Chapter 11:
Puzzlements:
The Sage of the Fighting Element was patient. During the past decade, since he had first taken the position, he had hardened, both in work and in demeanor. He sat deep in the Temple, meditating in pure silence and solitude. His eyes were lightly shut, which was somewhat pointless, as the only light came from the Orb in the Shrine before him, barely even reaching his face.
The Lucario sighed, the sound echoing about him. Odin had been raised since he was born seventeen-almost eighteen-years before to be the next Sage, to be the best in the ancient art of Struggle. And he had, never surrendering in any fight, even when his opponent was clearly larger, stronger, and more experienced than he was. In fact, he had lost consciousness many times as a Riolu. But, after a while, he became better, and smarter, than any of them. And now…he could take on any opponent, even multiple ones, and still come out on top. He had become a much respected Sage amongst the others, even the older ones, but his cold demeanor made his company…rather unpleasant.
Odin stood up, and left the Shrine without a single sound. He made his way to his private quarters, where he had his own forge. It was strange for a Fighting Sage to take up blacksmithing; that was usually a trait of the Steel Sage. Odin picked up his hammer and tongs, and began to work. As sparks flew, his eyes moved to a metallic glove on his shelf, next to his other creations.
The Chosen One was coming. He would need Odin's help. The Lucario knew this. But, he didn't know when he would arrive. Another shower of sparks flew up, lighting up his world.
It didn't matter.
Odin, the great Sage of Struggle, was patient.
...
"Milady!" A Dragonair burst into the room, yelling frantically.
The huge, stone-walled, castle room was lavishly decorated, with warm, scented candles burning in their gold and platinum holders, drapes and curtains of all colors, and all styles and sizes of pillows placed in comfortable places. The Dragonair gasped at the sight of a Salamence, Raikou, Latios, and Rayquaza in Hikari's Private Conference Quarters.
The Salamence noticed her first, lying across three, blue satin pillows, his forelegs crossed in a casual manner, his head perked with amusement and interest.
"Hello, Khas," The Salamence chuckled.
"Khasandra?" A silhouette behind a large curtain asked. Hikari!
"Ryuu," Khas gasped. "Great Lady Hikari," she turned towards the silhouette. "I know you've told us to never interrupt a conference…but the Seers insisted I take this news to you immediately."
"Yes, Khasandra?" Hikari's gentle, feminine voice remained calm and tolerant.
"They have Seen the coming of the Chosen One!"
Latios and the Salamence-Ryuu, his name was-weren't at all surprised, but Raikou sat up suddenly, growling in shock. Rayquaza smiled.
"I knew it!" the green Dragon Pokémon chuckled. "I knew that boy was special! I knew that he was the Chosen!"
"I have heard of him, from my cousin in Altomare." The Latios barely muttered, uninterested. He'd rather be flying about, than trapped in such a confiding space.
"The Lord Ho-oh never revealed his coming with me, in either public or private discussion." Raikou was in shock. "Nor has he conversed with either of my brothers about such." The Electric Legendary felt betrayed and left out.
"Indeed, I am well past aware of this," Hikari said in a soft tone. "The Seers still forget that, as a well-seasoned Sage, I am in perfect tune with the Light Orb, even away from the Shrine, and even from the Keep and the Temple. I have known, since about a week past that the Chosen had accepted his destiny."
"Does he really bear the Mark?" Ryuu inquired.
"One can't truly decide until one is in the Chosen's presence," Hikari paused. "However, I have reason to believe that this young lad bears the Mark of old."
"Of old?" Khas repeated.
"Legend has it," Ryuu started, "that the Chosen One was first seen coming by an ancient Sage whose power was greater than…than even Hikari could comprehend. And, through time, by means of two ends of a bloodline, he placed his Marks, so that when they came together, when the two bloodlines met and joined, the first born would bear the mixed Mark, the whole Mark, and have the powers granted to him that he would need to face his destiny."
"That is not all of the legend, of course," Hikari chuckled. "And the Chosen One has picked up other Marks along the way. But, the ancient Sage was wise, and even as he lay dying, he used his power and understanding of the Light Orb to secure our future, even though it was so distant from his time."
"And…who was this Sage?" Khas hesitated.
"He was the one who survived the longest after undergoing the mythical Final Evolution," Hikari whispered. "His name was Hikaru…and I am named in his honor."
...
Ash woke to the feel of some sort of liquid dripping on his face. He blinked his eyes open to see Aura flicking water at his nose. The Lucario, instead of being amused at her cruel prank, actually seemed somewhat annoyed, as if she had been doing this for a while, and it was just now having the desired effect.
"Wake up, Mr. Chosen One," the Lucario sneered, twirling her lance-spear in her right paw. "It's time to get going."
Ash sat up in his sleeping bag, rubbing his eyes.
"You, too, Waterflower," Aura nodded at Misty, before she turned and walked straight out of camp.
"Why do you get a name?" Ash groaned, stretching.
"Dunno," Misty shrugged, her voice low.
"Ever since we left Lavender Town yesterday, she's been even more difficult than normal," Ash muttered as they packed up camp.
"At least she acknowledges you," Nyx sighed. "She hasn't spoken to me for days!"
Misty grinned.
"NYX!" Aura's voice bellowed from out of the view from camp.
"Ha!" Nyx barked with triumph. "I have a name!"
He dashed out towards the sound of Aura's voice.
"Aura!" Nyx shouted happily as he caught up to where she stood, looking out at the world before them. He stopped suddenly, when he found the tip of her lance-spear pointed directly at his nose. "Uh, Aura?"
"You know where the next Temple is." It wasn't really a question.
"Uh, not really…" Nyx started. Then, under Aura's glare, he went on. "But, I think I have a vague idea. Surely, if we go that way, we'll eventually run into one of their patrols, like at the Support Temple."
"Hmm," Aura considered it, and then nodded once.
"But, shouldn't we ask Ash about this? I mean, he is…"
"A human," Aura cut him off. "I refuse to let a human decide where we go."
"He's not evil," Nyx defended Ash. "He's not going to kill you in your sleep."
"That's not why I'm watching him," Aura growled ominously. "Which way?"
"Um," Nyx looked around. "Dark Tunnel is that way," He pointed. "Let's go in that direction…but over the mountain instead of through it."
Aura hesitated. Climbing over those mountains wasn't exactly what she'd had in mind. This whole quest was going to take much longer than she'd initially thought.
"I…I guess…"
"You guess what?" Misty asked, as she, Ash, and Pikachu joined Aura and Nyx.
"We're gonna go over those mountains, until we find the next Temple," Aura pointed towards the north.
Ash grimaced.
"What?" Aura narrowed her eyes. "Are you afraid of a little hike over a few mountains?"
Nyx gave Aura a strange look.
"I'm not afraid!" Ash became defensive.
"Then let's go!" Aura twirled her lance-spear once more, and then set off in the direction of the mountain.
"Why don't we just take the Tunnel?" Misty asked Nyx.
