Young Writers Society

There was a time when he had memories. A loving, cherishing family that he admired and they respected. Then he was whisked away. He went to a faraway land, fought a long war, gained the favor of gods, and lost the lives of many friends he met along the way. Dialga granted him near-immortality, and he lived in peace with the citizens of the land of the Terreria. However, so strong was his grief, so strong was his negligence of the idea that yes, he could see his family once more if he sought Palkia, that he came to Dialga, and had Dialga seal away the time-worn memories of times past. He left, in self-imposed exile, traveling to faraway lands with his companion, seeing the highest peaks of mountains and the lowest depths of canyons. He forever wished to put the away those dark memories, the weary and vanquished forms of his brethren. He did not wish to be called a hero anymore, and most human memories he held faded into wind. He spent his time meditating, relaxing, trying to keep as calm and peaceful as could be, running from the demons of rage and hatred, sadness and tears, the ones that had plagued his past life, both as a human and not.

He was Aegeas Dewott, and this he held inside him, when his human memories only returned in the form of little snippets, tidbits of a past life. He knew who he was, and he wished to forget it, but always, these past memories ached and pained him, and even the gods of the land refused to help him any more.

So he was surprised when, in the middle of his meditation, that he saw a figure hidden in the depths of smoke and shadow. It bore a resemblance to a legend that he had not seen in a long time, like the bearer and representative of a past era. He recognized the form at once, though it was but a shadow surrounded by a deeper darkness.

"Find the plates," said this being, the three words being the only trace of the legend's existence. Aegeas picked every one of them up, and pieced together the identity of the legend of space, Palkia. Painful memories coursed through him, and his eyes shut themselves tighter, focusing more on the vision of this legend. A ring of smoke exploded into vision behind Palkia, and the legend was enfolded in smoke and confusion. He could hear the legend's unsure voice, then recognized the figure and wording that only meant Genesect. There was chaos, terror, as though something was going horribly wrong. Together, these two mysterious figures vanished in clouds of flames and smoke, and all was dark again...


Aegeas opened his eyes. He was in a meditation pose, inside a small, icy cave. The wind whipped a furious beat, comprised of snow and echoes, outside. His whiskers protruded on either side of his face, sometimes momentarily twitching to sense the freezing air. His legs were crossed, and the fists he made of his hands touched together. His breathing was shallow, and chaotic. He didn't understand why, but he was aware that he needed to take action, and fast.

"Keldeo?"

His companion awoke. The prideful young legend had been lying in a fetal position in his own meditation, for he did not have the flexibility of his arms and legs that Aegeas had. Keldeo blinked his eyes with uncertainty, wondering why his companion, the one who hardly spoke a word, was talking.

"I'm going to ask you to do something, Keldeo, and you're not going to like it."
"What? I'm up for anything, you know."
"Then will you come with me to the Shrine of Safety?"

Keldeo sighed, raising himself up to his normal stance. "I've told you a million times about the New Order and the Resistance, haven't I?"

"Yes, you have, but..."
"And I've told you to whom my masters decided to align with."
"Yes, I know..."
"And you know that if I'm going to pick sides in this war, they will tear me apart?"
"You don't have to make it sound that violent," Aegeas finished.
"If I want to make a point, I have to."
"Well then, can you explain this? Within my meditation, the leader of the Resistance, none other than Palkia, came to me and told me that I need to 'Find the plates.' I, of all people, chosen by him, of all Pokémon!"
Keldeo sighed. "Let me guess, you want to find vindication and see the Resistance to learn more, right?"
"I hate it when you do this, Keldeo."
"I do what I must to make a point."
"...and then something else happened. There was Genesect. But he wasn't...normal. There was a fight, they went down in smoke, and I saw nothing more."
Keldeo's eyes widened.
"What?" Aegeas asked.
"They really tried to do it. I can't believe it. They really tried to do it..." mumbled Keldeo disconcertedly, to Aegeas's dismay.

"What did they do!?" Aegeas stood up in the small ice cave, grabbed Keldeo, and shook him vigorously. His temper had grown rapidly, particularly as he knew that Keldeo was more versed in the matters of gods than he was.

Keldeo seemed entirely, fully awake at that moment, staring around rapidly at everything around him, trying, as Aegeas thought, to find the entrance. His eyes were wider than dinner plates, and he seemed scared, like a child without its mother. His legs wobbled, his voice stammered, and, as Aegeas stopped shaking him, he bolted outside of the cave entrance, screaming out back to Aegeas.

"They've brought them over! They are looking for the plates of Arceus! They've started a war!"

Aegeas rushed outside with him, joining his confused brethren as they bolted into the Northern Plains. Aegeas couldn't understand this at all, and his mind rattled as he attempted to catch up with the running Keldeo. Aegeas knew of the two sides and their purposes, and had largely been indifferent to both of them. Neither seemed perfectly innocent, though neither was entirely guilty. The New Order preached just that - order and unification, concepts that Aegeas wished he could have out of his chaotic life. Too, the Resistance did portray the New Order accurately - at least, as far as he was informed from Keldeo. But then there was Palkia, and Aegeas wished to turn a blind eye to the one who had brought him here. And, what Aegeas found most surprising, Keldeo was running in the direction of the Shrine of Safety. He should've smiled, knowing that he had won the conversation, but there was something so dreadfully wrong that he could not bear to speak. His black nose twitched with concern, and his feet felt freezing under the grasp of the ice.

"I hate this weather," bellowed Aegeas to himself, as he caught up with Keldeo....

- The Introduction of Aegeas Dewott, Part 1.2


Aegeas caught up to Keldeo with ease. When the legend was scared, he ran quite poorly, and Aegeas had been trained to be adaptable in all kinds of weather. The snow had largely subsided, revealing its true identity as a swarm of diamond dust, instead of true weather. The clouds of snow and dust flurried their way into nothingness behind them, and they ran for quite a time, covering a far area of distance. However, clouds still loomed angrily above them, and Aegeas wondered whether or not another legend had been angered by their presence, as Keldeo was not one to make friends in any sort of way. Rather, his tenacity and his moral and ethical sides seemed to provoke the many legends into being his enemy. Aegeas ran swiftly, aerodynamically, but he was confused, and his pace was not as fast as he would've like it to have been. There was the question of what Keldeo meant, and what had happened on this planet that was so thought-provoking as to drive a legend mad. He did not know any answers, but he hoped to receive them soon, and hoped ever more that they would arrive at the Shrine of Safety.

When Aegeas felt he'd ran for quite a long distance and was unsure, in this infinite expanse of snow-covered regions, mountains dotting the land far off, where he was and when he was going to stop running, he collided into the shock-silent frame of Keldeo. Aegeas was toppled by the force, flying a fair distance ahead of the collapsed Keldeo as he landed into the snow with a painful sound. Aegeas was chilled to the bone by the intensity of the cold, and rose at once, brushing off as much as he possibly could from his blue, otter-like frame. The scalchops attached to either side of him, to his pleasure, were unharmed, and he brushed himself cleanly as could be. He felt freezing, and was reminded once more of his sheer hatred of the cold. He flung aside the last odds and ends of snow in quick movements, and turned around to focus on Keldeo.

Keldeo was staring at Aegeas, but...he wasn't. He was staring above Aegeas. Keldeo's body quaked in fear and terror, and he shivered in the cold, his breath freezing in the cold air. Aegeas, knowing that something was above him, and it was likely not friendly, turned and stared up, where he was greeting by a single, golden ring, filled in by a circle of purple and black, twisting and curving in a manner that suggested pure darkness and evil beyond.

"Hello, boy," said the voice in a mocking manner, though Aegeas noticed it was directed at none other than Keldeo. Aegeas took several steps back, hands warily at his sides, until he was at the side of Keldeo, and able to gain a better view of this opposing foe. The foe did not respond, and Aegeas felt slightly calmer, though he was prepared to attack at any moment.

"I see you have a little buddy. How piteous." Aegeas, from these words, knew of the legend at once. Keldeo has spoken of him with terror, with hatred, and with nothing but the worst feelings - this was the evil of the New Order, Hoopa, though in a less harmful form.

"But I suppose that I will have to capture him as well. Why not deliver him to my personal domain first?"

The ring shifted, and turned in the direction of Aegeas. At once, Aegeas acted, outstretching his palms, and summoning a beam of ice at the ring. The ring of darkness was, at once, encased in a sheet of pure ice. Hoopa stopped, momentarily petrified at this sudden movement that blocked a ring of his. Hoopa's face turned into that of rage, rather than of enjoyment, and a chill worked its way down Aegeas's body, further amplified by that of the cold.

"Like that, huh punk!?" bellowed Hoopa.
"What are you doing?" Aegeas responded in earnest, confused and frustrated. "Aren't you a member of the New Order?"
"Yes, I am!" replied Hoopa with some pomp in his voice.
"Then are you not working for the order and organization of the world?"
"Yes, I am! And this little freak is threatening our order!"
"What has he done? He hasn't hurt a fly, and he certainly hasn't joined a side!"
"There are a few of my side who wish to seem him with them again. As he certainly has been refusing to join his masters, I though it my...um...ability to deal with him and help him see the light."
"Torture? Are you mad? Do you not know the pain he's been going through?"
"Well, they certainly never said he had to be alive, so..."

He attempted, with a second ring now aligned at Keldeo, to sweep him up in that portal of darkness Aegeas had almost fallen within. Keldeo was swept off his feet in an instant, and began to levitate towards the portal. Aegeas shot another beam of ice, and, within that instant, before Keldeo fell into the portal, he smacked into cold, hard ice, and landed on the ground. The second portal had been frozen successfully, though Aegeas winced as Keldeo smacked the ground, hoping his friend had not been injured.

"Stop that!" yelled Hoopa, throwing together his two portals, seeking to shatter the ice between them. A third beam of ice from the cold hard hands, and gaze, of Aegeas, successfully unified these portals, connecting them and preventing Hoopa from using force to shatter the ice. Keldeo got up once more, staggering on his feet, and began to gallop around Hoopa, trying to confuse the legend. Hoopa attempted, with a third portal, to swallow up Keldeo, but was once again foiled by Aegeas. In this manner, the fighting continued, and all but one of Hoopa's golden rings were frozen in ice.

By this time, Aegeas was weary from this consistent form of battling. Keldeo, exhausted by the effort and crippled with fear, dashed over to Aegeas, and collapsed on the ground, wheezing with tiredness and panic. Hoopa was shouting and yelling with higher intensity and pitch as he continued, and it was apparent that something had to give in this battle, and it could certainly be Aegeas and Keldeo. Aegeas's breaths had turned to panting and wheezing, knowing full well that a few more attacks from Hoopa and Aegeas could lose ground and be defeated. He yanked out a scalchop from his right, and, with an imperceptible motion, flung it at the head of Hoopa, aiming for the spot between the eyes, where he knew the psychic power of Hoopa's rings came from. If he could successfully strike, he though, he could incapacitate Hoopa and end the fight at that moment. He was horrified, however, when Hoopa's eyes gleamed, and the direction of the scalchop shifted.

"Heh! You think you can stop a god! You and those silly humans they brought here?"
"...Humans?"
"Yes, humans! Did you hear, fool? Palkia brought a bunch of humans from that other world and sent them here to go against our plans! The New Order will not perish, and we will certainly not let it perish to you!"
"Palkia..." Aegeas's face turned resolute.

Beyond, there was a small sound of ice being shattered. Hoopa removed his gaze from his weakened, panting opponent, and viewed the tiny town known to the commoner of Frostpoint beyond. Aegeas had visited it several times, and knew of the citizens and their kindness, and was slightly upset to have caused any damage with his own scalchop. The scalchop, far in the distance, had left a notable impression to a massive, heavily constructed snowfort. The 4-story tall building had experience a window breakage as a result of the scalchop, which wheeled back to Aegeas. Hoopa moved forward slowly, deliberately, turning from Aegeas and squinting at the town in the distance. Aegeas's eyes were wide with shock. He began to walk forward, following this opposing god, leaving the weakened Keldeo behind. Aegeas stopped, and shot a beam of ice at the last ring of Hoopa, hoping to incapacitate all of Hoopa's power before Hoopa dared attack the tiny town of innocent citizens.

Hoopa blocked the shot with psychic force, taking the ice chunk, though he did not bothered to stare at it, and flinging it back at Aegeas. Aegeas, struck by the blow, was knocked into the air, and landed on the ground, beside Keldeo, in a heap. He could not move his head, so tired and injured as he, and so he watched as Hoopa began to head towards the distance, hearing the god's voice as he prepared to sweep the city of Frostpoint into ruin, his eyes wide with shock, aware now of the power of Hoopa.

"Aahh, my enemies have gathered here. They will fall here!"

For a second, Hoopa was there. Then he was gone. Aegeas knew that he had shattered the ice of the rings, and had escaped into his own dimension. Aegeas, after a long time of sitting in the snow, panting and terrified, rose up. He was surprised to find Keldeo was alongside him. They looked at each other, and nodded. Aegeas had received his answer after all, and was now fully aware of what had happened.

...He needed to warn the others of their impending doom, both against legends, and against sorrow.

======
-To Be Continued Shortly in Part 1.3.

