Chapter -16: Charged Between Two Worlds

Zarude’s Abode

Yet another boring month later and I greeted the autumn morning with excitement. As I started to make my way out, Zarude spoke up to me.

I froze, slowly turning to face the Dark-Type. He once again gave me that curious and concerning stare. Behind my lips, my teeth clenched themselves together in anticipation.

Once Zarude took his position, he crossed his arms and simply stared.

For a long moment, only the wind made a sound in the area. It was enough to make me swallow.

Finally though, he spoke up. “I know what you’ve been doing lately and it has me concerned.”

My nose twitched from the breaths I let out. I looked up toward the mythical with flattened ears. “Y-You do?”

Zarude sighed. “Of course, I do. And honestly, I’m worried, worried about your safety.”

I started staring at the ground in shame.“I…I know, just…” I winced, remembering the promise I made to Patra. I couldn’t break it. It’d just break her heart, but what if I was also breaking Zarude’s? It hurt me, the lies I told each time I headed out against Zarude’s words.

“Well?” Zarude asked, “Do you have something you wanted to say?”

I gritted my teeth at the thought. What could I say? I was doomed.

“Look at me,” the Dark-Type told me gently.

And reluctantly, I did. I wasn’t proud of it at all. I held a simple frown. “I…I did go out, yeah. Did you see everything?”

Zarude paused and looked away, trying to find the gentlest words most likely. “……….No, not everything. I was outside the jungle when I saw you return to the dungeon. That’s how I found out. Happened at the beginning of this month in fact.”

I gritted my teeth. I almost cursed myself. If I had just gone back a bit sooner then maybe…maybe…

I stammered out a weak response. “It’s not what it looks like.”

The Dark-Type took a deep sighing breath. He didn’t buy it, not by any count. “Well, you did move fairly fast on the road. But either way, I know what I saw.”

“How much?” I asked.

Zarude looked away, more focused on a speck of dust in palm. “Enough I’d say.”

My paws shook, shivering from the cold sweat they had. I dreaded the thought, but I needed to know. “But Uncle Zarude, aren’t you the one that said no secrets?”

Zarude placed a finger on my lips, shushing me. “Shhhhhh…Word of advice, wording is a very important detail to remember. Promises, scrolls, everything. Besides, you were the one that started this and we’re just going to talk. Now sit down.” 

I had to obey, so I did. My tail laid itself flat in shame.

Zarude stepped back and kneeled. “So, how long have you been going out of the jungle against my word?”

Seeing as Zarude had found out, I had no reason to lie really. But I was still uncertain. He hadn’t mentioned anything about Patra yet, which was strange.

Regardless, I simply answered after aimlessly counting with my fingers. “About…errrr…since last summer?”

Zarude raised a brow. “Shall I ask, when was last summer?”

“…Umm…about four months…”

“Four months? Clarify.” Zarude casually gestured to me, bending his fingers as if wanting something material.

“…Four months since that first solo test.” I replied, hanging my head low.

The Dark-Type sighed before speaking up. Oddly enough, it wasn’t in anger, but factual defeat, a defeated tone made to trigger a feeling of shame. “That long, you say. That’s over seven months of you lying about where you were and wandering behind my back.” The words strung as they echoed through my ears. The apathetic tone was enough to leave my mouth with an outright revolting taste.

Almost choking on my words, I spoke up. “I’m sorry, Uncle Zarude. I just- And then-”

Zarude held up his hand as a stopping signal, before placing it right on my shoulder. He took a deep breath and stared at my eyes. “……..Galvan, I know you can be a little reckless, but please try to resist those urges.”

I was taken aback. “Huh? What are you saying, aren’t you- I thought you would be really mad at me.”

Zaurde shook his head. “I am a little, but…” He stopped himself and looked away toward the sky.

I tried following his gaze, but as far as I remember, I didn’t see anything of note. Though I wonder if there was more to it than just that.

The baboon returned his gaze to me. “…I’m more disappointed. I mean, you departed to who knows where, doing…something. A-And then you come home, with maybe a bruise or a scratch. It just makes me worried. I’ve raised you since you were a baby. How could I not worry?”

I bit my lip. “I don’t think-”

“It was a metaphor,” Zarude interrupted. “Not really. Just a comparison. Similar, but not alike.”

“Ohhh, Okay.” I turned toward the Dark-Type one more, just trying to keep it together, trying not to cry from shame.

Zarrude of course noticed this. “Anyhow, where do we go from here, hmm?”

Despite the offered opportunity to answer, I couldn’t put together enough words. I just stood there, unable to say anything.

After around a minute or so, Zarude talked once more. “Well, here’s the thing. We can do this all day and it would not be a pleasant experience, no?”

I slowly shook my head in response, affirming that assumption.

“But, I will admit this.” He suddenly patted my shoulder. “You have demonstrated some restraint and responsibility. A bit early, yes, but it’s there. And here I thought sixty-one years with you would still be good enough and yet…here we are, twelve years short at forty-nine.”

I felt my ears rotate their way forward. “Huh? Forty-nine? Wait…”

Zarude gave back a firm nod. “Yes. Forty-nine. And you can guess what that means.” He smiled suddenly.

I started counting with my fingers. “Wait a second, you don’t mean. I’m…”

“That’s right.” Zarude confirmed. “Starting today, you are officially ten ages! Happy birthday!” And with that, he gave me big and tight, scratching my ears in the process.

If it weren’t for the sudden shift in tone and prior conversation, I probably would have purred right then and there.

“Wha-?” I blurted. “Did I- Did I miss something?”

