Hey all! DarkSlash9 here with another chapter of Pokemon: The Fellowship of the Aura! I'm sorry this one took some time to come out. I switched majors from Computer Science to English, and as a result, majority of my time when not at my job is spent doing my classwork. Which is all reading and writing. As I'm sure you can imagine, the last thing I want to do with my free time many days is MORE writing, whether it's recreational or not. But I'm still here, and still workin' at it!
Enjoy the chapter!
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XIV
[? ? ?]
"I just love 'em both, y'know?"
"I understand, but you have to realize you can only pick one..."
"How can I?! I can't imagine my future without either of them... Both of them make me feel complete when they're at my side. I feel unstoppable, like I can conquer everything. Plus, picking one is gonna hurt the other so much. I don't want to cause that sort of pain, neither of them deserve it. C'mon, there's gotta be way. I came to you specifically for advice."
"I'm sorry, but I really don't think there's a way around this. You have to choose."
"...Do I have to do it now, though? There's still so much to do, I can't afford to shake up the team's foundation smack dab in the middle of my quest. There's so much at stake..."
"Bug Catcher Rick," sighed Nurse Joy, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You can only keep 6 pokemon on your team at once. You have to choose between your Kakuna and Metapod. One of them has to go in the computer if you want to add your new Kricketot to your team. The League makes the rules, not me."
"This isn't fairrrrrrr..." moaned Bug Catcher Rick, his shoulders slumped. "I came all the way to Sinnoh... for more bugs... only to learn I can't catch 'em al-"
"Too bad, so sad. Get the fuck away from the counter, pal." grunted a voice from behind the young Bug Catcher. "Preferably now. Thanks."
Too distraught to care about who had spoken to him so rudely, Bug Catcher Rick dragged himself over to the computer, muttering near-silent nothings about the cruelty of the world as he did. Once the young trainer's large hat was out of the way, the Nurse Joy behind the counter was able to set her gaze upon her next customers, which were an unusual bunch to say the least. They were a group of young adults, all but two of them clad in dark blue cloaks. One of them seemed to be unconscious, his limp body slung over the shoulders of another.
"Oh my, what happened?!" asked Nurse Joy, hands over her mouth.
Unfortunately, no one in the Fellowship had prepared for such a question. Therefore, many different answers came forth.
"Don't worry, he just got blasted with some Sleep Powder, nothing crazy." answered Max.
"He... ran into a stop sign...?" murmured Serena, rather lamely. "Oh, it stopped him alright, haha... ha..."
"He tripped down an escalator at the mall!" blurted May. "Twice! And then he.. um..."
"He fell out of a tree. He's got a concussion, I think." lied Rosa. "Right, Nate?"
Nate nodded with great enthusiasm, and with that, everyone fell silent.
"...I'm sorry, could you say that again?" requested Nurse Joy, confused to infinity and beyond. "Just one of you, this time."
"He's way too drunk. 'Poor sap blacked out." groaned Gary, carelessly dropping Ash on the floor. "LAST time I EVER let this doofus spike his Capri Sun juice pouches with Jack Daniels. Anywho, we'd like a room upstairs for him to sleep it all off, and we'll probably need it tomorrow too. He'll definitely have a terrible hangover, considering he chugged 8 shots' worth of Malibu tequila after the spiked Capri Suns. I think I saw him slurpin' some red wine too. Honestly, I think it's time we staged an intervention for him. It's pretty obvious he's getting out of control, and don't even get me started about how many times I've walked in on this guy licking empty containers of Burn Heal. That stuff's not even meant for human consump-"
"She gets it." intervened Rosa, stepping forward. "So, can we get a room?"
"Of course!" beamed Nurse Joy, pulling a room key from behind her counter. "Just go up the stairs, 5th door on the right! I wish your friend a speedy recovery! ...And a life of sobriety."
"Much appreciated." replied Rosa, taking the key.
She then turned around, nodded at everyone else, and made her way towards the staircase. The rest of the Fellowship followed, Gary having lifted Ash onto his back once more. As they walked up the stairs, May caught up to Rosa, leaning close to the younger brunette's ear.
"I'm guessing you were reading her mind that entire time." she whispered. "Did she really believe Gary's crazy explanation? Like, she wasn't suspicious at all?"
"Somehow, she wasn't." confirmed Rosa, rolling her eyes. "She thought your Fellowship cloaks were kinda weird at first, but then she decided that we're probably cosplayers. Apparently there's some sort of convention in the city today. We're fine."
"A convention, huh?" muttered May, her lips curving into a small smile.
A few moments later, the group found themselves in the room. It wasn't extremely spacious, but large enough to fit two separate beds without being cramped. As soon as the door had been opened, Gary rushed in and tossed Ash's body onto the closer bed, letting out a loud sigh of relief. He then threw himself onto the bed, exhausted from the day's events. He wasn't the only one, either. Everyone found a place to relax, whether it was the other bed, the floor, or against a wall.
For a while, nobody spoke, but eventually the silence was broken by the sound of a stomach grumbling. Nobody fessed up to whose it was, but they didn't need to; they were all experiencing the same hunger.
"Someone should probably go get some food." declared Max, eyes closed. "Won't be me though, I've got people to heal. Gary, you've got money, right? How about you-"
"No." droned the Researcher, burying his face into a pillow.
"I'll go." volunteered May, raising her hand. "Wanna come with me, Rosa? Serena?"
"...I'll stay here, with Ash." replied Serena.
"I'd go, but I think it's better I don't." sighed Rosa with an apologetic smile. "Nate doesn't like being touched by anyone other than me, unless it's absolutely necessary. Max will probably have an easier time if I stay here."
"Alright..." conceded May, lolling her head. Her face then lit up, a new idea coming to mind. "What about you, Gar-"
"What part of 'no' don't you people understand?" questioned Gary, his face still submerged in the bed's pillow. "I'm exhausted! Take someone who didn't carry Ash the entire way here."
"Pika pika pi!" chirped Pikachu, climbing onto May's shoulder. "Pikachu!"
"There, you have a companion. Also, since you're heading downstairs, please have Nurse Joy restore Gardevoir's teleports. Please and thank you." said Max, tossing May Gardevoir's ball. Once the brunette caught it, he continued speaking. "Now please go, I can't heal properly on an empty stomach. Get some tacos. Good tacos."
"I'll have a burger, please." requested Gary.
"I haven't had mac and cheese in years... It'd be great if you could find some." added Rosa. "Thanks. As for Nate... anything spicy will do."
"A salad is fine for me." said Serena.
May looked at everyone with a straight face, her expression unreadable. But then, before anyone could question her stares, her lips curved into a smile.
"Tacos, a burger, mac and cheese, a salad, and something spicy. Got it." she said, turning towards the door. "We'll be back in a bit!"
May then opened the door and left the room, walking down the short hall. Once she was far enough, she raised a hand to her shoulder and pet Pikachu, who was more than happy to receive such a gesture from his second favorite human. After the pet, he looked at her face, spotting an all too mischievous glint in her eyes. Curious, the yellow rodent tilted his head. In response, May's smile widened, and the devious look in her eyes intensified.
"Pfft, we're getting a pizza. They'll live." stated May, rolling her eyes. "But first... let's check out that convention."
[Veilstone City: Reggie's house...]
Not much had transpired since Paul had left. In the meantime, Reggie had stationed himself in the living room, watching whatever TV channel caught his interest.
While most siblings would have found issue with their younger sibling's cold demeanor, Reggie did not. Simply put, that was the way Paul had always been. There was not a shadow of a doubt in his mind that Paul shared the same brotherly love for him; there had been many occasions throughout their lives in which he'd shown it, in one unorthodox way or another. Every Christmas, Paul was sure to get Reggie a gift. On his birthday, Paul always called, early in the morning at that. And when Paul truly needed advice, he wasted no time in contacting Reggie, doing his best to voice his concerns, confusions, or stresses. Their bond was one of little contact, but when they did talk, there was always care laced in the conversation. There was a mutual understanding between the brothers, one that would never be questioned by either of them:
They were all each other had, and they knew it.
