The both of them stared at Kairi perplexedly, the question disturbing them for an instant. Milotic steadily shook her head, unwilling to answer such a question. Lucario withdrew his paw from Kairi, and, although visibly taken back by the question, chuckled and patted the girl's shoulder.
"I met your master many years ago, but now is not the time to discuss such things. I want to thank you for the massage. I must admit, it's been a long time since I felt so at ease." Jumping out of the water with ease, Lucario landed on all fours outside of the pool, shaking himself with vigor as water flung off of him. After he stood up, it wasn't a moment longer before he walked over to the bedding of leaves and sat himself down.
Unsure of what to make of the compliment, Kairi blushed, glancing down at the surface of the warm water. "T-Thank you…?" Her voice wavered, a mixture of emotions welling up in her. What else could she say? Her thoughts were interrupted when her mistress's coils wrapped around her chest, pulling her back through the pool, almost making her lose her balance and topple over.
"You should get some rest, Kairi. You have much ahead of you tomorrow."
Raising Kairi out of the water, Milotic placed the girl on her back, feeling comfortable with the sensation. Producing a soothing aura so her servant wouldn't shiver from being exposed, she dipped her head underneath the water, letting all of her scales get moist. Rising up from the surface, she shifted her scales so Kairi would be seated up as her head reared towards her. "Let me clean you off a bit."
Licking Kairi's cheek and hair, trying to get some of the extra water off of her servant, Milotic admired how the berry bath had changed the flavor of the girl's skin. When Kairi squirmed a little more, she tightened her coils to prevent her servant from falling.
Giggling at the licks, Kairi closed her eyes, her heart softening up as her legs flinched at being tightened up. When her mistress had returned back to the front of her face, Kairi took the extra effort to nuzzle the Milotic along the cheek. "I-I love you, mistress!"
Love.
Freezing up at this notion, Milotic pulled back, blinking at the sudden proclamation. Her coils loosened up slightly, and she wavered.
Love?
Had she failed as a mistress? Wasn't Kairi supposed to fear her instead of proclaiming her love? As she unwound from Kairi, staring at her with an even more curious expression than before, Milotic's face flushed with how embarrassed she felt at that instant. Scratching Kairi's back, she steadily lowered her servant to lay on her body.
"Sleep now, Kairi."
Not a moment later, after Kairi yawned, nodded, and stretched her arms and legs, she rested her head against Milotic's body and fell asleep.
"My my, love? Am I sure that I got the right Graceful One?" Lucario said in his friend's mind, smirking as he did so. "Should I lead myself out and look for my friend?"
"Nonsense." Carefully settling herself into her pool, making sure that Kairi was well above the surface of the water, Milotic's attention was directed back towards her good friend. "I'm sure that there is just a misunderstanding between her and I." Sensing a question burning in Lucario's mind, she huffed, pointing her nose up. "I'll have you know that Kairi is very easy to read. I can assure you that she is asleep right now."
Adjusting himself on the bedding, Lucario laid down, able to relax for once. His eyes never left her gaze, always looking back at her with an azure glow in that crimson hued pair. "I'm sure she is, after I saw her climbing through trees and nearly get herself knocked out of it too.
"However, you mentioned that you have something to ask of me. Please, enlighten me on what it is, old friend."
"Well you see…"
Their conversation drifted off into a mix of seriousness and casual banter, the topic never leaving what she wanted to get from her friend. Through telepathy, they remained quiet through the night as they discussed to great lengths what her request would entail. Ultimately, he lowered his head, accepted it, and they went to sleep.
Kairi, on the other hand, was motionless on the scales. The cool air of the cavern not pestering her in the slightest. Already she had been lost in her dreams, the day having drained her of all her energy. It was time to rest.
If only it were that easy.
"... Leon?"
The dim light of the room bathed everything in an orange glow. Stepping in, Kairi paused, sucked in a deep breath, and looked around. Everything looked so strange, but familiar. Facing away from her in a chair, someone with the same white hair as her own had been writing something in their notebook. Rubbing her arm gently, her eyes glanced around at the room. It was small, cramped, and had several pieces of paper taped up against the wall.