"The Tunnel is a human's path," the Shiny Umbreon explained. "The Temple we are trying to find is a place where only Pokémon are allowed-usually. So, they wouldn't stray too far into places humans are typically found, not while the Pokémon of the Temple are on a patrol, right? So, if we go a way that humans usually don't, we might find them.
"Hopefully," Nyx added under his breath.
...
God, I miss my mountain, Aura thought bitterly to herself, as she pulled herself over the edge of another cliff in the side of yet another mountain. My mountain wasn't as jagged or rough, and it had those lush, green forests filled with prey.
Aura froze to the sound of her stomach rumbling. They hadn't stopped for lunch yet. Aura briefly considered suggesting that they did.
"HAH!" Ash exhaled loudly as he made it over the cliff, before throwing himself to the new level of ground that was now beneath him.
On second thought, she would do nothing of the sort. If these humans were hungry, they'd have to fend for themselves. Aura wanted to find this Temple and get going already.
Aura wondered what kind of Fighting Pokémon would be the Sage at this Temple.
She really hoped it would be something…intimidating. Maybe it would be a Machamp. Yeah, something huge, threatening, and muscular as a Machamp, that would terrify the Chosen One. Aura grinned to herself, and found the strength to ignore her hunger.
They had reached the mountains at about ten in the morning. Judging by the sun's position in the sky, Aura assumed it was about one in the afternoon, meaning that they had been climbing for three hours. Yet, they hadn't come across a single Pokémon. Not even a typical mountain dweller, like a Geodude. She was beginning to think that this whole plan was a flop. She sat down when they got to the next sheer cliff.
Were they heading in the right way? What if, when they left Lavender Town, they had gone in the wrong direction from the way that Saki had told them to go the other day? Would they wander this way for hours or days? Would they live, if they really were heading in the wrong direction? Aura was a little concerned. She didn't particularly want to die out here, so far from her…mountain home, most likely out of starvation.
"Oh, Arceus, no!" Nyx breathed beside her, looking up, wide-eyed.
Aura glanced up.
Ash had already climbed to the top of the next cliff, with Misty a little over halfway up-just out of his reach. What had Nyx so terrified was the rock that had slid right out of the side of the mountain as Misty tried to use it as a handhold, causing her to lose her grip.
"MISTY!" Ash yelled in shock and fear as his best friend started to fall.
Aura reacted instantly. She leapt at the cliffside, and jumped right off of it again, reaching out just in time to grab Misty before she hit the ground. However, the Lucario landed funny, causing her to trip and drop the human as Aura fell face-first herself. A jolt of pain shot up her right leg as she landed.
"Nngh!" Aura moaned. She coughed in the cloud of dust their landing had kicked up.
Misty hadn't spoken yet.
"Misty?" Aura asked. Her concern was uncontainable. "You okay?"
"I-I-I…" Misty stammered. "I'm…I'm okay. A little shaken, but I'm fine."
Aura looked up to see the relief clear on Ash's face. Grimacing in annoyance, she stood up. A twinge of pain surged around her raised ankle-Lucario technically walked on their toes-and almost sent Aura to the ground again. Moaning softly, she tapped the foot on the ground, sending another jolt of pain up her leg to the base of her spine.
Was her ankle sprained? Or were there fractures or broken bones? Aura grimaced.
"Aura?" Misty sounded concerned.
"I'm fine!" She barked rather forcefully. She slowly walked to the cliffside and-clenching her teeth-she started to scale up it. "I…hate…my…life!" She moaned to herself as she threw herself over the top of the cliff. "I...hate this…mountain!" She looked around in pain-induced rage. Her crimson eyes locked with the dark blues of the nearest human. "I…hate…you," Aura snarled at Ash.
"How is this my fault?" Ash was staggered at her sudden fury.
"If you had been able to save your girlfriend, I wouldn't have had to, and we wouldn't have wasted all that time that she'll have to take to climb it again!" Aura barked.
"I…?" Ash hesitated. "I wasn't even within reach! You think I didn't want to save my friend's life? I would have if I could have! I was going to thank you, but…"
"What?" Aura challenged. "Do you regret me saving your girlfriend's life?"
"That's not what I meant, and you know it!" Ash was ticked off. "I would've saved her in a heartbeat if I could've!"
"So, now you're jealous?" Aura smirked. "You wish you could have been the one to save her, instead of me?"
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"I know how obsessed you are!" Aura sneered. "But you don't realize the danger you've put her in! The danger that that puts you in! The path you've set yourselves on…will only lead to your despair and your death!"
Aura stopped suddenly. She took a step back, a look of pain and shock on her face. She couldn't believe the words that had come out of her mouth, in her voice.
"Guys?" Misty managed to drag herself over the edge of the cliff. "What's with the sudden ceasefire?"
"Oh, no," Nyx added as he followed the redhead. He saw something in the Lucario's eyes that neither of the humans could.
Aura grimaced and-despite of the pain radiating from her ankle-tore off, running away from the others.
"Well," Misty grimaced. "That was handled well."
"I don't get what it is that she expects of me!" Ash exasperated. "It's like she wanted me to throw myself down the mountain."
"That wouldn't have been very helpful," Misty suppressed a smile.
"I just don't understand what her problem is," Ash groaned. "I try to be…nice to her and all she does is resent me, and act sullen. If I act the way she expects me to, then she's infuriated, saying how I'm such a typical human!"
"We're still no closer to figuring her out, or her past," Nyx nodded in agreement.
"We don't have to," Misty scowled. "She's a living thing; her actions have motives. She clearly cares…very…" she hesitated. "Well, very deep down, I suppose. But, her anger and hate conceals it, like she's wearing a mask. She's cautious, wary, and…she always predicts the worst can–and will–happen. And, if you try to think about it abstractly, not going for any exact details, it's not hard to figure out a very basic cause."
All three males before her simply stared: Nyx with concern and Pikachu with a strange emotion that made him look almost melancholy. But Ash…Ash's face was indescribable. He looked at her like she had suddenly changed into some creature from beyond, surpassing him in understanding and maturity, leaving him. And he didn't like it. It hurt him in some strange way he didn't know he could hurt, and he realized what had happened as he had watched her walk away at that crossroad years before.
He had lost her.
The person standing before him was still Misty. And yet, she wasn't. She was older, smarter, stronger…wiser. She had changed.
Not that Ash hadn't changed. Just…it seemed that he had gone in a completely different direction. The split hadn't just taken place physically. It had also occurred much deeper than that, separating them emotionally. The increasing amount they had spent apart, first in Hoenn, then with the Kanto Battle Frontier, and with Sinnoh, had caused this gap to grow. He felt, in that moment, that they might actually be growing apart.
And it terrified him.
Misty did not notice, as she had looked down at her feet after her previous statement.