Paul had been too young to understand the circumstances surrounding their parents' deaths, and frankly, Reggie preferred it that way. Some things were certainly better left known only by big brother, and such a topic was surely one of them. Young and gullible in his early childhood, all Reggie had to say was "car accident" and Paul had never questioned the disappearance of their parents ever again. It was a necessary lie; the truth of the ordeal was far beyond what a mere child could grasp. Even as Paul grew older, Reggie did not reveal the hidden truth... but perhaps it was time for that to change.
Reggie leaned his head back into the couch, exhaling as he did so. It wasn't going to be an easy conversation, but lying wasn't in his nature. Every year it became harder to conceal the true nature of their family... as well as the true reason behind his abrupt end to his pokemon training career. Failing to obtain the Brave Symbol in the Battle Frontier was as credible of a reason for dropping the Trainer lifestyle altogether as falling off a bike was for never biking again. Yet another lie he'd been forced to tell.
Deciding the TV wasn't interesting him anymore, Reggie stood up and made his way upstairs. He walked past his room, and past Paul's. His destination was the attic, a room no one else was allowed in beside himself. Once he reached it, his eyes locked onto a small door in the far corner of the room. As he made his way towards said door, he reached into his apron's pocket and pulled out a small metal key. The key was rather old looking, sporting more than a few splotches of rust.
However, before Reggie could insert the key into the corresponding keyhole, a faint knock was heard, presumably from the front door.
"He's back already?" he thought, sighing. He'd have liked more time to mentally prepare for the impending conversation, but obviously, no such grace period was to be allowed. "Jeez, that was quick. I could've sworn there was some sort of convention downtown today too..."
He then shoved the key back in his pocket and headed back down the stairs, not intent on keeping his brother waiting for too long. Despite his stoic nature, Paul was never a fan of patience. And so, with a brisk jog, Reggie approached the front door and opened it, revealing who was at his doorstep.
[Veilstone City: Shopping District...]
"I fucking hate this city." thought Paul, shimmying his way through multiple people.
Of course there was some sort of anime and gaming convention conveniently taking place on the day he returned to Veilstone; such was his luck. Most of the city wasn't too affected by Super Hype Imagination Temptation Con 2020 (SHIT-Con for short), but the heart of the shopping district, where the convention was taking place, was in utter chaos. Paul found himself unable to walk three steps without bumping into a cosplayer, gamer, otaku, or fusion of the three. What should have been a 20 minute trip to the Berry Shop for some Oran Berries had turned into a nearly 90-minute quest, one which only grew more frustrating as the minutes continued to pass.
But finally, he had the berries. Bag in hand, Paul was en route back to his house. But it seemed SHIT-Con 2020 was just getting into full swing, because there seemed to be even more people saturating the streets than there were before. Paul did his best to keep himself calm, but all of that effort went out the window when he reached a long line of people, none of them moving out of his way. He attempted to squeeze through, but no one on line would grant him such passage.
"Will you people just get out of my wa-"
"Look man, if you want pizza, you'll have to wait in line like the rest of us!" growled a young man.
One look at the teen's NSFW hentai shirt, cargo shorts, and lime green crocs was all Paul needed to deduce he was another SHIT-Con goer. With a heavy sigh, Paul prepared his rebuttal.
"Holy guacamole!" shouted another person in line. They were dressed in Naruto's clothes, but had Goku's hair; a mismatch that only served to further enrage Paul. "WHAT is taking so long?!"
"Some dumb bitch with big tits, a stupid bandanna, and a smug-ass Pikachu is holding the fucking line up!" answered a person - in a full body Scooby-Doo fur-suit - further ahead in line. "How hard can it be to order a damn pizza?! Freakin' air-headed bimbo!"
Just then, a pillar of blue light came into existence, a fiery column of azure energy that gained the attention of all who were close enough to see. The energy quickly lessened right after it's abrupt entrance, but did not leave completely. Instead, it seemed to be moving down the line, making its way from the pizza stand down towards the area Paul was near. Unable to understand what was transpiring, everyone present looked at one another, hoping someone had the answers. But alas, things would be made crystal clear when the source of the cerulean plasma was finally in sight.
"WHO THE HELL SAID THAT?" bellowed none other than May Maple, her irises sizzling with Aura. She was slowly walking her way down the line, attempting to sniff out the culprit with her Aura. It was hard to do; every single person she made eye contact with was fearing for their life. "WHICH ONE OF YOU WAS IT? C'mon now, don't be shy! Say it again! To my face!"
Finally, May arrived at the man in the Scooby-Doo fur-suit. Once close enough, she grabbed hold of the costume's headpiece and pulled it off, revealing the man's face. His eyes held terror, terror the likes of which Paul had never seen. Sniffing blood in the water, May grew angrier, and so did her Aura.
"IT WAS YOU, WASN'T IT?!" she roared, tossing the Scooby head several feet behind her. "Zoinks Scoob, it sure is easy to talk shit when your face is hidden, huh?! Say it again! I'm here now! Big 'ol boobs, stupid badanna, smug Pikachu; the whole package! Do it! Say it again! Do it for a fuckin' Scooby Snack, ya pansy-ass prick!"
"It wasn't me! I'd never talk about a woman that way, ever!" lied the man, his tone frantic. His eyes then darted to his left. Out of all the interesting characters he saw nearby, his pupils zoned in on the one with purple hair. "It was him! That guy said it!"
Astonished by this utterly fraudulent turn of events, Paul's eyes widened even more than they already had.
"OH?!" questioned May, turning to Paul. "I ought to-... wait a minute... where have I seen you before?"
As soon as May's voice lowered, her Aura retreated, her eyes losing their glow. She took a few steps closer to Paul, beyond sure he was slightly more than just a stranger to her. They may not have even met before, but there was no doubt in her mind that his visage was familiar. Unbeknownst to May, Paul vaguely recognized her face as well, but just like her, he could not pinpoint how.
"What's your name?" asked May, hands on her hips.
"Paul." answered Paul, taking a cautious step back.
"Paul..." repeated May, her eyes narrowing. "Yeah, that definitely rings a bell... Any clue, Pikachu?"
"Pika!" hollered Pikachu, waving his paws in the air. "Pika pikachu! Pi pi chu, pikachu!"
May stared at Pikachu with a blank expression.
"Why did I even ask?" she muttered to herself. "Only Ash can understand you anyway..."
At the sound of May's second sentence, Paul let out a low hum, slowly nodding his head as he did so.
"I knew that Pikachu looked familiar..."
"...How?" inquired May, raising an eyebrow. "He looks like every other male Pikachu. He's literally got no distinguishing traits."
"When you spend a whole season of Pokemon Training battling a powerhouse like that one, you never forget what it looks like." answered Paul, folding his arms. "What are you doing with Ash Ketchum's Pikachu?"
"Ohhhhh! Now I remember!" beamed May, smiling. "You're that guy Ash battled in the Lily of the Valley Conference! His rival! I saw you guys go at it on TV!"
"You didn't answer my question."
"Why should I?" snapped May, her smile quickly turning upside down. "After what you called me, you're lucky I haven't punched you in the throat!"
"That wasn't me. It was Scooby." revealed Paul, glaring at the Scooby-Doo cosplayer. "I'm lactose intolerant, I don't even eat pizza. Back to my question. Why do you have Ash's Pikachu? And where's Ash? I haven't heard anything about him in years, it's like he fell off the face of the Earth or something."
"Well, you're not too far off..." mumbled May. Her face then lit back up. "He's here in Veilstone though! He's a little under the weather, so to speak. But I'm sure seeing an old pal like you would lift his spirits! I can take you to him, if you'd like."
"If it's not an inconvenience, sure. But maybe later in the day, I have to drop these berries off at my house first. My brother needs them."
"Not a problem!" declared May, pulling a pokeball out of her pocket. She then tossed it into the air, releasing the pokemon within. "My brother's Gardevoir can teleport us there."
"What about your pizza?" asked Paul, watching as the Embrace Pokemon materialized in front of him.
"My debit card got declined. Repeatedly. Pizza isn't in today's itinerary until further notice." admitted May, scratching her head. "But that's not important right now. Gardevoir, take us to Paul's house."
Gardevoir nodded, and in a flash of lavender light, May, Paul, and Pikachu were whisked to the other side of Veilstone City, away from the massive crowds of SHIT-Con 2020.
...
...
