"Blaziken," I said impatiently, "he's a blaziken, for the last time." Mandite wiggled in his stool by the side of my ward. We had reached the Pokemon Center about three hours ago, Zhoke and I battered and suffering. Zhoke lay under his white sheets, breathing slowly. I smirked – even though he had suffered less physical damage than I had, Aurora had performed quite a powerful force palm that was strong enough to collapse him. It taught him a lesson not to bother us again.
Despite Aurora harshly attacking him so, she seemed eager to get to know the blaziken. She spent her time walking to this city observing the tall, feathered pokemon. Sometimes she would ask me an occasional question about what I thought blazikens ate, but she mainly sought out his appearance without saying a word. I tried to let this not bother me, for who am I to get in the way of her curiosity? But now, sitting in white comforters and bandages, it was starting to nag the back of my mind, as I watched her peer at him again with a sympathetic expression.
"Blaziken?" Mandite tested the word on his tongue, "blaziken – sounds like a type of spicy meat; blazing chicken!" I had no clue what Mandite meant by "chicken", but I only nodded, my thoughts elsewhere. Wincing in pain, I watched Aurora gaze at Zhoke laying in the sunlit corner of the clinic. It was much more painful than the stings in my shoulder – I touched my aching chest.
Suddenly, Zhoke raised himself into a sitting position, turning his regal head towards my way. Aurora gasped, and turned her face away from his amber gaze, busying herself with the bowl of fruit at my bedside table. I glanced at her with a frown on my face, and then back at Zhoke. He seemed to be mildly interested in something, tipping his head back and smiling. Even with this friendly repose, I do not trust this pokemon – much less, his trainer. Something at the back of my mind told me that the girl had some other intentions up her sleeve, thinking back when Mandite held the pieces of the ultraball. What I held against Zhoke is unknown to me – I only think that he is up to no good.
"Hey there." I heard Zhoke's voice call, deep and rich. Aurora looked up shyly to his friendly greeting, and only nodded. I only snorted, not bothering to say hello back – I knew that he wasn't speaking to me. I felt a growl rumble in my throat. Mandite heard it and gave me a sharp look, but I ignored him.
"Don't be shy," the blaziken laughed, gesturing Aurora with a talon to come closer to him, "come over here – what's your name, anyways?" Aurora, who had timidly walked over to stand by his side, tapped her paws together.
"Aurora." she said softly. Something about her behavior caught my attention – Aurora usually was more outgoing than this. Why is she acting so different now? A memory of me being as shy as she was now set my stomach churning with sickness. Was she...
"Hmm, that's a nice name." Zhoke said, breaking my thoughts, "Where d'ya get it?" Aurora laughed a little bit, covering her mouth with both paws. My face was scrunched in disgust – what happened to the Aurora I knew, who ran around eating wildflowers and hung upside down from trees? The one who was my friend and my love? I watched with disdain and horror what Aurora had become. Her beautiful, wild face nor her serene body did not look any more different, but the Aurora I knew and loved was a distant memory now that Zhoke was here. I looked away, sorrow biting the feathers of my heart. My only hope is that this was only a passing phase, and that Aurora, Mandite, and I could once again be on our way to find Mandite's home; and that Aurora could be herself again.
"Hey," I looked up to see Mandite, his eyes glowing from under his mask, "I am going to check out the town, kapeesh?" I was ready to object, for if Mandite left, I would be left alone with Aurora and Zhoke and my thoughts. But, with a short nod, I told him it was fine for him to go – I just hope he doesn't get into too much trouble. I sighed, leaning back against my pillow while listening to Aurora's and Zhoke's warm conversation, and hoped that my body will recover soon.
