Chapter 33:
Metal
Water dripped down from the tip of the stalactite onto the Shiny Umbreon's head. Nyx shook it, his ears flopping about noisily.
"So," Ash started, holding up the lantern to light their way down the cavern. "Why are all of these Temples underground, anyway?"
"Think about it." Nyx sidestepped another falling droplet. "The Temples have to be well-hidden, and in places that humans and other outsiders can't easily stumble upon them. Until human technology advanced, the easiest way to do that was to hide them deep under the earth."
"Plus," Aura added, blinking through a drop of water that had landed in her eye, "there's the Traitor. The more above-ground Temples there are, the easier it would be for him to attack them, with or without his little monsters. By putting them underground, they have a natural defense that he can't break through so easily. At least, not without alerting the Sage and other inhabitants to his presence."
"I guess that makes sense," Ash said, handing the lantern to Misty while he made his way down the series of short but steep drops into the next series of caverns.
"Besides," Aura continued as she followed after him, "not every Temple is hidden in a mountain or otherwise underground. The Light Temple isn't."
"Light Temple?" Ash echoed.
"Hikari's Keep," Aura clarified. "She wasn't always the Light Sage, after all."
"Right."
"So, any idea where to go from here?" Misty asked, handing Ash back his lantern.
"Not really," Nyx admitted. "I just know that it's somewhere in Granite Cave near Dewford Town in Hoenn. Beyond that, we'll just have to stumble upon it ourselves, or have a member of the Temple find us."
"Like usual," Pikachu added as he leapt up onto his trainer's shoulder.
"So, we have to get lost again?" Misty asked. "I'm getting a little sick of getting lost in caves."
"I feel your pain." Aura rubbed at her chest. "Is anyone having trouble breathing?"
"Not really." Ash looked at her.
"You can't breathe?" Misty reached out to her.
"Not very well," Aura admitted, refusing the hand. "I just need to sit down for a minute. I think I just got lightheaded from the stale air down here." She staggered backwards a few steps before sitting down on a nearby rock.
"H'ain' chu used ta da way caves be?" Jerzy taunted, leaping up onto a groove in the stone wall. The Rattata adjusted his mask.
"Shut up." Aura grabbed a stone fragment and tossed it at him. The Rattata dodged the stone with ease. It ricocheted off the wall and deeper into the cavern. After a final, particularly loud collision, a loud yelp echoed throughout the cavern.
"What was that?" Pikachu asked.
"Aron!" An Aron emerged from the darkness, barking at them in irritation. "Aron! Ar! Aron!"
"Sorry." Aura rubbed at the back of her neck. "I was trying to hit the rat."
"Our deepest apologies, friend." Nyx gave the Steel type Pokémon a slight bow.
"WHAT?" Aura shouted, as the rock she was sitting on suddenly rose and threw her to the ground.
"Tang!" The Pokémon spun itself around, discarding the dirt that layered it body to reveal its blue coloring.
"A Metang." Aura rubbed at her lower back. "You could have just said something, you know."
"Tang!" The Metang hovered above the ground, pointing at Aura with a single arm. "Tang! Metang!"
"I said I was sorry!" Aura got back to her feet. "Geez!"
"Are you okay?" Ash walked over to her.
"Fine," Aura mumbled. She turned back to the Metang. "Actually, we're trying to find someone. Could you help us? You're part Steel, so…."
"Yeah!" Nyx turned to join the conversation, his face lighting up. "His name is Eligio. He's the Sage of the—!"
Nyx was cut off by another rumbling sound, this one shaking the entire cavern violently. The Shiny Umbreon was barely able to stay on his feet; his bipedal companions weren't so lucky. The lantern clattered to the ground as the others fell.
"This crap again?" Aura yelled.
"What's going on?" Nyx shouted at the Metang. The blue Steel type Pokémon simply grabbed at the nearby wall, despite the force of the tremors causing its body to shake just as violently.
Chunks of stone exploded in every direction as something ripped through the stone floor several feet further into the caverns. One of the chunks hit Aura, just above her brow.
"Oh, that's just what I needed right now."
A loud roar echoed through the cave as the trembling ceased. Ash looked up at the creature that had emerged from the new gaping maw in the stone. An Aggron slowly stood up, raising his head to glare down the path in front of him. Several other, smaller, Pokémon rose from the fissure to join him. The Aggron tilted his head as it saw Ash and the others, still mostly lying in a collective heap on the stone floor. He walked carefully over to them.
"Terribly sorry about that," he said in a quiet voice. He offered a single hand. "Is anyone hurt?"
"I think we're alright," Ash said as they slowly got back on their feet.
"Good." The Aggron nodded once. "I do not have a lot of time, but would you be willing to tell me your names, and why you're here in Granite Cave?"
"I'm Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town. I'm the Chosen One. I'm here to look for the Steel Temple."
The Aggron chuckled. "Consider it found, friend. I am Eligio, the Steel Sage. And, your companions?" He looked at the others.
"I'm Misty, Leader of the Cerulean City Gym."
"Pi-Pikachu."
"I'm Nyx, Head Aide of the Dark Temple."
"Oh, yes," Eligio said with a nod. "How could I forget? And, you, young miss?"
"You can call me Aura. And," she picked up the Rattata by the scruff of his neck, "this delinquent is Jerzy."
"Aura? Hikari's charge?" Eligio asked. "Forgive me, but I didn't even recognize you."
Aura said nothing.
"I'm terribly sorry that I cannot give you a proper welcome right now; we seem to be under attack."
"The Traitor?" Nyx asked.
Eligio looked at him for a long moment, before picking up the fallen lantern and handing it to Ash.
"We're not sure. Whatever it is, it's not natural. That's all we know." He turned back to his own companions. "Erasmus. Nubia."
A Mawile and a Lucario—this one of average height, unlike Aura—stepped out of the shadows.
"Yes?" The Mawile asked.
"Please take young Ash and his friends to the Temple. And make sure that everyone remains on full alert until I return."
"Yes, sir!" The Mawile gave a sharp nod. "Come with us." She turned and started back towards the gaping hole.
"Milady," the Lucario offered a hand to Aura with a smirk. He wore a frayed, bright blue ascot and had a jagged scar across his left eye.
Aura looked down at him with a scowl. She was over a foot taller than him, making his attempts at false chivalry almost insulting.
"Forgive our guest," Eligio said with a deep sigh. "He's been like this since he arrived. Erasmus, please behave yourself." The Lucario gave an innocent shrug. Eligio rose to stand at full height. "Everyone else, please continue with me. We will stop the intruder."
"Wait!" Ash called after the Aggron, making him stop as several other Steel type Pokémon charged up the cavern. "If you're going to fight, I want to help."
"No, Ash," the Aggron said softly. "I appreciate the offer, but if it is the Traitor, or one of his monsters, then you will only be putting yourself in danger. It is my job as a Sage to protect you and to guide you along your path. It would be remiss of me to allow you to fight when it's not of the utmost necessity."
"But—!"
"Let it go, Ash," Aura said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "He's right. The last time we fought one of those monsters, it nearly tore us apart. Let them handle it."
Ash looked at her for a long moment before sighing.
"Now, go to the Temple," Eligio repeated. "We shouldn't be long."
"Good hunting, sir!" The Mawile—Nubia—gave him a sharp salute, just before the Aggron charged up the cave towards the surface.
