One month had passed since Korrina's acceptance into the Master Dojo. Both she and Lucario had thrown themselves into their training, inspired by Mustard's passion for the bond between trainer and Pokémon. They both resolved to put their past behind them and look forward, as they honed their individual strengths, as well as the strength of the connection between them. The two of them quickly became standout students at the dojo, shining even among the powerful Pokémon and trainers that were their classmates.

Everything was going perfectly… for about two weeks.

After a long day of practice battles against other students, Lucario had once again become distant, appearing to be upset with his trainer for reasons Korrina couldn't identify. She tried to coax more out of him, wanting to be understanding and help him through whatever was troubling him, but he stubbornly pulled away from her when she reached out. He continually refused to open up to her, until her concern gave way to frustration and she gave up, leaving him to his own devices. Things had gone downhill from there, just as before. There was no yelling between the two of them, but the resentment and the hurt remained.

Two weeks after that, the pair were engaged in a battle with the venomous Avery, one of three battles that was taking place in the main room of the dojo at that time. Avery was oddly useful for diffusing the tension between Korrina and Lucario, as he at least offered the two of them a common enemy. He had never apologized for attempting to stop Korrina from being accepted into the dojo, nor had he ever explained his actions; for the first week after her arrival, he had avoided her like the plague. She was initially furious with him, but as time went on, she learned that he was callous and unkind toward everyone at the dojo, save for the master. She decided not to take it personally, and chalked it up to him being a miserable jerk.

"Kadabra, use Psyshock!" he called out confidently. Avery insisted that he could communicate commands to his Kadabra telepathically, but announced them verbally so as to not be unfair to the other trainers. Everyone else in the dojo assumed that he was lying.

"Dodge it and use Aura Sphere!" Korrina responded, as Kadabra held out his hands and charged up a purple aura of psychic energy. Lucario charged up a blue energy orb of his own, made out of Aura energy from within himself, before leaping out of the way of a psychic energy beam. He flung his Aura Sphere back at his opponent, who stopped the attack in its tracks with Psychic.

"Good!" Avery praised his Pokémon. "Now throw it back!" Kadabra grunted and used his telekinetic abilities to fling the attack back toward its owner, who dodged it with ease.

"Keep firing off Aura Spheres! One of them's sure to land!" Korrina countered. Lucario grumbled and charged up another attack, throwing it back at Kadabra, who caught this one as well. Korrina watched the battle unfold, expecting her Pokémon to throw out another projectile. Instead, she nearly gasped as Lucario ran in, his hand glowing a bright blue, and he slammed his Force Palm into Kadabra's chest, sending his opponent flying backwards.

"Lucario!" she exclaimed, shocked, her heart instantly sinking. Her Pokémon hadn't disobeyed her since they arrived on the Isle of Armor, and certainly never in front of the rest of the school. She could sense the eyes of the other students on her, and she felt her face heating up from shame. She thought the two of them had moved past this, and yet here they were again. She watched in quiet disbelief as Lucario leaped back and threw out another Aura Sphere, wanting to distract Kadabra a second time.

"What are you doing?!" she cried out. "Hang back and use Aura Sphere! Kadabra is too dangerous up close!" Her Lucario turned back to face her, shooting her a cold glare as he clenched his fist, which began to glow with an orange energy. She stared back at him with wide eyes, too stunned to speak, nearly forgetting to breathe as she felt the cold, intense anger of his gaze. She didn't say anything as he turned and ran forward, swinging his Power-Up Punch into his foe's head, knocking them back a second time.

"Well, would you look at that?" Avery taunted, feeling very smug for someone whose Pokémon was being badly beaten. "Little Miss Gym Leader can't even keep her own Pokémon under control." He sighed and shook his head, smirking. "Seems like our master's lessons aren't sinking in for everyone, are they?" His words caught the attention of more students, who started watching her bout instead of the other two.

