Well, it's been, what? Two months since the last update? Horrible, I know. This chapter was originally part of Overture, but due to the edits and additions it's now a chapter in itself. This one does have, again, a slower pacing, though the pace speeds up considerably in the next few chapters. As always, comments, advice, criticism is greatly welcomed, and don't hesitate to point out any typos so I can kill them.

Trying to get back into the fanfiction writing mode, here. o.0 And I actually touched my livejournal, which I haven't in months. XD... But meh. Don't know when I'll update this next, but I hope it'll be soon.

Disclaimer: Don't own Pokémon. I do wish I did, though.

Chapter 2: Etude

A short musical composition meant to investigate a particular problem of technique.

Castor walked through the deserted pathways of the cave, his footfalls hardly making a sound over the smooth rock. Its jagged edges had long been worn away from centuries of continuous use. He had exited his den a few hours after Pollux had left, trying to push what remained of the dream to the back of his mind. There wasn't much to think on, as as he only had a few bits and pieces to reflect upon.

The halls in which he walked were completely empty, and his only companion was the silence followed him through the passages of what Castor called home. He was used to the silence, just as he was used to the solitude, and it was no surprise to him that he had seen only three other Absol cross his path. Each time they had given him no more than a quick glance before continuing on their way.

Castor had long since given up trying to strike up a conversation with any of the older Absol. It seemed to be an unspoken rule that you did not speak to those older than you, unless there was some important reason for you doing so, or they talked to you first.

Like that happens much.

In fact, now that Castor thought about it, he hadn't really seen anything that would qualify as a real conversation going on between other Absol. Talking for the sake of talking seemed pointless, and those who didn't believe so got used to it. Of course, Castor was young and inexperienced and hadn't seen much in comparison to the majority of his kind residing in the mountains. And it wasn't like there were any Absol his age he could talk to – Pollux excluded, and it wasn't like he enjoyed random conversations -- with the closest he knew off being three years apart. Absol were keen on silence and solitude, preferring to keep to themselves amongst the almost deserted caverns, so adolescent Absol such as himself were a rarity.

So rare, even their occasional appearance seemed to be overlooked.

Unless, of course, there was something so completely strange that everyone had to take notice of. Pollux had been one of those few exceptions for a time. His twin's dusty red paws and face. as well as his green eyes, were enough to warrant a second glance and sometimes a request for a name, until the Absol clan became acclimated to Pollux's odd appearance. The added interest the other Absol displayed towards him back then was merely out of etiquette, Castor knew – and that was only because he had insisted on tagging along on Pollux's ventures like a shadow. It was hard to find one without the other, even though there didn't seem to be much substance to the relationship other than a blood bond.

If Pollux himself detested or appreciated his constant company, he didn't show it.

Castor finally arrived at his destination in front of a natural archway that led into a large, open space that was free of the plentiful rocky dividers that made the mountain cave into something of a labyrinth. Barely disturbing the quiet, Castor Faint Attacked up to where a hole existed in the stone partition.

Pollux was already there, like Castor had expected, his jade eyes were intently scouring the ground below. The small overlook gave a clear view of the round area on the other side of the divider. The area Pollux was looking down upon happened to be a favorite sparing area amongst the more active Absol, and garnered much more traffic than most parts of the cave.

As to why Pollux had chosen the overlook as his place of solace, Castor wasn't quite sure; but whenever Castor couldn't find his twin, this place was his first stop, as Pollux always surfaced here sooner or later to survey the comings and goings with dutiful regularity.

"Castor." Pollux nodded his head once in acknowledgement, doing nothing more.

Castor took his usual spot besides Pollux before responding. "I thought I'd find you here."

"I always am here."

"Yes…" Turning his gaze to the ground below, Castor spotted two familiar Absol that went by the names of Saif and Na'ir. They were currently sparring, gliding across flat terrain with graceful, elegant movements. Even the ensuing battle didn't seem to be breaking the stillness much.

"Watch."

Castor cocked his head, giving his brother a rather odd glance at the command, but did as he was bid.

Na'ir was in mid-leap when Castor finally began to really focus the sparing match below. Saif himself was attacking from below, the horn that jutted from the side of his head beginning to glow white as Na'ir descended. Wind shrieked through the caverns as Saif finally unleashed the gathered energy with a quick toss of his head.

The scythe-shaped projectile, along with the accompanying wind, pushed Na'ir back as he was forced to evade the attack, lest he lose (for once the first real blow was struck, you lost) landing neatly on the ground on Saif's left side. Barely a second was lost before Na'ir took off again, making his way around to his opponent's right side. Saif went rigid, his head turning quickly to the left, finding nothing. Panic leaked out of Saif's cracking composure, as he tried to locate his foe, not knowing Na'ir was just to the other side of him.

Na'ir Farfaint was taking advantage of Saif's apparent confusion, bolting at great speed across the floor.

Saif only noticed the approaching body seconds before the Quick Attack would have hit, managing to evade the normal-type attack by a hair's width. Na'ir was left stumbling, scrambling to maintain balance as he tried to turn around.

