AUTHOR'S NOTES
It's been so long since the last chapter, I'm so sorry! I just had a lot on my mind lately, what with the tests and school in general. Life's been keeping me up on my toes and preventing me from writing too much.
I decided to bring all the stuff from down at the end of the chapter back up here and reserved the space at the end for spoilers and peeks into the future, so you know what to expect from the next chapter.
Thank you to everyone who's been reading my story since the beginning (and everyone that came along the way)! Writing for you people is what keeps me motivated to write even more! Love you all, and I hope this chapter makes up for the long wait.
It's been quite some time after Lucario lost his eye, and it took some practise to get used to seeing with just one eye.
The first ten days were spent in the Kingdom's infirmary, where a nice Midday Lycanroc would bring him food and water daily, as well as help him get used to having one eye.
Having fought Crimson and lived, everyone thought of him highly, often bringing him gifts and words of respect and wisdom. Though, the gifts themselves were usually nicely shaped rocks from the little Rockruff.
He couldn't speak for some time after the battle, but after Lucario regained his ability to speak, he conversed with Cassian and Zoroark many times, usually discussing what they would do after the Aura Pokemon would be free.
Occasionally, the three talked about their thought on Lucario's performance in battle and would share about what could be changed or improved.
Of course, he was being too reckless and didn't think straight, as after getting hit with Counters and Reversals, he still tried to nab at his opponent.
His fighting style also lacked strategy, seeing as he had none before actually getting into the ring itself.
The blinding headache still hasn't left though, and haunted Lucario from time to time, usually also causing him pain in his aura receptors. The sudden boost of adrenaline towards the end of the fight was what must've caused it.
Crimson himself would also come by eventually to chat with Lucario, usually expressing his worries every time he saw the injury he caused. It was strange, how someone who seemed so cruel would also care for the harm he caused.
During their talking sessions, Lucario also found out that to this day, he still regrets banishing Cassian. Maybe he wasn't that bad after all, and just wanted to keep his crown?
But suddenly, his friends stopped visiting him, and if not for the nurse checking up on him from time to time, he'd probably go insane.
When questioned, the Lycanroc explained to him that Cassian was catching up and bonding with his dad, and Zoroark left for home, leaving him alone in the infirmary. He didn't mind it though, seeing as they couldn't just stay by him all the time.
On the sixteenth day, all the bandages, leaves, strings and other things that were obscuring Lucario's left eye were lifted, and he could finally see the damage that was done to him.
Over the eye were three claw marks, running all the way from his forehead, through his eye and ending on his cheek. As expected, he couldn't see a thing.
Lucario looked into the water delivered to him on a shallow and wide stone. He put his paw over the scar and brushed it gently, expecting a bit of a sting and being left surprised when nothing came.
He chuckled silently to himself. "A token to remember to never underestimate anyone." He smiled widely and sighed. "And to never give up, even when all is lost."
Chapter 4: "A new perspective."
"See through the lies, and you'll see beauty."
Lucario was sat up on his bed, getting inspected by the nurse that came to check up on him. Even though he was expecting her, he couldn't help but feel as his heart fluttered every time she came into the room.
"How do Rockruff evolve, Miss?" He asked a question out of the blue. Looking back, he never really found out how Cassian evolved, and thought that maybe she would know.
The Lycanroc was dumbfounded and taken aback by the sudden question, sighing and shaking her head in response. She was currently inspecting his arms, that were all bruised from top to bottom.
"Well, for starters, they have to be a certain age to evolve." He poked his bruised paws and watched his reaction to the pain. "Then, it's just a matter of time of day.
"If it's night, they evolve into the Midnight form- fierce fighters and highly volatile. Although, they treat those who manage to beat them with high respect."
Lucario leaned in closer, making the nurse slightly uncomfortable and causing her to move back by a bit. "Midday form, on the other hand, and much more peaceful and careful, often staying away from fights and trying to avoid them."
She smiled and locker he eyes on Lucario's "That's why your nurse is not a Midnight form."
The Aura Pokemon could feel the heat rising up to his cheeks as the Lycanroc smiled at him, causing a slight blush to appear. He looked away instinctively and smiled too. "R-Right."
He has never felt flustered in front of Zoroark before, so what was so different about her? Was it the attitude? He kept these thoughts to himself and stared intently into a corner, unmoving like in a dream-like trance.
"Any more questions, dear Lucario?"
The blue furred Pokemon snapped out of it and managed to stammer out a response. "Um, yes." Lucario cleared his throat and looked back at the nurse. "Midnight form's fur is red, and Midday form's is brown, right? Then how come Cassian's fur is orange?"
"It's... I-I don't know." The Lycanroc admitted and bowed down politely. "We've never seen anything or anyone like that in our herd. However..."
Lucario's ears perked up and his eye lit up, clearly interested in what she was about to say. This in turn made the nurse look down at her feet and shift them nervously.
"The humans might know something about this. You know, written in their books?"
Lucario opened his mouth to speak but closed it halfway, nodding instead.
"Oh, and one more thing before I go- you're free to go if you want." The Lycanroc brushed her paw against Lucario's scarred eye. "It doesn't look like they'll bleed anytime soon, but in the event that they do, find some way to stop the bleeding."
She giggled and began walking out of the room, her tail swaying behind her from side to side. "Goodbye, Lucario."
There it was again, that feeling that only she was able to invoke in him. But why? Why was this happening to him, and why only when he was speaking to that Lycanroc?
He felt his heart start beating faster and faster, suddenly getting the urge to just chase after her and tell her to not leave. But he resisted. Instead, he buried his face in his knees and exhaled loudly. At least he didn't blurt out anything embarrassing.
The Aura Pokemon got up from the bed and also made his way towards the exit, as the sunlight started to seep through the hole.
After three long days in a dark and slightly damp burrow, the crisp cold air and the blinding light were very refreshing. Of course, just like with seeing at all, seeing in the sun proved itself to be hard after such a long time in a dark environment.
Lucario's aura receptors seemed to like the refreshment too, as he was slowly feeling the power flow back into him like the river back at his home.
The aura waves emanating from a nearby group of Rockruff that were playing tag were growing stronger. Stronger than he could've anticipated.
Before the loss of his eye, Lucario could just make out the thoughts and aura of other Pokemon, being able to also see them from a certain distance away as well as through thin walls and objects.
Now, he could see a faint blue glow around them and see the playful group as the glow when he closed his eye, like the aura is trying to guide him when he cannot see.
The younglings scattered as soon as they noticed him, probably in fear and because of how he looked. True, he didn't look the best, but it still could've been a lot worse.
