The Aura is With Us

Chapter 10: A Mother's Memory

The gentle cool breeze was fresh, and the ground below his paws was still damp with evening dew. The forest behind the little red and white cottage was lush and green, sending soft sounds of night drifting in the wind towards him.

Lucario breathed a sigh through his snout. He felt strangely at peace here. Pallet Town wasn't a bustling city, or a very grand place to live, but it was charming and quaint. Close enough to the forest to connect to the wild Pokémon, but civilized enough for humans to live without much conflict. His ear flicked, and he stared up at the clear sky with a subtle smile. Even the stars found this a suitable place. Though, Ash's home was closer to the woods then the downtown of Pallet, and Lucario found that the stars did not favor cities. Perhaps they were merely here for Ash and his family.

Speaking of family, Lucario now knows where Ash got his stubborn streak. Maiden Delia was a more like a mother Pokémon then a human one in Lucario's opinion. It was obvious from the start that unless you had an actual logical argument to discuss with her, her word was law. However, with her loving and kind nature it never felt as if the environment was oppressive. It felt safe. Like nothing horrible would ever happening in this cottage and the surround village, and if something were to happen, Maiden Delia would fight to keep everyone safe.

And considering the number of actions Lucario had seen Ash take to protect others, there was no doubt that the lad's mother was willing to do the same.

However, the peace of outside garden wouldn't last forever. Behind Lucario, the soft footsteps of a small pair of paws could be heard coming closer. He turned around finding the pup coming near him.

"Rio (Hello)."

"Lu car (Little one)."

"Ri lu (What are you doing)?"

"Ca Lu Car (Watching the perimeter)."

"Ri (Why)?"

"Rio Lu Ca (to ensure the safety of the humans. They are not prepared for a sudden attack)."

"Olu Ri (sudden attack? Mom said that the wild Pokémon don't bother the humans)."

"Lu cari ca (Not just the wild Pokémon, but Team Rocket could appear as well)," Lucario's brows furrowed, "Ri (mom?)."

"O lu Ri (Miss Delia, all the others call her mom. And I never had a mom so, I wanted too too)."

Lucario hummed, "Ca lu Lucar Rio (Never? Do you not remember your birth mother? Did you not feel her from within the shell?)"

Abandoned? The pup was abandoned. Lucario was angry, but not unsurprised. Sadly, that was the only picture of where this little one came from. Packs were a place of safety, but they could also be shockingly paranoid. If Riolu's mother had been killed before her offspring were to hatch...it wasn't uncommon for the males to cast out eggs that had less chances of surviving, once the mother was out of the picture. Especially if a new female took charge and said egg wasn't one of their own.

Riolu looked like he was in deep thought for a moment, before shaking his head, "Olu ri ri O olu (I remember feeling safe and loved, but then she was gone. Her trainer probably didn't want me, so they left me at the daycare. Eggs are a lot of work. A lot of trainers don't like to bother with an egg.)"

Lucario nearly growled, but silenced himself. Humans. They were a confusing race. Some like Ash and master, being so kind as to give their lives for the sake of their loved ones and duties. Yet, in the world there were humans who are willing to separate a mother from her pup out of mere inconvenience.