Lev stood fixed in place, vision blurring as he stared at the crooked signpost in front of him. Mud and muck had swallowed nearly half of his legs, so long had he stood there unmoving. All around the murky swamp, Riolu footprints littered the shifting, sinking, sorry excuse for a ground. The tracks went this-and-thataway, venturing off in various directions and circling back around to this exact spot.
"I think I might be lost," he said to nobody in particular as he squinted at the signpost.
It was difficult to make out the etchings upon the rotten wood surface, partially because of the overgrowth of moss, and partly because the darkness of night had met the denseness of fog in a suffocating embrace. The only reason Lev could even make out the slightest hint of words was the faint light coming from over his shoulder.
"What do you think that says?" he turned to a golden gemstone that hung in the air next to him, bobbing up and down ever so slightly as it emitted a chatoyant glow.
It said nothing, but its light flickered encouragingly.
"I thought so, too, but we're back here again," said Lev, turning back to the sign with a sigh. "Maybe there really isn't a way through…"
The gemstone pulsed insistently.
"Alright, I'll try that way again," Lev relented. "Maybe I missed a turn somewhere. But if we wind up back here again, I'm going home."
The gemstone seemed to glitter in a pleased manner while Lev reached down and tugged at his legs, prying himself free from the mud. The soggy earth clung to him possessively, resisting his escape for as long as it could before surrendering. First one leg, then the other came loose, and both began to sink back into the swamp as he staggered about, searching for purchase on the unsteady ground. But as long as he didn't sink too far in, he could keep moving.
Even if it didn't really get him anywhere.
"You're lucky you don't have legs," Lev grunted to the gemstone through his effortful steps, leaving the signpost behind once more and veering into the treeline that seemed vaguely in the direction of one of the sign's arrows.
He eyed the ground attentively, taking note of each and every one of his previous footprints. As before, he found a spot where they began to drift in one direction, and used that as an excuse to branch off into a different one. Not that this particular method had worked very well up to now, though. All directions seemed to lead him back to where he started. Progress was a lie.
The muscles in his legs burned from the constant resistance of the mud. Every step was another ache, another deterrent to continuing, another excuse to turn back and go home. Why was he even out here in this mess? What was he looking for? Did he even know? If only to distract himself from the strain on his legs, he began to wonder if it wasn't just the sign that was unclear about his destination. Would he really get anywhere like this?
Seeming to notice his faltering, the gemstone hovered a little closer to Lev, its brightness driving away a bit of the darkness that had been smothering him.
He looked up at it, starting to say something, when another faint glow caught his eye. There, through the trees, a massive silver figure. Unmistakably an Ursaring. It regarded him silently, watching his fruitless efforts with an inscrutable expression. Was it amused at him, or did it pity him? Lev discarded the question and called out to the bear instead.
"Hey! You over there. Do you know where we are? I seem to be a little lost."
The Ursaring tilted its head slightly, looked over its shoulder, then back to Lev. It gave him a gesture that could only mean 'follow me', then turned and began to walk off. Not needing to be told twice, Lev rushed to catch up.
Mercifully, as he followed the Ursaring into the trees, he found the ground growing steadily more solid. With every step, mud gave way to firmly packed dirt. Oddly, though, Lev found himself stepping into freshly imprinted Ursaring tracks that felt as deep as if the earth was still mostly mud. Slightly unnerved, he made an effort to avoid landing in any more of them as he caught up with the one they belonged to.
The Ursaring led them into a small clearing that held six stones encircling a small blue fire. It ambled over to the tallest of the stone and slumped down on it in a practiced motion. Four of the other stones already had occupants, though for some reason, Lev couldn't see them clearly. As his eyes passed over them, his vision seemed to blur and their figures wavered. Still, he felt a certain familiarity with them. Three Lucario and one Zoroark.
Hesitantly, he sat himself on the sixth stone, smallest of the lot. He looked back and forth between the other four visitors, then turned to the Ursaring. "I guess there are a lot of us lost tonight, huh?"
Beside him, the gemstone flickered faintly, its glow not quite as pronounced next to the fire's.
The Ursaring tilted its head again, and the fire seemed to sway slightly in time with the bear's motion. It raised a claw and gestured as if to say 'please continue', and right on cue, four voices erupted around the circle of stones.
"When are you going to start living up to your potential?"
"How long until you grow out of this state you're in?"
"You were a mistake. You shouldn't have been the one he chose."
"Why is it you, instead of me?"
The four gathered guests turned upon Lev in an instant, assailing him with endless questions. He wanted to get up, to leave, but something about the stone seat paralyzed him. He cast one pleading look after another at each of the wavering figures, but their forms grew more solid with every question they asked, their insistence heightened in spite of his discomfort.
"Don't you realize you're wasting your life?"
"He shouldn't be better than you. Why is he better than you?"
"You don't deserve what you have. You know that, right?"
"How are you the one he loves?"
Lev shook his head, mouth agape but uncertain of what to say. The figures grew larger now with every word from their misshapen mouths. They loomed over him, demanding answers he didn't have. Next to him, the gemstone thrummed in concern, pressing itself to his chest. He pulled it in close, holding on desperately, squeezing his eyes shut. Still he could feel the four accusers pressing in on him, and he threw himself off the stone in an effort to back away from them.
He felt something sharp lance into his back as he fell.