"Here we are!" announced May, returning Gardevoir to her ball.
"This is my street, not my house." corrected Paul, looking around.
"I don't think Gardevoir is very familiar with the area." chuckled May. "She did her best."
"Hm." hummed Paul, walking in the direction of his house.
"So..." began May, following. "What've you been up to all these years?"
"I stopped being a Pokemon Trainer and joined the Sinnoh Police Academy." answered Paul, not turning around. "I enjoyed training, but it's not a job that secures a stable income. But an even more important reason I stopped is because wanted to do something that makes more of a difference in the world. I'd rather help stop a robbery or defeat a mob boss than spend my life battling pokemon for the entertainment of others."
"I see..."
"What about you? Do you still coordinate?"
"How'd you know I-"
"I've seen you on TV before too." replied Paul. "You're the Princess of Hoenn or something like that, right?"
"I was..." sighed May, her tone deflating. "I've been on a pretty long hiatus of sorts. But after I help Ash take care of some really important business, I'm going to get back into it. But as things are right now, I don't think I'm very deserving of that title."
"You'll get it back. I've always thought Pokemon Coordinating was a pretty stupid, useless, and juvenile profession, but I'll admit you were pretty good at it from the little I've seen." complimented Paul. "What's this important business you've got with Ash? Are you pregnant or something?"
"...No."
"You act as if that's an outlandish assumption."
"You act as if that's not a rude thing to say to-... Paul, which house is yours?"
"The light blue one up ahead." answered Paul. "Why, is the morning sickness kicking in?"
Instead of answering Paul, May rushed past him and jogged further down the street, towards his house. In the split second it took for her to pass him, he noticed that once again, her irises were glowing with blue light, the same energy he'd seen her emit in her earlier rage. But her face didn't look angry this time around, it looked extremely serious, as if she were on her way to a fight or something. Aware that such a sudden change in demeanor couldn't be good news, Paul picked up the pace as well, following the brunette. However, he found himself unable to catch up. She was much faster than he expected, prompting him to call her name in between breaths in an attempt to regain her attention. But he received no answer.
It was a feeling May had become accustomed to sensing in recent days: the presence of Dark Aura. It was coming from Paul's house, and from what her novice sensory skills could deduce, there were three sources. None of them were nearly as strong as the raw energy Giovanni, Kamerion, or even Wade possessed, but it didn't matter. Dark Aura was bad news. She knew her senses weren't lying to her either; her shoulder felt Pikachu's body tense up at the same time that hers did. Paul's house was under some sort of attack by the Dark Order, plain and simple.
When she reached the house's driveway, May immediately took note of the fact that the front door was left completely ajar. Without a moment's hesitation, she released Glaceon from her ball and ran up the steps of the porch, entering the home.
What she saw upon her hasty entrance into the foyer brought her legs to a full, abrupt stop. Slumped against the wall was a man with purple hair not too different from Paul's. A trail of blood ran from the corner of his mouth, the red liquid matching that of the massive red stain in the center of his torso. As she stood there, processing the horrid scene before her, her ears picked up on the sound of feet shuffling around on the second floor of the house.
"May," gasped Paul, having just reached the doorway. "What the hell are you..."
At the sight of Reggie's condition, Paul let out a sound that bridged the divide between a cry and roar. The bag of Oran Berries was promptly dropped to the ground as he dashed towards his fallen brother, shoving May out of the way in the process. Once at his destination, Paul knelt beside Reggie, hands shaking. He opened his mouth to speak, but did not find his voice. Words were beyond his ability at the moment, but tears were not. Hands still trembling, he reached for Reggie's neck, feeling for a pulse. He felt one... but it was faint. Too faint.
The immense tempest of shock, pain, and fear dominating Paul's Aura was what snapped May out of her own petrification. She could feel her own emotions running high; sadness and rage especially. But it was not the time to unleash them, not yet. Without a word, she released Gardevoir from her ball once more.
"Teleport to Max, and bring him here. Now." she ordered, her voice in a deadly state of calm. She then turned to Glaceon. "Glaceon. Ice Beam the wound to stop the blood loss. Afterwards, stay with Paul."
Both pokemon hastily did as they were commanded, while May and Pikachu quickly sprinted further into the house and up the stairs. With each step, May's Aura burst into existence, responding to the state of her mind. Although her anger was burning bright, her mind held a distinct sense of clarity, an adrenaline rush only reachable to those gifted with the supernatural. She could sense the Dark Guardians responsible for Paul's pain up ahead, in what seemed to be the attic.
As she approached the door, Pikachu hopped off her shoulder, sparks flying from his cheeks. He'd jumped off just in time for May to lean back and kick the door open, knocking it off its hinges in a blast of azure light. Without skipping a beat, May rushed towards the first enemy she laid her eyes upon. The Dark Guardian had barely realized what was happening by the time she'd bridged the gap between them. With a deep-seated grunt, May rammed her fist into his face, literally flattening his nose. Well aware her punch wasn't enough to end him, she grabbed hold of his shoulder and continued to bash his face in, delivering 4 more punches to the same spot, with the same fist. That did the trick.
Rendered limp by May's assault, the Dark Guardian crumbled to the floor, his face concave. Aware there were two more fish to fry, May turned around, only to see one of the other two Dark Guardians only an arm's reach away from her, sword in hand. From such a close distance, there weren't many options for May to counter his advance with, but luckily, she wasn't alone in the fight. In a flash of yellow, Pikachu leaped into the air and met the blade with an Iron Tail. While the Dark Guardian dealt with the recoil of the clash, May took a long step forward and swung her fist, backhanding him in the jaw. Like shooting stars, teeth soared out of his mouth, streams of blood propelling each tooth to their new home on the hardwood floor.
However, his serving wasn't complete. Before he could fall onto his back, May grabbed hold of his coat. Of course, she knew no real moves or techniques with her Aura, but she didn't need any, especially not when she was angry. With a low growl she called upon said anger, igniting the Dark Guardian's body with the spiritual manifestation of her rage. By the time she'd finished, the consciousness had been stripped from his eyes.
On a roll, May let go of the second Dark Guardian's coat, allowing him to collapse. She then focused her attention to the last enemy standing, who was already being dealt with by Pikachu. The yellow rodent was far too swift to be touched by such a low-ranking Dark Guardian, each failed swing of his sword rewarded with a powerful dose of voltage. Still level-headed, May restrained herself, speaking up.
"Pikachu, paralyze him with Thunder Wave."
Pikachu complied, launching the attack on the Dark Guardian. When the wave connected, his body began to shiver and convulse, his body's muscles seizing to various degrees. Once it was clear he could no longer move, May approached the Dark Guardian, looking him in the eye.
"Why are you here?" she asked, quietly. "What did you come to this house for?"
"I'm not telling you anything." declared the Dark Guardian.
"You'd better." advised May, channeling Aura into her eyes.
"I'm not afraid of you." he spat. "Long live Master Brecht, and long live the Dark Order."
Aware there were other ways to get the information she wanted, May closed her eyes. When she reopened them, they were back to their usual sapphire color. She then took a deep breath and promptly exhaled, turning towards the attic's entrance. Her timing couldn't have been more perfect, for as she did, a newcomer entered the room. But it wasn't an enemy; it was an ally.
"Goodness gracious..." muttered none other than Max Maple, eyeing the bodies of the two Dark Guardians May had decimated.
"What are you doing up here?" inquired May, eyes widening. "You have to heal Paul's broth-"
"There's nothing I can do for a wound like that... He was stabbed through the abdomen. Completely through. He already lost too much blood by the time you froze it." sighed Max, closing his eyes. "He's still alive, but barely. The best I could do was eliminate the pain from it all. He's not going to make it... How did all of this even happen? What were they even here for?"
"I don't know." admitted May, turning to the paralyzed Dark Guardian. "But I think we'll get our answers soon enough. For now... let's go back downstairs."
"What about him?" asked Max, pointing to the Dark Guardian.
"He's already paralyzed, but I'm going to have Glaceon freeze him too. We're not done with him yet." answered May, exiting the room.
