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Ragnarok	By : puffball64 Category: Pokemon > General Views: 11191 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 22
- 23
- 24
Note: It's been awhile coming, but I finally managed to get pretty much the rest of Chapter 19 down. I hope you guys are looking forward to it. The plot's thickening, and fast.

Like always, leave reviews, rate, and comment. I'll make an active effort to start replying to comments. Feel free to ask me anything, and I'll answer to the best of my abilities. Alternatively, you can also post in the Ragnarok thread on 151chan.

And with that, enjoy the read!!

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1:14

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Two Days Later

"I hate it. Hate it, hate it, hate it."

The younger, blonde haired woman whined as they stood outside a familiar door. She could hear the sound of heavy steps coming closer to her. She tapped her foot impatiently on the floor, waiting for him to appear.

"What am I supposed to tell him? 'Sorry boss, but we've been sitting on our asses for the last few days!'"

The shadow of a large, built man loomed against the door, overlapping hers. The owner of the shadow rubbed his hand down his pale, white face, his eyes bloodshot and his breath wreaking of alcohol.

Eris looked at her partner with a grim expression. "Cratos, what the hell?!" His groan confirmed Eris' suspicions. "Of all the fucking nights you could've stayed out drinking, you decided to choose the night before our report to the boss! Are you insane? Is there even a damn brain in there?!"

"Not so loud, Eris. I'd prefer hearing you bitching after this headache stops screwing with me," he boldly declared. "A report? Which- oh, that's right." He chuckled to ease the tension, "he's gonna be pissed. You know that, right?"

"Of course I fucking know that. We'll be lucky if he doesn't turn us into bile fodder," she hissed at him, a hint of fear projected in her speech.

"So, you say a prayer?" Cratos asked her randomly, his tone that of the Cratos Eris had known for most of her career as a commander.

"Ten. Maybe twenty."

"Didn't think you were a believer, Eris."

"I believe in Arceus, if that's what you mean."

Cratos sighed, shutting his eyes tightly while attempting to ignore the aching sensation that had been pounding on his head all morning. The cry the doors made as they unlocked and opened didn't help to ease the tension.

"Enter," a cold, demanded voice ordered.

Eris and Cratos walked carefully into the large room, the appearance no different than it had been since the first time she had seen it when joining Galactic. Her heart was pounding against her chest, almost as if it was trying to escape from her body. The cold, filtered air gave her goose bumps, her hefty breaths visible to the naked eye. Cratos seemed indifferent to the sudden change in temperature and ambience, but with the exception of a hand grasping his head, his posture had become focused and obedient.

Their leader sat at the small desk on the other end of the room. His hands cupped together with something oddly misshapen moving inside of them. It almost appeared to be liquid, beads of violet dribbling down the sides of his fingers. His icy stare shifted to the two individuals who had made their way to his office. His facial expression didn't change when he asked the question the two officers expected from the beginning.

"Am I right in assuming that the explosives are prepped and ready to go?"

Cratos cleared his throat, ignoring the panging sensation clouding his thoughts. "No sir."

Cyrus face was motionless. "Explain yourselves."

"We've had difficulty negotiating with the BFs in the region, sir. It took a while, but we found a donor willing to give us the number we requested," Eris reported.

"So," Cyrus calmly spoke, his words slithering out of his mouth, "What seems to be the reason for why you are unable to do as I requested?"

"Sir," she started, shaking, "The ETA for the requested materials was longer than previously estimated. We demanded more than they originally had in stock, sir. Because of this, we were unable to go through with the original plan.”

Cyrus slowly exhaled, a hint of disappointment in his voice putting Eris on edge. "When can I expect the plan to be executed?"

"Given the updated ETA time, sir, we can expect them-"

"No guesses. Give me an accurate number, NOW." The substance in Cyrus' hand jerked around violently as he spoke.

"Two weeks, sir," Cratos answered, aware of Eris' anxiety.

"Two weeks?"

"Yes sir. The plan will be carried out two weeks from now."

Cyrus’ glare thickened, absentmindedly scanning the two as he lost himself in thought. He closed his eyes and nodded to himself.

"Two weeks is acceptable, given the circumstances."

Eris and Cratos were shocked at his reaction.

"We will freeze the plan until the materials are ready to be deployed. While it's in suspension, I'm going to reassign the two of you."

The two high ranking officers stared blankly as their leader continued. "The mutt has been traveling under the radar for too long. I want you to go and explore Celestic Town for any possible information regarding him. If he's running around Sinnoh as I expect him to be, then he'll be obligated to stop by there. It's troublesome; she might still be alive. I also want you both to gather up information on the current High Noon officers stationed in Eterna City. If we're going to have to wait for two additional weeks, we might as well grab every small fraction of information possible concerning how much manpower the government will have within the city."

He looked back at the ooze that was covering his hands. "All of that shouldn't take more than two weeks to do, should it?"

"No sir," the officers both replied.

"Good. The punishment for your ineptitude will be issued at a later date. Dismissed."

Eris almost stopped breathing as Cratos helped escort her out of his office as fast as he could. Cyrus sat back in his chair, unlocking his hands to get a better look at the substance.

"Even something as weak as that showed such a violent reaction," he mumbled as it melted around his hands, pooling on his desk before settling into a flat heap, bubbles spawning everywhere on the surface. "Just how could she survive?"

