Search for the Sword of the Mist Ch4

CHAPTER 4 A Battle, A Secret, and a Legend

[Author's Note]
Grab a bucket of popcorn and a soft drink. This is an extremely long chapter, since I have a load of explaining to do in the next couple of chapters. Please rate and/or comment. I would appreciate it.


CONTINUED FROM CHAPTER 3....

"Ugh, I forgot how much I hate these shrubs around the gate..." Buizel muttered as he pulled his paw out of a tangled mess of grass and dropped vines.

Riolu turned back toward him with a confused look. "They don't seem to be much of a problem."

"Not to you, maybe," Buizel mused. "But I've barely been here, so I always have trouble getting through this annoying place."

"Neither have I. How would it make any difference for me?"

Buizel gave him a look. "Oh, haha."

Buizel pulled off what was remaining of the shrubs and continued walking along with Riolu towards the village.

A silence flowed from the wind, giving a slight uncomfortable feeling.

Riolu broke the silence. "So what exactly is this...Village Elder?"

Buizel shrugged. "Meh, he's an odd one. We don't really go and bother him, anyway. He just acts completely non-Pokemon-like," Buizel said.

Riolu gave him another confused look. "And why would you say that?"

Buizel gave a bit of an oddly hurt look.

"Uh...well...it's because..."

KA-GONK!

Buizel flew to the ground, unexpecting the incoming rock that hit him upside the head.

"What the-!" Buizel shouted as he recoiled on the ground, bringing his forepaws to his injured head.

Riolu glanced at the odd excuse for a friend he made. "What happened to you?"

"What do ya think?" Buizel murmured, lowering his voice so the injury wouldn't be as painful.

ZIPSHHHH!

Another rock, jabbed with a sharp edge, came sizzling through the brush of the jungle that hung outside the village entrance, aiming straight at Riolu.

Buizel rubbed his injured forehead before sitting himself up, growling so much that it made the pointed tooth he had in his right jaw look evil. At that point he had noticed the rock that came from the camouflaged shrubs along the gate.

"Hey, pal! Watch-!"

Riolu leaped into the air, rotating into a complete back-flip that overcame the rock's deadly accuracy. Air resistance and his light weight kept him up in the air, keeping him airborne.

All the while he had drawn his steel daggar from the sheath he had attached to his waist. Armed and somewhat prepared for battle, he jumped himself into the brush of leaves.

A rustling was heard behind the evergreen of ferns.

"OW! HEY! LEMME GO!"

An Aipom came flying out of the brush, with Riolu holding the dagger close to slicing his very thin throat.

"-out," Buizel finished. "Pff. Showoff..."

"Who are you and why did you try to harm us?" Riolu muttered in the same tone when he caught Buizel.

"Wah! Oh, w-whoa. P-p-p-please don't kill me! I just thought-"

Buizel bonked Aipom with a clenched paw. "You numbskull! You sure gave me the bruise of a lifetime!" he shouted.

Riolu looked up at Buizel. "You know this one?"

Buizel grabbed Aipom by the fur around his neck.

"Unfortunately...!"

The Aipom gulped. "Buizel, y-ya gotta understand, I just thought..."

"You thought what?" Buizel inquired with a growl.

"I just thought that you both looked suspicious. I just wanted to protect the village..." Aipom drifted off near the end of the sentence.

"You already know me!" Buizel retorted as he clenched his fist more tightly.

"Ouch! Well, y-yeah, I know you," Aipom grunted a squeal and turned to Riolu. "But not him."

"He's with me. You know I can take care of myself even if I was in trouble," Buizel said a little more quietly. "Don't you?"

Aipom nodded furiously, hoping to not get threatened by either of them. "Y-yeah, I understand."

"Good!" Buizel exclaimed and threw Aipom back onto the ground. "We'll be on our way."

He started to walk off towards the village gate, muttering about something that was out of Riolu's earshot.

Buizel turned to Riolu. "You coming or not?"

Riolu blinked. He turned to the still trembling Aipom, then continued to follow Buizel.



They walked through the opening of the village gate, while the sun was giving off a warmth to the villagers.

Riolu finally awkwardly took a look a Buizel. "What was that all about back there?" he asked.

Buizel turned to him, slightly astonished he had spoken again. "Back where?"

"With the Aipom. Why were you so cruel to someone like him?"

"Why?" Buizel said. "Because he's annoying, that's why."

