even after everything, Hitasu couldn't help but feel guilty for the Pokémon at the lake losing their families and part of the lake, like any time he felt depressed, His mother's melody brought happiness to him as he began to quietly sing.
"Your song is nice..." A frail, Unfamiliar voice came from behind, Young and female as well just for her to see Acuity.
"You can talk?"
"Yes. I choose not to, but sometimes I have to talk a bit"
"Oh, I see, what are you doing up this late?"
"I could ask the same"
"Right. I guess I just feel guilty for not being able to save those Pokémon"
"I understand, you just have to know in your heart. That you can't blame yourself for what couldn't be avoided."
"Oh, I guess that makes sense, why is it that you don't talk?"
"I'd prefer if you didn't ask so many questions"
"Right...Sorry"
"It's okay, anyways I've come to learn that words can only get you so far, it isn't long until your voice doesn't matter. Actions are what show who you are"
"Oh, wow you're really wise!"
"Thank you. But, may I ask a question?"
"Sure, go ahead"
"You're in pain, mentally and physically, why do you hide it"
"I-I'm not in pain!"
"You don't have to lie, if you don't want to answer, you don't have to"
"No, It's okay, I guess I just keep quiet is I don't want people to have to worry about me, when they worry then that makes life harder on them"
"I understand"
"You do?"
"That's one of the reasons I choose not to talk, I have a fear that I may hurt others with the wrong tone or phrase. My silence...It's comforting to others"She began to say looking down at Hitasu, with him already asleep there was only one explanation, he was overworking every fiber of his being just to keep himself under wraps " Thank you for talking with me, you're quite sweet"
"Rise and shine! Good Morning everyone!"Crystal said with a cheerful tone looking at the two girls with an absence of Hitasu" Huh, He must have fallen asleep by the lake, Acuity, can you go get him?"She quickly nodded, rushing to the trail to find the lake, a ten-minute walk was all it was.
"Huh, She seems more eager than usual"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, usually when it comes to others, she tends to stay wary and slow"
"Could be that She's warming up to Hitasu"
"She usually takes up to a week just to willingly be in the same room as someone"
"Well, It's a good thing, so why worry about it"
"Sorry, guess it's just a little weird for me"
After seeing the boy, All there was to do was slightly poke his cheek to wake him up, with a second one he started rising up with a yawn and looking around.
"Acuity? What are you doing here?"He asked with a pause, almost expecting an answer "Right, I forgot, did you come to wake me up?"
She nodded reaching for his hand.
"Oh, thanks," Hitasu said with a slight smile and dusting off his clothes, "C'mon Piplup, let's get going"Piplup began to stretch before climbing back upon his shoulder and out under his hat.
Acuity began to point at Piplup with a confused look on her face
" Oh, you see Piplup likes the cold, since I keep ice in my hat, he treats it like an igloo" she nodded in understanding.
"Hey, guys! sorry I fell asleep at the lake!" He called out to Valor and Crystal who seemed to be preparing breakfast.
"Oh, Welcome back Hitasu and Acuity, We're just preparing some breakfast, go wash up and we'll explain today's activities"
"Right!" Said Hitasu with Acuity nodding next to him. They began to head towards a small water pipe sticking out from a concrete square that was used to wash hands.
"Alright then, so we'll be going on a hike to train our bodies, as a ranger, you must be able to endure travel and go through rough territory, although our hike is focused more on stamina"
"Right!"
"Alright, now that everything is done, let's get started, let your Pokémon get some exercise too!"
"Right!" The two said at once while Acuity nodded. With Piplup jumping out from under his hat
"Now that I think about it, I never saw your Pokémon"Crystal admitted as they both reached for a Pokéball and let them out, Valor had a Riolu who seemed to be rather rambunctious and mischievous, remarkably similar to its trainer, Acuity was no different with her Pokémon being Glaceon. With a calm expression and shy atmosphere, It's safe to assume that both were perfect partners.
" Wow, those Pokémon suit you perfectly!"
"Thanks a lot!" Valor said with Acuity smiling with a nod "She says thanks as well!"
"Oh, I guess when you're sisters, you tend to understand them better than anyone"
"Yup! That's correct!"
"Must be nice, do you have any siblings, Hitasu"
"None that I'm aware of, just Blue, but I don't see him all too often, and I don't think he likes me either" Hitasu took a pause"Although, technically that would make me his uncle..."
"Blue? As in the former Champion and Gym Leader?"