“N-No…” the Dark-Type said. “Just…trying to keep myself together…”

“But…what about-”

“Oh the whole disobedience? Pfft!” Zarude said, waving off the concern. “I’ve done worse than leaving safety before. You’ve been playing risky for a while, no? I know you can’t be that careless after everything you learned.”

Worse, he said? Even just remembering that phrase bugs me now. Worse? Could it get much worse at my young age? I certainly don’t remember him mentioning his own old experience with common folk, if there was any at all. In fact, I don’t think he ever talked about that, even after I got a bit older. It was yet another mystery.

In any case, I awkwardly chuckled. “Hehe…Right…”

Zarude let me go at that point and took a breath. “So…I’m gonna trust your judgment on this, and it’s a big responsibility. It’s a big world. You can wander around this general area, look at the fields, scrape a knee even. A little Litleo like yourself, they gotta learn to stand on their feet, take care of themselves, choose their battles eventually.”

I nodded. “Y-Yeah. Of course. I wouldn’t wanna leave you and go too far. That ocean is like…very big.” I let out a sigh of relief. He was just gonna let me go? Just like that?

“But…” He leaned closer, gazing into my eyes. “I want you to stay away from the settlements. Remember, they cannot know we exist. Don’t even let them see you. We cannot have a repeat of what happened at the test. Do you understand?”

And there it was, the string attached to this new freedom. Zarude’s statements caused my breath to stutter. I had to ask one question. “Like, why? Why do we need to stay away?”

The mythical briefly and subtlety winced upon hearing the question. I didn’t understand why. It was a simple question, wasn’t it? Nevertheless, after a long and deep breath, he answered. “Remember that time? Back Fifteen years or so?”

I nodded. “Kind of, we belong with us and they belong with them?”

The Dark-Type sighed. “Not just that. I said we must never associate with  the common folk. They are a folk that we must only protect from the shadows, and nowhere else. We’re guardians of the world, and as guardians, our existence comes at the cost of separation. It’s for the best that they don’t know of our existence.”

I looked away once more. Somehow, I couldn’t help but wonder if those words seemed forced somehow. I guess that’s why I suddenly asked this. “Okay, but…How come? Is them knowing about us really that bad?”

Zarude closed his eyes, trying to stay calm. He really didn’t want to respond, but he probably felt cornered at this point. “Galvan, I wanted to wait until you were older, bigger, stronger, but…you see, you’re no ordinary pokemon, you’re…special.”

“Uncle Zarude, I can manipulate vines and I don’t look like a Grass-Type.” I turned away and whipped my arm, letting the vine wrapped around it crack at the ground. As I rewound the line, I turned back to Zarude. “You say, I’m an Electric-Type, but I haven’t learned any moves like that. How special can I be?”

As I spoke, Zarude closed his eyes, only showing a tiny frown. Once I finished with that last question, he opened his eyes and answered calmly. “It’s not just you. It’s also me, the Lati twins, Diancie, Meloetta, everyone we’ve talked to at those gatherings. We’re all special.”

“How?” I asked.

“They- ” Zarude stopped himself, placing a hand on his forehead before continuing. “I mean, everyone in the world is special in their own way. Our way happens to be in a much more significant way. You see our strength and power, it’s far greater than the average Pokemon. Some may call us Legendary Pokemon, or just legendaries.”

He straightened up. “To the common folk, to those of the settlements, we’re beings of incredible power and ability.”

I tilted my head at that. “What, like…really strong?”

Zarude nodded. “In a sense, Galvan. But on a much greater scale. We possess power beyond their understanding. You see, history has shown that us legendaries brought about great prosperity to the land when working together. And by that I mean, plenty of food from harvesting, everyone was kind, and most importantly, everyone was happy, joyous even. No one had too much of a reason to cry at all…”

I smiled at that and was about to say something…

Until Zarude frowned with a raised finger. “But then they became dependent on us and there were those that preyed on the weak…or worse, desired to take our power and use it for selfish gain.” He paused for a moment and looked down. “…The time before this era was a most painful period in history. It was bad, very bad. They were times that we wish not to repeat.”

I blinked. “Aren’t they in the past though? How can it repeat?”

Zarude looked back up at me. “Those are complicated questions, hard to answer and tell a child like you. The best way to say it is that children should learn from their parents or caretakers. The children can help prevent mistakes from being made, mistakes that created the history we lived through.”

I glanced away, unsure how to respond. I bit my tongue, trying to figure out something to say, only for Zarude to ask, “Do you understand?”

I glanced back at Dark-Type, whose expression remained calm, indicating a thoroughness. He wanted to make sure I understood. History can repeat itself. I didn’t believe it very much, but the tone was enough to force a nod from me. I trusted Zarude’s word for it. I was already close enough to the cliff’s edge as is.

After I nodded, the mythical stood up with a propped up smile and patted my shoulder. “Good, good. Be safe out there, okay?”

I let myself smile back, feeling a surge of excitement and hope. “I will.”

I could almost feel a weight lift off my shoulders at that moment. Relief is the more fitting term, but regardless I no longer needed the burden of direct and blatant lies; that was more than enough to put my mind at ease. The guilt mostly vanished too…though not completely if I wanted to be honest…

Still, I ventured forth toward my next meeting with Patra.

---

Hearing about my newfound freedom lifted Patra spirits a fair bit. Maybe it was because we didn’t have to count the days for as long anymore. At the same time though, I wonder if she was jealous of it.