==========

A dark blanket draped itself across the skies, cloud coverage blocking out most of the moonlight that would otherwise shine down on the treetops of Eterna Forest. The wildlife was anxious, chirps and clicks of the insects and flying type Pokemon silenced by the sound of footsteps nearby. Two trainers, one a young man with brown, curly hair, and one a young woman covered from the neck to her ankles by an worn out brown coat, were emerging from the deeper end of the forest.

Their clothes had been moderately damaged by their struggles. Small tears took the eye away from the countless stains from dirt, grass, and dried blood. Their eyes were focused on the widening road ahead of them, in the direction of Eterna City.

Jerry looked around, "Two days of this nonsense. I never dreamed it would be this difficult."

Skai responded with a huff. Had Lynus not cleaned them, his blades would be caked in layers of enemy blood. Lynus had relied mostly on Skai to help pull the group through the forest, though there were times were she had given Rei opportunities to defend the travelers from wild, hungry Pokemon. Rei had an air of confidence radiating from her body during her battles, the experience she had been receiving in the past few days transforming her into a savvy battle machine.

Jerry's team's progress was just as successful, the wealthy trainer giving each of his team members an opportunity to deal with outsiders. They struck down many grass and bug type Pokemon who dared to get in their master's way. Monferno typically lead the pack, burning down opponents left and right, being extra accurate with his attacks to prevent additional wildfires from starting up.

"Lynus, look!" Jerry pointed enthusiastically. Lyn followed his finger to the road ahead. The trees widened exponentially just on the other end of the horizon. A faint, familiar glow invited the two trainers closer, offering them reprieve from their intense trials.

"Is...Is that-"

"It is! Eterna City!" Jerry cried out, excited that their journey through the forest was almost at an end.

"Oh thank goodness. We're almost there," Lynus quietly praised, letting her guard down. Skai wasn't so easily swayed to do the same.

"You think Noah is already there?" Lyn's expression suddenly shifted, worry drowning out her happiness. "He hasn't answered a single call on the tech, and we haven't seen a single sign of him in days..."

"Don't sweat it, Lyn. Noah might not be in town just yet, but he'll get there."

"Are you sure, Jerry?"

"Absolutely."

Lyn seemed focused on her thoughts. She replied after a pause, "Jerry, why don't you seem even a little bit worried?"

"Excuse me?" Jerry kindly remarked.

"Well, you never seem to be concerned for Noah's safety. Ever since we got separated, you don't-"

"Oh!" Jerry waved off the question with a swift, smooth hand gesture. "That? It's not that I don't worry about him. In fact, if I wasn't worried about him, I wouldn't have gone traveling with him again!"

"Then why, or how, are you so sure that he's fine?"

He grinned, "Because he's a Sol, Lynus. You'd understand if you learned a little bit more about him and his family."

Lyn repeated Jerry's response, "Because he's a Sol. The son of Richard Sol and Vivian Sol."

"Right. You get it yet?"

She didn't change her expression, "No, I understand. But that doesn't stop me from being concerned."

"It's fine to be worried for Noah, Lyn. He's a friend, after all."

The lights from the city reached out to the pair ever closer as their feet trampled the worn down tracks. Within several minutes, the two of them could see the barrier that separated the city from the wildlife.

"Where should we go then?"

Jerry caressed his chin with his index finger and thumb. "Pokemon Center. That's the first place he'll go. If he's not there, then we'll stay put until he shows up. Sound like a plan to you?"

Lynus beamed at him. "Sounds perfect."

"Alright then," Jerry replied. "And when we finally DO regroup, we'll tell him about what we found back there yesterday. I'd like to take a closer look myself, and I'm sure he would too."

"Who'd have thought someone would have built something so elegant out in the middle of nowhere?"

==========

Along the side of a massive incline of the eastern section of Eterna Forest, a trainer wandered through the wilderness. His pants were tattered, stained, and had a small hole or so from spare enemies hunting him down for the last two days. The sleeves on his shirt were completely torn off, his red vest being the only article of clothing he had on that didn't show any signs of wear or tear. His bag held almost nothing but an empty void by this point, save for several bags of trail mix, extra clothes, and additional Pokemon medicines. His shoes quietly shuffled the grass beneath his feet with every step he took.

In front of him was a tiny yellow creature no taller than a child. An unusually large appendage waved around, suspended behind her head by a thick muscle that was connected directly with her metal skull. Koko had minor scratches, and a fresh cut on her left arm, but the smile and merry humming completely diverted the attention away from her minor battle scars.

Behind Noah, a white, fluffy mammal followed him, her massive claws hidden away within her claws. Her fur showed signs of a recent battle, as it was completely frizzled from the scuffle with the wild Pokemon in the area. Luna had been given one of the last potions Noah had in his bag, but her breathing was still significantly heavy in comparison to Koko's.

"We almost out?" Luna asked with frustration riddled across her face.

"Almost, I hope," he answered her. "We managed to find the natural barrier to the forest yesterday morning, so we should be hitting the main route very soon."

Koko continued to hum happily to herself as Luna continued, "So how much longer do we have to travel?"

"Well," Noah looked up. The night sky was already looming overhead, and the trail was beginning to prove difficult to see with the lack of lights in the area. Noah's flashlight was low on energy as well.