"He's going to try to use Quick Attack again, to try and keep his momentum and make up for the moments he lost when Saif dodged…"

The dark-type followed Pollux's prediction almost exactly, seeming to fly across the rock, only to fail again as Saif evaded the move -- by a much wider margin than the last time. Instead of taking a defensive position, Saif moved into the offensive, giving Na'ir only a few seconds to respond and block the incoming attack.

"Watch," Pollux said firmly, as Castor's gaze began to wander towards the ceiling of the cave.

They were head-butting now, their horns locking together briefly with each new movement as both attempted to gain ground. They were evenly matched, and both were refusing to shift.

Na'ir Farfaint abruptly stopped, taking a few quick steps back, before using his powerful hind legs to leap into the air. If Saif was surprised by the sudden move, he didn't show it, crouching down as if he himself was preparing to jump.

"It's finished."

The fight ended quickly after Pollux's statement. Na'ir missed his pounce, giving Saif the opening he needed to retaliate, burying his own scythe-horn into Na'ir's shoulder. The harsh bark that threatened to burst out of Na'ir's throat faded into a low growl, nodding his head only once in acceptance of his loss. The tension in the air was broken, and the two Absol separated. There was no bitterness between them, just a cold, unrelenting acceptance.

"You do realize that Na'ir could have triumphed over Saif had he just tried to watch, and had not been so concerned with attacking."

It took a moment for Castor to realize that Pollux was talking to him, his eyes riveted on the departing Absol.

"Um... what?"

"Did you watch?"

"Yes," Castor said slowly, not liking the frustrated stare his brother was now giving him with no attempt whatsoever to conceal it. Still, to Pollux's credit, his steady voice never once showed a hint of that frustration, though it left as quickly as it came. Of course, that only annoyed Castor all the more, and it wasn't the first time. More often than not, Castor would have preferred his twin outright yelling at him, rather than keeping the same, steady voice and composure that was so much like their father's.

"Did you not see Saif's slow reaction when the other Absol went around to his right side from the left?"

Castor shrugged. "I, well –" There was that stare again. Couldn't he just cut it out? "—I did. So he hesitated for a few moments. It happens often enough, doesn't it?"

"You'd think you would at least try to pay more attention to an Absol you lost to," Pollux said, giving Castor a rather pointed look. "It was Saif whom you lost to, wasn't it?"

Castor grimaced. "It was."

Pollux nodded once in response. "And you lost to him because of your inability…"

Castor really didn't want or need to be reminded. It irritated him enough as it was, even if he had changed a lot since that time several years ago. The memories of the event was far too easy to summon to the surface; the slightest mention of it was enough to make him relive the moments and wonder exactly how he had managed to make a fool of himself, and ruin whatever chance of recognition he had for quite some time.

It had been a night like this one. He and had Pollux had even been situated in their little overlook, watching a battle between Saif and another unknown member of their species. Saif had quickly proven himself to be the victor of the battle, scoring the first blow soon after the battle had started with apparent ease.

The other Absol had lost much too quickly and Saif's victory had been far too easy for Castor's liking.

Anyone, Castor was quite sure, could claim victory from the rather thin looking Absol Saif had defeated. Saif was nothing special in Castor's eyes.

Perhaps it was sheer overconfidence that made him rise to his paws and follow through his idea that day, or perhaps it was something else, but for whatever the reason, Castor had stood up with a firm determination to spar with Saif himself.

Pollux had guessed his brother's intentions, stepping in front of him to catch his attention before he could Faint Attack below. "You'll lose. Do you want that?" It had been a warning just as much as it had been a statement.

But at the time, Castor hadn't really bothered to listen. Already, dreams of victory were rushing through his head, and he snorted dismissively at his brother's comment. "I won't lose."

Pollux may not have responded, but even Castor could catch the aura of disbelief he was giving off, and Castor didn't like it. "What? You think I can't do it? Well, I can."

"You can't," Pollux said simply, taking his brother's glare without so much as flinching or turning away.

"But …" Castor's voice wavered, shaking his head to try and dispel the doubt that threatened to make its way to the surface, all thanks to his brother's countenance, which had yet to show emotion. His brother's approval still meant a lot to him, and Pollux's disbelief unsettled him, as well as making him more determined to prove him wrong. "I'm going to try."

Pollux only shrugged and settled himself back into his original position with his paws dangling over the edge of the rock. "Do as you will."

Still, Castor pursued the conversation – he wasn't sure quite why. "You can't stop me from going!"

"I wasn't about to." Pollux shifted, his blank expression turning into a frown. "And I am not going to. But if you are serious –"

"Of course I am –"

"Then you had better hurry, Saif's leaving."

In a flash of black smoke, Castor had gone.

The battle itself had occurred faster than Castor had ever imagined it being. Castor had challenged Saif with as much elegance and seriousness as he could muster, doing all he could to weave a sense of bravado around himself while trying to remember (and do) all the customs that sparring dictated. Saif had accepted with a careless sort of acknowledgement, and as ritual dictated, he and Saif both went to opposite ends of the sparring arena and bowed to one another.

Then, the battle begun.