Korrina was feeling hurt, confused, and deeply humiliated by her Lucario's actions. It was clear now that Lucario's disobedience was a motivated, personal slight against her, for some reason she couldn't discern. She felt further than ever now from understanding the rift between the two of them, and she could feel a cold despair settling in her chest. As she watched her Lucario swing at Kadabra a second time before leaping away, her despair gave way to anger.

Lucario stared down his foe as he put his fists together, pulling them apart slowly and forming two long bones made of Aura energy, for his Bone Rush attack. He lifted one of his arms over his head as he started to dash forward, but he stopped in his tracks as he felt a hand grasp his wrist. Looking over to the side, he could see an infuriated Korrina standing next to him, holding him firmly in place. A moment later, she flung his arm backward, and he stumbled for a moment before regaining his balance.

"That's enough, Lucario!" she called out, stepping in between the two battling Pokémon. "If you're going to fight me, then fight me here in the arena!" She dropped into a fighting stance, her eyes fixed on his. Lucario abruptly stopped, the energy bones vanishing from his hands, staring at her in abject disbelief. He wasn't alone, as the other two battles had completely stopped, and the entire dojo was now staring at the quarreling pair.

"What are you waiting for?" she demanded. "You want me to see what you can do? Then show me!"

Lucario was incredulous, never having seen anything like this from her before. The two of them had sparred before, during intense training, but certainly not under these circumstances. He was able to see her anger in her eyes, but he could also see desperation, exasperation, and pain. She was a girl at the end of her rope. As they stared each other down, he could feel his own anger growing. If she wasn't going to try and understand him, then he had no choice but to communicate with her on her own terms. He felt his paws clench into fists, his breath quickening and his heart pumping. He had no shortage of his own anger to work out, and this was the perfect opportunity.

Growling, he dashed toward her and reared his hand back, tossing a carefully rationed Force Palm in her direction. She sidestepped it quickly, reaching out to grab his forearm and his shoulder, flipping him in the air and slamming him down onto his back. She could hear the gasps from all around her, but paid them no heed, keeping her focus on her new opponent.

Lucario quickly flipped up onto his feet, forming a small Aura Sphere in his hands before spinning around and flinging it in her direction. She crossed her arms in front of herself, blocking the attack, and it burst in a light explosion that left her forearms stinging. Peeking her eyes out, she saw him running in to deliver another Force Palm. She quickly dropped to one knee and swept her leg, knocking his feet out from under him. As he fell to the ground, trying to right himself, a shoulder check from his trainer knocked him away.

"Come on! Is that the best you've got?" she taunted, running in as he got back to his feet. She reared both of her hands back to deliver a blow of her own, her frustration starting to get the best of her. As she thrust the heels of her hands toward his stomach, trying to knock him back once again, his whole body began glowing with an odd orange energy. As her attack connected, he barely moved at all, looking unfazed. Instantly, his arms shot forward toward her, mimicking the attack she had just landed on him, striking her in the stomach with both palms.

She could feel her breath being knocked out of her as she flew backwards, landing on her back on the soft mat that covered the floor. She groaned in pain as she sat up, wincing, and watched as he walked up to her, no longer adopting a battle stance. The anger had vanished from her eyes, replaced with surprise.

"Lucario…" she managed, propping herself up on one elbow, holding her stomach with her other hand. "When did you learn Counter?" He visibly bristled at her question, irritated.

"What in blazes is going on in here?!" Both Korrina and Lucario looked over to see Mustard running toward the two of them, looking shocked. "You're supposed to be battling with each other, not against each other!"

"I…" With her heart no longer pounding in her ears, Korrina found herself unable to articulate why she had done what she had just done. "We were…"

"Seems to me like you two have some steam to blow off." He reached out his hand, helping Korrina to her feet, before placing a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe the two of you should go for a bit of a walk. Outside, together. You and I can talk after this training session is over." His voice was calm, but the look in his eyes told her that his suggestion was not a suggestion at all.