Lev jerked awake, reflexively rolling out of his sleeping position and nearly right out of bed in the process. Rubbing his side soothingly, he blinked blearily and cast a wary glance over the edge of his well-cushioned strawbed. Mounds of jagged gemstones and piles of precious metals littered the floor on all sides of the cozy bedroom, and just the sight of them exacerbated the throbbing sensation in his side. Looking back at his own strewn bedding, he dug a fist into the lumpy mess and began fishing about. It didn't take long to locate the culprit, a stray gem that had found its way under him in the night. Mining the glittering stone from its unfitting vein, he tossed it over his shoulder and heard it join its brethren in one of the sparkling piles behind him with a satisfying little plink.
"What kind of dream was that…?" he mumbled to himself, hazily recalling little details that didn't make sense now in the waking world. But from what he did remember, he knew it wasn't a good dream.
Before he could dwell too deeply on fleeting dreams, however, the approach of muffled voices from outside drew his attention. He turned to the door just in time for it to swing open, and in tromped a Gabite nearly twice his size. Her eyes found him right away, and she waved cheerily with one free claw while the other stayed hooked around a small package. Meanwhile, a terrified letter hung precariously from her maw, razor teeth gripping the rolled-up paper just softly enough not to pierce right through it.
Behind her, hanging back near the door, was a Sandslash sporting an ill-fitting cap that sat slightly askew on his head. He, too, waved to Lev, though much less enthusiastically, and quickly turned his attention to the Gabite, who clambered her way across the mounds of wealth that surrounded the bed and pulled Lev into a tight hug.
"Good morning! I didn't think you'd be awake already," she said, the letter taking its chance to flee from her mouth's grip and flutter its way safely down onto Lev's bedding.
"If I wasn't already, I would be now," Lev grunted out in a strained voice through the crushing force of her hug. "You're not one for quiet entrances, are you?"
"Sorry to intrude," said the Sandslash, "but I do have some other deliveries to make."
"Sorry, Samson," said the Gabite in a way that suggested she'd forgotten he was there, releasing Lev from the hug. He plopped down onto the bed with a soft thump right next to the fallen letter. "Take a look around and grab one of whichever you like," she shook her claw pointedly at the heaps of her hoard.
Samson blinked surprisedly, then began casting uncertain glances around the room. "I can just have one? Any of them?"
"Sure! You always bring our stuff all the way out here, consider it a thank you."
"It's my job, you know…" he replied, but it was less an argument and more a gentle reminder. "But if you're sure…" he inched closer to the nearest pile, running his long nails through the amassed treasure and closing them around a particularly plump ruby. He extracted it slowly, as if he expected some sort of trap to trigger any moment now. When none did, he visibly exhaled and tucked the gem into the satchel he wore. Looking back at Gabite, he tipped his cap and gave her a nod. "Thanks, Citrine. You take care now."
"You, too! See you next delivery," she waved him off, and he gingerly closed the door behind him as he left.
"He seems nice," said Lev, eyeing the letter lying next to him with suspicion.
"He is nice," said Citrine, climbing down off the bed and placing her package down on a shelf-sized coinstack. "You'd know already if you weren't always sleeping in."
"Maybe I wouldn't sleep in so much if you didn't tire me out so much," he shot back, finally pulling his eyes from the letter and letting his gaze fall on the dragon.
"Are you saying you don't like it when I do that?" she asked without turning to look at him, carefully slicing open her package. From this angle, Lev couldn't see what it contained. Not that he'd have found the contents particularly interesting compared to the eyeful of scales he was presently admiring.
"I'm saying don't get used to me being awake this early."
She giggled slightly at that. "Don't worry, I won't."
"So what's this?" he asked, finally returning his attention to the letter. He scooped it up with one hand while the other undid the string that was keeping it rolled.
"Samson said the Chief requested that he bring that letter out here," she said.
Her words stopped him in place, the string just on the cusp of coming undone. "Oh," said Lev, and he set the letter down. "So it's about that, then."
She was looking at him, worry clear on her face. "I'm sorry, I should have just told him to take it back."
"No, no, it's okay," said Lev with a sigh. "I was expecting him to reach out at some point. Surprised it wasn't sooner, really." He turned his eyes back to the package on the coinstack, still not quite able to see what was inside as the jagged tears of the packaging hid the contents from view. "What did he bring you?"
"Oh, just some stuff," she said, picking the package up and shuffling across the room toward the kitchen.
"You've been getting a lot of 'stuff' lately," Lev called after her, though his eyes fell right back onto the letter. He reached for it, stopped, then picked it back up.
"I'm just working on making something. It's a surprise," Citrine said, rummaging through various things in their pantry. "Are you going to read the-"
"Yes," he said, already completing his earlier work on untying the string. As if waiting for this exact moment, the letter unfurled perfectly in his grip. His eyes ran across the words almost immediately.
Son,
The Rite begins tomorrow. We need to know that you're participating.
It's critical that you continue where I'm leaving off.
I know you're ready for this, even if you don't feel that you are.
Come tell me you've changed your mind.
It would mean everything to your mother. And to me.
I'll see you before sundown.
-Chief Dad
He looked up, catching Citrine peering through the archway that led to the kitchen. After a few seconds, she walked back through, acting as though she had just finished up whatever she was doing. "So what does it say?" she asked nonchalantly.
"About what I expected," Lev answered glumly. "I told him I wasn't doing this… why is that so hard to understand?"
Citrine fidgeted a bit, claws poking at each other as she thought of the most delicate way to phrase what was on her mind. "Because he's your father?"
Lev let out a frustrated growl and flopped backward into his bedding. "That's no excuse. Why do I have to compete to be Chief just because my dad's Chief?"
"I thought you wanted to become Chief. That's almost all you talked about when we first met."