When I first mentioned it to her, I was expecting a loud cheer, maybe a playful jump or two. She did neither of those things. She instead said an honestly awkward, “Oh, that’s great…Great…” It was a weird thing to hear now that I think about it.

Considering the circumstances, I couldn’t exactly blame the kitten for it back then…

The weather was only becoming colder as the year progressed its way toward winter. I certainly made that fact clear as the meeting at the base went on. After a bit more back and forth, we agreed to meet once more in the spring.

We had more than plenty of time to ourselves, trying our best to behave. Admittedly, that proved to be harder than I thought.

Even worse was that my species can’t learn Thundershock. You know, the basic lightning bolt attack that most other Electric-Types can use. What do we get instead? Spark. A basic physical tackle that could paralyze a foe.

I learned quite a bit during the remainder of that winter. Firstly, like my mother and every other predecessor before her, I was completely incapable of generating my own Electric-Type. That’s right, I can’t make a spark on my own. Ironic, right? My jaw dropped upon hearing that. Could you blame me? How many Electric-Types can’t actually make their own sparks? Patra could make her own sparks. A Tynamo could make its own sparks. Heck, a young little Yamper can make their own sparks, and they can’t store charges. What the heck, Arceus?

Okay, I sounded a tad ungrateful there, but after a breather, I will admit that it did have its merits, and still does. For younger me back then, I wasn’t exactly aware. It sounded pretty lame in comparison to the Thundershock technique.

Either way, what would I do to learn about the art of the Electric-Type so I can eventually learn Spark? The answer…came in the form of a fluffy carpet. Yes, a carpet.

Zarude had me rub my paws against the carpet for minutes. I could not forget my first reaction to this.

“This is training? How is this gonna help?”

To that, Zarude merely replied, “It’s called friction, Galvan. Can generate static, an essential element of the Electric-Type.”

“So do all Zeraoras have to drag some blanket all the time?”

The Dark-Type chuckled at that. “Aha hahaha. No, no. It’s a training tool, apparently, to help you learn how to charge up and get used to the static. Eventually you won’t even need a surface for the process or outside sources, just a little time to prep.”

I was already starting to feel the faint buzz of the static. It was familiar, but nowhere near as strong of one as what Patra gave me with the Thundershock. “Well, is it like a buzz of sweetness or something?”

My question made Zarude ponder for a moment. “Erm…I suppose so? It’s been too long, but- Oh. I did recall Zekrom making mention of something such as that.”

“Who’s Zekrom?” I innocently asked.

Zarude gritted his teeth for a moment. “Uh, that’s not important. What is important is that, yes. You might feel a little excited and want to burn all the energy at once.”

“Then how do I even hold it long enough to use for attacks. Aren’t Electric-Types able to fire multiple bolts of electric power?”

“Yeees. They are. It’s possible to keep a good hold. Think of it like…uhhh…like a Water Gun.”

I paused and tilted my head. “Like spit?”

Zarude slowly nodded. “Err…yeah, like spit. You swallow it, then draw it out when you need it. Kind of like that.”

I grumbled. “…Why does it have to be like this?”

The older mythical then patted my shoulder, only to be met with a handful of static shock. “Ah! Look, I know it drags, but even older electric-types draw power from other means.”

“Like where?”

“Can be the air or the ground, comes from the head. Gotta think outside the box.”

That made me think about Patra’s dose of power and how that made me run around wild. “Does that include other Electric attacks.”

“…In your case, yes. But that’s mostly because you have an ability for that.”

“Really? An ability? Like Poison Point.”

Zarude swayed his head. “Ehhh yes and no. Remember how I said each ability is different. Yours is pretty special. It’s called Volt Absorb. It’s able to take in other Electric-Type attacks and use it to restore stamina and vitality. Handy and rare, even among us legendaries. Of course, it’s not to be used lightly, much like our power.”

I just chuckled back at that. “Oh hehe, you don’t say. That’s cool.” I continued to rub my paws on the carpet. However, I felt the air suddenly become more chilly.

“…Galvan,” Zarude addressed. “What do you mean by that?”

“Ehehe…Funny story, I ran into a feral that had an Electric-Type attack.”

“…Where did you go?”

“…Outside the jungle?”

Zarude took a deep breath. “Galvan, you don’t have to be vague here.”

I kept my back turned to mythical. “…I mean-”

But then a cold and clawed hand grabbed me by the shoulder and turned me around, not giving a care about the sparks that zapped against it.

I glanced up toward an unforgettable gaze. It was a focused glare, complete with a slight, but stern frown. His usually kind face was darkened enough to make a ghost-type proud for the terror it brought. For once, I got a nasty glimpse into how bad pokemon felt when faced with Zarude. It was not a pleasant experience.

I shriveled up, mouth agape at the sight.

We just stared at each other for a while until Zarude broke the silence.

Zarude’s face returned to that gentle form, eyes closed and a bright smile. “…Lime Mountain must have changed quite a bit since we last visited, huh.”

I, on the other hand, remained honestly terrified, trying with every fiber of my being not to crack at the pressure. All I did was nod and say, “Y-Yeah. Uh huh.”

Zarude crossed his arms and shook his head slowly. “Tsk tsk tsk, Galvan, what am I going to do with you?”

I slowly shuffled back and shrugged with my shoulders. “Uhhh, Uncle Zarude?”

The older pokemon stood there, putting a closed fist up to his lips. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking about, but he seemed worried. I guessed it was for what I admitted to him, but he kept looking away. I certainly noticed the hesitation, but I couldn’t put two and two together though.

After some time, he made a simple statement. “Galvan, the world is…it’s a dangerous place.”