He turned away from where the Rockruff were playing and scanned the nearby aura, trying to find out if anyone he knows is close by. Sadly, nobody was around, and Lucario was left alone once again.
He opted to get some alone time instead, seeing as he could use it. Even if he was alone and quiet most of the time while in the infirmary, he could use some meditation on fresh air. If not for his body, then for his soul (and for the sake of "coming to terms" with the aura.)
Soon enough, Lucario found a nice and quiet spot, away from everyone else and overlooking the vast ocean, where in the distance you could barely make out what seemed to be Akala Island.
It didn't seem that far, and a quick swim with the help of a water-type Pokemon would probably be enough to get there.
Lucario got closer to the cliff and looked down, where waves crashed against the sharp and pointed rocks from underneath the seafoam. He sat down on the edge, his feet dangling dangerously in the air.
He was certain he wouldn't fall, otherwise he wouldn't have come here and would've found some other spot instead.
And for the first time in a long while, Lucario finally had some time to himself. There was nobody to interrupt him, nothing to do so either and he was left alone with his thoughts and the beautiful view in front of him.
The Aura Pokemon pushed himself away from the edge a bit and sat with his legs crossed and both of his arms on his knees, pushing them down.
He closed his eyes and exhaled, feeling the waves of immense aura wash over him, as the calm ocean breeze sung him to sleep; it felt good, to meditate after constantly being interrupted by responsibilities, adventures and other events.
If only Decidueye was here... a stray tear rolled down Lucario's cheek as he thought about his father figure. How long has it been since he disappeared? Better yet, how long has it been since Lucario last prayed for him?
Too long, that's the answer. But who could blame him? He still had the attention span of a young Riolu, and unless it was something he enjoyed, Lucario would find something else to do.
Another deep breath... In... and out. In... and out. Lucario continued breathing like that to calm himself and to try and clear his mind to at least try to meditate.
But no matter what he did, the image of his black owl dad remained in his head, smiling at the Aura Pokemon from afar. It felt tempting to just run and hug Decidueye, even if only in his consciousness.
These tempting thoughts along with the image of his father lingering in his mind, made it impossible for him to actually focus and meditate. So, as a way to stop thinking about these things, he started reciting various Pokemon entries from one of his older books.
Thankfully, this method actually helped, as Lucario slipped into the meditation zone right after. But only this time, he was actually alone. No mind to think, no voice to cry out.
The soothing sounds of the ocean breeze, as well as the waves crashing against the sharp rocks calmed him down even further, doing wonders for his mind.
The meditation session lasted on for quite some time, with the Aura Pokémon feeling the presence of Lycanroc as well as Rockruff passing by, staring at him curiously and wondering what he was doing.
He paid no mind to them, instead focusing on the white void he was envisioning, completely stripped of all its aspects and left bare naked.
Although, all things must come to an end. By the time Lucario opened his eye back up and stopped his session, the sun was already beginning to hide behind the tree line, and the sunlight started taking on more of an orange colour.
With a content grunt, the Aura Pokemon pushed himself up and sighed, looking out across the ocean and seeing the moon already peeking its tip out from behind Akala Island.
Lucario looked around, as if searching for his friends. A quick aura scan paired with that, revealed that only Cassian was near, and was somewhere in the infirmary's direction.
He smiled and began making his way there, walking slowly and taking in his surroundings. Although, that was just an excuse he made up. In truth, Lucario's legs were feeling stiff from sitting so long, and he would most certainly run to his friend if he could.
The area he decided to walk through was certainly busier than at day, with many Rockruff playing around under the supervision of their parents- Midnight form Lycanrocs. The Midday ones were either asleep by now or were getting ready for sleep.
Fascinating, Lucario thought to himself as he passed through a particularly large group of Rockruff digging in the dirt. It's never truly quiet here, is it? Seeing as the Midday forms come out at day and switch out with Midnight forms for the night, it would be an endless cycle.
The Aura Pokemon was quickly pulled out of his thoughts by a voice calling out for him, one that he knew. He turned his head towards the source of the sound and smiled brightly at the sight of his friend.
"Lucario! You forgot your hat!" Cassian scolded him with the blue fedora in his teeth. He couldn't quite put his paw on it, but he felt a sort of aura he's already seen somewhere before. But where?
The blue furred Pokemon's smiled slightly faded into a smaller one, with a droplet of sweat running down the side of his face. "It's good to see you too, Lycanroc." He chuckled and took the fedora away from his friend.
Cassian sighed heavily and sat in front of Lucario; now that the strangely familiar aura had passed, it was replaced by a calm and collected one. It was rare so see him like that.
Lucario put his hat on with his ears folding back ever so slightly as he did so. He narrowed his eye at Lycanroc and looked into his eyes. "How's the situation with your dad going? I can tell it's probably going well, I just wanted to make sure."
This question sparked a happier aura, as Cassian's eyes lit up along with the happiness now burning like a small cinder in his heart. "Well, we're getting along pretty well. Now that everything has settled down, I'm thinking of actually staying with him."
The response worked for Lucario just like the question did on Lycanroc, with the same happiness now lighting up the Aura Pokemon's heart. "That's great to hear! Oh, another question just came to my mind- are you free by any chance?"
Lycanroc responded by tilting his head and putting on a confused face. "Even if I am, what is it that you want to do?" He asked, slightly hesitant towards the subject.
"Well, I was thinking that maybe we could go into the city and hopefully find out how you evolved into something else than everybody." Lucario answered honestly and cheerfully.
Cassian thought about the proposition, closing his eyes and humming quietly. He really took his time to answer the Aura Pokemon. After what felt like eternity to Lucario, he finally answered. "Sure, why not. It might be fun."
His eye lit up and he smiled widely, overjoyed with Cassian's decision. Lucario nodded and looked out in the direction of where the sun was, the sunbeams hitting him in the eye and illuminating his joyous face.
"I know I say that every time we go somewhere, but..." Lucario readjusted his fedora so it would cover his eye from the sunlight and pointed at the direction he was looking at. "Off we go!"
::::::::::::::::::
It wasn't a particularly long trip to the city, as Crimson's kingdom was fairly close to it; both Cassian and Lucario were able to make it to the city's outskirts before nightfall, with the sun still shining dimly from beyond the treeline.
It gave off an orange glow, with Lycanroc's fur blending in perfectly with the light- maybe his evolution had something to do with evenings and setting suns?
Even if it was just a mere thought, it still interested Lucario. And what if he was right? What if it really had something to do with the dusk? Then again, it was just a thought. They'd find out soon enough... hopefully.
Lucario was swiftly snapped out of his daydreaming with a gentle nudge coming from Lycanroc, trying to catch his attention. "Do you even know where we're going, Lucario? Or are we just wandering around."
