Chapter 48- Preparations for the Future

A/N: This is an original Pokémon Fan Game, made by Amethyst. if you wish to check it out and play the game download it at Reborn Evolved. search for it on your web browser if you want to get to the website.

Time: 13:55

Location: Vanhanen Castle

As the hands of time wind back to earlier in the day. It arrives at Vanhanen Castle, moments before Percival's first encounter with Adrienn.

Though in the Castle, Lucille a bright young girl (age: 15) with blonde hair and silver eyes is being guided around the Vanhanen Castle. The one guiding her is a young woman name Luna, long blonde hair just like Lucille, but with light brown eyes instead. It was interesting if compared close together one might say they are sisters, but to the knowledge of Lucille that is ludicrous. Though it does not stop Luna from claiming Lucille to be her sister.

Earlier in the day, Lucille had come here with Percival. But Percival had left with Radomus Vanhanen the owner of the castle, along with Cain another friend of Lucille. Their reason was to track down and retrieve Gardevoir, a dear friend of Luna's who had been kidnapped.

For the safety of Luna and possibly Lucille as well, they were told to stay behind. Though, neither person liked the idea of just sitting around, waiting for their return. Lucille suggested to Luna to show her around the Castle. Luna gladly accepted, showing Lucille all around: The Garden Hedge Maze, the Kitchen, the Dining Room, the Bedrooms, the Bathrooms… Finally, Luna had led Lucille to the Gym Arena.

"Here we are, dear sister." Luna said as she showed Lucille the giant checkered floor. Two opposing stone armies facing each other, otherwise could be known as a life size chess set. Luna smiled dearly, "So, shall we begin?"

"B-begin?" Lucille was startled by Luna's words.

"You wish to save, Nero, our dear brother. Do you not?" Luna said, a calm, yet sad smile on her face. "But to do that you need to grow stronger. And as I have trained in Darkness like him, I would be the best opponent for you. Isn't that what your friend, Percival, said?"

"…" Lucille bit her lip… What Luna said was true. She needed to get stronger, Luna was the only with the means to train her. But she didn't feel right doing it, she felt as if she would be taking advantage of Luna's kindness…

"Sister, you take no advantage over me." Luna reached out, placing her hand on Lucille's head. "It saddens me that you two have to fight each other… especially while guilt wracks your soul about what happened with Nero."

"G—" Lucille was about to shout, denying all such things, but Luna cut her off.

"I can see it in your eyes, and even if I haven't seen our brother in a long time. I know how you react to each other." Luna placed her finger over Lucille's lips shushing her. "Since you had lost your memories. And, unwillingly, I might add, were taken away from Nero. Leaving him to fend for himself. Now that some of your memories have returned him, you see it as one thing that must be amended."

"…" Lucille had nothing to say for herself… What Luna had said was true. Nero was Lucille's twin brother. Someone who she once cared deeply for, before the world ripped the two apart. Lucille lived her life in ignorance as she lost her memories of her twin. While Nero spent his life blaming himself for the apparent death of Lucille, wallowing in Darkness. Now that Lucille had returned learning what had become of her brother, Lucille hated herself for being so blind… for not helping him when he needed her.

"Nero is your Fatal Sin." Luna's words simplified the matter at hand, but was digging at more than that. "While you blame yourself, you need to be strong to save him. If not, he'll only self-destruct."

Lucille's eyes widened as she heard that… Nero was going to… "S-Self-Destruct?! W-Why? Why would he self-destruct?!"

"Sister, calm, please." Luna pleaded, if Lucille was this worried. Luna hesitated to tell her… but she knew, Lucille needed to know. "As I said, Nero is your Fatal Sin. But you are Nero's Mortal Flaw. His weakness."

"B-But he should hate me!" Lucille screamed, she felt that Nero had every right to hat her. She hated herself for what she let happen to Nero. "I left him alone for so long… while I didn't even know he was suffering!"

"Easy…" Luna placed her hands-on Lucille's shoulders. "When you disappeared, it had broken Nero. But your words you've said to him, still stick to his soul. I am positive he felt joy in finding you to still be alive. But also, guilt, guilt for the faults he's caused. Though you are his weakness… He knows what he did when he lost you once, which was not his fault. What would happen if you were to be lost again?"

"He'd break further…" Lucille understood Luna's words. It was a hard pill to swallow. As much as she felt Nero should hate her, she knew… She knew he still cared for her. Lucille was someone important to Nero, his only light in a world of darkness.