"Yeah, well… things change."
"What changed?"
"..."
Lev fell silent. It wasn't for lack of things to say. There were plenty of things bubbling up in his chest, but that was there they petered out before he could speak them. For some reason, none of them felt right. None of them were a full answer.
Citrine climbed back into the bed with him, flopping down on her stomach beside him. "A lot of things, I guess."
"Yep. No… I don't know." He turned to look at her. "Would it matter even if I did participate? How would I even win? I still haven't evolved…"
"You don't have to be evolved to be the Chief."
"I have to be evolved to be what he wants me to be." He paused before adding, "What you want me to be."
She looked away for a moment, a guilty glint in her eye. "I want you to be happy. Would I like it if you were a little taller? Sure. But I like you plenty as you are."
"I don't think becoming Chief will make me happy… not if it's like he is."
"Then don't do it," she said. "But you should still tell him you're not gonna do it. Lying in bed all day won't make him stop asking."
"I already told him-"
"In person. Face to face. You haven't spoken to him directly in weeks."
He sighed, then sat up and hopped out of bed, stretching himself out a little once he was upright. "I hate it when you're right."
"You'd think you would be used to it by now," she said playfully, hopping up after him. "You want to go now?"
"Might as well get it over with," he said, pulling the door open and stepping outside.
He was greeted with a sight that he still wasn't quite used to. Looking out at Urdra's Belly from the outskirts gave a much different perspective than being at the heart of it. Citrine's house was situated near the sea, and a short distance from one of six massive pillars that dotted the coastal region, fashioned from a bizarre white stone that radiated blinding light in the morning sun.
Squinting through the light, Lev turned his sights to the central-most pillar, easily the tallest of the six, around which Botan Village had been formed. He hadn't been back to the village in nearly a month.
"Ready?" Citrine stood beside him, eyes seemingly unbothered by the morning light and the shine of the pillars. Somehow, she seemed even more radiant to Lev.
He nodded. "Let's go."
They hadn't walked for very long before they came across a lively group engaged in some friendly sparring in a grassy field. It was a motley crew; a fellow Riolu tussled in turns with a Mienfoo and Cubone, while a slightly older Lucario moved in sync with a much older Blaziken, mimicking his motions. Not too far away, lying on a thick branch in a tree, was a Grovyle, watching the Lucario while pretending to sleep. Nearby, a boisterous Machoke took pleasure from showing off his prowess to a crowd of Makuhita, Machop, and Meditite.
After being thrown in Lev's general direction, the other Riolu spotted him and waved in greeting. Lev waved back. "Yo, Kamon!"
Kamon jogged over to a little clump of bags where everyone had laid their belongings and pried a strange white apparatus from the pile. He came jogging back toward Lev, passing Citrine with a brief fist-claw bump as she made her way to chat with his sparring partners. As he drew closer, Lev inspected the device curiously. It was a small, rectangular thing with what appeared to be all the various Unown shapes embedded across its surface. At one end of the rectangle was a half-sphere, its flat end filled with glass.
"What's that you've got there?"
Kamon held up the white slate and concentrated, and almost immediately the Unown shapes began to light up. Lev shivered slightly at the sensation that crept across his back, the feeling of Kamon's aura at work. As the Unown shapes lit up, so too did the glass surface of the half-sphere atop the device. Projecting out from the sphere were images of the Unown arranged in the order that they had lit up.
ITS MY NEW VOICE
Lev's eyes flickered briefly up at Kamon's neck, torn away from marveling at the device by the memory of the accident. The fur was still thin around his neckline, scarring still visible. At least the bruising and swelling had subsided by now. But there were some injuries that never healed.
Looking back at the message being displayed, Lev grinned at Kamon, "That's incredible. Where'd you get something like that?"
Again, the device blinked into action, relaying Kamon's thoughts. Perhaps not as swiftly as speech might have, but surprisingly fast.
MASTER HENZAN WAS WORKING ON IT FOR ME WHILE I RECOVERED
ITS MADE FROM THE STONE OF THE PILLARS
"Henzan?" asked Lev, skeptically. "That was awfully nice of him. Surprising…"
HES NOT SO BAD ONCE YOU GET TO KNOW HIM BUT I GUESS YOUR DAD PROBABLY DOESNT THINK SO
"Now that you mention it, maybe Henzan isn't so bad…" said Lev, and the pair of them laughed.
"Enjoying your gossip, ladies?" a third voice interrupted them, and they turned in unison toward the imposing figure now looming over them.
"...hey there, Kian," Lev offered a cordial greeting to the muscle-bound Machoke. "How's it going?"
"Oh, you know, just getting fit for the big Rite of Rule," he said, resting his elbow on Kamon's shoulder and flexing his other arm in what he must have believed was an impressive display. "Sorry to hear about your dear ol' dad getting voted out, by the way," he added. "It was bound to happen, though. He's not even a Fighting-type."
"Neither was Urdra," said Lev, watching Kamon shift uncomfortably beneath the Machoke's weight. "Hey, ease up, would you?"
"Hm? Oh, sure," Kian removed his shoulder from Kamon, only to clap an oversized hand there immediately after. He rubbed the distressed Riolu in an attempt to 'comfort' him. "Wouldn't want to be too rough on the little guy. You heard about what happened, right?"
"I did."
"Attacked in the middle of the night by some wild Exploud. Pelkin, too," Kian jerked a thumb back over his shoulder, in the general direction of the Makuhita. Pelkin, along with the Machop and Meditite, stood awkwardly waiting on Kian to return to whatever they had been doing before.
