Chapter 5 - Trial by Fire
After an uncomfortable night under the stars, Jay awoke to sunlight forcing its way through his closed eyelids. He wasn't sure how much he had actually slept; it felt as though he had spent hours upon hours lying on the ground, trying to will himself into unconsciousness.
His limbs protested as he stood up and stretched. Between all the walking and the lack of proper sleeping arrangements, he felt a dull ache throughout his entire body.
Great. Giant insect stings heal overnight, but a little bit too much exercise and a rough bed is enough to put you out of commission.
Reaching into his satchel, he pulled out the oran berry. He needed to be in peak condition if he was going to complete his mission, and the soreness in his limbs was going to make things difficult.
After mulling it over for a moment, he bit down on the berry. The sweetness of the fruit was offset by his bitterness at wasting more of his waning resources.
His mood was further soured by the growling in his stomach that persisted even after he finished the berry. Jay dug through his satchel and pulled out his final apple, reluctantly eating it as well. He completed his meager meal by drinking the last of the water from his canteens, ensuring that he was completely out of sustenance.
Worry about food later, for now you need to focus.
The rising sun peeked out from behind the arena, framing the mesa around it in a pink and orange glow. The colosseum cast a threatening shadow that loomed towards him, stretching across the rocky plains.
Get in, ask the arena owner where Jirachi is, get home.
There was no way it was going to be that easy, but Jay couldn't let himself be deterred. One step at a time.
The berry was already working its magic; the aches were fading, leaving him reinvigorated. With a burst of determination, he began to make his way towards the town.
Jay entered the village, finding himself surprised once again by the sheer scale of the pokemon society. Simple clay buildings stretched around the mesa, many of which had been hidden by the rocky structure as he had approached. There had to be hundreds of buildings in the town altogether, and even more pokemon bustling around them.
To Jay's side, pokemon peddled products in a makeshift bazaar. Shifty looking shopkeepers sat under tents, offering everything from exotic berries to souvenirs. He shifted his focus away from the market, starkly aware that he had no money.
He couldn't ruminate on his financial situation, though; he had to get to the arena. The sheer walls of the mesa seemed insurmountable, but he noticed a large amount of thoroughfare all heading in one particular direction.
There's only one place that many pokemon could be going.
Although he did his best to meld into the crowd, he found himself catching even more attention than he had in the previous town. Pokemon's eyes widened as he passed them, while others seemingly put as much space between themselves and him as they could.
He sheepishly avoided their gazes as he picked up his pace.
At last, the winding roads led him to what he was looking for: a massive system of lifts built at the base of the mesa. Ropes were attached to simple, barren platforms and guided by support beams as they rose and fell. Pokemon shuffled onto the lifts, eagerly awaiting to be hoisted upwards by the rudimentary elevators.
Jay picked the least crowded platform he could find and waited for it to depart. As he idled, he took the chance to marvel at the pokemon's technology. The lifts seemed to use a four pulley system.
Huh. Pokemon applying engineering. What provides the lift, though? There's no electricity…
"Ready to go?" The sudden gruff voice drew Jay from his musings. A machamp grasped a rope next to the base of the lift. His eyes scanned over the pokemon on the platform, lingering on Jay for a moment.
Jay and the other occupants remained silent. He was skeptical if one pokemon would be capable of lifting them all, even with the mechanical advantage of the pulleys.
The machamp seemed to take the silence as a resounding yes, adjusting so that all four of his arms grasped the rope. "Keep away from the edge. The charizard lifeguard's taking the day off, so there won't be anyone to catch you if you fall. Don't want the guild to file a safety complaint."
Jay took a few tepid steps towards the middle of the lift as he pictured himself plummeting onto the stony ground below. Though, the image of being snatched out of the air at the last second by a charizard wasn't much better.
Other passengers followed his lead, prompting the machamp to laugh. "I'm kidding. A charizard would be too slow to reach anyone before they hit the ground. Enjoy the fights!" He flashed a thumbs up with one hand while using the other three to pull the rope.
