Here is chapter 6! After... A very long time. Sorry for the very late updating.

I will continue this story and try to update it a little earlier...

Hope you enjoy this chapter! :D

- Chapter 6 -

The Journey Begins...

9.57am...

Lady Ilene, myself, and Lucario were gathered in the throne room – I wore the clothes I had worn at my first arrival at the castle, along with a side bag hanging at my side. I was standing in front of Lady Ilene, who was seated on her throne. Lucario was standing by me, he avoided any eye contact with me and had been ignoring me since I had woken up, I wasn't surprised. Lady Ilene smiled at us, "Be careful, whatever may be in the tree could be dangerous to you both, especially you Alex"

I nodded and Lucario grunted, "More the reason why she shouldn't come with me"

I looked briefly at Lucario, annoyed at his complaints at me.

"Lucario, Alex will be fine as long as she's cautious" I smiled at Lady Ilene, she had been defending my going against Lucario since he began complaining.

Lucario persisted, "She's too weak to defend herself. And I won't be saving her every time she is in danger."

I looked away from Lucario, my nerves building up.

"She will be fine Lucario" Lady Ilene's voice grew slightly more louder

Lucario grunted and looked away.

"Alex, are you ready to leave?"

I looked back at Lady Ilene, "Yes Lady Ilene"

"Good, have a safe journey"

"Thank-you Lady Ilene"

Lucario looked at Lady Ilene, "I can get there and back faster than her, she will just slow me down, I really don't see any reason for her t-"

"Lucario, there will be no more arguments about this, understood?"

"But"

"That is final Lucario"

I could see Lucario's arms shaking slightly. He grunted and slowly kneeled down to Lady Ilene, "Yes Lady Ilene"

She smiled, "Good" Lucario glared at me from his position, my breath cut short as his red eyes bit into me.

Worried at his glare I said, "I'll try not to get in your way"

He stood up and began to walk away, "You won't" his voice was low and angry. Shaking my head, I walked toward the window and kept my eyes fixed on the trees swaying slowly in the sunshine.

Lady Ilene walked towards me and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, "Don't let him trouble you, you will be fine"

I courteously smiled at her attempt to help me, "Thank-you, but I think this might have been a bad idea... He's right in what he said; he won't need my help"

"Alex, you never know what might happen, there's always a chance"

I looked at Lady Ilene's smiling face, "Maybe."

"Lucario will be leaving soon, you should go with him now."

I nodded and walked toward where Lucario had left, but I was stopped by Lady Ilene, "Be careful Alex"

I gestured at her, "I will, goodbye"

"Farewell"

I walked out of the doorway and found Lucario scowling at me from the beginning of the white bridge, "Are you done?"

I nodded my head silently, "Follow me"

I headed to Lucario and we began are walk across the bridge. "Wait! Alex!"

Looking around, I found Eric rushing towards me, "Oh, hi Eric" From the corner of my eye I noticed Lucario irritatingly glaring at us.

He stopped in front of me and handed a few sandwiches wrapped in foil, "Here, Lady Ilene told me to bring some from the kitchen for you"

I took them and placed them in my side-bag, my cheeks reddening at my ignorance to food, "Oh, thanks"

"I guess I'll see you when you come back"

I nodded, "Yeah, see you then" I could hear Lucario grunting in the background

"Bye Alex."

I waved back at him whilst walking toward Lucario, and he soon left.

"Are you done."

I bit my lip as I turned my head to see Lucario staring at me, "Y-Yeah."

He turned and began to make his way across the bridge, as I followed behind slowly.

I looked at Lucario, he was focused on the path in front of him, trying to ignore me as best as he could, "Lucario"

"What."

"How will we get there?"

"We are going to go through the forest."

"Okay" Lucario seemed to be trying to make his answers as short as possible.

Across from the bridge, we cut left into the forest, heading in the direction of the tree. I took a quick glance at the Castle: the sun beamed through thick-white clouds, illuminating the red rooftops and brick walls. Trees surrounding the Castle swayed gently in the winds and the water glistened brightly – it is always a beautiful sight.

Lucario searched ahead with his Aura, the 'bags' on his head elevating and his body engulfing itself with a blue, flame-like substance. I thought back to the first night we'd met, the anger that he had for me as he chased me through the forest, intent on harming me. Those thoughts lead to my stay at the castle; unintentionally agitating Lucario to the point that he attacked me – his violent posture still swirling around my mind.

I continuously thought about my choice to accompany him: I just wanted to help him, make up for what I did somehow, but I knew that, that hope was farfetched, and I would probably turn out to be more of a nuisance than anything.

Whilst thinking, I bumped into Lucario, who was staring forward.

A shot from his glare and I moved back, he turned his head back forward and growled softly.

"What is it?"

He walked slowly forward, ignoring my question – I looked at him annoyingly, but I was then surprised by his Aura now glowing from his paws. "Is something wrong?"

Again, he ignored me, so I walked next to him, quietly and peered forward. Out in a clearing, I saw two, what appeared to be men, standing across from each other, arguing about something. They both looked alike; they had green hair, and odd looking suits.

"What d'you mean we lost it!"

The other person shrugged looked through the bushes behind him, "It was right there" he pointed to a spot just behind a bush, "Then it disappeared!"

The 'twin' grunted in anger, "How could it have disappeared! You're explaining this when we get back!" He turned and walked off in the opposite direction, the other person following closely behind.

