With the abrupt departure of the ghost, the air quickly warmed and the surrounding forest grew livelier. Yet Kenji's mind remained in turmoil. His apprehension with the ritual, the anger at the spirit's possession of his mother's pendant, and the unexpected reveal that the two of them were linked left him reeling. With this new knowledge, the illusion that the spirit beguiled him with took on a new light. It was not an attempt of sorcery or some nefarious trick.

It was a reminder of their time together.

Looking back on his memories of his time on the beaches of Greenleaf, he found that the details shifted to reveal how it actually was. He remembered playing in the sand with his mother but what he rationalized away as the fantasies of a child, was how the sand would play back. The mounds they built grew and took shape of their own accord, forming spires and ramparts. His father was not watching for beasts or from a lack of a desire to play with, he was looking out for people who might come across the three of them with an unknown Pokémon.

Or perhaps he did not want to associate with such a foreign, ghostly beast.

His mother carried with her another Pokémon foreign to Ransei, one that stayed by her side when she was separated from her homeland. Why she hid it, Kenji did not know. Their land was large and private, as was benefitting a Warrior of Greenleaf.

How she hid it was even more unclear. There should have been signs, a detectable aura that any trained Warrior should have detected. Lingering energies from the beast that clung to the amulet.

Yet there was nothing.

However, more than that, Kenji was confused by the ghost's binding to his mother's necklace.

If it was simply a specter, then he could understand how it was anchored to the pendant. Such spirits held no true body, only possessing objects and people to interact with the world. But it was not a specter. It was a spiritual beast, a Pokémon with a physical form.

Taking off the necklace, Kenji held up the small pendant to the light. The red and white sphere was split in two by a black band. On one side, the band circled around a white dot. Scratches marred the surface, with the paint chipping away. Small dents furthered the weathered and worn appearance, speaking of a history fraught with danger and hardship.

The grooves around the sphere suggested that it would open, yet when he attempted to pull it apart it refused to budge.

Holding the pendant with his fingers, he tentatively touched the white dot on the sphere but nothing happened. Staring at it, Kenji wondered how his mother stored the Pokémon inside.

More, he wondered why she would do so. As far as he knew, no one else in Greenleaf or Ransei used such objects to hold Pokémon. The only explanation was that the pendant was a holdover from her homeland.

What kind of land would force a beast to stay within a metal sphere? Cut off from their linked partners and dulled to a quiet stasis. It was almost nauseating to think about.

Placing the necklace around his neck, Kenji reached up to the pendant holding the spirit. The sphere was small enough that he could easily wrap his hand around it. Breathing deeply, he closed his eyes and reached for the faint connection. The bond that he shared with the ghost Pokémon.

Now that he knew what to look for, he wondered how he missed it for all those years. The link was not a simple line or trail leading away from his spirit.

It was the ground itself.

Previously, Kenji imagined his cultivation as a series of garden beds that he raised from the land and watered with the Energy he gathered. Never once did he think to question the ground from which the bed grew from. Feeling for the connection, he could now recognize the foreign power that suffused the moldable earth. So long was he accustomed to it that he did not recognize the Energy.

Reaching for the link that bonded him since before began cultivating, Kenji was surprised to find it dull and unresponsive. There was no life to the connection, no indication that he bore a link at all beyond the trickle of energy that flowed from it. Reaching for it felt more like picking up sand, feeling it disappear from in between his fingers.

Making another attempt, he reached for the power being granted to him yet there was no sign that he was successful. He could barely tell that he was linked at all.

Sighing, Kenji opened his eyes and released the pendant. It dropped to his chest as he considered the problem.

The sphere could not block aura, at least not completely. Otherwise he would not have been able to summon the beast as he did. However, it clearly interfered with the link between Warrior and Pokémon. That was the only explanation for why he never realized that he was bonded as such.

Nor his parents, for surely they would have recognized the signs. Warriors naturally grew stronger and more powerful in concert with their linked companions. With his bond seemingly formed early, then Kenji would have been noticeably different from other children his age.

Except, the pendant blocked the natural exchange of Energy.

He was brought out of his thoughts by Sprout's warbling cry. The beast was no longer quieted by the mystical ritual and the spirit summoned by it. If it were not for the markings upon the ground, Kenji would not have known anything of note had occurred.

Blinking in surprise, Kenji let out a sudden laugh.

"I," he started with a small grin. "I have a link."

Smiling he met the eyes of the young Pokémon complaining in the large, as of yet unused, firepit.

"I'm a Warrior." he breathed. Jumping up, Kenji let out a shout. "I am a Warrior!"

Rushing forward, he snatched up Sprout, nearly toppling over from the weight.

"I have a link!" he shouted again.

The turtle groaned another complaint as Kenji spun him around.

Kenji ignored the Pokémon, still consumed by his elation at both surviving the ritual and discovering his, admittedly dormant, link. Still, the simple presence of a connection with the Pokémon boded well for his continued survival. It was likely the only reason he had survived thus far. The amount of Energy he cultivated from the link was incredibly small, but considering that it was a constant source for over half his life, it was more than he ever managed on his own.