She nodded quickly, feeling embarrassed all over again. "Yes, sir." She looked back at her Pokémon, who wasn't looking half as embarrassed as she was; the expression on his face seemed oddly satisfied. She started walking toward the door, and Lucario followed her. They both stepped outside into the late afternoon sun, as Mustard resumed the training session behind them.

Ten minutes later, Korrina and Lucario were still walking, traversing the edge of the main island that housed the Master Dojo. She kept her eyes down on the ground, lost in her thoughts; her ego was heavily bruised, as was her stomach, after their impromptu battle. He refused to look in her direction, instead looking around at the various Pokémon that occupied the island, and the seas immediately surrounding it. His anger had subsided as well, though his frustration with her had not.

She hadn't looked in his direction the entire time, and he was so light on his feet that she couldn't hear his footsteps. Still, she could easily tell that he had remained by her side. For years and years, she had been able to feel an unusual connection between herself and her Lucario. It was as if their hearts were connected by a thin string that tugged gently on her, telling her which direction he was in at all times. When he was close enough, it felt as though there was an ambient warmth in her chest coming from his direction, like a tiny sun. It had come in handy more than once, especially when her Lucario had been kidnapped two years ago, and she had to use this connection to track him down. She hadn't questioned it in years, and even during their most difficult times, it was comforting to feel his presence in this way, and know that she was never truly alone.

With her head clear, she felt even more foolish for her behavior earlier. At the time, in her anger, it had made a strange sort of sense. They would both be able to vent their excess frustration toward each other, and hopefully have clearer heads by the time they were done. She did have a clearer head now, but it wasn't because the two of them had fought. It was because of what she had seen from him, the move he had struck her with. Finally, everything was starting to become clear to her.

"You've been training by yourself, too, haven't you?" she eventually spoke up. "All this time. Just like I have." He didn't make any sound in response, keeping his eyes averted, waiting for her to continue.

"When I was out training without you, I was only ever thinking about making myself a better trainer," she went on. "I just assumed that you would be in the same place you were before, when I was done. You were always working so hard… I didn't want to burden you any more than you already were. But that's what you wanted, wasn't it? You wanted to help me when I was having trouble." She waited for some sort of response from him, but when she received none, she continued on undeterred.

"You were making yourself stronger all that time, teaching yourself new techniques and new moves, and I didn't even realize it. I never even considered it. And ever since then, all you wanted was to show me what you could do, wasn't it? You wanted me to see how you'd grown, and I just… refused to see it. That's why you were so upset." She sighed, a wry smile crossing her lips. "I'm a terrible trainer, aren't I?" Lucario refused to respond, not giving away his thoughts. If she had looked at him, she might have seen a more relaxed and contemplative expression on his face.

It was at that point that she realized something was amiss. She stopped in her tracks, blinking in confusion, and she felt Lucario stopping as well, looking over at her curiously. For some reason, she could feel a second string tugging on her heart, pulling in a distinctly different direction. She looked up, following the direction of the mysterious thread, leading her toward a large hill near the edge of the island. It felt as if her Lucario was in two different places at once.

She glanced over at her Pokémon. "Can you feel that…?" He cocked his head, not sure exactly which sensation she was referring to. She turned back and started making her way toward the hill, picking up the pace, and her partner followed behind her. As she started walking uphill, she could feel a familiar radiance to go along with the tug, growing steadily stronger as she approached. She could feel her heart begin to race as she drew closer, having no idea what she was going to find, but certain that it was going to be something of deep importance.

Cresting the hill, Korrina stood at the top and looked down the other side, which was much steeper than the one she had just climbed. At the bottom of the hill, sitting cross-legged on the ground, was another Lucario. There was also a man there, wearing a blue coat and a matching wide-brimmed hat. Both of them were sitting around a campfire, which had a tea kettle hanging over it. Korrina stared at the both of them for several long seconds; she wasn't sure what she had expected, but it was not this. She looked back and forth between human and Pokémon, unable to tell which of the two of them was reaching out to her heart.

