A day like any other, with absolutely zero deviations since the onset. The evening sun shined down on Riolu's face as he groggily awoke from his slumber, his eyes twitching open and falling on the large owl that stood beside his desk, flipping through pages of what seemed to be an encyclopedia of sorts, littered with words and images alike.
He put his paw against the scratchy hay of the bed he was lying in and pushed himself up to an upright position, sitting at the edge of the bunk and dangling his feet in the air; it wasn't a bed made with the thought of having small pokemon rest on it, so when it came to sleeping in it, the little riolu took up only a third of it whole.
His lazy eyes scanned Silas up and down, from the tips of his talons to the very top of his black, hooded head. He was wearing glasses, accompanied by a silver pocket watch, hanging down from his neck and ending up on his chest hovering above the enormous book he was reading.
Riolu shuffled down the bed of hay and threw himself down on the ground, landing with a thud and catching the decidueye's attention. His head turned a clean 90 degrees towards him to look at the little disturbance, his beak shaping into a smile and his eyes narrowing lightly. "I don't think I've ever seen you sleep so long!" He said and laughed, then continued his thought. "Then again, you sure did put up a fight with that tree from before. Come, I have something to show you."
Silas beckoned him with his wing, while the little pokemon took small, tired steps towards him, looking more like a zombie than a living being as he did so. But the moment he jumped up on a nearby stool to look down at the book with the decidueye, his eyes widened in both shock and curiosity.
The page the book was open on depicted multiple riolu, all of them different from one another by a key feature. Usually a single thing, though it was a change big enough to see. They were all labeled as well, either by the climate they lived in or the environment they had to endure.
One of those riolu was labeled "arid"; it was shorter than the rest, smaller in frame and with less muscle mass. Its fur was smooth and had a sandy undertone, definitely lighter than the others'. It had longer limbs and ears, looking more like an alien than a riolu, one that wasn't particularly good at hiding its identity.
Right next to it, on an adjacent paper, was the drawing of a stocky built riolu, with the word "highland" under it. It had longer and thicker fur, fluffier than a mareep and looking quite warm. It had the shortest ears out of all of them, but boasting larger paws and thicker claws, most likely used to scale said highlands.
The last two drawings were those of the "temperate" riolu and the "coastal" riolu. One had webbing between its fingers and sleek, shining fur, while the other had longer limbs and a longer tail, looking much more like a mankey, or a passimian that passed by the hut every so often.
Silas looked down at Riolu and looked him up and down, sizing him up and paying attention to the features that would discern him from the other types of riolu. He did that twice, then thrice, and it was only after the fourth time when he finally shrugged and glanced back to the book, then to him again.
"You know, you don't really look like any of these..." He began, placing his wingtip under his beak and scratching it lightly. "You've average sized limbs, fur thicker than average but not too much, claws and paws moderately sized..." Silas summed everything up, tilting his head.
He let out a long and drawn out sigh. "..That's not what I wanted to show you though." He said and fixed his glasses, leafing through a couple pages of his book and landing on what could only be described as a crude drawing of a child with stink lines coming out of it, its hand risen and pointing at an uprooted tree.
The decidueye pointed his big wing at the text above the drawing, written in neat and tidy footprint runes, looking perfect enough to call them mechanical, but with so many imperfections to tip the scale over to the organic side. Riolu got closer to the text, his eyes widening in awe.
Most of the runes he's had the honour of reading looked like they were written in haste, drawn onto the paper as poorly as a shellos trying to run. Some were so old that they were practically peeling off, leaving only faint ink in the spots where they once were.
"I'm sure you know how to read by now," Silas began speaking, his tone gentle like the wind. "So I imagine that something as simple as this shouldn't a problem for you." He removed his wing from the text and took step back, allowing Riolu to hop onto a stool and read the runes by himself.
Silas would have preferred him to read it aloud, but seeing as his vocal cords were all either tangled up or missing... The riolu sighed and cleared his throat, putting one of his fingers under the first lines and beginning to trace along the bottom of the words, translating the runes to a language of his own, one that he could understand.
