Author's note:  I'm sorry this chapter took so long!  Not much action in this one, but it's important for plot set-up.  ^___^  Thank you to everyone who reviewed!  Wow, a lot of people started reading--you've all really made my day, actually days.  Thank you NoZoMi aNd HoTaRu, Maia's Pen, and Hazel-Beka!

Chap. 11-Mission

                Willow and the strange being faced each other silently, Arturo because he was waiting for a command from his master, Willow because she was petrified half with shock and half with fear.  Katsu, however, couldn't resist taking a closer look at the interesting new thing in front of him.  Floating over, he began poking and pulling at the thing.

Still it did not move.

                Katsu's psychic power allowed him to see several seams on the creature, not visible to the naked eye.  Again using his power, he began pulling at the one on the thing's back, trying to open it up.

Arturo was growing agitated by the creature on his back's activities.  He reached up to remove it.

                Willow, thinking her beloved Pokemon was in danger, reached out her hand, shouting although she had no clear idea what good it might do.

"Stop--don't hurt Katsu!"

Arturo heard a command from his master and immediately put his arms down again.  Willow paused, not comprehending what she had just seen.

"You...you did what I said?"

Arturo nodded.

"You can understand me?"

Arturo, having heard enough of his master's speech to grasp the diction and identify the language, decided to employ it himself.

"Yes, master.  I can understand you."

His voice was slightly robotic, and there were tiny pauses between his words, as if he was unused to speaking.  Willow took a small step backward, uncertain before this strange, powerful being.

"Did you call me...master?"

"Yes, master."

"....why?"

Arturo was puzzled.  It had been so obvious to him...she was a master--she wore the symbol of his masters, so she was logically one of them.  How could she not understand?

"Did you not activate me to serve you?"

"...huh?"

"You did not activate me?"

"You...didn't turn on by yourself?"

"...no..."

"So...if you were activated...you're a robot, right?"

Arturo was translating Willow's words, so he was uncertain of what she meant.

"I am...a construct."

This was very confusing to Willow.

"A what?"

Lunus had some idea what this was, and said so.

"Bulba--saur bulbasaur!"

"Katsu?"

... huh?  Oh, right!  Lunus says that a construct is something that's built--in this case, a powerful thing built by really old people.

"BubalSAUR!"

Uh...Lunus says that should be ancient people, not old people...heh.

"Oh...well, I guess that makes sense..."

All this made Arturo was even more puzzled.  Willow, however, decided to leave aside for now the question of where Arturo came from or what he was for now and ask what was really on her mind.

"What was that thing that attacked us, and why was it trying to hurt us?"

"The Slicer sent me new data.  It commanded me to destroy you...when I saw that you wore a Progenitor symbol, I knew that it must have been altered by its new masters, this "Team Blade."  They were trying to..."

As Arturo continued to explain, Willow suddenly thought of something herself.

"Those people were Team Blade...and that machine was the Slicer...but how did you get turned on?  ...wait!  During the battle...all the electricity!  Rafael struck those computers, and that must have turned you on!  They're all burned out now, though..."
"...trying to capture a creature known as a "Pokemon".....a "grass-moon" type.  They apparently need many of these creatures, specifically those from...pure bloodlines?  I do not fully understand...more data is required to reach a conclusion."

"They were trying to capture...Lunus?  He's a pure bloodline?  I don't understand...did you say they want to do this to other Pokemon too?"

"Yes--Pokemon descended from...lords?"

"Pokemon Lords?  Maybe...ancient Pokemon!  From the days of the Ancient Civilization!"

"....explain."

"The Ancient Civilization was a civilization that existed a very, very long time ago.  My aunt travels a lot, and she told me that they were very advanced, and they built a city that's in the middle of the Burning Wastes.  That's the wasteland that Lucifer created when he attacked with nuclear weapons.  It was really terrible, because they're banned."

"Lucifer?  You speak of an evil being...named Lucifer?"

Willow nodded.  Although different snippets of history might be taught, depending on the region one lived in, most of the Pokemon World did teach of the Ancient Civilization (or at least what they knew about it) and about the Dexes and the Guardian.

"Yes--Lucifer was one of the Dexes, but he was evil, and he attacked people and even tried to kill the Guardian.  He's gone now, though...I don't know very much about him.  I still don't really know who you are, but...thank you.  We couldn't have beaten that machine--the Slicer?--without you."

Willow turned to her Pokemon, who had by now all left their Pokeballs to find out more about the new arrival.

"Guys...I know we were going to compete in the League, but this seems way more important--lives are at stake, and no one knows it but us!  If we take the time to go for help, those Team Blade people may already have hurt someone else.  I think we should stop them...do you think that's a good idea?"

All of Willow's Pokemon nodded together.  They knew that this was up to them.

Arturo shifted slightly.  If this child was to go off on a journey, he would have to accompany and protect her.  She wore the symbol of the Progenitors...it was his duty.

"I will go with you, master."

Willow turned around, looking very surprised.

"What?  But...why would you do that?"

"You wear the symbol of my masters.  Therefore, I must protect you."

Willow touched the metal emblem hanging around her neck.  In all the excitement, she had nearly forgotten that she was wearing it.

"Reve's gift...the sign of hope..."

She smiled.  Suddenly, even though her new mission seemed almost impossible, she felt confident; it was a new emotion for her.  She looked at the large machine--no, construct--standing next to her.  Remembering his earlier words, she called him by his name.

"Arturo, thank you very much...but I'm not your master--my name is Willow."

"All right, Willow."

Katsu floated over and flopped down on Arturo's head.

Yay, his head is way comfier than your backpack!

"Will this creature be remaining on my cranial area?"

Willow and her Pokemon all stared at him.  Arturo paused for a moment, then tried again.

"Is this thing gonna stay on my head?"

"Oh, not if you don't want him to...hey--you talked normal!"

Arturo nodded.

"Yes.  I am able to synthesize your speech patterns and learn how to utilize them myself.  I hope that I did so correctly?"

Willow and her Pokemon burst out laughing at the idea of this powerful being seeking their approval about his use of slang.  Arturo, although he did not entirely understand the joke, laughed too--"Ha Ha Ha."  Willow and her Pokemon laughed even more at this, and so did Arturo, culminating in Katsu falling from the construct's head and barely catching himself before hitting the floor.

Okay, I think I'll stick with the backpack.

                Once Willow and her Pokemon regained control of themselves, they all looked up at the ceiling.  The hole they had fallen through was so high...how could they ever get back up there?  Arturo had the solution.

"Willow, I can reach ground level.  Hold onto me."

Willow returned her Pokemon and did so.  Arturo jumped with immense power, boosting them upwards through the ceiling and landing them safely it the forest.  Willow smiled and looked ahead.

"Come on, everyone--let's catch up to Team Blade!"