You will find the playlist for this chapter in the comments, I recommend reading this chapter while listening to it.
Ch. 11: THE AIKIDO LESSONS
Monday 14 September, Evening/Cloudy
My Homie
"So you seriously are Piers' sister! THAT'S SO AWESOME!", you scream with enthusiasm.
"Shhhh!", Marnie beckons you to lower your voice.
"Oops... sorry...", you say putting a hand in front of her mouth, but by now it was too late, many hearing the name Piers yelled, turned their gaze toward your group.
"Piers? Did someone say Piers?" said a girl that was dressed in punk gothic attire, soon, many other phrases like that began to spread around you.
People began watching you, whispering and pointing at you, many looking at Marnie herself as if they had realized something.
"Come on, let's go!" Gloria yelled taking you and Marnie by your hand.
"We better leave before the situation gets even more complicated." having said that the girl started to make her way through the crowd, followed by Hop as she dragged you and the girl away.
A few minutes later you were all at the Skybus station, the escape was short but tiresome, thus you arrive at the station panting.
While you were catching your breath, you tried to remember how you ended up in that situation.
You recall enrolling in the Aikido course of Mr. Kabu Izanagi, after that you were about to go back to the dormitory as it was already getting darker, and since Marnie also had to head to the same station, you invited her to walk together.
On the way, you started talking and introducing yourself to each other.
"I say before, my Name is Marnie, Marnie Áine, I come from Spikemouth."
Marnie as well as the Postwick duo also came from a town far from Wyndon.
Gloria and Hop were thrilled to discover this, you on the other hand found the name of the city familiar.
"Marnie... are you by any chance, related to Piers... you know the famous singer Piers Hermits?" you remember asking the girl.
After asking her this question at first, Marnie fell silent, and with a flustered expression on her face, she then gave you a positive answer by nodding.
And from there your reaction and then all the mess afterward.
"But to think that your brother is the great Piers Hermits..." you say after regaining a bit of breath, this time around by carefully keeping your voice low.
Piers was the star of the moment, he was a punk rock singer, frontman of the band Obsta - KISS.
Recently the Obsta - KISS together with Piers achieved world fame thanks to their victory at the Meloetta International Festival, but even before that, the Obsta - KISS were well known on the national level.
"Well..." Marnie mumbled something shyly.
"Marnie, do you live with us in the dormitory too? Or do you live with your brother?" Gloria asked the girl changing the subject.
"Uhm no, I live alone with some relatives in the borough of Northern Wyndon." Marnie answered.
While answering your questions, the Skybus for Central Wyndon arrived.
On the SkyBus, the others continued their conversation with the dark-hair girl.
Crossover
"Really?! So you don't meet your brother that often? Huh?"
"Right, his work does keep him always away sadly," said Marnie.
"But that's for the best, as you probably know by now, they just win the summer Meloetta Festival competition, so they are pretty busy right now doing interviews and tours." Marnie told you with a smile.
"He still finds time to come to visit me though." Marnie said sweetly.
"You surely love your brother very much, right?" Hop said with a hint of sadness, that wasn't sensed by Marnie.
"Oh yeah, I genuinely like my brother, we have been inseparable since we were little." Marnie said joyfully.
"I own him a lot, Piers is truly the best afterall." said Marnie.
While the others continued to talk, you decide to step aside in silence.
"..."
"Victor, Victor!" Gloria shakes you.
"Yes!" you answer after a moment.
"Are you alright? Why aren't you talking anymore?" Gloria asked you a little worried.
"Ehm... nothing don't worry..." you say to the girl calmly with a smile, to wash her worries away.
"Are you sure?" Gloria asked you again.
You reassure her again with a nod.
"...Okay." after saying that Gloria went back to talk with Marnie and Hop, after she went, you let out a sigh.
After arriving in Central Wyndon, you separate from Marnie.
"Then, see you tomorrow." said Marnie boarding her SkyBus toward N. Wyndon.
"See you tomorrow." Hop and Gloria greeted Marnie, while you just waved your hand instead.
"Now that she's gone, can you finally tell us what's wrong?" Gloria asked you immediately.
"Huh? What are you talking about?" you try to pretend to not know what the girl was on about.
"Come on man, even Marnie noticed that something was wrong." Hop answers you.
"..." you remained silent.
"Well... let's say that if someone before he got excited about talking to you, but then stands aside and ignores you, one might get a bit worried." Hop said sarcastically.
"Ugh, you are right... but... it's was just that..." you say to the two.
"It's just that I wanted so badly to ask for her brother's autograph..." you admit passionately.
