A trainer's story [14]
#15 of A trainer's story
Eterna City and the Secret of Evolution
Continuing their journey to Eterna City for their next gym battle, Jake and Ryan had come across one of their greatest rivals - the mysterious former Hoenn champion Jaden and his ace pokemon, Latios of the legendary Eon duo. Getting excited upon meeting an incredibly strong opponent, Jake and Ryan challenged Jaden to a pokemon battle, which the champion excepted. However, despite having been given the handicap, both Lucario and Charizard still failed to defeat the blue Eon pokemon, resulted in Jake and Ryan suffering the biggest lost in their lives...
After their battle with Latios, Lucario and Charizard were seriously injured, and had yet to wake up. Fortunately, Jake had some healing spray and first aid in his backpack, so they were able to treat the pokemon's wounds. Jake carried Lucario on his back, while Ryan had no choice but to return Charizard to the pokemon, due to his big size.
They continued to walk, however couldn't make it to Eterna City before nightfall. After having managed to find a clear spot, Jake decided to set up the camp and prepare the tent while Ryan went out to find some firewood. Neither trainer said a word, perhaps because the shock of getting beaten so fast had yet to stop affecting them.
"C'mon Jake, I know you are still upset, but you have to eat in order to regain your strength. There's still a long way to go before we could reach Eterna City." Ryan said as he noticed Jake's glommy expression.
"You don't get it, do you?" Jake shouted, angrily slamming his fist to the ground, "We didn't just lose the battle to that Jaden guy, we were completely destroyed in the most humilliating way. Even with Lucario and Charizard's combined attacks, they still couldn't leave even a scratch on Latios. How could that happen?"
"It can't be helped. Our opponent is a champion...well, a former champion, plus he even has a legendary pokemon." Ryan said softly, trying to calm his friend down.
"No...If we keep making up excuses, either of us stand would never stand a change against Jaden when we meet in the Sinnoh League." Jake grimaced as he continued, his face showed nothing but pure frustration and disappointment, "Just...just what should I do to beat him?"
"Damn it! I've had enough." Ryan shouted, making Jake flinch, "I know that you lost to Jaden and you're disappointed, but instead of wasting you time sulking there like a kid, why don't you train harder to beat him next time? You really want Lucario to wake up, only to find out he has such a pathetic trainer?"
Jake listened to Ryan in silence, letting his mind absord every single word. Then, he slowly walked to Lucario, who was still sleeping on a pillow made of leaves (sounds very comfy). Getting on his knees, Jake gently craddled Lucario and hugged him tightly, enclose the pokemon's face in his warm chest.
"I'm sorry, Lucario..." Jake mumbled, his voice choked with tears as they rolled down his face and landed on Lucario's furry cheeks, "I'm sorry for being a pathetic weakling. I won't let you down again. We'll get stronger, and we'll beat that Jaden guy!"
Ryan smiled, feeling glad to see Jake finally got his confidence back when he suddenly remembered their other problem, "Hey Jake, you still have those strange stones and gloves Jaden gave us, right?"
"Huh?" Jake turned around as he heard Ryan. The trainer gently placed Lucario down and put his hand into his inner coat pocket, pulling out a small, spherical stone. The stone had a strange dark blue color and an extremely shiny surface, making it look more like a gem, "You mean this?"
"Yeah..." Ryan muttered. He also took out his stone, "I wonder what Jaden meant when he told us these stones will gain our pokemon power."
"Could it be...these are evolutionary stones?" Jake asked.
"I thought so at first, but...it just doesn't seem right. These stones are very strange. They doesn't look like any evolutionary stone I've seen before, and they doesn't give out the distinguish aura of a typical evolutionary stone. I can't feel any source of power in them..." Ryan said, glancing at his crimson stone, then spoke again, "One more thing. He said those stones gained power of evolution, but Lucario and Charizard are both final forms of our pokemon. I've never seen any case in which pokemon can evolve further after reaching their final form. I just...can't get it right!"