- The Introduction of Aegeas Dewott, Part 1.3

When at last Aegeas had the strength once more to walk, and even run, he scanned the landscape around him, placing his hand above his eyes to shield them as he squinted for sight of Hoopa. He did not find the legend, and did not seen any trace of chaos, which he expected from Hoopa's wrath, by the neighboring town of Frostpoint. He was satisfied, but wary. Obviously, Hoopa was not coming to attack the town, this Aegeas knew but he certainly was not done yet. He could've already returned, and was beginning to summon allies, Aegeas thought.

"Maybe, though, he's got the wit to stay a few days, supply himself, march off elsewhere, then attack. Who knows what else he has planned."

Aegeas asserted in himself, after speaking those words out loud to Keldeo, who listened in silent agreement, the task ahead of himself. Aegeas had decided that, despite further risks, he was to head to the Shrine of Safety at all costs, meet Palkia and the Resistance, and figure out why they were going to such lengths to discover the plates of Arceus. The thought of other humans, new ones, taken from their families and lives, disturbed him immensely, and he wished to see it stopped at once. He could not bear to have others experience the same fate as he, and so, after having finished his silence, began to walk in the direction of the mountain ranges beyond, knowing from the map he'd acquired of the region during times long previous where the Shrine of Safety lay. However, as he did so, he heard hoofsteps behind him, growing slightly farther in the distance. It was Keldeo, and he was not walking with him. Aegeas stopped, turned around, and yelled at Keldeo, who was a ways in the distance, Aegeas cupping his hands around his mouth:

"Where do you think you're going!?"

The voice responded from far away, "Remember the tower we used to go to? The puzzle we could never solve?"

Aegeas smiled. He'd remembered the Alchemist's Tower. In the days in which he and Keldeo were young, eager, and carefree, having saved the world around them, they took a tour of the expanse of the world, looking for, and finding, so many particular sights. That tower, climbing high into the sky, with its tempting and dangerous maze, was his particular favorite. They couldn't, however, solve the maze, and, after suffering terrible wounds, were forced to leave, never having found what lay beyond. Aegeas had spent many nights wondering of the secret of the tower, though he never questioned Keldeo, assuming the legend had not the slightest clue either. All these thoughts arrived to him at a moment, and it was then that he became aware that, just as Keldeo had been with knowledge of the plates of Arceus and Palkia's action, maybe Keldeo knew more of this matter as well.

"Why?" was all Aegeas could muster to speak back.

"To find a plate!" was Keldeo's simple response, "It bears the weakness of Hoopa. We can beat him together!"

Aegeas smiled, trusting in the knowledge, cunning, and bravery of Keldeo, and they walked farther from each other, vanishing in the horizon, leaving the town of Frostpoint, and its occupants, alone...

=======
End

Frost awoke to the sound of footsteps. He opened his eyes to find a gengar and a breloom walking towards him, apparently in no hurry. Frost recalled, albeit fuzzily, what thundurus had said.

"Some of my comrades will be along shortly." On instinct, Frost rose and blasted a wave of fire at the two pokemon. The Breloom reacted fast and jumped out of the way of the wave, the gengar wasn't so lucky and was hit by the fire. The gengar was thrown back and landed a ways off. The looked at his comrade, then at Frost.

"So you are the one we were sent to pick up." Frost nodded.

"That depends on if you can defeat me." The Breloom laughed.

"Thundurus told us there wasn't need for fighting. He told us you could be won over with words." At this Frost became uncertain. Thundurus had explained his and the NO's motives fully and gave insight as to what the plates really were. But what had The Resistance told him? Why did they need the plates other than power? Suddenly Frost felt uneasy. True the NO's clearest objective was to rule the pokemon world, but was that for better or for worse? Maybe the world needed rulers, someone to lead the people. With a leader comes Order, social ranking, and Law, was that such a bad trait in a society? Maybe the NO was bad, but nothing could be worse than working with resistors of law and order who work with no purpose other than to obtain corrupted power. Sure of his decisions now, Frost turned to the breloom.

"Your right. I'll go without a fight." The breloom smirked.

"Told ya. Now come with us, we'll take you to the leader."

"Who?"

"Hoopa."

Day A2 1:20 pm

--- was having a horrible day. He was confused, angry, and most of all, alone. The Blaziken had been running for hours now and, since there had been no sign of pursuit, decided to rest. Slumping against a huge tree, --- caught his breath. Sighing, he looked up at the sky and muttered to himself,

"What am I doing?"

His joints ached, he bled from countless scratches that was the consequence of running full speed into the dense under brush of the jungle, and the Blaziken's mind was a jumble of emotions. Breathing deeply, --- closed his eyes and breathed. His chest rose and fell, the time between became longer and longer, and soon, it appeared that the Blaziken wasn't breathing at all. Then, a foreign conscious touched ---'s. Despite the urge to scramble to his feet, the Blaziken stayed still. Then, a deep voice emanated from the new entity.

"You are confused." It said, not a question, but a statement.

Blaziken nodded and the voice seemed to register his motion, it replied,

"I understand what drives you, why you are so conflicted. But the answer to these questions is not as complicated as you assume."

"Then tell me, what is the answer I seek, how do I cure this maddening grief?"

The voice was silent, and --- couldn't help but peer into the depths of the foreign mind that floated on the outskirts of his thoughts. The voice's consciousness was strange and alien. A soft tinny music seemed to issue from everywhere , disorienting the Blaziken. Other than that, the sheer number of memories the voice had was astounding, it seems that this mysterious psychic (For the voice was obviously a psychic) had lived for a long time. Now, it spoke again,

"I am waiting in the Western Cliffs. Find me, and I shall answer your questions."

With that the alien consciousness retreated, leaving --- to ponder what had transpired.

-The Epic of Aegeas, Part 2.1


Aegeas propelled himself upwards with the force of a Water Gun blast. He stood with his back towards the tall mountainous peaks, and fired so that he was capable of jumping from a lower point to a higher one. He had timed every previous, and this, effort with perfection, making sure beforehand to have gazed at his new location before beginning, and aiming at just the right angle to arrive at the next spot, before repeating the process. It was a quick, almost effortless method to clamber up the peaks, which he knew led to a ferocious desert beyond. He was aware of these mountains, and, from knowledge he had not the memory of, knew that the side that had not a desert was one that experienced most moisture and rain. This was his environment to shine in, and he was pleased with his results. Yet, he remained expressionless, the only thought crossing his mind was how he had come up with such a plot. He knew it was a law from...somewhere. He could not remember the name. It had been invented by....someone. He could not remember the name, save only the thought of an apple, though he did not know why this occurred to him as it did.

As such, he traversed the high peaks of the mountains with his cunning and the strength, though the heights above looked sharp, unfriendly, and mysterious, shaded by the massive gray clouds that surrounded them. He had been lucky when he was in the Northern Plains, for it, due to its normally dry weather, did not experience the ferocious winds and snow that embraced the neighboring mountainsides. Aegeas was freezing, wet, and uncomfortable, but knew that he had not much further to go. Ahead was a plateau, where he could take shelter, and plan his next actions.

As he prepared his next blast, he thought he could hear a noise above. On the plateau, and it appeared to sound like a grunt. He ignored it, not assuming that it meant much. If there was to be a threat ahead, he would be assertive about it. He did not wish to be confident - to be confident was to be overconfident, which was to fail. He would be wary.

As he blasted up, high into the sky, reaching far above the point of land that he had last been moments ago, he noticed that he had almost reached the plateau. He smiled, though briefly, as he stopped the motion of his Water Gun attack and allowed the force of gravity to propel him downwards, where he was to make a perfect landing, by which he would stop his backward momentum. However, he found himself surprised as he heard another grunt, and became all the more aware that he was about to land on something that was not hard earth. It had to be either a Pokémon or the sounds of the wind, he thought, and he was quite aware that the former option was more likely. He attempted quickly to stop his momentum by swerving to the side, but he had neither the ability nor energy to do so. As he landed, he ran directly into something that he could not identify. It was certainly not hard earth, though it was rather...the opposite?

He landed with a grunt in front of a startled Pokémon, accidentally knocking aside the basket that the Pokémon was holding. His movements were refined, and he landed with the grace that he had predicted, like that of a gymnast in final movements. However, his aim was just so that the Pokémon's wooden basket was knocked from its hands, sending its cargo, as Aegeas could determine from the sound behind him, flying onto the ground. He wheeled around in a second, spinning with a ferocious movement, a thousand gears whirring inside his head, planning his next actions and moves, whether they were to be positive or negative. To his surprise, and almost pleasure, the scene that he saw was not negative, and he found himself relieved.

He had happened to crash directly into a Clefairy, one of the mystical Pokémon of unknown origin, holding a basket of Leppa Berries. Obviously, the grunting had been the Clefairy grunting under his ponderous cargo which Aegeas had knocked aside. The rosy-cheeked Clefairy looked at surprise to first Aegeas and then his fallen Leppa Berries behind him, the force of Aegeas's impact enough to send his hands flying away from their ponderous weight. As Aegeas turned around, he noticed the Clefairy kneeling on the grounding, snatching the nearest berries with its grubby hands. The Clefairy's eyes were wide with surprise, evidently because of this new arrival, and of sadness, afraid of the damage done to these precious berries. Too, he was panting. Thankfully, Aegeas noted, none had been even bruised. Aegeas kneeled down to the same height as Clefairy, and, with a note of pity on his face, though he hated the emotion, grasped the berries that he could. He scooped an armful of each, as did the Clefairy, and together, they placed them within the basket in front of them. The basket was almost entirely filled by their combined effort, and Clefairy reached for the last ones. As he did so, Aegeas made a move to apologize.

"I'm sorry about the damage, sir."
"No, no, it's no big deal," replied the Clefairy, grabbing the remaining berries and placing them within the basket. He attempted to lift it up with his hands, though Aegeas walked forward, bowed, and took the basket from the Clefairy, holding it with ease. Clefairy, though momentarily surprised by the action, was soon bearing a pleasure-filled expression, noting with half admiration the skill with which Aegeas held the basket.

"You're quite strong," he said.
"Thank you, but it's nothing," replied Aegeas, trying to be as humble as he could be. He hated pride.
"You seem like a fine fellow, helping me out and all..." said Clefairy, speaking with a nervous, almost rushed tone.
"Where would you like me to carry these?" said Aegeas.
"...I was thinking that perhaps you would like to join me in the party?"
"I'm sorry sir, but I have a place to go and some certain Pokémon I want to see." Aegeas hoped Clefairy had not seen the slight anger in his voice at the mention of "Pokémon".
"Oh no, please! It's not too often that we see foreigners around these parts, and it's the least I can do, believe me, to repay your kindness."
"If you say so..."
"I do."
"Then let's go, shall we?"

Together, the two figures walked to a distance, and vanished in the mist of the mountain heights, leaving not a trace of the earlier moments that had transpired here.

======
To Be Continued....

-The Epic of Aegeas, Part 2.2

Aegeas allowed Clefairy to head ahead so as to lead the way. Despite the mistiness of the landscape, Clefairy seemed capable of seeing clearly ahead, leading a path through cliffs, rock faces, and other parts of the landscape. Aegeas was surprised; he could not see ten feet in front of him, and yet Clefairy seemed capable of gazing ten miles and knowing every single structure in the vicinity, like someone who had experienced the same place his entire life. Aegeas, though perplexed, continued, not wishing to disappoint this Clefairy by leaving, not after he had done a favor to him. He did not care of the repayment of the said favor, but he could see the shyness of the Clefairy and wished to bring the Clefairy some joy. Too, his curiosity burned within him, eager to know of what purpose this festival held and what the activities were. Aegeas had not seen such a festival before, as he was not often invited to one. He was not the life of the party, and sometimes thought of himself as like one in a funeral procession. Nonetheless, he wished to at least see, if he could not participate, in the festival, and his eagerness grew enough to where he asked the Clefairy:

"What do you and your friends do at this festival?"

The Clefairy replied in a chirpy tone, obviously happy to have company and someone to talk to, as he continued his march through the mist,

"It's something like a harvest festival, but it isn't exactly what you'd called a 'harvest'"
"Hmm?"
"Well, I wouldn't say we're exactly your ordinary run-of-the-mill Pokémon. This festival celebrates that. On three days out of the year, our friends up in space send us a fleet of comets that land on a field up ahead."
"Like the gods?"
"No, silly!" The Clefairy gesticulated everything, and Aegeas wondered if this Clefairy was talking to him or to itself, "Like I said, we aren't your ordinary run-of-the-mill Pokémon."
"So...there are others like you...in space?"
"Exactly! When those comets arrive, they bring to us the newest generation - whole flocks of adorable little Cleffas!"
Aegeas nodded in silent agreement as Clefairy enjoyed itself in its own thoughts, cuddling itself with relish.
"So what kind of events do you do during those three days?"
"Why don't you find out for yourself?"