Castor had started first, leaping into action with one of the few attacks he knew: Quick Attack. He was speeding forward, the feeling of euphoria (the idea that he was actually doing something for once) flowing through his veins for a few precious moments before they were completely dashed against the rocky ground he ran on.

The last thing Castor remembered of the battle afterwards was a brilliant white light accompanied by a hard blow to his right temple that sent him skidding across the rocky floor. Castor could feel immediately feel unconsciousness setting in, black dots erupting in plenty across his vision. All Castor could think about was how foolish he must look.

Fool.

The next thing Castor recalled was waking up with a pounding headache, still sprawled across the floor like a clump of shed fur. His mind was swimming, and the pain radiating from the side of his head and around his body from where he had slammed into the ground was more than enough to make Castor want very much to sink into the black oblivion once more.

That, of course, was reinforced by the sudden feeling of embarrassment that now surfaced, unfettered as the memories of what had taken place before came back with alarming clarity. Castor struggled to rise to his feet as he noticed someone was watching him. That alone was enough to jolt him into full awareness, making his posture go completely rigid. He quickly relaxed, however, as he realized was only Pollux. No one else was around.

Castor had instinctively known what Pollux was going to say before he voiced it. "You were a fool to challenge him."

"I lost, I know. You don't have to rub it in," Castor said indignantly, wincing at the pain in his head. "What happened?"

"You were knocked out."

"I guessed that much." Castor grimaced as he tumbled over his paws and back onto the floor into a white heap, scowling. That's it. He wasn't going to even bother trying to get back up. Standing up fast was making his vision swim anyways.

"I mean," Castor began again, "did Saif say anything?"

"Nothing in particular."

"I'm in no mood for your games. What did he say?"

"It's of no consequence."

"What did he say?" Castor repeated, enunciating his demand with a low growl.

"He said," Pollux began, hesitating at first, before deciding it was better to just get it over with, "that you should stop pretending to be what you are not." Pollux crouched down to Castor's level, mimicking his brother's position (though it wasn't quite so awkward). "There, does that satisfy you?"

Castor's gaze was positively glowering as he spoke up. "Immensely. I suppose you agree with what he said, then?"

Pollux shrugged. "There is truth to what he says. Skill such as what Saif possesses does not come through pure emotion and will, it comes through experience, which you do not have. You didn't even try to fight."

"I did, too," Castor growled, feeling the fur on his neck begin to bristle up in anger. "I wanted to win. I wanted to do something instead of just… watching."

Pollux decided to fix Castor with one of his more penetrating stares. "What you want is of no consequence if you do not possess the skill to fight for it in the first place."

Castor grit his teeth, loathing the way Pollux was carefully pronouncing each word, like one would to a newborn child. "I don't suppose you could have done any better?"

Pollux didn't miss a beat in replying. "I could have."

"Oh that's right," Castor spat angrily. "You do everything right. You're perfect; you don't look foolish or make mistakes. Ever."

"I've made mistakes, Castor, many times," Pollux replied, his jade eyes shining with sudden, cunning light, "I just don't let anyone see me."

The memory faded, and Castor snapped back to attention, looking left to right rapidly to see if he had missed anything important. Pollux had apparently noticed his lapse, again watching the ground below. His twin's jade eyes flitted upwards to meet his, before flitting back to where they had been trained on beforehand. "Look at him now. See how Saif moved to Na'ir's right side."

"I still don't see what you're trying to tell me."

"Don't you see?" Pollux hissed. "Every movement he makes is always on his right. His right side is always facing the opponent. If not, he makes mistakes, he panics, shifts."

"What about it?" Castor said. "Not anything special about that, really."

Pollux paused, breathing deeply. "Saif's blind, Castor, in his left eye. He always makes sure those close to him are on his right side, because he can't see with the opposite eye."

"Blind?" Castor did a double take, watching Saif's retreating figure with a new degree of interest. He couldn't be blind – could he? Nobody could fight that well and still be blind… right? "He can't be. Someone would have noticed –" He stopped himself, glaring darkly in Pollux's direction. "—someone older, would have noticed and said something about it."

"The older Absol don't know everything, because they don't bother with much anymore, I thought I told you that."

"Still, you think they would have noticed."

"They don't bother to take the time to notice him. He hides his blindness well under normal circumstances, in any case. I doubt even Na'ir realizes that Saif is blind, it took me quite some time to come to that conclusion myself. He's strong, and he trains here often. He doesn't want to be weak, so he works at hiding his disability from others."

"If he's so good, why bother hiding it anymore?"

"A weakness is a weakness nonetheless. You'd be surprised what other creatures have to hide. Father, Mother – everyone and everything has something to hide. If you want to discover them, you have to be patient and watch.

"Listen, Castor," Pollux said slowly, making Castor look up at him in surprise. Pollux never talked to a great extent unless he had something important to say or point out. His twin was obviously trying to choose his words carefully, "not everything is made plain for you to see. You can't just run along and expect to know everything from the beginning. Sometimes you can't be part of the 'who' and watch everything fly past you; sometimes you have to watch and figure out the 'how' and 'why'. Think on it."

With that, Pollux disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, leaving Castor to attempt to decipher his brother's words, or ignore them entirely.