"Wow, you must like Piers a lot." says Gloria smiling.
"A lot...indeed..." you admitted with a defeated tone.
"Why didn't you ask her? She did say after all that her brothers visit her on the weekend."
"Yes ... but, given everything that happened with Hop, I didn't want to make her uncomfortable..." you say.
"That was the reason why I didn't.."
Hop and Gloria were at first surprised by your answer, then they both smiled.
"Thank you, Victor," said Hop.
"But I don't want you to restrain yourself, for me." Hop said with a more serious tone.
"Alright then, changing the subject, Obsta - KISS huh? Never expected you to have such a wild taste in music." Hop wondered while shifting the discussion completely.
"But then again, I think back to you fighting in the Darkest Den, and all of a sudden your musical preference doesn't seem to be that much out of character." Gloria added.
"By the way my favorite band is Tsareena, and my song is Killer Tsareena."
Gloria revealed.
"I don't have a favorite band, but do have a liking for the song Wyndon Calling, from the Sharpedos."
While the two continued talking about the musical preference the Skybus for Scorenwell arrived, you followed the two to get on the public transport.
"But damn... Piers's autograph..." you sighed defeated.
...
You passed the rest of the evening doing your homework with your friends.
The day after
Tuesday 15 September, Early Morning/Cloudy
Corn Dog
You were listening carefully to Mrs. Kleio's history lesson, Sonia was explaining the ancient history of the Kanto region.
"More than 8000 years before Alpha, the Terracotta culture developed in Kanto during the Steel age,"
"This period saw the merging of the Kantonian tribes of the Alph in east Kanto, the Bet tribes from the Sevii Seas, and the Gamm who inhabited the western part of the region.
They were tribes and societies that were mainly based on gathering, hunting, and fishing, only afterward agriculture enter the life of these peoples, "explains Sonia.
"The Bets however were a sea mercantile tribe native to the southern seas of Hoeen, coming probably from Sootopolis and Pacifidlog, and they later settled in the Sevii Archipelago, founding the seven Betian colonies,"
"While under their first king Seri Asukana, the Betians founded the Florabetian kingdom around 2000 years before Alpha,"
"The Gamm people, however, later mixing with the Alphians resident in eastern Kanto, the Betians on mainland Kanto and the mysterious Epsilons, the last population to reach the region, they gave birth to the Sakura civilization, toward the end of the third century before Alpha, from the Sakura civilization will then descend the today's inhabitants of Kanto, the Kantonese. " Sonia finished explaining.
"I've learned something new ..." you think.
"Uhm, I wonder if this can count as an improvement..."
"Remember guys, this will be part of questions on the next assignment, understood?" Sonia said causing complaints among the students.
"Having said that, let's continue on with the lesson..."
The lessons continue until the bell rings.
Afternoon/ Sunny
Afterschool
"Hey, Victor!" Hop called approaching your desk.
"Yes"
"Gloria told me that she was going to pay a visit, to Aunt Veronica." the boy told.
"I understand, hope she's doing fine." you said.
"Aion is already gone today too?" Hop asked you.
"Yeah, he said she was busy." you gave him an answer.
"Even today huh? I wonder what he does all the time alone." Hop says thinking aloud.
"He probably studying our society." you told Hop.
"You say?" Hop raised his left eyebrow.
"Well his room is full of books, newspapers, and films of all sort, but they are for the most books on sociology and subject regarding the studies of mankind, and that how he probably spent his time before we came along." you speculated.
"Oh well, leaving aside extraterrestrial stuff, I wanted to ask you if you want to come along which me at Puntera?" Hop asked politely.
"Why, Puntera?" you ask him curious of knowing the answer.
"Puntera was the borough in with I lived years back when I and my family settled in Wyndon for a while, you haven't been there yet, have you? Come on, I'll be your guide." Hop said enthusiastically.
"Sure, why not." you gave him a positive answer.
"That's the spirit, let's go." having said that, you both set off towards the station.
One hour later
Crossover
Puntera was the southeast borough located under the Keelford River.
Puntera had a mixture of residential, industrial, and commercial land.
Before and after the Great World War, Galar was one of the destinations of immigrants from all over the world in search of a better life.
Many of these immigrants came from Hoeen and Johto, once part of the Galarian Empire and the Kantonese Empire.
Many settled in that borough and later began to open their businesses and their places of worship and culture, almost creating a city within the city, which will later take the name of Johto Town.
You and Hop were walking through Johto Town, on the way you got to look around and notice the diversity that surrounded you; skin colors, clothing, smell, way of speaking, and manners.