The Clefairy stopped, and pointed with both hands to the large expanse beyond. Aegeas, stepping forth, was enveloped in light, and stopped, an expression of surprise drawn on his face. The sun shimmered within the large valley region ahead, exposing a multitude of the evolutionary family of Cleffa. All around, the mist from the mountain tops seemed to die away as it arrived at the procession beneath, unable to comprehend such a gathering of Pokémon. Beneath, there were hundreds, if not thousands, talking and walking on a large, cratered field. Young Cleffa children held hands with their Clefairy and Clefable parents as they walked around. Various tents and shops formulated from earth and stone were stationed all about the region, containing inside them a multitude of shops. From his vantage point, Aegeas could see shop dealers that sold herbs of various kinds. Young Cleffa children bought Mental, White, and Power Herbs and placed them on their heads so that the plumage stuck out towards the sun, laughing and appreciating their gifts. Old Clefables both these herbs in multitudes, and marched forward to several instated arenas, which seemed to hold a particular purpose that Aegeas was not sure of identity-wise. Beyond, Aegeas could see shops that sold berries of multiple kinds, among them Leppa, Roseli, and Papaya berries. At the center of the field was a massive tree that extended high into the air, some roots protruding outwards with the same thickness of the oaken trunk. Dozens of Clefables held back a massive crowd of Clefairies as Clefables marched forth, planting dozens of Moon Stones at the bottom of the tree. Obviously, Aegeas surmised, this had to do with an evolutionary ceremony.

This could not describe half of the region, for Aegeas saw a massive food court stationed beside the tree, comprised of monoliths and other stone structures that reminded him of....henge? The memory was only partially complete, and he could not pierce it together, so he largely ignored it. Hundreds of the Cleffa line gathered, feasting on berries, chatting with one another, and completing this beautiful scene.

"C'mon!" said Clefairy, waving his hands as a gesture for Aegeas to come forward. He then walked off the edge, and fell from the height of the cliff downwards to the valley below, jumping off with a happy shout. Aegeas, unsure of the purpose of this action, stood warily for a second. Then, braving his wits, holding as hard as he could to the basket of berries, he jumped off the edge of the cliff and down into the valley beneath, closing his eyes and acting as though he was diving. For a second, he found himself in free fall, and momentary panic ensued, though he did attempt to open his eyes for fear of experience even more unpleasant sensations. "What am I doing?" he thought. Then, suddenly, he found himself experiencing another sensation....he was levitating.

Goosebumps formed on his skin, and he felt a thousand tiny pinpricks all over him, which was a exceptional indicator that he was being possessed by a psychic power, and behind moved slowly downwards. Finally, after a brief time, he found himself at the bottom of the valley, at a corner of the region, a few dozen feet beneath the point at which he jumped off. To his surprise, he found the perpetrator of such actions to be the Clefairy that he had met earlier. The Clefairy was obviously working with a lot of mental power, in the way that he had lowered Aegeas. It had its hands pointed toward its temples, and its brow was furrowed as it attempted to complete its task, which it did successfully, and with ease. Aegeas breathed once more, relieved to be free of the psychic power, and looked slightly starstruck. Clefairy, seeing the scene, couldn't help but note,

"Those Mental Herbs sure are awesome, huh?"

Moments later, Aegeas, carrying his load, walked with the Clefairy at the front, as they toured the lines of tents and establishments on either side of them, each open and bustling, selling various goods. Clefairy led the way, pointing out and highlighting each store in turn, at some points waving to the storeowners, who responded by doing the same. All about did Aegeas looked, surprised at such a beautiful place, and ignorant of the many peculiar looks others gave him, they unsure of his position here. He walked as two young Cleffa children, one holding a stick and chasing another, passed by, yelling with the happiness that only young children possessed. In those moments, the young exuberance of Aegeas blossomed, and he smiled happily at the many scenes that he saw, taking pride in having the opportunity to see such a beautiful place. Meanwhile, Clefairy continued to yammer endlessly, unaware of the blissful ignorance of his companion.

"Over there they decorate the soon to be hatched eggs of our friends, and over there they sell all the herbs...hello! Nice to see you! Business doing well? Good! Oh, and there's one of the arenas..."

They continued walking in the straight path for quite sometime. Aegeas paid partial attention to what Clefairy was saying, and at the same time focused on the many families in attendance, some holding the eggs that withheld the future members. It was so beautiful seeing these families walking about, chatting earnestly with one another and store venders, and buying toys for their children, berries for themselves, and so forth, but it brought a pang of sadness upon him. It reminded him of the family he never knew, and the family he felt assured that he would never know again. It was too much of a memory to bear, and so he hid it. He frowned, though only slightly - the air of this place was such a wonderful one that he could not help but smile and laugh and look about him.

"Ah, there's one of those arenas with a match going on! We like to buy those herbs you saw for our little 'mental duels'. It's when we get together, stand on opposite ends of an arena, and engage in a battle of the minds. There isn't any physical violence or anything of the sort, for we stare, we fight, and, eventually, the force is strong enough to knock somebody down and we crown a winner! Of course, the kids can't play, but that doesn't stop them from having fun. Maybe you should try sometime or something..."

It was then that he stopped, and Aegeas had to force himself to stop moving, lest he could collide with the Clefairy for the second time that day. Aegeas was surprised - in such a paradise, he could not imagine stopping at this hour. He felt like running about, seeing each and every store and appreciating these wonderful moments. It was then that he noticed where Clefairy was looking, and his heart began to harden again. He frowned, squinting at the confused gathering up ahead, and knew that there was a rotten core within this earthly paradise. There was a gathering of Clefable up ahead, at the tree - by the looks of it, they were serious and important members of the community. They were talking with one another, and not happy. They were serious, and almost in a consternation.

Aegeas sighed. It was apparent that his day was not yet over.


======
To Be Continued.

Twinkiel - Skillset unlocked!

Day A2, 2:00 PM

"And down we go!" Zulu exclaimed, floating down the stairs.
Twinkiel smiled. Yup, being in charge WAS fun alright. Twinkiel didn't mind being the advisor at all, here, Zulu was having fun and their group was advancing well. It was really too bad this Dungeon only consisted of only one Floor, though.
"I miss Isle Zero..." he whispered to himself.
The Flaaffy's Inner Echo was becoming gradually more of a part of his personality instead of just a separate piece of mind. Twinkiel wasn't sure if it was a good or a bad sign.
"Oh, so now you're talking to yourself? Don't be pathetic."
Twinkiel stared at Spadassya. Her cheek was still bright red, and it appeared slightly swollen.
She frowned.
"What are you looking at?" the Servine asked sharply.
"The wound that your pride won't allow me to acknowlege," Twinkiel replied, sighing. "Seriously, stop being so grumpy. What's wrong? We've been a pretty effective team up until now."
"You're right. A team. A wartime team. That's all we are. Now follow the leader and stop talking."
Twinkiel gazed at his friend, a smile on his face despite his exasperation.
"You're lying to both me and yourself, and I don't know why. But you're right, let's keep walking. I'll understand sooner or later."
"And what makes you think there IS a later?"
The Flaaffy's smile disappeared. He blinked twice and tilted his head.
"What are you-"
"Shhh, everyone! I hear noises!"
Twinkiel and Spadassya turned their heads towards Zulu. The Noibat was now walking on the ground, as silent as he could be. The group had reached the end of the room: the aged walls were covered in green and purple vines pulsing with energy, and several statues of Legendaries were represented - Virizion, Shaymin's Land a Sky forms and Celebi. The Time Treveler approached the statues, nostalgia in her eye.
"Ah... Good times..."
A sudden loud sound was heard, soon followed by a cry of pain. The four Pokémons turned their heads towards the front door, also covered in energy-filled vines. The imposing door slowly opened, revealing the scene: in a circular rom enlightened by the sunlight, a Mega Venusaur was standing in the middle of the place, and a familiar Pokémon was lying on the ground, still in pain. He looked exactly like Thundurus, but was green instead of blue, and his tail looked different.

"N°641: Tornadus. Type: Flying. No Evoltuion. Alternate Form(s): Therian Form. He rips through the air at 300 Kilometers per hour, sowing storms in his way. The lower part of his body is covered by a energy cloud."
"N°003: Venusaur. Type: Plant/Poison. Mega-Evolved. Ability: Thick Fat. Ice and Fire moves are less effective. The plant on its back feeds him by absorbing the solar light, that can be reused in case of danger in the form of a Solar Beam."

"That Guardian must be pretty strong to beat a Legndary on its own...", thought, concerned. "We need some data."
"Serisouly?" exclaimed Twinkiel, faking surprise. "You're a pure Flying type, you sweep through a Dungeon covered with Plant types, you find a part Plant type as a guardian, and you can't even win on your own? Pfff. No wonder your bro brags about how weak you are."
"Twinkiel, what are you doing?" angrily whispered Spadassya.
"I'm giving us an edge," he answered in the same tone. "Get ready to attack when I do."
"What?!"
Despite his numerous wounds, Tornadus managed to get up, sheer ire in his eyes.
"If I was in my Therian form... This would've been over a long time ago!"
Tornadus used Dark Pulse!
The Venusaur didn't even bother budging. It took the attack head on, barely affected. A green aura briefly surrounded it.

"Leftovers. The holder's HP is slowly but steadily restored throughout every battle"