Kamon wriggled out of Kian's grip, his device blinking out another message.
IM GLAD PELKIN DIDNT GET HURT
IT WAS
He paused before adding, REALLY BAD
Kian scratched his chin absently. "Yeah, Pelkin's useless in a fight, but he's pretty lucky sometimes. Anyway," he smirked at Lev, "I hope you didn't come to enter the Rite. I've got this one locked down. You're looking at the next Chief right here."
Kamon rolled his eyes.
YOU MUST NOT HAVE HEARD THAT MY SISTER IS PARTICIPATING
For the first time in the conversation, Kian's bravado faltered slightly. His eyes flicked over in the direction of the Lucario. "Arya is…?"
Arya, meanwhile, was presently observing her Blaziken sparring partner perform a kicking technique involving lighting his leg ablaze. After his demonstration, the Blaziken gestured for Arya to follow suit. Lev had to resist the urge to flinch as Arya's leg lit up like a roaring bonfire, the intense heat of her aura radiating even as far away as they stood.
Kian quickly readopted his air of confidence, however. "She's pretty tough, I'll give you that. But I think I can handle her. Even with a tutor like Aiden, there's no way she can handle my secret weapon."
"Well, good luck with that. You'll need it," Lev said flatly.
"You're not gonna be joining, then?" Kian asked, clearly a little too pleased with the news. Kamon also looked at him questioningly, trying and failing to mask his disappointment.
"No, I don't think so." He looked back to Kamon, then nodded at the two girls talking with Citrine. "Honestly, I'm surprised you three are practicing for it. You're joining the Rite even knowing your sister is, too?"
Kamon shrugged.
IT WAS KARAS IDEA AND STELLA AGREED
I DONT THINK ILL WIN BUT ITS GOOD PRACTICE FOR NEXT TIME
"Yeah, you need all the practice you can get," Kian patted Kamon's back 'encouragingly'. "Anyway, that's enough gabbing for me. Back to my exercises. You should stop by on the last day, Lev. Come see when they name me Chief."
He waved farewell to them without looking as he walked away, no doubt because he thought it looked cool. Kamon and Lev shared a glance and suppressed their laughs, before Kamon spoke.
SORRY HES KIND OF RUDE
Lev waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. I know how he can be. It's kind of weird that he's hanging out with you guys, though, isn't it? He wasn't really all that friendly before…"
Kamon seemed troubled.
IT IS WEIRD
HE STARTED WANTING TO HANG OUT MORE AFTER I GOT ATTACKED
I THINK HE SEES ME LIKE HE SEES PELKIN
I WOULD FEEL BAD FOR TELLING HIM OFF THOUGH
Lev furrowed his brow at that, eyeing Kian as the showboating Machoke started doing one-handed pushups while his audience kept count and encouraged him. "You're too nice for your own good sometimes, Kamon."
"Isn't that the truth?" came another voice from right beside Lev, who jumped in surprise. He turned to see a Grovyle standing there, having approached completely silently. Lev looked back to the tree overlooking Arya's practice spot, and sure enough it was empty.
"Good grief, Mikaal, you're going to give somebody a heart attack one of these days," said Lev while Kamon laughed.
Mikaal's eye rotated in its socket to look down at Lev, while his head remained perfectly still, pointed in Kian's direction. "Sounds like you have a heart problem, if that's the case." Eye swiveling back toward Kian and his cronies, the Grovyle asked, "Pelkin was attacked too, wasn't he?"
YES
"After you were?"
RIGHT AFTER IS WHAT THEY TOLD ME WHEN I WOKE UP
"But he got away unscathed."
YES BUT I HAVE NO IDEA HOW
THE FERAL THAT ATTACKED ME WAS SO STRONG
Mikaal took that in for a moment, then turned to look past Kamon. "Huh… what's Citrine doing over there?"
"What?" Lev followed his gaze, but saw only a simple conversation unfolding. "What do you m-" he asked, looking back to the Grovyle, and finding the space he just stood empty. He spun back around toward the tree and just barely caught the green blur hopping back up onto his branch. "He does this stuff on purpose…"
Kamon laughed.
WELL IT WAS GOOD TO SEE YOU
ITS BEEN A WHILE
"Yeah, sorry… I was a bit preoccupied recently. Some… stuff came up."
NO WORRIES
LET ME KNOW IF YOURE FREE TO SPAR SOME TIME
"Definitely. Speaking of, we should let you get back to it," he noticed Citrine had returned, leaving Kara and Stella looking expectantly in Kamon's direction. "Best of luck in the Rite."
THANKS YOU TOO
Either Kamon didn't notice that he was wishing Lev luck in something he wasn't going to participate in, or he noticed only after he said it and decided it would be too awkward to circle back to correct himself. Either way, he tossed his Unown speech projector back alongside the pile of packs and bags and rejoined his two sparring partners.
"How are they doing?" Lev asked as he and Citrine began heading toward the village again. He could feel her vibrating with the urge to relate everything she had just been told.
"You would not believe what happened to Kara at the dojo last week."
"...he's lucky she only hit him once with her Bone Club, that's all I'll say," Citrine trailed off as they crossed the unseen threshold from outside the village into the hustle and bustle within.
Dozens of Pokemon, most of them Fighting-type, crisscrossed this way and that, carrying out their various tasks and businesses amidst the ramshackle huts and more solidly-built buildings that encircled the base of the tallest pillar of Urdra's Belly. Lev was accustomed to the traffic, darting through with a practiced familiarity, while Citrine found herself repeatedly bumping into people as she tried to navigate the busy street. Before long, the crowd itself had identified her as a hazard and began giving her a wide berth.