I glanced away as well. “Well we do live in a dangerous mystery dungeon. What do you expect?”

With great reluctance, Zarude answered. “…….For you to live a childhood free from all these expectations and lectures.”

That statement didn’t sit right with me. It felt wrong somehow, even back then. “What do you mean?” I asked.

Zarude hesitated to answer before gazing at me with an almost guilty look. “…Listen, your life so far has been different than most of our kind. You noticed back then, right? How all the other legendary kids acted.”

I slowly nodded. “Kind of? They didn’t really like me that much. They seemed…I dunno…”

“…You’re not like those other kids, they don’t have nearly as much freedom to roam like you do, and it’s for good reason. However, that freedom came at a steep cost too. And the others, they just gave a-…I mean, they want me to start on your Electric-Type training. You’re more than old enough now. Do you understand?”

“Umm…Yes? I think? Just gotta get used to the static, right?”

Zarude looked down for a moment and then gave a reassuring smile. “…Yes. That’s the first step. Now let’s get back to work. And trust me, I’m trying my best here too.”

I raised some fists in enthusiasm. “Yeah, and I will too.”

---

With that extra confidence, I continued to do what Zarude said in our training regiments. Gathering the static quickly and efficiently was a bit difficult for me. It usually took me an abysmal amount of time to even gather enough static each day and even then there were other complications.

Holding onto the charge, or any charge for that matter, was something I had no idea how. Sure, I could hold it with the carpet, but once I left the object alone. That nasty little buzz kicked in.

The first time Zarude saw it, he was certainly panicking. Sure, he kept up far better than Patra, but he certainly didn’t expect a sprint. This happened a few times, with each one being met with a progressively frustrated mythical who had to deal with the mess called me somehow.

The main problem was me staying still long enough to store the charge. And Zarude’s solution, tying me to a chair. A blunt solution? Yes. Effective? No…not really. First time didn’t work, the charge went straight into the dirt. And we tried again on top of the carpet, which kind of worked. It was more like giving back the static I just stole.

Though I couldn’t say there was no improvement, I got quicker and quicker at gathering the charge and I managed to not run out in a rush each time eventually. But…yes, tying someone to a chair, even if it was temporary for training, is probably not a good training technique in hindsight.

However, it was easy to tell that those months wore Zarude out. Much of the food consisted of stored berries, which were still a good fill, but there were moments where times were tough. I was unsure what to do. 

After about three months of winter, I returned to our meeting spot, refreshed and glad to finally have some warmer weather.

---

Outskirts of Altern Village:

Patra and I exchanged our greetings before making our way to the base.

I told her about my struggles in Electric-Type training and it was then that she decided to help out.

We tried to replicate most of the techniques and tools Zarude informed me about…or at least tried to. The carpet Patra had was dusty and moldy. I regretted trying with that disgusting fabric. And the chair idea? She disagreed with it on the spot, even if it did keep me in place.

Patra tried to help with her own insight, which could only do so much. In some ways, it was about as helpful, only slightly improved with her being an Electric-Type.

We were in the midst of one of these exercises in the clubhouse when Patra spoke up. “Come on, Galvan. It’s just like breathing. In and out.”

I tried to relax and take my breaths as suggested. “I know, I’m just…I can’t believe I can’t make my own sparks.”

Patra’s tail curled on the ground. “Yeah, that’s still a weird fruit to swallow.”

My ears twisted back at that moment. “Ugh! It’s not a fruit, Patra. It’s something I have to live with. I don’t evolve into a better form. I’m stuck like this, forever.”

“Galvan, that’s crazy. Everyone evolves eventually.”

I shook my head. “No they don’t. There are some folks who only grow in size and nothing else. And I happen to be one of them. It’s stupid! Heck…” I then started to move my arms in a goofy rotary motion. “…an Elekid’s goofy little arm wheel can generate more sparks than I can. Oho ho ho!” I groaned.

Patra was taken aback, but then she stomped. “Hey now! What’s with your attitude? Did I recruit you into this team so you could whine about your problems?”

I blinked. “Huh?”

“No! I recruited ya to be a partner. We decided to train ourselves. Can’t even spark, so what? I’m more jealous of you!” The Shinx pointed at me. “I’d give anything to walk and talk like ya. I’d actually be able to slug ya with a fist. But no.” She clapped her paws. “All I got are four paws and a beacon of danger.”

I tiled my head. “…And?”

Patra did something I didn’t expect upon hearing that question. She hopped off her front legs, standing tall on her shaking hind legs. “Wh-Whoa, and you’re my friend. And by golly I’m gonna help you with this, somehow! Give ya a real jolt if I have to.” She then dropped to all fours again, taking a breath.

I stood there in silence for a moment as Patra stared back with a slight frown. While it may have been a bit too direct, it was certainly enough to get me thinking.

I glanced at my paw before tightening it, resolving to keep going.

I spoke up. “You’re right, and I think I have an idea.”

Patra tilted her head. “Hmm?”

I gestured to myself. “What if you give me an attack and then I try to use the Spark technique.”

Understandably, Patra’s eyes widened. “Wait, what?”

“I have Volt Absorb. So…maybe if I get an extra boost in power I could…use it to make a Spark attack? I mean you said it yourself. Cover yourself in sparks and then tackle the nearest thing in sight.”

Patra stammered a bit. “Well yeah, you did fire off some sparks as you ran. But that’s mostly for stamina and vitality as you said before, not to power an attack. Either way, I don’t think it’s a good idea. You know what happened last time, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. It was a disaster, but Uncle Zarude helped put a lid on that buzz, plus I can’t exactly hold a charge for long so…maybe it’ll be fine? Just gotta find a good target.” I glanced outside to a big and dead-looking tree near the clubhouse. “…Like that ugly tree there. We can aim there.”

