PARAGON
Remnants of the Great War Arc [42]
Chapter 51 : Aaron’s Gift
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Kalos Region - Beneath Geosenge Town
“You’re late,” the man with carmine hair said.
“Sorry, I had other work to take care of. I’m sure you can understand,” came the smooth voice of a woman who didn’t sound apologetic in the slightest.
“You’re the Champion of this region. There should be no reason why I arrived before you did.”
Diantha Carnet smiled, her lavender eyeshadow glittering even in the darkness. “I already apologized. Plus, I doubt even the distance from Kanto would slow a man like you.”
“I just know how to be punctual,” Dragon Master Lance said, crossing his arms. “I don’t know what you were doing that you thought was more important than getting here in a timely manner.”
“Kalos is in chaos right now,” Diantha shrugged. “I have appearances to make. Rota is barely outside your jurisdiction. I’m surprised you have the time to slip away.”
Lance ignored her and took a step forward, his cape brushing over the ground. “Enough. You know why we’re here?”
“Hmmm, I do. Rather, I know the what. The why, I’m still a little hazy on.”
“Does it matter?”
“Sort of. Isn’t it the International Police’s job to handle things like this?”
Lance turned and glared at her, though if it bothered Diantha in the slightest, she didn’t show it. Her white coat and slacks gleamed even in the gloom, and she wore her face like a radiant mask.
“I’m just kidding, of course,” Diantha eventually said, slicing through the tension, and she stepped up beside Lance. “Though I do feel a bit sorry for them. There’ll be an uproar when they realize this thing has slipped between their fingers.”
“Has anyone ever told you you talk too much?”
“No. I usually don’t. I’m only doing so now because it seems to displease you.”
Lance narrowed his eyes at her. “You’re an unpleasant woman.”
“Such a shame you’re stuck with me,” she said. Then, the mirth vanished from her face. “On a serious note though, I have to wonder why someone like you was chosen for this task. I mean, my inclusion is obvious, but why you?”
“Because I’m loyal,” Lance answered immediately.
Diantha’s eyes tightened like a cat’s. “You truly have the pride of a dragon.”
“Thank you.”
“That…wasn’t supposed to be a compliment.”
A silence dawned between them and neither moved for nearly a minute.
“I sense I didn’t steer the conversation in the direction you wanted me to,” Lance drawled. “Out with it then. What other inane blather do you have for me before we begin?”
“If we’re talking about who’s qualified for this task, I have to wonder why Cynthia wasn’t chosen,” Diantha said, not rising to the insult. “She’s more than capable… More so even than you, one could argue.” She glanced over to gauge Lance’s reaction.
But the dragon master was similarly unflappable. “I doubt it. But then again, we’ve never had a serious bout.”
“There are forms of strength that manifest in places other than the battlefield. For one, she sank her claws into the former World Champion quite swiftly, didn’t she? Or, I suppose, former, former World Champion now.”
“You truly are unpleasant.”
“Ash Ketchum and Cynthia were both there at Rota during the attack. It’s almost like she knew what was going to happen.” She turned to Lance. “I didn’t. Did you?”
“No,” Lance said truthfully. “But if she’s beginning to keep secrets, then I can’t imagine she’ll keep her title for very much longer.”
“She certainly doesn’t possess a shred of that loyalty you’re so proud of.”
“It makes no difference to me.”
“Oh, yes, I know, you’re such a good boy.” Diantha’s heels echoed throughout the chamber as she paced across its stone floor. “She’s always played her cards close to her chest, but these past couple of months, she’s been acting even more strangely than usual.”
“That makes two of you.”
Diantha’s eyes narrowed, but before annoyance could manifest on her face, her lips stretched into a callous line. “Any idea what’s going on with her?”
Lance sighed. “It sounds like you want me to suggest a conclusion you’ve already come to. In which case, I’m not exactly sure why you asked the question if you already know the answer.”
“Oh, come on. I’d think a loyal pup like you would be interested in snakes among our ranks.”
“I do what I’m told. No more, no less.”