The Aura Pokemon closed his eye and put his paw up to his chin, letting out a soft hum while thinking. He was trying to think of any place he saw books in. And then it hit him.
Both literally and figuratively- Lucario had walked into a light pole whilst walking with his eye closed. He rubbed his muzzle, with his friend laughing at the situation in the background.
Although, that made Lucario remember a certain place in the city that might know something about Lycanroc's case.
"Yeah, I think I have a spot." Lucario said and stood up with his friend pushing him from the back, helping him up. "Thanks. Anyways, if we go somewhere..." The Aura Pokemon pointed somewhere south. "...in that direction, we'll get to where we want to be."
"And what about the humans? Are you not afraid they'll notice we're wild and catch us? We don't have Zoroark with us this time, so we'd have to be careful."
"You worry too much Lycanroc. Everything's going to be just fine! Besides, I've got my hat, and you're with me. Humans will probably think we're someone's. Now come on, let's get a move on! It's going to get dark soon."
Lucario said enthusiastically and gave a slight push to his wolf friend, egging him on. With a sigh in response, the wild duo started making their way to the centre of the city, where they would hopefully find something interesting.
Along the way there, Lucario noticed that many buildings that were out in the outskirts of the city were either very similar or just the same, often distinguished by decorations out on the front yard.
Some included small Sunflora statues, others were bushes and small trees cut into a variety of Pokemon, with the most popular being Bonsly, probably due to its easy-to-make shape.
What Lucario hadn't noticed the last time he was here was that each of the houses had buttons near the front door. Taking a closer look using his aura, it was revealed to him that one of the buttons was for ringing a bell and the other one was for turning on the light.
Continuing forward and narrowly missing yet another lamppost, Lucario and Lycanroc made it to the more inner shell of the city, with more humans walking around, yet still not that many to be called 'a lot'.
This part was (as Lucario called it) "very bad", simply because the last time he was here, that strange man jumped out of the alleyway and started advancing on him and his friends.
If it weren't for Zoroark, he probably would have frozen in fear. Lucairo didn't like to admit it, but he was very scared during that time. He may have been acting tough and like he's ready for a fight, but in reality, he was trembling in fear.
Pushing the negative memory aside and focusing on the present, the Aura Pokemon looked around and up at the tall buildings, most of them having balconies on different levels, with some being lower and some- higher.
Like with the houses before, these ones had buttons on them too. Or rather, whole panels of buttons, with all having different numbers, icons etc. Lucario stopped at the sidewalk, looking at one of these panels with much interest.
He creeped closer using his aura vision, conveniently at the same time as a young man, somewhere in his 20s, walked up to the panel and pushed a series of seemingly random numbers.
The man was carrying a large box, and it was clear he was struggling to keep it up. After a moment of silence and a few impatient huffs from the boy, a voice called out from the panel. "Hello? Who is this?"
The voice belonged to an older lady, sounding surprised and confused. "Hello ma'am, this is the Buizel Mail Company, here with a package for Mrs. Flameheart."
"Oh, yes, that would be me dear. Let me open that door for you..." The grandma answered, and a loud buzz was heard not a moment later, with the doors to the building opening and the man disappearing somewhere inside with the package.
As much as Lucario would love to stick around and listen in on what the two humans would do after that, Lycanroc already had noticed his friend's absence and shouted out to him from a distance away.
Caught off guard by that, Lucario snapped his head towards his friend with his ears perking up in a slight scare. He swiftly made his way to Lycanroc, now walking side to side with him.
There were many more buildings and apartments around this area, but what caught the Aura Pokemon's attention was the small park, just right of the sidewalk they were walking on.
There were very few people inside, and those were mostly old humans accompanied by their partner- both human and not. There was an old man with a large beard, sitting on a bench near a pond, with his Stoutland laying just under him, snoring lightly.
Just a few feet away, was a young lady, sitting on yet another bench with her Purugly snuggling up to her and sitting on her lap. She petted the Pokemon gently and enjoyed its purring, calmly soothing her stressed mind.
Lucario was once again snapped out of his daydream by a more forceful push than before coming from Lycanroc, who was now standing right at his feet and looking annoyed. "I know you're curious about everything here, but could we please get a move on? I don't want to stay here longer than I have to."
"Right, I'm sorry." Lucario replied anxiously and began following Lycanroc once more.
As they passed the park, they came to the third and last shell of the city- "the core", as Lucario liked to call it, was a very busy area with a lot of humans and their partners walking around casually.
The last and only time he had been here, Lucario did not have the time to fully appreciate the beauty of this place, seeing as him and his friends were in a rush to find Crimson.
Just like before, there were far less people here than in the earlier times of the day, making it a better time to look around and possibly explore.
Gazing upwards at the skyscrapers and giant buildings, Lucario found that some of the windows on them were lit up, the light seeping through them and down on the streets.
It was quite strange, as most of them were dark and without anyone inside. Maybe the people inside were just working harder and longer today?
Lucario moved his eye to a small shop at the corner of the building, with a bright, neon green sign, flashing the numbers "24/7" over and over again, occasionally being replaced by the word "SALE" rushing over from the side and replacing it.
He saw a man leave with a can in his hands and headphones on his head, oblivious to the duo's presence. When Lucario focused and trailed behind him with his aura vision, he could faintly hear a song playing in them, blasting at his ears.
There were loud drums and a guitar in the song, but only for a moment. After that, the acoustics quieted and the voice of a burly man suddenly made itself apparent, yelling gibberish that Lucario couldn't understand.
Focusing on Lycanroc again, Lucario noticed he was falling behind. Gaining up on his friend, he noticed that the Wolf Pokemon was looking stressed, with eyes focused solely on the road ahead and making quick steps.
Lucario went side to side with Lycanroc, bent down to him and smiled. "What's wrong? You look like you're anxious about something."
Lycanroc looked at Lucario and sighed. "I just don't like being in the city. It feels like we're going to get attacked at any point."
This made Lucario wonder how he would've been afraid of a fight. After all, Lycanroc has made it obvious in the past that he is capable of defending himself and is quite skilled at battling.
Lucario questioned him about this, which prompted yet another sigh from Lycanroc. "Just because I know how to fight, doesn't mean I like to."
The Aura Pokemon felt like he shouldn't question Lycanroc any further and just stick to finding the place he had in mind.
Taking the lead, Lucario took a sharp right into the same street that the duo traversed before with Zoroark and looked around, looking for any clues as to where that place was.
Lucario focused and prodded his own mind in search of any memories associated with it, when a sudden and strong sweet scent made itself apparent.