Patra followed my gaze and remarked, “Sure, but what happens after?”

“Uhhh…we’ll figure it out. I might get the buzz, but I’m not silly enough to run into town. Come on.” I left Patra alone in the room before even waiting for an answer.

Once outside, the two of us stood in front of the tree in question. It was pretty old and there hadn’t been leaves on it for months. Plus, the path to it and beyond was at least somewhat clear.

Still, Patra expressed some concern in her tone. “Galvan, I may not be the best of examples, but even I’m not sure if tackling a big dead tree like this is a good idea.”

I crossed my arms and pondered. “Patra, when did you start worrying about stuff like this? Don’t you like being bold?”

“Of course I do. I just got this awful feeling about this, especially after last time.”

I readied myself into a running position. “Look, it’ll just be a light tackle. It won’t be that bad. Trust me. I know my own strength.”

The Shinx still seemed unsure but eventually nodded and readied herself. “Alright, I’ll trust you. Here goes.”

I took a deep breath, trying to recall what I was told. “On my mark…One…Two…Three! Go!”

On cue, Patra zapped me with a hefty Thundershock. The power quickly seeped itself into my body. My heart pounded faster, my arms and legs trembled.

I gritted my teeth as the buzz kicked in with furious force. “Hrrrr-Raaargh!” Sparks began to shoot out of my fur.

Patra stopped zapping upon seeing my struggle. “Galvan!” she called in a panic. “Let it out!”

I twitched and sparks continued to shoot out in sporadic fashion. My focus was still on the tree. “Ghh! No! I can still do this!”

For a moment, Patra stammered in place, unsure how to help until she shouted. “Uh…Take off and soar like a Thunderclap!”

I blinked upon hearing that phrase. For whatever reason, the phrase resonated with me, on more than just some personal level. It was instinctual. Before I realized it, I leaped at the tree as the sound of an explosion rang out in my ears…and everything went black for a brief moment.

---

When I came to, I was woozy. My body felt numb. My ears were ringing. I heard the muffled voice of Patra, calling to me. My vision was also blurry, colors blending together.

Luckily, this didn’t last very long as my senses focused themselves back to normal.

The first thing that greeted me was a panicked-looking Patra. This is the first I’ve seen her look so shaken. “Galvan, you okay? Please! Answer me.”

I rose up and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Urgh, Yeah. I’m alright, just a little tired.”

Patra sighed in relief. “Oh good, I just- after you just exploded, I was just-”

I blinked and my eyes widened. “Exploded?!?” I promptly started checking myself, but everything was thankfully intact, save for the vines on my wrists, which burnt up.

 “Ah, not that kind of exploded. I just meant the way you dashed.”

“What happened, did I use Spark?”

“Yeah! You definitely Sparked! Maybe a bit more than that?”

“What do you mean by that?” I glanced behind me.

It was then I saw my path of destruction. There was a hole in a tree, just like we planned. The leaves however, seemed alive.

I turned my attention back to the kitten, who simply pointed back to the hole with a shaken paw.

I stood up and slowly made my way to Patra’s position. Only then did I realize.

It wasn’t just one hole I made. Beyond the living tree, a whole line of holes littered the path. Clear smoke rose from those holes, each with a small chunk of park broken off with the hot and fresh bite of a Bidoof. And finally the old tree, my intended target. Even from a distance, the damage was incredible to me. A small entry point paired with a bark-splitting exit.

Crackles of embers slowly made their way to my ears.

I slowly walked along my short path of destruction; unsteady steps were made and Patra could tell why.

Finally, I stammered and stuttered. “I…that wasn’t-” I looked at my paw, which no longer sparked with energy. It was then that I finally understood what Zarude meant. 

And all of this begged a question in our minds, “What kind of strength did we just unleash?”

My thoughts were interrupted as we both heard a loud snap in the distance behind us.

Our ears shifted upward.

“Ah! Shoot!” Patra exclaimed, trying to run to me

Before I could muster another word, Patra bit my wrist and viciously pulled me toward the base’s exit. “Crrrme orrrn! Mrrrrve!!!”

More branches snapped from above, forcing my legs to speed up. Until the loud crashing came in a few instants later.

I pulled Patra to me and dropped. “Get down!”

Debris poured into the room from above, followed by the fearsome strikes of smaller tree branches.

We were lucky. Aside from a few scratches, we were unharmed.

“That was close,” I said, letting go of Patra.

We slowly pulled ourselves out of the mess and finally saw the results of that crash.

The clubhouse was split in half, leaning on the tree’s remains.

And it was about to get worse.

With a pained moan, the old building sagged. 

We watched until the bitter and inevitable snap. We winced and looked away after that.

A loud crash and meaty crunches of wood pounded against our ears. Dust blasted across the area in a brief display of Earth Power. And then…silence.

Afterwards, we glanced up as the dust cleared.

The clubhouse became a flattened sandwich of splinters! The entire second floor was crushed and crumpled on top of the first. The only thing that remained remotely recognizable was the original tree used to support the structure.

Patra ran over to the area. “Our clubhouse!” she cried out.

My knees gave out. “…I…I didn’t mean to…I…”

The Shinx glanced over with a stern shiver. “…Galvan-”

Before Patra could say anything, we heard some voices.

“Did you hear that crash just now?”

“Yeah! It came from this way!”