“I was surprised to find out you did what Aaron Albrecht told you to do after AZ escaped from prison. You were assigned to protect Interpol safehouses in…Galar, right?”
Lance fixed her with an iron stare. “Aaron Albrecht threatened to unseat the Champion of every single region if we did not obey him. What other choice did we have?” He raised one of his thin brows ever so slightly. “You obeyed too if I recall.”
“Of course. He was the World Champion, and we, his Champions,” Diantha said in a mocking tone. “Why wouldn't I?”
Lance shook his head, fed up with her antics.
“I got Hoenn, in case you were wondering. Not that it matters since neither of our bases were ever hit.” She tilted her head, remembering something. “Steven obeyed as well. And he spent a week in the ICU for his troubles. It’s difficult to ignore that, barring the younger Champions, Aaron Albrecht only spared Cynthia from an assignment.”
“I heard Cynthia already works for Interpol.”
“That only makes it more confusing, since Aaron Albrecht certainly didn’t. His being the hero Sir Aaron, while surprising, is easy enough to swallow given the nature of the Guardians. What I can’t wrap my head around is why he would exclude Cynthia from his orders. It’s as if even he was worried about ruffling her feathers.”
“Isn’t the obvious answer that they’re all a part of the same faction? Her, Aaron Albrecht, and the former, former World Champion Ash Ketchum? That’s why they were all in Rota for the attack.”
“No, that can’t be. A little bird told me that Aaron and Cynthia nearly looked ready to kill each other at Ash Ketchum’s celebration party two years ago.”
“Then a deal was struck, obviously. Clearly, they decided to share custody of Ketchum or something.”
Diantha smirked. “You make it sound so unsavory. But I suppose you actually have a bit more going on in that head than I initially thought.”
Lance scowled. “These sorts of games are nothing more than a headache. Far above my station. Cynthia must be mad to dip her toes into such nonsense.” He shook his head. “And for what? Why would she challenge Aaron Albrecht for one teenager?”
“Once again, it seems she knows something we don’t.” Diantha shrugged. “She’s been friends with the boy for years. Maybe she was simply trying to claim him before anyone nasty could.”
“Like Aaron Albrecht?” Lance scoffed. “Seems like he ended up sinking his claws into the both of them in the end. They were the ones fighting to protect his home after all.” He crossed his arms. “She should have known her place. In the end, it was Aaron who stood on top.”
“You seem to have quite a lofty opinion of the former World Champion.”
“The position of World Champion is all but ceremonial. A World Champion only boasts the power he brings with him to the throne. Ash Ketchum, and even that weakling Leon could never have blackmailed the League like he did. Aaron Albrecht, or rather, Sir Aaron, was an anomaly. Those above us won’t let it happen again.”
“But Aaron is now dead, and Cynthia’s still alive,” Diantha said. “Surely she can’t have predicted that…or could she have? If she works for Interpol then she’d know, even more so than us, just how dangerous AZ was. Could she have been banking on Aaron’s defeat?”
“Only a nitwit would entertain such a convoluted conspiracy. Cynthia fought to protect Rota while also praying for Aaron's downfall? Don’t be ridiculous.”
“You keep letting me get under your skin,” Diantha smiled. “Of course I don’t believe she masterminded Aaron Albrecht’s death. But I also can’t help but think she’s pleased at the fact that Ash Ketchum has once again found his way back into her lap.”
“You make it sound like she values young Ketchum as an ally over Sir Aaron.”
Diantha’s marble face glimmered with enigma. “It does seem that way, doesn’t it? It almost makes me want to take a pass at him,” she said, licking her lips. “It’s always the young ones that cause the most trouble.”
Lance’s expression hardened. “They’re the ones who never seem to know their place,” he agreed.
Diantha rolled her eyes. “Right, right. A man like you would never go the way of little Leon. You’re so obedient it makes my eyes water.”
Lance stepped forward again and pulled out an ultra ball from within his cape. “Is that all? If so, then let’s get started. We’ve wasted enough time.”
