Tales of Ignus: Lucario's Story (part 2)

Pokemon World, April, 2014


Absol and I enjoyed each other's company. We had things in common: We were both artists, had a dark sense of humor, felt peaceful in the forest, and we both loved swimming. It was nice to know I could relate to someone.

Then we reached Absol's village. "No... No! Not again!" I thought to myself. My eyes widened as I felt my heart palpitate. My fur immediately stood on end and I knew it was clearly visible to Absol.

"I have to go." I said, trying to slow my panicked breathing. "No offense, but I don't do well in crowds."

Absol stopped me. "Where are you going? You just got here!"

"I can't! I-I just... I just CAN'T!" I frantically cried out, trying to maneuver around Absol. Wherever I stepped, she was right in front of me. She stood her ground, preventing me from passing.

"What is wrong with you!?! You were cool, calm, and collected one second, and the next second, you're running around like someone set your tail on fire! Explain, now!" She demanded.

I lowered my head and reluctantly told her my story, detail by tragic detail. Her eyes lost their angered flare, but took on a more humbled appearance. Tears fell, but not just my own. It breaks my heart to think of it, and here I was, explaining what happened to someone I had only known for a few hours. It felt good to let out the pain.

"I... I'm so sorry... I didn't know." She said. I nodded with understanding.

"You see? I'm afraid that if I go into your village, this place will be destroyed as well. I don't want that to happen to you. You're the first friend I've had in years." I explained. She shook her head.

"Relax! We had hunters come by a few days ago! All they're looking for is a Lucario. If we don't argue with them, they search out homes and leave us alone afterwards! They might come back around, so you'll probably be able to stay for a week at most." Absol reassured.

I was soon escorted into her village. It felt strange, since I haven't come in contact with villagers in years, let alone entered a village. The children laughed and played amongst themselves. It had a serene sense of innocence that I longed for.

"This is where I live. Mom? Dad? Are you home?" Absol called out. Sure enough, her parents were caring for a baby.

"Adorable. Is that your brother?" I asked, unable to take my eyes off the baby.

"Yes he is! His name is Tuft. Would you care to hold him? Sit down." Absol said.

Don't get me wrong. I love babies, but I felt strange holding one. My biggest fear at that moment was accidentally dropping him. It was almost like if I dropped him, he'd burst into flames and explode or something. I was very scared of dropping the baby. I held the infant a little tighter.

"Father instincts kicking in?" Absol's father asked. I shrugged.

"Whatever instinct is over-protective, so I guess it's a parental instinct." I said, gingerly placing Tuft on the bed made for him.

Absol then invited me to go hiking. I immediately agreed. We said goodbye to Absol's parents, and we walked through the village, heading for the forest. We passed the children and I waved, smiling. They were too busy playing their game to notice.

"Don't worry. Children don't pay much attention to adult things unless it looks fun to them. Let's go have fun of our own!" Absol exclaims. We leave the village and trek out into the forest. After a bit of hiking and climbing, we reached a cliff. Below us was a lot of trees, a mud patch, and the path to the village. I held out my paw and smiled.

"Do you trust me?" I ask.

"I beg your pardon?" Absol asks.

"I said do you trust me?" I repeat. Absol stared at me, almost as if examining me. She looked at my legs, then at my extended arm. She nervously looked at my paw.

"Don't tell me you're going to jump!" She says worriedly. I merely smile and nod.

"Aren't you afraid of death?" She asks. I shake my head.

"I used to do this all the time! You simply need to have a little faith." I reply.

Before she could respond, I leaped off the cliff. A sense of calm came over me, and I landed on my stomach in the patch of mud. True, it hurt, but the mud's softness kept me safe. Just before I could get up, I was slammed right back into the mud.

"Ehehe... Thanks for breaking my fall." Absol said, grinning sheepishly. She sat on my back and laughed as I smeared mud off my snout.

"It's caked all over your face!" She giggled.

"Like this?" I laughed as I smeared mud on her cheek.