I could barely turn my head before Patra nudged herself against me. “You gotta go, now!”

“P-Patra I-” I stumbled back, unsure how to respond. “But-”

“There’s no time! Lay low for another month, okay?”

“Wha- But…”

“We’ll talk later, I’ll…think of something.”

“But what about-”

The voices began to get louder.

“Is someone there?” a lady called out.

Patra panicked, once again giving me a glance at those terrified eyes. She pushed me away with her paws, sending me to the ground. “Go!”

Hearing footsteps at this point, I no longer had a choice. I ran into the nearest cluster of woodland, the smoky smell ever present for a short time. Yells echoed from behind.

I kept running…again, around the village and eventually to the path. I didn’t look back. I wanted to, but if I did, how long before another mistake happened?

---

Zarude’s Abode:

By the time I made my way around the road toward the jungle again I was out of breath. I dropped to my knees in tears. I left a friend behind, a friend I wanted to be there for. I just left her alone, alone with a broken remainder of her dreams.

The guilt ate at me for the rest of the trip back and beyond. I was lethargic when I reached the abode again. Even as the evening rolled around, I could not smile.

Zarude of course noticed this and my silence. I didn’t even want to say anything. I considered telling him the truth, I truly did. What was the point of keeping it a secret anymore?

But then I remembered the promises I made. What would he say in response? I didn’t know. The decision petrified me. And considering how he reacted the first time he found out I was lying, I didn’t want to see that horrifying expression again.

So…I hugged him. Did he understand? I wasn’t sure. But he was a comfort to me. So I just hugged him tightly and he hugged back, giving me an encouraging pat on the back. No words, no noise, just our silent sorrow.

I glanced away from the pages and rubbed my chin. I grimaced at what I read, the thought of it all. It hurt to read Galvan’s thoughts on the matter. I felt the guilt, despite not being there to see his aftermath.

I had to read on once more.

---

In the days after, he didn’t do anything at first, but then he tried to push me farther along on the training. Encouraging sure, but it felt empty. Every time the buzz of the static hit me, I remembered what happened to the clubhouse, causing me to let out the sparks straight into the ground harmlessly.

Eventually he wondered why I kept doing that, despite all of the practice we’ve done so far. I shrugged, unable to really answer. I asked, “What if I put too much into the attack?”

To that, Zarude took a moment’s breath to ponder his answer carefully. 

Finally he replied, “You won’t get it right the first time, no one can really. It’s why I wanted to start off with small and measurable amounts of  static. That way, you won’t barrel through a tree.”

I glanced away and gritted my teeth. “Oh, you don’t say, hehe. That would be a problem, huh.”

“Indeed?”

I lowered my gaze to the ground.

“Cheer up, Galvan,” Zarude said. “You’ll get it in time. It just takes practice. And no matter what, I’ll be there every step of the way, even if I lose my time.”

I looked back at Zarude, who gave me a reassuring nod and smile. It was that genuine Zarude I knew for the longest time. I wanted to make him proud. He wanted to trust me, that’s why he gave me that freedom.

Despite my lies, he still had that desire somehow. And that I would do my best to make that a reality…somehow, someway. 

But…was that the only reason?

I tried to push down the guilt again throughout the next few weeks, but no matter how hard I tried. The memory of what I did kept coming back.

The dreams resurfaced too. Tales of a Shinx, adventure, and something else…I didn’t know what to make of it at the time. The shape was undefinable. Inevitably, the beginning of the new month came and there was only one way to see this through. I’d have to break Zarude’s trust yet again.

After hurting him the first time, I was unsure how I could go through with it again. Before that incident, I managed to do it just fine. Tense moments yeah, but lying to his face like this didn’t come without its own guilt. I wondered if Patra felt the same way too.

I briefly glanced out the window upon reading that last sentence. It is more than fair enough to say she did.

Regardless, the time had come.

---

Freedom Coast:

I was a little late to our usual meet up time due to some bad dungeon luck. Nevertheless, I finally reached the coast.

She was right at her usual spot, as if that awful incident never happened. The spring breeze of the coast was pleasant to say the least. The waves landed with a comforting rhythm, even with a low tide.

I slowly approached the Shinx, about to say something but then…

She turned to me, same red bandana, same eyes. She didn’t seem surprised; instead she was more relieved than anything else. An almost joyous and tearful smile grew. “…You’re back…”

I awkwardly waved back. “Hey Patra…”

“N-Nevermind that,” she said, wiping her eyes. “I was…” The Shinx took a moment to compose herself with breaths. “It’s just…oh gosh, I’m so…sorry.”

I was completely taken aback by the sudden apology. Any sadness on my face was instantly replaced with head scratching confusion. “Wait, wha-? For what?”

She looked away in shame. “I…I had no idea, I just-” She gave a simple bow to me, face on the ground practically.

I awkwardly glanced at the ocean and then back at Patra. “Uhhhh, Patra? What are you doing?”

“Giving you respect. It’s too much of an honor and-”

“Whoa whoa whoa, Patra.” I held up my hands. “You don’t need to do that at all. Come on.” I carefully offered a paw to the Shinx before she slapped my paw away.

The Shinx rose up, still holding that worried look. “You’re, you know, a powerful pokemon, a mythical! How can I not bow in respect?”

I was equally surprised to be called something as grandiose as mythical. My tail remained low and close to my legs. I was so unsure about this whole display. Was it real? Was this some role-reversing dream? It was a lot to fathom.

Regardless, she seemingly figured it out. I didn’t want to say it, but she did. I didn’t know how or when, but she did. 