Kanto Region - Saffron City
Leader Rosen smiled awkwardly as the doors to his gym slid open and Riley stepped through with a polite nod.
“Thank you, sir,” the young Guardian said.
Rosen nodded and scurried away.
Riley watched as he went, an uncertain expression on his face. “I hope I didn’t upset him.”
“Nah, you’re fine,” Ash said. “But I did kind of spring this all on him yesterday so he might be a bit overwhelmed. I was thinking we head out for the time being.”
Pikachu chirped in agreement on his shoulder. Luckily, the gym had a pokémon healing machine that was normally reserved for gym personnel only, but Rosen had made an exception, so after several hours, all of Paragon’s pokémon were back at full health.
Ash and Sabrina stood across from Riley in the gym’s lobby dressed in freshly washed clothes. They’d slept in gym wear last night, courtesy of Rosen, and Sabrina had taken the liberty of offering to wash all their clothes this morning. Since she spent the most time at Paragon Island compared to the rest of them, laundry duty had fallen to her naturally.
Riley glanced between them with concern. “Is Anabel alright?”
“Yeah, she’s fine,” Ash said. “Still resting up though. Her arm got a bit worse battling against AZ’s lieutenant. A guy called Vandrick.”
Riley grimaced. “I see. I wish I could have prevented that.”
“Don’t worry, she doesn’t blame you at all. She told me to pass that on to you for her.” Ash glanced over at the stairs leading up to the second floor, where the rest of Paragon was still resting. “I’d like to introduce you to the others, but I guess we can do that later.”
“That’s fine. I wouldn’t want to disturb their rest.” Riley turned to Sabrina and smiled. “Good morning, Sabrina.”
The young psychic dipped her head in greeting.
“So…are we doing it here? Riley asked.
“I was thinking we head a bit out of town,” Ash replied, starting toward the doors. “We haven’t eaten anything this morning yet so I was thinking we pick something up, then find somewhere quiet. That alright?”
“That’s fine by me,” Riley nodded. “I could use some breakfast as well.”
After they nodded, the trio departed the gym. Saffron still seemed to be alarmed over the attack on Rota, as the streets were nearly barren, especially for this time of day. Most companies had taken the day off in the wake of the tragedy, and very few businesses were open. Unfortunately, that made procuring a meal a tad difficult. Not wanting to walk around too much, they stopped a block out from a convenience store in a thin alleyway and sent Gengar off to take a few breakfast boxes off the shelf. It took him longer than they wanted to find yesterday’s leftovers stored in the back since no one was around to make them fresh this morning, and he’d almost come back without leaving some cash on the counter because of it. Luckily, he wasn’t in too feisty a mood today, so they were able to fill their stomachs without committing a crime.
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Gengar had lost them enough time so they ate while they walked. In between passing torn-off pieces of his bread up to Pikachu, Ash began thinking about their current circumstances. Anabel and Zinnia were both still recovering, and after Cynthia and Sylvester’s departure last night, N had volunteered to keep watch over them. Sir Aaron’s Time Flower was tucked carefully in his pocket, and his hand rested over it protectively as they walked.
“So, how are you doing?” Ash asked once they were close to the city’s edge.
Riley took off his hat and ran his hands through his spiky hair. “I couldn’t even say. I still can’t quite believe it happened. Rota was where I spent most of my childhood. And now…it’s just…gone.”
“I’m sorry,” Ash said glumly, looking down.
“You have nothing to apologize for, of course,” Riley said. “I’m thankful you and your friends happened to be there. We would’ve lost many more without you all, I’m certain.”
Even if that were true, the feeling of failure still clung to Ash’s stomach like cement.
“What will happen to the Guardians now?” Sabrina asked.
Riley sighed. “It’s anyone’s guess at this point, truth be told. The Queen is set to meet with some representatives of the Kanto government later today to decide our order’s fate.” His expression darkened. “To be perfectly honest, I’m not too optimistic. I can’t imagine Kanto would simply hand over part of its land and grant it to the Guardians. Most likely, the Guardians will have to decentralize for the time being, until we can establish a new home elsewhere.”
