(Hiatus) Sword of Ideals

Prologue

Aisling was only two years old when she was indoctrinated into the cult known as Team Plasma.

She was left at the doorstep of a small apartment on the run-down side of Virbank City. As the good natured knights the couple that lived there was, they took in young Aisling. They just so happened to be closeted Team Plasma members. The members would come and go, whilst she would just sit there, unwittingly, playing with the pokemon they liberated.

"She gets along so well with the pokemon! You raised her well!"

These were the mutterings going around the Virbank Plasma guild, and it was a shock to no one when the head of the Seven Sages decided to pop on in.

Dennis-- I'm sorry, Ghetsis, had walked into the barely-concealed Plama base to see a group of Plasma grunts fawning over a lavender-haired child, who calmly brushed a Purrloin's fur.

"Well? What do you think of her?" said her adoptive mother a bit quickly.

Ghetsis looked Aisling over, before realising that all children seemed the same to him. To him, they looked like horrid, wretched creatures who just got in the way. At least some could be somewhat useful. So in that life-changing moment, he decided that this child may be somewhat useful for him. And that's how the majority of the Virbank Plasma guild got promoted.

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As a five year old, she couldn't go on missions. Instead, Aisling spent her time caring for rescued pokemon and sewing.

Her new guild's leader, Mother Esmerelda, decided that, "No matter how young they are, they must either work or pay taxes. I'm having no freeloaders on our Lord's ground."

Aisling wasn't good at sewing at first, so she was mainly tasked with making the gloves. And when she mastered that, Mother Esmerelda let her move onto... something fresh. In other words; leggings.

"No, no, child, you're doing it wrong. Look here, Aisling. Right sides together, then sew."

Aisling often stayed up late at night, trying to perfect her sewing. Soon she became one of Mother Esmerelda's favourite seamstresses. Huh, seams like working hard pays off, doesn't it, Dawn.

Her second job, looking after pokemon, went way better than that whole shabang.

Aisling's first case was young Solosis. It tended to get annoyed rather quickly. Every step Aisling took to get closer to it, the Solosis took two back.

Finally, after the weirdest game of 'Go fish' she had ever played, she had made a new friend.

It was too bad when the Solosis was released.

One day, Mother Esmerelda caught wind of a 'test' to be conducted by the Sages. One child within two years of the Crown Prince was to be chosen as the 'Muse' or 'Lady of the Lake'.

We get it, Team Plasma, you're knights, you like Galarian literature.

Naturally, Mother Esmerelda elected Aisling to represent her Guild in the vote. One by one, the kids were eliminated. Not like that, they were just taken out of the race.

Aisling only met one of the children she was 'competing' against (In actuality, she was just watched during her normal jobs and field missions while a Sage would periodically jot notes down on a scroll). His name was Obsidian and he was a year younger than her. He was shy though kind. Obsidian was chosen due to his carefulness whilst handling pokemon. He was also eliminated due to his quietness. Poor kid.

Aisling was nine when the results finally came in. She had just gotten back from a 'Pokemon Liberation Rally', when Mother Esmerelda gracefully ran into the room. Her cold face looked just a bit happy.

"Aisling, child, Sage Ghetsis is waiting for you. Here," she shoved something elegantly into her arms, "take this."

It was Mother Esmerelda's most prized sewing piece. A flowing blue dress somewhat imitating a stream. The sleeves were short but large and made her arms look small. Aisling decided that she liked it.

"Look your best, Aisling. Make your parents and I proud."

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Scared was an understatement for what Aisling was feeling. She was engulfed in terror. It threated to drown her. She paced outside the chambers the Sages were waiting in. This was the final vote wasn't it? She tried not to play with her hair; her mother had done it so beautifully, after all.

She had to make them proud.

Her parents.

Mother Esmerelda.

Her Guild.

The Sages.

And her dear Crown Prince N.

She just couldn't let them down.

It felt like hours before she was finally let into the chamber. She had since slumped against the wall, deep in thought. What exactly would she do if she was chosen. Sure being close to the Prince would be cool, but what if she failed her role? She had to think now of what she was to do.

"Ah, Aisling, do come in," one of the Sages said, most likely Rood.

She leapt to her feet and practically ran in, to Rood's amusement.

In the room, the rest of the seven sages sat around a rounded table, with Ghetsis in the centre. Behind it was a sparkling silver chair. It was most likely the Prince's chair. Maybe he was also coming.

"Miss Aisling, do you know why you are here?" Ghetsis said.

"I think so, sir," Aisling replied.

"Right. Good."

There was an awkward pause. You know what they say about awkward silences; every ten seconds of awkward silence, two identical twins call each other ugly.

"Well then, we'll start the ceremony soon," Rood said, breaking the silence.

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"Will you, Aisling Grane, take up the responsibility to serve as the Lady of the Lake of the next King? To protect the sacred sword of our future King? And to inspire and purify his morals?"

"I swear on my life."

It was cool saying it the first time. Second time, in front of everyone in the castle, it was a bit cooler.

Apparently, this was her life now.

Aisling could get used to this.

(1020 words)