just a warning, this chapter is really creepy and disturbing so I'm going to post something really fluffy and happy next chapter to make up for it, thanks for reading, and may Arceus bless you! :P
Chapter 4: Fears and Family
"As the last of his aura flowed into the tree, he knew he had done what was right." Lucario finished his tale as our quintet sat in a circle around a cozy fire that cradled us in its arms of warmth. My mind was running on autopilot, Aura Guardian . . . why does that sound so familiar? I wondered, the Aura Guardians were a group that had trained in the art of reading and manipulating aura. There are myths that say a Lucario was taught to read aura by an Aura Guardian who went by the name Sir Aaron. Maybe Luke knows something. My thoughts were stopped short Flare spoke up.
"Hey Mark, why don't you tell the story of how you and Luke met Hypno?" Flare asked his voice full of curiosity.
"I would, if I didn't want everyone to have nightmares tonight." I said, earning immediate protest from Flare.
"Come on, Mark! How scary can it be?" flare pleaded, i just shook my head.
"If the boy wants to have nightmares this badly I say let him have his fun." Grace interjected, "After all, he's only hurting himself."
"All right, you win Flare, but don't come crying to me because you couldn't sleep!" I said as I relived my own worst nightmare.
Flashback
It was late, Riolu and Mark were just about to turn in after a very successful day of training when a soft melody began playing in both of their heads.
"What's that song?" Mark asked as the two went to investigate. Riolu only shrugged and held marks' hand as they trekked through an unfamiliar part of their temporary mountain home.
As they neared the source of the eerie music words began weaving their way into the strange song.
Come little children, come with me,
Safe and happy you will be
Away from your homes, now let us run,
With Hypno you'll have so much fun,
The duo walked, entranced towards a yellow Pokémon that was holding a thin circle of metal on a string, around the Pokémon stood a group of children, human and Pokémon alike, all lost in the trance.
Oh little children please don't cry,
Hypno wouldn't hurt a fly
Be free, be free, be free to play
Come down in my cave to stay
Oh little children, please don't squirm
These ropes I know will hold you firm
Hypno tells you this is true
But sadly, Hypno lied to you
Oh little children, you weren't clever
Now you'll stay with me forever
As the chilling 'lullaby' ended, the Hypno looked at all of the little ones he had 'collected' and began walking towards the cave that he had mentioned in his song. Everyone followed Hypno until he stopped and ordered everyone to line up on the cave wall. He began swinging his pendulum from side to side, everyone was captivated by it, except for a Kirlia who was standing just behind Mark and Riolu.
The Kirlia touched Riolu's shoulder and sent him a mental image of himself and mark, glassy eyed, standing upon a raised pedestal, forever. Riolu lightly shook Mark's shoulder, not hard enough to catch anyone's attention, but just hard enough to get mark's attention away from the pendulum. Kirlia led them to a hole in the cave wall that led to the surface near their campsite.
"Wait, what's your name so we can at least thank you properly?" Mark whispered as the young Psychic-type held out a slip of paper with what appeared to be bumps on it, Mark ran his Index finger along the bumps and a grin broke out on his face.
"Thank you Grace. We will repay this kindness someday, I promise!" Mark whispered as he tucked the paper safely into his pocket. Suddenly everything went quiet and Hypno's eyes searched the group until they fell upon Grace. The yellow Pokémon lunged at the smaller, seemingly weaker Pokémon Mark and Riolu silently prayed that their savior would be okay as they ran into the night.
End of flashback
Flare's voice shook, I wasn't sure if it shook from anger, fear, or some combination of the two.
"I tried to warn you. . ." I sighed. "But some people just won't listen." I felt my friends' fist meet my arm in a playful bit of anger.
"You said I would have nightmares, not that I would be scarred for life!"
"You haven't been under his control." Grace replied.
"Oh, really? You want to know the reason I wasn't freaking out earlier? It's because my little brother is one of that creeps trophies!" Flare sounded like he was about to cry, I felt his pain, not in the same way of course, but I felt it nonetheless.
"How about we save that problem for tomorrow, or at the very least until we all get some sleep. After all, we can't fight if we're all running on fumes, can we?" I said, trying not to upset my friend any further. After I said this we all bedded down and let Cresselia guide our minds into the dreamworld.