"It's getting very late. Think we should crash for the night?" He asked his partners.

Luna chastised his question. "God damn it. Are you absolutely sure we can't make it out tonight?"

Noah tried looking over the trees, but to no avail. "These things are too tall. I can't see any city lights from here, and Eterna shines brighter than a Flash attack in the dark. I don't think we're close enough to make it until tomorrow afternoon, at the earliest."

Luna growled in disapproval. "Fine, do whatever the hell you want."

"I'm fine with whatever choice you make," Koko politely answered, bowing towards Noah with an innocent little grin on her face.

The wind blew against the trees in the area as Noah set up his sleeping bag. Leaves and other soft foliage were set up as a makeshift mattress underneath the bag, courtesy of Koko and Luna. A sad excuse for a campfire illuminated a tiny fraction of the area Noah's group had settled down in, maintained only by several pieces of wood from a nearby tree that Luna managed to slice down.

Noah tucked the lighter he had used back into one of the pockets on his vest before finding a comfortable spot on the ground near the burning pile of wood. Koko rocked herself from left to right to a certain rhythm. Luna had gone unusually quiet once again, lost in her racing thoughts as her paws mindlessly combed away at her messy fur coat.

Noah was snacking on some leftover trail mix; the last bag that he had. "We'd better hurry to Eterna quickly tomorrow, unless you guys wanna start chasing after bugs or berries to snack on."

Neither of his teammates audibly responded outside of Koko's sweet little giggle.

"The last two days have been hell. I'm so exhausted," Luna whined, falling to her back.

"I know. Don't worry, I intend to keep my promise when we all get into town. Tons of sleep, good food, and a TV just for you Luna."

She sighed, lost in her imagination. "Some juicy, tender sirloin and some PBN sounds like a perfect way to spend the day to me."

"Is that your favorite show, Luna?"

She lifted herself from the forest floor, showcasing her sinister smile while repeatedly extending and retracting her claws. "Not my favorite, but it gets the blood pumping."

"Speaking of battles, I'd bet my trainer's license that you two have become much stronger since we stepped foot in here."

"No shit."

Koko raised her hand like a student.

"Uh...yes, Koko?" Noah said.

"Noah, how strong?"

"How strong you guys are?"

"Yes, please."

"Yeah, smart ass. Remember all of that level bullshit you crammed into my head in Oreburgh?" Luna pressed on.

"Level progress?"

"That," Luna almost shouted as she flicked her ear. "You said it was a good way to keep track of Pokemon up to a certain level, so get on with it! What level would you say we're at now?"

Noah ran a hand through his raven black hair, thinking back to the last day or so, tearing down Beedrill and mowing through countless swarms of relentless Ledian. Many other, weaker Pokemon hindered their progress towards Eterna as well, giving them some much needed experience in the trade off.

"Let's see...Koko learned how to use Crunch the other day..."

Koko let another chuckle escape from her mouth. Her excessive maw cackled at the mention of the new technique, twitching anxiously while drool dribbled from the opening.

"But you haven't learned anything else yet...so you have to be at least at level thirty-six by now. You've jumped at least seven levels up since we've been here, Koko. Congratulations."

The deceptive Pokemon curtsied at Noah's praise. Luna scoffed, her reaction a cue to Noah to move on toward the Cat Ferret's progress.

"You learned several attacks since we've come to the forest, Luna. And the last one was...?"

"You said something like...D-...Defect? Some crap like that, right?"

"Detect."

"Whatever."

"So...you should be around level," Noah thoughts permeated deep into his many years at the Pokemon Academy, his mind racing through the knowledge he had attained from that time long ago. "Forty. You just learned it tonight. A solid forty, I would expect."

Koko gave Luna a round of applause. "Forty? I'm incredibly impressed!"

"To be honest, I'm actually astounded at the progress you two have made," Noah remarked. "Not even they jumped up to these levels so fast. I mean, look at you, Luna. You’ve grown twelve whole levels in the span of two single days."

"Maybe we're just that good," Luna said with a ferocious arrogant growl. She maintained her expression as her mind traveled over his words again. 'They?'

"I don't know what it is, but I'm definitely not going to be one to complain. I'm surprised at how well you two adapt to fighting. It seems so incredibly natural."

"Give me an ass, and I'll kick the hell out of it," the mongoose said with confidence.

"A princess in my clan is the daughter of the strongest fighters in the family. Having no fighting experience would be an insult both to my parents and species, Mr. Noah."

"The 'princess' shows, Koko. Making it to Sinnoh during these migrations is a testament to the power your family wields."

The flames cackled as they feasted on the remaining wood. Noah took a deep breath and sighed, his eyes locked in the center of the fire.

"You know what? It's almost as if I've felt this somewhere before," Noah mentioned to the teammates. "I miss these nights: sitting by a makeshift fire with my Pokemon, traveling across Sinnoh. It's nostalgic."

"Nostalgic? Your Pokemon? But we're-"

"My other Pokemon, Luna. I had a team before I met you guys."

'Before he met us, before he met me,' Luna thought to herself. Her link with Noah was weakening as Noah continued to talk. The connection they shared through the soul plate was beginning to suffocate, almost as if someone was choking it. 'Noah, what are you doing?'

