literature

Aura Guardian, Ch. 7

Deviation Actions

Published: Jun 27, 2011

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Literature Text

"Luke"

I started. "What?"
"You say you have a telepathic link with that Absol of yours. I want you to prove it." he said. "Show me how this link of yours works."
"I suppose I could do that," I said.
I looked down at Absol. He hadn't moved an inch since we first sat down. I tried to get his attention.
Hey, Absol.
He gave no indication that I had heard him.
Absol...
He continued to watch Arcanine, seemingly hypnotized by the slow, rhythmic motions of her breathing.
YO! WAKE UP, LOVER BOY!
That did it. Absol snapped out his reverie, shook his head rapidly, and looked up at me.
"What?" he asked irritably.
These nice folks want a demonstration of our telepathic link, I thought. Go look out the door and tell me what you see.
He strode over to the door, tugged it open, poked his head out, reported his findings, and went back to watching Arcanine sleep.
"Well? What did he see?" asked Seeker.
"An old man sunbathing in a hot pink Speedo."
Jenny sprayed coffee from her nose.
"Mr. Florentine," she said as she mopped up the spilt coffee with some napkins, her voice still choked with laughter. "He's a retired male stripper, lives just down the street from here."
Seeker's face relaxed by about a tenth of a degree.
"Cute," he said, "but that doesn't prove anything."
"Okay..." I closed my eyes and focused my mind on Seeker's Aura. I wasn't able to exactly able to read his mind, but his feelings and a few of his surface thoughts were available to me, so I was fairly sure I could fake the rest.
"You want to give me a chance," I said. "You know that I could be a stepping stone on the path to solving the biggest long-term case of your career and, with my help, you could potentially save thousands of innocent lives. On the other hand, you're worried that if trusting me turns out to be a mistake, you'll get shuffled to a dead-end assignment chasing small-time Pokémon thieves for the rest of your life like that other operative...Looker, I believe his name was? Oh, and now you're going to try to deny everything I've said because you know it's bang-on," I added as Seeker stood up and opened his mouth to argue.
Seeker's mouth snapped shut like a glasses case. "Well," he said "I'll admit you have a talent for reading people, and you certainly know things about my job and career that no civilian should know, but that by no means makes you a telepath. For all I know, the SHITS could have given you access to that information."
This man was seriously starting to piss me off. Time for some of my more advanced parlor tricks.
"All right, you son of a bitch. You want proof? I'll give you proof." I focused my energy and shoved my palm into his stomach.
There was a flash of greenish light and Seeker staggered backwards, doubled over and wheezing. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Absol leap to my aid and erect a protection field as Arcanine woke up from her nap and Jenny reached for her gun.
Knowing I had less than ten seconds until Absol's protection field collapsed, I gathered together all of the horrible memories from the last two days, from Riolu's terrified voice awakening me from my sleep, to the scene of the nightmarish massacre, to mine and Absol's sorrow when we thought Riolu would die. I help up my fist, transforming those thoughts into rings of dark energy that swirled around my arm. Gathering together all of my focus, I fired those dark thoughts into Seeker's head, where they lodged, never to be forgotten. He let out a blood-curdling scream as his mind was invaded by memories that were not his own.
The protection field fizzled away, leaving nothing between my head and the barrel of Jenny's SiG.
"GIT DOWN ON THE GROUND! KEEP YER HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE 'EM!" she shouted, her slight country lilt degenerating into a full-blown drawl. She was backed up by a vicious snarl from Arcanine, whose body had begun to shimmer with intense heat.
"No, wait...don't..." Seeker said weakly, clutching his head in his hands. "He didn't hurt me; he just...showed me the truth."
Jenny's gun shook in her hands. "Showed you the...what the hell you talkin' 'bout? That boy just shot some kinda weird... purple shit into yer head!"
"Stand down, Jennifer. That's an order." Seeker said, his voice stronger this time.
"But..."
"Now!"
Jenny lowered he gun slowly as Seeker brushed off his coat. "Now then, Joe," he said, "Would you mind explaining to Jenny just what you did to me before she goes and shoots someone?"
"A Dark Pulse," I said. "It's an energy field composed of dark thoughts that some Pokémon use to attack. I just used it to transfer the memories of the fire from my mind into Seeker's. It's not at all a pleasant thing to experience, but I was afraid that he wouldn't listen to me any other way."
"You're quite right, I wouldn't have," said Seeker. "Regardless of what my personal feelings may be, I.P. Command as a rule doesn't place much stock in mystical powers, and I'd have been forced to follow their example. I'll order a helicopter up here from Veilstone; it'll visit the glade and corroborate your story. That ought to keep those pencil-pushers happy."
"There is one thing that Command does believe in, though; personal motivation," he said. "As someone who witnessed their atrocities firsthand, you have a great deal more emotional investment in finding the SHITS and bringing them to justice. It just so happens we've been looking for someone to help us accomplish this goal, but before I tell you any more, there is a test you must pass, and I'm afraid it's non-negotiable.
"Anything," I said. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help."
Seeker smiled. "I'm afraid this time it's not a question of willingness, but one of ability," he said. "What you must do is beat me in a Pokémon battle."
I had just opened my mouth to reply when the door of the police station creaked open and a Chansey poked its head in, gurgling cheerfully in PokéSpeak.
Absol translated. "It says the Riolu has regain consciousness."
"Hold that thought," I said to Jenny and Seeker. "Our little survivor just woke up."
I followed the Chansey back to the recover ward of the Pokémon Center, where Riolu was waiting for us. It lay on a hospital bed, propped up by numerous pillows, its various burns and contusions miraculously healed. All that remained of his left earflap was a small scar.
The Riolu's eyes widened when we entered the room. "It's you!" he cried out, his voice even softer than before. He tried to get up but was still far too weak.
"Rest easy there, little one," said Absol. "You're safe now."
"You gave us quite a scare. For a while there we didn't know if you were going to make it," I said, gently stroking the small Pokémon's head. "Do you have a name?"
"Luke...my parents called me Luke..." he whispered. "Where are they? Are they here?"
Absol bowed his head solemnly. A single tear ran down his cheek. "I'm...I'm sorry."
I couldn't bring myself to say anything else. I just hugged Luke close as he wept softly. I tasted salt in my mouth, unsure whether it was from his tears or my own.
I felt a sudden presence behind me; Jenny and Seeker had entered the room.
My next words were spoken with more conviction than anything I have ever said in my life.
"I accept your challenge."