"*Sigh*" Luna still sighed, as she needed to continue. "Though… part of Nero's self-destruction, will probably be unconscious effort." Luna admitted, Lucille wanted to say he wouldn't but from Radomus' previous explanation of Dark-Type Experts, it would be more than plausible. "He will not notice it himself, but in his battles against you. he will make mistakes that he normal won't make, make decisions that are far riskier than the reward, unable to do anything but want to help you although as the tides stands… the enemy." Luna breathed, once more. "This is why I need to help, help you to be strong. Strong enough so that you may bring sense to him."

"…Y-You already know this much…" Lucille groaned weakness clear her voice. "W-Why can't you save him…"

"…" Luna felt bad leaving the hard part, upon the already struggling girl. Though Luna knew she couldn't do anything. Luna feeling so bad gave Lucille a hug trying to rid Lucille of her negative emotions. "Sister… If I could save Nero, I would do it in a heartbeat… but alas… he needs a shining beacon to save him. Not a night sky without any stars…"

Lucille felt the stress upon the situation worse for her… She needed to save Nero, that was undeniable… but, how could she? She had ignored him for so long. Nero was leagues stronger than her, even if he subconsciously held back… She only had four Pokémon with her, she had no idea when her Absol would join her… even then Nero still had six Pokémon. Lucille felt the weight of an entire world upon her shoulders… She wept into Luna for a small bit. Worried she wouldn't be strong enough, she would lose Nero, her friends, everything… but reality… When has she ever faced a fair situation?

That train ride into Reborn, it had an explosive meant to kill everyone inside. Even before that! How her mother kept everything about Nero from her. How she knew the apparent deaths of two people, unable to do anything to save them. Lucille felt weak… yes, but then she thought about her friends… Percival and Cain, a lot of the problems that Lucille faced. Percival and Cain have also faced. A complicated family, Reborn in danger…They weren't giving into their struggles. So, she saw that it was no time to faulter.

"*Breath in*" Lucille wiped her tears away, "I'm sorry for that outburst."

"It's quite fine." Luna smiled seeing the determination in Lucille's eyes.

Lucille took a few steps back, readying a pokeball in her hand. "Please, teach me how to fight."

Luna's smile grew bright, as confidence filled her. "Never mind that. I'll teach you how to win."

The two started to spar and Luna started to describe the basic techniques of what most Dark-Type Trainers do in battle. What common moves certain Pokémon would have, whether they were Dark-type or not. How to have your opponent be the one to underestimate you.

"Blaze let's go Flame Thrower!" Lucille commanded as Blaze her Arcanine spewed out orange flames at a Weavile.

"Wea-!" The Weavile fell as the flames enveloped the small weasel-like Pokémon.

"Knave!" Luna cried out.

"*Gasp*" Lucille hesitated to continue as she heard the cry, thinking that Blaze's attack was too powerful…

"AR!" Blaze cried running over to the Weavile, trying to make sure it wasn't badly hurt.

"…" Lucille barely noticed as a smile creeped across Luna's face.

"Bla—" Lucille was barely able to call out to Blaze

"Weavile!" The Weavile smiled as its claw turned black, slashing at Blaze.

"Ar!" Blaze cried out as she took an unexpected attack. the attack was heavy upon her form.

"The art of Deception." Luna nodded as her Knave of Hearts stood unhurt from Blaze's Flamethrower. "Turning your opponent's advantages into your own is one way to fight. Especially when you are facing a type that you are weak against."

"Haaah…" Lucille sighed… another lesson being drilled into her memory, harshly by Luna.

"Though, I think that would be enough of that for now." Luna said, recalling her Weavile to her pokeball. "I think you might like to learn a bit more about Absols, Sister." Luna switched the Weavile out for another Pokémon, "Come out, my White Rabbit."

"Sol." A Pokémon with white fur, red eye and a black horn appeared before Lucille and Blaze.

"Ah…" Lucille stood stunned as an Absol was now standing before her. Even Blaze seemed to act surprised by the sudden events. "Luna, are you—"

"No, unlike you and Nero. I am not marked." Luna said with a small sigh. "White Rabbit here has not found it to give me a mark… or rather neither he nor I know how the mark is formed. Fo all we know, there could be several biological disparities between a Marked Absol and a regular one."

