Pokemon Virus Version Chapter 135:More Precious Than The World, a pokémon fanfic

Pokemon Virus Version: Chapter 135: More Precious Than The World

Location: The 1,000 Kitsune Temple

Yumi's POV

We were all under the surface of The 1,000 Kitsune Temple, where we were being led by Summer, Winter, and Lady Anju. We were guests being guided to an Alchemist of the old world known as Lord Mito.

"…"

Following Lady Anju's storytelling of Lord Mito's life, the venture had slipped to relative silence. The venture in Lord Mito's world under the surface was a pilgrimage in itself. His world was so vast and wide, we spent hours walking. At one point, I thought about questioning whether Lady Anju and the twins knew where they were going, but decided against voicing my concern to avoid coming off as ungrateful for the hospitality shown thus far.

There were no people in this world, nor were there pokemon. It was then that I realized the difference between Lord Mito's world and the real world on the surface: The real world had an abundance of living people and pokemon. Perhaps Lord Mito intentionally used Alchemy to make his world so. Being exiled for following your passion…I'm sure I would be bitter toward people if that happened to me.

Walking for a few more hours, I felt myself becoming fatigued. I wasn't the only one who was tired of walking. Rose used her virus power to replace her walking with gliding, as she floated in the air. Chapel removed her brown knee-high boots. She wore white pantyhose, so she wasn't walking around barefoot. Seth's mind remained as indifferent as he could to the long walk, while his body expressed otherwise. He was sluggish. In spite of our exhaustion, one of us was bound to express our discomfort in the form of words. But, just as we were about to crack…

"Here we are." Lady Anju stopped walking.

"Brai…Brai?!"

"Huh?!" Me, Braixen, and the party stood agape, caught off guard by something just as impressive as this Alchemist-birthed world.

Lying in front of us, was a long, stone bridge. And lying on the other side of the stone bridge, was the place where Lord Mito was said to reside. It was huge, it was sleek; it could pass as some sort of colossal, futuristic emporium to the world above.

"Simply marvelous." Rose was in awe, "The residence of Lord Mito stretches for miles upon miles." This wasn't just a residence. I would call this place, paradise.

Lord Mito's Paradise. Yes, that was a fitting name. Lady Anju, Summer, and Winter led us across the bridge, and into Lord Mito's Paradise, we went.

Location: Lord Mito's Paradise

Outside Lord Mito's Paradise was amazing, but inside…I think it's revolutionary! The foyer was so sleek and spacious, it housed a number of Kitsune Statues. The Kitsune Statues were few in numbers, but less is more, I guess.

"Zen!" The white floor was so porcelain, Braixen couldn't help but gloss at her reflection.

"Come now, Braixen," Lady Anju said as she touched Braixen on the shoulder, "You wouldn't want to keep Lord Mito waiting, would you?"

I tapped Braixen on her other shoulder as I said to her, "She's right. We can savor Lord Mito's Paradise later. Right now though…I'm sure Lord Mito will grant some of our desires."

"You're anxious, I see." Lady Anju addressed me with a smile.

I rubbed the back of my head with a modest smile. Lady Anju was correct!

"Come." Summer digressed the conversation before Braixen and I could go off on a tangeant.

"We near Lord Mito." Winter added.

And so, we ventured through Lord Mito's large Paradise. The entire wall to our right was curved, and was lined with a sleek, curved window seemingly infinite in width. Outside, you could see the endless expanse of blue sky and verdant trees. This was the hallway, and despite the light of the outside seeping in, elegant lights gave the hallway a sort of violet hue.

At the end of this hallway, lied a room with a single platform in the center. It reminded me of the platform we boarded earlier, back in the world above. We boarded the platform, but rather than descend again, we began going up. As we ascended the entire world of Alchemy became smaller, yet more expansive at the same time. I was about to become uneasy from the mere height.

I thought we were heading back to the surface above, but just as I did, we came to a halt.

"Brai?" Braixen questioned.

"So we're not going back to the surface?" I asked.

"This is but a stop for the platform, Yumi." Lady Anju answered.

Where we stopped, was the top of what looked to be a cliff, with the endless expanse of the Alchemic world lying far below. I was about to question why Lord Mito would create something as pointless as a cliff, before finding the answer myself: It was a lovely view of the world he created.

…

My eyes wandered, before I noticed somebody standing at the edge of the cliff.

