Gardevoirite Arc: The Captured Guardian

"That guy is really annoying," Mari commented. Jacky said nothing to that and just smirked softly. When they reached the woods, Noivern and Skarmory went into descent and they landed in a small clearing in the forest.
"I have no idea if this is the right place..." Mari looked around. "Doesn't look like this place is inhabited... Yuna?"
No reply followed.
"Well, that's to be expected..." Jacky opined.
"Great... we may as well be stuck search around every cursed forest in Unova for this stupid-ass garden!",
"This is going to be tedious..."

Mari sighed in frustration as something shimmering whizzed past their heads and got stuck in the bark of a tree behind them. They both flinched in equal measure.
"What was that?" Jacky asked. Mari examined the object. It was a star-shaped metal disk. The prongs were sharp. "That... that's a shuriken. You know, these star-shaped weapons that ninja usually throw around."

Suddenly, a Bisharp landed in front of her and she stumbled back, startled. The Pokémon's blades shone dangerously.
"You're Yuna's friends?" A masculine voice came from the undergrowth and a young man landed beside the Pokémon light-footedly.
"Hey... I know your face." Mari recognized the boy. "Uh... You're Kaze, right?",
"Yes. I remember you guys. So I was right, you're friends of hers. But Yuna... isn't here at the moment.",
"Isn't here? Where is she?"
Kaze looked at Bisharp and nodded at it. It disappeared into the shadows again. "I'm afraid you can't stay here, it's been restless lately.",
"Why? Is there a problem?",
"It..." He paused for a moment and seemed to wrestle with himself. "I don't know if I can tell you. But from what I and my comrades have witnessed, we can trust you. I hope so", he added with an emphatic undertone. "Please, follow me.",
"Witnessed...? What the heck are you talking about?",
"That's not important now." Kaze turned and ran off. Mari glanced at Jacky. She just shrugged and they both followed.

They ran along a hidden path under the trees and, after a while, arrived at a large, sheltered clearing. "This is our home." There were several huts in the clearing and ninjas of all sizes and ages were milling about.
"Awesome," Jacky was amazed by what she saw. "A hidden village in the forest? Now how cool is that?",
"Doesn't anyone ever come here?" Mari asked. "You seem to be living a secluded life here.",
"The forests are protected by the authorities", Kaze replied. "It is strictly forbidden to enter this part of the woods, as it is the territory of our tribe. We never get visitors from outside. You're the first ones.",
"...Oh, so we've broken the rules. Oops." Mari laughed embarrassed. "Anyway... uh... what exactly is the problem right now...? I mean, you wouldn't take us here if there wasn't one, right?",
"Haruka!" A small, young-looking ninja with small daggers on her belt turned to them as Kaze called out to her. "Come here for a moment, please!"
She nodded and ran over to them with the agility of a feline predator. Mari and Jacky waited hesitantly.
"Hello!" Haruka bowed slightly and looked at them with blue sparkling eyes. "You're strangers... What are you doing here?"
Kaze looked down at the little girl. "I was hoping they could help us free Yuna.",
"Free Yuna?" Mari repeated. "What do you mean?"
Kaze turned to them. "...She was captured. By the enemy ninja clan that lives across the river. She is now their hostage.",
"Wait, there are two clans?",
"Yes, indeed. And we're not friends."

Haruka hurried away.
"That sounds serious... Why was she kidnapped? Is there a valid reason?" Mari wanted to know.
"Yes..." he explained. "The Mahtaria Clan has been at enmity with our clan, the Varya Clan, for generations. Both of them possess a treasure that the other would immediately pay for in blood without hesitation.",
"And they... want to have it, otherwise they will harm Yuna, I suppose...?",
"Yuna is the guardian of the Endless Meadow in our generation." Kaze looked tense and his eyes were dark with worry. "Saoko, our chief, kept trying to make a compromise with their chief Saizo after her capture. But... by now, it's hopeless.",
"Endless... Meadow?" Mari was getting more and more confused.
"The place where the Fairy Garden is hidden", Kaze enlightened her. "I have heard that you seek to visit that place. But no one who doesn't know the right way can ever get there. Only the guardians know the secret path.",
"The Fairy Garden..." Mari lowered her eyes. "We indeed intend to go there. I think we have a problem now... there's a Mega Stone hidden in the Fairy Garden, right?",
"Correct." Kaze nodded and looked gloomily at the other ninja. "If you look closely... You can already see battle scars on their bodies."
Mari exhaled. "Oh, great... Kaze... we came here because we need the Mega Stone. It's a Gardevoirite, isn't it?",
"You know about it?" Briefly, he became suspicious. "How?",
"We heard about the Fairy Garden, from Elesa. Seems as though its existence is not a secret. And that it is also known that it harbors a mega stone. But that it was a Gardevoirite was just a theory... So it's true?",
"It is indeed true." Kaze didn't take his eyes off her. "May I know what you need the stone for?",
"In Sinnoh, time and space are out of control because a guy named Cyrus has taken their rulers hostage. He's after Arceus. We can't fight gods at our current power level, so we need the power of mega evolution if we want to stand a chance... If we can't stop them, then this world will be destroyed."