"Nubia?" Nyx asked, as they followed the two Pokémon carefully down the new hole. "The name sounds familiar. Have we met?"
"I have never left the island," she said. "Though, I suppose it's possible you may have heard my name mentioned once or twice. I am his current Head Aide."
"I thought Simin was the Head Aide," Nyx said. "I remember meeting him the last time I was at Hikari's Keep—er, the Light Temple."
"Simin was my brother." Nubia accepted Erasmus's help down a sharp drop into a tunnel lined with silver-colored brick instead of ragged stone.
"Was?" Ash asked as he followed suit.
"He's dead."
Ash stumbled slightly. "I'm sorry."
"It is not your fault. The mutated minions of the Traitor have become more and more active in the Hoenn Region lately. A scout reported that a child was taken by one a few weeks back. Several other attacks have apparently occurred over the past months. My brother led a patrol across the ocean to find some solid evidence. He and another patrol member did not return."
"Simin means 'silvery,'" Aura said suddenly. "And your name is Nubia. That means 'gold,' right?"
The Mawile paused for a moment, before leading them down the new hallway, their path eventually illuminated by irregularly placed torches.
"Yes," she said quietly. "We were born into the same clutch."
"Silver and gold?" Ash blinked. He looked at Aura. "Why'd you ask that?"
Aura blinked back at him, before shrugging. "I thought it was interesting. Names are powerful; they always having meaning."
"What about yours?" Nyx asked. "Why are you named Aura?"
Aura chuckled. "I'm a Lucario." She adjusted her backpack's straps.
"That's not very original," Erasmus muttered.
"At least it doesn't sound like it was ripped from ancient history," Aura retorted.
"Children," Misty said with a groan. "Can we please not fight?"
Aura turned back and pouted at her. When she was met with a look of disinterest, she turned to Ash.
"Please?" Ash repeated, lowering his hand with the lantern. He started when his arm lightly brushed against Misty's. He felt heat spread across his face, but forced his expression to remain blank and stared directly ahead.
Aura raised an eyebrow at him in mild confusion, before turning back around.
"If you would wait here," Nubia stopped in front of a doorway on one side of the hallway. "This is one of the Sage's personal rooms. There should be some food placed out on his table; feel free to help yourself while you wait. Once it is safe, the Sage will be with you."
"Arceus guide you," Erasmus said with a slight bow, before the Lucario followed after the Mawile down the hallway and they turned out of sight.
Ash exchanged a brief look with Misty.
"Well, that was weird." He scratched at the back of his head with his free hand.
"Kin ya lemme down now?" Jerzy spat. "I'm startin' ta lose da feelin' in mah feet."
Aura blinked. She'd forgotten that she was still carrying him by the neck.
"Sorry." She put him down. "I guess we should go in, huh?"
"Probably." Ash nodded. He raised the lantern again to light their way as they entered the room.
The walls were made of the same metallic bricks as the hallway. The room was long and rectangular, with a large fireplace and forge at the far end, a low fire still burning from the embers. Next to the forge was a large anvil; resting on top of it were an oversized hammer and what appeared to be a sword, though its blade was bent and warped. Several other weapons lay against the wall or hung from racks against it, each one glistening in the low firelight. Against the left wall was a small table with several platters of various sizes. Bread and several types of berries were laid out on the platters, and there was a tall, round steel pitcher.
Aura looked up, at a weapon resting on a plaque above the fireplace: a sword sheathed in a highly detailed, tarnished gold scabbard. A dark blue sash flowed from the handle, ending in a lighter swirl pattern, the cloth splitting into four short strips. She walked over towards it, reaching out at the sash in curiosity.
Pain seared through her arm to her chest. Her vision flashed blue and her throat refused to work. She made a choking sound, trying to breathe, and her world slowly turned purple before swirling to black.
"Aura!" She heard a voice call out. She felt hands around her shoulders, lifting her up.
"What the hell was that?" Aura blinked, her sight slowly returning to normal.
"I think that touching that might be a bad idea," Ash said, letting go of her left arm.
"No kidding!" Aura slipped her right arm out of Misty's grip. "I guess we should keep our curiosities in check, then." I know that pain… she thought to herself.
"Hey, look!" Ash broke her trail of thought. "There's Liechi Berries!" He picked up one of the white-and-orange, spherical berries from one of the platters. He started to bite into one, only to freeze with a pained expression.
"You're supposed to peel it first," Misty said with a light chuckle.
"Dolt," Aura muttered to herself, shaking her head as she took a seat at the table.
Ash looked down to hide how red his face was as he sheepishly peeled the small fruit before trying again. This time, the soft flesh of the berry filled his mouth with a sweet flavor.
"I guess there's not much else to do but wait," Aura said, as she gathered a few berries and a chunk of bread onto a small plate.
"You don't think that the Traitor knows where this place is, do you?" Misty asked her, taking a seat next to Ash, on the other side of him from the Lucario.
"He might have a vague idea of the general area," Aura said. "But, I doubt that he knows exactly where. If it is one of his monsters attacking us, then it's probably a scout trying to find A—find us."
Ash and Misty looked at her for a moment, before exchanging glances.
"Either way," Nyx spoke up, "we can't stay in one place for long. Except for large human cities. The high concentration of police and general trainers, as well as modern communication technology, will keep the Traitor from attacking us in a city. At least not directly."
"Why?" Ash asked through a mouthful of food.
"The Traitor likely doesn't have a very large force of Returned," Nyx continued. "If he sent one, or even a small group, to attack a target in a city, there would be much more resistance and a much higher chance of one or more Returned being killed. Even if he succeeded in the short-term, he'd cause long-term problems by weakening his force and by alerting the general public to their existence. More than that, human Trainers could figure out some weakness or strategy to fighting the monsters. Secrecy and surprise are the Traitor's greatest weapons; a Returned often has a power granted to them by their master known as the Fear Gaze. It paralyzes the target in sheer terror. If we found a way to counter it… it would make life that much harder for the Traitor."
"So," Aura said, "the bastard does know fear. Here, I thought he was convinced that he was invincible."
"He probably still does," Nyx admitted. "He likely just doesn't want to make things harder on himself for no reason. He's immortal, so he has plenty of time to be patient. He's likely used that patience a lot over the eons."
"I say let him come," Aura steepled and interlocked her fingers against her mouth. "I hate running away from a fight."
"You're kidding, right?" Misty looked around Ash at her. "We barely chased off the last monster he sent after us, even with a Sage's help. What if the next one is even stronger, or isn't alone?"
"What if the Traitor attacks us himself?" Nyx added.
There was a long pause as everyone looked at the Shiny Umbreon.
"I—!" Aura started.
A loud sound from the doorway cut her off. They all turned to face it.
Eligio was leaning against the doorframe, gripping it tightly to keep from falling over. The Aggron breathed heavily as he looked up at the others.
"Is everything alright?" Nyx finally broke the silence.
"For…now," the Sage said, catching his breath. "We believe that the two Returned—both Flying types—were just a scouting party."
"Called it," Aura said dryly.
"They were easy enough to drive away, but that is all the more reason for alarm." He steadied himself, before walking towards the travelers. "Their master knows that we—and you—are somewhere on this island. I expect him to send an actual attack within twenty-four hours. Maybe sooner. We have little time."