The person froze, and they perked up, their voice piping up in unison with the motion. "Oh! Kairi! I'm glad you came." Twirling in their chair, a meek looking boy, who appeared to be a similar age, faced Kairi. Adjusting their glasses, he widened his smile. Clapping his notebook shut, he stood up, walking towards her.
"I apologize for the mess. Just been so deep in studies that I haven't had the time to clean up."
Kairi felt everything lock her into place. Her knees buckled. Her feet turned to stone. It was as if something flooded her senses.
"Kairi…?"
Where was she? Who was Leon? How did she know his name? She clenched her eyes shut, hoping that she could recollect herself and make sense of what is happening.
Take deep breaths.
Calm herself.
Why couldn't she get calm?
"Kairi... Wake up."
Something pressed against her shoulder. It felt soft. Shifting and groaning, Kairi's eyes slowly cracked open. At first, she was met with darkness, and her feet being dipped underneath the surface of the pool, which had cooled off. Waving her hand, she mumbled something, and then placed her head onto her crossed arms.
Her shoulder was pressed again, and this time it was accompanied with a sharp, "Kairi, wake up."
Another grumble escaped her, and this time her eyes opened wider. Her mistress was still asleep, with her body slowly rising up and down with each breath. The air was cold, hanging around them, but nothing that bothered her. In that darkness, blinking and rubbing her eyes, yawning and trying to wake up, she could see a pair of red-orange eyes gleaming towards her.
"What… is it?" She finally managed to mutter to him. Pushing herself up, seated on her mistress's scales, Kairi stretched her arms over her head.
Huffing, Lucario gazed at Kairi, her form only faintly illuminated through the soft moonlight creeping in. He couldn't help but wonder what possessed his friend to adopt a human. It was a move that felt out of character from what he knew. He flicked his ears, noticing how the girl slipped off of his friend's scales. Was it possible to teach this girl anything that she requested? Another concern that he had to mark up to the growing list in his head.
"We're going to go and train. I'm certain that your mistress told you the basics of training." He held his paw out, seeing how Kairi flailed her arms in the air. Catching her hand, he stepped towards her side. "This way."
"T-Thank you."
Guiding Kairi through the dark, Lucario pressed his paw against her shoulder once she stepped down. He could feel her shiver, alongside a flinch from where he touched. "Still hurting from yesterday?"
Reluctantly, she nodded. "Y-Yeah. Falling out of a tree does some wonders for my shoulder." Rolling her shoulders, slowly shifting alongside him, she lowered her voice. "W-What are we doing up so early?"
"Mornings are the best for physical training. It also strengthens your mind and endurance, two things that anyone can benefit from." He led her through the cave, making sure that she was up and ready to go. As they entered the darkness of that tunnel, he lowered his paw towards the nape of her back. "Careful now."
Once they made it out of the cave, Lucario let go of Kairi and turned on his heel. Before he could say anything, she already spoke.
"So why does mistress want me to do physical training?"
Her eyes locked with his. She could see how he appeared to be determined, with perhaps a hint of something else in there. His paws were placed onto her shoulders, and he closed his eyes.
"She informed me of the way that you've been having troubles with the local Pokémon. From the fact that I stopped a Swellow from attacking you, a Pokémon that shouldn't pose a problem, your survival skills are lacking. If you continue this way, you won't survive another week here."
Blinking, stunned from this rebuke, Kairi tilted her head. "Another week? But-"
"You can't rely on the Graceful One for protection forever." Opening his eyes, they flashed blue for an instant, before he grinned. "Now then, catch up with me!" Spinning around to face outward, Lucario quickly moved. His speed and agility was unlike anything that she had seen. His strides were large, and he kept his arms behind him.
"W-Woah now! Hold up!"
Kairi burst into a dead sprint after him.