"No. Like this!" Absol replied, happily tackling me back into the muck. After a moment of joy, We sat there in realization that we were covered in filth. We rushed to find a stream to rinse off in before the mud dried.

Finally clean, we headed back to the village. Absol turned to look at me.

"Thanks for showing me how to have faith in myself. I had a lot of fun." She said.

"No, thank YOU for showing me how to have fun again." I responded with a smirk. That night, I dozed with only a few moments of restless sleep... The best sleep I've had!

END ACT 3


START ACT 4


Pokemon World, May, 2014


I helped around the village when I could. Absol and her family saw me as a great asset to the village. They complimented my gardening skills and my strength as I ripped roots from the ground. The only one who didn't like me was the leader of the village. The patriarch wasn't very fond of me, saying "I was a danger to myself and others." He probably hasn't warmed up to me yet.

Every day after working around the village, I would head into the forest and give in to my beastial instincts. The smell of fleeing prey always enticed me. The pheromones they gave off merely strengthened my lust for the hunt.

This time was different, though. I smelled something familiar... Heard a feminine voice. Absol?

"What are you doing out here when we need you back at the village? We're setting up dinner. It's your favorite!" Absol exclaimed.

"Rare beef?" I asked. Absol laughed and shook her head.

"It's beef, yeah... But I thought you didn't care how it was cooked." She said.

I figured it'd be safe not to mention the full moon was tonight. The less Absol knows, the better. I agreed to head back to the village, but as I turned around, I heard the sound of crunching leaves behind me.

"Adorable... When the boss mentioned an abnormally large Lucario, I expected a fighter. Alright, pussycat... Come with me, or your friend has her body filled with lead." The voice says.

Turning around, I see a tall, shady figure with a muscular build. The brim of his hat darkens his face due to the shade it gives off. His green eyes shine from underneath.

"I don't think you know who I am, stranger. I'm Lucario." I start.

"Well, Lucario. I've heard stories of your brutality." He interrupted, his voice like a shallow grave. "I'm Gaath. I've heard you ripped a werewolf hunter's arm off. Apparently, they don't know how to kill a werewolf." Gaath says, taking a gun off his back.

"I don't go down easily. Don't expect to kill me without a fight." I growl.

"Who said anything about killing you? I'm thinking more like capturing..." Gaath asked, aiming his gun at Absol. Pulling the trigger, he fires a tranquilizer dart at her neck. She collapses in a crumpled heap, her muscles limp.

"What the hell did you do that for?!?" I roar, baring my teeth. Gaath sneers.

"One less witness. That dart contains enough drugs to put a normal Pokemon out for days." He replies.

I rush at him, but he moves with such speed and precision that he counters every attack. He strikes my jaw and sends me to the ground. Quickly, I sweep him off his feet with a swipe of my legs. Seizing the opportunity, I jump onto his chest, pinning him. Striking him with the back of my spiked paw left a large gash in his cheek.

"You son of a-!" He grunts, grabbing me by the shoulders. He headbutts me in the snout and throws me off of him. My vision is blurry. When I see his figure nudging Absol with his boot, I saw red.

"Get away from Absol!!!" I howl, rushing Gaath again. Immediately, it feels like there's a prick in my neck. Time slowed down. My legs felt like lead. I snarled as I forced myself to keep going.

"No... Not now..." I urged myself. "Fight... Fight!" I thought. Pressing forward, I felt another prick. Then I realized he was shooting darts into me.

"I'll... I'll make you PAY!" I cry out. Another prick. The tranquilizer darts hit me like a tank. The ground started wobbling, then it flew up towards my face. Then, everything went black.


I woke up surrounded by Absol's family. They looked glad to see me awake.

"You're lucky we heard you. When we first heard you shout angrily, the whole village went to investigate. We stopped this shady guy before he could take you away. He escaped... But not with you two. Thank goodness!" Absol's mother said.

For once, I was glad I had a big mouth... But I now knew the village was no longer safe as long as I was there.



Thanks for reading!