Slowly but surely, the lift began to rise. Jay sighed, hoping with every fiber of his being that the ropes held and that the machamp didn't tire.
Eventually, Jay pulled himself from his thoughts enough to notice that the pokemon around him were all sitting on the floor of the lift. He followed suit, stifling a yelp as he sat on his tail and had to readjust to accommodate it.
With nothing else to do, Jay waited in nervous apprehension to either reach the top of the mesa or begin plummeting. His ears twitched as he picked up on quiet snippets of conversation between pokemon on the lift; he hadn't taken the time to properly appreciate just how much his hearing had improved since his shift in form.
"You think he's here to fight?" whispered a politoed to the jumpluff next to her.
"No way," he shot back, "He'd crush anyone, easy. I hear lucario can knock out any mon with one attack."
Jay felt the increasingly common sensation of heat rushing to his face. He decided that he preferred focusing on his potential imminent death than on eavesdropping.
After a slow and tense journey, the lift reached its destination. Jay wasted no time in stepping onto the solid ground of the mesa, releasing a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
The arena towered above him. Although he was now on the same elevation as the structure, being closer only made it dwarf him even more by comparison. It had to be at least five stories tall, held up by rough pillars of red chiseled stone that were likely excavated from the mesa itself.
He followed the crowds of pokemon through the arena's main entrance and into a grand reception room. An ornate fountain stood out as the room's centerpiece, topped by a colossal golden statue of Kyogre. A stream of water continuously poured from its mighty maw.
Jay approached one of the many counters at the other end of the room, waiting in line to speak to an employee. Strangely enough, the whole situation reminded him of a movie theater.
It makes sense. It's probably the best way that pokemon can get their fill of action.
It wasn't long before Jay reached the front of the line. He was greeted by an electivire who regarded him with the same expression of shock that he was growing tired of seeing.
"…You here for a ticket?"
"I was actually wondering if I could speak to the arena's owner."
The electvire's eyes widened further. "Ah. Top floor, left office, ask the secretary to let you in." He gestured towards a staircase in the corner of the reception room.
"Thanks." It was surprising to receive such an easy answer, but Jay didn't bother questioning it.
He made his way to the stairs before pausing at their base. The steps were small and there were no safety rails.
Five stories of stairs… in your new body… with no handrails…
Sighing, Jay began his ascent, doing his best to keep his balance and not tumble backwards into the lobby. It was a tedious process, but after many close calls, he made it.
…To the top of the first flight. He heaved an even heavier sigh and continued.
After what felt like an eternity, he reached the top floor of the arena. Although the area was far smaller than the reception room, it was much more well-decorated. The walls were made out of a comparatively smooth marble. Soft white rugs and pillows filled the room. There was even a balcony that overlooked the center of the arena.
What caught Jay's eye, though, was the desk with a meowstic seated at it. She was staring down at some papers, so enraptured by their contents that she didn't seem to notice him. To her side, a piece of charcoal floated in the air, scribbling notes on a piece of paper.
He stood there, trying to come up with a decent course of action. Was she the arena's owner?
"I'm not the owner. I'm his secretary."
The question had been on the tip of Jay's tongue, but he was sure he hadn't asked it aloud. He took a step back, almost tripping backwards down the staircase.
As he righted himself and stumbled forward into the room, the meowstic continued. "If you don't want psychics poking around in your head, you shouldn't make your train of thought so painfully loud. I'm assuming you're here by accident?"
"Actually, I was told I could see the owner."
"Well," she said as she glanced up, "He's very busy and–"
She cut herself off when she saw him. The charcoal slipped from her psychic grip and clattered to the paper. After a moment, she regained her composure. "Very well. He's through that door."
The jarring change in tone had stunned Jay temporarily, and by the time he regained his witts, the secretary was already back to her papers. Clearly she wasn't going to continue the conversation.
A spike of nervousness coursed through Jay as he approached the door. It was, perhaps, the fanciest door he had ever seen; depictions of epic battles and powerful pokemon coated its entire wooden surface. It was the kind of door that had to have someone important behind it.