“Where would that even be?” Ash asked. “The Land of Rota was significant because the Tree of Beginning was there, right? But now that the Tree is gone…”
“A heart-rending loss,” Riley said, his eyes thin. “For this world to lose the Tree… The fount where all pokémon originate from has vanished. In a sense, every pokémon in the world just lost its home.”
Pikachu’s nose twitched atop Ash’s shoulder, and he frowned, deflating slightly. Ash noticed and scratched behind his ears gently.
“But, that brings me to what I intend to do going forward,” Riley continued. “Ash, did you tell Sabrina and the others about what King Aaron said to us in his final moments?”
Ash’s face hardened. “I did.”
Everyone in Paragon had exchanged their turn of events last night before Sylvester arrived, and Ash seemed to have the most interesting story by far. His clash with AZ, the appearance of Zagreus, and Sir Aaron’s parting words were shocking enough, but it was what he’d heard from Aaron and AZ both about the “Paragons” that cast a prolonged silence over the group.
“Cynthia…do you know anything about the Paragons?” he’d asked.
All eyes were on her, but she looked as deep in thought as the rest of them, if not more so. “No, I haven’t,” she eventually said. “When I spoke with Albrecht before the attack, he reacted strangely to the name ‘Paragon’… I suppose this was why.”
N’s brows furrowed as he stroked his mouth. “Is it just a coincidence then?”
“Did you come up with the name for ‘the Paragon Organization?’” Anabel asked.
Cynthia shook her head slowly. “Not really. It was named after Paragon Island…” Cynthia responded, and her voice trailed off. She seemed just as perplexed as the rest of them.
Zinnia winced in her seat, failing to stifle a flare-up of pain. Her eyes swiveled around the circle to see who’d noticed, but to her chagrin, they all had.
“Maybe it’s best if you rest, Zinnia,” N eventually said, reaching toward her.
“I’m going to get an ice pack,” Zinnia grumbled, clutching her side as she stood.
N reached out his hand but didn’t pursue. The others watched her go, knowing any further protest would be pointless, hardheaded as she was.
She didn’t return even after several minutes.
“I’ll go check on her,” Ash offered, standing. “Let’s finish this conversation later when Sylvester gets here.”
Cynthia nodded in thanks, but sat back in her seat, continuing to think, even as Sabrina began recounting her version of the day’s events.
“That’s good. That will make things easier,” Riley said. “Simply put, I’d like to help you, Ash. Just as King Aaron commanded. I already spoke about it with Queen Ilene and she’s given her blessing.”
They crested beneath the rustling branches of a forest and continued their trek forward. Normally, there’d be trainers and such on the trail, but after the news about Rota, everyone was spending a bit more time in front of the TV, so they didn’t encounter anyone else on their way.
“Thank you, Riley,” Ash said. “To be honest, I was going to hit you up anyway since I don’t exactly know how to use a Time Flower. I was able to use them once before when I was in Rota as a kid, but back then, I was wearing these special gloves that channeled my Aura or something. I figured using my Platebearer abilities might work since I guess it’s technically Aura, but I didn’t want to mess anything up…”
“That’s fair,” Riley said. “I imagine your power would work, but I too would feel most comfortable using traditional Aura to catalyze activation. I can help you access the memories within.”
Around ten minutes later, they passed an open clearing, and Ash steered them off the path over to it. Settling in its center, he withdrew the Time Flower from his pocket, wrapped in a bundle of cloth. He crouched down and unwrapped it carefully, revealing its vibrant petals. Sabrina and Riley crouched down beside him, with Sabrina taking an extended interest in the flower. She peeked around it, as if trying to ascertain how such a strange-looking flower existed. Its petals seemed to be curled around a central bulb, yet the whole thing appeared to made of glass. As sunlight filtered onto its surface, its stem erected, and it swayed gently.
“Before we begin, I’d like to make one thing clear,” Riley said. “This Time Flower should show us exactly where King Aaron hid his Plates. But once we know their location, are you and your friends prepared to pursue them? And are you, Ash, prepared to bear them?”
