Chapter Eighteen: Sun of The Night
I wish to apologize for the delay, since I'm sure that you guys are awaiting the next chapter...I hope lol. Time and a road block, so to speak, has impeded on my ability to write and since I do not wish to give you sub-par chapters,I have been modifying and rewriting parts of these last few chapters.
I mean, we're not even to the climax of the story yet, I'm guessing that will be in a couple of chapters, maybe four or five chapters to finish the first book. Then, off to the second one, "Shaman of Blue Flame". If you are following the story fervently, or even with mild interest, I would highly recommend putting me on Author's Alert, not just for the sake of my ego, but so you can figure out when the second book, and the third (tentatively titled "The Last War"), come out.
PS: Despite the supposed non-mingling of the Pokemon world in ours, I did put in a pop culture reference or two, albeit slightly modified, and possibly a third if you really stretch. Cookies to those who can guess both and a one-shot dedicated to them to the first reviewer to get the first two, then the third, right. So get your pop culture repertoires ready, but it is sort of obvious lol.
The verdant valley of Rota appeared to them as they crested the last hill. The change of landscape was a wonderful thing for them, for they had gotten very tired of staring at brown canyon walls for nearly two weeks. The small town of Rota laid nestled within a forest of pines and broad leaf trees, the various shades of green like a carpet spreading over the land. Cameran Palace stood out from the buildings, a guardian of white washed stone and red roofs. Tall sturdy walls protected the buildings as a long, delicate stone bridge spanned over the waters of the Naiad river. Towers and turrets arched towards the sky, the red shingles reflecting the daylight sky. In the center of the complex was a large building, shaped like a 'L', with the shorter part of the building forming part of the wall as balconies of varying sizes jutted outward. A clock tower loomed over the town, clearly a newer addition, judging by the age of the other buildings around it and the clock. Drew let out a low wolf whistle in amazement.
"Whoa, that place is huge! It must be hundreds of years old."
Misty nodded. She amazed by the simple and elegant beauty of the place, harkening back to the days of ancient times and bygone years. It had an aura of peace surrounding it. "It is really beautiful, but I bet it looks different at night." She had the feeling that the castle, if one could call Cameran Palace that, took on more of a ominous feel.
"I can catch your drift." Drew then chuckled. " There Arcanine, there castle."
Blaidd shook his head and as he walked by, gave Drew a mild smack to the back of his head. "You shame me" Blaidd joked.
As May watched this unfold, she suddenly got an idea. "Hey guys, remember the festival here? All the food and the dancing and the tournament!"
"Yeah, how could we forget the tournament," Ash replied.
"And the girls," Brock said dreamily.
"And the ear-tugging commences," Misty said, eliciting a wince form her older friend, who rubbed his ear thoughtfully.
"Yep, and I'm going to win this year too! Keep my post as reigning champ!" Ash proclaimed.
"Please Ash, it's been nearly two years since you won here, so you aren't 'reigning champion'." Misty snorted. "And besides, you aren't going to win this year. I am."
"Wanna bet?"
"You're on Ketchum."
As the troupe went down the hill to the small little town, May sidled up to Drew.
"Okay May, what are you planning?" Drew asked.
"What makes you think I'm planning something?" She retorted innocently.
"Because I'm your boyfriend and I know when you have something up your sleeve. And two, you get this little glint in your eyes when you're plotting. Now spill it."
"If you must ask, I'm playing a little bit of matchmaker." Her eyes went to Ash and Misty, who were still bickering about the tournament.
"Those two? It'll be like trying to convince a brick wall. I have never seen anybody more stubborn than those two."
"There is a dance going on at the tournament. I'll try to do a little 'magic' before then."
"Good luck with that May."
"You're helping." May crossed her arms.
"Wha?"
"You work with Ash and I'll work with Misty. Piece of cake."
"More like fruitcake to me."
"You're something, you know that?"