Though, to Jay, 'important' was an understatement. The pokemon on the other side held all the information he needed to return home, and it was crucial that he made a good impression. After taking a moment to steel himself, he raised a paw to the door and knocked.
He heard a frustrated grumble from beyond the door. "Fine, come in," commanded a tired voice.
Great first impression.
Tentatively, he pushed the door open and stepped into the owner's office.
Jay had been so concerned with the information the arena's owner possessed that he had given very little thought to what species of pokemon he would be. Even still, he found himself dumbfounded by the sight in front of him.
Apparently he wasn't alone in that sentiment, as the owner mirrored his confused glare. Literally.
"A lucario?"
Jay and the owner said the phrase simultaneously, equal shock in their voices. Jay hazarded a few steps forward, sizing up the pokemon in front of him.
Didn't Gill say that lucario were extremely rare?
Jay balked, unsure if his eyes were playing tricks on him. That theory was given further credence by the fact that the lucario sitting in front of him disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Before he had time to react, he was shoved forward onto the carpet, his arms pinned behind his back. He squirmed against the sudden force, unable to get out of the hold that his unseen assailant had trapped him in.
"…Not an impostor." The arena owner's surprise was tempered by his flat tone. He released Jay, walked over to his desk, and sat down again.
"What happened?" Jay asked, too stunned to rise from the ground.
The lucario pointed to a crimson band wrapped around his arm and offered no further explanation. "Why are you here?"
Jay picked himself up from the floor, dazed. The lucario's sudden attack and calm demeanor threatened to give Jay whiplash. "Well… I was told that you know where Jirachi is."
The owner's expression remained neutral. "I do."
"Can you please tell me how to find them? I really, really need to make a wish."
"Why?"
"It's, uh, kind of a long story…"
The lucario leaned back in his chair, gesturing for Jay to proceed.
He tried to find the simplest throughline through the past few days. "Okay… I woke up on a beach a few days ago with no idea of where I was. Then, I met some pokemon in a nearby town who told me that Jirachi had the power to restore memories, and that you knew how to get to them. So, here I am."
"Amnesia… Do you remember any relatives?"
Jay hesitated. He hadn't technically lied yet, and wanted to keep it that way. He struggled to find the right wording. "I don't think I have any family here at all. I was told that there weren't any other lucario on the continent."
The owner's expression shifted. His ears drooped slightly, and the faintest twinge was evident on his muzzle. He made a low sound of acknowledgement.
"Will you help me?" Jay felt no shame in the pleading tone his voice had taken on; he was desperate.
The lucario's eyes scanned over Jay. As they met his, the pokemon's expression immediately softened. "I would like to. But I would be breaking a vow to Jirachi if I gave his location out lightly. I know a nearby dungeon where you may be able to find some hints to his whereabouts, though."
Jay's heart dropped. He couldn't afford another delay, even if he had any confidence that he could make it through a dungeon in one piece. "I can't make it through a dungeon; I don't know how to fight. Or do much of anything, really."
The owner tilted his head. "Can you even use aura?"
"No. It's something lucario use in their attacks, right?"
"It's the energy of all living things. Lucario can manipulate it, to create and to destroy."
A shudder passed through Jay's body. "Honestly… that sounds kind of terrifying."
The lucario bowed his head in contemplation, saying nothing.
"Is there anything I can do to get you to tell me where Jirachi is?"
Jay's question hung in the air. The silence that filled the room was deafening. He was perplexed; the owner had gone from curt and demanding to a pensive wistfulness in the span of minutes.
Eventually, the lucario spoke. "Jirachi was specific about only revelating his location to the worthy. I'll offer you a deal. Win a fight in my arena, and I'll tell you where to find him."
"What?" Publicly humiliating himself by battling a pokemon was the last thing that Jay had planned to do during his visit to the arena. "I told you, I can't fight!"
"Yes, I'm sure you believe that. But this seems like a simple way to prove your worth."
"I'll get destroyed! I can't use any moves; I can barely even throw a punch!"
"Can't, or haven't yet?" the owner asked calmly. "Your body is intact, regardless of the memory loss. You're what, eighteen? You look freshly evolved, which is the perfect time to start discovering your powers."