Silent, Max and Pikachu followed May down the stairs. When they arrived in the foyer, they were met with a truly heart-wrenching sight. Paul, crying, had Reggie cradled in his arms, his face still riddled with disbelief at what was happening. It seemed Max was successful in eliminating the pain from Reggie's fatal injury, for he seemed far more aware of his surroundings than he was when May had found him moments earlier.
As the Maple siblings cautiously approached the two brothers, Reggie's half-closed eyes focused on them, his lips struggling to move.
"Thank... you..." he sputtered, coughing up blood at the end.
Paul let out another cry at the sound of Reggie's voice, for it was the first time he'd spoken in the entire ordeal. In response to Paul's voice, Reggie slowly turned his head towards him, establishing eye contact.
"Paul..." he whispered, attempting to reach into his pocket. However, he did not have the strength to complete the task. "My... pocket... The key..."
Heeding his brother's orders, Paul hurriedly reached into Reggie's pocket, pulling out the key in question. Paul looked at the item through watery eyes, still unable to find any words to say.
"4...4...6...9... The attic..." coughed Reggie his voice growing weaker. "I'm... sorry..."
"Stop talking!" yelled Paul, finally finding his voice. "It's not too late, we can get you to the hospital. They have a Gardevoir, we can teleport you there!"
"I'm... sorry..." repeated Reggie, his eyes narrowing. "Mom... and Dad... our family..."
"Get your Gardevoir out and take us to the damn hospital!" shouted Paul, turning to May and Max. "TAKE US!"
"...No..." objected Reggie, grabbing Paul's hand, the one holding the key. "Just..."
Unfortunately, Reggie's sentence would be left forever incomplete. As quickly as he'd held Paul's hand, he let go, his body losing the last of its strength. Refusing to believe what he knew to be true, Paul dropped the key and clutched Reggie's shoulders, gently shaking him. But his efforts bore no fruit.
His brother was dead.
"Paul..." uttered May, sporting tears of her own. "I-"
"Leave."
Paul's command left may May frozen, her mind heavily debating what to do next. Her decision made, she took a step forward, reaching for Paul's shoulder.
"We're not gonna leave you alone like thi-"
"Please..." insisted Paul, his voice losing what little composure it had. "Leave us alone."
May opened her mouth to object, but closed it when she felt Max's hand firmly grasp her own shoulder. She turned to her younger brother, who responded with a slow shake of the head.
"No more, May. We're doing more harm than good by staying any longer." murmured Max, his voice hollow. "Let's capture the Dark Guardian and head back to the Pokemon Center."
"But-"
"We'll come back later." sighed Max, heading back upstairs.
As Max left the room, May took one last glance at Paul, who had not moved an inch. Seeing anyone in such horrid pain was enough to cause her own heart to hurt, and such a sensation was only made worse when possessing the ability to feel the Aura of others. But she knew Max was right to honor Paul's request for solitude. No amount of words from a mere acquaintance such as herself would be of any use in soothing his sorrow. No amount of words from anyone, really. Only time could work such a wonder; a truth she herself was coming to understand in recent months. And so, she reluctantly followed Max up the stairs, letting her tears flow freely down her cheeks.
[Veilstone City: Pokemon Center...]
Awkward silences were never welcome, but given who was left in the room after Gardevoir's sudden abduction of Max... this one was quite bearable. Max had finished healing Nate in May's absence, but hadn't gotten very far into Ash's treatment before his abrupt departure. At first, everyone left in the room thought it odd for Gardevoir to do such a thing. But they quickly dismissed it as some sort of matter between siblings, as only May could have been responsible for Gardevoir's action. As a result of Max's incomplete healing, Ash was still unconscious in the bed. Next to him was Gary, who was finally getting the sleep he'd missed out on the night before. This left Serena, Nate, and Rosa as the only conscious individuals in the room. But, with Nate being mute, the only ones capable of breaking the silence were the ladies.
Serena was sitting on the floor, in the corner of the room, lost in various thoughts. Rosa was sitting on the room's second bed, reading a magazine. Nate was peeking over Rosa's shoulder, staring at the magazine. None of what Rosa was reading interested him all that much, but there were some pretty cool pictures.
...
...
"What's on your mind?" inquired Rosa, still reading her magazine. "You've been so quiet."
Serena quickly looked up at Rosa, startled by her sudden question. Her face then scrunched up a bit; it would have been a valid question if it was asked by literally anyone else on the planet. Seeing Serena's somewhat incredulous look, Rosa put down her magazine.
"If I went around reading everyone's minds instead of talking to them, I'd have the social skills of a baked potato." she joked, rolling her eyes. "Go ahead, I promise I haven't been peeking."
"There's a lot on my mind... there always is." replied Serena, her eyes traveling to the window. "I spent 4 years alone traveling the world, with no one to talk to besides my pokemon. Spending time in my own head was all I did, so I guess, in a way, I've already become a baked potato myself. I'm not as good at talking to people as I used to be... it all just feels so complicated sometimes. So most of the time, I don't engage. It's easier."
"Fair." said Rosa, nodding her head. "People certainly take the art of conversation for granted. I think your reasoning is sound, I can definitely understand it. But I'm sure you realize that if you rarely speak up, you'll rarely be understood. The less you speak, the more your silence can be misconstrued. If we didn't know any better, any of us could interpret your quietness as you not liking us. That you're just here because you love Ash and no one else."
"That's not how I feel at all..." objected Serena. Her eyes then narrowed. "And I thought you said you haven't been peeking."
"I haven't." chuckled Rosa. "Your feelings for him are kinda obvious, no offense. The only time you're not staring off into the distance is when you're staring at him, and the only times you truly speak up is when he's the subject. Anyway, can you see why someone would jump to such a conclusion? But, as you just said, that's not how you feel. So how do you feel? What's been bothering you?"
"I just... This whole saving the world thing. Am I the only one that feels like that's a lot to put on just a handful of people?" asked Serena, opening up. "It's not that I don't believe in us; we're all capable people. But there's a whole organization of Dark Guardians out to get us. Kamerion wasn't even their leader, and look how much of a toll he took on Ash. It's scary. And that scariness just feels worse when I take into account how much we still don't know. Even with everything that's happened since I released Ash from the Tree of Beginning, we still barely know the enemy. Until now, our quest's been moved along by necessary rescues and stuff just being thrown at us. Now that the Fellowship is one person away from being complete, and for once, no one is in harm's way... how do we go forward besides taking a bunch of random shots in the dark?"
"That's a valid concern." evaluated Rosa, leaning onto Nate. She then smiled. "I guess now's as good a time as any to reveal that Nate and I have tons of information on the Dark Order, huh?"
"You do?" asked Serena, leaning forward. "Why haven't you said anything?"
"Ash has been either fighting or unconscious for the entire 2 and a half hours that we've known him." droned Rosa. "Once he wakes up and we're all here, I'll gladly-"
Just then, familiar lavender luminescence flooded into the room, all three conscious inhabitants aware of what it was. In a second, the light died down, revealing May, Max, Pikachu, Gardevoir... and a human-sized block of ice. Hungry, Nate shrugged Rosa off of his shoulder and approached the returned comrades, looking for the food May had promised to return with. But no such meals were to be found. Disappointed, Nate turned to the block of ice, taking a few steps closer. He was definitely thirsty as well. And so, he stuck his tongue out, preparing to melt some of the ice into his mouth with his fire breath. But before he could, he noticed what seemed to be eyes looking back at his own, from within the ice. Startled, he backed up and reclaimed his spot next to Rosa, who was looking at May and Max with a frown.
"What happened?" she asked. She then looked at the ice, noticing the person trapped within. "Who is that?"
"Are you guys alright?" inquired Serena, noticing the dejected looks on both Maple siblings' faces.
"The Dark Order attacked a civilian's house..." explained Max, returning Gardevoir to her ball. "May and Pikachu took care of them... but we couldn't save every innocent that was in danger. We brought one of the grunts back with us to figure out what they were after, since he refused to spill. Nate, if you could thaw out his head, that'd be great."
"..."
"Nate," ordered Rosa. "Thaw out his head."
Nate nodded and returned to the ice block, placing both hands on it. The ice directly under his hands glowed orange, melted into water, and then evaporated into vapor; a testament to the teen's mastery over all things thermodynamic. As Nate worked to free the Dark Guardian's head, May walked over to the corner Serena was sitting in, taking a seat next to the honey blonde. Normally, such an action would elicit some sort of discomfort on Serena's end, but given the obvious melancholy in May's face, she opted to silence her natural apprehensiveness for once. Instead, she focused on the frozen Dark Guardian, whose head was approaching full thaw.
