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Part 2/10
All children must grow up. Yes, that is a fact. Childhood is a period of one’s life that always comes to an abrupt end. But what is the meaning of this period known as childhood? Is it a time to play? To enjoy a brief moment of innocence before the trials of a life ahead. Or is it perhaps a time to grow strong? To apply the skills and instil the ideologies needed for the future. For Kareena the Absol, the choice had been made for her.
The skies above Tao had once again cleared to deliver yet another perfect day to the thriving town. Under the welcoming shade of the Rescuer’s tree, Vagus the Totodile watched as she plodded along. Ahead of her, lead a fierce looking Charmeleon. It was he, Mycaelis, who had made this decision.
Vagus’ protests and argument fell on deaf ears last night. Mycaelis remained as stubborn as ever. Hard, cold and eager to transform Kareena into something as fierce as him. The young Absol was the newest member of their team, and it was now that her life would become harder. Vagus crossed his arms as the pair approached him. They were late. “Michael!” he snapped, using the Charmeleon’s comon name. Many often prefered to call him as such. “You two took your time.”
Mycaelis snarled and looked upon Vagus with a foul look. It was one that would send shivers rolling down even the most hardened of spines. For Vagus, it was a look he was all too familiar with. “We were at the memorial shrine. We were supposed to be paying our respects to Kareena’s family this morning. Where the hell were you?”
“Shit!” hissed Vagus as he let the curse slip from his tongue. He had forgotten where they were supposed to meet. He lowered his head, slightly ashamed of himself. He suddenly found himself at a complete loss. The whole matter had totally slipped his mind. “Sorry,” he mumbled. He was too ashamed to look upon the young Absol that sat at Mycaelis’ side.
Mycaelis huffed. He was far from amused. “Say it so she can hear you,” he snarled, his eyes gleaming with held back rage.
“I’m sorry!” snapped Vagus, becoming frustrated with himself.
“Michael, please.” Kareena’s young and candid voice gently caressed Vagus’ ears. “It’s okay. Everyone makes mistakes, right?” She regarded both her older team-mates with a smile.The young and kind Absol did her best to reason with the situation. Her words made the ends of Vagus’ mouth curl as it attempted to smile.
“Yes Kareena, that is true.” The menace in Mycaelis’ voice cleared as the Charmeleon kneeled beside the Absol. “But we are not like everyone else.” Gently, he raised the tip of a clawed finger and traced it over the embroidered armband on Kareena’s foreleg. “We are something more.” His eyes snapped up to meet her sky blue blaze. “We can’t make mistakes like this. We are Rescuers. We don’t let others down.”
Kareena nodded, her young mind absorbing the lesson she was being taught. Vagus watched on, the shame in his heart increasing slightly with every passing moment. He hated being the subject of Mycaelis’ twisted lessons of morality. “That’s why we train so hard, right?” asked Kareena.
“Correct,” said Mycaelis choosing to simply nod and stroke Kareena’s mane. “Good girl,” he whispered before rising back to his full height.
A discrete sigh escaped Vagus as he felt Mycaelis eyes descend upon him again. “Don’t you think you're pushing her a bit too far?” he asked. “She’s entitled to a childhood, Michael. Let her live one.”
“I’m not gonna get dragged into this argument again, Vagus.” A hint of anger had crept back into Michael voice. “She’ll have one. It’s just gonna be--”
“Ah, good morning.” A delighted voice shot from behind Vagus, forcing Mycaelis’ to fall short on his sentence. The wooden ramp that coiled around the Rescuer’s tree trunk resounded with the sound of footsteps as an Ampharos began his fast paced decent. Vagus took a few steps away from the tree’s base and turned to face him.
“Good morning Mr. Frensel, Sir!” he greeted. His voice was simultaneously joined by both Mycaelis’ and Kareena’s as they also greeted the new guild head. Their bodies snapped straight and to attention, ready to receive his words. It was to Vagus’ surprise that Fresnel carried a sack brown weeded sack in his right hand and a small shovel in his left.
Frensel regarded the team with a smile before speaking. “It’s a pleasure to see more of our members willing to lend a hand today.”
“The pleasure is ours, Sir!” snapped Vagus. “What needs doing?”