Lucario pointed in the way of the scent and smiled. "This way!" The two canines rushed off, chasing the sweet smell of breads and pastries.
Upon their arrival, Lucario immediately saddened as he looked at the once open doors, that were now closed with a sign on the inside, reading "Closed".
"Bummer." Lucario exclaimed and sighed, sitting down at the corner of the shop and sinking his face in his knees. "And I really hoped we would've found those books tonight."
Seeing his friend's saddened state, Lycanroc walked over and put his paw on Lucario's shoulder with a small smile, trying to cheer him up. "Hey, don't worry Lucario. Tomorrow's another day."
"Yes, I know, but-" Lucario swiftly got up and pointed at the display of the pastries on the other side of the window. "It's just right there!"
Lycanroc stared into the display bewilderedly. "Are you... sure this is the place? Because from what I see, there's just food here."
Lucario pouted and pointed at the price tags. "There are words here, so that must mean there's also books."
At this, Lycanroc burst out laughing, unable to contain it any longer. He put his paw up to the glass and turned to Lucario, a wide smile on his face. "This, Lucario, is a bakery! These words are the names and the price of the food they sell!"
Lucario's eyes widened, and he leaned in closer, putting his muzzle up to the window. Not wanting to lose this argument, he crossed his arms and looked away, pouting. "Th-That's not the place! I just made a mistake, that's all!"
"Sure, sure, keep telling that to yourself." Lycanroc was only lightly chuckling to himself now, the fit of laughter having passed. He moved closer to Lucario and nudged his leg. "Come on, I think I know a better place with books."
Once Lycanroc was a fair distance ahead of him, Lucario sighed in defeat and followed behind with his head hung low.
Not very long after, Cassian stopped in front of another building, this one a lot smaller and with much smaller windows. There were words written in English above the entrance.
"Library." Lucario read and stared at the small doors. "Is this the place?" He turned his head to Lycanroc.
"Sure is. I don't think they'd mind you going inside." Cassian said with a gleeful smile, nodding at his friend. "And while you stay there and read, I would go back home."
"Oh, um... Alright. I was hoping you'd stay with me, but if you want to go back, then it's fine." Lucario smiled back at Lycanroc. He didn't want to keep his friend here against his will. He'd probably get very bored very fast too.
"Thanks, Lucario." Cassian turned around and began walking in the direction they came from, before looking back at his friend and waving his paw. "See you around!"
As the orange wolf turned the corner and disappeared into the streets, Lucario looked up again at the sign, contemplating whether he really should enter. He didn't know what it was, but it just felt... wrong.
Putting his paw on the knob and twisting it slightly, a loud creak sounded through his ears, coming from the old wood.
Lucario pushed the door open and entered the library, looking around anxiously and preparing himself to turn around and run.
Surprisingly, nothing came. And when that happened, Lucario went further in and closed the door behind him, the floorboards bending and creaking under him.
The Aura Pokemon looked around, and finding himself between two counters- behind the one on his left was a young boy, presumably around sixteen years old, playing some kind of videogame on his mobile phone and not paying attention to anything else.
The one on his right, however, seemed to be some kind of pen for humans to leave their Pokemon inside while inside the library. The only Pokemon inside was a lonely Pachirisu, playing with its own tail and barely keeping its eyes open.
Lucario turned forward again and walked past the young boy, who was too busy with his phone to even look up and acknowledge the blue furred guest.
There was a specific aura about this place, one that brought Lucario a feeling of safety and peace, like this was his safe haven, where nothing bad could ever happen.
The melancholic scent of old wood and books flushed his nostrils clear of the nasty air outside, bringing his mind further to peace.
Surprisingly enough, Lucario was the only one in the library, not counting the Pachirisu and the boy. The silence was deafening, with only the sound of the floorboards bending under his weight and the silent sounds coming from the boy's mobile phone apparent.
Lucario made his way further inside, staring at all the shelves, filled to the brim with books and information. These shelves had spaces in between to make it easier to walk around and get the book that you wanted.
Above, hanging from the ceiling, were small wooden boards with words written on them, all differing from the other. For example, one said "Fiction", while another one said "Adventure".
From just that, the Aura Pokemon deduced that these must be the different genres of the books here, so that it's all not all messy and organised instead.
Lucario walked past alley after alley, searching for the one that said "Pokemon". Until eventually, he found what he was looking for.
There weren't that many books here, with only about ten compared to the multitude in all the other alleys. And even though, Lucario still felt that it wouldn't pose a problem.
Finding the book that he wanted wasn't hard either- it was finding Lycanroc's entry in that book that proved itself to be a challenge. And while searching for that, he found his own entry!
"Number 0448- Lucario." He muttered silently under his breath, trying not to disturb the silence in the library. The first quarter of his page was about the appearance and how a Lucario looked. It was the rest that caught his interest.
"Thanks to the appendages on the back of Lucario's head, it is able to detect and study aura, making it very easy for one to read another life form like a book.
"There have been many reports of Lucario being able to communicate with humans through telepathy, rendering it the second Pokemon to be able to do that, the first one being Zoroark.
"Aura also helps Lucario understand how others are feeling from up to one kilometre away. That being said, a Lucario would need a very strict training regimen to actually be capable of doing so.
"While being able to read aura is cool on its own, Lucario can also turn it into an offensive ability, being able to form explosive spheres of energy, consisted purely of aura.
"Lucario often stay far away from humanity, seeking refuge deep in mountains, where they continue to improve and hone their skills to the best of their abilities ...Or until they cannot train anymore.
"While Lucario is the final evolutionary stage of Riolu, there is another form that a Lucario can take, as proved by Professor Sycamore from the Kalos region, in his book about mega evolution."
At that point, Lucario had stopped reading and looked up from the book, afraid that someone might have caught him disturbing the peaceful quietude of the library. Thankfully, there was nobody there who seemed to mind.
Lucario closed the heavy book and laid it down on the floor by the shelf he took it from. The Aura Pokemon stood up from the ground and got closer to the adjacent shelf, searching for the book mentioned.
And just when he thought that it wasn't here, he found it in all its glory- "Mega Evolution and what we know about it", written by Professor Sycamore.
Lucario sat back down in his spot and flipped the book open, not caring for anything other than learning what that whole "mega evolution" was and finding his own entry there.
Stopping at page fifteen, Lucario narrowed his eyes and began reading under his breath once again.
"In certain Pokemon, there lies a special kind of energy, one that has never been seen before. That energy cannot be awakened simply by wanting it to. Scattered around the world, hidden in the sand and dirt and rock, there are special stones that work only on the Pokemon they're for, releasing the energy and making the Pokemon able to mega evolve.