His job done, Nate stepped away from the ice, allowing the Dark Guardian to truly take in his surroundings. As soon as he noticed the blue cloaks on 5 of the 7 people in the room, he scowled.
"I already told you, my lips are sealed!" he roared, shivering. "I'm not telling you anything!"
"That's fine." replied Rosa, walking up to him. "You won't have to."
All it took was eye contact. Just a second's worth of staring into the petite teen's eyes caused the Dark Guardian to experience an indescribable brain fog, one that vanished as quickly as it came. By the time it had ended, he'd barely understood what she had done. However, the truth of her action became all too clear to him when she turned to everyone else and spoke.
"They were after something called the Chaos Badge." she announced. "Anyone heard of it?"
Nobody spoke up. Instead, they all continued to stare at Rosa, expecting her to say more. In return, she stared back, confused by their silence.
"What?" she asked. "That's all I got from him. He doesn't know anything about it besides the name, and the fact that it was located somewhere in that specific house. It was a mission ordered by the head of the Dark Order himself, so they assumed it must have been a very important item. They were told to leave no witnesses."
"Well, who wouldn't assume something called the 'Chaos Badge' is important?" muttered Max, resuming his healing of Ash. "Whatever it is, Reggie lost his life defending the secret of where it's kept... We all know how these Dark Guardians work. They're not going to stop until they get what they were sent for. I wouldn't be surprised if Paul is targeted next, whether he knows about it or not."
Each step away from Reggie's body seemed impossible, but somehow, Paul found himself taking them. His legs felt as if the bones had been replaced with jelly, both appendages threatening to collapse at any second. His breathing was uneven, his head was pounding, and his stomach was hurting, but he pushed onward. Instead of spending his last words on something like "I love you" or "Don't worry about me", Reggie had stressed the importance of the key in his pocket. Even in his utter turmoil, the peculiarity of such a fact was not lost on Paul. To his dying breath, Reggie spoke of the key, the attic, and... their parents? That last one was too bizarre to entertain any deeper thought, at least in Paul's current state of mind. Making his way to the attic had taken all the physical and mental strength available at the moment.
Upon opening the attic door, Paul was met with the bodies of the two Dark Guardians May and Pikachu had defeated. Even in his sorrow, he couldn't help but take a second to marvel at how brutally they'd been handled. He wondered how she'd done it, but quickly remembered the blue power he'd seen her manipulate, the same power her little brother had tried and failed to save Reggie with. Pushing his thoughts aside, Paul made his way to the corner of the attic.
When he was a kid, he'd noticed the small door. He'd seen it during his numerous childhood stealth missions, where he'd climb into the attic whenever Reggie was busy. He examined the door every time, but could never ask his older brother what was beyond it; that would reveal that he was snooping in the attic, which wasn't allowed. All his life he'd wondered what was in the door, but never did he think he'd get his answer at the cost of Reggie's life.
He knelt down and inserted the key, turning it twice. At the end of the second turn, the door unlocked and slowly swung open. The light from the attic poured in to the compartment, revealing...
A heavy duty stainless steel safe, with both a dial and a number pad.
At first, the intensity of the device startled Paul; Reggie was not rich, at all. How could he afford such a heavy duty gadget? Where'd he get the money? Paul closed his eyes and cleared such inconsistencies from his mind, as those were questions for later. He refocused his attention to the number pad, recalling the numbers Reggie had told him. Until then, he'd been lost on what the numbers had meant, but one look at the safe brought them to the forefront of his thoughts.
"4...4...6...9..."
The safe let out a clicking noise, accepting the passcode. Paul then opened the door, revealing its contents.
All the safe contained was a small black chunk of rock, no larger than a gumball. Just looking at the pebble was enough for one to deduce it as abnormal; the texture was quite bizarre, unlike any type of rock he'd ever seen. Wanting to feel its surface, Paul reached for the stone.
This would prove to be a mistake.
As soon as his skin made contact with it, wisps and tendrils of black steam materialized in close proximity to his body, the constructs violently whipping through the air. In random intervals, they latched onto his body, covering him one by one. Escape was but a naive fantasy, as Paul's body had developed some sort of absolute paralysis the moment he'd touched the rock. Even if he could move, the pain of each wisp forcibly merging with his skin would have stopped him.
When the excruciating pain had begun to cease, Paul opened his eyes to see two wisps of dark vapor left. At first, he wondered what spots they'd missed. His entire body was in pain, it didn't feel like there was anywhere left to target. However, his confusion didn't last very long. As soon as he'd realized what two spots were left, he attempted to close his eyes again, but found himself unable to. The last two wisps then rushed into his eyes, completing the bond. Paul's eyes then closed, his body collapsing into unconsciousness.
...
...
...
"Paul?"
As if he were waking from a horrible dream, Paul opened his eyes and sat up, his breathing erratic. Beads of sweat speckled his forehead, some of them even trickling down into his eyes. It hurt, but the sting from the sweat was nothing compared to the pain he'd felt just moments prior. After rubbing his eyes a little, he looked forward, recognizing the voice that had woken him.
"...Reggie...?" he uttered.
Standing before him was none other than his older brother, alive and well. Still sitting on the attic floor, Paul looked around, shocked to see the room completely normal, no dead or incapacitated murderers to be seen. The only other person in the room was Reggie, who looked just as confused as him.
"What are you doing up here? You know the attic is off limits." asked Reggie, helping Paul to his feet. "But first, how did you even get up here? You left to go pick up the Oran Berries like, an hour ago. Maybe even longer, actually..."
Paul stared at Reggie, eyes wide. Instead of answering his questions, he pulled his elder sibling into a tight hug, refusing to let go once the embrace hit the 5 second mark. Reggie raised an eyebrow at the embrace, as such an action was the furthest thing from Paul's character. However, when he heard what sounded like sniffles and sobs from Paul, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.
"Paul...? What happened?" he asked, returning the hug.
"You're alive..." mumbled Paul.
"...I've always been...?" half-laughed Reggie. "Just tell me what happened Paul. This is all very confusing without any context, haha."
"I had a dream..." began Paul, removing himself from Reggie. "I came back with the berries and you were dying... you were stabbed through the chest. The killers were looking for something. They were up here, in the attic... The person I came home with took care of them, while I sat in the foyer with you. You gave me this... key..."
Paul's words dwindled into silence as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the key. He stared at the item, his blood running cold at the fact that it was still in his possession, despite the earlier events being written off as a nightmare. After looking at the key, he looked up at Reggie, who was staring at the key, slack-jawed. But before Paul could say anything else, Reggie closed his mouth and recollected himself.
"And I'm guessing I told you to go to the attic." predicted Reggie, face straight.
Paul nodded.
"And you opened the door in the corner. And then you unlocked the safe?" continued Reggie.
Paul nodded.
"...I see." finished Reggie, his tone shifting to a darker cadence.
"I touched the rock inside the safe, got attacked by black... steam tentacles, and before I knew it was waking up... here." explained Paul, wiping the tears from his eyes. "What's going on? What's happening? What was that thing, and why do you have it? Is any of this even real?"
"Paul..." sighed Reggie, closing his eyes. "I was thinking about telling you everything today, actually. I should've known what was going on as soon as I heard a loud banging noise up here and found you out cold on the floor..."
"Tell me everything about what?" asked Paul, frantically.
"Calm down." ordered Reggie, with more authority than Paul had ever heard from him before. "Save all your questions until I'm done talking, alright? Simply put... you're in the past. Well, for me, it's the present, but for you... it isn't. Ugh, this is a lot to unpack at such short notice... Okay, look, the rock that was in the safe was no ordinary rock. It's called the Chaos Badge, and it's, for lack of a better term, bonded with you now. I know I told you Mom and Dad died in a car accident. That was a lie, and I'm sorry for that. The truth is... they were killed. Killed by the same guys who I'm guessing killed me. Our family has been in possession of the Chaos Badge for a long, long, long time, and in turn, we've had targets on our backs for a long, long, long time. The badge is an ancient artifact that a certain cult has been after for thousands of years. They killed Mom and Dad looking for it, didn't find it, and left before finding me hiding under my bed. I figured my existence was more or less a secret from them, but I guess not."
