Begone, foul mutt! If you wish to disturb the natural order of this world, I shall kill you where you stand!
Xavier deadpanned and held up a rectangular charm. I was just answering your Displaced summons.
Oh! ... Uh... The large, light blue dragon knelt into a bowing posture. I'm so terribly sorry about my misunderstanding! Thank you for coming on such short notice!
An imaginary sweat drop appeared behind the Lucario's ear. That's quite alright, ma'am. He put his paw up next to his neck and faked a scratch. So... you said you wanted to see my capabilities?
Huh? The dragon tilted her head, letting the violet highlight from her mane droop. I don't remember saying that. I just... well, it might be easier if I showed you. Her tail curled around the Pokemon and swung him around to hang behind her as she took flight.
"Cariooooo!" He yelled while hanging onto the large tail for dear life. Holy crud, flying! Shaking! Need back down gently now!
For a while, Xavier couldn't see anything but blurs of disjointed colors. But as quickly as the impromptu flight had started, it came to an abrupt end. The dragon landed in the new location with barely a sound from her claws. As if per request, the curled tail set the Lucario on the ground with no physical damage. He assumed a quick martial arts stance with his eyes closed to calm his breathing.
In his aura sense, the picture resembled a large field covered in blades of grass. A few pegasi shapes flew overhead, yet didn't react to what was on this patch of ground. Several miles away in every direction, the land eventually stopped. Ripples occasionally contacted the land's edges before retreating. Water, perhaps? A deep, long exhale returned his vision back to his center as he opened his eyes.
She should be here any minute now. The dragon glanced up and behind herself.
Who is "she"? Xavier crossed his paws. For that matter, who are you?
The dragon gasped. I am so sorry! She bowed her head low to Xavier's eye level. In my rush, I forgot to make proper introductions. My name is Wilma, currently an order dragon. We're here on request of my rival.
Your... rival? Xavier tilted his head.
A deep roar shook the island. Considering Wilma's mouth was closed, Xavier looked elsewhere for the source. Up in the sky, he saw what looked like three red circles of varying sizes. A great, big beast flew through all of these circles at a pace that sounded like three sonic booms in succession. Xavier closed his left eye against the new pain in his ears, pressing his paws firmly in front of his locks of fur.
Wilma frowned as the other dragon landed. Doru.
Ha ha ha! Doru smirked with some fangs at the corner of her maw showing. A chaos dragon is only as good as their dramatic entrance. This is by far my most flashy.
The Lucario's headache was gradually subsiding. Hello, my name is Xa-
Don't care! Doru's tail slammed against the ground. Play with me! Now!
Excuse me? Xavier tilted his head.
Some of the mortals on this realm equate my play time to a destructive battle. Doru crouched down on all fours. So, you'll probably have to hit me with your most lethal force just to tickle me! Show me what your desperation looks like and play with me!
Wilma sighed and shook her head. Just go one round with her. She'll never stop complaining unless she gets her way.
Wait a minute! Xavier's eyes opened wide as he gestured in front of Wilma. I'm not suited for fighting a flying-type opponent!
We have healing and resurrection magic in case you suffer incapacitating damage. Wilma held out one of her front claws and it glowed golden.
Yeah, I don't think that's the point. Xavier looked down as an imaginary sweat drop formed behind his ear. Hoo boy...
He took a deep breath and faced his soon-to-be opponent. His limbs instinctively moved into a one-legged crane stance to start. Doru's eyes had a burning appearance without actual fire. The chaos dragon ran her tongue from one side of her jaw to the other side. Her leathery wings flapped once above either side of her back.
Stray flower petals flew on a passing breeze.
...
Doru pounced, forcing several blades of grass to lose their roots in the ground. Xavier dashed forth with his front paws pointing behind himself. He pulled his staff off his back and moved it in front of himself just in time to block the dragon's claws. The air around the two opponents seemed to forge into blue and red cones. Xavier growled as his hind paws slid back a couple centimeters and pushed the dirt underneath him.
The chaos dragon leaned her head back and inhaled. The Lucario's irises shrunk against the whites of his eyes. He turned on his toes and jumped to his left. A wave of fire swept over the area that he was just standing prior. Rebounding off his new position, he channeled his strength into his staff as a Bone Rush. He raced over and started whacking away at his opponent's leg.
She simply looked down at him with a deadpanned expression. Really? Come on. Quit messing around and show me your actual best.