“This,” With a swing of his arm, Frensel cast the sack and shovel at Vagus’ feet. “Seen all the dead trees around Creeping Forest as of late?”
Vagus nodded. “Yes. What about them?”
“Well, now we have to replant them.” From behind him, Vagus heard a snort escape Mycaelis. The sound seemed to slip Frensel’s attention as he continued to speak. “You boys up for it?”
Vagus sighed, somewhat annoyed and disappointed by the task. No ‘mons in distress, no bad guys, no heroic battle…just a gardening choir. Despite his disappointment, Vagus looked up at Frensel. “Sure thing, Sir! We’ll help wherever we can.”
“No.” The word came from Mycaelis, and chilled Vagus to his core.
In a mid state of shock, Vagus turned and looked to his brother. “W-what did you just say?” Vagus had known the Charmeleon all his life. They had hatched together, and had always been near one another since. Vagus could not recall a moment in his life when Mycaelis had ever back down from anything.
“There is no ‘we’ in this one, Vagus.” To Vagus’ surprise, a smile crawled across Mycaelis face. “You’ll be taking this one alone.”
Vagus felt the warmth in the town’s atmosphere vanish. His world suddenly became cold. “Y-you’re leaving m-me on my own?”
“Consider it your punishment for letting Kareena down this morning.” Before Vagus could utter another word, Mycaelis spoke over him. “And besides, Master Foo needs me to help train Kareena today. I’m not about to ditch an appointment with him just so I can play in the dirt with you.”
“M-Michael…” The words hurt. Within his heart a rage began to burn. He forced it back, not wanting to lose it in front of Frensel “I said I was sorry,” he rumbled, fighting back his anger.
Frensel crossed his arms and snarled with disapproval. “I may not have power over deciding how team leaders punish their subordinates, but I do not think this an appropriate way of doing so.”
“Like he gives a crap what you think,” whispered Vagus, making sure Frensel wouldn't hear him. It was an unfortunate truth. Mycaelis cared little or nothing for the opinions of other ‘mons, unless they agreed with his own.
Mycaelis said nothing, he simply stared up at Fresnel with a vacant expression. For a moment, Vagus thought that his brother would come to his senses and accompany him on this task. His hopes were soon shattered like glass. “Good day to you, Sir.” With swift grace Mycaelis turned his back on both Vagus and Frensel as he proceeded to walk in the direction of Foo’s dojo. “Come, Kareena. We got work to do.” The Absol shot to her feet and followed him close as though she were bound to him by an invisible leash.
Vagus sighed with sympathy. Not for himself, but for Kareena and the challenges she would soon have to face. But he could not help but feel a sense of reassurance from Kareena. The Absol walked without a hint of reluctance in her stride. Since her hatching, her life had been one without leisure or comfort. Her strong fortitude had left Vagus with questions. Had Mycaelis tutelage and mentoring finally broken the young Absol’s childhood instincts? Or was this the same courage shown by her brothers during their final days before their demise?
Regardless of what conclusion Vagus came to, he was proud of Kareena. Proud to see her stride behind Mycaelis without protest and without the desire to blame or hate. He watched as she followed Michael towards Master Foo’s Dojo. Lost in his thought, he flinched upon feeling a sudden pat on his shoulder. “Ahh, the heck, mate!” He jumped and span around to face Frensel.
“Sorry,” apologised the Ampharos. “Are you okay? Perhaps I can have you join another team for today. That’s if another arrives.”
“No, no. it’s fine, Sir.” A scowl escaped Vagus. “H-he’s right. I got to do this one my own…” Not wanting his frustration to show in front of the guild head, Vagus turned away from Frensel.
Quickly, he crouched down and retrieved the shovel he had been issued. Without further thought, he began to stomp away from the guild’s tree and towards the nearest bridge. Under Vagus’ breath, curses and swear words sliped away. They were all directed at his brother. He cursed him for abandoning him, cursed him for poisoning Kareena’s mind.
Propelled by his sense of failure, Vagus continued to run, holding the shovel in his arms close to him. He was too occupied by his own thoughts to realise Frensel calling after him. “Hey! Vagus, is it? Vagus! You forgot your seeds! Vagus, come back!”
collaboration between
SlyDragoon16 and me
Story by SlyDragoon16
Art by
Haychel
All children must grow up. Yes, that is a fact. Childhood is a period of one’s life that always comes to an abrupt end. But what is the meaning of this period known as childhood? Is it a time to play? To enjoy a brief moment of innocence before the trials of a life ahead. Or is it perhaps a time to grow strong? To apply the skills and instil the ideologies needed for the future. For Kareena the Absol, the choice had been made for her.