"Wow, it feels like we are in a completely different city." you say charmed by the diversity around you.
"Right? I always thought the same thing!" Hop said smiling.
"As a kid, I remember often asking my parents when were we going to visit Johto?" Hop said narrating an episode of his childhood.
"My mother will always jokingly replied like this "Why should we? Haven't we already being to Puntera?" " Hop laughed on recalling such words.
"We did eventually go to visit our relatives in Johto, on summer holidays though, for my family it was the first time, but for me it surely was." Hop told you.
"Do you have any relatives in Johto?" you asked him with an interested tone.
"Didn't I tell you already? My family has johtian origins, to be exact Navagrahian origins, my paternal great-grandfather Farrokh Budha came to Galar from Johto to find work, in the early '50s."
"For real!" you exclaim surprised.
"Yep, my grandfather, my father, my brother, and I were born here." continued Hop.
"The surname Mercury was from my galarian paternal grandmother Rosmerta Mercury, she descendent from a kalosian family."
"That's amazing, you truly are a Mr. Worldwide." you jokingly told Hop.
"Sort of, one might say." Hop laughed at the title given to him.
"Oh here we are!" the boy stopped in front of a bistro with a captivating sign, the predominant color of the place was chili red, and the place name seems to be The Hot Copperajah.
As soon as you entered you were greeted by a strong smell of a variety of spices.
"Welcome." the waitress greeted you.
"Welcome, how can we help you?" the cook also greeted you, he had his back on you not being able to see you.
"Hey, boss how are you!" Hop greets the cook informally.
"Hey little Hapi, I haven't seen you in eternity! How are you my boy?" the cook after recognizing Hop, totally changes attitude, going from professional mode to informal mode in an instant.
Then follows a conversation between Hop and the guy who catch up on their lives.
"How are you? And how is your family?" asked the smiling young adult.
"They are fine, thank you and you? I hope business and everything is okay? How is Big Boss, his he hear?" Hop replied by asking another question.
"Hahaha, Big Boss retired Hapi." Boss said laughing.
"What really?" Hop exclaimed astonished.
"Yep, that old dog bought a house for himself and granny in Johto, and they both retired from their businesses, and he left me to take care of his bistro in his stead."
"That's nice to hear, I hope he's doing fine, wait... does that mean that you are the 'Big Boss' now?" Hop teased Boss.
"Is Young Boss to you, I'm not a geezer damn it!" after saying so Hop, Boss, and the waitress both burst laughing.
"Anyway, I have brought a friend with me, to let him try your delicious Samosas." Hop said after finishing laughing.
"Nice to meet you." you greeted the man and the woman.
"Hello pal, your friends with this blockhead here eh?" Boss said pointing obviously at Hop.
"Be patient with my little brother, ok? Thank you." Boss said then with affection in his voice.
"Anyway, you wanted some Samosas huh? Got it, by the way, Hapi, keep sending me potential customers okay? Much appreciated." laughed Boss.
"I will!" Hop replied laughing as well.
The Hot Copperajah was a bistro that was specialized in johtian Navagrahian cuisine, and one of these specialties was the Samosa.
Samosas consist of fried pastries, stuffed with potatoes, onions, cheese, and spiced meat.
And as said by Hop, they were a national snack in the Johto region.
Plus Hop and his family seemed to have come here to eat quite often.
While you were waiting for your Samosas, you asked Hop about his nickname.
"Why Hapi?" you asked him straightforwardly.
"It's a pretty funny story hehe" Hop chuckles.
"I met Boss and Big Boss when I was still 10 years old," he begin to tell you.
"I remember it like it was yesterday," Hop said nostalgically.
"I clearly remember Big Boss asking my name, and for a strange reason I decided to say that my name was Hapi... just like that, for no apparent reason." Hop said while making strange faces.
"Since then at my expense, they kept call me like that, after that my every attempt to get them to call me by my real name was useless... so I surrendered to my destiny." Hop ended the story in a defeated tone.
"Hey Hapi, come on, your food is ready." Boss called you to give you your order.
"Coming!" Hop replied loudly.
"Thank you very much." Hop thank Boss as he took your food from his hand.
"Hey Victor here's your part, consider yourself lucky that I'm sharing it with you, I normally eat my parents' Samosas too" Hop laughed giving you your share of Samosa.
"Thank you very much" you smile as you take the food.
Your mind gets filled with the mental image of an orange card for an instant.
THE EXCHANGER ARCANA. RANK 02
"..."
"Ok, thanks a lot Boss, then till next time." Hop said.