"Who is he?" I asked.

"Hm?" But before Lady Anju and the twins had a chance to reply, the figure noticed my question, and turned to face us. From here, I could tell that he was taller than anybody on this platform right now. He had long, brownish black hair, and his eyes were slightly mature. In a nutshell, he looked a bit on the feminine side, despite being slightly muscular. He wore a long white coat, with the collar pointed upward.

I asked for his name, but my question went unanswered. It was just as Lady Anju said: This was but a stop for the platform we were on. I would venture to guess that this man was not Lord Mito, as the platform restarted its ascent away from the cliff…but not before the man could eye Braixen and I. Seeing the Kitsune, he smiled warmly as we ascended away from his sight.

"He was looking at you, Yumi." Rose remarked.

"Chi." Chikorita nodded in agreement.

"Well Braixen IS a Kitsune, and you are her trainer, Yumi," Chapel said.

Seth looked to Lady Anju, "We were told that no other humans reside in Lord Mito's Paradise. Who was that guy?"

"His name…"

Both twins answered in unison. "His name is Willow."

"Willow?" I repeated.

"Maybe he'll come to greet us when we're talking to Lord Mito…" Chapel said.

The more, the merrier, I guess. It would please me if this Willow guy would follow us. He peaked my curiosity as much as the rest of the people in this Alchemic world. Who was Willow? And while I'm thinking the question to myself, who was Lady Anju? Summer and Winter…I wanted to know who they were. We spent the entire venture to this paradise talking about Lord Mito, but not much word on the ladies escorting us. Hmm…Perhaps Lord Mito was as familiar with the girls as the girls were to him. Maybe he'll tell me their story…

Location: Lord Mito's Paradise-Mito's Room

We continued to ascend, and as we did, Lord Mito's artificial sky began to dim. In a matter of seconds, morning was set aside in favor of twilight. In the real world, this logic would be impossible. But this is Lord Mito's world. What he says goes, and ascending from the morning sun to a twilight in mere seconds simply showed us that he had a vivid imagination.

Lady Anju let us know that we'd finally arrived at Lord Mito's room. But to call this a 'room' would do no justice. There were no walls, and there was no ceiling. We could all see the dim sky, filled with glittering stars. A few shooting stars could be seen as well.

"Lord Mito."

Summer and Winter allowed that name to escape their lips, grabbing my attention from the Alchemic world surrounding me. We stood on a ground with Kitsune Statues and verdant flowers lining the edges. Over the edge was a long way down to the bottom. But in the center, stood a rather large and rounded pod. This pod was as sleek as the Paradise's foyer. The pod contained what looked to be rejuvenating fluid of some sort. And in front of the rejuvenating pod…

"Lord Mito."

The twins, Summer and Winter, approached the one in front of the rejuvenating pod, and kneeled formally.

"We have returned, Lord Mito." The twins said in unison.

The one that Summer and Winter were kneeling down to…was an elderly man. He was balding in the scalp, but still had grey hair that was consistent with the rest of his head. His clothing was fairly simple: A black kimono with a white vest worn over the top.

Lord Mito…He did not embody my vision of what a great Alchemist would look like…But his smile was warm as he gently pat the kneeling twins on their heads.

"No need to be so formal, my girls." His voice was somewhat raspy, but his tone gave him an aura of genuine softness.

"Haha."

"Yes."

The was the first time I've seen Summer and Winter smile. Their grey eyes glistened as they exited their kneeling stances.

"Lord Mito." Next to address Lord Mito was Lady Anju, who took a step forward.

"Well, good evening to you." Lord Mito greeted. "I see it was a wonderful day for a walk, wasn't it? But of course, you don't need to be formal either, Anju."

"Lord Mito…" Lady Anju…it wasn't just her, but Summer and Winter as well…they all seemed to appreciate Lord Mito very deeply.

"And what's this?" Lord Mito was not very young, so it took a moment before he noticed other people were here. He asked who we were.

"Intruders." Summer answered.

"Visitors." Winter added.

"Guests."

"Friends." Summer and Winter alternated words once more.

Lord Mito gave a slow chuckle. This was the kind of chuckle that could only come from a person who has already experienced the highs and lows of the world; a person who seems content living the rest of his or her life in relaxed content. "You've brought a lot of 'friends'."