Luna remembered her dream. She felt those hideous emotions rise from her gut once again, shuddering at the sensation of emptiness it brought to her, 'This is what the masked bastard was talking about.' She refused to feel that cold, lifeless embrace of loneliness again. She subconsciously scooted closer to Noah.

Noah turned to Luna. Her eyes had changed again, softening as they had done the morning when they had arrived at Eterna's entrance. Her harsh, raspy, and vulgar appearance melted away as he lost his focus, staring deeply into those delicate white orbs again. Luna used the chance to move in even closer to her partner.

Her voice broke him out of his hypnotic trance. "Noah, I talked to Jerry some time ago."

"Oh yeah? What did he have to say," Noah questioned her as he tried to regain his composure. Koko curiously watched the scene unfold in front of her as Luna pressed on.

"It's not what he said that got me thinking. It's what he didn't say."

"What? I...I don't think I understand what you're telling me Luna."

"I'll...I guess," Luna took a deep breath. "Noah, tell me what happened. Now."

An eerie silence encased the group's tiny camp.

"Please Noah. It's really important to me."

He hesitated to reply to her. "Luna, we went through this before. I don't think I'm...I mean, it's not really that import-"

"But I need to know."

"Need to know?"

"Yes. It's urgent."

Noah paused. "Luna," he started, "what good can come from me telling you anything about my past that I already haven't told you?"

She was quick to answer him. "Trust."

Noah gawked back at her, this time with fear spread across his face for what was likely about to unfold. He knew that the possibility that she'd play this card existed, but for it to come so soon took him by surprise. Cornered, he responded, "What did you say?"

"Trust, Noah. I need to trust you."

Koko gasped, going completely unnoticed by the other two.

"Trust me? Don't you already trust me?"

"I do, Noah. I trust you, but...I don't trust you as much as I want to."

"I don't think I understand what you're saying, Luna. What's gotten into you?"

"I'm fine. What I'm saying is simple, Noah: I don't trust you enough. I want to be able to do just that."

"And telling you what you want to hear...will do that?"

Luna nodded back without muttering a word. Noah swallowed hard, his mouth running dry.

"But...why? Why do you need that extra bit of trust?"

"We made a deal, Noah. We're both partners because we agreed to carry out this mission together. You told me yourself a week ago: We need to be able to completely trust one another if we are to survive out here."

"I...but that's..." Noah was speechless. He had never expected for someone to come up and directly command him to spill his guts out to them...and using something that he himself personally argued for, no less. It was an unusual request for the young trainer, but at the same time, a request that Noah found mysteriously appealing. It was almost as if Noah had been waiting for someone like her to finally come around.

'What could she possibly want to know? Why?' he asked himself, dumbfounded. 'What should I do? Should I just tell her everything? ...No! I shouldn't...I can't.'

"I'm sorry, Luna, but-"

"Please, Noah! I need to know!"

'But why!?' he screamed to himself. The look of desperation in her eyes begged him to share his story with her. He continued to hesitate. 'I've never told everyone everything...I...what should I say? What can I say?'

"Please, please, please. Anything...everything, if you can. It's in your power, you can do it, right?"

"I can't do it, Luna...it's not pleasant for me to remember."

"That's not good enough!" Luna yelled at him, causing both him and Koko to jump up in surprise. "Look, Noah, I can feel it through our connection. I can feel this struggle you have inside of you." Noah clenched his fists together as Luna continued. "This feeling of shame, and regret. This coldness and lack of spirit you have, it haunts me!"

"But...how could you-"

"And this... despicable mask that you put on to hide it all! It's hurting our bond, Noah! Can't you feel it? Whenever these feelings rise up through you, they damage our bond by sending those same sensations to me!"

"...What?!"

"I know what you're feeling, Noah, and it's terrible! I know what you're going through! I can relate to this!"

Noah twitched before quickly lifting himself to his feet. Luna backed up several yards away as he pulled a Pokeball off of his belt.

"Noah, what are you-"

Noah remained silent as he set the ball to stasis mode. He turned towards the spectator. "Sorry Koko. Everything will be okay. I promise."

Koko wasn't given a chance to respond as a beam of light pulled her into her Pokeball. No sooner did it snap shut did Noah clip the ball back on his belt and stare intensely at Luna. The Cat Ferret for the first time since meeting Noah, was on the defensive. She stared back at him, his eyes set ablaze by her words.

"You. How the FUCK can you say that you know what I've been through?!"

"The sensations you send over through the bond aren't fake, Noah! They can only be-"

"I don't care about that right now. What I want to know is how you honestly believe that you know what bullshit I've been dragged through, Luna."

Luna hesitated, trembling as her voice grew louder. "I...I know how you feel because…because I've suffered the same hardships as you have!"

Another silence killed the wildlife. The fire was almost entirely out by now, and Noah could do nothing but stare on in disbelief, his confusion ridded in his reply.

"How...?"

"What?"

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because, Noah...I've dreamt about your feelings. I've felt them myself."

"You've...been invading my mind through the link!?"

"No! Don't be stupid, Sol!" Luna's voice struggled to regain control. "I'm a creature of my word. If we agreed not to pick around, I'm sticking to that agreement!"

"Then...how did you get these feelings?"