"Come back soon you two, and Hapi remember to tell Leon to come over when he is free." Boss said.
"Oh-um s-sure I will." Hop said nervously.
"That asshole, tell him not to forget about his friends only because he's gotten a little more famous now." Boss said playfully.
"Hehehe, I'll tell him." Hop replied in a more relaxed tone this time.
"See you Boss." having said that you and Hop headed out of the bistro.
You and Hop then spend the rest of the afternoon visiting Johto Town and eating the Samosas.
As soon as the sun begins to set, you immediately set out for the dormitory.
You spend the evening doing your homework with your friends.
Thursday 17 September, Early Morning/Cloudy
Two days later.
Joy
After school, along with Hop and Gloria, you promptly head to Kabu's dojo.
After changing into your Aikido getup you headed to the gym where Mr. Izanagi was already waiting for you along with a girl and a boy, probably his helpers.
Apart from you, Hop, Gloria, and Marnie, there were at least a dozen of students.
"Welcome to our first Aikido lesson." Kabu greeted you all.
"My name is Kabu Izanagi, and for the next months to come I will be your Sensei," after saying this he and his two aides bowed their heads as a way of greeting, and so did you all.
"Well, now it's your turn to introduce yourselves, and after the presentation, we will start with the actual lesson." said Kabu.
After the introductions, you started by doing a short circle run of at least three minutes, after that, you warm up with some stretching.
The first lessons did not include the teaching of any form of martial art or "fighting" lesson, instead, you were provided with pillows, and with them, they instructed you how to perform exercises of full use of your body, after that you did some balance exercises and posture exercises.
Two hours have passed.
"Ok very well, can you all sit down on the mats for a moment." said Mr. Izanagi.
"Before I sent you off for a break, I wanted to tell you a short story." he said, clearing his throat.
"Aikido is a martial art of Hoennian origin, and unlike many other different oriental martial disciplines, Aikido is only and exclusively used for self-defense and never to attack." explained Kabu.
"If there is something I want you to learn today is that Aikido is not only a martial art but also a philosophy of life."
"Sadly we live in a world where acts of violence have always been used to impose and maintain one's power over others, both in our small daily activities and in major international politics,"
"In a world so fully imbued with hatred and violence, we as individuals must be particularly careful not to resort to more violence and consequently feed the cycle, this is why Aikido exists and allows pacifists to defend themselves without feeding the cycle of violence, and ultimately to teach people how to break from the chains of hatred. " Kabu finished his monologue.
"But that's enough, go ahead and take a break, meet me here in a quarter of an hour."
After the end of the first Aikido lesson.
You passed the rest of the lesson learning the basics.
According to Kabu, the next lessons will also be dedicated to basic training.
"Then have a good evening and see you next time." Kabu continued saying that phrase as he was sending off the students.
You and your friends passed in front of him.
"Be careful on your way home and see you soon." Kabu said smiling.
"Until next time." you all said goodbye.
Later outside Twin King High
Heartbeat, Heartbreak
Together with your friends, you were talking about the first day and your impressions.
"I am so tired guys... can't wait to go back to the dorm, and lie down on the bed." Gloria wailed.
"I would like to take a nice hot shower first..." Hop said.
"But I have to say that I like the idea of learning a non-violent form of fighting." Hop added afterward.
"Yeah and then all that part of Aikido not only as a defense tool but also as a philosophy of life, I don't know why but it does motivate me a lot." you say as you rummaged in your bag looking for your smartphone.
"Not to mention that it could help us with our fighting performance in the Darkest D-" Gloria realizing what she just let out, promptly covered her mouth, but it was too late.
"... Darkest what?" Marnie asked curiously.
"Damn!" you yell internally.
Hop facepalmed while Gloria mumbling seems to be looking for a lie to tell or find a way to mislead.
"Darkest Den... Darkest Den is a video game, YES EXACT A VIDEO GAME!" Gloria came up with this story practically out of nowhere.
"..." you and Hop remained silent waiting for any reaction from Marnie.
"Impossible..." the girl said with an icy expression.
"Eh? W-what do you mean..." Gloria asked the girl.
"Well you see I'm a huge video game fan, and I've never heard of a game called Darkest Den." Marnie calmly explained.
"... Um ..." Gloria practically starts to sweat, meanwhile you started panicking for a totally different reason.
"Where did my phone go?!" you thought panicking as you continue rummaging in your backpack.
"Did I dropped it somewhere..."
"Hey Hop." you draw the attention of the boy with the golden eyes, who was witnessing how his friend was making fool of herself.
"Yes?" he answered with a calm voice, despite the situation.
