Tale Of The Guardian Master

Chapter 4 - The Departure

After the seniors took all of his grandfathers travel gear to make, as they called it, proper repairs, Chris decided to spend the day thinking everything through, considering so much had just suddenly happened at once and had left him, to say the least, exhausted, even after a nights sleep. Can't say it was good or bad though... It was just... Sleep. He grabbed the Pokeball containing his grandfathers remains and headed out for a walk through the village, looking around at the villagers and Pokemon as they went about pushing through another day together. Naturally, many of them had somber expressions, the sadness getting to them all to degrees, although they did their best not to show it. His grandfather was a man who always laughed through the worst of times, everybody knew that, even the Pokemon, and they wanted to act no differently because he had passed away. He would have wanted them all to laugh through it, to think of happy memories and enjoy being together as they always had, and they were doing their best to follow his wishes.


Eventually, he reached the tree the villagers had set Alakazam to rest. He had yet to leave, and was enjoying the breeze of a new day as he looked towards the sky, seeming as if murmuring to himself. Maybe he was... Talking to his grandfather? Chris thought as he walked up. The Alakazam jolted and looked at him, blinking slightly surprised, and smiled. Reaching a hand out, Chris bent down and placed his forehead against it. "I'm impressed... I can sense the sadness of everyone surrounding me... Yet they show such a different emotion in their actions and expressions. They do not wish to show your grandfather the sense of loss they hold deep within... He was a respected and renowned human, even here in this tiny village which knew nothing of his life, yet quickly came to feel as if they had known him forever..."


Chris looked around them at the town, smiling silently as the Alakazam seemed to chuckle. "They are preparing you for your journey as well, putting you before their feelings... This too, your grandfather would have wanted. I can see them... Several groups working hard, putting much love and dedication into his belongings they wish to breathe new life into in order to see you off properly... You are a lucky human to be able to start your journey in such a way... The very belongings you take will have such heart and history within them. Cherished by your grandfather, restored in his honor by those who felt the strongest of bonds with him... With the wish of making sure they keep you safe and well prepared for the challenges you may face. I... Wish we could travel with you as we did your grandfather, but time has sealed us here... We haven't the energy, no matter how strong our desire, to stay by your side and aid in your journey. But... If you would permit me... I would like to provide a means of keeping us in your thoughts nonetheless..."


Chris blinked at Alakazam, confused as to what the mysterious Pokemon wanted to do now, and he simply nodded in response. Alakazam pointed at the Pokeball, holding his hand out with a grunt, and Chris gave it to him. Weakly standing up, he raised his staff like branch and closed his eyes as a strange aura surrounded it. After a moment, Vespiquen and Lopunny arrived, bowing in respect as they looked at Alakazam. He held out the Pokeball to them, creating conversation in their native Pokemon tongues, and after a moment the Alakazam took out an old pen from his mustache. He scribbled on the Pokeball, handing it to Vespiquen, and her in turn to Lopunny, and they gave it back to Chris. Looking at it, he saw the three had signed their names on it. He blinked at them shocked, as Pokemon had never written the human language before, not to his knowledge, and Alakazam chuckled, touching his forehead. "Keep this a secret if you will... Your grandfather spent many years teaching us this... But our knowledge of, and talent with, human scripture has always remained very poor. Our names are, sadly, one of the few things we remember how to spell correctly... And we sadly have to strain to remember that as well... I tell you, young one, age is a cruel, cruuueeeel thing..."


The three Pokemon looked at each other embarrassed, smiling nervously as their eyes looked away from one another. Chris couldn't help but continue showing a shocked and bewildered expression, but he finally shook his head, snapping himself out of it, and thanked the three with a bit of laughter. He told them he was impressed with them no matter what, that they really were one of a kind, and nodded in respect, the three smiling and standing tall and proud from the compliment. The Lopunny and Vespiquen waved and went about their business once again as the Alakazam touched Chris once more. "I'm ashamed I never came into this village until now... It really is a wonderful place my boy... And much of how this village looks is thanks to you, am I not? The fields and gardens... The buildings look as though a lot of restoration has gone into them as well, considering how they looked when your grandfather parted ways with us at the entrance... I know its not the same at heart, but nonetheless, i'd simply like to tell you... Well done... You've made everybody here proud of you... And those beyond our world now as well..."


The Alakazam looked up at the sky with another smile, and Chris looked away with a chuckle, looking up as well and holding the Pokeball tightly. After a moment, he put his hand on the Alakazam's shoulder, and asked the Alakazam if he would like to own his grandfathers cabin. He looked at Chris in shock for a moment, wide eyed as he tried to speak yet remained silent, and Chris smiled looking towards his home. If he was going to leave... He didn't want the cabin to be empty... He didn't want to leave it as some abandoned reminder of him and his grandfather for the village to take care of. Chris wanted to make sure it still had a purpose, with or without him... A place for good times and not just good memories...