From his pod, his eyes fixated on us all, one by one. From an indifferent Seth and a cheerful Chikorita, to a humble Chapel and a Piplup who'd remained calm to this point.

"My, how long has it been since I last had visitors? At least a decade or two."

To Lady Anju and Rose, and finally, to Braixen and I. Looking at my Kitsune and I, Lord Mito's eyes lit up. For a moment, they were as vivid and youthful as the eyes of a child.

"A Kistune…"

"Um, hello." I took a step forward, and gave a deep bow to Lord Mito.

"Zen." Braixen followed suit.

"A real Kitsune, standing right in front of me…" Lord Mito was near speechless.

Braixen and I exited our bows, and as we did, Lord Mito asked me a question.

"You must be the one who trains this Kitsune. What is your name, young lady?"

I gave a smile often on the face of a person simply wanting to show common courtesy. "My name is Yumi, and this is Braixen." But enough about me for a moment. Before talking to Lord Mito about Braixen, I wanted to know who Summer, Winter, and Lady Anju were. "We're grateful to Lady Anju and the twins for showing us this place. They seem to know a lot about this world under the surface."

"Ah yes, my girls." Lord Mito started, "Please, do not be misled by the formalities they've shown to me moments ago. These girls are family, and they are very precious to me."

My eyes widened. Lord Mito, Lady Anju, and the twins…they were family?! But how, the girls looked so much younger than Lord Mito. I began brainstorming to myself. The first conclusion I jumped to had to do with that Willow man we saw earlier. Maybe Willow was Lord Mito's son. Willow is probably the husband to Lady Anju, and together, they birthed Summer and Winter. Yes, I was completely on board with that theory…before Lord Mito began explaining further.

"I am sure the girls have told you my story-about my discovery of Alchemy, and how it was the focal point in me being exiled from my home country. Yes, I wandered the world, and my studying of Alchemy did lead to gaining the power to put my studies into practice. But still…The smile I have on my face masks the very bitter man I once was. Even with the power of Alchemy, I was mad at the world. With this power, I committed horrible acts that I considered justified at the time. I ravaged my former homeland, crucifying the very Religious Protestants who detested me. I…I cared not for whether Lord Arceus existed. I cared for no person but myself…That was, until I crossed paths with Lady Anju for the first time. She was the only person to look past the bitter Alchemist I was, and see me as a person. I fell in love with her, and eventually, we married…All I wanted was to live alone with her, away from the Religious World I still resented. We travelled off the grid, meeting many wild pokemon. Out of all the pokemon we met, the Kitsune was my favorite. So beautiful, yet fierce as fire. So simple, yet full of illusion and mystery…I used my Alchemic powers to create the 1,000 Kitsune Temple, and settle down in this manmade world below. The spirit of the Kitsune is everywhere here, even where you might least expect it…" For some reason, Lord Mito changed his gaze as he said that last sentence. It was as if he was expecting some sort of cue.

"Lord Mito?"

Summer and Winter-the target of Lord Mito's gaze. They perked up, as if they weren't expecting that cue.

Lord Mito smiled warmly, giving the twins a silent nod.

The twins, in response, began dancing slowly. Their routine was as graceful and elegant as it was before. Specifically, they were dancing in the direction of Braixen and I.

"Brai?"

"What's going on?" I was bewildered.

Chapel, Rose, and Seth watched on, curious as to what Lord Mito had ordered the twins to do. Lady Anju knew what to expect.

Answering my question, was Lord Mito, "There is a reason that the Kitsune is my favorite pokemon…"

The twins stopped, and continued to dance right in front of Braixen and I. It was then that they started to sing.

"La. La. La. La…Lalalala…Lala. La. La. La. Lalala. La-la…" This was a lullaby, and it sounded amazing…It was as if peace and harmony were combining forces to massage my ears. The peace was harmonious in making me forget all the troubles in the world. "Lalalala…Lalalala…Lala. La. La. La. Lala." I closed my eyes, and began hearing an orchestra to compliment the twins. There were no living beings to perform an instrumental of the twins' lullaby, leading me to believe that this could only be done through the power of Alchemy. "Lalalala. Lalalala. Lalalala. Lalalala…"

I came to asked Lord Mito the name of the lullaby. Futatsu Boshi(Twin Stars) was its name.