"She's been hurt, most likely betrayed by someone she knew or trusted. Maybe she did have a trainer, maybe he or she abandoned or abused her, or maybe it was even an older person who died when she was too young to understand. Maybe it was a corrupt Ranger that turned out to be a Poacher in disguise, and he or she hurt her family-maybe even killed them. Maybe it was just simply a friend, not a trainer that she lived and worked with, just a human she grew to like and became too close to, and said human hurt her."
"Or, maybe she simply had one too many run-ins with Team Rocket and decided that all humans were so…uncivilized." Nyx offered.
"That is possible as well," Misty nodded. "But, right now, it doesn't matter. What matters is making sure that Aura knows we're on her side." Misty paused for a moment. "Stay here."
And she ran off after the Lucario without another word.
...
Aura did not know how long she had been running. It seemed like hours, though might have been only forty-five minutes. She wasn't sure. Time seemed to blur, like the rocky landscape around her. Her paws started to ache from pounding on the ground, and her ankle throbbed with excruciating pain, but their screams of agony never registered in her mind. She simply tore through the mountains, her leather jacket flapping from the speed.
Eventually, her feet refused to carry her any farther, and she simply collapsed, falling face first to the ground, sending up a cloud of dust and dirt as she did. She simply heaved and tried to catch her breath, letting herself just lie there.
It couldn't….
This could not be happening!
She could not possibly….
She inhaled sharply, taking in a mouthful of loose dirt. Aura pushed her torso and head up above the ground with her front paws, hacking and spitting it out again.
She hadn't seen him in years!
Yet, that conversation had come back to haunt her…with a curse.
Oh, yes, it was worse than she had feared it would be.
Aura stared at the spikes on the back of her paws.
After all these years, am I becoming my father?
Aura's eyes went even wider.
What if…what I said was true? Have I predicted his fate?
Aura clenched her eyes shut, baring her teeth in a snarl.
No, I will not bear another's fate on my shoulders. Not again.
Aura slowly stood up, hissing sharply with the pain from her paws and ankle. She knelt again, unable to overcome the pain…yet.
"Never again," the Lucario opened her eyes to narrow, angry slits.
"Aura?" A soft voice caused her to turn around, lessening her intense expression.
Misty gently grabbed the undersides of her arms, and slowly helped her up.
"Thank you," Misty smiled. "For saving my life."
I know where I've heard that before.
And it sure as hell wasn't my father.
"Y-you're welcome," Aura stammered.
"We were worried about you."
For a moment, Aura believed the human.
"You…were?"
"We take good care of our friends, Aura," Misty smiled. "Come on, we'll go back to the others, set up camp, and call it a day. The sun's due to set in the next hour or so, anyway."
Aura blinked, touched her necklace briefly, and then followed Misty without another word, limping and going at a slow rate the entire way.
...
Nyx was worried. He wasn't much of a worrier, but there were times that his concern became a little too strong to do otherwise. He trotted about the camp, as the others slept.
The way Aura had acted before….
Misty was wrong.
Aura's past was important. They needed to know. They had to figure out what set her off, what made her mad. They needed to know what would hurt her. They needed to know how…they could make her happy. Nyx wanted her to be happy. He didn't mind her sullen, feral personality at first, but after the occasional hint that maybe-just maybe-there was a loving, caring, friendly, happy creature under that mask he began to tire of her bitterness and rage.
He just wanted her to be happy.
Nyx walked towards the packs, and used his nose to nudge Ash's gently. The Shiny Umbreon's entire body seemed to glow a soft blue, not just his like-colored markings. He looked at Ash's sleeping form. Nyx almost laughed. The young teen didn't look much like a great warrior, destined to wield the might of the Elements. But yet, he was the Chosen.
Misty's sleeping bag wasn't far from his. Nyx allowed himself a low, soft chuckle. He softly walked towards her.
"He's not as dense as you think," he said to her under his breath. "One day he'll see…if he hasn't already."
He turned, and looked at Aura. The Lucario was now convinced that the humans weren't going to kill her in her sleep, but she still slept on the other side of the campfire, which had long been put out. With the silver moonlight softly illuminating her fur, she seemed just as calm and innocent as any Pokémon.
Then, she twitched, and she grimaced as if in pain, eventually baring her teeth.
Nyx tensed. Had he disturbed her slumber?
Aura's eye's remained closed, though she twitched again.
Nyx understood. She was dreaming.
More than likely a nightmare, Nyx thought solemnly. Oh, what horrors lie in your mind and memory? What ghosts haunt your dreams and curse your soul? What demons do you fear in the shadows, that you hide yourself even from those who are your friends?
But, the dream was beyond even the wise comprehension of the young Aide of the Night Sage.
Aura dreamt of blood…her blood, and…his.
She dreamt of flashing blades, and of inescapable torture and agony.
She dreamt of rain, mingling with the tears…her tears.
She dreamt of a desperate plea, to either spare her, or to end it.
She could no longer remember who begged for such mercy, the memory drowning in blood. She cried out, begging to save him. To spare him.
She felt his presence, saw his face, recognizing that look in his eyes.
He couldn't.
She whispered to him with the fear of a young child caught in the battle.
He couldn't.
No, Aura felt a surge of rage.
He wouldn't.
The blade…ordered. No. The shadow holding it did. And its orders were carried out.
He betrayed her!
Aura didn't even feel the blade as it made contact. She was already shattered.
Aura woke suddenly. She looked around in fear, rubbed her eyes, and calmed down. After she was certain that no one was even awake, much less had seen her, she settled back down into sleep.
What she didn't know was that Nyx had hidden himself when he saw her wake up so startled. She didn't know that he had seen her crying.
...
"Oh, I give up!" Aura moaned. "I have had enough of these damned mountains! I'd rather spend the rest of my life in a human city than spend another day wandering around here aimlessly!"
"I hear ya," Ash groaned. "I'm hungry," he added.
"You're always hungry," Misty chuckled.
"Am not," Ash retorted weakly.
"That wasn't very convincing," Nyx smiled. "Where's your unbreakable confidence? The Chosen One has to appear powerful in every way, the will most of all. If your will is weak, the Elements will never accept you."
"Elements?" Ash sounded lost.
"Chosen One," Aura scoffed, treating the words like curse words.
Suddenly, a blur whipped around them in a circle, causing a slight, brief whirlwind to blow about them. The blur stopped in front of them, revealing it to be…
"A Hitmontop?" Ash blinked in surprise.
"Did you say 'Chosen One'?" It spoke in perfect English.
"Perhaps," Aura frowned. "What's it to you?"
"I have orders to find the Chosen One when he arrives, and bring him to the Shrine."
"He?" Aura barked. "Who says the Chosen One isn't female?"
"Yeah!" Misty nodded. "Maybe I'm the Chosen One."
The Hitmontop laughed in a manner that made Aura want to punch him in the face until he passed out. Yet, other than baring her teeth in a snarl, she refrained herself.
"Who are you?" Nyx demanded.
"I am Scruff, Head Aide to Odin, the Temple's Sage," The Hitmontop practically glowed.
Aura felt sick just seeing it.
