Bestia: an ancient energy that allows Pokémon to use their powers. Lucca Aska is a plucky Brionne raised as a hero in a world devoid of Bestia, where Pokémon must use weapons and armour to survive. Destiny has chosen Lucca and five other outcasts to...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Okay. I think it's safe to say we're not being followed," Azu breathed out. She peeked beside a large rock with her ears raised, but couldn't detect anything living. With another sigh of relief, she returned to the group who were sprawled about this small enclosure of rocks and dead wood. Brine and Mimia were fretting over their allies, who were still knocked out.
"You look scared," Crystal pointed out.
Azu hesitated. "Are we far enough into this journey that I'm allowed to be honest?"
"I think we got there a while ago." Crystal hung her head.
"There's been a lot of things this journey that I'm surprised we've lived through. But that..." she looked toward the castle. "I'm surprised I could talk at all."
"He was really powerful, and hard to hit, too," Crystal admitted.
Azu gulped and then started swaying. "Well that, but I've never met a Pokémon who so shamelessly spoke like he did. Lucca painted me as his partner, yet he had no problem at all saying I was his. That... really took me off-guard."
"Wait, that's what you're afraid of? Not the fact that he wiped the floor with us without even using Bestia?" Brine commented.
"Look, I don't get Pokémon hitting on me often. So I've never met someone who was so... you know, creepy about it," Azu hung her head. "And me of all Pokémon, too. Nothing on me being younger by miles, or my weight being too big, or anything. If it'd been you he hit on, I'd understand."
"Don't pawn him off on me. I've never been hit on either, and I'm really not interested," Brine folded her arms and turned away. "You're not serious about this."
"It's because he's an Aska," Lucca grumbled. The group flinched as the Brionne rubbed his head and growled to sit up.
"Lord Lucca!" Mimia cried, and then helped him up. Lucca put a paw on him to gesture to give him space, but Mimia still worried.
"Good, my healing worked. I can only hope Shelly and Ruby are just asleep or something," Brine sighed from relief.
"What was that, though? What does being an Aska have to do with choosing me?" Azu asked with a furrowed brow.
"The Aska are inbred, and their children are never the same species as the parents. So I think he doesn't care where his mating partners come from," Lucca said. He steadied his breath. "During my time here, the rest of the Aska population were sealed in ice in the castle basement. It was only me, Father, and Alver for as long as I can remember. So he hasn't seen a female in probably decades."
"That's not what inbred means, but that doesn't it make any less uncomfortable! I only played along with your little lie because I thought it'd get him off my case," Azu complained. "I know you just got up, but you've got a lot of explaining to do, mister. And I'm sure we're all tired of it!"
"Ugh," Ruby grumbled. Shelly was little better. The duo complained and soothed themselves as they got up and determined where they were. "Great, still in hell."
