Ancient Society: Ascension

Chapter 11: Destiny's crossroads

A/n: it's been so long…since I last visited this story. XD! Well, I am sorry to keep you all waiting for fans of this one, and I hope that this return will make up for the long wait. Well, let's see what else is next for our Elder Demetrie.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own pokemon, Nintendo does. TurtlesandMonkeys created the Transformation series, its Virus, and Demetrie so it belongs to her and her alone; I'm just borrowing with permission. Felix the Eevee trainer owns Felix and Ebony. I own Ryoko and Hiroko.

-0-

Dawn approached. Demetrie sat cross-legged on a stone, watching the sun slowly rise, feeling the rays reach his face. He closed his eyes and brought out his Pokeball.

What should I do? I shouldn't be sidetracked from the ultimate goal, but…

He remembered what he saw, the two of them leaning, that one moment when they were one. Demetrie couldn't describe the blow he felt seeing that. It was a strange feeling, a feeling that something he possessed was being stolen from him. It was something he never felt before, like a bond was slowly being rendered apart. He thought to what lady Kia told, him about love making the strongest bonds. Could such a strong bond be torn? If he even felt the thing.

He leaned his forehead against the ball as a tear fell through his closed eyes.

Oh Ancient one, I am lost…what should I do to walk the true path?

He felt a sensation, like a slight fluttering. His breathing slowed and he felt a shudder course through his body. He then looked to the ball. What was that? It was like some other force descended upon him and showed his heart the way, but he couldn't explain it. He got his staff and got up. He searched for elder Kia and found her in her hut, preparing some tea.

He stood waiting until Elder Kia closed her eyes and took a sip of her tea. "Yes, Elder Demetrie?"

He bowed before entering. "Lady Kia, something just happened."

She took another sip. "Oh, and what did occur Elder?"

Demetrie looked as if he were recollecting his thoughts. "I...I don't know how to explain it. " he took a breath. "I was…consoling with my arbiter and…a feeling washed over me…telling my heart something I could not understand…"

Lady Kia closed her eyes and put her tea down before rising. She walked to Demetrie and put a hand on his shoulder. She hummed and then opened her eyes.

"Yasuo's grace has descended upon you, my Elder."

Demetrie's eyes widened. "Yasuo's grace?"

She began to walk back to her mat and rested her knees. "The Arbiter's are not only our ancestors, they have Yasuo's grace infused upon them. Asking them for guidance is like asking him.

She looked to him. "It is what determines our destinies and the destinies of others."

He looked to his ball. My destiny and the destines of others?

She gave him a solemn look. "Destiny is at its cross-roads, Elder. The wheels of fate are shifting. Let Yasuo guide your heart and will and let his will be done."

Demetrie bowed. "Yes, Lady Kia."

-0-

Ryoko and Felix were sitting by the lake, not looking at each other, looking to the sky.

"So Felix, how was your sleep?" Ryoko asked. Felix didn't look away from the clouds. "Hmm, all right I guess. Why do you ask?" Ryoko kicked her heels in the water. "I was just asking, after witnessing what you saw last night…"

"Ah, it was nothing. Don't worry about me." Felix said with a casual grin.

"It's just… after I saw my first one, I had a nightmare about it, that it was happening to me. Hiroko was there to shield me, but she couldn't stop the screams. I screamed myself…"

"Well, I couldn't say my stomach could hold it, as you saw last night, but if what you say is right, then I'll get used to it. Besides, I may have to go through it too…"

He looked down.

Ryoko went up to him. "Don't worry about it, you still have a long way before then."

They looked into each other's eyes. Ryoko had the dizzying feeling and she felt her self give in again. The two were inches apart from each other when Ryoko and Felix felt a psychic push. "ESP!"

"E-Ebony! Look, I swear I wasn't -OW!"

"ESP! ESPY ESPEON ESP!" the black Espeon was fuming, then she turned around and looked to Felix fast. "Espy Espy."

"What? He is-" Felix stood up. "Oh hey Demetrie, nice morning huh?"

Demetrie kept his stern face. "How were your dreams, Prophecy bearer, any premonitions I should be aware of?"

Felix scratched the back of his head and smiled. "Not unless it concerns sprouting fur and a tail , I got nothing." he chuckled, trying to be funny in front of Demetrie and Ebony just sighed and rolled her eyes.

