The Campagna Adventures

Chapter 29-Midnight at Midday

Phil woke to the smell of bacon.  He clambered out of his tent to see Rachael cooking bacon.  The Aura Guardian reached over to get a piece, but Rachael smacked his hand with her spatula.

"Wait for the others, and the guest eats first."

"But I like it soft."

"Too bad."

"Fine."

Phil walked over to a clearing and summoned Asta Argento, which was lying by his tent.  Unfortunately, Denny chose that moment to emerge, and was subsequently hit over the head with a fast moving staff.

"Ouch!"

"Sorry, didn't see you coming."

"Sure you didn't."

Denny then went to get a piece of bacon.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Ignoring Phil's warning, Denny tried to grab a piece of bacon, but his hand was intercepted by a smack-happy spatula.  Phil burst out laughing so hard he had to lean on his staff for support.

"I warned you."

"Do not worry, Denny.  He only knows because he tried the same thing five seconds ago."

"Yeah, but Blazer, his partner, is a Fire type.  Which causes his Aura to naturally make his body more resistant to heat."

"So, Denny, can you hold your breath for an extended period of time?" Phil inquired.

"Yes, I can hold my breath for thirty minutes, when still, fifteen if moving at a conservative pace, and five if exerting myself fully."

"That's eight minutes longer than the world record!"

"Is it?  Well what do you know."

Just then Georgia emerged from her tent.

"Morning.  Do I smell bacon?"

"Yes, Rachael, now can we eat?"

"Guest eats first, then yes, you can."

Everyone then lined up for food, and then sat down on a couple logs to talk and eat.

"Georgia, are you going to stick with us until the next town?" Phil asked.

"I may, we are in Belrui country after all."

"Belrui?" Rachael questioned.

"A Pokemon, it is dark purple, black, with a little gold.  It gets its name from the Kalosian words meaning blooded ram, because it looks similar to their Gogoat, the males of which are called rams.  Extremely dangerous, no one knows exactly how they attack, because no one survives.  We also do not know much about their type, although they may have some sort of symbiotic relationship with Noivern, as many researchers observing from afar have been chased off by them," Phil explained.

"Why do we not know their type?" Rachael asked.

"No one as gotten close enough to collect necessary samples and lived," Georgia replied.

"Except for one, and Aura Guardian says that he held them off for a time until a large brown Pokemon came and chased them away.  He said they caused total darkness, but it is possible that what they did to him drove him insane.  He is currently being treated at the monastery for PTSD from the attack," Denny added, "They are also one of the reasons the Aura Guardians settled here.  In a large enough group, they could safely pass through if they all summoned their Aura to make Aura spheres.  Only about seventy-five  years ago did other people start coming through the mountains to reach the area.  Now, many trainers pass through here, but always in groups of more than a dozen, each with multiple Pokemon to walk around them as a show of force.  Georgia sticking with us means we should be safe, as she and Phil both have many large Pokemon, and Phil and I are fairly powerful Aura Guardians."