"Yeah, I'm adopted so nothing's biological between us"
"I'm so sorry to hear that, you must really miss your family"
"I don't think I remember anyone, from what I was told, I was raised by Pokémon from birth"
"Wow...I had no idea"
"Don't worry, most people typically don't"
"Right, Let's just keep moving"
With the sun now directly overhead, it seemed to only be getting hotter, not just for Hitasu"Guys...It's really hot...We should take a break for now..."Crystal said dropping down underneath a large shady tree."I bet you're especially hot, Hitasu"
"Yeah...He's already collapsed, I don't think he even has the energy to talk"
"Alright then, let's go ahead and rehydrate," Crystal placed down a cooler with straps on it to allow for easy carrying with several bottles of water, lemonade, and ice. Everyone took one with Hitasu gulping his down within seconds.
"Wow, you were thirsty, I barely had enough time to open mine!" Valor said with a slight laugh.
"Sorry, when it gets hot like this I can barely function...But this heat isn't natural"
"What, you think it's a Pokémon?"
"It's possible, we could be invading one's territory, or it could be others trying to make artificial heat for some purpose"
"Jeez, paranoid much?"
"When you have the physical ability to use fire type moves, people tend to come after you"
"I guess that's true, But let's rest up here for a bit," Crystal said resting her back against the tree while Hitasu sat in thought.
" This heat is unnatural...It doesn't appear to be as strong as Moltres's either...Perhaps a group of Magmar given the area...There's also a chance that it's Dim Sun again...Whatever it is I need to stop it as soon as possible"
"You okay, Hitasu?"
"O-oh yeah, I'm just thinking"
"About what? You don't think we're being attacked, do you?"
"I can say for sure we aren't being attacked, at least not yet anyway...The heat is strong, but it isn't directed towards us"
"You can tell?"
"Yes. Professor Oak found I had abnormal heat and ran tests to see how it functioned, he later dubbed it Curse of Moltres, given from the touch of Moltres".
Father, away there was a female voice with binoculars above the cliff. With her hot pink outfit, red lipstick, and hair, she looked like a superhero from movies. " Hm...This Hitasu kid you're looking for, His temperature is called Curse of Moltres, and appears to be weakened by heat, Magmortar, go down there"
An earsplitting roar came from the cliffs with magma rocks coming down in a landslide. One of those being the powerful Pokémon Magmortar crashed down, burning all in its path.
"Magmortar! Fall back everyone, I'll try to capture it!"
"You can't"
"What do you mean I can't!?"
"It's not wild, Magmar evolves by trade while holding a magmaizer, this means it's being commanded by a trainer... This means our stalker can stop hiding"
"Oh? So you noticed my presence, You're sharp I'll give you that. Fortunately for me, you're just who I was looking for, Hitasu Aquamari Oak is it? I say you've been quite an interesting topic, in your hat is Articuno's feather and ice, in your body is Moltres's flame, and I'd bet you get your sharpness from old man Oak"
He seemed slightly worried, She knew almost everything about him, just how long had she been watching him."Whatever you want with me, leave everyone else out of it!"
"Direct are we? Very well, Magmortar, fetch" It nodded with a sad look in its eye, Magmortar didn't want to hurt anyone, it was just following orders. Grabbing ahold of him, and carrying him up the cliff to the girl, Hitasu wanted Piplup to know it would all be okay.
"Use hail." Acuity spoke out to Glaceon, changing the ever painful heat into a cool shower of ice "Aurora Beam." With that, Magmortar began to cool, slowing down and dropping Hitasu.
"Acuity? B-but you haven't spoken in years!"She barely paid mind to it as she pulled out her student styler to calm down Magmortar
"I'll help too!" Crystal and Valor said using their stylers to calm the beast, With a single shout, their attempts were futile as Magmortar took the boy and retreated.
"Don't worry! Everything will be okay!"Hitasu called out with Piplup attempting to run up the cliff before being returned to its Pokéball as he locked it, and slowly rolled it down the hill" I'm sorry Piplup I can't have you risking your life to save me"
"Wow, you're some hero kid, no wonder everyone has their eye on you"
"Hitasu! I'm coming to help you!" Valor cried out being stopped by Acuity who held her arm out with a slow headshake
"We have to trust him."
"What are you saying! He'll get killed if they don't get what they want!"
"I'm sorry, but if we have any hope of getting him back, we can't afford to intervene until needed. I'm sorry..." With a single blow, she was put to sleep by jabbing a pressure point and letting her rest on her back.