"CURSES!" shouted an enraged Tornadus.
Tornadus used Hammer Arm!
The Legendary flew to his opponent at an amazing speed. Once again, the Venusaur simply took the attack, barely wounded.
"It's not very effective," the Guardian said, ferociously smiling. "Let's end this now, shall we?"
Venusaur used Sludge Bomb!
A powerful brown ball of pure poison appeared in the Guardian's opened mouth and hit Tornadus, sending him flying.
Venusaur used Vine Whip!
Vines rapidly came out of the Venusaur's dorsal plant and caught the Legendary. The poor Pokémon was hardly slammed on the ground and stopped moving, unconscious.
"That was for everyone you killed in this sanctuary," the Guardian uttered. "Prepare to die."
"Now hold just a second!"
The Guardian turned to face Twinkiel. The Flaaffy was casually walking towards her, smiling politely. He was aware that his friends were staring at him, but he ignored them. He had a plan.
"And now, I am a merchant!"
"Well hello there!" Twinkiel waved, adopting his most convincing merchant voice. "Name's Twinkiel Thunderfleece. And you are?"
"...I am Silvaya. Keeper of the Meadow Plate."
"Silva. Forest in Latin. related to Nature. Fitting name."
"Such a gracious name! And quite fitting for a vegetal marvel such as yourself, I might add. You must be very linked to nature!"
"Cut the small talk, little one," replied the Guardian, exasperated. "I need to kill this monster before he hurts anyone else."
"My dear, this is exactly where our opinions diverge. See, this monster, as you say, is a member of the New Order. And my... Assiociates and I really need those for a science project of ours. But if we want the project to work, they need to be alive. It's called: Project Prison, by the way. Oh and we also need the plate you're guarding, but I suppose that part's not negociable."
"Indeed, it is not. But if you really want to claim both of those prizes, you'll have to-"
Twinkiel used Thunderwave!
At this range, it was impossible for anyone to dodge the quick bolt that Twinkiel threw at his opponent. The Venusaur fell on her knees, growling.
"To fight you, yes," he finished for her. "We guessed that. But you see, I discovered that I was really good at distracting people. Especially if they're old."
"You...! You foul trickster!"
"Joker quote needed."
The Flaaffy's smile grew larger.
"Flattery won't save you!" he replied joyfully, stretching his stubby arm near the Venusaur's face.
"Enel Impact!"
Twinkiel used Thunderbolt! It's not very effective...
The Guardian gazed at Twinkiel, grinning. She had barely been hurt, and her Leftovers were still in effect.
"Is that what you call Energy, little one? Know that my knowledge on the matter is unmatched. Watch..."
Silvaya opened her mouth, charging up a Sludge Bomb at the surprised Twinkiel.
Spadassya used Dig!
A graceful Servine hit Silvaya's chin, cancelling the move.
"That plan was completely reckless," she commented coolly. "You don't even know who you're dealing with."
"We've got a paralyzed enemy, and we know two of her moves before I began my plan. Don't complain."
Venusaur used Sludge Bomb!
Twinkiel used Cotton Guard!
"Guys, get back!"
Zulu used Air Cutter!
The flying bat had arrived, Celebi by his side. A white aura in her eyes indicated that her Future Sight was about to be used. But as the Air Cutter travelled towards her, the Guardian looked at Zulu instead of Twinkiel and fired her move. Celebi cancelled her own and pushed Zulu aside. The Air Cutter was obliterated.
Silvaya used Sludge Bomb!
Spadassya fled underground and Twinkiel ran backwards, his eyes locked on the attack. With enough momentum, he could dodge it and counterattack right after it. But an unforseen event unfolded: The Venusaur swallowed her own attack, much to the Flaaffy's utter surprise.
"Anime-only Skill. When a spherical, energy-filled move has been swallowed, the user gets a momentary power boost. Any physical attack used after the power up inflicts more damage."
A tremendous amount of aura circled around the Venusaur', like a huge tower of pure power. When it finally stopped, Spadassya had reappeared on the field, shocked. The Venusaur's dorsal plant was purple, and she was smiling proudly.
"I am Silvaya, Guardian of the Meadow Plate," the Guardian repeated. "But I was also known as Silvaya the Energizer."
Spadassya gasped and her eyes widened.
"S-Silvaya the Energizer?! The Original Aura Booster?"
"The one and only, my child. And it is this exact same Aura Booster technique that you shall face and fall against. Prepare yourselves!"
Silvaya used Petal Blizzard!
Powered up by the poisonous Aura, the move affected almost the entire battleground, disturbing all the fighters.
Spadassya used Dig!
Twinkiel used Cottom Guard!
The Flaaffy's defense was now at its maximum, good enough to resist the dangerous move, but he still struggled to keep his balance.
Zulu used Supersonic!
The blizzard of poison and petals suddenly stopped as Silvaya screamed in pain.
"Twinkiel! Are you okay?"
The Noibat approached his friend, concerned.
"I'll be fine, and so will Spadassya. And Celebi?"
"We're setting up a trap!" the Noibat proudly announced. "We need to fight together until her Future Sight is ready!"
"Pesky bat!" groaned the Venusaur, now her paralysis also getting to her. "Do all of you fight like cowards?!"
Celebi used Future Sight!
Twinkiel smiled despite his slight pain.
"Cowards, you say? Ha! What you call cowardice, we call strategy! And that, my dear, is what battling is all about!"
The Venusaur was still sane enough to lock her gaze into Twinkiel's.
"Strategy? You are the worst of them all. You have no honor. You crave for victory and victory only. You do not deserve the Plate."
Twinkiel's smile disappeared. That was it. He had enough tricks up his sleeve to deal with the situation anyway.
"Don't deserve the plate, huh?" repeated the Faaffy, bolts of electrcity appearing all around him. "Go tell that to the members of the New Order who killed the other Guardians and took the Plates out of them anyway. I don't care if I deserve the plate or not - it's not for me. And I've got no time to lose with ancient fools like you. Your time is up."
Twinkiel used Thunderbolt!
Remembering his self-taught trick, the Flaaffy unleashed an enraged battle cry, guiding his electricity upwards. He compressed it around his right arm and tried to control it, ignoring his arm's pain. It was working: like an oversized sword, the Flaaffy's Thunderbolt was now an entire extension of his body. He knew he'd be able to control it for a couple of seconds, so he had to act fast.
"Ha!" the Venusaur cackled, apparently amused. "You are not even using your Aura. You can barely control your own puny power! I may be ancient, but I have more knowledge and experience that you will ever have!"
"Philosophical proverb needed."
Twinkiel smiled again. he had a reply for that.
"Experience, my dear, is but a lantern that only enlightens the ground already covered! Spadassya, now!"
Spadassya used Dig!
The Servine assaulted the Venusaur's belly. Celebi chose this moment to appear in front of the Venusaur's eye, a mischievous smile on her face.
Celebi used Psychic! It's Super Effective!
Another powerful Psychic move struck the Guardian's massive body, but she held on.
Silvaya used Energy Ball!
The Guardian once again swallowed her own move, this time a huge amount of green-colored Aura surrounding her body.
Spadassya used Coil! Attack, Defense, and Speed raised by 1!
Using the momentum of her move, Spadassya fell back, anticipating another Petal Blizzard.
"Eat this! EnelSpada!"
Twinkiel ran towards the Venusaur, switching his place with Spadassya. his modified Thunderbolt followed the movement of his arm and fell like a hammer on the Venusaur's face. The latter's paralysis once again struck her, making counterattacks impossible.
Twinkiel used Thunderbolt!
The energy previously stored in his Tailamp was suddenly released, And the Flaaffy swiftly turned around, hitting his enemy once again.
"Faster attacks, but I lose my PPs faster," Twinkiel thought, frustrated. "Can't keep up like that."
"Let me handle it!"
Zulu used Air Cutter! It's a Critical Hit! It's Super Effective!
Twinkiel retrieved his smile as the powerful Air Cutter hit the Venusaur directly.
"Time to finish this!" screamed Celebi, a white aura surrounding her eyes.
The Future Sight hit the Enemy! It's Super Effective!
The white bolt of energy struck Silvaya, who finally collapsed on the ground, her aura still surrounding her body.
"It looks like... My time... Is indeed up..."
Her voice was filled with fatigue, and the Aura arround her was fading.
Ignoring his companions' sadness, Twinkiel approached the defeated Guardian, slightly cackling. He would not be sad. He would not cry. He had to finish the joust, no matter what.
"I forgot to answer about the knowledge part," he began gleefully. "The past is what inspires the future. So, sure, you have more knowledge than me now... But be sure to rest well so I can assimilate it as soon as possible, eh? After all," he continued in a creepy voice, kneeling in front of Silvaya, "I have analyzed all of your data!"
The Venusaur gazed at the smirking Flaaffy.
"Assimilate my knowledge?" repeated Silvaya, thoughtful. "Then I have a challenge for you, Twinkiel Thunderfleece. Or rather, a last wish that I'd like you to fulfill. Come closer."
The Flaaffy blinked and came closer.
"Become an Aura user", Silvaya whispered. "If you can truly assimilate my Aura Boost skill, then do it. Show the world what my skill can do through yours."
Twinkiel stared at her, confused.
"What's that all of sudden? I thought my lack of honor and cowardice prevented me from learning anything?"
Silvaya's body began to slowly solidify. Her gaze was still locked on Twinkiel's.
"You are the second Pokémon allied with insanity I ever met," she declared. "I have therefore all the reasons to believe in your success. Learn my skill and make me proud... Twinkiel Thunderfleece..."
The indecipherable smile the Guardian would forever remain visible across her face, eternally mysterious. A green plate had appeared next to the statue, and Twinkiel took it. He turned back and came bck to his friends.
"What did she say?" asked Celebi, tears in her eyes."
"She... She wants you to keep the Plate", lied Twinkiel, smiling softly. "Here, take it. It's not useful to me anyway."
Celebi nodded and oblidged.
"I'll take care of it. For every Pokémon suffering because of the New Order."
Twinkiel nodded as well and gazed at Zulu, awaiting his orders. The Noibat stared at him, a light of fear and suspiscion in his eye.
"The ears," remembered Twinkiel. "Darn it, he heard. And now he knows I'm crazy. Awesome."
"Um, Zulu?" Twinkiel began gently. "I suppose we have to go back?"
"Oh! Um, yeah, we should go back soon as possible. The others are waiting for us. Let's go team!"
Spadassya came closer to the group and Celebi used the plate to teleport them in front of the Palace of Fauna. Moltres was standing guard in front of the Palace and turned back.
"Oh, you're all safe!" she exclaimed. "But there's a more important matter at hand! Ren has disappeared in the Jungle! I trie to chase him, but the trees prevente me to chase him as I should've. I'm sorry, it's all my fault... "
"Wait wait," replie Celebi, her energetic persona surging back. "I'll go find him with you, I'm more used to Nature stuff than you are. Plus, I got the Plate. Twink, you stay here with Zulu and Spadassya, Cresselia's group should arrive shortly."
"I must warn my tribe about the recent events first," retorted Spadassya. "They must know of my whereabouts before I depart with you at the Resistance meeting."
Celebi nodded in agreement.
"'Kay, you do that. Let's go, Moltres!"
The Two legendaries departed and Spadassya turne to face Twinkiel.
"Sorry for the Dungeon. I...I wasn't being myself."
The Flaaffy stared at her.
"The Resistance's movements, my own will and the fact that we're friends makes me think that there's a later. Now go warn your tribe and return when you can."
Spadassya looke confused for a moment, but finally a large smile appeared on her face.
"Thank you", she whispered before disappearing underground.
An awkward silence followed her departure.
"So um..." began Zulu, uneasy. "What did she-"
"You heard perfectly," the Flaaffy cut him. "And you're obviously scared since you're... normal, whatever that implies, and I'm apparently not - not surprised about that, to be fair.
Another awkward silence followed.
"Y'know...She only said that you were allied with insanity. I...I guess that's better than just "insane".
The Flaaffy stared hardly at his companion. The Noibat's voice was still trembling.
'You know what?"
"Y-yeah?"
Twinkiel smiled.
"I know a powerful Dragon who probably has amazing moves that might be useful to you. Interested?"
The Noibat's eyes widened.
"For real?" he asked, excitment in his voice.
"Of course, man! I promised I'd master that Aura Boost thing anyway, so I assume a battle partner would be useful. And you, my dear, need A LOT of training if you want to evolve into that badass dragon you crave to become."
Twinkiel approached Zulu and pointed his arm at the sky.
"Twinkiel Thunderfleece, the Aura warrior...", he said in a dreamy voice.
"...Yeah... And Aura Dragon Zulu, the Noivem..."
The two shared an equally excited look. Imagining the future was such a fun activity.

Halfway to Mt Providence Gengar stopped.

"I'm getting a faint signal from the palace of Fauna. Its Tornadus, he's weak. We have to go help him." Frost shuddered.

"I don't want to go back there. I don't want to deal with the resistance." Gengar chuckled, you forget, your not in the resistance anymore. Until we get back to Hoopa you take orders from me and it is our duty to support each other. You don't get a choice." Frost was tempted to respond, but decided to keep silent, it was better to be friends with the NO rather than make enemies. Gengar nodded.

"Its settled then, we're going."

Frost flew above the gengar and the breloom, they were fast but he could keep pace. Frost tried not to think of his friends, no he shouldn't call them friends anymore. They worked purely to obtain corrupted power and fight back the legendries trying to give order and peace to the rest of the pokeverse. He hated estranging himself from the only humans he knew, but if he was to complete his task and save this world he had to carry through, even if it meant killing a few to save the many.

It took all of three hours to reach the palace of fauna. By that time he had picked up a massive power from inside the temple and the familiar powers of cresellia and moltres. He steeled himself for the battle he new would come, then looked down to the gengar and breloom and called.

"I can take the humans coming from the palace, but I'll have trouble with cresellia, I don't think moltres is a problem." Gengar looked up at him.

"Where are they? I cant see Moltres or Cresellia?"

"They are a ways off, but Cresellia will sense me and come back." Frost replied.

"I'll deal with her and moltres. Breloom will close the entrance to the tunnel, I can sense a powerful entity inside. You take the humans, kill them if you can" Frost was glad gengar couldn't see him shiver. He shook it off, then wreathed himself in flames and streaked towards the ground like a falling angel.

Cresellia looked up as he plummeted towards the ground, but before she could erect a shield, gengar blindsided her with a shadow ball, sending her flying into moltres. As he neared the ground, he could see Zulu amd Twinkiel looked up at him. Finally he hit the ground, sending a wave of dust, smoke, and fire billowing out around him in a circle.

"Frost! Frost what are you doing, we're your friends." Frost turned to look at Twink and Zulu.

"I won't waste time talking to you, we are trying to restore order to the pokeverse, Not lust after corrupt power as you are doing. I thought like you, but now I see both sides, and giving law and balance to a collapsing world sounds a lot better than gaining excess power for no reason." With that Frost launched himself at Zulu. Zulu frantically threw air cutters at him, but it had no affect. Frost slammed into Zulu, enveloping him in white hot flames, he then turned to the rest of the group and blasted a massive fire ball at them. Twinkiel immediately formed a cotton guard, then dashed through the flames and, sparking with electricity, sent a beam of lightning at Frost. Frost, knowing his balanced shield would be to weak to block the attack, transferred all of his energy to the front side, fully blocking the attack. Using psychic, he froze Twink in mid charged, then threw him across the clearing and into Moltres and Cresellia, who had been slowly gaining the upper hand on his NO comrades. Frost turned to the fallen Zulu, who was now slowly getting up, then back at Gengar and Breloom, then called to them.

"Tornadus is obviously a lost cause, Hoopa would be happier if we left now." Gengar, considered this for a second while fighting, then nodded.

"Sylvo, we're leaving!" Sylvo the breloom, who had been losing against moltres, turned immediately and leapt into the underbrush, disappearing from sight. Frost himself grabbed the gengar and bolted, flying into the sky, away from the Resistance. As he flew, a single tear dropped from his eye and fell towards the earth, the mark of the fallen angel.

After Cassandra had led the four of them to her office, she excused Fleur and began the interrogation proper. Although, it was less of an interrogation than waiting for a confession. Gabriel really had to work on how he handled stress situations – blurting out the plan was never a good thing. And to make things even worse, he ended his rambling with an awkward trail off about his… goodness, why was it so difficult to say? About his affection for Xerneas.

The Commander then sent Flurry away, whispering something Gabriel didn’t catch, before walking to her desk once more. “You two,” she said, speaking with a reprimanding tone, but with a smile on her face, “have caused me more trouble in the past two days than I have had for the entire year before your arrival. What am I goin’ to do with you?”

Gabriel would have responded, but Riley seemed to expect that and shot him a look that spoke volumes. “You mentioned that we will be training,” he said hesitantly, despite Riley’s glare, “are we to train separately, or together?”

“Both, actually. You’ll have separate trainin’ sessions in the mornin’ and a joint session in the afternoon or evenin’. Other than at training, you’ll see each other only three times a day – and under very strict supervision, I should add. I can’t risk you collaborating about finding that Plate.”