"What do you need me to do?" Ash asked.
"I had planned on teaching you about the Steel type," Eligio turned to look at the odd sword that Aura had touched earlier, "both on a technical and spiritual level, before you took the Test. Not only would it grant you a greater understanding and increase your odds of success, it was also to grant you respite from the physical and mental drain that the Ghost Element likely had on you before you put yourself through further stress. But, we don't have the time."
"I…"
"I'm sorry, Chosen One." Eligio dipped his head briefly. "I must ask that you take your Test immediately. During that time, I will speak to your companions in our library, to try to arm you with as much information as we can. Do you have any Steel-type Pokémon on your team?"
Ash hesitated.
"No." He looked at Misty. "Do you…?"
"I don't either," she said with a shrug.
"I'm part Steel, remember?" Aura raised on hand.
"Good," Eligio said, nodding sharply. "You'll need to accompany Ash on his Test. Some of the… defenses won't give without the presence of a Steel type Pokémon."
"Okay." Aura nodded.
The others all looked at her. Misty raised an eyebrow.
"You're cool with that?" Misty asked.
"Yeah." Aura stood up. "I am." She looked at the Sage. "Lead the way, sir. Ash will join us when his brain restarts."
"Er," Eligio paused, "all right. Follow me." He led the Lucario into the hallway and out of sight.
"Is she okay?" Misty gaped after them.
"What did you say to her the other day?" Nyx asked. "I thought she was in a better mood lately, but…"
"Yeah." Misty nodded. "Other than her weird spells of chests pains and such, she almost seemed…"
"Well, I guess everything's topsy-turvy lately." Ash looked at Misty with a shrug. There was a long moment of silence, before they broke their gaze, turning sharply away to try to hide their reddening faces.
"Did Ah mi' som'ting?" Jerzy asked, as he pulled himself up onto the table. He looked back and forth between the teenagers.
"Pikapi?" Pikachu tilted his head at his trainer.
"Uhhhh—I-I better go c-catch up with the others!" Ash stammered, running out of the room. "See you guys!"
"First Aura," Nyx said, "and now Ash. What the heck's going on?"
"I'm… not sure." Misty said, giving the Umbreon an absent-minded pat on the head.
…
…
Gary gave a deep exhale through his clenched teeth.
"You feel better, now?" Delia Ketchum asked from where she sat at the desk, looking up from a business ledger at him.
"No," Gary said, his scowl deepening. "No, I have a lot more I'd like to say. But, I don't want to risk my sister overhearing it; I know she still looks up to you. Though, she certainly deserves a better role model. A more honest one."
Delia sighed.
"Oh, Garrett. You truly are your father's son. You've taken one piece of information, judged it by one viewpoint of the past, and ultimately came to the wrong conclusion."
"What do you mean?" Gary narrowed his eyes.
"What I mean is, you don't understand that—!"
"Mrs. K!" Sasha's voice cut her off, as the young woman materialized in the doorway.
"Yes, Sasha?" Delia turned to her with a smile.
"What's up?" Gary added.
"Brock wants to know where we're planning on getting the Berries for the dessert menu." Sasha said, before shrugging. "He said something about location versus quality, and then went on a weird tangent."
"Why'd you come to ask his question?" Gary raised an eyebrow at her.
"I told him he should ask her, and he just… kinda froze up. Again."
Gary and Delia exchanged glances.
"What else did you say?" Gary asked.
"I told him he could run over and ask you himself, while I finished with the new recipes and we could have them for lunch when he returned."
Gary and Delia looked at each other again, before they both covered their faces with a hand.
"That boy never changes, does he?" Delia groaned.
"He's certainly Ash's polar opposite in more than one way." Gary shook his head. "His mind should have rebooted by now, at least."
"I'll go and talk to him," Delia said, standing and closing the ledger, taking it with her. "I should probably try the new foods for the menu, too."
"You guys really are going to revive the restaurant, huh?" Gary asked.
"We're gonna try," Sasha said, as she and Delia started out.
"Wait!" Gary snapped, his anger flaring briefly, before he remembered his sister's presence and calmed himself. "I wasn't done—!"
"I know, Gary." Delia half-turned back to him. "I don't have time right now. You can continue with your… questions later."
"But—!"
"If that's not good enough for you, there are other places you can get the same answers." Delia said as she left with his sister.
"Damn it!" Gary cursed as he found himself left behind. He slammed his fist against the desk. He looked around the study. Well, she did leave me alone in the house. And practically gave me permission to snoop around. He scanned the three bookshelves that lined the wall opposite the desk, hoping to find a journal. A photo album. Anything that would have a record on the previous generation's past.
But, nothing stood out.
Gary looked around, before opening one of the desk drawers. He leafed through several, irregular piles of papers, mostly receipts and bills. At the bottom, however, he found a strange bundle, wrapped in old newspaper and twine. Gary smiled, cheering under his breath. He pulled it out, and placed in on the desk. He sat down in the chair and looked at it for a long moment. He gave a long sigh.
He found his hands trembling, as he pulled at the twine, freeing the package from it. He could now feel that it was definitely a book of some sort. He grabbed at the paper wrapping on one corner, but found himself freezing. Was it really okay to snoop like this? He knew that, even with the implications Delia had given him, there was still a line somewhere. He just wasn't sure where it was at the moment.
Ash's life could depend on this info, he reminded himself. He closed his eyes, exhaling deeply. Gary tore the paper off of the book.
Underneath, he found the journal he'd been looking for, bound by stiffened, dark blue-dyed leather. He opened it, and something fell out. He picked it up.
It's another photo…of Ash's parents.
This picture was of a much younger version of Gyles and Delia. They couldn't have been more than a couple of years older than Gary was now. Delia had one arm around Gyles's shoulder, pulling him close while sticking her tongue out at the camera with a wink. Gyles was looking at her, rather than the camera, his face beet-red in a surprised expression. She must have caught him totally off-guard. As a mature teenager, Gyles's hair was much shorter, with his ponytail resembling an aged paintbrush, the black strands sticking every which way, though not very far past the grey band. His face was much smoother, more clean-shaven, than in the later photo. He was wearing a simple black shirt, accented in red. Delia's hair was in a single, long braid, which was draped over her shoulder and her faded, hot pink T-shirt. In her free hand, Gary thought he could make out the collar of a leather jacket.
She was a Biker? He raised a brow. That would explain a bit, actually. He flipped the photo over, finding that someone—apparently Delia—had written a note in black ink there.
Hey, bro! Cinnabar is as great as you said it'd be! Thanks again! Love, D & G!
Gary flipped the picture back over.
I guess I do remember Dad and Mrs. Ketchum being really close friends. They did travel together as kids for a while, too. Makes sense that she'd involve him in her life. Even if that life included…
Gary shook his head.
So… if this photo was in here, then does that mean that this journal…?
He opened the cover, only for the handwriting on the first page to instantly bring tears to his eyes.
"Dad." Please, give me some answers.
"What the hell—?" A sharp voice sent a jolt down Gary's back. He turned slowly to face whoever had caught him in the act.
"I swear—I can explain—!" He started.
Standing in the doorway was an aging Charmeleon.
"What are you doing in here?" She snapped.
…
…
Silver looked over at the other end of the Pokémon Center lobby. Brendan was surrounded by other Trainers, most of them visibly younger than him. The teenager was telling an over-dramatic recount of some adventure or another, even going so far as to stand upon a table.