After a few moments, the man turned his head and looked directly up at her, smiling warmly. "Well, hello there. I wasn't expecting any company way out here." His eyes flicked over to her partner. "You have a Lucario as well? That's a coincidence."

"Yeah… um… hi." She gave an awkward wave, not sure exactly what to say. The two Lucarios locked eyes, studying each other curiously.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, what brings you out here to the edge of the island?" the man continued.

"Um…" She faltered, at a bit of a loss. "Well… you see, I…" She wasn't sure exactly how to explain herself. She couldn't simply tell this stranger that her mysterious sixth sense had told her that there was another Lucario in this direction - at least, not without sounding crazy. She eventually looked down, holding her arm. "…I don't know."

The man gave her an understanding smile. "Would you like to join us for a cup of tea?"

Minutes later, Korrina was sitting in front of the campfire, with her Lucario next to her. The man, whom she had learned was named Riley, was sitting across from her, with his own Lucario by his side. The two of them apparently traveled often, and were on the island just by coincidence. She was sipping at a stone cup filled with hot mint tea, which both heated and cooled her throat as it went down. She wasn't particularly interested in the tea, but she was very interested in answers, and she suspected this man had some to offer.

"So, you were just out for a walk," Riley clarified. "And you decided you'd see what was over this hill?"

"No… not exactly," she answered. "It's…" She sighed, lowering the cup in her hands. "Where do I start?"

"Take your time," he encouraged. "We're in no rush."

She nodded, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "Well… I've known my Lucario for a long time, ever since I was a child and he was a Riolu. We've been really close ever since. But… over the past few years, it's been like… like I've been connected to him somehow. It feels like…"

Riley jumped in. "It feels like a thread connecting your hearts together?"

"It… yes!" She sat up and leaned forward, eyes wide. "How did you know?!"

He chuckled and sat back. "I feel the exact same thing with my Lucario," he explained. "Just like you two, we've been together since we were both young."

Korrina was now sitting forward on her knees. "Do you know what it is?"

He nodded back at her. "I do. Tell me, how much do you know about Aura?"

"Aura?" She sat back on her ankles, thinking to herself. "It's the life force that exists in all living things. Humans, Pokémon, plants…" Her eyes darted over toward her Pokémon companion. "I know Lucario can manipulate Aura for things like Aura Sphere, or Force Palm…"

Riley nodded again, looking pleased. "That's right. Aura exists all around us, connecting us together… some of us more strongly than others." His eyes moved back and forth between his guests. "The reason you can feel that connection with your Lucario is because the two of you are now Aura-bonded."

"What? Aura-bonded?" She looked toward her Lucario, who glanced back at her with wide eyes. He didn't seem to know what it meant, either, but he knew it must be significant.

"Your Auras have grown together," Riley elaborated, seeing the confused expressions on their faces. "As a person grows, their Aura continues to grow as well. With the two of you so close, your Auras have become intertwined. Part of your Aura now exists within your Lucario, and part of his Aura exists within you."

"Really…?" Korrina could feel her heart beating a bit harder, her face flushing. She already knew that there was a powerful connection between the two of them, but there was something deeply intimate about the idea of their Auras being intertwined. He was a part of her, and she was a part of him. She could feel a sudden rush of deep affection for her lifelong companion.

"So, how does this relate to you finding us? Riley continued, drawing her attention once again.

"Oh, um…" She quickly brought herself back to reality. "I don't know why, but I could feel another… thread. Another connection. I followed it, and it led me here, to the two of you."

"Fascinating." He held his jaw for a moment, brow furrowed. "That must have been my Lucario. You were able to sense his Aura, even though the two of you have never met before."

She frowned, having no idea why that might be the case. "What does that mean?"

Riley had a thoughtful look on his face. "I believe you are Aura-sensitive, Korrina."

She blinked several times at this. "Aura-sensitive? You mean… I can sense Aura?" She immediately started thinking back through her past, trying to pick out instances where she might have been sensing the Aura of people or Pokémon around her, without realizing it.

