Chapter 19: Legend of the Tomb

If it better sets the mood, then listen to the song 'Beauty and The Beast'. You'll know which scene I'm talking about lol

Ash wandered the edges of the great hall of the castle, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling and crowded dance. He never got a chance to really study it, since he spent most of the time sitting in a chair, completely and utterly bored. "But then again, I was only sixteen then," he thought to himself. "Guess I grew up."

"Then during the battle, Sir Aaron sealed his companion, Lucario into the staff, to protect him..." Ash overheard an older woman, dressed in a simple blue homespun dress, surrounded by a small flock of children, clinging to her every word. Ash meandered over, his curiosity piqued.

"Bwut," a little girl sitting on the woman's knee, no more than three, began. "What happwened to Wucario?"

The woman chuckled and gave the girl an affectionate smile. "He stayed there for a very long time, until a nice young man freed Lucario from the staff. In fact, it happened right here in a festival like this." Ash flushed at the last comment; it seemed that in the years that passed between the last visit, he had become a part of the story.

"Weally?" the toddler asked

"Really."

One of the kids, a lanky boy about ten, yawned in boredom. "But we know about this. What happened next?"

"Shush," the storyteller scolded him. "I'm getting there. After Sir Aaron's death, many of the people wanted to remember him forever and wanted to build a tomb for him. But Lady Rin refused, saying that the time wasn't right. Then one night, during the rule of Lady Eilsa, she had a dream. The sun Pokemon Ho-Oh came to her, to build a tomb to Sir Aaron in the land of the western sun. The next day, she got workers and they traveled westward. None of them ever came home. But before she left, she had a map made, to show others the way. It's a secret map, that only one person in the entire world can read."

The older child shrugged his shoulders in a cocky manner "I bet I can read it."

A chubby kid raised his hand. "Where's the map?"

The storyteller shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. It's hidden here in the castle."

"Can we go look for it?"

"Not now," she replied, squelching the children's hopes of a possible treasure hunt. "But one day, it will be found, along with Sir Aaron's tomb."

There was something about the story that struck a nerve with Ash, and it wasn't his cameo in the story. It was something else, but he wasn't sure what exactly it was. Something instinctual. He remembered how the Lucario from the last time told him that he and Sir Aaron shared the same Aura pattern. "Maybe that's it," Ash thought, trying to reassure himself. "Yeah, that's it. Just that connection." He left the story group and went to go search for his tutor and, dare he say it, friend?

He found Blaidd staring off into the sky, watching the meteor shower overhead, streaks of light piercing the darkness of the sky for only a heartbeat, before winking out of existence. Ash suddenly recalled that this was the time of the year for the meteor shower right by the Gyarados* constellation to be at its peak. It was just at the end of summer he realized. He had been on the road for Rota for nearly two months. "Blaidd?" he called out hesitantly.

Blaidd turned around, crystal glass in hand. "Ah, Ash. Shouldn't you be with the others? It is a night for celebrating and being with loved ones."

"I'm sure it is. At least this year I'm not sitting in the chair, bored." Blaidd chortled at the face the teen pulled as he said the last part.

"Indeed," Blaidd responded. "What brings you out here?"

Ash shrugged. "I was walking by and I overheard this woman telling a story about Sir Aaron's tomb. I know that this sounds really weird, but as she told it I felt strange, like I was connected to it."

Blaidd nodded. "The legend of Sir Aaron's tomb is a popular one around here. Especially around this time, when the staff of Sir Aaron is brought into play."

"Is the legend real? Is there really a secret map?"

"Who told you that there was a secret map?" Blaidd mentally panicked as Ash said that. The secret map's location was only known by a few others, him, Lady Ilene and two others.

"The storyteller mentioned it."

Blaidd breathed a sigh of relief. Ash didn't know the location. "That is the most intriguing part, especially since there is only one person who can read the map. People have been after the map for years, thinking that the map will lead them to treasure and power beyond belief. The tomb is more symbolic than an actual tomb." Blaidd went back to looking at the sky, utterly engrossed in the meteor shower. He found them fascinating; as a Riolu, he was told that the falling stars were the spirits of those long gone, coming to see their loved ones for only that night before going back to their afterlife. A tiny part of him wondered if he would be able to see Sir Aaron. "It's interesting you know, when Lady Eilsa had the dream, there soon appeared a prophecy, circulating around the castle. Many people wondered what it meant, for it was so obscure, many started to wonder if there really was a meaning after all."

"What is the prophecy?"

Blaidd leaned against the balcony railing, swirling the water in the glass. "It's basically about how the tomb of Sir Aaron will be revealed at the end of summer by someone known as the 'Sun of The Night'." But as Blaidd said that, a shiver ran up his spine, like someone had just run a burst of electricity through him. "My Mew, Arceus was right; it is him." he thought with awe.

"Oh," Ash felt a pang of disappointment. Blaidd didn't really answer his questions that he was seeking. "Maybe I'm not meant to know them," he realized to himself.

Blaidd shooed Ash off. "Go on," he said playfully. "You have a party to attend to. You only live once. Or twice, if you're me."