“But Xerneas–”

“Said he has a plan.” Cassandra’s gaze was resolute. “We have to trust him, but just in case, I’ll have somebody start researching the Toxic Plate so long. In the mean time,” she rose from her chair, “you’re goin’ to your rooms. The two gentlemen outside will escort you there. And don’t think you’ll be rid of them, as they’re goin’ to be posted outside your rooms until I order them otherwise. Now, off you go. I actually do have other duties besides keepin’ you two out of trouble.”

Riley and Gabriel left the office without another word. Gabriel had not expected two Vanilluxe to be their guards, however, and while they were friendly, Gabriel knew they would take no nonsense. Why couldn’t Cassandra have sent a Drowzee instead?

Gabriel had expected to be taken to his usual room, but he was surprised to find he had been relocated. Apparently, Cassandra felt they could be monitored more easily if all of them were in close proximity. Fortunately, his new room was just as comfortable as his previous, and everything from his old room had already been moved. He flopped down on his bed and opened the volume of The Illuminator’s Teachings on auras again. He just finished another chapter when a knock came from the window above his bed. Frowning, Gabriel stood up and gazed through the window, staring straight at a shocked Riley. He was the shocked one?

“What the Farfetch’d are you doing out there?” Gabriel mouthed, not wanting to alert the guards outside.

Riley pointed at the window and mouthed, “Open the window.”

Gabriel obliged, after which Riley deftly leapt through and seated himself on the floor. Gabriel joined him, but he put his finger in front of his mouth; Riley nodded in response. “What are you doing here?” Gabriel whispered anxiously. “And why in the name of Mew were you out on that ledge?”

“I needed to come talk to you.”

“Well, it must have been important for you to almost fall to your death.”

“Kind of?”

“Don’t tell me you came here with nothing to say?” Gabriel asked exasperatedly.

“Kind of…”

Gabriel rubbed his eyes. Fortunately, though, Riley did have something to say, even if Gabriel had to wring it out of him: Riley was concerned about their fight with the New Order, and frankly, Gabriel had often wondered about that himself. However, Xerneas was aligned with the Resistance, and if you were on the Pokémon of Life’s side, how could you be wrong? Nevertheless, Gabriel proceeded to explain to the other Riolu why tyranny was blight upon civilisation. Riley persisted, and while he made some good points, Gabriel remained undeterred. Eventually, they moved on to a better topic, namely that of the Toxic Plate.

After Riley exited through the window once more (despite their rivalry, Gabriel did not fancy Riley becoming a bloody puddle and therefore watched him until he safely returned to his room), Gabriel returned to his book once more. However, he did not get far before he was interrupted yet again, but that time by the Commander herself.

“C’mon, darlin’; it’s time for your first trainin’ session.”

Gabriel was pleased to hear he was out of Cassandra’s bad books at last (or for a while, at least), but he was curious as to why she was escorting him along with the one Vanilluxe. “Umm, Miss Cassandra, are you to be my trainer?”

“By the grace of Lugia, no! I just need to see that you know the way to the arena. That way, you can’t claim you got lost on your way there if I ever catch you wandering.”

Drat.

“Well, then, who is my trainer?”

“You’ll meet him soon enough.”

They descended the couple of staircases which led down to the first floor and soon stepped through the doors of the training gym. There were Pokémon everywhere, most of them Fighting types, but many Ice types with them. Gabriel tried to identify his trainer before he was led to him, but he would never have guessed correctly: Cassandra led him to a very large, very strong, and very intimidating Hariyama. Gabriel gulped when he stopped in front of the massive warrior.

“So, you’re Gabriel, eh kid?”

Said Riolu nodded.

“I’ll leave you two darlin’s to it,” Cassandra said with a grin.

Gabriel watched her leave, and for the first time, he noticed she swayed when she walked. More surprising still, those who watched her (himself excluded) seemed to sway their hips with her. Gabriel turned back towards his new trainer, but he had to bend his neck almost ninety degrees to look him in the eyes, and even then, only because the Hariyama was looking down.

“Relax, kid, I’m here to train you, not squash you. The name’s Andrew.”

Gabriel couldn’t help but notice that rhymed. “Pleased to meet you,” he said, thanking whichever Pokémon deity he should that he didn’t stutter. (Actually meeting one makes you wonder whether you should still use their names in interjections, praises and wishes.)

Andrew seemed to realise Gabriel was at a loss for words, so he broke the silence first. “What moves do you know? Before I can start training you, I have to make sure you know the basics.”

“I know Quick Attack, Foresight and Endure.” Not a very impressive answer.

Andrew, though, smiled enthusiastically. “Ah. Those moves may seem unremarkable, but if you know how to use them in a fight, they can mean the difference between winning and losing – never underestimate the power of a Quick Attack. Then again, it depends on your style. What’s yours?”

“Umm, inside fighter, I think.”

“I can see how that would work for a Riolu,” Andrew said thoughtfully. “What abilities do you have that would complement that style?”

Gabriel had thought he knew enough about fighting to come by, but the more the Hariyama spoke, the less confident Gabriel felt. “I have speed…” Gabriel answered, making it seem more like a question.

“That’s good! You’ll definitely need speed if you want to be an inside fighter. Any other skills?”

“I can see auras.”

“Really?” Andrew was impressed. “I’ve always thought that must be cool. How well?”

Gabriel almost forgot to answer for a moment, so great had the complement surprised him. “Yours is teal, indicating curiosity.”

Andrew beamed. “That’s good. Tell me, have you read The Illuminator’s Teachings yet? I think there’s a volume on auras.”

“I have that volume in my room, but I’ve only read the first four chapters.”

Andrew laughed. “You don’t have to worry about that! As wise a man as Myriander the Sage was, I simply couldn’t get myself to read further than one chapter of any of his volumes. But it’s good that you’re reading it. Auras are more than just a colourful ring of energy around Pokémon; they are the very energy that flows within each of us. Riolu and especially Lucario are famous for their ability to manipulate auras with moves such as Force Palm and Aura Sphere.” Gabriel’s eyes lit up. “Although, those moves are a little too ambitious for now,” Andrew added.

“When shall I be ready to learn them?” Gabriel asked eagerly, quickly getting over his disappointment.

“That depends on your devotion to studying auras. The more you research them and use that knowledge, the sooner you will be able to use aura-based moves. Aura Sphere, for example, is a Lucario’s signature move, but I’ve heard of a Riolu in ancient times being able to use it, so with enough practice and discipline, I’m sure you can too. However, that you can do in your free time. For now, I want you to master your current moveset.”

“Are we going to improve my speed, stamina, or strength?”

“Umm, none of those. Quick Attack and Endure are moves we can focus on in our next session; let’s work on your Foresight first. You seem sure that you know it already. Have you ever fought a Ghost before?”

“Once…” Gabriel replied, still remembering that taunting face. “A Gastly.”

“They are nasty, but their evolutions are even nastier. How did you use it?”

“I closed my eyes, focussed my will on penetrating the Gastly’s defences, and lashed out. Miraculously, my fist connected.”

“Hmm… that method will only work if your opponent doesn’t suspect you’re preparing Foresight – it’s a lot like Focus Punch in that sense. We’ll need to find a faster and more effective way to use it.”

“Before we get there,” Gabriel said, remembering Riley’s use of the move, “how do you use Foresight for clairvoyance?”

“I’ve heard that those who’ve mastered the move sometimes get glimpses of their opponent’s next attack when they use Foresight, but I have no idea how to induce clairvoyance. Why? Do you know someone who can use it like that?”

“A friend,” Gabriel answered sullenly.

“He probably has a natural talent for it, but don’t fret over that. Rather learn how to use Foresight effectively against Ghost types. I don’t think he can do that.”

“I don’t think so.” Gabriel liked Riley, but they were nevertheless rivals; they would always try to outdo one another. “But how do you use Foresight against a group of Ghosts?”

“In cases like that, channelling your aura through only your fists won’t be good enough – you’ll have to channel it through your eyes.”

“Then it’s almost as if it was “Aura Sight”.”

“That’s it exactly! You know what; I’ll get you a partner. Stay here.”

Andrew walked over to an Electabuzz, said something to him, and watched the other Pokémon dash out of the room. The Electric Pokémon returned several minutes later with a Duskull behind him. Andrew walked back to Gabriel with the Duskull floating above him.

“Gabriel, this is Scry. He’ll be assisting you in this exercise.”

While a Duskull may not be the most powerful of Pokémon, Gabriel knew not to underestimate him. “Are you all right with me practicing Foresight on you?”

“Pfft. I’ll be the one teaching you Foresight,” the Duskull replied. “I know it myself.” Andrew went and stood some distance away, giving the Ghost the limelight. Gabriel was dumbstruck. “What? You think my name’s Scry because I only have one eye?”

Another instance of a rhyming name. If he hadn’t known better, he’d have thought Flurry was teaching the village how to employ puns or similar figurative devices. “I didn’t think Ghost types needed to use Foresight.”

“My evolutionary line is more helpful than that of most other Ghosts’ – we can see through illusions just fine, but other Pokémon can’t, so we have to be of assistance. But that’s enough chat. I hear you can read auras.”

“I can.”

“Well, this will put your skills to the test. Instead of just relying on your mundane sight to read my aura, employ your extrasensory sight. Project the energy onto me, and I shall become visible. Fail to do so, and we’ll repeat the exercise either until you get it right, or until you feint.”

Without as much as another word, the Duskull disappeared. Gabriel closed his eyes and gathered his energy, but when he opened his eyes to make his first attempt, the skulled face was almost touching his. Scry pounded him in the face before retreating. While Gabriel rubbed his cheek, the Duskull engaged in a monologue.

“You did not flinch when I used Astonish? Then your Ability must be Inner Focus… that is good. Excellent, actually. It’s as if you were born to fight Ghosts. Now, make your parents proud and put your heritage to good use!” he disappeared once more.

Memories of his parents flooded his mind, but all of them were either about him being ignored, or being lectured. Trying to rid his mind of the demoralising thoughts, Gabriel directed his frustration and anger towards his parents at the air where the Duskull had previously been and punched it furiously.

“It seems I have hit a nerve,” Scry remarked, materialising behind Gabriel and knocking him down, “but rage is a hindrance if not controlled. Channel that rage with a will to avenge your dignity, or whatever you wish to avenge, and utilise it against my kind. Best me!”

And so the training continued for five more minutes. Five turned to ten, ten to fifteen, fifteen to thirty, and still Gabriel had no more luck than before. Sometimes Scry would not even bother disappearing and simply watched Gabriel with that red, analytical eye. He almost had him once, but it had been a trap, for the Duskull had struck him from behind with his shadow. When he tried the same tactic some time later, Gabriel dodged the Shadow Sneak, simply to be struck by a Pursuit. When thirty minutes turned to fifty, Gabriel was tired, frustrated, and bruised all over.

“The point of this exercise is to master Foresight, not Endure, although your efforts are valiant. Nevertheless, you are not trying hard enough. Focus, and have at me!”

The Duskull turned invisible again, but Gabriel was at his limit. His thoughts bordering on murderous, he gathered all of his rage and frustration, channelled it into his aura, and shot the space in front of him a look that would have made even a Pyroar wince. At last, the aura manifested as a red beam from his eyes and revealed Scry a pace to his left. Without hesitation, Gabriel leapt forward and landed a left hook to the infuriating Ghost’s face. It sent the Duskull reeling.

Andrew, who had been patiently watching the affair all that time, cheered. “Well done!” Scry agreed, floating a little haphazardly towards Gabriel. “A well-deserved success. I shall allow you to savour your victory, but don’t get bigheaded just because you succeeded once. Tomorrow, the same time as today, we shall do this again, and we shall continue until your Foresight comes without any effort at all. Farewell.” Scry dematerialised for a final time, but that time it was to leave, not attack.

“You’ve done good, kid,” Andrew approved, walking over. “I’d pat you on the back, but I don’t think I can bend that low, so congratulations will have to be enough.”

“May we start with Quick Attack now?” Gabriel asked, the adrenaline rush gained from succeeding still in his system.

“Aren’t you tired?”

“A little, but I want to continue.”

“I admire your enthusiasm, but you can’t just train for hours on end. It would be in your abilities as a Fighting type, but as a Pokémon, you need to build your endurance first.” Gabriel gave him a pleading look. “All right, all right. Go back to your room to rest, and if you’re still up for it, come back at three. If you were, after all, more tired than you’d thought, you can wait another three hours, and I’ll see you at six instead. Check you later.”

As Andrew walked away, Gabriel wondered how he had received such a ‘cool dude’ for a trainer. He turned around and joined the guard outside the gym, willingly going with him to his room. Once there, he opened the book on auras once more, drinking in the words.



“Mister Gabriel?”

He started. The book in front of him was open at page one-hundred and thirty, but he couldn’t remember what the page said. He must have been more tired than he had thought, but a quick glance at the clock on the wall convinced him he had rested enough.

“I’m coming!”

When Gabriel stepped outside, however, he was taken aback to see Riley. “You’re going for training?”

“Yup. I’d have gone this morning, but I missed it because–”

“Because you lot were outside when the Commander had ordered you to stay inside,” Riley’s Vanilluxe said frostily. “Now, no talking.”

As they walked to the gym, the way familiar to him, Gabriel wondered who Riley’s trainer would be. A Hitmonchan? A Primeape? (Arceus preserve him if that did turn out to be the case.) Another Hariyama? Wrong on all three guesses – Shaymin.