Every time, he would pause and wait on a path some distance away, within sight of her. Even in the moonlit jungles, she could see him clearly, like a sort of light illuminated him from within. While she would trip and stumble on roots or stones that came out of nowhere, he was always one step ahead of her. They wound through the foliage, leaving the stream behind, moving past the berry trees that she had plucked these previous two days. She was out of breath, with aches building up in her, and had to stop every so often before continuing. At one point, as he was seated at the top of a steep hill, she was clawing at roots as she tried to make her way up.
He leaned over the edge, looking down at her.
"Don't worry about the roots. They're stronger than you."
Huffing, sucking in a sharp breath, Kairi tried to pull herself up. "Is. This. The. Training?" she managed to make out between breaths. Everything felt like it hurt. Her arms were weak. Her feet dug into the firm soil, trying to get up. Her hands especially felt pained. Her eyes glanced up at the top of the hill, seeing the Fierce One looking down, shaking his head.
"This is just the beginning." He knelt, extending a paw towards Kairi. "But, for now, I can help you get up." Grasping her hand, he pulled her up with ease, observing her collapsing onto the top of the hill, which had been smooth stone. Lucario stood up, and stretched his arms over his head, ears lowered. "So, you really are out of shape. That much is apparent from your struggling to keep up."
Turning onto her back, Kairi clenched her eyes shut. "H-Have you considered that you're a… Pokémon? You're not like me-"
"Well, yes and no." Nudging Kairi with his foot, he squatted down beside her. "I started off weak and frail like you. All Pokémon start off weak. It is whether they are willing to improve themselves that they become the kind that swat you out of trees. Everything from this point on are a choice between two different paths for you. You can choose to remain in this weak, fragile form of yours, which is prone to being killed by Pokémon on this island. Or." He stood up, and offered a hand. "You can be my student, and I can teach you how to protect yourself, as well as make you into someone who can help themselves."
Blinking, perplexed, Kairi stared back at the Fierce One. His eyes appeared so warm and sincere, a stark contrast to his rugged exterior. He looked genuine with his words, something that she noticed had been missing from her mistress from time to time. After all, he was right. She hurt all around. She was weak. But it did not have to be that way.
She clasped her hand over his. "I suppose I should call you master then, huh?"
Pulling her up to her feet, Lucario was quick to brush off any stray chunks of dirt that fell onto her during her ascent. "Indeed. It would be for the best, I feel." Once he was satisfied, he stepped back and crossed his arms. "Anyway, welcome to your training ground."
Kairi finally reviewed the spot that they had reached. It had still been dark, but she saw how the top of this hill had a stream running past. The water bubbled over several rocks that formed the cliff to her left. The ground itself was a mixture of soil and pebbles. Barely able to move, her legs quivering, she could see that just beyond it that the hill descended again. But the view beyond had the ocean's surface so far away, with the moon descending towards the horizon.
How big was this place?
"So."
Crossing his arms, Lucario stepped across the stream, ears flicking as he saw the ocean. Just like his memories, it seemed to drift and meander. At times placid, other moments disorderly and scattered. He sighed, wondering for a fleeting second if this is what everything came to. Swishing his tail, glancing over his shoulder, he directed his full attention back to Kairi. "Are you ready?"
"Ready for… What exactly?" Breaking her concentration from the grandeur sight, she shifted her eyes to gaze upon the Fierce One, whose eyes lit up in the darkness. He stepped back towards the stream, leaning down and, cupping some water in his paws, drinking it thoroughly.
"Drink your fill, then we can get started with your lesson."
His words struck a chord in her. He was hiding something; that much was certain. Following his instructions, she moved. Her legs felt as if they were stretched to their limits. When she turned, it felt like someone had taken a poker to her sides. Shifting through the pebbles, her feet dragged more than they lifted. At the instant that the stream was below her, she collapsed on her knees, placing her face into the bubbling brook. The cold water felt nice on her sweat-ridden forehead. Closing her eyes, it felt good. Soothing, even, after that intense sprint.