"I don't want powers," Jay insisted, growing frustrated, "And I don't want to get beaten to a pulp in an arena, either."
"Whether you want them or not, you have them. You have to be prepared to use them as needed."
"But I'm just going to lose."
"You will if you go into it with that mindset. I'll make sure we pair you up against one of our novice fighters."
Jay struggled to find a way to convince the lucario, but it was no use. It was clear that he was only getting what he wanted on the owner's terms. If he had to win a fight to get home, he was prepared to get knocked down as many times as it took. "Alright, I'll do it."
The lucario nodded. "Good. We were slated to have a surprise fight today."
"Wait, that's it? You're not going to give me any training?"
"Experience is the best teacher. Though, as far as using aura goes, you'll have to dig deep. It's a sixth sense that lucario can access thanks to these." He gestured towards the black appendages hanging down from his head.
Jay poked at his own aura sensors, confused. "I haven't felt anything different."
"Unlike other senses, it takes time and skill to use aura. As you practice, you'll find yourself able to detect and manipulate it more. For now, you might only be able to call upon it during tense situations."
"…And that doesn't have anything to do with you throwing me into an arena, does it?"
Jay swore he caught a glint of mischief in the lucario's eyes. "As I said, experience is the best teacher. Let's make sure everything's in order."
The next hour was full of an equal mixture of tension and tedium; Jay and the arena's owner talked to the secretary to schedule him in the fight, then he had to listen to a series of disclaimers, and finally he had to sign some paperwork personally. It was difficult to write with two less fingers than usual and a piece of charcoal instead of a pencil, but Jay managed to scribble out his name nonetheless.
After being ushered down flights of stairs and winding stone hallways, Jay eventually found himself waiting in a small room towards the center of the arena. The only thing separating him from the event area was an iron gate. The cheers of the crowd and the sound of an announcer carried through the bars.
"And there you have it, folks! The Snowy Slasher claims another ice-cold victory! Give it up!"
Jay peered through the gaps in the gate, seeing a blue sandslash raising its arms in victory next to an unconscious ampharos. More pressingly, though, he saw what must have been thousands of pokemon lining multiple levels of seats, all roaring in excitement.
He stumbled back from the gate, the reality of the situation crashing over him.
You're about to go out there and get pummeled. In front of a crowd.
The thought made him tremble, but something else forced its way into his mind: And you have to win to get back home.
His heart was beating so fast that he feared it would do him in before his opponent could even take a swing at him. He took a few deep breaths, trying to mitigate the panic attack.
There was no way Jay could beat his opponent in a fair fight, so he had to outthink them instead. If he played his cards right, he could get in close enough to get a knockout punch, no matter how slim the chances were.
"And now, for the mystery match of the day! Your known contender, the Blistering Bruiser! This rookie has been scorching her way through the minor leagues!"
Jay approached the gate once more, eager to get a look at his competition. A bipedal pokemon coated in crimson feathers stepped into the arena opposite him.
Blaziken, a fire and fighting type pokemon. Two of the three types that lucario were weak against.
He didn't have time to curse his luck or ponder if the arena's owner had set this up intentionally. He barely even had time to panic as the announcer continued.
"And, for your unknown contender, and this is an exciting one, folks…"
The gate in front of Jay rose with a metallic rattle. The crowd waited in hushed anticipation. It took everything he had to force his legs to carry him forward.
The roar of the crowd as he emerged was nearly drowned out by the heartbeat in Jay's ears. He did his best to ignore both, choosing instead to listen to the announcer, which he could now identify as an exploud standing on a raised platform by the fighting pit.
"That's right! This rising star is freshly evolved and here for a fight! He doesn't have much combat experience, but I've got a feeling he's got nerves of steel!"
At least the owner had relayed enough of Jay's inexperience to the announcer to prevent his impending loss from being a total shock to the crowd. Though that wouldn't have much bearing on the fight.
He shook his head, trying to block out everything but the task at hand.
