Paradise Found?

[Aeroth]

(Continued from An Intriguing find...

"Change?" Aurora asked, almost perplexed and a little perturbed, but she dropped her shoulders and relaxed. "Nevermind" What was there to change? She liked herself just the way she was, there was no reason to change more than she already had recently. She kept walking, going in no specific direction, but knowing they would have to find sufficient food and water eventually. But as she walked, she discovered that she was feeling much better, her body seemed to ache less as her mind relaxed.

"I nevber properly thanked you, for putting up with me" She said suddenly. She had stopped and was examining her feet as she said this. He was still with her...why? He had no reason, there was nothing special about her, she had nothing to give him. Why was she with him? He had nothing to give her...no. That was a lie. They had saved each other's lives, he had helped her with her lame arm, and now he was going to train with her. She needed him, more than she would like to admit. "So thank you"

There, she said it, it was off her chest, and she felt slightly better still. Without really waiting for a response she moved on and shortly, she noticed the trickling of water, and instinctively moved towards it. After she passed the last line of trees and short shrubs, she could see what could easily be described as paradise. Meandering slowly downstream was a crystal clear stream, the sun shining in all its brilliance on the small clearing, sending miniscule rainbows through the air. On the bank were large, warm, flat stones, perfect for sunbathing. In the water itself, the ground was soft and sandy, but a little ways upstream the water was disturbed a little by two large stones sticking out. They were also relatively flat, and close together forming small rapids where the water flowed slightly over the surface. Hmm, perfect.

Aurora walked calmly down to the riverside and dipped her paws in, splashing water all over her body to wash away the sweat and grime from the earlier days. It was wonderful, almost as if she was washing away all her troubles in the cool, clear blue water. A sigh of contentment escaped her maw as she flopped on her back on the sunbathing stone. She could stay here. Train here. With Yamato. Forever.

[lonewolf]

"Don't mention it," Yamato said calmly as he continued through the vegetation. "I think we are just about even." Moving aside branches obstructing his path, the Riolu came to a clearing.

He stood back while Aurora cleansed herself of soil and rested on the smooth slab of rock. Walking up to the gently flowing stream, Yamato bent down to look into the shimmering water but did not go in it at all. He felt much more at peace in this serene environment opposed to the hostile one he had just left. No angry, psychopathic ghost pokemon here, what a relief.

"It is very nice here," Yamato said, before turning around to look at the relaxing Aurora. "You know, what I meant by change is...you will only reach your full potential if you are happy. As of recently, it does not seem that you feel that way."

[Aeroth]

It was so peaceful here as the sun warms both the body and soul. "So we're even, Yamato?" She asked. The looked up at the clear blue sky and laughed quietly, "That's funny. How'd you get to be so kind?" She couldn't see how she had repayed him at all...once with the Duskull, that was it, compared to all that he had done for her...

Aurora pulled herself to a sitting position, the wind rustled the leaves in the berry bushes. She felt fine now, if a little puzzled at what Yamato said. She pondered this, yet said nothing. How can you be happy while in a fight? The only thing she could think of was bloodlust, she had felt it once, but it didn't feel good afterwards. That couldn't be what he was talking about. It was true though, she hadn't been happy for the past five years. She would like to say she was happy now, but deep down inside she knew it wasn't true. Besides, how would this Riolu, who looked even younger than she, know so much? What had he been through?

"Now I'm curious. What happened to you, before we met?" She asked as she looked at him. "I didn't ask before because I thought it would be a sob story, and I couldn't handle it then. Now I'd like to know, if you'd care to share, I want to know more about you."

[lonewolf]

Yamato tensed a little as his aura radiated slightly. He wasn't annoyed or offended by the request, but thinking about the past usually led to remorse, so usually avoided it. He was actually hoping she wouldn't have asked him, but he was going to tell his story anyway.

"Unfortunately, your rumination was correct...It is not a happy one, of course. I was born into a large pack, my father the alpha male. Our pack controlled a vast expanse of territory, and it seemed everyone but me was happy. Constantly I was surrounded by all of them, always enjoying themselves, but I still felt distant. It wasn't until I was older that I found out why. I was so much more different than all of them, our views were near polar opposites.

"They fought to expand their territory endlessly, but when I was older, I refused to. I thought it was terrible to fight the way they did, always taking revenge on other packs of Lucario. My father was furious because of our differences, we never saw on the same level. Finally, because I was of no use to them, I was exiled.

"Even still, in the years that followed, I missed them. I wandered throughout these lands in search of a place where I truly belonged. I realized that I really didn't want to be left alone. I found no others before now."

(ooc:eh, good enough I guess. Hooray for basing characters off of someone else's work.)

[Aeroth]

Aurora sat and listened quietly, attentively. Everyone thought their story was the worst until they heard someone elses. To be exiled from your pack, from your family, to not be wanted...that was horrible. At least she knew she had been loved. "As long as you have one person, that can be a kind of home, eh? You've got me, and I've got you. Together we can survive anything" She said confidently, standing and holding her paw out to her friend.