After a few spins, Sprout finally understood that they were celebrating and grew more exuberant. The beast started to wave its stubby limbs and warble more cheerfully. Kenji laughed along with him before setting the turtle down.

Striding into the shelter, he snatched up a stem-full of berries before stepping back outside. Plucking several free, he placed them in front of the small Pokémon.

"To celebrate," Kenji said with a smile. With his other hand, he absentmindedly started to eat the snack.

Chewing, he thought over how this new information might affect his plans. For while Kenji was now aware of his link, unless he managed to free his bond from the pendant, he could not use it. Another beast, one he would be able to easier communicate with, would be a powerful boon in continuing his journey through the forest.

Slowing, Kenji was struck by a sudden thought.

Was the ghost responsible for my journey so far? he wondered silently.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

For the past several days, ever since he made camp at the rock shelter, Kenji felt lighter. Moreso, it was as if the world was brighter, livelier around him. Beasts called out, whether for mating, in challenge, or to simply cry out at the world. The sun was warm on his skin and he found himself better able to think and focus.

Not only that but his trek through the forest up until now was relatively free of any roaming creatures. Not counting the Pokémon Nest, which he walked straight into, and the small rose petaled creature that Flutter fought with, Kenji considered himself lucky for not encountering any territorial beasts. Suspiciously so.

"It used its aura to hide me?" he questioned aloud, swallowing the last of his celebratory snack. "If so, then why didn't I notice?"

Sprout chirped at him, the turtle's beak stained with berry juice.

Kenji stared at the beast in thought. He remembered the days forcing himself to continue despite the desire to do nothing but lay down. The cold that seemed to hug him close and never let go.

"Because it never stopped until now," he realized.

What he took to be side effects of his experience-his mind continued to shy away with a spiritual shudder-was in actuality his bond protecting him. The ghost was using its aura to shield him from the perceptions of the other beasts, or at the very least ward them off. When he fell into despair and fever in the thorned Pokémon's grove, the ghostly beast took over to keep him moving. The effort must have exhausted the creature's power, leaving it slumbering ever since.

"Thank you," he murmured quietly as he touched the pendant once more. "It must have been difficult, and tiring," Kenji bowed his head.

Standing abruptly, he started to pace around the small camp. Kenji was worried that this small section of the woods was becoming too homely. He was spending more time creating and building up the camp than he was preparing to continue his trek through the forest. To that end, it was time to start working.

"A new sled to start," he muttered. His original one was small and roughly made. With the stone knives he managed to create, Kenji was sure that he could craft a better one. A sled that could truly double as a tent for the night. Especially with his new silk and leaf blanket to act as both a cover from the elements and to disguise it.

"What about a boat?" he asked rhetorically. Slowing in his pacing, he thought it over before dismissing the idea. He had little familiarity with building a boat to travel the waters. None, in fact. Such crafts were the domain of Fontaine and the far traveled sailors that braved the tumultuous oceans.

To make matters worse, he would eventually be forced to leave it behind, ensuring that the time and effort carving it was a waste. No, he would be better spent dedicating his time to other ways of improving his chances of survival.

"Food, always more food," he continued. "Stay by the river and I don’t have to worry about water. What else?"

Kenji moved around the camp, his eyes roving over the mud and wood walls, the crates of food, and the firepit. After circling it several more times, his eyes landed on Sprout.

The beast had calmed from Kenji's excitement and buried itself in the soil once more. The young turtle was bathing in the sun and soaking up the heat while absorbing the nutrients from the soil. Idly, he wondered if, with his newly discovered specialty for the earth, he would be able to assist with the Pokémon's growth.

"Ah," he said, remembering his prior plans. "Training."

Focusing his mind back on the beast, Kenji thought over how to train the young turtle. The beast was able to withdraw fully into its own shell now, boosting its defense considerably should danger appear.

However, there was a considerable downside.

The Pokémon was quickly growing too heavy for Kenji to continue carrying. Worse, despite the growth and food, the turtle remained inactive for most of the day. He would have to be careful not wear out the beast too much lest he risk the young Pokémon becoming injured or weary. Compounding that was the accelerated growth the turtle would experience if he started to truly train the beast and help it cultivate.

On the other hand, a powerful beast would be a boon companion.

Taking in the stained beak, Kenji frowned briefly. It was going to be hard to motivate the turtle to move when he was recently fed.

"If not the body," Kenji started. "Then the mind."

It was a common phrase his father uttered whenever he complained that he was too tired to move. If Kenji could not continue to train his body, then he would train his mind. He smiled as he remembered groaning through the lectures his father gave while he struggled to pay attention.

Striding over to Sprout, he sat down by the small Pokémon. The beast stirred slightly but otherwise remained still.

Joining him, Kenji took a moment to feel the heat of the sun on his skin and the soil beneath. His body was still cool from the summoning and the sun brought shivers as his skin warmed.