Her tail swung around and he leapt back a pace. Xavier took a deep breath and exhaled. He put his staff behind himself before spreading his paws wide. He unleashed his Psychic attack. The powerful squiggly lines rushed through the air and slammed against the scaly hide. Doru actually slid backward... about one quarter of a meter.
Well, that's more than I was expecting. Wilma chuckled nervously.
Meh, you're only slightly stronger than a stray puppy at this rate. Doru slammed her tail against the ground. Her telepathic voice sounded irritated. You're that Smash character with the blue balls, right? Why don't you show me one of those?
Phrasing... Wilma waggled a claw in front of her own neck.
Xavier lowered his left paw to his side. Besides, I can't-
Doru leaned her head back and cast a spell circle in front of her muzzle. If you don't, I'm going to kill you right now for wasting my time.
Hold on, what?! Wilma leaned back with her jaw wide open.
But you were the one who called me here in the first place! Xavier's tail stiffened.
One... Fire started dancing inside of Doru's mouth. Two...
Crap, what do I do? Xavier turned to the side and cupped his paws together. I haven't been able to unlock my aura for attacks since I first woke up in the changeling hive! Now, this foreign dragon is expecting me to do so in less than a second! Try to focus as he might, the signature sphere didn't form.
Three! When Doru released her fire breath, the magic circle expanded it into a giant, red orb. It screeched as it barreled toward the lone Lucario.
Time slowed to a crawl from his perspective. Battling is second-nature for a Pokemon. So why... in this moment... fighting her...? His right paw left his line of sight. Why is this so infuriating?!
Back in real-time, Wilma exhaled a questioning sound. The newcomer's right paw looked as if it was glowing in purple and black. In a split second, the paw rose and expelled that light in a pulsating arc. This energy split Doru's fire orb in half, sending it to scorch the grass on either side of Xavier. Yet, his attack kept going and collided with Doru's face.
The chaos dragon roared while reeling back. That roar made way for a high-pitched scream. She toppled over onto her back, shaking the ground as she impacted. Wilma blinked as her jaw was still hanging open. The order dragon turned back to look at their guest.
"Grarrr." His right paw was still covered in that purple haze. In the blink of an eye, he was standing on top of the chaos dragon's neck. She tried to speak, but even her thoughts were sputtering.
Stop! That's enough! Wilma pulled out a twisted wand from her own inventory and whacked the Lucario on the head.
The sinister energy faded from his paw. Xavier blinked a couple times, looked down, and tensed up. He hopped off of his opponent's neck and quickly ran his thoughts through all of his favorite sweets. He channeled his pink Heal Pulse into the dragon before him and watched with anxiety.
That... was... amazing! Doru rolled over onto all fours and leapt at him.
"Cur-ah!" Xavier held up his paws defensively... until a girl, dressed in a cloak and stood barely taller than him, hugged him tightly.
"That was way more fun than anything I was expecting!" She laughed. "Can we make this a regular thing?"
Absolutely not. Wilma shook her head.
I have... several questions right now. Xavier tried and failed to extract himself from the girl's hug.
Wilma sighed. Chaos dragons have the power to shift freely back and forth between their natural form and a more humanoid shape.
Wait, you mean... He looked at the girl's fiery eyes. This is Doru? The same dragon that called us over here so she could fight me and call it "play"?
Doru giggled. "Do you like what you see?"
Xavier cleared his throat. If you are alluding to something, then I do not know what it is.
Doru let go of him and pouted. "Hmmm."
---
One week later, Xavier was summoned to another world. This one seemed like a normal enough city of high-class ponies. Most of the passersby scoffed at the sight of him. The rest trotted about while turning their noses away. One exception was a bright stallion in a fancy coat, monocle, and a blue mustache; he smiled and waved at the Lucario. Xavier smiled a little and nodded back before they both continued on their respective ways.
"Psst! Over here."
Xavier looked around for the hushed voice. A quick surveillance through his aura sense brought him the layout of small alleys. Most contained nothing but garbage, water, and occasionally a sleeping pony under a box and some newspaper. However, the closest alley to his left revealed... something tiny and waving a claw toward itself.
The Lucario walked into the alley, keeping his ears open and swiveling a little. Are you the Displaced one that summoned me here?
A cat standing on its hind legs held its front paws over its ears. "Could you just like... I don't know... stop talking inside my head? It gives me the shivers."