Gabriel did not have time to see Riley’s reaction, as Andrew walked over and led him to the other side of the room. “How was your rest?” he asked knowingly.

“Umm, definitely needed,” Gabriel responded sheepishly.

“I thought as much,” Andrew smirked. “Well, let’s hope you’ve rested enough; the best way to practice your Quick Attack is to use it, not read up on it. So go ahead, punch me.”

“What?!” Gabriel choked. “Umm, Mister Andrew–”

“Just Andrew will do, kid. And don’t worry about me. My blubber can repel almost any attack, so you couldn’t hurt me even if you really tried.”

“So, umm, do I…?”

“Hit me, but not with a puny punch: hit me with your best shot.”

With no self-confidence whatsoever, Gabriel jabbed at the Hariyama’s stomach, but as expected, it bounced harmlessly off.

“What did I tell you, kid? Hit me with your best shot. That’s not even halfway there.”

Gabriel attacked again, but that time with a right hook. After delivering the blow, he used his momentum to spin around and launch a kick as well. Andrew shifted his one foot back ever so slightly.

“That was great, kid! I actually felt the kick reverberate through my Thick Fat. Now, you’re gonna do that again, but this time in a longer combination. Or better yet, pretend I’m a punching bag and keep raining the hits down on me.”

A minute ago, Gabriel would have been nervous, but there was method to the Hariyama’s madness, so he decided to trust his trainer and begin the assault. Andrew had steeled himself beforehand, so once Gabriel started, there was no reason to stop.

Nor did he want to.

Gabriel found it exhilarating, and finally he knew why Fighting types enjoyed working out so often. After ten minutes of continuous practice, he was exhausted, but in a content way. He would have continued, had his arms and legs not pleaded for mercy.

“I like you kid; you’ve got spunk. But spunk and punching an old Hariyama can only get you so far. Are you ready to spar with one of the other youngsters?”

“Do you think I’m ready?” Gabriel enquired hesitantly, vividly remembering the result of his last battle.

“Of course. I’d never allow any my students to fight another Pokémon if I thought they were helpless.” He walked over to a Sawk teaching his Mienfoo some chops, apologised for interrupting the lesson and asked the Sawk a question. The trainer then turned to his student, who nodded furiously.

“They’ve agreed,” Andrew announced upon returning to Gabriel. “C’mon, let’s go.”

“To where? I thought we were to fight here.”

“This is the training gym. If a Pokémon wants to fight, they have to take it to the arena down the hallway.”

Gabriel followed Andrew to the arena, hoping to see who was currently fighting there, but he was disappointed to see the fight between the Hitmontop and Mankey had ended already. Evidently, the Mankey had lost, as a Machoke had to restrain the livid Pokémon and practically drag him out of the arena.

“Next up,” the referee, a Galvantula, oddly enough, announced, “is Marcus the Mienfoo versus Gabriel the Riolu. Fighters, approach the centre of the arena and please shake paws.”

“You’ll be fine,” Andrew reassured him. “Now go get him!” He walked off to the stands and sat beside the Sawk, murmuring something to him.

“May the best fighter win,” the Mienfoo named Marcus said as he shook Gabriel’s paw. Clearly, he thought that would be him.

“Likewise.”

“Fight!” the referee declared.

Gabriel recalled a memory of Mienfoos being extremely fast and capable of launching devastating combination attacks, but he hid his anxiety well. Judging from what he remembered of his previous life, he was good at hiding things.

Marcus was true to his species’ reputation and immediately lunged forward, attempting to Pound Gabriel and end the fight before it even began, but the Riolu had expected his opponent to attack first. He bobbed beneath the feline’s paw and struck him with an uppercut, sending the Mienfoo staggering.

“First blood!” Andrew cheered. The Sawk just rolled his eyes.

Marcus recovered quickly though, for he shook it off and brought his hands together in a clap that resulted in a shockwave. That time Gabriel was the one who was blown back and the Sawk was cheering.

Winded by the blow but still determined, Gabriel rose quickly and leapt towards Marcus, jabbing him in the face. However, it was as effective as a Caterpie biting an Emboar; Marcus simply slapped him twice and did a somersault kick.

“Is that the best your student can do?” the Sawk jeered at the Hariyama.

Gabriel put their comments out of mind and focussed on his opponent once more. Marcus seemed to prefer fighting from afar by closing in, attacking, and then retreating again, which would make him an outside fighter. Therefore, if Gabriel could constantly harry his opponent and give Marcus no time to recover, he would win. Thus, he rushed forward and struck him with flurry of blows, ending it with an uppercut and a right hook, flooring the Mienfoo.

Marcus was not so easily defeated, unfortunately, for he rolled away, sprang to his feet, and used U-Turn. After stopping at a safe distance, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Gabriel knew what would happen next, but still he could not avoid the stars of energy that was Swift – and since Marcus had Calmed his mind beforehand, they stung even more.

Already feeling worn down, Gabriel rushed forward and jabbed at Marcus, but he Detected his intentions and easily sidestepped it. At least, he would have, had the jab not been a feint; Gabriel had ‘attacked’ with a left jab so that he could hit Marcus with a right crossover. Of course, it was a risk, and one that was solely dependent on Marcus sidestepping right, but it had paid off.

Gabriel lunged once again, hoping to incapacitate his opponent, but Marcus blocked his Quick Attack with a Quick Guard. He then jumped skywards and brought his knee up against Gabriel’s chin whilst doing so, thereby sending Gabriel flying backwards.

“That’s it, Marcus!” the Sawk exclaimed, standing up. “Now finish him off!”

Marcus grinned at his trainer and then turned back to the Riolu, who still lay on the floor. Gabriel slowly rolled onto his chest, propped himself up with his hands and moved into a kneeling position.

“Either I can end the battle decisively,” the Mienfoo stated assertively, “or you can yield and I’ll spare you the pain and humiliation.”

“Which do you choose?” the Galvantula referee asked concernedly.

Gabriel rose to his feet in response and gazed at Marcus defiantly.

“The battle continues!” the referee proclaimed.

Marcus shrugged. “If that’s what you want…”

He dashed forward, leapt into the air one last time and performed a Jump Kick, aiming for Gabriel’s head. At the very last moment before the kick would have made contact, Gabriel evaded to his left, grabbed Marcus’ foot with both hands, swung him to the right, and released. The Mienfoo’s momentum slammed him against the wall opposite the stands, after which he crumpled into a heap at its base.

“He cheated!” the Sawk yelled, pointing at Gabriel.

“The Jump Kick failed,” the referee retorted, “so your student suffered crash damage. In addition, his previous attack was High Jump Kick, to which his opponent reacted by using Counter, thereby dealing double the damage. In my professional opinion, the result is valid and an excellent example of a comeback to boot.”

Gabriel walked over to the Mienfoo, who was miraculously still conscious, but clearly in a lot of pain. “You look like you could use a hand,” Gabriel teased.

“Definitely,” he admitted, accepting Gabriel’s hand and allowing himself to be pulled up. “Congratulations on your victory. It was a fantastic challenge fighting against you, and I hope we can have a rematch soon.”

“As do I.”

Gabriel looked past Marcus and saw the Sawk grudgingly hand some objects resembling orbs to Andrew. He then came down from the stands, glared at Gabriel, and stalked off, taking Marcus with him. The Mienfoo shook his head and looked back, lifting a hand in farewell before disappearing from view.

“That was one of the best fights I have seen for quite some time,” Andrew praised, beaming down at Gabriel. “And you learned two new moves!”

“I thought the referee was mistaken when he said that I had used Counter,” Gabriel replied surreally. “All I did was swing Marcus around.”

“The referee is never mistaken,” the Hariyama stated without doubt. “Besides, you heard his explanation, and whether you realised it or not, that was, in fact, a Counter.”

“What was the other move I learned?” Gabriel asked curiously.

“Feint, obviously. That was a magnificent crossover. I can think of quite a few ‘Mon who would’ve loved to see that.”

“I’m glad,” Gabriel responded, feeling a little lightheaded. “I don’t have to fight another Pokémon today, do I?”

“You’ve had more than enough action for today,” Andrew agreed. “But you can’t go to your room just yet. You and your brother have to go together.”

Gabriel made a sound that was somewhere between a scoff and a laugh. “Riley’s not my brother, he’s just a friend.”

“Hmm. What are the chances of two Riolu showing up and then being unrelated? Well, there are subtle differences, come to think of it, like the shade of your fur and eyes.” He shrugged. “Let’s go.”

Back at the gym, Riley was totally exhausted. Gabriel found him slumped in a chair with his eyes closed. “What’s the matter with you?” he asked puzzled. “I just fought a Mienfoo, and you don’t see me lying around.”

“Her fault,” Riley mumbled, pointing at Shaymin.

“I can’t help you have the stamina of a Wurmple!” she snapped back defensively.

“You should have listened to that Throh,” Riley persisted. “I bet Gabriel’s trainer knows exactly what the “most effective weight training regime” is.”

“Are you saying you think he’s better than me?”

Gabriel felt like he and Andrew were caught in the middle of something, and for once, he did not know how to react.

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. I’d probably be better off without you.”

“Okay. I guess that also means you’d be too scared to face Gabriel in a rematch, seeing as his trainer is so much better than I am.” She turned to the Hariyama. “No offence.”

Andrew just smiled, but Riley winced. “I am not!”

Shaymin smiled sinisterly. “All right. Here’s a proposition: if you know so much about fighting, then go ahead – fight Gabriel. If you win, then I’ll give up my whistle and you can choose yourself another trainer. But if you lose, you’ll prove once and for all that you need my help. Or you could just admit that now and save yourself the humiliation of losing. So, what’s it going to be?”

Gabriel knew the proposition was rather unfair, but he had been looking forward to a rematch, although he would not have expected it to come so soon. Ultimately, it was up to Riley to pick his poison, but his choice would be rather obvious.

“Fine, then I’ll fight Gabriel.”

“It seems you’ll have another fight after all, kid,” Andrew commented. “I’ll make arrangements with the referee so long. Be at the arena at six. In the meantime, you should rest. See you, kid.”

Shaymin led the two Riolus outside and placed them in the two Snowstorm Pokémon’s custody. Riley seemed nervous, for he kept frowning all the way to their rooms and didn’t once make eye contact. “See you later,” was all he said before disappearing through his door.



Once again, Gabriel stood in the centre of an arena facing Riley, and once again, Flurry and Shaymin were spectating, the differences being Andrew and the referee were watching as well.

The Galvantula that had refereed Gabriel's earlier match had since been replaced by a Chesnaught - the referees probably worked in shifts. Well, having a Chesnaught as a referee made more sense anyway.

“The one-on-one match between Riley the Riolu and Gabriel the Riolu is about to begin,” the referee called. “Fighters, please shake paws.”

Gabriel did so and smiled at his opponent. “Riley, despite our frosty introductions, I hope we can move past it, be friends, and battle with the utmost sportsmanship.” A remarkably ironic sentence when recalled with hindsight.



“I agree, Gabe,” Riley said with a smile. “Let’s be friends.”

Gabriel froze. A memory was stirring at the back of his mind. “What did you just call me?”

“Gabe. Is there a problem?”

The memory, which had been so suppressed during Gabriel’s past life, shook itself free of its mental chains and engulfed him in all of its horror. Every detail, whether it was perceived by sight, hearing, smell, taste or touch, was dreadfully clear.

Gabriel’s family was small, being limited only to his parents and an uncle on his father’s side. The uncle had often visited them at their house, and Gabriel had liked the kind man. He was more affectionate than his father was, anyway.

One Friday, on the weekend of Gabriel’s seventh birthday, his uncle came to stay at their house for the celebration that would be held the next day. As always, Gabriel had been happy to see him, but when his door opened half past twelve on that night, he was confused.

“Hey Gabe,” his uncle had said to the puzzled boy after softly closing the door behind him. Gabriel had wanted to ask why his uncle was in his room when it was still dark, but the man held a finger to his mouth. “I’m here to wish you a happy birthday, Gabe. I’d like to give you a present. But don’t tell your parents; it will be our little secret.” After that, he had unbuckled his belt and drawn the covers away. Thirteen minutes later, he left.

Gabriel knew, because he had counted each second.

For the following six years, that night was repeated, and as Gabriel grew older, his uncle’s visits to the house became more frequent. Each night, Gabriel prayed for deliverance, and finally, on the eve of his thirteenth birthday, his father informed him that his uncle had died in a car crash on the way to their house.

The nightmares, however, were far from finished. Eventually, Gabriel had to resort to sleeping pills to plunge him into a dreamless sleep, because if he didn’t, he would be haunted by the sight of his uncle’s longing expression, the sound of his satisfied sighs, the smell of his sweat, the taste of the smoke in his breath, the touch of his course hands…

When Gabriel’s parents had found him on the morning of his birthday, he was sobbing underneath his bed. “Please, don’t cry, dear,” his mother had said, trying to be comforting, but sounding annoyed instead. “We miss him too.”

The memory faded from Gabriel’s thoughts, and he found himself face to face with Riley once more. Riley. If only he had never spoken that name…

“Don’t you ever call me ‘Gabe’ again!” Gabriel shouted, jabbing his finger at Riley’s chest.