"That's why you're dating me." Drew smirked. May shook her head and gave Drew a slight shove as she followed the others
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The costume room was packed with people trying on different outfits and costumes, trying to find the best fit. The girls were able to dash in and grab their outfits. May's was a pale shade of rose, with a dark red brocaded corset and over skirt. Misty's was much different however, wearing a long dark green tunic that went to mid-thigh . A lighter soft backed bodice went over that, giving the large airy top some form. A pair of light blue legging went underneath, coupled with a pair of boots. May nodded in approval.
"I like it a lot," May complimented. "It seems to fit you."
"Really?" Misty did a quick self-examination of her outfit. "Thanks. I like it a lot too."
"But will you be changing later for tonight?"
"What's going on later?"
Misty swore that May suddenly gained a mischievous glint in those sky blue eyes. "Oh, there's going to be a huge dance at the palace after the tournament. There's going to be music, food..."
"'Course you would mention food," Misty teased. May harrumphed jokingly and continued:
"It's just so magical and romantic! It's like you stepped into the past, like you're in the middle of a novel."
"You seem pretty excited about it."
"Well, aren't you excited?"
Misty hesitated imperceptibly, wondering how she really felt about it.
"You could dance with that certain someone," the coordinator winked roguishly.
"I highly doubt he dances," Misty retorted, but then clamped a hand over her mouth, blushing at the realization at what she had just said.
"Ha! I knew you liked him!" Misty lunged forward, placing a hand over May's mouth.
"Sssshhh! They might hear us!"
May mumbled something, but the gym leader barely understood her, so she pulled her hand away. "It's not like I'm going to tell him, Misty."
Misty started to say something, but stopped herself. "Alright. Let's get going to the tournament, shall we?"
The boys were in another room, having a little less difficult of a time deciding what to wear. Ash had gone with the costume he had gone with the last time he was here, the one that made him look like Sir Aaron, complete with the hat and gloves. "Ash you wore that one last time," Brock pointed out, when Ash stepped out from behind a rack of clothing, flourishing his cape.
"So? I think it's cool," Ash protested.
"Cool, huh?" Drew drawled coolly. "Are you trying to impress someone with it?"
Brock snickered as Ash blushed, darkening his cheeks only slightly. It wasn't much, but his two friends caught it right away. "Am not!" Ash blustered.
"Riiight," Drew went back to finding an outfit, leaving Ash fuming. It didn't take long for the group to find the costumes. Drew had gone with a costume of a black tunic, black pants with a large brimmed hat. A feather stuck out from the hat at a rakish angle as he placed on a black half mask, trimmed with silver, giving him the appearance of a rogue, or a masked avenger. Shiny black boots and a fake rapier completed the ensemble. He jumped out from behind one of the clothing racks. "A-Ha!" He shouted, flourishing his mock rapier. "En-garde!"
Max rolled his eyes. "Drew, you look like an idiot, or a really bad superhero." The comment effectively deflated Drew's ego and the older teen drooped slightly.
"Have a sense of humor kiddo," Drew huffed, crossing his arms.
"How can I, since you're dating my sister," Max drawled. Like the last time he was here, he had gone with his young prince ensemble. Pikachu, thankfully, had escaped the impeding doom of actually wearing a costume by hiding in a small cabinet until the moment passed, like how one would escape into a shelter before the oncoming storm.
"Play nice boys," Blaidd absently called out. He had opted to not wear a costume. As he watched the others bicker and banter at each other, he thought it was ironic, that like the boys who were changing into costumes, he was wearing on as well. "Yet mine is more permanent," he sighed to himself. "But maybe one day..." he glanced down at his hands, imagining the indigo fur covering them once more, feeling the black callused hand pads again. He placed his hands down at his sides. "Perhaps not." he whispered mournfully.