~*~
It has been a week, and I have yet to be terminated from the clinic. Zhoke had healed several days earlier, so the company that he brought had slipped away, leaving me the only person there, with the occasional nurse and visitors. Otherwise, I rest against white pillows in the golden, sunlit room, alone for long periods of time to think. I mainly thought about Aurora, and how she is so different now. Every time she visited me, she was quiet but giggly. She would constantly check the time, always saying she had planned to meet Zhoke in the next five minutes – and with a hasty farewell, I am alone again, feeling hurt and confused. For many hours, I have complained to the ceiling that I should have been the one who holds Aurora, with our noses touching tenderly. I blamed Zhoke for stealing her away, and mocking me behind my back. But now, carefully tracing each fold of the white linen that covered me, I knew that it wasn't Zhoke's fault. Aurora is a free-spirited lucario, who can fall in love with anyone she chooses – if she is happy with Zhoke, than I'll let that be. I would rather suffer internal pain than watching her suffer. Only if things were different...
"Lu-ca-lu-lucario!" A young voice rang out from the entrance. I looked up to see Mandite strolling in, cape swishing from side to side. He disappeared behind the foot of my ward, and then reappeared again, climbing up the side to sit on the bed. He plopped himself onto the extra, stray pillows and heaved up something on the floor. Nestled beside him, was a bag.
"I finally got one!" Mandite said with self-satisfied glee, "And I brought us something to do!" He began rummaging around, his stubby arms sifting through his belongings inside. Looking at the backpack, I wondered how he got the money to pay for it.
"How did you get the money?" I asked, speaking for the first time in several hours. Mandite did not even look up once, but he answered in a casual tone,
"Ah, I dug them from the local fountain," He paused to hold up and examine a compass, "you won't believe how much money is in there!" Mandite stuffed the compass back in, and began sifting around again. I wondered if Mandite saw Aurora recently, and noticed her odd behaviors.
"Do you think Aurora is acting a little strange?" I asked him. Mandite finally looked up and stared at me with a blank, yellow stare that seemed to see through me.
"A little." he said, "Why d'ya ask?" Not wanting to reveal my feelings, I only shrugged. Mandite stared at me for several more seconds before returning to his belongings. I only watched the blue warrior in silence, keeping my thoughts about Aurora to myself.
"Aha!" Mandite pulled out two objects wrapped in plastic, "I found them – here, one's for you." He tossed both to me, which I caught with a paw, and held them closer to my face to see what it was. One looked like triangular pieces of golden-brown foam, with a slip of paper in between the two pieces. The other looked the same, except it was one, bigger piece with no paper.
"What are these?" I asked.
"Fortune cookies," Mandite remarked happily, "Here – give me one." I held out the one with two pieces.
"No, the other one, please." I handed him the one with the full piece. He took it, and opened the plastic wrapping, crackling and crinkling sounds filling the silent room.
"Is there a difference?" I asked.
"Yep," Mandite said, breaking the cookie in half, "You got the broken one and I didn't." He threw a half through the opening in his mask.
"Well, thanks." I said, looking at my broken cookie.
"Eh, don't get all sour with me – I gave you the broken one so you can see the paper," Mandite said, "Aurora didn't know that there was paper inside when I got her one, so she ate it – paper and all." He popped the other half through the opening in his mask, and investigated his slip of paper.
"It was really funny; we all were laughing when she pulled that out of her mouth." I imagined the look of astonishment on her face just then, as Mandite read his piece of paper, "May Jirachi shower you with all your dreams," As I opened the little package, I heard Mandite huff in obvious displeasure.
"I don't want to be 'showered' with flying monkeys," Mandite said, holding the slip of paper away from him, "This statement is worded like a question, but it's not – it should say 'May Jirachi shower you with all your dreams?'. The answer is a no!" I snorted in amusement – Mandite took things too literally. The message was only meant as a positive statement to boost morale. Now Mandite is going to quiver underneath an umbrella, waiting for monkeys to fall. Such a silly kid...
"What does yours say?" Mandite looked up, seeming to forget entirely about whatever flying monkeys were. I had just slipped the first piece of cookie in my mouth, the exotic sweetness of the dry food crumbling in my mouth. I found it rather delightful, and smiled with content as I answered,
"I don't know."