Lev made his way around the pillar, a massive thing that dwarfed even the biggest edifices that the villagers of Botan had managed to erect. So tall it stood that trying to look up to the top would sooner have you falling onto your back than spotting its apex. It would take some time to circle around to where the Chief's tent stood. With a quick glance back at Citrine, who was still concerned about running into someone and was offering unnecessary apologies every step of the way, Lev decided it might be an idea to make a pitstop along the way. If for no other reason than to give Citrine a chance to catch her breath and allow the villagers to handle their morning business in peace.
"Hey, you wanna stop for a minute?" he asked once she'd caught up to him.
"Stop? But we just got here."
"Yeah, but I forgot how busy it can get first thing in the morning. We probably should have waited a bit before coming."
"Well, okay then. What do you want to d- ooh, what's that?" something in the distance caught her attention, and she took a few steps toward it.
Lev followed her gaze and frowned at what she was referring to. Tucked back in between two buildings on the outer edge of the village was a large platform with six pillar replicas adorned in various baubles and ornaments that had clearly been made by children. They were very colorful, and very shiny, which must have been what caught Citrine's eye. What had Lev frowning, however, was the group seated on the platform, circled around a single speaker. "A lecture."
"Can we go listen?" Citrine asked, already walking in that direction.
"I guess it'll kill some time…"
Crossing the street, this time with Citrine significantly less wary of the stampeding crowd around her, they drew closer to the platform just as the speaker, a withered old Medicham, was finishing his current thought.
"...centered on Urdra's Belly. And can anyone tell me why it's called Urdra's Belly?" he asked in a voice that made you feel as old as he looked.
One of the children seated around him, a Buneary, raised his hand. When called on, he replied, "Urdra's Belly is literally Urdra's belly! His big, round stomach!"
Several of the other children laughed at that, and the old Medicham chuckled dryly. "Almost, Lucas. This is indeed where Urdra the Ursaring laid his weary body after he was impaled with the spears we now call the Pillars. But that body is no more. Urdra has become the earth beneath us, sustaining us, allowing us to build on all he accomplished and learn from him. Botan rests atop where Urdra's stomach would be, around the largest of the spears, the greatest lesson Urdra can give us. Can anyone tell me where the other spears impaled him?"
Multiple children raised their hands at this, and the Medicham had to quiet down a few who excitedly started saying the answers out of turn. Pointing to a slightly older Machop, he said, "How about you, Tomas?"
For some reason deciding that he should stand up when answering, Tomas recited as if he had just read it from a book and it was fresh on his memory, "Urdra's fists were too mighty, so they were struck with two spears. But Urdra stood firmly still, so his feet were struck with two more. Urdra refused to accept the pain, so a fifth spear was drilled into his head. Urdra knew in his gut that it wasn't over, so a final spear struck him at his core. He was pinned to the ground and left to become one with the earth. And still the ground quaked as Urdra kept fighting to the very end."
"Very good," the Medicham nodded as Tomas sat back down. It was at this point that he finally noticed the pair of onlookers. Or rather, the one onlooker and his easily-distracted partner, as Citrine was positively transfixed by an ornamental mask that hung from one of the pillar replicas. "Ah, we have some guests this morning, class. The son of our esteemed Chief, no less. Welcome, Lev. Say hello, class."
"Good morning, Lev," the children said in not-quite-unison, with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Lev waved awkwardly in response, while Citrine beamed chipperly at them. The display of her teeth evoked a few gasps from the younger students.
"Good morning, Master Elias," said Lev. "Don't let us interrupt your lecture. Citrine just wanted to listen in."
"On the contrary, my boy," Elias said, hopping out of the circle of children with surprising spryness. "Since you've joined us, you offer a rare opportunity for me to demonstrate the effects of studiousness for my younger students. Why doesn't my star pupil hop in and answer some questions on today's material?"
"...what's today's material?" Lev asked, not wanting to give a lecture, but not sure how he could escape the obligation without a good excuse. Elias was insistent like that.
"Why, the Rite of Rule, of course. We've got one starting tomorrow, after all. This is the perfect opportunity for the village's youth to learn more about how our leaders are selected."
"Of course…" Lev replied. Perhaps his least favorite subject at the moment. But those old eyes on him told him that nothing short of a dire emergency would suffice as a get-out-of-lecture card. He briefly cast a glance in Citrine's direction in search of help, and found her trying on one of the ornamental masks, much to the amusement of a young Pancham. With a sigh, he said, "Sure, I'll answer a few questions."
Joining the circle of students with a much less dynamic entry than what Elias had performed in his exit, Lev snaked his way through the seated children until he found himself standing in the middle of a bunch of kids that he didn't know, unsure of where to begin. After a few moments of looking around from one staring face to another, he cleared his throat and asked, "So, uh… does anyone have any questions?"
Almost immediately, it seemed like every single student shot their hand up into the air.
"...yes, you, the Hawlucha."
"Victor, sir," he said. "Are you really the son of the Chief? Shouldn't you be taller?" A few of the students snickered at that.
"How do you know I'm not taller than I look?" Lev asked ominously. "Perhaps my father taught me some of his illusions. Perhaps my true form would terrify you." That quieted the snickering quite effectively. "Next?"
Less hands raised this time. Lev called on a Tyrogue. "Nikki, sir," she introduced herself. "What exactly is the Rite of Rule? Is it a fight?"