"Annoying? He was begging for his life back there," Riolu noted.

"Begging? I wasn't the one with the dagger by my throat twenty seconds ago back there," Buizel reminded.

Riolu shook his head in confusement. "You still haven't answered my question. Why were you so angry?"

"Because," Buizel sighed. "We were friends a long time ago. And I mean best buds, mind you."

Riolu cocked his head. "Then why did you hurt him physically?"

"Well, not too long ago, he and I were picking out strawberries for the village elder himself. Of course, we never thought that the strawberries would be TOO good. We thought they were just regular, plain-old food to eat. What we didn't know was they were buried in the dustoler patch-"

"Dustoler patch?" Riolu asked with a weird look.

"Dustoler basically speeds the process of growing any fruit or vegetable, and makes it taste even better than at a regular time," Buizel explained. "So, we picked out the berries and headed off towards the elder. Along the path, a Mawhile appeared and demanded us to give us the berries."

"It just demanded them? For what?"

"No clue myself, but I did know who this Mawhile was. You see, here in the village there's a horrendous group of thugs called the Rogues of Steel. Hence the name, they're a group of Steel-types who act innocent here, but believe me, I wouldn't trust those morons as far as I could throw 'em," Buizel spit as he spoke.

"Doesn't sound like a good group to be in," Riolu said in slight amazement that Steel-types could be evil.

"Pff! Hell no. These guys will beat the livin' stuffing outta you if you turn your back for a SECOND. They will whatever to get what they want. So we refused the Mawhile, and she freakin' beats me with that hell-bent ear or whatever that thing is. When she turned to Aipom to hurt him too," Buizel paused and chuckled for a second. "He gave her the berries that we worked to grow so very hard for."

"Why? What would these berries be of so much importance?" Riolu asked again, getting a tiny bit hooked on the story.

"I dunno. He didn't just wanna get hurt, I think. I couldn't believe that he would do something like that. The Aipom I know would fight just because I was injured," Buizel muttered. "Guess I was wrong."

"And what happened to him?" Riolu pressed.

Buizel gave him a look. "Are you actually CARING?"

Riolu paused, then shook his head in the calm state he was before. "Not too likely. But I do appreciate your ability to talk of a problem on your hands," Riolu said.

Buizel sighed and shook his head in disappointment. *Same as always, I guess.* he thought.

"Anyways, he became an official member after that. I don't feel like going into any details. The thought still too awful for me to tell," Buizel finished as an eruptive silence spread across their minds like wildfire.

Riolu finally broke the silence. "Is there a reason why everybody here is so...so..." he struggled to gather the word of the Pokemon gathering around setting up streamers and food as far as the eye can see.

Buizel chuckled. "Festive?" he suggested.

Riolu nodded in defeat. "Yes."

Buizel was about to speak, but ran into a Kecleon setting up something on a table.

"Sorry about that, Kecleon. Didn't see ya there," Buizel quickly said in apology.

Kecleon waved his hand in respect. "Think nothing of it. Everybody will tend to bump into one another for the Great Jolieo Feast coming tonight," he replied.

Buizel gasped. "Ah, shoot! I forgot it was tonight!"

Kecleon waved his hands in a matter of calmness. "Calm down! Remember that the feast is tonight! It's not like you're going to die right before it even begins!"

He began to chuckle, which sounded like a hiccups on fast-forward. "I'm just glad that you're coming along with all the rest of us to celebrate the Jolieo Feast for the gods that we look for their wisdom and answer our problems and prayers!"

Riolu shook his head in wonder. "Excuse me, but who is this Jolieo you speak of?"

Kecleon gasped. "Great seasons! You mean to tell me that you have never heard of Jolieo?"

Riolu shook his head again, this time a bit more sadly. "I'm afraid I do not."

Buizel cocked his head slightly, unaware that Riolu could still see him. *Not believe in Jolieo?* he thought. *He IS pretty suspicious!*

Kecleon had regained his posture. "Jolieo in our opinion is the highest god of all gods and goddesses. Our ancestors have believed that he has given our village the courage and the wisdom required that keeps the spirit alive in our hearts!"

Kecleon sighed and closed his eyes mid-way through his speech. "He sounds like a hero, does he not?"

Riolu was about to ask another question, but was quickly halted by Buizel's paw as it zoomed over his mouth. "Don't get him started," he whispered. "It's almost as torturous as listening to an entire history book!"