"The link...it keeps sending them over to me whenever they arise in you, Noah. It's something you can’t control yet."

"And in the dreams?"

"I...can't explain those. You wouldn't believe me."

"And why wouldn't I?" Noah asked.

"It's simple," Luna said, almost defeated. "Because you don't trust ME enough. The way you've reacted to me tonight proves it."

"W-what?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

It was all beginning to piece itself together in Noah's mind. Shaking, and knowing full well what was about to happen, he lowered himself, sitting back down on the patch of land he picked himself up off of. He buried his hands in his face, rubbing up and down, trying desperately to regain composure after accusing her of breaking their promise.

"You're right, Luna."

Her ears perked up at his concession. "What did you just say?"

"You're right. We...don't have enough trust in one another. It's...stupid too. We have no reason not to."

"Why do you say that?" Luna said, trying to get closer once again.

"Because look at you! You're a proclaimed spirit! You possessed a dead Pokemon! We share a connection between our very minds! Why I wouldn't believe in something like the link we share, after experiencing it countless times for myself. And then...!"

"And then what!?"

"Since we started this conversation," Noah was calming himself down, finally realizing his mistakes, "I haven't felt a shred of hesitation coming from you concerning our link. You're not lying about receiving my emotions, are you? In turn, I've been doubting you!"

Luna remained motionless as her heartbeat slowed back down.

"The fact that I can do that while STILL believing in the link we share...is ridiculous!" Noah and Luna sat back down as another gentle breeze came in from the north. He took a deep, relaxing breath, finally understanding what Luna was getting at, and the true meaning behind his words one week ago.

"We won't survive without trust. We've already established that much. Knowing as much as we can about each other is a good way to build up on that trust, and I've been refusing to do that much. I've been going against my own belief this whole time," Noah detested.

"So what happens now, Noah?" Luna asked him, hoping that her gamble would end in success.

"Isn't it obvious?" he replied solemnly. "We patch up the holes in our trust. We give ourselves completely to one another."

Luna's frown vanished as the meaning sunk in. "You mean...?!"

"Yes. Tell me everything you know. How. Why. The works. This is for that trust that we need. In return," he hesitated, "I'll tell you everything you want to know about me. Then, we can finally put this problem behind us."

Luna nodded in agreement. She quickly explained everything that had been occurring in her dreams for the last week or two, going into as much detail as she could remember concerning her encounters with the masked man, her memories, the space in her mind, and other hardships she had gone through in that strange world formed in her conscious.

"The man in my dreams, that mysterious figure. He emphasized my mission. You're an important piece to that mission, Noah."

He closed his eyes, thinking to himself as Luna continued to speak.

"I wouldn't even know what he wants, or who he is. He just keeps coming back. Sometimes he taunts me, and other times, he helps. I don't know what to think about him." Luna shivered, her fur bristling as he body trembled. Noah reassured her by stroking her head, running his hand down to the back of her neck. Her purrs indicated her appreciation.

"What else?"

"He's told me several things that just confuse me completely. First, he sent me that creepy dream."

"I remember. It was the dream with the Seviper litter, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. Then in my most recent transition, he was helping to restore most of me, if that makes any sense to you. It just doesn't add up."

"The first few times he met you, he teased about your progress, but at the same time, he kept you on the right track. For what purpose? The way he treats you, it sounds like he wants nothing more but to see you fail..."

"That's the same impression I get...but then why help me? Why help me in restoring my power?"

"Anything I would say would be a shot in the dark, Luna. There's got to be a reason for it."

"The last thing that had me wondering is something that he never actually told me."

"What did he do?"

"I don't know what he did, Noah. I just remember a word. It came to me right after I woke up from that terrible nightmare."

"You did mention it to me that night after we talked about your dream."

"Nyxis."

"That's what you said."

"Nyxis."

"Does it mean anything to you? Can you think of anything at all?"

Luna scratched her head furiously. "No. I can't. I'm sorry, Noah."

He continued to stroke her, "It's okay, Luna. Maybe...perhaps, it's one of those areas that the figure refused to unlock?"

Luna sighed, "I hope so. It seems like an important key for me, so why didn't he just tell me outright?"

"Perhaps...we'd be better of focusing on finding more plates for the time being," he answered her, looking at his relic. "We can worry about this masked man when he shows up again anyways."

"What?"

"You said he comes to you often after you've gathered another piece, right? All we have to do is find another plate. If he comes to you again, we could get closer to solving some of these questions we have."

"It seems that way," her eyes met with Noah's once again. Her shining gaze linked up directly to Noah's, her chest battered by her beating heart.

'Don't stop now,' a voice compelled her.

She looked away while she tried to calm down. Noah's face had turned slightly red under the pressure of her lovely eyes, luckily hidden away by most of the darkness that accompanied the night. She was a beautiful creature to look at, even when her body had been damaged by the onslaught of battles that came to them during the afternoon. Noah had a hard time admitting it, but he did, for some bizarre reason, find her more than pleasant to gaze at when she was like this. The kindness and sincerity in her actions and voice suited Noah's tastes.

"The only way we can trust each other is if we get to know each other as much as possible, Noah. We must be able to read each other from the inside out. That's the only way we can maximize the effectiveness of the link," she spoke, still looking the other way to avoid direct eye contact. She shook off this strange enamored feeling of hers before turning back around. The connection between the two of them pulsated with their emotional energies as they recollected everything Luna had spoken of. It was growing stronger with every new beat.