"There is a reason that the Kitsune is my favorite pokemon…" The words of Lord Mito rang through my head again, as the twins began glowing.

Summer became surrounded in a golden red aura, while Winter glowed a snow white aura.

"?!"

"Ngh-Oh…"

"The reason why I love the Kitsune…It is because Kitsune, my daughters are."

…

It was something inexplicable occurring in front of us. Something that if we told a single soul in the real world above, none would believe us. Who would've thought the 1,000 Kitsune Temple-a mystery in its own right-would hold even bigger mysteries…For a second, I questioned the believability of this plot. Was I dreaming? Was Lord Mito or any of this real? What about Alchemy? And what of the twins?

…

Lord Mito said it himself: Summer and Winter are his daughters. And 'his daughters', were Kitsune. Two Kitsune stood in front of Braixen and I. They were both pokemon I recognized. One was a Vulpix. And the other was a…huh?

"From Onvitaikayan to Kitsune…"

"From Onvitaikayan to Kitsune…" The twins, in unison, uttered these words in their Kitsune form.

As I was saying, one of the Kitsune was a Vulpix. But Winter…she was also a Vulpix. She looked unlike any other Vulpix I've seen in my life, being snow white in color.

"I've heard of different Vulpix existing in a far away land, but to see one right in front of me…" Chapel was bewildered, as were Rose and Seth.

"Onvitaikayan: The race known as humankind. Kitsune: The race of the Kitsune…Two different races, bridged together by Summer and Winter: the Twins of Alchemy." Lord Mito explained.

"But how? How can your daughters be Kitsune?" I asked.

Lord Mito closed his eyes and gave another one of those exasperated smiles that could only come from a person who has experience a lot. He gave an answer that wasn't hard to understand, "I've been wronged by many humans in my life. After being exiled from my homeland, I went out of my way to repel humanity away from me. And yet…I eventually felt lonesome. I crossed paths was a Pokemon who looked to be a human, but wasn't quite the genuine thing."

"But that human…" I looked to Lady Anju.

The Twins were half Kitsune, and half Onvitaikayan. If Lord Mito was where they inherited their human half, then that must mean…

Lady Anju smiled, "It seems you've pieced the puzzle together, Miss Yumi…" At this, Lady Anju began glowing in a similar aura to the twins just moments earlier.

She became a Ninetails…

'Stories depict Kitsune as intelligent beings possessing paranormal abilities that increase their age and wisdom. According to Yokai folklore, all Kitsune have the ability to shapeshift into human form.'

Lady Anju was an Kitsune. But unlike Summer and Winter, she was one hundred percent fox. Lady Anju and Lord Mito found love together, married, and had two children. Summer and Winter…they were the end result of the love shared between a Kitsune and Onvitaikayan.

"Hmm…" Lady Anju, now in Kitsune form walked up to Lord Mito. She cooed in pleasure as Lord Mito brushed his fingers along her golden fur.

"Since the day I settled down, I used Alchemy to create this temple. Yes, for years, it has just been me, my family, and Alchemy. And now…" Lord Mito focused on Braixen and I, "Now…new Kitsune stand before me. You are a beautiful young lady, and Braixen a beautiful Kitsune. Tell me, what brings you here today?"

If you wanted an honest answer, I had no idea this 1,000 Kitsune Temple existed until this morning. But what mystery and lore…what an opportunity to receive tools necessary for destroying the evil that lies in the world above. Destroying that evil would lift so many burdens off the shoulders of Seth and the others. With that evil extinguished, there will be nothing standing in the way of Seth rediscovering the heart he lost…

My pattern of speech was not as calm as Seth, nor was it as sophisticated as Rose. But for once, a person utmost importance was talking to me. It was my turn to talk…

"The 1,000 Kitsune Temple contains the power to ward great evil, right?" I asked rhetorically, "The virus belonging to the same Missingno who gave you the power of Alchemy…it's the source of so much evil in the world above."

"Zen!"

Summer and Winter, in red and snow-white Vulpix form, stood in front of Braixen and I as I continued.

"For so long, our world has been descending further into chaos and disarray by the day. What brings Braixen and I here, is to ask for the power of the 1,000 Kitsune." Yes, that was my reason…

Rose, Chapel, and Chikorita were all surprised. It was as if they weren't expecting me to ask such a heavy-hearted question. Perhaps it was the first time they've actually been here to watch me act with such responsibility.