Buizel quickly turned to Kecleon as Riolu struggled to get mouth free of confinement. "I think he understands, pal."

Kecleon turned around to set up a fruit basket onto a freshly cut oak table, while Riolu bit Buizel's hand, causing Buizel to nearly cry in pain. He ended up giving him the angry eye.

Kecleon turned back to the duo. "But you ARE excited, yes?" he asked.

Buizel itched the back of his head in slight embarrassment. "Well, uh..yeah. Er..."

Kecleon paused, trying to decipher the stammering.

He suddenly snapped his fingers.

"You're excited for the glorious dishes that will be served along with the activities, aren't you?" Kecleon asked.

Buizel gave off an aura of embarrassment, which Riolu could sense perfectly.

*Interesting specimen, he certainly is.* he thought.

"Um...yeah. Whatever..." Buizel muttered with a mixture of embarrassment and defeat.

Kecleon chuckled. "Nevertheless, I will expect to see you at the feast tonight, Buizel."

Buizel shrugged casually, once again failing. "Meh, it's not a party without me, now is it?"

Riolu, still amazingly confused, gave off another curious look. "You are?"

Buizel gave him a look that could make a Magicarp look more clueless. "It's a figure of speech, you dolt," he muttered.

"Who's a dolt?" Riolu asked again, unable to keep his voice down.

Buizel slapped his forehead in annoyance.

"Come on, pal," Buizel finally said. "We still gotta see the Village Elder, remember?"

Kecleon cocked his head in curiosity. "You wish to seek advise from the great Village Elder?"

Riolu nodded for Buizel. "Yes. You have heard of the unexpected fire over those hills, have you not?" he asked.

Kecleon nodded. "Indeed I have. Are you here to help him?" Kecleon asked, nodding over at Buizel.

Riolu was interupted by Buizel pulling on one of his long ears. "Enough chit-chat. We really gotta go," Buizel murmured.

They walked off, leaving Riolu in another struggle to free his ear, and leaving Kecleon in a never-ending trail of wonder.



Buizel continued to drag Riolu by the ear, wanting to see the Village Elder more and more.

Another side effect took place though, as Riolu finally broke free of his grip and uppercutted him in the windpipe.

Buizel fell to the ground, both in pain and loss of breath.

"You shouldn't have done that," Riolu said with a slight edge entangled in his throat.

"Shouldn't have done what?" Buizel growled. "Pulled you by the ear?"

"That, and the fact that you treated that kind citizen like a piece of trash," Riolu said with the same growl.

"Hey, that's not my problem. I just want to get to the Village Elder already. I tend not to meet any more of these interruptions, thank you very much," Buizel hissed, fully regaining the air in his lungs.

"You still could have at least heeded some advise from him. This Village Elder of yours can wait, can he not?" Riolu said, building up steam.

"Oh please!" Buizel shouted, getting attention from a Caterpie and Bagon that were at play. "Like you don't really want to visit him yourself?"

Riolu paused, the words coursing a line of truth through his brain.

Buizel continued to walk, keeping his head directly at Riolu. "I mean, c'mon! I know you want to see him more than I-" He was cut off after walking right into another Pokemon. He knocked over himself and the unexpected bystander; the force was so hard.

Riolu quickly jogged towards Buizel, helping him up from the destined-to-hit-ground.

"Geez!" Buizel muttered. "Why is everyone running into me today...?"

He glared at the bystander, still barely clenching his injured nose. "Hey, watch it, pal! Don't ya know that it's not a good idea to stand-"

He cut off his own sentence, studying the now standing Steel-type he just ran into.

"Oh no..."

The figure turned around, revealing the angered face of a Mawhile. "You punks!" she hissed.

Dusting herself off, she took three infuriated stomps towards the duo.

"You think that I care if you have a problem of standing in the middle of this blasted street! I don't think so!"

She was about to spat something else, but suddenly stopped and glanced at Buizel.

"Say,kid. You look familiar somehow. Have I seen you somewhere before?" she asked with somewhat curiosity.

Riolu turned to Buizel, who was slightly shivering in sight of his nightmare.

"Uh..n-no. I don't think that ya h-have, lady," he stuttered in fear.

He made the mistake of gulping.

Her sharp purple eyes suddenly grew less maddened and became a little more surprised.