"I've heard of you," Nyx narrowed his eyes.
Another suck-up, Nyx scowled to himself. How typical. I'll bet he isn't even well-liked, let alone the Head Aide.
"Oh, have you now?" Scruff smirked. "And just who are you that you've been blessed to hear of me before now?"
After a brief, successful struggle to control his gag reflex, Nyx stepped forward, assuming a stance of pride.
"I am the Head Aide of the Night Sage. I have come to aid all Sages as the companion of the Chosen. I am Nyx, the Sapphire Moon."
Sapphire Moon? The words echoed in Aura's mind, sending a wave of shock through her.
"Sapphire Moon?" Scruff crossed his arms, thinking. "Nyx?" He paused. "Night… Sage…not old Zyne? No, he stepped down, leaving… Nila." He said her name like it was poison on his lips, making Nyx tense. "Nyx…the Head Aid? Puh, you would be!"
It was like someone had replaced Nyx with a rabid Ursaring. The Umbreon flung himself at the Hitmontop in unsuppressed anger. The force of the collision knocked Scruff over, with Nyx standing on top of him, panting in an attempt to curb his rage, with was clearly burning in his eyes.
The others, unused to this side of the otherwise placid Nyx, could only stare in complete shock.
"Never…" Nyx breathed, his eyes narrow slits, fire burning in them. "Never say that or anything like it again!"
"Or, what?" Scruff scoffed. The Hitmontop threw himself into a standing pose with a Triple Kick, knocking the Umbreon to the ground. "Don't forget…the Fighting Element is superior to Dark in battle."
"So then, why does Night come so far after Struggle in the Cycle?" Nyx retorted with a dark smile.
Scruff glared at him with obvious hate.
"Er," Ash stepped in, stammering and trying to break up the potential fight before it happened. "My name is Ash Ketchum. I am the Chosen."
"Very well," Scruff tried to act with some level of dignity, but wasn't fooling anyone. "You will come with me," he set off, presumably towards the Temple.
"Oh, Ash," Pikachu sighed. "What have we gotten ourselves into?"
...
Odin would have groaned at the sight before him a few years before.
Thank Arceus I've learned such strong emotional restraint. I have to present myself as an honorable Sage. I didn't get here by being a bumbling, bubbly, babbling, damned emotion freak. Saki may be young, but I'm now undeniably adult, both physically and emotionally. I must admit though, Godric is starting to annoy me about settling down and taking a mate. Poor old Zyne is still the object of too much gossip over his mate. Sages just aren't meant for mates, I suppose.
Scruff was the youngest Aide he had. Frankly, he only made him an Aide as a favor to his father, a Hitmonchan named Jhan, who insisted that the hard, honorable work of an Aide might teach him a thing or two about humility.
Well, that has turned out so well. I daresay his ego has inflated since that day. He calls himself Head Aide. The others only suffer him because I have so far withheld any permission to put him in his place. I had planned to before the next Sages' Gathering, but I think that the coming of the Chosen One will allow me to make a far better, and more effective plan.
If he was surprised to see not just one human with Scruff, but two, as well as several Pokémon, he didn't show it. Scruff, as usual, strutting about as if he owned the place, and-if the disgusted expressions on the human's faces, and particularly the look of pure hate coming from a Shiny Umbreon with them were any indication-he had already done something to piss them off.
He made a mental note to apologize for the youngster's behavior. If the Chosen One passed his Test, he added, narrowing his eyes.
The human male seemed no older than Odin himself; in fact, he seemed a few years younger, caught in that phase between childhood and adulthood. Odin was surprised, and opened his mouth slightly, allowing himself to show it. There was a female, with orange-red hair, that looked about his age. Judging by the small distance they kept between themselves, and the fact that she was-he supposed, by human standards-quite attractive, Odin figured she might be his pre-mate, which humans were known to go through several before deciding on one as a life mate, or at least a long-term one. A Lucario walked next to the girl-female, Odin noticed, I'll be damned if Godric doesn't notice and start pestering me about her-a Pikachu rested on the boy's shoulder, and the Shiny Umbreon walked beside him.
"Now, Ash," Nyx said in a low voice as they approached Odin. "Odin, despite his attitude, is a very proud beast. Do not insult him, don't challenge him, and do your best to not offend him. If he challenges you, you must accept. To deny the Sage's challenge is to forfeit. Look around you. This slight valley in the mountains is home to just under a hundred Pokémon that are at least part-Fighting, with the occasional that isn't but wishes to hone a Fighting ability. They are loyally under his command. If you tick him off enough, he might order them to kill. If he did, you would fall, even with the power of the Support Orb. So, tread lightly."
Ash gulped and hesitated as Odin took a step towards him, as if to inspect him like a Ponyta.
Nyx knelt in a slight bow.
"Hail, Sage Odin, Guardian of the Struggle Orb, Head of the Fighting Order."
"Nyx?" Odin apparently recognized the Umbreon. "At ease, brother."
"Does every Sage know you?" Ash muttered.
"Most of them will have at least heard of me," Nyx whispered back. "Fortunately for you."
"Indeed," Odin nodded, startling the Umbreon. "Not only do I have the honor of knowing someone as noble as the Sapphire Moon, but I have also met his father. Nyx comes from a proud lineage; his father, Zyne, was the Night Sage before Nila."
"Sapphire Moon?"
"There are times that his whole body glows with a blue color, for apparently no reason," Odin said simply. "Zyne used to call him his 'little sapphire moon,' and it apparently stuck long after he stepped down."
Nyx had suddenly made himself appear smaller, with his eyes looking at the ground, and his ears pressed back against his head.
Misty smiled. He was embarrassed. She didn't want to make worse by giggling at it, but damn it, it was too darn cute! Misty shot a glance at Aura. The Lucario's eyes were half-shut in disinterest, clearly not amused.
"That's not all," Scruff piped up, annoyance clear on his face. "He also-ungh!"
Odin had suddenly brought his foot down on the Hitmontop's head, just missing its point.
"What was that…?"
"Go tell Head Aide Godric to meet me in my quarters, then report to Trad, where you'll be working all day for the rest of the week," Odin order, conveniently revealing the arrogant Pokémon's lie. "That was not a request!"
Scruff sulked off, mumbling under his breath.
"Don't even think about trying to get out of it!" Odin barked after him. "I will be talking to Trad myself in a few hours!"
"Oh, thank Arceus!" Aura sighed in an irritated tone. "About damned time someone put him in his place!"
Nyx shot her a warning look.
"Yes," Odin nodded. "I believe a harsh lesson in humility is in order." He glanced back at the others. "Now if you'll follow me, we can get out of the sun and heat."
Odin led them into a large cave-like opening in the side of one of the mountains. Inside, it greatly resembled the Normal Temple, with the walls of the caves smoothed out to appear more hospitable, and torches and lamps illuminating the whole place in a warm glow. He took them through several hallways and corridors, revealing several rooms where Fighting Pokémon were training and sparring, before taking them into a very simple room, decorated only by a low-rising table in the middle, a large bookshelf on one wall, and a bed against the wall opposite it. Like every other room, torches and lamps were posted on every wall.