A moment of reprieve was what she needed. After all the abuse she had taken from sprinting, this was a miracle. It had only been interrupted when she felt a paw on her shoulder.
"Are… Are you okay?"
Gulping down some of the water, Kairi rose to her knees, water still dribbling down her face, as unease washed over her. Her legs still felt as if they could not stand, but at the very least now she had been given a breather. Cupping the water, she sipped some more, embarrassed at the lack of composure she had displayed. Flushing red, nodding with haste, she locked eyes with him over her shoulder. Barely uttering a word, Kairi stood up, still weak in the knees.
Furrowing his brow, Lucario pressed against her side, helping her stand up on her own feet. "I see. So, come with me to the edge here." He led her towards the edge, where both could see the sheer drop this spot had. Even in the darkness of the morning, Kairi could tell that falling down this spot would be far worse than dropping out of the tree. Finally, Lucario motioned for her to sit alongside him.
"This is a good moment to take a breather. I'll explain in a moment what it is we're doing here." As soon as Kairi sat down, her hands rubbing her eyes as her breath became hoarse, Lucario spoke at further length.
"Your mistress expressed concern last night after you fell asleep last night." Kairi remained quiet, head lowered as he continued. "I mentioned it before, but she's deeply worried that you will meet your end to a predator if you don't shape up as quickly as possible. Yesterday, when we first met, I saved you from a Swellow that had been giving you a difficult time. If I hadn't intervened, I'm not sure if you could have survived that kind of fall."
"Right." Leaning back on her hands, Kairi gazed at him curiously. "So, what exactly is it that she wants me to learn? How to fight back? Or how to intimidate? Or…" Her voice trailed off as she sighed. "Oh who am I kidding, there's no way I'll be able to do any of that."
"Not with that attitude."
Rolling his shoulders, Lucario beamed towards her. It had been quite some time since he had an opportunity to train someone. The mere thought of it rejuvenated him. Crossing his legs, he closed his eyes, erecting himself into an upright posture. Sucking in a deep breath, he let it out slowly.
"The first thing to learn is how to meditate." Placing his paws gently on his thighs, already his mind began to drift into that pleasant state. "This is crucial to-"
"Meditate?"
"Yes." Cracking his eyes open, he looked at her from the side, his head not budging. Flicking his ears, an irritation crossed him from her interrupting. But perhaps that was just because she wasn't used to being taught things? He could only assume as such. "Have you never meditated before?"
When she shook her head, it didn't surprise him. It was to be expected. Instead of trying to explain it to her, it would be best to show. He despised repeating himself anyway.
"So. Do what I do, then. Sit like I am and calm your mind. Focus on your breathing. Relax."
He closed his eyes again and sucked in deep breaths.
Observing him, Kairi couldn't help but feel amazed that a Pokemon like him existed. There were a variety that lived here, and surely more laid in waiting to be seen, but Lucario (or should she say master?) was the closest thing to herself that she had noticed so far. If it hadn't been for the canine features, from his snout to the large, upright ears, she could have been fooled that he was another human when she hid in the pool.
Scooting closer to him, her eyes narrowed. Had he already gone into meditating? It was hard to tell. His chest slowly rose, then fell, and he was as still as a tree. When she moved in to poke him, she nearly jumped in surprise when his voice briskly entered her mind.
"What is it?"
Jumping, she was surprised that he noticed her. Part of her wanted to ask more questions on how to do this, but his brisk response caught her off guard. Leaning back, Kairi scooted herself away. "N-Nothing."
"Hmph." His ears flicked, and he was gone. Back into that peculiar state.
Imitating him, Kairi crossed her legs, placing her hands onto her knees. Sitting upright, she closed her eyes.
Focus on the breathing.
She sucked in a breath.
Like this?
Wavering, she sighed, letting out her breath quickly. The air was cold against her naked body. In her haste to run after him, she didn't notice it. But sitting here in the open, with the stream bubbling by, it was hard to ignore it. Her skin had goosebumps forming as she rubbed her arms together, a sudden chill jolting through her.