Xavier tilted his head, noting the cat's voice sounding male. But this is how I talk to everyone.
"Come on! You have a mouth! Use that!" The cat waved its left paw around.
But- Xavier sighed. "Lu-ca ri-o-ru ru-ri-car ra."
"See? That's much better." The cat released his grip from the top of his head.
"Car... ca ru ru-ri-car ra rio ru car rar ri ru-ca ri ra?" Xavier crossed his arms.
"Trust me, I never mess with anyone... ever." The cat waved his paw dismissively.
Hmm... Xavier crouched slightly. "Ru-ca, cu-ri ra ri cario. Ca-rar rio ra: Ru-ca-rar-ra-lu-cu-ra-ca-rio-ru-ca-lio."
"Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious."
Xavier's eyes stayed wide open for a few seconds. Arceus' Fairy Plate, he really does understand me.
"Alright, come on! We're burning daylight." The cat hopped up and made a fire escape ladder drop. "By the way, name's Chester."
"Lucario." He climbed the ladder without issue.
"Xavier, huh?" Chester rubbed his chin area. "I would have pegged you for a 'Riley', but... shows what I know."
"Ca... ri ru lu rar-ca lu?" Xavier crouched before following Chester through a window.
"It'd be easier if I just showed you."
Chester pulled a small chain and a light flickered on. Plastic lined the diagonal walls that were also the ceiling of the confined area. Pink fluff prevented the outdoor air from altering the warmth of the inside -- insulation, perhaps. Random debris covered the floor. Some the contents included a pony-shaped mannequin, a torn lampshade, a unicycle, and a guitar with strings that were curling outward.
Xavier's ears flicked. Someone or something was breathing heavily. He closed his eyes and "felt" around the room. For the most part, his aura sense showed him more of the scattered junk in the attic. Aside from himself and the cat, he found the aura of one other life form.
"Um, why are you glowing?" Chester took a step backward. "Is that normal?"
"Ra-ca cu ri rio... rr." Xavier braced himself in a defensive stance.
"Why are you being cryptic?" Chester leaned against a pocket of plastic on insulation. "I do not like cryptic."
A burning object spun through the air. Xavier casually leaned to his left to avoid the spinning item. He leaned to his right and dodged the object's return trip. A presence seemed to leap through the debris and caught the flying object. It was kind of purple and gaseous, spinning around a cracked bone with cold, light blue flames on either end. Dark gray eyes stared through the holes of an animal's skull.
Xavier opened his eyes. "Ca ri-o-ru lu-ca-ri."
"An Aloha and what?" Chester shook in place as his tail got all bushy. "Stop speaking Hawaiian and just exorcise that ghost already!"
"Marowak..." muttered the bony ghost.
Xavier held up a paw, motioning for Chester to wait where he was. "Lu ca ro ri ca-ru." He faced the 'Marowak'. Why are you here?
"Leave this place." One of the flames on the bone grew slightly. "Vengeance will not rest."
"Leave?!" Chester puffed his chest. "You're the one who dropped in uninvited one day! I've been living here for months with no ghosts on revenge quests or whatever!"
'Marowak' simply looked at Chester. The cat shrank back a step, but hissed in retort.
For what purpose are you vengeful? Xavier crossed his arms.
"My son... missing... they took him. Now... I am anger." The Marowak's eyes glowed white with red highlights.
"There's no reason to believe this demon." Chester shivered. "Just do your battle thing and knock it out. You're both Pokemon, aren't you?"
Xavier looked down to mull over some thoughts. Where did they take your son?
"A deep forest... of many dangers... where even the lost souls fear to tread." 'Marowak' pointed one of its stubby claws toward the window. A long way in the distance, there was a green speck of a forest's canopy.
If we find your son, will that bring you peace? Xavier moved his paw around for emphasis.
"We? What's this 'we' stuff?" Chester narrowed his eyes.
"I want to see my son... his takers must be dealt with..."
'Marowak' turned around and vanished. A quick glimpse through his aura sense showed Xavier that she was still there, just not visible to the normal eyes. Chester pulled himself off the insulation pocket and took some breaths.
"Why didn't you just hit it over the head with some PSI attacks?" Chester walked over.
First of all, I only have one Psychic attack. Secondly, not all battles are won through violence. Xavier looked toward the distant woods.
"Guh..." Chester shivered and rubbed his paws against his sides. "I still don't like that mind voice thinking you do."