"That might come to pass, prophecy bearer." Demetrie simply said and walked passed them.

"We depart this morning, pack up your things."

"Yes elder." Ryoko said. Demetrie looked to her then walked off.

"Boy, that was a close one, wasn't it Ryoko?" Felix said. He turned and saw that she already began to walk away. He only shrugged. "Well at least I still have you Ebony." He was scratching her head, ignoring the death glare she gave him.

-0-

"Fare well young ones, and Yasuo's grace be with you!" Lady Kia said from the edge of the city limits, a crowd of uninitiated young ones behind her. The younglings walking with Demetrie all turned and waved and said their goodbyes. Ryoko bowed and began to walk while Felix and Ebony both shouted their goodbyes to the village.

"That was a nice visit, apart from the me-throwing-up part and the-" A punch in his gut from Ebony shut him up.

"Esp Espy." She hissed. (Not in front of you know who.)

"It is understandable that you couldn't handle seeing Yasuo's gift in action. You were an outsider who has never seen it before." Demetrie said to him.

"Well, now I know what I have to look forward to." He put on a worried face. "uh, do I have to stay in a Pokeball?"

Demetrie smiled. "Only if you choose to be."

"Oh, we get to choose?" Felix lightened up. Ebony looked at him. "Espy Espeon Esp."

(You're never getting me in one of those **** things.)

Felix laughed. "Ebony, not in front of the young ones."

They were walking along when Ryoko noticed something along the road. Felix bent down and looked at it. "Huh, it looks like those daggers those punks who attacked us had. Must have dropped it when…" He stopped as he saw a pile of clothing discarded not to far from the dagger. He looked up the tree and saw a sleeping Wurmple. Not to far from it was a Weedle and a Caterpie. Ebony sniffed the air and looked to Felix. "Esp Esp."

"What? It's those same guys?" He then remembered when Demetrie sent them out to attack the bandits after breaking the man's arm. Demetrie looked up and smiled. "At least their outward forms match their inner ones." He looked to the younglings. "See how swift Yasuo's justice is? It is both fair and severe in that it tortures the criminal and alters them to become more suitable to the world. Now they only live for the way rather than resuming their lecherous and thieving ways. Yasuo's way is a just one." He said with a smirk towards the insect pokemon.

Ryoko hid her horror and revulsion at Demetrie's behavior. True, they did attack us…but they had no idea of the wrath they unleashed…

She looked to Demetrie and closed her eyes. I'd hate to see anyone else caught in those fierce eyes when Demetrie becomes something else than the boy I knew…

"Come young ones, we shall continue onward." The children nodded and left the insects behind, but Ryoko stayed for a moment.

"I'm sorry you had to go through this, peace be with you." she bowed and turned around to catch up.

-0-

Demetrie walked forward, feeling lifted, as if unseen hands were guiding him down a road that was destined for him. Yasuo's grace…it will show me the way to my destiny.

Ryoko walked a little behind Demetrie and Felix was walking next to her. She didn't know why, but she always felt more better being close to Felix than Demetrie, but she didn't want to be separate from Demetrie either. These tugging bonds will tear me apart if it continues this way any longer...

She then had a thought. Should she indeed tell Demetrie what happened between her and Felix. She feared that it would crush Demetrie and cause him to go out and hurt Felix. I shouldn't…but it's eating me up like a Weedle from the inside, burning my heart…

She put a hand to her heart.

Felix stopped and lifted a lock of Brown hair from his ear. "Hey, there's some noise…I think someone's coming."

Demetrie stopped. He heard it too, like the sound of many feet walking. "Young ones, to the bushes."

All the younglings went behind the bush while Demetrie stood where he was, pulling his Pokeball. Felix stayed to along with Ebony, the Espeon crouched and ready. Ryoko stayed with the young ones to watch them.

Two men walked into view, holding staffs with a blade at the top and several colorful strings where the blade met the pole, blue and yellow. They were followed by a woman with silver flowing hair and clothing. Behind her were a group of other people, young children between the ages of 13 and 16, all carrying marks.

Demetrie recognized the marks and immediately bowed down on one leg. Felix thought it was a good idea to do the same and bowed as well.