Brendan made eye contact with Silver, even across the distance, his grin widening. Silver slid even further down on the couch, eventually just lying down on it so that the table closest to the couch hid him from Brendan.
"Hey," Wally's voice sounded from somewhere above him.
"What?" Silver asked in a barely audible tone.
Wally came into his view of the ceiling, looking over the back of the couch at him.
"Why don't you go over there and join Brendan?" Wally suggested. "I'm sure you have a story or two that those kids would be interested in."
Silver made a mild groaning sound.
"How's the back?" Wally changed to subject in a low tone.
"It's still rather sore," Silver said. "The doctors worked a minor miracle, but I still can't put too much stress on it without a lot of pain. I'm gonna have pretty bad-looking scars there for the rest of my life though."
"But you'll have the rest of your life," Wally reminded him. "And the Haunter?"
Silver grabbed a Heal Ball off of his belt and lazily tossed it up. A beam of red light issued from it, materializing into a smaller-than-average Haunter.
"Haunt! Haun-haun-haunt!" He cheered. The Haunter floated up to Wally, tilting his head at the Trainer in curiosity.
"Wally, meet Raphael. Raphe, this is Wally. He's the one who saved our asses the other night."
"Haunter haunt!" The Ghost Pokémon grabbed Wally's hand, shaking it enthusiastically.
"Good," Wally said. "He seems really healthy, too."
"I know how to raise Pokémon," Silver said. "I grew up surrounded by them."
Wally inspected the Haunter further.
"You ever think about becoming a Breeder or a Gym Leader?" He asked. "This guy's showing a lot of potential, just from how clear the gases of his body and hands are. There aren't any impurities at all. Even his unusual size just allows for more agility."
Silver sat up slowly.
"I never really thought about it." Before I left the Team, I was pretty much resigned to a future as the Boss, as much as I hated it. Then, I just wanted to get away. Now… now what? "I'm not even sure where to start, anymore."
"Well, then, this party will be even better for you than I thought," Wally said. "I'm sure there will be some good people to ask there. Brendan's girlfriend will be there, and she knows a rather large network of big Trainers and Gym Leaders. I've heard that the great Lance might even be in attendance."
"I hope that no one too big shows up," Silver grumbled.
Wally looked at him for a long moment, before allowing himself a slight smirk. It sent a light chill down Silver's spine.
"Don't worry, young Master, I'm sure that no one will recognize you." He gave a light laugh. "That's what the masks are for."
Silver blinked. "…Right. Right." He righted himself on the couch. Raphael floated over to him, landing on top of his head. What is it with Pokémon deciding to sit up there?
"C'mon." Wally gave a gentle pull on Silver's jacket. "Let's go calm him down. Nurse Joy looks rather…perturbed over there." He motioned subtly towards the main counter, where said Nurse was looking more and more irritated with Brendan's antics. "The last thing we need is to piss off someone who knows medicine."
Silver blinked at him again. Then, with a light laugh, he got up and followed Wally over to their obnoxious friend.
…
…
Ash gulped. He started down the tunnel; the bricks that paved the walls were an irregular pattern of stone and metal. It twisted and turned in a slightly downwards angle, until the path bent completely out of sight. He looked to his left, to the tall Lucario at his side, before glancing back to the Aggron behind them.
"So," Aura said, "There's only one real path to the Shrine?"
"Yes." Eligio nodded.
"That doesn't sound very secure."
Eligio laughed.
"What's so funny?" Ash asked.
"Trust me, my friends, the path will not be easy. In countless years, none but the Sage—or the Sage-designate—have ever traversed it and survived to the Shrine at the end."
"Designate?" Ash echoed.
"I'll explain later." Aura shook her head. "So, it's really that dangerous, then?" She narrowed her eyes at the Sage. "And you're just throwing two kids down it?"
"I'm sending the Chosen One and his Guardian on a Test designed so that the former is the only human that can survive and pass it," Eligio corrected. "A human who, I should remind you, has already claimed eight elements, including the Ghost Element. And, a Guardian that I recall having shown a rather bright spirit when I first met her, back when she was a scraggy, scruffy, half-starved pelt of a Lucario. If that's what you were then—or are now—then, I look forward to seeing what the two of you can accomplish together when you're both at your best."
Aura and Ash looked at each other for a long moment, before the Lucario shifted her gaze to the ground.
"Whatever," she muttered.
"Either way," Eligio continued, "if you're going to go ahead, I ask that you do so now." The Aggron turned around. "Remember that our enemy is now pressing a tentative offensive against us. You must have as many Elements on your side as possible if you are to survive an encounter with one of his stronger beasts or—Arceus forbid—the Traitor himself." The Aggron started back down the hall from where they'd come.
They watched as he vanished back into the main areas of the Temple. Aura glanced back at Ash before sighing.
"I guess we really should go, then, eh?" She gently nudged his arm with her elbow.
Ash jumped slightly.
"Y-yeah," he stammered with a sharp nod. "Let's go!" He started down the hallway with a heavy step.
"You okay?" Aura asked. "You're acting kinda…weird for you."
"Fine!" Ash's cheerful response sounded forced.
"…Okay then," Aura's tone betrayed her skepticism. "At least we don't have to worry about bringing a torch." She pointed out one of the glowing, light blue crystals that sporadically dotted the walls. "These things are actually pretty bright. Wonder how they work."
"The Ghost Shrine had some, too." Ash mused out loud.
"…I see."
They walked in awkward silence for a few moments, before the Lucario gave a forced cough.
"So," she started, "about…about the other day…." She trailed off, scratching at the back of her head.
"Don't worry about it," Ash said. "It's behind us."
"No, I mean—!" She stopped suddenly, her ears twitching. "Drop!" She barked, pivoting to kick Ash in one ankle, knocking him backwards to the ground. The momentum caused her to fall face-first on top of him.
"What the hell—?" Ash started, before a loud buzzing sound cut him off. Just above Aura's head, Ash watched with wide eyes as a large buzz saw emerged from the right wall, reaching the left before it retracted again. "What the hell," Ash repeated in a flat tone once the sound completely ceased. Aura seemed to be just as stunned, as it took a sharp shove to get her off of him. "How did you…?" They slowly staggered back to their feet.
"I felt one of the bricks shift under my foot, barely," she explained. "And then I heard the mechanism starting up. I honestly had no way to know for sure that it would be exactly that type of trap, but I got lucky. We got lucky," she quickly amended.
"Holy…" Ash exhaled, leaning back against a wall.
"No!" Aura barked. "Don't do that!"
Ash leapt away from the wall with a burst of incoherent babbling.
"There could be more traps like that," Aura explained. "We'll have to be careful. That's probably why Eligio had you take me; my hearing is far stronger than any human's, even yours."
"You think that I have better hearing now?" Ash asked.
"It's a possibility," Aura said, taking another few tentative steps down the hall. Her ears twitched repeatedly as she attempted to listen for any clue of more traps. "Though, that doesn't mean it'll improve your listening skills," she added with a chuckle.
"So, I guess you should lead this one, then?" Ash asked.
"That would probably be best." Aura nodded. "Now, sshhh!" She hushed him as she slowly continued down the path.