In an ironic coincidence, or maybe a personal choice, Brock picked an outfit very similar to the one he wore before, with only a change of colors, a palate of blue shades, nearly matching the dark hued blues of Ash's costume. Of course, to Drew he looked like a cleric or monk and he guffawed at the sight. "Oh Brock, you kill me," he gasped between laughs. "Should I get the Holy Hand Grenade out to kill the Killer Buneary?"
Brock smacked him on the back of the head. "Oh shut up."
"That's not very holy of you- OW!"
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"Torterra is unable to battle!" the referee shouted, waving green and red flags. "The winner is Misty and Gyarados from Cerulean City1" the late afternoon sunlight poured into the open air stadium, tinting the stone structure with a warm glow. Ash sighed then returned the unconscious continent pokemon to its ball.
"You did a good job. Get a good rest in there." Ash strode across the dirt packed stadium to meet his opponent, Misty. The pair advanced into the final round, but after a long and drawn out battle between Misty's Gyarados and Ash's Torterra, Gyarados barely pulled out a victory, using a 'flamethrower' attack on the already weakened Torterra. "Guess I didn't expect the flamethrower attack from Gyarados," he chuckled weakly. He was mildly upset at the loss, but at least it was a good battle, and that was all that mattered in the end.
"Yeah, it was a tough fight." Misty held out a hand, as a friendly gesture. Ash grinned and took it, shaking it. "But remember how I had used
The others were in the stands, watching the battle with bated breath the whole time. Blaidd spoke up. "A very good battle. I almost thought for a minute there that Ash could have pulled a victory," he said, echoing the sentiments of the others. "However, next time, Ash needs to watch the versatility of Gyarados. Since they're descended from the dragon type, they retain the flexibility of their ancestors." He said, stepping across the stands, red cape billowing slightly behind him.
"But wait, Gyaradoses are flying and water types. How could they also be dragon types?" Max asked.
"Well, while they may be flying and water types now, in the past, they were part dragons too. But as they evolved, the dragon type no longer applied to them as much as it used to, and the dragon type evolved into the flying type you see today. Charizards are a lot like this too."
"Oh. Are there other pokemon that this happened to?"
"Yes, plenty of types experienced this. But that is a lesson for another day."
Max sighed. "Alright, but promise me you'll tell me more."
"I promise." Blaidd stood up from the stadium seats, groaning as he stretched his limbs out. His hand brushed up on the sun heated stone and he gave a wan smile. He remembered this stadium from the days of old, while he was with Sir Aaron. Back in the days of petty lords and constant warfare, the stadium had been used as a training facility for soldiers and their pokemon and in the extreme case, determining the fate of the kingdom. His mind's eye pictured the scene below on the earthen stadium grounds, the ghosts of the soldiers going through their motions. He imagined the dust clouds being kicked up as they moved and trained, dancing the dance of war and death. For a moment, he even saw himself and Sir Aaron down their, training the lupine pokemon to use and refine his Aura.
"Remember Lucario," Sir Aaron often told him. "Your Aura is an extension of yourself. To master your Aura is to truly master yourself. And maybe, you'll pass these words to your students, after I'm long gone and in the ground." the Aura Knight joked cynically.
"But Master, how can you say something like that?" Blaidd gasped. "You're in your prime. Why should you be worrying about things like that now?"
"Because one must realize the future and finality of things before one can enjoy life to the fullest. Plus you are a pokemon, I'm a human. Unless something happens to one or both of us, you will outlive me for a long time. You'll have many students, some better than you or I."
"Better?"
"Indeed." Sir Aaron, grabbed a pile of clay plates. "Now let's try that again." Sir Aaron tossed one of the clay pigeons high into the air. "Go!"
Blaidd exhaled softly. "How right you were, my friend," he murmured under his breath. "How right you were."
"Blaidd?" Max was tugging on Blaidd's jacket. "Are you alright? You're just standing there."
"Hmm? Oh, I'm alright. I was just, thinking."