"And that's not all; a special kind of stone must also be present on the trainer for the evolution to take place. I call it the "keystone", simply because it acts as a key to letting all that mega energy out.
"It does not matter where that stone is located, because as far as a trainer has one, even in their backpack, it will still act all the same.
"Now on to mega evolution itself- what is it? Well, to be fair, there is still a lot to be learned about it; one thing is sure though- mega evolution is (as the name implies) is an additional evolutionary stage for certain Pokemon, that can be achieved when the trainer has a very strong bond with their Pokemon.
"But a strong bond is not all that is needed- the Pokemon has to be holding its respective mega stone with the trainer being in possession of a keystone. It is still unclear what has to be done by the trainer for mega evolution to occur, with all instances varying.
"Another unclear thing that is yet to be discovered, is if wild Pokemon can mega evolve on their own, without the assistance of a trainer. But even if it is possible, a high level of intelligence would have to be present on the Pokemon for it to successfully realise what has to be done."
Lucario read on in awe, not minding the Pachirisu that seemed to visit him in his moment of carelessness. He was just too curious and too indulged in the lecture to care.
Lucario began flipping the pages of the book again, searching for the one that was about him.
Finally getting to it, Lucario cleared his throat and began reading again.
"Another Pokemon that is capable of mega evolving is Lucario. As it changes form, the cream fur on its chest becomes longer and covers its tail entirely, forming a sort of cape made out of fur.
"Lucario's paws, feet and tips of its aura-sensing appendages turn crimson, with its thighs also slimming down. In addition, there are now several more spikes on Lucario's body- two on each foot and paw and one on each shoulder pad.
"The sudden surge of mega energy seemed to also spike Lucario's aura up, making it form black markings throughout its body and lengthening the aura-sensing appendages for better manipulation of said aura.
"People that have witnessed Mega Lucario in battle, say that their fighting style is purely heartless, possibly due to the mega energy it has been bathed in with the addition of its heightened aura.
"As said previously, the fighting style of a Mega Lucario is heartless, awakening the combative instincts hidden deep within a Lucario and causing it to become merciless towards any of its opponents.
"Lucario was the first ever mega evolution to have been discovered, and the first one to be achieved with its mega stone, which is golden in colour, with the spiral that all mega stones possess being red and blue."
Ending at that, Lucario closed the book and sighed in wonder, unable to stop thinking whether he would achieve his mega evolution in the future.
Lucario stood up from the ground and put the book back in its place, looking around and spotting the curious Pachirisu asleep in the corner of the room. He moves his eyes back to the place he was sitting in and finding the book he was supposed to read.
With a sigh, the Aura Pokemon sat back down and searched for Lycanroc's entry in the book, intending on finally ending what he had started.
"Number 0745- Lycanroc." The page layout was the same as in Lucario's entry, with the first quarter of it being about the appearance of a Lycanroc and the rest having all the important information.
"Lycanroc has three forms, all of which are determined by the time at which a Rockruff was evolved, with the Midday form evolving at day, Midnight at night, and the Dusk form at sunset."
That was all Lucario needed, although he felt compelled to read the rest of it, curious about what is written about his friend. And so, the Aura Pokemon read on.
"The Dusk form is arguably the rarest of all three, due to evolving at such a specific time. Because of that, not many Dusk forms roam the wilds, and those that do are often found alone.
"It shares the traits of both Midday and Midnight forms. It takes the quadrupedal stance, calm demeanour and loyal nature from the Midday form, and mixes it with the Midnight form's fighting spirit, making it a fierce battler.
"The Dusk form also mixes the strategy of its two other forms, driving its opponents into a corner and relentlessly attacking.
"Due to its temperamental nature, Dusk form Lycanroc has proved to be the most troublesome of its three forms, as well as a rather difficult one to train."
Well, that sure was something. Lucario thought to himself as he closed the book and put it back on the shelf behind him, now turning his attention to the Pachirisu sleeping in the corner.
He reached his paw out to it with a smile on his face and stroked the fluffy tail that was neatly wrapped around in, forming a sort of cozy blanket.
To his surprise, the squirrel did not run away or wake up, instead subtly leaning into the touch with a small smile of its own forming on its face.
There's no point in sticking around if there's nothing more for me to learn about. I should go. Ending at these thoughts, Lucario took his paw off of Pachirisu and stood up with a quiet groan. His legs were feeling stiff again.
As the Aura Pokemon left the area in between the shelves, the boy at the front desk finally took notice of him and stared at him in awe. Whether it was due to Lucario's scar, or because of the fact that he was simply there, was left for Lucario to ponder about.
He calmly walked past the human, waving goodbye at him and getting a wave in return. Just when Lucario put his paw on the knob though, he felt the urge to test out if it really is possible for him to speak with humans.
The scarred Pokemon turned around and faced the boy, who was now staring at him in even more confusion. Lucario closed his eye and focused, pouring his aura into the sheer will of actually telepathically sending a message to a human.
It was Lucario's turn to be surprised, as the hypothesis turned out to be true! Although, it did bear some side effects- for starters, the boy did not understand a single thing Lucario was saying. He must've spoken in the wrong language, it seems.
The other side effect of speaking through telepathy, is that it's incredibly exhausting. Lucario huffed wearily after talking, wondering how on earth did he do this every day as a Riolu.
That was yet another thing for Lucario to think about later, with the keyword being 'later'. And taking a look at the boy's aura, Lucario was sure that he was just itching to yell at him and chase him out.
In an attempt of not making the awkward situation any worse, the Aura Pokemon promptly placed his paw back on the knob and opened the door to the outside world, taking a whiff of the not so fresh air of the city.
Even if it wasn't entirely fresh, it was still better than the sleepy air inside the library. The door closed behind him with a loud thud as he let go of it, and a loud squeal could be heard right after that happened, probably coming from the sleeping Pachirisu.
Lucario looked up, staring at the starry night sky, as the effulgent lamps illuminated the streets around him.
It was quiet, as expected. Everyone was asleep by now; everyone but Lucario and the boy inside the library. The quietude was suddenly broken, as the sounds of footsteps got increasingly louder, and louder, until stopping entirely.
Lucario turned to the source of the sound, and found himself staring at a smartly dressed woman, with round glasses on her nose and a long ponytail behind her back, reaching as far as her thighs.
She was wearing high heel shoes; no wonder her footsteps were so loud. She stared back at the blue furred Pokemon and narrowed her eyes, moving her chin slightly upwards and looking down on Lucario.
He could feel her gaze drilling holes in his body, taking him apart and inspecting every little bit of his body. Move. That was the first thing that came to Lucario's mind.
