~Master… Where are we going? Is our mission not to guard the castle?~
Lucario asked, as he followed his mentor's path forward. Even as he lagged slightly behind to follow his direction and nothing more, agile, effortless leaps kept him in pace with the human. They'd left palace grounds, venturing towards the dirt roads that expanded towards smaller towns and villages.
A venture that would normally take hours, if traveled properly. But great time could be made, by scaling down rocky cliff sides, alive and vibrant with vegetation that would otherwise blind the way forward. For two Aura sensitives, it was little more than a mild exercise of their abilities.
This had led Lucario, himself, and his master, Sir Aaron, down towards the path to the next village over.
"Ah, you're mistaken," Aaron chided, although his tone was light and kind. Perhaps too forgiving. "Our mission is to guard the kingdom. The castle may be the crown jewel, but our wider populace is just as great a treasure. You would do well to remember that."
~...Yes. Of course. I apologize, Master.~ Lucario bowed his head, even as he hopped along with ease. Even if Aaron seemed unbothered, he felt ashamed of his misunderstanding. The conversation ended there, though — a wicked feeling coursed through him, like a wave crashing violently against a shore. He came to a sudden halt; Aaron had done the same.
Greed. Treachery. Fear. Wicked schemes in their purest essence washed over him, and surely the same went for Aaron. Watching from the ledge they now occupied, they saw its subjects.
An older couple stood in the middle of the road. Each with graying hair, and modest clothing, pardoning a well-crafted necklace that hung around the woman's neck. They were huddled together, backing away from a younger man before them, accompanied by a large Arcanine.
The evildoer masked himself in a black cloak, and cloth covering most of his face. 'A sign of cowardice,' Lucario, thought, as he berated and intimidated the old couple.
"I won't tell you again! Hand over your riches, if you want to walk away, unscathed!"
"Please! We have no riches…" The woman pleaded, clutching onto her jewelry. "This is a family heirloom… I plead with you, leave us in peace!"
"I don't care if it's from your family or if it's from the Queen! You wouldn't want to deal with Arcanine, would you?" The cloaked man nudged his accomplice.
Arcanine, who had been quiet until then, stepped towards the couple with a low, menacing growl.
"S-stand back!" The older male shouted, though his threat had no fangs behind it. All he could do was step away from Arcanine, who only took another step forward.
~Master!~ Lucario urged through their mental link. ~We must act!~ Without another thought, he lunged forth… Only to feel Aaron's firm grip on his arm. He turned back towards his mentor, canines bared. ~Master… Do you not wish to maintain justice?~
"Naturally, I do," Aaron whispered. "But your haste could unravel that justice, quicker than a Spearow snatches its prey. Do as I do, and follow my lead."
~...Yes, Master.~ Lucario relented.
Aaron cleared the last few ridges with little effort, and simply walked towards the scene of the conflict. "Sorry for the intrusion. May I kindly ask what the contention is, here?"
"It's no business of yours!" The burglar barked, pointing at the knight. "Be on your way, unless you want to lose your valuables, too!" He paused, looking Aaron once over. "On second thought… Your wear looks like it'd fetch a good coin. Drop it, if you don't want to be scorched!"
Aaron exhaled, shaking his head in disappointment. No signs of remorse at all, as he'd feared. "I'm afraid I cannot do that. On behalf of the Kingdom of Rota, and Queen Rin herself, it's my duty to enact justice in our land."
"Then, burn! Arcanine!" The thief barked.
Arcanine complied, opening his mouth to spray a red-hot blaze. The fires didn't get as far as Aaron, though; they fanned out and away from his outstretched hand. A teal bubble of Aura protected the knight. He tutted, stepping closer to Arcanine with his hand still outstretched.
The bandit gasped, backing away from Aaron in wordless disbelief. "What… what in the hell are you!? Humans can't use the powers of Magical Creatures!"
Aaron ignored him. Stepping closer to Arcanine, until red and orange blazes completely covered his field of vision. Without fear, and without hesitation, he reached out of his protective bubble, and closed Arcanine's muzzle.
The beast froze. His coal eyes looked up at Aaron; he seemed bewildered. After a moment of docility, he seemed to remember why he was here, and he let out a low, guttural growl.