"Did you by any chance remember seeing me with my phone in the locker room today?" you asked him.
"Yes, I remember something like that, why are you asking me?" Hop answered, confirming your suspicion.
"Nothing, I just recall forgetting my phone at Mr. Izanagi's dojo." you told them, you then started making your way back to the aforementioned dojo.
"You guys go on, we will meet at the station later." you tell the others.
"Alright! We'll wait for you there." said Hop.
A few minutes later at the dojo.
Beneath the Mask
"Mr. Izanagi." you called your sensei who had already changed and was about to lock the dojo.
"Oh, why are you young Victor? Did you forgot something?" asked the stern-eyed man.
"That's right, unfortunately, I forgot my cell phone." you explained trying to keep your word as short as possible.
"Could you let me in for a second?" you ask politely.
"Sure, but try to hurry, understood?" Kabu says reopening the door.
"Yes." you reply.
After entering the dojo you promptly head to the men's locker room.
In the locker room, you start looking near your closet for your phone, and after a little search, you find it leaning under one of the small windows.
"There it is."
After taking back what was yours you return to the exit where Mr. Izanagi was waiting for you.
"Found it?" he asks you as he sees you returning.
"Yes." you tell him showing your cell phone.
"Very well, I hope this will not happen again." Kabu says with a bit of severity in his voice.
"Yes sir."
"Well, shall we?" Kabu said showing you the way.
"Mr. Izanagi I wanted to tell you that I found your lesson very inspiring, especially the speech you made regarding violence."
"Glad to hear that, where I come from pacifism is considered a religion."
"You're not galarian, right?" Kabu asks you out of nowhere.
"Exactly, how did you guess?" you asked him amazed.
"Ehehe, sixth sense my boy, sixth sense." he said with a chuckle.
"And tell me which corner of the world did you came from?" Kabu asked as you walked towards the school entrance.
"Unova, sir." you answered.
"Unova eh? Did you come so far just your studies? This certainly does you honor." Kabu comment.
"Thank you, if I'm not mistaken you are from Hoenn instead, right?" you ask him in turn.
"That's right, I'm from the most beautiful region in the world," Kabu said proudly.
At the school gate, you parted way with your sensei.
"Be careful on your way home okay." he warned you.
"Yes sir."
You can feel Kabu's heartfelt kindness, you sense a tie of friendship binding you and Kabu...
The Spirit
I am thou... And thou art I...
Thou has formed a brand new bond...
It shall become the evidence of the unselfishness of the many, overcoming the egoism of one...
Thou shalt be blessed when forging Pokesoul of the Calmer Arcana...
THE CALMER ARCANA RANK 01
"..."
"Have a good evening then." Kabu said before heading off.
"Have a good evening to sir." you said to the sensei.
Beneath the Mask
"There you are." Hop said seeing you return.
"You have been away for quite a time, did something happen?" asked the boy.
"Nothing, everything is alright." you replied him.
Gloria was waiting sitting on the bench, you notice that Marnie wasn't which them.
"Where is Marnie?" you asked the two.
"Unfortunately she had to go home a little earlier." Hop answered.
"I see..."
"Did you find your * yawn * phone?" Gloria asked in a tired voice as she used her left hand to cover her mouth as she yawned.
"Yes." you gave the girl a short answer by showing the smartphone.
"What a relieve." Hop said.
"Changing the subject..." your voice became more serious as you turn your gaze to Gloria.
"You should be more careful when talking, you almost revealed to Marnie about the existence of the Darkest Den!" you scold the girl.
"You are right... I'm sorry guys." Gloria apologized.
After heaving a sigh of exasperation,
"Anyway, what excuse did you use to mislead her?" you ask curiously, reminding you that the girl hadn't bought at all the story of the video game.
"Well... I say that..."
"In the end Gloria made her believe the story of the video game, she ended up explaining that the Darkest Den was actually an indra? Ind- what did you say ... ah yeah, indie game!", Hop exclaimed snapping his fingers.
"She said it was an unknown indie game, right Gloria?" Hop asked with a mocking tone.
"Shut up both of you!" the girl said annoyed.
"While I was practically stammering, none of you sirs went out of your way to get me out of that situation, Victor you practically ran away." the girl accused you.
"AHHHH?" Hop made an exaggerated grimace, Yakuza style.
"If you get yourself into trouble, do not drag us poor Samaritans with you, did you understand you lil' shit." Hop told his friend with an exaggerated expression.
"Hop... you asshole, who did you call lil' shit?!" Gloria said menacingly.
