Just Another Pawn
Edited as of 3/26/2018
Chapter 2: Teacher
The encounter had happened 6 months ago. I'd like to say I had mastered aura at this point, but I was nowhere close. Either I was doing something wrong, or that book vastly misunderstood the difficulty of controlling such a fickle energy. However, I had learned something. Unlike what was shown in the book, aura isn't only for attacking. It seemed to be far more focused on passive effects. At this point, I was trying to use it as supplementary energy for my muscles.
Although it wasn't very effective, I was using it often enough that aura was becoming instinctive to use in addition to my muscles. It worked as an amplifier of sorts, allowing my muscles to work a bit more efficiently. Surprisingly, it's greatest effect was increased reflexes. I had accidently caught dropped items that, by all accounts, I shouldn't have been able to catch. Even in front of my mother. She never noticed anything, as she didn't even know aura existed, but I tended to act suspiciously when it happened. I was going to have to tell her about the man soon. I couldn't hide it forever.
"Ash! It's time to go to Professor Oak's!" my mom yelled.
I had forgotten; the professor wanted to talk to me about something. I spent most of my time studying aura, so interruptions were quite bothersome. Alas, I didn't have a good excuse to avoid leaving, so I was forced to go.
o0O-O0o
'Ding dong,' the doorbell rang.
I was at professor Oak's lab, trying to think about why he wanted to see me. I pretty much had it down to "pokemon" or "some random thing he's never talked to me about before". He'd never shown much interest in teaching me about pokemon, so I assumed he wanted to talk to me about something random.
The door opened, "Ah, Ash! Welcome! Come on in!"
I walked inside. The lab really hadn't changed since when I came for a book on aura. In fact - besides some different papers, and a lack of furniture - it looked exactly the same. And whilst the lack of furniture was definitely strange, considering he'd invited a guest over, nothing really caught my eye.
"So what did you want to talk to me about, professor?" I asked.
Professor Oak chuckled, "Getting right to the point, I see. Tell me, do you know how a change in a person occurs?"
How a change occurs? Weird question.
"Well, the more you do one thing, the more your brain wants you to do it. It's how you get an addiction. Though change is very gradual, I guess the point of change is when you actually start doing something new, something that's not a part of your normal routine."
"Well said! Why does someone start breaking from routine in the first place?" he asked me.
What's with these strange questions?
I scratched my chin, "I guess when a 3rd party source introduces or reintroduces something new?"
"Correct again! What would you say is the shortest amount of time for someone to change?" he asked.
"Umm, a couple months, I suppose?"
I saw a barely noticeable smirk on the professor's face, "So not a few days?"
I literally just said a couple months.
"No, I don't think so," I answered, getting agitated.
"If a change were to occur that fast to someone, how would you think it happened?" he asked, still sounding perfectly innocent.
I grit my teeth.
Is this his way of saying I'm wrong? Rude.
"I would say a direct change was made to the person. Someone, somehow, changed the person's body or personality," I replied.
Get to the point.
"A direct change, hmm? So, if the body started using a new force to carry out tasks, what would happen?" he asked.
...he knows. How does he know?! I never told anyone! He's the man from that day!
"Well I guess the body wou-" I stopped mid sentence to deliver a punch to his gut. As my fist approached contact, however, he disappeared.
Was that aura? Regardless, the easiest place for him to hit me is my back. That's where he'll be.
My right leg sloppily flew behind me in hopes that I was right. It collided with the professor's forearm which was up in some sort of block.
'Something's not right. Although he seems to know how to fight, as well as use aura, I haven't noticed time getting slower. If he was the person from the occurrence, surely he would have by now. I mean, it wouldn't be good for someone to walk in on you fighting someone, especially a kid.
I see only two options as to why he wouldn't have used it yet. Number one, maybe stopping time takes some sort of preparation. However, I would presume that if it did take preparation, he would have already been prepared before I got here. After all, he was probably expecting a fight. Though, I guess that explains the lack of furniture. Option number two...he doesn't know how to, meaning he isn't the man from that day...
Suddenly, Professor Oak disappeared again and I felt a kick slam into my back. I landed on my knees and elbows from the impact with my mouth slightly agape from strike.
"You're not him," I whispered, completely still.
That caught the professor off guard, "Not who?"
"Who are you? I mean, who are you really? You're obviously not some frail, old professor."
The professor sat on a chair that seemingly came out of nowhere, "I think you know the answer to that question, my boy. I'm an aura guardian. I help keep the peace in the world. Though I admit, with the relative peace lately, I haven't had to do much. Tell me boy, what do you know about aura?"
I sighed. Of all of the things I thought he might want to talk about, aura was not one of them. I mean seriously, who would think that someone like him fought evil? He looked like he would drift away like dust from a light breeze.
"Aura is what flows through all living things. It's the energy that gives life. Humans normally refer to it as the soul. When someone learns how to manipulate aura, they can use it to perform supernatural acts. However, manipulating aura take a great deal of concentration. So great, in fact, that it has become a lost art. Or, at least, I thought it had," I told him.
The professor was scratching the scruff on his chin. He seemed to be in deep thought about what I just said.
"Very impressive, Ash. The book I gave you only talked about the supernatural acts. I think I know what's been keeping you busy all these days. Though I'm curious, where did you get a sudden interest in aura?" he asked.
I sighed yet again, and explained everything that happened that fateful day. I explained it multiple times in different perspectives. Explained my thought process of what had happened. Heck, I even talked about my training in the last 6 months and what I was thinking while here. After a few hours of a completely one-sided conversation, I finished.
"You've been quite the busy bee, Ash. I'm especially impressed with how you were able to predict I was behind you. My thought process has never been fast enough to deduce things like that in the middle of a fight. However, I'm concerned with what this man did to you. He seems to have jump started something in your mind. I don't mean to be rude, but 6 months ago, you weren't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. But in mere days, your intelligence took a complete 180. You are far smarter than you were back then.
"I'd like to make a proposition. I'd like to train you in aura and pokemon. Although meditation is a great way to start your training, it's only great for starting your training. After a couple of months, a person will normally start more intensive training. From now until your pokemon journey, I'd like to be your teacher."
I'd love to say I was surprised by this, but honestly, I'd seen it coming. Why would he take time out of his day to have me come here, only to have a conversation on aura? There's no gain for him and very little gain for me.
Offering a teaching position would be a great way for him to get back into shape, and a great way for me to learn aura. I hadn't expected him to want to teach me about pokemon as well, but I guess if I'd go on a pokemon journey, I'd need to actually know something about pokemon. Imagine what would happen if I didn't; I'd probably do something dumb, like have a pikachu face an onix.
"I accept your proposition. I will become your student in aura."