This really is the nicest she's been since we've met, Ash noticed. I don't really get why she changed so much so quickly, but I'm not going to complain.
I just hope she doesn't change back to being angry again.
Aura suddenly froze, and Ash stopped in time to not walk into her. Every muscle in her body visibly tensed as she twitched one ear, listening.
After a very long moment, Ash decided to dare a very low word.
"What?"
"I hear… something," Aura explained. "Like… like gears groaning, I think. Or, maybe steam in piping? I'm not totally sure, but I can't quite pinpoint where it's coming from. Just… stay behind me."
"Do you think there's a move from the Elements I already have that could work?"
"We could theoretically just break through the floor and dig a tunnel underneath the hall," Aura said. "But, there might be a failsafe, and we'd have no way to know for sure when we'd reached the Shrine. No, I'm sure that they planned for that."
"What about Aura?" Ash suggested. She half turned, raising a brow at him. "I-I mean," he stammered, "the power. Not-not you. I mean. Not exactly. I mean, the power of Aura. You are a Lucario. Can't you use it to… see through the walls? Or something?"
Aura's ears and lips twitched downwards briefly.
"No. I can't. Not anymore."
"I'm sorry," Ash looked away. "Why?"
Aura rubbed at her chest with one hand, just above her spike.
"I don't know." Her voice was barely audible. "I—!" She turned her head the other way, just in time to see a brick in the floor a couple feet down the hall flip up and shoot out a small, metal stake. It struck Aura, embedding itself in her right shoulder with a brief flash of blood. She made a loud sound, something between a cough and a bark.
"Aura!" Ash shouted. "Are you okay?"
She cursed bitterly, holding the small spike with her opposite hand.
"Assuming it's not poisoned, I'll probably be fine." She hesitated for a long moment. "But, I probably shouldn't remove this until we can safely take the time to deal with the wound. I'll just lose blood faster, otherwise. We'll deal with it at the Shrine. We need to—!" She tensed again.
"What?"
She didn't respond, simply grabbing him by the front of the shirt and yanking him past her, further down the hall.
"What the hell—?" Ash started.
Another buzz saw emerged from the ground, between the gaps of the bricks, right under where Ash had been standing.
Aura looked at him.
"Thanks," Ash said.
She nodded before turning sharply to look behind them.
"Run." She said, taking a few steps backwards, further down the way. "Run!" She repeated, turning around and starting to sprint.
Ash quickly did the same.
"Why?" He yelled up to her. He was responded to by a very loud, familiar buzzing sound behind him, which kept it's volume constant no matter how far down the hall he ran.
She yelled something incomprehensible back at him, keeping her focus forward.
Ash dared a quick glance backwards.
A trio of buzz saws were chasing them down the hall, emerging from the floor, with another pair—one on each wall—just behind the first three.
Ash quickly looked forward again. He tried to sprint even faster.
"WWWHHHYYYY?" He yelled.
"Duck your head!" Aura yelled back.
Ash instantly obeyed, covering his head with his hands for good measure. He could barely make out the sight of more spikes shooting from the wall, barely missing his head. He could feel the rush of air against his hands and hair as each one flew by.
The hall curved and turned a few times, but they only slowed the brief amount required to continue down it.
"Duck!" Aura yelled again, as another saw emerged from the wall a few yards ahead, about mid-height. "Slide under it!" She barked, just before managing to do so herself.
Ash ducked, somehow getting his body low enough to slide right under the buzz saw. As soon as he was clear, he quickly staggered back up right and continued in his mad dash, just behind Aura.
They slid to a halt just in front of a large, metal wall closing off the hall.
Aura glanced back.
"Duck again!" She yelped. "And hug the wall!" She threw herself at the left, while Ash awkwardly sent himself right. The saws that had been chasing them passed harmlessly by, and submerged back into the floor just in front of the new obstacle.
They staggered back to their feet again. They looked at the large stone slab that now blocked their path. It was a generally plain, flat, grey stone, speckled with small, glistening impurities, except for the circular, ripple pattern that emanated out from the center.
"Probably specks of metal," Aura scratched lightly at one of the impurities. She looked up at the top of the stone, and where it met the ceiling. "It's probably a door of some kind. I bet if we can just use the right Steel type attack, it'll let us through."
"But which one?" Ash asked. "Which can you use?"
"Metal Claw's my usual go-to for Steel attacks," Aura looked at her hand spikes, "but, I doubt that would work. Just going by the pattern on the door. Iron Tail's likely out, too; I don't think we're supposed to just break it down by sheer force. It might even be guarded against that, to keep intruders out." She started pacing back and forth, musing aloud to herself. "I never did quite get Flash Cannon down, so let's leave that for a last resort. Bullet Punch?"
Aura turned back to the door, raising her right hand, clenching both into fists. As they both began to glow, she lowered herself into a proper battle stance.
"Look out," she said calmly. Ash made sure he was safely out of the way, just before she unleashed a barrage of solid punches roughly in the center of the door, with the last strike hitting it dead-on.
They stared at the door for a long moment, before deciding that it still wasn't going to budge.
"Damn it." Aura sighed. "What else… what else do I know? And you don't have any Steel types?" She looked at Ash.
"Even if I did, they couldn't help." He gave a sheepish shrug. "I've had to keep my Pokéballs in my pack lately; my belt got utterly trashed and we haven't had a chance to buy a new one."
"Of course." Aura sighed. She looked back at the door. "Think…think…." She muttered to herself.
"Uh…" Ash hesitated, looking behind them. "Think faster?"
"Why—?" Aura started, turning slightly to see what he was looking at. Her eyes widened in fear.
The walls were starting to close together, one column of bricks at a time. The speed at which they were moaning shut meant that they had less than a minute before they would be flattened to death.
"Uh…" Aura stammered. "I—I—uh, shit—um—rrraaaagh!" She started to roar in frustration. "That's it!" She yelled, turning back around. She let out a loud, echoing shriek. The pattern on the door glowed from the Metal Sound attack and began to rise.
"No time!" She barked. "Slide under as soon as you can!" She yelled, just before she did. "Run!" She added when he reappeared on the other side. Several dozen yards ahead, down the generally straight hall, another stone door blocked their path. This one instead had a giant X carved onto it.
Ash cried out as he felt his foot lodge itself in a gap in the floor. Stuck, he stumbled forward from the momentum.
Aura slid to a halt, turning as she did.
Ash's foot had managed to find a place in the floor where a brick was missing and was now tightly lodged within the space. The closing walls had stopped just in front of the first door, but now a series of buzz saws were emerging from the walls in an alternating pattern down the hall towards him.
"Aura!" Ash yelped.
"Ash!" She leapt at him, grabbing him by the shirt. She almost instantly pivoted to try to pull him free and safely to the ground. They were simultaneously deafened by the loud sound of a buzz saw emerging from the wall right above them. Aura felt pressure send a jolt of pain from where the stake was embedded in her shoulder and down her arm. As if by instinct, she closed her eyes and focused her energy, conceptualizing them as being right in front of the next door.
Ash felt every cell in his body surging with a familiar energy. He clenched his eyes shut, just before his stomach lurched. He had just enough time to notice that his foot was free and the sound was suddenly much quieter, before he collided into something rather solid.
Ash moaned, rubbing his head as he opened his eyes to look at the offending object.
The door?
Aura groaned as well.