It was an excerpt from a book that Silas himself had wrote, one that was not public, but had probably been read by him multiple times. It's title was written in bold letters, bringing attention like a screaming child in a house, and it consisted of only one word: Aura.
Riolu shuddered upon reading it. He didn't know what it was about, but the way that it sounded, the pure emotion it attracted... it was unimaginable. A simple word, and yet it meant everything- he just didn't know it at that time, but as his future would soon show him, aura was something that he would have to learn about, research- experiment with.
"Imagine a thread, weaving through every blade of grass, every tree, every creature great and small- that's aura, something that everything possesses but not everyone knows of. Very few pokemon around the world know as much about it as one species, one that has learned to master it and use it in their daily life- the lucario line."
"It's a vibrant, universal energy- a life force, if you will. Said life force shapes everything around us, though it remains unseen to the untrained eye, thin enough to be considered invisible but sharp and thick enough to be woven into anything that one can desire."
"Like it was mentioned before, the use of it, as well as its mastery, is genetically tied to both riolu and lucario alike, being a sort of extension of their bodies that lets them see what others cannot, hear what is mute, feel what doesn't exist, connect lines and dots where nobody else can."
"I, the author of this here book, have been lucky enough to be visited by a lucario as of late, who has now become a usual face around my cabin. On one of our outings, I found the courage to ask him about his lineage and about the very thing that I've been talking about here- aura.
"Both above and below is everything that is known to me, and it is all subject to change, were new discoveries to be made. My friend, the lucario, also mentioned to include a warning of sorts- aura is not to be taken lightly, and why that's the case I will write below.
"It has been said before that aura is a life force that connects every living being; without it, life would not have been able to bloom like it does today. However, that also means that if you were to learn the ability to control it, you would (essentially) be tied to everything and everyone with a thread, thinking what others think, feeling what others feel- a curse and a blessing, all at once."
"Aura could help you put thoughts into others' minds, make them feel joy, pain- anything that you could come up with. And- despite its many passive uses- it has its very own edge; a dark side, if you will."
"It may come off eerie, or strange even, and many would consider this to be outright twisted or evil, but I believe that aura could be used as a weapon. Now, the lucario that I had "interviewed" for the sake of writing this had not told me anything about aura being a force of destruction and chaos, but seeing as it is something that can be crafted into anything that its user desires, it may as well be the case."
"My assumptions are that a user of aura could master it to such a level, become so skilled at using it, that they would be able to subtract their own life force to create an extension of themselves, able to interact with others' and effectively hurt them by, for example, stealing theirs or wounding it."
"It's a dark and grim place I hope nobody will ever discover however, and I continue to pray to Arceus that power like this would never fall into the wrongful hands. Simply imagining what a bad person could do with such talent makes me shudder- being able to hurt others by reaping their aura and slowly killing them, usually without them even knowing."
"..Of course, since aura can be an "extension" of oneself, it can replace that which has been lost- mend wounds, make scars diminish, heal any underlying problem... It's both a miracle and a curse for the world, a cancer that can be used to destroy all evil, or to destroy all good."
"Someone who can use aura is able to communicate without words through telepathy, see with their eyes closed, hear with corks in their ears, and I believe that this is because the link established between their own aura and the one around them, enables the user to craft themselves a sort of 'celestial body', if you will."
"Overlapping it with their own, syncing their movement, their thoughts, everything, would mean that the user, despite being unable to hear, see or talk, can still do these tasks just as well using their second body."
..At that note, the small excerpt ended, and Riolu could feel Silas' hot breath against the back of his neck, waiting for some sort of reaction from the small pokemon. He didn't have to wait long, as right after having finished reading, the riolu turned around in an instant, his mouth open wide in shock.
If the text was right (and Riolu was certain of it, since it was Silas who wrote it), he himself would be able to talk despite being unable to do so physically- with superpowers! The big owl seemed to catch on to what he was thinking, grinning widely at his reaction and covering his beak with the tip of his wing to hoot into it quietly, enthusiastically so.