"I believe so," Riley answered. "And I suspect you can do more than just sense it. Something like…" He held out his hand, his palm facing upward, and Korrina leaned in closer. He focused for a moment, and she gasped as a blue ball of energy appeared right above his hand, one that she instantly recognized.

"That's… an Aura Sphere…" She stared at it in disbelief, her mind reeling from the implications. "You're an Aura Guardian…?" She looked back up at him, barely breathing as she realized what this meant. "Am… am I…?"

"That, I don't know." He shook his head. "I don't know what exactly you can do. But I think I could find out." He reached his hand out toward her. "If you would like to know…"

Korrina looked down at his hand for a moment, then at his eyes, then turned to look at Lucario. Her Pokémon wore an expression of stunned disbelief, with a hint of skepticism. He didn't react at all as she silently asked his opinion with her eyes, leaving the decision entirely to her. She eventually turned back to Riley, reaching out and clasping his hand in hers. "What do I need to do?"

He smiled at her, placing his other hand on top of hers. "Just relax and leave it to me." He closed his eyes, and she did the same, even though she wasn't sure it would do anything. She flinched as she felt a strange force washing through her, entering through her hand. It was as if a second Aura had entered her body and made a beeline for her heart, surrounding it, prodding it. She felt frightened for a moment, but the strange force wasn't acting with malicious intent. It was gently pushing and pulling on her Aura, stretching it, testing it. She gasped as she felt something leaving her body for a moment, extending into his, exploring it under his encouragement. She held as still as she could, forcing herself to trust Riley, wanting to know the secrets behind the mysterious forces that played upon her heart.

After one of the longest minutes of her life, Riley let go of her hand, and she felt his Aura retreat and vanish, as her own returned. She opened her eyes and looked back at him. "Is that it?" she asked nervously. "Did you find out? Am I an Aura Guardian?"

"I did find out, yes," he answered, resting both of his hands in his lap. "You are not an Aura Guardian, Korrina… not the way I am. You cannot manipulate Aura the way I can, or that Lucario can. Your abilities lie elsewhere."

She could feel a twinge of disappointment, as visions of herself wielding Aura Spheres went up in smoke. "But I can still sense Aura, right?"

"Oh, yes, certainly," he clarified, as she listened carefully. "And you can do more beyond that. Your Aura abilities are those of the heart."

Her eyebrows raised, intrigued. "The heart? What do you mean?"

"When our hands were joined, I could feel your Aura pushing and pulling on mine," he explained. "Your Aura reached out to touch mine, at its core. You can meld it, shape it, calm it… you can use your Aura to read people's hearts, and soothe them. I believe that long ago, your kind were known as Aura Shapers."

"Aura Shaper…" She let the words play in her head a few times, trying them on for size as if they were a pair of gloves. She looked down at her hand, trying to imagine it reaching out and touching someone's heart. "How am I supposed to do it?"

Riley frowned. "Learning to intentionally sense someone else's Aura is a very difficult task. Manipulating Aura, even more so. I could teach you, but to become proficient at it could take years of training. Is that something you would be willing to commit to?"

Korrina kept looking down at her hand, thinking the question over carefully. She was already committed to years of training under Mustard, in order to improve her abilities as a trainer. Trying to learn how to manipulate Aura at the same time could end up being too much, overwhelming her and making her incapable of achieving either goal. Then again, this wasn't about her; none of this was about her. Now that she knew she was Aura-bonded with her Lucario - her lifelong partner, her most beloved companion, her soulmate - the idea of being able to see his Aura, to feel the pleas of his heart, was something she knew she couldn't pass up. Nothing in the world was as important as he was.

"Yes." She clenched her hand tightly into a fist, looking back up into Riley's eyes. "I am. I'll do whatever it takes."

The man smiled wide, pleased. "I'm glad to hear it, Korrina."

"When do we start? Can we start right now?"

Riley chuckled, liking her eagerness, and proceeded with his first lesson.