The simple answer was no. Although other institutions were handling humanitarian relief for Rota, Paragon’s role in that conflict wasn't quite finished, despite AZ’s defeat. Lord Vandrick and Zagreus had both escaped. As of now, Cynthia had yet to state who she intended them to go after first.
I realized I wanted us to help each other achieve all our dreams, together.
That was what she’d said last night.
After learning so much about the Plates, it seems that, in the end, they will be unavoidable entities on our paths toward that end.
Ash and Sabrina glanced at each other.
I trust your judgment.
Sabrina nodded slightly, immediately understanding Ash’s inquiry as they stared into each others’ eyes.
“We’re ready,” Ash said.
“It’s fine if you’re not. These Plates have been hidden for a long time, and I trust King Aaron has countermeasures in place to prevent anyone else from finding them, so it’s not necessarily urgent.”
“There are other Platebearers out there,” Ash said. “Ones with far more knowledge about the Plates than you or I, I’m sure. I bet some of them will have suspected that Sir Aaron had a Plate or two, and might seize the opportunity to go after them now that he’s gone. In that case, I’d like to claim Sir Aaron’s sooner rather than later.”
Pikachu chittered in agreement on his shoulder.
“Sound reasoning,” Riley nodded. “Very well. Let’s begin.”
The palms of his hands began to glow a harsh sapphire, engulfing the Time Flower in its luminescence. The petals of the flower began to separate, pulling apart with a soft clinking, like a chandelier. The stigma within curled into a tall line and began to glow azure, and blue sparks wafted up from the wispy styles.
A deep cerulean light blasted out of the flower in a grand flourish, and Aura began to swirl around the gathered three. Sabrina glanced back in concern, but Ash stayed concentrated on the flower between them. Riley’s eyes had glassed over, now just pits of glowing azure, yet his hands remained steady over the flower.
The Aura around them churned like a cyclone, thickening and brightening until it became difficult to see the forest beyond. A bead of sweat dripped down Ash’s temple. This was nothing like the Time Flower he’d used way back when to glimpse a scene from the first Battle of Cameran Palace. But then again, this was a Time Flower personally created by Sir Aaron.
As the Aura continued to get brighter and brighter, Ash began to squint. Instead of focusing on the flower, he glanced between his two friends. However, the Aura was so bright he couldn’t even see them anymore, despite being right next to them. Instinctively, he grabbed his shoulder where Pikachu was, and breathed a sigh of relief upon feeling the friend’s staticky fur. Pikachu clung to him fiercely, his nails digging into his skin, and Ash could hear him grunting as he held on.
Then, Ash’s stomach turned as he felt the ground disappear out from under him. He felt his body jerk in one way, then the next, Aura roaring in all directions around him. His senses were completely overloaded, but he forced his eyes to remain open. Azure energy hissed and whizzed past him in a blur as if he was in the middle of a rushing river current. His only solace was that he could still breathe perfectly fine, and he gulped down air in a greedy panic. Aside from the discomfort in his stomach, there was no pain as the Time Flower continued to work its magic, which Ash was grateful for, but it felt like he was rocketing in one direction at a million miles an hour, and he was worried he’d splatter against a wall or something once this process ended.
Luckily, he didn’t have to wait much longer. The blinding light around him suddenly went dark and Ash blinked furiously to get his eyes to adjust. Color began to bleed back into his eyes and tactile sensation once again surged through his body. A cosmic rumble echoed across his consciousness as he was suddenly thrown back into the familiar world.
Now, his stomach turned again. Wind raced up around him, roaring in his ears, and with it came a freezing cold. A textured gray vista was all that lay before him, but one thing was extremely obvious.
He was falling.
Ash jerked his head around to study his surroundings, and he saw Sabrina and Riley both in a similar state as him. Sabrina’s gauntlets spun furiously about her wrists and her eyes were as wide as saucers. On the flip side, Riley’s eyes were narrowed and his arms were spread out beside him, and he seemed relatively relaxed.