"Hostility isn't your first instinct, is it…? It's as I thought," Aaron said. "Let me see your heart." He closed his eyes to the world, and instead opened his heart to it. To Arcanine. In mere moments, he could see its heart.
The connection, externally, could be seen with a calming veil of blue washing over the Fire-type. The growling ceased, and Arcanine sat down before Aaron. Once ready to scorch him, now serene and at peace. His fluffy tail wagged behind him.
"...How sad. It's as I thought," Aaron said, releasing Arcanine.
"What! What'd you do to my Arcanine!?" The thief demanded.
"I saw its heart," Aaron answered. "I saw its undying loyalty to you… But, I'm afraid to tell you, Arcanine, that your master does not share the same steadfast sentiments for you. You are serving a swindler."
Arcanine only tilted its head.
"Agh… What's wrong with you!?" The bandit barked. Realizing that his only means of violence had been disarmed, he grew fearful and furious. "You worthless, no-good mutt…!" Seeing no avenue of victory, here, he turned to flee from the scene.
Aaron sighed. "Shamefully predictable… Lucario!"
~Yes, Master!~ Lucario wasted absolutely no time in charging from the sidelines. Sprinting at speeds no ordinary human could hope to match, he cleared the distance between himself and the bandit in a blink. A kick of his shin bashed into the back of his knee, completely removing the man's footing.
The thief yelped, and fell directly on his back with a groan. Before he knew it, one of his wrists was pinned over his head, and a paw was aimed squarely at his face, emanating a fiery blue glow. "...Gh. Damn it all!"
~Such senseless violence isn't permitted in our kingdom,~ Lucario growled. ~Come in peace.~
"Well done, Lucario." Aaron praised, smiling. "Now, as for you, Arcanine…"
The Magical Creature sat before him, head hanging low. He let out a low whine; his master so quickly abandoning him left the canine with a heavy heart.
"Please, do not despair. I believe… That Queen Rin's Kingdom could certainly use a kind and noble soul such as yours." Aaron said, smiling kindly. "Please. Join us on our return to the castle."
This seemed to be enough for Arcanine, as his tail started to wag. He barked happily.
"Thank you… oh, thank you so much!" The older woman who'd been subjected to the thief praised, bowing her head in gratitude. "You've done a great kindness for the kingdom, Sir…?"
"Sir Aaron," he answered. "And, it's all in a day's work. Be well, both of you, and do avoid any more ill-seeming figures like this one." Aaron gestured to the thief, as he bound his wrists in rope. "I bid you a good day."
The grateful couple went on their way, and Aaron and Lucario went on theirs, with their unwilling captive and enthusiastic recruit in tow, back towards the castle grounds.
While all was well, something still troubled Lucario. He grumbled. ~Master.~
"Yes, Lucario?" Aaron asked.
~How… How did you know that your plan would succeed? You could have gotten yourself hurt!~
"If we'd done as you willed and shown hostility from afar, our friend here would have had ample time to be on-guard," Aaron explained, gesturing to their captive. "...And attacked long before we could approach. With our prudence, however, we took the enemy off-guard, and had the opportunity to disarm him. I felt Arcanine's heart, as well," he explained, petting Arcanine's head.
~You felt the lack of harmony between it and its master,~ Lucario surmised.
"That's right," Aaron said. "Assessing a situation before committing yourself to it is quite the important skill for any Aura Guardian to learn. Any person or Magical Creature, at that, even."
~...I see,~ Lucario nodded. ~Thank you, Master. With your wisdom, I continue to grow.~
Was it unbecoming of a knight to begrudge his duties? For his gratitude to falter in his honored role? For his peace of mind to be disturbed repeatedly by the growling of his stomach?
Such thoughts plagued Aaron, as he sat at the forefront of the latest castle ball, occupying an ornate seat with a golden frame. He dutifully held his staff, and watched over a crowd of royalty, socialites, officiates, and even common townspeople revolving about the room to the tune of slow-paced string instruments.
