Ancient Society: Ascension
Chapter 13:Training
A/N: Well I am just so proud of how far this story has come along and it is probably my second pokemon fic but it was the first to actually have transformation scenes before Quarantine so a lot of things about this story hold special places in my heart. I am quite proud of the fans who have stuck with it since its initial chapters and hope they continue to stay along for the rest of the journey, for we are not done yet. XD. So let the story continue!
Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon, Nintendo does. I also do not own the Transformation series or Ancient Society created by TurtlesandMonkeys; I am only borrowing with permission from her. Swack16 owns Zhao Yun Ping and his family, TurtlesandMonkeys owns Demetrie and the virus, and Lord Nalthren owns Moro. Felix the Eevee trainer owns Felix and Ebony while I myself own Ryoko. MEE-YAA!
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Ryoko stirred in her sleep, the moon casting a soft glow in her skin. Not to far from her, Felix and Ebony slept on the floor upon a mat, the black Espeon curled up upon Felix's chest, her tail fluttering every so often. Felix himself had the face of a carefree dreamer, seeming relaxed and at peace. Ryoko turned slowly in her sleep onto her side, her closed eyes seeing only what her mind placed in her dreams. She could not see the soft gaze that watched her over her bed from the doorway, could not see the brown eyes warm up at her innocent slumber. Demetrie watched Ryoko shiver slightly and walked by quietly and pulled the blanket into her arms so she could instinctively grasp it and curl up in it. She seemed to smile and whisper something.
"…Hiroko…"
Demetrie smiled and brushed a stray lock of blue hair from Ryoko's face. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered.
"I will protect you...always…"
He then got up and began to walk out the exit of the hut. He stopped when his eyes fell upon Felix and Ebony and he trembled a bit but kept himself calm and walked past them, Ebony lifting her head slightly and cocking it to the side but soon she rested it again and closed her eyes.
-0-
Moro sat on the small hill overlooking the village, surveying the moonlight. She looked into the air at the large orb in the sky, letting the rays beam on her and closed her eyes as she let the beauty take her. She then looked down in remembrance, noting the shadows, remembering how she would use them to her advantage…
She reached for her fox charm, fingering the steel, remembering when she once used another form of steel in her deadly art…
Never again…
She looked to the moon again and just smiled at the memories of the children she saw today as they greeted their elder, the boy Demetrie. She looked down as she saw a flicker of movement from the huts and her senses heightened themselves as she heard the sound of footsteps. She could see a shape moving from the hut that she knew belonged to Ryoko and she stood up, her eyes sharpening. She could see a little detail and the staff in the figure's hand told her that it was Demetrie. She cocked her head in curiosity wondering why he would be up this late. Maybe I'll ask him sometime…
She shook the thought away. No, he needs to figure this for himself. Only if he comes to me for advice should I intervene. Maybe the training with Zhao Yun should do him some good…
She closed her eyes at the thought of her guardian. She then gave one last look at the village and the moon before turning to leave.
-0-
The sun began to rise, casting its soft glow across the land, the life-giving rays retuning life to those who slumbered the night before, pokemon rising for their daily tasks, nocturnal predators returning to their lairs for rest from a night's hunt.
Demetrie stood by the lake, watching the sun begin to reflect as it continued its ascension. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath
"Ancestors…" He whispered. "Guide me well on this path I am about to walk, give me the strength to pass whatever trials may come," He bowed. "Until the promised day."
He stood up and began to walk to where he would begin his training with Zhao Yun. As he walked, he passed a couple he recognized as travelers with Lady Moro, the son of Zhao Yun and his love. They sat on a log, Kasumi cuddling a little Eevee as Shu Wei held his arm around her. Demetrie felt something stir in him, some sort of longing, but it died down soon enough and he just shrugged off the feeling, but a part of him wondered what that was.
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Demetrie caught sight of Zhao Yun in the middle of a meadow in the forest, the stream nearby. He had his back turned to Demetrie, his staff planted on the ground. The wind blew the tail of his headband slightly, the yellow cloth fluttering.
"Hm, I was wondering when you would show yourself." Zhao Yun said without turning.
Demetrie bowed. "I apologize for being late, I have no excuse."
He heard Zhao Yun chuckle. "Good…because I have little tolerance for excuses."
He then turned around swiftly, grabbing staff in hand and suddenly dropping down in a sweep, the staff catching Demetrie off guard, the young boy falling flat on his back, grunting in pain. Zhao Yun then poked Demetrie on his side to roll onto his stomach. He put his foot slightly on Demetrie. "Now, push up against me 50 times."