"What about this glove?" Jake asked. The glove was nothing spectacular, just a normal fingerless glove, but when Jake examined it further, he noticed something, "Check this out. There is another stone here."
"What?" Ryan looked at his glove, and noticed there was also a stone embedded on the back of the glove, "You're right. It's small, but looks exactly like the larger stone. Wait...Jaden also told us to always wear the gloves right? Do you think there may be a...connection between the stones in the gloves and the other ones, if we hold them together?"
"Good idea. Let's try it!" Jake exclaimed. He slid the glove to his left hand and used it to hold the stone, but nothing happened. Frustrated, he threw the stone onto the ground. It bounced back and forth, then accidentally stopped right next to Lucario and slightly touched the pokemon's paw.
At that very moment it came in contact with Lucario's fur, the stone itself, as well as the pokemon's body both started to glow white blue. However, the glow was too weak, and it seemed to last for only one second, so Jake and Ryan had both failed to notice.
~ Lucario's dream ~
"Wake up, Lucario!"
Lucario's mind was blank. The last thing he remembered was a devastating giga impact from Latios, which instantly knocked him out cold. But then he heard voice...a distant but familiar voice, almost like the memories a close friend from his past that were hidden in the deepest of his mind had come back...so very real, yet so hallucinating...
"Jake, is that you?" Lucario mumbled and slowly opend his eyes. Hoping to see the caring eyes and dazzling smile of his mate. But no...there was no one. In fact, there was nothing at all. Surrounding Lucario was darkness, absolute darkness.
But then again...who had been telling him to wake up?
"You finally wake up, Lucario. I've been waiting for a long time to talk to you." Came that mysterious voice again.
"Who was that?" Lucario growled, rising his hackles. The aura pokemon ran his eyes around, trying to locate the sound. There was nothing but darkness, yet he could feel the existance of an inmensely powerful being. Nowhere to be seen, yet everywhere to be found, "Show yourself! If you're trying to scare me, then it isn't working."
"I'm not trying to scare you. I'm talking to you, aura user. I've been watching you since the day you hatched."
"Cut the crap! What do you want?" Lucario growled again, an aura of anger started to build around him.
"Cool your head, aura user. If you can't control your emotions, then you don't deserve to be the Chosen One."
"Chosen one? What do you mean?" the aura pokemon asked, curiousity helped calming him down as the aura of anger started to subside.
"Everything that has happened in your life were all arranged by me. I guided you to your current trainer, so that would you to fall in love and create the strongest bond with him. I guided you through numerous battles, so that you could push yourself to the very limit and overcome it. I guided you to the champion and his Latios in the Eterna Forest, so that you could receive a new power...And the same thing can be said about your rival, Charizard. In order to save this world from a great crisis that will soon happen, you two have been chosen to wear the power of Mega Evolution."
"Mega...evolution? What the heck is that? And you, how do you know everything about me? Just who in the world are you?" Lucario asked.
"I am not from this world. I am what you referred to as 'The Original One'. I am the one that created this universe. I am the one that observe all life. I am Arceus."
"Arceus?" Lucario mumbled, "Wait, you said you created the whole universe, right? If you're that powerful, why don't you stop this crisis...or whatever you called it, by yourself?"
"I can't, because it is fate, something that's even beyond my power. Everyone has their own fate, and I'm no exception. Ironically, sometimes my fate lies in the hands of those I created, like you. I might be able to help you, but I can't change your ultimate fate. From now on, I won't be watching you anymore. You, aura user, will have to choose your own path. Destruction or Salvation...you and Charizard will decide it."
"Great, no pressure!" Lucario muttered. Suddenly, everything around him started to become white and glow blindingly. The aura pokemon tried to cover his eyes and his instinct told him the dream, as well as Arceus' existance, were fading away.
"Wait, Arceus! Don't go!"
...
"Arceus!"
Lucario woke up in the middle of the night. He panted heavily, the dream overflowed his head like a bursting dam, causing it to ache in pain.