It was a celebration of times and peace that were few and far between, thanks to the intermittent unrest and disputes with kingdoms to the east and west. Each precious moment was worth treasuring, Aaron felt. That was why he, Rota's greatest knight, oversaw the festivities. The undisciplined corners of his mind whispered in his ear, telling him this was senseless and impractical; were there evil lurking, he would sense its ill will horizons away.
Aaron sighed. HE knew that it was a symbolic gesture to stand guard; to show Rota that he would guard them from any sort of harm. His role wasn't practical, but one of good faith and good spirit.
He did wish, though, truly, that his stomach didn't growl for the savory and sweet aromas filling the room. That his heart didn't yearn to at least mingle a bit with his people. Not only was it a nuisance, but…
"You seem troubled, Sir Aaron."
A voice broke the Aura Guardian from his thoughts; serene as the calmest of waters, smooth as silk, and as sweet as the most decadent of fruits. Aaron felt ashamed that he'd failed to notice her in his musings; standing beside him was none other than Queen Rin.
She looked as grand as any royalty had ever been; an elegant blue garb with golden trimmings and fine jewelry, eyes that could reflect both the compassion of a Chansey, and the ferocity and keenness of a Pidgeot. Even in stature, she towered over many; she was only slightly shorter than Aaron himself.
Though she cast a grand image, she did have an unbecoming habit; bending at the knee, she came closer to the knight's sitting height, turning on her heels in a playful half spin. She offered him a smile; not a pleasant mask for the kingdom, but one of true joy and mischief. He'd recognize it, even without Aura. "I trust it's nothing grave. You would have charged gallantly to ward off any misfortune, no~?"
Aaron felt the heat rise in his cheeks, just as he spotted the red touching her own pale complexion. "You know that this sort of fawning isn't queenly behavior," he chided. As stern as he meant to sound, a note of Aaron's mirth slipped through, and a smile pulled at the corners of his lips. "Such praise is beyond me. I'm simply doing my duty."
Queen Rin's reputation to her kingdom was spotless; rightfully so. But, she did have a bit of a habit of expressing her interest in her greatest protector, which she drew quiet scolding and criticism for, within the castle walls. Aaron felt somewhat responsible for her behavior, being the object of her affections, but she had a habit of simply laughing the issue off.
"I assure you, there's no danger… I suppose I'd say I'm simply having a bit of a crisis of character." Aaron's piercing blue eyes narrowed, and he spoke softly, so that only Queen Rin would hear him.
Rin's eyes widened in genuine surprise, before squinting in mirth. "A crisis of character… on your part? I didn't think you were appealing for the part of court jester," she teased. "What's really bothering you, Sir?"
Aaron laughed lightly. Even in his troubled moments, she had a way of lifting his spirits, as quiet as he was to admit it. "I suppose the limits of my stoicism are being tested… I haven't eaten in hours," he said, as his eyes lingered to the open banquet across the room. "Although I know that my duty requires greater discipline than to crumble to such pressures…"
"Your duty is to see to the safety and well-being of the kingdom, and you can't very well carry that out without sound body and mind," Rin replied, with a sort of cheeky smile. "As your Queen, I insist that you take a brief recess to right this wrong. Ta-dah~!" She chirped, opening her fists into open hands. Aaron could spot one of the Queen's consulters shooting her a look of disapproval, but she didn't seem to pay them any mind.
"Aha… Your wisdom shows itself again, Queen Rin." Riley smiled warmly, standing up, only to bow his head with a hand over his heart to salute her. "Very well; you win. Please do keep an eye on my staff until I return?"
Rin nodded, giving Aaron his license. And then, something truly uncanny happened.
"Alright! I'm gonna go have a feast!"
Aaron froze, two steps away from his designated seat. Somehow, beyond any conscious voice, he'd uncharacteristically shouted something so… undisciplined. Crude. Informal. Face blazing with humiliation and confusion, he dared to look behind him.
The Queen didn't even seem to hear what he'd exclaimed, and if she had, didn't acknowledge it. (Reading her heart felt rude, somehow, when this was his own folly.) Beyond her, not a face in the crowd seemed to acknowledge him; certainly not his exclamation, at least.
…How truly strange. Though, idling would only make him appear stranger, and so he approached and navigated the dance floor to make his way towards his nourishment.