Demetrie grunted. "What is the meaning of this?"
"Come on, don't tell me a boy your age can't do fifty push-ups?"
He pushed down against his back. "Come now, push."
Demetrie grunted and pushed his arms against the ground, his arms trembling as he struggled for strength. He pushed up once against the boot of Zhao Yun and fell to the ground down.
"Again! Start over…one!"
Demetrie pushed. "Two!" He wavered a bit and continued to a fourth when he collapsed. "Again!…One! Two! Three!"
Demetrie began to sweat as he pushed up against the ground. Whenever he faltered and fell, Zhao Yun would restart the count. He had restarted about three times when he began to carry on. He was nearing the end of his count when he reached 47. He slowed a bit.
"Come on…you're almost there…don't come so far to fail now!"
Demetrie strained and pushed up again. He noticed someone walk into view. It was Kai Yi, the other guardian. He saw Demetrie and looked to his brother. "Heh, pushing him a little too far so soon?" He chuckled. Kai Yi walked in front of Demetrie and bent over to his level, rubbing his hand in the boy's hair. "I'd quit if I was you right now. Maybe you aren't cut out for this."
Demetrie looked up and gritted his teeth. " I…will not…FAIL!" AT the last word he pushed up two more times and Zhao Yun took his foot off and let Demetrie sit back and catch his breath. He crossed his arms and nodded. "Very good…for a warm-up."
He offered Demetrie a hand and lifted him off the ground. "Ok, now jog around the village five pence."
Demetrie shuddered a bit from trying to maintain balance. "But I can hardly stand…"
Zhao Yun swiftly whipped his staff against Demetrie's side. "Run at least five times and then the training shall begin." Demetrie held his knees as he breathed then looked at Zhao Yun. "Trust me."
Demetrie stood up and began to jog.
Zhao Yun motioned Kai to come to his side. "Make sure he doesn't falter. He does, jab him back up."
Kai Yi shook his head with a smile. "Still haven't changed huh Zhao?
Zhao Yun smiled. "Not on your life. Besides, It's a good learning experience."
Kai nodded. "Yeah, never be late to your house of pain."
Zhao Yun shook his head. "Please don't call it that." He looked to where Demetrie was running. "Besides, I think he'll benefit from this..."
"You think so?" Kai asked, scratching his head.
"I hope so…" Zhao said with a worried face.
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Ryoko sat on the grass looking at the sky. There were many white clouds among the blue sky. She sighed with a smile as she thought about how nice of a day it was turning out to be. She heard a slapping sound and turned to see Demetrie running at the edge of the village, the guardian known as Kai Yi from that lady Moro's troupe following him with his staff. Whenever Demetrie looked like he was going to slow down, the guardian would poke him with the dull end of his blade. Ryoko watched as Demetrie continued to run about, a solid look of determination poking through his tiring face.
Ryoko was too busy watching Demetrie she didn't sense that someone else was sitting by her. She felt eyes on her and turned with a gasp, only sighing with relief when she saw it was only Moro. She put a hand to her chest. "Lady Moro, you gave me quite a shock." She said with a smile. Moro only chuckled. "I am so sorry…old habit I guess. I tend to have that effect on people, seeming to randomly appear out of thin air."
Ryoko turned to face her. "So, what brings you here?"
Moro closed her eyes as she took a contented deep breath. "Enjoying the morning, the sights and senses that each new day brings. I just love it when the sky is like this." She rested her back against the grass and stared straight at the sky. She turned her eyes to Ryoko. "And you? How are you this morning?"
Ryoko blinked. "Uh, I'm just fine-uh…" She looked away from the woman while Moro only closed her eyes in a smile and chuckled. "You seem so shy around me." She patted the grass next to her. " Come here, lay down." Ryoko nodded and lay down next to Moro looking up at the sky.
Moro sighed contentedly as she stared at the sky. "One look at the sky is all I need to calm myself down. That and seeing a sunrise by the mountains or an ocean view, which I haven't seen in awhile... but still I have the sky." She smiled. "It's like a gift. It always changes, yet stays the same and all can share in it." Ryoko stared at the sky, listening to Moro's words. Moro smiled. "What gives you piece of mind?"
Ryoko thought back. "I guess a nice cup of tea…sunrises as you said…I've never seen the sea before."
Moro smiled. "Maybe someday you will." She clasped some grass in her hand and lifted it toward the air, letting go slightly as the wind scattered the grass about. "The winds of life take us through many unexpected turns."