Ash heard Pikachu cry out above him, but a moment later, felt his paws latch back onto his clothes for dear life.
“I got you!” he said. Then, he turned to face the others. “Guys!” he shrieked.
Riley noticed him and glided closer. “Calm down, Ash!” he yelled back. “This is just a vision! The Time Flower is taking us to the sight of King Aaron’s memory! Our bodies don’t actually exist in this realm!”
Sabrina’s teeth were clenched harder than Ash had ever seen as she dropped, and she seemed to be trying to angle her body to get closer to them.
Ash could feel gooseflesh rippling across his skin beneath his clothes, and he looked back at their surroundings. The gray plain below them seemed to be the ocean, for to its right was a huge mass of land that stretched as far as Ash could see, covered in dark trees and grass. A thin strip of beach lined the edge of the land, and Ash made a mental note of it. He turned back to his friends, then back at the fast-approaching surface.
As they got closer and closer, the wind continued to slice against Ash’s face. Though he was squinting, Ash could make out the roiling whitecaps and waves below, and soon, he began to smell the salt of the sea.
His eyes widened and he nearly choked.
“This isn’t a vision, this is real!” Ash shrieked. “Sabrina!”
Emerald light streamed from Sabrina’s gauntlets. A warm shield billowed to life beneath them, and Ash felt his body’s velocity slow.
Nonetheless, three seconds later, they impacted against the ocean. Darkness and silence flooded Ash’s senses as he felt himself sink beneath the very real waves. Pikachu! His chest burned with every movement, and he curled around in the water, looking for the surface. Upon seeing brighter waters above, Ash forced himself toward them, kicking and swimming as hard as he could.
Just as he breached the surface, he inhaled a massive lungful of air before the waves could swallow him up again. His heart thundered as he searched the surface for Riley, Sabrina, or Pikachu, but none had appeared yet. The sea pushed him around relentlessly as he tread water, and panic began to set in. But then, he spotted the beach. A line of trees stood sentinel beyond the dark sand, and he started swimming toward it. Luckily, it wasn’t too far, and Ash was a strong swimmer. Once I get to land, I’ll send out Blastoise to find the others!
Ash paddled furiously until he felt the ground beneath his feet, and he stomped as fast as he could out of the water. Water poured off of him, but he whirled around and grabbed his belt.
His empty belt.
“No!” Ash cursed, running back toward the water.
Suddenly, the surface of the water burst apart around where he’d initially surfaced, and a second later, three forms sailed through the air, arcing toward the beach.
The first, Riley, landed in an unceremonious heap a ways away from Ash, rolling across the wet sand. The second, Pikachu, landed deftly on his feet, before leaping out of the way to make way for the third. Sabrina landed softly on her feet, emerald light leaking from her eyes, and it was only then that Ash noticed the fading emerald glow around the other two. Sabrina coughed, then collapsed onto her side, breathing heavily.
Ash ran over to them, and upon seeing his trainer, Pikachu squeaked and bounded back up onto his shoulder. Though Ash paid him no mind for the moment. “Our pokémon!” he bit out as he approached them. “I lost mine in the ocean!” He glanced at Sabrina’s belt and noticed her pokéballs missing too.
Sabrina seemed to notice him and immediately jerked up, then got to her feet. Her dark hair clung to the white skin of her face.
“We need to find them before—!”
Sabrina held out her hand and closed her eyes. Ash watched as her gauntlets spun, first one way, then the other. Several seconds later, her eyes snapped open, and she looked over at Ash, hope drained from her eyes. “They’re not there!”
“What do you mean?” Ash demanded. “They can’t be that far!”
“They’re not there!” Sabrina said again, firmly. Her bloodshot eyes made it clear she took no pleasure in being right.
Behind them, Riley coughed, and water emptied from his mouth. Slowly, he rolled onto his knees and stood. Upon standing, he realized the other two were staring at him, water dripping off their soaked bodies. He glanced between them as he wiped the water from his face. “I apologize. I didn’t expect this.”