Every attempt resulted in a lingering frustration. A sense that she just wasn't getting it. Clenching her eyes shut as hard as she could, her fingers dug into her thighs. After a gust of wind brushed past her, rattling her out of it, Kairi groaned.
"Do you wish to take a break?"
His voice broke her concentration, and when her eyes snapped open, he was glancing at her. Embarrassed, Kairi slowly nodded.
Groaning, Lucario got himself back up to his feet, stretching his arms over his head. "I can go get some food for us. Drink up." Before Kairi could respond back, he was already gone, leaping into the foliage below them.
This peculiar sensation crossed Kairi as she slowly got back up to her feet. Was it humiliation? She clenched her eyes shut, muttering to herself. "You're so useless sometimes." Wavering, something broke inside of her. Her heart sank into the pits of her stomach, and she clutched it while hunching over. Trembling, fright washed over her.
No matter what she tried, she couldn't move. Slinking back down to her knees, the trepidations wouldn't cease. Dreadful thoughts crossed her mind. Useless. I'm so worthless. What's the point? Her shoulders buckled, and tears broke free.
"…ri?"
Nothing mattered. She couldn't do this. She-
"Kairi!"
He pressed his paw against her shoulder, and the trembling ceased. Clenching her eyes shut, she wrapped her arms around her chest, gulping as the thoughts raced through her mind. For a moment, it was like the world stood still. The urge to sob jolted through her, these thoughts screaming all the while. It seemed all too familiar. She had heard these before. But-
"Kairi, hey. You alright?"
Shaking her shoulder, Lucario pulled her out of the intense emotions. Kairi sucked in a breath, shaken, as she stared down at the stone ground underneath them. Her entire body quivered. She lowered her head, shaking it. "I'm sorry. S-So sorry. I…" Trailing off, she found herself unable to speak.
"Hey, hey. It's okay. It's okay…" His paw caressed her back, from the top of her head down to her waist. His voice was calm, strangely composed despite the sight he stumbled across. "What happened? Did something hurt you? I came back and you were panicking."
Panicking. She knew what that meant. But nothing was around her that could be causing it. No Pokemon that wants to kill her, nor her mistress bearing down on her over a task. Just her and him. Alone. Once that realization settled in, Kairi slowly began to calm down.
"Well either way, here."
Placing a berry into her lap, Lucario patted her shoulder. Standing back up, he stretched his arms over his head, grunting. "We can take a break. Don't feel bad about not figuring it out yet. Truthfully it takes a little while to learn how to properly meditate. No one ever gets it their first time, especially not this old dog."
Sighing, Kairi plucked the berry from her lap, taking a bite into it. Shivering, she wondered why her mind had spiraled out of control like that. Even now, her heart sank into the pits of her stomach. It was difficult to shake off; like a bad dream. But why? She had a good place right now, with a mistress who cares for her and a master who is trying to teach her new things. Wiping her eyes, her concentration was broken.
"Kairi, come here."
Glancing over at her master, she could see him eating the berry, his ears perked up while he leaned back on one paw. He looked back at her, before flicking his eyes away. Once she shifted closer to him, he spoke once again. "You can keep eating, but just listen.
"I'm going to be blunt here, but I'm not sure what made you panic. What is certain, however, is that you can't focus. When you were trying earlier, it didn't work the way you wanted. Your mind was still racing."
"But I-"
"Hush." He ate some more of his Oran berry, and continued. "I was once like you. Tasked to do something that I felt was far beyond my capabilities. Felt is the key word here. If you feel that you cannot accomplish it, it doesn't matter if you have the strength or capability of doing it. Your mind is already setting yourself up for defeat." Glancing over at Kairi, he reclined back, leaning as his arms propped him up. "How did you feel when you plucked berries from the ancient trees here for your mistress two days ago?"
Blinking, Kairi had to think back. It didn't take her more than a moment to come up with the answer. "Embarrassed."
"You were embarrassed because you didn't have the strength or skill to do it quickly. Correct?"