"Odin?" A Blaziken walked to the doorway.
"Yes, come in," Odin waved at his friend.
"Is it true?" The Blaziken asked.
"I am the Sage of this Temple," Odin ignored him, properly introducing himself to the others. "My name is Odin. This is my real Head Aide, Godric."
"I'm Misty."
"Ash."
" Pika Pikachu!"
They looked at Aura expectantly.
"What?" She acted like she had no idea what was going on. "Is my face on fire or something?"
"This ball of sunshine is Aura," Nyx said dryly.
"I know," Odin nodded. "I was there when she was brought to the Sages to determine if we would mingle in her fate or not, a few years back. I recall voting positively on that particular ballot. Shame that it has taken so long for her finally get over her little fear of humans."
"I'M NO COWARD!" Aura suddenly bellowed. She leapt at him, swiping with her paw spikes.
Odin calmly blocked every attack, appearing rather bored.
"If you're going to attack me, then attack me," Odin half-yawned.
Aura aimed a kick right between his eyes, but he grabbed her foot-paw before it could make contact, twisting her around and into submission.
"Attack!"
"I am attacking!" Aura snarled.
Damn! She growled to herself. I used to be able to fight off any foe with less effort. Nyx was right. This guy is tough. Time to kick it up a notch.
She focused all her strength and turned herself at one last attempt to overpower Odin with her brute strength.
But her attack never landed.
Odin landed a well-aimed Mach Punch at Aura's stomach, causing her to stiffen with shock for the briefest of moments, before she fell to the ground in a crumpled heap, trying desperately to hide the agony she was in.
"I admire your spirit as much as I did when I first saw you," Odin admitted in a calm tone. "But, I am also disappointed. You have so much potential, yet you do not attack with the powers that run in your blood as a Fighting Pokémon. No, instead you disgrace us by street fighting!" He spat in fury. He grabbed her arm, pulling her up to eye level. "I could not fix that before; it was outside my jurisdiction. But, now you are on my territory. My word is law here. It's time we teach you to be a fighting Pokémon, not some uncivilized barbarian." He started to drag her out of the room. "Can you start young Ashura's training for me, Godric?" He called back to the Blaziken.
"It'll be an honor," he bowed towards the human.
"I'll be dealing with this one," Odin trailed off in an almost threatening tone as he drug Aura through the Temple.
The feral, female Lucario was in no condition to resist.
...
"Why did that Hitmontop set you off like that, Nyx?" Misty asked.
Nyx twitched his ears somewhat, uncomfortable.
They were sitting outside, leaning against the side of the mountain. Misty had been gazing up at the clouds, trying not to think of Ash, or what he or Aura might be going through at that exact moment. Then, she had turned and looked at Nyx, who had been glancing about them. Whether he was nervous or simply alert, Misty couldn't tell.
"I just…I work hard to be the best Aide I can to the Night Sage, and I never suck up or use any underhanded methods to get ahead. And, everyone says that I'm just Head Aide because my…because Zyne was my father."
"That must be really tough," Misty muttered. "You must have spent your whole life in his shadow."
"Like you did with your sisters?" Nyx asked softly.
"How do you know about that?" Misty didn't recall telling him much about her past.
"I, uh, overheard you and Ash talking the other day."
"Oh."
"You two are really close, huh?"
"He's my best friend, Nyx."
"So, why does he look at you like that?"
"Like what?" Misty was a bit startled.
"Like…I don't know," Nyx stood up. "Just…funny, that's all. He always seems so confused and flustered."
"Maybe it's the Support Orb getting to him." Misty wouldn't let herself hope…again. She just couldn't believe it would happen.
"So why does he never look at Aura or me like that?" Nyx countered. "Why does he reserve it only for…you?"
Nyx walked away at that, leaving Misty speechless.
...
Aura stumbled and fell.
"Stand up!" Odin barked.
Aura growled under her breath as she struggled to her feet. Her ankle screamed at her, sending jolt after jolt of agonizing pain up her leg and spine. She trembled, concentrating every brain cell on staying standing up.
"Attack me!" Odin snarled.
Attack? Aura's mind swirled. What…can I attack? What…what attack? Maybe….
She started to swipe with her paw spike.
"No," Odin calmly avoided the slow attempt. "Attack me with a true Fighting ability. I know you still feel the power of the Fighting Element in your blood. Use it!"
Aura's mind felt muddled, only hearing about half of what Odin was saying.
"I know you can!" Odin challenged.
I can…what? Aura forced her eyes to remain as open as she could. Her head felt as if someone had brought a hammer down on it. A very large hammer. Fighting…element. I…maybe…what, though? Can I…remember…how…which…what?
Aura shook her head. She looked at Odin.
Aura smiled. She saw his attack, despite his attempt to surprise her. She wished she had the energy to deflect…
Odin's jaw dropped in surprise. His Double Kick attack had been blocked by some sort of barrier, which glowed purple slightly with every hit it blocked.
Protect? Odin thought. No…she can Detect! He grinned.
Now they were getting somewhere!
What…what? Aura was getting more and more confused, and began to stumble around.
"Aura?" Odin was beginning to worry that maybe-just maybe-he had pushed her a little too hard. "You can still do this. I…I can't help you. You need to stand up. Don't give up on me! Stand up! You're gonna have to help the Chosen One, and you can't save him from any true source of danger or evil if you can't even fight me. We need you to protect him! C'mon! Attack me!"
Only, Aura heard…a different voice.
Aura? You…do this. I…can't…stand up. Help…save…me…protect…me….
Aura's eyes went wide.
No. Not this time! She bared her teeth in a determined snarl. She leaned towards Odin, and snapped the air in a harsh bite, not realizing she had missed her target completely.
Odin felt a wave of dark energy, though weak and barely detectable, coming from where Aura had tried to snap at him.
Crunch? Well, it's not a Fighting attack…but she's actually attacking, and not just street fighting. I wonder what I said?
"You…bastard!" Aura hissed at him, hate dripping from every word. "You…stay away from him! I'll kill you! I'll…"
Suddenly, she barreled into him, causing him to fall down.
Extremespeed? Odin guessed. It was weaker and slower than normal, yes, but given the situation…. I wonder why she's suddenly so pissed off.
He stood up.
"The hell?" He breathed to himself.
"I won't let you hurt him!" Aura was becoming more and more delusional. "I'll tear you apart if you come near him ever again. I'll send you to Hell, where you belong! You… Goddamned bastard f…fuh…" Aura stammered.
Her world blurred and fell into a wave of darkness.
Odin caught her as she collapsed, unconscious. Anger overcame his confusion and concern.
He wanted answers, and he wanted them now, Arceus damn it!
...
Ash gingerly sat down on a bed in the room Odin was allowing him and the others to stay in. He moaned slightly as every muscle in his body tensed, and then simply collapsed into the mattress.
