Chapter 5:
Irritation
Aura lay on the soft bed of grass under the warm, spring sun, sleeping gently in peace. Winter's cold grasp had finally let go of her home, and she could feel life returning to the earth. This was the time of the year that Aura loved best, when she was happy. She turned in her sleep, almost appearing human.
Her ears twitched as she heard a rustling in the nearby forest. Keeping her eyes closed, Aura woke up, smiling slightly.
"Oh, Arceus!" A voice, masculine, muttered, as the underbrush crackled, giving the stranger away. "Great! Smooth going!"
Aura sat up, looked around, and blinked in the sunlight.
"Whoever you are," she said in a loud, firm voice, "you need to show yourself, or I'll attack without mercy. This is your only warning!"
"Truce!" The Pokémon mumbled through whatever it had in its mouth, as it leapt into the clearing. He set down the herbs, and looked at Aura.
He was an Umbreon-Aura had met one briefly years before-but very different. This one had blue markings, instead of yellow, and his eyes shone with a kind of life that she didn't see in…her past. Perhaps he was what was known as a "shiny," Aura decided.
Either way, she'd never met him before.
"Who the hell are ya?" Aura spat at his friendly smile.
"Heh, I suppose you really are as feral as Azar told Nila you were," he chuckled.
"You know Azar?" Aura was taken aback.
"He's an old friend, yes," the Umbreon smiled.
"Again, who are you?"
"You can call me Nyx. I aid Nila, the Night Sage."
Aura stayed silent.
"You're Aura, right?" Nyx asked, grinning with his eyes closed.
Still, Aura said nothing.
"What?" Nyx sounded concerned. "Do I offend?"
"I don't like talking to Pokémon I don't know," Aura growled.
"Down, girl!" Azar barked, leaping into the clearing. "Don't hurt Nyx. His father would be most upset."
"Father?" Aura asked.
"Nyx's father is an Elder Sage; he was the Night Sage before Nila took over a few years ago."
"I see," Aura muttered, and suddenly ran off.
"She's very…isn't she?" Nyx couldn't find the words.
"She's not very fond of other living things," Azar muttered. "She apparently suffered a great traumatic experience before she can to live in the area where our territories overlap."
"Do you know…?"
"No, and she refuses outright to talk about it."
"Do you think she once had a trainer?"
"And was abandoned?" Azar finished Nyx's suggestion. "I'm not sure. But, she certainly feels betrayed by somebody."
"Why did you tell her that Nila took over for my father?" Nyx muttered. "It's bad enough that it's regularly gossiped amongst the Sages about that, but…"
"I don't gossip. I think that Nila was perfect for the job, despite her age, or, perhaps, because of it."
"Yes, but," Nyx started.
He never finished that sentence.
"DAMN!" Aura came bursting into the clearing, running past just as quickly, carrying a large egg-shaped object. "DAMN! DAMN! DAMN! DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!" She repeated loudly.
Shortly after, a horde of Beedrill buzzed past, giving chase, but ignored Nyx and Azar.
"She needs a human, a trainer," Nyx sighed.
"She needs a friend," Azar corrected. "I'm obviously not the best choice."
"I could do that."
"She will need a friend, where her destiny will take her."
"And, what is her destiny?"
"That is not for me to tell. But, it will take her down a dark path, and she will need someone to hold the candle, to light the way."
Nyx started to glow like only an Umbreon could.
"I can do that."
"What about N…what about your mother?"
Nyx stiffened.
"She'll be fine. I'll just help her until she can stand on her own, then I'll return to…my mother. I promise. Could you tell her the next time you see her?"
"I'll do that." Azar smiled.
"Hey, Aura!" Nyx barked, running after her.
"Arceus go with you both."
Azar vanished into the woods.
…
Misty wasn't sure, but she could swear that there was a strange scent in the air. It was sweet and intoxicating, but sickly so. Yet, she was strangely attracted to it.
"Mist?" Ash asked, breaking the spell momentarily. "Whadaya doin'?"
"Do you smell that?"
"Smell what?"
"Pika?"
"It smells like…berries, or something," she said, half to herself, and she subconsciously walked towards the scent.
The forest around her vanished. Misty, hallucinating, could've sworn that she was surrounded by mist.
"Ash?" Misty asked, half-concerned. "Where are you?"
A figure started to appear before her.
"Ash?"
The figure materialized to reveal that it was neither Ash nor even human. It was a Pokémon, an Absol.
"Who are you?" Misty asked, suddenly alert.
"Forgive me," the Absol said quietly.
Wind blew at Misty, its force too great to bear. She clenched her eyes shut, unable to keep them open, and the tears that formed from the wind whipping at her eyes were instantly shed. She collapsed, exhausted suddenly, and couldn't stand back up.
The smell was gone from the air, but still hung to her skin. It was a disease! She was sick, and she knew it.
"MISTY!" Ash's voice screamed in terror.
…
The Rattata ran with the stealth and silence that only an experienced thief had. He ran on his hind legs, like a human, and his tail was scruffy and very furry. He wore a multicolored, semi-checkered, jester's mask that covered practically all of his face. His ears were pierced with multiple hoop earrings, and one of his front fangs was replaced with a gold one, and there were a few gold and silver replacements throughout the rest of his mouth. He wore a cape made in a similar fashion as his mask.
Jerzy made his living in the cities nowadays, living a bandit's life, taking whatever he needed to live from humans.
Jerzy was never caught. Not anymore. He was far too skilled. He could steal anything, even the nose from between your eyes, and be long gone before you noticed that it was missing.
He found what he was looking for: a large ruby, about twice his size. It was nestled safely on a deep blue satin pillow. Jerzy grinned. This was too easy. He leapt up to the ruby, and lifted it up effortlessly, carrying it on his back.
He ran back down the hall of the mansion. He almost pitied the master of the house waking to see the ruby gone without a trace. Almost. He would, if it hadn't belonged to him in the first place.
He stopped, watching the guard-Growlithe sleeping soundly.
Jerzy almost chuckled. So much for security. Silently, Jerzy ran to the open window, and was gone.
Life was good, with free food, drink, treasure, and he didn't need to share it, with anyone!
…
Nyx ran up to an extremely irritated Aura, who sat cross-legged on a rock, pouting.
"So, they took the hive back?"
"Yes," Aura snapped. "They did. But, I managed to steal some honey before they did."
"Why do you need the honey?"
"I don't know, but…I feel it will come in handy…soon."
"I suppose."
"What do you want?"
"I…I've heard of you for a while now, and I guess curiosity finally won over."
"So, you wanted to gawk at the feral freak?" Aura sounded defensive.
"No, I wanted to meet you, to be your friend."
Aura remained silent, unsure of how to respond to that.
Then, Azar dashed up to them.
"Nyx! Aura! I need your help! There are two humans down at the foot of the mountain! And, one of them is deathly ill!"