Chapter 6

An Oath

While walking, he found himself in front of a large, eerie tent with a long walkway inside. On the side, the sign read, "Fortunes". He wanted to walk away…but something told him to go inside…

As he walked inside, he felt an odd aura coming from within. At first he was slightly afraid, but then he gained some confidence. He made his way to the center of the tent. In the middle, there was a little lady. She had very long, old, and dirty hair. On top of it, laid a thin purple shawl. As she looked up to James, he discovered she had a glass eye, while the other was crooked. Oddly, however, as the conversation ensued, he didn't look at the cross eye. He watched the glass eye, believing that someone was there. Her skin was very old and pruned, her bones looked brittle, but there was something about her that seemed powerful.

"Why hello, my dear child…" She spoke with a very slow and tender tone. He sort of laughed because she sounded kind of like the old hags in the cartoons. "Are you lost…?"

"Not at all ma'am. I did walk in here with my own free will." He did not want her to think that he was another low down punk, as for the matter, an idiot. He chuckled and pointed behind him, "Besides, I do know where I came from…"

"Do you really…James?" She replied as she pointed to the exit. As James, with a worried face, turned around, the exit was gone! He had suddenly lost his sense of balance, as well as train of thought. The rumbles of voices from outside had disappeared, along with the light from the sun beating down within the tent. His mind started to race. His name? The door?...Where was he?

"…How did you…How do you know my name…and where…" But as worried as he sounded, something deep within him kept him calm. When the old lady saw this, she was proud of him.

"Please…sit down and relax. There is no need to worry." She laid her hand in front of her, in front of a chair. "I could explain to you everything…but where it all begins is with one question…are you scared my dear child..?"

James pulled the seat and sat down. He tried to remain calm. But…for some reason he didn't need to. Something within him was quite content. He had felt…at home. For the first time in a while, he had the feeling a child has when they realize that they have a family they can count on. As if being in the middle of ones own home. "…No…but…I don't know why…"

The lady seemed glad. "Well…it does not matter. If I am not wrong, I do believe that you came in here to have your fortune told?"

James perked up and started to smile, "Why, yes. I do believe I did."

"Please, lend me your hand…"

When James lent her his hand, he had just realized. There were no crystal balls. No Tera cards. There was only the table with a velvet cover on it. She slowly grasped his hand with both of hers and closed her eyes.

They remained silent for quite some moments. James didn't know if he was doing it right. But when he went to speak up, she opened her eyes, which had a very happy look in them.

"You are quite the soul, my dear child. You are…special…"

"Heh…How is that?"

"…Your love for your pokemon is profound. You would care for them no matter the distress they would cause. You would spend your life's fortune if one needed a surgery. You would even let them feed on your flesh if they needed food but there wasn't a scrap to eat…"

James took in the words, but in a sense, he was feeling too bashful. "Oh cmon…there have got to be more considerate trainers then me. I mean, I bet a lot of trainers would do those things." He had started to shrug, but the woman slammed the table. This scared James out of his right mind and he sat motionless in the wooden chair granted to him.

"My dear child, you do not believe how WRONG you are. I have asked countless souls whether they would do those things. They have all answered "Yes" but their souls were dark and unpure. They lied to me, and even in front of their pokemon…but I never told. You my dear child, are special…You are pure."

James only sat there, silent but at full attention. He wanted to say some sort of thank you speech, but he was only able to mumble, "Uh..umm..Th-thank you.." He had bowed his head.

"Dear child…I offer to make you a proposal…one unlike any other ever known to mankind. Do you wish to hear it?" She had hovering above the table now without even breaking eye contact with him.

"…I want to say yes, but I'm afraid I'd sound greedy.." He looked down and twiddled with his fingers.

She sat back into her seat at upright attention. "I give you a proposal James…Do you wish to envelop yourself into the mysteries that most people find unknown? Do you wish to fully understand pokemon as they are, as they exist, as they act, even how they speak…Do you wish to understand your pokemon that no one could ever help you understand?"

James thought it over slowly in his head. She was offering him to understand pokemon…? As in, understand what they say, how they feel and even communicate completely with them? …He could finally talk to his long time friends and understand what they were saying…He could finally speak…to Lillie.

He raised his head in a confident manner, speaking with all his heart. "Yes. I do."

She raised a finger. "There is all but one catch…You cannot reveal this to any pokemon…until you finally understand your own. You will understand for yourself, when the time comes. Now please lend me your hand once more…" They had grasped hands once again. But this time however, James felt something…a burning sensation running through his veins. His muscles. His legs…his soul.

When she broke hands, she spoke for the last time, "It is done…now go child. You have a mission to attend to…"

James finally got up. He turned around to find everything that once was gone, reappear. The entrance, the bustling noises, even the sunlight. As he went to leave, he spoke once more, "…What is your name ma'am?" But as he turned around for an answer, she was gone. Upon the table, there was a tiny card with words upon it. It read simply, "The Only Mother."

When James had stepped outside, something was…unusual. There seemed to be much more noise outside. He had wondered why. But then something bewildered him. There was only four people outside. So why was it that he was hearing twenty voices?

He walked up to a shop keep and ordered a soda. He sat down and watched a butterfree and venamoth pass by him, talking about their day.

"I heard that he was being a jerk."

"Well what do you expect? He's a dugtrio for crying out loud!"

They passed by and James seemed to sip his soda. "What a nice co-WAIT. WHAT!?" He couldn't believe his ears. He just heard what they were saying! That's impossible! Unless…did that old hag grant him the ability to…of course. He knew now what she had meant. He could finally understand pokemon.

"Hey. Hey kid, you ok?" He had seen James freaking out.

James turned around and said, "Can I get a tall glass of milk? Today's gonna be long…"