"Er..." finding yourself in the middle of this theater, you are seized by a wave of discomfort, but you try to calm both of them down despite everything.
"Marnie would never have believed it, even if we had told her the truth." you tell the two.
"Nevertheless, it is better if we do not mention the existence of such a place to others, since those who enter without a Pokesoul would only incur in risks."
"Leaving aside this discussion, I was wondering if it wasn't time for us to return to the other dimension." you manage to capture the interest of the two with your word.
"Why? Weren't we supposed to research the Macro Cosmos?" Gloria asks concerned.
Suspicion
Meanwhile, the Skybus you were waiting for arrives, you get on and continue your discussion.
"Yes, the research is important, but since sooner or later we will continue our research in that dimension, it will be better for us to get ready for the next challenge." you say thinking about the recent battle against Shadow Veronica.
"Training here shouldn't be a problem, but I do clearly remember what Aion said, about the Darkest Den being a totally different world from ours, with different natural laws all that stuff."
"We need to train there in order for our bodies to get used to the rules of that world, I think we have already understood this at our expense after that last battle." you said.
A silence suddenly falls between you.
"You are absolutely right, you know." Hop said after a while.
"We don't know what to expect the next time we go exploring, it would be better as you say to prepared for the worst." he concluded.
"Very well, then tomorrow after school, we would return to the Darkest Den with Aion." you say.
"That's fine with me." Hop answered.
"What about you Gloria?" Hop asked the girl.
"..." Gloria didn't answer right away, she seemed to be thinking about it.
"Hmpf, fine I will tag along too." the girl said finally sighing, you could sense some doubt in her voice.
"Great, I'll try to talk to Aion then, and tomorrow we'll go back to that nefarious place." you said as the SkyBus was getting near the next stop.
NEXT STATION PUNTERA, NEXT STATION PUNTERA
Friday 18 September, Afternoon/Sunny
The day after at the Wild Area
You in Wonderland
As programmed, you return to the Wild Area together with the others and Aion.
"I have to say I didn't expect this decision of yours, guys." said Aion as you make your way to the Darkest Den.
As usual, you had your weapons with you, a sword for you, a lance in the case of Aion, an axe for Hop, and a shield had a Gloria's.
"Well, since we will continue to explore this place from now on, it just seemed logical to prepare for any eventuality." you explain to Aion.
"Surely you will know a place where we can train without taking a high amount of risk, don't you Aion?" Hop asked the alien.
"... Indeed there is a place where I can take you, I usually train near the oasis portal." Aion said.
"Cool, we knew we could count on you." Hop says happily.
You recall the last night and the conversation you had with Aion, you met him soon after he came back from the library of Scorenwell, he had some science books with him.
A short talk followed between you the silver-haired boy, you informed him of your decision to return to the Darkest Den, and he agreed on coming with you to the Darkest Den.
"Here we are." you say arriving at the dark manor, from which you entered the alternate dimension.
A few minutes later on your way to the desert near the oasis.
"The weather seems to be back to normal." you point out to others on your way to the place where you were going to train.
"This means that nothing sensational happened today or yesterday to shock enough the public opinion." Hop said, reminiscing how the weather worked in this place.
The weather here was particularly influenced by your world's public opinion, and according to how things went in the real world your missions could become more difficult or easier.
After reaching the destination for your training, you recognize the place.
"This place ..." you say looking around.
"This is where we first fell..." Gloria concluded, recognizing it too.
"For real!" Hop exclaimed surprised.
You take your time remembering the first time you fell into this dimension, the first time was obviously frightening, you were confused and scared by the otherwordly environment, and while trying to find a way home you came across a group of dark creatures, which later you will come to know as Shadows.
In that desperate situation in which you were attacked by those aggressive Shadows, you end upon summoning for the first time your Pokesoul, Lucario, with whom you faced and defeated them.
"Guys on your guard." Aion warned you, probably sensing a Shadow nearby.
"We have company." the alien said pointing his finger to the north, from which some familiar dark figures with a rock attached at their bottom, eventually emerged.
"H-hey, haven't we met these gentlemen already?" Hop asked jokingly, though a little nervousness in his voice.
"YAMASK!" cried the dark figures as they dived down on you.
Wait and See
"Ready?" Aion said summoning Toxtricity, after biting his fruit.
"Of course we are ready, come to me Sceptile!" Hop said, summoning his Pokesoul.
You and Gloria, on the other hand, refrain from calling your warrior spirits, opting instead for the use of your weapons.