"Oh, Sir Aaron!" A socialite who he felt only vaguely familiar with stopped him in his path. "Can I bother you for a dance?"
She wasn't even slightly intimidating in appearance, but her query struck terror in Aaron's poor heart. "Erm… Ahem! I would love to, Madam," he managed, bowing his head in a manner that he was sure came off stilted. "...but I'm afraid I don't have the time. Thank you, though, truly."
Before she could prod, he slipped by, only to be pestered by several more of these requests.
God forbid that the Kingdom of Rota found out that their stalwart Sir Aaron was a terrible dancer.
While he politely brushed off these requests, though, he couldn't help but think about he knew a certain other knight who would be far less likely to admit their weaknesses than he. Clearing his mind, he sought his partner's strong presence. Finding it didn't take long.
~Lucario. Can you hear me?~
He felt an affirmative answer immediately.
~I can, Master. Is there a problem?~
~There's no problem. But I'd like you to meet up with me, posthaste.~
~...As you wish.~
Confident in his apprentice, Aaron ventured on. The dance floor was tedious, but he found his way to the many tables that were lined with hors d'oeuvres, portions of fine meals, and desserts. As much as it shamed him to admit it, his mouth watered.
Suddenly, he felt a valued presence beside him. Lucario had stealthily appeared. "I'm glad you could make it, Lucario."
~Naturally, as is your wish.~ Lucario answered. Puzzled, he scouted their surroundings. ~Are you not supposed to be guarding the Queen?~
"My presence here is the Queen's own order, I'm afraid." Aaron smiled. "It's my duty to replenish my appetite, and find peace of mind before I return. I thought you might like to join me."
~Join you…?~ Lucario frowned, tilting his head. ~Would it be proper?~
"Of course," Aaron said, as he collected a plate, piling a tender slice of meat and several vegetables onto his plate. "Please, help yourself."
Lucario grumbled, but went to do as asked. Though, he quickly found himself stumped. A blush formed on his cheeks that appeared purple through his fur.
"...Is something the matter, Lucario?" Aaron asked.
~...I'm afraid these aren't very conductive to holding a plate.~ Lucario held up his paws, coughing awkwardly. Lacking opposable thumbs wasn't always convenient.
Aaron resisted laughter, and shook his head. "That's fine. I'll simply share mine." He reached towards the table again, only to catch the eye of a few dignitaries looking his way. Their judgmental gazes troubled him; explaining that he was piling on extra for his apprentice was probably more trouble than it was worth, and the Queen's loyal knight greedily hogging food to himself would not bode well for the crown's reputation. He thought better of it, and took a couple of napkins instead, nodding their way before turning to leave. "Some fresh air would be nice."
Lucario frowned, but followed his master towards the courtyard.
Stepping out of the loud, crowded ballroom was a relief, even Aaron had to admit to himself. The fresh air was preferable, as was the decor. A small fountain in the center was bordered by a colorful garden, abound with beautifully arranged flowers. Nearby, several skillfully carved stone seats sat for their relaxation. Aaron settled in one, and Lucario hesitated before taking the one beside him.
On the way out, he'd reached out to one more familiar soul. After he'd settled, his long-time companion showed himself.
"Pidgoooo!" Pidgeot swooped in over the castle grounds; grand in stature, he cast a shadow over Aaron and Lucario before gliding down to land before the Aura Guardian. He worked out his wings, and titled his head at his master. "Djo…?"
"Pidgeot. I'm glad you could make it." Aaron smiled softly. The avian, unlike Lucario, had worked alongside him for quite a long time; since the giant winged beast had been a humble Pidgey, in fact. "I was hoping you two would be kind enough to dine with me."
~But… Master.~ Lucario said. ~You only had the opportunity to serve yourself. You'll be short your full meal if we indulge.~ Pidgeot had already craned his neck to chomp into some vegetables, prompting a sour scowl from the Aura Guardian.
"And that is my decision, is it not?" Aaron replied, holding out his plate.
Lucario grunted. ~I suppose it is, and far be it from me to speak over you, but…~
"But…?"