"Well, then read it!" he urged, hopping up and down. I took the piece of paper from my lap and read the message. Instead of a message of lame, good fortunes, I found this:
My patience is wearing thin, Lucario – hurry up and find a portal or I'll find you.
My eyes widened with shock from the sharpness of the message – it wasn't written with fluffy words for the random stranger to find; no, it was directed specifically towards me. Fear flooded my senses – what could all of this mean? Was someone after me? How could I even find a portal if I didn't even know what it was? Who wrote this? My mouth was dry.
"Hey, what does it say?" Mandite leaned closer to read the little message in my paws, and his eyes widened, too, "Whoa – that's kinda... creepy." I nodded in agreement.
"What could it mean?" I asked. Mandite hummed a little, thinking deeply, tapping his mask thoughtfully. I awaited for his answer in anxious silence.
"Well," he finally said, sighing, eyes flashing green, "I think that it has to do with me." What? The message was directed to me, not Mandite.
"I know portals transported people from place to place," Mandite continued, "but could it also separate world from world?" Now I knew what he meant; someone wanted the warrior to go home. My mind buzzed with fear – we had to find a "portal" before something or someone comes and finds us. Who knew what would happen next. I reluctantly pushed the second piece of fortune cookie into my mouth. Somehow, it seemed much more bitter than before.
"I have to go home," Mandite whispered. But how are we even supposed to find a portal throughout the whole Sinnoh Region without even knowing what it looks like? How are we even going to get out of this city with Aurora being cheery? Surely, Aurora would be heartbroken to leave Zhoke, but I wouldn't want to leave her behind. Somehow, I had to convince her to come with us – without Zhoke. Something told me that this mission was supposed to be done in secret, and if another notices, that could bring danger to Mandite's world. I looked down on my paws, which were shaking slightly from fright. I didn't want to be scared, but I was.
"Aw, c'mon Lucario," Mandite said, reaching back into his backpack to pull something out, "don't get too stressed out – it will increase your risk for a heart attack." In my mind, I imagined Mandite saying that Uncle Tally told him that knight shouldn't get stressed out when fighting for these reasons. Aside that fact, I knew that if my mind dwelt on a thought too long, I wouldn't be able to sleep well. Anxiety is not good for me – I decided to listen to the little warrior.
"Fine." I muttered.
"Good." Mandite said happily, and pulled out a square piece of wood, checkered with smaller, black squares, along with a small pouch that was tinkling with small, wood pieces inside, "So, how about a game to ease the nerves?" He set the board in between us, and spilled out the contents of the pouch. Peculiarly carved, wooden pieces clattered onto the board, some of them white, some of them black. After tossing the pouch aside, Mandite quickly arranged the pieces in particular order on the board, with the white ones on my side, and the black ones on his. Curiosity pricked my mind with a gleeful poke.
"This," Mandite announced with a flourish, waving a gloved hand graciously over the set up, "is chess."
~*~
It was another half a week before I finally stepped outside the Pokemon Center. The city on the outside was so strange, and confusing. There were many humans and pokemon going every which way, the roads congested with their traffic. My mind is constantly buzzing from all the activities, sounds, sights, and smells. Luckily for me, I don't have to adjust to this life for very long – I hope. Aurora doesn't seem ready to part with Zhoke, yet. Or ever, I thought, blinking hard to numb my pain. If I can't convince Aurora that she should come with us to see Mandite safely go home, then we would have to leave without her.