The other Riolu took a distressed step backwards. “Whoa, man, chill out! I don’t see what’s wrong with shortening your name a bit.”

“I don’t like that name!”

“What so bad about ‘Gabe’?” he asked uncomprehendingly.

I’m here to wish you a happy birthday, Gabe.

“The same thing that’s so bad about Riley!” Gabriel yelled without thinking. He regretted it immediately. “I-I’m sorry! It just came out. I didn’t mean–”

Riley interrupted Gabriel by shoving him and throwing wild punches at him. Gabriel thought he heard the Chesnaught call, “Fight!” but whether he actually did, Gabriel didn’t care; he wasn’t going to let Riley attack him while he stood idle.

An irrational hatred boiled up inside of him, and before he could regain control of himself, Gabriel retaliated with a devastating kick. The humiliating result of their previous grapple combined with the fact that Riley had pulled a memory-thread that should never have been pulled, caused Gabriel to see red.

He vaguely remembered being dragged off the other Riolu by the referee and storming off to his room, where he swept the books off his desk and broke whatever else could be thrown, kicked or punched. Several hours later (he could not be sure how many, for he had smashed the clock), Flurry and Cassandra found him sitting in a corner.

“I’ll leave you two alone,” Cassandra said, not a hint of anger in her voice, much to Gabriel’s surprise.

Flurry regarded the bed with a puzzled look, as not even the covers had been disturbed, but approached it, stepping over the debris on the floor, and sat down. “Would you like to talk about it?” she asked tentatively.

“I’m fine.” The world’s most frequently told lie.

“Yeah, I’m sure you are.”

“Where’s Fleur?” Gabriel asked blankly, bordering on indifference.

“She doesn’t know what happened. When she wanted to come see you and Riley, I told her Riley had lost to an opponent during a battle and was in the infirmary; I told her you were in your room, sleeping after a long day.”

“Thank you. It’s better that she not see… this.”

“Is this,” Flurry indicated the destroyed room, “you being fine?”

“How’s Riley?” Gabriel asked, deflecting the question. He was genuinely concerned, but he sounded as warm as the ice on his window.

“I’m not sure you’re actually worried,” Flurry remarked frostily, “but he’s in the infirmary. He only has a black eye, a few bruises and a bloody lip. If the ref had left you on Riley for a few more seconds though, you would have given him a concussion.”

“So, you’ve seen him.” It wasn’t exactly a question.

“I’ve been with him since he was knocked out.”

“Then why are you here now?”

“You’re my friend as well, you know!” she retorted hotly. “I came here to check up on you and to see if you’d want to go see him.”

“It would be better if I didn’t.”

“He’s not just my friend – he’s yours too.”

“I’m not so sure, anymore.”

“Gabriel!”

“Just tell him never to call me ‘Gabe’ again.”

“I don’t understand what’s so bad about that,” Flurry said exasperatedly. “It’s not like he insulted you.”

Gabriel remained frigidly silent. “Who’s Anakin?’ he enquired after a while.

Flurry explained with much enthusiasm, glad to have something else about which to talk. “How do I know so much about Star Wars all of a sudden?” she asked after finishing.

“You dwelled upon a seemingly random thought that led you to that knowledge.” Again, more a statement than a question.

“Yes… How did you know?”

“Sometimes, an action, a scene or a spoken word will trigger a ‘random’ thought. These thoughts are like threads of yarn that lead to a very large, very complicated ball of memories. You could also compare it to a chain: as soon as you follow one link, the others automatically follow. It’s not always that simple, though. Sometimes, you have to work hard to recover a certain memory, while other times, it will come to you with ease. Sometimes, a memory is well worth the effort, but other times, it is painful, leaving you wishing it had remained forgotten.”

If only Flurry had realised what he was trying to tell her.

Arthur walked out of the arena, the sweat he had been working up instantly stopping as he stepped into the wintery air. It would have been a lot worse without Felicity’s scarf. He smiled to himself as he walked. He thought back to the match he’d refereed earlier that day, before he'd begun his own training. Clearly those two Riolu’s were both fighting for some girl. And if Arthur had any money, he’d bet it was the Snorunt girl. Or maybe whoever that fourth girl had been. He didn’t get that good a look at them.

“Heh, soon Alek will be fighting for some girl.” Arthur laughed to himself. He knew he was supposed to be doing recon here, but there wasn’t much to recon. Well, except for one place. Arthur looked towards the large fort, the building easily seen from virtually any point in town due to its height.

“If there’s something hidden in this town, it would be in there.”

But stealth was not his game. That was more Alek’s style. All these thoughts about his friends had him feeling a little homesick. As he walked, he scooped up a handful of snow with one hand and pulled a few berries out of his supply bag with the other. He crushed the berries over the snow, watching as the juice seeped into it. Arthur then took a bite, expecting the delicious taste he was used to. Instead, he frowned.

“This is awful. How does Alek get it to taste so good?” Arthur thought, dropping the colored snow back on the ground.

“Must be some kind of difference between mountain and plain snow.”