The fight against the "Yamask" was quite short, Toxtricity swept away most of them using its lightning bolts, and the winds of Sceptile repelled those who tried to attack you uncoordinatedly, allowing you to tear them apart with your sword, Gloria at the beginning was in difficulty, and she had to summon Cinderace at a certain point with whom she defeats the Shadow bothering her.
"Damn..." you said positively surprised at the end of the battle.
"I didn't expect the basic Aikido lessons to make the use of sword that much simple and efficent." you say at the end.
"And to think that before these creatures terrified us..." Gloria blurt as she observes the place where the dark beings disappeared.
"I can already sense another group of Yamasks, let's head toward them." Aion informed you.
As you and the others were about to follow him, but you notice something strange in the shadow of Aion, a purple eye appeared out of nowhere.
Before you could alert the others of the anomalous presence, the shadow leaps out and attacks Aion from behind using the rock on its lower protuberance like a club.
"Aion watcho-"
"YAMASK!"
The Yamask appeared to have been hidden in Aion's shadow after the recent fight.
"Aion !" Gloria yelled as she sees the silver-haired boy collapsing in pain.
"Scept-" Hop tries summoning his Pokesoul, but the quick attack of Yamask doesn't leave him give him the time to summon his Pokesoul, after taking down Hop the Shadow rushed toward Gloria disarming her too.
"What Bullshit." Hop exclaims as he were lying on the floor.
After dealing with the three Yamask turned his attention toward you, he ferociously assaulted you but you promptly managed to repel his vicious attack in time.
Using every force in your body you repelled the enemy, again and again, trying to buy time to summon Lucario, but Yamask didn't give you any break by keeping attacking you with his stone, forcing you to parry every blow from him.
"Shit, if this continues ..." you think stressed.
You try to think of a solution to get out of the situation, and right at that moment, you recall back the Aikido lessons you had.
"... Let's try it then!" immediately assume a position of total body control, and use your body to deflect rather than parry the impending attack thus managing to displace the Shadow, allowing you to recover time and summon Lucario.
"That's it, Lucario use Volt!" the anthropomorphic canid materializes and with the imposition of his hands evokes a flash that throws off the Shadow, weakening him significantly.
As you approach him to finish him with you Pokesoul, Yamask suddenly replied attacking, using his rock as a whip, this time the attacks were not directed to you, but Lucario.
Lucario ended up taking a hit, that then reflected on you, as you felt a jolt of pain on your chest, the point where Lucario was attacked, however, you don't let that slow you down as you retaliated throwing of the Shadow with a punch and then finishing him off with your Volt attack.
"Is everything alright?" as the Shadow laid down there defeated, you went to aid your friends.
"Yeah… it's okay," Hop said standing up and massaging his shoulder.
Gloria also gets up without any effort.
"Thank goodness..." you say heaving a sigh of relief.
"Aion what about you?" you asked Aion, which in the meantime had recovered from his injuries.
"I'm fine, rather... look behind you." Aion said pointing his finger behind you, the defeated Yamask was back on levitating.
You returned in a position of attack.
Talk
"Know I remember..." the Yamask said with a deep voice.
"I don't belong here, I am from the ruins of the Slumbering Weald."
"You there, thank you!" the Yamsk showed a sort of weird gratitude toward you.
"Thanks to you I am finally able to recall who I truly was, is there any way for me to repay you back?"
You and the Shadow starred at each other for about a minute.
"Shadow are creatures born from the unconscious of mankind, they are the darkest and hidden aspects of someone's personality, thus they behave with hostility and ferociousness toward humans." Klara's word echoed in your head.
"But Shadows can be put under one's control and be tamed, and this task can only be done by people with a particular power, and that ability being the Type Null, a person with the Type Null as the power to form alliances through sheer power of will"
"*Gulp* you what to thank me right?" you asked Yamask nervously.
"Then please, lead me your power!" you told him straightforwardly.
"..." Yamask starred at you in silence for a moment.
"Very well, I shall lead you my dark powers then." the Shadow final said.
"I am thou, thou art I, I am Yamask Druid of Curses and Grudges, I and you shall from now on be one and the same." Yamask's body was then engulfed by light only to then disappears inside your backpack, in the same way, it happened with Shadow Poliwhirl.
Everyone was silent for a moment.
"Does this mean ... you got a new Pokesoul?" Aion rupture silence with that question.
"Plausible, let me check." having said that you stretch out your hand to materialize the round blue berry with which you normally evoke Lucario, but once again, you ended upon summoning a completely different berry, with a different color and shape from the desired one.
This time, the fruit that materialized looked almost exactly like a blackberry.