"The power of the 1,000 Kitsune…" Lord Mito whispered to himself, "So you wish for me to bestow the power of the 1,000 Kitsune to you and Braixen, using my Alchemy?"

"Zen." Braixen nodded.

I couldn't tell if Lord Mito was serious as he questioned my reasoning with a smile. He was a man who has spent many years away from the outside world, so I could hardly blame him if there was a hint of doubt. For an answer to his question, Lord Mito took his eyes off Braixen and I. He looked to those behind me. Chapel, Rose, and Chikorita were all anticipating an answer. With Seth, they all shared serious looks on their faces, as if they were hoping for the answer they wanted to hear.

"Young one." He began talking to them, starting with Rose, "Your youth masks a very mature life you've lived thus far. You wish to rid the world of evil, in addition to being truly loved…" He then shifted his gaze to Chapel, "You're a young lady who encapsulates the word 'altruism'. You wish to defeat the world's evil, because it is the right thing to do. You have a heroic light that drives you through the darkness…" He then turned to Seth.

"…" Lord Mito kept keeping his eyes on him, Seth's cold and indifferent stare never wavered.

"…" Lord Mito had a hard time describing Seth, "The 1,000 Kitsune Temple is supposed to defeat great evil, and yet…you house an incarnation of pure evil itself. You're not like your friends. Rather than the light, you fight the world's darkness using darkness itself-fighting fire with fire. You're driven by a thirst for vengeance…Nevertheless, you have a resolve to eliminate the chaos in the world above."

It wasn't just Seth, Rose and Chapel. Lady Anju and the twins were anxious as well. They returned to their human 'onvitaikayan' forms as they awaited an answer from Lord Mito.

Lord Mito returned his gaze to Braixen and I. "It was my very family who taught me to discern one's character based on a single facial expression, and here's the conclusion I've arrived at: The ones you travel with are all unique in their own way. And yet, they all share the same goal as you."

"Was their any need to question the legitimacy of her resolve?" Seth asked.

Lord Mito nodded, "It's been some time since I crossed paths with Missingno, but I still remember the details as if we met yesterday. My wish was fulfilled. I was granted the power of Alchemy, and the power to use Alchemy to pass on the power of the 1,000 Kitsune. But of course, wishes must always come with drawbacks."

"Zen?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Passing on the power of the 1,000 Kitsune…can only be performed once every 100 years." Lord Mito answered.

"But of course, 100 years have not passed since Lord Mito was granted the power of Alchemy." Lady Anju added.

"Our Father…" Summer uttered.

"Father Mito…" Winter added.

The twins then answered simultaneously, "Has yet to pass on the power of the 1,000 Kitsune."

"So, will the power of the 1,000 Kitsune be passed on to Yumi?" Chapel asked.

It was his decision. Lord Mito, a man who has shielded himself from the world above and the chaos that surrounds it. If he doesn't have any resolve to defeat that chaos now, will he ever? In my mind, I questioned why Lord Mito would care about the world that exiled him…But it's been many years. I'm pretty sure most of the people who exiled Lord Mito back then no longer live. Sure, the world is in turmoil now, but just five years ago, we were making continuous pushes for political correctness. It's a world in which Alchemy and Religion can coexist. Did Lord Mito ever want that? I'm sure he did. He has no need to save the world above, but maybe he wants to play a role…

"…" Lord Mito was inhaling, preparing to give his answer. Braixen and I waited for what seemed to be minutes.

"If you were to pass the power of the 1,000 Kitsune to anyone, why would you choose a girl who didn't know you existed yesterday?"

"…" Lord Mito halted.

"Hm?"

"Zen?"

A new voice, and it came from behind us.

A tall, slightly muscular man with a somewhat feminine face. Long, brownish black hair, and a white long coat with the collar pointed up. And he had a small, golden harp with him…Ah! This was that guy we saw earlier! Yes, his name was Willow!

"Willow…" Lord Mito whispered out loud.

This Willow guy had a calm demeanor. He looked like the type who wouldn't hurt even the most innocent of life. He shifted his gaze from Lord Mito, to Braixen and I…His eyes were gentle. "You're very beautiful."

"Oh? Ah-well…" Those words were so sudden. I couldn't help blushing as I looked away and scratched the back of my head.

