Chapter 53

Epilogue 3

"Purpose"

I must answer the call

"Somebody's in trouble," Bernard commented as he stopped to watch me trot down the front steps of the welcome center, eyes fixed and paws steady towards the forest.

"Think Johnny fell down another well or something?" his fellow park trooper chuckled.

"Nah, he's still at school," Bernard replied, far too seriously for the joke it was supposed to be. "If it was that dire, Mother would've disappeared at the tree line."

I would have liked to claim such feats under my own power, but the supernatural gates I traveled in the company of Doom Seers and nine tailed foxes were easier to navigate now more than ever. The mountains were far too willing to whisk me away wherever I needed to go, especially if I agreed to their never ending list of demands, complaints, and requests. They did play tricks on occasion, having me appear in the most unexpected of places without warning. Other times, a ringing in the wood alerted me of mysterious happenings, and although I remained in the same place, my surroundings changed color and shape.

The mountains moved me through time as much as space. Mostly for missions, but the range also had secret places that could only be accessed through these special gates. The altars of sun and moon being my most frequent, but there was a place of power far stronger than these. It summoned me now with a pleasant chime and ripple of the canopy that was far too subtle for the humans to notice. It was a gentle, polite, and courteous summons, but if I did not answer of my own accord, the mountains might forcibly summon me at an awkward moment, so there was no point trying to run away or hide. I had long since accepted my responsibilities as Mother of the Mountains and the mountains learned that a respectful call for assistance was far more effective than a rude one, especially for matters of great importance.

I trotted off into the woods and out of sight, leaving the troopers with a grin before they went inside the welcome center. A little ways into the woods, a crown of shadows and embers slipped into step beside me. They belonged to a Doom Seer named Lopo who had uniquely curled horns. He was not of the wild and knew not of the Nightingale or its purpose, but because he cared deeply for these mountains, he understood many of their workings.

"Mother, the rest of the council has already gathered," Lopo informed which meant the other members were nervous and agitated and wanted to settle matters quickly.

It was going to be a long day.

"Keep watch over My Boy," I instructed because, like the troopers already surmised, My Boy had a knack for getting in trouble, and if I was to be gone for some time, he needed someone to watch over him.

The two were close and I could trust few others with the task. Lopo nodded and slowed to a stop, falling behind. He was the only Doom Seer I knew to speak so little words which made me uneasy at times. Then again, he had family that more than made up for the difference. Rolo, an arcanine by human standards and Lopo's hunting pair, bounded up beside me with much noise and excitement. He was far too big and tall for such forests, yet he never seemed to have any trouble getting through them. I was sure the mountains favored him. And for good reason. He brought the light and warmth of the grasslands in summer to these chilly rocks during the colder seasons in nature and personality.

"Mother, are you headed to council?" he asked, because an after effect of being in a strange pack with humans allowed us creatures to break the barriers of communication. Probably as a means of balance since we were no longer connected to the wild.

"Let me take you there!"

For some reason, Rolo loved to escort me whenever I traveled. I did not mind, even if he was loud and simple and clumsy because he reminded me of the pups. His personality also helped me prepare for the commotion likely to come with council. We passed through a gate, and although our surroundings did not abruptly shift, the Spirit did. We came upon a large wall of boulders. Rolo might be able to scale them with a running start, but my shorter legs could not, so I took a few steps to the side, signaling my intent to join the council, and somehow found a space around the corner of a boulder big enough to pass through comfortably. More space manipulation was occurring which meant Rolo was not meant to attend council. It was an exclusive and private affair. One of great importance. I sighed. Watching over My Boy would be less of a headache.

"I'll be back to pick you up!" Rolo happily called, wagging his large banner of a tail, suddenly farther away than before.

It signaled an unending loop that would always bring me to the face of these rocks should I change my mind and try to run away. Such polite aggression. At least I knew Rolo would be there to save me when it was all over. His promise reassured me that council would not last as long as my dread. I would survive. As I always did.