Kaze narrowed his eyes. "...Then... what Satsuki said is true..." he muttered introspectively, looking even more worried. He took a deep breath and then nodded. "I need to introduce you to someone who can tell you more than I can. Please, come with me." He went ahead and the girls followed him.

Kaze led them to one of the huts and entered. On the floor, an older man sat cross-legged, staring at scrolls. "Satsuki?" Kaze cleared his throat. "We have guests who would like to speak with you.",
"...Come in", the man replied. Mari and Jacky hesitantly entered the hut. "Excuse me, sir..." Mari began. She had absolutely no idea how to address a ninja. Satsuki raised his head and when he saw her, his eyes widened. "You...",
"What...?" Mari asked confused. "Did I do something wrong?",
"Ah..." He slowly stood up. "I saw you... in a dream.",
"Um... what?" Mari couldn't quite follow him.

"Satsuki...?" Kaze asked in surprise, but the older man continued talking unperturbed. "In the light, it dominates the opponent's will... With the grace of a thousand butterflies... it breaks the evil's shadow blade...",
"Uhm... excuse me, what?" Mari exchanged a puzzled look with Jacky, who just shook her head. She was just as clueless.

"I was talking about you, child." Satsuki pointed at Mari. "About you and your partner.", "About me and... Gardevoir?",
"Correct," he confirmed, lowering his head. "However, our guardian has been captured. Without her, you will never reach the Fairy Garden.",
"Uh... so... you would let me get the stone? Just... like that?",
"Your showing up here was not coincidental", Satsuki insisted. "You... have a purpose. You... are our hope.",
"...Uh... okay...?" Mari blinked a few times. "So... Yuna is the guardian of the Fairy Garden, and without her, I can't get there. So... we'll just have to free her, I guess?",
"You can't be serious!" Kaze shook his head, aghast. "Our strongest people haven't made it yet! That would be too dangerous!",
"Kaze, keep quiet", Satsuki ordered and Kaze fell silent on the spot. "I am aware of your strength, children." The elder looked at them again. "But Kaze is right. You can't do this alone, even with the power of another Mega Stone.",
"How do you know about that?" Jacky asked, confused.
"Satsuki is a seer," Kaze replied. "He sees a lot.",
"We never said we're gonna do it alone, right?" Mari shook her head. "We really didn't expect to get dragged into other people's business here. So... you want us to help out. In what way, exactly? It's not like we could take on a bunch of ninja just like that.",
"We will put our best warriors at your side to infiltrate our enemies' village with you tonight," Satsuki said. "The less fuss you make, the better.",
"Um... okay...? So you want me... of all people... to... march into your enemy clan's territory... with your people... to kick someone's ass. Did I get that right?",
"Once Yuna is freed, you will immediately make your way to the Endless Meadow", Satsuki decided. "Some of our people will stay behind to hold off any possible pursuers.",
"You seem really keen on me getting my hands on that stone, huh... I can't figure out why quite yet... If that thing is your well-kept treasure and you would shed blood to protect it, why the hell would you just give it to me?",
"You are our hope", Satsuki repeated.
"..." Mari had a very true-to-detail expression of WTF on her face.

Jacky looked at her and nodded with determination. "We can do this.",
"Kaze... I'm putting you in charge of selecting the warriors", Satsuki turned to the younger man. The latter seemed startled at first, but then nodded. "Leave it to me." With that, he disappeared. Mari looked after him. "...",
"I believe in you, children.", Satsuki said and then pointed out of the hut to another one at the edge of the clearing. "There, please stay until the preparations are complete. I will talk to Saoko.",
"Saoko. The head of your clan, yes?",
"That's right.",
"Okay..." Mari looked at Jacky. "Come."