"What the hell are you talking abou-"
"Questions for after I'm done." repeated Reggie, putting a hand up. "The Chaos Badge is extremely powerful, and extremely dangerous. There are people in this world that utilize something called Black Magic. It's exactly what it is in fiction: magic that can warp reality, cast illusions, curse people... all that stuff - and more - is real. Black Magic functions off of catalysts: physical objects that house the power of the magic. The Chaos Badge was the first catalyst ever created, and the original Black Magic item. Each catalyst for Black Magic has access to different abilities and such, with the magic depending on what materials the catalyst is made of. The Chaos Badge was crafted out of the meteorites that surround Veilstone City, which, if you paid attention in school, are very special in their own right. They're among the first chunks of matter created when Arceus built the world. They're imbued with a fraction of Arceus power, as well as that of the creation trio. And so... the magic follows that blueprint too. I hope that all clarifies things a little."
Paul stared at Reggie as if he'd grown a second head.
"I figured this would be your reaction." noted Reggie. "I'd say you don't believe me, but for obvious reasons, you have to. The Chaos Badge gives the user limited control over time, space, and antimatter. You're here because of it. The power it grants is nowhere near as powerful as the capabilities of Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina, but still, having just a piece of their strength makes you one of the most powerful entities on the planet. I know it's a lot to take in, but-"
"I believe you." spoke Paul, his face straight.
"You do?"
"The person I came home with... she used blue energy. I don't know what it was, but it clearly gave her abilities normal people don't have. After seeing that, it's not-"
"Oh, it was a girl you brought home?" asked Reggie, smirking. "Look at my little bro, reeling in the ladi-"
"How can you be so calm right now?!" snapped Paul, raising his voice. "You're about to die! If I'm supposed to believe all the hidden truths you've just dumped on my lap, then I'm here, in the past, merged with some relic that gives me the powers of a god, telling you that you're going to be killed soon! Reggie, you have to get out of here. Hide, go to a different region, do something. Save yourself. This is why I was sent back here, because Arceus in Heaven knows I don't know how to use this thing on my own. This is my chance to save you."
"No." answered Reggie, quite quickly. "Paul... there's a lot that comes with having the Chaos Badge in you. I'm sorry this all got dumped on you in such a traumatic way. I wanted to sit you down and tell you all of it piece by piece, but given the circumstances, I had to do it at once. The longer you stay here in the past, the more drained you'll be when you return to your present. And that's just the beginning when it comes to the badge. I myself have very little experience using it, but there are certain rules that you have to follow with it. The most important one surrounds time traveling specifically. The past is to be learned from, not altered. If me dying is in the cards... then you can't change that. This version of you would essentially blip out of existence if I didn't stay here and die, because you would never get the Chaos Badge, and you'd never have been able to be here right now."
"But... isn't it already changed since we're having this conversation?"
"Yes, but this is an inconsequential change. Things can still go more or less exactly how they went down originally. Stopping my death, on the other hand, would have far greater consequences. I'm sorry... but it is what it is, and you have to go back to your proper spot in time before they come for me."
"Who are they, even?"
"I don't know completely... but they've been after the Chaos Badge for millennia. I know their interests span far beyond just the badge, though. They're involved in a bigger world and have goals we probably can't even understand. They just want the badge to help in whatever their mission is. The thing is, it wouldn't be as useful to them. The average person can use the Chaos Badge, but it's full power is only accessible by specific bloodlines. Unfortunately, it's pretty easy to spot someone compatible with it..."
"How?"
Reggie sighed.
"Purple hair is a dead giveaway." he revealed. "Obviously, only those with naturally purple hair. Anyone with purple hair, no matter how different or distant, is linked genetically to our family somewhere along the line. I don't know how they knew I specifically had it, but if they knew I had it, they know you exist. They'll come for you. Don't think they won't; I'm your proof that they will. You said the girl that took care of them used a blue energy, right? She's strong?"
"...Yes."
"I'd stick with her if I were you. You have to stay safe. I love you, but I don't want you to join me in the afterlife until you're an old man."
"Reggie..."
"It's time for you to go." declared Reggie, putting his hands on Paul's shoulders. "You've already been here for a couple minutes, you're gonna be exhausted when you get back. Staying any longer is gonna be dangerous... *sigh*... I don't know what kind of goodbye you got from me when I was minutes away from death... but I'm sure it wasn't enough. Even now, we're on a time constraint... I just- ...I'm sorry, uh, I'm sorry... Goodbye, Paul."
Reggie then pulled Paul into another hug, this one even tighter than Paul's initial one. As his head rested on his older brother's shoulder, Paul could hear what sounded like sniffles. He pulled away from the hug, locking gazes with Reggie, whose eyes were already watery. But his face held nothing but a loving smile. At this, Paul began to cry as well, knowing this was the true and final goodbye.
"Like I said, stay safe." pleaded Reggie, wiping his eyes. "Watch your back, keep your eyes open. You're going to do great things, Paul, I know it. I know when a person has a great future ahead of them... and I've never been more certain that someone's gonna change the world than I am with you. Don't let the assholes killing our family stop you from achieving that greatness."
"As if... They won't even have the chance." stated Paul, wiping his eyes. "I'm going to crush them. Permanently."
Reggie's smile saddened as he put his hands on Paul's shoulders once again.
"I'd be happier if you just kept safe... but hey, I've never been able to stop you from doing what you've wanted to do. If you do manage to get a grip on the badge's abilities and try to take them on... destroy them, alright? Dynamite up the ass?"
"Dynamite up the ass." confirmed Paul, chuckling.
The two brothers then stared at each other, neither knowing what to say next. The staring contest was broken by Reggie placing his palm on Paul's chest. As soon as he did, the black wisps of dark magic materialized around the two of them, much less violently than they did when merging with Paul's body. Regardless, Paul still looked around, terror in his eyes.
"Relax..." chuckled Reggie. "I'll admit, I barely know how to use this thing, but I can at least send you back... Do me a favor and think of the girl you came home with, alright?"
Paul nodded, bringing May Maple to the forefront of his mind.
"Goodbye, Paul." said Reggie, softly. "I love you."
For what felt like the thousandth time in the past 10 minutes, Paul's vision clouded itself with tears.
"I love you too..."
The tendrils then wrapped themselves around Paul, and within seconds, he vanished, as if he were never there to begin with. Once he was gone, Reggie closed his eyes and took a deep breath. There were still some residual tears on his cheeks, but before he could wipe them, he heard what sounded like knocking on the front door. A horrible rush of nausea overtook his gut as he turned around and exited the attic. He'd been strong in front of Paul, but underneath the facade, he was terrified beyond words.
But he still made his way down the stairs, intending to answer the visitors.
"Then we have to protect Paul." declared May, finally speaking up. "Whether he wants us to or not."
"I don't know how easy that'll be." muttered Max. "Obviously he doesn't have much of a reason to bear any ill will towards us, but it was very clear he needs some time alone. He didn't really get any closure with his brother..."
"We also have to think about the practicality of it." added Rosa. "Is carrying him along with us on our perilous quest to save the world the best way to protect him? Traveling with people that aren't part of the Fellowship sounds dangerous, especially for said people. For lack of a better term, their plot armor is thin. Plus, he doesn't have any type of abilities that'll allow him to defend himself. Serena and our sleeping scientist over there don't have powers, but they've proven they're nothing to take lightly. I don't know if Paul will be able to do the same."
"I agree." chimed Serena. "But at the same time, I think we'd be the best candidates to protect him from the Dark Order. In fact, we're probably the only ones who can."
Rosa turned to Serena, somewhat proud that she'd contributed to the conversation... even though it was in her opposition.
"Touché." replied the brunette.
"Well, regardless, we can't make the decision without Ash." said Max. "We'll have to wait until I'm done healing him."
"There's no time for that." objected May, rolling her eyes. "Who knows how long your crappy healing will take to wake Ash up?"