Noah's palms grew moist as he pushed on, "It's only fair then."

Luna braced herself. Her trainer's focus tightened as their bond's power rose, the gateway to their minds widening, unknowingly to the pair.

"Before we begin, can I ask you something, Luna?"

Luna looked back at him, intimidated his voice. "What is it?"

"All I ask as payment for what I'm about to say, for you to return the favor."

Her body completely froze over. "I don't quite get what you're trying to say."

"You've been changing over the last few weeks. It's something that's been concerning me. You go from this anger prone warrior with a nasty attitude, to...this."

"This?"

"Something about you changes, and the magnitude of the shifts is increasing, and lasting longer and longer. To be honest...it's pleasing to me. But at the same time, it concerns me because it's not...well, normal for you to be acting like this."

She didn't reply.

"If what you say is true, and I'm masking my 'true self' because of what I've endured, then it's reasonable for me to assume likewise because you 'relate', isn't it? All I ask is for you to do the same that I'm about to do."

Luna shivered.

"Tell me everything you know about your past. Can you do that for me?"

'Trust in him. That's what you need. That's what you want,' she thought to herself. "Yes, Noah. I understand completely."

'She's acting so different,' he wondered. 'She's so much more...mature. How did she change so fast?' Noah's mind began to wander, 'it's...a nice feeling. Surprising, definitely, but it feels great.'

"Mind if I ask you something else?" Noah didn't give her a chance to answer, "When we do things like this. When we talk face to face, I get this strange feeling. It makes my heart race, and my mind goes crazy. Do you...?"

Luna looked back at him, almost in disbelief. Though she didn't reply to his statement, she knew that something interesting took place in their connection during these specific moments.

"I sounds strange, but it feels like it's something that's not completely...on the same level as the link itself."

"Mmhmm," was all Luna could muster.

"Is there any other reason that you pushed so far to ask about my past?"

'Jerry enticed me,' she wished to believe, but she knew that it wasn't the complete truth. 'It's been there. Since the beginning. It just took some time for me to understand and acknowledge its existence. Should I just...tell him?’

"I'm...I'm fascinated."

"By my past, or...?" Noah felt a tightening feeling clutching at his stomach. It only took him a moment to find that it was partially from a sensation being sent directly from Luna. Though it wasn't something he had experienced too much before the incident with his parents, he recognized it all too well. His eyes widened at this realization.

'Do it.'

"I'm...growing fond of you, Noah."

Noah’s expression went blank. Luna was perched in front of him, trying, and ultimately failing, to break away from his watchful eyes as she realized what she had just told him.

"Fond...of me?"

'Oh, for the love of god-' A voice criticized Luna. Her eyes suddenly slashed through Noah's gaze like one of her signature claws through wood.

"I like you, you clueless moron!" she scolded.

"...WHAT!?"

Luna seemed to have returned to her old self, her gaze jaded by many years of conflict. She poked him near the chest with a single extended claw. "As in, interested. Enticed. Attracted. You want me to keep going, or are you just going to stare at me like some retarded maggot?"

"But," Noah's mind bolted back to his talk with Jerry after they had met Ginji and Yuki. 'Could Yuki have somehow influenced Luna's behavior? Did she encourage this because of her relationship with Ginji?'

"It was when we had just met. The way you carried yourself when we got out of Twinleaf Town. As pathetic as your attitude really is behind that shitty excuse for a personality...I have to admit, the cunning, the power, and the style you’ve displayed so far on our little adventure...it's alluring."

Noah was stunned. He had no clue how to go about reacting to something like this. For the first time since meeting Lynus, he was absolutely unprepared.

"It's something we go for in my species," Luna shrugged, showing that she too was pretty unsure of what direction this would pull the pair towards. "Plus, you make one HELL of a delicious meal. Being able to support your partner is something else that's desirable in a mate, you see."

"Gah! Did you have to be so blunt?"

'I needed to be. Sorry.'

"Deal with it, Noah," she attacked him, "You should be honored to have someone like me think of you in this way. However," her eyes softened once more, a creamy ivory color intoxicated Noah's vision, "for the moment, I want to put all of that on hold. We can deal with that after we...share what we agreed to share." She had a heavy blush all over her face that was thankfully, for her, covered by her messy fur.

Noah tried to shake off the news Luna had so suddenly informed him of. "R-right," he quickly stammered before regaining control and confidence in his voice, trying his best to block out this developing news.

"Let's begin."

==========

"Where do I start? Where I was born? When?

"Around nineteen years ago, my parents gave birth to me in my hometown, Twinleaf. From the moment I came into the world, I was burdened with responsibilities and expectations. It made plenty of sense to everyone else. After all, I was the first born son to the Sol family name.

"You haven't heard of the Sols, since you were originally a wild Pokemon from Hoenn. My father and mother were Richard Sol and Vivian Sol, respectively. They were incredibly well known people to the humans, and some of the stronger, renowned Pokemon. Being their son, I've even had the chance to view some of these Pokemon growing up.

