-1Ancient Society: Ascension
Chapter 9:bonds
A/N: I'm back with another chapter! In the last one, Demetrie was given his "arbiter" pokemon and tensions between him and Felix were established. How will poor Ryoko fare in this? We'll find out soon enough. MEE-YAA!
Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon, Nintendo does. I also do not own the Ancient society or the transformation virus, Those belong to TurtlesandMonkeys.
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There was a celebration of Demetrie's visit at the fire by the lake, the older children who had tribal markings dancing around the flames, making imitations of pokemon movements and cries. Some even wore colored feathers and leaves to try and act like the bird pokemon of legend. Ryoko sat cross-legged with Felix, Ebony and Demetrie, who watched the spectacle with a smile on his face. One girl wearing a crown of blue feathers danced flapping her arms in front of her, her blue dress swirling like the tail feathers of the artic bird of legend. She put her hands in front of her and cried out. "CRYOOOOO!" and began dancing again. Many other dancers made pokemon noises too as some sat pound the drums rhythmically. Ebony watched as Felix stared at this spectacle with interest and was amused herself that these humans' relationship was pokemon was carried out to great extents with displays such as this.
Ryoko looked to Demetrie and wondered what was going on in his mind. She was still a little frightened by his recent displays of aggression toward the bandits and recently towards Felix. Felix better watch himself. I would hate to see him or his pokemon get hurt because of Demetrie's temper. It saddened her, because she could remember a time when Demetrie wasn't as harsh. He was still serious, but he had this sort a smile that came to him at points in time.
The dancers finished and bowed before rustling to sit back with their brethren. The younger children who were not initiated clapped and cheered at the dance while the mothers clapped half heartedly. Lady Kia stood up from her sitting area and leaned against her staff.
"We are gathered here to honor the passing of a tribal elder, my own brother Karu. We also have wishes of strength for his successor, Demetrie of the kindred flames." She raised her arms and the initiated young ones cheered. Felix leaned over to Ryoko. "Kindred flames? When did he have that title?"
Ryoko shook her head. "Maybe it's because he found his arbiter."
Demetrie nodded and raised his staff arm. "This staff was passed on to me by Karu the just, and I will do him honor by fulfilling the words of our lord as prophesized by the prophecy bearer. I will not fail, for I have no fear!" He raised his arm in the air and the young ones began to cheer.
Ryoko saw the look in his eyes and saw that they were the same eyes he had when he threatened Felix and terrorized the bandits on the road.
Lady Kia nodded and raised a cup. "To the promised day."
Demetrie smirked. "To the promised day."
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Later that night, the flames were put out and the children were sent to bed. The mothers all went to bed as well and lady Kia took Demetrie Ryoko and Felix to a guest hut they kept.
"You can rest here or the night before beginning your journey home." She said. Demetrie nodded. "Thank you, my lady." He bowed in respect and she bowed in return and began to walk out.
"He always loved her…" She murmured while walking out. Demetrie raised an eyebrow and Kia turned. "My brother, he always loved her. That's why he chose her for an arbiter."
"Who?" Felix asked. Kia sighed. "It was a long time ago. A girl that my brother had set his heart for was in the elder selection ceremony as he was, and when he was selected and she failed, he chose her as his arbiter. That is why I guessed he went with her."
Felix scratched his head. "Why would he do that?"
Kia sighed. "Sometimes you will find out that love makes the strongest bonds."
She turned around. "I believe that I've troubled you with my thoughts long enough. Good night." She left.
Felix turned to Ryoko. "What did she mean by that?"
Ryoko thought about it in her head. Love makes the strongest bonds…is that what me and Demetrie are missing? She blushed. Me and Demetrie? Was there ever such a thing?
Demetrie saw her blushing and smiled, one thing he rarely did these days.
I wonder why….
"Good night, Demetrie…" Ryoko yawned.
"Good night….Ryoko." Demetrie said.
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They were all sound asleep, dreaming their silent dreams. The moonlight shone through a window, the pokemon outside chirped and made their nightly noises, the stars burned.
Ebony slept next to Felix, her tail swaying slowly as she breathed in and out, her breaths synchronized with Felix's own.
Suddenly, Felix began to clench the matt, beads of sweat beginning to form on him. He began to tighten up and turn his head side to side, his eyes tightening, his teeth clenched. His breathing became more rapid, each breath a razor one. Ebony's tail began to twitch faster.
Felix's breathing became so fast that it culminated in his chest. Felix cried out and snapped up with a jolt, his eyes wide and his chest heaving from the panting.