But he couldn't. It felt like he was drilled into the ground, unable to move in the slightest. Move, dammit! The Aura Pokemon screamed at himself in his mind.
Something's wrong. This encounter is pure luck, and yet it feels like she had strategically made this whole thing possible. An ambush? No, too fictional.
Then what was it? What feels so wrong about this whole thing?! Is it the woman herself? But what's so strange about a distinguished woman taking a walk at night?
So many questions and so little time. The sound of the woman's heels stomping against the ground returned, snapping Lucario out of it. He looked up and saw her approaching with a smile.
Everything in his body was telling him to turn and run, but he couldn't. His heart pounded in his chest, his breath got short, and his vision turned blurry, with the woman in front of him leaving a trail behind her as she walked.
Two seconds.
That's plenty of time to run, right? Then run, you useless piece of meat! Lucario yelled at himself in his mind, not able to think straight anymore. There really was something wrong. Something so terribly wrong.
One second.
Too late to turn back now. Even if Lucario started to run now, she'd just chase after him. And given his current condition and how close she is, there would be very slim chance of him getting away.
This is not a chance encounter, this really was rehearsed and thought out before!
Zero.
The woman placed her pale, cold hand on Lucario's shoulder, smiling gently and innocently at him. "Hey there big guy. Are you lost?"
RUN! Finally regaining control of his legs, the Aura Pokemon swiftly turned around and began running in the opposite direction. She wasn't inspecting him or his body just because of how he looks, she was thinking of the best way to approach him!
Lucario grabbed on to a pipe on the corner of a building and made a sharp ninety-degree turn into an alley, something that the woman was definitely not expecting, given by her loud grunt of annoyance and the sound of her running, now sounding all throughout the alleyway.
"Duck down." The voice in Lucario's head called out to him, just in time to warn him about the orb that was flying to him at high speeds. Upon impact with the wall in front of him, the ball dispersed into a net and stuck itself to the wall.
The blue furred escapee shuddered and looked behind himself, catching a glimpse of the woman loading another one of the same orbs into some sort of portable launcher.
"Come back! I don't want to hurt you!" She yelled out to him as he turned another corner and ran even further forwards, into the maze that was the city.
Lucario has never felt true fear before. It felt like a nightmare! Or maybe it was a nightmare? Gah! Less thinking, more running! He thought to himself and continued his sprint through the alleys.
The woman has turned out to be quite a skilled runner, even in high heels. Throughout all this time, she has been keeping up with Lucario, only a mere distance away.
He couldn't get away by simply running forward, he had to think of something. "Sidestep to the left." Lucario obeyed the voice and rolled to the left, where a wall stopped him.
Yet another orb whizzed past him, spreading into the same net as before. Lucario looked back in terror at the woman, who was now catching up with him.
The Aura Pokemon scrambled back up to his feet and resumed his run. "We started on the wrong note- I'm Andro! I just want to take a look at your scar!"
"There's no fooling me, human! Keep your distance and stop chasing me!" Lucario had finally sent a telepathic message to her, one that he was preparing for the whole chase, making sure he would say it in the right language.
As expected, it drained his energy and tired him. However, that lack of energy was soon replaced by adrenaline as his senses returned to his current setting.
Lucario rushed out into the open streets, barely missing a lamppost. He turned left and ran as fast as he could forward, in hopes of getting a little in front of her.
Thanks to this, when the woman emerged from the same alley in the middle of the sidewalk, Lucario was already nearing the end of it.
She gave chase again, readying another one of her nets. The Aura Pokemon ran through the road to the sidewalk on the other side, a plan already forming in his head.
When there, Lucario turned left and into another alleyway, with yet another net missing him.
As soon as the woman turned to walk into the same alleyway as him, she was met with Lucario's paw right in her face, a blue ball of energy forming in the very centre of it. It was him who had the upper hand now.
"Drop it." Lucario said and motioned at the launcher she was holding. He was scared beyond death, but he mustn't let that show, lest she take advantage and capture him.
"Alright, just calm down. There's no need to harm anyone." She threw the launcher to her side, putting her hands up.
"What is it that you want from me?"
"I just found your scar interesting and wanted to take a closer look."
"Liar. I can tell whether someone is lying. Tell me the truth." Lucario started moving to her side, keeping his paw close to her face.
The Aura Pokemon circled her and got behind her, pushing her back into the alley and ensuring that even if he dropped his guard, she wouldn't reach out to the launcher and catch him in a net.
The woman scoffed and looked to the side, murmuring something to herself under her breath. "...I may be lying about only trying to get a closer look, but I wasn't lying about finding you interesting.
"You see, in my line of work, when you see something interesting, it's sure to be worth a small fortune. And I will get that fortune, no matter the cost, no matter the things that I'd have to do!"
This was the truth that Lucario wanted to hear, and it was sure to be real this time. He did not detect any changes in her aura throughout her whole speech that would indicate that she was lying.
Lucario glanced down at the launcher beneath his feet and stomped on it, shattering it into multiple little pieces. He turned his gaze back to Andro and huffed.
"Go." He said simply and lowered his paw with the aura sphere slowly dissipating.
The woman looked around, then at her broken gadget, and back to Lucario. "Just like that? You're not-"
"I said go before I change my mind." He cut her off and moved his chin higher, looking down at her with a menacing glare in his eye. "I don't know who you are or what your true intentions are. I only know they're not well. I wouldn't want to hurt you without any proof of you actually doing some shady business."
Andro leaned down and reached out for her gadget under Lucario's feet, only to be stopped by a low growl. She smiled nervously and got up, slowly walking backwards, away from the whole situation.
As soon as she disappeared into the streets, Lucario felt a sharp pain in his head, rising up and not letting go.
The Aura Pokemon leaned against the wall, keeping himself up and breathing heavily. What is this? Have I overdone it? He asked himself, slowly sinking down until eventually dropping to his knees.
Lucario could feel his consciousness slipping away from him. His vision turned blurry again, and the darkness that was only around the outsides, slowly made its way to the centre, until the blue furred Pokemon finally let go and collapsed on the ground in the alleyway, alone.
...Or at least he thought he was alone.
::::::::::::::::::::
What felt like only a few seconds to Lucario, was a couple of hours in reality, and soon after passing out he was awake once again.
His eye jolted open and he rose up from the bed, one that he did not recognise. Lucario breathed anxiously, checking his surroundings and looking around for anything or anyone that he might know.
The room he found himself in was neatly decorated and kept tidy. The bed he was in was at the far-right corner of the room when stepping through the doors.
On his right was a cupboard with colourful and beautiful flowers, all of them kept in a see-through vase with a bit of fresh, clean water at the bottom.