Looking at the surroundings, Lucario realized that he was inside a tent. A small blush started to forms on the pokemon's cheeks when he saw his beloved trainer Jake, lying next to him and embrace him warmly. What could possibly make it better? Jake was wearing nothing put his boxers.
Lucario murred as he enjoyed the sensation of his fur against Jake's silky skin. But no matter how many times he tried to sleep again, that dream just popped up in his head. What was it all about?
At first, Lucario tried to convince himself that the battle with Latios had taken a serious toll on him, but after having checked himself several times, the aura pokemon realized that he was completely healthy, almost too healthy for someone who had been knocked out by a giga impact just a few hours ago. Every single one of his senses was working normally, and his ability to sense aura hadn't been reduced the slightest bit.
But if Lucario really did have that dream...then what was it trying to tell him?
A powerful pokemon called Arceus, who self-proclaimed to be 'Creator of the Universe', said that it had chosen him and Charizard to stop some kind of...crisis, or the way Lucario liked to put it, a disaster that was going to happen. But Arceus hadn't told Lucario what exactly he had to do. How fucking nice!
But what interested Lucario the most was the 'Mega Evolution' that Arceus mentioned. The aura pokemon knew that his current form was the final stage of his evolution, and he couldn't evolve any further, but according to Arceus, there was still another way for him to become even stronger...maybe then, he would have enough power to beat Latios, a legendary pokemon.
"Arggg! This is driving me nuts!" Lucario mumbled, shaking his head, "Alright, time to stop thinking about those stuffs and get myself a nice sleep."
"But..." the aura pokemon thought as he slowly closed his eyes, "I wonder if Charizard also has the same weird dream? Arceus did say that he was also a Chosen One."
(The next day)
Lucario slowly opened his eyes when a felt a warm hand gently stroke his furry cheeks. Focusing his blurred version, the pokemon smiled when he saw a familiar face, looking at him with care and affection.
"Jake..." Lucario mumbled. He tried to get up, but the trainer placed a hand on his chest and pushed him down. Jake then lowered himself onto Lucario and pressed their lips together.
"Mmm..." the aura pokemon moaned in pleasure as he kissed his mate fiercely, his canine tongue easily dominated Jake's as it invaded the trainer mouth, swapping their saliva.
Jake panted heavily as he was forced to break the blissful kiss after having run out of breaths, "I gotta admit, your taste just keeps getting better and better."
"Really?" Lucario blushed, "Then we should do it every morning when I wake up, don't you think so?"
"Anything for my pup." Jake grinned. He pulled Lucario up and held the pokemon warmly against his chest, "There's something I need to tell you. You remember the battle against Latios yesterday...we lost, right?"
The aura pokemon fliched and dropped his ears. He didn't want Jake to remember that at all, because it was the most humilliating lost of his life, and it only proved that once again, he had let his trainer down, "Jake, I'm sorry, I..."
"Shh, you don't have anything to do with that lost. It was mine fault. I was thinking way over my head. I didn't messure our strength correctly, to think that we were really strong enough to beat a champion...pathetic, wasn't it?"
"No, you are not! Please, Jake, I will do anything for you, even if it costs my own life, just please...don't ever say you are pathetic!" Lucario sobbed, clinging tightly onto his mate's shoulders.
"Lucario..." Jake muttered, stroking the aura pokemon's head, "I understand. From now on, let's train harder and put all we have into very battle, so we would never regret again, winning or losing. Are you with me?"
The aura pokemon nodded. His face was still damp with his own tears, but the only expression it showed was joy.
"By the way, what is that thing you're wearing?" Lucario asked when he noticed the black, fingerless glove on the trainer's left hand.
"Jaden gave this to me. I didn't find anything special about this glove, but he told me that I should always wear it. Oh, and he also gave me this weird stone." Jake said, pulling out the blue, gem-like stone and showed it to Lucario, "Do you know what it is?"