He marched towards his opponent on sandy but solid ground. There was no cover in the pit, so he wouldn't be able to dodge any ranged fire attacks easily. As he closed the distance, he racked his brain for a strategy.
Your best bet is to get in close without getting melted… but how do you do that against a pokemon that can shoot fire? And even if you do make it in, how do you knock out a fighting type with way more experience?
He was drawn from his thoughts by a new voice; quieter than the crowd and announcer but far closer.
"I bet you think you're real fancy," his opponent taunted, narrowing her eyes at him, "Getting the crowd all excited like that. Well, I've got news for you: I never shy away from a challenge; lucario or not, I'm still winning this fight!"
Jay stopped in his tracks. Was it normal for fighters to taunt each other before the match began? "Uh… Did I do something to upset you?"
"Oh, come on. I bet everyone here thinks you're gonna win, even though they know nothing about you, just because of your species. I bet you think you're gonna win too, don't you?" The blaziken stopped as well, crossing her arms and sizing him up.
Jay opened his mouth to tell the blaziken that he didn't think he was going to win, and that he actually felt like she could easily outrange him with fire. But before he could form the words, an idea struck him.
It was a longshot, but it was the best chance he had.
"Well, in that case," he countered, trying to keep his voice steady, "Why don't we try to make this a fair fight? I don't use any aura, you don't use any fire. Just two fighting types, punching it out."
The blaziken tilted her head. "Fighter to fighter, eh? You must be really overconfident if you're willing to give up your shiny aura powers."
"It seems like the best way to determine who the best fighter is, without letting species get in the way."
The entire arena fell quiet as the blaziken considered the offer. Please say yes, Jay silently begged his opponent. He stood on a hair trigger, ready to jump out of the way of a fire blast at a moment's notice.
The blaziken uncrossed her arms, looking Jay up and down one last time. "Game on."
"Is that a–"
Jay silenced himself off as his opponent charged at him, fist drawn back for an opening blow. He jumped to the side, ensuring that her punch met nothing but air.
Before he could counterattack, she swung her other arm in an arc. As he tried to pivot away from the attack her fist struck one of his metal shoulder rings. The sound of reverberating steel filled the arena.
The blaziken cried out, stumbling back and clutching her hand. Rage burned in her eyes.
In an instant she was running at him again, raining down a barrage of rapid-fire punches.
Jay desperately tried to dodge the incoming attacks, weaving out of the way of two swings before being struck in the stomach by a third. The air was knocked out of his lungs and he began to retreat; he needed to regroup.
He didn't get far before his opponent followed up with an uppercut to his muzzle. Searing pain flashed through his face as he staggered backwards.
He couldn't keep this up for long; her attacks were too fast to wait for an opening. He had to create one.
The blaziken stayed on the offensive, aiming another punch at Jay's head. He raised an arm to block the blow, feeling it bruise under the force of the attack. But despite the pain, he had the opening he needed; the blaziken was overextended, caught off guard, and his other arm was still free.
Jay drove his fist forward into his opponent's stomach, limiting the amount of force behind his attack to avoid doing serious damage.
All that his temperance earned him was a weak impact and an unimpressed blaziken glaring at him.
"Really? Why even bother asking to fight like this if you're that weak?" She grabbed Jay's arm, digging her talons into his skin as she flung him to the side.
Jay struggled to keep his balance as his opponent struck him in the back, sending him tumbling forward onto his knees.
"Mons from all over speak so highly of lucario, but look at you. Species doesn't mean anything."
Jay knelt in the sand of the arena, defeated. He was clearly outmatched. All of the strategizing in the world wouldn't save him if he pulled his punches when it mattered.
Still, there was something in the back of his head that called for his attention. It was the same thing that had propelled him into action when he had faced off against the beedrill. It wasn't pure instinct, but it was a part of him that wanted to lean into the adrenaline. To combine his strategy with a reckless sort of bravery that could harness the power his new body possessed.
In short, it was a desire to protect.
If you don't win this, you never see your sister again. You leave her all alone.
That was all the motivation Jay needed. He rose to his feet, turning to face his opponent once more.