"Well," Silas spoke, lowering himself down to his knees and grabbing Riolu by his shoulders. "What do you think?" He looked proud; both of himself for writing something like this and for showing it to his patient, or pupil, or maybe even son. His smile never left his face, engraved into his features.
Meanwhile, Riolu just stared up at him with pure glee, eyes so narrow that one could say they were closed- but they weren't, and they could see Silas enjoying the moment with him, acting like a child that had just won some award. And he really did win an award, even if nobody else perceived it as one.
The smaller pokemon lunged at the owl, embracing him in a hug and catching him off guard. Silas let out a surprised hoot, catching Riolu and hugging him back just as tightly, being considerate so as to not hurt him. He let out a happy sigh and let out a tired chuckle.
"..This is why I've been up so late. The reason why I was so tired all the time," He whispered, putting a little distance between him and his patient, looking him in his crimson eyes. "Was because I was trying to make your life a little easier. I'm sure you have noticed me spying on you when you were roaming the forests."
Riolu nodded, his own face mimicking that of a wooper's- eyes beadily staring into Silas' and a grin that just would not leave, no matter how hard he tried. Was he finally going to get some exposition? Was he really about to tell why he was following him everywhere, acting as his shadow?
The tension only grew as Silas' face grew a sour look, trying to maintain a smile even while raw emotions were tormenting him. Riolu could see this torment-feelthis torment. His smile faltered slightly, but kept beaming at the decidueye.
"The truth is, kid," He began talking, clearing his throat as a bead of sweat ran down his face. He was nervous, stressing about what he should say next. "I...- I haven't got much time left in me." He faltered, his smile finally doing the same as his face now sported a darker look now.
At times like these, Riolu wished he wasn't cursed with his blessing, wished he was stronger emotionally, or at least not as sensitive as he was at the given moment, because it were feelings like these that made him lose his spark and eventually bawl his eyes out, no matter how hard he tried to resist them.
Depression. Dread. Grief. Anxiety. Fear. The five horsemen of despair. He wanted to cry, to fall over and never get up, to hug Silas and never let go, to follow him to the other side... Their time together may have been brief, and they probably hadn't spent it in the best way possible, but a kid can still grow attached to a person that teaches them, feeds them, raises them.
Despite everything, Riolu didn't cry. He wanted to stay strong, to show his big caretaker that he was strong- and he didn't want to let go of that strength, so that he could show it to the whole world. His smile fell down now, replaced by a serious look that stared right through Silas.
"I'm old and not as lively as I used to be, but when I saw those humans just dump an egg in the forest..." He murmured and sighed, taking a small break to find his bearings, his eyes frantically looking around his own cabin in search of relief. "..I just felt like I had to guard you, you know? Be your guardian angel of sorts."
He saw me... There were so many people that could find me, and yet... And yet fate had chosen Silas. Those were the exact words Riolu thought, a thousand yard stare just blankly looking into the owl in front of him. For some reason, he wasn't as sad anymore.
He wasn't sad, or angry, or depressed, or anxious, or afraid; none of that anymore. He was glad. Glad that it wasn't anyone else. Glad that he was the one Silas chose to spend his time with. Glad that he now knew everything. Glad to have been guided into his hands by fate. Riolu felt... content.
Silas looked to the side nervously and wiped his face with the back of his wing, catching a tear. "I can't tell if I taught you well, since I never heard a complaint or a compliment before." He said and laughed, choking up and clearing his throat. "I don't exactly have a will either, kid, but I don't have any family either."
His wing reached behind Riolu and grabbed something from the table. It was sitting right above the giant book that they were reading a moment ago, too irrelevant to have been noticeable before- a silver key, with two letters boldly engraved into it: "S.C. Silas Curden. It will open any door you'll ever want to."
He took the key into his small hands and clutched it tightly, not wanting to let go, like his survival depended on it, even if it didn't. So many emotions tearing at him, all coming from different angles and sides, trying their best to catch a piece of him in the unyielding storm, clawing at his mind.
