This has to be at least the fourth draft of this chapter that I did. Since I changed what happened to Lucario from movie I wondered what I should do with Sir Aaron. The original chapter followed the path that the dub took in the first half of the movie, but I made a last minute change and decided this one was better for the long run.

Chapter 02: My Inquiries

Time seemed to stand still.

Throughout the period of training I would not be allowed to leave the sacred forest that all who wished to learn the wave must train in. Lucario allowed me a grace period of a few hours to retrieve what I thought I needed from the kingdom before beginning, but he himself declined to return when I offered. I could not blame him. The standard provisions were all that was needed. The books that I took from the grand library were for my own personal use.

Two weeks passed in an instant in this place that had quickly become my home. The nest I shared with my new teacher was constructed by our own hands in the side of a mountain; an elevated cave carved out of the rock. It's space was divided evenly; my bed and supplies lining one side while Lucario's looked barren. The only object that he had taken with him was the staff that woman gave him, propped up in the corner. I always wondered the significance of the staff, but I did not want to invoke any negative feelings in Lucario.

I wanted him to forgive me, after all.

Lucario's discomfort was the worst in the hours that followed our agreement. He has since settled aside from an obvious nervous twitch whenever I stood close enough to touch him. It turned into a cold tremble when I actually did touch him; one that filled me with guilt comparable to the anguish he must have been experiencing. I did not want to cause any distress in the fighter in my staying, but I did not want to leave him either. It was quite a confusing contradiction that I could not define. It caused such emotion that I did not want to define.

To put it in words would be an understatement.

The world around me spun with vibrate purples and neon pink highlights. I could not focus no matter how hard I tried, though, and found myself turning in circles trying to keep the scenery around me stable. The reception was comparable to a monitor that had seen better years. I stopped when one lone object was almost in focus; the creature with the strongest wave in the area. A purple aura radiated from it's outline, so simular to my own, which stood in a casual stance with his ears erect until he instructed me.

" What do you see? " Lucario knew my name and story by now but he never addresses me formally.

I stood to face him. " My vision is terrible except when I look towards you. "

" That is ... not unusual. " It was faint, but I could hear Lucario muttering to himself. " You are naturally going to see the aura of the one closest to you the clearest. It is because they should always be in your mind and thoughts. Normally, it is whoever teaches you to control your wave. "

There was an awkward silence following that. I did not know what to ask, and he did not know what to say.

" Lunch. " The fighter said suddenly. " I think we should take a break from training for the moment. "

That was his respectful way of telling me to leave him alone for a few hours. Though we spent the majority of the day together training we had never eaten in the same area. Lucario was usually not there when I went to sleep, either. The Pokemon went through incredible lengths to ensure that I didn't see him sleep; resting only when I did and waking up before I rose. I knew that I shouldn't hold any ill will if Lucario never forgave me, but it pained me to know that he was so uncomfortable. I knew that I should not be bothered by it, but in reality ...

" Lucario! " I caught his attention by yelling when he turned his back, causing him to jump. " I ... did not mean to startle you. I just wanted to ask if you would mind ... eating lunch with me, just for today? " The wording came out awkward. I spoke the moment the words came to mind.

The fighter looked over his shoulder towards me, and I immediately regretted asking such a silly thing. At least until I heard his answer. " ... Fine. " He huffed the word out at me. " If you're not at the falls in five minutes, I'm leaving. "

Though he disappeared into the bushes shortly after that I did not call for him again. It didn't matter that we were not going to go there together, for now. I did not even know why I suggested such a thing in the first place except the fleeting thought that I may have been irratated by his behavior. Could that be it? Maybe, but the feeling the revelation caused was not relief. It resembled that warm from that night ...

It was frightening ... and exciting ... all at once.

Three and a half minutes later I appeared to the falls with my food via teleportation, being mindful not to appear too close to Lucario and startle him again. Last time I did he hit me with a dark pulse so fast I thought he really was going to kill me (he insisted it was a reflex). Thankfully, Lucario did not decide to leave a minute early. He sat on a rock near the edge of the falls, the staff that was usually in the nest set up proper to his right.

I decided to settle in on his left, choosing to physically walk over and crouch down on the side of the rock opposite of the staff. " I see that you didn't run off. " I noted, placing the food that I brought along with me at my feet.