"I recognize that voice anywhere," she murmured, and suddenly broke into a spine-tingling, somewhat evil grin. "You're that twerp from this very spot all these years ago, aren't you?"

Buizel's eyes slowly scanned the surroundings. To his horror, the dirt was slightly shifted into a new pile of fruit.

It almost looked like...

"The dustoler patches..." Buizel whispered in disdain. "Nuts..."

The Mawhile chuckled, which sent a cold shiver up Buizel's spine.

"You really haven't changed in physical appearances, I can tell you THAT much," she observed.

Buizel gulped again, fear growing like a Muk when it absorbs toxic slime.

"Question is, have you changed in your fighting style as well? I hardly think so, but I'm always willing to change my mind," she purred in a hazardous tone. "If you think you're ready, that is."

Buizel said nothing.

She glanced at Riolu. "How about you? You seem like you could be worth something."

Riolu gave an awkward look at Buizel, mouthing only one word: "What?"

Silence gave away from the ever-depths of sound.

Mawhile finally sighed. "It seems like I need persuasion to make one of you talk," she said under her breath. "Hey, boys! Come outta that tent and your butts in gear!"

Three other Steel types arose from the darkness of the tent nearby. A Magneton was the first to come.

"BZZ, anything you need, ma'am? BZZ," it replied.

It was immediately whacked in the top head from the second one, a very burly Rhydon. "Don't call her ma'am, you idiot! She know what she'll do if you call her by those fancy, goody-goody names!"

"Hmph. You morons will never stop arguing...," muttered the third one, which happened to be a Skarmory.

"Enough of that gab!" hissed Mawhile.

Buizel, on the urge to scream, suddenly chuckled.

Mawhile turned in surprise.

Buizel's chuckling turned into laughter.

Riolu looked at him like he was growing a second head. *What in the hell...?*

"Are you telling me that THIS is the group I was scared of two years ago?" Buizel mocked. "I must've been dreaming, 'cause I expected a group to be a little less...I dunno. Clueless?"

"Well, keep dreaming!" Mawhile seethed, obviously upset from the insulting comment. "My Guild can still put on a hurting, despite their childish actions!"

Skarmory chuckled under his breath. "Told you."

"And what? That's all you got? This is the GUILD that was supposed to be the protectors of this town?" Buizel continued, enjoying the fun. "More like the kind of Pokemon that'll collapse of pure laziness at the Jolieo Feast tonight..."

Riolu turned back to Mawhile, who amazingly stood in a shunning silence.

Buizel gave a small smirk of victory, expecting more on the way though.

It turns out he was right.

Mawhile smiled.

"You can talk the talk, but do you still have the guts to attack this time?" she mused.

Buizel right ear perked up. "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, nothing. Except the fact that you still can't make a difference in your misery," she continued. "You have the attitude to brush me back a few steps. I'm impressed. Unfortunately, it's not impressive enough."

Riolu glanced at Buizel, noticing his lip was twitching.

"Remember when we met? You were nothing. A weakling, no doubt. Nothing but trash to be thrown away. You depended on your abilities to do the tasks ahead of you," Mawhile cajoled. "Truth be told, you failed miserably that day."

Buizel winced at the sound of the word "failed".

"And what did you friend do? Ha! He gave up all the berries you had worked so hard for, am I right?" she asked with much more force. "And what did you do to stop him?"

Riolu could hear a growl bearing itself in Buizel's throat. Without thinking, he quickly whispered in his ear. "She's trying to get to you."

"Hmph! And it sure is working...!" Buizel muttered.

Mawhile laughed, sending a bone-chilling freeze down their spines. "NOTHING! You didn't do a thing! You expect to be able to control yourself over your own despair. But to a friends? Pathetic!" she spat out the word like a bad taste in her mouth.

Buizel snapped, and leaped at Mawhile.

It was what she had anticipated.

She laid Buizel out of the blue with a lightning-fast Astonish from her dangerous ear.

The result sent Buizel flying backwards towards the ground, taken aback from the unexpected maneuver.

He remained on the ground with a thud, clutching his injured arm, unable to move it.

Mawhile turned to her group with a satisfying grin. "That, boys, is how it's done."

The group erupted into applause, except for Magneton, who gave off buzzes and beeps.

Riolu stood in mild shock at the whole situation. "She's fast. I never would have seen that coming," he whispered to himself.

