((Author's note: The following work is based on SilyaBeeodess's "Pokemon: Guardians of Light" series, which takes place in the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon and Pokemon Anime canons.))
My first memory is the day the sun died. I don't remember much else about the sun other than it felt warm, and brought light, and then a grey haze swallowing it and the whole world up. I don't have any memories of the sights, sounds, or even smells of that day, just the feeling of before and after. Honestly, I'm amazed I remember it at all. I can't imagine what burden it is to carry vivid memories of the old world. To my knowledge, I'm the youngest person alive who still remembers the sun.
Trying to explain that to the students at the Iron Island Academy, I get a reaction of disbelief and intrigue, or a vat of apathy. Today, I had the second. Melissa wasn't an Aura Guardian, however, Iron Island raised anyone they could save from what we called "Planet's Paralysis". She was only eight years old or so, and today I was asked to instruct her about the history of the world. I swear Riley, the headmaster, chooses me for this kind of thing because I remotely qualify because of my one memory and because I myself am no master to teach Aura technique beyond the basics.
Melissa nods her head, fidgeting with her hands "Uhuh, so, the sun was like a campfire in the sky, but we have fire type Pokemon for that."
"Melissa," I console, noticing her hands have switched to playing with her hair, "The sun provided much more than just warmth, it brought light, it helped us understand when to rest and when to rise, it shaped the very way we live and Pokemon too."
"Mhm, good thing we have Sun Stones, then." She started clapping her feet together in front of her now restlessly.
I sigh, "Well, Sun Stones help some of the Pokemon who need the sun to evolve, but it's not a substitute. Besides, time stopping is what caused this to happen. We as Aura Guardians, hope we can start it again and until then, make sure we remember what we're striving for"
She drew her knees to her chest and rocked forwards and backwards, eyeing the hall.
I could tell that all she really wanted to do was play. "Ok, Melissa, I think that's enough for today, you're-"
I didn't even have to finish before she jumped up with glee, bowed quickly and tore off down the hall, probably to go see her Ralts. I sat back and finished the thought that I always kept to myself, out of the lessons I gave. Supposedly Dialga was the Legendary Pokemon of time that appeared at Spear Pillar in the Sinnoh region years ago, but it remained to be seen, and all we knew was that it had its own dimension it went to and from as it pleased. If time stopped, it probably died there and getting to it would both be impossible, and pointless. We would have to make do with whatever substitute we could find or make for the sun, but I never found it my place to dash the hopes of others.
I then get up and walk down the hallway, passing a few other students with their partner Pokemon. The repeated names spoken by the Pokemon without truly understanding what they meant, made me feel like I was actively ignoring half the academy. It was always strange when Doublade wasn't with me, to be unable to discern what the Pokemon were saying. With her, I could sense exactly what the Pokemon were saying because she could. She herself was an outlier Pokemon in these ranks, being not just a ghost type, but also the antithesis to Aura Guardian philosophy. Honedge are born with the instinct to siphon off aura, life essence, of anything that touches their hilt; whereas the Aura Guardians find it their mission to use their aura, their life energy, to heal and to protect all around them. Hence the name: Aura. Guardian. Most people who live on Iron Island have a Pokemon partner. Aura Guardians are trained with one, to help bridge the gap as a defender for all life as well as because there are many Pokemon, such as Lucario, who are predisposed by nature to be able to manipulate their own aura. However, not everyone on Iron Island is an Aura User, several are simply refugees who have taken shelter here. Pokemon ravage the landscape, as do people, who lash out at everything and everyone out of rage or out of desperation. These refugees are taught the philosophies of the school and are allowed to stay as long as they follow the ethical code, which really is, just to act with decency to living things. It also helps that the Pokemon they have are really helpful to everyone here. Snover, Torterra, Grotle, and Tropius, just to name a few, naturally grow food which has sustained our small group for awhile. Without them, we likely would've starved a long time ago.
Finally, I enter the courtyard, where Doublade is teaching Melissa's Ralts in the courtyard. Or at least she was until I let Melissa go, because the two of them were already playing tag by the time I arrived. Doublade drifts over, attaching her scabbard to my back using some straps fashioned by Boris, the leatherworker and clothiter here awhile ago. The back of her scabbard has the yellow Aura Guardian insignia on it, but also lacks the rings most doublade scabbards do that makes them appear to have a face. Her scabbard was damaged even as a Honedge, but honestly, I always thought the full set made it look cumbersome to sheathe anyway.
"So you were bested by an eight year old's will to play?" Doublade teases me, sheathing herself.
As soon as she's close enough, the familiar sensation returns, as I hear Ralts shouting "Tag, you're it!" to Melissa, before the two switch roles in their game.
"If I kept going, she would've exploded. Hopefully the good turn will give her more patience next time"
"She'll just do it again to get what she wants"
"Well then, maybe I'll finally get a new job then. Like training." I prod back at her.
Our quips are interrupted by my growling stomach.
"Oh, so you really lost to the will of your stomach." she laughs
I roll my eyes, knowing it's hopeless to try to "win" a conversation with her, and make my way towards the mess hall. Even though everything off of Iron Island is chaotic, this place still runs like a school and I'm scheduled for lunch after training. Honestly, natural fatigue has become the only way to tell the passage of "time". I enter the cafeteria and greet Ms. Murrin, who's the cook but more importantly, the rations reserve. We don't have a great way of cooking other than frying or stewing goods together. At least, that's what the library books lead me to believe. People used to eat poffins, cake, and Pokepuffs but all of those things are permanently out of season. I gather some Snover acorns, Torterra apple, and a Tropius banana and split between me and Doublade. She doesn't really "eat" so much as she absorbs nutrients out of them using her hand-like ribbons. You essentially just watch something decay in front of you when she does this which grosses some people out. Alternatively, I can eat for the both of us. And by that, I don't mean I eat a lot for myself, I mean, she instead gets her share of the energy from me.
See… unlike most Aura Guardians, we practice what we've started calling to ourselves "Aura Confluence". We let our auras flow freely between one another, distributing our energy between each other. This is also why when she's around I can understand Pokemon, because it comes through her aura and this likewise, has allowed us to learn and use somewhat advanced techniques quicker than others because only one of us needs to learn it, while the other acts more or less like a battery. From this, I focus my studies after Riley's style of barriers and shielding, with Doublade learning more of the offensive style, but there are an innumerable amount of techniques and focuses an Aura User can learn. However, the one Doublade and I keep to ourselves besides Aura Confluence is Aura Siphoning. It's one of the ethical rules here, though it's discouraged being discussed at all. Most people don't even think it's possible and the Aura Guardians want to keep it that way.
My thoughts are abruptly ended by Tim, an aura student who was a few years younger than me, with short red hair that made him stand out like a sore thumb against the greys of the world, pulling up a chair and relaying,
"Chad, Doublade. We've been assigned to the next supply run."
"Where are we going this time?"
"Chocovine City, it's a bit farther south than we usually head, however, we've visited Flororoma Town and Canalave City enough times that we've cleared out anything useful by now."
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Tim? Being on the water that long and being that far away makes us a prime target for the Pirate Rangers"
"That's why Riley's selected this team off of those who've trained the best in masking their aura"
Tim spent his time learning how to read and communicate through aura, and I had to admit he was pretty talented with it. He could act as both radar, and comms.
"Riley must've heard about your teaching from across the academy" Doublade mocks telepathically to me.
"Glad to know you're taking this expedition seriously." I replied to her. To Tim, I say,
"Alright then, when do we depart?"