My gaze fell back to the sand as I dropped to my knees. “…No, no. I’m the one who should be sorry. I lied to you because…because…” I struggled to find the words.

“Wha- Now you’re the one apologizing? D-Don’t get the wrong idea! I understand…I think. You had to keep it secret and all. I mean, it might have been…you know. Uhhh, the fame may get in the way?”

I looked back at Patra in bewilderment. “Famous? Me? Why would I be famous?”

“I dunno. You tell me. I’m not the legendary here.”

I shook my head. “Patra, I’m ten! Do you really think I’d be famous? I’m still training.”

The Shinx fell silent, sitting back down on the sand and glancing at the sea. “…You know…you’re right. What am I thinking? Of course there would be- Wh…What are the chances of that?”

I sat next to the Shinx sighing as well. “…I dunno, low?”

“More than that I’d say.” Patra commented.

I shrugged my shoulders. “…Patra, I can’t say much, but…I came to say that I’m sorry…for wrecking the clubhouse. I had no idea what I was thinking and with my strength and-” I hid my face in shame. “I’m sorry…”

A paw tapped my leg after a brief moment. “Hey there, don’t worry about it. It’s just an old house.”

My gaze despondently moved to the sand as I sighed. “…You’re just saying that because I am a Legendary Pokemon.”

But Patra shook her head defiantly. “No, of course not. I mean it. You…Sure, I got a little scared today, but…you put up with everything, the floors, me, you were crazy to go through the village for me. And now, even after I…I rushed you out of that tight spot in the worst way, you still came back. You still…care…”

“What happened after I ran?” I asked.”

“…Well, it’s a lot but some folks came by. They saw the scratches and what was left. Mom was…well, she’s always worried for me. Others were being mean, but then the weirdest thing happened. The elder came, out of nowhere!”

“The elder?”

“The former village chief, the oldest authority mon of our village’s history. And also VERY old! Well, either way, the Drampa guy came over in a surprisingly grand voice.”

“How grand are we talking here?”

Patra pondered for a moment. “Err, sort of like this.” She then spoke in a low pitch in poor imitation. “This is no ordinary happenstance, my fellow Pokemon!” She took a breath. “Or..something like that.”

I twisted an ear at that. “Uh huh…”

The Shinx continued. “A-Anyways, the elder came and spoke. And I heard he never speaks like this unless it’s important. And that’s why he said that I had a most fortunate encounter. A mythical pokemon had decided to grace our village with their presence.”

I hesitantly glanced toward the Shinx. They knew, how could they know? That was a question on my expression.

Patra obliged with an answer. “Well, I don’t know much, but apparently Legendary Pokemon are a real and very big deal. And my village apparently preserved some history. Tales of some Electric-Types capable of creating great storms. One of them is called the Thunderclap Pokemon. Runs at lightning speed, bearing a golden color.”

“So…”

Patra nodded. “And that’s how I learned. All of a sudden, the rest of the folks were suddenly just amazed at the words and…I didn’t get everything. All these questions came and- It was just happening so fast. Don’t worry, I didn’t say a word. Honest.”

“Oh, that’s good I guess?”

Patra came closer with a raised tail. “So, the village might be a little on the weird side right now, but no matter what they say or what some legend says. I still think of you as a good friend. My Corviknight in shining armor as those silly little fairytales say.”

That analogy didn’t make sense to me. My blank stare said that much. “You think so?”

She gave back with seemingly a confident and assuring nod. “Of course I do. Don’t, err, worry about the fairytale part. Point is. You’re my friend and a valued member of the club. Besides, it was getting a little dusty in that old base. Maybe we can build it up, make it better. You know what I mean?”

“…I dunno,” I replied, glancing at my wrist. “Your village, even if they know what I am…”

“Well yeah, that is a strange part. But look, they said that such an encounter is like, once in a lifetime, which doesn’t make sense to me. I mean, we’ve seen each other how many times?”

“Err…Nine or ten? But how are we gonna fix the base after all…that?”

Patra’s ears flattened a bit as she glanced away. “That is true…But we’re Pokemon, right? You know what they say, work together, we can accomplish anything.”

My ears flattened as well. “But aren’t we supposed to be separated? I was told there are bad folks out there that would want to take my power and use it for bad things.”

Patra looked down at the sand, taking a moment to ponder those serious sounding words. “…I…Well, I’m not bad. I just think your power’s neat, and even if uhh, you’re just cool! And I would not want your powers anyways. It’s kind of…I dunno. I think I’m better.”

That last remark immediately made me focus my attention on Patra out of bewilderment. “Wha- Excuse me?”

The Shinx smirked. “You’re excused. I can make power and you can’t. That makes me better than you.”

“I can totally make static.”

“Didn’t you say you can’t?”

“Yes, but…uh, all I need is a carpet and a few minutes.”

The Shinx started bursting out in laughter. “Pfffft! Ahahaha! Right!”

“Wha- Come on! It works!”

“Oh sure, you won’t be needing that when I’m done with ya.” The kitten smirked.

“Even after everything?”

To that, Patra made the same motion we swore our promise with, still holding that proud smile. “Of course. You came to me, to help as a friend, right? What friend wouldn’t help ya back?”

It’s ironic. I’m supposed to be a guardian of the world, the strongest defense against any threat. The last thing that needed help from most others. And here I was, getting help from someone that’s seen as far weaker.

But I didn’t care about any of that. Why should I? Legendaries can have friends too. Some birthright shouldn’t matter when it comes to that.

A promise was a promise. I made the motion as well, crossing my heart.

I slowly grinned back, tail rising back up.