"There may be fighting involved," Lev explained, falling a little more smoothly now into a rhythm. "But the Rite itself is a complex event that takes place over a period of six weeks and six days. There are a series of trials that are held at the end of every week. Each trial is designed to test how prepared the participants are to become the next Chief."
"What are these trials?" asked a Timburr without introducing himself, and without raising his hand. He seemed very embarrassed when he realized what he'd done, and slunk down a little where he sat.
Lev answered anyway. "They change each time a Rite takes place. But they're meant to represent the essence of each of the Six Pillars of Urdra's teachings. The Masters who embody each of those Pillars, such as Master Elias, are the ones who decide what each trial will be."
Several of the students looked at their old teacher with newfound curiosity, while he simply smiled at them knowingly.
The boy named Tomas raised his hand, and Lev pointed to him. "But why are we having a Rite of Rule right now? Isn't your dad still the Chief?"
Lev shifted his stance a bit before answering. "The Chief of Botan can only remain Chief for as long as at least half of the Masters of the Village approve of him. If four or more decide that he should no longer be Chief, then he has to step down. My father will only remain Chief for two years after the Rite. Does anyone know why?"
A Meditite raised her hand. "Rose. And the reason is that whoever wins the Rite will spend one year mastering the Pillars under the six Masters, and then one year learning the duties of Chief under the existing one before taking over."
"Good. Yes, whoever wins the Rite has a long couple of years ahead of them. Starting with two months of intense study under each of the Masters."
"But we already study intensely under Master Elias all year long!" interjected the Pancham who had been so amused with Citrine's mask antics from before. Lev spotted his partner seated among the back row of children, attempting to keep her posture as prim and proper as possible.
"That's not really the same thing," Lev explained over the rumbling of laughter. "I'm sure Elias can be pretty demanding, but walking the Path of Six Parts is completely different. A Chief-in-waiting is tested to their very core, challenged to display complete and total understanding of each of Urdra's lessons. If they fail to prove such mastery, they cannot proceed to the next part of the Path. So even if you win the Rite of Rule, you may not become Chief if you can't complete the Path."
"Wait, can we go back a second?" asked a Slakoth who seemed to have just woken up from a nap.
"Quiet, Quincy," the Pancham said in a not-quite-whisper, clearly interested in hearing more about the Path of Six Parts. But Quincy was undeterred.
"You said the Rite happens over six weeks and six days, and there's a trial every week, but you never said what the six days are for."
"Oh, right. Well, that part is a fight," said Lev, and several of the students looked significantly more invested in the lecture at that point. "All participants who make it that far must face off against each other in a tournament. The winner of the tournament becomes the Chief. Pretty simple."
"How do you become a participant?" asked a Sneasel. The class had completely given up on proper hand-raising at this point.
"Anybody who wants to join the Rite must be at least as old as Urdra was when he set out on his journey," said Lev, eliciting a chorus of disappointed groans from the students, "and must have the endorsement of a reputable member of the village. Can anyone tell me how you earn the right to participate in each week's trial?"
Nobody raised their hand.
"Well, okay. So, just because you're allowed to enter the Rite, that doesn't mean you're allowed to see it all the way through. If your goal is to become Chief, you have to get to know Botan. Every week, in addition to preparing yourself by studying the Pillar for that week's trial, you must perform a meaningful act of service to at least three members of the village. If you can't do that, you can't attempt the trial or move on to the next week."
"There is another way," Elias chimed in. "Though it is much harder, and it hasn't been attempted in a long while, much less accomplished. I'm not even sure you know about this one, Lev. Ring any bells?"
Lev stood awkwardly in the middle of a ring of searching eyes, all on him expecting him to know something he did not. Why was Elias interjecting to bring up something like this? Some obscure part of the Rite that nobody even bothered to do these days…
"Can't say it does, Master," he replied.
"I thought as much," the old 'mon said with a nod, hopping over the students and joining Lev in the circle's center. "It is known as Trying the Six. You can think of it as… a prelude, of sorts, to the Path of Six Parts. Anyone Trying the Six would spend their weeks of preparation with each of the Masters in turn, for as long as they remain a participant in the Rite. By the onset of each trial, they must demonstrate to each Master a… well, a mastery of at least one tenet of the Pillar they are studying that week."
Lev considered this for a moment. "So they're proving that they possess the qualities of a Chief by displaying a deeper understanding of Urdra's teachings."
"Exactly," Elias nodded. "Though it is lamentable that they may not spend time in service to the community, they will have the whole of their Chiefdom for such service."
"Why isn't this something a lot of people try?" asked Rose, reminding Lev that the children were still listening.
"Ah, well," Elias said with a twinkle in his eye. "Because it is very hard! To attempt any degree of mastery over the Pillars in a mere six weeks when it should take a full year at minimum is quite the undertaking. But, aside from that… well, if you should Try the Six and fail… you will not be allowed to participate in any Rite of Rule thereafter."
"What!?" the Pancham practically jumped up out of his seated position. "That's stupid! Why?"
"Settle down, Phillip," Elias issued a swift reprimand, and the rambunctious Pancham quickly retook his seat. "Lev, why do you think such a penalty exists?"
"Because…" Lev began slowly, finding his footing as he went along. "If you have demonstrated a failure to grasp Urdra's lessons, you've proven yourself unfit to become Chief. So there would be no reason to let you participate again. It's no different than the winners of the Rite who can't complete the Path of Six Parts."
"Correct. A big risk, and big repercussions for those who cannot see it through."
"Why would anyone do it that way?" asked Lucas.