"Alight, alright, I'm going," Ash joked. Unfortunately for the raven haired teen, his ear was immediately seized upon by something very tight and very painful, to him at least—as he entered the great hall.

"Ow ow ow!" he shouted in pain. "What the heck is that!"

He looked over to the source and much to his surprise, it was May, dragging him by the ear, very much like Max and Misty would do to Brock whenever he saw an attractive woman. "May, do I look like Brock!"

"You know, I'm not always like that," Brock said in response. Max rolled his eyes and snorted at the comment.

"Yeah right," Max muttered under his breath; thankfully the great hall was in a state of contained chaos, so no one heard him.

May shook her head at Ash. "If only you were; it would make things a bit easier." She released Ash's ear and she crossed her arms, glaring sternly at him. "It's time for an intervention."

"A what?"

"You know an intervention when a whole bunch of people...," Drew started to explain, but was cut off by Ash waving his free hand, the other clutching the throbbing ear, which was a vibrant pink.

"I know that! But what for?"

"We, we meaning Brock, Drew, Max, and I, know that you like her. A lot." she empathized.

"Like who?"

"Are you that dense to your own feelings? Misty, of course!"

Ash blanched, then turned a vibrant shade of scarlet within a moment. "What? Her? Me? We're friends! Nothing more!" He blustered, but May sat there, unfazed starring him with cool blue eyes and an impassive expression etched on her face.

"And you've been friends for what? Eight years?"

"That's about right," Brock added.

"And you don't have any iota of feelings for her? Not even a teensy tiny bit! Sheesh, did you even hit puberty?"

Ash frowned. "For your information, yes I did."

"That was rhetorical." May grabbed his head and jerked it towards the throne, where Misty was sitting, a 'reward' for winning the tournament. "You see her? She has had guys line up to her asking her to dance and guess what? She's refused every single one of them? You want to know why? Because she's waiting on a certain someone to go up there and dance with her. And you want to know who the guy is? It's going to be you." May spun Ash around to face her. "You will go up there, and you will ask her to dance. If she says yes, you're going to take her by the hand and out to that floor. And so help me, if you don't, I will make you wish you did."

"You're deadly serious about this aren't you-ow!"

Drew interjected. "Dude, you might want to do this. May can have a bit of a 'streak' if you know what I mea-" he was silenced by a withering stare from his girlfriend. "Never mind. Just do what she says."

Ash turned to Brock. "Come on Brocko, you got to help me out here. Tell May that Misty and I are just friends, nothing more."

Brock shook his head. "Sorry Ash, can't interfere in this one. And it's only one dance."

Ash slumped, defeated. "Alright fine, as long as I don't get any more ears pulled."

May patted him on the head. "Good boy." she watched with steely blue eyes as Ash weaved his way through the crowd. Suddenly, she grabbed Drew by the wrist. "Come on Drew!"

"Wait, what?" Drew yelped

"We're going to do a little 'reconnaissance'."

"That's a big word from you my dear."

"Shut up and dance with me." May took one of Drew's hands as his other snaked across her waist. "By the way, did you even attempt to get through to Ash, or were you just too busy picking out your costume?" she looked at Drew's costume up and down with a disparaging glance; she did have to admit, he did look good in it.

"Like I said, it's like dealing with a brick wall," Drew shrugged. "Do you think that I should use this as a coordinating costume?"

"Vanity, thy name is Drew."

"Touche. And am I still even a part of this plan?"

"At this rate, no."

"Good."

"Just keep dancing Drew," May growled.

Brock groaned as he saw the pair sneak into the crowd, obviously to spy on their friends. "Oh, life is so unfair!"

Max smacked his forehead. "You'll get her someday."

"If only...hey! Are you looking for someone to dance with?" Brock started to follow a pair of waifish females. Max sighed and started to follow after Brock, fingers at the ready.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Ash's heart was hammering as he made his way closer and closer; it felt like a drum ceremony had decided to take place in his ribcage. His dark brown eyes occasionally glanced back, to see if May was still there, but it seemed that she disappeared into the throngs of dancers. He nursed his sore ear. "Great, it's going to be bruised," he grumbled to himself. He took a steadying breath. "Okay Ash, you can do this. It can't be that hard. We're just friends, that's all. It's not going to be that-" his voice trailed off when he finally caught a glance of his best friend. His mouth went dry as the sight. "Then again, maybe not."

Misty was idly sitting there in the chair that Ash himself sat in a few years, her fingers twirling the ancient staff of Sir Aaron. Oddly, Ash thought she looked good with it. "Wait, no I didn't mean that!" he paused in mid thought "Oh holy Ho-Oh, maybe I actually do like her!" suddenly comprehended. This was going to be much harder for him. Her outfit didn't help either. She had changed in the time between the tournament and the beginning of the dance. She wore a long sleeveless dress, the sea blue satin fabric acting like it was flowing onto the floor. Her shoulders were exposed to the air, showing off the fair freckled skin. Her hair was down, and for the first time, Ash noticed that she was wearing makeup, something he had never seen on her before, not even when they were younger. Gold and silver threads danced and twirled around each other as they made the elegant scroll work embroidery on the edges of the dress. Ash gulped as he took a tentative step forward.