Arthur continued his stroll, feeling restless. He kept glancing towards the fortress, anxiously wondering what might be inside. The one place he needed to go and he couldn’t get in. Arthur decided he should do a little scouting around the town’s borders for the next few days. There definitely wasn’t anything happening inside, except maybe the fort, but outside was a different matter. Arthur began heading towards the outskirts of the town. It was his duty to protect the people from the Resistance, and if there was something going on here, he would find out what.

~~~~~

Felicity finished storing all her possessions away in the secret compartment under her bunk. It was still a while before Nightfall, but she wasn’t taking any chances. It was just pure luck that she had a dorm all to herself due to a lack of females in Cobalion’s army. Felicity pushed her bunk back over the stash of items. She then sat on her bed, anxiously waiting. Even deep inside the mountain, the moon still affected her. The only ones who knew about her condition were Arthur and the chief medic. Every full moon, her Blaze ability went into overdrive, causing her to unleash devastating fire attacks uncontrollably. Felicity had done some research, and learned that this was likely a combination of both her parents having a Blaze ability and some sort of rare genetic mutation.

“Thanks for nothing mom and dad.” Felicity thought.

She remembered very little about them, but didn’t care enough to use her psychic abilities to probe her own mind. They’d abandoned her, and that’s all that really mattered. At least her research had led her to find that once she evolved, she would have better control over it. Felicity imagined what a power like that, under control, could do to the New Order’s enemies. She would get promoted to Captain faster than she could blink.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. You haven’t even gotten through this moon yet.”

Felicity sighed, relaxing back on her bed. Once the moon came up, she’d be throwing fire all over her room. At least it left a relaxing smoky smell.

The Guardian's Rage


Bloodmoon meditated in the center of the chamber, feeling the Dark Plate feeding his strength. But he was not important at the moment. Up on the wall, in an alcove meant for a statue that the Guardian of Life had reduced to rubble sat the Guardian himself, still in possession of Genesect. But he wasn't silent like his new servant. The Guardian of Life was crying.

"So much pain. How could anyone be so cruel... so heartless." He sobbed. He had discovered that he possessed the collective memories of each of the human's lives before they had been brought here. He had spent quite some time sifting through them. And while just a few of them were good, the rest were terrible. He saw now why Palkia had chosen them. They had all suffered in their human lives. Perhaps Palkia planned to reward them with life in this world, in exchange for fighting against the New Order. But what compensation did they get for death? Nothing. The Legendries hadn't thought about that. They didn't care how many died, just so long as one lived to carry on the fight and find the plate. But they weren't the only ones with such an indifference towards human life.

"My own kind. They don't care for each other. They support only the structure of their world, not the lives it was meant to protect."

The Guardian floated down from the alcove. Psychic energy filled the chamber, causing the stone to lose all molecular integrity.

"They have been blinded by the beauty of creation. They no longer respect the world they created. That WE created."

Some of the stone began to melt, some of it twisted into shapes so bizarre, a lesser being might lose their mind trying to comprehend it.

"Soon, I will remind them. Life, no matter the form, is to be CHERISHED!"

The Ex-Guardians body shattered, along with several of the other statues In the room, their fragments falling onto the ground. Bloodmoon didn't even flinch.

"I did so much for them... yet they feared me." The Guardian continued, looking at Bloodmoon.

"I admit, I have caused much pain. But the end shall justify every means I used to obtain it!"

Bloodmoon still did nothing.

"I cherish life. I respect it. I take it upon myself to help others recognize it. But those that can't recognize that every life is precious don't deserve their own."

Bloodmoon was still motionless.

"The stage is set. Death and suffering's last performance is nigh. The perfect storm is at hand. And with it, I will end their reign of tyranny once and for all. And you and the other humans will be by my side, helping to usher in a new age for humanity."

The Guardian floated back up again.

"You'll thank me. Everyone will. Even her..."

As The Guardian returned to his original position, all the bizarre changes that had occurred to the room reversed, including the stone Guardian's destruction.

"You, Darrel Bloodmoon, will have your power. What greater power is there than life itself?"

-The Epic of Aegeas, Part 2.3

Aegeas stood behind Clefairy for a time, as the Clefairy stood dumbfounded at the mumbled words of his elders. From the way his ears twitched, Aegeas thought, Clefairy certainly knew what was happening, and could hear every word. It was only when Aegeas nudged Clefairy that the other Pokémon actually began to act, and walked forward through the crowd of Clefairy. Aegeas proceeded behind Clefairy, surprised slightly at the way that the crowd actually parted to let them through, giving enough space so that Aegeas, who stood much taller than any of them, didn't have to worry about colliding with every second Pokémon he met. Still lugging his cargo of sweet-smelling berries, Aegeas took time to relish in the small sensations that existed around him. The air felt fresh and bountiful, and the grass seemed warm by the joyousness of the world around it. Even the hard, cold rock felt like it melted at his touch. Despite this, Aegeas was ever more concerned as to what was going to happen. Certainly, with such profound individuals in the gathering discussing in a non-descript, creepy tone, something had to be happening.

Clefairy walked ahead of the two Clefable guards, who let it and Aegeas pass, before they closed the gap exposed from the many Clefairy that attempted to barge in, each hoping to evolve with the help of a Moon Stone. When they took a few steps forward, Clefairy stopped just behind the pile of Moon Stones, and rose his right hand, stopping Aegeas from continuing forward. The Clefable members continued talking for a few seconds until they saw the new arrivals, and quickly stopped, turning to face them. Aegeas noticed in particular the strange looks the Clefable leaders pointed at him, though Clefairy seemed to be oblivious of this.

"Father, what's happening?"

One Clefable in particular stepped forward, marching over to his son with a grim expression on his face.

"It's very hush-hush business, Artemis, and we do not wish to discuss it out loud in this environment, not in the middle of such a happy festival, particularly not with...him." Clefable gestured towards Aegeas, whose expression turned to ferocious.

"Artemis," thought Aegeas, trying to distract himself from the stinging words of the Clefable, "The Greek goddess of the moon. Wise choice, though I believe he chose the wrong gender."

"I heard that," replied Clefable, "and you are incorrect."
"My dad is a bit of mental genius," whispered Artemis to the expressionless, though secretly surprised, Aegeas, "He's got all the brains to win in any mental duel, and so he's one of the leaders of the whole operation. He's cool, isn't he?" Artemis, despite the situation, seemed to smile briefly.
"Well then," said Aegeas, setting down the box of Leppa Berries, "I hope that we can put our differences, and thoughts, aside, and welcome each other in the custom of friends. I am Aegeas Dewott, a traveler with a long quest ahead of him. And you are...?"
"I am Luno," said the Clefable, though he did not attempt to shake the outstretch hand Aegeas held, to Aegeas's disappointment. The Clefable crossed his arms. "I will not shake hands with you unless I know the kind of man you are."
"Stop this," said one of the Clefable behind Luno, "If Artemis has brought a friend with her, then there will be no persuasion to change her mind. You knew of this when you gave her the name, did you not?"

"I did, Deano" said Luno, "but I am her father, and therefore...I call the shots." He looked menacingly at Aegeas, who responded by glaring and taking a warrior's stance. If Aegeas had to fight to escape, then he was going to do so at any moment available, so as long as it was by means of self-defense. Acting on the first move was considered un-chivalrous to him. Between them, Artemis stood, recognizing at once that a conflict was at hand. She threw herself between the two, and put out her palms, one facing each of them. For a second, all was silent. Then, to the surprise of all, Luno began to laugh. Smiles creased their ways across his face, and he seemed quite please with himself and his surprised audience. Artemis looked at Luno with an expression that was pure consternation and confusion, and Luno replied, still chuckling,

"Ho ho! I have not met someone in such a long time who has not withered against my gaze! I know your stance, and your nature, well, Aegeas Dewott. You are the sire that would make parents proud - a true, fierce warrior indeed! If my daughter has happened to find someone of such company to be friends with, then I certainly approve! Welcome Aegeas!" He held out his hand, which Aegeas happily shook, the expression on his face turning to that of genuine happiness and surprise. Luno continued laughing, and seemed to have been caught up with all of the energy of the festivities, giving rise to a thought within Aegeas that it was obvious why Luno held the position that he did.

"Seriously, why are we laughing?" said Artemis, who wasn't entirely sure of the purpose of the conversation. "What's going on?"

"Well," said Luno, "It is hard to explain, but as you have come all this way to ask, and our friend here has proven himself as one of us, then I suppose I shall tell you." He sighed in the manner that suggested great emotional stress upon him, and that of a great storyteller about to dictate a speech. Already, Aegeas was impressed.

Together, they stood whispering by the tree, Artemis held up by Luno so that she did not touch the Moon Stones, though Artemis made no such intention to do so. Aegeas wondered if perhaps that was her very nature, and he also reminded himself of the Moon Stones. He had seen evolutionary traditions before, and knew they happened at a particular time at the end of the festival, so he was aware of the reasoning behind this action. Luno began to speak, though not very loud, despite the fact that the sheer loudness of thousands of the Cleffa line was enough to repulse most sound.

"A few days ago, we had an intrusion. Being Fairy-type Pokémon, we had been designated with the control of the Pixie Plate, and were tasked to its protection under the sage eyes of the Mystery Dungeon. This time, though, something happened that was beyond our control. It was a brief intrusion, but there was significant damage running a good length of the dungeon, and we all were surprised of the tenacity of whatever had barreled through the place. We continued visiting the dungeon in earnest, but saw nothing more. However, when our guards visited again but a few hours ago, I was told many of these guards were seen rushing outwards, panic and terror on their faces. They told us that a powerful being had knocked aside our guards. Naturally, our lifespans being very long and our intelligence being great, none died. But they had told us that many inside were wounded, and they were afraid that something had taken our precious plate. As long as I am alive, I wish it neither under the possession of the New Order nor Resistance, but, as they depict a legend in their descriptions, I am afraid it has happened. I wish to lead a party within that cave, find out the location of this incident, save our wounded companions, and learn of the truth behind the whereabouts of the Pixie Plate." Luno finished, closing his eyes and staring downwards, onto the ground, in shame. Many of his brethren joined him.

"I am sorry for what happened," began Aegeas.
"How you can be sorry for something you did not do?" replied Luno.
"Because I do not wish to see the innocent hurt and their possessions and livelihoods taken, whether by the New Order or Resistance. I seek justice, and I will not have others suffer when I am around."
"Then what do you suggest we do?" said Luno, though Aegeas assumed from the gaze of the Clefable's eyes that he knew exactly what Aegeas had planned.
"I am going to help you lead that party, go inside the cave, and do the things that you wish of me. We shall do it as friends, and we are going to do it as warriors. Do you accept?"
Luno was silent. He uncrossed his arms, and stared directly at Aegeas with the same withering gaze that he had applied earlier. Luno reached over, and swiftly pulled a Leppa Berry from the basket, holding it in front of him. No sooner had he done so than Aegeas pulled out his right scalchop and sliced the berry precisely in half. Luno laughed profusely, and Deano snatched the basket of berries, heaving it over to the food court. Aegeas smiled slightly as he placed the scalchop back to its holster.

"I am the most powerful psychic in this land. I know all, see all, and my daughter has achieved those abilities. None but us have heard this conversation because our keen perception and our mental blockage of others. Yet, when I first saw you, I understand that you were one of the same mindset. I knew that you were bound to be a warrior, whether your mental intuition was entirely developed or nonexistent, and our thoughts would cross, though not in the telepathy we Clefable are known for. I am proud to know you, Aegeas! Let us begin!"

Luno laughed a hearty tone, and Aegeas smiled once again. He had won the respect of the tribe, and was now prepared for his next tasks, whatever they might prove to be...


======
To Be Continued.

Zulu's sorrow


Zulu relaxed in a tree near Spadassya’s village. While Cresselia, Lugia, Moltres, and Absol were off fighting the last of the enemy tribe’s forces, he had been told to rest here. But relaxing meant a lot of time to think on things. Things like Frost attacking him. He replayed the scene over and over in his mind. Him trying to defend himself from Frost with Air Cutters, Frost’s emotionless expression as he slammed into him. Luckily Zulu’s dragon typing prevented any serious burns, but that attack had done more than damage his body.

“Frost betrayed us.”

Why? What had the New Order done to him in the space between when he’d vanished and when Celebi found him? Zulu curled up a little, suddenly feeling very alone. Who could he trust, if not one of the humans that he’d called a friend? And Ren had apparently run off as well, taking the Plate with him. Zulu wondered if maybe he shouldn’t strike out on his own. But he realized he wouldn’t last long. He’d always been relying on the strength of other. Despite how much he’d grown in strength, he was only second rate. He had to contend with a powerful fiery psychic who could control luck and an equally powerful chicken warrior. Even with his meeting of Twinkiel, he still was nothing. Twinkiel had single handedly led a campaign against the enemy tribe. He was surrounded by people that were better than him. Maybe he should just fly off right now, find some cave, and live the rest of his life there.

“Whatever happened to impressing Cresselia?”

“Oh come on. That was just some weird fantasy that popped into my head. Why would someone like her ever settle for me?”

“Well, you’ve got a great personality.”

“If you don’t shut up, I’m ripping whatever part of my brain you’re in out.”

Zulu sighed.

“Depressed young one?” A voice asked.

Zulu looked down, a little startled. He hadn’t even heard anyone approaching. Below him was a figure, his form covered in a brown, hooded cloak. Probably one of the village elders. But he didn’t look like a snake…

“Is it that obvious?” Zulu responded.

“Heh, yes it is. Why don’t you come down here and talk about it?”

“No thanks. I doubt you’d be much help.” Zulu said back.

“You’re probably right. I mean, what would a Pokémon know about human emotions?”

Zulu froze.

“How do you know…”

“That you’re human? Let’s just say I have experience dealing with them and how they think. Now do you want to talk?” The figure asked.
Zulu fluttered down from his branch, landing next to the figure. He could see yellow eyes looking out at him through the cloak. His cloak was held together by a chain, with a small blue stone gear hanging from it.

“So, what has you down?” He asked.

“Well, I’m surrounded by a bunch of people stronger than me, and so far I’ve only acomplished beating some Blastoise with a move and ability I haven’t been able to use since.” Zulu vented.

“I see.” The figure answered.
“So tell me, what do you think the solution is to your problem?”

“Get stronger. Evolve. Beat up all the New Order Legendries. Show Cresselia I’m not weak.” Zulu listed.

“Cresselia huh? Heh heh heh…”
The figure chuckled lightly, but then his laughs divulged into a fit of coughing.

“Are you ok sir?” Zulu asked concernedly. The figure waved him off, reaching into a small pouch tied to his cloak. He pulled out several light blue berries, tossing them into his mouth. After a while, his coughing stopped.

“Not as young as I used to be. Guess there’s a point those Oran Berries stop giving health. Now, back to you. So Cresselia? Am I right in guessing there’s a reason why you want to show her you’re not weak?” The figure asked.

“Well yeah. She’s sort of my protector, but I want to show her I can protect myself.” Zulu said, leaving out any details about his feelings.

“I bet there’s more to it than that. I used to date a Legendary you know. Lovely girl. Always energetic, loved nature. Grew the tastiest beries you’d ever tasted…”

“What? I’m not in love with her! That’s gross! I’m a human, remember?”

“That didn’t stop an old human friend of mine from falling for her Pokémon partner after she’d been turned into a Pokémon. But that was quite a while before I was born. Funny how time travel works… anyway, back to your little confidence problem. If my memory serves me correctly, my old friend’s partner had been the biggest coward around. Back then, mystery dungeons popped up faster than a Diglet in the morning. Her partner wanted to join an exploration guild, but he was so timid that the sentry to the guild scared him off. But once he met my old human friend, he was a force to be reckoned with. He wasn’t the strongest, but he was confident because he had a trustworthy partner around. Do you have someone like that?”

“Lately it seems all my friends aren’t very trustworthy at all.” Zulu said, hanging his head.

“Don’t give me that. I was in a world full of untrustworthy people, but I still ended up finding my partner. I know for a fact you’ve got yourself a good friend still.”

Zulu gave the matter more thought. He first thought of Cresselia, but then someone else. While Cresselia was a friend, Zulu had more or less made her his friend. But there was someone who had made him their own friend.

“Twinkiel Thunderfleece.” Zulu laughed, imagining the eccentric Flaafy.

“Well, there you go. So long as you keep a friend close, someone who’s constantly pushing you to be the best, you’ll find that’s sometimes enough.” The figure said. He shakily stood up.
“Here, you can keep this. I make plenty of them.” He said. He held out a wooden carving of the same blue gear on his cloak, colored the same bright blue with paint.

“Just know that one of your Legendary allies is probably going to question you about where you got it. Just tell her an old friend of hers gave it to you.” He said, beginning to walk away.

“But what’s your name? Can you at least tell me that?” Zulu asked.

“Oh, I don’t have one. I just go by my species name. Goodbye Zulu.” The figure said, disappearing into the jungle.

“How did he know my name…” Zulu pondered aloud, looking at the blue gear.

~~~~~

Deep in the Dark plate’s chamber, something happened. Bloodmoon had been meditating ever since acquiring the plate, but now he was stirring. A memory of an event had come back to him. An event so exciting and so astronomical, the mere thought of missing it was causing the Guardian of Life’s control to waver, if only for a just a moment.

“I’m missing the Superbowl for this stupid quest!”

Day A2 3:50 p.m

--- jumped thirty feet in the air.

He had been running for about two hours now, following the voice's directions to head towards the Western Cliffs. The Blaziken had found he could jump this high just now and was loving the exhilaration it bought. Laughing, he landed on a plateau and leaped again and caught the top of the next ridge with both hands, pulling himself up.

Sighing, --- sat, catching his breath, and looked up. The sun was beginning to set which wasn't surprising this deep in winter. How he knew it was winter? The Blaziken had no clue. A tent, three mountains away, caught --'s eye. It wasn't surprising, seeing that --- had discovered more than a few traveling bands of Graveler and Geodude along his way but this tent seemed more permanent.

--- squinted into the dying light and made out a figure sitting at the cliff's edge, staring out into the sunset. Maybe it was a native to these slopes. Maybe he could provide food and shelter for the night as --- was beginning to tire of sleeping on twigs and leaves as they tended to catch fire, waking him.

Getting to his feet, --- ran to the edge of the platform then leaped, kicking off the side of a nearby wall, the Blaziken fell at least thirty feet before hitting the with a crunch, sadly, it was his face hitting the ground rather than his feet and --- groaned in pain.

"Well, still haven't mastered that yet." He muttered to himself. --- looked up to see the tent was no closer than before and sighed. It was going to be a long day.

Late evening found him just below the stranger's tent. Heaving, --- lugged himself up to the mysterious tent and collapsed. The world narrowed as --- almost lost consciousness, then, an orange berry entered his view and a voice said,

"Eat, I cant have you dying on me after you've come all this way."

Numbly, --- reached out and took the berry from the stranger's waiting hand....or was it a wing? --- was to tired to concentrate on the thought. He swallowed the berry and a burst of energy filled his leaden limbs. Slowly, the Blaziken sat up and the blackness fell away from his peripheries. He looked at the stranger, and a name came unbidden to his lips as well as a memory of a pixelated figure sitting on a similar cliff.

"X-Xatu?"

The colorful bird smiled.

"I hope your travels weren't to rough, Ren."

Ren jumped. The name seemed familiar yet he couldn't quite place it. Xatu interrupted his thoughts.

"It's your name, there's no need to thank me, you would've remembered it sooner or later."

The Blaziken nodded, then asked the psychic,

"How did you find me? My name? What I seek?"

Xatu stared back at Ren with his solemn eyes,

"I have honed my telepathy for millennium, my dear human, one would be hard pressed to elude me."

Ren nodded and Xatu turned away, beckoning the Blaziken to follow.

"Now, I'm sure you remember why you came?" He said. Ren nodded again and Xatu turned towards the sun, stretching out his colorful wings.

"Then we might as well begin." He said. With that, the psychic's mind touched Ren's. This time, it phased into the Blaziken's consciousness and gently enveloped the weaker human's mind,

"Hmmm, I see a symbol, more like a human than anything...and a name, yes a name, "Patriots" accompanied by a deep boiling hatred. They seem to have won something called the "SuperBowl." Tell me little one, why do you despise these "Patriots" so? What is so important about this "SuperBowl?"

Ren was silent for a second, then replied,

"I'm pretty sure that's not what's bothering me Xatu." He said blandly. The psychic took the hint and moved on.

"It seems you seek the truth as to why you came here." The bird said. He moved on before Ren could speak,

"The truth is, you were sent by your own."

Ren stumbled. "What?"

"Yes, we only received you my dear human. You were all taken from a troubled life, a broken home, a ghastly nightmare, and more. Where you specifically hail from I cannot say, but there is a reason why you are so stoic, so quiet."

Flashes of memory raced through Ren's head, of a cracked wall, blood, a woman falling to the ground, and behind it all, a man standing in shadow, his fist dripping crimson.

The Blaziken shuddered and hid, deep inside the sanctum of his thoughts. Xatu pulled away.

"That is enough for today. Rest, tomorrow we will begin again."

With that, Xatu walked off, leaving Ren standing on the cliff, alone.