Ghosts were immaterial and came from beyond. It easily could have been him left haunting an artifact, unable to move on. It was easy to forget amongst the trials of survival. He was fortunate to be alive. Only through the sacrifice of his mother and the work of her bond did he manage to escape. The encounter with his linked companion only reinforced that knowledge.

He just wished it was not a ghost.

Scolding the thought and putting it away, Kenji re-centered himself. To reject a link was to bring shame upon both Warrior and clan, especially after it was already formed.

Kenji breathed in and out, clearing his mind.

It was easy, he thought. Too easy.

For when he began to dwell on the death and void, he could feel the shadows stretching towards him. The Energy merely a shift away. It was patient. The Energy was present at the birth of the world and it would be there long after he disappeared from it.

Now that Kenji was aware of his bond, he could sense the connection he had to it. His past experience-he shuddered as he remembered the whispers calling for him-reinforced the affinity brought on by his link.

"No wonder the shadows lie within," he said softly. Opening his eyes, Kenji welcomed the blinding sunlight.

When they adjusted, he was surprised to see Flutter resting on the rocks making up the firepit. The beast was staring at him intently with its wings folded together. The clear eyes were startling as the beast stared intently at him.

"Hello, Flutter," he greeted the butterfly.

"Beau," the beast trilled back.

"Was there something you wanted?" he asked leadingly. The beast rarely stayed around while he did little that it found interesting. That it returned and watched him while he cultivated was telling. Especially when combined with the Pokémon's previous attempts at growing its strength.

"Ti," the butterfly squealed.

Kenji chuckled at the beast's eager response. It was encouraging to see it respond so easily to his words, though he suspected it had little idea of what he was saying.

"Out of your cocoon and ready to fight," he murmured with a small grin.

A rumble from his stomach interrupted him as he opened his mouth. Kenji frowned briefly as he glanced up at the sky. He must have spent longer meditating than he realized, for the sun was well into the afternoon. Turning his eyes back to the butterfly, he considered the beast for a moment.

Its wings were healing nicely, with only a few discolored patches where the scaly membrane healed. Likewise, the bug's carapace bore a thick scar where the shell was broken. There were a few other scratches, newer ones that healed quickly. It seemed that gathering nectar was not as easily done as before.

Or now you've got a taste and can't get enough, he thought to himself.

Kenji nudged Sprout awake before turning back to the butterfly.

"Well, how about it?" he asked. "Up for another fight?"

The Pokémon cocked its head, the clear eyes communicating its lack of understanding.

Kenji smiled back, baring his teeth slightly from excitement. While dangerous, and potentially life threatening, the battle with the thorny glade tender was invigorating. The Energy released by the Pokémon's techniques awoke an itch under his skin, one he never realized he had. He worried for a moment, wondering if it was a result of the empty shadows urging him forwards.

Even if it was, he reasoned. Should I resist?

Some of his intent must have leaked through, for the Pokémon squealed. With a single downward flap of its wings, the butterfly leapt into the air and spun around. The sun caught its wings and they sparkled in the light.

The sound helped wake Sprout fully and the turtle warbled with complaint. The beast let out another grumble when it saw the other Pokémon but did not withdraw. Over a day in the cramped shelter with the butterfly quite literally helped Sprout come out of his shell.

"Enough of that," Kenji chided the young Pokémon gently. "It's time to train."

He stood up, eliciting another cry of eagerness from Flutter as the beast continued to bounce around in the air. When Sprout remained buried in the dirt, Kenji looked down at the turtle expectantly.

"Come on now," he told him. "You and I have sat around enough today, don't you think?"

His father and mother both had very different approaches to how they treated Pokémon. From raising them to training them to simply interacting with the wild ones that drifted through. However, they both agreed that one had to be firm if they wanted to grow into a strong Warrior.

The turtle looked at him with a chirp, so Kenji stared back, gesturing for the beast to follow. He moved over to the rocky shelter and collected a cocoon of stone flakes before returning to Sprout's side.

The beast warbled again in complaint, but when Kenji began to walk away, with Flutter eagerly fitting ahead, the turtle hurriedly pulled itself out of the ground. Kenji slowed to allow his young companion to catch up, yet not stopping completely. The beast chirped, expecting to be picked up.

To the turtle's misfortune, Kenji did not. This was the perfect first step to training the young Pokémon. Seeing Flutter fight would a good second one. Well, fight again that is. Sprout already experienced first-hand the results that a successful fight can get.

Hopefully, it would help with his fear as well.

It was only natural that a young Pokémon be scared, he did not blame the turtle for that. Especially when he was alone, hunted, and sick.

Yet the beast could not live that way, not forever. If he wanted to be strong, if Kenji wanted to be strong, then he would have to reach for it. Fight for it.

Moving with that belief, Kenji followed the Pokémon towards the river. Sprout complained, though as the beast was forced to walk, it soon had to focus its energy on moving. Meanwhile, Flutter realized the direction they were moving. The butterfly squealed and darted forward, maneuvering between the trees with ease.