"Who knows how long your crappy face will take to shut the 7-layered Hell up-"
Just then, a mass of black aether burst into existence in the center of the room, just inches away from May and Serena. Its sudden entrance silenced everyone present, while also spurring their battle instincts into action. They had all seen the black essence before, and they knew what it could have possibly entailed. Max removed his hands from Ash and braced himself. Nate placed himself in front of Rosa. May placed a protective arm in front of Serena, which the latter found quite unnecessary, but let happen anyway. Even the Dark Guardian held captive had a response, his expression lighting up at the idea of a savior coming to rescue him.
However, that was not the case. The Black Magic quickly dispersed, revealing the young man underneath it all. Almost everyone backed down once they saw him... almost everyone. Unfamiliar with the purple-haired newcomer, Nate immediately lunged towards him, embers flying off his knuckles. But before he could reach his target, he was met halfway by May, who had moved far faster than she ever had before. She caught both his hands, sustaining burns on her palms as she did so.
"Down, boy!" she growled, trying to ignore the pain. "It's Paul!"
"Down, boy?" repeated Rosa, tilting her head. "He's not a dog, y'know. *ahem* Nate! *whistles* C'mon! C'mere! He's not an enemy! Yoohoo! Come back!"
"Not a dog, she says..." muttered Max, walking up to May. After examining the burns, he grabbed her hands and healed them instantly. Then he scowled at her. "Who's got crappy healing now? You're welcome."
"Thanks..." grumbled May, as Max returned to Ash's bedside.
Still behind May, Paul cleared his throat. This, of course, prompted everyone to refocus their attention to him. As soon as they did, the vibes of the room underwent a sizable shift. Paul's eyes were puffy, and red; evidence he'd been crying a lot. In general, he looked far weaker and more fatigued than he did when the Maple siblings had left him, and that was no more than 15 minutes earlier. However, none of that was what truly garnered everyone's attention.
On his forehead was a glowing number 7, a mark of the Fellowship. At first, Paul stared back at everyone else, waiting for them to say something. But after a couple seconds, he fell into his own state of silent awe. He was being stared at by multiple people, all with glowing blue numbers on their foreheads. In his immediate sight, there was a 1 on Rosa's head, a 2 on Nate's, and a 5 on May's. He then turned around, spotting a 3 on Serena's forehead and a 4 on Max's. And then there was Gary. He was sleeping face down on the bed, but his pillow was glowing blue, confirming a number on him as well. The only one without a number was Ash.
Ash had a different thing going on.
As everyone began to notice their marks appearing on each other's heads, Ash's body began to emit a soft blue glow, prompting Max to back away from him. A second later, his eyes opened. At this point, every member of the Fellowship was staring at him and him alone, waiting for him to sit up, talk, or do anything. But no such actions would be taken. Instead he just continued to lay there, his eyes slowly focusing on each person present.
"Is he alright...?" asked Paul, his voice hollow and raspy.
"I don't... know..." stammered Max, shaking his head.
"Ash?" called Serena, slightly concerned. "Everything alright?"
No answer came from Ash. Instead, he stared at Paul. And stared. And stared. Deciding enough staring had occurred, May turned to Rosa.
"Rosa, can you...?"
"One sec..." sighed Rosa, attempting to read Ash's mind.
...
...
...
"-ucking agony. Oh my god why are they still staring at me, someone please move me, I am begging you. May! Serena! Oh my god oh my goddddd! AND WHY IS PAUL HERE?! Is he my Sleep Paralysis demon? Is that a fucking SEVEN on his forehead?! ?! Ughhhhhhh please HELP! HELP ME! Mom! Brock! Anyone that actually CARES for me! AHHHHHH! Why-"
Rosa opened her eyes.
"Max, shove him." she ordered.
"Shove him?" questioned Max.
"Shove him." confirmed Rosa.
Doing as he was told, Max took a step forward and shoved Ash. Hard. So hard that Ash rolled into Gary, which, in turn, knocked Gary off the bed and onto the floor. Both Pallet Town natives let out loud, panicked yelps at their rough handlings, both of them startled into full, unhindered consciousness. While Ash slowly sat up, relieved to have regained full control of his body, Gary rushed to his feet, his eyes bloodshot and angry due to his sudden awakening.
"Alright, who the fuck-... ...is this?" questioned Gary, his tone shifting from rage to confusion at the sight of Paul.
"It's... Paul." answered Ash, getting out of the bed. "So, uh... what's poppin'? No, no, wait, let me start that over. *ahem* Hi, Paul. What are you doing here? How did you find me? Or even know that I'm alive...?"
"I'd like to know the same thing..." added Max, approaching the purple-haired newcomer. "How did you get here, Paul? You just kind of... appeared."
"Reggie sent me." answered Paul, stoic as ever.
"Oh, Reggie!" beamed Ash, remembering Paul's older brother. "How's he doing?"
As soon as Ash's question was heard, May, Serena, Rosa, Max, Pikachu, and even Nate cringed in pure discomfort, aware of Reggie's unfortunate fate. Meanwhile, Paul simply closed his eyes and sighed, walking towards the room's exit. Before actually leaving, he looked over his shoulder and gestured for Ash to follow him. Greatly confused by the general vibes of the room (as well as the fact that a 75% frozen Dark Guardian was stationed at the foot of his bed), Ash shrugged his shoulders and followed Paul out the door, Pikachu in tow.
"Something tells me I've missed a lot while I was out." thought our hero, scratching his head.
"Deadass." confirmed Pikachu, climbing onto his shoulder. "Basically, we took you to Veilstone City, May and I bumped into Paul when we were getting food for everyone, we took Paul home, found Dark Guardians raiding his house, they killed Reggie, Paul told us to leave, we took one of the Dark Guardians captive to learn what they were after... and then Paul appeared in the room with what looked like Black Magic. When he did, the Mark of the Fellowship appeared on him, and then everyone's marks appeared. Then you started glowing and woke up fully healed."
"Gotcha. However, I have many questions..." Ash, barely able to take in all the news at once. "First, what were they after?"
"The Chaos Badge." answered Lucario, joining the conversation. "It is an ancient relic, first created in the times shortly after Arceus' sealing of Master Brecht. It is the original catalyst for Black Magic, and the most powerful."
"Wait, you KNEW what it was?" questioned Pikachu. "And you never said anything because...?"
"Unless I am released from my ball, you and I cannot communicate without Ash's consciousness serving as a bridge."
"Okay, so what does this Chaos Badge do?" thought Ash, following Paul up a flight of stairs.
"I must preface by saying this: It is quite unexpected for the host of such a corrupt power to be a prophesied member of the Fellowship. But the Aura makes no mistakes. I digress. At the cost of great fatigue and strain to the user, as well as the shortening of their life-span, the badge grants the user extremely limited access to a dark emulation of Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina's reality-warping capabilities."
"Oh, well that's... neat." replied Ash, eyebrow raised. "I-"
"Where have you been all these years?" asked Paul, interrupting the raven-haired Guardian's thoughts. "You completely fell off the radar after winning the Kalos Conference, and now you're back... looking like some sort of golden-boy paladin or something."
Before answering, Ash looked around. They were on the roof of the Pokemon Center, allowing them a serene view of Veilstone City's afternoon skyline. His vision then focused on Paul, who was standing a couple feet away. He'd noticed earlier, but now that Ash had been allowed a good look at his old rival, he was truly able to see how exhausted he looked. It was slightly discomforting, but for the sake of the conversation, our hero ignored it and opened his mouth to speak.
"Well, if you want the truth..." sighed Ash, folding his arms. "I was whisked away to an ancient temple wedged between time and space to train in the ways of the Aura for 5 years to defeat an equally ancient evil bent on plunging the world into eternal darkness."
"Short, sweet, and to the point." complimented Pikachu.
"...I see." replied Paul, not moving. "I'd call you crazy or something, but after today... I just don't care enough to doubt it. I'm guessing all the people in that room are your disciples, oh noble messiah?"
"They're my comrades." corrected Ash. "There are 7 people destined to help me out in the whole deal. So far, I had 6 of them... but somehow, I woke up to the 7th."
Paul closed his eyes and shoved his hands into his pockets, aware of what Ash was telling him.
"You're always fighting some big bad boss, huh?" he asked, reopening his eyes.
"So it seems..." agreed Ash, looking to the floor.