"... If I bite this fruit I should be able to summon Yamask ..." you said, and despite the hesitation, you bite the berry, you then throw it in the air, and from the remaining fruit, a wave of energy was unleashed from with eerie familiar creature emerged it was, of course, Yamask.
"You can really do it with all the Shadows you encounter... that's incredible" Hop exclaimed amazed.
You said nothing while contemplating your right hand.
After this short but intense battle, you decide to take a break.
And after the break, you resumed your training.
End of Chapter 11.
CONFIDANTS
0. The Trainer (Victor): Rank 2
1. The Exchanger (Hop): Rank 2
5. The Calmer (Kabu): Rank 1
7. The Conqueror (Gloria): Rank 1
KLARA'S COMPENDEX
Nickname: Hypnotizer of Swimmers
Origin: Kantonese/ Johtian Mythology
Arcana: Exchanger
Pokesoul User: Victor Sandmann
Compedex: Poliwhirls are aquatic creatures, which were said to inhabit the lakes and rivers of the Kanto and the Johto region.
In Kanto, the figure of the Poliwhirl and the Poliwrath was used to warn children to stay away from lakes and rivers.
Legends said that Poliwhirl hypnotizes the people who went swimming in his lake, causing them to fall asleep while swimming and consequently making them drown.
A particular story, the celadonic fairy tale, Kasumi Take Adventures, tells the deeds of the samurai heroine Kasumi Take, who during her journey, ended up in the middle of a lake, (as she was trying to recover a shell carrying her voice) and she had to face a group of Poliwhirls led by a Poliwrath, that hypnotized swimmers, thus dooming them.
Kasumi manages to survive the fight and recover the shell.
In Johto as opposed to Kanto, the Poliwhirls are seen as a sign of good luck, since there, the Poliwhirls were said to gather around a Politoad, (a creature from the same demonic family as Poliwhirl) whose croaks were told to bring the rain in abundance.
Stats:
Arcana: Exchanger Type: Hydros Resist: Pyran, Hydros Weakness: Volt
Skills:
Hydro (Light fwater damage to 1 foe.)
Shield Up (Increases 1 ally's Attack.)
Nickname: Druid of Curses and Grudges
Origin: Galarian Mythology
Arcana: Conqueror
Pokesoul User: Victor Sandmann
Compedex: It is said that Yamask is the spirit of a high Grailian druid (the only people who were allowed to read the sacred runic alphabet), that was betrayed by his wife who in association with the Grailian king of Stonewall, killed him to steal the sacred knowledge of the druid, the druid on the verge of death moved by hatred, drag himself, with the body wounded by various stab injuries, to a nearby Cromelch (legend has it that it is that of the Dusty Bowl, in the county of Hammerlock) and on one of the menhirs he engraved with his own blood, a curse that was intended to punish his wife, the King of Stonewell and his kingdom with a terrible disaster, which later on happened with the invasion and destruction of the kingdom of Stonewall (today's Stone-on-Side) by part of the fearsome Hulburians sea pirate, a tribe of Galar-Kalosian origin, notorious for his raid and pillage.
Despite the atrocious death of his tormentors, the druid could not find peace due to the much grudge he had.
Today it seems that his spirit haunts the Dusty Bowl, cursing anyone who dares disrespect his grave.
It is said that the Druid's curse also unleashed upon Galar the Runerigus, another creature of Galarian mythology linked to chaos, suffering, and revenge.
Stats:
Arcana: Conqueror Type: Obscura Resist: Obscura, Geon Weakness: Lux
Skills:
Obscura (Light darkness damage to 1 foe.)
Smarrimento (Induce Confusion to one foe.)
Author's Note
Hallo Leute, thank you so much for sticking around this time too, I hope you had a good time reading this chapter.
I took a month free, to reorder some things in my social life and relax, but I'm happy to be back.
The chapter was fun to write as always, sure I'm still struggling regard the day to publish the chapter, but nevertheless, it was alright.
In the chapter of today, there is a "hint" for my next fanfiction project, and I wanted to tell you guys that I recently recollected from some old files one of my first fanfiction ever written, you can read it by accessing my author profile, the fanfiction is about Jojo Eyes of Heaven's ending, enjoy.
Before I leave you I wanted to spam the new Pokesona Instagram account, pokesonagalarchapter, I'm gonna post drawings related to the fanfiction there, and I also have some ideas and projects for it as well, so if you are interested please consider following me on Instagram.
And... nothing, don't forget to leave your comments, your criticism, and your opinions.
The link to the playlist and the Deviantart as well are in the comment section, and with all said stay safe and until next month, farewell.