Keeping an eye on Kairi, he noticed her nod, and then shut his eyes. Taking in a deep breath, he pressed on. "But you did it. As long as it took, you accomplished the task. Was it because you felt that you could do it?"
Nodding again, Kairi listened. Her attention was rapt, drawn towards her teacher about what it was he had to say.
"So. It might take a while. It might not be for a while. But know that you are capable of things if you prepare yourself." He glanced at her once more. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Y-Yes." Lowering her head into a low sort of bow, nearly placing her forehead down against the ground, she rose back up. "I'm sorry if I've been-"
"Don't apologize. Do." Tossing the berry core to the side, he sprung up to his feet, clapping his paws together. He rolled his shoulders, and a slight grin formed on his face. "We still have some time before sunrise. So let's get to it."
After they were done eating their fill of the berries, the Fierce One put Kairi to work. Teaching her the basic exercises that he had innately learned in his youth, he ensured that she was able to push through the hard moments with his encouragements. Every time she faltered, he squeezed out one more out of her. From one more jump, to one more push, he set down the baseline for what he expected out of her. When she grew fatigued, he allowed her a moment to take in deep breaths, gather some water, before returning back to it again.
By the time the sun began to rise over the horizon, Kairi had been drenched in sweat, her breaths ragged, as she leaned forward, hands on her knees. Her feet and hands hurt. Her crimson hair matted to her forehead. Her entire body felt like it was engulfed in flame. But, even though she herself had been unsure of what the purpose was for all of this, a light clap sounded off from the Fierce One.
"That's good enough for today. You can rest now."
Immediately, Kairi fell limp, resting on her laurels as she dipped her hand into the stream. Splashing some water onto her face, she repeated this for several more times. Rubbing her eyes, it surprised her how quickly she was able to relax after the regiment that her master had pushed her though. Everything hurt, especially the parts where she had been slammed into the previous days, falling through the branches during her endeavors.
Approaching Kairi, the Fierce One perked his ears up. Admittedly, despite her being clearly out of shape from struggling to do basic exercises, he was proud. She managed to push through, even if it was only one or two more motions further. Maybe it was because it woke her up more than she anticipated, but it still made his chest swell up with a peculiar sort of pride. He kneeled beside her, taking some of the water and sipping from his paws.
"You did excellent work for your first time doing this. I hope you can follow instructions more when what we do gets more complex. We'll start slow, and build up from that."
"O-Okay." Kairi's voice wavered, but she couldn't help but feel pleased that expectations were met. Her eyes locked with his briefly, and she rubbed her arm. "Does it normally feel like it hurts afterwards?"
"For the first couple weeks, yes." He waved his paw, specks of water flung away as he turned his gaze towards the ground. "But you'll get stronger. More capable. Faster. In due time, you'll be able to handle yourself."
"So I can't handle myself?"
Flicking his ears, he chuckled at her comment. "Considering you fell out of a tree from a Swellow, by far and away, you'll die if you continue without some training." The mood fell somber, if only for an instant, before he nudged her shoulder. "But that's what we're trying to avoid here."
Remaining quiet, Kairi splashed her face with some more water, returning to wiping herself down of any sweat and grime she had on her.
Despite his attempt at some positivity, he couldn't help but wonder if it was possible? His thoughts wandered to the night before, about their conversation. One part stood out to him as especially intriguing.
"So, I know that you had taught me some of the simpler powers of Aura. I want you to teach Kairi as such."
He observed Kairi as she wiped herself down. There were stories that he encountered in his travels over the past year of some humans being sensitive to aura. But they were few and far between. He had never once encountered a human who could do such a thing, but the possibility wasn't zero. She did seem receptive to improving herself, despite some qualms that she may have had, judging from the bruise on her right wrist.
It made him wince, seeing that. It brought back to mind how cruel Graceful One could be when she was angered. The memories of her cruelty still seemed to be seared into his mind, as fresh as ever. Once Kairi managed to clean herself up some more, he cleared his throat, and spoke up.