"Why do you need help, then?" asked Paul, eyes narrowing. "Shouldn't you be used to these types of deals by now?"
"I've always had my friends and pokemon at my side. Through everything. You know that, Paul. This time's no different."
"Isn't it?" snapped Paul.
The two of them locked eyes, Paul's gaze holding intensity, Ash's gaze holding perfect calmness. Despite their unchanging expressions, the air was awkward, neither young man having a concrete idea on what to say next. Fortunately, the silence didn't last long. Paul's expression softened, a shaky sigh escaping his throat.
"When I said Reggie sent me, I meant a different Reggie. My older brother just lost his life... not even 2 hours ago." explained Paul. "And now, I have this thing in me... some ancient magic rock or whatever. It sent me back in time, to before... before he was killed. We talked, and his past self told me to stick to May... which by extension, probably means I should stick with you..."
"Mhmm. Well, I guess I can say I'm glad we're on the same page-"
"But let me make something clear." noted Paul, stepping towards Ash. Before continuing, he raised a trembling, fatigued hand to Ash's cloak, pulling the Aura Guardian closer. "I'm not like your friends. None of my enemies will get any chances at mercy; I am going to do what I have to every single damn time. Don't stop me when those times come, or you'll be my enemy too. Prophecy or no prophecy."
"Paul, I'm sorry about what happened." sympathized Ash, his tone soft. He then grabbed Paul's hand rather tightly, removing it from his cloak. "I can't imagine what you're going through, but I can sense a lot of pain and anger, so I have a feel for where you're coming from. But let me make something clear. Nobody in my gang pulls their punches. If that's your biggest concern about joining me, then don't worry, you'll feel right at home. As I said before, I'm sorry about Reggie. I know it's still fresh, so hearing someone as obscure as me pep-talk you won't soothe the pain at all. Luckily, I wasn't planning on delivering one. Instead, I have a promise for you."
"A promise?"
"A promise."
"And that promise is...?"
"Vengeance." droned Ash, his expression darkening tenfold.
Paul closed his eyes again, letting out a weak, hollow chuckle.
"I didn't think a word like that was in your vocabulary." he joked.
"Oh, I've got bars for days." dismissed Ash. "Anyway... You and I have battled a ton in the past, but we both know if it ever came to it, we'd have each other's backs. Never have I ever had yours more than now. The guys who broke into your house are the same guys I'm trying to erase from the planet. As your friend, as your rival, and now, as your teammate... I promise we'll destroy them. All of them."
"I'll hold you to that." replied Paul, walking towards the stairs. "I'll watch your back too... It's not like I have much of a choice."
"You do, but really you don't." laughed Ash, spawning his staff in his hand. "Hey, Paul?"
"...Yes?" answered Paul, turning around.
As soon as he did he was met with the tip of Ash's staff being tapped on his forehead. As usual, a blue Fellowship cloak materialized around his body, officially marking his inclusion. The purple-haired officer-in-training looked down at his new threads, not impressed in the slightest. Finding his indifference amusing, Ash smiled.
"Welcome to the Fellowship."
...
...
...
"It's downright awe-inspiring how you left for food... and came back with a Dark Guardian!" noted Gary, in mock enthusiasm. "That's definitely a power play if I've ever seen one!"
"Look..." growled May, folding her arms. "Shit happens!"
"Calm down, calm down..." sighed Gary, waving his hands. "I'm hungry but not that hungry. I was just messin' with ya."
"No, you weren't." corrected Rosa, having returned to reading her magazine.
"Thanks, Rosa." growled Gary. "Tiny snitching psychic bitc-"
"Call me a bitch again and you'll be sorry." called Rosa, still reading her magazine.
"You really know it all, huh?" snapped Gary, glaring at her.
"I do." replied Rosa, lowering the magazine so she could look Gary in the eye. "Actually... this is the perfect time to share what I know. Good work, Gary."
Gary's eyes widened, his face suddenly becoming even paler than Paul's had been moments earlier.
"Hey now," he started, his voice shaky. "There's no need for any of tha-"
"I don't mean sharing your suspiciously keen knowledge of drug cartels and black market trading." explained Rosa, rolling her eyes. "I mean my knowledge on the Dark Order and what they're after. Ash and Paul are making their way back to the room now. With Paul's inclusion, The Fellowship is complete. It's time to pool our knowledge and build a game plan."
Gary's shoulders relaxed.
"Oh... haha... true."
Just then, Ash and Paul re-entered the room, Paul dressed in standard Fellowship attire. Everyone turned to them as they entered, except for the frozen Dark Guardian, who had been awfully silent as of late. However, such silence was subject to change once he sensed the Chosen Guardian had returned to the room.
"Chosen Guardian!" he roared, eyes blazing with Dark Aura. "I will bring honor to Master Brecht and the Dark Order by defeating you right fucking now-"
"Bastard..." seethed Paul, realizing who the Dark Guardian was. "You... ngh!"
As if responding to his anger, black wisps of magic slithered from Paul's body, swirling around him with grace. A split second after they released themselves, they lunged for the Dark Guardian, wrapping themselves around him as he screamed in raw, unfiltered agony. Ash and the rest of the Fellowship stood slack-jawed as the scene played out before them. As the wisps consumed the Dark Guardian, Paul's eyes lacked neither pupils nor irises. They were just an unsettling and even white.
Once the villain's body was completely covered, it and Paul's magic quickly dissipated into nothingness. Gone, without a trace.
...
"...'The fuck?" inquired Gary, eyebrows raised.
"What... did you just do to him?" asked Serena, petrified in fear.
Paul, eyes back to normal, turned to Serena to respond, but found his vision blurred and his balance shaken. Before a single sound could come from his throat, he collapsed, landing face first on the floor. For a second, nobody did anything but stare at him. Once said second passed, Rosa took it upon herself to walk over to his body and place a hand on the back of his head, closing her eyes.
"It's harder to read people when they're unconscious..." she muttered, her eyebrows furrowed. She then opened her eyes, having successfully acquired the information she sought. "He... he sent the Dark Guardian to the center of the Pacific Ocean. Equidistant from any and all possible land or islands nearby. It's unclear whether he did it on purpose, though. But, at the very least he knows where the Dark Guardian was sent."
"He was already barely able to function when he first appeared here..." noted Max. "Doing that, whether he actually intended to or not, must have drained him completely."
"We'll be staying in Veilstone City until he recovers, then." declared Ash, picking Paul up. Once he placed the unconscious officer on one of the beds, he returned his attention to everyone else. "The Fellowship is complete, now. We shouldn't move while one of us isn't at 100%. Nobody gets left behind."
"Max, do you think your healing would help him recover faster?" asked May.
"My healing? My crappy healing?"
"Drop it." droned May, in no mood for any sibling banter.
"...Yeah, it should help... somewhat." answered Max, rather sheepishly. "It's gonna take some time, though."
"While we wait, Rosa can finally tell us what she knows about the Dark Order." said Serena, looking around. "We can just fill Paul in whenever he wakes up, right?"
"We can." confirmed Rosa.
"I honestly don't know how much more exposition Paul can handle at the moment, haha..." said Ash, sitting on the edge of a bed. "But yeah, he'll have to learn it all later, if you don't mind telling the story twice. How much do you know, Rosa?"
Rosa smiled, an intelligent gleam in her eyes.
"A lot."
...
...
...
Ash cleared his throat.
"So um... Do you intend to tell us that lot, or...?"
"Oh." stammered Rosa. "I didn't know that was my cue to start. Hm... where to begin...?"
And that's that. I want to start off by apologizing for a false promise. I wanted to fit Rosa's explanation into the end of this chapter but I feel like it would fit a little better at the start of the next chapter. Honestly I don't have much to say besides one thing...
Paul is NOT going to be some overpowered god character.
Yes, his powers are very strong, but I intend to balance it out with the amount of fatigue it imposes on him. Definitely somewhat of a glass cannon type deal. Worry not.
So...
What is the Dark Order's master plan (FOR REAL THIS TIME)?
What is the next step for the Fellowship?
When are we gonna get some good Amour vs. Advance action?
Find out the answers to all these questions and more in the next installment of Pokemon: The Fellowship of the Aura!
Deuces,
~DarkSlash9