Willow began playing his golden harp instrument, which was a joy to my ears. "You're beautiful, and you have resolve. You're the perfect lady any man would ask for…BUT-" His harp playing abruptly halted.

"-But what?" Chapel interrupted Willow as she put her hands on her hips. "If I'm being rude as a guest, so sue me."

"…" Willow paid no heed to Chapel, nor Rose or anybody else. He was focused only on Lord Mito and I. "You have the resolve of a person who has travelled far and wide. Certainly, that would be an ideal candidate to receive the power of the 1,000 Kitsune. But like I said before: You're just a girl who had no clue Lord Mito existed yesterday. Why would you get the power of the 1,000 Kitsune when I, Lord Willow, am the rightful successor?"

"Braixen?"

"Rightful successor?" I questioned.

"As the eldest child of Lord Mito, I am first in line to receive the power of the 1,000 Kitsune." Willow clarified.

Curiosity filled us all, but none more than Braixen.

"So you are the son of Lord Mito…" Rose asked. "That would mean…"

Willow smiled, "Like Summer, Winter, and Lady Anju, I am a Kitsune." It was then that Willow began to formally introduce himself and his backstory, "I am Lord Mito's first born. Since the day of my birth, I have inhabited this Paradise, lost to the world above. Since the 1,000 Kitsune Temple dissolved into obscurity in the eyes of the world above, only one other person has come here. It was years ago, before Summer and Winter were born. I was a young lad excited to meet the stranger, and so we talked…He expressed sympathy for me, having not met any other human or pokemon. But here's my take on it…" Willow began walking to the edge of Lord Mito's wall-less room. He turned his back toward us, looking into the twilight as he continued, "I have only lived my own life. I've never known of heavily populated areas known as 'towns' or 'cities', so there's no way I could've developed a longing for other people. This world created by Father's Alchemy…it is the only world I've ever known. By meeting this stranger, I became curious about the world above. And so, I traversed the entire region…"

…

"The world outside of the 1,000 Kitsune Temple appalled me."

Lord Mito closed his eyes at Willow's words. It seemed as if Lord Mito couldn't help but agree with those words. The expressions on the faces of Lady Anju and the twins were imperceptible. What were their takes on the outside world? Was Willow just bitter? No, because they weren't the only ones with expressions to note. Rose nodded silently, as she herself was shunned by the outside world some time ago. Chapel looked like she wanted to provide a counterargument, but she couldn't find the correct words to disprove Willow.

I don't think the outside world is appalling…

"The world is ruthless. It is corrupt, it is greedy…There must be a reason why Our Arceus created such a flawed world. I wonder…? What about you?" His back was turned, but I could tell that Willow's question was directed toward me.

Was Willow correct? Was he incorrect? I did not want to answer that question. We all knew that if Willow was in the real world above, moral and political unjust would arise from his impression. The region's ideals of yesterday were already in danger of being rechristened by the moral of the Neo Snagem organization. A war of politics would only display to the world that Johto's desperation to survive was worse than perceived. I guess it was a pride thing. No human wants to come across as weak…But why? Pride…Greed…why do they exist within the world? I still refused to answer Willow's question.

"I can see it in your eyes," Willow walked up to me, "Is my conclusion about the outside world not correct? With the power of the 1,000 Kitsune, and the power of Alchemy, I may be able to rid the world of such sin."

"Zen?" Braixen's eyes widened in realization.

"A number of so called 'evil organizations' have had similar ideals as I. They all wanted to contribute to a greater cause that would benefit the world, and well, their respective stories all end the same. These organizations fighting for their ideals come across as antagonistic, and end up losing sight of their goal because of this. Every bid ends in defeat…But that will not be me…" Willow sighed, "Being granted the power of the 1,000 Kitsune, I will-in turn-develop the same Alchemic power as Lord Mito. And when that time comes, I will transform the corrupt world above, into a world in which pride and greed do not exist."

"…Willow…" Lady Anju could only utter his name. I don't know why, but she and Lord Mito seemed to look at Willow with pity in their eyes. It was an insult to his ideals.

"Zen…" I looked to Braixen. What did she think about all of this? It wasn't like we could read her mind, but this is about her, isn't it?

Yes, it was about her, however, "But what about us? Braixen and I…we need the power of the 1,000 Kitsune, because…" As my words trailed off, I looked into the eyes of Seth. I meant to finish that sentence. Seth…he was the reason…

"Because why?" Willow didn't allow me to finish my thought. He asked this question with an expectant look on his face. "Is there something more precious to you than a perfect world?"