I found her with Zhoke standing near a white picket fence that caged a great diversity of pokemon on the inside. Cautiously, I walked quietly behind them, not really wanting to talk to Zhoke – but I really had to talk to Aurora. It was more than something to soothe my rigid feelings for her; it had urgency to it. Someone is out there waiting for me to return Mandite home – somehow that someone knows that Mandite is in our world and wants him to get out, or else he will hunt us down. Aurora and Mandite were friends, so surely she would want to see him off. But even if she chooses to stay with Zhoke, I at least want to let her know that we are going, and that we're going to say good-bye. Once Mandite gets past the portal, he's never going to return. But me? Who knows – I may be dead, lost, confused – perhaps this would be the last time I will see her as well. I don't blame her for wanting to stay with Zhoke – I would also want to stay with my love forever, but duty calls. Seeing that the two were in a deep, heart-felt conversation, I decided that it was not the best time to interrupt. Sighing, I turned my head away and back into the crowd of many people, feeling more alone than ever.
Finally, I wandered far enough from the street so that there were no people around. Under the shade of a solitary tree, I sat on the grass that grew below it. It was nice to feel something either than hard cobblestone and pavement. Leaning against the tree with a sigh, I closed my eyes, trying to run far away from all my troubles. My heart ached for Aurora – I missed her so much. I haven't said a word to her for the past few days. I shook my head sorrowfully, and rested it on my knees.
"Lucario!" my head immediately bolted up, hearing a voice I have yearned for so long. There was Aurora, running towards me. I stood up, smiling a bit from the happiness that flooded my senses. Aurora slowed to a stop in front of me, panting, her magenta eyes flashing.
"Mandite told me you just got out of the Pokemon Center," she said, catching her breath, "how are you feeling?"
"Better." I said, glad that I was talking to her again. She straightened herself.
"I was thinking," she started to ask, "maybe you and Mandite can come with me and Zhoke to the park – sounds good?" Something jerked in my mind.
"Aurora," I said, my voice lowering into an urgent whisper, "I need to tell you something." Aurora's ears flicked with surprise and she cocked her head.
"What is it?" she asked. I breathed deeply before starting my spiel.
"Aurora," I said, "we have to leave – soon." Aurora stepped back with shock.
"Leave?" she gasped.
"I know you don't want to go," I said hastily, "but Mandite has to go home."
"Who told you that?"
"My fortune cookie did." I said, not knowing how to explain the situation. Aurora snorted in amusement.
"Funny," she said, "my cookie never told me anything except that my lucky numbers were five and fourteen."
"No," I whined earnestly, "I am being serious; the slip of paper said that something was going to hunt me down if I don't get Mandite home on time!" The look on Aurora's face seemed as though she didn't really believe me.
"Aurora, we have to go." I sighed. Aurora looked down, thinking deeply about the predicament. I carefully watch her; Aurora still looks very beautiful, even when she is downcast. Finally Aurora sighs and then looks at me in the eye, hers shimmering with life.
"Can Zhoke come, too?" I felt myself stagger back in my mind. Zhoke? I really didn't want him to come for two main reasons: the first concerns with safety issues for Mandite's world, and the other is the fact I simply do not like him. Something lit the wings of my heart in burning flame.
"No." I said firmly. It was Aurora's turn to be taken aback, but then she quickly answered, matching my tone,
"Why not?" My mind was racing too fast for my mouth to keep up.
"Because he just can't go!" I blurted out, and immediately, seeing the look on Aurora's face, I regretted it.
"Do you have a problem with Zhoke?" she hissed. Suddenly, my personality was split into two. My sane mind that was not befuddled with love tried to restrain my heart that was raging with fury. My mind told me that this conversation can get very nasty if I don't say the right things, but my heart does not care. There are plenty of things I find wrong with Zhoke, especially the fact that Zhoke attracted Aurora more than I did. I had a feeling that Zhoke did not truly love Aurora as I did. Before I could shut my mouth, I spat,
"He's a jerk, okay?" Aurora flattened her ears, and her mouth pulled into a snarl.
"He is not!" she growled, her eyes a intense fury of flames, "So I guess the only reason that we have to leave is because you just want me to be miserable!" That was definitely not the reason we had to leave. Now my mind was trembling with anger from being falsely accused.
"So I see that you obviously think that prancing about in front of Zhoke is more important to you than getting Mandite home!" Aurora's eyes flashed dangerously.