"Uhhgn." She lightly tapped her head against the stone panel. "I can't believe that worked."
"What worked?" Ash asked. "Did you just… use Teleport?"
"Y-yeah," Aura stammered. "I haven't done that in… in years. I wasn't even sure that I could anymore. I used to be able to use it to find… never mind." She slowly stood up, stumbling a few times. She placed one hand on the door, leaning slightly against it.
"So." Ash stood up as well. "The traps have stopped." He pointed up the hall. The walls had retracted and all the buzz saws were no longer visible or audible. "I guess we're done."
"Not quite." Aura patted the still-closed stone door. She rubbed gingerly at her shoulder. She stopped, looking at the spike that was still embedded there. Or, what was left of it; about halfway down the original length, it had been crudely sawed in two, leaving a few, metal splinters half broken at the end. "To think," she looked at Ash, "that could have been you."
"Uh," Ash hesitated. "Thank you."
"Let's just open this door so I can deal with this thing already." Aura looked back at it. "The blood's going to ruin this jacket." She ran her hands down the marks, humming to herself.
"You said that Metal Claw is your usual Steel attack?" Ash asked. "You think it'll work here?"
"I—!" Aura started to snap. She exhaled deeply. "Yes, that is the plan." She took a step back from the door. "You may want to get out of the way." She waited for Ash to do so, before she clenched her hands into fists and her spikes began to glow. She struck at the door once with each fist, hitting the mark dead on with her Metal Claw.
The door's mark glowed for a moment, before it began to rise. The weight of the action cause the hall around them to shake slightly. They managed to stay on their feet, though Ash had to lean lightly against the nearby wall. Once the door had completely opened, they both walked slowly into the Shrine behind it.
Just as with each Shrine before, the room's walls were adorned with intricate carvings, as well as the same light-giving crystals from the Ghost Temple. It was also filled with various statues of Steel-type Pokémon. Unlike the previous Shrines, which were square in shape, this one was hexagonal. The walls were made of a stone similar to the two doors they had opened, a simple grey that was speckled with small flecks of metal. However, on the wall directly opposite them, on the other side of the silver statue of Hikaru holding the Steel Orb, was a large, highly detailed carving of the ancient Sage-King himself in several pieces of jeweled armor.
"Why does this Shrine have a carving of Hikaru?" Ash asked, as he stumbled around a golden statue of a Scizor to stand right in front of it. He placed his right hand against the cool stone, before slowly tracing the lines with two fingers. "None of the others have."
"Maybe it's because Hikaru was a Lucario," Aura suggested, leaping over a silver Lairon statue to join him. "We're part Steel, after all." She looked the corner closest to her left.
There, as usual, stood another silver statue of Hikaru with a youthful Traitor from before their fall. The statues showed them in the middle of a sparring match, their wrists pressed against each other as the Traitor blocked a jab from Hikaru. The detail on the Traitor' face showing his expression as one that combined determination with clear amusement. The Dragonair from before was now wrapped loosely around Hikaru's waist, watching them spar from over the Lucario's shoulder.
"Huh." Ash looked at it, too. "Do you know what the Dragonair is about?" He turned back to Aura.
"Not a clue." Aura shrugged. "Wasn't in any of the myths I've learned about Hikaru or his time."
They both turned back towards the Orb Shrine itself. The statue depicted Hikaru as a Lucario, kneeling and adorned with the jeweled collar that he'd worn when Ash last saw him, during the Ghost Test. The statue held the Orb above his head, eyes closed in a somber expression. The semi-opaque sphere was a silvery grey color.
Steel Element, Ash reminded himself. He took a deep breath, walking over to it. Guess I should…
"Wait!" Aura interrupted his thought. "Can you help with this, first?" She motioned to the spike in her arm. "The damn thing's starting to really sting."
"Oh!" Ash remembered. "Right!" He slid over a bronze statue of a Forretress, landing right in front of her. "Do you have a bandage?"
"Not with me, no." Aura shook her head. "That's what I need you for. You need to use Recover, or something similar, like you did in the Fighting Temple."
Ash blinked at her for a long moment, while the memories of said Temple flashed through his mind. He blushed briefly, before he remembered what she was talking about.
"Oh! …R-right," he repeated. "How exactly do you want me to do this?" He asked. "Just yank it out and try to use Recover after, or…?"
"No!" Aura barked. "No, I'll pull the spike out. You'll just grab it immediately and use Recover on the wound. Just… let me know when you're ready." She knelt down to the ground, leaning back slightly against a large, silver statue of a Steelix. She grabbed at the spike. "Tell me when."
Ash knelt in front of her, raising his left hand up to her arm. There was a glimmer of light, and the Gauntlet visualized over his hand. The colorless Normal Orb began to glow a bright white.
"I'm ready when you are."
Aura took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she tightened her grip. She gave it a solid pull, removing the spike from her arm in a single, fluid motion. Ash wrapped his hands around the wound as soon as the spike was out of his way, but blood still poured faster than either of them had expected, seeping through his fingers.
Panic started to surge through Ash as the image of the dead Echo in the Ghost Temple flashed before his eyes. He slammed his eyes shut and forced himself to focus on the power of the Element he was supposed to be using. Like in the Fighting Temple, he tried to will it to use Recover.
A white, glowing light shone from Ash's hands. The light spread to Aura's shoulder and down her arm. The Lucario hissed softly. After a long moment, the light faded.
Ash released her arm. Under the tear in her jacket, the wound was completely healed; in fact, the seamless repair of flesh and fur made it appear as if she'd never been injured in the first place.
"Wow," Aura breathed. "That's actually impressive."
"Was that a complement?" Ash asked with a grin.
Aura looked at him. "Maybe."
They both stood up. Aura held onto the spike, still covered with her blood. A few drops slowly fell off the tip to the floor.
"What should we do with that?" Ash asked.
"Keep it," Aura replied. "Having a little extra scrap metal's always handy."
"…Okay." Ash hesitated, unsure of how to respond to that. She had spent several years living in the wild, but he thought she'd have moved past her old packrat mindset by now. "I guess I'll just get this over with, then." He started back over to the Orb's Statue.
"Probably a good idea." There was the faintest chuckle in Aura's voice. She leaned back against the Steelix again.
Ash looked at the Orb. The metallic coloring swirled between transparent and opaque.
"Well," Ash said, mostly to himself, "here goes." He clenched his eyes shut, grabbing the Orb with both hands.
Pain seared through every cell in his body. The wave of agony quickly ceased, however, and was replaced with a loud, screeching sound that overwhelmed Ash's senses.
Metal Sound.
Just as Ash identified the attack, the sound stopped. Pain returned in the form of sharp jolts jabbing at various places on his body, as if someone were throwing knives at him. Ash opened his eyes.
He no longer seemed to be in the Shrine. He was chained up against a wall, his arms held above his head. His vision was blurred in one eye, the stinging of his eyebrow implying that it was due to blood. Several Steel types stood in front of him, taking irregular turns to strike him with sharp blows. The only one he recognized was a Metagross, which was alternating between which front limb it used to strike him. The other three… Ash had never seen before, though they were all significantly smaller than the Metagross. Their blows certainly didn't hurt any less.
What's going on? Ash thought, as he coughed violently, spitting up blood after a particularly hard strike from the Metagross.
