As Mara walked into the living room the next morning, Hunter was just getting off the phone.
"Okay, well, if you find anything, tell me. Thanks, Maylene. Bye."
He hung up, then turned to Mara. "Nobody's seen or heard of a Lucario in this area other than Maylene's. I called the police and the Officer Jenny here said that they'd be on the lookout."
Do you think he'll come back?
"I don't think he'd abandon you. He'll probably be a few miles away by now, living somewhere that I've shown him, training on his own, his mind always wandering back to you."
Was I really becoming a distraction?
"As much as I hated to say it, yes. He couldn't concentrate with you around."
Should I leave too?
"No. You can stay. To me, you were a distraction. Now, to Taren, you're the one thing that keeps him close to this place."
How can you be sure he's even close to here?
"I can sense him. He's in the forest, looking our direction."
Mara pressed her lips together briefly before looking out of the window, which looked out onto the forest.
Taren stood on a tree branch, watching the house. His anger was still smoldering inside, constantly at war with his shock and sadness at being yelled at and his desire to return and apologize. She's not a distraction, Master.
He turned and jumped off of the branch, then walked a short distance into the forest to his temporary home. Stopping outside of the small glade that he had claimed, he sat down on a fallen tree, his legs swinging over the edge. He held his face in his paws. Master, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it.
He sat there, sobbing, for hours.
That night, Hunter sat in front of the fireplace, staring into the flames. Mara came down the steps, wrapped in a blanket. Are you going to bed, soon?
"No. Are you?"
I was on my way up.
She turned and left.
Hunter watched her go out of the corner of his eye, then turned his attention back to the fire. Buizel, its joints creaking, jumped up on the couch and padded over to its owner. Hunter looked down at it, concerned, knowing that even with the best Pokémon Center in Sinnoh working on it, Buizel would soon die of old age.
He hung his head, overwhelmed by the two losses. One that he had already suffered, the other inevitably coming.
That night, up in his room, he became aware of a presence in his room. Turning from the window, he looked at Lucario, who was standing by the bed, stray Aura swirling like mist around his feet.
Hunter sat down on the bed. "I don't know what to do, Lucario. She was a distraction, but it wasn't my right to say so."
About that, you're right. Lucario sighed, and joined him. He will come around. I will talk to him.
"What could you do that I've failed in?"
Many things. You remember sensing the emotions that had come from his egg?
"Yes. What about them?"
I'm sure that, while inside it, he could feel them too. I will reveal the truth to him about those feelings.
"What is the truth, anyway?"
You're not ready to hear it yet.
"Not ready?" Hunter asked, getting up. "After all I've been through? Losing my parents, you, and now Taren, and soon Buizel? Why am I not ready?"
Because you are trying too much to be like me, and too little to take your own path.
Hunter sat down again, stunned. "What are you saying?"
You branded Mara as a distraction because you knew that's what I would have done. You've been using my methods to teach Taren to control his powers, instead of your own ways. I know you're creative. Try your own methods.
"I'd think of her as a distraction anyway."
But it's not your place to decide whether she has to leave or not. It's hers.
"I've persuaded her to stay until Taren comes back. Until then, I'm not sure."
Taren won't leave Mara. He loves her, and vice versa. He'll always be close by. In fact, he is right now. Trying to sneak around the edge of the house, then climb up into Mara's room.
"Which was once his room."
Lucario snorted. True. Ironic, isn't it? The reason your student ran away is sleeping in your student's room?
"I have a vague idea about what irony is, Lucario."
Lucario got up. I should go.
"What about Taren?"
Once he finds out you lock every entrance to the house at night, and that he can't do something else without waking you, he'll go back to the forest.
"What if they talk telepathically?"
They know you'd hear them. Like I said, I'll talk to him. You'll need to wait here for a while.
"How long will it take?"
I don't know. I will come for you when he believes he is ready.
Hunter sighed and nodded. "So be it."
Lucario nodded, then disappeared.
Hunter sighed again, then climbed into bed.
Yeah, bit of foreshadowing in this one. What Lucario's talking about will be revealed at the end, so don't pester me with questions about the emotions he felt. Those of you who analyze this closely will probably figure it out.