She finally took notice of him. "Ash, what are you doing here? I thought you were with the others." she saw the teen's slightly pale and nervous expression. "Ash, are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I'm fine," he quickly lied, trying to subtly wipe his hands on the back of his shirt. He took a steadying breath and extended a hand, like May told—well, more like threatened—him to do. "Misty, do you, you know, um, wanttodance?"

"Ash, you garbled that last part. What did you say?"

He forced himself to slow down"Do you want to dance?"

Misty's eyebrows raised in mild surprise. "Did May put you up to this?"

"No!" Ash stammered. "Nope, I swear!"

Misty looked skeptical but gave Ash a lookover. He looked extremely nervous as he asked, awaiting her answer. She looked over to a stout matron sitting by her and she made a gesture towards him. The matron got a sly twinkle in her eyes and she winked, giving Misty permission. "I would like to Ash," she finally and Ash looked as if a great burden was lifted off his shoulders. She extended her hand out, Ash watching with wide eyes, like a stanlter caught in headlights. He took it nervously, like he was holding a piece of glass, rather than the hand of his best friend. The pair moved out onto the dance floor, and that was where Ash froze.

"Ash, do you even know how to dance?" She asked as she watched him freeze.

"Um, kind of," he sighed. "Actually no, not really."

Misty took his other hand. "Well, thankfully, my sisters decided to sign me up for a dance class once, while I was at the gym. Apparently, they thought I would enjoy it without even consulting me."

"Did it go very well?"

"Needless to say, no, it didn't. But at the very least, I got a free dance lesson from it. Here," she moved one of Ash's hands to her waist as she held the other. "Keep your hand here, they're going to be guiding."

"Okay," Ash watched with rapt attention, knowing full well that if something went wrong, he would be to blame later.

"Now," she mirrored Ash's actions and placed her free hand on his waist. "Move." Ash obliged her, even if he was unsure and uneasy about it.

The music from the nearby orchestra played, the faint notes of the melody reaching their ears. Ash strained to listen; maybe he could find a rhythm he could follow, or at the minimum, detract his attention from the fact that he was so close to her.

"Ash, you're stiff as a board. Relax," Misty urged him softly.

"Oh, sorry."

He forced his muscles to loosen up; after all it was only for one dance. It couldn't be that bad right? "Wrong." he thought to himself. The music began to pick up in volume and a slight tempo increase. The surge of volume gave Ash a glimmer of hope. "Alright, I can do this. I saved the world, multiple times even, surely I can dance one simple dance." With the surge of confidence, he moved Misty out towards the center of the dance floor, feeling much more assured about himself.

Misty felt like she was dancing on air. She never in a million years expected Ash-Ash of all people!-to ask her to dance, let alone be actually be somewhat good at it. "I have to admit, he looks kind of dashing and noble in the outfit." As Ash swept her around, her eyes caught the gargantuan portrait of Sir Aaron, and she truly noticed it for the first time. "He looks exactly like the man in the picture." She went back to Ash. The resemblance was uncanny, as if the man in the painting was an older version of the teen before her. She shook the thought aside and invested all of her senses into the dance.

Meanwhile, May was watching the pair under close scrutiny. "They look so cute together!" she squeaked in delight, proud that her plan actually worked.

"May, that was my ear," Drew complained. "I think it's shot."

"Oh stop it, it's not 'shot' you ninny, or I'll make it shot.." May glanced back at the pair. "I think they look cute together."

Drew nodded, more focused on his girlfriend than their friends."Uh-huh."

May huffed, realizing that Drew wasn't really paying attention. "Sometimes I wonder why I'm dating you."

"It's because I'm so good looking. And that I'm a great kisser."

"Drew!"

XXXXXXXXXXX

The lights of the town were scattered across the valley, like fireflies in a wheat field. The majority of the residents would be at the Palace, celebrating, leaving very few people to actually shout a warning to the castle.. Captain Archer chuckled with malicious glee, then burst into laughter, tossing his head towards the starry sky, blond hair dancing. It was the night, when the last moon of summer was setting and the meteor shower was at its peak. "When the last summer moon fades and the last stars fall." he thought, studying the scenery. The bridge was broad enough for a six man rank, and as the bridge turned into the weaving walkway, it got even broader, allowing for his lines to condense, providing a stronger line.

"At last, the prize is mine." He wheeled Rapidash around to face his army trailed behind him. He dug his heels into Rapidash's flanks, forcing the flaming horse pokemon to rear up, his fiery mane a living banner for the army. Archer pointed towards the castle. "To the castle." Spurring Rapidash to a gallop, he charged down the hill, the army closely behind him.

*Yes, I did make up that constellation, somewhat. Since obviously we cannot apply our names to the Pokemon world constellations, I just renamed them. The equivalent to the Gyarados constellation is our Draco one, seen in the summer time.