She wanted to get his mind off of bad times. "Come on, you said you'd train me" She was feeling up to a little test of might. It wouldn't be long, of course, but it would get her loosened up. Aurora moved off to the water and went to stand on the semi-flat stone just sticking out of the stream. It was slippery, she needed to focus just to stay on. There were two, close enough so Yamato could stand on the one opposite her and they could attempt to knock each other into the water.

[lonewolf]

"Very well. Let us see who is the most dexterous," Yamato replied with cheer. He was in such a pleasant mood, his tail was even wagging as he climbed up onto the adjacent stone. Once standing on the flat surface, he closed his eyes to find his balance.

Keeping perfectly still, he muttered, "I'm ready when you are, you can go first. There is a techique I've practiced for hours." Yamato waved his paw, signaling for Aurora to strike.

(ooc: Yay, harshest move in ssbb...don't worry I won't KO Aurora...)

[Aeroth]

(oooh...I'm guessing the Counter move that Riolu learns at level 6? Technically, in SSBB the down B move (I use the Gamecube controller) is a Double Team. Anyway, I really don't care if you do knock her out)

Aurora looked over Yamato from head to tail, sizing up his strength and possible openings. It was obvious he was happy, his mind was off the sad happenings of his past. Unfortunately, she could not so easily forget hers. This was training, she would be serious. Even if she lost, she would pick herself back up and continue. He was ready. So was she. The goal was to knock him into the water, and his goal was to make her lose her balance and get wet. Think, Aurora! A fight is best ended quickly. To make one lose their balance, it was best to aim for the feet, but wouldn't he be expecting that? Still, attacking his upper body would be far too risky. He's probably thinking of catching whatever she threw at him and throwing her into the water.

That decided it then "Don't you even think about going easy on me" She said. She was moving around, so he couldn't find any weaknesses, she would move like the water itself. She wouldn't let him analyze her fighting stance. ~"Hyyaaaaah!"~ She screamed into his mind, hoping he would be startled, at least a bit. At the same exact time she dropped down into a crouch and shot both legs outward, attempting to catch him below the legs and end this quickly.

[lonewolf]

(ooc: I knew it was double team, and I thought that Riolu could learn it, but I just checked and...he can't. Oh well, I'll be changing things then.)

In his state of concentration, he saw Aurora's legs come at his, just about to take his feet from under him. I can't lose this easily, that would just be embarassing. In a split second, Yamato hopped into the air to avoid the lunging kicks. After landing on the rock again, he began to lose his balance. The rock was wet and slippery, and the Riolu began to slide off.

At the last moment, Yamato had an idea. It looked like he couldn't win, so he would try something else. An unavoidable grapple would not only send her off, but him as well. At least there will be no winners or losers...it's better that way. Yamato leaned foward and reached out to pull both of them down into the flowing water below.

[Aeroth]

As Yamato launched himself into the air, Aurella smirked. In the air he couldn't move, it was the perfect time to attack. Concentrating, she threw a high roundhouse kick at his falling form, but the wet rocks made her lose her footing, and before she could connect, she too was scrambling to stay vertical and dry. She never saw him turn his fall into her to push her into the river. He slammed into her, and she went down into the clear blue depths...but she was still holding on! Her arms had latched onto a ridge of the smooth rock and it would allow her to climb back on, only her lower half was wet...Aurora paused, and looked down to find her feet touching the bottom of the river.

She slumped her shoulders and let go, completely emersing herself in the water. Standing up once more, the red Riolu shook herself. 'That was pathetic! She thought to herself 'You had him, if only you didn't try to completely beat him, you would have seen that grapple and you could have avoided it. Stupid!' She mentally kicked herself. Aurora looked over to her training partner.

"Nice moves. It was a draw. Care to try again?" She asked, knowing full well that since they were both fully wet now, staying on the rocks would be much harder. Without waiting for his reply the miscolored Riolu got back on her rock and took a different stance. This one was all about defense and balance. Her legs were spread apart, and her chest was low to the ground. One hand was resting on the rocks while the other was high in the air. She could easily move in this position, block Yamato's attack or attack herself.

(Well technically Riolu learns Counter at level six. Since they warded off three Duskull that could easily be above level ten or even fifteen, I think it's safe to say they've learned it)

[lonewolf]

Yamato scrambled to get out of the cold water and onto the shore. He shook rapidly to get most of the water out of his coat. The last thing he wanted was extra weight when he was sparring like this. So she's not unbeatable...let's see if I can prove my worth this time.

Trying to clear his mind, he climbed the rocks again to face Aurora. He stared at her directly in the eyes, attempting to cause her to lose focus. Don't fall, Aurora, he thought as he sent a fist flying through the air. He stopped just before her, though. It was only meant to catch her off guard and play more mind games. In the past he has learned that is the key to victory.

Yamato felt for the center of gravity and placed his feet in the most secure positions. Then, he raised his paws up and held them in front of him. Striking is too easy to avoid, if anything shall make her fall, it will be to throw her off...or at least make her lose her balance.

Yamato began making fake-out motions with his paws, being wary not to move too close, the slightest mistake and Aurora would easily grab his arm and pull him down in the gushing stream. "Well, then? Aren't you ready to make your move?"