"They even took me on one of their little chats with the forest guardian herself once, you know? Watching Celebi dance around us was really something else. The forest seemed to breathe and grow larger as she did her work, caring for every big and little piece of plant life that existed. I was stunned, to know that my parents were so powerful, so smart, and had so much prestige, that they were able to meet with Pokemon like her! They treated the meet like it was almost like a human meeting with a boss, or with associates!

"They did so much more than that, too. They helped revolutionize High Noon after the Regional Fissure, and although it left many problems for the new government to iron out, it was a perfect placeholder for the High Noon we have now. So many people...and Pokemon even, wouldn't be here today if it weren't for them.

"They were heroes of a generation of people, Luna.

"And...despite all of that grandeur, they treated me like any parents should treat their son. They loved me, took care of me. Taught and prepared me for challenges I would face someday in the future. Their Pokemon helped watch after me while they went on missions. They were always there for me, to protect me and to help me through the hardest of times.

"'Show them what a Sol is made of.' It's something he'd always tell me.

"The Pokemon? They were all incredible. Perfect for gauging their experience and wisdom. My father had a Torterra, Rampardos, Bastiodon, Abomasnow, Hippowdon, and a Gliscor. They were all bulky and large, and each and every one of them could plow through any opponent that was in there way.

“My mother preferred smaller Pokemon: Empoleon, Lopunny, Gastrodon, Vespiquen. She also had a Glameow and a Pachirisu that were more as ‘pets’ other than battle partners, but they were both powerful Pokemon as well. She would even let me use them for practice battles and simulations.

"I remember watching some of their battles on reruns of the Pokemon Battle Network. They were always incredible to watch. Watching Torterra shatter the ground beneath him, with my father grinning wildly in the background was always something that would make me smile.

"I was proud of them. I was happy to have someone like them as my parents. I couldn't have asked for anything better. It's impossible.

"My life growing up was exciting. Between visiting High Noon HQ, legendary Pokemon, famous trainers, and hitting the books and studying while at home, I rarely had enough time to really go out. I didn't have many friends because of this, but at the same time...I didn't really want any. I had my parents and their Pokemon to always keep me company when things got quiet or boring. It wasn't until after my family signed me up for the Twinleaf Pokemon Academy that my life began to change.

"It was a challenge at school. All of the pre-academy studying and training my parents put me through came in very handy, and as a result, I was always one step ahead of my classes, if not two. I managed to stay at the top of my class through my academic years.

"However, I could never slow down, because there was always someone there that was ready to jump ahead of me should I ever let my guard down: Jerry. I met Jerry here and there. We never talked, but at the same time, it never felt like we needed to. It was as if we both shared some kind of connection that we could understand, only between the two of us. He was "Mr. 2", so they called him. I wasn't a fool though, he was just as good as I was. There was perhaps only a single task that he had a slightly lower grade than I did in, and that meant I couldn't slip up anywhere, because then he'd surpass me. After that, Jerry was flawless in his work. His persistence to catch up to me again kept me moving. I didn't want to lose. I needed to prove it, to everyone, that I would be just as powerful as my parents, and then some! I had to.

"If I didn't, I'd just let them down. I couldn't break everyone's expectations of me, for my parent's sake.

"It didn't last long. Graduation Day for the academy had finally come. My parents couldn't have been more proud of me. Those smiles they had on that day, that reassurance that they'd be there when I finally performed...they were ready to go out and see the fruits of our hard work over the last 15 years. I went on ahead to sign in and prepare for my final exam, anxious. In a twist of fate, I ended up going toe to toe with Jerry himself. It was a close battle, and both of us passed for our display.

"Then...I realized something..."

Noah struggled to draw breath as he forced himself on.

"They never showed up. Why wouldn't they show up? There had to be some kind of mistake. Did I not look hard enough? Maybe they were just running late? Impossible!

"The lights had gone out during our battle. I thought it was perhaps just from the final blow itself, but apparently, there had been an explosion that occurred somewhere outside of Twinleaf Town."

Luna's fur bristled as her skin crawled, goose bumps covering her flesh.

"I remember watching those firefighters charging towards the hill that I had come from. There was only one house on the top of that hill. I panicked. Without thinking, I darted out the back exit and followed the sirens into the darkness. None of the Pokemon near the outskirts of town bothered to attack or show any signs of irritation.

"I got to the top of the hill, and I saw it. My house...was burning away in front of my eyes. Something terrible had happened." Tears swelled up, Noah doing his best to hold them back. "The officers allowed me to head closer, where an ambulance had been parked. They had a man inside. It looked just like Richard Sol, but his mannerisms, the way he acted, the way he spoke...there's no possible way that that...lump of flesh," the tears streamed down his face, "could be my father!"

"He...he died that night. That man passed away. I don't know exactly what happened. He died in front of me; the mental image of that melted puddle still haunts my dreams..."

'Melted...' Luna repeated.

"My mother was reported to have been killed as well. I wasn't there in time to see it happen, but she was gone, just like my father. I...all of my friends...my parents' Pokemon. They were all dead. All gone except for one, who had gone missing during the incident. The next few days that passed," Noah seemed to temporarily calm down, "my parents were buried, the remains of our house were torn down, and I inherited their fortune."

Noah huffed, "But even with all of this and that, I had nothing. My world was still spinning days after the incident.

"...”