"Pikapi?" Pikachu rubbed his head against Ash's cheek.
"Training?" Ash groaned. "More like extreme-workout. I thought I was in better shape than that."
"Apparently not."
"It's like he chained me to the most exhausting machine at a gym, and locked it on the highest setting. I don't know what they're expecting of me."
"I dunno," Pikachu muttered under his breath. "Perhaps they expect you to be a hero, something you've already agreed to be."
"Didja say something?" Ash made a weak attempt to raise his head some.
"No, Ash."
"Ash?" Misty asked softly, as she and Nyx entered the room.
"Misty?" Ash sat up suddenly, startling Pikachu. "What's up?"
"I heard you were done with Godric for the day," Misty smiled slightly. "I thought you'd like to talk about it."
"Not much to talk about," Ash shrugged, grinning somewhat. "It was mostly just a long workout. Nothing I haven't handled before."
Pikachu narrowed his eyes at his human friend, smiling to himself.
Of course.
"How are you?" Ash ignored the look on Pikachu's face.
"Bored out of our minds," Nyx exasperated.
"We've just been waiting for you guys to be done," Misty added.
"Where's Aura?" Nyx asked.
"Right here," a new voice startled the Umbreon, causing him to jump a foot into the air.
Odin came into the room, carrying Aura's limp form in his arms. He set her down on another bed.
"What did you do?" Misty breathed.
"I don't know," Odin said quietly. "One second, she's exhausted, and I'm actually trying to encourage her. Then, in a heartbeat, she swearing like a sailor and trying to actually kill me. I think she went delusional."
"What do you mean…delusional?" Nyx tilted his head in curiosity.
"What do you know of her past? Has she told you anything?"
"All she's admitted to was having a family at some point," Ash shrugged.
"And something about her father, I think," Misty added.
"Define 'family'." Odin said in a low tone.
"Define?" Ash was taken aback. "A group of relatives like her parents, siblings…"
"That is the problem," Odin turned to look at him. "You keep thinking she meant her parents, her siblings-if she even had any-and maybe some more extended relations, like aunts, uncles and cousins. How old is she?"
"She claims she's about my age," Misty looked down.
"Oh, no," a look of pained sympathy cut across Odin's face. "Oh, please, no."
"What?" Ash was confused. "What's wrong?"
"She's young, but…it's still possible," Odin seemed to lose his voice for a moment.
Misty's eyes went wide, as if she understood.
"You keep thinking of her family as her generation and older," Odin started again. "What if you're wrong? The way she acted before…gives me reason to believe…she had her own family."
"What?" Ash gasped.
"I have no doubt that she at least had a mate," Odin placed his paw on his chin, thinking. "It's also very likely that she had a cub of her own, perhaps a son."
"Do you think that a human…killed them?" Nyx's ears drooped against his face.
"More likely a trainer used his Pokémon to," Odin mused. "Which is why she's untrusting in general. And, why she prefers street fighting to the Abilities she clearly has."
"That's it," Misty inhaled. "That could explain so much!"
"But, it's only a theory," Odin shook his head. "Nyx, can you come with me? I need to talk to you. Privately."
"Comin'!" Nyx barked happily, following the Lucario out of the room and out of sight.
"I wonder what that's about," Ash muttered. "Second thought, maybe we don't wanna know."
Aura moved slightly, as if in a dream, startling the young humans.
"Do ya think she's gonna wake up?" Ash frowned slightly.
"I hope so," Misty surprised him. "I want her to realize that we're her friends, that we're here for her, if she'd only let us."
"She doesn't like me," Ash muttered.
"I don't really see much hate in her eyes when she looks at you," Misty glanced at her best friend. "It's more like…pain…and regret. I think you remind her of someone she really loved, maybe even this mate Odin theorizes she once had."
"Do you think she was once a mother?"
Misty was silent for a moment.
"No."
Misty wiped her left eye with her right hand, acting as casual about it as possible, trying to not let Ash notice.
"Misty?"
She couldn't tell if he was concerned that she might've been crying, or that she had suddenly become so quiet, and she didn't dare to look at him to try to find out.
"I just don't feel that she's been a mother," Misty said softly. "Maybe she viewed herself as a mother-like figure once, but I don't think she's ever been a true mother to any creature, blood-related or not. But…I agree with Odin."
"Huh?" Ash narrowed his eyes.
"I do believe that she's had a mate or something like that," Misty looked at the ground, then at Ash. "I know, somehow, that she has been in love. And, that something happened to tear her apart from the one she loved, whether by death or betrayal."
"A human," Ash added. "A human probably killed him, like Nyx said, and thought he had killed her as well, and left them for dead. Only, Aura survived."
"Imagine how she felt, having lost someone she cared so deeply for."
"She must've wanted nothing more than to die herself for a very long time," Ash met Misty's gaze, their eyes locking. "She probably felt like a part of her was shattered beyond repair."
"Like her heart?"
"Yeah," Ash nodded slowly, something heavy-like a boulder-turning in his stomach. "Like a part of her was…removed…forcibly."
"A piece of her was cut away."
"Like, without them, she was missing a piece of who she was."
"Like she was only half of who she was."
"Half alive," Ash found that he could barely whisper. She was really much too close. He really should take a step back; she must have been uncomfortable.
Wasn't she?
Why wasn't she backing off either? Or yelling at him for being too close?
Why did he not want her to?
Ash felt the pulsating beat of his heart throughout his entire body, only it seemed to be resonating from his stomach instead of his chest. Like an iron nail to a magnet, he felt pulled in, and leaned forward without really meaning to, freezing for a moment when their foreheads gently touched. He felt quite dazed and disconnected as well as very alive and aware of everything at the same time. Ash had never felt like this before; he wasn't sure if it was a good thing, but after only the first few milliseconds, he was already addicted to this new emotion.
Maybe they weren't growing apart after all.
"Ash," Misty breathed, almost sounding timid.
What was he doing?
Was it possible that he…?
"I…" Misty started, but trailed off, unsure of what to say.
As if of their own accord, Ash's arms slowly and awkwardly wrapped themselves around her, his hands lightly touching her back so that he was gently, cautiously, barely-and yet undeniably-holding her. A jolt of electricity shot through every nerve in his body, jump-starting his heart to a pace that would've made a Rapidash jealous. He couldn't breathe.
And he liked it.
What was wrong with him?
Misty's my best friend, Ash's mind raced. What am I doing? This is…I…I can't…
Ash's mind completely froze, as Misty tilted her head so that, instead of their foreheads, it was the tips of their noses that lightly touched, and closed her eyes.
"Mist."
"Ash," she gingerly reached up and held his arms, noticing for the first time just how much muscle he had developed since they had last traveled together.
