Heroes of Darkness

VIII

CHRIS

"Look at that," Chris proudly pointed to the top of the thick stone shell of a building that was being raised. On top of it, the deep blue mark of the Empress and Kyogre flew across a great flag. Beneath the Royal Glamour banner, a white flag with crossed yellow and blue swords was being raised. It was his flag, his banner, the start of his own family. "We will live on in history, Azumarill." The blue aqua rabbit Pokémon smiled up at it with starry eyes.

Chris Marsh II stood for hours every day overseeing the work on what once was his father's ancestral home. It had been a poor, drab thing most of his life. Made of old wood that creaked in the night. It was why he spent most of his upbringing in Mauville with his mother, Sarah. That was, until he left to become part of the First Generation.

The builders were erecting beside it a large, stone palace, fit for one of the Kings of the Great Spirit Families of old. He had always wondered why the Marshes didn't live like the other Kings of Hoenn. No there are no Kings, he thought, only Her Majesty's great Empire. Chris Marsh II was no king, he was better than his father's family. His banner was testament to that: a blue sword and a yellow sword, representative of the joining of Houses Marsh and Spark, with the pure white background symbolizing the support of the Empress's own great marble castle.

"Azu!" his Spirit Pokémon cried. Chris heard it too: footsteps approaching him in the sand, and he heard the familiar voice. It had been so long since he had seen his late father's cousin, Hera Love.

She was tall for a woman, with sandy blonde hair and accompanied by a young Gardevoir, the Spirit Pokémon of her family. She bowed respectfully to her Lord Cousin. Chris waved his hand allowing the guards to let her pass. She was, after all, Chieftess of Oldale. He briskly walked over and braced her for a hug.

"Hera!" Chris said with a smile. "How good to see you!"

"And you," she said politely. Even though she was nearly twice Chris's age, she was still respectful to her superior. She glanced at the stone building being raised. "I had to come see it for myself. I guess it's true, then. You will be Lord Governor from Slateport?"

Chris Marsh smiled and looked down at his Azumarill. "It's been seventeen years since a Marsh was in Slateport. It's time to carry on the torch my father should have passed down to me himself. You know what it's like, not having a father who's there for you. It's hard but we must persevere."

Hera hung her head shortly before gathering herself again. Chris felt a twinge of guilt come up inside of him. Unlike Chris, Hera had known her father. He had disappeared during the Unification of Hoenn when Chris was still a baby, seventeen years ago. "No, it's quite alright," Hera said with a smile. "I do know what he would say, though." She laughed and stood beside Chris. They both looked at the wooden frames where the builders were adding layers of stone to the new Slateport Palace. "He would wonder what that white flag with swords is, and where his King's banner was."

Chris felt slightly annoyed by that. There are no Kings anymore, he said. He had to forgive her silently though. She wasn't part of the first generation. She wasn't instructed in the truth. She grew up in a different time. "It's my flag," he responded finally. "The flag of a new era of the Marsh family."

Hera looked down again at Azumarill curiously. "It's a shame all the Mudkip eggs were lost during the Unification," she said quietly. Chris felt Azumarill's slight jealousy at that. "Let me give you some advice, cousin, if you will have it." Her voice was soft and kind.

Chris had to hold back a scowl as he listened to her. A wise Governor listens to council, he recalled. "Let's hear it then," he said, feigning excitement.