"O-lu!" Xavier hopped down and carefully descended the fire escape.
"Let's go? Go where?" Chester groaned and softly hopped down after his impromptu guest.
Before the cat could get an answer, the Lucario sprinted through the city and along the train tracks. Much to Chester's irritation, he had already fallen what appeared to be miles behind. An overly decorated train was chugging along the tracks up ahead. Chester put a paw up above his eyes to try and get a better view. A bluish-black blur with a dot of yellow jumped right on top of the distant train and ran along its way.
"Okay, that's just not fair." He scowled.
After running along the engine, five passenger cars, and the caboose, Xavier leapt off the back of the train. He then made a sharp turn away from the tracks across the wilderness. Closing his eyes, he allowed his aura sense to help guide his movements. His body side-stepped the many twisting trees with ease. Eventually, he dashed up a fallen tree that curved up so that its leaves were still gathering sunlight.
On top of this tree, Xavier opened his eyes and looked around. Silence met his ears. Even the wind he had felt during his run had stopped still. The quiet lasted a little longer, until a faint noise could be heard down below. It sounded like it was whimpering. Xavier leapt from treetop to treetop until he spotted the source of the cry.
A creature that looked similar to Marowak, yet was much shorter in stature, had its claws under its eyes. It sounded like it was repeatedly muttering the phrase "cue bone". Watery tears rushed out like fountains. A hoard of grass-type wolves were growling at the child. One of the wooden beasts pounced at the crier.
"Bone?"
The child opened its eyes just in time to watch a blue staff knock the wolf to pieces. A Lucario landed in between the Cubone and the rest of the scary wolves. The child lowered their claws. As the other wolves attempted to pounce all at once, the Lucario's eyes glowed blue as he launched a Psychic attack, splitting the rest of the wolves apart... in both the sense of the pack and individual bodies.
Xavier sighed and turned his head. Are you alright, young one?
"I...I want my mommy..."
She is looking for you as well. Xavier put his staff onto his back before reaching down a paw. I can take you to her if you'd like.
"It's no good... those things keep coming back..."
What? "Cahhh!"
Sudden pain in his left ankle convinced Xavier to look down. A grass-type wolf was currently biting its wooden fangs into him. He growled and kicked it off with his other leg. He spun around. Some green vapors were actually pulling the pieces of wood back together into the lupine shapes.
Do their bodies run on Max Revives or something? Xavier clenched his right upper paw. Well... might as well test my control over my new technique.
The wooden pack of wolves resumed their efforts to pounce upon the intruders in their woods. However, the one in front suddenly felt cold. A radiating purplish-black essence was sticking through its head. When Xavier pulled out his paw covered in Dark Pulse, the wolf's glowing eyes dimmed to no light. The wooden body fell apart into lifeless toothpicks.
Apparently, self-preservation was a myth in the wild as the rest of the wooden wolves tried their luck all at once. The Lucario unleashed his Dark Pulse as a wave at the entire pack. More lifeless splinters littered the ground. He took a deep breath, held it for a three-count, and then exhaled to interrupt his train of negative thoughts.
I don't think these things will bother you again, he assured the child. Now, how about we go find your mother?
The Cubone shook a little but nodded. "O-Okay..." They slowly walked forward, before seeming to disappear on contact with Xavier.
...
Chester was still trudging along the tracks, gasping for breath as he did. Thankfully, the summoned help picked him up before returning to the attic in his place of residence. The child ghost ran up to the Marowak and the two embraced.
"Thank you..." The haunting spirits vanished in plumes of fire.
"Well, I'm glad I had the brilliant idea of bringing you on to help me." Chester slid his front paws past each other, as if wiping off imaginary dust. "So... thanks."
Xavier rolled his eyes. "Lu ca ra ca ri ru ca lo, ru lu-ri."
"I guess quest-takers expect rewards of some kind." Chester scratched his head lightly. "I don't have money on me on account of being a cat, but feel free to find some junk item from inside here if you want."
"Lu... cario."
Xavier saw a glint of something where the two ghosts were previously standing. He slowly walked over to the spot and saw a slightly bent piece of black leather. Something about it seemed right to him. He wrapped the leather around his waist like a belt. A new feeling coursed through him. It wasn't revitalization, rather a state of being that was slightly better than he had before.
Just as suddenly, he found himself back in the changeling hive he currently resided.
---