Chapter 12
Broken Hearts

A/N: Special thanks to Debbie Aaron for use of her personal character, Aura.

Aura sat in the chair with the small blue orb in her lap. As much as she'd been around trainers, she'd never held a pokeball, let alone one that actually held a human. It was a rare piece of technology, designed specifically for Pokemorphs and hybrids. They'd stolen it from a lab in Sinnoh specifically for this job, but they'd originally intended to use it on Shaiya.

The girl let her mind wander, gently brushing against the essence within. She'd been named Aura for a reason.

She began to wonder what it was like to be confined in a pokeball. Perhaps she could ask.

She glanced around. Her cousin would probably still be up on the roof, hacking the city's communication network. Soon he'd be broadcasting a signal telling Shaiya to come back and save their captive. For their plan to work, they needed Shaiya.

But she decided to forgo that for now. She closed her eyes and sent her mind towards the orb in her hands.

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Ella felt like she was floating. She couldn't feel anything else physically. It was as if her body simply didn't exist. Perhaps it didn't at the moment. And there was no water holding her. She simply was there.

Although it was partially terrifying, being in this space also felt very peaceful. She could sense her wounds healing despite not being in her body. But not being in her body also meant that she did not have to endure any pain. Her mind was completely at ease.

"Are you there?" A voice broke into the space, disturbing her peace.

Ella didn't recognize the voice. "Hello?"

"Hello. I am Aura. I apologize for having to keep you in there, but my cousin doesn't want you escaping before we have Shaiya."

"My mother? What do you want with her?"

"Please understand. We will not do anything to harm you or her. But we need her powers."

"If you need her so much, couldn't you just ask?"

"My cousin does not believe she will be so cooperative."

Ella laughed. That was probably true. "So you're holding me for ransom? That's probably not going to give her much of an incentive to help you either."

"Ben seems confident that she will agree."

"You seem to be doing a lot for him. What's in it for you?"

Aura paused. "My mother. She was killed when I was young right in front of me. I want to bring her back."

"Hm…seems like you and I have something in common. But bringing back that dead? That's impossible."

"Ben says it can be done. By using the proper abilities at once, it can be done. That is why we need Shaiya."

"You sound pretty confident. But I guarantee she won't be coming for me."

"How do you know that?"

Ella gave her own pause as her mind wandered to only an hour before. "Believe me, she probably won't want to come for me." There was no reply for a moment, so Ella switched the subject. "What am I being held in?"

"It is a special pokeball designed to hold Pokemorphs and hybrids."

"A pokeball? If I'm in a pokeball, then how are you talking to me?"

"I possess a special gift called Sight. It allows me to connect with another's aura, like Lucario."

"Lucario?" Ella thought. Was that some form of Pokemon? If it was, she'd never heard of it. If she could get out, maybe she'd get a new form to use. And if it could connect with other beings, it would be very helpful indeed. "I'd really like to meet this Lucario. When will I be getting out?"

She paused. "I will have to discuss with me cousin. I will return later."

Ella felt a shift, as if something had suddenly vanished. Once again she was left to simply float in peace, but now her mind had even more matters to dwell on. Like what they'd do when her mother didn't show up.

After everything she'd put her mother through, there was no way that she'd come back for her.

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Ben pressed the buttons of his laptop expertly. With a single click, he broke through the system, connecting him to the audio of every television and radio in the city. He held the microphone up to his mouth.

"Attention, Shaiya!" He heard his voice boom from nearly every direction. "We regret to inform you that we have your daughter."

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Sarah was once again wondering the streets of Saphron, what she had done to her own daughter still fresh on her mind. To be perfectly honest, on some level she almost did feel a ping of excitement getting back into the arena. For a moment, she was reminded of why she had chosen to be a trainer.

She stopped and fell into a wooden bench.

But why did the girl have to do it this way? Couldn't she have just become a normal trainer and been happy? Why…

Her mental train suddenly derailed when she came upon a realization. This scenario seemed only too familiar. She had gone through the same experience with her own mother many many years ago.

Her face became buried in her hands. "Oh, god, what have I done?"

Suddenly every speaker in the city blared to live and Sarah froze when she heard the call. Someone had Ella?

"If you wish to see her alive again, come to the Underground League immediately. We have matters to discuss." Then every speaker went silent.

Sarah's heart jumped. Every fiber in her body shot into Mother-mode. In an instant she vanished from her place on the sidewalk.

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Ben dropped the microphone and disconnected. He closed the laptop and picked it up, ready to return back to the arena, which was now empty. The patrons had all returned home once the battles were through. Though none of the following fights held even a candle up to the contest between Shaiya and Mäyto.

As he turned, he spotted Aura waiting by the roof door, Lucario next to her. "Ella wishes to know when she will be released."

"Who? Oh, the girl in the ball. Uh…as soon as her mother arrives." He stepped around her. "Now come. It is almost time. And Lucario, you better be ready."

Lucario simply gave a grunt.

Aura brushed his minds for a moment and sensed a hint of distrust in her friend's aura. To be honest, she completely agreed with him. This was all going a little further than they'd originally intended.

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Sarah appeared back in the arena. The area was unlit, and because it was nearly three in the morning, very little light was inside. She instinctively morphed only her eyes, allowing her to see much better. But the entire space was empty. She was told to come here. Where was everyone else?

There was a sudden crackling behind her. Before she could react, a jolt of electricity shot through her spine. Her body spasmed for a second and collapsed to the cold steel.