The fighter didn't look away from the falls. " I said that I would be here. "

" That you did. " I said swiftly. " Thank you. "

The conversation died shortly after that. I did not mind; it would be difficult to hold a conversation while concentrating on food. Tapping into my wave was quick to drain my energy, and thus we had to take frequent breaks to keep from destroying ourselves in practice. Lucario claimed that the berries in the forest were the best foods to replenish my energy, but I was impartial to eating anything fresh from the dirt. I took enough Pokemon food and tuna to last about two months in the wild, but I did not know if it would be enough. He never specified how long they would be out here.

I tried to break the ice by speaking of something other than myself. Lucario spoke so little of himself or his origins that he seemed to be more of an enigma then I was, but I imagined there must have been good reason that he didn't. I saw so many terrible things in his mind, after all. Instead of asking about his origins, I turned my attention to the peculiar object that he carried around. " That staff must mean a lot to you. " I commented between bites.

Lucario hesitated. " It was the training staff that my master carried. "

To speak of one's former master was a touchy subject for any Pokemon. I despised Giovanni with every fiber of my being, and yet I could not simply say so aloud. Pokemon were humble creatures. They show respect towards humans even when they are not worthy of it. " The same man who taught you to use your wave? "

" Yes ... " The fighter's eyes closed slowly. " His name was Sir Aaron. He saved me from an early death by poachers in the beginning stages of the war. I was just a defenseless child back then, and with nowhere else to go he decided to take me in. Those first few months he treated me like a human child, at least until I evolved. The day after we left our home to serve the northern kingdom, and begin my training. "

" And then? "

Lucario winced. " He ... turned his back on me. " There was a hint of disbelief in his voice as he said it. " Though I was sure that he was the same man who had raised me as a child, he did not treat me the same once I was in my adult stage. I thought he would be different from the others. That was just foolish of me. He exploited my weakness and sealed me in the staff, and in the end he abandoned me and this kingdom in it's darkest hour for reasons I could not understand ... "

His story seemed accurate, but I was quick to point out a flaw. " Yet the kingdom still stands today, and you are still here. "

" Thankfully, the invaders who provoked his actions thought the kingdom was too valuable to simply tear down. The natives who lived here were forced to serve the enemies who conquered them for hundreds of years. Just recently the offspring of the original monarchy were allowed to rule this kingdom again, and it regained its independence. The child of the first queen back to the throne was the one who released me, on accident, while pulling the artifacts of the ancient kingdom out of storage. I would not abandon the castle, even if my master did. It was my duty to serve the new monarchy. "

" I see ... " Lucario need not carry on; it was obvious by the look on his face that the memories were paining him. Instead I asked another question. " It seems Sir Aaron has done you so much wrong, so why do you carry around his staff? "

His answer was nearly mute. " ... because I loved him ... regardless of his crimes. "

" Love? " Spoken as if I really was a Chatot. That word, that concept, it was all foreign to me.

Lucario misinterpreted my confusion, it seemed. " It is not acceptable to love a human the way I did, even today. I would never know why he did what he did for sure, but I figured it was because he sensed this in me early and decided to reject me before I had a chance to say anything. I knew that it wasn't possible, deep down, but I could not just ... stop. "

" That ... " Was not what I meant, and now I regretted even bringing up the subject with him. The expression on his face told of a creature who has seen more then his share of pain in his extended lifetime. I felt guilty, and sorry, and pitied him at the same time over feelings that I did not understand. My paw trembled, reached out towards him, and urged me to do something to prevent him from slipping deeper into the depression I had started.

I'd catch nothing but the air. The rock that the fighter formerly occupied was barren, and he was already walking away. " Tonight's training is canceled ... " I caught his low words, spoken as he threw that sentimental staff over one shoulder.

It was at that moment that I decided that I could not just stand around feeling sorry for myself for that I did, or feeling sorry for him for the pain that I caused him. Little would be accomplished in either case. It was up to one of us to bring this downward spiral of sorrow before it destroyed our lives! Lucario, being the humble beast he was, would not be the one to admit that anything was wrong though it was painfully obvious. That night, the one that marred my memories and clouded my thinking, I showed that I was the stronger one between us.

I now I had to prove it.

To be Continued ...