The Rise of the Outcasts | Pokemon

Chapter 4 | The Tree of Peace

2233 words
"Xeno! You're getting blinded by your anger again!" My dad, a lucario, shouted. "Focus on your energy, on your aura." He sat down, crossing his legs and patting the dry ground next to him. "Come. Meditate. You need to learn how to control your anger."

"Fine! I mean, yes, sir," I said, walking next to my dad and sitting down next to him. As he closed his eyes, I closed mine, resting my hands in my lap.

"Your eyes are closed, right? Good. Deep down inside, you feel a calming energy. Despite everything that angers you, that energy stays calm. Now, take a deep breath, and imagine that energy. Imagine it flowing through your body. Starting from your feet, up to your legs, to your waist, your shoulders, hands, your head."

I inhaled for five seconds, held my breath for four, then exhaled for eight seconds. In my mind, I imagined a riolu's body, then a light blue seed with a blue energy surrounding it in the ground below the riolu. The seed grew into a beautiful blue oak tree and took over the red energy that flowed through the riolu. 

When I opened my eyes, I could see a bright, clear blue sky that stretched on for miles and miles. Soft, fluffy grass and delicate, orange and white flowers surrounded me. I sat on a hill with no one else. Nothing, or no one, to make me angry.

"See, Xeno? See how pretty it is when you're calm?" A voice said. I quickly blinked back to reality. In front of me rested a dusty, cracked, grassless ground and the heat of the sun. "Do you feel the calming energy grow through your body and take over the negative energy?" My dad spoke.

"Yes, I do. Thank you, Dad. Dad-!" I panicked as I saw three Fire Kingdom guards- A blaziken, incineroar, and charizard- and two royal servants- a delphox and braixen- rushing towards us. A Blaziken kicked Dad in the back, fire engulfing its foot. A Delphox, one of the royal servants, also my mom, stomped her foot on Dad's head before he could recover, forcing him to stay on the ground.

"I found you, honey. Braixen, what did I say we would do once we found him?" The Delphox said. A Braixen next to her answered, "Yes, mother. You said, 'Oh, Lucario, baby. Once I find you, I'll kill you and take Xeno and Lurix. They'd make fine guards, won't they?'"

"Very well, Braixen! You listen well. So, hun? Any last words?" The delphox pushed her foot down harder, forcing Lucario's cheek against the dirty ground.

Dad glanced up at Mom, his eyes narrowed with anger, then looked at me (Well, tried to, anyways). "Xeno, run! Run away with Lurix and make sure she doesn't find you!" Dad yelled.

"But... Dad... What about you?" I said with worry.

"Dad will be fine. Just do it! Your life is more important to me than my own!"

I nodded and ran away as I heard my dad's neck crack. If I could run back, I could get him help before he died. But that wouldn't be what he wanted. So I continued running. I heard my mom order the guards behind me, "Get him."

LURIX! Xeno shouted his brother's name in his mind. He shot up from where he slept, his breathing abnormally fast. Cinder, who slept beside him, turned over, facing him. Sensing a sudden panic and fear, she peaked her eyes open, and, noticing Xeno, she sat up, cuddling him close to her.

"Xeno! Sh, sh. Breathe. Sh, it's okay," she said in a soft, quiet voice, careful not to wake up the others in the igloo. "Listen to me, okay? Hey, it's alright. Deep breaths, deep breaths."

Xeno imagined the blue tree again. But the seed never grew. The tree didn't take over the black and gray energy of stress and fear and anxiety. Still, he managed to somewhat ease his breathing. Trembling, he muttered, his voice cracking, "I hate this war. I want it to end. It's stupid. It was only caused by Queen Ninetale's hate for fire-types and King Corviknight's want for violence and power."