Further to his right was another bed, with the same flowers and vase on the same kind of cupboard. Lucario looked down at his feet, and noticed a wardrobe in the corner, hiding behind the open doors.
In these open doors, stood someone. Someone he was very familiar with. "You're very lucky to have me around, don't you Lucario?" Lycanroc said with a big grin on his face.
"Cassian? I thought you went back home?" Lucario expressed his surprise and tossed the sheets he was under to the side, sitting upright on the bed.
The Wolf Pokemon scoffed and stifled a laugh. "Did you really think I would let you walk around the city alone? At night?"
"I'm not a child, you know." Lucario retaliated and chuckled under his breath. He looked around his surroundings once more. "Where are we?"
Cassian sat down on his haunches and observed the Aura Pokemon's moves carefully. "A friend of mine was willing to take you in. I'm surprised she agreed to do so, it's actually quite the opposite most of the time."
Lucario stood up from the bed and stretched out his legs. The sharp pain in his head had disappeared, and only remnants of it were flying about with a small sting from time to time.
He walked past Cassian, giving him a gentle pet. "I'll pay you back someday, I promise."
"Don't bother. You'll probably forget it later." Lycanroc laughed and turned around, facing the same way as Lucario, with that being the door. "Oh, and one more thing before you leave the room."
The blue furred Pokemon turned his head towards Cassian and titled his head.
"That friend is a Pokemon, but... she lives with a trainer. But don't worry, he won't try to catch you or anything! He's a good man who doesn't capitalise on the misfortune of others or anything like that."
A short pause ensued, followed by the sound of Lycanroc clearing his throat. "But I think you'll like him. You two are quite alike." He chuckled and walked past Lucario and out the door.
As the Aura Pokemon followed, he found himself surrounded by baby Pokemon of all species- Elekid, Magby, Pichu, Togepi, everyone was here. And towering over all of them, was a Lopunny, looking down at the unexpected visitor.
"You're awake? Good. That means you can be on your merry way." She said firmly, addressing Lucario. "As for you, Lycanroc..." She narrowed her eyes and glared at Cassian. "...I'll think of a way to use that favour you now owe me."
Lucario was about to respond, but the baby Pokemon began climbing up his leg. "You're so big, mister!" An Elekid said cheerfully, clinging onto his leg. "Why do you not have big ears like Miss Ziel, mister?" A curious Togepi asked.
Lopunny only sighed and shooed the kids away from Lucario, making a much more fitting scenario to talk. She stared into Lucario's eye, very wary of his actions. She narrowed her eyes and got closer to him.
"How did you lose your eye again? It's not every day that I see a Lucario with one eye."
"It's a uh... a long story." Lucario shifted his feet nervously, trying to avoid eye contact with Lopunny. "I assume your name is Ziel?" He asked and looked back up, only to be met with her nose right in front of his face.
"You got that right, stranger. Do people just call you Lucario, or do you actually have a name and just refuse to tell anyone."
"I don't have a name, no." He backed away with a nervous smile.
Their conversation was brought to an abrupt end, when an old man with a big, bushy, silver beard walked into the room. Just like Lucario, the man had only one eye; the difference between them was that he only had his left eye, where Lucario had his right.
"What's all this commotion about, Ziel. Didn't I tell you to watch over the younglings?" The old man crossed his arms and glared expectantly at Lopunny, who could do nothing except listen to him and go back to the baby Pokemon.
After a moment of silence, the man let out a large sigh and scanned Lucario. "Well, well, well, looks like our guest has woken up! How are you feeling, my friend?" He said and reached his hand out towards Lucario.
Lucario promptly took hold of the man's hand and shook it, smiling gently. Using the leftover energy he had, he tried using telepathy again to try and communicate. "Thank you for aiding me, mister. I'll make sure to be out of here in no time."
Surprisingly, the technique did not drain his energy, nor did it exhaust him. It once again felt like he was a Riolu all over again, using telepathy to communicate.
The old man raised his eyebrows and smiled at Lucario. "Not only polite but can also speak! You really are the rarest of them all, aren't you?" He laughed and held his stomach. "I've seen my fair share of Lucario, and yet none of them were so well mannered as you!"
"I am flattered, I really am." Lucario replied and bowed down softly. "But I am simply showing my gratitude, that's all." He said with a smile and looked up at the human. "Do you have a name, sir?"
"Call me Caleb, friend. I was a sailor back in the day, but after seeing that the ocean can do to a man…" He looked out the window at his long forgotten boat and sighed. "I abandoned it and became a daycare man! And so, I live here alone with Ziel, and we raise the little guys to the best of our abilities."
Lucario smiled and chuckled. It was nice to see someone so old, someone who has experienced so much hardship in his life be happy. It brought warmth and hope to his heart, filling him with a sense of peace.
"I see you too have lost an eye, sir. Is it okay if I ask for the story behind it?" The Aura Pokémon asked cautiously, awaiting Caleb's response. To his surprise, the old man did not waste any time on thinking.
"Why, of course! Come, let's take this outside, where the morning air will revitalise you."
Caleb put his arm around Lucario's shoulder and laughed, dragging him outside through the back door. And like that, Cassian and Ziel were left alone inside, with only the babies present.
"…How's life?" Lycanroc started, sitting back on his haunches and looking up at Lopunny expectantly. He wasn't a fan of the tension that was rising between them.
"It could've been better. Maybe if you didn't leave, it would be better." Ziel responded, tending to a small Pichu and brushing its fur. She sighed and looked back down to Lycanroc. "I miss the old times, Cass."
Cassian let out a small sigh of his own and got closer to Lopunny, wrapping his tail around her leg and looking down at a sleeping Budew. "Yeah... I do too."
"Do you think we could-"
"No." Lycanroc cut Ziel off and cleared his throat. "I don't think it's a good idea." He said firmly and left the conversation at that, with both of them remaining silent, either thinking of what to say or just refusing to talk.
The sun shined brightly through the windowsills, leaving a trace of sunlight separating the two Pokemon, like a barrier of sort. A barrier that shall never be broken or lifted. A barrier that will remain that way, still and unmoving for days, months, years...
...Until somebody finds the key, in the deepest parts of the ocean. A key to lift that gate, to reunite the people on either side.
Back outside, Lucario was happily chatting with Caleb about the stories that the latter experienced while out at sea. Of course, the Aura Pokemon also threw in some stories he had experienced; and although there weren't that many, the old man still appreciated them and laughed whole heartily as his new friend continued to ramble.
There was a pleasant aura out and about in the air, not only outside but also inside. Maybe Cassian and Ziel were secretly hoping to one day reunite and just didn't tell the other.