"But… how? Haven't you—" Lucille was about to give a storm of questions but was gut off.

"Sister, for your knowledge there are many trainers across the world who hold Absols. But Those who are Marked are particularly rare." Luna retailed. "Like said a genius appears once every century. The Marked are rarer than that, said to appear only when an incident that could destroy the world."

"…" Lucille was stunned as she heard this… she knew her mark was important. But that important? I mean come on, she barely has a plan to save her brother, let alone the whole planet. Now that's pretty unreasonable.

"Do not worry." Luna smiled, "it is just a sentiment to how rare they are. Though it was surprising to hear you and Nero were both marked. Since yours has yet to join you, the better it is to learn as much as I can tell you."

"…" Lucille breathed as she readied to fight against Luna's Absol. Switching out Blaze, to Theros. Out of all her team right now, was the most probable candidate to take on Grim.

"Sister, A Marked Absol may be different than a normal one." Luna warned, "But White Rabbit isn't a weakling either."

The battle between Theros, Lucille's Chesnaught, and Luna's Absol had started. White Rabbit was fast and dealt quite the heavy blow. But as Lucille compared it to Grim, Nero's Absol, it seemed quite slow. Even White Rabbit's attacks seemed to do less damage… Lucille thought was strange…

"Is this what you mean?" Lucille called out to Luna as Theros blocked another of White Rabbit's attacks.

"Yes, you see some of the clear differences." Luna nodded, "But tell me… how does it feel being the opponent of my White Rabbit."

"…" Lucille looked at White Rabbit, noting a pressure difference in the room… it was pressuring but not overbearing. "It's different than Grim… when he was out it felt like I could barely breathe… the slashes of White Rabbit seem lighter… And the speed is clearly different… if it wasn't for my Absol… I'd probably not be standing right here…"

"Right… I'm not too sure on how different a Marked is than a Regular… but I can only speculate…" Luna sighed. "A Marked Absol can have multiple abilities. And a stronger strength and speed. White Rabbit might have Pressure. But he fails to compete with Grim."

"…" Lucille was silent, rather not surprise… but in understanding. Pressure was one of Grim's abilities… but he definitely had another ace.

"Though at most rumor is said for an Absol to have two…" Luna trailed along, "Nero has managed Grim to have three."

"Three?" Lucille looked at Luna in surprised. If Lucille was told that Grim had a combination of Super-Luck and Pressure. That would be fine, but what Luna said… Grim had the Abilities: Super-Luck, Pressure and Justified.

"Though he makes it look like three, Grim only has Pressure and Justified." Luna clarified.

"How… How does Nero make it look like Grim three abilities?" Lucille asked, completely and utterly perplexed at the concept.

"It has to do with Glimpses to the future." Luna stated, but upon seeing Lucille's confusion. "You might have seen it for yourself. Whenever you've seen a vision of a disaster."

Disaster… it was one word that resonated in Lucille's head. She had seen a glimpse of Corey's death on Beryl Bridge, the same with Kiki on Pyrous Mountain. Those were moments filled with dread… yet hearing now what Luna had said. Nero could glimpse into the future at any time? That wasn't something Lucille thought would be possible. "How? He can see into the future whenever he wants?"

"I don't know the exact limits of his abilities… but it isn't long, only for a few seconds." Luna tried to clarify. "You know when a Pokémon attacks, there will be a certain weak spot… a chink in the Pokémon's defense. When Nero has glimpse into the future, he predicts the move of the Pokémon, attacking it right at its weak spot. Seemingly getting very lucky with their strikes…"

"…" As Luna described how Nero seemingly makes it look like Grim has Super-Luck. Lucille wondered… "(If Nero could do that… Could I as well?)"

Clunk!

There was a loud shift coming from the entrance of the castle. Luna and Lucille looked toward the noise surprised. Lucille wondered if someone came here with the intent of attacking, but the thought was quickly disregarded as Gardevoir teleported into the room. "Ah, so this is where you two went! A small training session I see. Though here I thought Percival was the Gym contender."

"Gardevoir, you've returned!" Luna called out in a happy tone.

"Things went well I assume." Lucille didn't hide the sigh of relief she felt as she saw Gardevoir safe. as that also meant that Percival and Cain were well.

"Yes~ now, come along! We have quite the tale to tell!" Gardevoir said leading Lucille and Luna out to the foyer.