"March along pup," I told him, trying not to smile back.

Rolo barked, shaking my ear drums, and ran off to find the next soul in need of company. I watched him leave, waiting for his echo to settle so I could collect myself. I would have preferred to stay in my plush pokemon bed at the welcome center. Bernard would have given me some snacks as he always did when returning from patrol. Then, I would have napped until the afternoon when My Boy came by to play and work and brush my mane. We'd share more snacks before it was time to nap again. But none of those things were possible if the mountain was unsettled.

It was better to prepare for such things at the start than to deal with them later, so I walked through the gap into that place of power perfectly balanced between the altars of sun and moon. It was a clearing on a flat piece of land with ancient structures more elaborate than the two altars, but not as large as the river temples. Rows of columns led up to a raised altar with stone archways and gateways and artwork carefully carved and etched with runes and stories. More time manipulation had occurred because the architecture was glittering, stable, and very much fresh. The mountains wanted to look their best. Probably because of the company.

I learned of many new creatures since coming to the mountain. Many of which, I had no name for, so I used those bestowed upon them by the humans instead. My Boy read to me about them from his many books. Two birds of legend, one fire, the other ice, Moltres and Articuno respectively, were perched on top of two opposing columns. There was a third bird of legend, but from what I knew of him, he was a darkened creature and did not associate with matters of others. Because of this, his counterparts had to stick together as they squawked and argued with the land bound creatures below that outnumbered them. One of them was Sebastian, an aggron or Iron Lizard as I knew them. He belonged to the humans and had no problem growling and clapping his metal jaws at the birds above.

The three great dogs, Entei, Raikou, and Suicune tried to mediate the argument until an insult offended them into taking sides. Given the whole party was all bark and no bite, I kept my distance and trotted through the clearing. Suicune looked up at my passing and went to nod, but a body bump from one of the others quickly demanded his attention again. In the air above, the sibling duo Latias and Latios flew by, further proving the wild's fondness for balance. They raced around the clearing, giggling and playing with the little creature called Celebi who was just as agile in the air as her friends were. Their game of chase stirred several annoyed calls and barks and grunts all across the clearing. Their playmate, Mew, joined the game and used its ability to go invisible to heighten the stakes.

The aging Fire Lizard napping on the stones on the far side of the clearing blasted a stream of fire into the air at their antics. Prehistoric in size and form, he understood almost all languages, even those of humans. He slept more often than he was awake, but his fire was nothing but volcanic when stirred. He caught my side eye and settled back down with a smoky grumble. Mew floated down and circled my head before rubbing into my mane like a lounge chair. I stopped, and by then, I could no longer go unnoticed. The worst of them all appeared next.

"The first called." "Yet the last to appear," the foxes of sun and moon started up as they each came to a side, trapping me in between. "You should have called for us." "We would have announced you."

Which was precisely why I didn't.

"Missed you," "We have."

They pushed closer, fanning their tails over me to chase Mew out of my shadow. The little creature flew off, leaving me to defend myself. Luckily, a creature of the dark after my own heart came up to rescue me. Lily, the absol. The foxes wrinkled their noses and stopped.

"Harbinger of Calamity," "What disaster befalls us now?" they rudely greeted.

They hated creatures of such nature. Darkness without elegance was nothing but the embodiment of despair. Living lament.

The ancient fools.

I hurried forward out of the foxes' reach, aware of the disaster I just escaped.

"I wish to speak with Mother privately," Lily said as cool and as slick as her purple horn.

The foxes turned away with matching huffs. Any matter that drew an omen down from the cold windy shadows of the mountain peaks was neither fun nor amusing and thus, not of interest. Lily ensured their disgust and our privacy with a few more moments pause before catching up to me. Two shadows made for a quiet refuge in this land of light. One of which was quick and sharp and ever watchful of the world around her. My confidant in this battlefield of egos.