Ash blinked slowly a few times, as her very touch seemed to drain all ability to think from him. He closed his eyes, and, acting on some pure instinct he hadn't known he possessed, tilted his head to the right some. He leaned in another few millimeters, until the distance between their lips was almost non-existent. He could feel her warm, sweet breath on his face. He firmed his hold on her back by the slightest amount, as if to convince himself that she wasn't going to run…that in the next second he would follow through with his instincts, and he and Misty would be ki-
Hold on a second!
Was he really about to kiss her? Him? Kiss Misty?
He opened his eyes. Something about the way she looked, so peaceful, in his arms-his arms-softened the shock of that idea. No, it made it vanish completely.
The idea seemed…normal, almost okay. It felt natural. He could already see it. He wanted to kiss her.
Hell, he wanted to more than that. He wanted to re-define kiss in a way she had never experienced-forget the fact he had never really kissed anyone before, as well as the possibility that she hadn't either. He wanted to knock the two of them back into the nearby bed-Aura's still form was already forgotten-and he wanted to slip his hand up-
HOLY SHIT! A burst of logic and realization exploded in Ash's mind, causing him to jerk back, forcibly breaking him apart from Misty and their almost-kiss.
"Ash?" Misty opened her eyes, looking concerned and confused.
"I…I-I-I-uh…I-uh-um…I," Ash stumbled around the room, as well as stumbled in attempt to get a complete sentence out. He felt a surge of volcanic heat overcome his face, and tried a few more times to get a whole word out, before dashing out the door.
"Ash?" Misty called after him, a strange tone in her voice.
Ash's heartbeat echoed in his own ears as he sped through the halls, desperate to get outside to fresh air.
She's my best friend! And I wanted to… His thoughts trailed. He just didn't understand what was wrong with him.
Misty just didn't get it. Ash was acting so strange. The way he had acted just a few seconds before…Misty thought that-just maybe-he had actually wanted to kiss her. That Nyx might have been right.
He had been holding her, right? And, he had gotten so very close. She could still feel his breath on her face. He must have been a mere millimeter away.
What changed his mind? Was it her? What did she do? Or not do?
Misty grabbed her head in both hands.
"I don't think it was you," A voice from behind her startled her, answering her thoughts like a mind reader.
"Aura? How long have you been awake?"
"Long enough to know that you didn't do anything," Aura rubbed her head. "From what I saw…what he was doing sank in at the last second, and he got scared."
"Ash Ketchum will never admit to being scared," Misty smiled, and crossed her arms.
"He doesn't have to…not to you," Aura adjusted the sleeves of her jacket. "You have this to prove it."
"Maybe he decided that he didn't want it," Misty looked away.
That he didn't want me, she added to herself.
"I don't recall you being the one who made the move," Aura rubbed her neck, checking for stiff muscles. "It looked to me like it was him who leaned in to kiss you."
There was something in her voice that made Misty stop. It wasn't what she had said-that sank in a moment later-but it was Aura's tone.
It wasn't jealousy, at least not the usual kind. It wasn't that she was jealous of Misty because of Ash himself, but…there was a glint of envy there, all the same. There was also regret and…shame?
"Wait. He…?"
"Do you remember moving?"
"No…not much, really."
"So, then, logically…"
"That's not…not possible," Misty shook his head. "We're not…we're not like that…."
"Maybe you weren't…once," Aura gingerly tapped her still sore ankle. "But, something has definitely changed."
Misty was speechless.
...
Ash sat next to the small spring on the side of the mountain where the Temple resided. He was staring into the waters, thinking about what had just happened, what could have happened, about what he could have done.
"Who am I?" He asked his rippling reflection.
"You are the Chosen One," A powerful voice answered from behind. "You are destined to wield the powers of the Elements in battle."
"Why?" Ash asked. "Why me? Why at all?"
"Because, young Ashura," Odin came forward, his reflection joining Ash's in the water, "our world is…disconnected. Humans and Pokémon were once so close; they once lived in such great harmony, that humans, too, had powers of their own. They could take the shape of Pokémon, and borrow their strengths to better themselves, inside and out. It was a time of true peace, and the great Order of the Elements was established."
"Complete peace?"
"For the most part, yes," Odin nodded. "There was the occasional issue here or there, but for the most part, the years flowed in tranquility. Our peoples were as one, and lived as brothers and sisters to one and all. The purpose of life was to better others as well as yourself, and very few lived in any true darkness, as generosity, honor, and grace pulsed in the veins and blood of every creature. Lives were taken only as predator claiming the prey it desperately needed to survive, and nothing was wasted or taken for granted. The spirits remained in balance."
"What happened?" Ash had never heard of this.
"Greed," Odin's gaze darkened with a harsh growl. "Hunger. Lust. Envy. Hate. Blood thirst. All of these things, starting first with greed, became our people's downfall. It started only with a few people, human Masters of various Elements. But, their wills were too weak for the great powers they had obtained, and they became…corrupted by it. It started small at first, but then it spread like wildfire throughout the entire world. You see, Ashura, humans have great capacity to love, to trust, to have honor in their hearts, but are so easily corrupted in their quest to become the best at whatever they dream."
"And?"
"The schism began for the first time. Brother against brother. Sister against sister. Mother and daughter. Father and son. None were safe from the plague of violence. The Order tried to get it under control, but too many human souls had fallen to the poison of corruption, had succumbed to the sins that lay in rest in the dark side of all of our souls. The peace was gone, with balance only remaining in what little the Order still controlled, the lands in which the Temples of the Elements rested."
"Kanto?"
"And Jhoto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Orre, Sevii, and several other lands as well. Large by today's standards, but compared to the previous way…the entire world, it was but a mere shadow. They alone held up the candle of hope as the world fell into chaos and despair. They became an Order of Knights, Pokémon and humans living, working, fighting and dying together out of love, rather than the force, need, and alliances of convenience seen outside their borders. My people were becoming savage beasts and slaves to the barbarians that lived without honor or code or pride in the wastelands they had corrupted along with their own spirits."
"Except for those under the safety of the Order," Ash repeated, making sure he understood.
"Exactly. They still had some relative peace, for a few countless more generations. It was under the rule of the greatest Sage-King, Master of the Light Element, Hikaru, that it all…fell."
"Hikaru?"
"He was a mighty Lucario who sought only to help others. He only bettered his strength and increased his powers in every Element so that he could use them for the greater good, to help his peoples, whom he loved. That was also not all he loved."
"Say what?" Ash seemed a little taken aback by that. Did this strange hero Odin spoke of with an air of great pride, respect, and awe of…have a sin or vice himself?
"He had a mate who, according to legend, was one of the dying breed of humans who could take the form of another, and she chose that of the Lucario, to be with the creature she had somehow come to love above all things, and they had a daughter born between them, birthed as a Riolu, and she remained a Pokémon for her entire life. In addition, they also had adopted a son, an orphaned Riolu that they had come to love as if he was their own as well.
"Most importantly, was his best friend…a human male whose life he had saved when they were both very small. They remained as close as brothers as they grew up. But… something changed.