"I am not prancing!" Aurora defied.
"Well that's what it looks like to me!" I barked, "For the past week and a half, I have been worried sick about you and Mandite! There is something out there that is threatening our well-being if Mandite is not going home soon; and obviously all you're worried about is a walk in the park with Zhoke! It's perfectly fine if you don't come – if it means bringing Zhoke - it's better I leave you." I breathed deeply before continuing.
"If you think that I can say all of this because I am not sacrificing anything, then you thought wrong." I growled, "If I leave you, that means I leave behind the utmost, best friend I could ever have; and I may never see you again." With these words, I felt my heart being shredded apart. I fixed my gaze deep into those magenta eyes. Whether they were shocked, happy, sad, or nostalgic, I did not bother to read them.
"If this is the case, and you decide that Zhoke is worth more than I or Mandite," I panted with effort to keep myself from breaking, "then good-bye!" Aurora stumbled backwards, her eyes in a lost, broken daze. She whimpered, mouthing silent words, and ran off, the echoes of sobbing trailing after her. I stood there, watching her turn the corner, lost and confused as well. Would we ever be together again, after all that has happened?
"Ah, now I see what's going on!" I quickly looked up to see where the young voice was coming from. There was Mandite, his eyes glowing a keen emerald green, perched lazily above in the tree. How long has he had been up there? How much did he hear?
"What?" I snapped irritably. Mandite huffed and his eyes narrowed.
"Don't act all sour with me." he said curtly, sharp enough to bend my defiance to his will. I sighed and shook my head. Today, I have made an ugly mess, and there is no need to start another one.
"You're jealous of Zhoke, aren't you?" Mandite said, and I whipped around, snarling. The last thing I wanted to be accused of is wishing that I wanted to be like Zhoke. Mandite held up a hand.
"Peace," he calmly stated, "one day, you should be tough enough to hear other people's opinions about you." My temper cooled slightly, but I was still rigid.
"I'm only saying that you wished that Aurora favored you over Zhoke, that's all." I felt warm blood flush my face.
"I do not." I said, denying my own feelings. Mandite only chuckled in response.
"It's pretty obvious that you do," he said, "at least to me." Mandite is too smart for his own good, I thought bitterly. We stood there in silence, thinking. After some time, Mandite spoke again.
"You should go apologize to Aurora." he suggested. I felt my ears droop. Aurora... Would she forgive me for yelling at her? Would she even let me come within a mile from her? I really dreaded seeing her again – what would she say? Mandite sighed.
"A man's gotta do it." he said, "I mean, you were kinda harsh. Nothing is going to be better if you just sit there." I closed my eyes.
"But still," I said softly, "she still might... you know." I couldn't bear to say reject.
"Still," Mandite said philosophically, " it's better to walk away knowing that you apologized for you actions, than regretting that you never had."
"Trust me on this one," Mandite quietly continued, "It haunted Uncle Tally for as long as he could remember, and ever will." I collapsed onto my knees, hardly able to hold the weight of my troubles. Mandite jumped down from his perch and landed next to me.
"Just think about it, okay?" he said, and pulled out a chessboard.
"How 'bout a game of chess," he offered, "to ease the nerves?" I only could nod, but fearing what may happen later, when I go to Aurora to apologize.
~*~
To my surprise, I found Aurora in the quiet of the night, at a lonesome, abandoned fountain without the presence of Zhoke. Cautiously, I approached her, not wanting to startle her. Through the pounding of my nervous heart, I heard her soft sniffles. Aurora had been crying. I walked around to sit on the edge of the fountain by her side.
"Aurora," I said as softly and gently as I could, "I justed wanted to say..." My voice broke up.
"I just wanted to say," I struggled to regain my strength, "that I am sorry – sorry for how I acted earlier." Aurora turned her head so she looked at me from a sideways glance. I stared back, breathing slowly.