Despite all that, he kept a straight face, afraid to disappoint and anxious about falling into a spiral of despair once he let the plague of negativity actually get to him. His eyes trailed down to look at the silver key, his hands trembling as if they were hurting, even if it was his mind that was under attack.
Silas carefully wrapped his wings around Riolu again and hugged him tighter than before, the times when he would watch out for his fragile build long gone by now, distant and forgotten, laying at the back of his head. "..It's not usual for me to act like this; to grow so... attached to a patient of mine..."
Riolu heard his words, but he didn't register them- they didn't feel important. What did feel important though, was spending the last day with Silas. He wanted him to know that unlike the little riolu in the middle of the forest, he wasn't abandoned by everyone, that there was someone he could rely on as well.
He hugged him back, closing his eyes as he got dragged into the warmth of his feathers, tickling him everywhere and scratching him all the same. His hands wandered to Silas' back, tracing the shape of a heart, before making and 'I' on its left, and a 'U' on its right.
The decidueye sighed with a shaky breath, his bones melting as he relaxed substantially. "..Before the day ends, I want to take you somewhere. Someplace that I didn't get the chance to show you before." He said and pulled himself away from the smaller pokemon, looking down at it with a small smile.
He tilted his head and raised and eyebrow, putting his hands in front of himself and making circular motions going outwards. Silas smiled and ruffled the top of his head with his wing. "You'll see soon enough. Now come on; you wouldn't want to keep an old man waiting, would you?" He said as he began waddling over to the exit of his own cabin.
There was a subtle stiffness to his movement, as if he was hurt and was trying to play it off cool, as if nothing was happening. It was either that, or old age was beginning to get to him, ruining his body from the inside out- a fate that Riolu would not wish on his greatest enemy.
They wandered outside of the house in the woods, with the decidueye leading the two of them in the same direction as the sun was going. It was evening already, as established when Riolu was waking up, and sunlight shined down on both of them from above- it was a nice change of pace from the emotion-riddled cottage.
The surrounding area was always a little barren when compared to other parts of the island that Riolu had seen, with only a few features making it stand out amongst all the other plains, one of those being the crossroads on the edge of the woods, with three paths leading to different places.
One went in the mountain region's direction, leading either there or to some wasteland, ridden of all flora and full of rocks. The second pathway led into the forest, where it disappeared behind the thick glade and shrubbery, moss growing over the many fences, posts and signs that were planted along the road so long ago.
The third and most walked on path led to seemingly nowhere, winding up a hill before plummeting down the other side, never to be seen again. Riolu never saw any pokemon take that road before, only the occasional human that wandered about seemed to be interested in it.
In the future, he would probably learn as to why that was the case, just like he would learn many other things; aura being one of his main interests. The fact that he could use it to speak still baffled his mind, but learning to do so would take days, weeks, and maybe even months just to say the first words.
It wasn't long before they reached a landmark of sorts; a giant boulder, overgrown by moss, sitting in the middle of the plains and attracting all kinds of grass-type and bug-type pokemon. Amongst them were also multiple eevee, lounging on the rock and taking in the harsh sunlight, as if feeding off of it.
Right then and there, Silas turned right, heading towards what seemed to be a large, grassy mountain, with nothing but a lone and a giant tree on its peak, standing there in silence as the harsh winds waved its branches violently, sending a few leaves flying towards the forest, never to be seen again
Riolu looked up in awe- how come he's never seen that place before? He's explored the plains through and through, he must have seen it at least once before... But he didn't. That's what confused him. How could something so big be so good at hiding itself? Then again, a lot of big pokemon utilised stealth, so it wasn't impossible.
The decidueye went first, going past Riolu and beckoning him to follow with a wave of his wing. They were wrapped around his body, shielding him from the cold drafts that ravaged the unusually windy peak. The little pokemon followed suit behind his old caretaker, watching his step carefully.