"Stop!" A female voice barked. The Pokémon ceased their attacks and backed up slightly. A tall, youthful woman, only a few years older than Ash, walked through the group up to him. She wore a simple, black suit and a bright red tie. Her skin was pale, her face narrow and faintly angular. She held a whip in her left hand, the length of which was loosely wrapped around her arm at the shoulder. Her hair was a rich black, and flowed straight down past her shoulders, swaying slightly with her every step. "I think he's ready to talk now." She grabbed his chin, lifting his face so that his dark blue eyes locked with her topaz ones. "Isn't that right, Torvyn?"
"Who?" Ash asked weakly.
"Torvyn!" A masculine voice echoed loudly in response. The scene blurred again, the pain evaporating, and Ash found himself no longer in control of his own body.
Like in the Ghost Test.
"Torvyn!" The voice repeated, much clearer this time. The scene swirled back into clarity. He was in a field of thin grasses and shrubs of varying heights, the beach of an ocean just in view a fair distance beyond. Several, mismatched ships and boats were anchored there, and fire raged not far to his left, spreading through the vegetation rapidly. All around, humans and Pokémon alike were locked in a violent fight, about a third of them wearing steel armor with irregular splashes of purple. The man Ash was currently inhabiting was in a full suit, the visor down, and was wielding a strange type of sword, the blade widening before the edge sharply curved in a concave manner from one side to the endpoint. As the man wielded the blade masterfully, blocking a Metal Claw attack from a Metang, Ash could see that the handle of the blade was tightly wrapped in purple cloth. His vision was mildly narrowed, revealing that the man was also wearing a helmet with the visor down.
"One moment!" He yelled, the voice echoing inside the armor slightly. "Fergal! Get this thing off of me!"
A loud roar heralded the sight of a black Charizard as it struck from the sky, grabbing the Metang's arms before unleashing a point-blank burst of fire on it.
Relieved of battle for a brief moment, the man turned to face the speaker addressing him for the first time. This man stood a few inches shorter, and wore simplistic, green clothes under a few, mismatched pieces of armor, including two shoulder pieces that appeared to be from totally different sets. His face was uncovered, revealing a narrow face and straight, listless maroon hair, tied back in a rough ponytail that reached only an inch or so past his shoulders.
"Brother," the armored man's voice echoed lightly through his helmet. "You shouldn't be here. Go home! Warn Mother and the others! We'll hold them off here as long as we can!"
"Torvyn!" The man's brother repeated again, holding up a large, scythe-like weapon. "I'm not leaving you to die! You haven't even started your Aura training, yet!"
The man chuckled. "I don't need any Aura powers to fight these scum! Now, go!"
"But—!"
"Fergal! Take Brother home!" The man turned to the black Charizard. He gave a loud snort, before releasing the beaten Metang. He flew straight towards Torvyn's brother, grabbing him firmly, taking him by force as he kept flying.
"Toooorvyyyn!" He yelled again, his voice vanishing into the distance as the Charizard carried out his master's order.
"Now." The man turned back to the fight. He raised his blade. "Now, where was I?"
I believe we were going to charge recklessly into battle, a powerful voice echoed in Ash's head. Rather, in Torvyn's head.
The armored man turned slightly to face a Pokémon Ash had never seen before. It had a quadruped body and was aqua blue in color. It was tall, its head reaching above even the armored man, the firelight glistening off of its yellow, bolt-shaped horns and tinting the white fur tuft on its long neck. It stamped one black hoof on a small flame that had started to spark in front of it, extinguishing the fire.
"Hello, friend," Torvyn said with a chuckle. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd join us."
There are those here who would harm innocents, the voice replied. Thus, I have come to fight the offenders.
The man laughed, before readying his sword again. They leapt together, towards an armored Abamasnow.
The scene instantly changed, and Ash felt himself being knocked backwards.
He landed on his back into a sea of cold. The sky above him was white with solid cloud cover, the light bright enough to make his eyes water.
"Damn it!" A voice yelled from the distance. Ash heard the sound of footsteps approaching, each one accented with a slight crunch. A face shortly materialized into view above him, casting shadow onto his face.
Gary? Ash thought to himself. He did look a lot like Gary, though his hair was significantly less unruly and a much lighter shade of brown. And his face was a bit wider, just a little bit more square than Gary's. Wait. Is it…?
"That was reckless," Gary's father said with a deep scowl. "If you get yourself killed, D will kill me, too, you know." He offered a hand.
"Glad to know where your priorities lie," the man Ash was reliving said with a dry laugh. He took the man's help, slowly standing back up in the snow.
I know this voice. I've heard it. Ash's mind raced as he watched the man dust the snow off his fluffy black coat and snow pants. And recently. But, where?
"At least we hit the target," he continued. "The Rockets will certainly find themselves in the cold when they try to use this base again."
That's it!
"You had to say it," Garrison groaned. He adjusted his own brown coat, before pulling down goggles from where they hid under the hood, covering his eyes. "Can we just go home now?"
"I'm never gonna get him to like me," Gyles muttered to himself, as he put on his own pair of goggles."
Ashura. Hikaru's voice echoed in Ash's mind, and the scene swirled again, becoming a white void. The Lucario materialized in front of him. He was dressed in the same armor that the carving in the Shrine had depicted him in, the jeweled collar from before now serving as a piece in his chestplate. The cloak was a much more vibrant shade of purple than previously, and had minor detailing in silver thread.
"Hikaru?" Ash asked. He seemed to be back in his own body, more or less. At least, he wasn't possessing someone else's.
"Ashura," Hikaru repeated. There was a new power behind his voice, almost echoing in the void.
"What's… why are you wearing that?"
Hikaru looked at his armor for a moment. "Because you have now claimed the Steel Element. As a Lucario, I am of both the Fighting and Steel Elements. By having both under your control—at least somewhat—it allows me to be more… conscious, as it were." He seemed to struggle to find a word that fit. "The point is, I'll be able to maintain more direct contact with you, even outside of these Tests."
"I don't understand how you even could do that before," Ash fished for any explanations he could get.
"During the moments when you first make contact with a new Orb, before you fully and properly claim its power, you are briefly linked to the Elements."
"Which ones?" Ash asked.
"All of them," Hikaru said simply.
"And this allows me to talk to you? Why?"
"That is information you are not ready to have, yet."
"Why?" Ash snapped. "Why can't you just tell me something? Why do you have to keep all these secrets, damnit?"
"Because you're not strong enough, yet," Hikaru remained calm. He raised a hand, and mist rose from the ground, swirling and materializing into a simplistic, steel staff, topped with the head of a Mew with two amethysts for eyes. He held onto the staff, holding it near his side as if he were readying a weapon. "The Traitor's powers are…highly invasive. Even now, I still only have a vague understanding of how his Curse works. All I know is that the humans that it affects fall totally under his power. If he got a hold of you in this way, he would have access to every ability you have, the ability to manipulate your emotions, and potentially learn everything you know, to hear your every thought.
"So, by not understanding our connection—nor how it affects your abilities as the Chosen One—which is something that the Traitor desperately needs to know for his plans, you are a bit safer from him. He's not likely to try to Curse you while you're still just gathering power, not without some sort of secondary benefit to tempt him; if he's going to try to take you, he'll want the most powerful minion he can get."
"I'd never work for him!" Ash insisted.