"Okay. We're waiting on you. We're meeting up with Ash and Misty down there, then we're getting ready for the dance."
"Ah, the dance. Revelry and debauchery all around," he laughed sardonically. "What a night it will be."
"'Debauchery'?" Max inquired, stumbling over the unfamiliar term.
"Ask your sister about it."
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Much to Blaidd's surprise and pleasure, there wasn't as much 'debauchery' as he expected. "Maybe I've been a human for far too long, to be used to such scenes," he commented to himself as he made his way through the crowds, onto a large balcony. He took a long sip from the crystal glass full of water as he stared out into the night, at the thousand of stars overhead. The milky Way cat a vast swath across the midnight blue sky. The Way was bleeding with stars as they poured forth, as the occasional comet streaked above. He always loved the stars. As a Lucario, he slept under them in the wild. Then alongside Sir Aaron, his teacher often told him tales about the constellations. But now, they held a different meaning, one more profound and world shaking. The thinnest sliver of the moon was beginning to set and Blaidd recalled a verse from memory. He quietly muttered something under his breath as he peering into the velvet blackness of the night.
"When the last summer moon fades,
And when the last star falls.
The Sun of the Night
Must heed the call.
His blood shall be shed,
on the stone of night
to end the war
giving all his might.
The Treasure in his hands
In the temple of the Sun
Hidden in the sands
Where no rivers run."
Blaidd watched as the first few meteors fell eastward, heading towards the horizon. "It, it has begun."
"Blaidd," Lady Ilene called out to him.
Blaidd turned around. "Lady Ilene." He held a soft spot for the woman, not just because of her strong resemblance to her ancestor and his liege lord, Lady Rin. "It is nice to see you again."
Lady Ilene nodded in response and joined him on the balcony. "It would be you to isolate yourself up here." She smiled wanly before she began again. "Something seems off tonight Luca- I mean, Blaidd."
Blaidd held up a hand before she could apologize for her mistake. "Don't apologize. I have made that mistake myself many times. I guess I'll never get fully used to it." He turned his human face upwards. "Yes, something does seem 'off' tonight." He pointed to the moon sliver. "See the moon? And the shower?"
"Yes Blaidd, I do."
"It is the prophecy. The fates are careening towards this point Lady Rin and we are caught in the middle. The boy, the boy you met two years ago. He is the one in the prophecy."
"How can you be so sure?" Lady Ilene stepped closer to him, leaning on the balcony with an easy grace acquired through years of training. Her face was a mixture of confusion and worry.
"He is the sun of the night. It is so obvious. I can't fully explain it, but tonight, he must be taken to the map."
Lady Ilene. "I wish you could explain it." She said softly to him.
"It is mostly gut intuition and the fact that his Aura is identical to Sir Aaron's."
Lady Ilene placed a hand on Blaidd's shoulder, gazing into his eyes. "I trust you on this manner Blaidd, but only because of your experience. If he is the boy you proclaim him to be, then maybe the balance can be restored. The treasure has been lost for many decades, hundreds of years, waiting for its return, setting the balance that had been off set when Lady Eilsa fled the castle."
"I hope so too," Blaidd said quietly, for only her and him to hear. "I hope so."
Lady Ilene gazed into his eyes and turned away, back into the crowd. "Thank you for your wisdom. And I hope that you find the peace that you have been seeking for so long, Lucario." She walked away, the edges of her dress brushing against the age worn stones of the balcony.
Blaidd paused, placing a hand to where she had touched him. She had called him by Lucario, something he hadn't heard in a very long time and he wondered if she truly knew about his inner turmoil just by looking at him. He sighed and as he went back to his drink resting on the balcony edge, he bumped it. The flute wobbled precariously, then toppled down to the balcony floor, shattering into a thousand pieces, water splashing everywhere.
He had never seen a better analogy for his soul.
Oooh...A mysterious prophecy... don't we just love those? Lol
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