Mawhile turned to Buizel. "There goes your temper, eh? You should never make the first move!" she shouted.

Sighing, she closed her eyes. "I guess since nobody is around..."

Buizel gave off a confused look.

"I guess we can be rid of you," she said loud enough for all to hear.

Buizel's icy blue eyes gave off the shaking of fear.

Mawhile suddenly turned to Riolu, glancing at the glow of the dagger in the sheath. "Interesting weapon. Can't be too protective now, can we?" she asked.

Riolu nodded slowly, keeping his paw near his dagger.

"Heck, if you do the killing quick enough here, I'll let you join the club," Mawhile said.

Buizel's eyes once again went frantic, still unable to move.

Riolu turned to Buizel, still keeping his paw near the daggar.

There was a pause.

Finally, Mawhile sighed. "Very well, if you have such good feelings for this fool," she muttered. "Give it to Skarmory and I'll let you join anyway."

Skarmory grinned, enjoying the attention he had just gained. "I'd be happy to, boss," he agreed.

He stepped up to Riolu, holding out one of his wings, which were small enough to hold the dagger's hilt.

"Just give it here, son. I'll take care of the rest," Skarmory assured.

Another pause. The air turned cold, leaving the sky colorless.

Riolu took out the dagger, observing its appearance. It was indeed a steel blade, although it was outlined in a remainder of the coal used to smith it. The full length of the blade proved to be five inches long, a little long from any other size.

He glanced at Buizel, who was shaking his head, begging not to be near death twice in one day.

Riolu glanced back at the Rhydon and Magneton, who were nodding their heads excitedly like little children.

He finally glanced back at his blade, wondering on the same thought he had been thinking since his arrival in the village. *How will I get home?*

He finally made his move.

He held out the blade for Skarmory.

Skarmory nodded. "Smart choice, son," he said as he reached for the blade, revealing an opening onto his back.

Buizel shook his head furiously, shocked to see that someone mature as him was actually trusting the Rogues.

What happened next came at them like a bullet.

Riolu twisted Skarmory's wing, enabling himself to leap onto Skarmory's back.

Grabbing the wing, he pulled it on Skarmory's back, then trapping both wings under his small knees. He then put the dagger to Skarmory's throat.

All in four seconds flat.

"Two things you might want to know," Riolu muttered in the same tone when he put the dagger to Buizel's own throat. "One, I would never betray a friend of mine."

He clutched the blade tighter, making it nearly close to slitting. "And two, nobody calls me 'son' except my father...!"

The Rogues stood in horror that they had been betrayed what was to be their future member.

"Don't just stand there!" Mawhile hissed, unable to hide her fear. "Do something!"

Rhydon moved towards the main problem, but Riolu cut him off. "One more step and I'll make sure he never flies again!"

Rhydon froze in fear himself, then suddenly got sent flying from a ball of water.

Buizel stood where he was, finally able to move, his arms outstretched. "How do ya like my Water Pulse, eh?" he asked in the same cocky attitude he always kept.

Mawhile glared at Buizel. "You...!"

"I got up, yeah,yeah, I know. But hey, you of all Pokemon would understand that most stunning moves wear out after a while," Buizel mocked. "Right?"

He charged another Water Pulse into his paws. "Ready for Round Two?"


"ENOUGH!!"

All heads turned towards the cry that rang out over the hilltops.

A maple-cut cane slowly crawled out from another tent, revealing an old creature.

Buizel gasped. "T-the Village Elder..."

Riolu's angry tone disappeared. "THAT is the Village Elder?" he asked in surprise.

The Village Elder was indeed old. He appeared to be in his seventies, giving away the clue because of the cane.

Strange as it was though, his appearances were strictly intriguing. He had the face of a guinea pig, and held a height of half an inch under Buizel.

"Everyone! What is all of this hullabaloo? I can hear it from the fruit trees on the hills!!" the elder exclaimed, his voice sounding like he was twenty years younger.

Nobody spoke, not attempting to arose any anger that the elder might have had.

"Well?" the elder asked again. "Does anybody have the slightest reason on why you're all acting like children?"

Nobody spoke.

The elder sighed. "If you really wish to fight with each other, I suggest you take it somewhere where we won't have to be part of it. Is that clear?"

Slowly, everyone nodded. All except for Riolu, who had no clue on how to react.

