Chapter 4

You've Gotta Break A Few Eggs...

The forest was bigger than I thought. We had been walking for days and we still hadn't reached the clearing. Finally, after a week's walk we spotted it. A humongous clearing filled with crystals of all different colours and shapes. And in the centre of the clearing was a crystal shaped like a dog. But something was different about it, I could feel an aura around it. As I moved to get closer, it raised its head, frowned, then bounded away.

"What was that?" I heard Absol ask.

"That," came a voice from somewhere in the clearing, "was Suicune. The embodiment of the north wind."

We looked around. We could not see who had spoken, then I looked up. There was a giant moth Pokémon hovering above us. Mothim turned to us.

"It usually visits here," Mothim continued. "Speaking of visits, what brings you here?"

"Uh..." I started. I wondered whether to ask about my transformation first or my aura abilities.

My thoughts were interrupted by a loud whoosh. I looked up to see Suicune, standing there. It looked worried. Mothim approached it.

"Suicune?" Mothim frowned. "What brings you back?"

"There is a problem at the Circle of Beginnings," said Suicune, its voice rang nicely like a clear bell. "A gang of thugs are attacking."

"Is there anyone there to stop them?" Oddish butted in. Suicune turned to us.

"Yes," it said, "the Council has sent some of its best to help, but they sent me to transport you three there. And Mothim too, if it wouldn't mind."

"Of course," Mothim said.

We all climbed onto Suicune, who was quite cold to the touch.

"You might want to hold on," it said. "This is going to be quite a ride."

"Hold on to what?" I asked.

It didn't answer. In a flash, Suicune was off. Running faster than the wind, we watched Pokémon and trees fly past. Soon, we were at what seemed to be the edge of the forest. We had gone what would've taken me, Oddish and Absol years to walk in just minutes.

We climbed off Suicune to notice a huge ring of small stones. Inside, there were many Pokémon fighting and, at their feet, were a number of eggs, many of which were cracked.

"Jay!" a voice called. "Oddish! Absol!"

Out of the battle came Ralts, a few scratches here and there, but otherwise okay.

"The council are meeting at Chansey's home. You three, along with Mothim and Suicune, are called to attend."

We followed Ralts into a small hut where, inside, Chansey stood, holding numerous eggs.

"Ah," Gardevoir said, "Jay and friends are here. We need to work out how to protect the eggs."

"Wait a second," I said, "Eggs? How can Pokémon make eggs?"

"What do you mean?" asked Gallade. "Haven't your parents taught you about the Starlys and the Combees?"

"Yes," I frowned, "I think. But how can you, you haven't got... I mean, you can't see your..."

Everyone was looking at me, I blushed.

"Never mind."

"Anyway," Gallade continued, "any ideas?"

"We could use Suicune's Roar Attack," Oddish said.

"No," said Chansey, "that would stress out the eggs."

"I think we have no choice," said Gallade, "we should pull out the troops and send someone in to collect the eggs while we cover them."

"I'll do it," I said.

"What?" said Oddish. "Why?"

"I don't seem to be as strong as anyone else, apart from my Aura Sphere, which won't even work," I said, "if I stay back here, I'll be useless."

"Fair enough," Absol nodded.

"Are you sure?" asked Gardevoir. "Those Pokémon are pretty tough. I think I saw a Shelgon or two out there."

"I'm sure."

Ten Minutes Later...

Gardevoir was right, the Pokémon were pretty tough-looking. But it wasn't the time to give up, I had to do it for the eggs. I started picking them up and putting them in the bag that I had been given.

WWWWRRRRRRRROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAR!

I looked up to see a Charizard flying full-speed toward me. Those teeth, that flaming tail, I was frozen in fear. Just as it was about to make impact...

"Psybeam!"

Ralts was shooting a rainbow-coloured blast at the Charizard, which was knocked sideways. As it got up, it wobbled then started attacking a nearby Crobat. It was confused.

"Thanks!" I called, then continued my task.

I moved along quickly, the bag getting no heavier than it started with. As I moved toward the edge of the Circle, a bunch of Pokémon surrounded me out of nowhere. It was a Monster House! A Pupitar lunged at me, its anger throwing me into a daze. All these Pokémon were angry for some reason. The Pokémon started surrounding me.

"Give us the eggs!" said a nearby Haunter.

"No!" I called.

Then, they pounced.

"Force Palm!"

A voice boomed through the Circle as a shock wave coursed through the crowd of Pokémon. The Pokémon were thrown back, out cold. Out of nowhere, jumped a Lucario, the evolved form of a Riolu. It looked around at all the Pokémon.

"I told you not to hurt anyone!" it called.

The confused Charizard seemed to have regained its senses. "But sir."

"No buts!" yelled Lucario. It reminded me of Farfetch'd. It turned to me. "I'm sorry that they caused you trouble. I'll be off."

And it bounded away, the sore, defeated Pokémon followed it.

Mothim, Suicune, Oddish and Absol came up to me.

"Well done," said Suicune. "You handled yourself well."

"But I didn't do anything," I said. "Ralts and that Lucario did all the work."

"Yes," said Suicune, "but half the Pokémon in the world would have fainted from the power of that Force Palm. Something tells me there's something different about you. You're not a Pokémon, are you?"

"You're right," said Oddish. "He told me he was a human when I found him zonked out in the forest."

"Oh yeah!" I yelled, remembering what I had been meaning to ask Mothim, but considering Suicune was an ancient Legendary, perhaps it would be better to ask it, so I did.

"No," Suicune said, "I am not sure why you became a Pokémon, or what has the power to cause such a change."

My heart sank. There went my chance of discovering my identity.

"But," said Mothim, "training in aura gives you great insight into yourself, so you may find the reason by yourself."