"I am sorry, too." I heard her whisper back, her voice shaking. I reached out an arm to put around her shoulder in comfort, but I guess we are too distant for that, now. Instead, I placed my paw down at my side, sighing. We sat in silence for a while longer, before I remembered about telling her that we had to leave.
"Aurora," I said, "Either way, I would have to leave with Mandite. There is something dangerous that awaits Mandite's departure – and it's getting rather impatient." Aurora finally raised her head to look at me squarely in the eye. No matter how far apart we get, I still find those eyes breath-taking. I forced myself to remain on topic.
"I understand if you can't come with us," I swallowed a lump in my throat before continuing, "love is a very powerful thing." I looked away, unable to look into her eyes any longer without shedding a tear. I turn my gaze to the moon.
"You love Zhoke, and Zhoke loves you," I managed to choke out, "and you are very lucky. I don't want to ruin that luck." I closed my eyes, and restrained myself from shuddering with pain.
"How do you know all of this?" Aurora asked. My eyes opened. It was rather funny in my point of view with her asking me this question, after all the times I have loved her myself. I look down at her, looking at her waiting for an answer patiently. I decided I won't let her wait any longer.
"I, like you, was in love too." I admitted, doing my best to hide my emotions. Aurora suddenly looked curious.
"Who did you love?" she asked, perhaps a little livelier and more like herself. I sighed, thinking bitterly about the severed bond between me and Aurora. It all happened so fast, but it felt like ages.
"It was a long time ago." I said, averting my eyes again to look at the moon. I could hear Aurora breathing, and the trickles of water in the fountain. At night, it was so quiet.
"Was she beautiful?" Again, I return my gaze back at Aurora.
"Yes," I said, looking at Aurora with a pain in my heart, "very, very beautiful." She looked at me sympathetically, her eyes flickering like a candle in the wind. Only if she really knew who I meant... I bowed my head, thinking deeply. It was almost awkward, now, sitting here and talking to Aurora. With a droop of my ears, I realized that perhaps we will never be as close of friends as before. Maybe I should have said something sooner.
"I will go with you and Mandite." I turned my head to look at Aurora with surprise.
"But what about Zhoke?" I stammered. Aurora looked off to the side with a conflicted expression.
"I know," she said, "but several months ago, I made a promise – a promise to help Mandite find his way home. I am not about to break it." I couldn't speak.
"You know you may never be able to return." I finally said, "then what about Zhoke?" If Aurora died, or was never able to return, Zhoke would be broken as well. I may dislike Zhoke, but I don't wish heartbreak even on the worst of my enemies. Aurora only looked more somber.
"A promise is a promise." Aurora said firmly, "I'll tell Zhoke – I am supposed to meet him tonight." Aurora stood up to leave. Thinking back, I remembered one more apology I had to make.
"Aurora?" She looked at me.
"I am sorry for calling Zhoke a jerk," I said, "I mean, it really wasn't my place to call him that. More than anything, I am the jerk." Aurora's expression looked surprised.
"Zhoke probably has made you happier these past few days more than I have ever done in eight years." I continued, "So I am sorry for being a hypocrite." At that point, I didn't know how to read the bewildered expression on Aurora's face. All I knew is that she stood there for a moment, before bending down to look at me at my eye level.
"Lucario," she said, "Zhoke may love me, and I may love him. However, he had never taught me how to survive in the wild, never saved my life while risking his own, and never was the lone stranger who took pity on me and allowed me to tag along with him when I was all alone eight years ago." Aurora sighed, and blinked hard.
"I'll never forget the friend who did all of those things and more." she said, "Lucario, no matter how much I will love Zhoke, you will always be the best friend I will ever have." And with that said, she gently touched my shoulder, and left.
Now I sit here alone, listening to the water trickle down the stone facets of the fountain, feeling my own water tug at the ends of my eyes.
... So... Yay or Nay? Rate and Review, as always... please?
I give my greatest gratitude to Lupyne, WolfWonders, and Opengunner, whose support keeps me going through and through.