"Kairi, there is one thing that your mistress asked of me." His voice was much softer in tone, a deliberate detail he enunciated due to questioning on how to word it to her. Once they locked eyes onto each other, he flicked his ears lightly, trying to determine what would be the best way to state it.
As she stared back at him, it made him anxious. Nervous energy wracked his brain for an instant, and he flattened his ears. "She desires you to learn how to use aura."
A still silence fell upon them. Briefly, they stared at one another, at first out of surprise, then confusion settled in on Kairi's expression.
"But isn't aura difficult to use?"
"If you desire it to be difficult." He tapped her forehead with an outstretched paw. "It's all in the mind, really."
Momentarily, Kairi thought. She had been impressed from his feats earlier, on top of the telepathy, but could it really be attained by her? It seemed far too outlandish; too unrealistic. That was an ability reserved to Pokemon. Even she knew this to be true.
But… why? Suddenly, it struck her that she had heard of this before. Pushing it aside for now, the question lingered in her mind as she bowed before him. "So, she wants me to learn how to use it?"
"More accurately, just to awaken it." With a sigh, he stood up, and extended a paw out towards her. "I'll be honest, it's an incredibly rare skill for people to hone. It takes years, even a lifetime, unless someone is inclined to begin with.
"However, seeing that your mistress is expecting the best out of us. I have an idea." Pulling Kairi up to her feet, he adjusted her shoulders, making her stand upright as best as she could. Locking eyes, he spoke quietly. "Take a deep breath with me."
Once they sucked in the air, chests swelling, they let exhaled. "Grab my hands, and keep breathing. Stay calm. This might hurt."
Their hands locked together, while Kairi's anxiety rose higher with each moment. She wasn't sure what he meant, but her eyes shut as tightly as they could. Gripping his hands, she did her best to keep breathing.
A warmth began to spread from the tips of her fingers, steadily shifting and twisting into her very being. It was peculiar but comforting. Easing up, she relaxed. Steady breaths. Calm.
The warmth swelled throughout her, deepening with each breath. This seemed so new, so compelling.
Yet it was familiar.
Familiar?
Her body trembled, a sudden wave of anxiety rushing through her. She wanted to pull away, a voice, distinctly not her own, speaking.
"You're not ready to be a priestess. You'll never be ready, so long as I'm around.
"This is all your fault! Because of you, Ayame died!
"Don't you dare speak back to me with your filthy blood!"
Her legs trembled, hands clutching harder onto his paws. Fright spread through her, coupled with an intense chill. Sucking in a deep breath, she tried to calm herself again, yet it eluded her. Not a moment later, her thoughts were interrupted.
"Are you okay? You're shaking."
It brought her back to the moment. Cracking open her eyes, blue flames filled her vision, flaring up between her hands and his. She yelped, a sudden realization striking her, as instinctively she yanked her hands away.
His paws clasped onto hers, tightening around her wrist.
"Kairi! Just a moment longer, please!"
"W-What is this?!"
"Trust me! Just stay calm!"
Breathing became more difficult. The calmness replaced with fright, and pain surging through her arms. She wanted to pull away. Stop this. She wasn't sure why an intense guilt lingered over her. Everything told her to run away. That she wasn't good enough to deserve this.
Once he let go, she fell onto the ground. The flames, which were so vibrant and intense, faded as she gasped for air. Raising her hands, they returned back to their normal hue, any light emanating from it receding back.
"Kairi, what was that for?" Lucario knelt before her, pressing a paw against her cheek, gaining her attention. "Why did you panic? What happened?"
"I-"His paw was so warm on her cool cheek. She saw how concerned he had been, his bright red-orange eyes staring at her. Shutting her eyes, she sighed. "I-I'm sorry. I'm not good enough for that."
Flicking his ears, he squinted, disgruntled but finding himself perplexed by these words. He lowered his paw onto her shoulder and shook his head. "Don't say that. Just be fortunate that there wasn't any damage to your hands." He pressed his other paw against the top of her hand. "Although your arms might be sore for a while after that. You're not hurt, are you?"