In their souls, there was a glimmer of hope, shining so brightly it could blind those who saw it. They resonated with each other, shining the same bright purple light as their counterpart.
Lopunny lowered herself down on the ground, sitting beside Lycanroc and smiling gently. "Maybe in another universe, huh?"
Cassian smiled back and stared out the window at Lucario and Caleb laughing together. "Maybe."
The shared moment of happiness came to an abrupt stop almost as quickly as it came, as the Aura Pokemon's and the old man's laughter filled the house. They entered back through the same door as they left, holding each other's shoulder and cutting themselves off.
"I think I'll be leaving with Lucario, if you don't mind." Cassian said and stretched his forepaws out, yawning slightly. He shook the bits of dust and dirt off his fur and bowed down to Lopunny ever so slightly. "It's a goodbye. For now, at least."
"But you'll come visit us more often, right?" Ziel said and also stood up, putting her paw on her hip and staring at Lycanroc with a smirk. "Riiiight?"
The Wolf Pokemon laughed softly and nodded. "When I have nothing else to do, then sure. I'll make sure to drop by and say hi from time to time."
Ziel nodded and pointed at him. "I hold you to that, Cass." She laughed and looked at all the baby Pokemon, scattering and fighting over the same toy. "In all seriousness, do come visit. It gets lonely up here with just the babies and the old man."
"Alright, I promise."
At that moment, Lycanroc found himself on the recieving end of a playful punch coming from Lucario, sending him stumbling forward. "It's just like you said Cassian! Caleb really is like me!" He said and laughed.
"Okay Lucario, come on. I think it's time for us to go." Lycanroc returned to his footing and beckoned the Aura Pokemon over.
"Aye!" He replied and happily walked towards the front door, making sure not to step on any of the baby Pokemon playing under him.
"Ciao, Cass. And I hope I don't see your blue coat anywhere near here, Lucario!" Ziel called out as the duo walked out the door, leaving only her and Caleb inside the house. She sighed and looked back at her trainer, who was now eyeing her warily. She tilted her head, looking back at him in confusion.
"Oh, nothing. Just thinking about what to do later. How about a cup of tea, Ziel?"
Lopunny nodded and smiled at him, heading into the kitchen in the back, where a quiet clatter of pots and pans could be heard, and the sound of the boiling water once again made the house as lively as before.
"Today was a very strange day, to say the least. The last month or so when I wasn't writing, I was recovering from my injuries at Crimson's kingdom in an infirmary. During our battle, he gave me a nasty scar; at least I look cool now!
"It was supposed to be an ordinary day, just like all the others- walk somewhere, explore, find something out, and return. The first three went smoothly- I went to the city with Cassian, where he showed me where the library is (aka. "The place with books").
"As we went there, I explored my surroundings and found many things interesting, such as the things that are called 'doorbells'- they are at almost every house and apartment and resemble a button on the exterior. However, when clicked, they let out a noise and notify people that someone has clicked it. That noise is usually a bell, and the button is situated near the door, hence the name.
"Once at the library, I found out how Cassian actually turned out to be the way he is. It's because he evolved at a special and different time to all the other Lycanrocs- between day and night, at a time called dusk.
"I also found something interesting- mega evolution. A process that is supposed to release the built-up mega energy inside certain Pokemon, transforming them into their mega forms. I am one of the Pokemon that can do that!
"When I was about to go back though, a woman named Andro chased after me and nearly captured me! I thankfully avoided her and found that she captures Pokemon for a living, selling them for huge profit.
"I scared her off and blacked out, when Cassian supposedly found me in an alleyway and dragged me all the way to a friend of his- an old male human named Caleb and a female Lopunny named Ziel.
"While Ziel doesn't like me very much, I could detect faint signs of affection towards Cassian radiating from her. I wonder why?
"Hey, Lucario. Snap out of it, we're here."
The Aura Pokemon shook his head and returned to reality, finding himself back at the base of his treehouse. "Oh, already?" He must've got lost in his thoughts of what to write when he gets back.
"What do you mean already? It was noon when we started to walk back and now it's night!" Cassian snapped back at him and pouted.
"You know, you could've just left me alone and I would've walked back by myself." Lucario replied with a gentle smirk on his muzzle.
"Yeah, right, woulda coulda shoulda. You'd just find a way to get in trouble again."
The Aura Pokemon laughed and jumped up to the ladder leading into his treehouse, taking it off the branch it was hanging by. "Maybe you're right. Or maybe you're wrong. I guess we'll never know."
Cassian chuckled in response and turned back, beginning to walk back to his own home. "Goodnight Lucario. I'm heading out."
"Aye! Safe travels!" Lucario waved Lycanroc goodbye and sighed, climbing up into the dusty treehouse.
It's been a month since the last time he's been here, and everything's covered in dust and dirt. Lucario looked around and spotted his journal and pen, sitting right by the bookshelf.
He picked them up and blew some of the dust away from the book, coughing violently as it flew into his nostrils.
After the fit of coughing had passed, he sat down on the edge of his bed and began to write down everything he had been thinking about before.
"Cassian walked me back home and we didn't encounter anything interesting on our way back. I'll have to clean the treehouse eventually.
"Every day I miss you even more dad. I wish you were here with me and could experience all the fun with me too."
Ending on that, the Aura Pokemon wiped away a tear forming at the corner of his eye and laid the journal by his bed, setting the pen on top of it and readying himself to go to bed.
Lucario laid down on the soft hay. Maybe it wasn't as soft as the mattress back at Caleb's daycare, but it reminded him of his childhood and of Decidueye.
He closed his eye and took a deep breath, letting his consciousness slip into the state of dream and feeling all the weariness from the last two days starting to dissipate.
That was until an unexpected visitor knocked on the base of the tree.
Lucario opened his eye back up and sighed, standing upright and walking to the entrance. He looked down, and saw a distressed Zoroark, tapping the ground impatiently with her foot.
"You remember that favour you owe me, mutt? I figured now would be a good time to pay it back."
TO BE CONTINUED...
Next time, on "Blue Tears":
"See you in hell." She said, just as the stampede crushed her beneath.
"I won't be seeing you soon, but I'll make sure to send you letters." He replied and jumped down on the back of a rushing Tauros.
Well, this sure was something. Yet another long chapter, longer than the last one! I wonder if I can keep the streak going and make the next one even longer? I'll find out after I make it.
Next chapter will focus solely on Zoroark and Lucario finding out the horrible truth about Andro, or at least that's the premise. We'll see how it ends up.
That's all for this chapter, folks! Stay tuned and remember to spread the positive vibes!