~Why would you, our master, spare something you enjoy to us?~
Aaron tutted. Lucario's humility was admirable, but sometimes, even he found it to be a bit excessive. "You, too, work hard in service of the kingdom, do you not? You deserve its bounties as much as I do."
The answer took Lucario aback. Eyes wide and jaw slack, he searched for an answer; a rebuttal. But, he found none, and bowed his head with the faintest hint of a smile. ~That is difficult logic to argue with. Very well… I'll accept.~
"Wonderful!" Aaron beamed, and poked a fork into a cut of meat, before holding it up to Lucario.
Lucario frowned again. ~...What is the meaning of this?~
"Well, I hate to restate the obvious," Aaron replied, "but you might have trouble holding a utensil."
The implications painted Lucario's face with a streak of deep purple. ~C'mon, Papa! That's embarrassing!~
The bewildering, high-pitched voice that seemed to come from Lucario baffled both himself, and Aaron. Unmoving, they stared at one another, as if to ask if they'd both heard it. Neither voiced their concerns, though. Aaron guessed that maybe they'd accidentally overheard a child who'd been dragged to the ball by their parents; his hunger must be disrupting his senses.
Lucario ate what was on Aaron's fork without another word.
"...Is something bothering you, Lucario?"
Lucario flinched. He hated how perfectly precise Aaron was in seeing through his facades. He couldn't fully begrudge his master for showing concern for him, but he never really had an easy time expressing his emotions and misgivings. He was a knight; he held those feelings close.
But, he knew that he wouldn't be walking away from this situation without speaking his mind. Lucario sighed. ~...I've just been wondering about something. But I'm… unsure how to express it.~
"You can take your time." Aaron sat with his knees crossed, smiling softly at his friend. "We have all day to hone our minds and bodies; there's really no rush."
Lucario grunted. ~You know well that unrest may be on the horizon.~ Gossip had spread about a kingdom to the west, as of late; the pristine running waters to the south of the titanic Mt. Silver had been eyed by the king as a new potential conquest. And, expansion rarely stopped at just one landmark.
"All the more reason that we're prepared and at peace," Aaron countered.
Lucario had no rebuttal, and took his time to consider his own thoughts. ~I was wondering… what the meaning of everything is.~ No, that wasn't satisfactory. It was far too vague, and didn't characterize his troubles. ~Why would I be allowed the privilege to serve you… No, the crown itself! What about me made me worthy to—~
"You're meaning to ask why we're together?" Aaron interrupted, seeing right through him, as always. He got right to the heart of the matter, and did it so coolly. Without any confusion, or difficulty.
~...Yes.~ Lucario admitted. He was inclined to avert his eyes, but if Aaron would have his counsel, then the least he could do was be straightforward. ~I feel… honored to have such a talented master. I can't help but wonder if it's fate that brought us together.~
Aaron hummed in thought. His steely blue eyes widened, before regaining their usual steadiness. "Fate, I'm not so sure about… Fate is such a nebulous concept that might be beyond our understanding. What you can be sure of, however, is Aura."
He held up an open palm. A teal bundle of lively energy sparked, before taking the steady shape of a glowing orb. It was warm, even from a distance. Lucario could feel Aaron's benevolent light in it. "Aura guides us in everything that we do. If you follow it, it will lead you to a brighter future."
~...I see.~ Lucario replied. He couldn't pull his eyes away from the sphere; transfixed by it. ~I could conclude, then, that Aura brought us together.~
"If that is, in fact the case," Aaron smiled, "I'm truly happy that it did."
Flashes of red and blue colored Saffron, for most of the night, and police sirens broke the quiet that curfew had cast over the city. Police reports and rescues went on for hours, and diligent reporters cataloged what could be parsed of the night's happenings on their third or fourth cups of coffee. Chansey escorted injured and even frightened Silph personnel to be cared for and returned to their homes.
The aftermath of battles between good and evil were often forgotten. For some souls, young and old, that was probably for the best. Outside city limits, our heroes slept soundly through the night.
Dawn was huddled in her sleeping bag, with Empoleon snoozing on his back, with one wing draped protectively over his trainer. Even in slumber, it seemed, his devotion to protecting his trainer was unyielding.