“Never mind that. Our pokémon are gone,” Ash said.
Riley's hands clutched his belt and he too realized that all of his pokéballs were missing.
“Sabrina already checked the sea. They’re not there.”
Pikachu squeaked sadly on Ash’s shoulder, and Riley looked at him curiously, no doubt wondering how he’d been spared disappearance.
Sabrina looked up, then around. “What is this place?”
Ash and Riley both glanced around. Aside from the beach they were on now and the forest that stood beyond, the only other points of note were the vast sea behind them, and the gray sky above, cloaked in dark clouds. At sea level, there wasn’t much they could see, and the entire land seemed steeped in a dull fog, which only obscured their sight even more.
Riley knelt down and sunk his fingers into the wet sand. He rubbed the grains between his fingers, then stood again. “This place feels so real… It’s as if we’ve been personally transported back into King Aaron’s memories.”
“Then where is he?” Ash asked, stepping up onto a stout hill to get a better vantage point. “And where are the Plates?”
Riley looked around, uncertainty etched on his face. “I’m not sure… I’ve never encountered a Time Flower like this… But if I had to take a guess, I’d say that this place is a pocket dimension created from King Aaron’s Aura. Something like this would certainly keep the Plates safe, even if the Time Flower was to somehow fall into the wrong hands. It also explains our missing pokémon…” He glanced over at Pikachu. “For the most part.”
“So it’s somewhere here then, huh?” As Ash meandered away from the beach, Pikachu scampered up onto his head to survey the area. It seemed he wanted to explore, but didn’t want to leave his trainer behind in this unfamiliar place. “Then I guess we’d be able to leave this pocket dimension after we find the Plates?”
“That is the hope,” Riley said.
“Hopefully we find them before we freeze.” Ash shivered as he clutched his arms.
Sabrina’s body went rigid and her eyes flared, before swiftly going dark again. “Someone’s here,” she whispered.
Ash and Riley both whipped around, but the sound of a snapping twig in front of them snatched their attention again.
A stocky man with tanned skin approached them cautiously, but froze upon seeing their leery eyes, and he raised his hands defensively.
“Ah, hello there.”
Ash’s hand instinctively drifted to his belt, but of course there was nothing there.
The man glanced warily at him, nearly ignoring Riley and Sabrina both.
“Who are you?” Riley asked flatly. “Where is King Aaron?”
The man glanced nervously at Riley. “I…was going to ask you all the same thing. You don’t seem to be from here.” His gaze seemed to stretch past them to the ocean beyond. “But I see no ship. Nor boat.” He locked eyes with Riley. “But if you’re asking about ‘King Aaron’ you must be a Guardian.”
“That’s right,” Riley said, his eyes narrowing. “But we were just trying to figure out how we got here ourselves, wherever ‘here’ is.”
The man opened his mouth to answer the question, but glanced nervously at Ash again. “Are you alright, young man?” He raised a finger slowly, pointing at him. “On your head…there’s…”
“Hm?” Ash glanced up. “Oh, him? That’s just my Pikachu. No need to worry.”
Pikachu flashed a smile.
The man’s arm dropped and he nodded. “Ah, I see.” He rubbed his hands and a film of sweat covered his face like dew as he glanced between them. “
Riley frowned and stepped forward, raising his hands to his sides. “We mean you no harm, sir. We’d just like to know where we are, if you can.”
The man looked over at Riley, but after studying him again, he nodded quickly and cleared his throat. “Ah, I apologize. I’ve been quite rude. You seem to have had quite the journey. It’s just, you all took me rather by surprise. No matter. Yes, I can tell you exactly where you are.”
Riley’s eyes narrowed, and Ash and Sabrina both had the man locked in an iron gaze.
He smiled awkwardly and crossed his arms. “You’ve arrived in the far north. This is the land of Hisui.”
Riley wheeled around, facing Ash and Sabrina, and all three wore a look of pure shock.
“What?!” they all said at once.
Next — Chapter 52 : The Head of Paragon
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Only one more chapter till the end of the arc…