The caravan stopped in front of the two kneeling boys. The eldest guard next to her looked to be in his prime and had black hair and deep amber eyes. He wore a yellow armored shoulder pad and a yellow battle tress over his samurai-like padded pants. Demetrie say that he was in good shape by his bare chest with only a strap running diagonally up his torso and connecting to his shoulder pad, a lightning bolt crest on the buckle. He wore a yellow headband with a lightning bold on it and his staff had a yellow ribbon hanging off. His black hair was sort of spiked in the style of Jolteon and he wore a necklace.

The other guard looked younger, but wore a similar outfit only it was a cerulean blue and had a water drop in place of the lightning bolt. His eyes looked young and wild with three bangs brushing along his forehead. He wore a white headband with blue stripes running along it, a water drop in the center. The elder guard raised his hand and the crowd stopped. He planted his staff in the ground.

"Who goes there?" he inquired of the two boys. Demetrie continued to bow. "I am Elder Demetrie of the village formerly under Elder Karu. I am his successor and am retuning to our village after obtaining my arbiter."

"Let me see him, Zhao Yun." A smooth gentle voice asked. The elder guard stepped aside and the woman dressed in silver stepped forward. Ryoko's eyes widened from where she watched. This woman was probably one of the most beautiful ones she has seen. She wore a long sliver dress and a silver top that revealed her midriff, but she looked as flowing and young as any young woman would, but she also had this mature elegance about her. She wore flowers on her silver hair and had these golden eyes. On her neck was a choker in the shape of a fox's face. She went before Demetrie.

"Rise, Young one." He stood up and her gold eyes met with his brown eyes. She looked to the marking on his forehead.
"so, you're her ancestor…and she is you arbiter, correct?"

Demetrie nodded. "Yes, my lady."

Ryoko could see that the marking on the woman's forehead was identical to Demetrie's.

She put her hands on his shoulder. "Well then, that makes us family."

She put a hand to her chest. "I am Moro, the chronicler, here to acknowledge Elder Karu's passing, and meet his successor. I last heard you were at the village of origin, and decided to intercept to meet you."

She gestured to her two guards. "This is my guardian, Zhao Yun Ping. He and his brother Kai Yi protect me where ever I go." The two guards nodded.

She smiled to Demetrie. "Well now, I believe that there are younglings in your presence. Come along, you are among friends."

Demetrie nodded and gestured the younglings to come out. Moro smiled and walked over, looking to Felix, who still hasn't gotten up. She chuckled. "You can rise now." Felix sighed in relief and stood up. Ebony walked next to him. Moro chuckled in delight. "Is this your Espeon?" Felix nodded. "Uh-huh. Pardon me for saying this but you are so…hot." He felt a slap from Ebony. "Ow! Well she is. I can't even give a compliment now?"

Ebony stuck a tongue out at him. Moro only laughed at this. She stopped when she came across Ryoko and saw her blushed expression. "Now young one, why so shy?" Ryoko looked up. "Oh, I'm so sorry my lady, it's just…I never seen anyone like you and…"

Moro closed her eyes in a smile. "It is quiet all right. What is your name."

"Ryoko, my lady."

Moro smiled and raised Ryoko's chin in her hand, her gold eyes staring into Ryoko's. "Call me Moro."

Moro then left Ryoko and walked over to Demetrie. "well then Elder, are we to return to the village?"

Demetrie nodded. "Yes, Lady Moro."

He walked by her side while Zhao Yun and Kai Yi kept a close eye on him. Moro looked back at Ryoko and gave her a reassuring smile that only made Ryoko blush even more.

There's something about this woman…Ryoko thought to her self as they continued along.

-0-

And there; I decided to use a concept created by TaM in Double the trouble called "Yasuo's grace". It's where the body readies itself for whatever Destiny awaits them. It was present in the arbiter selection, the elder selection ceremony, and those who are chosen to breed for the tribe. But what will it mean for Demetrie, Felix and Ryoko? Also, I've FINALLY introduced Moro into this story. It was concept me and my buddy Lord Nalthren tossed around that Moro was apart of the society and this was mentioned in Eyes of the beholder. She seems to have warmed up to Ryoko and Felix. And to what extent her relationship to Demetrie is will be revealed in later chaps. And yes, Zhao Yun and Kai Yi are related to John and Ryan Ping, Swack16's characters. Which means that…John and Ryan have ties to the society! Well, that's all I got for this chap, please review! MEE-YAA!