Lucario was slowly edging forward and I walked to his side, "Are you going to go after them?"

He ignored my question and began walking across the clearing, keeping an eye out for the two odd-looking people as I mentally sighed and walked behind him. "Who do you think they were? I never saw anyone at the festival dressed like that."

Again he didn't answer, and lowered his head as he searched around with his aura. After a few seconds he looked up. "They are heading away from here"

I was by his side, "Well, I guess they must have been travellers or something."

Lucario grunted and continued walking towards the Tree.

Continuously following behind as he walked, I looked up at the Tree which could be clearly seen, and was still quite far ahead of us; it had a glittering-effect due to the sun, "How long do you think we'd take to get there?"

"A long while."

My ears perked up at his response, mostly due to the fact that he had responded, "Well, I'm sure we'd get there soon right?"

"I'd get there soon if it weren't for you"

My head dropped as he cut me off. (I can't get a simple conversation out of him.)

As we continued walking, some bushes rustled slightly next to me, and I stopped to look if there was something there, but nothing happened, so I continued walking beside Lucario, "Did you hear something?"

"..." He kept silent, focusing on what was ahead of him.

"Lucario?"

He closed his eyes as we walked, "What."

"Didn't you hear that?"

"It was nothing."

"But something must have caused the bushes to rustle"

He ignored me and looked up at the sky through the trees - I followed his gaze and noticed a bird-type pokemon flying across the clear blue sky, where it twisted and dove down into the trees.

Deciding to ignore the bushes, I smiled warmly as the sun hit my face, "It's a nice day, isn't it?"

"It is"

"You must love living here" I looked eagerly at Lucario, hoping he wouldn't cut me off.

"It is a very relaxing place"

Surprised by his reply, I continued, "Yeah, I couldn't imagine a better place"

Although Lucario hadn't continued the conversation, I felt a wave of relief at the small conversation we had, it didn't mean anything, but I was happy that he hadn't snipped back at me.

We had been walking a while through the forest, and during the time we walked I thought back at my stay at the castle, Lucario had been silent the entire time: I thought back at how frightened I was when he chased me through the dark trees, and how he helped me find a new home, despite his hatred toward me. I also thought back to the renewed anger he had as he shouted at me as I wouldn't leave him alone, and that frightful glare he gave me, his violent posture as he flung an Aura Sphere at my side, knocking me over into the grass. These thoughts reminded me of the guilt I felt for agitating him so much.

I looked at Lucario, then back down to the ground, "Lucario?"

He hadn't said a word, so I continued, "I... Just wanted to say I'm sorry again... y'know, for that stuff I did"

"I told you to leave it." His voice was agitated.

I took a deep breath, being careful with what I said, "I know. I just wanted to say how sorry I was. I didn't mean to annoy you so much"

Lucario walked quietly

"I just want you to forgive me" I looked at Lucario's face for any sign of a response. "Do...you?"

"I already answered that."

My eyes dropped again, "I know, but I thought you'd might after a while."

Lucario looked away, "Why do you want me to forgive you so much."

My mouth opened as I tried to figure out an answer. "I...don't know, I don't like it when you're angry at me"

"And coming with me, slowing me down, after I said I didn't want you to come is your way of getting me to forgive you."

My breath caught in my throat "... I just thought I'd be able to help..."

"You won't" He simply put it.

I looked back at him, "I could, somehow."

He looked at me for the first time since we headed out in the forest, his red eyes stared blankly into mine, "How." His voice was agitated.

I shrunk down due to his glare, "I don't know... I-I never thought of how."

"Humph." He looked straight forward again.

After walking for a while longer, I turned to Lucario, "Have you ever gone to the Tree before?"

He continued looking forward, "Yes."

He replied. "What is it like there?"

He looked away, and I didn't find any sign that he was going to reply except for his slightly squinted eyes.

I edged closer to Lucario as we walked, "Did something bad happen there?"

He increased his pace, "It's my business."

I stayed quiet.

We walked a while further before Lucario looked up at the sky again. It was night, and a full moon shone down on the trees above us, with glistening stars patterning around it helping to bring white, cool light down upon us. The forest was a blue dark, with trees still visible, and a calming cool breeze flowing from behind us.

Finally, Lucario spoke, "We should rest for the night."

I nodded in reply and sat down against a tree – my legs rushing with the feeling of relief as we had stopped walking. I brought out some food I had in my bag and unwrapped them, two sandwiches; one for myself and Lucario. I offered him one, but he turned the opposite direction, "I'll find my own."

I sighed, and placed the sandwich back in the bag after re-wrapping it. Lucario went to a few bushes and took some berries from them, eating them as he walked back.

After finishing my sandwich I looked back at the trees; it was darker, and in comply, so were the trees. "Do you think we'd be safe here?"

Lucario sat in a meditated state against a tree a few metres away from me, "No-one will disrupt us" and he closed his eyes and began to breathe deeply.

I tilted my head at the way he slept, "Aren't you uncomfortable like that?"

He remained silent, and I peered back through the dark woods before placing my bag beside me and laying down against the tree. I looked at Lucario, then around myself, and finally closed my eyes, concentrating on falling asleep as the moon shone through the trees – the breeze softly touching my hair and face, stroking my cheeks as I drifted off into a calming sleep...

Sorry this chapter was so short, I wasn't sure of what to do, but thankfully I have ideas for the next chapter, and so fourth.

R & R! =D