"Well, most don't," Elias said through a smile. "As I said, it's quite the undertaking. Only those who are truly driven would choose to Try the Six. There's no surer way to get to the bottom of exactly what you are at your core."
Citrine raised her hand. "Excuse me, Master Elias, but how long do you need Lev for? We kinda need to be somewhere."
"Ah, of course, please forgive the imposition," Elias said. "Let me just borrow his ear a moment longer, and you two will be on your way. Watch the children for me, won't you my dear?"
"Me?" Citrine asked, the class turning as one in her direction.
Leaving her to her fate, Lev followed Elias as he led them out of the circle of children, hopping off the platform and venturing a few paces toward the side of one of the adjoining buildings. There, a cushioned seat awaited, and Elias sunk into it without hesitation.
"Ah," he sighed. "Lecturing does a number on my knees these days. Don't even get me started on my back…"
"You hide it well," said Lev, coaxing a dry chuckle from his old teacher.
"That's kind of you to say, my boy." He cleared his throat and spat out something unpleasant to the side, then turned back to Lev with a serious expression on his face. "I just wanted to say how sorry I am about Henzan's decision. Your father can always count on Tariso and I, and we thought Henzan was one of us. None of this would be happening if he hadn't changed his tune."
Lev didn't really know how to respond. Any number of answers would likely get him dragged into the politics of the village, which was the absolute last thing he needed at the moment. "Well, from what I understand, nobody really knows what Henzan's thinking anyway."
"Heh… true, true. I just regret not being able to sway his decision this time. Your father and I go way back, you know."
"He's mentioned it a few times, yes," Lev said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I should hope so! But ah, well, I suppose it was bound to happen eventually. It's just a shame it had to be now. Geist had some big plans for next year. Though I suppose it will all work out just fine when you become the next Chief. We can just keep things moving along as they are."
"About that… I actually wasn't planning on participating in the Rite of Rule."
Elias straightened up a little in his seat and regarded Lev as though he had just spoken in another language. "Ah… I… I see…" he said, slowly coming to terms with this information. "Well, that is gravely disappointing. But your decision is your own."
"Hopefully my father will feel the same way," Lev said, doubtful.
"You haven't told him yet? My boy, you do realize the Rite begins tomorrow, yes?"
"I did tell him, just… not in person. I don't think he believed me. So that's where Citrine and I are headed now."
"I see. Well, don't let me keep you," Elias waved him off, then smiled slightly as he looked over Lev's shoulder. "Though you may have to convince some of them…"
Lev turned back toward the platform, where a masked Citrine was now rampaging around the platform chasing half the class while the other half clung to her, issuing orders and laughing maniacally.
"...oh boy."
With the morning crowd dispersed, they found it much easier to continue their short trek around the remaining portion of the pillar before reaching the Chief's tent. The walk passed quickly, with Citrine excitedly recounting tidbits about the children of Elias' class that left Lev wondering how she'd gleaned so much information in such a short time. Lev himself hardly spoke, growing quieter and quieter as they grew closer and closer to their destination. A familiar knot formed in his stomach, and before he knew it, they found themselves standing before the tent in question. It was a gaudy thing, as big as any two other buildings in the village combined. Perhaps the loudness of the tent contributed to his own quietude. Citrine had fallen silent now, too, sensing his unease.
They came to a stop some ten paces or so from the tent flap. Lev stood there, just staring at it.
"Should we knock?" asked Citrine, breaking the silence.
"I have doubts that a knock would draw much attention." So maybe they should knock after all, he thought.
"Do you need more time? We can come back later."
"No. We already came all this way. We're here. I'm just…"
Citrine drew in closer to him, leaning down and using his shoulder to rest her head next to his. "You're just gonna go in there and tell him what you came here to tell him. Right?"
He reached up, placing a hand on the other side of her head, closing his eyes as they nestled against each other. "Right," he said finally, letting his hand fall. He felt her head lift from his shoulder and somehow felt heavier for it. "Right…"
He took a step forward, and the flap of the tent flew open, freezing him in place. Out stepped a Lucario with a darker shade of fur than most and eyes of the most piercing red. Those eyes instantly found Lev's, and the Lucario's stern expression grew harsher still.
"So you came after all, Lev," he said, his words laced with acid that would put a Seviper to shame. "I don't know what you expect to accomplish. The Chief can't show favoritism in the Rite of Rule. You'll have to win it with actual talent."
"Vel… I…"
He wanted to say so many things just then. But they caught and snagged on each other on the way out, jumbling into a mess of fumbled nothing.
"Let me guess," Citrine snapped, and Vel seemed to only just notice her for the first time. "You think you're the only one talented enough to win."
"I do," he said matter-of-factly, not a trace of doubt to be found. "There's a reason only one of us evolved," he said, his scornful glare returning to Lev. But after a moment, he shook his head and turned off in the direction opposite of which Lev had come into the village. "I've wasted too much time here this morning. Do yourself a favor and stay out of my way in the trials. You might last longer that way."
He started to head off, his gait comprised of long, purposeful strides. But Lev called out after him before he'd gotten too far. "Vel! Your mother told me some things I didn't know before. I'm-"
"Don't," the Lucario growled with a barely-subdued ferocity. He managed to rein in the ire, and continued, "Don't say you're sorry. Save your pity. I don't want it, and I don't need it. If you want to apologize, show me your strength. Give me the opportunity to crush it."
Without another word between them, Vel continued on his way. Lev didn't try to stop him again. He wouldn't have known what to say, and Vel probably wouldn't have listened. He felt himself shaking as he stood there, unable to calm himself until he felt Citrine's gentle claw on his shoulder.