Ash, on the other hand, had fallen asleep propped up against a nearby tree, sitting up. Pikachu and Rosemary laid against his chest, tucked snugly behind his knees and wrapped up in his arms. Battered, bruised, and dirtied, they were truly exhausted. Not a siren nor a cry of the forest could wake them from their slumber. The city's fear and persistence stayed in its borders; Ash, Pikachu, and Rosemary stayed distant.
In fact, Ash and Rosemary had muttered odd thoughts and words throughout the night, submerged in their own thoughts and dreams. Enough to wake Pikachu a couple of times, but each time, he'd shook his head and gone back to sleep.
Their peace would last until morning, when the sun peeked over the horizon, accompanied by a warm spectrum of pinks and oranges. It cast its warm glow across Route 6, until it touched the group seeking refuge within.
Dawn instinctively pulled her sleeping bag over her eyes, not quite ready to wake.
Next, Ash was touched by the sun's rays from the east. After him, the baby blue fighter nestled into his arm. Lost in dreamland, she'd started shifting around and muttering into Ash's chest. Just as it was the case physically, she was close to his heart.
With the dawn of the next day rising, her own heart responded. Bright, blue light spread over her entire form, basking it in mysterious, magical energy that human science had yet to explain. A stubby snout grew into a far more pronounced muzzle, poking into her trainer's collar. Tiny ears fanned out into large, vulpine ears framing her larger, more pronounced visage. Two nerve bundles turned into four, and soon, her whole body was growing to accommodate her new form.
"Pi… Pika…!?" A sudden pressure against Pikachu made him jolt awake with a squeak. He found himself being pressed into a very narrow corner of Ash's embrace, while Rosemary's shining form shoved him and Ash's knees aside to grow. He gasped at the revelation. "Chukapi…!"
The light around Rosemary popped and scattered to the wind, leaving a much larger creature hanging over her trainer and parent. She'd evolved into a full-fledged Lucario, and perhaps just as amazing, she'd slept right through it. A small, content smile could be seen under her snout.
"Pi…!" Pikachu wiggled his feet in an attempt to squirm out of Ash's arms. Stuck in his trainer's strong grip, he pouted, then exhaled as much as possible to make his body thinner. With the prowess of his lauded impressions, he squirmed his way out and tumbled forward. Rolling through the grass to land on his bottom, he dusted off his face and returned to where he'd come, jostling Ash's arm. "Pikapi…! Chukapi!" When Ash didn't respond right away, he tugged on Rosa, too.
"Mmn… huh? Quiet, Pikachu… It's too early to get up…!" Ash grumbled. Unfortunately, the brim of his cap hid his eyes from the amazing change just under his nose.
"Pikapi…!" Pikachu scolded, frustrated with his trainer's stubbornness.
"...R…. Ra-oh…?" A rumbling, but still scratchy growl came from Rosa. Blinking slowly, she regained her bearings… and soon found herself to be in a terribly silly position. Everything was… bigger. Or, rather, she was. Her nose didn't fit up against Ash's chest the same. Her legs were hanging down over his knees. Everything seemed… different. She blinked slowly, and stared up at Ash. She shifted, accidentally jabbing her chest spike into Ash's abdomen.
"Ow!" Ash jolted back, making his cap fall off of his head. "What the hell was… Wait, what the hell was that!?" He could now see the fully-evolved Lucario leaning into him with his own eyes. "Rosa…!?"
After jabbing Ash, Rosa sat up properly, rolling off his legs to sit in the grass. ~Pa… Papa!?~
Her voice had changed. It was deeper and far more pronounced; the maturity in her tone outpaced her from just last night seemingly by years. But, a scratchy, borderline feminine pitch still lingered. It was still distinctly Rosa.
It matched the new form she'd taken.
Ash's eyes began to water, and his heart hammered with joy to match. "Rosa… Girl, you did it! You really did it!
~I did do it… I did!~ Elated, Rosa hopped onto her feet, turning around and looking over her new body. Spikes on her wrists and chest. Armored shoulders. Longer and stronger legs; even a fully-fledged tail! She knew what a Lucario looked like, obviously, but she was still in awe.