"Not of your own free will, no," Hikaru said, "but the Curse has a tendency to take control, anyway. Even the greatest wills eventually break. And, no one that has fallen into the Traitor's grasp has ever been restored."
"How do you know?"
Hikaru looked at him for a long moment.
"I know," he said simply. "Another time, maybe, I'll be able to explain."
"What can you tell me?"
"I will be able to help you much more directly, now. To put it simply, having both of my species' Elements restores my strength somewhat. You will be able to make a mental connection with me whenever you desire."
"What do you mean?" Ash wasn't sure he understood.
"If you ever need to talk to me, for any reason, just mentally direct your thoughts to me."
"How?" Ash asked.
Hikaru paused for a moment. "Try to talk to me within your thoughts. I'm not sure how to properly simplify the process, to be honest. It's not an exact science, to begin with."
"So, you'll be able to hear my thoughts?" Ash felt nervous. He was having trouble with some of the things in his head as it were; he didn't want someone else in there, poking around.
"Only those that you direct towards me," Hikaru said with a chuckle. "Don't worry, I won't be invading your mind. Our link isn't mental in nature."
"What?"
"I'll explain later."
"What about what I see and hear?" Ash asked.
"Yes," Hikaru said with a nod. "I will likely be able to generally see and hear as you do. This will allow me to more easily advise you."
Ash gulped nervously. Hikaru chuckled.
"Do not worry," the Lucario said. "I will be discreet; I shall not invade in…private matters."
"I…I mean, uh…"
"You forget that I was once sixteen."
"…Right." Ash scratched at the back of his neck. "So, uh…the—the, uh," he struggled to find a way to change the subject. "The Dragonair! Who is the Dragonair? In the statues?"
"Hmm?" Hikaru blinked for a moment. "Ah, her. She's an old friend. The statues must've been forged by one who lived close to my time, as she was quickly forgotten to most of the few that knew the legend in the first place."
"Oh. Okay."
There was a long silence, before Ash spoke up again.
"So, who were those people?" He asked. "In those…memories or whatever. I mean, the ones before Dad's."
"You mean, the memories of Torvyn?" Hikaru asked.
"Yes," Ash said. "The guy with the sword."
"Falchion."
"What?" Ash blinked.
"His weapon is a type of sword called a falchion," Hikaru clarified. "It was apparently forged especially for him, presented to him on his eighteenth birthday."
"Oh, okay. Sure." Ash cleared his throat. "Anyway, who is he? Who was that lady? What happened to him, and his brother?"
"I'm afraid I don't know enough to properly and safely answer." Hikaru looked down. "The woman is no longer living, that I know for sure. The brother, from what little information I can gleam from my semi-consciousness over the past couple generations, is still living, though. Perhaps he will give you the answers I cannot, should your paths cross one day."
"Okay." Ash decided that this info would have to be enough for now. "I should probably claim the Orb, now, right? Before it kills me?"
"You already have."
"What?" Ash felt confused. "How?"
Hikaru gave a nervous chuckle. "I may have been a little disorientated when you, er…when you grabbed a hold of the Steel Orb and reconnected me to the Element."
"What do you mean?"
…
…
"What the hell?" Aura turned sharply to face the wall nearest her. It had begun to glow in several colors, each swirling about the others. The glow slowly flowed across the wall towards the corner, moving to the next. Aura turned to see the same thing was happening on the other side of the room. They were slowly moving towards…
"The carving of Hikaru," the Lucario breathed. She threw herself over a statue of a Magneton to get over to it. She stood in front of the carving, watching with wide eyes and bated breath as the colors swirled across the wall and met at it. Its eyes began to glow with white intensity, forcing Aura to squint and raise her arm to keep its light from blinding her. When it had lessened enough to allow her to look directly at the wall again, the swirling colors were gone; instead, the carving was now faintly glowing with solid coloring of its own, depicting the blues and blacks of the ancient Sage-King's fur, the gold and silver of his armor, and the various jewels that adorned it. No. It wasn't silver, maybe platinum, or….
"Steel." She hesitantly reached out and placed one hand against the carving. It was almost ice cold, the chill sharp even against her pelt. She pulled away again. "Hikaru. Hey, Ash," she started, turning back to face him. "Ash?" She barked at what she saw.
Ash was still holding onto the Orb, though it was no longer held by the Shrine. His eyes were open, glowing with a piercing white light, just like the carving. His clothes had been replaced with a solid suit of black armor—minus a helm—detailed with lines of gold and platinum, and sparsely ornamented with amethysts and emeralds. His hair wasn't its normal, scruffy self; instead of just being in desperate need of a haircut, it was actually long, and held back in a tight ponytail, which was flowing in a wind Aura couldn't feel. A long, dark purple cape, elaborately detailed in silver thread, materialized from his spaulders, the cloth flowing from the same force as his hair.
"Ash?" Aura repeated, walking slowly towards him.
He turned sharply to face her. His face was hard, eyebrows furrowed in an intense expression Aura couldn't name. It's the same expression that—
Before Aura could finish her thought, he spoke in a language that Aura had never heard before. It wasn't Ash's voice that spoke, either; it was deeper, more powerful, and it seemed to echo endlessly throughout the Shrine. It made Aura's joints weaken, and she stumbled for a few steps.
She leapt backwards with a yelp when the Scizor statue in front of her moved. As if summoned to life by the voice, it knelt to the floor, bowing its head at Ash. The other statues soon did the same.
"What the hell?" Aura breathed. "What's…why…how?" She looked around, gaping at the statues.
She felt a spark in her chest—spark was the only word she could think of to describe it, anyway. Like, a small burst of energy, crackling within for just a moment. It was the Steel Element.
Lucario are Fighting and Steel types.
Aura fell to her knees.
"Hikaru," she eventually said in little more than a whisper. She shook her head, forcing herself back to her feet. She closed the distance between her and Ash. She placed one hand on his shoulder. He closed his eyes, and the armor faded, his clothes and hair returning to normal. Ash stumbled forwards, falling lightly into Aura's shoulder. He opened his eyes—now their usual dark blue—and looked up at her.
"Aura?" He asked in a low tone. He pushed himself back off her, standing straight again. "What…?" He looked at the Orb in his hands. "Bastard. That's what he meant."
"Ash." Aura took a step backwards. "Are you okay? You seemed…well, like you were possessed."
"Uh," Ash hesitated, "I think I kinda was."
"I think I'm a bad influence on you." Aura looked away.
"What do you mean?"
"You said 'bastard.' Your language has gotten more and more vulgar over the past few months. That's probably my fault."
"Or," Ash suggested, "maybe it's because I'm a rebellious teenager?"
Aura scoffed, punching him lightly on the shoulder.
"I know rebels. You are not a rebel."
"If you say so." Ash placed the Orb in the Gauntlet. He looked around. "What happened to the statues?" He scratched at the back of his head.
"Hikaru happened." Aura looked to the carving of the ancient Lucario. It was no longer glowing, but it was permanently painted in full color, the eyes now their proper red. She looked back at Ash. "C'mon, let's head back. We shouldn't keep the others waiting. Not with the Traitor's monsters likely closing in." She walked by him towards the entrance. "And, you could seriously use a haircut."
"You've mentioned," he said with a smile, following after her.
Red eyes carved from stone watched silently as they left the Shrine behind them.