Mawhile regained her sinister eye's calmness, turning to Rhydon and Magneton. "Come on, boys. We gotta be ready for the Jolieo Feast. We don't want to upset the Village Elder, do we?"

They both shook their heads. "What about Skarmory...?" Rhydon mouthed.

Riolu gave no second chance, kicking Skarmory to the ground, out of range of the dagger.

"Next time I won't take it so easy on you," he hissed.

Skarmory dashed after the other three, stricken fear from his head to his beak.

The Village Elder glanced at Buizel, who had stopped controlling energy for another Water Pulse. "Buizel, why must you attack on whatever comes from your mind?"

Buizel shook his head in bewilderment. "What?"

The elder motioned his head in the direction where the Rogues had left. "Why do you attack the ones who do their very best to protect our village?"

"Uh..HELLO! They're called the Rogues of Steel! How can you like anybody that even admits that they're the biggest thieves that stepped foot on this very ground?" Buizel fumed.

The elder waved his hand impatiently. "All I'm saying is that you control your anger. Is that too much to ask?"

He slowly put his very scaly paw on Buizel's shoulder. "I know that you're extremely upset that Wartortle died after you just got to know him long enough. This disappoints you, does it not?"

Buizel's tense shoulders slowly became a calm, disappointing set of regular ones. "I guess you could say that..." Buizel said without being able to control too much of the sadness erupting his voice.

The Village Elder turned to Riolu. "Oh? And who might you be, young one?"

Buizel wiped away the tears in his eyes and also turned to Riolu. "That's the question I've been asking myself for the last hour," he murmured.

Riolu said nothing, giving off an aura of unknown sensations.

The Village Elder blinked. "I sense a story you are willing to be told," he whispered.

Riolu gave an eye-opener that looked like a full moon.

The Village Elder chuckled. "I understand your dilemma. But I implore you, come to my dwelling. We can discuss these plain matters here."

Riolu and Buizel both gave a blink of utter confusion, watching the elder skip happily down the fields.



"Come! Come! You mustn't dawdle!" the elder cried as he entered a small hut.

Buizel came to a very erupt halt, gasping for the air that he had sacrificed to catch up to the elder.

"Geez...," he muttered. "For a guy in his seventies, he can sure make me look bad..."

Riolu zoomed right by him, giving a tiny grin over his shoulder. "I like this man already. It's surprising that you cannot catch up with one such as him!"

Buizel growled. "You wanna bet on that?" he shouted, and dashed after Riolu.

Riolu entered the hut first, but not without being tackled from behind from Buizel.

The rug on which they fell upon skidded upwards, ruining its perfect posture. This caused the Village Elder to sigh. "Children shall be children..."

Buizel laughed in spite of his earlier anger, and Riolu gave another minute smile. "Oh, c'mon, Gramps. You're starting to sound like somebody's mother," Buizel teased.

"I may sound like one, but I certainly do not act like one!" the elder said, hiding a laugh.

He pointed towards a set of chairs, cut directly from a young sapling tree. "It's probably the time for me to talk to you youngsters," he motioned.

Buizel was the first to sit down. "Talk about what?"

The elder shut the windows along side the hut with a sheet of black cloth. "It is a tale that I have told for years, being passed down from my ancestors for generations."

Riolu eagerly sat down, putting his paws on his lap like an obedient child. Not containing his excitement for this fascinating being, he could clearly be seen pounding his paws against the stone floor.

Buizel chuckled at him, noticing this. "Enjoying yourself, pal?"

Riolu quickly stopped, unable to shield the blushing of embarrassment.

"Don't be too much of a rouse, Buizel. Your friend maybe involved of what I'm about to tell you," the elder snapped at him hastily.

Riolu's ear perked up.

The Village Elder nodded again, a set of wrinkles reappearing on his fragile, guinea pig face.

"Surprising, it may be, but true. This legend I am about to tell you two happens to be the greatest tale ever passed down in the history of our world..." the elder drifted off into his words.

Buizel shook his head. "Huh?"

The elder chuckled again. "Perhaps we should learn of your friend's heritage before we continue?"

Buizel gave a shocked look at Riolu. "H-heritage? You mean...like...royalty?"

"It was nothing of the sort, to be honest..." Riolu muttered in a slightly disappointed tone.

Buizel cocked his head. "You sound like this was a bad thing," he said with a confused look.

Riolu shook his head, looking up to face the Village Elder. "It was nothing like that. But I'll admit I am surprised one such as you can detect my inheritance," he mused.