The skies above Tao had once again cleared to deliver yet another perfect day to the thriving town. Under the welcoming shade of the Rescuer’s tree, Vagus the Totodile watched as she plodded along. Ahead of her, lead a fierce looking Charmeleon. It was he, Mycaelis, who had made this decision.
Vagus’ protests and argument fell on deaf ears last night. Mycaelis remained as stubborn as ever. Hard, cold and eager to transform Kareena into something as fierce as him. The young Absol was the newest member of their team, and it was now that her life would become harder. Vagus crossed his arms as the pair approached him. They were late. “Michael!” he snapped, using the Charmeleon’s comon name. Many often prefered to call him as such. “You two took your time.”
Mycaelis snarled and looked upon Vagus with a foul look. It was one that would send shivers rolling down even the most hardened of spines. For Vagus, it was a look he was all too familiar with. “We were at the memorial shrine. We were supposed to be paying our respects to Kareena’s family this morning. Where the hell were you?”
“Shit!” hissed Vagus as he let the curse slip from his tongue. He had forgotten where they were supposed to meet. He lowered his head, slightly ashamed of himself. He suddenly found himself at a complete loss. The whole matter had totally slipped his mind. “Sorry,” he mumbled. He was too ashamed to look upon the young Absol that sat at Mycaelis’ side.
Mycaelis huffed. He was far from amused. “Say it so she can hear you,” he snarled, his eyes gleaming with held back rage.
“I’m sorry!” snapped Vagus, becoming frustrated with himself.
“Michael, please.” Kareena’s young and candid voice gently caressed Vagus’ ears. “It’s okay. Everyone makes mistakes, right?” She regarded both her older team-mates with a smile.The young and kind Absol did her best to reason with the situation. Her words made the ends of Vagus’ mouth curl as it attempted to smile.
“Yes Kareena, that is true.” The menace in Mycaelis’ voice cleared as the Charmeleon kneeled beside the Absol. “But we are not like everyone else.” Gently, he raised the tip of a clawed finger and traced it over the embroidered armband on Kareena’s foreleg. “We are something more.” His eyes snapped up to meet her sky blue blaze. “We can’t make mistakes like this. We are Rescuers. We don’t let others down.”
Kareena nodded, her young mind absorbing the lesson she was being taught. Vagus watched on, the shame in his heart increasing slightly with every passing moment. He hated being the subject of Mycaelis’ twisted lessons of morality. “That’s why we train so hard, right?” asked Kareena.
“Correct,” said Mycaelis choosing to simply nod and stroke Kareena’s mane. “Good girl,” he whispered before rising back to his full height.
A discrete sigh escaped Vagus as he felt Mycaelis eyes descend upon him again. “Don’t you think you're pushing her a bit too far?” he asked. “She’s entitled to a childhood, Michael. Let her live one.”
“I’m not gonna get dragged into this argument again, Vagus.” A hint of anger had crept back into Michael voice. “She’ll have one. It’s just gonna be--”
“Ah, good morning.” A delighted voice shot from behind Vagus, forcing Mycaelis’ to fall short on his sentence. The wooden ramp that coiled around the Rescuer’s tree trunk resounded with the sound of footsteps as an Ampharos began his fast paced decent. Vagus took a few steps away from the tree’s base and turned to face him.
“Good morning Mr. Frensel, Sir!” he greeted. His voice was simultaneously joined by both Mycaelis’ and Kareena’s as they also greeted the new guild head. Their bodies snapped straight and to attention, ready to receive his words. It was to Vagus’ surprise that Fresnel carried a sack brown weeded sack in his right hand and a small shovel in his left.
Frensel regarded the team with a smile before speaking. “It’s a pleasure to see more of our members willing to lend a hand today.”
“The pleasure is ours, Sir!” snapped Vagus. “What needs doing?”
“This,” With a swing of his arm, Frensel cast the sack and shovel at Vagus’ feet. “Seen all the dead trees around Creeping Forest as of late?”