Blinking, reality finally began to sink back in. She clenched her hands, shrugged her shoulders, and carefully got back to her feet. Giving herself a minute, she checked herself over again and again. Sighing with relief, she shook her head.
"No. Just sore."
Rolling her shoulders, Kairi winced, but put on a smile. It was a false one, but she had to mask the disappointment in some way. It was a useless gesture, since he could probably sense what she was feeling, but it was mostly for her own sake. "Should we head back? The sun is starting to come up."
When Lucario looked over towards the ocean, he hadn't realized how much time he spent pushing her harder. Kairi didn't break. It was something that he asked his friend about last night, if she would be pushed too far. But, it seems that it was nothing to worry about.
"Sure. But I'll carry you on the way back. You've done enough for today."
The journey back to the cave was quiet. Sore, feeling a stitch in her side, Kairi was able to relax and let herself get loose. With Lucario jumping so adeptly, even with her added weight, it made her realize that there were still so much that she would have to do to have an inkling of matching him. What took her what felt like an eternity, he managed without breaking a sweat.
They stopped by the cave entrance, and he knelt, allowing her to hop off him.
"Your mistress told me that your next task would be to go and get some berries for your bath later. I know that it could be hard after this morning, but-"
"Alright. Gives me a chance to stretch my legs anyway." Stretching her arms over her head, her body seemed more limber. She knew that this was just because of the hard work, but she could take it easy for now. Perking up, she beamed. "I'll go ahead then!"
"That's the spirit." Standing upright, Lucario watched as Kairi turned, walking away into the foliage. She seemed noticeably sore from the way she walked, but there shouldn't be anything to worry about.
Shouldn't be.
He buried that feeling, entering the cave.
His friend wanted to speak to him alone. He hadn't an inkling of what it was that she wanted, but he couldn't say no. Making his way down to the main chamber, the light already filling the damp cave, there wasn't even a second after he stepped in before she spoke.
"So, how did this morning go?"
Her eyes lit up from her pool, leaning forward as her tail fins propped her head up. Truthfully, she startled him, but he wasn't one to admit such things. He walked through the cave, towards his friend.
"We'll see what happens."
Milotic kept her gaze on him. As he seated himself by her pool, he could already sense that she wanted more positive results. That, somehow, Kairi jumped through all the hoops and awakened her aura. Yet, it was a failure. But he wasn't one to admit such things. Leaning back, his head rested against her soft scales, with her shifting to provide it for him.
"Why did you make Kairi your servant?"
"Asking the tough questions, are we?" Milotic cooed, slipping herself out of the pool as water swelled. Some splashed onto the floor, the chill rushing up Lucario's spine before they came face to face. Her eyes were strangely bright, almost enthusiastic to explain this to him. He hadn't seen her this excited since when they trained together, so long ago.
After nestling her head onto his lap, allowing him to pet her, she continued. "So, imagine this. You've lived a life of seclusion, after proving your point with a human some time ago. The island is calm. Peaceful. Quiet. Then they show up, talk back to you, and mockingly state that they are here only to capture other Pokemon on the island. I stripped her of her memories, to neutralize the threat."
"I see, but-"
"But, she wakes up, and starts making a scene! 'I don't remember anything!' 'What's going on?!' I did the only thing I could think of to calm her down at the time: provide some sort of structure. Humans need structure to not panic. So, I took her under my wing, and-"
"You're making her beautiful and having her exercise to get stronger. That's not simply making her your servant." Lucario stroked his friend from the top of her head to the front of her nose. He huffed. "Have you gone soft?"
"No. She is mine. I'm simply doing what humans do to our brethren when they capture us. They force us into those strange buildings, to either fight or be a mockery."
"I'm not insulting you. Just seems strange, is all."
"You do recall what that last trainer did to us, right?"
He sighed, and he saw those large eyes staring back at him. In the bottom of his heart, he did recall what happened. They knew what happened.