The elder shrugged. "That is what seventy years can do to you," he said simply.

Buizel turned to the elder. "I'm lost..." he muttered.

"Have you ever seen one such as him?" the elder asked. "Take a look at his physical appearances."

Buizel didn't even have to look. "Ok, you got me there. But that still doesn't explain how he's exactly royalty," Buizel noted.

"If you mind, kind sir, I would be honored to tell it to this one, before we get to your narrative," Riolu asked.

The elder leaned back into his armchair, the soft creaking music to his ears. "You have my right to continue."

"Thank you," Riolu replied, turning to Buizel. "Listen here. What I am about to tell you if strictly private for me. So I will only say this once, and once it is told, you must never reveal it to another one of your kind."

"Pff," Buizel scoffed. "My 'kind' is Water-types, thank you very much. And you don't see a lot of them around here, do ya?"

"Fine," Riolu muttered. "You mustn't tell anyone in this very village about this."

"Now THAT I can handle," Buizel replied with a somewhat eager smile.

"Very well," Riolu continued. "Then I believe that I can continue."

He put his paws onto his forehead, and began in a calm voice. "I lived in a land of promise-"

"Sorry to interrupt, but where exactly is this kingdom of yours?"

Riolu paused again. Closing his eyes, he spoke his answer. "The location is unknown to me, unfortunately."

Buizel sighed. "Great...I have no clue where you came from now..."

Riolu ignored Buizel's annoyed complaint and continued. "I lived in a time of promise and peace. As I have said, the location of where is unknown, even to me. I ruled along side my father, who was eventually near the age to hand the crown of ruling to me, being the prince next in line."

"Sounds like you had it easy," Buizel said in slight amazement.

Riolu shook his head again. "It was not all fun and games for me. I was put through the vigorous of tests. I was always thrown left and right through the hardest of obstacles, always willing to prove myself that I was ready. When my father passed me the title of being king," Riolu said, seeming to glow saying the word. "I wanted to prove that despite my young age, I could fit all of my duties of protecting our kingdom."

Buizel nodded. "That's quite understandable. You must have gathered a load of popularity then."

"Not at all the time. Many thought, indeed, that I was not rightly chosen to be the future king. They thought that despite being my father's genetic twin of DNA, I had none of the skills that could be accomplished."

Riolu started to slightly rock back and forth within the chair. "I embedded a certain hatred for all of those disbelievers. I began to think on evil thoughts, of certain consequences that I could indulge upon them," he murmured, shivering slightly. "My father told me that I needed to do quite the opposite of this...eager desire. He wanted me to control this anger, to put it to sleep for an everlasting dream."

"Sounds like quite the protagonist..." Buizel scoffed.

Riolu nodded with satisfaction. "He was my father. He treated me with kindness and respect rather than the doubt and curiousity of the kingdom. And that's what made him so well-respected," Riolu replied with dignity.

Buizel turned to the Village Elder. "It's hard to believe you could have detected something like this, Gramps," he said solemly.

"My sensibilities can scan any observation that my eyes can examine," the elder answered.

"Uh...can you repeat that? In regular terms, please?"

The elder chuckled at the baffling sentence he just passed onto Buizel's young brain. "I can tell you one thing, if that will help you," he answered with a wink. "Don't call me Gramps."

Buizel shook his head in bewilderment. "I'll never understand you, old man..."

He glanced up at Riolu. "Sorry for the interruption. Continue with your story."

Riolu hid the guilty grin that was trying to come across his face. "Half a month later, with myself still in containment of my own anxiety, we came across a figure that had demanded to see us."

Riolu paused, then resumed. "His appearance...was unusual at first. He wore of cloak of burgundy, which canceled off access from the rest of his body. And he had the most peculiar mask which he wore across his head...like the kind of headwear you would see at a gathering."

He winced for a second, which caused Buizel to become interested like a child listening to a fairytale. "It was a faceless mask of unknown forces, only viewing was through two eyeholes along the middle. Long, pointed spears rang the whole top side of his head, giving off the sense of him being a warrior."

Riolu shivered again, and Buizel thought he saw Riolu's jaw chatter for a second.

"I won't forget his eyes...The gave off an abnormal shade of violet. That is all I could recall. He came upon me and my father for commercial matters, explaining of an withered disease that would soon pass the kingdom airborn," Riolu said with regret. "I had a feeling that something could not be right. Usually I would get the slightest sense of danger of such a disease."