Alakazam looked towards the cabin for a moment, rubbing his mustache as he murmured to himself, seeming to think it over for himself. It... Was his old friends abode... And it would be a shame to leave it merely sitting as if a somber memorial to the past... And he eventually placed his hand on Chris once again. "Now that I've finally come here and met the humans... And have seen their relationship with my own kind... Living within its borders wouldn't be too bad. It would keep him out of the elements better than the cave he had lived in for so many years, and it would bring him honor as well to care for the final belongings of the human he spent his life with. However... He wished for the approval of the humans of the village as well, considering a Pokemon owning one of their abodes wasn't exactly a normal occurrence either. If they didn't mind an old Alakazam living there, he'd gladly take it off his hands.


Chris nodded and shook the Alakazam's hand, giving him a wave as he walked off. Alakazam watched him with a smile, the wind blowing once again causing his mustache to flow in the air, and he nodded silently. That human had a good heart... Curse or no curse, he knew Chris was going to have a life worth living, and one many could benefit from experiencing as well. Eventually, the village came to where Alakazam was along with Chris, and together they gave their consent for the old Pokemon to take over the cabin, with Chris telling him the village couldn't think of anyone better to own the cabin next than one of his own Pokemon, who was more like his own family. Lopunny and Vespiquen came up as well, and Chris told Alakazam the offer had been extended to them as well, so the three of them could take care of each other and the cabin properly. The village told them would make sure they were comfortable and felt like they were family, like one of their own, and shook the Pokemon's hands one by one, smiling and nodding at them.


After this, they helped the Alakazam over to the cabin, and let him go on on his own. He walked up to the door, giving it a touch and slowly holding the knob... And he carefully turned it, slowly pushing the door open. Looking back at Chris and the villagers, as well as his friends, he slowly took a step inside, then another, until he was standing in the middle of it. As he looked around, he slowly started weeping... With his psychic abilities, he was able to trace through what you could consider the memories of the cabin, and all of the years Chris and his grandfather lived there were reflected in Alakazam's mind. All of the laughter shared between them, all of the love between the old man and the villagers... Celebrations and casual gatherings... Alakazam saw the bonds as they grew between them all in the cabin, and he slowly lowered onto his knees, clutching his staff like branch as he wept. Repeatedly he spoke, saying Al... A... Al... A... Ka... Zam... Ka... Zam... Zam...


The villagers looked at him concerned as they walked in and surrounded him, with Chris walking up and rubbing his shoulder. Alakazam placed his hand over Chris's, and suddenly Alakazam's eyes glowed brightly. Slowly, auras began to fade into view all around them, until they were clear as crystal, like watching a TV, and they saw what Alakazam was seeing as he shared all of the cabins memories with them. As they watched events pass by one after one, the villagers laughed... They cried... And they all held each others hands, pat each others backs, and as the auras faded, thanked Alakazam for sharing these things. He nodded at them all, and one by one they gave Alakazam a hug, comforting him as they helped him up and onto one of the chairs around the kitchen table. He took a moment to gather himself, as suddenly the seniors who took the belongings of Chris's grandfather walked up from the crowd.


Everything looked like it had just been made... The backpacked showed little signs of age, the grappling hook sparkled like new, with fresh rope to go with it, and everything else from the wardrobe had been restored with detailed care. Chris thanked them all, and the villagers smiled in response, telling him it was the least they could do as they began talking to him about, finally, leaving the village to see what waited for him beyond. It took some time, with plenty of convincing and reassuring, but at the end of the day, they had finally pushed Chris into setting off into the world. Helping him gather everything he would need, they led him to the villages entrance, with Lopunny and Vespiquen helping Alakazam follow the crowd with a wheelchair the village had given them. Once they reached the villages border, Chris looked back at them all with a worried look, unsure if they were actually ready to take care of themselves without him after so long, and they all shoot up their fists, as did the Pokemon, and told him as long as they had each other, they didn't need some young punk babysitting them anymore!


They all laughed, patting each other on the back, and gave Chris a thumbs up together. They would make sure to keep their newest residents as happy as possible too, so he had nothing to fear. All of his repairs and upgrades to the village would make the buildings last for a long, long time, and they had plenty to do to keep themselves entertained as well. Telling him to shoo together, motioning for their hands for him to get going, Chris smiled and started taking his first steps on the path beyond the villages border. It was terrifying yet exciting all at once... And he kept his focus behind him, looking at all of the villagers and Pokemon waving him off, as Alakazam, Vespiquen, and Lopunny held each others hands. He struggled to keep tears from streaming as they welled up in his eyes, and gave them another long, final wave as he pressed forward.


Unfortunately, its never wise to look behind you for too long when you're moving... And Chris slammed into a tree, causing the villagers and Pokemon to gasp, as he slowly slid down the trunk, laying on the ground at its roots. But... Although humiliated, he was fine, and shot up his thumb as he raised up groaning, the village responding with loud laughter as a result, his grandfathers Pokemon looking at each other with nervous smiles. Well... They hoped he was ready at least... And they joined the others giving him a final wave farewell.


Continuing down the path, his eyes now set before him... He was on his way... The sun setting beautifully over the forest before him...