“Heh, yeah. That would be kind of dumb, wouldn’t it.” I said with a chuckle.

“Dumber than your living scarf,” Patra added.

I chortled at the comment. “Hehe…Mhmmhmm…”

We both laughed at that time, a weight lifting off our shoulders. We were happy. Not out of an accomplishment, a day well done, or even by some demand to look happy.

It was genuine happiness for once, and I couldn’t say one bad thing about it if I was told to.

We spent the daylight there talking and enjoying each other’s company. We even spent some time splashing each other with the ocean water. A fun time was had. However, the time inevitably reached late Daylight now and edged closer to Dusk.

We parted ways with proud grins on our faces. For the first time, the both of us knew what friendship meant.

And that was all it took. Patra and I were friends, against all the odds, against all the laws. We were experiencing a most forbidden friendship. Our innocent desire to be friends brought us together. Was it truly fate, or did something else wobble the otherwise natural balance?

I honestly didn’t care about the answer, at least not then.

---

Zarude’s Abode:

Who were we to say common folk didn’t have a point? Patra helped me and I wasn’t going to take it for granted. I wasn’t going to forget.

So I tried harder. I heeded Zarude’s instruction, but I also remembered Patra’s advice and those words. “Take off and soar like a thunderclap.” I muttered that myself a few times over as motivation. It seemed to help me concentrate.

In due time, I did manage to learn how to hold a charge for at least a few minutes…and then ten, fifteen…twenty- no, wait. Fifteen was actually my limit at the time.

Within the next two weeks, my charging ability certainly became faster, but still dependent on contact. I still haven’t managed to fully get a good grasp of Spark. In fact, it was rather hard to. There was a long span of time between attempts just gathering enough static to make an attempt at all.

Zarude mentioned how I was letting out all the static at once when it should really be drips and drops. It was a rather abstract concept to me at least in terms of how Zarude said it. Each time it was either too little power if at all or too much. There had to be a middle ground somewhere.

One day, it hit me. An idea I didn’t initially think about. So I hastily readied myself to try it. After charging up, I ran head first at a target before making a twirling leap forward as I let loose. Static bolts swirled about and then…Bam!

I tore through the propped up target, landing with a stumble and barely hanging onto the charge. In fact, it mostly slipped away. I rested my paws on my knees, breathing out my breaths.

A simple look toward Zarude gave me more than enough to figure out how he was feeling. Just this beaming and growing grin on his face. He was trying to make it look like he was mildly impressed, but it was a very thin veil.

I simply asked, “Did I do it?”

The older mythical nodded repeatedly at a quicker and quicker rate. “Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes you did. That’s it! You’ve done it!” He put his hand to his mouth to hide the grin. “Y-Yep. That’s a Spark attack. A-A bit too much oomph to it but- W-We can work it out.”

The baboon teared up at the sight of me and looked away, much to my confusion.

I straightened up and reached out. “Umm, Uncle Zarude? Are you crying?”

“Doh! I’m not crying…y-you’re crying. I mean, I got some dust hit my eye. That’s all.”

I chuckled a bit at the statement before hugging the guy.

“Yiiipe!” he yelped upon feeling the zap of my stored static. “We’re gonna work on that.”

“Sorry. Hehe…”

We talked more for the rest of the month. Slowly, but surely, it was a resurgence of the older days. The times where we were much more carefree. No worries about the outside world. We could just…be ourselves.

I grew more confident in using my new Electric-Type attack, and I owed it all to Patra and Uncle Zarude. Two worlds thought to be apart. No…I could be from both.

---

---

---

Fragment of Knowledge:

Volt Absorb:

An uncommon Electric-Type ability. The possessor of this ability can absorb the energy of Electric-Type attacks to rejuvenate themselves, whether for stamina or health. For some mons, this ability can serve as a method to acquire electrical charge for their own attacks.

Excessive amounts of electrical energy can overwhelm most Pokemon, forcing them to expel it from their bodies in some way, shape, or form. The feeling is similar to energy given from a highly sweet snack or buff from agility, an irresistible urge to move or unleash Bide-like energy.

Most Electric Pokemon with this ability are virtually in a league of their own when it comes to battles with their own element. Without assistance or some other unlikely factor, an Electric vs. Electric battle will always end in favor for whoever has Volt Absorb. If both have it, then a stalemate. That is, when we’re talking about both sides using the Electric-Type of course.

Admittedly, there have been rare cases where Volt Absorb had been taken or copied by some other mon with a specific move, like Skill Swap. What’s the difference there? Simply put, tolerance. The original bearer of the ability has a stronger tolerance of acquired electrical energy before the surge becomes harmful. Generally speaking, the less compatible the Pokemon’s type is with the ability, the lower their energy tolerance becomes.

So, a basic Water-Type for instance would, in theory, struggle a great deal with the incoming energy, which one can imagine as discomforting, painful, and possibly causing injury. Needless to say, it would take a strong and unbreakable will for them to endure the strains of Volt Absorb for a few minutes from regular Electric-Types, let alone the legendary Electric-Types.

Speaking of, Volt Absorb is shared between two notable legendaries, Thunderus’ Therian form and Zeraora. Despite the usual power gap, a Zeraora’s potential with Volt Absorb is remarkably higher than Thundurus’. Even with a feeble mortal body, the Zeraora in theory could wield great amounts of power capable of tearing the land and sea asunder. That is, if desperate times allow for such extreme measures. The likelihood of controlling such power is unfathomably small.

In any case, great care is a necessity for energy control and a healthy life for those granted with this ability.