Lucario looked at the stone for awhile before shaking his head, much to Jake's dismay as he sighed tiredly. The pokemon took stone into his paw to examine it further. However, the moment his fur came in contact with the stone, out of nowhere, a stinging sensation struck Lucario, making him shiver af if a current of electricity was running down his spine.
At the same time, an image suddenly flashed through Lucario's mind. It was a figure...a pokemon that looked just like him, at least Lucario thought so, but he noticed a few differences. The black appendages on its head were long and had red tips. The fur on its chest and midsection were very thick. Black and red stripes lined the pokemon's arms and legs. In addtion to the spike on its torso, the pokemon also possessed one spike on each of its shoulders, two spikes on each of its forepaws and toes.
The image lasted for only a few seconds, and when it vanished, Lucario felt as if the air had been drained from his lungs as he gasped and dropped the stone.
"Are you okay?" Jake asked concernedly.
"Should I tell him about what I just saw? Not to mention the crazy dream I had last night." the aura pokemon thought as he brought his head up to look at his mate, "After all, Jake is my mate, and I shouldn't hide anything away from him, but my instinct told me that now isn't the right time...Sorry Jake, but I'll keep those secrets for awhile."
"I'm okay, just feeling a little tired. Maybe I still haven's fully recovered from yesterday's battle. But don't worry, I will be fine. Here..." Lucario lied, then picked up the stone and gave it to Jake, "Let's get the hell outta here. I'm bored of this damn forest, and we have a gym battle to win."
"Yeah!"
...
The next few hours was pretty much eventless. Jake and Ryan walked in silence, no one said anything about the battle yesterday, which made Lucario felt relaxing, because there was no need to rub it in anymore.
Finally, they reached the end of Route 205. Leaving the creepy forest behind, Jake smiled as Eterna City appeared in front of them. He was immediately captured by the city's presence. Eterna City wasn't based heavily on modern technologies like Jubilife City or mining activities like Oreburgh City, but it had an ancient and mysterious appearance which could easily interest any one.
"There we are..." Ryan smiled, "Eterna City. I've always wanted to come here. This is one of the oldest place in Sinnoh, and it is infused with many of Sinnoh legends. Do you want to take a tour around the city?"
"Sure." Jake shrugged.
Smiling brightly, Ryan led the group through Eterna City. Jake chuckled as he saw Ryan acting like a tour guide, as the trainer had almost forgotten that Ryan was still younger than him after all.
While they were walking, a strange building caught Jake's attention. It was nothing the trainer had seen before. The building had four floors, but what made it special was the six spikes, three on each side. Another strange thing about the building was the trees surrounding it, which created a natural fence and blocked every entrance possible. Further more, the building's existance added a dark, sinister atmosphere to Eterna City, as Jake noticed that all the citizens seemed to avoid walking across it.
"Hey Ryan, what is that?" Jake asked and pointed at the suspicious building.
"I don't know. Let's try asking some local people."
"It's no use. They seem to be afraid of the building and find every way possible to avoid it." Jake shrugged, shaking his head.
"Maybe the gym leader knows something. We'll ask later." Ryan said.
"Yeah, let's go...What a creepy building! Just looking at it makes me nervous."
Finding the Pokemon Center was easy. Jake and Ryan registered for two room, then sent their pokemon to Nurse Joy for some check up. (Lucario wasn't happy about this, as he hated being inside the pokeball). It took about half an hour, and when everything was done, the group proceeded to find Eterna Gym, but neither intended to battle. After the gym battle at Oreburgh City, Jake had made a mental note to always investigate his opponents beforehand, as it would give him advantages during battle if he knew his opponent's dominent pokemon type and battle style.
Another fifteen minutes of walking and the gang finally found Eterna. They were about to enter when Jake suddenly stopped as he saw a figure walk inside the gym.
"What's wrong, Jake?" Ryan asked.
"It's him..." Jake muttered, pointing at the figure, "The bastard that abadoned Typhlosion, Jackson!" (For more informatoin, please read chapter 4)
(To be continued)