"Sebastian wishes to claim the range under his watch," Lily quickly informed, knowing I never had much time to prepare, "but he is not legendary nor a High Spirit."

So many disagreed.

"He wishes to become a Guardian of Legend like the others."

I sighed. This thunderstorm was in fact a hurricane. And here the mountains called a Mighty Hena to quell it. I should have practiced my howl.

We came up to the raised platform at the end of the main walkway. A great light came down from above, showering us with color. A creature of few words like myself, Lily disappeared into the safety of the dark to watch and observe proceedings from the shadows. Oh, how I wished I could follow her. Instead, I looked up and winked against the rainbow that flashed across my eyes. The great bird Ho-oh looked down at me from her perch on the columns of the grotto behind the altar. Had she not been feathered like the sun, I would have narrowed my gaze anyway because the great bird passed by these mountains almost as much as Suicune, but never came down to converse with me like the beasts did. I would not have cared if the bird had no relation to My Pack, but with a Spirit the same way and color as My Boy's, and with a tendency to scatter feathers in his presence, I knew I must keep vigilant watch so that he would not be spirited away.

I trotted up the steps onto the platform from the side and stood before the bird in the space behind the altar. Back here, away from the others, it was still quiet enough for a private interaction. Council was one of the few times I shared the company of such creatures. Thus, it was important I made my point whenever we came together. I slipped up the stone, dark and slim with a shadow that began to seep into the ruins. The more light that shined upon me, the more darkness that flowed out of the deepening velvet black of my mane. It pooled on the stone like a stream of ink overtaking water, heavy and penetrating. Ho-oh stared at me with that side eye of hers before taking off in a great pounding of wings that threatened to toss me about, but I held still.

Ho-oh repositioned herself closer to the others which caused the three dogs to cease their meddling and gather around. I sighed again, dispelling the shadows with a whisk of breath. Council would start soon now that the others were settling down. I could procrastinate no more. Not that we would get much accomplished anytime soon. With age, there was not wisdom but stubbornness, and with power, pride and self-righteousness. The more special the creature, the more entitled their opinion, and I had yet to find a Guardian of Legend as intimate with the Spirit as The Mare of the Grasslands. I missed the light of her flames in the snowy dark at times like this.

But I too, must keep my promises.

Picking up my paws, I walked around to the front of the altar where bird and beast and creature pushed and shoved and showed off their might for proper placement. I sat down at the edge of the top step and shook my head, watching the ruckus that was worse than young ones at Castle Rock when stories were too long and boring for their liking. There were other creatures who would have received the summons, but some were darkened, some primal. Others asleep. Some who remained mysterious and unfathomable or were, quite frankly, too big. Yet here I was, thrust in between. Smallest in presence of them all.

Well, almost.

I looked down at the little Bell Sprout sitting on the step beside me, dangling his short roots over the edge and rocking his head from side to side in a gentle tune, happy to be here. Another shift occurred in his jingling or I was getting old because the others were quiet and ready and waiting in front of us before I realized it. Suicune stepped forward to initiate the council. Setting my reluctance aside, I raised my head and looked at him.

"Mother," he began. "We seek your wisdom."

I glanced behind him at Sebastian who stood in the middle of the group with a taboo ring of emptiness around him, hulking and heavy, bright blue eyes uncommon for his kind. They held mine. Blue to red. I suppose the mountains were playing their games again, trying to find balance. This Tyrannical Lizard had a story to tell and he was hell bent on having his voice heard no matter the opinions of those that outranked him. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to let the Spirit flow through me. The runes carved into the stone began to pulse and glow. I exhaled, channeling the might gathered around these Great Ones and High Spirits just like the Pack of the Grasslands did to create their place of power. This way, their collective pressure would not overwhelm us. Wisps of color teased across the darkness of my eyes. The light beyond showed me the way. I followed it, opened my glowing red eyes and surrendered to the Spirit.

"Speak," I calmly told these creatures, "and I will listen."

Reference

See Fanfic - Heart of the Trainer: Ranger