She opened her beak to speak again, but Jay wasted no time in throwing a full-force punch at her. She crossed her arms to block the blow, but the attack still sent her sliding back across the sand.
Recovering immediately, the blaziken closed the gap, jabbing towards Jay's side. He raised the back of his paw in the path of the blow, causing her fist to graze his metal spike.
Her screech of pain was cut off by the counterattack that Jay delivered to her stomach. She was driven backwards once again, staring at him in bewilderment.
Jay could feel the roar of the crowd from all angles, coursing through his body just as much as the adrenaline was. He drew in a breath, letting it fuel him further.
He dashed forward, eager to put an end to the battle. The blaziken pulled back one of her arms, and Jay moved to counter accordingly.
But while his focus was on his opponent's fists, a powerful and burning force slammed into Jay's side. He was sent flying, landing flat on his back in the sand. The golden fur along his side was singed, and his spine ached.
Jay struggled to comprehend what had happened as he sat up. Fire still danced around the blaziken's leg as she smirked at him from a distance. She had cheated? "I thought… we agreed…"
"You used your metal spikes. That doesn't seem very fair or fighting type, does it?"
Jay staggered to his feet, not bothering to respond. Each breath sent a stab of pain through his side, but he wasn't done yet.
"And, since all bets are off," his opponent continued, clearly having breathing trouble of her own despite her cocky tone, "That means that I can do this!"
She kicked her leg forward towards Jay, unleashing a torrent of fire. It widened as it traveled, approaching him like a tsunami of flames.
There was no way he could dodge it. There was no cover he could hide behind. All he could do was close his eyes, brace himself, and endure.
He dug deep into the feeling that had propelled him this far. It was the only thing that could save him.
Just hold out. Stay conscious. You can't let yourself faint here! She's counting on you!
Jay was so focused on preparing himself for the fire that it took him a while to realize that it never reached him. He squinted his eyes open to see what had intervened.
A dazzling barrier of blue energy was in front of his outstretched arms. It refracted light like solid ice, but its weak flicker was reminiscent of a flame. After a moment it dissipated, leaving only a tingle in Jay's aura appendages.
Jay locked eyes with his opponent. The blaziken looked stunned and exhausted; her last attack must have taken a lot out of her.
He charged at her. Every movement sent a jolt of pain to his side, but he pressed forward regardless.
The blaziken's face hardened into cold determination. This time, Jay noticed her legs spark with flames as he approached.
He had too much momentum to dodge. Instead, he increased his speed and lept.
Fire flashed beneath Jay as the blaziken's attempted leg sweep missed its mark.
Jay used his speed and height to drive his fist into the blaziken's skull as he sailed through the air.
Both contenders hit the ground. Jay rolled away, stumbling back into a fighting position and preparing to attack once more.
But the blaziken didn't rise. She laid on the sand, unconscious.
The crowd's yells were louder than they had ever been. He heard the announcer's voice, but couldn't make out the words.
Jay's eyes remained fixated on his opponent. As the haze of adrenaline wore off and pain began to creep into every inch of his body, something clicked: somehow, he had done it.
Jay had won.
Jay managed to stumble his way out of the fighting pit, where he was ushered into a small infirmary. A concerned audino practically shoved him onto a cot and handed him an oran berry. After looking him over, she determined that he had no major injuries that a bit of rest wouldn't solve.
So, Jay rested. After napping for an indeterminate time, he awoke to find himself back in the arena owner's reception area. He blinked a few times, confused as to how he had climbed the stairs again.
He sat bolt upright when he realized that he wasn't alone; the arena owner sat on a pillow across from him, and the secretary was at her desk as usual. "How did…?"
"The nurse sedated you so you could heal and Willow brought you here," the lucario clarified.
"Lucario are very heavy because of their metal skeletons, and there is a limit to the amount of weight my telekinesis can lift," the meowstic interjected, not looking up from her papers.
The owner glanced over his shoulder at the secretary, then turned back to Jay. "We should talk more in my office."
Begrudgingly, Jay rose to his feet and followed the lucario into his office. Most of his pain was gone, but his side still felt tender to the touch. "How long was I asleep?"