My eyes remained glued on him, but why? I…I want to see Seth smile…There was a time and a place for expressing myself to him, but I stayed quiet in front of Willow. I wasn't going to give Willow the benefit of guessing right.

…But I looked to Willow, and saw a smile on his face. He knew he was correct. Rather than call me out on the fact, he simply moved to an appropriate solution. "Prove your strength."

"Huh?"

"If you really hold something more precious than the world, lets see how much it drives you." Willow answered, "I challenge you to a duel. Only if you and your Kitsune defeat me, will I recognize you as someone worthy of inheriting the power of the 1,000 Kitsune. Lord Mito will be able to bestow the power to you, without argument from me."

So those were Willow's terms…Chapel argued, expressing that I had no reason to prove myself. Seth and Rose remained silent. Summer, Winter, and Lady Anju all looked to Lord Mito for an answer. Look at them all…they all seemed like they wanted to answer for me, in my favor. Were their thoughts in my favor, or were they REALLY against Willow and his apathy toward the world above?

…Were my goals really enough for me to make everyone smile? I had to know. I had no right to come here and take the power of the 1,000 Kitsune when Willow has known about it for years…Not unless I defeat him. I had no special virus powers, so I needed to see if I belonged with Seth and the others, while aiding their cause.

Braixen and I looked to each other, nodding.

"Zen."

"Hm?" Lord Mito looked intrigued, as did Lady Anju and the twins.

"Willow, we accept your duel!"

…

This was a clash between ideals. Willow versus me? It was unceremonious. Him and I stood at the peak of a large pillar under Lord Mito's Alchemic sunset, ready to do battle. Lord Mito, Lady Anju, the Twins and everybody else watched on.

"…" Braixen's ruby eyes glistened in the red sunset. They were focused, never wavering from the sight of Willow that was in front of her.

"The fight for the power of the 1,000 Kitsune…" Rose seemed to be pondering to herself, "Does Willow not have an opponent for Yumi and Braixen?"

"He has yet to send out a Kitsune, or any pokemon." Chapel added.

But they all knew. They all knew that Willow was the son of Lord Mito and Lady Anju. "…" Lady Anju looked on, knowing full well that Willow was going to transform into his Kitsune form any minute now.

"Our Brother…"

"Our Brother…" Summer and Winter's facial expressions became that of an expert knowing what was to come.

"He is formidable." They both finished.

"…" Like Lady Anju, Lord Mito was silent. The elderly man was stuck within the confines of his eternal rejuvenation chamber keeping him alive into old age. If not for the power of his Alchemy, Lord Mito's rejuvenation chamber would be completely immobile, and he would be unable to watch the fight ready to happen.

"Hmhmhm…" Even after seeing him express dissatisfaction with the world above, I still found it hard to believe Willow would ever inflict harm on anybody. It was how he looked. That slightly feminine face combined with a slender, masculine appearance. Adding to my impression of him, was the fact that he began humming to himself as he played the golden harp in his arms. "Hmhmhmh…"

"!" His eyes narrowed into hardened slits. The soft tune of the golden harp halted, leaving nothing to ease the tension set between Willow and I.

"We've past the time for formalities a while ago, haven't we?" It was then that Willow began glowing a red aura that was as bright and fierce as the Sun.

Braixen and I were ready for whatever form Willow would take to serve as our opponent; This was what we were thinking to ourselves. We were confident and bracing ourselves. Nothing was going to unnerve us. Nothing except…the form of Kitsune we were not expecting. This…was going to be an uphill fight.

"Hmph." Willow took the form of a Kitsune that stood bipedal with its arms crossed.

"Delphox." It was Seth, who named the Kitsune creature standing opposite of Braixen and I.

"…" Braixen's mouth hung agape. To think that the opponent before her would be her evolution.

Willow in his Delphox Kitsune form stood tall over Braixen. He looked at Braixen like an adult would to a child.

"Father…" The Delphox didn't move its mouth. Instead, it communicated with us all using some sort of telepathic clairvoyance that echoed throughout Lord Mito's Alchemic world. Willow looked to Lord Mito in the capsule, "The Power of the 1,000 Kitsune, will be mine."

To Be Continued…