"Mmn… Ugh! What's going on, over there…?" Dawn grumbled, rubbing at her eyes.
"Rosa evolved!" Ash exclaimed.
"W-what!?" Dawn yelped, scrambling to sit up and see for herself. Just as Ash had said, their self-ordained child was now a Lucario. She couldn't believe her eyes! "B-but, when? How!?" Gasping, Dawn drew her own conclusion and glared at the bunch. "Don't tell me you got up to train, today of all days!?"
"What? No!" Ash denied.
"Pika-Pika!" Pikachu vouched.
"Honestly… I don't even know. As soon as I woke up, she was like this!"
~As soon as I woke up, I was like this!~ Rosemary testified.
By now, Empoleon awoke too, squawking in disbelief. He immediately shuffled to his feet and ran over, grabbing Rosa's paws to dance in circles with her. "Pol! Empollleon~!" He was an awfully proud big brother! She'd certainly come a long way, taking inspiration from him to finally evolve.
Rosa frowned at his blatant egotism, genuinely confused. ~...What!?~
Pikachu shook his head, tutting at Empoleon. Putting that aside, though, he walked over, patting her leg with the end of his tail. Smiling up at her, he was genuinely proud. "Pi ka chu."
~Thanks, Uncle Pikachu.~ Rosa beamed, wiping her eyes. ~I wouldn't'a come this far without all your training, you know?~
The truth left poor Empoleon drained of all colors, but his ego could be nursed another time. First, Dawn had her own concern.
"Hey, Ash," she asked. "Haven't you noticed that Rosa looks… different?"
"Different?" Ash frowned. "I mean, duh. She evolved."
"That's not what I mean!" She shouted back. "Look at her. Her ears! They don't look like any Lucario's that I've seen."
"Huh?" Ash asked, taking a second look, himself.
Rosa attempted to look up, and pawed at her ears. Unlike any ordinary member of her kind, they didn't stand straight up. In fact, they fanned outwards, looking far more vulpine than they did canine.
In fact, to Ash, they looked like a cross between a Lucario's ears and an Espeon's. Otherwise, though, she looked about normal. "...Hey, y'know, you're right! What's up with that?"
~Aw, c'mon! You can't leave me hanging like that. I want to see!~ Rosa huffed.
"Dunno," Dawn shrugged. She fished her little pocket mirror out of her bag, and flipped it open to show Rosa, herself. "Some Pokémon are different colors, like your Noctowl. Maybe it's something like that?"
"I guess so," Ash replied. "...Aw, well. It doesn't really matter to me! It's what's on the inside that counts!"
Rosa crouched, looking into Dawn's mirror. ~...Well, damn. That may be true, but I DO look awesome!~ Grinning, she observed herself at a few angles in her reflection.
Dawn giggled, feeling somehow prideful. "That's my girl, alright." The thought left her with some clumsiness; it sounded odd, coming off her lips. Her, a mom!? Though, at least it was just a Pokémon…
"Hah, that may be true… Speaking of that, though.. Hey, Rosa." He called, suddenly taking on a more serious tone.
Rosa turned, and walked towards Ash with her head tilted. ~Yeah? What's up?~
"I don't remember anything about you evolving, but… I feel like I definitely had some kind of dream, last night… or maybe a whole bunch! But, I… just can't remember any of it."
~You, too!?~ Rosa exclaimed. ~I swear there's… something, but it's like a foggy blur!~ She had the strongest gut feeling that it had something to do with the two of them… But, every time she tried to focus on it, the hours preceding felt further and further away.
How annoying.
"Well, maybe that had something to do with it… or, maybe not!" Ash smiled, shrugging. "Guess it doesn't really matter. The important thing is that we can keep getting stronger, together!"
~...Yeah. You're right. If I could thrash an executive when I was just a baby, imagine what I could do, now!~ She boasted, flexing her biceps… There wasn't much to flex, but still.
"...Hey." Ash said, approaching her. He'd done his best not to let himself choke up, smiling down upon his daughter. She looked up at him with confusion, but words were hard to find. He placed his hand on her back, and pulled her in for a hug. This was embarrassing, but…
A few words would have to do.
"I'm real proud of you."