"Some say that a curse had been placed on the poor boy's soul. Others believe that it was the power he had gained and obtained through his trainings that corrupted him. It has also been said that evil was in his heart from the beginning, and that he had deceived Hikaru in hopes that the Lucario would become the Sage-King, and when he did, it was all part of his master plan.
"In any case, the human turned on his kingdom, of which he had become a high-level Mage-Knight, and the closest advisor to King Hikaru. He struck the Sage-King with his own prized weapon, and-revealing a troupe of traitorous followers of humans and Pokémon alike-and they laid siege upon the castle. The Sage-King, broken in body and heart, underwent the Final Evolution-"
"The what?" Ash asked.
"The Final Evolution," Odin had to remember that Ash had not grown up in his world, a world where legends were true and not forgotten, and forced himself to retain his patience. "It is a legendary transformation that all Pokémon-and, according to legend, all humans-are capable of. We release a spiritual bond within ourselves that keeps us tied to the mortal realm, and it unleashes great power, altering physical appearance much like any Pokémon evolving. However, one's higher thinking, sanity, and more…soul-like emotions often fade at a rapid rate, and always take the Evolved one's life with them."
"I don't understand," Ash muttered. "If it's so dangerous, why would anyone want to undergo it? I can't see why you should kill yourself for a few moments of…power."
"Can you really not?" Odin looked into the human's eyes.
Ash thought about it.
Why would I want to put myself on a path to death…?
Unless I was dying anyway?
But then, what would I be dying for?
What else? A little voice in the back of his head whispered. What else, but the things you have already thrown yourself to death's fangs for?
Pikachu.
My Pokémon.
My friends.
Misty.
There she was again, standing out in his mind, different from everyone else, from before. How did she do that?
Did she even really mean to?
She had seemed just as scared as Ash had felt, back before….
Had he really been scared? He couldn't believe thinking, even for a moment, that he was scared of anything, and yet, in the time span of less than 48 hours, Misty had managed to terrify him in ways he didn't understand.
And she did it just by being herself. And Ash was just being himself, wasn't he?
So, if Misty was still Misty and Ash was still Ash….
Why did he feel so…different around her…about her…for her?
"Ash?" Odin brought Ash back to reality.
"For someone you…care about," Ash answered his own, earlier, question.
Odin smiled at him, confusing Ash.
He's never seemed so…friendly before. It's kind of strange for him. He seemed so serious before…almost cold, really.
Odin was amused. It was as if he had the perfect answer on his tongue, but his pride kept him from consciously admitting what it was.
He reminds me so much of…myself.
"Care," Odin repeated. "What about love?"
"What about it?" Ash started. He hadn't made the mental connection, yet, but he still felt as if the male Lucario had read his mind.
"Do you love her?" Odin was not one to beat about the bush much.
"Love? Who?"
"Misty," Odin thought that it should have been obvious who he was implying; there weren't any other humans around for miles, let alone any other female ones. "She is your… pre-mate, is she not?"
"Misty? No!" Ash's face felt hot. "She's not my girlfriend."
Odin narrowed his eyes, not quite buying it.
"We-we're not like that!" Ash sounded more like his was trying to convince himself rather than the Sage. "We're just really good friends."
"Are you sure?"
Suddenly unable to find his voice, Ash forced himself to hesitantly nod.
"Well, then I apologize for the misunderstanding," Odin had difficulty admitting to having been wrong, but his honor as a Sage decreed he do so.
"I…it's okay," Ash looked back to the water. "What happened after the King… Evolved?"
"He used his powers to defeat the foe into retreat, Mark the Chosen One through Time, inscribed his last words onto the walls of his domain, and died," Odin said simply. "At least, that's all I know of that part of the legend. It's a well-kept secret, known only to the Light Sages throughout history. What I do know was, afterward, the Order became less and less comprised of humans, and eventually the Kingdom was broken into smaller Realms and Regions, with Pokémon retreating to the shadows, hoping that-with their natural powers diminishing-humans might find light and hope in their hearts once more."
"What…what happened to his children?" Ash asked. "His daughter…and his adopted son."
"His son helped to found the new Order of the Sages, which then dispersed themselves around their failing Kingdom, and set up new strongholds of peace and prosperity, away from humans and hidden from the rest of the world."
"The Temples…of the Elements?" Ash was starting to link things together.
"Exactly," Odin nodded solemnly. "As for his daughter…all that is known is she retrieved her father's beloved battleaxe from the enemy and ran off into the night, never to be heard from again. None have ever discovered where she went, or what became of her or the legendary weapon she took with her."
Ash's mind suddenly had a revelation.
"You're…you're descended from his son–from Hikaru's adopted son! Aren't you?"
"Yes," Odin nodded. "My line has been traced back to him. But, it's nothing to boast about. Blood doesn't make a warrior. Remember that, Ashura Ketchum. Remember that." Odin muttered ominously.
"Uh…will do." Ash got up, and started to turn back.
I'm gonna have to face her eventually…
...
Aura splashed a pawful of water onto her face.
"Hhrrrmng!" The Lucario shook her head somewhat. The water was quite cool, cooler than she had expected.
"Aura?" Misty asked behind her.
"What?" Aura growled through the towel as she dried her face.
"We were talking…ya know…before you woke up."
"That wasn't all you were doing," the Lucario muttered under her breath.
"What?"
"Nothing," Aura grimaced. "What do I care?"
"About you."
"What?"
"We were talking about you," Misty said softly. "Trying to figure you out, you know?"
"What's there to figure out?" Aura didn't see how it really mattered to them.
"What did you mean when you mentioned that you had a family?"
"You know, blood relations," Aura thought it should be obvious. "Others in your gene pool, people like that."
"Did you have…a mate?" Misty hesitated.
What if Aura didn't quite trust her, not enough, not just yet?
"I don't know what you're smoking," Aura growled. "But I've never had a mate."
"Aura?" Misty was taken aback by the Lucario's sudden harshness.
Didn't Aura know that the Water Trainer was her friend?
"Never!" Aura repeated. Then, the sharpness of her voice seemed to sink in, and the Lucario grimaced in remorse. "Just," she turned around. "Just…leave me alone…." And the Lucario slinked out of the room without another word.
"Oh, Aura…" Misty sighed. "I wish you would let yourself trust us. You don't have to bear your pain alone, whatever it may be."
"What's her problem?" Ash was still watching over his shoulder as he came into the room.
"She's still not sure about us."
Misty hesitated.
Us.
I think we might have a problem.
"Ash…"
"Misty," Ash didn't seem to hear her whisper. "We need to talk."
A/N: *Inhale* Wow. That took forever! And, it's over 20 pages! I was going to cover the group's entire time at the Temple of Struggle in this chapter, but it was taking waaaay too long, and I decided that you all deserved an update, so here we go. Let's pray that chapter 12 comes very soon. (Summer's only two months away, so that's promising…) And, yes, Aura's ankle is still injured. I actually forgot to deal with that in this chapter, so it'll have to wait until next…unless she injures it worse…MUHAHAHAHAhahaha! I'm so evil….