And the higher they went, the more violent the air around seemed to grow, as if it was beginning to get irate by simply having the two of them invade its lonely hill, like a homeowner trying to scare off a trespasser trampling their garden. Though, nothing drove them away, not even the loudest of yells.
In what the homeowner and the wind differed, was their persistence. The former would probably stop once they realised that it was no use, while the other never seemed to give up, only pushing itself harder, as if reaching new heights of its potential. At least that's what Riolu thought.
Their small journey ended quite quickly, as the two of them finally reached the peak and rested against the large, barren oak, sitting beside it and using it as support. Their heads were turned towards the west, watching as the giant globe of flames slowly dipped behind the horizon, its orange light giving the skies a yellowish tint.
Silas sighed as he scuttled closer to his pupil, resting one of his wings on top of his head. He pat him gently and carefully, like he was slowly losing his strength and this was the best he could do. "..I like this place." He said quietly and took a deep breath, closing his weary eyes. "It's so... peaceful. Just you and the wind."
The blue pokemon looked up at the black owl beside him and mimicked him, taking a deep breath through his nostrils and letting the air out through his mouth, closing his eyes in the process. At that moment, even if for just a second or two, he could feel it- he could feel the cold wind's gaze slowly fading, as the sunset's light woke his body.
No outside stimuli. No book to glance at. No questions to make. Just serenity at its finest, overtaking Riolu's worries and doubts, just as it did Silas', who made it apparent by the wide grin on his face. "When I don't know where to go, or how to proceed in my tasks or life, I sit here by myself and meditate, feeling nothing but the turmoil in my mind slowly leaving my head..."
Another deep breath from both of them, letting air in and out of their lungs nearly in sync. Riolu nodded as he crossed his legs and put his hands on his knees. The wind was sweeping not only through his body, but also through his mind, as it picked off any thoughts and lifted them away, only to be found by the inhabitants of the forest.
They sat side to side- one with their legs crossed and hands on himself, and the other with bent knees, his wing grabbing the former's head, looking for balance. "I finally have a chance to tell you that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for involuntarily taking you here. Sorry for not being a better foster-parent. Sorry for having to let you go so fast." Silas spoke slowly, languidly.
But perhaps the most important thing he said came right afterwards, just in time for the wind to pick up speed once more and flush their minds once again, closing their ears. Riolu could barely hear the words, inaudible through the raging winds, thought still discernible.
He tried opening his eyes, but was met with the owl's wing slowly closing his eyelids, shifting them back in place as the currents subsided once more. "Riolu..." The decidueye said breathily, leaning down to whisper into his ear. "Close your eyes... I do not want you to see this..."
The feeling of his wing over Riolu's eyes slowly dimmed, as so did his voice, taken by the cyclone around them. Though even the cyclone, no matter how strong it was, has to disappear sooner or later. And disappear it did, slowly turning into nothing as it became softer, and quieter, and smaller, eventually dimming away completely.
All that remained was the quiet chirping of birds, coming from the forests on his right side, and the distant howls of wolves and other pokemon from the rocky region. He took another deep breath, in through the nose, out through the mouth... And even though the action didn't change, he could feel a faint difference between now and then.
He wanted to open his eyes, to look his father in the face and hug him tightly, glad that he didn't disappear, even if he knew that the black owl that sat by him just a minute ago was already long gone, leaving not a single trace. And so he didn't. He simply stayed put, focused on what awaited him ahead in time, now that he was alone.
And as the setting sun shared its last breath with the world, letting darkness take over, Lucario simply sat in place, legs crossed with his hands on his knees, Silas' last words not leaving him by for even a fraction of a second, constantly echoing in his head and not allowing him to pass on.
He shed a tear, the navy droplet blending in with the fur on his cheek, before running down and eventually dropping on the ground in dead silence. Only the tree they were sitting by paid its respects, bowing down and letting go of its last leaves, offering them as a gift for the newborn Lucario, whose thoughts of Silas began to slowly be replaced by a single phrase:
I love you too, dad.