Vagus nodded. “Yes. What about them?”
“Well, now we have to replant them.” From behind him, Vagus heard a snort escape Mycaelis. The sound seemed to slip Frensel’s attention as he continued to speak. “You boys up for it?”
Vagus sighed, somewhat annoyed and disappointed by the task. No ‘mons in distress, no bad guys, no heroic battle…just a gardening choir. Despite his disappointment, Vagus looked up at Frensel. “Sure thing, Sir! We’ll help wherever we can.”
“No.” The word came from Mycaelis, and chilled Vagus to his core.
In a mid state of shock, Vagus turned and looked to his brother. “W-what did you just say?” Vagus had known the Charmeleon all his life. They had hatched together, and had always been near one another since. Vagus could not recall a moment in his life when Mycaelis had ever back down from anything.
“There is no ‘we’ in this one, Vagus.” To Vagus’ surprise, a smile crawled across Mycaelis face. “You’ll be taking this one alone.”
Vagus felt the warmth in the town’s atmosphere vanish. His world suddenly became cold. “Y-you’re leaving m-me on my own?”
“Consider it your punishment for letting Kareena down this morning.” Before Vagus could utter another word, Mycaelis spoke over him. “And besides, Master Foo needs me to help train Kareena today. I’m not about to ditch an appointment with him just so I can play in the dirt with you.”
“M-Michael…” The words hurt. Within his heart a rage began to burn. He forced it back, not wanting to lose it in front of Frensel “I said I was sorry,” he rumbled, fighting back his anger.
Frensel crossed his arms and snarled with disapproval. “I may not have power over deciding how team leaders punish their subordinates, but I do not think this an appropriate way of doing so.”
“Like he gives a crap what you think,” whispered Vagus, making sure Frensel wouldn't hear him. It was an unfortunate truth. Mycaelis cared little or nothing for the opinions of other ‘mons, unless they agreed with his own.
Mycaelis said nothing, he simply stared up at Fresnel with a vacant expression. For a moment, Vagus thought that his brother would come to his senses and accompany him on this task. His hopes were soon shattered like glass. “Good day to you, Sir.” With swift grace Mycaelis turned his back on both Vagus and Frensel as he proceeded to walk in the direction of Foo’s dojo. “Come, Kareena. We got work to do.” The Absol shot to her feet and followed him close as though she were bound to him by an invisible leash.
Vagus sighed with sympathy. Not for himself, but for Kareena and the challenges she would soon have to face. But he could not help but feel a sense of reassurance from Kareena. The Absol walked without a hint of reluctance in her stride. Since her hatching, her life had been one without leisure or comfort. Her strong fortitude had left Vagus with questions. Had Mycaelis tutelage and mentoring finally broken the young Absol’s childhood instincts? Or was this the same courage shown by her brothers during their final days before their demise?
Regardless of what conclusion Vagus came to, he was proud of Kareena. Proud to see her stride behind Mycaelis without protest and without the desire to blame or hate. He watched as she followed Michael towards Master Foo’s Dojo. Lost in his thought, he flinched upon feeling a sudden pat on his shoulder. “Ahh, the heck, mate!” He jumped and span around to face Frensel.
“Sorry,” apologised the Ampharos. “Are you okay? Perhaps I can have you join another team for today. That’s if another arrives.”
“No, no. it’s fine, Sir.” A scowl escaped Vagus. “H-he’s right. I got to do this one my own…” Not wanting his frustration to show in front of the guild head, Vagus turned away from Frensel.
Quickly, he crouched down and retrieved the shovel he had been issued. Without further thought, he began to stomp away from the guild’s tree and towards the nearest bridge. Under Vagus’ breath, curses and swear words sliped away. They were all directed at his brother. He cursed him for abandoning him, cursed him for poisoning Kareena’s mind.
Propelled by his sense of failure, Vagus continued to run, holding the shovel in his arms close to him. He was too occupied by his own thoughts to realise Frensel calling after him. “Hey! Vagus, is it? Vagus! You forgot your seeds! Vagus, come back!”
collaboration between
SlyDragoon16 and meStory by
SlyDragoon16Art by
Haychel
Category Artwork (Digital) / Fanart
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1280 x 1060px
File Size 262.1 kB
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