"And I'm guessing that nobody believed you that there ever was one?" Buizel suggested.

Riolu nodded. "Not even one. The townspeople considered me to be slightly mad, considering that their numbers could have been decreased dramitically. But that was not the case."

"Townspeople? You ruled over villagers like ours too?" Buizel asked in astonishment.

The Village Elder shook his head in dissapointment. "Buizel, of all the questions I have heard you ask..."

"What? I'm just asking!" Buizel retorted.

"No need to apologize. Nobody can resist the urge to ask such a question. No matter how unusual, strange..." Riolu responded, giving a sideways glance towards Buizel. "Or naive..."

"Don't go there, pal," Buizel growled.

It took every inch of willpower Riolu had to not laugh. "The townspeople disagreed with my intention. Rumor had it that they were planning to overthrow me. Luckily it was proven to be false, but I still consulted this matter with my father," Riolu continued. "He agreed that such a disease would be fatal, yet oddly insensible. However, he doubted that it could be real. Therefore, he left the case as it was."

Buizel muttered something about stuck-up fathers under his breath.

Riolu cleared his throat, clearly hearing Buizel, but choosing to ignore it. "What happened on the next night is still a blur to me. I remember smoke and the sound of weaponry clashing together. I remember the sound of footsteps and the howling of the wind, so I believe I was running from..." Riolu paused, releasing a gulp. "Him."

"The One King," the elder corrected. "He has betrayed you, I'm predicting."

Riolu nodded, choking back on the tears streaming down onto the soft fur that was his chest.

Buizel sighed, putting a paw to his head.

Silence filled the entire room, causing an uncomfortable shift in time.

Buizel finally broke the silence. "How do you exactly know that he did it?"

Riolu glanced up, tears drying like the sun's heat set on a thermostat. "He was the one who knocked me into a body of water. That is all I can recall!"

"The river," Buizel corrected. "I understand that. But do you really think he could've caused all of those gashes on your body?"

Riolu, for once, remained motionless, thinking over the question. "It was him. I can remember his eyes looking down upon my torn-up body and then...." Riolu stopped. "...Everything went black..."

The elder sighed. "If such an incident had occured here, it would be easy to treat to the body. Unless it was at an unstable condition, like Marril's-"

Buizel leaped up in surprise. "Marril? What happened to Marril? He's the local secretary of exploration, isn't he?"

The Village Elder paused, giving the sense of danger. "I'm afraid he was our secretary of exploration..."

"DAMN!" Buizel yelled as he kicked down the chair. "Why the hell is everybody DYING TODAY?!"

The elder peered out the window, a look of surprise spreading along his wrinkles.

"Keep it down, Buizel. We do not want any unnecessary conflicts if anyone should hear you."

"Are you kidding?" Buizel nearly screamed. "Everybody seems to notice nowadays! Pokémon are getting killed by some unknown theif, and you act you don't give a DAMN about any of this!"

"And you demand such an issue at a time like this?" cried the elder, who caused to knock Buizel backwards with his words. "I understand what's happening out there in our world! It breaks my fragile heart that many that we know are losing their lives by the wagonload to this....this...CRETIN!"

"Then explain this to me, Gramps," Buizel mustered. "How do you plan to help everyone if you're planning to help Your Highness right here?"

Riolu gave a slight twitch, sensing the mocking that was directed at him.

An amazing silence filled the room, giving an uncertainly bad reputation of fear.

Like paper, the Village Elder tore the silence with a voice that shook their very souls.

" Them knights know the causes,
Yet ignore the pain being brought towards them,
Banished, were they,
Forever taken away from the pride,
From their honor,
And sealed away along with the legendary blade."


Buizel froze, muttering the only nice comment he had sensed all day.

"What?"

The Village Elder glanced up, a tear slowly filling his ivory tinged pupil.

"This, lads-" he whispered. "-is where the Legend of the Sword of the Mist begins..."


TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 5...


Author's Note:
Damn...I've finally got this chapter finished after two whole months...
I apologize for all of you who have been reading this for that long, and I'll do my best that it won't happen again.
I don't know exactly when the next chapter will come up, because I need the idea and all...
But I won't let anybody down, [ I hope...], and will most certaintly continue these next couple of chapters in a faster rate.

Crush 40