"Come on," she said, giving him a soft tug in the direction of the tent. "After that, this next part should be easy."
He couldn't argue, and let her lead him in through the tent flap.
The inside of the tent seemed almost bigger than the outside did. It was divided into four distinct sections, and Lev welcomed the opportunity to think about anything other than Vel in that moment, setting his mind to wondering how such a compartmentalized tent had been erected. Here in the entry room was a massive circle of dyed dirt ringed with numerous patches of grass for kneeling. The room to the left contained stacks of crates that held various weapons, items, and personal effects from the adventuring days of many previous Chiefs, while the one to the right was lined with all manner of paperwork, ranging from maps to letters to inventory checklists.
And the fourth room, behind the entry room, contained a massive table currently covered in far too much food for the two people currently standing behind it, talking to each other in hushed tones.
"...doesn't matter at this point, Mira," said his father, a Zoroark and the current Chief of Botan Village. "She's not going to change."
"Her behavior better change, even if her temperament won't," replied his mother, a Lucario with a noticeable notch missing from one ear. "What was she thinking, sending him here today of all days-"
"I take it you weren't happy to see my brother," Lev interjected, catching his parents unaware. The second they noticed his arrival, they adjusted themselves into more relaxed postures, adopting less darkened demeanors.
"Half-brother," his mother amended, and Chief Geist shifted his weight a little at her words. "But don't you worry about him. You've got much bigger things to focus on."
"You bet he does," Geist beamed brightly, finally working his way around the table and gripping Lev in a strange half-hug from the shoulders. "It's good to see you, son."
"Good to see you, mister Chief, sir," Citrine hugged him tightly from behind. Lev couldn't help but notice then that she was nearly as tall as Geist was.
"Y-yes… good to see you, Citrine," he patted one of her claws a couple of times, then cleared his throat when she had yet to relent in her embrace. When she finally let go, the Chief looked down at his son expectantly. "So? I take it you got my letter?"
"I did."
"And?" asked his mother, almost demanding. "You're participating, right?"
"Actually, I came here this morning to tell you in person that I wasn't going to," Lev shoved the words out of himself before they could find some way to bury themselves within him.
"You can't be serious," Mira shook her head in disbelief. "You don't mean that."
"Listen to your mother, boy," said Geist. "Do you have any idea what a waste it would be if you didn't take part in the Rite?"
"Hey, now, let's take it easy, guys," Citrine tried to insert herself between Lev and his parents, but they were having none of that.
"With all due respect, Citrine, this is a family matter," Mira attempted to exclude the Gabite.
"You sure do love that one, mom," Lev snapped. "I wonder if you'll still try using it when I marry her."
"Excuse me? Marriage? You two are getting married?"
"Wait, we're getting married?" Citrine asked in a tone somewhere between thrilled and terrified, her tail swishing back and forth nervously.
"Alright, let's all calm down," Geist raised his voice over the raucous.
"Don't tell me to calm down," Mira spat. "Our son is more determined to run off with a dragon girl than he is to fulfill his duty."
"Who decided it was my duty?"
"You did. You certainly didn't have a problem with it until now."
"She has a point, son. You were the one most excited to become Chief. Then out of nowhere you moved out of the village and would barely even respond to our letters."
"..."
"And on top of that, you just stopped your training," Mira added, looking him up and down appraisingly, not liking what she was seeing. "You let that boy evolve before you. Do you have any pride? Where's your drive?"
"Why does it matter if he's evolved or not?" Citrine asked. "Where's your pride in him? Or are you only proud of him if he's perfect?"
Mira gripped the edge of the table hard enough to crack the wood as she stared Citrine down. "I will not be spoken to like that, young lady."
"But you'll speak to me like that," Lev scoffed. Deciding it was better to ignore his mother for now, he turned his attention back to his father. "Coming here was a mistake. I should have just ignored your letter and left you to worry whether I was going to join the Rite or not. You don't accept a no when I write back, you won't accept it even when I tell you in person. If you're going to just decide for me, why don't you do the trials for me, too? Let's have you just become Chief all over again. That's what you want, isn't it?"
Geist let out a heavy sigh, leaning on the table for support. "I just want what's best for our family, and what's best for Botan. I wouldn't be asking you to do this if I didn't think you were capable of leading this village. You're my son, like it or not. You are every bit the Chief I have been."
Standing upright, and also doing his best to ignore the silent sparks flying between Citrine and Mira, he continued, "You're half-right, though. Would I prefer that you didn't have to do this yet? Of course. I'd rather continue on as Chief for a few more years. Henzan felt differently. With four Pillars against me, I have no choice but to step down."
"And why do you think they'd be any less against me? Like you said, I'm your son."
"That's what the Rite of Rule is for. It's been too long since I earned their respect in the first place. Not all of them have as long a memory as Elias. Not all of them think the way Tariso does. Time creates divides between everybody, gives you plenty of reasons to start seeing things differently. But the Rite of Rule will give them all a chance to see what you're made of. It will remind them why they stood with me in the first place."
"Do you really believe that?" asked Lev, locking eyes with his father for the first time since entering the tent. "That the Rite is my best chance to prove what I really am at my core?"
"I don't know anyone who doesn't believe as much," Geist said.
"And you really believe that I'm already capable of being the Chief?"
"Of course we do," Mira said, walking over to stand beside Geist. "We've known for quite some time. You're gifted in ways that others aren't."
Lev chewed on that for a moment. He felt Citrine's eyes on him as he weighed his words.
"Then you won't mind if I Try the Six."