She turned her head toward Ryoko, who was watching as Demetrie made another round. She smiled. "So, do you like him?" She asked. Ryoko turned to Moro very fast. "What?" She responded. "Moro smiled. "Do you like him, Demetrie?" Moro asked while nudging her shoulder a bit. Ryoko blushed. "Well...it's just…"
"Go on."
Ryoko took a deep breath. "I'm just worried about the training he'll be taking, if he'll be all right." Moro smiled again. "Don't worry, he won't fail."
Ryoko blinked. "How can you tell?"
Moro chuckled. "Because he won't, because he's protecting something dear to him."
Ryoko sat up. "What?"
Moro smiled and turned her head toward Ryoko. "You."
Ryoko's heart skipped a beat. "Me?"
Moro nodded. "I can see it in his eyes." She stood up and put a warm hand on Ryoko's shoulder. "Don't worry, he is sure to come out of this stronger than ever."
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Demetrie had finished his rounds around the village and stood there, panting. Zhao Yun approached him, nodding. Demetrie bowed. "I have paid my penance for my lateness…" He wobbled but stood straight. "When does the training begin?"
Zhao Yun turned away and walked. "I was light on you. Do it again and you shall be punished."
Demetrie looked at him for a while before nodding. "Yes sir."
Zhao Yun walked past him and came to a stone and sat upon it. "Sit." He said, pointing his staff to a specific spot before him. Demetrie nodded and sat.
"Now remember, I do not come before you as a guardian, you do not come before me as an elder. We are master and apprentice, teacher and student, holding a sacred bond that is eons old. What we learn we learn together." Demetrie nodded.
Zhao Yun took a deep breath and cricked his neck before looking to the young boy before him. "You will refer to me as Master, understood?"
Demetrie nodded. Zhao Yun sighed. "Do you understand?"
Demetrie nodded again. "Yes Master."
Zhao Yun nodded. "Good." He stood up and walked to the center of the field. "Now first thing's first, show me how you fight." He stood up straight.
Demetrie strained to get up and got into a stance. Zhao Yun stared him on. "Now, what are you going to do?"
Demetrie thought about when he took out the bandits and decided t rush at Zhao Yun with out fear. He swung his staff, but Zhao Yun avoided it easily Demetrie repeated the swing and hit nothing, he then rushed for Zhao Yun's arm and thrust his own out to grab it. Zhao Yun then grabbed Demetrie's arm and tripped him to the ground, pinning him and holding his arm against his back. Demetrie struggled to break free and tried to get up, but Zhao Yun had him real tight. He pulled Demetrie's arm back and he felt it pull.
'You're too clumsy. You're too predictable. You're to rash…" Demetrie thrashed some more but Zhao Yun wouldn't give. "You need to learn patience." He then let Demetrie go and the youth immediately grabbed his staff and swung at Zhao Yun hot took his staff and hit Demetrie in the stomach and then elbowed his head. Demetrie fell back.
"Also, never attack in anger." He took a deep breath. "Calm your mind."
Demetrie took a few breaths and nodded. Zhao Yun nodded. " The most important thing about this training is self defense, not attack."
Zhao Yun began to pace around Demetrie, the boy watching. "Now it is possible to turn a battle in your favor if you aggravate your enemy." He gestured his staff toward Demetrie. "As I exemplified with you. If your enemy fights out of anger they will make many mistakes and leave themselves open."
Demetrie stood up. "So anger can be a powerful tool?"
Zhao Yun stopped pacing. "That is right, yet you have to keep calm in the field of battle."
Demetrie took a few breaths and he could hear the pokemon in the forest when he cleared his mind. "I can hear them...the ancestors…"
Zhao Yun nodded. "Indeed, but you can't rely on them all the time."
He stood a few feet away from Demetrie. "Now then, release your Arbiter."
Demetrie nodded and pulled out his apricot Pokeball. Zhao Yun repeated the move. He nodded to Demetrie who cranked his ball and out came his Vulpix. Zhao Yun released his Jolteon. "Jolteon!" The Spiky electric pokemon called.
The two stared at each other for a brief moment before Demetrie made the first move.
"Ancestor, tackle attack!
The Vulpix nodded and began to charge at the Jolteon with a cry. Zhao Yun and Jolteon waited. "Jolteon, maneuver 2 and tackle." Jolteon nodded. "It waited until the Vulpix came close enough. Vulpix braced itself for impact. The Jolteon suddenly slid forward and its legs tripped Vulpix and before it could recover, it tackled the fox. The Vulpix cried out and rolled to Demetrie's feet. It got up and looked to him. "Try and ember attack, try to catch it off guard." The Vulpix nodded and planted its feet in the ground, staring at the dashing Jolteon. All six tails fanned out.
