Protector of All

chapter four

"Are you sure, Inyo-sama? What if you get injured?! Or even killed!?" I pat Adaman on his head, ruffling his hair and smiling at him. "Just like Dawn, I have a role to fulfill. And don't worry, if I do require help, I will tell you so." The clan leader looks at me with his eyebrows still knitted in worry, mouth turned to a frown. He just met me so this isn't any attachment, this is because he knows who I am, what my role is and what could happen.

But I cannot let myself be deterred from that, while throwing the Offerings at the Pokémon worked in the game, it may not work here. It's not something I want to gamble on, Dawn is still needed in her own way. She needs to open up the eyes of the people residing in Hisui, to make them realize that Pokémon aren't rabid beasts, not foe. It is important that she helps these people.

Without any further delay I step into the foggy and windy Brava Arena grounds, hearing the Noble close by. Eevee and Zorua stay close to me, their fur being ruffled from the wind. That is soon no longer. A loud cry sounds as if it surrounds us and a wave of energy surges right after, dispelling the small storm. And there she is, Lilligant, standing gracefully before spinning and bowing. Like a dance. For that is what she is, a dancer.

Feeling the urge to, I bow as well, one hand on my heart and the other slightly outstretched to the front. "Zorua, try to keep her attention on you, dodge any and every attack. Eevee, help Zorua with your Sand Attack." They both nod and yip an affirmative 'understood' as I grab into my pocket and then throw three smoke bombs to create a screen to hide me and my partners. I need to end this quickly, to spare her and the others from any more harm.

I sneak behind the Lilligant, keeping my eyes on her while Zorua jumps out of the smoke and hits her with an Icy Wind. Eevee quickly follows and heavily swipes her tail across the ground, sending a Sand Attack to the Noble. The tall Pokémon furiously shakes her head and uses her leaf like arms to try and get rid of the sand in her face. So far so good.

Next up Zorua uses Shadow Sneak to get behind Lilligant, only coming up with half her body, the rest still in the shadowy puddle. With that she holds onto the Grass type. Eevee jumps in the Noble's face, gritting her fangs as the way bigger Pokémon tries to hit her off.

Immense dread immediately pools in my stomach as the small, young foxes do their best to hold the Noble Lady in place. But I need to remain focused, panic gets me nowhere. I approach them, already focusing on my own aura and place my hand on the slender back. The next thing I know our energies meet and it's as if I'm at a different place.

The somewhat flowery fields close to the Brava Arena are filled with beautiful music, the singing of different Pokémon coming together in a most heart-warming song. The Noble Lilligant along with three smaller ones dance to the music, Petilils joining them with happy trills. It is a magnificent scene.

But suddenly a loud crack is heard, a rift opening up over the dancing and singing Pokémon. A bright flash follows next, lighting crackling down to directly hit the Lady of the Rift. The other Pokémon try to check up on the Noble, yet when they try to touch her, immense energy forces them back.

Fear, pain, sadness, panic... so many emotions fill my every fiber as I watch the big Lilligant twitch in place. She curls in on herself, whimpering as she gets overwhelmed by the immense energy that was just forced in her body.

After that scene vanishes from before my eyes, I am brought back to the present. That was what happened to her, what made her this way. I smile slightly, enveloping her with my own aura, forcing the foreign energy out of her body. However, I didn't expect it to enter mine.

I can't remember what fully happened when I was in the Grandtree Arena. The only things I do remember are my fear, the panic and what happened after I came to in Dawn's embrace. If the energy from Kleavor's body also transferred to mine, I don't know, but so far I don't really feel any different. Hopefully it will stay this way.