"My heroes. My parents. My friends. They were all gone. I was left with no one." Noah couldn't hold back anymore. He rested his hands on his face, humiliated that he was shaming himself in front of Luna. "What the fuck was I going to do!? There was no one else left for me! I looked up to them...they were going to be there for my graduation. They were going to be there when I needed to talk to them. When I began my travels as a trainer. They were going to support me as I battled gym leaders. They were going to be the ones I came back to when the holidays came around!

"They were supposed to watch me grow stronger..."

Noah's hands completely covered his face, "I was going to be the one to protect them when they aged...what was I going to do now!? What the hell could I do!?" Noah took a few deep breaths, trying in vain to regain his composure. "Where was I supposed to go?"

Luna couldn't stop herself from crying, touched by the loss that Noah had endured during his short life. She audibly sniffed, their pain circulating through the two of them in their links. She felt the pangs of lament and the chilling sensation of being truly alone. She knew the feelings all too well.

"I never had a chance to tell them how much I loved them. I didn’t even get to say goodbye."

Noah's face turned red as the blood rushed to his head. "I miss them so much, Luna."

The cat ferret couldn't help herself. She jumped onto her fours and nearly slammed into Noah, wrapping her arms around him, letting him weep all over her shoulder. Her eyes were clenched shut, her own set of tears making their way through her fur and onto his black shirt. Her heart ached with a pain that mirrored Noah's: She desired most of all to help him pull through.

"All of this time...I had no idea..."

"...and then," Noah regrettably whimpered.

She almost stopped breathing from the shock of those words. 'What...there's still more?'

"Please Luna...let me go so I can finish," he cleaned off his face and cleared his throat. He couldn't look her square in the face.

The wind had died down completely. The trees and their branches frozen in space. Noah hadn't noticed it yet, but Luna's ears jolted the moment she felt a familiar presence. It felt as though it were hunting, prowling through the stillness of the wildlife, looking for something, or someone.

"Noah...Noah, wait."

"What?" Noah faltered, wiping away stray tears.

Luna wasted not even a moment before sending the sense over to Noah through the same, widened space in their bond. He could feel it as clear as day: someone was watching them from a distance. The air around them grew heavy with an unknown presence, making it more difficult for Noah and Luna to breathe. Noah struggled to his feet, his body feeling nearly double his weight to lift. His vision blurred for moments at a time as he tried to figure out what was going on with him.

"It's not you, Noah. I can feel it too," Luna assured him.

"Luna, what is it?"

"It's too familiar, but I can't seem to identify it just yet. All I know is that it's getting closer."

The pressure on their bodies tripled in magnitude, sending Noah straight to his knees. Luna fell flat on her stomach. Then, just as quickly as it had come, all of the weight that was pushing down on the two lifted, vanishing into the night.

Noah dusted himself off before helping Luna to her feet. "What's going on Luna? What the heck was that?"

"I was wondering when you would eventually turn up," she said, looking off in the distance of the woods behind Noah. With a turn of his head, Noah caught sight of a small speck of green light quickly growing larger as it approached the pair. Noah grabbed Koko's ball on his belt in reaction, but a quick slap from Luna's paw prevented him from reaching it in time.

"Luna, what the hell? It's coming straight at us!"

"Just watch, Noah."

The light jumped closer, dancing only feet away from the two. Yellow specks of energy flowed off of the warm barrier. The specks that managed to touch the ground spawned several small flowers that rose several inches above the ground.

"Wait...I've seen this before...!"

"Correct. When you were but a child."

"EXACTLY!" Noah exclaimed, shocked at the turn of events. "It's-!"

Luna softly smiled, "Welcome to our humble little camp, Forest Guardian."

==========

*************************

Name: Vivian Sol

Type: Human

Height: 5'5''

Age: 37-40?

Weight: 179 lbs.

Eye Color: Green

Skin Color: Tan-ish, Light Brown

Hair Style/Color: Long, drapes down to her waist, black.

Body Type: Medium build in good shape.

Outfit: Varies from day to day. Common wear is a black athletic shirt with blue jeans and white tennis shoes.

Other Items: None

Hobbies: Cooking, training with her Pokemon, spending time with her family.

Homeland: Floaroma Town, Sinnoh

Personality: Loving, delicate, and compassionate.

Bio: Officially in the top 20 of the strongest trainer in the world, Vivian marries Richard after they meet during a strange accident two decades earlier. Although not too much is known about her before meeting Richard, she makes up for it by not only becoming as knowledgable as he was in battle tactics, but conveniently balancing out Richard's weaknesses with her strengths, and vice versa. Richard and Vivian, combined, make for the most powerful battling team in the world. This earned them the title of the Legendary Sol Duo. The only lost they suffer, unfortunately, is the one that costs them their lives.

Weaknesses: Her team is delicate, and the elemental types are terribly unbalanced. However, she has great speed and defensive options to protect herself and her party. On her own, with enough strength and wits, she's easily disposed of in comparison to her significant other. However, when battling her and Richard and the same time, one must focus on distracting her while trying to take out Richard as soon as possible. Despite her weakness, as a team, they have only ever lost a single fight.

Pokemon Team: Empoleon, Gastrodon, Lopunny, Glameow, Pachirisu, Vespiquen

Threat Level: High (Solo), Massive (w/ Richard)

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