"A few hours," the lucario said as he sat down at his desk, "You needed the rest, after a fight like that."
Jay was still trying to shake off his grogginess. "I won?"
The lucario gave a hum of affirmation. "You did well tactically, despite your disadvantages."
"That shield that saved me from the fire… It was aura?"
"It was. It's unusual for a lucario to manifest barriers before aura spheres. Creating physical projections of aura is trickier than making unstable energy blasts… It was impressive."
The note of pride that had crept into the lucario's voice wasn't lost on Jay. He opened his mouth to rebut the compliment, but stopped himself. Was he really capable of something so extraordinary?
Jay closed his eyes, struggling to replicate the action that had produced the barrier. He did his best to hone in on that tingling feeling in his aura appendages. But aside from the tingling, there was something more, if he really put all of his focus on it. It wasn't even really a feeling at all, in the way that Jay normally felt things.
It was almost like a sixth sense.
He poured all of his attention into it, trying to produce the barrier once more. He felt what could best be described as a pulse, and his eyes snapped open.
Small sparks of blue energy flashed out of his paws before fading.
Jay sighed. "I don't think I can reproduce it."
"Keep practicing. Regardless, you held up your end of the deal."
"Oh, right, Jirachi!"
The owner stood up, walking over to a map on the wall. "To the southeast of the mesa is a desert. Inside that desert, there are ancient ruins that have been overtaken by a mystery dungeon. At the heart of the ruins, behind a stone with a star engraved on it, is the entrance to Star Cavern. Jirachi should be somewhere inside."
"Another dungeon?"
"The ferals inside are vicious. I've heard that some outlaws have decided to make the ruins their base of operations as well."
Once again, Jay found himself facing down an impossible task. He slouched, trying to think of how to overcome the newest obstacle in his journey home.
While he pondered the problem, the arena owner walked over to him, giving him a stern look. "Jay."
Reflexively, Jay straightened up and met the lucario's gaze. "Yes?"
"I was planning on taking an important trip in a few days. I… could accompany you to Jirachi on my way."
Jay considered the offer. The arena owner seemed wise and powerful, and could likely defend him on the trip through the dungeon. Although attachments had become an ever-present concern in his mind, there wasn't much risk if the lucario was marching him straight to Jirachi to be sent home.
But even so, Jay had already been away from home for a few days too many. He couldn't afford to wait even longer. "I'm sorry, but I have to get to Jirachi as soon as I can. I can't wait a few days."
The lucario made a low noise and returned to his chair.
"I really do appreciate the offer. And the directions."
"You held up your end of the deal, I did the same. Speaking of which…" He pulled a small bag out of one of his desk drawers and tossed it to Jay.
Jay caught it and peered inside, finding shiny golden coins. "What's…?"
"Your payment for the fight. It was in the contract you signed."
"You already gave me what I needed, I can't–"
"No one here fights without proper pay. You can also eat and sleep in the barracks tonight."
Right, you've been out for a while, he thought as he put the coins into his satchel. "How late is it?"
"Almost sundown. It'd be wise to gear up and leave early tomorrow."
"Alright. Thanks for the help. And the money. And the… well, thanks for everything." He turned to leave the office.
"It's the least I can do. May the stars shine down upon you, Jay."
The barracks were located in a complex series of tunnels under the arena. He had to ask for directions a few times, but eventually he found his way to the dining hall.
The hall was unlike anything Jay had seen yet; iron chandeliers lit the room, tables were full of pokemon of all shapes and sizes, and the stone walls gave the entire area a medieval tone. Contenders chatted eagerly as they ate, no doubt about the day's battles. The sandslash from earlier seemed to be particularly popular, as a crowd of pokemon had gathered around her.
Jay caught sight of a buffet table of sorts on one end of the room and made his way over to it. He put some berries and bread onto his plate and refilled his water canteens in a convenient jug before making his way to an empty table in the corner of the room.
Thankfully, no one seemed to want to approach him directly. He ate his meal in relative peace, scarfing his food down quickly. The constant chatter in the room grated on Jay after the tiring day, so he was eager to get to bed.