By now Hitasu was long gone, tied to a chair in a jet with the girl sitting in front of him, watching his expression.
"I see that you're upset, but to be fair, we thought you were dead"
"And what, you want to make sure the job is done correctly?"
"Oh no! Nothing like that! I'm just looking to ask a few questions. Let's see, I know your name, I might as well tell you mine!"
"Why does it matter?"
"I would gag you, but I still need to ask those questions... Oh, I can wait a bit before the silence, So, I'm Lavana!"
"Lavana? What kind of name is that?"
"What kind of name is Hitasu, you're named Soak in Johtonian"
"I...I guess you have a point"
"Anyways, time for the questions, Why and how do you have the Feather of Articuno"
"I won't tell you!" He would have turned away if he wasn't stuck to the chair.
"I know your weakness, the heat which I can stand and enjoy heats you wish you could. Magmortar." She called for her Pokémon before turning the heat up by twenty degrees. Hitasu was in pain by the temperature while Lavana quite enjoyed it
"Now, let's try that again, how do you have the Feather of Articuno"
"I-I won't t-t-tell you!"
"Oh, you're resisting, well what if Magmortar turns it up forty degrees" It did as told with Hitasu practically covered in sweat, and yet it didn't cool him whatsoever.
"Alright, now answer the question!"
"Articuno raised me like a mother! She used the feather to keep me in check!"
"Oh, your mother is Articuno? This certainly is interesting, now tell me about Curse of Moltres!"
"Moltres tried to take over Articuno's domain, I tried to protect mum but ended up getting the curse!"
"Good, Good, One more question, Where is Articuno?"
"I don't know... I haven't seen mum's home since I was seven, She tends to migrate yearly"
"Hm...You don't appear to be lying, The two answers will be good enough for now, Thank you Magmortar, Return" She looked ahead as the boy was breathing heavily, only the ice kept him stable. "Oh calm down, at least I didn't take your hat, Except now I'm going to need it"
"Don't you dare lay a finger on it!"
"Why does it matter, it's just a hat!"
"This hat is the last and only thing from my birth parents"
"Oh, I guess being raised by Pokémon would make you an orphan huh, Why care about them, it's obvious they ditched you"
"S-shut up! What would you know!"
"More than you think, Now stay here and be quiet until you're needed," She said tying a bandana around his mouth preventing his speech"Is it too tight?"He shook his head"Well that's no good!"She tightened it as he let out a muffled cry.
The ride didn't last long, for Lavana anyways as she looked through her phone, glancing up at Hitasu with his non-ending struggle.
"Oh you're so cute if you think you can get out of that, I may be pretty but that doesn't mean I can't tie a good knot"
He seemed to ignore her as he continued shaking his body and arms to try and wiggle free.
"Are you ignoring me!? I told you you'll never escape from that, and even if you did, we're in the middle of the ocean!"
He grumbled a second before accepting his escape would have to wait until later.
"Good, Now sit still until we get there"
He nodded slightly, while quietly examining the ropes, she was right, there was no way he could escape on his own, Most likely she'll need to take him somewhere which means she'll have to untie him.
"Alright, is everyone here?" Mrs. April asked the group of rangers while the students ate lunch elsewhere then seeing Crystal and her group rush to her.
"Hitasu...He got taken!"She said in between breaths.
" What!? What is it about him that they want so much" Mr. Kinclad asked the other teachers and Rangers.
"From what that woman said, He had the feather of Articuno and the flame of Moltres, I'm not entirely sure what that meant"
"It means they know his secret"
"Secret?" Valor asked
"It's not for you to worry about, we'll handle it"
Acuity began moving her arms and hands in certain ways to convey a message.
"What's she saying?" Mrs. April asked
"I'm her teacher and not even I understand it"
"She's saying: 'Hitasu was raised by Articuno, they're searching for him to obtain its power. Hitasu surrendered himself knowing more Pokémon and people would be hurt if he didn't'. Acuity, I know you were smart but how were you able to know that?"
She did the same again, with different movements as well" I spoke with him at the lake?"She looked at her sister in shock "You met him yesterday and he's the first person you talk to in seven years!?"
She shook her head, speaking the language she knew best, sign language.
"That isn't important, There's only so much time until Articuno is attacked"
"Right, let's focus on that" A shrill cry erupted in the area as Articuno flew overhead, Its tears freezing and crashing upon contact with the ground.
"That was Articuno, What happened to Hitasu?" Keith and Erica ran up after seeing the blue bird.
"He got taken"