Ryoko and Ebony both snapped awake when Felix cried out. Ryoko gasped and went up to him.
"Felix? Are you ok?" She reached for a gourd of water and poured a cup for him.
Felix sweated. "I-I don't know what I saw…"
Ryoko gave him the cup. "Was it a nightmare?" Felix shuddered and took the cup with a shaky hand. "I-I don't know." He drank fast.
"What was it about?" Ryoko asked, then she gave it a second thought. How could I ask him to do that? It must have been horrible to him… "Never mind, you don't have to tell me."
"That, that girl…" Felix murmured while staring off into nothingness.
Ryoko looked concerned. "A girl?"
"I saw, a girl…she had a symbol just like his…" He pointed to Demetrie, who was still asleep.
"She had flowers on her hair…she was wearing some sort of ceremony gown…there were people all around her, cheering her on….fire, drums…"
"And then…she offered her hand to…the Vulpix….it bit her and she….she screamed real loud. That scream, it was just…" Felix grasped his head in his hands.
"She began to change, and it looked so painful! I could see her twisting and turning, almost feeling it! When she was done….she was just another Vulpix, but she….she looked like the same Vulpix I saw today….she looked at me with those same eyes. It was her and I never felt more scared of anything until I found myself in that stare…" He bent his head down and grasped it. "It felt like it was happening right in front of me!"
Ryoko rubbed his back and had a sympathetic look on her face.
"It sound's like you just witnessed our ceremonial rites first hand. You were never exposed to it before you joined us and when you did you haven't seen a ceremony because Demetrie has yet to initiate one. Then something like this happens and you don't know what to think, you poor thing."
Felix rubbed his arms. "Is…is this what you do? Is this what I'm going to do?" He asked with a fearful expression. Ryoko sighed. "It is our tradition. We've performed the rite of transformation as a rite of passage ever since our society was founded by Yasuo himself, at least that is what I am told…"
"Is it always painful? Do they always scream?" Felix asked. Ryoko looked to the side. "The screams became a lullaby for some of us, but me and Hiroko were told that pain and suffering were what had to be endured before it ends."
Felix shook his head. "Then…is it going to be painful for me too?" Ryoko looked to the side. "I…I don't even know how I'm going to endure it myself…"
Ebony came between them and perked up. "Esp? Espeon Esp Espy Esp Espeon." Felix smiled and scratched her head. "Well, if I had to pick a pokemon for the job, you would be the definite one." Ebony closed her eyes in a smile.
He turned to Ryoko. "Yeah but the one thing that bothered me was that she chose to give everything away. And for what? A Life in a Pokeball? What could drive someone to give up their humanity for something like that? I just don't get it."
Ryoko put a hand on his back. "You're not alone. I sometimes get confused by some of the choices our society makes too."
She looked into his eyes and he looked back too. Ryoko felt strange, as if staring into those eyes had a soothing effect. She felt her self lean forward. Felix leaned forward too. Before Ryoko could comprehend what was going on, she could feel a rush of breath being sucked away and she closed her eyes and felt her body tingle.
Their lips parted and Felix and Ryoko stared at each other for a brief moment before they immediately blushed and turned away from each other.
"I-I'm sorry. I don't know what- OW! Ebony! I said I was sorry!" Felix said rubbing his head as the Espeon glared at him and gave him psychic slap.
Ryoko blushed and began to walk outside.
What just happened? Did we just…
She felt a rush as she blushed again and held her arms to her chest. It felt strange, but it also felt right, when she stared in his eyes and…
Was that…love?
She looked to the moonlight and smiled.
She did not see the shape in the doorway turn away and go back into the chamber to sleep, his brown eyes burning with betrayal and silent tears.
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A/N: Aww, my first kiss scene in any of my fics. The scene with Felix and his vision were supposed to remind people of his oddities and moment of seeing something he couldn't comprehend, in this case a transformation. He is an outsider who has never experienced a transformation ceremony before and when he sees it, it was shocking to him, kind of like how it was shocking to Alex the Pokemon archeologist in chapter 13 of Transformation. It also gives insight into what the ceremony that the Vulpix Demetrie has went through before she offered up her life to the cause. The ceremony in the beginning was to try and give more culture to this society, for it was mentioned that they dance around fire in chapter 4:Faluire of Ancient Society when they were waiting for midnight. Felix and Ryoko's relationship took another step in this chapter. However, I'm sure someone won't be to happy about this when he finds out. Also, I'm sure some of you will spot another reference in Lady Kia's lines. Well, please review! Jonseycat, out! MEE-YAA!