As he finished off his last berry, he heard the squeak of another pokemon sitting in the chair across from him. Sighing, he glanced up from his now empty plate.
Right at the blaziken he had fought earlier.
Jay recoiled, nearly falling out of his chair. He did his best to steady his heartbeat as he stammered out a greeting. "Oh, uh, hi."
"Surprised you're not celebrating. I'm sure everyone here would love to make you the center of attention."
"N-no. I'd much rather be left alone, thanks."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "What's your deal?"
"My… deal?"
"Yeah. You show up outta nowhere, can barely fight, and then you start throwing punches and tossing up shields like your life depends on it. What gives?"
"I just don't have a lot of experience fighting, I guess."
"Clearly. Why'd you even bother joining the arena?"
Jay sighed. He didn't have the energy to beat around the bush. "I'm not joining. I needed to find out where Jirachi is, and I had to win a fight for the owner to tell me."
The blaziken leaned forward in her chair. "Jirachi?"
Whoops. Great work, genius.
"Yeah. Apparently Jirachi has the power to restore memories. I'm going on a journey to find him."
"So, you're an amnesiac lucario who doesn't know much about fighting and you're going on an adventure to find a legendary who can restore your memories?"
"Well, I–"
"I'm gonna be honest with you," the blaziken cut him off, "I don't like mons who feel like they're owed things, who walk around with that smug aura like they deserve more than everyone else because of something they didn't earn."
"But… I don't feel like I deserve anything."
"Oh, really? You think any species can just waltz into the arena and get a map to Jirachi delivered by the owner himself? I've never even met the guy." The blaziken laughed bitterly. "I'd bet all my winnings for the next week that he was born into some fancy family, too."
"Why are you telling me all this?"
"I'm getting to it. I don't believe in status, I believe in actions. In constant self-improvement until you become great, not just being lucky enough to have greatness handed to you. And the best way to improve is to throw yourself into challenges. You're gonna go find Jirachi, right?"
Jay didn't like where this was going. "Yes."
"And it'll be a dangerous adventure, right?"
Jay really didn't like where this was going. "Yes…"
"I want in."
Jay had his response prepared, not missing a beat. "Sorry, I'm not taking on any traveling partners right now."
The blaziken scoffed. "You said it would be dangerous and that you don't know how to fight. Seems like you could use the help, unless you think that you're some invincible lucario who doesn't need help from a common blaziken."
"Well…" She did have a point. There was strength in numbers. If Jay didn't have to delay himself for her to accompany him, she could be useful. She was still a bit antagonistic, though. "I could. But how do I know you're not just trying to get a wish from Jirachi?"
She rolled her eyes. "Of course you'd worry about something like that. Look, I don't want a wish. I just want experience. If I wished myself to be stronger, that'd be unearned power, y'know? I'll probably just wish for something lame, like an infinite supply of sitrus berries."
Jay couldn't shake a bad feeling towards the blaziken, though that may have been the scorch marks on his side talking. "You're sure you don't have any other motives?"
"Fine. I also want a rematch against you, because that last punch was a total fluke. But we can wait until after we're done with everything else for that. Happy?"
Not really. "Sure. I'm leaving tomorrow morning, though. Don't you have any fights?"
"Don't worry about me; I've got the rest of the week off. We can leave first thing. You staying here for the night? There was this sniveling snover who quit a few days ago after I beat the snowflakes out of him, so there should be an empty room next to mine."
And you're sure you want to travel with her?
Jay shook his head and stood up. "Alright. Lead the way."
"Oh, wait! Where are my manners," the blaziken said as she rose, a sarcastic edge to her voice. She extended a fist to him. "The name's Bliss."
The gesture confused Jay. Since some pokemon don't have fingers, is this how they do handshakes?
"You just gonna stare at it? Or are you having traumatic flashbacks to our fight? I didn't hit you that hard."
"No, sorry," Jay muttered, "I was just thinking." He extended a paw, meeting Bliss's hand in a fist bump. "Jay."