"Jolteon, flash." Zhao Yun commanded.
Demetrie thought fast. "Vulpix, shield your eyes!" The fox covered its eyes with its paws and the flash attack came. However, the fox wasn't its target. Demetrie was briefly blinded by the flash and cried out. The Vulpix heard his cries and turned out of concern for him. The Jolteon was given enough time to disappear in this moment. Vulpix turned back toward the arena and couldn't see her opponent anywhere. Suddenly, Jolteon appeared dug out of the ground behind her and struck the fox. The Vulpix cried out. "Vulll!" It landed in the center of the field with a thud and was too weak to continue.
Zhao Yun sighed at this quick defeat. "All right Jolteon, that's enough." The Jolteon nodded and sat by his side. Demetrie had recovered from the blindness and saw his Vulpix in the center of the field. "Vulpix!" he called out and rushed to the fallen fox and picked it up in his arms. Zhao Yun walked up to him. "We have a long way to go.' He looked to the Vulpix. "Your arbiter still needs to be trained."
"I haven't used her in battle before." Demetrie said, holding the Vulpix in his arms as she got up and licked his arm.
"Well now would be a good time to build that trust that Jolteon and I have." Zhao Yun said, petting his Jolteon's spiky hair, the seemingly sharp spikes doing nothing.
"Yes Master, but what do I do?"
Zhao Yun stood up straight. "First, you and your arbiter must build up some endurance before any serious training can be done." Demetrie nodded.
"My Son Shu Wei will help you." Demetrie saw Shu Wei appear and nod.
Demetrie nodded and placed his Vulpix on the floor. Shu Wei released his Eevee. "Vee." The little pokemon mewed.
"Ok, now you two start jogging. You and your pokemon, and don't come back into the village until sundown."
Demetrie and Shu nodded. "Yes Father. "Shu added. The two boys began to run.
Zhao Yun returned this Jolteon and began to walk back toward the village when he felt two soft hands clasp around his face and pull him behind a tree. He is surprised as his lips meet with a soft face that breathed a tender breath down his mouth and he soon gave into the kiss.
He pulled softly away and stared into the golden eyes of Moro. She smiled.
"And how was your day?" Zhao Yun clasped Moro's hands in his as he gently pushed them off his chest. "Moro…"
She blinked. "Well, how was your day?" "It's going well…I started the boy off with a little penance for his lateness, then I began to teach him the ways of fighting." He looked into her eyes. "And now he is jogging…" He put a hand to her chin. "With my son..." He softly added.
Moro stroked his chest. "He is related to me...he has my sister."
Zhao Yun thought back to the battle. "The Vulpix…"
Moro rested her head against his chest in his embrace. "I've been thinking of you ever since you took him in, knowing you will make him stronger…" She reached into kiss him again but Zhao Yun gently kept his distance. He shook his head. "I am sorry, but you know we can't continue like this. I have a family now, a son, my wife, Shou Wha…"
Moro only put a finger to his mouth and leaned in to whisper by his ear. "Just tell me you love me…please?"
Zhao Sighed and smiled as he held Moro's chin in his hand. "Wo Ai Ni."
Moro nodded and let go of him and bowed. "I am sorry, for presenting myself like this."
Zhao Yun nodded. "All is forgiven." Moro bowed. "Return to your duties." She said and began to walk away. Zhao Yun sighed and picked up his staff, feeling his lips where Moro's tender lips kissed his.
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Moro walked to her hut and rested on her cot, resting her head on her arms.
He is right, we can't continue this way for long…
She sighed as she began to get ready for her rest. She looked out the window and saw Demetrie and Shu Wei were running up the hill with their pokemon. She smiled and took a deep breath as began to slumber.
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And there! It feels great to return to this story, though I did need help for the training sequence. I would like to thank swack16 for helping me with that. Originally, I had Zhao Yun envisioned as this teacher who takes it slow, but Swack brought in an edge that the family was known for in later generations and I thought it was better so I went with that. I did retain the whole "master/teacher" relationship line that was in the original draft, but I amped Zhao Yun a bit up. I also enjoyed adding the scene between Moro and Ryoko in the middle, talking about what calms them. The scene between Moro and Zhao Yun implies several things…but Zhao Yun does affirm his faithful status by attempting to delay Moro's advances and remains committed to his family. One could see a resemblance to the type of advances Kitsune makes to Akira in Lord Nalthren's Chronicle story. I also enjoyed the opening with Demetrie and Ryoko, showing a warm side of his that is rarely seen any more. What is he to do with the knowledge he is gaining though? Well, please review! Jonesycat, out! MEE-YAA!